Terri Ramsey Beavers Many people put a lot of pressure on themselves to do more, be better, change everything, especially at this time of year. We might be looking at new year’s resolutions and ways that we can make next year a much better one than the last.
Putting too much stress on yourself by trying to change everything all at once isn’t going to help you; in fact, it will make you feel overwhelmed with no idea where to start, and you might not do anything at all because of it.
It’s best to start small. Look at the ‘soft skills’ (non-technical skills) you need that will help you succeed over the next twelve months and make the changes you need there before doing anything else.
Communication
Without the ability to communicate effectively, everything else you want to achieve in life will become very difficult. Whether you want to have more responsibility at work, you want to be able to talk through your problems, or you even want to start a blog letting people know more about you, unless you know how to communicate well, you won’t be as successful as you could be.
To boost your communication skills you need to listen carefully. By listening to how others do it, you can pick up on their cues and this will help you immensely. Body language is another form of communication, and this is something that you will be doing without even thinking about it, so try to tap into this and make sure you’re giving off the right signals. You can learn more about body language to help you get even further and ensure you are always giving off the right signals (and fully understanding other people).
Teamwork
Not everyone is comfortable working with others, but teamwork is crucial in many areas of life. The most obvious is at work; team projects will require your input, and even if everyone works on their own tasks, you will still need to be able to work well with everyone else in your office space.
Work is not the only place where teamwork is necessary. Although you might not call it that at home, you are working in a team if you live with other people. For a happy, healthy relationship with the others in your household, figuring out how to work as a team will help enormously.
Adaptability
Change can be a scary thing, but if you are able to be more adaptable it will become less of an issue. You’re always going to come up against things that require you to change your plans or even change your way of life. Some will be good, and some will be bad. The key is to roll with whatever comes your way. If you can do this, happiness will follow.
To begin with, you need to have an open mind. If you can manage this, everything that follows will seem like less of a problem and more of an opportunity, even if it means making big changes in your life.
Conclusion
There are dozens of different soft skills you can implement to make your life a happier, more successful one, and it’s your choice as to which ones you want to look more deeply into. Whatever you choose, the difference can be a hugely positive one.