DR. WALLACE: I'm the mother of a daughter who will be a senior in high school this fall. She doesn't know I'm writing to you, but I want to try to help her out with a goal of hers. She's a very bright girl and a good student, and she does have a knack for speaking well with people and socializing with nearly anyone. When her father and I have talked to her about her career goals, she's vague as to the specifics, but she constantly tells me that she wants to work in something affiliated with the "entertainment industry." We live near Los Angeles, which, of course, is one of the main cities in the entertainment industry in our country.

I know she's been trying very hard since early April to try to get an internship in anything related to the entertainment industry, but she's come up empty despite what I feel have been tremendous networking efforts on her part. I'll readily admit that my daughter is not a singer, dancer or performer of any kind. She sees her role as either representation or assisting someone in the entertainment industry, using her innate skills.

I'd love to help her land an internship or an entry-level job that could in any way help her further her current dreams and goals. Do you have any ideas or suggestions? — Mother Aiming to Help, via email

MOTHER AIMING TO HELP: If your daughter has contacted everyone she can think of that relates to the entertainment industry in terms of talent, representation, publicity and publicist and personal assistance, she's already covered a lot of the standard ground that makes linear sense for her goal.

Another potential avenue would be to encourage your daughter to get involved in the hospitality industry. Hotels, resorts, entertainment venues and any other ideas you can come up with relating to travel and accommodations may provide an excellent opportunity for her to come into contact with and potentially help someone related to the entertainment industry in the manner your daughter envisions. The hospitality industry overlaps and intertwines regularly with the entertainment industry and could provide your daughter a stealthy avenue, even an entry-level job.

THE BRIEF CONVERSATION THAT CHANGED MY LIFE

DR. WALLACE: I'm a 26-year-old lady who is definitely a few years beyond your typical target range, but I have a quick story that relates specifically to teenagers pretty well. At this point in my life, I have a successful career, a happy relationship and a bright future, but it wasn't always that way for me back at the ages of 17 and especially 18. At that time, I remember being very timid, frightful of my future, afraid of public speaking and I usually woke up in the morning worried and went to bed at night even more worried.

I was very fortunate to be introduced to a friend of one of my good friends, and although he and I only ever saw each other twice, and each meeting was relatively brief, he definitely made a major impact on my life. At the second of our two meetings, he was bold enough to mention to me that on each occasion he had met me, I seemed to be concerned about something. Once he got out of me that it was nothing specific but more just a general discomfort and fear of the future, he gave me some sterling advice that I still follow to this very day.

He simply said to me that if I would make it a habit to walk with confidence every day, and to act much more confidently, that things would change for the better. He said once that happens, which would come along fairly quickly, that I'd start focusing on what I could do rather than worrying about what may or may not happen to me in the future.

I almost dismissed his advice, thinking to myself silently back then, "Well, that's easy for him to say," but the next day, after I was just about to put that conversation out of my mind forever, a little voice in the back of my head told me I had nothing to lose by at least trying it. Now, eight years later, I still walk with confidence, not arrogance, and I'm still receiving the benefits of that very brief conversation that changed my life.

I simply wanted to relate my story to your readers, especially teenagers who may be apprehensive about what the future holds for them. We all have talents, capabilities and strengths that we don't even realize. Walk with confidence as you navigate daily life. You'll be amazed at the benefits that will follow if you can simply turn this small idea into a daily habit. — His Advice Changed My Life, via email

HIS ADVICE CHANGED MY LIFE: Thank you indeed for sharing your uplifting personal story. I'm glad that this fellow's simple, direct advice made such a positive impact on your overall life. I'm happy to relay that potentially valuable advice to our readers of all ages, especially today's teenagers.

I'm also glad that you mentioned that you walk with confidence, not arrogance, as there is absolutely a difference between the two. A good way to be sure you're confident without seeming arrogant is to smile at others confidently and say a brief hello or hold short positive conversations when the situation calls for it. Others notice people who appear confident and are bold enough to smile or hold a brief positive conversation before they continue on their way. Being proactively confident and friendly is much better than remaining silently fearful. It may not seem easy at first, but it's worth giving a try for those who wish they had more self-confidence.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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