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“Being yourself.”

HOW TO BE YOURSELF

It’s not always easy to be ourselves. Sometimes, when we’re with other people, we make choices or act in ways that are different from when we’re alone. Here are some ways to prevent that from happening.
• Know your values and stay true to them.*
• Make your own choices, don’t just go along with the crowd.
• Respect yourself.
• Think about your goals and act accordingly.

Think about these questions and see how you answer them.

1. When somebody says “just be yourself,” what does that mean?

2. Is it always easy to be yourself, or can it sometimes be difficult? Why? How? Give examples.

3. A lot of kids around talk about “fitting in.” What does “fitting in” mean? How do you do it?

4. Is it true that there is a lot of pressure in this school? What do you have to do to fit in here?

5. Does fitting in ever make it hard to be yourself?

6. What if you don’t fit in? Is that okay, or does it mean there’s something wrong with you?

7. Are there groups here in school? Cliques? (Gangs) What are they?

8. Why do these groups exist? What do they do for the people in them?

9. Does being in a group sometimes make it harder to be yourself? How? In what way? Examples?

10. Are there pressures to fit into these groups? If so, describe the pressures.