Life Skills for Success: A Reflective Essay Analysis

This reflective essay delves into the critical life skills necessary for achieving success, encompassing both personal and professional realms. The essay begins with an introduction highlighting the importance of these skills, followed by a literature review that examines various perspectives on life skills, including communication, self-management, and decision-making. The core of the essay is a reflective analysis, where the author applies these concepts to their own life, discussing skills such as negotiating worth, effective communication, setting boundaries, and managing stress. The essay emphasizes the significance of self-awareness, goal setting, and resilience in navigating challenges and achieving aspirations. The essay underscores the need for continuous self-improvement and the practical application of these skills to foster personal growth and success. The importance of physical and mental well-being is also discussed, including the role of nutrition and savings in securing a balanced and successful life.

Running Head: Living successful life
Life Skills for Success
Reflective essay

Living successful life
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Literature review........................................................................................................................3
Reflective essay..........................................................................................................................4
References..................................................................................................................................8
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Living successful life
Introduction
The essay states about the life skills that are needed for the success. To lead the
successful life in the present and upcoming future there are certain attributes that need to be
kept in mind. The essay is reflective in nature and a literature review has been elucidated as
well. In the reflective essay the intellectual skills and competitive abilities that are needed for
the development of individual will be elucidated. The strength and weakness that a person
could face will be explained along with the areas where improvement could be incorporated.
The understanding has to be developed in context of the life style to grab the success in the
positive manner. There are various aspects that have been covered so that these skills could
help the person to groom and attain the new heights and ensure the progress of the individual
in all aspects of the life (Steptoe & Wardle, 2017).
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Living successful life
Literature review
As per McPherson (2016), life skills are the daily skills and abilities that every
individual possesses. It is the skill that requires the entire participation of the person and they
are prevalent in every person in routine activities. The life skills are the psychological
measures that are used to examine the daily issues and challenges that the person faces like
dealing with the situation of stress, medical issues, official problems, some of the personal
matter, communication gap, assertiveness and self-esteem (McPherson, 2016). The learning
of life skills helps the person to improvise their interpersonal skills and gain the better social
interactions. Students get to learn the self-management so that professional growth is ensured
sooner or later. The life skills help the person to analyse the nature and thereafter finding the
better cause and effect of the challenges that appear on the daily notice as well as some of the
uncertain events. The perspective of person also play a crucial role in building the life skills,
thoughts of the person matters a lot in the self-development and the growth of the workplace
as well. According to McCarthy (2016), the mental ability of the person depends on the
manner they interact with the other person, the level of stress handling and how these stress
will be managed. The anger and fear of eth person and to what extent the person could handle
their anger and after which stage the fear is handling the person (McCarthy, 2016). Life skill
of the person can also be learnt from certain specific things like the creativity within the
person and how they manage the time, it shows the value person has and how they set the
priorities and decision making skill of the person. As stated by Brandt & Klein (2016), the
life skill to success ensures that person must hold the qualities of accordingly ensure the
success. To gain the success the important factor is the manner person perceives the life.
Aspirations and ambition of the person is highly required. When the person is willing to
achieve something and is strongly determined then accomplishment does not become havoc.
The success is defined with how much the person is focussed towards the particular thing and
the passion says it all when the goal of life is set (Brandt & Klein, 2016). The goal could be
personal, career or any other matter the thing required is working upon once own weakness
and converting it into the strength. The life skill could also be stated as the science as it is full
of experiments and observation. Also life skills could be quoted as an art because only an
individual can paint success in their life with the bit of creative thinking and performing
things out of the box.
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Living successful life
Other attributes that play important role in enhancing the life skill success is
resilience. Resilience assists a person to carry a positive outlook in whatever the situation
may be, the positive person tends to get more success as they have capacity to wait for the
right thing patiently and calmly. Self-leadership is another crucial attribute that is required in
the development of life skills, in this the person follow their values and beliefs and
accordingly proceed towards the direction of their objective and aim of life. Silver & Stafford
(2017) stated that, change management is the highest priority, an individual need to have the
resistance to adopt the changes and accept these changes in the positive manner and learn a
new lesson in the life. Lastly, the decision making of individual need to be tested, this shows
the management of the person and how they deal with the small and big problems of life and
how wisely they decide as per the situation. While making decision it is to be kept in mind
that rational mind works faster than the emotional and vice versa as per the circumstances,
neither of the mind and heart should control the decisions (Silver & Stafford, 2017).
Reflective essay
On learning about the life skills and their importance in gaining success in life these abilities
could be referred by me in the real life as well. The application of such skills is needed to
perform something different and unique to reflect out the personality (Prolifcliving, 2016).
Certain life skills that I learnt and should be adopted are quoted as under:
 Negotiating the real worth
You need to negotiate the real worth that you carry. The person has to show up the
qualities, talent, knowledge, skills and abilities that they possess and accordingly
demand the things. Staying silent may harm you and your worth. Your knowledge is
the best asset that one can carry and negotiate upon it. Do not let any other person
take advantage of the knowledge that you possesses. Many times without speaking
and staying quiet might depict the wrong picture or even when the other party know
your worth still they exploit your talent and evaluate the person lower because of the
silent that an individual has carried along (Pierce, Gould & Camire, 2017).
 Communicating the needs
Communication is the best way to express you, without uttering out the demand and
preference no one is going to understand what the person actually wants. Even the
close friend and family at times do not understand what the thing that has happened
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Living successful life
with you is or what is storming inside the person’s mind. When you need something
ask for it openly as without it no one can read the mind and provide the thing. Only
thing that is required is to open up and use the appropriate language and polite
salutation so that the other person could be convinced. Using the sophisticated phrases
would create the positive ambience and respect is passed on to the other person.
Communication not only fulfils the person’s requirements but also change the
perspective of the individual in terms of other people whom they think were self-
centred and the negative image that has been build up gets changed and world seem
good to them when things are communicated rather than storing them within the mind
(Kurtz, Silverman & Draper, 2016).
 Learn how and when to say no
Saying no is not a big deal, a person should learn to say no at the particular situations
where they think that things are not going to work in the better manner as they need or
they are getting worth out of it. Saying no never damages the relationship if said in
the correct manner. Only the appropriate way has to be understood. We knowingly
and unknowingly say no in various situations without realising the importance of the
moment. As a child we have said no and it was treated to be nice and hilarious at
times. Being an adult when no is said the other person perceive it in the negative
manner. Therefore say it in such a manner that neither the party is hurt and even you
expressed your consent and thought over the particular situation which might result in
impressing the other person as well if they understand the value point that you were
delivering (Cloud & Townsend, 2017).
 Make others respect your limits
There are always certain limits that every person has. These limits could be
emotional, physical, mental, financial and many more. Give no one the right to go
beyond those limits. For that it is essential that first of all you should analyse your
limits and to what extent you can tolerate a person or allow them into your space.
Thereafter make other aware of the limits you have and make them learn about the
consequences they are likely to face if gone beyond all that. These limits should be
abided by the values, beliefs and culture. Respect your limits and then only the other
person will be able to respect them. It is rightly said that nobody could change the
things but you; it starts with you only (Ramsay, 2017).
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Living successful life
 Converting the signals of body in warning, pain or the intuition
The body is made up of trust and faith and soul is considered to be the purest. Only
the mind is something that controls the things and convinces us to deny the fact that
could be accepted. The body understands the fact but the mind tells the correct thing
that is hidden behind it. The cause of pain has to be accepted and the warning signals
given by body should be gathered. The intuition that develops within is never wrong
as they tell you about the right and wrong that is going to happen in the early times.
The gut feeling should never be ignored as it aware you from the dreadful situations
(Bear & Rand, 2016).
 Be cautions of the urgency
In life there occurs the situation of emergency where nothing seems to be planned
enough and immediate actions has to be take. Also there are situations that are
dangerous that might not happen with any person but the reality is that it could knock
the door anytime in the life and the person has to deal with that sudden occurrence.
Thus when you know about such cases one should set the mind set and discuss the
situation with family and friends, undergo the role paly with friends and cousins so
that in any time if such a situation knocks the door you are prepared to deal with it in
the matured manner as you precautionary practiced it (Rubio et al, 2017).
 Feed yourself well
Food is the essential need; even the management thinker Maslow gave psychological
need the first place in his motivational hierarchy. Nutritional food is the base of the
body. In order to grow in the perfect manner there is a need to feed you with the good
food. Food does not only mean dumping the junks but maintain the hygiene and
nutritional level so that the energy could be gained to move forward and attain the
success in life and accomplish the dreams (Willett, 2017).
 Savings
Savings are the important element to lead a safe life and secure the old age and save it
for the family and kids. Once the person starts saving they make efforts to increase the
savings. Though you are earning the minimal amount yet make out something for the
savings. If the analysis is made it will be realised that you spend irrelevantly on many
useless things which if prevented could have resulted in a better savings. The financial
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Living successful life
security is always needed to every person, it start from the penny and that converts
into the millions (Alavi, Wieseke & Guba, 2016).
 Balance the level of stress and breathe
In life there occurs moment that lead to the stressful situations. There could be
multiple reasons resting behind it, one of it could be the unsatisfied need, some unmet
desires, lack of job satisfaction and multiple hidden reasons. Due to stress the oxygen
level in brain lowers down and the functioning of brain lowers down through which
the ability to make wise decisions decreases. To maintain the level of oxygen in the
brain there is a need to perform meditation which relax them mind and fill the person
with new zeal (Thinhuatoey et al, 2016).
 Raise your voice and dump the fear
To gain success in life it is necessary to speak out your mind, no one in the world will
peep into the brain to know the desires and expectations. No one is going to force you
to and motivate you to speak up until the people are too close to you. Believe in
yourself and be clear in presenting the views and opinions that you hold. You are the
best judge of your life and mind the things you say, you are smart enough to evaluate
the wrong and right that is happening and balance the words. Be confident and earn
the respect from the peers, friends and family which are the actual life skill towards
success (Wing, 2016).
The conclusion could be drawn from the essay that to lead the successful life
there is the need to learn certain life skills. Some of the skills are in built within the
person and some of the need to be groomed up. These skills are known as
interpersonal skills. The literature review has been elucidated and the key attributes of
life skills are developed. To gain the success in life there are various things that need
to be kept in mind. The key skills have been discussed that include the negotiation
with the real world, communication need, making a practice to say no at times,
construct your own limits and respect it, converting the warning of body into
intuitions and understanding the latent things, dealing with the urgent situations,
having nice and healthy food, making saving for future, controlling the stress and let
the brain breathe and speaking out the mind without incorporating any anxiety,
awkwardness or fear within. The positive thinking should be encouraged and
opportunities have to be created to approach towards the success.
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References
Alavi, S., Wieseke, J. and Guba, J.H., 2016. Saving on Discounts through Accurate Sensing–
Salespeople's Estimations of Customer Price Importance and Their Effects on Negotiation
Success. Journal of Retailing, 92(1), pp.40-55.
Bear, A. and Rand, D.G., 2016. Intuition, deliberation, and the evolution of
cooperation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(4), pp.936-941.
Brandt, B. and Klein, J., 2016. Adding Focused Life Skills Training to a Civic Engagement
Program to Boost Life Skills Competencies in Youth. Journal of Youth Development, 11(2).
Cloud, H. and Townsend, J., 2017. Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say
Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life. HarperCollins Christian Publishing.
Kurtz, S., Silverman, J. and Draper, J., 2016. Teaching and learning communication skills in
medicine. CRC press.
McCarthy, C., 2016. Develop effective life skills program. College Athletics and the
Law, 12(10), pp.1-5.
McPherson, A.C., King, G., Rudzik, A., Kingsnorth, S. and Gorter, J.W., 2016. Optimizing
life success through residential immersive life skills programs for youth with disabilities:
study protocol of a mixed-methods, prospective, comparative cohort study. BMC
pediatrics, 16(1), p.153.
Pierce, S., Gould, D. and Camiré, M., 2017. Definition and model of life skills
transfer. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 10(1), pp.186-211.
Prolifcliving, 2016, 12 life skills you must learn before you need them, viewed on 31st
October 2017, < https://www.prolificliving.com/life-skills-to-learn-now/>.
Ramsay, M., 2017. SLAVES, GLADIATORS, AND DEATH: KANTIAN LIBERALISM
AND THE MORAL LIMITS OF CONSENT. Legal Theory, 23(2), pp.96-131.
Rubio, D.M., Robinson, G.F., Gabrilove, J. and Meagher, E.A., 2017. Creating effective
career development programs. Journal of Clinical and Translational Science, 1(2), pp.83-87.
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Silver, D. and Stafford, D., 2017. Teaching Kids to Thrive: Essential Skills for Success.
Corwin Press.
Steptoe, A. and Wardle, J., 2017. Life skills, wealth, health, and wellbeing in later
life. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, p.201616011.
Thinhuatoey, B., Songwathana, P. and Petpichetchian, W., 2016. The Care-Integrated
Concentration Meditation Program for Patients With Weaning Difficulty: A Pilot
Study. Holistic nursing practice, 30(4), pp.201-210.
Willett, W., 2017. Eat, drink, and be healthy: the Harvard Medical School guide to healthy
eating. Simon and Schuster.
Wing, D., 2016. The Happiness Perspective: Seeing Your Life Differently. Loving Healing
Press.
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