Imagine where all your age mates are urging you to do something that’s bad, something you don’t wonna do. What will you do? Will you give in and do it or will just walk away? So then what is Peer pressure? This is simply a desire to do things which you don’t like doing but you give in and do it because you want to fit-in and be accepted by others.
Are you the type that always allow others your peers in this case to make decisions for you? Or do you have the courage to stand up for your convictions? Do you find it hard to stand up for what you know is right? Well the truth is no, matter what you can! Win your peers, this post will teach you practical things that can help you in this issue.
The key is to see the pressure coming and decide in advance how you will respond to it. Here is four steps that will help you deal with it
Steps to deal with pressure
1. Know what’s coming : Often, you can see trouble in advance. for instance you maybe walking along the school compound and see a group of your schoolmates up ahead, and they’re smøking. How likely is it that they’ll offer you a cigarettè? By anticipating the problem, you’ll be ready either to avoid it or to confront it.
2. Ynu need to Think:You need motivation, a strong motivation that when you think about it you’ll refrain from giving in. You might ask yourself, “How will I feel in the long run if I go along with my peers ideas ?” True, you might gain temporary approval of your peers. But in the long run you will have to live with the consequences.
3. Make your mind up: Now is really when you have to decide to do what your peers are doing or not, for example you have to decide to smoke with your peers or not. Decide what you’ll do in advance.
4. Finally just Act : You might think this is the hardest part. It’s not! Infact it’s very easy just close your eyes and with your decision. If you’ve already thought about the consequences and made up your mind, stating your position can be surprisingly easy and rewarding. you don’t have to give your peers a lecture about why you won’t join them. A simple but firm NO may suffice.
The key here is to respond promptly and with conviction. If you do you might be suprised how quickly your peers will back off and stop harassing you. But sometimes they may mock you, rather than feeling bad or emotionally hurt. Recognize this sort of taunt for what it is pure peer pressure. In this situation you are expected to respond, as walking away from such confrotation won’t make it go away. How then can you respond? Here are three (3) options for you
How to respond to peer pressure without walking away
You could absorb the taunt for example you could say
You,re right, I am scared! Then briefly state your reason.
You could deflect the pressure by stating your position, while not making an issue over it.
You could return the pressure. How? State your reason for refusing then appeal to your peer’s intellect. For example you could say I thought you were too smart to smoke!.
Many thanks to jw.org