Growing up is a fact of life. It isn’t a big deal, of course, but every now and then, you will go through times in your life when growing up gets a bit complicated.

As a teenager, and even up to young adulthood, you are faced with making decisions that can have a long-reaching impact on your life. Even situations with short-term consequences should be carefully thought out. Consider what happens when you or someone you know drives too fast and gets caught by the police. The decision results in a consequence of a traffic ticket.

Growing up involves making a lot of decisions - especially as you get older. You will likely be presented with many opportunities to make decisions about things that can effect your life both short-term and long-term.

Growing up in today's world presents challenges that past generations didn't have to face. Now, that is not to say that previous generations didn’t have their own issues. They clearly did. It is just that some things are different – probably even harder now.

Have you ever been faced with anything like this:

1. One of your friends has told you that he/she is gay.
2. You know someone that has tried crack or cheese?
3. You or one of your friends has had an intimate relationship prior to marriage?
4. One of your friends drinks alcohol on a fairly regular basis.
5. You or one of your friends have parents who are divorced.

Here are some problems that all generations have had to face:

1. Marijuana
2. Alcohol
3. Suicide
4. Hard drugs
5. Teen pregnancy
6. High school dropouts
7. Divorce

Growing up is complicated and can be scary at times. You may feel pressured to do everything perfectly – and yet – you live in an imperfect world. It is ok to feel overwhelmed at times. Life can be like navigating a maze. Just when you think you have one part figured out, you are faced with another challenge, another set of choices. It can be tough knowing what direction to take.

Are you always going to make good choices? No. The best you can do is to think things through. Make the best choices you can. Don’t let your friends make your choices for you and don’t let them talk you into anything you know isn’t right for you. Some decisions may be perfectly fine for some people, but they may not be right in your circumstances. If in doubt, ask someone you trust – preferably someone older than you.

At every age of your life, growing up will present some interesting challenges. How you respond to them determines you level of maturity and your desire to live a productive and enjoyable life.