Small question...

[SilverChick]

Okay, I don't know if anyone can help me with this, but it's worth asking.

School will be starting soon. It's my senior year. I want it to be great. I have a list of resolutions for this year. I vow that I won't let anyone intimidate me just because they are what I percieve as "perfect."

But nearly every year I go in with this mindset, only to have it dashed within about the first week. I sink deep into the ED during this and my self-esteem plummets.
I want desperately for this year to be different. I want to be able to stand up for myself and not let anyone (intentionally or not) pull the self-esteem that I have gained this summer down.

So my question is, does anyone have any tips for maintaining this self-esteem? For conquering those voices/thoughts that say that I should be quiet and docile because I am not "perfect?" I am already going to put a list of self-affirmations and inspirational quotes in my locker, but what can I do in class?

Any ideas? :happy

[Garth]

Dear SilverChick,

I can relate to your feelings of inadequacy , especially around people who I percieve to be or have something more than I .
I have realized though , that no one is better or has more than us . We all have our strengths and weaknesses . . . . and that makes us all the same . There isn't one person on this earth who has more or less potential than you or I . . . not one .
Everyone has stuff in their closet . . . wether we see it or not .We are all equally and uniquely talented in our very own ways . . . so comparisons are generally . . . . . well . . they are just that . . . comparisons . . . and they don't mean a whole lot.
Somewhere along my life I got the idea that I was not worthy for being alive . . . . it was passed to me from my parents . . . and because I trusted them . . they must be right ! Yikes! How false a belief that is !
Sometimes I don't want to believe it . . . but in my heart I know this is true . . . . . We . . . you and I . . . have a choice every moment how we want to relate to this world . No one can make us believe things we do not want to . We have a choice to create the kind of world we wish to live in . While this sounds simple . . . and it is . . . change requires practice . . . and this is hard for me . But , I know my alternative choice . . which is to let everyone else define Garth . . . to tell me how to be . . how the world is . . . how I should act . . . what I should do . . . and on and on . That's my alternative . . . one which I have lived long enough . . . . I'm tired of it . I desire to be myself .
I hope this is making some sense . However you choose to live . . . . always be patient . . . and love yourself for all you do . . . and all you do not . . . . . this is no race . . . this is life .

Rmember this day . . . one like no other . . . watch the sun set tonite . . . . listen to the birds sing . . . look up in the sky and see forever .

:love Garth:sun

[Chriszgirl]

:sun You just have to believe what you have learned. High school is a very trying time and can be full of peer pressures and b.s........just believe that you are who you are and your proud! No one can take something away from you...if you don't let them......be determined and sure of yourself....you'll have the jealous ones or the ones who wanna see you down....know your true friends and know surroundings...BE YOU!!!!! After four very long years of ALL sorts of stuff....my senior year was when i changed the most.......good :clover and :love to you!

[silly]

i don't know how to keep it.i guess with support for yourself and support you give to others.

cheers

:canada
silly

[butterflymom]

Hi Silverchick,
I am loooong out of high school, but I still struggle with the same problems of setting resolutions and then having trouble keeping them in the face of reality. The problem with resolutions is that they are so easy to make and so hard to stick to! One thing that helped me so much was to be realistic with myself when setting goals and making resolutions. I start by making them for a few minutes, then for a few hours, then a day etc. Try telling yourself that for the first five minutes of the day you won;t be intimidated (or whatever your resolution is). When five minutes is up, try it for ten. etc...The other thing that I found myself doing that was undermining my success was to completely trash myself whenever I slipped or forgot my resolution. Once I realized I was doing that and decided to be a little more forgiving of myself, it was actually easier to stick to my goal. I hope this helps! Good luck!