Better Choices

A Prevention Education Online Course

By

Rebekah Babb and Katherine Morgan

Choices Direct Our Lives

We have the power to make many choices in life.

The choices we make can take our lives in many directions.

Poor choices can lead to many problems and a loss of fun and freedom.

Better choices can lead to fewer problems and more fun and freedom.

Do you want to stay in control of your life?

Studies have shown that people can learn to make better decisions.

Learning to make better choices can help you stay in control of your life.

What you learn in this course can help you stay in control of your life and keep your life moving in a positive

direction.

Time to Think #1

Q. How can learning to make better

choices help you?

A. Better choices can help you stay in

control of your life.

Q. Do better decisions put you in more

control of your life and freedom?

A. Yes, better decisions put you in

more control your life and freedom

.

.

PART 1

S-T-E-P-S to Better Choices

Make a thumbs up with your hand.

Five S-T-E-P-S can help you make

better choices.

Do you remember learning three steps to

help you cross a street safely?

Do you still stop, look both ways, and

cross when no cars are coming?

The Five Steps to Better Choices can be

learned and remembered just as

easily.

The Five Steps to Better Choices

Step back.

Think about emotions.

Exercise judgment.

Picture consequences.

Select the best choice.

Five S-T-E-P-S to Better Choices

1 Step back. (S-T-E-P-S)

The first step to making better choices is

to step back. Before doing something it is

important to and take time to

THINK.

Stepping back can be difficult because you

will have to fight the habit or impulse of

acting quickly without thinking. You will

need to remind yourself to and

THINK when you are faced with

important decisions.

STOP

STOP

WARNING:

If others are involved with you in a

decision-making situation, you will need to

be prepared to use courage to let them

know that you need to "step back." You

could simply say, "I need to take time to

step back think about this."

Can you think of times when it would have

been a good idea to step back before making

a choice?

Time to Think #2

Q. What is the first step to making better

choices?

A. Step back.

Q. Does taking time to step back and think

result in better choices?

A. Yes!

Five S-T-E-P-S to Better

Choices

Step back.

Think about

emotions.

(S-T-E-P-S)

The second step to making better choices

is to think about emotions or strong

feelings.

Have you ever said or done something

when you were upset that you later

regretted?

When the brain becomes clogged

with a strong feeling, it is difficult to

think clearly.

Notice how emotions led to poor

choices in the following examples:

WARNING:

Examples:

Someone says, “He is

to chicken to steal it.”

She is told, “No you

can’t go out now!”

He accidently breaks

a neighbor’s window.

Feeling embarrassed

from the insult he

quickly steals it.

Feeling frustrated,

she throws a vase

at the wall.

Feeling scared he lies

about seeing a

child with a ball.

Better choices are not usually

made when you act on strong

feelings.

That is why it is important to think

about your feelings or emotions

.

.

WARNING:

Time to Think #3

Q. What is the second step to making

better choices?

A. Think about emotions.

Q. Are better choices usually made when

you act on strong feelings or emotions?

A. NO!

How Do You Recognize and

Manage Your Emotions?

Things happen to you physically when you are

upset. Your "emotional symptoms" are

physical signs that your body shows when you

are experiencing strong feelings.

Like recognizing a bumpy ride as a sign of a flat

tire so that a serious wreck can be avoided, you

can learn to recognize signs of strong feelings

before you hurt yourself or others.

Look for any of the following physical signs that

you may have experienced when your emotions

were strong:

___rapid breathing ___increased sweating

___dry-mouth ___red-faced

___clenched fists ___tears ___frowning eyebrows

___increased heart rate ___depression

___stomachache ___shouting ___screaming

___cursing/swearing ___ insulting

___laughing ___ talking fast. Can you think of any signs

not listed?_____.

After recognizing your emotional symptoms, strong

feelings should be managed. The following is a list

of ways to help manage strong emotions.

_____

_____ Ask for time to calm down. _____ Take a walk.

_____ Take deep breaths. _____Go do a

chore.

_____ Play a sport. _____ Lift

weights.

_____Clean house, car, closet, etc. _____Read.

____ Talk to a friend. ____ Listen to

music.

_____ Count to ten. .

_____Say a word or phrase that helps you calm down.

_____ Think about something pleasant like sitting on a beach.

Recognizing strong emotions and managing them can help you make

better decisions for yourself.

Time to Think #4

Q. Why are symptoms of your emotions

important to better choices?

A. Symptoms help you recognize

strong feelings that need to be

managed so that you don’t make a

bad choice.

Five S-T-E-P-S to Better

Choices

Step back.

Think about

emotions.

Exercise judgment.

(S-T-E-P-S)

Exercise Judgment

The third step to making better choices is

to exercise judgment.

One way to exercise judgment is to

brainstorm and question your choices.

Brainstorming means to think of several

possible choices.

Doing the first thing that comes to

mind is not necessarily the best

choice.

Questions can be used to test choices. Have

you ever asked yourself if a choice you are

thinking about making would be safe?

Questions can help you make good

decisions.

WARNING:

Any of the five key questions can help you test most

choices and make better decisions. If a possible choice that

answers with a "no" for one of the questions that choice will

probably not be the best choice and could lead to

unwanted results. A choice that answers "yes" to all five

questions is the better choice.

Five Key Questions

Is it respectful?

Is it responsible?

Is it safe?

Is it honest?

Is it lawful?

Think of several possible choices for what to do if you find

a wallet in a store. Test each of the choices with

questions.

Keep it.

Turn it in to the office.

Give it to a parent.

Find the store manager to give the wallet.

Five Key Questions

Is it respectful?

Is it responsible?

Is it safe?

Is it honest?

Is it lawful?

Time to Think #5

Q. What is the third step to making better

choices?

A. Exercise judgment.

Q. Is doing the first thing that comes to

mind always the best choice?

A. NO!

Q. What is a good way to exercise judgment

and test choices?

A. Asking myself the five key

questions.

Five S-T-E-P-S to Better

Choices

Step back.

Think about emotions.

Exercise judgment.

Picture consequences (S-T-E-P-S)

The Fourth Step to Making

Better Choices

The fourth step to

making better

choices is to

picture

consequences.

Imagine that someone is hungry and decides to eat some

birthday cake for a party that will begin in an hour. This

decision is based on short-term results. If the hungry

person had thought about long-term results and pictured

the consequences of the guests' reaction, a better choice

might have been made.

Better choices are usually made when consequences are

pictured.

The three questions can be used to help you

picture consequences before taking action

.

.

1. What could happen?

2. What could you lose?

3. Is it worth it?

Think about someone who does not have money

to buy a new CD and is thinking about stealing.

Time to Think #6

Q.

Q. What is the fourth step to making better

choices?

A. Picture consequences.

Q. Does picturing consequences result in better

choices?

A. Yes.

Q. Is asking what could happen one way to picture

consequences?

A. Yes

Five S-T-E-P-S to Better

Choices

Step back.

Think about emotions.

Exercise judgment.

Picture consequences.

Select the best choice.

(S-T-E-P-S)

Select the best choice.

(S-T-E-P-S)

The final step to

making better

choices is to

select the

best choice.

Practice Courage

After you step back, think

about your emotions,

exercise judgment and

picture consequences,

you have what you need

to

select the best choice.

Now you need to be

willing to show the

strength and courage

to make the best

choice.

If others are involved with you in a

decision-making situation you may need

to let them know the choice you are going

to make. Saying “no” to others who are

about to make a poor choice can be

difficult. Keep picturing the consequences

in your mind. Saying “no” will become

easier with practice.

WARNING:

Time to Think #7

Q. What is the fifth and final step to

making better choices?

A. Select the best choice.

Q. Do you need to show courage to select

the best choice?

A. YES!

Review S-T-E-P-S to Better

Choices

Step back.

Think about emotions.

Exercise judgment.

Picture Consequences.

Select the best choice.

Quiz Yourself

What are the 5 S-T-E-P-S to Better

Choices?

S________________________________

T________________________________

E________________________________

P________________________________

S________________________________

One more time…

1. Step B________

2. T_______ about emotions.

3. Exercise J_________________.

4. P____________ consequences.

5. S _______________ the best choice.

PART 2

Communication Tips

Problems with others are a part of life for

everyone. When there is a problem with

another person we often try to change the

other person’s behavior but the truth is

that we are not in control of changing

anyone’s behavior except our own.

Instead of trying to make others change,

focus on positive changes you can make

to solve the problem.

Once you have your

emotions under control,

the next thing to do is to

use an “I” statement. “I”

statements work best for

solving problems with

others. The following

situation between two

people shows an example

of an “I” statement and

how a solution can be

offered:

Problem: A friend

borrows twenty

dollars from you but

has not paid back the

loan in over a month.

State the problem with an “I” statement.

“ I need the twenty dollars I loaned you.”

Ask questions.

“When do you plan to pay back the money?”

Offer a solution

“I would like to have half today and the

other half next Friday. Okay?”

If the solution does not solve the problem,

think of other options that are positive actions.

“If you pay the loan back today you will only

Have to pay $15 back.

Some ways of communicating

make problems worse.

Avoid “you” statements.

“You never pay what you owe.”

Avoid insults.

“You’re a liar.”

Avoid threats and commands.

“Pay right now or I’ll tell everyone

you don’t pay what you owe.”

“You” statements, insults, threats

and commands usually make

problems with others worse.

Become more aware of your body

language.

Pointing fingers, rolling

eyes, laughing when not appropriate,

glaring, and other negative body

language send damaging messages

and can make the problem worse.

Practice calm and positive body

language.

Q. What ways of communicating works best for solving problems with

others?

A. Use “I” statements and work towards solutions.

Q. What makes problems with others worse?

A. Threats, commands, and insults.

Q. Do “you” statements help you communicate better than “I”

statements?

A. No!

Time to Think #8

PART 3

Ways to Take Responsibility

When a poor choices have been made there are

several ways to take responsibility for your

choices.

The following 3 R’s for taking responsibility

can be used:

1. Take responsibility.

Apologize and state the choice you made.

“I apologize for

_______________________________”

(Excuses should be avoided. Reasons for your

actions can be explained at a later time.)

2. Offer Restitution.

Offer to pay for, repair, redo or replace.

“Is there something I can do to make things

better?”

3. Make a Resolution.

“I will not ___________again” or “I will make a

better choice in the future.”

Time to Think #9

Q. What is a good way to take

responsibility for a poor choice?

A. State the poor choice you made

and apologize.

Q. What is a good resolution for future

situations after a poor choice has been

made?

A. I will make better choices in the

future.

ACTIVITY ONE

Using Past Choices to Make Better Choices in the Future

Looking back at past choices can help you make better choices in the

future.

Think of past choices that did not give you positive results.

Ask yourself the following questions:

1. What was the choice you made? (State

the problem with an "I" statement.)

2. What happened?

3. What did you choose to do to solve the

problem?

4. What other choices could have been

made to solve the problem for better

results?

Think Back

What choice did you make that resulted in

you having to take the Better Choices

class?

What happened as a result of your choice?

Looking back now, what are other choices

that you could have made?

Activity 2

Check Emotions that Block

Reasoning

Even though emotions are a normal and

important part of life, making choices

based on strong feelings is not usually the

best choice.

The activity in the next slide lists some

emotions that might block the reasoning

needed to make a better choice:

Look for any feelings that have caused

you to make poor choices in the past.

____afraid ____angry ____stressed

____sad ____annoyed ____jealous

____embarrassed ___impatient ____rejected

____revengeful ___hurt ____sensitive

____ashamed ____preoccupied

____frustrated

____insulted

____afraid of what others might say about you

____tired

____Consider any feelings not listed that apply to you.

Becoming more aware of the emotions that have led

to poor choices in the past can help you in future

situations.

Activity 3 Consider More

Than One Option

Consider which choice would help solve the

following problem situation below:

Problem: You have overslept and are late for

school.

Possible options/solutions:

1. Start screaming or crying.

2. Find someone in the house to blame.

3. Calmly grab your clothes and go.

4. Break the alarm clock.

5. Go back to sleep.

There are many ways to solve a problem

but some ways are better than others.

Thinking about more than one choice for

a solution to a problem situation can

help you find a better choice.

I could

I could

…

…

Or

maybe

I could

Or I

could

….

Or I

could

If you have several problems happening at

the same time, you need to solve them

one at a time in order of importance.

For example, not knowing what to wear

in the previous problem situation is a less

important problem to solve than being late

for school.

WARNING:

Activity 4 Reason the Better

Choice

Consider which of the following examples show that better choices

have been made.

A. You oversleep and are going to be late for school. You choose to stay

home and watch a movie.

B. Your friends want you to join them in doing something illegal. You

choose to think about the consequences and walk away.

C. You forget to study for a class quiz. You choose to copy a friend’s

answers.

D. A police officer asks you to stand still. You choose to manage your fear

and cooperate.

If you considered B and D to be better choices you receive a thumbs-

up! Notice how A and C could lead to more problems.

Activity 5 Make Plans for

Better Choices

People usually decide to change habits

when consequences are more unfavorable

than they wish to experience.

Do you need to change any habits?

Changes take practice and commitment but

the results are worth it!

The lists below show some habits to change and new

habits to develop.

Choices with Unfavorable Results Better Choices

You act too quickly. Step back.

(Stop and think.)

You act on strong emotions. Think about emotions.

(Manage feelings.)

You do the first thing that comes to mind. Exercise judgment.

(Ask questions.)

You use short-term thinking. Picture consequences.

(Ask yourself what could happen.)

You are afraid to tell others "no". Select the best choice.

(Think through all choices)

You try to change people. Make positive changes in your behavior.

You use "you" statements with others. Use "I" statements and state the problem.

You make threats or insult others. Ask questions.

You make commands to others. Offer solutions.

You use negative body language. Use positive body

language.

You make excuses for your Take responsibility.

actions.

Deny your actions. Take responsibility.

Justify your actions. Take responsibility

.

Blame others for your actions. Take responsibility.

Make Plans for Better

Choices

Consider the following chart to help you make a plan for changing a habit

or action.

HINTS FOR

SUCCESS

Put up reminders.

Report your progress

to someone.

Practice until a new

habit is formed.

5. Think of a plan

for changing that

action.

Example: I will practice

telling the truth and

use courage.

4. Think about an

action you could

choose instead.

Example: Choose to tell

the truth.

3. Think about the

next time that you

might be tempted to

choose that action.

Example: A similar

situation tempts you to

lie again.

2. When you use

that action what

else happens?

Example: You have to

tell other lies to cover

the first lie. People do

not trust you.

1. Think of an action

that you want

to change.

Example: You tell a lie.

One Last Word...

The Better Choices program has

provided you with some tools for

making choices for better results.

If you have downloaded the student

handbook, it can be kept to

review what you have learned.

Success has been defined as a series

of good choices

The choice to use what you have

learned is up to you.

The Better Choices program wishes

you success!

Thank you for participating in the

Better Choices Online Course.

Good Luck!

Final Review

Show some of what you have learned about making

better choices by answering the following

questions.

Part 1

1. What are the 5 S-T-E-P-S to Better Choices?

2. What are the 5 key questions for exercising judgment?

3. What are the 3 questions for picturing consequences?

Part 2

4. What are 3 ways of communicating that usually make

problems worse?

5. What kind of statement can be used to communicate in a positive

way?

Part

6. What are the 3R's for making amends after making a poor

choice?

Review the questions and

answers on the Time to

Think #1-9 slides if

needed.

You should now be ready to

take the test.

Good luck. You must

answer 16 out of the 20

questions to pass the

test.