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How to Deal With Life's Challenges

4/27/2015

 
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Hello, Tigers! I recently read an article entitled, "Challenges that teens face today". I realize that this is a huge topic to discuss in a blog, but I wanted to write about a few key points from the article that I agree with, the first point being that we need a standard for our behavior. Allow me to explain. 

Regardless of what we are facing in life, whether it be the challenges that you face as a teenager or challenges that I face as an older adult, we need a standard for living. At Ely High, we have the student code of conduct that each of you sign and agree to abide by throughout the year. Teachers at Ely also have a code of conduct that we all sign and agree to adhere to as well. If you or I break Ely's code of conduct that we signed and agreed to uphold, we will be asked to leave Ely High. 

All societies need a measurable standard for behavior. When a society fails to live up to a standard of morality, that society crumbles. We can see this evident in the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. Moral decay was  down fall of both the Greek and Roman Empires.

So in life I believe that you need to have your own, code of conduct, so to speak. Maybe the code for your life comes from your faith or your family's ideal for you. Nonetheless, we all need to know where we draw the lines in morality. Without getting too spiritual on a school blog, I have my own 'rules for life'. My standards come from my faith and I live within those standards. I also do not bring people close to me that don't have the same moral standards that I have. Remember the saying, "birds of a feather, flock together". It's hard to hang out with the bad crowd and do the right thing. It is easier to surround yourself with people doing the right thing if you want to do the right thing. Simple. 

So, here's my first bit of advice; chose your friends wisely. Eliminate bringing into your life bad things by not putting yourself in the situation for bad things to come to you. Hang out with friends that have the same moral standards that you and your family hold. 

Secondly, have confidence in yourself...know who you are in life. I feel that I am a worthy person so I will not sell myself short. I must see my own self-worth in order for others to see the value in me. We will get into this deeper later. This is huge!

Lastly, be a leader, not a follower! This is huge too. A great topic for discussion.


I know that you all have short attentions span so I will take the three bits of advice that I gave you today  and I will expand upon them separately in another blog post in order to give you the armor that you need to get through the 'battle of life' as a teenager. 

I believe that if you can understand and master these three things in your life now, you will breeze through the challenges that you face today as a teenager. Tonight in your journals write about 'your own personal code of conduct'.

Love,  Ms. B. 



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    Donna Bonavia

    I am an art educator and  a professional artist. I write this blog to guide my students in  (SEL) social, emotional, and academic development. S.E.L. is the District of Columbia Public School's priority because we believe that we must educate the whole child.


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