Peer pressure which is the influence from one’s peers is usually associated with youngsters but the reality is that peer pressure is real and it is rife in various age groups. You’ll find women competing over material possessions and men can also get caught up. Boys love their toys, they can compete over cars and their brands.
Teenagers who often want to be perceived as cool and “in” are great targets of this pressure as they are still figuring themselves and this life thing out. I sympathise with teenagers because they are torn between doing what is taught at home and what is happening around them. There are so many choices to make, to smoke or not? Have sex or not? Drink or not?
I think if you keep these three points in mind you’re less prone to falling victim to peer pressure :
1) Know yourself
We hear that phrase almost everyday but do we actually understand it? Knowing yourself means knowing your background, your family dynamics and values. What is instilled in you from an early age? It is also important to be aware of the family’s belief system as this can lay the foundation. If you know and understand what you and your family stand for you will have a sense of belonging and identity and will not seek external affirmation.
2) Be comfortable in your own skin
With this point I mean literally being comfortable and content with your physical appearance but I want to go beyond that. Being comfortable means accepting your situation and being aware of the fact that not all our lives are the same. It is ok for us all to be different and to have different situations. If you accept your life as it is you will not stretch yourself in anyway just to fit in, you won’t even need the next person’s approval. Once you have accepted yourself, be aware of the type of life you want to live. Know the activities that you want to engage in and those that you feel do not align with you and your values.
3) You will not please everyone
The danger with living a life that is meant to impress other people is that you simply cannot impress everybody. Someone will always have an opinion that differs from yours. Someone will always be better than you and there is always room for improvement according to the standards laid out by society. So why live a life that will end up restricting and confusing you?
Sticking to your morals and beliefs does not mean that you can no longer engage with people who are different or who live differently in comparison to you. It just means that you will be comfortable enough to be the odd one out if necessary.
Try it and tell me how it goes, dare to be different. Do you!!!
Writer : Zama Seakamela