Tips to avoid negative peer pressure

 

How to avoid negative Peer Pressure

• Make your own decision: Do things that make yo feel happy and make those decisions on your own. If you are about to make a decision, ask yourself. " Is this good for me? Is this adding something positive to my life? Don't make decisions based on what other people think is good for you or what they want you to do.

• It's okay to be alone: Sometimes we give into peer pressure to avoid feeling lonely. But spending time with yourself is a way to rejuvenate and reinforce your own priorities.

• Ask for help if necessary: If you are facing relentless bullying, don't wait for it to go away. Reach out for parents, mentor or counselor to get some help with the problem when the situation gets serious.

• It's okay to say "NO":  Learn to say "no" whenever you feel like being pressured to do something you don't want to do. When you are forced to do something wrong, just simple say "no". There are situations where you don't want to say no directly as you don't want hurt the feeling of people. Instead you can give some other alternative reply, such as:

          "May be next time"
          "Not right now"
          "This is not my taste"

• Listen to you instincts: Know you can always leave whenever you feel uncomfortable. If you constantly find yourself, one situation may be to spend less time with people who pressure you to do things you don't want to do.

• Don't focus on critics: They will always exist, regardless of whether you are being true to yourself. People who put others down are likely doing so to soothe their own insecurities.

• Once you find people that affirm your values, stick to them: If you feel like people no longer share values with you, don't be afraid to let certain relationship go and seek out new ones with those who are.