It's important to remember that everybody feels a range of feelings from good to bad. "Don't make the mistake of thinking you should always feel good." "But without some of the bad feelings - anxiety, sadness, depression, nervousness - you wouldn't know the good ones." It's crucial to acknowledge the down times, as bad as they can be, as just a part of life. Even adults have emotional cycles that last about twelve, meaning that someone can feel great the first half of the day and terrible the second half. For teens these cycles can be exaggerated and can change from minute to minute. To keep from feeling too crazed, remember that's the way life goes.

To help keep control over control over your emotional life. Take responsibility for your emotions. This means recognizing how you feel, and may also include 'fessing up and admitting it to others, especially if you've hurt them or they've hurt you. Denying that feelings exist the worst way to build relationships and self-confidence, while being honest about how you feel keeps you connected with others and to yourself.

Watch your calendar. The body is closely tied to emotions, so pay attention to changes, such as getting your period. You'll be able to cope a lot better with problems by noticing patterns and marking them down, especially three to five days before your period.

Talk, talk, talk. Though it may be embarrassing to talk about body changes and feeling emotionally out of control, think of the alternative - feeling isolated and alone. Find someone older with more experience to talk to about your feelings. Though friends can be a good support, a mature woman can usually give a different perspective because she's been there and made it through. Ask her "did you ever feel like this" and nine out of ten times she'll say "yes."

Start a girl group. Rap sessions of up to ten people are an excellent way to put feelings and changes in check. Try to organize a weekly meeting where members can talk freely, and bring in an occasional expert speaker to give good info on burning issues.

Remember that feeling bad doesn't last forever. The biggest (and most embarrassing) mistake some of us make is being overly dramatic about everyday things. Ending a relationship may feel like the end of the world, and no doubt it hurts. But realistically, is life over because of one bad romance? On the other hand, problems such as abuse, death of a loved one, or parents divorcing can cause deeply painful feelings. If under any circumstances you feel bad consistently for more than a week or two, or you're thinking seriously that life isn't worth living, GET HELP IMMEDIATELY. Talk to parent, school counselor, and teacher - anybody who will listen.

In order to think highly of yourself, you must believe in your heart that you are capable and valuable, regardless of what friends and family and society may have told you. Getting to this point takes a lot of effort and will require you to actively work on knowing who you are and what talents you have.

Make a list of the most important people in your life. You should be included on the list - right at the top. If you aren't think about why. It doesn't make you conceited to consider yourself the most important person in your life. With high self-esteem come ambition, goals, good friends, and good relationships. You deserve all of this and more.

If there are things about yourself you'd like to change, there are steps to follow:

Ask yourself what areas of your life would like to be different, look through journal and see what troubles you most in your life: overeating? Not able to express yourself? Always feeling angry? It's scary to make changes but scarier to do nothing and be unhappy.

Find ways to meet your needs. This is the most important step to change. If you discover that you don't like the friends you hang around because they're always gossiping, try to meet some people that are into what you like. If dancing is your thing, sign up for a class and make some friends. If you feel you're too stressed out, go to a karaoke or do some sports. Start trying to find solutions to what's missing in your life.

Pat yourself on the back for taking the steps to change. Rewarding yourself through praise is one of the best feelings in the world. Giving that gift to yourself is even more important, because nobody can take it away. Besides, no one can appreciate your achievements more than you. So take a bow you deserve it.

Tell a friend what a great thing you've done. Sharing your most proud moments with people you care about will give you an extra boost. If your friend was helpful and supportive, let her know how much you appreciate it.

Spend time alone. "Higher levels of independent thought and activity trigger higher levels of self-esteem" When you can alone with yourself, you'll be able to listen to the deepest part of you. It's there that you can learn to trust your feelings and judgment and feel the most secure. Have the courage to look inside and know what's the best for you.

Believe it or not, stress can actually be good. A little bit helps add, "spice' to life. Without it, life might be pretty boring. Here are someway to handle stress head on:

Problem solves. The best way to tackle stress is to actively work on a plan that helps you gain control over the situation. Make the lists of what you want to accomplish, but start small so that you don't feel overwhelmed.

Relax or mediate. Both are good ways to soothe a racing mind and help you become a better problem solver. Other activities, for example running, walking, or playing sports, can shake some of the tension and help you think more clearly. Also, when you're under stress, try to take care of yourself by exercising, eating right, and getting a lot of rest.

Accept what can't be changed. Some problems can never be solved, for instance the death of a parent. "Part of coping with events beyond our control is coming to terms with the situation. "This means trying to learn from the event or find something positive out of it. "When a tragedy happens, it may be an opportunity for the family to come closer together." Often the best road towards acceptance is to find support.

Understand that stress is a part of life. "Though the kinds of things that stress us will change over time, we can't assume that one day we'll be stress-free." Stress itself isn't always the problem, it's how we deal with it when it hits.