Every individual must develop useful skills to make their life meaningful. The first skill that s/he need to learn is cooking because every person in the world must eat and drink in order to survive. We can’t rely on others to cook something for us everyday. Secondly, we must know how to wash our own clothes because it is very difficult to find people who can wash clothes for us. Thirdly, we must learn how to drive vehicles on our own because it’s needed in modern times to reach our destinations on time. Cleaning is another useful skill required to live in a healthy environment. Lastly, we must be able to know about how to manage our time in order to complete all our tasks as soon as possible. Time management skill helps us become skilful in a real sense.

— Pratik Shrestha, Buddhanagar, Baneshwor

Taking about skills, I was a guy who didn’t know how to wash clothes until I started my college. My mother always insisted me to learn these things that could one day be helpful. I remember her every time I get hard time while cooking and washing. It is amazing to see that a little skill can sometimes be very useful. For example, a month ago, I was unable to get a job in an organisation as the post required driving skills along with academic qualification. Living in this era, I think computer skills are also important these days. Computers are real opportunities for earning and learning. The irony is that we have just limited its use to Facebook, YouTube, watching movies and playing games.

I have always wanted to interact with the foreigners, know about their place, lifestyle, and their country. But I have been unable to do so due to lack of language skills. Foreign language proficiency is my first priority and one day I expect of learning, at least, Spanish and French languages.

— Nav Raj Paneru, Patandhoka, Lalitpur

The most important skills one most know are — repairing a computer, personalising class notes, preparing a daily plan, and working on safety measures. If we handle our tasks skilfully, we save our valuable time, money and energy.

Skill is gained with experience

and knowledge.

— Abhinay Jayaswal, New Baneshwor

A person’s skill is his best friend at his worst times and it is always handy. The most important ability one ought to have is management skills. In today’s busy world, a person should learn to manage the things in a balanced way.

Secondly, communication skill is another must-have. Unless you learn to communicate with diverse group of people as per requirement, I believe its quite difficult to sustain in this world. Furthermore, in today’s digital world how can we manage to compete without computer skills? In addition, ability to work and take collective decision are other secrets for success.

— Anonymous

Some skills have greater applications in life and one may need it any time. Adaptability is a key skill we must develop in ourselves and in others. Also, one has to try to earn interpersonal skills which one may need in his/her professional and personal life to tackle everyday problems. Moreover, one should learn to plan because it helps you to break down the tasks and manage them easily. A task that is supposed to take five years to complete can be accomplished beforehand.

Also, technology can do almost everything in the present world. So, you should be skilled enough to take advantage from the advancement of technology — you can use your computer to manage your whole life now, including your finances. Knowing how to use technology can add tremendous richness to your life.

— Niraj Maharjan, Gwarko, Lalitpur

To make our life easier and successful in this competitive world, we must develop few skills. Time management is one of the basic skills that everyone requires. We must learn to keep dairy, develop a habit of listing deadlines and create a work schedule. Most people lack decision making capacity. But one needs to develop the skill of making right decision at right time to achieve happiness and success.Nowadays, education is an important part of life — it includes learning new things and developing communication skills among others.

— BR Khatiwada, Ithari

Any kind of skill is always handy as it makes our life easier in every possible way. If a person has basic useful skills, they can survive in whatever situation. Five most useful life skills that every person ought to develop in them would be: Cooking — We can’t survive and sustain our life without eating a good food. Intra personal communication — It is required to understand about the knowledge, experience and ability you possess. This skill helps you use the knowledge in a better way with full confidence. Socialisation — One needs to get connected with friends and colleagues to be updated about current happenings around the globe.Communication — One needs to develop a good communicating skill to express. Writing — This skill is useful to express your ideas, thoughts and views.

—Tejaswi Pahari, Jawalakhel, Lalitpur

From the managerial perspectives, skills can be divided into hard and soft. Hard skills are teachable and easy to quantify for example, computer programming, machine operation and language proficiency. However, soft skills are intangible skills such as interpersonal skills, teamwork, flexibility, persuasion, time management and so on. Skills play a vital role in individual’s life for their personal and professional development. Some important life skills are useful for every individual. Adaptation is one of them with which one can survive in diverse circumstances.

Success does not come easily. We should learn from our mistakes and figure out how to use the experience to get stronger again and get ready for the future. For most of us, it is tough to admit mistakes but we should learn from our mistakes.

Prioritisation is important for right execution of things. We have to make sure our time, energy and focus are spent on right things.

— Diwas Dhakal

The five important life skills that I consider important to develop are abbreviated as ACCTF (Adaptability, Confidence, Compassion, Tolerance and Forgiveness). Life never travels in a straight path. It poses innumerable unexpected challenges and bends in our path. Thus, adaptability is one of the most important skills that one needs in life to be able to successfully adjust to the conditions of life.

Next important skill is building self confidence — the ability to identify one’s own strengths and weaknesses, have self esteem, and learn from both positive and negative experiences of life. This skill helps explore and understand the inner self. Confidence on the other hand provides the inner strength that keeps one going forward in life despite of adversities.

Compassion for life and all living beings is the next skill which can help one to be respectful to life and its principles. It motivates one to stop being jealous, angry, proud, and over confident. The next life skill is tolerance — it helps an individual to be respectful to different opposing ideas, thoughts, philosophies, politics and principles.

Lastly, one should be able to forgive someone who has done great harm to you.

— Saikat Kumar Basu, Canada

Different sets of skills are required in different areas. But then there are some basic skills that you can’t do without. Communication is an important skill to inculcate. If you can’t communicate, you can’t explore your opinions and thoughts. Among many skills, basic computer skills are indispensable and necessary in the modern world. Skill of driving which is related to punctuality is also important. When it comes to skills, you need to be a self-starter and you should be able to make right decisions at the right time.

— Anonymous

Every person in this world ought to develop following five most useful life skills:

• Recognising one’s inner talent and potential
• Communication skills to foster better relationships with each other and to avoid misunderstandings
• Responding responsibly in

  different circumstances

• Handling adversity to turn stumbling block into a

  stepping stone

• Searching possibilities in

  every problem

— Sanjog Karki, Tansen, Palpa

There are some basic skills that you must develop at any cost in your life. Today, most people are expected to have the ability to drive vehicles and use computers. But five basic life skills that everyone needs to have are — public speaking,

communication, prioritising and goal setting, problem solving, and financial management. Public speaking is about knowing how to communicate your ideas and communication is a universal skill. Prioritising is ability to separate the important from the unimportant whereas goal setting is the ability to define what you want in your life and focus on that goal. Problem solving makes you able to solve problems. You also need to have some finance skills to handle money.

— Shree Krishna Majhi, Kathmandu

Skills are very necessary for every human being and every individual is skilled in one thing or the other. But technical skills, interpersonal skills, presentation skills, problem solving skills, cooking skills among others are very important for every person. Technical skills help you solve problems with the use of technology like computer. Interpersonal skill is about how you communicate or interact with others. Presentation skill is how you share your ideas or convince others about something. Meanwhile, problem solving skill is that quality which you use to solve problems applying your own insights. But above all the qualities, the important basic skill that one must know with is cooking.

— Jasmin Khanal, Kathmandu

Everyone wants to develop several skills. But gaining skill is not an easy task. It depends on continuous labour and practice. Skills are of different types. Some of them are quite useful in enhancing one’s life. Skill to read, write, express, motivate and adapt to modern techniques are the most useful qualities that every person ought to develop. This 21st Century is the era of competition. Those who are good at reading, writing, and expressing their voices before mass can stand out in the competition.

— Ravikant Yadav, Bara

Handy skills are those which make the normal people unique and disable people differently able. The most important skill a person needs in the ability to communicate. It is essential to make our life more easier because a good communicator can easily convince others. S/he should be able to have the ability to develop personal skill which reflects his/her personality. Meanwhile, a person must possess an ability to understand technological process in this new age. So, the technical skill plays a significant role to make an individual’s life more comfortable. Another important skill that every person should develop is a negotiation skill so that s/he can handle quarrels between his/her family, friends or relatives. A skill of a negotiator helps to settle misunderstandings and disputes among people. Lastly, as I am a management student, I believe a person must have a leadership skill.

— Ruby Shrestha, Boudha

Cheaper recipes are mostly tastier. This is applied to skills too. The seemingly easier skills are most important to enhance

ones’ personality. Firstly, becoming sociable and able to communicate with the community or professional peers give one the confidence to share, discuss and cope with the problems of daily lives. One must also develop his writing and reading skills, which can be handy, especially to an introvert, for expressing his concerns. Thirdly, amiable and cheerful personality is always welcome in a group of pals. This skill may be inherent to someone from his childhood, but can also be developed gradually. Apart from these, the skill to cogitate any problem, be it academic or professional or personal,

and to cope with them, ought to be developed. Finally, skill like cooking among others is another ability needed for making life easier.

— Sujan Subedi, Dharan

Some skills in us save us from dangerous situations They not only impress others but also save our pennies. Swimming, cycling, maintaining simple technical faults, public speaking, and cooking could be some of the skills we ought to have.

— Manish Paudel, Katari, Udaypur

Every person has a unique skill in his/her life. These skills help you lead better life in terms of managing your income and expenditure daily. Here are some of those skills, which can make your life so much easier.Software developer/game developer — If you are really passionate about science and technology, then, it will help a lot while you are learning such a skill. It provides you an opportunity to earn money.Tourist guide — If you have good command ove a particular language whether it be Chinese or French, your language skill helps you as a tourist guide. With this skill you can earn money as well as have fun while travelling to different places with foreigners.Tutor — If you are academically sound, your knowledge could be beneficial for your students. Be it as a coaching classes’ tutor or home tutor, both will help to you to generate pocket money.Motivational speaker — If you have an immensely influencing power over people, you can make an impact with your motivational talks. This will help to you earn money together with fame.Part time writer — If you have good writing skill, you can write books, fiction and non-fiction. This will also help to earn some money. Positive attitude towards life is another skill required to better human life.

— Saroj Wagle, Bara

Skills tie you into various aspects of everyday life. For instance you can’t be able to compete in today’s world without being able to read and write. There are some other skills that are indispensable.

1) Prioritising and time management — This is the ability to separate the important from the unimportant which is a much needed expertise in all walks of life.

2) Positivism — A great attitude always leads to great experiences. We should always remain optimistic which creates a positive environment around us be it at workplace or during outing with friends.

3) Decision making — Being able to respond quickly and effectively with the information you have is essential to accomplish anything. Being tactful to any situation is an extraordinary skill to be developed.

4) Effective communication — Telling the truth, even if it is bitter, is praiseworthy. Only few people have this skill . We should be able to conduct effective negotiation and then reach to any conclusion.

5) Money management — Money is many thing but not everything. This is the most important skill that helps you to survive.

— Ananya Mishra, Balkhu