Teens today face many life challenges that confuse them.

Too many times, teenagers get caught up in what their friends are doing and they forget to think for themselves. Unfortunately, due to peer pressure, some well-adjusted young people make poor choices just to feel accepted. It is sad when teens feel the need to belong to a certain group, so they do things out of character rather than using common sense or good judgment. Being vulnerable to influence, young people will often deny their conscience and warnings from friends or family.

Pressure from friends can create a defiant and disrespectful demeanor. It can cause children to lie to their parents or teachers. They may show a disinterest in academics or activities, begin taking drugs or behave in a sneaky manner. However, it is important to remember that there are consequences for all behaviors. When we test our values and moral ideologies, we cross lines that may become costly.

When being in denial about the quality of our life, we fall into a comfort zone. While being in this mode, we tend to become bored with ourselves. We feel that our daily activities are pointless, as well as our accomplishments. We often fail when making promises to ourselves and we experience fear in dealing with the future. Importantly, as long as we refuse to acknowledge even small problems in our lives, bad behaviors will result in bad habits.

In order to escape from the comfort zone, we must ask ourselves several questions. For instance, we must explore the reasons our personality and behavior are different. We must explore what behaviors have created negative results for us or our future. When reflecting internally, it is wise to think about a few things that make us unhappy with ourselves. Even though it may be tough, we must take ownership for the things we choose to do that result in undesirable characteristics. Some teenagers “blow up” when they don’t get their way; others pout. It may be smart to think about people who control their anger in a respectful manner and begin to mimic their reactions. We must be honest with ourselves and reach for better experiences and goals.

Even though change is inevitable, it can prove to be good. If a person doesn’t acknowledge that something is unhealthy or wrong for them, they will continue the same patterns of foolishness.  As a result, making poor decisions can hinder a person from gaining future success. A smart person will hold himself or herself accountable for reaching higher standards.

No one has honestly ever stated, “Life is easy!”

Dr. Sonya Rogers is a certified counselor who lives in Daphne.