LIFE SKILLS
LIFE SKILLS
Life Skills are nothing but the ability to analyze and complete the task in a different and effective way than doing the task as a routine in a usual way and accepting the challenges and overcoming the demands. It also represents the psycho social skills which determine value behavior and also include reflective skills:
- Problem-solving ability
- Critical thinking
- Personal skills such as self-awareness
- Interpersonal skills
Let us discuss some of its BENEFITS
The practice of life skills will help in attaining the qualities like
- Self esteem
- Sociability and tolerance
- Acton competencies to take action and generate change.
- Independent decision making ability
What to do and who to be.
Let us now discuss THE TEN CORE LIFE SKILLS
1. SELF AWARENESS
A self realization of one’s own SWOT. While introspecting, it’s suggested that one needs to specifically distinguish between livelihood skills, learning skills and health skills.
- Livelihood skills are getting a work, gardening, designing, cooking, driving, etc.
- Learning skills are writing, reporting, etc.
- Health skills are cleaning teeth, road safety, oral rehydration, etc.
2. EMPATHY
Empathy is nothing but the ability to understand and share feelings of others. It’s about being considerate in keeping yourself in someone else’s position. This helps individuals understand their roles with clarity and restrict reaction.
3. CRITICAL THINKING
i) Analytical approach ii) It deals with probabilities. iii) Judgemental iv) Left brain v) Verbal vi) Focussed with answer vii) It ends with, “yes, but…”
4) CREATIVE THINKING
In adults, it has been too often suppressed through education.
Negative attitudes that block creativity
i) I might be risky. ii) Avoid doing tasks which might lead to a failure. iii) Laughing aloud might be childish. iv) Don’t open up in a gathering. v) Don’t speak in a group even though you know the answer.
Let us discuss some difference between a creative person and an ordinary person
If I put salt in my orange juice, its taste will change – creative person.
You are weird, you know? – Ordinary person.
Why don’t we add some coriander leaves? – Creative person.
The recipe doesn’t include it – ordinary person.
Why are you going this way? It’s longer! – Ordinary person
I like the drive – creative person
Positive attitude for creativity
i) Curiosity ii) Challenge iii) Constructive discontent iv) The ability to suspend judgement and criticism. v) Seeing the good in the bad. vi) Always a sense of possibility, visual, and subjective approach.
5. DECISION MAKING
Helps an individual gain knowledge, comprehend, gauge pros and cons, implement, synthesis, and there by evaluate whether to apply.
6. PROBLEM SOLVING
- A belief that most problems can be solved.
- Problems lead to improvement. Margarine.
- The problem can also be a solution.
- Problems are interesting and emotionally acceptable.
7. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
The 7 Cs of communication
i) Clear ii) Concise iii) Concrete iv) Complete v) Correct vi) Courteous vii) Coherent
Non Verbal communication
Body Language
i) KINESICS ii) PROXEMICS iii) CHRONEMICS
8. INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP
Relationship Cognition
i) Representation of self and others ii) Attributional Processes in Relationships
iii) Individual differences in relationships
Other developments
i) Love ii) Jealousy iii) Social Support iv) Relationship dissolution
9. COPING WITH STRESS
The three basic sources are
i) Your environment ii) Physiology iii) Your thoughts
10. COPING WITH EMOTIONS
Types of (Expressing) Emotions
i) Thankfulness ii) Envy iii) Disgust iv) Paranoia v) Worry vi) Stress vii) Boredom viii) Sadness ix) Loneliness x) Bravery xi) Optimism xii) Stubbornness xiii) Fear xiv) Anxiety
What you can do ?
i) Accept emotions ii) Confront than ignore!
ASK
i) What am I feeling? ii) When did it start? iii) What is it we want to do? iv) What were the triggers of this emotion? v) What pictures come to mind as I feel it? vi) When else have I felt it? vii) Is it familiar or something new? viii) What would I like to say to the event? ix) How would I feel about the person for whom I am thinking?