How
are you at the game of life? Are you leading a productive
and satisfying life or feel defeated? Do you find yourself
equipped to deal with the challenges of life or seem lacking
some skills, which others have in plenty?
Knowledge and application of life skills will definitely
make you the winner of the game of life.
Want
to learn more about life skills?
In simple terms, life skills are psychological and social
abilities for positive and adaptive behaviour to fulfill
the demands and challenges of daily life. Life skills
help young people to face realities of life, to take positive
action to protect them, promote health and develop positive
social relationships. UNICEF, UNESCO and WHO list the
ten core life skills:
Problem solving,
Critical thinking,
Effective communication skills,
Decision-making,
Creative thinking,
Interpersonal relationship skills,
Self-awareness,
Building skills,
Empathy,
Coping with stress and emotions.
An efficient life skills education should emphasize changes
on all three levels-Knowledge, attitude and behaviour.
These skills cannot be learned sitting and reading a book.
These skills can be learned only in small group setting.
Life Skill education cannot occur when there is not any
interaction among participants. These life skills can
be utilized for many purposes: prevention of drug use,
sexual violence, teenage pregnancy, HIV/AIDS prevention
and suicide prevention, consumer education, environmental
education, peace education, livelihood and income generation.
Well-developed life skill modules keeping in view the
developmental needs of the group with lots of skill practice
opportunities, can make life education fruitful. Following
are the description of elements of some major life skills:
Communication Skills:
Verbal and non-verbal communication
Listening skills
Empathy-Taking in consideration others perspective, needs
and expressing it
Expressing feelings and views assertively
Receiving and giving feedback
Decision-making
and critical thinking:
To identify problems
To generate alternatives
To evaluate the possible consequences of each alternative
To make
it reality and evaluate its consequences.
Self-management Skills
Self-awareness skills- Awareness about life purpose, strengths,
weaknesses & values.
Goal setting skills
Emotional management
Resource management
Positive mind set
Getting relaxed
Attending and learning life skills sessions is highly
worthwhile as it improves quality of life, improved self-awareness
and self-image, gains in self-control and handling of
interpersonal relationship, increased pro-social behaviour
and decreased self-destructive behaviour. |
