As you can see there are plenty of good replies IMO.
for me i needed to change my whole perception of life and everything in it.a renewing of my mind if you like.
i needed to practice 3 things to start that change of perception......
Honesty......on a gut level.....no just with the tax man.......but fundamentally myself..
willingness.....to get that willingness i needed to of had enough.....enough of booze....enough of "my way"......to concede to myself that i was licked by booze.
openmindedness.....to let go of all my- pre conceived ideas....let go of my old thinking.....
lots of things have been suggested to me in early recovery that my brain said "dont do it"......or skip this bit...
open mindedness really was trying a way of life that i hoped would work ....i didn't know for sure.......i just hoped i could be as content as "those" others.
coming here and asking for opinions is openmindedness......and reading the replys.....thinking about them...rather than instantly dismissing them.
thats my take on skills........none of them came naturally.....i was the opposite of all of them....but they were the key to moving forward.
hope that helps........i hope all the replys help.