Developing a
Positive Identity
Chapter 7
Lesson #2
Pages 178-183
Developing a Positive Identity
• Objective 1: Define developmental
assets and how they can keep you
from risky behaviors.
• Objective 2: Construct strategies for
developing a healthy identity.
• Objective 3: Correlate how selfesteem and a positive outlook benefit
your mental/emotional health.
Your Personal Identity
(pg. 178)
• Personal Identity
– Your sense of yourself as a unique
individual
• Like putting together a jigsaw puzzle, including
your;
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Interests
Likes and dislikes
Talents and Abilities
Values and beliefs
Goals
Developmental Assets
• The building blocks of development that help
young people grow up as healthy, caring and
responsible individuals.
• Developmental Assets include;
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Support
Empowerment
Boundaries and Expectations
Constructive Use of Time
Commitment to Learning
Positive Values
Social Competencies
Positive Identity
• Page 179 Figure 7.3
Answer on your
own paper
• Which of these Developmental
assets Do you consider especially
important? (it can be more than
one.
• WHY?????????
What it takes to Gain a
Healthy Identity (pg. 181)
– 1) Recognize your strengths and
weaknesses
• Take pride in your strengths and accomplishments
• Set goals for accomplishing your weaknesses
– Activity: Partner up and list 3 different
strengths you feel your partner has
– List 3 of your weaknesses. THEN, what are
you doing to improve your weakness?
– 2) Demonstrate positive values
• Guide your actions and influence the decisions
you make. Ex: show honesty, comfort a sad
friend, being trustworthy, etc.
– Activity: Share a story with your partner when
you demonstrated one of your positive values
and how you felt afterwards.
Healthy Identity
– 3) Develop a purpose in your life
• Framework for your mental health as your grow
• Sense of purpose = goals and achieving them
– Activity: Share one long term goal with your
partner and WHY you want to achieve it. Will
the why bring you happiness? Discuss.
- 4) Form meaningful relationships
• Helps develop a sense of purpose in your life
• Helps build confidence and a sense of security or
belonging
– Activity: Share with your partner how a person
can be a positive influence on you and how
they could be a negative influence on you.
Healthy Identity
• 5) Contribute to the community
– Provides services and resources to meet your needs
– Giving back gives you a sense of accomplishment
• 6) Avoid unhealthy risk behaviors
– A normal part of life, helps define and develop you
– Healthful risk-taking has a positive effect on
developing who you are as a person
– Unhealthy risks can be dangerous
Self-Esteem and Positive
Outlooks
• Self-Esteem- Comes from the understanding
that you are a unique and valuable human
being.
• When you have a healthy identity, you will
experience increased self-esteem and a higher
level of mental/emotional health.
• Having a positive outlook is also related to your
general level of wellness
Working Toward High
Self-Esteem (pg. 182)
• People with high self-esteem….
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Take responsibility for their behavior
Generally have a positive outlook on life
Like and accept who they are overall
Try to learn from their successes as well as from their
mistakes
– Build and maintain healthy relationships
• To improve self-esteem…
– Think of appropriate ways to share your positive
attributes
– Engage in behaviors that will promote your health
Realistic Patterns of
Thinking
• To increase your self-esteem and develop a
positive outlook on life, its important to see
events REALISTICALLY.
• Constructive Criticism
– Non-hostile comments that point out problems and
encourage improvement
• Analyzing Self-Talk
– Replace negative messages with constructive
criticism. If you make a mistake, tell yourself
everyone makes mistakes and LEARN from your
mistake.
– Be able to tell yourself “Good Job!”
Interactive study
guide
• http://glencoe.mcgrawhill.com/sites/dl/free/0078726549/35
9990/InterActCh7Ls2.html