Development of the skills of youngsters to live a happy and fulfilling life

1. Building the Core Skills Youth
Need for Life
Life skills are abilities for positive and adaptive behaviour which enable
us to effectively deal with the challenges and demands of life. This
concept may even be called psychological competency. There may be
many different variations on this subject depending upon community
expectations and social rules, but the crux of the matter remains that
life skills are those abilities which function for the well-being of
individuals and to aid them in their development towards becoming
productive and active members of this society.

2. Essential Life Skills: Planning, Focus, and Self-
Control
Planning-the ability of making plans and then successfully
implementing them is something every teenager must learn first and
foremost. Setting goals and achieving them must be added here too.
Focus-maintaining one’s concentration only on the task at hand and
not allowing any distractions to cause any hindrance in the goal-
achievement process.
Self-Control-gaining command over not only our emotions but even our
response towards stress.

3. Essential Life Skills: Awareness and Flexibility
Awareness-observance of our present surroundings and situations
besides other people and even our own standing in this society.
Flexibility-this involves our ability of adapting to any kind of change in
life. This is quite important since circumstances never remain the same
throughout a person’s life.

4. Methods for Supporting Life Skills Enhancement:
Practicing in Real Situations and Prevention of
Emotional Triggers
Practicing in real situations-all teenagers have the ability to successfully
handle any issue in life. They are only looking for opportunities for the
application of their methods of resolving problems and the subsequent
evaluation of their impact over them.
Prevention of emotional triggers-the display of any emotion has to stem
from a cause. There may be many reasons for mental stress including failure
and receiving criticism. The adoption of methods related to meditation is
essential for dealing with any emotional crisis. This is important for
youngsters as it not only increases their self-awareness but even strengthens
their coping mechanisms for dealing with adversities.

5. Encouragement for Real-Life Problem Solving
and Avoidance of Stress-Inducing Factors
Encouragement for real-life problem solving-motivation has a key role to play
in making teenagers find ways of tackling their own issues. When problems
concerning schoolwork or friends arise, their mental capabilities should be
sharp enough to come up with resolutions for the aforementioned, apply
them, and assess their impact.
Avoidance of stress-inducing factors-the display of any emotion has to have a
cause for triggering it. For example, psychological stress may be due to a tiff
with a friend or the inability of rising up to the expectations of parents in
academics. Giving meditative breaks to oneself allows one’s mind time to
process the complexities of issues. The empowerment of youngsters need
not necessarily be only for the development of their self-awareness but even
for fueling their coping mechanisms, thus facilitating them to operate with
strength and efficiency.

6. Effect of Childhood Stress on Brain
Development
Research suggests that the effects of stress in one’s childhood are quite
drastic and which may leave a permanent impact on the psyche of any
individual. When the activation of stress hormones is prolonged since early
childhood, it may result in the reduction of the neural connections in that
part of the brain which produces thoughts besides being responsible for
cognitive functions such as reasoning and learning. If the brain remains in
constant trauma, even the remaining neural pathways may become weak
and adversely affect one’s powers of dealing with stress in childhood and
which may continue even in adulthood. While high stress levels in children
redirects the development of the brain from essential life skills, the
aforementioned overloads the ability of developing and practicing essential
life skills, thereby having to depend on one’s automatic response systems.

7. Creating Safe Environments
Emotional and physical safety is of utmost importance for youngsters.
They need a space for themselves which would provide them the
privacy they are in need of besides facilitating the interaction and
collaboration of peers amongst themselves. The creativity of
adolescents would remain undiscovered and undeveloped within
themselves if they are not given opportunities to have some privacy in
places or spaces which may give out a sense of warmth.
By adding a dash of positivity to the environment of young adults,
grown-ups may contribute in their success besides reducing fear and
stress within them.

8. Guiding and Supporting Adolescents in
Development of Social Skills
The collaboration of the peer group of children and adolescents eases their
stress levels since they find themselves away from adult supervision.
Encouraging them further in such a scenario may help them in making more
suitable choices for themselves after having sought the advice of the adults
around them besides their peers. They are looking to grab every chance they
can for being a leader rather than a follower-wherein they can display their
talents as peer educators or facilitators. It is important that both children
and adults are encouraged to have supportive relationships with each other.
Teenagers are very sensitive towards the acceptance and rejection of
society. Offering a little guidance and support to them in the maintenance of
relationships can go a long way in adding positivity in their receptiveness
towards feedback.

9. Creation of Space for Autonomy of
Adolescents
Adolescence is a time when one is no longer a child but has not
become an adult too-and so, teenagers may have the feeling of being in
no man’s land. And so, they may resent any unwanted advice even if it
is for they own welfare. Youth are in search of respect for themselves.
They need to have their own space to think about matters which are
important to them and are of relevance to their lives. As we all know
that even listening is an art, it takes a much more complex form while
dealing with teenagers.
Expect them to achieve goals, but within their full potential-not
beyond it. This will boost their confidence level quite significantly.

10. Usage of Digital Mediums and Youth
Awareness
Technology is in the hands of everyone today. Every application is available digitally. In this context, life can
become a lot simpler, and even exciting, if these tools are used for constructive purposes. Preparation of task
lists can be done on notepads on android phones and laptops. Similarly, there are applications for revision such
as StudyBlue and ExamConqr. There are software programs for the safety of students too.
Youth awareness workshops and seminars help to spread more awareness about different issues concerning
them. And so, these may be conducted more frequently. This not only reduces emotional or mental tension but
even minimizes recruitment and retention amongst adolescents. Online conferencing applications have the
way classes may be conducted. Large groups of people can now assemble and interact on virtual platforms like
Zoom and Microsoft Teams.
Some lines written by myself:
For everyone who describe themselves as optimists, the years between childhood and adulthood is a period to
be cherished,
Guardians and parents of youngsters need patience while the teenagers are being nurtured and nourished,
If children and adolescents are motivated towards success and are never allowed to feel diminished,
It proves that their upbringing has withstood the test of time and now, as young adults, their personality has
flourished

11. For research-based Powerpoint or Word
presentations on any topic, please
call/SMS/whatsapp on 9653254172 or email at
saifalisanjli@gmail.com
Saif Ali Sajid Amir