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Introduction:
The basic meaning of life skills is that the abilities of an individual that help in the promotion of his competence and mental well-being when they tackle the harsh realities of life. Life skills are usually applied in the context of social events and health. Life skills can be made use in situation of sexual violence, suicide prevention, teen pregnancy, safe sex, prevention of drug abuse etc. It also extends to environment and peace education, consumer education
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Life skills help young individuals to protect themselves and promote health and harmony by taking positive action. An individual needs to identify his key strengths and weaknesses. The tools which will help him identify the same are self-confidence and self-esteem. Then the individual can determine the available opportunities and take affirmative action. This eventually leads to social-awareness skills of the individual regarding his family and society. Then, the individual can identify the problems of his family and the society.
Life skills should not only aim for knowledge change and change in attitude but also a change in behavior. Mere lecturing on a particular skill is not enough. It has to be coupled with situations and exercises wherein the participants can experience a real-life situation and practice safe behavior.
People learn quickly when they associate with a certain thing. Life skills have to be reminded time and again for their reinforcement in the minds of individuals. The messages need to be repeated many times. It also works effectively when it is coupled with community and policy development.
One of the kinds of life skills is decision-making skills. These skills include critically thinking and problem solving skills. These skills help in making an informed decision which is free from influence and is reached at after carefully studying the issue at hand. Another kind of life skill is communication skill or inter-personal skill. These skills include verbal and non-verbal communication, ability to express oneself and also provide feedback. These skills help individuals to manage conflicts and tensions.
The skill of empathy, which is listening and understanding the needs of others, is an important life skill. Working in teams is a skill that helps individuals to be accepted in the society. They bring out the adult behavior in an individual. Self-management skills help an individual to increase his ability to control himself. This skill helps a person in controlling his anxiety, anger or guilt in a more controlled manner.
Life skills help a person in making rational decisions by weighing the pros and cons of a situation, by determining the alternatives, and tackling the issue at its root. It also helps in keeping productive interpersonal relationships with others in the society. Life skills help us in having effective communication with people around us and help them in their time of need. These skills make us an individual who is qualified to live in a society and help others out in times of emergencies.
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