Worst of all, we decided that power is something that comes from outside ourselves. Thus we began fighting to ensure our place in a world of perceived limitations.

Even though we seem to be fighting for our own gain, the negativity has turned inward as well, blocking us from the true empowerment that comes from within. Negativity has become a substitute for real power because real empowerment is rarely considered. Children grow up thinking nationality, grades, popularity, and the like make them who they are.

It is no wonder, then, that so many young people feel burdened by a sense of disillusionment as they reach adulthood. Teenagers, especially those who have grown up in very dis-empowering environments, demonstrate this in their self-destructive behaviors and attitudes. Feeling powerless, they turn to negative behaviors and thinking patterns as a substitute for real power. Youth should be a time of joyous self-discovery and development, but for too many young people, adolescence becomes a time of self-loathing and aimless wandering.