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People in the News

Monday, October 27, 2025

People in the News

Monday, October 27, 2025

Preparing teenagers to be positive adults

ATTITUDE
Photo credit: nmcexteriors.com

HORSESHOE BEND, Ark. – What if becoming a better person was as simple as counting to three? According to former educator Shirley Mathey, it is.

As an educator, Mathey was successful in redirecting many teenagers’ negative attitudes with three skills to positive thinking. In turn, this helped her students develop into more positive, productive adults.

“My classroom became safe,” Mathey says. “I would not allow anyone to treat others poorly. They couldn’t say anything negative either. In about 3-4 days everybody got the idea.”

Matthey’s classroom lessons have transformed into her new book Become a Better Person: Three Practical Skills to Improve Self-Confidence, which inspires teenagers to change the way they operate their lives by replacing negativity with positive thinking and behaviors. The book serves as a teenager’s guide to maturity.

Become a More Positive Person calls upon teenagers to make a difference in their lives. Using Matthey’s three defined skills, teenagers will not only become positive thinkers, but they will also be able to overcome apathy and develop a strategy for future success in their lives as well.

According to Mathey, “Some people do not recognize that everyone can think positive. They spend their lives, kicking and complaining, blaming, describing their aches and pain rather than doing the positive skills needed.”

By developing their positive thinking skills at an early age, teenagers will be well on their way to becoming successful, confident adults.

Become a More Positive Person: Three Practical Skills to Improve Self-Confidence by Shirley Bracket Mathey is available at Barnes and Noble or Amazon.com.