A teen's guide to NOT being perfect. By Tom Krause

A young man walked into his honors history class one Friday morning in late September. He placed his backpack next to his chair, which was located in the back of the room next to the wall. The young man was a good student, but not a great student. His parents were both professional people - a doctor and a lawyer. His classmates described him as shy, but likable.

As the instructor walked into the room, the students started removing their history books from their backpacks. Instead of a book, the young man drew out a gun, placed it in his mouth, and pulled the trigger.

Horror, shock, and outrage engulfed the school and the community. Why? How could this happen? Later, people learned that the young man never felt like he lived up to others' expectations. He often spoke of disappointing himself and loved ones.

What a tragedy. Yet, I meet many students who tell me they don't feel "good enough." These feelings lead them to thoughts of dropping out of school, giving up on their dreams, or even worse, suicide.

That is why I wrote this book.

For over thirty years I have been a public school teacher and coach. Thousands of students have passed through my classroom during my tenure. During this time, I have noticed that teenagers never change. Teens today remain the same wonderful vessels of hope that their parents were decades ago. What has changed drastically over time is society's effect on them.

Society, in general, has made your teenage years more complex today than it was thirty years ago. Increasing drug usage, suicide attempts, and dropout rates attest to the difficulty many teens face. Because of this environment, I felt the need to write a book designed to help today's teens through the ever-changing world of greater demands and higher expectations.

If you have ever doubted yourself or your future, if you have ever felt frustrated or worthless, if you have ever felt not normal or not accepted, if you know what it is like to deal with stress daily, then you have probably become a victim of today's teenage anxiety.

The truth is you are normal and you will make it. You are loveable and capable. You don't need perfection to find success in life. There is a better way.

I wrote, A Teen's guide to NOT Being Perfect, to offer encouragement and hope to all those teenagers who are looking for support. The lessons in this book are a guide to keeping life in perspective as you journey to your future.

As you go through your journey, keep in mind that your teenage years are not the end of your changing, but the beginning. You are a work in progress that will someday reach adulthood. It is my prayer that the wisdom in this book helps you reach that day.

Tom Krause is an International Motivational Speaker available to educational audiences, teen and parent groups as well as charity organizations. His inspirational writings and poetry have been enjoyed by people world wide.

You can contact Tom at www.coachkrause.com and you can purchase his book at www.bluegrasspublishing.com ISBN #978-1-59978-011-5