Teen Breathe Magazine – Issue 38

In this issue: Defeating doubt • Tree of life • It’s all an illusion • Polite society • Rise and shine • Crossing the miles • Go on, I dare you • Welcoming winter • Stories on the skin

Everyone sees the world in their own unique way. Whatever your viewpoint, how you see yourself and your place in the bigger picture has an impact on how you feel.

A positive image creates a sense of belonging and boosts self-esteem, so it can be useful to think about the different ways to look at situations and events in life.

If you’re worried about a friendship, for example, whether because of physical distance between you and a pal or a perceived awkwardness in the wider group dynamic, it’s easy to assume that those bonds might break. But is there another way to view the situation?

Maybe the miles will make the relationship stronger, as you find creative new ways to keep in touch and have fun doing it. Perhaps those fears of a rift, though understandable, will prove unfounded after all.

It can be helpful to think of optical illusions as a reminder that not everything is as it seems. Looking at challenges from different angles can help change the way you approach them.

For instance, in certain moods it can be easy to think of cold weather and long nights as a hardship that must be endured. But view dark evenings as the perfect excuse to curl up on the sofa and read or listen to music and they become a seasonal treat. Sometimes, the secret to seeing the good in things is simply to look at them through a different lens.

Cover Illustration by Maggie Stephenson