What does it means to be successful in today’s world? Having achieved enormous business success only to then experience burnout, Ariana Huffington, co-founder and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post before it was sold to AOL Inc. in 2011, reflects on this question in her 2014 book, Thrive. She uses her own challenges and learnings to urge “all of us to get in touch with who we really are so that we can live life on our own terms”. Taking a little time for reflection each year is an important part of being able to do this, and the sooner we start doing this, the better for making decisions going forward.

How do we help kids to live their lives on their terms?

By encouraging children to capture their thoughts and aspirations, the Inicio Album aims to help kids better understand “who they really are”.

Reflecting on her own wake-up call, Ariana writes:

“It seemed to me that the people who were genuinely thriving in their lives were the ones who had made room for well-being, wisdom, wonder and giving.”

So how do we teach kids wisdom?

Huffington states: “I’m convinced of two fundamental truths about human beings. The first is that we all have within us a centred place of wisdom, harmony and strength. This is a truth that all the world’s philosophies and religions – whether Christianity, Islam, Judaism, or Buddhism – acknowledge in one form or another.”…”The second truth is that we’re all going to veer away from that place again and again and again. That’s the nature of life. In fact, we may be off course more often than on course.” The question is how quickly can we get back to that centred place of wisdom, harmony and strength.

Let’s replace anxiety with trust

Again, Ariana writes that “It’s in this sacred place that life is transformed from struggle to grace, and we are suddenly filled with trust, whatever our obstacles, challenges, or disappointments.”

We seem to hear a lot more these days that kids today face more anxiety than ever. I’ve watched my own kids deal with various issues that would cause anxieties from time to time. While all of our experiences help shape who we become and therefore are best viewed as opportunities for learning and growth, it is good to recognise those things that help kids get back to that centred place. Experiencing nature and quite reflection, looking back at happy events and fond memories can all help. Knowing what they enjoy and the people who are special in their lives are all helpful. I know for me, even as an adult, the knowledge that things have always worked out in the past, is enough to help me trust that they will do likewise in the future. And just knowing this, is part of the solution.

Help kids connect the dots

Steve Jobs, one of the founders of Apple stated in his legendary commencement address at Stanford:

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference.”

 Huffington states “our ability to regularly get back to this place of wisdom – like so many other abilities – depends on how much we practice and how important we make it in our lives.” Help your kids to come to know their unique characteristics, what they enjoy and where their strengths lie, so that they too can trust and more easily see the dots when looking back.