🌴The Palm Tree Problem in Post-Secondary Planning

Hi Reader,

Can a palm tree grow in the Rocky Mountains?

Most people would say no.

Palm trees need warmth, humidity, and the right climate to grow.

But technically… a palm tree could grow in the Rocky Mountains.

If it were in a greenhouse.

That idea stuck with me this month while I was thinking about young adults and post-secondary planning.

Because what most teens and young adults are really trying to figure out is:

What environment will help me thrive?

Not just:

• What job should I pick?
• What college should I go to?
• What major should I choose?

But:

Where will I grow best?

The Problem With How We Help Young People Choose

For years in schools, we asked students questions like:

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

But if you think about it…

There are millions of jobs in the world.

And most young people have barely seen a tiny fraction of them.

So they often choose based on:

• what pays well
• what their parents suggested
• what their friends are doing
• what they saw on TV

Not based on who they actually are.

And research shows something fascinating:

Self-awareness at age 16 predicts future outcomes — income, relationships, and mental health — more than GPA or standardized test scores.

That’s why self-awareness matters so much.

The Real Starting Point

Before someone chooses a career or college…

They need to understand:

• their strengths
• their interests
• their values
• their natural skills
• what environments energize them

When young people understand these things, they can start building their own “greenhouse” — the environment where they grow best.

Something New I'm Starting

This month I'm launching something I'm really excited about.

A small in-person group for young adults called:

Becoming Capable Humans

This group focuses on the skills that actually help young people succeed in adulthood:

• self-awareness
• emotional regulation
• decision-making
• mental health literacy
• understanding strengths and interests
• navigating work and life environments

🗓 2nd & 4th Wednesdays
⏰ 7:00–8:00 PM
📍 Topeka, Kansas

Once you register, you'll receive the location details.

At the end of the program, participants will receive a certificate recognizing these life readiness skills — something they can include on resumes or applications.

These are exactly the skills employers and colleges wish more young people had.

[If you live in Topeka, reply to this email if you would like the registration.]

One Tool I Use: YouMap®

One of the most powerful tools I use with young adults is the YouMap® assessment.

It helps people understand four core areas:

• strengths
• interests
• values
• preferred vs burnout skills

It’s one of the clearest ways to start answering the question:

What climate helps me grow?

And that question changes everything about the decisions young people make next.

Coming Up This Month

Later this month, I'll also be introducing you to Jebbee, an app designed to help young people explore careers and environments that fit them.

Because tools + self-awareness together make decision-making much easier.

P.S. If you have a young adult (or are one!) trying to figure out what comes next after high school or college, self-awareness is the best place to start.

And honestly?

Most adults are still figuring it out too.

I know I am.

— Cynthia

This is the next Live Zoom conversation for teens and their parents.

Join me for a live Zoom conversation with Stephanie Hickman-Boyse, the CEO and co-founder of Jebbee. Stephanie is a former global manufacturing CEO who turned down an appearance on Undercover Boss to focus on a new mission: helping Gen Z navigate the overwhelming pressure of career choices.

With 84% of students worrying that the wrong degree will hurt their financial future, Stephanie is here to show us a better way. We’ll explore how her free platform, Jebbee, acts as a "mass mentoring" tool to help teens find their path through self-exploration and real professional connections.

Bring your questions—and your teen—as we learn how to make informed, lower-stress decisions about life after high school.

My March Podcast is out. You can watch it here on YouTube or listen on any podcast app.

YouTube Thumbnail: Why You're Not Thriving

There’s something powerful about learning in a room where generosity isn’t a strategy — it’s a shared operating system. It’s just how things are done!

I’m excited to host a Lunch & Learn inside The Prosper Network on SecondHand Stress and share what I’ve learned about how to solve it.

The Prosper Network is a collective of women founders and leaders committed to reciprocity, visibility, and collective expansion. It’s not transactional — it’s relational. And that makes all the difference.

Being part of this community challenges me to show up more boldly and contribute at a higher level. I’m grateful for the opportunity to teach, learn, and grow alongside these women.

If you want to attend, and/or you’re looking for an aligned group of women who do business with generosity and reciprocity for collective expansion, I invite you to check it out:

https://teenanxietymaze--ampersanded.thrivecart.com/the-prosper-network/

If you want all of my workshops, parent education, and every parent/teen resource I have created in ONE place:

Join my Parent Membership, Parenting Through the Maze.