LIFE

 

I just realized that I don't have any talents. I'm not the star basketball player, I'm not the greatest listener—I'm just not talented at anything. All my friends have talents, one is a great writer, one is an awesome singer, one is the greatest guitar player ever, and I'm just…blah. There’s nothing talented about me.

C'mon, you can't go giving up on yourself at this age. You're still discovering and developing your talents and passions. All right, maybe you won't be a top-notch athlete or musician, but think about what fields do appeal to you. Do you have a flair for teaching or fashion or nursing or interior decorating or fixing computers or website design? Why not wrap up your summer by volunteering with a parent's friend (e.g. interning at a vet's or in a store) or taking a course to learn a skill.

As for being a great listener—that just takes practice. If someone says, “I just got back from vacation,” a bad listener says, “Me too!” whereas a good listener says, “Really? Where did you go? How was it?” before telling about her own getaway. With a little effort, listening can become one of your many, many talents.

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