5 skills one must learn for a happier life.

It takes 21 days to form a habit and 90 days to form a lifestyle. This isn’t just about 21 days, it’s about practicing it consistently and diligently until it becomes a habit, until it becomes your most natural reaction to a situation. Well, habits are something and are often hard to change but learning something new should be pretty easy. It is easy because one you are learning it with a blank space (your mind is a clean slate) and two, you have the excitement to finish what you started.

After some research, I realized here are few skills one must acquire as they help you in becoming the person you want to become.

Learning – We are all learning at all times but how one learns to learn? You could be learning to do anything, like a new language, a new skill or pursuing a habit. It requires practice, whether it’s a sport or a hobby, everything requires practice. When you practice, you are training your brain to accomplish a certain task within a time frame. You need to invest as little as 30 minutes a day to be able to learn something new. If you follow this 30 minute rule for a month which means only 15 hours of practice. So whether it’s learning a new language, a new dance form or a new sport, start learning now.

How does learning help me –  Learning new skills increases your motivation, makes you more adaptable, relatable, interesting and sometimes helps you get better jobs and earn more money.

Write – We all can write, can’t we, that’s why we went to school. Writing professionally is however a skill one must acquire. The world is your stage now and the digital media your platform, hence being able to write is of utmost important. Words now sell like hotcakes because it is the most powerful tool of communication available hence share your opinions in a structured way on resources available to you.

How does it help me – Writing helps you define your voice. It helps you get clarity on who you are and who you want to become. Sometimes it also helps inspire people and it also makes you confident about your own thoughts.

Public Speaking – As a public speaking trainer, I cannot lay more importance on confidently being able to present your ideas to a crowd. It is not necessary for you to be an extrovert to be able to speak in front of a crowd. You can acquire this skill by initially presenting your thoughts in front of people you know and being able to handle the criticism that comes with it.Look out for opportunities where you have to face a crowd. It is very simple and you would infact enjoy telling people about your experiences. Public Speaking is not just about giving speeches, it could be a standup comedy act or simply reading from a book in front of an audience.

How does it help -Confidence is a key ingredient in improving your clarity, thoughts, energy, productivity, influence, and courage. Nothing builds confidence more than doing a successful public speech. It also adds to your vocabulary and helps you present your ideas with clarity.

Meditating – We all surely believe in the force that binds us all. I also believe in a positive and negative force present within ourselves that, when sent out to the universe tends to control things that happen around us. As a beginner, one must learn guided meditation because it helps you connect with your thoughts and guides you through a greater clarity of mind, which is what meditation really is about. You learn to be aware about your mind and body, your feelings and emotions and learn to channelize your energy. Mediation needs to be done in a quiet place and needs practice. It also helps to regulate your breathe.

How does it help – There are multiple benefits of meditating some of which I have personally experienced. It helps you to fall asleep better and also induces positivity. It reduces stress and helps me be in control of my emotions. It helps me multi- task better too.

Negotiating – We often associate negotiating with business however negotiation applies to your personal life too. Some of us are always a “yes” person and we often find ourselves in a conflict where we are trying to create a win-win situation for people around us. To be able to learn negotiation which results in a positive outcome for both parties involved, one must consider the outcome from all perspectives. It is a skill one must possess to have healthy personal and business relations.

How does it help – It helps you in your work situations through negotiation on job prospects or salary. On a personal front, it helps you handle conflicts better.

Learning these skills is not difficult.These are timeless skills and with as little as 15 to 30 minutes a day, you will be adding value to your own self.You will be confident and better adapted.Once done consistently and with a repetition, these will soon become a habit for good. Sooner, you will have me to thank too. I believe you can do this, so just go for it!!