Help Teens Eliminate Excuses And Overcome Obstacles | Summer Owens | Episode 166

Whether our teens are stumbling around or truly driven, they will run into obstacles. Oftentimes those obstacles stop them in their tracks and that can be frustrating for everyone. They feel defeated and we feel frustrated. So what can we do to help them eliminate excuses and overcome obstacles? Today’s guest, Summer Owens, knows exactly what to do. Having become a mother at 15 as the result of a forced sexual encounter, she has not only raised her son, graduated from high school, college and business school, she founded S.O. What! and the S.O. What! Foundation where she inspires people to eliminate excuses and overcome obstacles to their success. In this episode of the Mighty Parenting podcast, Summer talks to host Sandy Fowler about obstacles. She tells us why these obstacles stump our teenagers and how we can help them overcome their obstacles.

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A Favorite Quote from the Show:

You either accept a situation or you act and do something.

High Points From Our Conversation About Eliminating Excuses and Overcoming Obstacles:

Summer was determined not to feel sorry for herself and decided she would be successful in spite of being a teen mom. She chose to overcome that obstacle.

She moved in with her grandmother while she was pregnant. Summer’s grandmother watched her son during Summer’s first year of college.

People saw she was working hard and wanted to support her.

She learned she could be a mother, go to school, work, and be a student leader. This taught her that if she didn’t make excuses she could overcome obstacles.

Summer discovered what was important to her and the importance of being there for each other. She also learned how to prioritize and manage her time.

She wrote her memoir to help kids find a connection point and see they can overcome obstacles too.

Train your brain so your first thought is, “So what?”

You either accept the situation or you act.

Complaining is not doing something.

Saying ‘SO What’ doesn’t mean you don’t care. It means you don’t care about the problem, you care about the situation.

When something happens, acknowledge it. Say, “This is the situation. How are we going to move forward from here?”

I’m entitled to feel this hurt, embarrassment or pain, but I don’t want to sit and wallow in it.

We feel entitled to complain but we can either accept it or act on it.

Talk to your kids about how other people overcome obstacles.

Think of a time in your life when you felt defeated and overcame it.

Remind people of a time in their life when they overcame something. Sometimes we need someone else to show us we’ve done this before.

Remember, mistakes are about learning.

Share stores of overcomers and normal people who’ve overcome normal things. Our kids can’t always identify with the big story.

Resources are important. Parents can’t be everything to our kids, they need other people and resources to succeed. Introduce your child to other people and resources that can help them.

We can experience learned helplessness. Show kids that in most situations there’s something you can do.

Resources:

Overcome Bullying And Find Entrepreneurial Success | Randy Ginsburg | Episode 138

Our Guest Summer Owens:

Author, speaker, and certified S.O. What! Success Coach, Summer Owens is the founder and CEO of S.O. What! and the S.O. What! Foundation where she inspires people to eliminate excuses and overcome obstacles to their success. Summer became a mother at fifteen as the result of a forced sexual encounter, but she didn’t let that stop her from achieving her dreams.  With her son by her side, she graduated from high school, college, and business school with honors and was named Most Likely to Succeed and Miss University. Prior to pursuing her speaking career, Summer spent nearly 15 years as a marketing executive for the NBA Memphis Grizzlies, ServiceMaster and FedEx. After publishing her first book, Life After Birth- A Memoir of Survival and Success as a Teenage Mother, she decided to devote her life to helping others live their best lives. Summer serves on several non-profit boards and is currently the president of the University of Memphis National Alumni Association Board of Directors. She has received several honors including the Women of Achievement Heroism award, Women of Excellence award, Memphis Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40, and the three highest honors at her alma mater- Miss University of Memphis, Outstanding Young Alumna, and the Distinguished Alumna Award. Her story has been featured nationally and internationally on media outlets including CNN HLN and the 700 Club as well as several other media outlets. She is honored to be using her life’s challenges and victories to help others overcome the obstacles in their own lives.

To learn more or connect with our guest visit www.SummerOwens.com

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