Are you put down by your peers a lot of the time? Do you have a difficult time being yourself with your peers? Would you love to be able to speak your mind but can't? Many adolescents feel very awkward and don't feel that they can directly tell others how they feel.
This is to be expected.
It can be especially difficult to cope with put-downs from your friends and peers.
You may feel torn and especially vulnerable from time to time.
The trick is to try not to take put-downs from others seriously.
Most of the put-downs that you hear from others say more about the other person saying it than about you.
So, don't take them personally.
However, you must deal with them directly in order not to feel hurt and trapped in negativity.
Here are a few steps to effectively deal with put-downs from others.
1.
Try making a funny remark about the put-down and then move on.
If the put-down really hurt you, just remove yourself from the situation.
This will show the other person that you're not destroyed by his/her comment, even if you are.
However, it also shows that you're going to deal with the comment your own way.
2.
Get into the habit of pausing and saying nothing for 30 seconds to a minute after a put-down.
While you pause, monitor what is happening in your gut.
Pausing not only allows you to increase awareness of your reactions but to choose the best response.
3.
Remain calm by doing a centering exercise after the put-down.
Realize that you are great just as you are.
It doesn't matter what someone else says about you because they don't know you as you know yourself.
4.
Tell the person to stop putting you down in no uncertain terms.
If the person doesn't stop, have nothing to do with the person any longer, if possible.
You don't deserve such treatment.
You may also want to tell a trusted adult about the situation.
By taking these steps, you will be dealing with put-downs directly.
This will ensure that you aren't destroyed by the put-downs and that your self-esteem will be intact.
Adolescence can be such a difficult time.
You can ease the burden of abusive peers by dealing directly with put-downs before they get the best of you and erode your self-esteem.
You can do this by taking a deep breath and knowing in your heart and soul that you are GREAT just like everyone else.
This is to be expected.
It can be especially difficult to cope with put-downs from your friends and peers.
You may feel torn and especially vulnerable from time to time.
The trick is to try not to take put-downs from others seriously.
Most of the put-downs that you hear from others say more about the other person saying it than about you.
So, don't take them personally.
However, you must deal with them directly in order not to feel hurt and trapped in negativity.
Here are a few steps to effectively deal with put-downs from others.
1.
Try making a funny remark about the put-down and then move on.
If the put-down really hurt you, just remove yourself from the situation.
This will show the other person that you're not destroyed by his/her comment, even if you are.
However, it also shows that you're going to deal with the comment your own way.
2.
Get into the habit of pausing and saying nothing for 30 seconds to a minute after a put-down.
While you pause, monitor what is happening in your gut.
Pausing not only allows you to increase awareness of your reactions but to choose the best response.
3.
Remain calm by doing a centering exercise after the put-down.
Realize that you are great just as you are.
It doesn't matter what someone else says about you because they don't know you as you know yourself.
4.
Tell the person to stop putting you down in no uncertain terms.
If the person doesn't stop, have nothing to do with the person any longer, if possible.
You don't deserve such treatment.
You may also want to tell a trusted adult about the situation.
By taking these steps, you will be dealing with put-downs directly.
This will ensure that you aren't destroyed by the put-downs and that your self-esteem will be intact.
Adolescence can be such a difficult time.
You can ease the burden of abusive peers by dealing directly with put-downs before they get the best of you and erode your self-esteem.
You can do this by taking a deep breath and knowing in your heart and soul that you are GREAT just like everyone else.