A Teen Perspective on: Being You

A Teen Perspective on: Being You
By: KRae

The definition of Peer pressure, according to dictionary.com, is “Pressure from one's peers to behave in a manner similar or acceptable to them.”
So basically, as we all probably already know, it means to conform to what other people want you to be like. This is ridicules, for many different reasons. I mean, answer me these few questions.

• If parents, teachers, significant others, bosses, or leaders try to get you to be different then who you are, what happens?

• Do you get mad, or disappointed in yourself, or disappointed in them for not simply accepting you for you?

• So, if you get so mad at those people who want you to change, then why is it okay for your friends or a group of people to do the same thing?

The answer to that last question is “it’s not okay”. Well that simply answer of “no”, which I hope you agree with, is what I want to touch on for this article.
You see, there is nothing wrong with wanting people to simply like you for who you are. And there is also nothing wrong with changing yourself for what you know you need to be or what you simply want to be. But there is something wrong with changing who you are for what others say or think you need to be in order to fit in or get them to like you more.

Now you might not see changing yourself because others say you need to as something that’s wrong. But later in life, or hopefully by the time you’re done reading this, you will realize what I’m meaning. Because I believe it is actually quite simply, why change yourself for people who don’t just like you the way you are. Why not just wait and find the friends or the group of people who truly accept you for who you are. And then when you find that group you will see how happy it makes you to find those true real friends. Rather than fake friends who pressured you into being who they wanted you to be or do what they said you needed to do.

Although I would like to explain that, just simply being who you are and not changing yourself for others has a lot to do with your self esteem and how you see yourself. So I do encourage you to maybe read, or reread, the article on esteem I have written. Because I do promise you that if you stay true to yourself then you will find the others who are true to themselves and like you for you.
But please do not make the mistake of thinking because I am saying to just be yourself then that means your parents or leaders or anyone who is truly important in your life are wrong in any way for telling or expressing to you what they feel you need to be. Because believe me they might know you almost a little better then you do. Or maybe they at least know what is truly best for you, or what will help you most in the long run. So don’t shut out the people who want to truly help you, just try and learn to recognize the difference of the two types of people. And then when you can recognize the types of people that want to change you than you will be able to know who means best for you and who just wants you to change.

So be yourself, don’t change for the ones who don’t matter. But do, be open to hearing what the ones who care about you are saying. How they feel, what they think will help you to be who you truly are, or what would benefit you by being the way that’s best, for you.