Lesson 2: Developing a Positive Identity
 Your
identity is like a jigsaw puzzle:
• Your interests
• Your likes and dislikes
• Your talents and abilities
• Your values and beliefs
• Your goals
What are some aspects of YOUR identity that make
you unique???
 Recognize Your
Strengths and
Weaknesses
 Demonstrate Positive Values
 Develop a Purpose in Life
 Form Meaningful Relationships
 Contribute to the Community
 Avoid Unhealthy Risk Behaviors
 Emotions-
signals that tell your mind and
body how to react.
 Emotions are often referred to as
feelings.
 They are the responses to certain
thoughts and events.
 Emotions effect everyone in different
ways.
 Health
literate people know positive
strategies for expressing needs, want, and
feelings.
• What are some positive strategies that you use?
*Negative ways of dealing with emotions do
nothing to solve problems! Often times they worsen
the situation.
• What are negative ways of dealing with
emotions?
 Look
below the surface: what are you really
reacting to? Does the emotion match the
situation?
 Will the situation matter tomorrow, next
week, or even in a year?
 Don’t take action until you have considered
the consequences of the action.
 Use positive feelings to inspire yourself.
 If negative feelings do not go away, seek
help (friends, family, professionals)
 Take
 Get
slow, deep breaths and relax!
away and compose yourself.
 Write
in a private journal.
 Play/listen
 Talk
to music.
your feelings over with parents and
friends.
Common Defense Mechanisms:
• Repression-unconsciously pushing of unpleasant feelings out of
conscious thought.
• Suppression- consciously pushing unwanted thoughts from
one’s mind.
•
Rationalization-making excuses rather than taking responsibility
for situation or behavior.
• Regression -reverting to earlier developmental characteristics vs.
handling it in a mature manor.
• Denial - not acknowledging what others see as obvious.
• Compensation-making up for mistakes through gift giving, hard
work, or extreme efforts.
• Projection-attributing your own feelings or faults to
another person or group.
•
Idealization- seeing someone as perfect or more worthy than
•
Toughest Emotions to Handle: FEAR, GUILT, ANGER
others.