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Top 10 Ways to Avoid DRAMA in Your Life
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| by Tyler Beauford, 17, California |
10. Don’t start nothin’, won’t be nothin’. Don’t be a trouble-maker. You make situations harder for yourself when you create drama.
9. Get a referee. When you’re in an intense situation, find a judge to bring order to the court of your argument. For instance, ask a sibling to help if you’re in a fight with a parent.
8. Time out! Take a break from stressful situations. If you’re already in a heated conversation, try to calm yourself down before things get out of control. It’s OK to just walk away.
7. Chillax. Help yourself calm down by turning to your talents or interests, like writing poetry and drawing or listening to music. Try silly humor: picture what a mean phrase like “dirtbag” really looks like. It will make you laugh, and you won’t take the situation so seriously.
6. Avoid situations you know will upset you. For instance, if you get into fights with a certain person every day at lunch, sit in a different area of the cafeteria.
5. Grow up. Try to be the bigger person by stating your case as calmly and as clearly as possible. Whether it’s your parents or your friends, make sure people know that you’re upset and why, without throwing a tantrum. If you act your age, people will treat you as such.
4. Talk. Better communication can lead to better results. Don’t jump to conclusions by feeding into gossip or rumors—most of the time it’s not true. Be your own person; find your own evidence.
3. Find an outlet. Don’t let your frustration build up until it explodes at the wrong time. Turn your aggression into something useful, like playing a video game or a sport. Or you can rant about it to a friend or a journal. It’s OK to cry!
2. Work it out. When you compromise, both people can get what they want. For instance, if your mom won’t let you go to a party because she doesn’t know anyone there, bring along a friend she trusts so you can live it up and your mom can rest at ease.
1. Choose quality, not quantity. It’s more important to have good friends who accept you for who you are than its is to be popular. Avoid people who make you feel bad and don’t care about your feelings.
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