Have you ever felt pressured to do something you weren't comfortable doing or ready to
do?
Peer pressure is something that can plague everybody, and it's something that everybody
deals with during puberty.
Puberty is a time of change, a time when your body is changing.
You're going through emotional turmoil.
Your moods are changing.
There's so much change.
Things are in flux.
And at the same time your friends, what they're wearing, what they're playing, and what they're
doing has never been so important to you.
Have you ever felt pressured to wear the right clothes, download the right apps, watch the
right TV programs, buy the right stuff?
It's all part of peer pressure.
And unfortunately, we sometimes see pressure to try alcohol, to try drugs, and to have
sex.
I am here to let you know that you should never do something that you feel uncomfortable
doing or do something that you aren't ready to do.
You need to trust your instincts.
If it feels wrong it probably is.
If you're uncomfortable with anything, if you need to talk to somebody, find somebody
that you trust.
You can speak to your parents.
It's great to have an open and honest relationship with your parents.
But, if you're uncomfortable speaking to them about something then talk to an older sibling.
Talk to a counselor at school.
Talk to a friend.
Talk to your doctor.
Talk to anybody you feel comfortable talking to about feeling pressure to do things that
you may not want to do.
And trust yourself.
Trust your instincts.
Puberty is definitely a time of change, a time of physical changes and emotional changes,
but it doesn't mean you have to change your mind about things you're not comfortable doing.
This is an area that you don't want to change.
Stay true to who you are.
You will make good decisions and make it through puberty.