“7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens” by Sean Covey RENEWAL Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw

Keep your personal self sharp so you can better deal with life Body The Physical Dimension Exercise, eat healthy, sleep well, relax Brain The Mental Dimension Read, educate, write, learn new skills Heart The Emotional Dimension Build relationships (RBA, PBA), give service, laugh Soul The Spiritual Dimension Meditate, keep a journal, pray, take in quality media

Balance is Better Ancient Greek saying: “Nothing overmuch” reminds of Keeping in touch with all Dimensions of life How you do in one dimension will affect the other three Ex.: If one of your tires is out of balance, all four tires will wear unevenly

Take Time for a Time Out Just like a car, you too need regular tune-ups and oil changes You need time to rejuvenate, relax and give yourself some TLC (tender loving care)

Caring for Your Body Eat good food Relax in the tub Bike Lift weights Get enough sleep Practice yoga Play sports Take walks Stretch out Do an aerobics workout Hike a mountain Go swimming

You are What You Eat Listen to your body Pay close attention to how different foods make you feel Develop your own handful of do’s and don’ts For example, how do you feel after eating a big meal right before bed, if you eat too many french-fries or nachos?; how do you feel when you eat lots of fruits and vegetables and drinking lots of water?

You are What You Eat Be moderate and avoid extremes A little junk food on occasion isn’t going to hurt you Extreme eating: rabbit food diet or junk-food diet will hurt you Remember, food affects mood—eat with care!

Use It or Lose It Think Forrest Gump At one point in the movie, Forrest is frustrated and confused about his life What does he do? –He starts to run, and keeps on running. After running back and forth from coast to coast two and a half times, Forrest feels better and is finally able to sort his life out Get outside and move around! Don’t let “pain” be the first think you think of about exercise. Find something you enjoy and do it.

It’s All About How You Feel, Not How You Look Yes!!!!! Life is good!

Addictions You’re not in control—your addiction is When it says jump, you jump Say good-bye to the idea of being proactive Being healthy and clean is cool Strive for ways to enjoy life clean and clear-headed—you’ll be glad you did!

Don’t Destroy Your Body Addictive substances alcohol, drugs, tobacco Three leading causes of death among teens car accidents, suicide, homicide Bad effects of smoking clouds eyes, causes skin to prematurely age, yellows your teeth, causes bad breath, triples your cavities, causes reducing gums, discolors the skin on your fingertips, causes tiredness, causes cancer/death

The Refusal Skill Ask questions: ask tough questions that really make you think about what you’re doing “Why would I want to smoke?” “What will happen to me if I get stoned tonight?”

The Refusal Skill 2. Name the trouble: Try to put a face on what you’re doing “Smoking pot is illegal.” “Smoking will ruin my teeth.”

The Refusal Skill 3. State the consequences: Think through the consequences of your actions. “I could get arrested if I’m caught with drugs.” “If I get wasted tonight, someone might take advantage of me.”

Suggest an Alternative 4. Suggest an alternative: Have your own list of fun alternatives ready to go whenever you’re being lured in. “Hey, why don’t we go to the movies?” “I’d rather play basketball.”

Suggest an Alternative 5. Take off: If you get caught in a situation that just doesn’t look good, don’t worry about what everyone might think of you, just get away…fast. “Sorry, everyone. But I’m out of here.” If you’re creative enough, you’ll be able to develop your own approach to avoiding the entire scene.

Caring for Your Brain Key to unlocking your future: Develop an educated mind Similar to a well-conditioned ballerina: has perfect control over their muscles—can bend, twist, jump and turn perfectly, according to their command Educated mind: can focus, synthesize, read, write, speak, create, analyze, explore, imagine, and much more.

Sharpen Your Mind Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body On-line news, or listen to news Magazine: National Geographic Travel, gardening, wildlife Attend a lecture on an interesting topic Watch Discovery Channel or PBS documentary Visit a library Research ancestors Write a story, poem or song Play challenging games Debate - Comment in class Visit a museum Attend a play or concert Play a musical instrument Have a stimulating conversation with friends

Find Your Niche Find subjects you enjoy at school Build on those classes Take additional classes Check out books See movies on this topic Let the world be your campus Don’t give up when it gets hard Keep trying to find a way to make something that is hard easier and more enjoyable

Mental Barriers Screentime – Any time spent in front of a screen, like a computer, TV, video game, or movie screen The Nerd Syndrome – Take pride in your mental abilities, and the fact that you value your education, don’t just not do well because it doesn’t appear to be cool Pressure – The stress that results from success is much more tolerable than the regret that results from not trying your best

You Gotta Wanna Key to honing the mind: Your desire to learn You have to pay the price to educate yourself It’s never too late to start You can learn to think well The future will be an open door of opportunity

Caring for Your Heart Focus on building relationships —make regular deposits into your relationship bank accounts and into your own personal bank account RBA (Relationship Bank Account) Deposits Keep promises Do small acts of kindness Be loyal Say you’re sorry Set clear expectations PBA (Personal Bank Account) Deposits Keep promises to yourself Do small acts of kindness Be gentle with yourself Be honest Renew yourself Tap into your talents

Sex & Relationships Sex is just not about your body, it is about your heart It affects your self-image and your relationships with others You’re not ready for sex if….You think sex equals love, you feel pressured, you’re afraid to say no, it’s just easier to give in, you think everyone else is doing it (they’re not!), your instincts tell you no, you don’t know the facts about pregnancy, you don’t understand how birth control works, you’ll regret it, you can’t support a child, you’re doing it to prove something, you don’t know the signs & symptoms of STIs and STDs, you think it will keep you and your partner together, you’re drunk, you haven’t talked about tomorrow, you think it will make you more popular, you’re only thinking about yourself, you hope no one will hear about it, etc.

You’re Gonna Make It Normal = to feel depressed at times Big difference between a case of the blues and sustained depression Depression is treatable—get help Trained specialists—psychologists, therapists, counselors Medication

Laugh or You’ll Cry Laughter Key to keeping your heart healthy and strong: Laugh This is what made childhood so magical By the time you reach kindergarten, you laugh 300 times a day Wimpy adults: 17 times a day Laughter Loosens up the mental gears and helps us think more creatively Helps us cope with difficulties in life Reduces stress levels Relaxes us as it lowers our heart rate and blood pressure Connects us with others and counteracts feelings of alienation, a major factor in depression and suicide Releases endorphins, the brain’s natural painkillers.

Caring for Your Soul Feed your soul Mediate Serve others Journal writing Walking Reading inspiring books Drawing Writing poetry or music Deep thinking

Get Back to Nature Something magical about getting into nature Rivers, mountains, beaches, parks, hiking trails The power of Mother Nature can offer it’s healing powers

A Teen’s Best Friend Keep a journal! Writing down your unedited thoughts can clear your mind, boost your confidence, and help you find yourself Strengthens self-awareness Reading past entries helps you see how much you’ve grown

Your Spiritual Diet Feed your soul good nutrients Example keep yourself “media free” for a day Soul Trash check —what are the results of feeding yourself soul trash How does it make you feel Is it helpful for what you live from day to day?—in your relationships?