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Learning new skills is fun and exciting, but it can also be incredibly challenging and daunting. Most people don’t enjoy being bad at something and failing over and over again. And yet, you’ll have a tough time learning anything new if you don’t see your mistakes as opportunities for growth, instead of as failure. Meanwhile, some skills are actually fairly easy to learn and can have a massive impact on your life.
Some helpful internet users spilled the tea about what they see as top-tier, life-changing skills that you can learn in just a few short weeks. Keep scrolling to read their suggestions. We know what we’ll be focusing on in the new year. What about you?
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Reading books. I’ve just gotten back into it and I feel with every book I read, I learn something new, either about myself or about life or I just feel a sense of accomplishment!
Firstname Lastname 1 day ago
I sometimes like to read while I am cycling on my indoor bike. It transports me to another world and keeps my mind off of how sweaty I am getting!
Yora Belle End 1 day ago
Serial Pacifist, I wholeheartedly disagree. Books are an amazing way of experiencing a story, but there are other mediums that can achieve the same thing. I play video games and often get drawn into the story more because I can actively take part in it.
Daya 1 day ago
Ever tried LARP? You are not only part of the Story, you can influence it and its ending. Whatever genre you prefer, I am sure the is a matching LARP for you.
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RELATED:
#2
Researching information and sources.
So much [nonsense] is fed to society that knowing what is a good source and good information is critical to making good decisions.
People make decisions every day so this is huge in the long run.
Trillian 1 day ago
This needs to be much higher. Disinformation is k*****g us and people will believe anything they see on social media.
Lotekguy 1 day ago
And they are only choosing social media outlets that reinforce what they want to believe.
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LillieMean 1 day ago
I blame schools for not teaching media literacy and source criticism enough. The skill of critical thinking has been forgotten and by constantly staring at their phones, many adults have acquired ADT for which the only cure is to limit screen time and even put together a trendy analog bag. (Contains e.g. a physical book, a coloring book and a crossword puzzle magazine). The brain needs to be taught to focus again. In an ideal world, everyone would be offered a media literacy course.
SheHulk 1 day ago (edited)
I had a teacher at school (70’s) for "A" level biology. He held off curriculum lessons that were designed to teach critical thinking, though I didn't know at the time. He taught us a card game called "God", where the dealer invented rules for the play, and you had to discover them by playing. Probably the reason I am an atheist now. Brilliant teacher. He was funny as heck, as well!
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Bartlet for world domination 2 days ago
Wikipedia has Talk and View History tabs where you can see if the info you're reading is controversial.
Blue Bunny of Happiness 1 day ago
Back in 2004 when broadband was just coming online rather than dial up, one of the first modules I did at uni involved critiquing large, medium and small organisation’s websites about a health condition.
#3
First Aid.
It would change someone elses life far more compared to your own. But that someone could be a friend or relative making it life-changing for yourself as well.
Alexia 2 days ago (edited)
THIS. I recently read about a case of a schoolgirl who choked on gummy bears (this happened at school, with a lot of people around). She passed away suffocated because no one know how to apply a Heimlich maneuver before an ambulance arrived. 😟
Lili Octopus 2 days ago
So bonkers we don’t teach this stuff in schools, and offer refreshers in the work place :(
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Sally Moen 16 hours ago (edited)
AND a lot of first aid classes in the US are taught at fire stations by fire fighters. They know alot
How long it’ll take you to master a skill will depend on, well, the skill itself, how much effort you put in, and how you apply yourself. However, you don’t necessarily need to perfectly master a skill or spend 10,000 hours honing it, to get use out of it.
Josh Kaufman, the author of ‘The First 20 Hours: How To Learn Anything… Fast!’ explained to Forbes that most people are “deeply disturbed” by the idea of being bad at something, even if it’s temporary.
“When you try something new, you’re usually very bad, and you know it. The easiest way to eliminate that feeling of angst is to quit practicing and go do something else, so that’s what most of us do.”
#4
Self Control. It's way easier than you think. You start with delayed gratification. You can have the things you desire, but when you want them you have to set an arbitrary time frame that you have to wait to get them. Start with absurdly easy time frames, like 5 minutes. Keep extending the delayed gratification until you feel like you have better control over your impulses. It happens surprisingly fast and will start bleeding into everything you do. Suddenly, you will find yourself rationally navigating even the most impulsive situations.
Zig Zag Wanderer 2 days ago
Nice idea. I tried this with smoking. I went from 20 or 30 a day to only starting each day after the evening meal. That's serious delayed gratification. I failed to give up. Eventually I cut it out completely one day, and used patches instead. That was my latest attempt. 15 or 20 years on, it's my most successful to date.
Lotekguy 1 day ago
I used Katherine Hepburn's method. I gradually moved the time for my first cigarette of the day 1 hour later until the muscle memory of associating it with so many activities abated. I haven't smoked for about 25 years now.
Load More Replies... Alexia 2 days ago (edited)
This may work for trifles, like a chocolate bar in the photo. But when an add1ction is already developed, your opinions and willpower become irrelevant as opposed to the neuro-chemistry of your brain. It may take years (often decades) and additional support to go through the withdrawal and re-adapting process.
Earonn - 1 day ago
Sure, and also, there's ADHAD. But it's still good advice to go out and try. Just don't beat yourself up if it doesn't work.
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FlamingoPanda 2 days ago
Not so easy for neurodiverse people, especially ADHD. Impulsivity and instant rewards need a lot of therapy and maybe medication to learn to work with. Took me 18 months of intense therapy (plus years of therapy prior to that) to get to a point where I can do this sort of thing.
#5
Emotional regulation.
Most adults are toddlers with bills.
Learning to pause before reacting is life-changing.
Serial pacifist 1 day ago
Toddler with bills! I prefer the comparison to a fire-starter with logs!
Blue Bunny of Happiness 1 day ago
If someone could teach me to self regulate my emotions, I’d be eternally grateful.
#6
Sewing.
ghostwillows:
This! Mending clothes is the most useful for everyday and it costs almost nothing to start and modern clothes are constructed terribly.
Sally Moen 16 hours ago (edited)
My local public library has a Library of Things that you can checkout like books, one of the things is a sewing machine with instruction manual. And YouTube has very beginner sewing machine videos for you to learn how to turn on the machine, thread it, sew without hurting yourself
M M 1 day ago
It's more a hobby, don't you think? I mean, sewing a button is easy, but altering second hand dress is another level and I don't see the benefit unless you just like to do it. It's not cheaper or better, right?
Blue Bunny of Happiness 1 day ago
It means you can tailor a dress to fit you perfectly, which I would argue is better. Being able to replace a zip etc increases the wear time of something and reduces the need to buy new and replace it. Being able to repurpose something also reduces the need to send things to landfill eg I had a single duvet cover but no longer use a single duvet so turned the cover into a dress for my niece.
Load More Replies...The optimistic thing is that, even though you’ll probably be awful at something in the early hours of doing it, you can quickly improve your skill with even a little bit of persistence and intelligent practice.
According to Kaufman, you could try learning a new skill by first precommitting to putting in at least 20 hours of practice. That way, you’ll find it easier to keep going even if things seem overwhelmingly difficult.
Next, learn just enough about the core concepts of the skill to apply it. And you can always break your learning program up into smaller, more manageable parts. Realistically, after those 20 hours, you’ll become reasonably competent in that particular skill.
#7
Saying “no” without over-explaining or feeling guilty.
Michael Largey 1 day ago
Sometimes the least awkward way to say "No" is to have an agreeable counter-suggestion.
#8
I estimate most people could become financially literate in 100 hours of efficient study: understand the basics of budgeting, saving/investing, banking, insurance, taxation...with potential cost savings of many thousands of dollars in the course of their lives.
Bartlet for world domination 2 days ago
I truly think the literacy part isn't that complicated or important, it's the delayed (or canceled) gratification part that gets people every time.
TheMFKNXerdo 1 day ago
You can't "Financial Literacy" out of inequality and a housing crisis with a cost of living crisis and a jobs crisis.
Earonn - 1 day ago
Investing requires several thousand Dollars / Pounds / Euros you can risk to lose. I wish I had that kind of play money around, but not in this economy. Still - budgeting and saving are useful, and taxation for the countries that aren't modern enough to do it for their citizens.
Snowhater 1 day ago
No it doesn't. You can invest with small sums every month in an broad indexfund. Overtime it will grow. You won't get rich but you will have more money than if you save in an bank account.
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#9
Practicing not eating mindlessly+snacking unhealthily. It [is a pain] for the first few days due to carb + sugar withdrawal, but your body adapts quickly and will feel much better.
Auntriarch 1 day ago
This is a big deal. Looking at the reasons I eat that have bugger all to do with hunger. I've lost 6kg since April, just by trying to do this. Hopefully this will continue.
S Bow 1 day ago
Well done Auntie! I finally convinced my morbidly obese auntie to try this and she's lost about the same so far. She has myriad health problems solely caused by her excess weight. I don't understand why none of her many Drs will be plain spoken about this with her, they just keep prescribing more and more medications.
Load More Replies...Kaufman stressed to Forbes that the idea of mastering a skill can be counterproductive because it might stop you from exploring it in the first place. Instead, you could focus on having fun if it’s a personal hobby or on performing well enough to get meaningful results if it’s a career skill.
On top of that, you don’t even have to master every skill that you learn.
“I believe that developing new skills in a way that allows you to perform well enough for your own purposes is – by far – the most common and valuable purpose of skill acquisition. Based on my research, reaching that level doesn’t take anywhere close to 10,000 hours – you can usually achieve the goals you set yourself in around 20 hours of deliberate practice,” he told Forbes.
#10
You could become decently skilled at cooking in a month if you tunnel focus. From there you can take control of your health,
finances and if you get really good, it can help your dating and [intimate] life.
Bartlet for world domination 2 days ago
Not to mention eating what you like the way you like it :)
Michael Largey 1 day ago
What I like eating is other people's food. The way I like it is them it being cooked by them. (I was a cook while in school, so I've already cooked thousands and thousands of meals. Enough.)
Load More Replies... Earonn - 1 day ago
Do we really have to lure people with seggs just to make them learn one of the most basic life skills?
Apocalyptic Excavator 1 day ago
Assuming you have the time and energy. Most people order takeout not because they can't cook, but because they're burnt out and exhausted.
#11
Correctly brushing and flossing your teeth. Remember kids, only floss the teeth you want to keep.
B 1 day ago
Not sure about this one. Flossing is not natural, it routinely pulls the gums away from the teeth. Would like to get a dentist's honest opinion on this, not an opinion that sells the floss brand they get endorsements from.
S Bow 1 day ago
Every dentist I've ever been to wants you to floss. If you're concerned about string flossing, they will recommend a water flosser.
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Lotekguy 1 day ago
Tell it to the Tooth Fairy. I wonder where all of them that have been collected for centuries are stored?
Load More Replies... #12
Stretching every day. Spend 10-30 minutes a day stretching and some basic yoga moves, your flexibility will improve so much. Also get yourself a foam roller, my back and legs has never felt so good.
Trillian 1 day ago
I really dislike "do this and that every day for just x minutes". I am only at #13 in this list and I would already have to find 2 extra hours in my day.
M M 1 day ago (edited)
Yeah, but on the other hand. How many hours of the day you actually spend on things that are good for you? I recently reached the point of getting bored of scrolling through BP and other websites, I've been sick for a month and it was an easy pleasure. So I asked myself - what can I do if I don't feel like doing anything and tried meditation and reading a book for fun. It really made a difference.
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Serial pacifist 1 day ago
And no gases issue! You will outfart your toddler. Yoga will deflate you like a balloon on a cactus.
Which of these life-changing skills do you think you’d like to prioritize? Do you think you’ll pick any of these up in the near future? What new things do you think you’d like to learn this year? What are the most essential skills that you’ve learned that you think absolutely everyone should know? Let us know!
#13
Swimming. Pretty much the number 1 skill to prevent an accident.
Apocalyptic Excavator 1 day ago (edited)
Yes and no. People drown not because they can't swim in a warm, well lit, steady pool wearing a swimsuit. They drown because of thick clothing, thermic shock, low visibility, waves, currents and underwater obstacles. You need to be a professional athlete-level swimmer to overcome any of these.
#14
Working out regularly.
It's a lifetime journey of learning, but it only takes a few weeks to start feeling comfortable in the gym & get over the worst soreness from starting weight lifting.
Someday, if you're *lucky*, you will be old. Working out regularly can be the difference between being in an assisted living or living independently. (Also being strong is ridiculously fun).
CK 2 days ago
Yoga has amazing health benefits, but it's not a substitute for strength training. Everyone should get in at least some strength training and some cardio in addition to yoga.
Load More Replies... CK 2 days ago
A lot of people are scared to start lifting because of the misconception that it's only for serious athletes and it's too risky for a regular person. It's true there are some risks involved, but it's far more risky not to lift. Just follow basic safety rules and progress at a reasonable rate.
LillieMean 1 day ago
I remind myself that a light or half-done workout is better than no workout at all and that's how I've successfully maintained my routine. I increase the duration or reps moderately so I can be pleasantly surprised by my progress. Not with a taste of blood in my mouth and forcefully, just reminding myself that this is for me, for myself.
M M 1 day ago
That was my exact motivation to go to the gym in the morning. I hated waking up early, but the idea was to show up and do anything. And anything is better than nothing. Once you learn the habit, it's much easier
Load More Replies... Earonn - 1 day ago
All kinds of exercise. Though the runners in my age group (50s) are now start to complain about their knees. OTOH, yes, that's what happens when you get old - your body won't stay 20 forever. :) Honestly, I so wish I had started jogging when it was a stupid "American" fad in the early 80s. Restarting now, with laughably low running times (I'm at 3:30 minutes, yes, that little - and every 30 seconds I add feel like a win. Don't be too proud to make it stupidly easy, because the important thing is not the time, but to prove to myself that I am a person who runs regularly).
nicholas nolan 1 day ago
lol, this cracks me up. I spent 6 years in the military in constant pain that only stopped about a week into my 2 week leave periods. "Exercise makes you feel good!" Get bent, Marcy.
Blue Bunny of Happiness 1 day ago
Movement is important, we tell patients that the best form of exercise is one they enjoy doing, because they’ll actually do it regularly. If someone tells me to go to the gym twice a week, I’ll find it boring as heck and not do it, but I’ll happily go to aquarobics twice a week and for a 2 hour walk at the weekend because it’s fun.
#15
Managing suffering (anxiety/depression, otherwise)
I know it takes a lifetime to feel better, recover from trauma, etc...but learning the skills to deal with these feelings and then implement them doesn't take long to accomplish...the fruits of the labor itself tho takes years, but is something life-changing (speaking from personal experience, as a trauma survivor myself).
Alexia 2 days ago
I was genuinely surprised to see how many people (many in upper management positions) are unable to regulate their emotions in a healthy way. You look at high placed project managers and CEOs, how they yell like toddlers and create drama out of nothing, dumping their frustration on their co-workers.
#16
Socratic journaling. Took me about a month to learn how to regulate my thoughts when dealing with anxiety. The best thing I could do for my mental health and it’s free.
Bartlet for world domination 2 days ago
There's a page named The Socratic Journal Method: A Simple Journaling Method That Actually Works on mindthenerd dot com that explains it.
Gingersnap In Iowa 1 day ago
I read that as sarcastic journaling... need to get my eyes checked.
nicholas nolan 1 day ago
It would take me exactly 3 days to get from Socratic journaling to sarcastic journaling.
Load More Replies... #17
Learning how to communicate clearly and confidently.
In just a few weeks, you can improve how you explain ideas, set boundaries, and express yourself. It helps in interviews, relationships, negotiations, and even daily conversations. People often underestimate how powerful good communication really is.
Sally Moen 16 hours ago
Found out the hard way that being neurodivergent is why interviews are bad. It's not that I don't listen, it's that I am thinking 10 steps ahead
Michael Largey 1 day ago (edited)
When she went off to college I advised an immensely talented but totally shy student "Assume that you're the most interesting person in the room. (You probably will be.) You will relax and enjoy yourself. If that turns out to be wrong, it will be because you have met the most interesting person in the room and you'll enjoy that too."
#18
If you work in a large company - Excel. Or some sort of data Visualization software.
People will think you’re a genius.
Alexia 2 days ago
But also, be careful not to boast off with your Excel skills. You may end up with multiple Excel-related tasks that your co-workers should actually do, but they are too lazy to do them 😄
Debbie 1 day ago
And if it's not in your job description it takes time of things that you do need to do for your job. (Although I often can't resist doing Excel things)
Load More Replies... Sally Moen 16 hours ago
I worked in an office that used their own version of Excel, and other software. You can be so good at the original programs but have to start again to learn what your company uses
BookFanatic 1 day ago
And if your supervisor is looking for someone to take over teaching her Excel classes...DUCK!
Blue Bunny of Happiness 1 day ago
Know a couple of keyboard shortcuts eg windows key + v will bring up your clipboard history, that one got me a cup of coffee from a colleague!
Earonn - 1 day ago
In general - do things you like. Volunteer for them when they come up. Got me from the basic job to 2 specialist roles, and now I'm enjoying work, because basically they pay me to have fun playing with numbers. Yes, you can like your job even if it's nothing glamorous or exotic. Just find out what tasks you like to do.
#19
Strategic thinking, i.e. prioritizing the right thing. It changed my life. I used to be busy but doing the wrong things. Now I am pickier on what to invest my time in.
#20
Heimlich manoeuver. I saved a kid in class one day. He was turning purple. It was so surprising how hard I had to do it to make the piece of candy come flying out of his mouth.
Feel the Pain 1 day ago
I had to do that to someone who was choking on pork loin... they didn't chew enough... It was scary as I didn't know what was happening for a second.
#21
Kicking the doomscrolling habit…!
A few months ago I deleted all those doomscrolling social media apps (I’m lucky I don’t get the urge to doomscroll on Reddit) after a long period of setting screen time limits, ignoring my screen time limits, setting them harsher etc. Just delete it!
I suddenly have heaps more time in my life to do the things I really want to do— and importantly, the motivation to do them!!! It’s really positively impacted my critical thinking skills, my impulse control, my productivity etc.
Yeah, I’m no longer up to date with the ‘trend of the day’ but the ability to form my own opinions about things has been very refreshing.
#22
Yoga. Since learning yoga, I've fallen in love with exercise, and it's changed my habit of procrastinating on exercise. I feel a great sense of accomplishment every time I master a new yoga pose. And consistent exercise has definitely made my body better; I no longer get out of breath after climbing just a few flights of stairs like before.
nicholas nolan 1 day ago
It's way to late for me now, but I really do wish I had stuck with yoga and(shoutout to S Bow) Tai chi. I have way too many muscular issues to start again now(c'mon heart attack, beat cancer to the punch!) but that might have really helped.
#23
You could get an amateur (ham) radio license in a few weeks of study and be able to communicate with people all around the world. Not to mention become more capable of surviving major disruptive situations and crises. In major emergencies access to communication is everything.
Kim Kermes 14 hours ago
Ham radio operators have been and will be indispensable during disasters. Always good to have an additional source of information and communication, too
#24
Learning to mind your business is very rewarding. You may think I’m joking but I’m telling you when you mind your business half the stress goes away.
Michael Largey 1 day ago (edited)
Not spreading gossip is an excellent way of telling people you don't want to hear any gossip either.
Sally Moen 16 hours ago
This can be a painful hill to die on if you live or work around gossippers. It can feel lonely but you don't walk around feeling ick about what you said. You're clean
Load More Replies... #25
Mending. I like the look of repaired items.
Geoffrey Scott 1 day ago
And just taking care of what you have. I've thrown stuff out, but what remains in functional.
#26
How to can and properly freeze fresh food, some degree of butchery. How to garden a multitude of vegetables. Bake bread. Some degree of auto mechanics as well. How to read topographic maps and properly use a compass.
Smeghead Tribble Down Under 1 day ago
Costs a small fortune to start a worthwhile vegie garden -_-
Kim Kermes 14 hours ago
Not necessarily, can just start with herbs, most crops can be grown in containers.
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Sally Moen 16 hours ago
I will try again this year to grow just one thing. Still deciding. Probably potatoes. I'm a little busy in summer so plants don't get seen to, and potatoes are the easiest.
Geoffrey Scott 1 day ago
We get top sirloin from the local store with a proper butcher for $9.99/lb, they slice it into 1/2" steaks and we freeze for meals. $120 and we got about 15 meals worth
#27
Unfailing politeness.
#28
Basic DIY. Being able to fix small issues around the house/car/etc can save you a lot of money, stress, and time, and help you create a space you are genuinely happy with. Start with some basic tools, add to them as you tackle new projects. Also helps you maintain your property so you spend less money on replacements.
S Bow 1 day ago (edited)
That last sentence is gospel. I've learned how to repair multiple things around the house from the school of YouTube and saved us boatloads of money. One example: I needed to connect the water supply from one evap cooler to another; the plumber quoted $300.00. I went to the hardware store, got a spool of 1/4 inch copper tubing and a couple of fittings and did the job myself for about $20.00. People don't realize how many things we can do for ourselves.
Kim Kermes 14 hours ago
And often a good independent hardware store will give advice or at least suggestions.
Load More Replies... #29
Going to sleep early and getting a solid 7-8hrs of uninterrupted sleep, try that for 2-4 weeks.
Smeghead Tribble Down Under 1 day ago
I could go to bed when Big Dog goes but when you wake up from nightmares, or sweating even with a portable aircon blasting, or to pee, or from pain, it doesn't really matter how early you go to bed -_- You still get up exhausted the next morning.
Kim Kermes 14 hours ago
Are you getting medical care? If you're not in the US, some should be available. My nightmares decreased substantially when I got on CPAP, and the sleep test is remote now.
Load More Replies... #30
Learning to fold. People think they're achievers if they go all-in. But sometimes you have to call a loss a loss and not go down the drain of sunken cost fallacy. The quicker you get out of a dead end, the better. The best poker players aren't the ones that go all-in in a heads up because they have a full house - the best poker players are the ones that can fold with a full house on hand because they know they're gonna lose to a better hand.
Zig Zag Wanderer 2 days ago (edited)
I thought this was about sheets and clothes initially....
Sally Moen 16 hours ago
I will never be able to learn this. It's fascinating to watch others tho
#31
Practicing mindfulness. It lets go of negative feelings, thoughts, and you start to enjoy and better understand things.
Lotekguy 1 day ago
I don't remember who said it, but someone advised that whenever someone harms or offends you, never assume malice when incompetence or carelessness will explain what they did.
Michael Largey 1 day ago
I let go of negative feelings by letting go at the person who caused them.
#32
Critical thinking. Helps you make better decisions and avoid potentially bad mistakes. And helps with a lot of other things that make up everyday life that might seem small at first and on their own, but over time become larger and more consequential. Critical thinking makes you instantly smarter in almost all things that matter, without needing to become an expert in all those things.
Zig Zag Wanderer 2 days ago (edited)
This is probably the least known skill. I've had it since a very early age for unknown reasons (odd brain, too focused). I used to despair of most people because they refuse to do it, until I discovered that they don't know how. Almost everything I am informed of, I won't fully believe until I've researched it myself. Fortunately, thei internet cam along and made it easier!
Geoffrey Scott 1 day ago
..but the internet also made it more difficult as you must then investigate sources of info.
Load More Replies... #33
Take an inexpensive, short course related to your career. A little certificate can go a long way especially since most of your colleagues aren't getting them. Do a couple a year and when you're searching for a new job or trying for a promotion, you'll have a lot to show.
Geoffrey Scott 1 day ago
My daughter is getting masters' pay as a teacher by doing Sketches(?) She is now in a masters program (Spec Ed teacher) funded by the Chippewa tribe to make it official if she decides to go into Admin. Tough going as she has a 3 yr old, but she's getting there.
#34
How to fingerspell and some basic signs in your local sign language.
Get the basics of sign language and you can learn new signs as you need them - it will make a big difference in your ability to communicate when you’re older.
Hearing loss is a strong cause of cognitive decline and dementia because you lose your ability to socialise. Hearing aids are a long way from perfect.
Smeghead Tribble Down Under 1 day ago
I don't socialise and there's nothing wrong with my hearing (45 and can hear a mouse fart five rooms away) I wish social anxiety could be fixed as easily as sticking in a hearing aid.
#35
Gratitude. Take 1-3min every day before you go to bed and write down/say to yourself 3 things you are grateful for in your life or that happened today.
LillieMean 1 day ago
I do the opposite and in the morning I go through three things I am grateful for. Sometimes they are the basic necessities of life like a roof over my head, food in the fridge and warm socks. Sometimes they are much deeper things. I start my day in a positive spirit and the adversities usually feel smaller.
Earonn - 1 day ago
So, I've been doing that for the past 7 years. And just to see what difference it makes, I stopped it last year for a couple of weeks. Nothing. Made no difference. However, I should say that I'm pretty content and even happy in my life, so maybe it's only necessary if you aren't. Don't get me wrong - I started it again because I like to be reminded of good stuff, it just wasn't the mood changer people told me it would be.
#36
Learning to drive a manual car. To be fair it's only Americans who make a huge deal out of it as the rest of the world just does it without much thought but it really opens up a lot of job opportunities and people don't realize that. A lot of jobs that are not delivery driving may still require a lot of driving and being able to drive any car makes you much more useful than someone who can't.
Zig Zag Wanderer 2 days ago
In almost all other countries, learn to drive an automatic. I can't tell you how many cars I've seen driving along with the brake lights on. They have their left foot resting on the brake! It's crazy expensive in extra fuel and brake pads.
Unicorn 1 day ago
I admit that the only time I drove an automatic I braked when all I meant to do was put my foot on the clutch. But who uses the clutch pedal as a footrest?
Load More Replies... #37
Dancing.
When you learn how to dance, you essentially become much more in-tune with your body and relearn how to simply move.
I remember how when I learned as a teen all of a sudden I started to realize how I was being inefficient with little movements and completely changed them so that I was wasting less energy and getting more out of each movement I made.
Michael Largey 1 day ago
As I got further and further into the subject, mathematics taught my mind how to dance. Unfortunately for the girls I dated, It did not share that knowledge with the rest of my body.
Unicorn 1 day ago
Next you're going to tell me I can learn to sing, when all the notes sound the same to me.
Kim Kermes 14 hours ago
With guidance you can learn. Get a really cheap keyboard to associate visual clues with the notes. Wish I could help, I've been a musician for 60 years and it's been so pleasurable for me
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#38
Maybe not drastically change your life, but anyone can learn to type properly in just a few weeks.
El-Snarko-Saurus:
I know most people picture 1950s secretaries taking typing classes and tests as most of the jobs they could get involved that one skill. But I took a computer class in high school where one or two weeks was dedicated to typing/ten key and I work in a highly scientific field now where I watch senior scientists peck at the keyboard to write up their papers and emails and it takes them FOREVER! I guess once AI takes over it won’t be as necessary but I can say that my last 20 years have been greatly efficient!
Greymom 2 days ago
Typing/keyboarding was probably THE single most useful class I took in high school. Didn’t want to take it but my Dad insisted. I ended up getting a fairly useless degree in English so the first time it came in handy was for the zillion and one papers I had to write. Even now , over thirty years later and a couple of career changes later I use those skills at work every single day as a nurse. Charting and virtually all communications are done on computer. I could have survived hunting and pecking but it would have made things a lot more difficult. Thanks Dad🥰
Julie Patel 3 minutes ago
I taught myself how to type in one summer when I was in the 5th grade by doing typing tests. I don't type "correctly" but I don't care to learn. I type very fast and I don't need to look at the keyboard when I type at all. I don't care if it's not "the correct way" either. This is how I type and it's how I will always type. I just hope if I ever have or adopt kids that they do the same as I did and I will encourage it anyway as well as writing in cursive way before they need to.
Sally Moen 15 hours ago
Funny how not having the high 10-key entry speeds in school turned out to be a blessing
#39
A really stupid one: juggling. It's not about learning to juggle it's about training your subconscious (cerebellum really) to catch things that you're barely aware of. You can drop a glass bottle you're drinking from and your other hand will shoot out and catch it on the way down before you really realize what's going on. It's the kind of quick reaction time that even sports doesn't teach you, but if you do a sport like baseball, it will help make your catches more automatic.
Sally Moen 15 hours ago (edited)
Juggling is suggested as a skill needed for a goalie in hockey in one of the Heated Rivalry books I'm reading now
Michael Largey 1 day ago
When I was a tax auditor, I encountered people who were adept at juggling - just not as adept as they thought they were.
#40
Welding. With the advent of extremely inexpensive machines and youtoob, it’s very accessible to almost anyone. If I couldn’t weld, I’d go INSANE. Almost every personal project I get involved in includes welding, and I frequently collect some handsome paychecks with those skills, too.
UnclePanda 1 day ago
I impulsively bought a welder at a farm auction ($30) and as soon as I learned to use it, people like ZigZag and FP came running with things for me to fix. The very first was a hinge on a gate at a friends house and I check it every visit. 20 years and holding.
nicholas nolan 1 day ago
I doubt it was people like them. I can weld and outside of work(when I did such work) I never had anything from my personal life that needed to be welded. I suspect that's what they mean.
Load More Replies... FlamingoPanda 2 days ago
Quite a niche skill. May help some people but the vast majority definitely do not need to learn to weld.
Kim Kermes 14 hours ago
We're not talking about need, but skills that may be valuable or fulfilling.
Load More Replies... Zig Zag Wanderer 2 days ago
I have managed my entire life without welding anything. I'm pretty certain that I will keep this up, too. My partner used to be a car mechanic, and doesn't see this as a necessity either.
#41
Learn to sing healthily, for the health benefits. Popular important songs in different languages. Singing well requires precise coordination of so many muscles you never think about, and striving for that often reveals tensions in your body you don’t realise you have, literally from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. Additionally, musicianship (taught properly) requires combining a whole range of cognitive processes that humans don’t do in any other form, musical practice is truly unique in this way. Singing of course can also be a social activity, there is lots of neuroscience to support the benefits of singing together - both the music itself but also with the addition of languages which work in their own way - but it’s enough to know there’s magic and connection. In all, singing is a unique tool for nervous system regulation and overall physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing, there really is nothing like it. It’s something humans have ALWAYS done. It’s just part of being human.
Sally Moen 15 hours ago
I learned that I have a good voice from signing to my (former) cat. I invented songs to sing even. It's a mood elevator
#43
Got my CDL-A in about a month. Changed my career/life for the better.
Geoffrey Scott 1 day ago
Guy offered me a position to drive a fuel tanker, starting pay, $75k home every night. I was too close to retirement though.
#44
Planning.
Kim Kermes 14 hours ago
Easier to change plans than pull things out of the air at the last minute.
#45
Drawing. the ability to draw anything in detail and accuracy is highly unrated. Hand writing and drawing basically allows you to have a better ability to communicate or just have some mild form of entertainment. Alot of people seriously lack penmanship or just a level of artistic design as an outlet.
Unicorn 1 day ago
Another skill that I don't believe can be learned: either you can draw or you can't.
Auntriarch 1 day ago
I'm afraid I'm going to have to disagree with you Unicorn. Some people are naturals, but anyone can get better than they started. If it's something you wish you could do, you lose nothing by trying, and you will almost certainly surprise yourself.
Load More Replies... #46
Salary negotiation- learn it from YouTube
Interview skills- a. Learn it from YouTube b. Practice with ChatGPT giving you Interview questions c. Film yourself at least 4x with your phone practicing your answers, it will CALM your nerves in the Interview.
#47
Assertiveness skills. Too many people are either doormats or bullies when proper assertiveness lives somewhere in the middle. You learn how to be confident and how to advocate for yourself respectfully, and how to communicate all of that without leaving anyone feeling stressed or not heard.
#48
Crochet! A wonderful creative outlet and meditative for many.
Michael Largey 22 hours ago
I'm apparently a natural for this considering how many people term me crochety.
Firstname Lastname 1 day ago
Grandma taught me basics and it evolved into me making basic scarves, hats, blankets. When I need something to keep myself from spending a lot of energy but want to feel busy, I make little crochet plushies to hide around town, which gives me a long term happy.
#49
Estimating calories/protein. Everyone eats food. Look at the package or use an app and start getting a reference for how much XYZ has. It has literally guilt tripped me into eating healthy. Do something long enough and it becomes routine. Eventually you gravitate to the healthier choices and it becomes a lifestyle, not a fad temporary diet.
Zig Zag Wanderer 2 days ago
Just eating healthy is the most important. Then the calories are almost irrelevant.
Firstname Lastname 1 day ago
While I watch my calories, it doesn't completely guilt me into eating exclusively healthy food. All it does is let me validate eating a cookie because I already ate a bunch of protein and produce with calories to spare.
#50
How to manage small talk! Learn this now and would prove to be a life-changing skillset.
Daya 1 day ago
That is a skill I will never achive. If you want to talk to someone who is perfect in nodding and saying things like yeah, I See or That's right, I am your woman. I am more the 'five minutes after the talking and now I have all the light-hearted, intelligent, funny answers for it'-type of human.
#51
Document. Especially anytime anyone verbally asks you to do something you are uncomfortable with, in personal life or work. Even if it's just family or friends borrowing money or a personal item. Unless you are fine with never seeing it again.
I learned that in the military. As one example I had a LT and Chief tell me to do something I knew was against our regs. OK. I drew up a "procedure" which happened to include the section of the electric plant installation manual they were telling me to violate. Had them sign it and stuck a copy in my locker. 7 months later, after an external inspection team found it, they called me into the office. "We found out you splicing that feed pump was a serious violation and now we need to figure out what to do about you." "OK, should I go get my copy of the procedure that you signed where I told you it was a violation of the EPISM and you told me to do it anyway?" Never heard another word about it.
#52
Basic automotive maintenance.
Geoffrey Scott 1 day ago
Basic oil changes will make sure you'll keep your vehicle for a long time.
#53
Speed reading. It only really takes focus to read words on a page without making your internal voice speak them to you as you go. You'd probably be surprised how much you can comprehend accurately by letting your eyes do the work by themselves.
Earonn - 1 day ago
Has been shown repeatedly to reduce the understanding of the text, especially of details that might be small but important. No thanks.
nicholas nolan 1 day ago
You can train that out, though. It takes years, but I did it.
Load More Replies... #54
Creativity. Sounds vague, and it could be applied in a countless assortment of hobbies and skills, but the benefits of having a solid level of confidence in a skill that allows you take take creative control has a massive impact on every aspect of your life. Picking a subject and putting 100hours into it will make you hugely competent, and people will notice. Photography, woodwork, painting, writing, whatever.
#55
Basic video editing. Seriously.
I learned the fundamentals in like 3 weeks just messing around with DaVinci Resolve (free version) and suddenly people were asking me to edit their videos for events, social media, etc. It opened up side income possibilities I never expected.
Plus once you can edit, you can create content for yourself - which is a completely different skill that changes how you see storytelling, pacing, and communication. Even if you never make money from it, knowing how to tell a visual story is incredibly useful.
The hardest part honestly is just getting comfortable with the software. After that it's just practice and you get better at it week by week. Totally doable in 4 weeks with an hour or two daily.
Zig Zag Wanderer 2 days ago (edited)
I used to do videos for software training. The editing on videos on yt today re horrible. They jump between clips, avoiding all brraks, no real continuity. It's like watching a ranter on amphetamines! Honestly, give me text. I can read way faster than they talk. I don't think people know how to read any longer.
#56
Controlling your blood glucose.
#57
So, it's hard to say exactly, but I'll throw out "Sentence Composition." I don't mean grammar or grade school stuff, but the strategies writers employ to extend sentences, the ways extending sentences can change how the words in it read, fast and slow, suspenseful or fluid.
I've been reading some on this and, as someone who hated English class, I'm shocked and annoyed how simple some of these ideas are to pick up on.
Edit: I guess I should've added a bit more for people to go on if curious. Rhetoric and Syntax are the main technical terms, but it doesn't have to be a technical study. Check out the article "A Generative Rhetoric of the Sentence" by Francis Christensen (7 pages, free on JSTOR for students or someone with a gmail.).
#58
Lock picking.
SlaughterWare:
I had a bit of free time last summer and thought it might be one of those fantastic 'just in case' skills should the situation arrive where I lock myself out or whatever, and taught myself this from youtube vids. Conclusion? a) it's actually really fun and satisfying as a hobby to pick locks, and b) If people knew how easy it is to do in some cases, they'd freak.
Something that shocked me the other when I rewatched Terminator 2 is that there's a scene in the movie where Sarah Connor breaks out of her cell and she rakes a customized pick exactly like you would in real life, authentically.
Frankly I'm amazed that it was even left in the movie! lol!
FlamingoPanda 2 days ago
Bear in mind that laws where you live may prevent you from owning lock picks or purchasing them unless you are a registered/certified locksmith. Even for use on your own house.
Zig Zag Wanderer 2 days ago (edited)
Stephen King wrote a description of how to hot wire a vehicle (not a modern one) in a story and he had to change it to be wrong, because it was so ridiculously easy. Trust me, it definitely is, or at least used to be.
#59
Anger management, if you’re prone to rage-outs.🤣.
Gingersnap In Iowa 1 day ago
I was court ordered to take anger management classes after I had a problem with my ex husband.
#60
Learn about investing. Compounding interest to be specific. It doesn’t matter if you make a lot of
Money during your working years.
Learn this and you will retire rich. I promise.
Geoffrey Scott 1 day ago (edited)
And take 25-$50 per pay directly into a simple saving account, you'll never miss it + you'll have an emergency fund if needed. Oh, and overtime is underrated.
FlamingoPanda 2 days ago
And then the global economy collapses and your investments are worthless.
Bartlet for world domination 2 days ago (edited)
A promise no-one can keep. Compounding interest though: if the Global X SuperDividend UCITS ETF yields 8% annually and costs 0.45%, a dollar a week will give you $26,500 in fifty years. If it yields 10% like it sometimes does, that number will be $54,000.
#61
Doing my dishes immediately after I use them.
Earonn - 1 day ago
Counterpoint: for me it works better to have a dedicated weekday for the dishes. I don't feel guilty when I don't do them for one day, I don't have to think about when doing them - they are being taken care of next X-day. Same with most other chores.
Kim Kermes 14 hours ago
It's more efficient if you don't cook elaborately or for more than 2 people. I do rinse and soak as needed.
Load More Replies... #62
Making your bed perfectly every morning. Sounds dumb, but two weeks in, you’re suddenly a person who has their life together.
FlamingoPanda 2 days ago
Or better yet: don't bother with random ideas of perfection and find what works for you. If making your bed every morning helps then go for it, if not then leave it messy.
Earonn - 1 day ago
Erm, no. My bed gets time to air and dry the moisture that got into the mattress and blanket over night. Not making it doesn't mean I don't have my life together, and even in my darkest times never meant that.
Zig Zag Wanderer 2 days ago
Was that bed perfect when you got up? Of course it was. Why mess with perfection?
Kim Kermes 14 hours ago
After putting the covers back to air for an hour, and neatly pulled up is enough for many, but messy can be distracting
Sally Moen 15 hours ago
For less dust mites in my bed, I leave the covers and pillows off my bed, airs it out.
Michael Largey 1 day ago (edited)
My principal problem with making my bed is that I have to get out of it to do so.
#63
In the corporate world - public speaking. Getting out of your shell a little bit and having an opinion will do wonders for you. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen underperformers get promoted over work horse engineers simply because they speak up more in company meetings.
Earonn - 1 day ago
Just tells how horrible those bosses are. A team leader is supposed to see the worth of their team members, not approximate them from who talks most. If introverts get overlooked in your company, the better strategy is to leave for a better one, even if you're an extrovert. Because it means that the top positions were giving to some self-marketing guys, not people with knowledge or ethics.
Michael Largey 1 day ago
I am a very introverted person. If I actually had any friends, they would tell you that. But my problem is not speaking in front of a group of people. My problem is getting myself to shut up once I have an audience.
#64
You can learn to read and write the Korean alphabet in a few weeks, and it will improve your enjoyment of K-pop.
Sally Moen 15 hours ago
YouTube has really good videos on both learning the Korean written language and spoken language.
Michael Largey 1 day ago
But you can double it, or even triple it. If fact, there's no limit for you!
Load More Replies... #65
Work skills - how to plant the seed for a raise in advance, pitch yourself in interviews or pitch your projects, and manage up so you advance faster. It does not take long to learn these skills at all. The trick is you do need to follow through and be decent at your job, but if you are doing that anyway and not advancing, knowing a little about these things can make all the difference.
#66
Start Learning English Stenography bro.... You won't regret it never in your Life.
Sally Moen 15 hours ago
Would like to learn this. Fortunately Greggs Shorthand books are easy to find
#67
How to apologize like you actually mean it and follow through with changed behaviour. can turn a relationship that was going to end into one that has improved. pretty hard to stay mad at someone most of the time if they take responsibility, promise to change, and follow through.
how to say no to something without it being an argument until you say yes. state clearly, firmly, then disengage. also sometimes the right words matter. if i told my parents i couldn't do whatever chores they dreamed up 'because i was reading my textbook' they didn't care. but if i said 'i'm studying' suddenly THAT mattered. even though i was performing the exact same action, their perspective mattered. most of the time people are okay with a no and what they really want is to feel valued. so you gotta strike the right balance between just plain 'no' and 'would if i could.' and if somebody in your life is the type of person to argue about every no, tell them, not only do you not have time for that thing they want, you also don't have time to argue about it and the next time they don't take no for an answer, you'll stop answering entirely.
learning how to learn. focus on finding good sources, a variety of perspectives, and how to review so you remember. try the 3, 3, 3 review method: learn something and take notes. review those notes 3 days later then 3 weeks later, then 3 months later. it is pretty hard to forget after that. also focus on what helps YOU learn and often using a variety of learning styles at once helps. visual, written, spoken, hands-on.
Julie Patel 1 minute ago
I apologize and I do follow through. I just make mistakes as we all do. To err is to be human, I do communicate but it gets lost after a while. Also, I make sure to correct them in the long run, not just when people want me to. I always fix my mistakes, it just takes me a while, especially if I'm dealing with a narcissist.
Sally Moen 15 hours ago
Apologizing is so healing to do. It may not heal me, but it heals the others I hurt.
#69
Honestly you can learn a new language in a month maybe not properly proficient but good enough to watch a show. I learned basic Arabic for a prank on my good friend after he got back from a deployment.
Greymom 2 days ago
Sounds great. Awesome if you can do it , but I assure you this is not nearly as simple for some people as OP makes it sound. Yes, with hard work generally everyone can gain some basic vocabulary, but the ability to really learn other languages with a reliable degree of fluency varies greatly from one person to another. Example: work with two middle aged siblings who have been in the US for quite a while. English is their second language. They do the same work, with the same people at the same time time every day. One is quite fluent in English while the other is can only have very basic “ good morning, have a good day” type interactions with people. If I had to move somewhere English wasn’t widely spoken I’m pretty sure I’d be like the second sibling. I’ve studied both Spanish and French for 2 years each and can barely speak a word of either. It just won’t stick.
Michael Largey 1 day ago
If a person has just come back from being deployed, the OP may want to take it easy with sudden surprises for a while.
#70
Speaking from experience, learning how to weight lift and with proper form. Since weight training in some form is so important and beneficial to health throughout all age ranges and genders, finding a place (like a good CrossFit gym) to learn and become comfortable with weights, lifts and workout format is an extremely useful skill that can then be done at home with the right equipment or in any gym for rest of your life.
nicholas nolan 1 day ago
"Spend a fuckload of money to go injure yourself!" Keep that one, too, babe.
#71
Learning how to manage your attention instead of your time. Even small changes in focus habits can have outsized effets on everything else.
#72
Basic level graphic design.
Then learn as you go.
Eventually get a plotter, cut decals to sell.
Boom, you got a career.
What do you think ?
UnclePanda 1 day ago
When I was about 14, I decided one of my hobbies would be collecting skills whether I could see a use for them or not. 40 years of that and I don't even know what I know, just that a solution will be along shortly after I see a need.
UnclePanda 1 day ago
When I was about 14, I decided one of my hobbies would be collecting skills whether I could see a use for them or not. 40 years of that and I don't even know what I know, just that a solution will be along shortly after I see a need.
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