You feel WHAT?! 

Yeah, that’s ok too!  Emotions are a natural response to things that happen to us.  What’s important is how you deal with those feelings.  When you recognize you feel a certain way, whether it is happy, angry, or anything in between, ask yourself what is happening in your life that may have caused you to respond that way.  For example, you may have passed a test with an A+.  You recognize that you are happy and choose to show it by smiling.  On the other hand, someone could have just teased you about your latest fashion choice.  It might have made you angry or embarrassed.  What next? 

Making ClearChoices is about what comes next.  You can make the choice to go beat that person up, call them names back, ignore the comment, or agree with them!  No emotion is bad, what matters are the choices you make regarding how to handle what you feel.       

When should I be concerned?

Sometimes making good choices is only easy in hindsight, right?  Thinking before you act is tough when you feel a strong emotion.  However, if after some practice, you feel you are really struggling with controlling your behaviors due to a feeling or emotion, or your behaviors are negatively affecting your life at school or at home, you may need some support from someone else who can help. 

What next? 

If you or a friend are in immediate danger, tell someone right away who can help!  Call 911 for emergency services.  Talk to someone!  Don’t feel you need to take on a problem by yourself – especially where you or a friend’s health is concerned.  Tell a parent, mentor, school counselor, or a spiritual leader.  Not sure what to say?  Check out our “Want to talk?” section. 

While ClearChoices speakers are not able to give counseling advice, we want to make sure you find the support and resources you need!  Call the Community Referral Line @ 602-263-8856 for hotline numbers, or call Teen Lifeline @ 800-248-TEEN (8336), a 24 hour crisis hotline for teens to talk to their peers.  Not ready to talk?  Consider taking one of our quizzes under our “Are you at risk?” section to screen for potential concerns.

Making ClearChoices

It can be difficult to think about the impact your actions have on you down the road when you are faced with making tough decisions on a day-to-day basis.  Understanding why you feel the way you do and how emotions can affect your behavior is important in understanding how to reach your long term goals.  Setting boundaries with others and being clear about who you are, where you come from, what is important to you, and where you want to go can go a long way in helping you make ClearChoices.  We are here to help!  Check out our quizzes, get educated, talk to someone you trust, and make a plan!