Cooking

Learning how to say no. Having personal boundaries.

Critical thinking. Not enough people stop and think openly about a given problem, situation, or interaction. If everyone took just a moment or two to take into consideration someone else’s perspective, circumstances, or goals, the world would be a lot less divisive.

Sewing, by hand or by machine.

Pollution from “fast fashion” is one of the most insidious types of pollution and one of the highest source of microplastics.

Knowing how to sew has allowed me to keep some garments looking new for over 15 years.

I still have a “snakes on a plane” themed hoodie from 2007 that is still going strong, thanks to sewing and proper washing/drying.

Knowing how to separate your clothing for washing is also helpful in this regard, because it also can make clothes last longer. T-shirts can last a decade if they’re washed on a delicates cycle and hung out to dry.

I honestly could give a flying fuck if everything I own is out of style, I’m fucking old anyway.

First off, love this question!

Active listening and validating someone’s emotions. Relationship skills in general honestly! Like how to adress the core attachment need in a disagreement instead of just the surface issue.

CPR. You may not think about it in your day to day life, but in an emergency it’s a very low hanging fruit to save someone’s life. If someone is not breathing, chest compressions baby… go to town.

Swimming. It could save your life.

Cooking.

It’s shocking to me the number of people I’ve come across who’ve no idea how to cook or find it to be too troublesome to do. Moreover, feeding yourself should be the single most primal skill for anyone to have.

I realize there’s a lot to unpack here. Some people are taught / learn to cook at a young age while some people have parents who’ve never cooked for themselves. Personal preference, finances, and scheduling play a huge part. The definitions of “cooking” and “feeding yourself” can vary widely. So, I’m not claiming everyone should know how to make a roast chicken dinner for four with sides and dessert. Although, I do think people should be at a level above boxed mac and cheese and microwaved air-fried chicken nuggets.

Cooking is, in my opinion, shopping for fresh foods and turning them into a meal. It’s about your health, your pleasure, and your finances.

CPR, first aid, basic self defense.

In this economy? Lock picking.

I wish I’d learned a few useful knots earlier in life. Saves so much time when you know how and which one to use.

The ones I use the most are the square knot, taut line hitch and once a year the truckers hitch for tying down the Christmas tree to the top of the car.

https://scoutlife.org/outdoors/176401/how-to-tie-the-7-basic-scout-knots/

Taking regular breaks. Whether it’s a quick hourly stretch or a longer weekly break, stepping away from your activities can help you avoid burnout and stay on top of your game.
Surprisingly this improved my overall gameplay in competitive games. And I am not exhausted from work anymore.

Baking bread. At first, your results will be uneven. (brick like, over baked, underbaked, too much yeast, not enough kneading, etc.) Just don’t give up, the first time you get it close to “right”, you’ll be addicted to home made bread. It’s about training your hands and other senses until you don’t need a recipe any more.

Sewing. I’ve saved a lot of shirts putting buttons back on and fixing holes. You can also do your own alterations on clothes but I’m not brave enough to try that yet.

For those in the US: Learn how to file your own taxes. It’s really simple for the large majority of people, and usually just consists of copying numbers into boxes off a sheet your employer made for you. After you’ve done it once, subsequent times you’ll probably have it done yourself in less than half an hour.

You can do it for free on a ton of sites unless you make significant income, freetaxusa is typically the most highly recommended one.