Part of the recovery process from substance abuse for young men is learning how to navigate a sober lifestyle and addressing possible failure-to-launch situations. After all, developing life skills is vital to becoming an independent young man and maintaining your sobriety over the long term. One of the best places to start is by taking a skills inventory.
What Is a Skills Inventory?
A skills inventory is an assessment you can complete that covers a wide range of topics. These topics include money management, independent living, social skills, employment, transportation, and healthy living skills. A skills inventory helps you determine which skills you might lack and which skills might need further developing.
Several free skills inventory assessments exist online. You might also make a list of the life skills you already have. For instance, you learned about eating healthy and exercising as part of your recovery treatment. As long as you apply that knowledge to your daily living, that is one life skill you have already tackled.
The Benefits of a Skills Inventory
A good skills inventory provides an overview of your current capabilities and skills. Also, it helps you identify skill gaps so you can better understand what skills you need might to grow in your independence.
Furthermore, results of a skills inventory can help you determine what type of education or training is required to ensure you find a job in your preferred field. As such, you can plan out an education or career training path with specific objectives and goals to help you stay on track.
How to Take a Skills Inventory
There are different formats used, depending on the assessment you take. The most important thing is to be honest with yourself. When presented with a question or skill, think about whether or not you have that skill.
Next, think about how proficient you are with that skill. Also, consider how much you enjoy using the skill. Finally, rank your ability in each skill on a scale of basic, intermediate, advanced, or excels. For example, what would you rank your personal appearance and hygiene skills?
The last part of this assessment is identifying those skills you might lack. Ask yourself how interested you are in learning and developing them. For instance, you may be interested in learning how to become a better cook, though you currently lack the skill.
A few more things to keep in mind about skills inventory assessments: First, it is perfectly acceptable to admit when you only have a basic grasp or lack a skill entirely. You are not going to be judged on your answers. When completing a life skills inventory assessment, there are no right or wrong answers. The purpose of the assessment is to help you recognize what skills you have and what skill you need to become a self-sufficient, independent young man.
The Importance of a Skills Inventory in Recovery
To be sure, your road to recovery will be full of challenges. However this is a time for renewed hope and opportunity. While sobriety is essential to your recovery, it is not the only aspect of recovering from substance abuse. Completing a skills inventory helps you determine what abilities you will need to manage your life effectively and reach your goals. Life skills are a combination of social skills, education, learning, emotional skills, and thinking skills, including:
- Self-Awareness
- Communication
- Empathy/Sympathy
- Organizing
- Planning
- Decision-Making
- Money Management
- Time Management
- Prioritizing Tasks
- Setting Goals
- Solving Problems
- Coping with Stress, Anxiety, and Triggers
After completing your skills assessment, you gain additional benefits from developing the skills you need, including:
- Essential life skills you need to manage your life effectively
- Recognizing which skills you need to use to effectively cope with triggers, stress, and anxiety healthily
- Learning how to develop healthy relationships with others and how to end unhealthy relationships
- Knowing how to set and achieve realistic goals and objectives
- Building your self-esteem and self-confidence to become self-sufficient
By completing your skills inventory and taking the steps to arm yourself with the skills you need, you are more likely to succeed and maintain sobriety over the long term. Furthermore, the benefits you gain when learning new life skills are far-reaching. They can also help you overcome feeling lost and overwhelmed, which is common in many young men after they complete rehab treatment.
Skills Inventory and Learning at Sober Living Homes in Los Angeles for Young Men
Do you want help uncovering your skills and learning the life skills you need to launch your adult life successfully? New Life House can help with our educational and life skills programming available at our sober living homes in the Los Angeles area. Best of all, there is no deadline or time limit to how long you can remain a resident at our sober living homes. We want you to work on your life skills and sobriety at a comfortable pace so that you can succeed. To learn more about our life skills track, or how to become a resident, contact us today.
Last Updated on July 22, 2022
