The document defines life skills as abilities that allow individuals to effectively handle daily demands and challenges. It identifies 10 key life skills including critical thinking, problem solving, decision making, effective communication, and managing emotions and stress. Life skills are categorized into social/interpersonal skills, cognitive/thinking skills, and emotional skills. Mastering life skills promotes mental well-being, empowerment, and positive relationships among young people.

1. Introduction
Life skills help to promote mental well-being & competence in young
people as they face the realities of life.
Life skills empower young people to take positive action.
To protect themselves and promote health & positive social
relationships.

2. What is Life Skills?
WHO (1997)
◦ “The abilities for adaptive and positive behavior that enables
individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of
everyday life”.
UNICEF (2001)
“Life-skills based education is, behavior change or behavior
development approach, designed to address a balance of three areas:
knowledge, attitude, and skills.

3. The 10 Life Skills.
1) Critical Thinking.
2) Creative Thinking.
3) Decision Making.
4) Problem Solving.
5) Interpersonal Relationships/Skills.
6) Effective Communication.
7) Coping with Emotions.
8) Coping with Stress.
9) Self-Awareness.
10) Empathy.

4. Managing
Emotion
Critical
Thinking
Self-
Awareness
Coping with
Stress
Effective
Communication
Interpersonal
Skills
Problem
Solving
Decision
Making
Empathy
Creative
Thinking

5. Key Life Skills :
Life Skills include psychosocial competencies & interpersonal
skills that help people make informed decisions, solve problems,
think critically & creatively, communicate effectively, build healthy
relationships, empathize with others, & manage their lives in a
healthy & productive manner.
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6. Key Life Skills
Life Skills fall into three basic categories
which compliment, supplement &
reinforce each other:
* Social or Interpersonal Skills
* Cognitive or Thinking Skills
* Emotional Skills
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7. Key Life Skills
3 basic categories
* Social or Interpersonal Skills
* Cognitive or Thinking Skills
* Emotional Skills
These three basic categories further include the following
skills.
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8. 8
Life Skills
Social & Interpersonal
Skills
Communication
Skills
Assertiveness Skills
Cooperation Skills
Empathy
Cognitive or Thinking
Skills
Problem Solving
Critical Thinking
Creative Thinking
Decision Making
Self-Awareness
Emotional Skills
Managing Stress
Managing Emotions
Resisting peer pressure

9. Critical Thinking
 It is an ability to analyze information & experience in
an objective manner.
 Key to form right attitudes towards life
 Assists in developing responsible behavior.

10. Creative Thinking.
• It is an ability that helps us look beyond our direct
experience.
• And address issues in a perspective which is different.
• It adds novelty and flexibility to the situation of our
daily life.

11. Decision Making
 The process of making assessment of an issue by
considering all possible options & effects different
decision might have on them.
 Relating current situation to past similar situation

12. Problem-Solving.
• Devising a plan in order to solve a problem.
• Having made decisions about each of the options.
• Choosing the one which is the best suited.
• Following it through the process again till positive
outcome of the problem achieved.

13. Interpersonal Relationship/Skills.
 It is a skill that helps us to understand our relations with
others.
 And relate it in a positive manner with them.
 It helps us to maintain relationship with others.
 Helps to end relationship constructively.

14. Effective Communication.
 It is an ability to express ourselves both verbally &
non-verbally.
 In an appropriate manner.
 This means being able to express desires, options &
 Fears and seek assistance and advice in times of need.

15. Coping with Stress.
 It is an ability to recognize the source of stress in our
life.
 Its effect on us & acting in ways that helps to control
our levels of stress.
 Taking action to reduce some stress.
 For example changes in physical environment, life
styles, learning to relax etc.

16. Managing Emotions
 It is an ability, which involves recognizing emotions in
others, and ourselves.
 Being aware of how emotions influence our behaviors.

17. Self Awareness
 Includes our recognition of ourselves, our character,
strengths and weakness, desires and dislikes.
 It is a pre-requisite for effective communication.
 Interpersonal relationship and developing empathy.

18. Empathy
 Ability to understand and accept others.
 Even in situation that we may not be familiar with.
 It helps us to understand and accept others and
 Their behavior that may be very different from
ourselves.

19. Why Life-Skills?
 Early identification of problems, early intervention and support at key
moments in lives of young people is vital.
 Development needs & aspirations of the individuals.
 Development of psychosocial abilities.
 To enhance capabilities and enlarge choices.
 For building self-image & self-worth.
 Strengthens the ability of an individual to evolve, developing self-
confidence and power to act.

20. Significance of learning Life Skills
 Contribute actively in various decision-making and processes
 Resolve disputes and conflicts and to weigh up what is right
and wrong
 Understand and to respect different beliefs, customs and
traditions of a multi-cultural world.
 Understand the strength and limitations of the personality and
to modify accordingly
 Manage emotions and sustain mental health
 Identify diverse cultures, ethnic and communities

21. Advantage of learning Life Skills
 To understand differing and opposing views
 To express opinion, to behave in a team,
 To understand emotions of others as well as themselves,
 To lead a successful life with mental wellbeing