Day 30: Analytical skills

In the world of underlying competences that contributes to strong business analysis, the soft skills of analytical thinking can help you investigate complex issues,make decisions and develop solutions. It involves sorting through business problems and information in an informed , methodological way. Analytical skills are in demand in many industries and are commonly listed requirements in job description.

What is Analytical thinking?
Analytical thinking is observing and researching a problem or topic to develop more complex ideas about it. Your analytical thinking should result in additional knowledge, solutions or ideas related to the problem or topic.

The process usually involves several steps:
Identifying a topic, problem or issue
Gathering information
Developing solutions or furthering your understanding of the topic
Testing solutions or new ideas based on what you’ve learned
Post-analysis, or reviewing what solutions worked, or assessing your new knowledge.

A key element to analytical thinking is the ability to quickly identify cause and effect relationships. This means understanding what might happen during the problem-solving process, for example, and examining how new ideas relate to the original topic.
The following are Analytical skills you must consider as an individual.

1. Critical thinking
Critical thinkers are capable of identifying all aspects of a problem and understanding why a problem exists. They will take the time to fully understand a problem in order to develop a workable solution.

3. Research and information analysis
Data and information analysis is one of the primary parts of analytical thinking. Once a problem is identified, it’s important to know how to review and analyze the data or information that will be essential to solving the problem.

4. Research
Research is an integral part of the analytical thinking process. Once a problem is identified, it’s important to perform research for a solution. Research can be as simple as asking a co-worker or manager who may have more knowledge of the problem, to more extensive online searches through official sources. Part of the research process also involves knowing what information is valuable or essential to solving the problem.

5. Communication
It is essential to be in constant communication with stakeholders while identifying problems, developing solutions, carrying out research, and discussing results. Once a problem or solution is identified, communicating it out to an individual, team or company is essential to achieve the end goal. Transferring this information clearly and thoroughly is a key skill in the analytical thinking process.

6. Problem-solving
After a problem, situation or area of improvement is identified and research is complete, it is important to solve for a solution. You will use analytical thinking skills to sort and organize data uncovered during the research phase to find a reasonable and effective solution with problem-solving skills.

Improving your analytical skills can help you achieve various career goals. To improve your analytical skills ,consider taking some of the following steps:

Take on leadership roles that require the use of critical analytical skills
Practice key analytical skills in your current role
Take classes that emphasize the use of analytical skills
Participate in activities that require the use of analytical skills such as team sports, games or reading
Seek advice or mentorship from professionals in your field or desired industry
Conduct research on best practices for your industry
Improve your subject-matter knowledge, which is essential to faster problem-solving.

Take some time to consider which analytical skills you possess and those where you have room for improvement. Write down specific times when you used analytical skills to improve something or solve a problem whether it was at work, in a volunteer position or in school.

Analytical skills are important because it allows you to find solutions to common problems and make decisions about what actions to take next. Understanding problems and analyzing the situation for viable solutions is a key skill in every position at every level. Developing this ability can improve your work, help you achieve company goals and eventually support your personal career goals

Day 30: Communication skills

Communication is key whether written or spoken, reading or listening,these skills are crucial in any workplace and can make you a better,more effective and more efficient person.How to Improve Your Communication Skills
Here are some pointers to look out for when looking to improve your ability to effectively communicate with others:

1. Listening
To become a good communicator, it is important to be a good listener. It is important to practice active listening – pay close attention to what others are saying and clarify ambiguities by rephrasing their questions for greater understanding.

2. Conciseness
Convey your message in as few words as possible. Do not use filler words and get straight to the point. Rambling will cause the listener to tune out or be unsure of what you are talking about. Avoid speaking excessively and do not use words that may confuse the audience.

3. Body language
It is important to practice good body language, use eye contact, utilize hand gestures, and watch the tone of the voice when communicating with others. A relaxed body stance with a friendly tone will aid in making you look approachable by others.
Eye contact is important in communication – look the person in the eye to indicate that you are focused on the conversation. But make sure to not stare at the person as it can make him or her uncomfortable.

4. Confidence
Be confident in what you say and in your communication interactions with others. Being confident can be as easy as maintaining eye contact, maintaining a relaxed body stance, and talking with concision. Try not to make statements sound like questions and avoid trying to sound aggressive or demeaning.

5. Open-mindedness
In situations where you disagree with what someone else has to say, whether it be with an employer, a co-worker, or a friend, it is important to sympathize with their point of view rather than simply try to get your message across. Respect the opinion of others and never resort to demeaning those who do not agree with you.

6. Respect
Respecting what others have to say and acknowledging them is an important aspect of communication. Being respectful can be as simple as paying attention to what they have to say, using the person’s name, and not being distracted. By respecting others, the other person will feel appreciated, which will lead to a more honest and productive conversation.

Developing communication skill is essential when it comes to building a successful career.The following are the importance of these great skill
1 It enhances value in the work place
2 It helps in your career progression
3 It enables you to speak concisely
4 It influences how you learn
5 It enhances your professional image
6 It builds stronger decision making and problem solving skills.

Day 27: Initiative

Today's discussion is on Initiative.Initiative has become increasingly important in today's workplace. Organizations want employees who can think on their feet and take action without waiting for someone to tell them what to do. After all, this type of flexibility and courage is what pushes teams and organizations to innovate, and to overcome competition. As a youth,When you show initiative, you do things without being told; you find out what you need to know; you keep going when things get tough; and you spot and take advantage of opportunities that others pass by. You act, instead of reacting, at work.People who have initiative and make things happen are highly valued in the workplace.
What is Initiative?

Researchers Michael Frese and Doris Fay define initiative as "work behavior characterized by its self-starting nature, its proactive approach, and by being persistent in overcoming difficulties that arise in pursuit of a goal." Initiative is the ability to be resourceful and work without always being told what to do. It requires resilience and determination. People who show initiative demonstrate they can think for themselves and take action when necessary. It means using your head, and having the drive to achieve.

The most important part of Initiative is that it is a skill that you can develop over time.
Developing your initiative begins by knowing what you want to achieve in your career, what things you have to and are willing to do and how fast you want to achieve your career goals.
Learn how things work and figure out efficient ways of working. Look for opportunities in problems. Here are the following steps you need to take when developing your initiative.

.1. Develop a Career Plan

Research has shown that people who have a long-term career plan are more likely to take initiative. Professionals who know what they want and where they want to go are far more likely to show initiative at work, especially when the action or decision will help them further their career goals.Once you know what you want to achieve, integrate your career goals with your personal goals, so that you have something to work towards. (In your personal life, the key to developing initiative is to set clear personal goals , and then to work steadily towards achieving them.)

2. Build Self-Confidence

It can take courage and a strong sense of self to show initiative, especially if you fear that people may disagree with your actions or suggestions.For instance, set small goals so you can achieve some quick wins. And push yourself to do positive things that you'd otherwise be scared to do ,this will not only help you build your self-confidence, but it will help you build the courage to accomplish bigger, scarier tasks later on.

3. Develop Rational Persistence

Persistence is the art of moving forward even when you encounter inertia or difficulty. People who show initiative often encounter difficulties and setbacks along the way, so resilience and rational persistence (where you listen to, consider, and appropriately modify your direction depending on other people's input) are essential if you want to achieve what you've set out to do.
When you're persisting with your idea, you'll find things much easier if you learn how to manage change effectively. This can often make the difference between success and failure for a project. It's also helpful to learn how to open closed minds , since people may already have an opinion on a subject before you even start presenting your idea.

4. Spot Opportunities and Potential Improvements.

People who show initiative often do so by spotting and acting on opportunities that their colleagues or leaders have not noticed. They're curious about their organization and how it works, and they keep their minds open to new ideas and new possibilities.You should always be on the lookout for areas in your organization that could use improvement.

Taking initiative is an important skills for the youth because of the following reasons
1 You should take initiative because it gives you visibility at work, you stand out, you get recognition, and it enhances your value and personal brand.
2 Taking initiative improves your potential for promotions and career growth.
3 More problems are solved at work, time is saved, resources are saved or utilized efficiently and processes are improved.
4 Taking initiative and trying different things, methods or processes can lead to breakthroughs.
Additionally relationships are strengthened when you help others resulting in stronger team dynamics.

Having initiative demonstrates a sense of self-drive, self-awareness, insight and personal motivation.
The habit of taking initiative strengthens your personal brand. You can become a role model to others who would seek to emulate you.

Day 25 : Digital Literacy

Today, the advancement of technology has permeated every aspect of our lives. Employers expect their workforce to have the skills needed to live, work, and thrive in a digital society.The digital world offers tremendous benefits to us all. It provides platforms that allow us to connect and collaborate. It opens up opportunities to learn about new and important issues, and empowers innovation in ways that were unimaginable just a few years ago.

Digital literacy skills empower individuals to learn, change and adapt to the digital global environment. Promoting the development of creative and analytical uses of technology, these skills take the user from passive consumers, to active and confident ones capable of full and professional engagement in the online world.

What is Digital Literacy?

Digital literacy is the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills.
Digital literacy means having the skills you need to live, learn, and work in a society where communication and access to information is increasingly through digital technologies like internet platforms, social media, and mobile devices.

One essential component of digital literacy when it comes to the field of pedagogy is deep learning, of which there are six core skills:

1 Collaboration. The ability to work collaboratively with others, with strong interpersonal and team-related skills.

2 Creativity. Being able to weigh up opportunities in an entrepreneurial manner and ask the right questions to generate new ideas.

3 Critical thinking. Being able to evaluate information and arguments, identify patterns and connections, and construct meaningful knowledge and apply it in the real world.

4 Citizenship. The ability to consider issues and solve complex problems based on a deep understanding of diverse values and a worldview.
5 Character. Traits such as grit, tenacity, perseverance, and resilience; alongside a desire to make learning an integral part of living.

6 Communication. Being able to communicate effectively through a variety of methods and tools to a range of different audiences.Communication is also a key aspect of digital literacy. When communicating in virtual environments, the ability to clearly express your ideas, ask relevant questions, maintain respect, and build trust is just as important as when communicating in person.

As technology becomes more important in our everyday lives, so does digital literacy. Digital Literacy is an important skill in the life of an individual and it can't be overemphasized. The following are one of the reasons why digital Literacy is important.

Students

Students are no longer passive consumers of educational content, they have the ability to contribute to local and global knowledge by producing and using media, applications and objects.
Students benefit by feeling connected to a digital community of their peers and developing the confidence to effectively use technology in their assessment items and learning activities.
Employers

Employers seek graduates who have a professional presence online and are able to adapt to new and evolving technologies.
Graduates

Graduates stand out from the crowd by marketing themselves effectively online. An understanding of digital footprints and responsible and ethical actions online, is essential in competitive global markets.
Graduates are equipped to take advantage of lifelong learning opportunities, extending their learning from the educational environment into the workplace.

Digital Literacy is an important concept in the life of an individual because it enables them to know how to create, communicate, and share digital content. Individuals , who are building digital literacy skills understand the basics of Internet safety such as creating strong passwords, understanding and using privacy settings, and knowing what to share or not on social media.

Day 24 : Flexibility

Most of us have experienced change in workplace, school ,or home at some point. We can't always predict when changes like these are going to happen. That is why flexibility is so important. When you are flexible,you are versatile, resilient,and responsive to change ,you can adapt to unexpected demands, urgent problems or unpredictable events.

Flexible people are highly valued by managers and businesses today because they help to stabilize situations when crises strikes,they keep objectives achievable and within reach ,and they often go extra mile to support people who are in need of advice.

What is Flexibility?

Flexibility is the capacity to adjust to short-term change quickly and calmly, so that you can deal with unexpected problems or tasks effectively. It is a strategy of responding to changing circumstances and expectations.flexibility emphasizes the willingness and ability to adapt to change, particularly regarding how and when work gets done.

Flexibility involves having an open, team-centered attitude, and retaining a strong sense of identity and purpose. Here are the following ways to achieve this.

1. Focus on Your Core Values

Having key attributes that don't shift can keep you grounded during periods of change. Using your core values and your organization's culture as anchor points will help you to decide what you can and can't agree to when you receive an unexpected request.

2. Be Open-Minded

You'll likely find it easier to understand and manage a situation if you look at it from different perspectives . For example, if you're looking to launch a new product, you might first like to analyze it from different viewpoints.
How will it fit into the marketplace, for instance? What will the impact be on your production process, and your sales and marketing teams? How do you think your customers will react to it?
Make it a priority to listen to and understand the views of the other people involved.

3. Develop Your Skill Set

If you don't make an effort to learn new skills, you'll likely find that when an unexpected event does occur, you won't be equipped to deal with it.
Tackle this by staying curious about what's going on around you. Keep up-to-date with new industry trends by reading up on the latest innovations and research, and broaden your knowledge by cross-skilling .

4. Be Optimistic

It can be difficult to stay positive when you know a large, urgent project is on the horizon. But, looking on the bright side and focusing on the positives will help you to stay resilient and focused. A break or change in your routine could be an opportunity to learn new skills, or to work with different colleagues, new clients or new suppliers.

5. Stay Calm

When expectations shift suddenly, it can be disconcerting and you might find that you start to feel anxious. Counter the effects of stress (such as loss of focus and impaired decision making) by taking steps to restore calm

6. Plan Ahead

Even if you can't predict the future, you can still plan for the unexpected.
Anticipating the next new development, measuring risks and preparing for them are key skills. For example, if you are pitching a product or service to a potential client, it's a good idea to think about the questions that she might ask, and to prepare your answers ahead of time.

7. Have a Strong Support Network

Having a strong and stable team around you is essential in times of flux. It means that, no matter the difficulties you are facing, you have people who you can rely on to support you.
Not only will this boost collaboration and positivity across your team, but it will likely encourage your colleagues to return the favor when you are the one in need of help.

The following are the importance of flexibility .
1 It attract excellent talent from a wider pool
2 Embracing change can expand your opportunities
3 Being flexible will help you strike work/life balance
4 It will make you more responsive to change.
5 Flexibility is a good management decisions.

Flexibility is an important soft skill, since it demonstrates an ability and willingness to embrace new tasks and new challenges calmly and without fuss. Flexible youth are willing to help out where needed, take on extra responsibilities and can adapt quickly when plans change.

Day 22: Critical Thinking
The following are the steps on how to think critically.

1 Define Your Question: When it comes to critical thinking, it’s important to always keep your goal in mind. Know what you’re trying to achieve, and then figure out how to best get there.

2 Gather Reliable Information: Make sure that you’re using sources you can trust — biases aside. That’s how a real critical thinker operates.

3 Ask The Right Questions: We all know the importance of questions, but be sure that you’re asking the right questions that are going to get you to your answer.

4 Look Short & Long Term: When coming up with solutions, think about both the short- and long-term consequences. Both of them are significant in the equation.

5 Explore All Sides: There is never just one simple answer, and nothing is black or white. Explore all options and think outside of the box before you come to any conclusions.

Someone with critical thinking skills is able to think rationally and clearly about what they should or not believe. They are capable of engaging in their own thoughts, and doing some reflection in order to come to a well-informed conclusion. The following are the importance of critical thinking.

1. Critical Thinking Is Universal

Critical thinking is a domain-general thinking skill. What does this mean? It means that no matter what path or profession you pursue, these skills will always be relevant and will always be beneficial to your success. They are not specific to any fields.

2. Crucial For The Economy

Our future depends on technology, information, and innovation. Critical thinking is needed for our fast-growing economies, to solve problems as quickly and as effectively as possible.

3. Improves Language & Presentation Skills

In order to best express ourselves, we need to know how to think clearly and systematically — meaning practice critical thinking! Critical thinking also means knowing how to break down texts, and in turn, improve our ability to comprehend.

4. Promotes Creativity

By practicing critical thinking, we are allowing ourselves not only to solve problems, but also come up with new and creative ideas to do so. Critical thinking allows us to analyze these ideas and adjust them accordingly.

5. Important For Self-Reflection

Without critical thinking, how can we really live a meaningful life? We need this skill to self-reflect and justify our ways of life and opinions. Critical thinking provides us with the tools to evaluate ourselves in the way that we need to.

Day 21: Critical Thinking

The decisions that you make affect your quality of life .And if you want to ensure that you live your best,most successful and happy life,you are going to want to make a conscious choices. Lacking the skills of critical thinking can truly make or break a person's career,as the consequences of one's ability to process and analyse information effectively can be massive. The ability to think critically is more important now than it has ever been.

What is critical thinking?

Critical thinking is the analysis of an issue or situation and the fact,data,or evidence related to it. Ideally critical thinking is to be done objectively without influence from personal feelings, opinions or biases and it focused solely on factual information. It is a skill that allows you to make logical and informed decisions to the best of your ability.

Critical thinking is an important concept as it equip us with a better view on how to see things.

The following are the critical thinking skills and how you can improve on them.

1. Identification
The first step in the critical thinking process is to identify the situation or problem as well as the factors that may influence it. Once you have a clear picture of the situation and the people, groups or factors that may be influenced, you can then begin to dive deeper into an issue and its potential solutions.

How to improve: When facing any new situation, question or scenario, stop to take a mental inventory of the state of affairs and ask the following questions:
Who is doing what?
What seems to be the reason for this happening?
What are the end results, and how could they change?

2. Research
When comparing arguments about an issue, independent research ability is key. Arguments are meant to be persuasive,that means the facts and figures presented in their favor might be lacking in context or come from questionable sources. The best way to combat this is independent verification; find the source of the information and evaluate.

How to improve: It can be helpful to develop an eye for unsourced claims. Does the person posing the argument offer where they got this information from? If you ask or try to find it yourself and there’s no clear answer, that should be considered a red flag. It’s also important to know that not all sources are equally valid.

3. Identifying biases
This skill can be exceedingly difficult, as even the smartest among us can fail to recognize biases. Strong critical thinkers do their best to evaluate information objectively. Think of yourself as a judge in that you want to evaluate the claims of both sides of an argument, but you’ll also need to keep in mind the biases each side may possess.
It is equally important and arguably more difficult to learn how to set aside your own personal biases that may cloud your judgement. Have the courage to debate and argue with your own thoughts and assumptions .This is essential for learning to see things from different viewpoints.

How to improve: “Challenge yourself to identify the evidence that forms your beliefs, and assess whether or not your sources are credible.
First and foremost, you must be aware that bias exists. When evaluating information or an argument, ask yourself the following:
Who does this benefit?
Does the source of this information appear to have an agenda?
Is the source overlooking, ignoring or leaving out information that doesn’t support its beliefs or claims?
Is this source using unnecessary language to sway an audience’s perception of a fact?

4. Inference
The ability to infer and draw conclusions based on the information presented to you is another important skill for mastering critical thinking. Information doesn’t always come with a summary that spells out what it means. You’ll often need to assess the information given and draw conclusions based upon raw data.

How to improve: An inference is an educated guess, and your ability to infer correctly can be polished by making a conscious effort to gather as much information as possible before jumping to conclusions. When faced with a new scenario or situation to evaluate, first try skimming for clues—things like headlines, images and prominently featured statistics—and then make a point to ask yourself what you think is going on.

5. Determining relevance
One of the most challenging parts of thinking critically during a challenging scenario is figuring out what information is the most important for your consideration. In many scenarios, you’ll be presented with information that may seem important, but it may come out to be only a minor data point to consider.

How to improve: The best way to get better at determining relevance is by establishing a clear direction in what you’re trying to figure out. Are you tasked with finding a solution? Should you be identifying a trend? If you figure out your end goal, you can use this to inform your judgement of what is relevant.

6. Curiosity
It’s incredibly easy to sit back and take everything presented to you at face value, but that can also be also a recipe for disaster when faced with a scenario that requires critical thinking. It’s true that we’re all naturally curious—just ask any parent who has faced an onslaught of “Why?” questions from their child. As we get older, it can be easier to get in the habit of keeping that impulse to ask questions at bay. But that’s not a winning approach for critical thinking.

How to improve: While it might seem like a curious mind is just something you’re born with, you can still train yourself to foster that curiosity productively. All it takes is a conscious effort to ask open-ended questions about the things you see in your everyday life, and you can then invest the time to follow up on these questions.

Unlock your potential by practicing and refining the six critical thinking skills above. Read day 22 challenge on how to think critically and the benefit of this skill.

Day 20: Teamwork

Teamwork has become a very important skill for success in many arenans, including the world of work. It is a skill that many employer value in the job market today. Teamwork is often a crucial part of a business,as it often necessary for colleagues to work well together, trying their best in any circumstance. Teamwork make it possible for people to corporate, using their individual skills and providing constructive feedback, despite any personal conflict between individuals. Having this skill as a youth enables you to work with others to achieve a common goal,allows you to have a say and a sense of responsibility.

Teamwork is the collaborative effort of a group. According to Andrew carnegre,it is the ability to work together towards a common goal or vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishment toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results. When a group of people work together cohesively towards a common goal, creating a positive working atmosphere,and supporting each other to combined individual strengths to enhance team performance. As a youth , working well in a team means.

1 Working with group of people to achieve a shared goal or outcome in an effective way.
2 Listening to others member of the team.
3 Taking everyone's idea on board,not just your own.
4 Working for the good of the group as a whole.
5 Having a say and sharing responsibility.

A successful team is one where everyone's unique skills and strength help the team achieve a shared goal in the most effective way.

While it can take determination and work to improve soft skills such as teamwork. It is certainly possible to build theses qualities. Here are the following steps you can take to improve your teamwork skill.

1 Get honest feedback: Sometimes,it can be difficult to identify your own areas of improvement so find a trusted friend , colleague or mentor that can offer you honest feedback about your teamwork strengths and weakness so as to work on them.

2 Set personal goals: Using both your own observations and feedback from others to form achievable, relevant,and time-constrained goals can help you improve your teamwork skill. Using the SMART goals frame work like I have discussed so far is an easy way to set appropriate goals for your career.

3 Practice:It takes time and practise to see improvement in your skill set. Pay close attention to your teamwork interactions throughout the day . Take mindful steps to practice the specific qualities you are trying to build.

4 Mimic others with strong teamwork skill: when you see people with great teamwork skill,take note and identify why the interactions stood out to you. Apply those qualities in your own interaction when working with others.

Smart leaders encourage good teamwork and give teams the authority to make decisions based on what they see is right. As a youth ,learn how to work well within a team since it is becoming more and more important in all fields of work. Here are the following importance of team work.

1 Teamwork creates a smoother and looser structure by developing a friendly environment
2 It encourages flexibility
3 It enhances problem-solving
4 It improves productivity
5 It motivates the workforce and creates a healthy environment.

Day 19: Problem Solving

Problem-solving is important both to individuals and organizations because it enables us to exert control over our environment. Here are the benefit of this great skill.

1 Fixing things that are broken: Some things wear out and break over time, others are flawed from day-1. Personal and business environments are full of things, activities, interactions and processes that are broken or not operating in the way they are desired to work. Problem-solving gives us a mechanism for identifying these things, figuring out why they are broken and determining a course of action to fix them.

2 Addressing risk: Humans have learned to identify trends and developed an awareness of cause-and-effect relationships in their environment. These skills not only enable us to fix things when they break but also anticipate what may happen in the future (based on past-experience and current events). Problem-solving can be applied to the anticipated future events and used to enable action in the present to influence the likelihood of the event occurring and/or alter the impact if the event does occur.

3 Improving performance: Individuals and organizations do not exist in isolation in the environment. There is a complex and ever-changing web of relationships that exist and as a result, the actions of one person will often have either a direct impact on others or an indirect impact by changing the environment dynamics. These interdependencies enable humans to work together to solve more complex problems but they also create a force that requires everyone to continuously improve performance to adapt to improvements by others. Problem-solving helps us understand relationships and implement the changes and improvements needed to compete and survive in a continually changing environment.

4 Seizing opportunity: Problem solving is not just about responding to and fixing the environment that exists today. It is also about innovating, creating new things and changing the environment to be more desirable. Problem-solving enables us to identify and exploit opportunities in the environment and exert some level of control over the future.

Problem solving skills and the problem-solving process are a critical part of daily life both as individuals and organizations. Developing and refining these skills through training, practice and learning can provide the ability to solve problems more effectively and over time address problems with a greater degree of complexity and difficulty.

Day 18: Problem Solving

Today's discussion on problem solving. Everybody needs to solve problem everyday but we are not born with the skills we need to do this but we have to develop them. When youth learn skills and strategy for Problem Solving and sorting out conflicts by themselves,they feel better about themselves. They are more independent and better placed to make good decisions on their own. Everybody can benefit from having good problem-solving skills as we all encounter problem on a daily basis.Some of these problem are obviously more severe or complex than others and it would be wonderful to have the ability to solve problem efficiently in a timely fashion without difficulty.

When solving problem,it is good to be able to
1 listen and think calmly
2 Consider options and respect others people's opinions and needs.
3 Find constructive solutions and sometimes work towards compromises.These are skills for life and they are highly valued in both social and work situation.

What is problem solving?

Problem Solving is the ability to identify and solve problems by applying appropriate skills systematically. It is an on-going process in which we take what we know to discover what we don't know.It involves overcoming obstacles by generating hypothesis, testing those predictions,and arriving at satisfactory solutions. Problem Solving involves three basic which are
1 Seeking information
2 Generating new knowledge
3 Making decisions.

Effective problem solving usually involves working through a number of steps or stages such as the following outline below.

1 Problem Identification:
This stage involves: detecting and recognising that there is a problem; identifying the nature of the problem; defining the problem.
The first phase of problem solving may sound obvious but often requires more thought and analysis. Identifying a problem can be a difficult task in itself. Is there a problem at all? What is the nature of the problem, are there in fact numerous problems? How can the problem be best defined? By spending some time defining the problem you will not only understand it more clearly yourself but be able to communicate its nature to others, which leads to the second phase.

2 Structuring the Problem:

This stage involves: a period of observation, careful inspection, fact-finding and developing a clear picture of the problem.
Following on from problem identification, structuring the problem is all about gaining more information about the problem and increasing understanding. This phase is all about fact finding and analysis, building a more comprehensive picture of both the goal(s) and the barrier(s). This stage may not be necessary for very simple problems but is essential for problems of a more complex nature.

3 Looking for Possible Solutions:

During this stage you will generate a range of possible courses of action, but with little attempt to evaluate them at this stage.
From the information gathered in the first two phases of the problem solving framework it is now time to start thinking about possible solutions to the identified problem. In a group situation this stage is often carried out as a brain-storming session, letting each person in the group express their views on possible solutions (or part solutions). In organisations different people will have different expertise in different areas and it is useful, therefore, to hear the views of each concerned party.

4 Making a Decision:

This stage involves careful analysis of the different possible courses of action and then selecting the best solution for implementation.
This is perhaps the most complex part of the problem solving process. Following on from the previous step it is now time to look at each potential solution and carefully analyse it. Some solutions may not be possible, due to other problems like time constraints or budgets. It is important at this stage to also consider what might happen if nothing was done to solve the problem - sometimes trying to solve a problem that leads to many more problems requires some very creative thinking and innovative ideas.

Finally, make a decision on which course of action to take - decision making is an important skill like I have discussed so far.

5 Implementation:

This stage involves accepting and carrying out the chosen course of action.
Implementation means acting on the chosen solution. During implementation more problems may arise especially if identification or structuring of the original problem was not carried out fully.

6 Monitoring/Seeking Feedback:

The last stage is about reviewing the outcomes of problem solving over a period of time, including seeking feedback as to the success of the outcomes of the chosen solution.
The final stage of problem solving is concerned with checking that the process was successful. This can be achieved by monitoring and gaining feedback from people affected by any changes that occurred. It is good practice to keep a record of outcomes and any additional problems that occurred.

These are the stages involved when solving a problem. Ability to solve problem in a more efficient manner is an important potential in the life of an individual.

Read day 19 challenge for the benefit of this great skill.

Day 17: Decision making

Having gone through the meaning and steps involved in decision making,then comes the next steps. This has to do with how to become a better decision-maker and the importance of this great skill. Here are the following steps needed to become a reliable and a better decision-maker.

1 Utilize if/when thinking in unpredictable circumstances. This can assist you in streamlining many typical decisions to be made in life.

2 Set a time frame for making a decision and stick with it. Once you have vetted the options, considered the attractiveness of alternatives and there is no clear evident choice, you may have to admit there is no clearly identifiable right way to go, and just decide.

3 Pretend you are advising a friend through the decision-making process. This will only work in certain situations. When emotions are in control, reason is out the window. Your emotions can cloud your judgment.

4 Write down the pros and cons. Use a spread sheet or simply outline pros and cons, do a ranking, list qualities and benefits of each choice. Putting it on paper will help you to visualize the differences.

5 Be aware of your biases and prejudices. Everyone has them. Acknowledge your innermost feelings and try to set them aside.
6 Seek out advice from a trusted friend, colleague or expert. Someone else may be able to sort through your quandary and offer suggestions that may be helpful in making a choice. Just be careful who you ask.

7 Limit the amount of information you take in. It is accepted that the more information you have, the better the decision will be. However, at some point you have to cut it off and determine if you are seeking out too much that can cause overload and confusion.

8 Think outside the box and challenge your assumptions. If you continue doing things the way you have always done them. you will continue to get the same results you’ve always gotten. Get out of your comfort zone and use your imagination to test new ideas.

9 Be open to new options that may be the opposite of what you would normally do. This will force you to consider options you may have never thought of or considered before.

10 Recognize that the results of many of your decisions are irreversible. Your decisions will often have a dramatic effect on other people.

Decision making plays a vital role in the life of youth .It diverts the youths from falling into the trap that manages the youth and saves their career life. It promotes self-determination on how to make good decisions and choices. Here are the importance of decision making.

1 It gives more information.
2 It increases participation.
3 It provides more alternatives.
4 It improves the degree of acceptance and commitment.
5 It improves the quality of the decision taken.
6 It gives a sense of responsibility.

Youth Engagement For Global Action.

Day 15: Observational learning

Today's discussion is on observational learning.Sometimes certain behavior are learn through watching others, and this behavior can either be a positive or negative one. Observational learning has to do with the learning that occurs through observing the behavior of others. Observational learning suggest that an individual environment,cognitions,and behavior all incorporate and ultimately determine how the individual functions and model.

Observational learning is a form of social learning which takes various forms and based on various process. It describes the process of learning by watching others, retaining the information,and then later replicating the behavior that were observed. Observational learning is sometimes also reffered to as shaping, modelling and vicarious reinforcement.While it can take place at any point in life, it tends to be the most common during childhood as children learn from the authority figures and peers in their lives.

According to Albert Bandural" people behavior could be determined by their environment" This implies that the way people behaves could be as a result of the kind of model they emulate. Observational learning teaches the youth that it is their duty to observe others positive contribution to the society and also to imitate such a behavior.

According to Bandura's research, there are a number of factors that increase the likelihood that a behavior will be imitated. We are more likely to imitate:

People we perceive as warm and nurturing
People who receive rewards for their behavior
People who are in an authoritative position in our lives
People who are similar to us in age, sex, and interests
People who we admire or who are of a higher social status
When we have been rewarded for imitating the behavior in the past
When we lack confidence in our own knowledge or abilities
When the situation is confusing, ambiguous, or unfamiliar.

Observational learning can be a powerful learning tool. When we think about the concept of learning, we often talk about direct instruction or methods that rely on reinforcement and punishment. But a great deal of learning takes place much more subtly and relies on watching the people around us and modeling their actions.

The importance of observational learning lies in helping individuals, especially youths, acquire new responses by observing others' positive Behavior

Day 14: Emotional Intelligence

Today's discussion is on how to increase your emotional intelligence and the benefit involved in practising this important skill. Here are the following ways through which you can increase your emotional intelligence.

1. Utilize an assertive style of communicating.

Assertive communication goes a long way toward earning respect without coming across as too aggressive or too passive. Emotionally intelligent people know how to communicate their opinions and needs in a direct way while still respecting others.

2. Respond instead of reacting to conflict.

During instances of conflict, emotional outbursts and feelings of anger are common. The emotionally intelligent person knows how to stay calm during stressful situations. They don't make impulsive decisions that can lead to even bigger problems. They understand that in times of conflict the goal is a resolution, and they make a conscious choice to focus on ensuring that their actions and words are in alignment with that.

3. Utilize active listening skills.

In conversations, emotionally intelligent people listen for clarity instead of just waiting for their turn to speak. They make sure they understand what is being said before responding. They also pay attention to the nonverbal details of a conversation. This prevents misunderstandings, allows the listener to respond properly and shows respect for the person they are speaking to.
4. Be motivated.

Emotionally intelligent people are self-motivated and their attitude motivates others. They set goals and are resilient in the face of challenges.

5. Practice ways to maintain a positive attitude.

Don't underestimate the power of your attitude. A negative attitude easily infects others if a person allows it to. Emotionally intelligent people have an awareness of the moods of those around them and guard their attitude accordingly. They know what they need to do in order to have a good day and an optimistic outlook. This could include having a great breakfast or lunch, engaging in prayer or meditation during the day or keeping positive quotes at their desk or computer.

6. Practice self-awareness.

Emotionally intelligent people are self-aware and intuitive. They are aware of their own emotions and how they can affect those around them. They also pick up on others' emotions and body language and use that information to enhance their communication skills.

7. Take critique well.

An important part of increasing your emotional intelligence is to be able to take critique. Instead of getting offended or defensive, high EQ people take a few moments to understand where the critique is coming from, how it is affecting others or their own performance and how they can constructively resolve any issues.

8. Empathize with others.

Emotionally intelligent people know how to empathize. They understand that empathy is a trait that shows emotional strength, not weakness. Empathy helps them to relate to others on a basic human level. It opens the door for mutual respect and understanding between people with differing opinions and situations.

9. Utilize leadership skills.

Emotionally intelligent people have excellent leadership skills. They have high standards for themselves and set an example for others to follow. They take initiative and have great decision making and problem-solving skills. This allows for a higher and more productive level of performance in life and at work.

10. Be approachable and sociable.

Emotionally intelligent people come off as approachable. They smile and give off a positive presence. They utilize appropriate social skills based on their relationship with whomever they are around. They have great interpersonal skills and know how to communicate clearly, whether the communication is verbal or non verbal.

Developing your emotional intelligence goes a long way in shaping your personality,the way react and the kind of decisions you make. Here are the benefit of emotional intelligence.

1. It allows for better team work

Teams with emotionally intelligent members are great at working together. They have good communication, trust each other, and value each other’s input. When someone makes a suggestion, they’re able to respond in a positive and productive way.

2. You can deal with change

Not many people like change, but Emotional intelligence gives you the tools you need to deal with any change that comes your way. In the workplace, many people often face change with a negative attitude and crossed arms; but an emotionally intelligent person will be much more positive and can inspire other team members to feel the same way.

3. You can handle those tough conversations

Whether it’s an angry customer or an upset employee, difficult conversations can stir up all sorts of emotions. If you have the right skills, you can handle those conversations by emotionally connecting with the other person before finding a resolution.

4. It’s an essential people skill

Emotional intelligence allows you to quickly build trust with people, as well as a rapport. You’ll be able to understand their feelings and empathise with them ,fantastic for any role that involves working in teams.

5. It’s a key feature of a strong leader

Great leaders understand people; they know how they work, how to influence them, and how to inspire them. Emotional intelligence will help you to achieve this understanding in order to be a brilliant leader and guide your team in the right direction.

Day 13 : Emotional Intelligence

Today's discussion is on emotional intelligence. The concept of emotional intelligence is a top topic among the youths since it is the young people today that will makeup the workforce of tommorow,hence the need of emotional intelligence come to play. Your level of emotional intelligence is your ability to understand and recognize your own emotions and reactions. In essence,it is your level of self awareness. To be able to control,manage,and adapt your mood , emotions and responses through self management is an important aspect in the lives of the youth. Having the skills to motivate yourself through emotions and then take the appropriate actions to commit and follow,is a learned skills. Emotional intelligence is not only a mere efficient predictor of the quality of potential relationships but also an effective predictor for success and overall happiness.

What Is Emotional Intelligence?

Emotional Intelligence is the ability to identify,use,and manage your own emotions in positive way to relieve stress,communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges and defuse conflicts. It describes the ability to identify, assess,and manage the emotions of one's self,of other,and of groups.People who possess a high degree of emotional intelligence know themselves very well and are also able to sense the emotions of other.They are affiable, resilient and optimistics.

By developing their emotional intelligence, youths can become more productive and successful at what they do and help others become more productive and successful too.
The process and outcomes of emotional intelligence development contain many elements known to reduces stress for individual and organization.

Individual have different personalities,want ,needs and ways of showing their emotions. Navigating through this requires tactics and especially if one's hopes to succeed in life. This is where emotional intelligence helps. In the most generic framework,five domain of emotional intelligence cover together which are known as the 5s. They are, Self-awareness,self regulation,self motivation and finally social skills.

Now let's take a look at each of them

(1) Self-awareness

Recognising one's emotions and their effect.
Knowing one's strength and limits.
Sureness about one's self-worth and capabilities.

(2) Self-regulation

Maintaining disruptive emotions and impulses.
Maintaining standard of honesty and integrity.
Taking responsibility for personal performance.
Flexibility in handling changes.

(3) Self-motivation

Striving to improve or meet a standard of excellence
Readiness to act on opportunities
Persistent in pursuing goals despite obstacles and setbacks

(4) Social-awareness

Sensing others feeling and perspectives,and taking active interest in their concerns.
Sensing what others need in order to develop,and bolstering their abilities.
Cultivating opportunities through diverse people.

(5) Social skills

Wielding effective tactics for persuasions.
Inspiring and guilding groups and people.
Initiating or managing change.
Working with others toward a shared goals.
Creating group synergy in persuing collective goals.

This are the five domain of emotional intelligence which an individual most consistently practice.

Have you been wondering on how you can increase your EI and what is in for you if you practice this great skill? Then read day 14 challenge.

Day 12: Mindset

As humans, our minds constantly monitor the events that occur in our lives and interpret the meaning of the things that are happening. Our mindset is what dictates how we perform the tracking of these situations and how we react to what takes place. As a youth,you might have said something like this to yourself " I will never be able to do it or avoided doing something because you have failed at it in the past". Some youth will tend to give up on challenging task easily,or avoid tasks they have failed at before. When it comes to learning they are typically two main ideas that are promoted.people either have a " growth mindset"or they have a "fixed mindset". Sometimes,youth tend to believe that being"good" at a particular activity is fixed state,and is something they can't control. This way of thinking is called a fixed mindset. However, others might bounce back quickly from failure and be more likely to explore how they can get better at doing something. This way of thinking is called a"growth mindset" and developing it can help youth to be more resilient for life.

What then is mindset?

Professor Carol Dweck,an American psychologist, found that we all have different beliefs about the underlying nature of ability. According to her, mindset refers to implicit theories that individual hold regarding the nature of intelligent or the degree that individual attribute intelligence to fixed traits and to the degree that attribute intelligence to learning,effort, training and practice i.e growth mindset.

Growth mindset

This is when people understand that their abilities can be develop. In growth mindset,people believe that thier most basic abilities can be developed through dedications and hardwork. To them brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essentially for great accomplishment.

In a nutshell, people with growth mindsets are constantly trying to learn and grow to better themselves. These are individuals who enjoy challenges and believe that their intelligence, talents, and basic abilities can be increased or enhanced through hard work and dedicated effort.

Fixed mindset

This is when people belief that thier qualities such as intelligence and other personality traits are set in stone.Individuals with a fixed mindset tend to be interested only in feedback on their success in activities to the degree that it serves to evaluate their underlying ability. They are not using the feedback to learn, since they do not believe that their success depends on their effort to learn. Rather, they believe that success depends on the level of innate ability that they have. Therefore, they dread failure, because it suggests constraints or limits that they will not be able to overcome.

As a youth, exhibiting a growth mindset goes a long way in improving your abilities by practising,or by finding a different way to achieve your goal.

Day 11 : Reciprocal Determinism

Today's discussion is on reciprocal determinism. Learning to relate to others involves engaging in the give and take relationship. Reciprocal behavior enables youth to workout these type of situation,to maintain positive relationships and to succeed socially.

What does reciprocal determinism mean?

It refers to ideal that behavior is determined by the individual through cognitive process and by the environment and that behavior can influence how these in your environment cognitively process your bahaviours.

According to Albert bandural, reciprocal determinism is a model composed of three factors that influences behavior.

1 The environment
2 The individual
3 The behavior itself.

This model suggest that these three components are continually interacting with one another. Just as the environment exert an influence on individual behavior,a person's action also play an influencey role.

Now let's take a look at each components.

1 Environment components: This components is made up of the physical sorroundings around the individual. This might include people who are either present or absent. The environment influences the intensity and frequency of of the behavior,just as the behavior itself can have an impact on the environment. For example,if a student is yelled at by a teacher for talking in the class,this will not only have an impact on him but also on the classroom environment for the rest of the students.

2 Individual components:This components includes all the characteristics that have been rewarded in the past. Generally speaking,personality and cognitive factors play an important role in how a person behaves, including all of the individual expectations, beliefs and unique personality features.

3 Behavior components: This components houses the idea that behavior is controlled and determined by the individual, through cognitive process and by the environment through external social stimulus event.

The importance of bidirectional relationship between environment, individual and behavior can't be overemphasized. It suggest that while people are certainly affected by the things they experience in their environment,they also have the power to exert a change on their situation and circumstances through their own choices and behavior.

Day 10 :. Sources of self-efficacy

Today's discussion is on the sources of self-efficacy and how you can evaluate it. Having gone through day 9 challenge,were you able to discover the sources of self-efficacy on your own? The following are the sources of self-efficacy.

1 Mastering experiences: The most effective way of developing a strong sense of self-efficacy is through mastery experiences. Performing a task successfully strengthens our self-efficacy. However, failing to adequately deal with a task or challenge can undermine and weaken self-efficacy.

2 Social Modelling: Witnessing other people successfully completing a task is another important source of self-efficacy.Seeing people similar to oneself succeed by sustained effort raises observer's belief that they too possess the capabilities to master comparable activities to succeed.

3 Social Persuasion: This assert that people could be persuaded to believe that they have the skills and capabilities to succeed. Consider a time when someone said positive and encouraging that helped you achieve a goal. Getting verbal encouragement from others help youth overcome self- doubt and instead focus on giving their best efforts to the task at hand.

4 Psychological Responses: our own responses and emotional reaction to situations also play an important role in self-efficacy. Moods, emotional states, physical reaction,and stress level can all impact how a person's feel about their personal abilities in a particular situation.

Evaluate your sense of self-efficacy with the following questions.

Do you feel like you can handle problems if you are willing to work hard?

Are you confident in your ability to achieve your goals?

Do you feel like you can manage unexpected events that come up?

Are you able to bounce back fairly quickly after stressful events?

Do you feel like you can come up with solutions when you are facing a problem?

Do you keep trying even when things seem difficult?

Are you good at staying calm even in the face of chaos?

Do you perform well even under pressure?

Do you tend to focus on your progress rather than getting overwhelmed by all you still have to do?

Do you believe that hard work will eventually pay off?

Your ability to proffer answers to the above questions strengthens your sense of self-efficacy.

Having a sense of self-efficacy plays an important role in almost every aspect of your life. Life is full of challenges and a high levels of self-efficacy can help you better deal with these difficulties more effectively. Your belief in your own abilities can predict how motivated you feel,how you feel about yourself,and the amount of effort you put into achieving your goals.

Day 9 : Self-Efficacy

When you tackle a challenge,do you believe with all your soul that you will be successful or do you doubt yourself? Self-efficacy,or your belief in your abilities to handle a varietiety of situations,is an integral factor in not only how you feel about yourself,but whether or not you successfully crush your life goals.

The concept of self-efficacy is Central to psychologist Albert Bandura's. According to him ,a person attitudes, abilities and cognitive skills comprise what is known as the "self-system". This system plays a major role in how we perceive situations and how we behave in response to different situations.

What is self -efficacy? According to Albert Bandura,self -efficacy is "the belief in one's capabilities to organise and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations. It's a person belief in his or her ability to succeed in a particular situations. This belief describe how people think, behave and feel. It also determines what goals we choose to pursue,how we go about accomplishing those goals,and how we reflect upon our own performance.

Virtually all people can identify goals they want to accomplish,thing they would like to change about themselves,and things they would like to achieve. However,most people also realized that putting these plan into action is not quite so simple.self-efficacy plays a major role in how goals,task,and challenges are approached.
Generally, people can exhibit either a strong or weak self -efficacy.

People with a strong sense of self -efficacy exhibit the following features
1 They develop deeper interest in the activities in which they participate.
2 They form a strong sense of commitment to thier interest and activities
3 They recover quickly from setbacks and disappointment
4 They view challenging problem as task to be mastered.

People with weak self -efficacy exhibit the following features
1 They avoid challenging task
2 They belief that difficult task and situations are beyond their capabilities.
3 They focus on personal failings and negative outcome
4 They quickly lose confidence in personal abilities.

Which type of person are you? Do you have a strong sense of self-efficacy,or a weak self -efficacy?

Have you been wondering how self-efficacy is developed? These belief we have in ourselves begin to form in early childhood as youth deal with wide variety of experiences,task ,and situations. However, the growth of self-efficacy does not end during youth but continues to evolve throughout life as people acquire new skills, experiences,and understanding. To know how self-efficacy can be developed ,then read day 10 challenge.

Day 8 : Goal setting

Today's discussion is on goal setting and how important it is in the life of a youths .Most of the time,lack of goal setting in the life of an individual results in lack of vision and commitment. The inability to set goals and make plans for them lower individual self-esteem and potential. Goal setting is important in the life of the youths as it enables them to make plans for the future,it gives them a guidelines of what steps to be taken towards achieving their dream.

"Goal" as it may be used in different context mean different things to people. However,goal in this discussion refers to timelines objectives, long-term commitment and short-term motivation.As a youth,when you set goals,you increases your level of competency and development.

Goal setting is the process of deciding what you want to achieve or what you want someone else to achieve over a party period of time. It involves the development of an action plan designed to motivate and guide a person or group towards a goal. Goal setting is a major components of personal development.

In setting goals,certain principles needs to be taken into consideration. According to Locke and latman,the following principles needs to be considered when setting goals.
1 Clarity:The goal needs to be straightforward,clear and obvious to even outsider.
2 Challenge: Easy goals don't provide enough motivation to work hard.As a youth, design a challenging goal but one that is still attainable.
3 Commitment: people perform better when they are committed to achieving certain goals.
4 Feedback: An effective goal is a goal in which you can assess your progress along the way,give feedback,and change course if need be.
5 Task complexity: Highly complex goals can be overwhelming,often goals within goals within goals. As a youth, your goal should be manageable, without too many things within it.
After highlighting the principles given by Locke and latman,we then move on to what is called a SMART goal .

A SMART goal is used to help guide goal setting. SMART is an acronym that stand for specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. Therefore,a SMART goal incorporates all these criteria to help focus your efforts and increases the chances of achieving your goal.
Let's take a look at each criteria

1 Specific: Goals that are specific have significantly greater chances of being accomplished. To make a goal specific,the five "W" questions must be considered
Who is involved in this goal?
What do I want to accomplish?
Where is this goal to be achieved?
Where do I want to achieve this goal?
Why do I want to achieve this goal?
As a youth ,the following questions needs to be analyse in order to make the goal specific.

2 Measurable:A goal must have criteria for measuring progress.This will enable you to know whether you are on track or not. To make a goal Measurable,ask yourself the following questions
How many/ much?
How do I know if I have reached my goal?
What is my indicator of progress?

3 Achievable:A goal must be achievable and attainable.This will help you figure out ways you can realize that goal and work towards it. To know if your goal is achievable ,ask yourself the following questions
Do I have the resources and capabilities to achieve the goal? If not,what am I missing?
Have others done it successfully before?

4 Realistic:A goal must be realistic in the sense that it can be achieved given the available resources and time.Ask yourself the following questions
Is the goal realistic and within reach?
Is the goal reachable,given the time and resources?
Are you able to commit to achieving the goal?

5 Timely: A goal must be time bound in the sense that it has a start and finish date. If the goal is not time-constrained ,there will be no sense of urgency ,and therefore, less motivation to achieve the goal. Ask yourself the following questions
Does my goals have a deadline?
By when do you want to achieve your goal?

Setting goals as a youth gives you a sense of direction and confidence.it gives you long-term vision and short-term motivation. It focuses your acquisition of knowledge,and helps you to organize your time and resources so that you can make the most of your life.

Day 7 Self-control

Today I will be discussing what Self-control is all about and how important it is in the life of a Youth. What is it about Self-control that makes it so difficult to rely on? Self-control is a skill we all possess yet we tend to give ourselves little credit for it. Self-control is not about self-deprivation,and it is certainly not about punishment as many youth used to think. But about it is often about redefining what is pleasurable to you to keep destructive behay in check.it is about taking power over your own actions and learning to ignore immediate impulses,no matter how powerful they may be.

Self-control is the ability to regulate one's emotions, thoughts,and behavior in the face of temptations and impulses.it is a cognitive process that is necessary for regulating one's behavior in order to achieve specific goals. As a youth , being high in controlling our desires and impulses enables us in achieving the gaols we set.
Everyone has a different level of Self-control and it can vary by situations. Here are the following tips in helping you discover or how to develop your self- control.

1 Relax :It can be hard to have Self-control when you trick yourself into thinking something must be done urgently or stopped immediately. You also struggle with Self-control when driven by gut reactions. To give yourself the best chance at a calmer response and a better day,learn to slow your thoughts,so you can postpone your gut impulses. The more you relax, the more likely you are to calmly approach stressful event.

2 Learn to plan : Self-control is hard to achieve without direction. When putting plans in place,you will eventually learn that you can overcome your unpleasant feelings and that you don't need to act on all of your impulses.

3 Find out what you want : sometimes we lack self- control because we are not clear on exactly what we want .when you have a clear goal, it is easier to exercise self-control because you can make decisions that point you in the right direction. Don't set goals just because someone or something else pushes you towards it .look within yourself,and find out why your goals matter to you. If it doesn't mean anything to you,it will be very hard to dedicate yourself to it.

4 Remember the consequences: often ,an honest look at the consequences is enough to motivate someone struggling with Self-control. Imagine finding an extra 100 notes .part of you knows you should use it to pay off your debt ,but another part of you want you to spend it on dinner. To make the right decisions,you need to considered the consequences which is if you pay of your debt ,will you be working towards financial freedom and taking step to eliminate your debt? or if you used the money for food, will you still have enough money to pay ?

Have you been wondering how exercising self- control will have impact on your life? Here are the following benefit you gain while practising self- control.
1 increases the chances of making a better decisions
2 it improves your focus
3 it promotes congruences
4 it makes you have a sense of responsibility.

Self-control is not all about denying yourself pleasures,it also encompasses working towards a higher ldeal and sacrificing somethings in order to achieve long term goals. It is one of the most important skills that we can learn to harness. The positive effect spill over into many different parts of our lives and allow us to make better decisions and experience a better reality.

Day 6: Self-Image

The way we interpret the world and behave, is a function of our understanding of our self. A positive self-image is known to be important for positive development. Understanding of one's self goes a long way in shaping our personalities,the way we think and the way we proffer solutions to problems. As a youth,how you view yourself,and the way you present yourself really matters a lot.

Self-image is an internalize mental picture or idea you have of yourself. It is how you think and feel about yourself based on your performance,appearance,and relationship that consistently impact your outlook on life as well as your level of happiness and fulfillment .It is how you see yourself based on your strengths and weakness.

As a youth,we must possess a healthy self- image which is primarily based on an individual personal feelings and perspective. Here, individual are not influenced by other's people opinions of them or by societal expectations. They instead make up their own minds about the internalize mental picture or idea they have. Of themselves.

A person with a healthy self-image does not deny that they have flaws. In fact,they are realistic and clearly understand and accept the fact that they have their personal shortcomings. A healthy self-image is of course build upon a high level of self-worth which have discussed so far Both work together to help shape a healthy personality,which effectively builds the foundation of an empowered life.

Have you been thinking on how to build a healthy self-image? The following process will help you build a healthy self-image.

1 Analyse yourself: Your first process involves analysing who you are and what means to you. This is an important step because unless you clearly defined who you are,you will not be able to have an accurate picture or idea of " you" . Your goal is to get to the core of who you really are without the need for external factor( people).

2 Take a personal inventory:It is now time to take a personal inventory by listing your positive qualities,goals, passion and purpose. The purpose of this step is to unlock all the good things you feel about yourself.

3 Analyse your struggles:A little earlier I mentioned how a healthy self-image is primarily based on our personal feelings and perspectives.

In other words,how you think about yourself as well as the opinions you create are all critical components that go into building a healthy self-image. To get an understanding of this internal word ,you need to take a look at the four keys areas that shape your personality and these include your critical voice,your unhelpful thought, belief as well as incorrect assumptions you might be making about yourself. Here are some questions to help you stimulate your thoughts in these areas. How do I tend to talk to myself throughout the day?,how do my thoughts tend to distort my reality? What assumptions do I tend to make about myself? Working through these questions as a youth will effectively help you get a better understanding of how your critical voice, unhelpful thought,beliefs and assumptions are shaping the picture or idea you have of yourself that effectively builds your self-image.

After taking the process involve in building your self-image,you need to know how you can strengthen it. Strengthening your self-image is simply about doing the small things consistently over time that will make a big difference in the long run. The following will help you in strengthening your self-image.

1 Don't allow sociy to define you : Sometimes we allow society to influence the way we think,the way we behave and this goes a long way in shaping our attitude and opinions.you and you alone shape your life with purpose,and only in this way you will be able to gain power to develop a healthy and empy self-image.

2 Don't indulge in self judgement or self criticism: Don't judge or critize yourself instead seek to gat a feedback. Feedback will help you with an avenue for improvement and will help you to progressively develop the self confidence you need to build a healthy self-image that allows you to be the best you can possibly be in every situation.

3 Always follow-through with your word: As a youth ,your word must become your law. In other words,the promise you make to yourself must be kept .promise kept help you create consistency and you need consistency to build a healthy self-image. When you keep your word,you are sending a strong message that you are running your life based on your own feelings and perspectives.

Self-image is an important concept because how you think affect how you feel about yourself how you interact with others and the world around you.

Day 5 : Self-Reliance

Did you know that everybody is born into this world with the potential to become capable of doing something on thier own without the help of others? . Generally,self- reliance in youth is what actually promotes active participation and commitment which obviously leads to the development of the country.

What does it mean to be self-reliant?

Self-reliance is the ability to depend on yourself to get things done and to meet your own needs. It is a quality of depending on yourself for things instead of relying on others. It is the potential to do things and make decisions by yourself, without needing other people to help you. When youth are self-reliant,they are independent and autonomous which enables them to make decisions on their own.
Developing self-reliance in youth will go a long way in shaping up their personality,the way they see things and make them responsible to their personal self and the society at large.

Have you been trying to be self-reliant and don't know how to go about it? The following are steps to develop and identify your being self-reliant.

1 Accepting yourself,and being your own best friend: learning and appreciating your own character strength is very important in being able to support yourself as you go through life. As a youth,you need to ask yourself certain questions which might be in form of "Am I kind"?,Am I curious or brave? . Ability to provide answers to the above questions increases your level of self reliancy.

2 Inner Confidence:. In society,we are conditioned to feel happy when we receive compliments,praise,and reassurance from others. If that is not forthcoming,we can feel insecure or vulnerable, sometimes even helpless. Being self-reliant involves the ability to feel confident in yourself when these are not around because they may not always be.

3 Commit To Accepting Responsibility: When you are trying to make a positive changes in your life ,such as learning to be more self-reliant,the first step is making a promise to yourself. Make a promise,write it down and create a specific goals for yourself including how long it will take you to reach it

An advantage of being self-reliant is being able to undertake and complete task independently without waiting for others. Self reliance is an important concept in the life of a youth as it enables them to grow and find happiness.

The importance of the concept in the life of a youth includes

1 It builds resilience: life is full of ups and downs. If you are able to face the "downs"of life head-on and independently,you are more likely to build the resilience necessary to overcome anything that life throws at you.

2 It boosters confidence : like I said above, being able to rely on yourself in various situations helps immensely with your sense of self worth. Confidence is arguably one of the most important characteristics to possess, as it helps you in both personal and professional aspect of your life. The more you succeed and thrive independently,the more you realize you are capable of achieving.

3 It helps you to be more self- aware:When you are away from others for a period of time,you are able to reflect and think,and just get to know yourself. It helps you become aware of your strengths and weakness,focus on what you need to improve,and evaluate your decisions.

As a youth, having a sense of self-reliant enables you to face challenges and oppositions which will eventually pave way for immense growth and development.

Day 4 : Self-improvement

Good morning everyone.I hope you have gain from what have discussed so far. Today's discussion is about Self-improvement. There is a need for youth to strive to improve on thier personal self as it allows elevation of life by bringing positive potentials and this will go along way in shaping up their personal development .

What does Self-improvement means?

Self-improvement is the improvement of one's knowledge,status or character by one's own effort. It is the quest to make ourselves better in every facet of life. It is a conscious effort that is focused towards getting yourself out of the mundane benalities of life .As a youth,this is when a strong desire prevails that takes you where you want to be,helps you grow into the person that you have been longing for and allow you to elevate your life by bringing in positive changes.

As a youth,your desire to change,build new habits and to improve yourself must be strong enough to resist laziness,the tendency to give up when faced with difficulties,and the fear and ridicule of opposition from family, friends or colleagues.
Youth are usually confused on how to maintain thier self -Improvement and this create a misconception about the concept..There are different ways in which Self-improvement can be maintain and this includes

1 Time management skills: managing your time effectively is the first step towards maintaining Self-improvement,for it is important that you balance the conflicting demands of time. As a youth,once you have indentified to improve how you manage your time,you begin to adjust routines and patterns of behavior. Recognising how to manage your time effectively increases your level of efficiency and ability to utilize your time where it really counts.

2 Active listening :Active listening is such an important habit that helps you get ahead in your career. When you cultivate this habit,you are fully concentrated,you engage in and absorb whatever being said to you with the motive of giving good feedback. Engaging in active listening will help you to understand issues,come up with better solutions and deals with problems in a more efficient way.

3 Be compassionate: when you are compassionate,you have the motivation and desire to help others grow. However the ultimate aim of being that is to help improve your life by helping others improve thiers. When you focus on serving others,you gain a better perspective on your own problem and proffer the best solution.

The importance of self-improvement often goes unnoticed and this can't be overemphasized.The following are one of the importance of self-improvement and a reason why youth should strive to improve their personal self.

1 Enhancing Strengths: Self-improvement enable you to identify your personal strength and play on them.it gives you a better understanding of what you are seeking and where you are likely to excel.it helps you set life goals and make them happen.

2 Overcoming weakness: while identifying strengths is an important aspect of Self-improvement,so is coming to terms with weakness. As a youth, don't be afraid ashamed of your weakness,look at them as areas of improvement.we all have strength and weakness that shape our personality. It is those imperfections that make us human. Accept your weakness, identify where they step from and be determined to overcome them

3 Better decision making:We are required to make decisions at every step in our lives and every decision has a repercussion. Moreover,it is not about making decisions as much as it is about being confident about the decision taken. Good decision making come from a place of clarity,self-awareness and confidence which is a direct result of Self-improvement.

So after realizing what Self-improvement is ,how to maintain it and the importance it has on the life of an individual,what then should you do as a youth?

Start with consciously becoming more self-aware, observe your thoughts, emotions and responses and decide within you to make self-improvement an integral part of your life.

Day 3 : Self Evaluation

Good day everyone.

Today's discussion is on self evaluation.As a youth , recognising how important you are makes you a better and a responsible person in the society. After identifying how useful you are to your personal self and the society at large then it is necessary for you to conduct a self assessment which refers to self evaluation.

Self Evaluation is a procedure to a systematically observe,analyse and value your own professional actions and its result in order to stabilize or improve it. It is also an appraisal of a person's own strength and weakness. As a youth,self evaluation goes a long way in shaping your ability to identify your strengths, weakness and also define a part for your professional development.

The self -assesment is an essential part of performance evaluation because it is an avenue or opportunity for you to asses your own achievement . Ability to conduct self assessment from time to time helps to build career as you will be aware of your own strength, weakness and how to balanced the two. The purpose of self evaluation process is to highlight strengths, weakness,correct performance and developed unused skills and Ability. What do you need to do in order to complete your self evaluation as a youth? This is one of the questions a rational youth must always ask and the ability to proffer answers to those questions goes a long way in exposing your unidentified skills. Here ,I will discuss what you need to do to complete your self evaluation.and this include

1 Be objective : It's awfully temptating to give yourself high marks across the board but it is little unlikely that you have done everything right. Instead of evaluating yourself based on how you wished you did performed, offer the results and quantify them as much as possible by using facts, figures and specific. The more you can point to the tangible benefit you offers the more invaluable you will be.

2 Suggest specific improvements: The self evaluation is a good opportunity to identify specific ways to improve your performance. Don't be afraid to mention ways and making suggestions like this is a mark of strength and professional maturity for youth to identify ways to grow and improve.

3 Relax : Try to relax and reflect upon individuals goal , experience and incident. No one is perfect and it very likely that you will recall both good and bad experiences. In order to do this as a youth, you must be willing to recognize areas that need improvements or development.

The importance of self evaluation can't be overemphasized as it serves to increase commitment to goal setting, achievement,competency development and career development. Evaluating yourself as a youth help you to bridge the gap between your strengths and weakness and building on your career development

Day 2 : Self worth theory

Today ,am going to discuss what self worth theory means and how to develop your self worth as a youth.

Having realize how important you are and the level of value you placed on yourself,we then move on to what self theory state about self worth and how to recognize it.

The self-worth theory of Covington & Beery, 1976; Covington, 1984) assumes that the highest human priority is the search for self-acceptance and that “one’s worth often comes to depend on the ability to achieve competitively” .The theory posit that an individual's main priority in life is to find self acceptance and that self acceptance is often found through achievement. The theory hold that there are four main elements of the self worth model.These are

1: Ability
2: Effort
3: Performance
4:self worth.

One's ability and effort predictably have a big impact on performance,and all three contribute to one's feeling of worth and value. These four elements cooperate with each other to contribute to how we regard ourselves. It may be relatable, but should we really be placing so much importance on our accomplishments just to determine our self-worth? Is outdoing the next person the only way we can hold ourselves in high regard? . According to the theory,self worth is determined mostly by our self -evaluated abilities and performance in one or more activities that we deem valuable.

Although there are many other ways through which self worth can be determined and this includes
1 Spare of contact :Many times, people are weighed or weigh themselves by the number of prominent people they are close to and know.
2 physical and emotional appearance:
We find ourselves passing judgments just by regarding a person’s outward look – what they wear, how they speak, or how the society feels about them..
3 Possessions: This is a common factor used to measure self-worth. It can be anything from the size of your paycheck to the kind and number of cars you own. It is usually material assets.

As a youth self worth can be determine through those ways and our ability to recognize these goes a long way in shaping our mindset. Like have said earlier,youth often makes some misconception regarding self worth and this includes regarding career, accomplishment,age ,grades,health status etc.what self worth really is that it can be somewhat overwhelming to see yourself for who "you surely are" without the assets,or dream job or friends. Recognising your self comes from within.You can start by identify your strength. Strength in self-worth comes from finding qualities you excel at. These qualities will be a constant reminder whenever you start feeling like you are not worthy enough.

Little things like a list of your talents, things you like about yourself that make you stand out, challenges you’ve won at, how you’ve helped other people, and other great reflections are examples of questions you should have answers to. Your strength lies in those questions.

The following are the tips for discovering your self worth.

Never compare yourself with others
Know your strength and build them
Know your weaknesses and improve them
Learn new skills and teach other youths.

As a youth,self worth is what keeps you satisfied even if all your achievements,asset and possessions are taken away from you .The moment you reach healthy levels of self worth,life becomes much more meaningful.