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32 The Teen Survival Guide to Dating and Relating
- Sleep on it. Before you go to bed, say to yourself, “I will wake up tomorrow
knowing what to do.” This way, your mind can work on the problem while
you’re asleep. You might even have a dream that helps you decide. (Write down
the dream the moment you wake up, so you don’t forget it. Then think about
what the dream might be telling you.)
Maybe you’re afraid of making a poor choice. If so, ask yourself what’s the
worst that can happen. Sometimes making the “wrong” choice isn’t a big deal.
(You’re out to eat and choose the salad instead of the sandwich, and you don’t
enjoy your meal—not a major catastrophe.) But sometimes a wrong decision is
a big deal. (You decide you don’t want to play soccer anymore, so you quit the
team. Halfway through the season, you’re bored and you miss the game and
your teammates. Nowwhat do you do?) If you’re worried about not making the
right decision, remember:- Things don’t always turn out as planned. That’s part of life and not
necessarily a bad thing. Life’s surprises can prove very interesting! - Every experience is a learning opportunity. Mistakes offer great
opportunities for learning, even if it’s only to learn what notto do next time. - Accept what is and make the best of the situation. There’s no use get-
ting upset about the things you can’t change. Realizing that there’s an “up” side
to almost everything makes life easier and helps you move on to your next
learning opportunity.
Isn’t it MY decision?
Hey Terra,
In the past, I’ve had some problems with low self-esteem and stuff. I couldn’t talk to my par-
ents about what was going on, and they got all worried and wanted me to talk to the school
counselor. Well, I did talk to her, and she turned out to be really cool! So after a few months
of going to her every week, I started feeling much better about myself.