Life Skills: Navigating Adulthood

No one said growing up was simple, which is why it is important to learn as much about yourself as possible. Being an adult is not only about responsibility and maturity—it’s about knowing what you need and how to get it. Taking care of your own mental and physical health, loving yourself, and learning how to manage stress are all valuable strategies for finding happiness and success. The regard you show for yourself often dictates the way people treat you in the outside world. And, as a result, showing yourself love, compassion, and respect are just some of the many ways you can cultivate a life filled with meaningful relationships, opportunities, and pursuits.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Understand the value of change, both personally and professionally
• Explain the importance of self-esteem on personal development
• Implement strategies for coping with stress
• Identify symptoms of suicide and identify how to find support

Relationships come in all shapes and sizes. As you grow older, you will likely begin to realize they also play an important role in how you feel about yourself and the world around you—which is precisely why it’s so important to find healthy ones. Part of embracing adulthood is learning how to find and maintain the types of meaningful relationships you will need to live a happy and productive life. This involves understanding the role of family and how to develop positive connections with friends and acquaintances. As you come to understand more about the value of relationships, you will also gain the skills and knowledge it takes to find the type of love that lasts a lifetime.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Explain the stages of the family life cycle and identify strategies for maintaining interpersonal relationships
• Discuss the importance of verbal, nonverbal, written, and electronic communication skills
• Understand the responsibilities of parenthood

Your life is comprised of the choices you make. Whether they relate to school, family, or a future career, your decisions are important and reflect your ability to think and behave like a responsible adult. They also give you the opportunity to explore the possibilities around you and to craft your dreams and goals into just about anything you want. Learning leadership skills and understanding how to care for yourself and those around you gives you the power to find your own potential for greatness and future success.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Explain the importance of leadership skills
• Understand the larger process of decision-making
• Identify the skills involved in problem-solving and management
• Appreciate how leadership and decision-making skills affect personal and professional environments

There’s no easy way to talk about money. It is, hands down, one of the most challenging and complex aspects of being an adult. Knowing how to plan effectively for a bright financial future is no simple task, but it can be achieved with the right strategies. If you identify how best to earn and save money, you will equip yourself with the ability to protect yourself, while also setting yourself up for a secure financial future. So, even though money can be a daunting topic, taking charge of your life and your success demands the ability to see it for what it is—just another challenge of the adult world.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Describe the importance of financial planning and management
• Identify key financial resources and how they can be protected
• Explain how taxes and benefits affect income and credit
• Understand how certain life choices foster financial security

Your biggest asset as an adult is your ability to think for yourself. The quality of your life—with its many areas of work, relationships, and personal goals—depends greatly on your critical thinking, problem solving, and decision-making skills. This includes being a team player who demonstrates character, grit, and integrity, as well as working cooperatively and effectively with those around you. Understanding and developing these core abilities is a giant step in the direction of adulthood and one that will leave you feeling more capable, confident, and ready to face the challenges ahead.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Explain components of critical thinking
• Identify what makes an effective team member
• Explain the importance of interpersonal skills in business settings
• Understand how to work cooperatively with others to achieve goals

Your body is the perfect symbol of impending adulthood. Physically, it grows and changes over time to meet your ever-evolving needs, offering you increased strength and ability. As your mind and spirit emerge from childhood into a more mature state, so too does your body in many wonderful, new ways. And with these physical shifts comes a host of new responsibilities, all of which will factor into your health and how you feel from day to day. Taking care of your body, mind, and spirit is one of the most important challenges of adulthood. With the freedom to govern your own body comes the obligation to care for it in many different ways. Once you begin to understand more about what your body needs to thrive, you can give yourself the very best gift of all—wellness!

What will you learn in this unit?

• Describe the many benefits of nutrition and self-care
• Identify the dangers and ramifications of substance abuse
• Understand the importance of safe sex
• Explain the key transitions related to adulthood

If there’s one thing we’ve learned about being an adult, it’s the importance of planning ahead. Life is full of all sorts of different responsibilities and plans, many of which will demand your attention and effort. Because when it comes to planning your future, you will need to bring your A-game, your most determined mind, and the best of yourself. It is arguably one of the most exciting and important challenges you will face. Identifying your own priorities and goals is just the first step to cultivating your own professional abilities and interests. There will be lots to keep in mind—from goal-setting to keeping up high personal standards—as you move forward into the next chapter of adulthood. Creating a balance between your different roles will become more critical as you emerge into the world, prepared to meet the numerous challenges ahead.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Explain how personal standards affect life choices
• Understand the importance of developing a personal life plan
• Identify ways to prepare for future opportunities and goal-setting
• Discover strategies for managing the roles and responsibilities of family, career, and community

Essential

• Computer:
  • with word processing program like MS Word, Excel-type program, and slide show program like
  • PowerPoint
  • with access to internet
• Camera:
  • to photograph any activities done by hand
  • with recording capabilities to record activities
• Poster-board or butcher paper
• Timer – either an actual stopwatch or a timer on your phone
• Pencil
• Blank Paper
• A friend or family member to help with various activities and demonstrations

Optional

• Magazines and/or printer for images in U3 activity