Personal Development Objective 1

Understanding Yourself Chapter 1

The Journey Ahead Have you ever wondered what life will be like as an adult? What attitudes, qualities, and skills will you need for life? How do you obtain the skills needed for adulthood?

Personality Characteristics that make you different from someone else Can personalities change? Where do we get our personality from? What might cause a personality to change?

Origins of Personalities Heredity and Environment Heredity is a combination of traits inherited from our parents (genetic make-up) Environment is the conditions that surround a person (family, friends, circumstances)

Self-Concept How you define what you are Important in adolescence to develop a positive self-concept How you see yourself is how others are going to perceive you Your self-concept also helps to develop your self-esteem or value you place on yourself Self-esteem is important because it has a strong influence on your behavior and your well-being

Your Potential Capability of becoming more than you are right now Only you can determine your potential If you were to look back at your life from this very moment, do you have any regrets? Mistakes? Reaching your potential is a life long process What can side track teens from reaching their potential?

Personal Development You work toward your potential The more you learn, the more you are able to learn, the closer you are to reaching your potential

Character People who possess moral strength and integrity People with character… Understand differences between right and wrong Do what is right Accept universal values Demonstrate responsible behavior

Values Beliefs, feelings, and ideas about what is important Your values are reflected in your actions and the decisions you make Universal values include: respect, tolerance, compassion, fairness, trust, honesty, and responsibility Learned directly (being told) and indirectly (observation)

Cont. Learn first values from family Influences on values come from religious backgrounds, cultural backgrounds, media (advertising), and society (laws)

Choosing values: Choose positive values Listen to your conscience Turn to your family Gain knowledge Evaluate the source Talking to others

Personal Responsibility Responsible means you are reliable and accountable Accountable means you are willing to accept the consequences of his or her actions and words Maturity means you act with responsible, adult-like behavior and attitudes

Recognizing Character Values and responsibility produce people with character

Growth and Development

Changes In order to make the transition from adolescence into adulthood, a person must go through changes Everyone changes during adolescence Physically Emotionally Socially Intellectually Morally

Physical Growth Change in body stature Influenced by heredity and health habits The way you eat, exercise, and care for your body will influence your physical growth Hormones also affect physical growth

Emotional Growth Development of a range of feelings Hormones affect emotional growth Mood swings are very common Most teens are very sensitive about their emotions

Intellectual Growth Developing the ability to reason and form complex thought patterns Influenced by your heredity, environment, and desire to learn

Social Growth Developing the ability to get along with other people Learn skills in early childhood Relationships change Learn to interact with adults

Needs and Wants Needs are the basic items that are required for living Wants are those things people desire, but don’t need Sometimes you have to learn to live without the things you want and focus on your needs

Goals and Resources

Goals Goals are a conscience aim that requires planning and effort to achieve Everyone sets goals, though different from each other, they all set them for the same reason Goals provide direction and give a person focus

Types of Goals Short-term: something you want to accomplish soon Long-term: something you plan to accomplish sometime farther in the future or after you finish high school Fixed goals: one that can only be met at a certain time Flexible goals: one that has no definite time limit

Identifying Goals Goals can shape what you are as well as what you do Use your values to set goals Set priorities Be realistic

Setting Goals Analyze the goal Put goals in writing Be specific Make a commitment Consider your resources Question: How is learning to prioritize goals a way to take responsibility for your life?

Examining Resources Human resources: your skills and other people Material resources: money, tools, equipment Community resources: community facilities like the YMCA or schools Question: What kinds of resources are available if you don’t have much money?

Showing Determination Shows when people actively identify and seek resources that will help them meet their goals By wisely seeking and using resources, you can accomplish what you want

Making Responsible Decisions

Decisions Facing challenges Decision making involves risks Easier to let someone else make the decision and get in trouble for that decision if it is wrong Confident people are admired for their decision making abilities and looked at as leaders

Types of Decisions All types of decisions Decisions are being made all day long Some are routine, other are major decisions

Impact of decisions Effects on you Think broader, long range Some change your life instantly, others will affect you in the long term

Cont. Effects on others Your decisions have impact on others Thinking about the impact of your decisions will help you make better ones May cause you to stop and reconsider before you act When you care for others, you will make decisions carefully

Seeking Help Ask opinions of others Make the decisions yourself

Decision-Making Process Procedure you can follow when you have to choose among different options Steps: 1. State the decision 2. List the options 3. Weigh the pros and cons 4. Consider your values 5. Make a decision and act on it 6. Evaluate the decision and take responsibility for it

Cont. ?? What do you think about this statement?? It is unfair for society to deny teens certain actions such as driving a car and voting.

Avoiding Troublemakers Procrastination – thinking too long and losing opportunities Impulsiveness – deciding too quickly, with out thinking things through Avoidance – fear of making wrong decision, no decision at all Deferring – letting others make the decision Blaming – when negative results occur, blame others

Your approach to decisions How you handle decisions is up to you!!

Making Changes and Meeting Challenges

Taking Action Not happy with your life, take action Do something about it, don’t complain

Barriers to change Not easy to change People fear change

Tools for change Competence Having qualities and skills needed to perform a task or participate fully in an activity Who and what can help develop your conscience

Cont. Confidence Believing in yourself and your abilities Signs of confidence: willingness to try new things, optimism, assertiveness Build confidence through skills and knowledge Success builds confidence

Cont. Qualities of confidence: Self-assurance : stand up for yourself and what you believe in Self-control: use reason to tell people what to do and when to do it Willingness to take reasonable risks to achieve goals: don’t take risks that don’t make sense Healthy self-concept and high self-esteem: are not perfect people, don’t dwell on weaknesses

?? Which comes first, competence or confidence??

Making Changes Set goals Attaining goals in confidence boosting Make sure goals are obtainable

Cont. Make an action plan Put plan to work A program of behavior for achieving a particular goal Put plan to work Monitor your progress Provide positive reinforcement Evaluate results and decide how to revise for the future

Cont. Right perspective Overlooking obstacles Mutual support Some things can be changed and some cannot Overlooking obstacles Obstacles are a part of life Person’s attitude toward barriers can mean the difference between giving up and achieving success Mutual support Others want to see you succeed

Interpersonal Skills: Effective Communication & Conflict Resolution Chapter 3

What are interpersonal skills? Skills needed to get along with others Communication skills, conflict resolution skills, and planning skills

Communication Skills Terms to know: active listening, body language, communication, eye contact, feedback, “I” statements, nonverbal, verbal Communication: sending and receiving of messages between people Ways of communicating: 1. “I” messages 2. Verbal 3. Nonverbal

“I” MESSAGING

“I” statements Three parts to an “I” statement “I feel…” “when you…” “because…” Using “I” statements in an argument helps to avoid raising negative feelings Not attacking the other person

Verbal Words are used Tone of voice, how you say words Knowing how you sound ensures you are sending the right messages you intend to send Knowing when and where to communicate can make communicating more positive Make sure the person is willing and able to listen Avoid times when emotions can interfere Make sure other person is not distracted

Nonverbal Without words or body language Affects not only how others see you, but also how they react to your verbal message Eye contact is very important with nonverbal communication

Active Listening Concentrating on what is said so that you understand and remember the message Helps: Relationships grow Grow as a person Know more about the world Boosts self-esteem

How to listen better Concentrate Listen with a purpose Keep an open mind Be positive Make eye contact Control your emotions Don’t interrupt

Feedback Listener lets the speaker know that he or she is trying to understand the message being delivered Ways to give feedback: Interject a comment when the speaker pauses Summarize what the other is saying Express interest by asking questions Show empathy when others are upset Example: “that’s so unfair” or “you must have been hurt”

Body Language Activity

Conflict Resolution Chapter 3-3

Conflict Resolution Terms to know: conflict, mediation, negotiation, peer mediation, scapegoating, compromise Conflict is a struggle between people who disagree Not unusual to have conflicts

Why conflicts occur Situational causes Personality differences Power struggles

Negative Results Negative emotions arise People can become ill People say things they don’t mean Relationships suffer Violence can occur

Resolving conflicts Conflict resolution process: 1. Identify the problem 2. Identify possible outcomes 3. Evaluate each suggested solution 4. Pick the best solution 5. See if the solution is working 6. If necessary, agree to disagree

Skillful resolution Use words, not fists Take charge of the situation Take turns talking Control your voice Show respect Speak the truth Control your language Use effective body language Value your safety

Avoiding conflicts See the positive side in situations Change the subject Defuse the situation with confidence Don’t be easily irritated ??When should you ignore a conflict??

Mediation Unbiased third party that helps in settling conflicts Used when two people can not settle a conflict on their own Peer mediation (process in which specially trained students help other students resolve conflicts peacefully) are used in schools