Knowing Oneself – Strengths and Limitations (Module 1)

Self-development (also called Personal Development)

- is a process of discovering oneself by realizing one's potentials and
capabilities that are shaped over time either by studying in a formal
school or through environmental factors.

Know Thyself
According to the philosophical point of view, “An unexamined life is not
worth living”, this is one of the famous lines once uttered by one of the
greatest philosophers of Ancient Greek, Socrates.

Know Thyself
- is an old maxim or aphorism which in time has been used in varied
literature and consequently gained different meanings.
- one of its meanings is recorded in the Greek Encyclopedia of
Knowledge called “The Suda”.

Thomas Hobbes
- also discussed his own views about the maxim from which he used the
phrase “read thyself” in his famous work “The Leviathan.”
- He stressed that an individual could learn more by studying others and
that he/she can do this by engaging himself/herself to reading books.
- However, Hobbes emphasized that a person learns more by studying
oneself.

Self-concept
- is one’s abstract and general idea about him/herself particularly toward
his/her unique personality and his/her own perception about his/her set
of values, point of views and behavior.

Rene Descartes
- the Father of Modern Philosophy, proposed his theory that a
person’s existence depends on his/her perception.
- he stated that mind is the seat of consciousness.

Sincero Named Three Aspects of Self-Concept:

1. Self-concept is learned. This explains that no individual is born with
self-concept.
2. Self-concept is organized. This stresses out that one’s perception
towards him/her is firm. This means that a person may hear other
people’s point of view regarding him/her but will keep on believing that
what he/she thinks of himself/herself is always the right one.
3. Self-concept is dynamic. As an individual grows older, he/she
continues to encounter problems or challenges that may reveal his/her
self-concept in that particular time or situation. Thus, self-concept
undergoes development as the person goes through different
experiences.

Sigmund Freud
 - is a well-known psychologist, neurologist and the creator of
Psychoanalysis Theory and the Father of Psychoanalysis.
- he proposed that there are three components of personality within us:
the Id, Ego and Superego

Three Components of Personality:

1. The Id. Freud explained that man's personality is driven by pleasure
principle. This means that the nature of Id is to satisfy man's desire
without thinking much of the situation.
2. The Ego. This is developed at approximately the age of three. This
operates according to reality which makes it possible for the Id to work
in a more proper and satisfactory ways.
3. The Superego. Freud believed that this aspect of man begins to
manifest as a child turns 5. This is the last component of personality
which holds our moral judgments or concept of right and wrong that are
believed to be acquired from the family and the environment.

Personal Development: Knowing Oneself (Module 2)

Adolescence
- is the period when a young individual develops from a child into an
adult.
- there are many changes that can happen to an adolescent like you and
some of those are: how you look, how you take your role in the
community, how other people expect you in making decisions on your
own, and how you perceive yourself.

Self-esteem – is your evaluation of your own worth.

 Positive self-esteem – is the valuation that is pleasing and acceptable
according to your standard and that of others.
 Negative self-esteem – is the opposite which is feeling distraught or
down and unaccepted by others.

Self-esteem can be tested in two ways: explicitly and implicitly, and both
methods reveal that most people have a favorable image of themselves.

The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale

- is a popular explicit self-report measure of self-esteem (Stangor et al.).
- Higher scores on the scale indicate higher self-esteem.

Self-Efficacy – is your desire to influence something specific. It's a self-

confidence in your ability to attain your most significant goal.

Self-Esteem vs. Self-Efficacy

Self-esteem – is the measure of how much you like or "esteem" yourself, or
how much you believe you are a decent and worthwhile person.
Self-efficacy – to your belief in your ability to succeed and perform well in
various areas of life, such as education, work, and relationships (Syrett 2020).

Five Different Ways that Influenced Self-Efficacy (Albert Badura, a

professor, and a psychologist.)
 1. Performance Experiences – if you are good at achieving your specific
goal, then you probably think that you will achieve it again. When the
opposite happens, if you fail, you will often think that you will fail again.
2. Vicarious Performances – if others achieved their goal or specific
task, then you'll come to believe that you will also achieve your goal.
3. Verbal Persuasion – it is when people tell you whether they believe or
not on what you can do or cannot do. The effect of your self-efficacy
will depend on how that person matters to you.
4. Imaginal Performances – When you imagine yourself doing well, then
it will happen.
5. The Affective States & Physical Sensations – if your mood or
emotion (e.g., shame) and physical state (e.g., shaking) come together,
it will affect your self-efficacy. If negative mood connects with negative
physical sensation, the result will be negative. And if it is positive, most
likely the result will be positive.

Self and Identity

According to William James, a psychologist, “the self is what happens
when I reflect upon ME". Taylor described the self as a Reflective Project.

Dan McAdam, a psychologist, reiterated that even there are many ways
on how we reflect to improve ourselves, it brings us back to these three (3)
categories:
1. Self as Social Actor – we are portraying different roles and behaving
for every type/set of people in front of us since we all care about what
people think about us. It is practically for social acceptance.
2. Self as Motivated Agent -people act based on their purpose. They do
things based on their own dreams, desires, and planned goals for the
future. This, though, is not easily identifiable since it is self-
conceptualized, unless it was shared with us.
3. Self as Autobiographical Author – he/she as the creator of his/her
own entire life story. It is about how oneself is developed from his/her
past, up to the present, and what he/she will become in the future.

Six Steps on How to Make a Rational Decision: (Bazerman and Moore in

2013 reiterated by Jhangiani)
1. Define the Problem (select your most desired course);
2. Identify the criteria necessary to judge the multiple options (list things to be
considered like location, facilities, prestige, etc.);
3. Weight the criteria (rank the criteria based on its importance to you);
4. Generate alternatives (the schools that accepted you);
5. Rate each alternative on each criterion (rate each school on the criteria you
have identified); and
6. Compute the optimal decision

Thoughts, Feelings, and Behaviors in Actual Life Situations (Module 4)

Thoughts – are ideas, attitudes or perception about things.

Feelings – are emotions such as happy, sad, mad, frustrated, surprised,
anxious, etc.
Behaviors – are simply the actions we take.
Classified into three:
1. Right or wrong
2. Healthy or unhealthy
3. Appropriate or unappropriate

Developmental Tasks and Challenges of Adolescence (Module 5)

What is Adolescence?
- It is the period of development that begins at puberty and ends at
emerging adulthood.
- It is the time when a child transitions in terms or physiology and
cognition to fulfill a new role as an emerging adult.

Adolescent
- t is derived via French from Latin, which means ‘coming to maturity’

Adolescere from ad- ‘to’+ alescere ‘grow, grow up’, from alere ‘nourish’.

Developmental Challenges of Adolescence

 Biological Challenges
 Psychological Challenges
 Social Challenges
 Behavioral Challenges

Development Through the Help of Significant People (Module 6)

Evaluating One’s Development Through the Help of Others

Parents
- the first people who introduce you to life.
- provide shelter, protection, and sense of security no matter what
happens.
- concept of home is formed coupled with love and much sacrifices that
either your mother or father is willing to give
- teach you the first valuable lessons in life that became an integral part
of your personality as you continue to discover the world
Siblings
- are friends within a family.
- extend valuable help whenever you are in need of assistance.
- teach you the concept of socialization, mutual understanding, and
respect.
Friends
- like extended siblings who came from different families.
- give us a sense of belongingness for an individual would always want
to be part of something.
- teach us the value of love, respect, understanding, and acceptance.
- help us improve in our social connection, emotional stability, and
inspires our intellectual capacity
Teachers
 -second parents in school.
-help you improve your intellectual and emotional capacity to handle
difficult situations in life.
- guide you to understand the valuable lessons about life that would last
for a lifetime.
Community Leaders
- provide network connections and linkages among other parts of the
community.
- inspire adolescents to get involved with community services
- model innovation to help improve the community whom they serve.

Significant People in Life Are Also Agents of Socialization

 Family - as the most important agent of socialization, has given you
the knowledge of self-care.
 Peers - would always have a great deal of influence in your life.
 Teachers - are also special agents we see in school, a place where
many exciting memories are forged through time, as we collaborate
with peers.
 Community Leaders - need to develop selfless future leaders, as well.

Becoming Capable and Responsible Adolescent Prepared for Adult Life

(Module 7)

8 Common Responsibilities of Adolescents

1. Show respect to elders.
2. Take care of the younger ones.
3. Study well. Studying hard is one’s personal obligation.
4. Avoid engaging to bad vices.
5. Establish a good identity.
6. Earn the trust of the people around
7. Distinguish good company from bad influence.
8. Know yourself better.

Ways to Become Capable and Responsible Person in Preparation for

Adult Life
1. Know your priority.
2. Have focus.
3. Be decisive.
4. Work diligently.
5. Don’t count at all.
6. Stay humble Having.
7. Love your duty.
8. Dedicate time.

Stress and Mental Health (Module 8)

Stress
 - is a condition characterized by symptoms of physical or emotional
tension. An individual may feel when he or she is struggling to accept
changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses.

Recognize Sign of Stress

1. Irritability and Anger
- stressed-out teens might be more short-tempered or argumentative
than normal.
2. Changes in Behavior
- a once-active teen now doesn’t want to leave the house.
3. Trouble Sleeping
- a teen might complain of feeling tired all the time, sleep more usual
or have trouble falling asleep at night.
4. Neglect Responsibilities
- if an adolescent suddenly drops the ball on homework, forget
obligations or starts procrastinating more than usual, stress might be a
factor.
5. Eating Changes
- eating too much or too little can both be reactions to stress.
6. Getting Sick More Often
- Stress often shows up as physical symptoms. Adolescents who feel
stress often report headaches or stomachaches.

Ways to Cope with Stress

1. Keep positive attitude.
2. Be assertive instead of aggressive.
3. Exercise regularly.
4. Eat healthy, well-balanced meal.
5. Learn to manage your time more effectively.
6. Make time for hobbies, interests, and relaxation.
7. Get enough rest and sleep.
8. Don’t rely on alcohol, drugs, or compulsive behaviors to reduce stress.
9. Seek out social support.
10. Seek treatment with a psychologist or other mental health professional
trained in stress management to learn healthy ways of dealing with the
stress in your life.

Mental Health
- it is a condition of being sound mentally and emotionally that is
characterized by the absence of mental illness and by adequate adjustment
especially as reflected in feeling comfortable about oneself.

Well-being
- is the holistic view of our self and our health.

Mental Health Indicators

1. Emotional Well-being
- life satisfaction, happiness, cheerfulness, peacefulness.
2. Psychological Well-being
 - self-acceptance, personal growth, optimism, hopefulness, purpose in
life, spiritually, self-direction, and positive relationship.
3. Social Well-being
- social acceptance, personal self-worth and usefulness to society,
and sense of community.

Tips for Mental and Health Well-being

1. Get enough sleep and rest.
2. Take time for things you enjoy.
3. Be active and eat well.
4. Nurture relationships and connect with others.
5. Learn to manage stress.
6. Get involved and join in.
7. Build your confidence.
8. Be comfortable in your own skin.
9. Set realistic goals and deal with tasks one at a tme.
10. Reach out for help when you need it.

Coping with Stress in Middle and Late Adolescence (Module 10)

Approaches in Coping with Stress

I. Avoidance Approach - In this approach, people tend to run away from the
stress by denying the presence of stress and by taking steps away from the
causes of stress or stressor.
II. Acceptance-Action Approach - In this approach, you acknowledge and
accept the fact that stress is real, and that stress has good and bad effects on
a person.

Ways on how to Cope with Stress to Maintain a Healthy Well-Being:

1. Physically:
 Simple exercise
 Eat Nutritious Food and Healthy foods
 Drink a Lot of water
 Take a Bath Daily
 Proper Hygiene
 Take a Nap
 Sleep at least 8 hours
 Find, Look, or Imagine
 Engage in sports

2. Emotionally/Socially:
 Listen to Music
 Do your favorite hobbies
 Watch funny videos /movies
 Play relaxing games
 Make a journal/blog
 Release your emotions
 Have a positive talk to yourself
 Learn to forgive
  Accept mistakes and learn from them
 Find a Support group
 Talk to professionals like doctors or counselors

3. Mentally and Spiritually:

 Read books/Novels/Comics, Inspirational books, Bible, etc.
 Think Positive
 Manage your Time
 Pray to God
 Be thankful instead of grumbling
 Learn to say No
 Know your Value

Brain: Parts, Processes and Functions (Module 11)

The brain is the most complex organ in the human body. It is part of the
central nervous system including the spinal cord. The brain consists of three
main parts such as the Cerebrum, Cerebellum, and Brainstem.

1. Cerebrum
- is situated in the uppermost part of the brain.
- is the largest part of the brain and on its outermost surface area is
called the cerebral cortex.
- is divided into two hemispheres: the right cerebral hemisphere
controls the left side of the body while the left cerebral hemisphere
controls the right side of the body.
- the main function of cerebrum is to regulate senses, memory,
emotions, intellectual activities, and body movement like deciding on
your career and curriculum exits.
- receives sensory information from the thalamus.

Thalamus
- is connected to all major parts of the brain including the cerebral
cortex.
- receives information, organizes and then sends information to the
cerebrum.

Hypothalamus
- is located below the thalamus and above the brainstem which links the
nervous system with the endocrine system that regulates the
digestive processes and is also responsible for growth and
development.

Limbic System
- composes parts of the cerebral cortex and hypothalamus, that regulate
various types of emotions that affect blood temperature and blood
pressure facilitated by the hypothalamus like eating behavior.

2. Cerebellum
 - is located below the cerebrum at the back of the head.
- functions directly with the cerebrum to receive information from the
sensory system and the spinal cord to regulate balance, postures, and
coordinate movement like riding a bike and walking upright.
3. Brainstem
- is located at the lower part of the brain, which leads to the spinal cord.
- the brainstem connects the cerebrum and cerebellum to the spinal
cord.
- it composes nerve fibers that carry signals to and from all parts of the
body.
- its functions are for safety and survival such as breathing,
consciousness, heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure,
digestion, and wake and sleep cycles.

Cerebral Cortex
- in the outermost layer of the cerebrum is responsible for receiving and
processing information also in initiating a response from the processed
information in the brain.
- contains four lobes that share complex relationships to function. These
are the Frontal Lobe, Parietal Lobe, Temporal Lobe, and Occipital
Lobe

Frontal Lobe
- is situated at the front part of the brain which controls memory,
emotion, stress response, speech, decision making, and planning.
Parietal lobe
- is situated near the back of the frontal lobe which regulates sensory
perception.
Temporal Lobe
- is located at the side of the head which regulates memory, hearing,
and comprehension.
Occipital Lobe
- is situated at the back of the head which regulates sight.

Emotional Intelligence (Module 14)

Emotion
- is a subjective state of mind triggered by a certain stimuli or events
which occur in the environment.
- can be observed through body language and facial expressions, which
explains how you feel or how are you doing at that moment

The Universal Emotion

Charles Darwin’s book The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals
(1872) suggested seven universal emotions associated with facial
expressions. These emotions are, surprise, sadness, disgust, happiness,
fright, anger, and contempt.

Basic Emotions
  Joy - the emotion evoked by well-being, success, and good fortune or
by the prospect of possessing what one desires.
 Sadness - this emotion is affected with or expressive of grief or
unhappiness. It is characterized by feelings of disappointment,
hopelessness, disinterest, and dampened mood.
 Anger - it is a strong feeling of displeasure and antagonism.
 Fear - this is an unpleasant, often strong emotion caused by
anticipation or awareness of danger.
 Trust -this emotion reflects firm belief in their liability, truth, ability, or
strength of someone or something
 Disgust -it is a feeling of revulsion or strong disapproval aroused by
something unpleasant or offensive.
 Surprise - the feeling caused by something unexpected or unusual.
 Anticipation - the act of looking forward; expectation or hope.

There are 8 basic types of emotions according to Psychologist Robert

Plutchik, which was grouped into four pairs of opposites such as joy-
sadness, anger-fear, trust-disgust, and surprise-anticipation. Plutchik also
authored the "wheel of emotions" which was illustrated like the color wheel.
According to Plutchik, emotions can be combined to form different feelings.

Emotional intensity
- refers to variations in the magnitude of emotional responses, an
extreme degree of feeling. Therefore, the intensity of emotion identifies
the action an individual will have. Intensity ranges from mild, moderate
to strong.

The limbic system controls emotion, memories and arousal. The almond-
shaped section of nervous tissue called amygdala is the center of emotional
processing. It is responsible for the perception of emotions such as anger,
fear, and sadness, as well as the controlling of aggression. It stores value
judgments we make and memories of behaviors that produce positive and
negative experiences.

How does learning Emotional intelligence (EI) helps you to be

successful?
The term Emotional Intelligence (EI) was created by two researchers –
Peter Salovey and John Mayer but was popularized by Daniel Goleman in
his 1995 book Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ.
Goleman discussed that EI is important to be successful in academic,
professional, social, and interpersonal aspects of one's life and a skill that can
be taught and cultivated in schools.

Emotional intelligence
- is defined as the capacity to be aware of, control, and express one's
emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and
empathetically.

There are five essential elements of emotional intelligence.

  Self-awareness - knowing what one is feeling at any given time and
understanding the impact those moods have on others.
 Self-regulation - controlling or redirecting one’s emotions; anticipating
consequences before acting on impulse.
 Motivation - utilizing emotional factors to achieve goals, enjoy the
learning process and persevere in the face of obstacles.
 Empathy - sensing the emotions of others.
 Social skills - managing relationships, inspiring others and inducing
desired responses from them.

Positive and Negative Emotions (Module 15)

POSITIVE EMOTIONS
- All emotions are natural, necessary, and normal.

Are Negative Emotions Necessary?

Although they may appear unpleasant to experience, negative emotions really
are necessary for a balanced and healthy life. This is true for two big reasons:
• Negative emotions give us a counterpoint to positive emotions; without the
negative ones, positive emotions may not be entirely experienced.
• Negative emotions serve evolutionary purposes, encouraging us to act in
ways that boost our chances of survival and help us grow and develop as
people.

Demonstrate and Create Ways to Manage Various Emotions (Module 16)

STEPS IN HANDLING EMOTIONS

The following are suggestions in Dealing with Difficult Emotions from the
Teens Health posted in kidshealth.org in 2017.
1. Identify the Emotion
- Don't hide how you feel from yourself.
- Don't blame.
- Accept all your emotions as natural and understandable.
2. Take Action
3. Get Help with Difficult Emotions

TIPS TO HELP MANAGE YOUR EMOTIONS

1. Use your emotions and bodily responses to recognize when you are under
stress.
2. Write down your thoughts and feelings about what is stressing you.
3. Control whatever aspect of the stress that you can.
4. Don’t make mountains out of molehills.
5. Redefine the Problem.
6. Develop behaviors that distract you from stress.
7. Reach out to a friend or a family member.
8. Exercise Regularly.
9. Meditate and Relax.