We survive this world from the time we are born till the time we die. Every action of ours, every reaction, is a learned trait―a skill that helps us in living our life effectively. Think about it this way, a newborn child comes with nothing and develops skills throughout his life. Why does that become necessary? Because without these, he cannot be a part of society and survive―language, clothing, interaction, and more. These are, of course, skills that become necessary for our survival, but then there are also those skills that are important to learn in our lifetime. They make one better equipped to living life and help in making most of it. In the sections that follow, we will take a look at some skills that you should learn before you die. You'll find that most of these skills are those that you probably look on as normal and mundane, but a closer look at the same will help you realize that they make your life simple and do away with the need of depending on others, thus making you independent, strong, and leading to overall personal development. Useful Skills to Learn What would you count as useful skills? According to me, they are those skills that help one become better equipped to the demands of the world, that will ensure that a person will be independent, one who does not have to depend on others for survival, and therefore can protect himself/herself well. Cooking You need food to survive? You learn to cook. Simple. And while some might think that I'm talking about gourmet cuisine, I'm not (though that would not harm anyone) and neither do I mean boiling a pack of ready to eat dishes. Cooking a simple meal and then moving onto more complicated and extensive ones is a skill that will make for one of the most basic survival factors. Driving/Riding a Vehicle More than anything else, driving or riding a vehicle makes you independent and offers confidence in yourself. You can handle a situation of danger (like taking someone to the hospital, for instance) without having to depend on anyone to do it for you. Swimming This one's a basic need for survival and one should ideally learn it in their childhood. One can never say when one might require this skill. Self-defense Self-defense of any kind is important so that one never lives in fear and threat. Being able to protect yourself is one of the most basic skills to learn. Repairing Electrical Appliances Basic repairing of electrical appliances, car repair, or understanding the basics of computer repair go a long, long way. In this day and age when electrical appliances have become an integral part of our lives, there can be nothing better than knowing certain key things that are involved in their repair. It saves time, money, and patience. CPR/Emergency Aid I don't really need to get into the details of this one. I'm sure none of you are asking the question 'why' for this one. Having the basic skill of emergency aid not only keeps you safe, but the people around you safe as well. Traveling How is traveling a skill to learn? Many people don't realize that traveling does not merely provide for entertainment and recreation, but also helps a person learn the skill of adjustment, which is crucial in today's times. Interacting with different people and dealing with their temperaments teaches one to be tolerant and open. With globalization coming into the picture and the possibility of people going into different parts of the world and interacting with different people there, more than anything else, traveling helps one become well adjusted and equipped. It therefore lends to improve social skills. Stitching Do not even say that this one is a woman's department. Not anymore, it isn't. Basic stitching helps you take care of your sewing needs, those that don't force you to run to a tailor every time there's a rip or a button is loose. Learning Foreign Languages Learning different languages not only helps in increasing knowledge and in improving one's memory, but is also becoming one of the basic tools for people who travel and change countries. This helps in settling into a new place with minimal adjustment problems and is definitely one of the best skills to acquire. Cool Skills to Learn These skills draw you over into gaining more confidence in life and provide for other advantages as well.

• Whistling with your fingers/without your fingers.
• Typing without looking at the keyboard.
• Learning to handle your finances.
• Ventriloquism/Juggling/Balancing on a rope.
• Bungee jumping/Kayaking.
• Being very flexible (Can be done through yoga and other such exercises).
• Making things out of scrap.
• Learning different performing arts like dancing/singing (These skills will help in developing an overall personality).
• Learning effective public speaking skills.
• Learning to ride a horse.
• Learning visuals and aesthetic arts like painting or sculpting.
• Learning to read a book through and through (Especially the FAT ones!).
• Blowing a humongous chewing gum bubble (Without bursting it. Makes for one of the best skills to use when bored).
• Being able to bargain and haggle and other such negotiation skills.
• Pen spinning.
• Magic/card tricks.
• Original thinking

Now do you see what I mean when I talk about these skills to learn before you die? Imagine acquiring even a fraction of these skills in your lifetime. Imagine how empowered that would make you feel. Just for that then, start acquiring as many skills as possible and turn your life around.