Life Orientation T1

STRATEGIES TO DEVELOP SELF-AWARENESS, SELF-ESTEEM AND SELF DEVELOPMENT

SELF-AWARENESS: How well one knows oneself regarding interests, skills strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, goals, values and beliefs.

SELF-ESTEEM: How much one is confident in themselves and how much they like themselves.

SELF-DEVELOPMENT: How one improves oneself by building up their strengths, improves their weaknesses and life skills.

One's self-awareness and self-esteem can be influenced by

• What people say about you

• What happens in your life

• How well you cope with challenges

• How you respond to successes and failures

• How popular you think you are/ how much your friends like you

• How important people in your life treat you

• The media

You can build self-confidence and confidence in others by

• Having good communication skills

• Make good decisions

• Affirm others (support and encourage others)

• Being Assertive

• Saying what you want to say clearly

• Know what you want

• Have a tall and straight body posture

• Be polite

POWER AND GENDER

POWER RELATIONS:The sharing of power between two people in a relationship. You may have a dominant and submissive partner in a relationship. Traditionally men have more power than women.

FEMININE AND MASCULINE: groupings according to gender whereas femininity is a set of attributes, behaviours and roles generally associated with girls and women and Masculinity is generally associated with men.

SEX: Biological qualities that define men and woman

GENDER: characteristics of men and boys, women and girls that are socially constructed. Gender is learnt and is not a biological function like sex.

STEREOTYPICAL VIEWS OF GENDER ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Women may earn less than men

• Men are promoted to positions of power instead of women

• Men can smoke, drink have affairs and women can not

• Male sport teams get more recognition than women sport teams

• Women do more housework than men

• Women play a larger role in parenting

• Some careers are traditionally seen as just for men

INFLUENCE OF GENDER INEQUALITY ON RELATIONSHIPS AND GENERAL WELLBEING

• SEXUAL ABUSE AND VIOLENCE: When women are involved in relationships where power is not equal men may decide 1.) on the conditions under which sex happens, meaning forced sex. 2.) May beat women up

• TEENAGE PREGNANCY: Being forced to get pregnant because there is no choice due to gender inequality- it was the man's decisions

• STIs AND STDs: Women have no say in the use of protective measures or when rape occurs.

VALUE OF PARTICIPATING IN EXERCISE PROGRAMS

If you participate in exercise programmes, it means that you regularly take part in physical activities to improve your physical fitness making you fitter and healthier.

TYPES OF FITNESS

CARDIOVASCULAR FITNESS: Means having a strong heart and capillary vessels and a large lung capacity exercises would include walking,running dancing etc

MUSCULAR STRENGTH: Means having strong muscles and tendons exercises include weight lifting etc.

ENDURANCE: The ability to exercise for a long time without getting tired exercises include jogging and swimming.

FLEXIBILITY: The ability to move your joints and use your muscles through their full range of motion exercises can include yoga, stretching etc.

ENDORPHINS: these are the chemicals/hormones produced during exercise to reduce pain and promote feelings of happiness.

WHY REGULAR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

• Reduces stress, anxiety and depression

• Helps you to relax

• Makes you feel more confident

• Helps you to sleep well

• Improves brain functioning

LIFE DOMAINS

Domain means an area. There are 3 main areas in life: being, becoming and belonging.

BEING WHO YOU ARE

-PHYSICAL BEING: health, hygiene etc

-PSYCHOLOGICAL BEING: Mental health, self-awareness etc

-SPIRITUAL BEING: Beliefs, Morals Values

BECOMING WHAT YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE

-PRACTICAL BECOMING: The everyday actions you take to live e.g. school.

-LEISURE BECOMING: Activities that promote relaxation and lessen stress e.g. exercise

-GROWTH BECOMING Activities to promote, improve or keep up your knowledge and skills e.g.studying

BELONGING FITTING IN AND BEING RESPECTED BY SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT

-PHYSICAL BELONGING: Your link with your physical environment e.g. home, school

-SOCIAL BELONGING: Your link with your social environment e.g. family, friends

-COMMUNITY BELONGING: Your access to resources and services available to your community e.g. clinics, library

DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS

DIVERSITY

Diversity means being different. It refers to difference or variety about many aspects of being human such as

• Culture

• Religion

• Race

• Gender etc

• Every person is unique with individual differences that we must respect.

• To accept and honour diversity you have to

• Take pride in your own culture

• Agree that we are all different

• Respect each others opinions

• Be willing to learn about the differences that define people

DISCRIMINATION AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Discrimination means to treat people differently or unfairly, denying/violating one's human rights.

• Types of discrimination can include racism, gender stereotyping, religious discrimination, sexual orientation or xenophobia.

SOUTH AFRICAN BILL OF RIGHTS

These are rights based on dignity, democracy, equality and freedom. Human rights are rules to help everyone live in peace, safety and happiness.

Summary of the Bill of Rights

EQUALITY : Every person is equal to every other person therefore no one is allowed to discriminate against people for their differences.

HUMAN DIGNITY: The right to be respected

LIFE: no one can kill you.

PRIVACY: Everyone has the right to not have their property searched and seized without permission.

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION: Everyone has the right to express themselves freely but your opinion should not harm others.

PROPERTY: the right to own property or land

HEALTH CARE FOOD WATER AND SOCIAL SECURITY: Everyone has the rights to healthcare food and water but you are responsible for making good lifestyle choices.