1. Developing a Positive Identity
Chapter 7
Lesson #2
Pages

2. DO NOW List some of the features that make each person an individual.
What aspects of a persons life can influence their development as a individual?

3. Your Personal Identity
Your sense of yourself as a unique individual
Like putting together a jigsaw puzzle, including your;
Interests
Likes and dislikes
Talents and Abilities
Values and beliefs
Goals

4. Developmental Assets
The building blocks of development that help young people grow up as healthy, caring and responsible individuals.
Developmental Assets include;
Support (family, friends, neighborhood, school)
Empowerment (valued, purpose, feeling safe)
Boundaries and Expectations (personal influences)
Constructive Use of Time
Commitment to Learning
Positive Values (character)
Social Competencies (tolerance, decision making)
Positive Identity (self-esteem)

5. Group work (page 179 figure 7.3)
Do you think most teens have the benefits of all of these assets? WHY?
Which of these assets can teens strengthen on their own? How?
List the assets you feel are especially important. Why?

6. What it takes to Gain a Healthy Identity
1) Recognize your strengths and weaknesses
Take pride in your strengths and accomplishments
Set goals for accomplishing your weaknesses
Activity: In your group, list 3 different strengths you feel each person has.
List 3 of your weaknesses. THEN, what are you doing to improve your weakness?
2) Demonstrate positive values
Guide your actions and influence the decisions you make. Ex: show honesty, comfort a sad friend, being trustworthy, etc.

7. Healthy Identity 3) Develop a purpose in your life
Framework for your mental health as your grow
Sense of purpose = goals and achieving them
Activity: Share one long term goal with your group and WHY you want to achieve it. Will the why bring you happiness? Discuss.
- 4) Form meaningful relationships
Helps develop a sense of purpose in your life
Helps build confidence and a sense of security or belonging
Activity: Share with your group how a person can be a positive influence on you and how they could be a negative influence on you.

8. Healthy Identity 5) Contribute to the community
Provides services and resources to meet your needs
Giving back gives you a sense of accomplishment
6) Avoid unhealthy risk behaviors
A normal part of life, helps define and develop you
Healthful risk-taking has a positive effect on developing who you are as a person
Unhealthy risks can be dangerous

9. Self-Esteem and Positive Outlooks
Self-Esteem- Comes from the understanding that you are a unique and valuable human being.
When you have a healthy identity, you will experience increased self-esteem and a higher level of mental/emotional health.
Having a positive outlook is also related to your general level of wellness

10. Working Toward High Self-Esteem
People with high self-esteem….
Take responsibility for their behavior
Generally have a positive outlook on life
Like and accept who they are overall
Try to learn from their successes as well as from their mistakes
Build and maintain healthy relationships
To improve self-esteem…
Think of appropriate ways to share your positive attributes
Engage in behaviors that will promote your health

11. Realistic Patterns of Thinking
To increase your self-esteem and develop a positive outlook on life, its important to see events REALISTICALLY.
Constructive Criticism
Non-hostile comments that point out problems and encourage improvement
Analyzing Self-Talk
Replace negative messages with constructive criticism. If you make a mistake, tell yourself everyone makes mistakes and LEARN from your mistake.
Be able to tell yourself “Good Job!”

12. Power of positivity Home field advantage Training partners
Support groups

13. Interactive study guide