June is almost ending and with that, our house is ready for the arrival of the third family member. Today, I want to discuss pressures that are on you as an individual but before we do that, let’s dive into the weekly inventory check.

Weekly Inventory Check:

June is near to an end and it’s a good time for us to go back and check whether or not we achieved what we intended for. Did we have enough fun in this month?I say, you write everything down. Write why you did or did not do something but don’t judge. Just keenly observe and take notes.

Peer Pressure Surrounding You

We are socially influenced to desire specific things and pursue certain paths in life, although I hesitate to use the term "brainwashed." However, this conditioning often leads us to overlook the consequences of our actions on those around us. Let me illustrate this with my own experience of pursuing my current wife. It was a lengthy process spanning three different countries over seven years, including an on-and-off relationship. Throughout this time, I realized the sacrifices and trade-offs I made to be with her. I left behind my family, friends, and a promising career. Although I now find myself in a better place overall, I initially had to take up jobs like Uber Eats deliveries and dishwashing to be close to her. No one forced me into this situation, so where does peer pressure come into play?

The concept of peer pressure arises from my desire to be in a relationship since my teenage years. Society constantly portrays being in a relationship as the norm, promoting happiness and fulfillment. For me, it was always about finding a partner whom I could call my own, care for, and love. However, this emphasis on relationships creates a problem in our generation. It extends beyond romantic relationships to other aspects of life. For instance, now that I'm expecting a baby, I notice that everyone around me is also having children. Some people I know have even expressed their readiness for parenthood based on the presence of babies in their social circles or on platforms like Instagram. This signals a concerning aspect of our society: how easily our personal decisions are influenced by external factors. Perhaps some of us don't genuinely desire relationships or children but feel pressured to conform to societal expectations.

It's essential to differentiate between conditioning and reality, between our own beliefs and personalities. This influence is not limited to pursuing romantic partners or starting families; it seeps into various aspects of our lives, such as our preferences in music, food, friends, and activities. Traveling and partying, as depicted in the media, are often portrayed as glamorous and idealized experiences. Such portrayals can make individuals feel inadequate or that they're not enjoying these activities properly. I personally felt compelled to take numerous pictures while traveling, despite not liking photography. My wife and I have amassed a collection of 600 GB of travel photos on our cloud storage, even though it's not something I genuinely enjoy. The pressure to conform, driven by what we see online or in the media, affects us even when we're unaware of it.

Movies and television shows also play a significant role in shaping our perceptions. They often distort reality, particularly in depicting relationships, intimacy, pregnancy, and childbirth. For instance, the dramatic portrayal of a woman's water breaking during childbirth is far from the reality experienced by the majority of women. This disparity between fiction and reality raises concerns about the responsibility of media and entertainment industries in perpetuating misleading information. While some argue that these exaggerations are purely for entertainment purposes, it is disconcerting when they affect our understanding of natural processes and intimate experiences.

In conclusion, we must cultivate greater awareness of how society, our surroundings, and the media influence us. We need to evaluate whether these influences align with our own beliefs and values. If not, we must actively resist the pressures that can easily sweep us away. It is crucial to question and challenge the conditioning imposed upon us to lead authentic and fulfilling lives.

Want More?

How peer pressure negatively influences oneself, but the flip side of this argument says that peer influence can help teens thrive if it gets them more involved with their community or helps them learn behaviors to get along with others, like how to cooperate or be empathetic. Read here.

This article has put it so well how peer pressure can be positive and one can actually benefit from it.

There are a lot of risks involved when it comes to how peer pressure can affect you on an individual level – especially lowering your self confidence and making you feel less of a person in front of your peers. Read here.

Read of the Week

How to Say No and Keep Your Friends is a practical book for teens and preteens is jam-packed with helpful advice, true tales, amusing cartoons, and tried-and-true techniques for dealing with all types of negative peer pressure. Cheating, fighting, skipping school, stealing, drugs, lying to parents, and other unpleasant decisions confront all children at some point. It can be difficult to say "no" when their pals insist, "Everyone does it." We will not be apprehended.

Thoughts to Leave you With

I understand the challenges associated with recognizing that our individuality is influenced by the experiences we've had and the people we've encountered. As individuals in this vast world, we naturally strive to create our own unique identity and leave our mark. However, it can be difficult to accept the extent to which external factors shape us. Yet, the empowering realization occurs when we understand that we have the ability to actively choose the habits, experiences, and characteristics that truly align with our core values. Rather than simply following the crowd, we can consciously select what resonates with us on a deeper level. Embracing this understanding and making choices that authentically reflect who we are can be a significant personal triumph for each of us.

PSA

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