What are the essential skills of living?

[begin_within]

I would say reading is #1, since it allows you to increase your knowledge of the world, seemingly without limits, and thus increases your power, and also can increase your enjoyment of your life if the knowledge is used properly.

But what other skills?

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. curiosity. Having an open mind. optimism. kindness. empathy - to name a few more.

[GusBob]

2. Communication skills

Hearing and listening
Thinking and understanding
Speaking and making sense

[hopemountain]

3. discernment & a sense of humor

as well as common sense

[Tobin S.]

4. Basic math, critical thinking

Those two things alone will keep you out of a lot of trouble in life.

[RebelOne]

6. When it comes to any math, I am in big trouble. n/t

[Tobin S.]

7. I know some people have a lot of problems with it.

I almost dropped out of college because of a math course.

[Bosonic]

5. To know when you don't know

Confidence can only take you so far.

[trof]

10. "It ain't what you don't know that gets you in trouble. It's what you DO know...

that ain't so."

This is attributed to Mark Twain.
I heard it from one of my journalism professors in the early 60s.

Every reporter should have that sign on their desk.

[Callmecrazy]

8. Adding bacon to everything...

Without bacon, you ain't livin'.

[trof]

11. And carmelized onions.

One of the greatest combos in the world.

[olddots]

9. proper construction of peanut butter and jelly sandwichs

is an essenrial skill in a post real food society .

Critical thinking skills are important too .

[trof]

12. Be organized.

You don't have to get all OCD about it, but 'a place for everything and everything in its place' sure saves a lot of time and frustration and simplifies your life.

[Lars39]

13. Paperwork, laundry and cooking

[NJCher]

14. likability

The ability to get other people to like you.

There's an academic term for this, but it's not coming to mind at the moment. When/if it does, I'll return to edit my post.

Likability has a lot to do with getting hired.


Cher

[Marie Marie]

15. Definitely a sense of humor.

Life can be ridiculous - better hone that sense of humor. Then, find someone else who gets this and share some laughs.

[orleans]

16. not exactly "essential skills" but certainly essential for my personal well-being is

creativity (in various forms)

and humor

and finding happiness and joy (which i feel is what we all set out to initially do here: experience happiness & joy. i only wish i could do that more often)

[grasswire]

17. how to build a fire...

....catch a fish, plant a garden, sew on a button, milk a cow, preserve food, and cook something.

My grandparents homesteaded on the Saskatchewan prairie in the early 1900s. I presume they considered those skills essential to living.

[ailsagirl]

18. Sense of humor...

but that's more a trait than something that's cultivated

Flexibility, gratitude, going the extra mile, spirituality

There must be a ton of skills!!

[kairos12]

19. Being skeptical without being cynical. Tricky.

[Phentex]

25. That's a good one...

I am by nature a skeptic but I have been accused of being cynical.

[mrmpa]

20. By the age of 5............

be a supporting member of DU

[alarimer]

21. Basic math

personal finance
accepting that working for other people often involves taking orders, even if it something you may not like to do, with the proviso that they are legal and not unethical.
Empathy

[AllenVanAllen]

22. to know how and when to "let go"

of shit that you know causes you suffering.

[begin_within]

31. Oh man, don’t remind me...

But you're so right.

[hamsterjill]

23. The ability to change and adapt.

Because life is full of change...

[Tobin S.]

24. Those a very good.

I know some people who lead miserable lives because they cannot change. It leads me to believe that maybe that trait is not learned but is hard-wired in some people and not in others.

[dawg]

26. Sigh!

Damned if I know.

[Orrex]

27. How to photosynthesize

I'm still working on that one, dammit.

[hobbit709]

28. Never get into an argument with Sir Isaac.

[Joe Shlabotnik]

29. Potty training.

And maybe a commitment to the serenity prayer. Particularly if you are constipated.

[Special Prosciuto]

30. Avoiding Death has always been at the top of my list.

And I agree with reading. My happiest days were as a volunteer at a library, as in books. They told me to pull out all the book spines flush with the shelves, in the fiction section. I said quite kindly, "eat shit," and browsed instead. And read my ass off.