underrated life skills

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21 September 2012 @ 11:35 am

underrated life skills

Earlier this week in another forum, I observed that the willingness to look ridiculous is an underrated life skill.

Being free of the notion of respectability or dignity really opens a lot of doors, and it turns out that people respond really well to it -- on both sides! It's hard to let go of that for yourself (or, it has been for me, anyway), but it really pays off in a lot of big and small ways.

moominmolly added a couple of other things to the underrated life skill list: trying things you might fail at, minimizing your assumptions, playfulness.

What do you consider underrated life skills? This could include skills you think of yourself having, striving toward, wistfully imagining, observing ...

Tags: introspection, life

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catness on September 21st, 2012 03:45 pm (UTC)

Oh, yes. Willingness to look ridiculous is an awesome superpower, actually.

I'm pretty sure playfulness is, too, but I have None Of That. *frowns and goes to sit in the corner while y'all have at*

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sweetbaboo on September 21st, 2012 04:05 pm (UTC)

I think that concerns about respectability and dignity are overrated for "good" people, but maybe less so for "bad" ones. Being a proud monster might be better for the monster, but worse for the villagers.

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lillibet on September 21st, 2012 05:07 pm (UTC)

Good handwriting.

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harimad on September 21st, 2012 05:23 pm (UTC)

The ability to stay calm.

The ability not to automatically jump to conclusions, but inquire further to find out what really is going on. (Unexpectedly useful parenting skill. Q: "CHILD! WHY AREN'T YOU GETTING IN YOUR PJ'S [like I told you twice already!?!!" A:"I can't get my shoes off [because parent tied them in double knots]." Saves ever so much aggravation."

Willingness to look ridiculous is all but required to learn a foreign language, and important in learning anything new.

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houseboatonstyx on September 22nd, 2012 09:13 am (UTC)

Yes. Looking for excuses to not freak out. "Well, we can't do anything about it on a weekend anyway." ... "Just when is the deadline?" ... "Do they need it all at once?" ... "First, I want a second opinion." ... "Who exactly told you that?" ... "May I see the actual letter?" Etc.

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jonahebenson14 on September 24th, 2012 07:48 pm (UTC)

learning a language is seperating yourself 100% from your native culture. It is such a beautiful thing. Dont you agree?

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jonahebenson14 on September 24th, 2012 07:50 pm (UTC)

very true my friend

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blk on September 21st, 2012 05:56 pm (UTC)

This is kinda tied in with a few of the others, but the ability to ask for help.

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lazyz on September 21st, 2012 06:08 pm (UTC)

In addition to those wonderful traits mention i'll add, the skill of seeing things from another's point-of-view.

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ghislaine on September 21st, 2012 06:57 pm (UTC)

Ask for what you want!

I'm still working on that one... I'm better at it some days than others.

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beah on September 21st, 2012 07:27 pm (UTC)

The ability to maintain a childlike sense of wonder.

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mangosteen on September 21st, 2012 08:40 pm (UTC)

The ability to listen and not judge.

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dancingwolfgrrl on September 22nd, 2012 01:26 am (UTC)

Noticing, interrupting, and changing one's own patterns
Generating ideas without slipping into "how?"
Giving, receiving, and expressing pleasure
Giving and taking direction
Not taking responsibility for other people's stuff (I am terrible at this, but getting better at noticing it)

There's also a thing that tenants are giving me a lot of opportunities to notice that I can't quite sum up easily: when something small goes wrong -- a drawer is stuck or you forget what day trash is picked up -- it's a great life skill to think "well, people obviously have this problem all the time and overcome it, so probably I can overcome it!"

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miss_chance on September 22nd, 2012 04:48 am (UTC)

The ability to be sad without having to fix it, and to not let being sad ruin a perfectly good day.

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miss_chance on September 22nd, 2012 04:49 am (UTC)

The ability to have a conversation on the telephone.

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