Section 6:
Every person has a different decision-making style. Some people require more
information before making their decisions, while others are satisfied with limited
information. A particular decision-making style doesn’t necessarily guarantee a correct
decision. But a good rule is: The more information you can gather before making a
decision, the better.
“It’s OK to follow your intuition and realize that every decision is a learning decision,”
says Helena Monet, a counselor and former high school teacher. Often our instincts will
lead us to good, if not perfect, decisions.
When it comes to decision-making, there may be a female advantage. Females are
generally more right-brained, which means they have a strong intuition and are capable of
seeing many sides to an issue. The right brain is the creative side, and you can use this
creativity in decision-making. For example, when faced with a decision, pick up a book
randomly, and begin reading. The idea isn’t to treat the words as a “sign” of what to do,
but to pay attention to your own reactions as you read and see how they relate to your
problem. Or spend time talking to a friend about his/her problems. You might find
yourself discovering possible solutions to your own problem while helping him/her.
................................................................................................................................................
Section 7:
But perhaps the most important key in making good decisions is having a solid
foundation within you. Without self-esteem and a sense of who you are, plus strong
morals and values, it’s almost impossible to rely on your judgment, says John Leggio,
executive director of The Mark Adolescent and Family Program in Tucson, Arizona,
which provides counseling for teens and their families. Making decisions is an integral
part of our personalities, he says, and in order to make good decisions, one must also
have good communication skills. Without those, you aren’t able to gather the
information you need to make good decisions.
“The teen years are a time of self-consciousness about everything, from how you fit in
socially, to how you look,” he says. “There is a lot of pressure, and there is a tendency to
close down. But it’s important to open up and to be honest with yourself and others and
to take risks of being vulnerable in your relationships. When we hold things inside, all
our decisions are colored by our garbage, and we look for things to cover up or hide our
feelings –– drugs, depression, self-pity, materialism.”
And once you start making unhealthy decisions, they can snowball into a lifetime of
unhealthy decisions.
The basis of good decisions can stem from one good decision: to do an inventory of who
you are, what you want and need, and learn to love and understand the person in the
mirror. Then your decisions will be strong and healthy –– and they might just become a
snap!
Source: Adapted from TEEN
PROTEAM DREAMQUEST CURRICULUM
6-18