TEENS GUIDE THROUGH LIFE

TEENS GUIDE THROUGH LIFE
published by
© 2019 by

IISBN NUMBER
Cover image by Sasha Munyeki
Cover design by David Muchiri
Scripture quotations are from:
The Holy Bible, New King James Version (NKJV)
© 1984 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval

system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means- electronic,
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TEENS GUIDE THROUGH LIFE
published by
© 2019 by

International Standard Book Number:
Cover image by Sasha Munyeki
Cover design by David Muchiri
Scripture quotations are from:

The Holy Bible, New King James Version (NKJV)

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TEENS GUIDE THROUGH LIFE

“LIFE DOESN’T REQUIRE YOU TO BE THE BEST, ONLY THAT
YOU TRY YOUR BEST”

SASHA MUNYEKI
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would firstly like to thank God for giving me
this opportunity and for guiding me and for
everything in general because without him I
wouldn’t even be alive.
I would also like to thank my Mum, Nya-
kan Munyeki, for supporting and helping me
throughout writing this.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 2
4
Acknowledgements 6
Making friends 8
Emotion 10
Opportunity 12
Reasons for everything 14
Tests in life 16
Lessons 18
Choices and Consequences 20
Gratitude 25
Contentment 27
Procrastination 29
Friendship 31
Respect 33
Enjoy being young 35
Depression
Peer pressure

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INTRODUCTION
As a 14 year old teenager, I thought that I should write a book that could
speak to teens like me and encourage them to enjoy the life God has given
them because its awesome.Many teens go through alot and often times
they may not be in a position to share their true feelings especially with
adults.This can leave them confused and sad and sometimes they may

resolve to harm themselves.
Even though I am young, I decided to encourage teens and try to put down
challages I think we face and my thoughts of what we can do to overcome

them.From my experience, I learn’t at the way I saw a challange deter-
mined how I felt and how I reacted.

So I try to see things positively and I have seen better results in my life.
I hope you all enjoy the book

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Awesome read and remarkable understanding of my fellow peer.
Sasha has comperehended what is so going through my life and has
pointed out ways to cope with challenges and the practicality of living

as a teen.Thank you.
Adana

Just a brief meeting with Sasha really humbled me in understanding
her desire to be of impact to her peers at a such a tender age.

Her deep longing is to see people grow and overcome the ever so
occuring challenges of life.
David

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TEENS GUIDE THROUGH LIFE

CHALLENGE 1:

MAKING FRIENDS

You may have just moved to a new school
at the beginning of high school or you may
have stayed in the same one. Either way, mak-
ing new friends may be a challenge. In doing
so, make sure you remain true to yourself by
knowing who you are. “Don’t downgrade your
dream just to fit reality. Upgrade your convic-
tion to match your destiny.” I think that this is a
very important quote to take to heart.

When I joined a new school at the beginning of
high school, everything was new and everyone
was new. At first, I tried my best to be polite
and please everyone, but I soon realized that
not everyone will like you and that’s okay. Its
better to have a few really close friends than
many friends who don’t mean much to you.
Remember, quality over quantity!

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CHALLENGE 2:

EMOTIONS

Don’t bottle up your emotions. Make sure you
have at least one person you can open up to
whether it’s your Mum or your best friend or
even a counselor. As long as you are comfort-
able with sharing your problem with them.
Bottling up your emotions is like a shaken soda
bottle. If you keep it in and keep shaking the
bottle one day it will crack and what you had
tried to keep inside will pour out in tears.

“Sometimes you don’t realize you are drown-
ing when you’re trying to be everyone else’s
anchor” -Unknown

Don’t let people affect you negatively in terms
of emotions. If they keep making you sad, an-
gry, irritated etc., don’t hang out with them as
much. Friends are supposed to build you and if
they are doing the opposite, are they truly your
friends?

“Don’t downgrade your“Good friends are like stars, you don’t always
see them but you always know they are there.”

dream-Ujnuknsowtn to fit reality. Up-
grade your conviction to
match your10destiny.”

Emotions

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CHALLENGE 3:

OPPORTUNITY

Always be prepared to take an opportunity.
“Success is where preparation and opportunity
meet.” On the other hand,
Failure isn’t an end. In fact, it’s a new beginning
to start again only this time you are more ex-
perienced. You only completely fail if you give
up. As Thomas Edison once said “I have not
failed, I have just found 10,000 ways that won’t
work.”

In school, if there is a slot for a Prefect take
the chance. It’s okay if you don’t get it because
there are always other opportunities and you
will be more prepared the next time.

“When opportunity knocks on your door, al-
ways be willing to take the chance, you don’t
need to be perfect or have all the answers, but
be bold because you never know how great
something could turn out to be.” -Unknown

Wherever you are, you are there for a reason.
Trust in God and have faith and it will go well,
according to his will for you. Jeremiah 29:11
“‘For I know the plans I have for you’ declares
the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm
you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

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CHALLENGE 4:

REASONS FOR EVERYTHING

There is always a reason for everything. There
is a reason you go to the school you go to,
there is a reason for why you live where you
live because God has a will for you and for ev-
eryone you know. Don’t doubt God in different
situations because if you stay strong and have
faith in him, he will make a way.

“God has a reason for allowing things to hap-
pen. We may never understand his wisdom but
we simply have to trust his will.” -Unknown

An example would be; if you and your friend
were once close, and started to drift apart,
make sure you don’t force the relationship be-
cause where a door closes, another one opens.

“I believe everything happens for a reason,
people can change, you can also change so
learn to let go and sometimes good things fall
apart so that better things can fall together.”
-Unknown

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HIGH Are there those people that test you in every
area? Whether they test your patience, anger
SCHOOL or your irritability don’t let it get to you. An ex-
ample would be; if one of your close friends
CHALLENGE 5: betrayed you, you shouldn’t lose your temper
Tests in life towards them, although it isn’t wrong to be an-
gry, its better to go cool off first before you say
something you’ll regret. Then try your best not
to be rude to them because this puts hot coals
on their head. It makes them feel bad for being
so horrible to you and in return you are nice to
them.

“Every test in our lives makes us bitter or bet-
ter, every problem comes to make us or break
us. The choice is ours whether we become vic-
tims or victorious.” -Unknown

In life, if you have a problem, pray and ask for
God’s help, but it may not all happen overnight.
One of my favorite quotes say
“When you are going through something hard
and wonder where God is, remember that the
teacher is always quiet during a test.”-Unknown

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CHALLENGE 6:

LESSONS

In school we are taught the lesson first be-
fore we take the test. In life, the test comes
first which teaches you the lesson. Sometimes
painful experiences can teach you lessons you
didn’t think you needed to know. Life’s best
teacher is experience because once you have
gone through it, the lesson sticks with you. I.e.
if you’re told that fire is hot, what truly confirms
the statement? Accidentally burning yourself
or just listening to what you’re told? I think it is
when you accidentally burn yourself that you
will learn that fire indeed is hot and therefore,
you are more careful around fire.

“Some of the most valuable lessons in life are
not taught, they must be experienced.”
-Unknown

In some circumstances, its better to listen than
to have to go through the experience . I.e. If you
are told that smoking is bad for your health,
would you rather experience the side effects or
listen to what you’ve been told and trust that it
is correct? I would rather listen than have my
lungs damaged from all the smoke.

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CHALLENGE 7:

CHOICES &
CONSEQUENCES

All choices have consequences! Whether the
consequence is good or bad, they are a result
of your decisions. If you chose to study, and
sincerely try your best in the test, the results
will hopefully be good. If they’re not good, at
least you know you tried your best and you
now know what to do better next time.

“Men of thoughtless actions are surprised by
bad consequences.”

Treat others how you would want to be treated
because “Life is a boomerang. What you give
is what you get.” If someone treats you wrong,
make the choice not to do the same. Be the
bigger person.

The decisions you make shape your future. Be-
fore you make radical decisions, think of your
future and what the consequences are. Some-
times people don’t think of later on because of
the rush and excitement of the moment not
knowing it would cost them more in the future.

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“The consequence of today is determined by the actions of the
past. To change your future, alter your decisions”
Sometimes desperation plays a big part in your decision. An exam-
ple might be; a man was in need of money. He decided that if he
stole some money, he would be able to pay off his debts. So, he
did steal the money. He paid off his debts. Not shortly after, he got
arrested for stealing and was put in jail.
He got something out of it but lost more in the process. Some-
times patience pays off.

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CHALLENGE 8:

GRATITUDE

Always, always be thankful for everything. Even
the small things some people take for grant-
ed like clean water, shelter, electricity and food.
There are so many people who struggle to get
necessities such as clean water then there are
those who waste the clean water.

Be thankful you are alive because there are those
who weren’t able to see today. Thank your par-
ents for everything they have done for you. Thank
God for keeping you alive and providing for you.

“Give thanks to the Lord for he is good and his
love endures forever. -Psalms 136:1”

Thankfulness shows humility. It shows that you
are grateful for what you have in every situation.
Ungratefulness shows pride. Being ungrateful
shows that even when you have it all you are not
content with what you have and you always want
more.

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“Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the com-
pletion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist of words. Grati-
tude is shown in acts.” -Unknown
Saying thank you could really make someone’s day. It shows them
they are useful. They aren’t taken for granted. It shows they are
appreciated.
The world is full of turmoil and hardships. The list of problems is
unending. So, the fact that you can be grateful is phenomenal.
Take every chance you can to say thank you.
Try make a list of the 5 things you are grateful for every day. Look
at the list and let it shape your attitude for each day.

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CHALLENGE 9:

CONTENTMENT

Do you think you are content? Contentment is
such a great attribute to someone. Over Christ-
mas, my family and I played a really fun game
in teams. The losers would have to wash all the
dirty dishes. Team B won so team A had to do
the dishes. Before the dishes were done, Team
A asked for a rematch but one of my Uncles
from team B replied “There were once people
who won the lottery and became rich, they then
became greedy and re-bet their riches, in the
end they lost it all. Let us just be grateful with
our win.” With that said, Team A went off and
washed all the dishes.
Be content with everything you have. “When
you are grateful for the smallest things in life,
contentment just overflows.”
We tend to forget that material shouldn’t be
what make us happy, they should add onto
the happiness that already exists from what we
have.
“We tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come
as a result of getting something we don’t have,
but rather in recognizing and appreciating what
we do have.” -Unknown

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You have to make the choice to be happy. No one can force that
on you and you can’t buy happiness. Some reasons people aren’t
happy with what they have is because they compare themselves
with others.
“Happiness is found when you stop comparing yourself to others.”
-Unknown

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Fufiled Life

Procarstination

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CHALLENGE 10:

PROCRASTINATION

Do you procrastinate? I used to procrastinate
so much. The reason I kept doing it is because
I would somehow manage to finish on time. It
isn’t such a great habit. You don’t end up doing
the work to the best of your ability because it is
done in a rushed manner.

“Procrastination is the art of keeping up with
yesterday.” -Unknown

It is so much better to be organized and do
things on time so that it is done to the best of
your ability and you have peace of mind. Pro-
crastination may also stress you because you
have piles of things you need to do. If you put
your mind to it, you can do it.

“Success is simple. Do what is right, the right
way, at the right time.”-Arnold H. Glasow

Having a motive may often help you do the
work well. I.e. If you were sitting your exam
soon and your parents said if you get a certain
amount of A’s, you can get the phone you want,
wouldn’t you try even harder to get those A’s?

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CHALLENGE 11:

FRIENDSHIP

Friends either make you or break you. A fa-
mous quote says “If you show me your friends,
I will show you your future.” This means that
the people you are hanging out with really do
have an effect on your personality and the
way you act. Social media also plays a part in
this. Choose your friends wisely. If they are bad
company, go to a different friend group. There
are plenty of fish in the sea.

“Real friends leave marks in your life not scars.”

Friends shouldn’t just make you happy. They
should amplify the happiness and joy in your
life. Make sure you expel toxic relationships be-
cause they aren’t helping you become a better
you. They may be doing the opposite and mak-
ing your life harder.

“Sometimes your friend circle decreases in size
but increases in value.” It is okay to lose friends.
This may also allow other better friends to be
part of your life.

“When you let go, you create space for some-
thing better.” -Unknown

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CHALLENGE 12:

RESPECT

Always have respect for yourself. Have dignity
and treat your body well. Decent is beautiful.
It shows you treat your body with respect and
others will also respect your body. Self-respect
is important for happiness because it shows
who you are and displays your virtues meaning
you won’t lose yourself around others.

“The way you treat yourself sets the standard
for others on how you demand to be treated.
Don’t settle for anything less than respect.”
-Unknown

Respect others. Treat others how you want
to be treated. This is a basic moral value. This
proves our humane identity. Respect others
in spite of their age; whether they are older
or younger. In year 8, my class and I were all
prefects. If you showed respect to the younger
children, they showed respect to you too.

“Knowledge will give power, but character will
give you respect.” -Unknown

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CHALLENGE 13:

ENJOY BEING YOUNG

Enjoy being young. Live, laugh and love. Some-
times people want to grow up and finally be an
adult so that they can do whatever they want.
Remember all choices have consequences.
Once you start living on your own, bills come
with it and different adult struggles come with
it. So, enjoy it when your food is bought for you,
your fees are paid for you etc.

Today is the oldest you have ever been and
you are only going to get older. So, don’t wait
till tomorrow to do what can be done today.
Utilize what you have now, with the people you
have now.

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CHALLENGE 14:

DEPRESSION

Depression is a serious medical case. It is a
mental health disorder characterized by per-
sistently depressed moods due to something
that happened which affects the person’s
everyday life.

If you know someone who is depressed, please
reach out to an adult for help. Someone once
told me that
“Depression is living in the past, Anxiety is living
in the future and peace is living in the present.”

Please try not to judge how someone is dealing
with pain you have never experienced. Every-
one has their own way but some ways can be
dangerous i.e. Self-harm. In this case, it is ad-
visable to tell an adult because self-harm could
lead to death.

“God gives his toughest soldiers difficult bat-
tles”
If you are going through depression, stay
strong and seek God, he will always help, but
sometimes it takes a bit of time. Find someone
you can talk to. They may not have the solution
to your problem, but a problem shared is half

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CHALLENGE 15:

PEER PRESSURE

This is the influence from your age group to ei-
ther do right or wrong things. Good peer pres-
sure may be that most of your friends get A’s
and you also want to get A’s. In that case, you
improve and also start getting A’s.

“Only surround yourself with people that lift
you higher.”

Then again, there is negative peer pressure. An
example would be when those friends who cut
class begin to push you into doing the same.
Always choose the right thing. That all depends
on who you see as right.
When you say ‘yes’ to people, make sure you
are not saying ‘no’ to yourself.

“It is better to walk alone than with a crowd
going the wrong direction. Do what you feel is
right”

Make sure you know your virtues and who you
are so that if you are pressured to do the wrong
things then you can stand strong and do what
you feel is right.

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You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free”
Are you choked up in this life of unknown, uncertainty, pretence,
falsehood? Everyone trying to be someone else, trying to please every
other person, people focused on the outward and not the real person
inside, society telling us who we are yet they do not even know who
they are. Are you confused about yourself ? or your role as a human

being on earth and in school ? his book is for you.
Listen to what God says about you.

facing life with God and allowing His will as you as we are.

Sasha Munyeki