No matter what our age, transition is a natural part of life that impacts us all in different ways. While none of us are strangers to change, in the pre-teen to adult years the transitional volume gets turned up dramatically in virtually every life domain.

Fresh from the arms of childhood, the initiation to adulthood is often marked by years of exhilarating and confusing changes. This inside-out transformation not only brings a rapidly changing body-mind, but also a suddenly widened social network, and an oscillating yes-no message from the culture about their capacity for independence. Perhaps it is this betwixt and between energy that earns teens the misleading label of being impulsive and unpredictable. Wouldn’t any of us act a little unglued if life was turning us upside down and shaking us out at the exact time we’re trying to figure out our place in this big world?

Adolescence may be a tricky time but it can also be full of creativity, adventure, hopefulness, and passion about favorite causes and interests. Some of the most creative people on the planet are teenagers who feel free to be themselves. Many of us would do well to study a chapter in their book about believing in a future full of possibility, a zesty energy worth harnessing at any age.

With a reliable base of support from family, community and peer groups, they are better able to navigate turbulence. When any of these foundations are shaky – which can change from day to day – a teenager can feel depressed, anxious, or have an overall feeling of dis-ease or edginess. Like the butterfly strengthening its wings by struggling out of the cocoon, these edges are character-building and good preparation for independence. Understanding that adolescence is meant to be complex helps us appreciate its contours. Messy and zesty are meant to cohabitate.

Yoga can be amazing for even the most reluctant young students. It can help ground and dissipate the erratic energy moving through and around them. When asked to fill out a mid-session review of the yoga program at her school, 14 year old Joelle wrote only one comment. “I used to think yoga was weird, but its the only thing that makes my head stop spinning.”

So teens need yoga, but how do we get them interested? Harness the zest and protect the rest.

Harness the zest: Take the very best of this stage of life and find it in yourself first. If you approach teens from a position of all-knowing authority, you may be able to teach some great postures but you won’t necessarily inspire a lifetime love of yoga. By being your authentically unique self and teaching what you love, you give them permission to embrace their own originality. Simply showing up this way provides youth a welcomed break from the strong ‘twinship’ needs associated with this developmental stage. Get in touch with your own sparkle and spontaneity, and you will inspire them to embrace theirs. Authenticity and truth never get boring; in this appearance-obsessed world, they are downright irresistible.

Protect the rest: Instructors who put all their focus on structural safety can quickly forget about emotional safety. Attending to structural alignment is essential, but must be balanced by an eye (or a heart) for the emotional climate in the room. Despite their sometimes tough exterior, adolescence is a tender time of life. Understanding that embarrassment can feel like a tragic event, a skillful instructor will sense the best timing for partnering, for hands-on assists, for open sharing and even for joking. Attend to alignment, but don’t forget to protect the rest.

For adults there are hundreds of yoga styles and different teachers within those styles. Teens should have the luxury of finding their best yoga fit too. It is true that teens like to get physical, to move, to flow to great music, to be challenged, and to refine their postures. It is also true that teens like to meditate, to move slowly, to experience silence, to master simple poses by practicing them repetitively, and to settle into a long savasana. By the time they arrive at class, some teens want to move and shake off their stress and others are utterly exhausted from an overload of stimulation.Protecting the rest can also mean honoring their need for literal rest and rejuvenation.

When an instructor shows up excited about class, students know it. This in itself can create a pleasurable and fun atmosphere. Balancing fun with physical and emotional safety, honors the paradox of this time of life. Teens have a desire to be protected and supported with good boundaries, and simultaneously given independence and freedom. Cultivate trust, cooperation and unconditional positive regard in class, and teens will relax into their practice and discover a safe haven inside their own heart. Help them open this particular door, and your own zest for yoga will stay alive in them forever.