Janeyinspires:
I WANT TO OPT OUT.....

Peer Pressure can show itself in these ways: Dressing in a certain way,getting involved in a particular activity,decisions about who we date,choice about who we become friends with, etc.
And when you find yourself being influenced negatively,this is HOW to navigate out:-

1.Intervention-DIVINE: Nothing can stop a man who's time of salvation has come.In my own case,God engineered my opting out the day i steped into the fellowship.You need God-seek Him.

2.Understand Your Values And Beliefs: One of the reasons people yield to peer influence is the idea of trying to fit in or be accepted.Life is not about fitting in.Life is all about values and beliefs.Values guide our every decision while all human behaviour are belief-driven.Whatever you decide to act on or not to act on,should be based on your values and belief,not on what everyone is doing.What is most important to you?What do you value most?(I value my relationship with God,my purpose n future)

3.Self Confidence-Have It: People with low confidence or none at all,tend to seek approval from peers by giving in to risky challenges or suggestion.When you are not sure of yourself,your abilities;you tend to do what people ask you to do,or do what you see them doing....Believe in yourself.Boost your confidence,Don't be afraid to stand alone.Have a healthy dose of self confidence.(I always tell myself this,'I am God's Best) it sure helps.

4.Value Common Interest:I will always say this anytime,anyday;Friendship is not an obligation,neither is it a constant thing in life.You don't go about looking for friends,you only recognise them by interest.Look around,there are people who do what you like to do,go where you like to go.When you become friends with them,you'l no longer be pushed or pressurized,since you are in your area of interest.

5.Learn To Say No.......And Don't Make Excuses: Learn to feel comfortable saying no.Do you need to offer an apology or explaination for saying no? No!
Seriously,don't turn to madam or oga excuse just to remain in their good books,clique or whatever.Say exactly how you feel about what they want you to do.Instead of coming up with an excuse of why you won't go clubbing with your clique(i have exams tomorrow or i'm working early),simply tell them,that it's against what you stand for-It doesn't align with my faith,simple!

As long as Peer Pressure is concerned,it's not about what your clique will think or how they will feel, but it's about it will affect or affects you as an individual.How beneficial is the association to you? Is it detrimental to your well being?
Always be out for your well-being.You should come first,not cliques.It's your life,not theirs.

Bartork:




In most cases everyone gives in to peer pressure at first. We must be brought up in ways that would ensure we don't stay stuck. Some never did the bad things we did in ss1-ss3 but then 2,3 years after school when we had grown up and dropped smoking and visiting clubs they were into it big time. Some of us had std's in ss2 going to town @ night to enjoy the dangers of booze and sexx others stayed back and picked it up when we had dropped it. Most of us no longer smoke or do club girls but some have failed to let it go.

Its cool you came out. Ensure you stay out

Janeyinspires:


Still staying out....tnx

Bartork:

Your welcome
Great choice

Bartork:

Your welcome
Great choice

Bartork:
uote author=Janeyinspires post=44317543]

#smiles

Janeyinspires:
'From trying to figure out who you are,what you believe,what you are good at,responsibilities and things that are expected of you:All these are enough to exert pressure on an individual.'

Teen years is tough.It's the toughest stage and development of human life-also the hallmark of adolescent experience.During teen years,Peer Pressure is prevalent.This is because;at this stage,one is yet to have a bearing on what life is,what is expected of them and even who they want to become.

What is peer?
Peer is someone in your age,class,group.
What is pressure?
Pressure is the feeling that you are being pushed toward making a certain choice-good or bad.
So Peer Pressure is simply,when someone in your age,class or group influences or pushes you into making certain choices whether good or bad.
Everyone at one point have ended up in a peer pressure.

I had my own taste of Peer Pressure(negatively),when I was in form 2(jss 2).I was a 12 year old then:innocent,naive,trying to fit in and thinking about what to do with life.....Yea,you gerrit.

It was a school for girls(day & boarding),located at a rural area.
I think this is evident in every school,where each set have a clique that is popular.So one day,a member of the popular clique in my set walked up to me,and ask that I join their clique.In a bid to belong,especially when the request is coming from a popular group,I joined!
Even when I was oblivious to some of their activities.

That day,my journey of sneaking out of school during school hours began.
(We were all day students...in d clique)
I was introduced to what they do.....sneaking out to attend parties organised by boyfriends,going to school(sometimes) with party wears and when there was no party,we organized one by tasking ourselves.
Ehe!They even dashed me a boyfriend too.
No one in my family knew what I was up to in school,not even my elder sis who attends the same school with me.As far as they know,I'm still the quiet good girl.
Deep down within me,I knew the path I was towing was detrimental and in disparity with my values....buh I just couldn't bring myself to resist or extricate out of that association.I wasn't just comfortable with the lifestyle,as young as I was then.This trend continued till my form 5(ss 2).

Luckily enough,my academics never suffered.I was making good grades,so nobody had anything to worry about.

One day,Intervention came;DIVINE.
That was in form 5.My sister had joined a teen/youth fellowship and I had went along to fellowship with her that day.And there,the scales was removed from my eyes.I was brought back to consciousness to face reality of what's gonna happen if I continue that path.I knew I had to make a decision about who I want to be,my future,values,God and my academics....that it's time to take a stand,no matter what my clique think or the names they will call me(jew girl).Who cares!

I Did It.....I Opted Out!

Today,looking back at those yester'years,never believed I did such in school and at a young age too.That's just the power Peer Pressure can wield over someone.

Let Me State Here.......Peer Pressure is not necessarily a bad thing.We are all influenced by our peers both negatively and positively at one point.Just as people can influence others to make a negative choice,they can also influence them to make positive choice(I've had my share of both)

Positive influence can happen, when one is pressured by their peers towards positive behavours like in the area of academics;spuring someone to read and study because his/her clique does same OR leaving a neat life.

The negative influence can be on activities which are detrimental to one's wellbeing and sometimes society at large.They include:Taking drugs,cultism,sugar mum/dad,I remember,I no remember.It's endless.

No matter how powerful and hard to resist Peer Pressure is,the decision to act or not to act is up to you as an individual.When it comes to decision making,the choice is yours..................