Used skillfully, these tools can help children and adolescents respond to the life hurdles they are likely to encounter. Purposeful Living One of these hurdles is the degree to which people's actions are increasingly driven by the pursuit of pleasure, comfort and happiness. It is not possible to capture and maintain a state of pleasant feelings. Constructive Living points out, realistically, that unpleasant feelings are as natural and necessary as rainy days. They come and go despite our wishes.
Anxiety is as uncontrollable as a rainstorm - fear as uncontrollable as lightning.
Rather than try to control such natural occurrences, which drain our energy and attention, it is better to accept these temporary internal weather patterns and learn to live well even when we are not feeling well. A life foundation built from constructive action is much stronger than one that constantly shifts with changing feelings. Learning to accept and live with unpleasant feelings is a skill. It may be taught and learned by youth - sometimes more readily than by adults. Young people have less to unlearn.