No matter how skilled, talented and successful you are, it can be hard to appreciate the skills you have. It can be difficult to feel satisfied with life as it is when we are constantly on the hunt for bigger and better things. However, taking the time to reflect on your personal qualities and professional skills can boost your mood, increase your self-esteem and set you up for further success in the future. Self-acknowledgement and appreciating what you have can have positive effects on us and the people around us.
Using your achievements to help others is a fantastic way to feel appreciated. For inspiration, check out our benefits of volunteering page and see how you can make a difference to young people’s lives.
To get started, read our step-by-step guide on making use of your skills and how to appreciate what you have.
Step 1: Recognise your skills
Identifying what skills you have can make you think about future career options as well as ways to spend your time out of work. It can also help to identify any areas you can improve, and what you need to do to get better and more confident at these.
Types of skills
We all have skills in different areas - some people are hands-on, some are especially personable, while others have great academic abilities. Our skillsets can be broken up into the following three categories: technical, transferable and personal.
Technical skill means having the ability to fix, create or design in a specific field – nurses, artists and plumbers are good examples of professions which require excellent technical abilities.
Transferable skills can be used in many situations. If you’re organised, able to multitask and good at leading, then you have great transferable skills which can be applied to a variety of scenarios.
Personal skills are also very important - being helpful, approachable and easy to talk to may make it easier to excel at work or in your personal relationships.
Write down everything that you’re good at – you may be pleasantly surprised at how many skills and qualities you possess.
Step 2: Think about what makes you happy
You may have identified lots of skills that you have – but if you don’t enjoy doing them, then what’s the point? The ideal is finding ways to use your skills that make you happy.
To help you get a sense of what skills you’re happiest doing, keep a skills journal for a month. At the end of each day, write down the things you did, the skills you used and how you felt during and after. It doesn’t have to be long; just a few notes will do. After a month, review your journal and see what skills made you happiest. Make a plan to practice those skills more.
Also note what skills you might be amazing at, but really don’t like doing. You can work on getting more help from others with those tasks.
Step 3: Utilise your resources
To make the most of your skills, go to talks and events that are relevant, immerse yourself in the culture and connect with people who can help you take advantage of your talents.
There are many industry events that take place in cities across the UK, and many of them are free to attend. These events not only allow you to network, but can help improve your confidence and communication skills, as well as perfecting the knowledge and practice of your skill. You will usually find recruiters who are there to advise on future careers or point you in the right direction of a useful contact.
If you’re looking to practice a skill outside of work, then Google is your friend! Whether you want to play more rugby, sing in a choir, or use your personable skills to help those in need - Google and social media are usually great places to start, providing a wealth of information.
Step 4: Use these resources to teach others
One of the best ways to appreciate the skills you have is by helping others to learn them too. Whether you’re teaching someone to ski, solve algebra equations or manage their workload better - helping them will also benefit you.
Adult volunteers at the Army Cadet Force describe what they do as fun, positively challenging and fulfilling, as they are being appreciated for what they do.
The ACF encourages people from all walks of life to sign up, whether they have military experience or not. We need volunteers with energy and enthusiasm, and not just to do the physical tasks required at the ACF. We need counsellors, administrators, managers and people who can help our cadets develop both mentally and physically.
If you want your technical, transferable or personal skills to be appreciated in a thriving and fun environment, find your nearest detachment and sign up now.