Growing up, to put it simply, can be a real drag, but there are ways to deal with peer pressure in your friends group. Not only is it the period in your life when you are trying to figure out and discover what kind of person you are as an individual, you are also trying to make as many friends and connections as you can to build a social life that will sustain you through all of the tricky moments in childhood and puberty. As you are making your way through this crazy journey of growing up, something that you will almost certainly encounter at one time or another is the tricky subject of peer pressure.
Peer pressure is the act of one person or group of people trying to coerce another into doing something that they might be apprehensive about, often in order to fit in. While bowing to peer pressure might take the attention off you in the immediate, you will almost certainly regret going against your own instincts in the long run. Take a look at these three ways to deal with peer pressure in your friends group.
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1. Be Assertive
It seems like an easy piece of advice to give, and one that is much harder to actually put in to practice, but it really is a case of having to be assertive to get your displeasure with your companions across. The more you brush things off in a mild way, the less they will understand that you really don’t want to be involved in whatever is happening. If these people are your friends, they won’t want to cause you real discomfort, so make sure that you are assertive and display your strong feelings. You might find that they back off. Being assertive really is one of the best ways to deal with peer pressure in your friends group.
2. Validate Yourself
Have you skipped out on going to a big party with your friends because you are trying to save some money? In the moments where they are trying to make you feel bad about not going, just think about that awesome car you are going to be able to put a down payment on, or think about that wonderful holiday that you will be able to book and enjoy, all because you decided to stay at home for a few extra weekends during the year. As long as you are happy with your decision, the opinions of others shouldn’t matter at all.
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3. Re-evaluate Your Social Circle
If peer pressure is something that you find yourself having to combat on a regular basis, then you might want to think about whether you are hanging out with a group that are the best for you. If your likes and activities are so vastly different, then perhaps its time to cut some ties and gravitate toward people who share more interests with you. If you surround yourself with like-minded friends, there will be absolutely no need to deal with peer pressure situations, because you will all already be on the same page!
