Congratulations! You are a teenager.

Maybe you're thirteen and at the beginning of your teen years, or maybe you are sixteen and in the middle. Perhaps you are nineteen and nearing the end of holding the title of "teen". No matter where you are in the stages of being a teen, you are in an incredible period of your life.

Just what does it mean to be a teen? Isn't it just a period of hindrance and angst on the way to being an adult? No way! Right now, stop reading and ask at least two or more adults if they wish they could relive their teen years. More than likely, someone will give you a resounding yes! They might also make a remark or two about what they would do differently, where they would go, what they would study, what hobby they would polish into a career, or any mistakes they would have avoided.

No matter where you live, you are part of a generation that will help set trends in music, fashion, technology, education, literature, art, movies, politics and the environment. That's the short list. You will also experience new loves, lost loves, as well as develop friendships and acquaintances that will help you grow, and unfortunately sometimes try to hold you back. You will learn, you will try, you will win and you will lose. Yes, it’s true, some of these same patterns could repeat themselves after your teen years. For now, you are at a wonderful age to make your first life changes in yourself and in your world — our world. In fact, there are adults watching you right this minute who sincerely believe that teens are the future of this world. You are the next decision makers, the next inventors, the next explorers, the next millionaires and the next parents of a whole new generation of teenagers.

Yes, along the way of being a teen, there are going to be rules, guidelines, warnings, homework, chores, responsibilities, money issues, and many times when you may hear "No" more than you hear "Yes". Wait! Don't panic! Also along the way, you will have the chance to discover things you like to do, things you want to try, places that you love, places you want to go, careers you want to explore, new people you want to meet, and that's also the short list. During this time, it’s absolutely fine if you don’t have written in stone decisions about the rest of your life. It's a time to learn and it's a learning curve that will take you up, and take you back down. No one can promise you that you won't make mistakes, everyone makes mistakes, but you can prepare yourself ahead of time for challenges, opportunities, and in some cases, the ability to avoid mistakes.

This is your time. There are many more resources now available both off and online for teenagers than were available for past generations. Teenagers across the world have done incredible things already. If you don’t believe this, do some research about how many applications for your phone or tablet began as middle school or high school projects. That’s just one example, and if you keep looking you will find more stories about inspiring teenagers.

Being a teen only comes once. Enjoy this time of your life, have the time of your life, and use your teen moments to prepare for your own journey to become an awesome person and an amazing adult.