There are influences that an individual or certain group of people can exert on another person to make them do what they would not have intended to do - this is peer pressure. More often than not, these influences come with actions that may be regretable at the end. A lot of people have trailed the wrong path simply because they were made to do so by their peers or friends. Even though there can be positive influence from peers, but for this post, we shall be looking at the negative influence and how to overcome these peer pressures.
The first way to put a check to the influence of peer pressure is to be careful of your friends and your peers. You cannot hang around people that are obviously doing the wrong things and expect that they will not pressure you into joining them in their wrong acts. As a matter of fact, your actions will most likely be affected by the people you dominantly stay with. There are people who have seen themselves doing what they once forbade because their friends pressured them into doing so. If you want to overcome negative pressures from peers, then you need to avoid negative peers.
One of my acquaintances who was recently picked up by the cops but later released told me how he ended up in the net of the cops. He had friends who indulges in smoking weed and some other substances. They tried to convince him to have a taste but he refused, but he would hang out with them because they always invited him to follow them. After a few weeks, in their normal hangout, which he initially never wanted to go to, the cops raided the place and packed the entire people in the joint. His only saving grace what that they did not see any incriminating thing on him after their investigations. But the trauma alone for the number of days he spent in their custody would have been avoided if he had kept off from those company. Do not entertain bad company because they can create problems for you.
Another way to overcome unwholesome pressures from peers is to know your self-worth. When you know who you are and what you are supposed to do, no one will make you to do what you are not meant to. Imagine a lion being forced to eat grass - he will not because he knows who he is and that he is not a herbivore. It is when you do not know your worth and your value that others can make you to do what you are not built for or to align towards the wrong path. You have to be able to stand for something; like a personal belief, a value system, a goal, etc, so that you will not fall for just anything.
While having the knowledge of who you are, you need to also have the knowledge of what you can permit, so that you will know when and where to say "no." When things do not seem too comfortable with you or if someone tries to pressure you into what you do not permit, then you should learn to say a no. If you cannot say no when you need to, you may end up doing things that you might regret later. You need to understand that your life is more important to you than trying to please everyone with their suggestions which may not bring profits to you. Saying a simple no can save you of a lifetime of regret that can arise from taking the wrong step.
In addition to saying no, you have to always consider the consequences of your actions before you take them. When you know that your actions come with obvious effects, you will be careful of how you act. When you take a moment to reflect and think about the possible negative effects of the pressure, you will see that it is not worth it and then it will enable you to overcome it. If you will be able to employ your thoughts before you act, you will save yourself from the wrong actions that could hamper your reputation, value, and belief.
Thanks for reading
