The Life Skill Nobody Connects With Happiness — But Is At The Core Of True Life Satisfaction | Moira Hutchison

Problem-solving and decision-making are just some of the things we are naturally called upon to do in our everyday lives. However, many problem-solving techniques can be used effectively to help the process and get through predicaments with ease and grace.

When facing a problem, people tend to get uncomfortable in the situation and wish everything would go away immediately. They tend to pressure themselves to come up with the right answer right away, and if things go wrong, they tend to place the blame on somebody else. But this is no way to find happiness.

Problems become problems because we need to find solutions and are not sure how to do it. There can be conflicts on which choice is best to take, and in the process, we feel uncomfortable and expect bad things to happen. By knowing effective problem-solving techniques, we can be more organized and take on the problem one step at a time.

Here's the life skill nobody connects with happiness — but is at the core of true life satisfaction.

1. Identify the current issue

Before thinking of the steps to bring about the perfect solution, you should first establish what the problem is. Always remember not everyone has the same perspective on the issues involved.

2. Take other people's interests into consideration

This is usually a step that many fail to follow. To explain, interests are defined as the needs you desire to have satisfied by solutions. When solving problems, we fail to consider other options since we focus on one particular solution. To avoid this, list the best solutions possible that will satisfy other people’s interests, too.

3. List possible options and solutions

When working in a group, it is best to brainstorm so everyone’s creativity can contribute to the possible solutions. If possible, separate the list of available options from their evaluation.

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4. Evaluate the available options

Write down the pros and cons of each problem so you can find which should be eliminated. When everything is set, you can finalize your list of which steps to take to solve a particular problem.

5. Choose the option(s) to take

Before solving a problem, you will need to choose the best option that will meet everybody’s interest and at the same time, tackle the issue at hand. If possible, you can combine it with other possible options for a more effective solution.

6. Write down the agreement

It is helpful if the agreement is written so everything will be detailed and everyone will be aware of the implications set by the options chosen. Do not rely on your memory alone since it can be inconsistent, and you can forget important details.

The Life Skill Nobody Connects With Happiness — But Is At The Core Of True Life Satisfaction

We don't think of it as a skill at all, but the more you practice, the better you get.