Life Skills

Negotiating life.

 -Brian Mendonca

Who doesn't need life skills? In the journey of life any help is always welcome. At every stage of life we need different life skills. 

Life skills are abilities for adaptive and positive behaviour that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life. (2)

To help navigate the concept, life skills are divided into the following 11 Units. The first unit introduces the concept of life skills. The remaining 10 units focus on the 10 life skills which one can acquire.

I. Life Skills (1-50)

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II. Self Awareness (51-82)

III. Critical Thinking (83-120)

IV. Creative Thinking (121-150)

V. Effective Communication (151-190)

VI. Interpersonal Relationships (191-216)

VII. Managing Emotions (217-252)

VIII. Coping with Stress (253-280)

IX. Empathy (281-312)

X. Decision Making (313-342)

XI. Problem Solving (343-380)

The 10 life skills may be further classified into 3 broad categories. (11) They are usually used in a combination.

THINKING SKILLS: self awareness, critical thinking, creative thinking, decision making and problem solving

SOCIAL SKILLS: interpersonal relationships, effective communication, and empathy

EMOTIONAL SKILLS: managing feelings and emotions, and coping with stress

Enhanced life-skills in an individual help in developing improved self-esteem, self-confidence, assertiveness, ability to establish relationships, ability to plan and set goals and acquisition of knowledge related to specific content areas. (I,13)

One needs to be aware of oneself. As you describe yourself you can categorize your statements into three, viz. External Me ('I am tall'); Social Me ('I have many friends') and Inner Me ('I like dancing.') (II, 56)

One needs to critically evaluate gender stereotypes. The pressure to conform to these assumptions can lead to stress. (III, 91) Stereotypes are destructive because they limit our potential. (92)

Creative thinking implies that there is more than one way to approach a situation. (IV, 135) Nothing can be 100 per cent perfect. (130) We are all different and need to be accepted for who we are.

Communication is the act of transmitting messages and sharing thoughts, feelings and ideas through verbal and nonverbal means. To communicate, we need a sender, a receiver, a medium and a message. (V, 152) 

Communication becomes effective when we are clear and speak steadily; control the tone and pitch of our voice; use good vocabulary; keep the message short and simple; and get feedback. (154) Non-verbal cues help to improve communication. They include facial expressions, eye contact, body language, and physical distance. (154-55)

Relationships can be personal; social; and relating to family. (VI, 193) We need to care for relationships we value.

Experiencing emotions means we are human. (VII, 237) Some emotions are anger, grief, hurt, fear worthlessness, sadness, loneliness, and depression. (227) In order to manage our emotions we need to first identify them. Next, analyse why the situation bothers you. Analyse the effect the situation has or can have on your life. Decide what you can or cannot change. Select a positive way to react. Think of something positive you can learn from the situation. (220)

Stress can be positive or negative. Positive or Eustress can help motivate. It creates a resource to meet a challenge in life. (VIII, 255) Negative stress is what prevents you from performing. Stress causes reactions in the nervous system; increase in heart beat; and increase in blood flow to the muscles. This prepares the body to give its best. (256) 

Other symptoms of stress are sleeplessness, loss of appetite, and lack of patience. (257) Some stress relievers are relaxing; taking a break; setting aside quiet time for yourself everyday; taking the time to do things you enjoy; breaking down big tasks into smaller ones and doing them one at a time; trying to find alternative ways to do things; talking to someone; and focussing on your strengths. (259)

Empathy is the ability to understand what life is like for another person. Empathy can improve social interactions. (IX, 295)

Decision-making involves identifying the problem; analyzing the problem; thinking of alternatives; deciding on a course of action. (X, 315)

Problem-solving enables us to deal constructively with problems in our lives. Significant problems that are left unresolved can cause mental stress and give rise to accompanying physical strain. (XI, 344) Problem solvers will always be needed by their friends.

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Page references are to the CBSE Teacher's Manual On Life Skills (2010). Pic courtesy Mathrubhumi.