Life skills are handy to have to handle the challenges of life effectively. It’s also about creating a life that supports your dreams, health, creativity, and overall well-being.
The necessary skills stand along and yet also overlap with each other. When you build one skill, it will impact other skills. For example, problem-solving helps you make better decisions for yourself and others. Here are some competencies to create an active and fulfilling life in no order.
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking allows you to improve the quality of problem-solving and decision-making. It’s about stepping back, reviewing your thoughts, values, and beliefs, and recognizing what you know, need to know, and how to go about finding the best information.
Problem-Solving
Problem-solving – To make the right decisions, you need to be able to problem-solve the issues that surface in your life. Problem-solving includes many other skills, specifically active listening, researching, and communication.
Decision-Making
Decision-making is key to our everyday life. We are continually making decisions, even if it’s just regular daily habits. Making the right decision depends on what you do before making the decision. Is your decision based on understanding the issue and what it entails, or do you make it entirely on an emotional reaction? Decision-making should be a response and not a reaction process. Respond to the details of the issue before deciding the best solution. For example, step back and decide how to best handle a situation – like daily chores.
The many areas of our lives we have to deal with regularly. Maintaining all the things we own – house, car, clothes, etc. presses us to know more about what to do. I’ve learned to start asking myself the
- Can I do this?
- Do I have to do it all?
- Can someone else do it better?
- Do I want to learn how to do this?
- Do I have enough money to outsource the job to someone else?
- Is it vital? If there is a crisis, would this one thing be on my mind to do?
Discipline
Disciple allows you to stay focused on what needs completion, goals you are reaching towards, and daily control of your choices. When you have a plan to achieve, you choose to put aside other more accessible options and decide to put in the time and effort at the moment to reach your goal. When we lack disciple, life feels disorganized, and many times our choices impact our overall well-being.
Effective Communication
We constantly communicate – family, friends, professional life, social gatherings, and social media. You name it; we are constantly communicating. Communication skills play in all areas of our lives.
Communication is a necessary skill for everyone, whether verbal, non-verbal, or written aspects of communication.
Communication is one skill to improve continuously.
In your professional life, you communicate with many different people and need to build trust with others in your work environment. You communicate with your words (verbal and written), but you also share how you listen to others, and eye contact is all part of communication.
Communicating with clarity and respect helps build strong relationships in your personal life.
When you communicate without a heavy dose of emotions, you can express your thoughts and feelings in a way that allows your message to be best received. Effective communication leaves less chance of miscommunication. Having strong communication skills lessens the miscommunication that can occur with others.
Interpersonal relationships
We have many opportunities to connect with others on many different levels: casual, working, friendship, family, and partners. In all of these relationships, we need basic skills to support ourselves and be respectful of the other person.
Take time to review your relationships – are they relaxing, or are you struggling in the relationship. Learn how to communicate honestly and with respect for your needs and the needs of others.
Self-Awareness
We have so many thoughts floating around in our minds that we may think we are aware of who we are. Take time to become aware of your core beliefs. These beliefs drive your decisions in life.
Having Fun
One doesn’t necessarily think of this as a life skill — yet it is perfect for our well-being.
There are so many opportunities to think about having fun with what you are doing in life, whether it’s work, relationships, creating order, or relaxing. Fun is not just relaxing; it’s an attitude and one skill that makes a difference in whether you struggle or live life more easily.
Your Thoughts
Do you have one life skill that you feel is more important than others? Do you actively strengthen your skills in life? How are your communication skills?
Women’s Group Topics
Communication is a critical life skill — how do each of the members in your group communicate, and are they comfortable sharing themselves?
Be well,
Pat
“To fully enjoy the ‘richness’ of our lives, we need to stop long enough to visit with ourselves.”
(Pat Brill)
Other Topics You Maybe Interested In
Is it Important to Set Limits with Others?
What Can You Learn From Your ‘To-Do’ List?
What is So Special About Thank You?
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