Lack of Confidence

It is often the case that a teenager with a lack of confidence becomes enmeshed in a situation in which they find themselves living their lives according to a set of standards that their peers have drawn out for them. Now granted, there may be an overlap between low self-esteem and a lack of confidence but for this particular case the distinction will be that the teen’s self-esteem is dependent of whether or not they have confidence in themselves. A teenager may very well have positive regard for themselves and display confidence in many situations. However, the pressure of going along with the group or conforming to a greater belief may often prove to be a daunting task for anyone let alone someone with little confidence. There are teens that are fortunate enough to have the ability to go against the grain when it comes to peer pressure. Many of them are so confident in their own beliefs and standards that they are able to rebuff the ideas of their peers even in the face of certain ridicule or rejection.

Unfortunately, there are those who cannot apply the self-confidence that they use in other situations to being able to stand alone when it comes to peer pressure. Even worse is the possibility that a teen has very little confidence in all types of situations. This would make them particularly vulnerable to peer pressure. How can they possibly find themselves willing to go against a group of people when they aren’t even confident enough to take a firm stand against one person. Their overall lack of confidence will often lead them to conceding a point when in actuality, their logic or reasoning is very sound. A teen may feel strongly about a particular subject and may have sound logic in regards to it but the inability to bring it forth is where the battle is lost. If you have something meaningful to say it becomes academic if you are unable to say it because you lack the confidence to do so. The pressure of peers will lead the teenager with little confidence in him or herself to cave in more often than not.

A teenager with no confidence will often find themselves overly reliant on the opinions and perhaps even instructions of others. As an independent personality they find themselves being stifled by more confident personalities. They are unwilling to stand alone due to the simple fact that they lack the confidence to do so. They will go along with what others say and avoid contradicting them at all costs. They will try to maintain the status quo and will blend in to any situation in order to mask their lack of confidence in themselves, which is rather ironic considering that the very act of blending in indicates a low degree of individuality. Problems occur as the teen with little to no confidence will find themselves being compromised due to their lack of confidence. They will find themselves in uncomfortable positions and in many instances their inability to speak up will augment their frustration because they are keenly aware of the discrepancy between what they are doing and what they would rather be doing. In other cases, their lack of confidence in themselves is replaced by a pseudo-confidence that comes from going along with others and conforming. Knowing that others accept them gives them a false sense of confidence in themselves because the truth is that others have accepted the image and personality they have set forth rather than the true beliefs that they have suppressed. Had the person actually showed a more defiant side and contradicted the status quo they might not have gained the acceptance of their fellow peers.

In regards to the interplay between one’s lack of confidence and peer pressure, the technique to combat this is rooted in confidence-building. Teens should be taught to be self-confident and to hold onto their beliefs as long as they do not compromise their own integrity and safety or that of others. Teens need to place a heavy emphasis on believing in themselves no matter what others might think or say. This could very well be the deciding factor that helps to fight peer pressure. If one is confident in themselves they should be taught to be confident all across the board. By this, it is meant that should they be able to spot detrimental peer pressure they should become familiar with the ways to battle it. Being confident in actively expressing one’s disagreement with a certain situation should be stressed as is sticking to your beliefs regardless of the resistance one faces. A teen with confidence is a teen that can see through the emptiness of trying to please others and at the same time, convey that belief through confident and candid expression.

Furthermore, helping develop confidence in teenagers allows them to become more autonomous in the future. If they possess the confidence in themselves to stand up for what they believe in and avoid conformity at the expense of themselves they will be able to ward off peer pressure with greater ease. In addition, they fortify their beliefs in the process and become even more confident of them as they are put to the test. Teens must try to become confident in their thinking and decision-making because it is crucial to their ability to negotiate this very difficult time in their lives. It is important to stress confidence in oneself from an early age and at the same time the confidence that things will work out in life if it is applied correctly. In conclusion, just as teens should be confident in their ability to avoid the people that aren’t necessarily right for them, they should be confident in their ability to find those who are.