Feel Good About Yourself

See Yourself, Teach Yourself, Improve Yourself

As a young person you know it is hard to feel good about yourself at times. Throughout history the pre-teen and teenage years have proven to be difficult for most.  Your body is changing in ways you cannot control.  Today’s society puts a huge premium on looking good and having material things.  However, it is impossible to compete against the good-looking models and actors that constantly appear in movies, T.V., and magazines with their expensive possessions (clothes, cars, houses, etc).

Learn how to confidently counter these expectations from society.   Feel good about yourself because of your caring actions and positive attitudes, which come from the inside. These positive thoughts can never be taken away or replaced.  Do not let clothes or a certain way of looking, which comes from the outside determine whether you feel good about yourself. These things are superficial and unfulfilling in the long run.

The key to help you feel good about yourself is to realize some very important points:

Like Yourself First
Many people, particularly teenagers, place too much stock in the idea that if they look good they will be happy.  This is not the case.  It is much more important to feel good about yourself on the inside than the outside.  To feel good on the inside you need to feel comfortable that you are a good, caring person.  If you do not like yourself as a person then no matter how well others like your appearance, you will not be happy or feel confident. If you put your self-worth on how you treat others you will usually feel confident and good about yourself.


Do Not Get Caught Up With Today’s Media Creation
Very few people look like today’s models that you see in movies, television ads, and magazines.  With technology such as air-brushing or screen stretching, most of the models, movie stars, and pop stars do not even look like that in real life!  Also, the material things the media portrays as “in” will be “out” within months. Never base how good you feel about yourself on material possessions or media expectations because they will be changed, devalued, and replaced before you know it. Instead build your confidence through things that will last and endure like caring and compassionate actions.


Become Healthier and More Energetic (Feel good about yourself physically)
Although it is important to like yourself first and not get caught up in today’s pressure to look great, there are steps you can take to feel good about yourself physically.  These steps will allow you to lead a healthier and more energetic lifestyle.

 

• Be Physically Fit
  Everyone needs to try and become more physically active.  With video games, computers, and cell phones, lifestyles today tend to produce a lot of sitting around.  Years ago, kids were out playing in the neighborhood much more often then today.  It is important to be physically fit because:

• You feel better when you are in shape.  Exercise has proven to make people feel better.
• You are much healthier if you exercise.
• You are much more energetic when you exercise.

All of the above will build your confidence.  It is extremely important to begin exercising and participating in physical activity now so that you will develop a pattern that will carry on throughout your life.  To keep physically active, you can:



• Limit your computer/television time.
• Play outdoors and go for walks in your neighborhood with your friends/parents.
• While watching TV, exercise with light weights, stretch, or do floor exercises like push-ups or sit-ups.

• Hygiene
  It is important to take care of yourself during your teenage years.  Proper bathing, teeth brushing, and nail clipping are all important tasks that allow you to make a good impression on people.

 

• Eating Right
  You will set patterns now as to what you eat that will carry you through the rest of you life.  It is important to eat healthy foods and stay away from too many sweets.  Try to eat healthier foods such as fruits, and vegetables, and drink water or juice instead of soda.  You will feel much more healthy and have more energy.  It is also important to have a healthy breakfast to start your day. Eat some cereal or fruit, for example, and you will feel much better and have more energy for the start of your school day.

• Sleeping Right
  It is also very important to get a good night sleep.  Getting eight to nine hours of sleep a night will help you feel better in the morning and more prepared to go through the day.  Rest is very important and the more you get the better you will feel.

• Appearance
  Everyone has their own style as it relates to clothing and fashion.  It is important to dress the way you feel comfortable, however, society asks you to conform to certain standards at certain times.  There is a saying “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”  This means that people, whether fair or not, judge you the first time they meet you.  On one hand, you want to be your own person with your own unique style, but you need to balance this with realizing that there are times when you need to wear what is appropriate for a particular setting.  Examples of these settings are while at school, religious services, or family functions.
  
  

Feel good about yourself from who you are and what you do, not from what the media tells you.