Senior High School

Personal
Development
Quarter 1 – Module 1:
Knowing Oneself
 12

Personal
Development
Quarter 1 – Module 1:
Knowing Oneself
 What is It
Adolescence period is considered as a challenging stage in one’s life because
it is the transition phase from childhood to adulthood. Although most individuals
pass through adolescence without excessively high levels of "storm and stress," many
have experience trouble or difficulty. Why? Is there something unique about this
developmental period that puts adolescents at risk for difficulty? Some of the negative
psychological changes associated with adolescent development result from a
mismatch between the needs of developing adolescents and the opportunities
afforded them by their social environments (Eccles, et al.) In this note, it is important
to know better yourself so as not to experience such trouble.

Defining the Concept of the Self

According to Plato, the

beginning of knowledge is self-
knowledge. Other ancient philosophers
define self in many ways but today, let
us talk about the concept of the self.
Self is the union of elements that
constitute individuality and identity of
a person, namely:
• body- constitute your
Photo retrieved 07/20/2020 @ https://medium.com/the-
physical attributes, your ascent/the-importance-of-knowing-oneself-and-3-ways-to-do-
health, and your posture so-bcbfac002aed

and poise;
• thoughts- the way you think, and how you perceive things around you;
• feelings or emotions- how you feel about the things around you; and
• sensations- a widespread reaction of interest and excitement about
something.
The union of these elements makes up your character or personality and
essentially distinguishes you from others. No two individuals are exactly alike thus,
YOU are UNIQUE...! and that makes you special. Self-awareness starts with
assessing yourself so, to further know yourself, it is important to pause for a while
and analyze what you feel, think, and do. Your ability to reflect and think about your
own thoughts, feelings, actions is called introspection which is essential in
understanding and improving yourself.
Your physical attributes such as height, skin complexion, temperament and
the likes may be inherited from your parents. On the other hand, the environment
where you grow and the people around you may contribute as well in your attitude
like how you behave on a given situation. Furthermore, environment and hereditary
factors have contributed in the physical attributes and psychological makeup of a
person.

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Identifying Your Strengths and Weaknesses
Photo retrieved 07/20/2020 @
https://www.canstockphoto.com/illustration/weakn
ess.html
No one is perfect. Everyone has their
weaknesses and limitations just like
you right? Thus, it is never good to
compare oneself with others because it
will only cause frustrations as there
will always individuals gifted with more
traits and qualities. To avoid
discontentment and dissatisfaction, it
is better to focus on what one has. As
others would say “positive lang bawal
ang nega”.

Identifying your strength and weaknesses can provide you with more
information about yourself. In determining your strengths, you will become:
1. more empowered to do developmental tasks such as capable of
establishing mature relationships with others, emotional independent,
demonstrate responsible behaviors;
2. equipped with skills essential in making wise decisions in life;
3. able to analyze complex situations logically and sensibly; and finally
4. more confident in doing your tasks and become more competent in
achieving your goals.
On the other side, knowing your weaknesses gives you the chance to know
your limitations and so you can identify situations where you have to say no to a
certain situation you are into. Perhaps you can already identify your weaknesses,
but the challenge is, what do you do with these limitations? Remember that becoming
more aware of your weaknesses is just a starting point of self-development. You must
find ways to enhance your capabilities and transforming your weaknesses into
strength. How? Read some tips below:
1. accept your weaknesses and limitations as a person;
2. keep on trying especially on the things you think you are weak;
3. develop your knowledge and skills by improving your study habits and
keep doing the skills you are good at;
4. acknowledge your little successes and achievements; and
5. develop positive attitudes or outlook in dealing with life’s challenges.

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 12

Personal
Development
Quarter 1 – Module 2:
Developing The Whole Person

13
 What is It
Adolescence is referred to as the teenage years, which start at the age of
twelve (12) and end at the age of twenty-one (21). The beginning of the physiological
development is shown by the onset of puberty. There are children who experience
puberty as early as the age of nine (9). What is puberty then? Puberty refers to the
physical transformation that a child experiences as sexual maturity is reached. It is
at this stage that the child may be overly concerned with appearance and body image
(Lewis 2015).
The life stage of the teenagers is very crucial because it is a transition from
one stage to another (Hurlock, 1982). Teenagers usually strive to establish their
personalities to prove that they are adults already however immediately and
disappointingly. More so, rejection is a primary issue during adolescence.
The sense of belongingness is a struggle, the feeling of being unaccepted, and
being alone place the teenagers to a difficult situation which may result to peer
pressure, easily influenced by peers. Proper guidance and constant follow-up from
their support system like parents and other special people around them is very
important. But all of these wonders and challenges make an important crossroad in
your journey in life. Now, let us understand the different aspects of development of
adolescence.

Physical or Physiological Changes

What would a person look like when he/she grows up? That depends on
heredity. The genes he/she got from
his/her parents contribute in the
physical appearance of a person.
Changes among boys; eventually grow
larger than girls, muscles grow, testes
or gonads rapidly grow bigger for a year
during early pubescence, the penis
also grows markedly, voice becomes
husky, and there is production and
release of spermarche, when they
experience nocturnal emissions or wet
dreams. This is an indication that their
male reproductive organs have become
mature in function and that they are Photo retrieved 07/20/2020 @https://tinyurl.com/y5tzdjaz
already capable of reproduction.
While the changes among girls; start their growth spurt earlier than boys, the
uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, and vagina, grow rapidly during puberty, menarche,
or the first menstrual period, marks a girl’s sexual maturity and is indicative of her
capacity to be pregnant, more melodious voice, hips become wider and rounder
which resulted in the enlargement of their pelvic region, and breasts also develop
and muscles grow in size and strength.
Androgens and Estrogens are hormones or chemical substances produced by
endocrine glands that actively affect physical growth and development. These

16
hormones are present in both males and females. However, each of them functions
more strongly in one sex than the other. Testosterone an androgen that is strongly
associated in the physical maturation of boys. Increased level of testosterone in males
is related to changes in height, deepening of voice, and development of genitals, as
well as sexual desires and activities. Estradiol An estrogen that is strongly associated
in the physical development of girls such as widening of hips, and breast and uterine
development. These hormonal changes especially among girls may trigger weight gain
and is often associated with obesity.
Physical attractiveness is one of the major concerns of teenagers. According
to Stice and Shaw (2002), only few adolescents experience body-cathexis or
satisfaction with their bodies. They do things to prove that they are attractive.
Further, below are the implications of physical changes among teenagers:
 Their concerns about their physical appearance may also increase
 May realize that some people treat those who are attractive better than those
who are less attractive.
 It also explains why some teens are shy and cumbersome in appearing in
public as well as in expressing their ideas.
 Some are too conscious to do even simple activities such as walking along
the school corridor, and even sensitive to criticisms.
 Some teenagers have low self- esteem and lack of self-confidence.
Remember that it is in understandable to get affected by these body changes.
The challenge is how to cope with these changes? You just need to have some
adjustments- on how you view the things that are happening in your body both inside
and outside. You may put emphasis on personal hygiene to reduce acne and body
odor. Perform physical exercises and activities to avoid being fat and be fit instead.
Yet, it is only through self-acceptance that you become brave enough to face the
“whole new you”.

Cognitive Changes
Cognitive development refers to the progression of one’s ability to think ang
reason out, adolescents develop the ability to think and interconnect things in
relation to problem solving. During adolescence, your brain goes through significant
structural development stages as well. The neurons in the corpus callosum thicken
and connect the left hemisphere and the right hemisphere of the brain, making the
brain process information faster and more effectively.
Development is also observed in the prefrontal cortex, which is involved in
decision-making, reasoning, and controlling one’s emotions. Likewise, amygdala, the
seat of your emotions such as anger, sadness, and happiness, matures much earlier
than the prefrontal cortex. The cognitive apparatuses develop, teenagers become
more capable of thinking abstractly, instead of thinking only of today which may lead
to:
• ask a lot of questions, not only about yourself but also about everything
around you
• no longer comfortable with simple explanations but you look for a deeper
meaning of things

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 • express their doubts about their parents parenting style as well as the
principles and beliefs of their family
• compare the parenting styles at home and that of the peers.
These may result to being pickle-minded or tendency of being undecisive and
leads you to explore and experiment. Moreover, the fast-changing decisions prompt
teenagers to engage in risky behaviors such as cutting classes, cheating, smoking
and or drugs, drinking alcoholic beverages, lying, computer game addiction, and even
stealing. In this manner, you are encouraged to pause and study your situation
before making any unnecessary actions or decisions. It is of great help if you consult
a trusted adult like your parents, brothers or sisters, your teachers, or any confidant
regarding your situation.

Psychological or Emotional Changes

According to Hurlock (1982), adolescence, as a transition period, has often
been described as a period of “storm and stress”. You get easily excited with some
situations, but you also tend to easily show your irritation. Emotional maturity
should be achieved by the end of adolescence. The indicators that you have finally
achieved emotional maturity are:
a. You know how to express your emotions in a socially acceptable manner
b. When you face difficult situations, you exercise critical thinking and not
being emotionally carried away
c. You realize that lessons can be learned from each challenging experience
d. You become less reactive to provocations and emotionally heated
situations.
These realizations are important in your journey toward self-actualization.

Social Changes
One of the key concepts crucial in the study of adolescence is identity crisis.
Based on Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development, the period of adolescence
is the most challenging and turbulent stage in the framing of the identity of an
individual. He espouses that the struggle in forming one’s identity and the confusion
of roles attached to it occurs around the time when adolescence happens. On the
other hand, social pressures and demands add to the stress and storm of the
adolescence stage. Here are some of the social changes you may experience please
take note:
1. Your attitude, speech, interests,
appearance, and behavior are
greatly influenced by your
peers, as you spend more time
outside your home.
2. You may prefer fewer friends
and intimate relationship and
become curious about
relationships with the opposite
Photos retrieved 07/20/2020 @
sex and experience physical
https://thinking.umwblogs.org/2020/04/24/cocktail-party- attraction.
effect-with-children/

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 3. You are more socially competent and tend to participate more in social
gatherings which is manifested in your ability to carry on conversations,
behave properly in front of people, and have confidence to share your talents.
4. Your need for belongingness is manifested in this stage.
However, the need of belongingness if not handled well, this may lead to peer
pressure, you conform to the standards of your peers or the expectation that you
need to comply to the standards of your peer groups without considering the
consequences. This is shown when you are easily influenced by others like giving in
to drinking alcoholic beverages, playing computer games, and strolling in the mall.
Worst cases is when you give in for cutting classes, smoking, taking illegal drugs,
and perform sexual activities because of peer pressure, the fear of being labelled as
“kill joy” and the fear that they may “unfriend” you in the group.
You need to make social adjustments to overcome challenges. What do you
need to do to successfully make social adjustments? Enhance your social skills by
carrying yourself gracefully in front of others, and just enjoy the company of your
peers. To cope up with social pressures, you should also learn to clarify your
limitations, and learn to say no so that you maintain self-reliance.

Moral or Spiritual Changes

Morality means “a set of guiding principles that direct a person in the pursuit
of what of right or wrong and what is good or bad.” The development of the adolescent
in the moral aspect shows the fruition of these guiding principles and is manifested
by the concrete application of these guidelines in daily life (Oswalt 2015). Moral
development starts with obeying your elders when you are still a child to more
internal, moral thinking during adolescence. According to Kohlberg, adolescents
should have attained the postconventional reasoning or have developed moral
reasoning based on the universal human rights. This means that adolescents must
be able to stand on what their personal conscience dictates them to do. For example,
you already know that cheating is bad and that giving answer to your classmate
during test is wrong. But your classmate who is your friend and popular in the school
ask an answer from you during the test. And even whisper to you that if you will not
give the answer, he would “unfriend” you. You know that if you will not give the
answer, you will be left out in the social activities in school. What would you do?
What would your personal conscience tell you to do?
Assessing the given situation, teenager would easily give in and just give the
answer right away. However, if we base our judgement through the post conventional
morality reasoning, you should stand on your ground, do what you think is right,
and perceive the situation as a personal decision based on the personal codes you
instill in your mind. According to Hurlock (1982), adolescents who deviate from their
general principles and act upon the wishes of others even though these are wrong
are more likely to suffer from self-condemnation. Therefore, having developed a
sound conscience or the inner force that makes external controls unnecessary
(Hurlock, 1982) plays an important role in assuming responsibility in your life.
Moreover, being focused will assist you in your journey on how you want to live your
life. Your moral judgement becomes clearer when you see your purpose in life.

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 12

Personal
Development
Quarter 1 – Module 3:
Developmental Stages in Middle
and Late Adolescence

26
 What is It

The Developmental Tasks in Adolescence

According to Robert Havighurst, the developmental tasks during adolescence are
as follows:
1. Achieving new and more mature relations with age mates of both sexes
2. Achieving a masculine or feminine social role
3. Accepting one’s physique and using one’s body effectively
4. Achieving emotional independence from parents and other adults
5. Preparing for marriage and family life
6. Preparing for economic career
7. Acquiring a set of values and an ethical system as a guide to behavior-
developing ideology
8. Desiring, accepting, and achieving socially responsible behavior.
These developmental tasks are mastered by teenagers in a sequential order,
following three stages in the adolescence period, namely: early adolescence, middle
adolescence, and late adolescence (Kimmel and Weiner, 1995).

✓ Early Adolescence (this happens when you are 12-13 years old)
At this stage you may experience rapid growth and various changes. Your primary
developmental tasks at this stage involves the following:
▪ Adapting to biological and mental development
▪ Accept one’s physique and use one’s body effectively
▪ Embrace the fact that you are physically maturing already and know how to
take care of your body
▪ Already sexually capable of reproduction
▪ You need to be comfortable with the way you look.

✓ Middle Adolescence (this occurs around 14-16 years old)

Your primary tasks as a teenager in this period are as follows:
▪ Achieving new and more mature relations with age mates of both sexes
▪ Achieving a masculine or feminine social role
▪ Achieving emotional independence from parents and other adults
▪ Becoming more adept in social settings and more capable of establishing
intimate relationship
▪ Attraction that you feel to another person- learning to handle heterosexual
relationships, dating, and sexuality.

✓ Late Adolescence
This starts when you are 17 years old until you have shown a sense of
consistency in your personal identity in relation to people around you, and you have
begun to form some fairly definite social roles, value systems, and life goals (Kimmel
and Weiner, 1995). The tasks expected of you at this stage are the following:
▪ Already formed attitudes, learned skills, and established relationships that
will give you bases of ascertaining what kind of a person you are or what kind
of life you want to lead.

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 ▪ Focused on planning and preparing for marriage and family life, preparing for
an economic career, on acquiring a set of values and an ethical system as a
guide to behavior or ideology, and on desiring and achieving socially
responsible behavior.

It is true that growing up has never been easy and adolescence is full of challenges
because it is a stage of “becoming” rather than of “being”. You need to work hard
to master these developmental tasks and the challenge is to maintain a positive
attitude towards those responsibilities that you will be taking into. Do not take it as
a difficult task but rather take it as an opportunity for you to grow. What is important
is you are learning in each task, improve the things that are not well done, and
embrace the things undone.

Adolescents in the 21st Century

Your parents and grandparents lived in a world characterized by a culture of
hard work. To illustrate further this said culture, imagine how your parents or
grandparents cook for food before, the ways and preparations in cooking is never
easy since there was no stove available. Imagine cooking before with a long process
from getting woods to producing heat. Unlike today, where there are available stove,
oven or butane for easy cooking process. You also have instant noodles, instant coffee
mix, and instant sauces. More so, you have fast food outlets, computers, gadgets,
internet, e-books, and among others that make things easier and more convenient
and accessible.

Another observation in today’s

generation is in the courtship style.
Unlike before that there was harana,
the boys will really go to the house of
the girl to ask permission from the
parents to allow the boy to court the
girl. Now, because of the onset of
telecommunication, it seems that
courtship is done instantly, and virtual
relationship come into existence.
Having a relationship through text or
computer is now embraced by the new
generation. Hence, the culture of
instant result in today’s generation is Photos retrieved 07/20/2020 @
https://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/f/fashion.asp
visible.
In addition, materialism characterizes the youth of today. How do you react
when you see your classmate having the latest gadget, having a new pair of branded
shoes, bag, or apparel? Are you not admiring that person? Are you not envious of
him or her? Do you also wish that hopefully you have those things as well? These
material possessions become status symbols for adolescents nowadays. According to
Hurlock (1982), status symbol are prestige symbols that tell others that the owner
is of higher status (e.g., in socioeconomic and in achievements) than other people.
These symbols become the bases of their security, of being accepted, and of their

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personality. However, being materialistic results in prioritizing image rather than
working on one’s inner beauty and holistic value as a person. That is one thing that
teenagers should be extra careful because they might be too materialistic and forget
self- respect self- value.
Taking charge or assuming responsibility is the ability to choose your own
responses (Convey, 2004) to encountered circumstances. This means that you are
responsible and accountable of your behavior, without making excuses or blaming
others for your mistakes. Successful people take full responsibility of their actions.
They take charge to realize their goals, act with motivation and determination, and
correct their mistakes to stay on track of their goals. Now, listen to this call for
responsibility! Start looking yourself and work on the following building blocks of
responsibility by Feiden (1991):
1. A strong sense of self-esteem. The most important building block of
responsibility is high self-esteem, which should be a positive belief in
oneself.
2. The capacity for empathy. The ability to put oneself in another’s shoes so
that you understand what he/she is going through.
3. Knowing right from wrong. Taking accountability of your actions means
facing the consequences of your actions.
4. Developing good judgement. Ability to make good decisions make you
rooted to integrity and strong personal values.

Hey Senior High School students, we want to see you successful in the
future..!

What’s More

Activity 2: MY PERSONAL TIMELINE

A personal timeline portrays the influential events and happenings of a

person’s life so that he can understand where he has gone wrong and right in the
past. It helps to plan the future in a better constructive way.
Using a bond paper, write the major events in your life and the significant
people in your life. You may add your age, specific dates and places. You may draw
the timeline horizontally, vertically, diagonally or even using ups and down
depending on your imagination. Be creative in your representations. You may also
use symbols, figures and drawings. Think of a title for your personal timeline.
You may use crayons or art materials depending on the available resources or
just a simple paper and pen may be fine. You can also go for the personal timeline
website template samples available online. The link is
https://www.template.net/business/timeline-templates/personal-timeline-template/

Source: http://blogs.psychcentral.com/relationships/2012/08/the-timeline-of-your-life-storyprobing-to-create-shift-
to-life-liberating-meanings-2-of-2/(DepEd (retrieved from: Personal Development Module page17)

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 12

Personal
Development
Quarter 1 – Module 4:
The Challenges of Middle and
Late Adolescence

37
 What’s In
How are you senior high school students? Welcome again to your journey of
knowing yourself well! You have learned in the previous module the developmental
tasks expected of an adolescent like you. Those developmental tasks are considered
preparatory to adulthood thus, knowing all of those can help you become more
responsible in the next stage of life. The completion of such tasks would bring about
fulfilment and success in your teenage life however, inability to do the tasks expected
of you would also result to disappointment, depression, and struggles in the future
undertakings.
In this module, you will learn the challenges and pitfalls among adolescence
and its strategies to cope with those challenges. According to David Geldard and
Kathryn Geldard (2006) adolescence is a time in young people’s lives when they move
toward independence, autonomy, and maturity. Along in that journey are the
challenges and difficulties that a teenager may experience for according to others
that problems and difficulties are considered “spices of life” which means that life is
worth living if you have taken those difficulties as an opportunity for you to grow.
So, let us start exploring this module.

What’s New

Activity 1: RISKY BEHAVIORS ON THE GO

The objective of this activity is to help you identify risky or dangerous
behaviors that you usually observe among adolescents. Write risky behaviors and
identify the causes of such risky behavior through a graphic organizer (GO).

What is It

What causes risky behavior? Santrock (2012) cited the biopsychosocial

approach in emphasizing that biological, psychological, and social factors interplay
and contribute to create problems that you need to overcome during adolescence.
Biological or physical factors such as
genes, hormones and brain
development cause challenges that
adolescents need to face. According to
Casey et.al., (2011) the development of
the prefrontal cortex after amygdala
has been linked to risk-taking
behaviors and sexual experimentation.
While the prefrontal cortex is still
developing, your brain may not be able
to process what you feel and control
your actions. In this case, it may cause
Photos retrieved @ problems.
https://markarmstrongillustration.com/8253-2/

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 Accordingly, one of the most difficult challenges that you encounter as a
teenager is finding a sense of identity. The absence of concrete self-identity causes
heightened emotionality that usually causes problems. Later, you get irritated and
have mood swings easily. Sometimes, mood swings become too erratic and negative,
resulting in relationship problems and depressions. If you have become used to
getting what you want, then self-control may become an issue. If self-control is not
mastered, concerns like drug abuse, computer gaming, other delinquent acts may
emerge.as cited by Anderson et. Al., (2007) low conscientiousness has been
associated with drug abuse and behavior problems. Hence, your emotions can
influence your actions and decisions; so, you become less objective, and your actions
may not be effective.

There are social factors that contribute to the emergence of an adolescent

namely family, peers, school, socio-economic status and immediate environment.
You spend most of your time with your peers during adolescence which may have
negative effects on your attitudes and behavior especially when your friends are not
so good influencer. For example, if you are fond of going out with friends who are
smokers and drinkers of alcoholic beverages, there is a great possibility that you will
also learn to smoke and drink. On the other hand, if you will not go with them, you
might be rejected by them. Furthermore, if you experience rejection, it may cause
depression if not handled well. Today, adolescents engage in romantic relationships
at an early age and may suffer various consequences which may also lead to
rejection. Connolly and McIsaac (2009) cited that early dating is linked to substance
abuse, and that unsuccessful romantic relationships lead to depression.

Additionally, teenagers who

drop out from school are more prone to
drug addiction and other delinquent
activities. Also, there are studies that
proves that poverty is linked to many
problems that adolescents are
vulnerable to (Santiago, et,al., 2011).
And Chen et.al. (2011) also mentioned
that adolescents who live in an
unhealthy environment are in higher
Photos retrieved @ http://familybootcamp.org/video-
risks for developing problems. game-addiction

Moreover, those who came from non-intact families due to nonmarriage,

separation, parents’ working abroad, and death usually experience problems. To sum
up everything these are the challenges that every teenager may encounter:
– Finding a sense of identity
– Self-control
– Romantic relationship at an early age
– Engage in activities that put their health and dignity at risk
– Drop-out from school are more prone to drug addiction and other delinquent
activities

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 – Non-intact families due to non-marriage, separation, parent/s working
abroad, and death usually experience problems.

Pitfalls and Challenges of Adolescents

The following are some of the common pitfalls and challenges that adolescent
may experience:
1. using and abusing drugs – this is often due to peer pressure which means
that the more your friend use illegal drugs the greater the possibility that you
will become involved with drugs.
2. being addicted to computer games – teenagers are hooked to these recreational
activities merely because this is not just for fun rather this gives opportunities
for the teenagers to express what they feel, create their own world, and most
importantly, find their identity in the characters of the game. However,
because adolescents have created their own world in the game, they are
sometimes unable to distinguish reality from the virtual one. With amusement
that these computer games have offered to them, this would result to cutting
classes and worst stop schooling.
3. running away from home – some of the reasons of running away from are their
parents are hurting them physically, feeling unhappy at home, a means of
getting what they want. According to Kimmel and Weiner (1995), runaways
who anticipate to finding something pleasant at home return home sooner and
manifest that they are less traumatized than those who run away from
something unpleasant, such as being physically hurt or violated at home.
4. being sexually promiscuous – due to hormonal changes, teenagers normally
experience heightened sexual activities during this stage. Thus, becoming
teenage parent is possible. Based on the data of the Department of Health
(DOH) on the transmission of the human immune deficiency virus (HIV)
(2014), the most number of persons who become infected with HIV are
teenagers.
5. being depressed - According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders, 5th edition (DSM 5 ed.), at least 5 of the 9 symptoms represent a
change in the individual’s functioning (observed during a 2week period):
a. Depressed mood most of the day
b. Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities
most of the day
c. Significant weight loss or weight gain, or decrease or increase in appetite
nearly every day
d. Insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day
e. Psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day
f. Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day
g. Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt nearly every
day
h. Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every
day
i. Recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific
plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide

42
 6. committing suicide – is usually associated with depression which is closely
related with a sense of hopelessness, low self-esteem, and high self-blame
(O’Donnell et.al., 2004).

After knowing these pitfalls and challenges, it will help you avoid being trapped
to difficult situations. Sometimes teenagers put themselves into these situations
mainly because of their inability to express their feelings or emotions especially when
their significant people have high expectations from them. But do not worry because
there are strategies to cope with these challenges…

Strategies to Cope with Challenges

The challenges that you will encounter might cause pain and stress on your
part. While you are capable to handle such situations, it may cause pressures that
would affect your well-being. So, here are some of the strategies that may help you
do so (Sevilla, 2000):
1. Learn to accept what you feel – when you feel sad, angry, or envious, you need
to embrace these feelings because they are real emotions. They are only
reflective of who you are- a human being. Accepting your feelings means
allowing yourself to feel and express them.
2. Identify your vulnerabilities – knowing when you feel intense emotions is
important to acknowledge. For instance, you have noticed that before you flare
up in anger, you first feel your face getting hot, your knees trembling, and
your heart pounding very fast. The next time you feel angry and you see these
signs, you excuse yourself from the discussion and walk away.
3. Develop your talents and interests – know your interests or things that you
enjoy. After doing so, then develop those competencies, talents, and skills in
you. With these, you do not allow negative thoughts or feelings conquer your
heart.
4. Become more involved with others – as they say no one is an island so, we need
others to support us. Do not just focus on yourself but rather live your life
with other people that can give you happiness and influence you to become a
good person.
5. Seek help when needed – most of the adolescents would feel shy and are
hesitant to ask for help because they might feel that they add burden to the
person they are asking help for. But you must remember that teenager still
must learn a lot of ways of being effective and psychologically healthy. Thus,
you still seek for help to your support system.

So Senior High School students, do not be afraid to experience difficulties in life

it is just normal. However, you just have to ask for help in order to cope with those
challenges in life…Remember that a life without challenges is a life not worth living.

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