Most of us like to think that we are street smart, but unfortunately in reality many of us are not. Being street smart is a different kind of intelligence and it requires a person to hold many different skills and qualities. In the past it has been argued that people are either born street smart or not, but I believe that you can actually teach someone how to become more street smart no matter what their age. There are a number of different things that can be done in order to become more street smart, that can easily be adopted into your everyday life without any hassle. If are looking to become more street smart, then here are a 6 simple steps that you can follow in order to achieve this.
Become More Alert
One of the main qualities that someone who is street smart, or street smarts is that they are alert and aware of their surroundings at all times. No matter where they are or what situation they are in, someone who is street smart will be alert and aware. Being alert involves paying close attention to your surroundings and the environment that you are in. Being more alert also includes analysing the situation and being prepared for whatever might happen next. Becoming more alert is an important quality for everyone to have, regardless of whether they are street smart or not. It is especially important if you are an independent person or just like being on your own from time to time. Regardless of if you live alone or just enjoy doing things by yourself, being more alert and aware in certain situations is an extremely important quality to have.
Stay Strong In Uncomfortable Situations
Following on from becoming more alert in certain situations, an important quality that you should adopt in order to become more street smart is by learning how to stay strong in uncomfortable situations. Unfortunately, many of us will go through a number of uncomfortable situations throughout our lives no matter where we live or what we do. Learning how to remain strong and composed in situations where we may feel uncomfortable or even scared or afraid is a great quality to have and is a true sign that someone is street smart. Street smarts know how to remain calm, yet strong and resilient in situations where other people might feel uneasy. This step allows involves being able to control your emotions, so they don’t influence your decisions or actions in certain situations. Learning how to stay strong in uncomfortable situations and how to control your emotions unfortunately cannot be adopted over night and it make take you a long time to grasp. It may also require you to go through a number of different uncomfortable situations in order to feel comfortable and calm, but once you have done this you will being to feel more street smart.
Gain A Different Perspective
People who are not street smart tend to be very narrow minded and tend to see a situation from only one point of view. In order to become more street smart, you must be able to gain a different perspective and learn how to view a situation from a number of different points of view. There are a number of different things that you can do to in order to gain a different perspective that will allow you to become more street smart. The first thing that you can do is to ask questions. If you find yourself in a situation, for example an argument, you should try to ask the other person a series of questions which will allow you to gain an insight into their perspective or view on the situation. By asking them questions you may actually find yourself agreeing with their perspective, and if not, you will now have a better understanding of where their points of view are coming from. Another way of gaining a different perspective is to ask for other’s opinions and advice, as they may be able to help you. In doing this it will allow you to become less narrow minded and more street smart.
Refuse To Back Down
Continuing on from the points of becoming more alert in situations and gaining a different perspective, if you find yourself in a situation where you believe that you are in the right then you should refuse to back down. Many people who are street smart refuse to back down in situations where they believe that their opinion or action was right, whether it is correct or not. An important step in becoming more street smart is to become more self-assured and truly believe in yourself. So, if you find yourself changing your opinion or thoughts due to the opinions of other people you should remain strong and stick with your opinions, regardless of if they are correct or not.
Admit That You Are Wrong
Although this next step contradicts the previous step of refusing to back down in situations where your opinion may be incorrect, it is important for you to be able to admit that you are wrong. People who are street smart have no problem in admitting that they either acted wrongly or said something incorrect in a situation or argument. Admitting that you are wrong is an important quality that everyone should have regardless of whether they are street smart or not. I believe that admitting that you were wrong in a certain situation shows real inner strength and proves a great level of confidence. Although it can take a lot for someone to admit that they are wrong, doing this will really help you in becoming more street smart.
Trust Your Gut Feeling
Another important step that you can take in order to become more street smart is by learning how to trust your gut feeling. When you are in an awkward or uncomfortable situation, often you instinctively know if something is not quite right or potentially unsafe, which is known as a gut feeling. If your gut starts to tell you that you need to leave, run away, or remove yourself from a situation or person, you should definitely listen to it and act upon this feeling. People who are street smart will automatically listen to this gut feeling and will not second guess their decision in doing so. In most situations, your gut feeling or initial instinct tends to be correct, therefore you should listen to it. Knowing to listen to this gut feeling and then learning how to act upon it shows a sign of self-assurance and level of confidence that many people aspire to have.
Hopefully from these few simple steps you can now see what it takes to become more street smart. With the help of these steps, you will easily be able to adopt these street smart qualities and characteristics into your everyday life. Being street smart will help you in many different areas of your life and will get you through a number of different situations. Ultimately, this will allow you to become a much more confident and self-assured person.