Help me out - different is good!
Find out more about being unique.
We are all different - and that鈥檚 a good thing!
The world would be a really boring place if we were all the same. However, being confident about who you are, and accepting other people for who they are, can take time and practice. Here are a few tips on why being different is good!
Individuality
We all have different hair and skin colour, we have different accents and abilities. Some people are born with, or develop disabilities, which mean they have to do things in a different way. It鈥檚 really important to remember that everyone has strengths and weaknesses and that鈥檚 OK. Nobody鈥檚 good at everything. But understanding that everyone has something to offer the world is key to accepting difference in ourselves and in other people.
Why am I different?
It would be great if everyone felt okay with who they were, but unfortunately lots of us struggle to do that. Sometimes it鈥檚 tough when the smallest thing can make you feel 鈥榙ifferent鈥 in a bad way. Try these tips to be kinder to yourself and to build confidence -聽
Think about the things you鈥檙e good at and focus on those. You might be great at music or singing, you might have a good sense of humour or have top maths skills.
Be proud of who you are 鈥 most successful people have a strong sense of individuality 鈥 and their individuality is what makes them different!
Don鈥檛 let nasty comments get inside your head, it鈥檚 hard, but being confident in yourself means worrying less about what other people think and being kind and supportive to yourself.
Chavala talks about being different
What is prejudice?
Prejudice is when you dislike or judge someone because they are different. Maybe they have a mental health problem or disability, or have a different religion, skin colour or accent. People are often prejudiced because they don鈥檛 really understand much about that other person. For example, perhaps a person without a disability doesn鈥檛 understand or feels afraid of what it鈥檚 like to have one. When they鈥檙e afraid they might forget that the person with the disability has the same thoughts and worries as they do; only they just might not look or talk the same way. It鈥檚 never OK to treat people with disabilities unfairly or to bully them.
If you see prejudice happening:
Don鈥檛 participate in it, and don鈥檛 tolerate it among your friends. Set a good example.
Avoid getting into an argument and tell an adult as soon as possible. If it鈥檚 safe then make sure the targeted person is OK.
Show support for that person and try to reach out to them, be friendly and try and include them.
Speak to your school about it, they may be able to help by holding an assembly on living with disability or a campaign to stop bullying.
Finally, if you鈥檙e being targeted it鈥檚 really important to speak to a trusted adult about what鈥檚 happening to you, it鈥檚 hard to deal with prejudice on your own.
For information about organisations which can offer more advice on a range of issues, check out the advice helplines page.
You can also find out what makes the Lifebabblers different.