Every single new year, you see people coming up with lists of things they want to start doing. Whether it’s about changing one’s diet or adopting a new attitude, it’s always something that (hopefully) makes the current year better and more fulfilling than the last. This year, you can start paving the way to success by acquiring new skills. Take note that these new skills will not just be for the sake of occupying your time. These skills can be used to open up new opportunities for you professionally. They can also be a great way to trigger your creativity or boost your self-esteem. Ready to get started on this new journey? Here are 15 skills that you can start learning this year.
1. Build your own YouTube channel.
Actually, it’s a lot more than just building your own YouTube channel. It’s about making sure you do it right by signing up for an online class that teaches you everything you need to know about building your channel and growing your following. Remember that we now live in a world where online presence is everything. It doesn’t matter what craft you specialize in. As long as you have a solid online presence, selling yourself as a professional is easier and more effective. Although there are free resources that you can get online, figuring out which material matters can be quite challenging. This is why it’s a good idea to invest on your personal development and go for those paid classes where you do not only learn from the experts, you can also get exclusive content that can help you become an online sensation.
2. Learn the basics of Instagram or Facebook.
Social media is at its peak, so it’s best for you to start jumping into it before it’s too late. There are classes you can attend that will teach you how to earn through these social media channels. You can start handling social media accounts after this and help brands and professionals expand their social media reach. Better yet, you can try learning more about other social media channels that are emerging to make sure you cover all your bases. Of course, as with anything else, make sure you focus on one thing at a time to ensure complete mastery.
3. Learn watercolor painting.
There’s something incredibly calming about the way watercolor gently swirls across paper. The interesting thing is that not only can watercolor painting bring you calm and peace, this is also a hobby that you can take further and convert into a profitable business. Watercolor painting has become a huge hit, and once you get the hang of how to mix and match colors and capture images the most artistic way possible, you can also start selling your own work or create designs that other people can use.
4. Learn how to design handbags.
Yes, there are online classes that teach you how to design handbags! If you’re someone who enjoys hunting for unique bags, this could be a great class for you to sign up for. Not only will you be able to design your own handbags from here on, you can actually make a living out of it by designing bags for other people, too. Now if you decide that this is not a craft you would like to earn from, but would still continue to enjoy, that’s okay. The mere act of designing can have amazing effects on your mind.
5. Learn how to do nail art.
Now this is for the ladies who enjoy their manis and pedis on a regular basis. Nail art is a great way to make your personality shine beyond the usual plain nail colors. Of course, nail art is not just done randomly, there are certain steps you should follow to make sure it’s executed perfectly. You can start out with some basic designs, then eventually move on to more complicated ones. Before you know it, you could be designing your own nail art and applying them on other people.
6. Learn how to make paper flowers.
The past couple of years have seen the rise of DIY, especially for special events like weddings, birthdays and the like. With this new trend, we also see a strong following for paper flowers. Paper flowers do not wilt, nor do they cost as much as real flowers. This is why more and more people use paper flowers for their events instead of real ones, which is why making paper flowers has turned into quite a profitable venture for many. If you have no plans of making money out of it, that’s okay! The mere act of twisting and folding paper is extremely relaxing, and the fulfillment of seeing your bouquet take shape is just invigorating.
7. Try travel photography.
Photography is another art form that just reels you in and immerses you into the beauty of the world. Especially when it comes to travel photography, you find ways to capture different perspectives of everything you see along the way. To take things a step further, you can share your shots with the world through a photo blog or an online portfolio. Not only will this be a great channel for you to receive feedback from other photographers to help you improve your style, this will also be a great way for you to get discovered and start making money from your pictures.
8. Learn more about robotics.
Technology has advanced considerably in the past few years, so it’s not surprising that one day, you’ll be able to have robot servants around the house, Bicentennial Man style. Might as well get started on finding out how they’re made and what they can do as early as now. You never know. You might have a bright future in robotics, and your name could be the next big thing once the field takes off.
9. Decorate cakes.
Cake is always a good thing! It doesn’t even matter if it’s someone’s birthday or not. Cakes have turned into dining table must-haves and not just desserts you look for when there’s a special occasion. What makes cakes even more interesting now is the way they’re decorated. Somehow, cakes have become a great outlet for creative people, something that you can probably do, too. That’s hitting 2 birds with one stone, satisfying both your creative and your dining needs.
10. Support someone else’s advocacy.
If you’re someone who’s used to fighting for your own beliefs and principles, then good for you. But what about the advocacy of other people around you? Now’s a great time to start supporting other people in their fight. Go to any online crowdsourcing or advocacy website and start looking for a cause that you might be interested in. From there, start helping the person behind it by promoting the cause to your peers. You never know what an impact this could have on the success of the advocacy.
11. Find out more about woodworking.
Seeing those amazing designs on furniture showcases, but thinking twice about the money involved? There’s a solution for that, but it’s not as simple as making a purchase. Making your own wooden furniture can be quite fulfilling, and it’s definitely easier on the pockets. To set you up on this endeavor, start out by signing up for basic woodworking classes. Of course, you would need a few basic tools of your own to make this work. But trust me, they’re worth the investment. Once you get the hang of making the simplest stuff, you’ll find yourself looking for more challenges and going for more complicated projects. Before you know it, your home will be filled with your own creations.
12. Sign up for graphic design classes.
If you’re in the marketing field but do not have the skills required to design anything, now’s the best time to start. Marketers will always find the need to explain their creative ideas, but more often than not, a handful of people will not even know what you’re talking about. This is usually why we pass the baton to someone else, like our graphic designers. They make your ideas take form. But wouldn’t it be awesome if you had the ability to present your ideas in visual form, making it easier for everyone to understand the ideas you’re pitching? Even better, you wouldn’t have to pass the task to someone else. Start out with classes that teach the basics of design, then work your way up. Before you know it, you can be a marketer who does their own designs.
13. Improve your communication skills.
No matter what field of study you specialize in, your communication skills will always matter. This is why classes that teach you how to improve your communication skills will always matter. This proves to be especially important if you’re planning on exceeding your part performance in anything related to your work or business. Business communication classes could be the leverage you need, especially if you want to expand your clientele and start building stronger relationships with them.
14. Learn how to write.
Now what if you’re a web designer or programmer who does not have the basic skills to create content? Here’s an opportunity for you to widen your reach and make it easier for yourself to solidify your web layouts. By knowing how to write content, it will be easier for you to present ideas to clients. Stop using the usual lorem ipsum text. Start wooing your clients with actual statements that match the websites they’re asking you to make. You don’t have to learn how to be Shakespeare — the basics would be enough. Learn about different writing styles, and find out what mistakes you should avoid. Before long, you can start being a one-man team, which is perfect if you want a little change of pace.
15. Attend leadership trainings.
Now this is one thing that you can also apply everywhere, just like the previous number on the list. Leadership is a skill that you can learn, or if you already have it, improve so that you can maximize your potential. This is not just for business owners or bosses. Even if you are a rank and file employee, sharpening your leadership skills as early as now could be the best way to pull you up through the career ladder. Truly, there is nothing better than making sure you keep moving forward in the path to improvement. It doesn’t matter if the skills you learn are for your own personal use, or for your professional advancement. What matter is the fact that you are thinking about being a better version of you each and every time. By the end of this year, you can look back and marvel at how far you’ve gone. Then, you can start planning on how you can be even better year after year.
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