What if there was one activity that would allow you to become a better student and help you to cope? I have witnessed firsthand how music and the arts have changed me. When things seemed to go downhill, I used to bottle up my feelings. There had to be a better way to handle all of this.

I’m very fortunate to have found my path. At an age when teens spend the majority of their time on their phones and social media, I was able to find my passion by exploring the world around me. Bring passion to everything that matters to you. Build your life around what you love. Embrace everything you do. Passion can’t be found in the mundane; it lives in your heart.

Today, "pop" music draws on ballads, vocal harmonies, R&B/soul music, jazz and rock, dance and electronic music, hip-hop, and rap. However, the core of today’s popular music is quite different. Some studies claim that pop music is more depressing, louder, angrier, and repetitive. It lacks quality and is not as good as it was in the 80s & 90s. Take a listen.

Life is competitive, and we all learn that it’s best to be good at things from a young age. We’re often taught to win and succeed from the very beginning. Winning a game or being the best in class can be a good feeling. But what about losing? Can we learn at a young age that losing isn’t the end of the world? Learning to lose is just as important as learning to win.

And no, this is not an episode about joining the circus. There’s so much to juggle in high school especially if you’re seriously considering going to a good college. The mistake a lot of students make is that they fail to balance their time. They are overloading their schedules with difficult classes like taking AP, IB, and honors. It might seem like a good idea in the beginning, but it can hurt more than help. Of course, it’s good to challenge yourself, but within reason. Take a listen.

Relationships are complex. Siblings may become close as friends or rivals. They may spend a lot of time together, or they may want as little as possible to do with each other. But on a positive note, older siblings can help younger ones because they know the ropes. They’ve walked in their shoes, they understand first-hand the struggles and fears, how to navigate the challenges of school, friends, etc. They’ve been there. Not all sibling relationships are perfect. Sometimes they get along; sometimes they don’t. Take a listen.

In this episode, we’re talking about the types of drivers you’ll encounter on the road. If you’re like me, you’ve probably been driving for a year or less. Most of you are just starting out or taking a driver’s ed course. The roads are full of different types of cars--sports cars, mini-vans, Monster pickups, electric cars, SUVs etc. Along with different types of cars comes different types of drivers. Drivers have their own specific behaviors and traits. Perhaps you've already witnessed some of these drivers.

In this episode, we’re talking about digital devices and texting. Texting allows you to keep in touch with anyone and everyone on your contact list. Texting is changing just how much connection we crave, and how quickly we expect a response. Do you expect a reply soon, within 10 minutes of sending a text, or does it matter as long as they respond? Remember when you realized that – oh no, oh my God, no no no – yes, you really sent that text to the wrong person? Isn't this the worst feeling ever?

It's incredible we were able to get through our childhood without having a nervous breakdown. Seriously! The number of silly things we believed as kids are insane. There were monsters under the bed or in the closet, sharks in the swimming pool, and eating watermelon seeds. How many of you out there still think chocolate milk comes from brown cows? Now that we're mature, we don't believe any of these silly lies anymore. Right? What stupid things did you believe as a kid?

We can learn many life lessons from films. A well-lived life is merely a matter of discovering what we’re good at. How can we touch the lives of others? By following our instincts and listening to our gut. Keeping our word, keeping our promise. We must embrace the beauty of life. We can even fulfill our purpose and use it to be of service to others.