Even if people are mean to you, be nice to everyone at school. Don’t gossip or start rumors. When you talk to people, be polite and kind. If you are nice to everyone, no one can say anything bad about you. Smile at people and don’t avoid making eye contact. Vent out all your painful emotions. All the things you want to say out loud but may feel to scared or shy to say, write them down. Write down what is happening and how you are feeling.  You can write all of your painful feelings out on a paper and then burn it safely. Especially if you are shy, having a journal to express your feelings can be helpful. Exercise is a great way to bust stress and help you feel good about yourself. If going to the gym isn’t your thing, there are plenty of things you can do to move and sweat. Jump on a trampoline, take your dog for a walk, or ride your bike.  You can also dance, ice skate, or do tae-bo. Do things that interest you and that you enjoy! Learn a new skill. Learning something new can increase your confidence as well as show you your progress as you keep working with it. While it may feel like nobody likes you, you can try to join different clubs or teams to make friends that share similar interests as you. This can be at school or outside of school. Look into different clubs at school such as drama club, yearbook, poetry club, and activities like music or sports. Outside of school you can join like karate, dance, and spiritual organizations.  Think about what may interest you, then go check it out. You may feel weird or out of place at first, but give it a shot. Sometimes the hardest part is going to your first meeting. You might feel really anxious or tell yourself all kinds of stories that no one will like you or that you’ll be ignored. Don’t listen to any of it! Just go one time, and give it a try. Remember that all the people there share that same interest. Try getting to know other club members by asking them, “When did you first get into photography?” or, “How long have you done karate?” or, “Who’s your favorite poet?” Instead of dwelling on thoughts that nobody likes you or that people are mean to you, change your perception. There’s no need to replay negative situations in your head over and over. By focusing on the past on your negative experience, you actually empower the people that hurt you. Instead, empower yourself by creating positive thoughts about yourself.  It may be easy to get stuck on a loop of when people rejected you. (“What did I do? What could I have done differently? Why were they so mean?”) but get off that loop as soon as possible. These people do not define who you are, and their opinion is only an opinion, not a fact. . Think about the positive qualities you possess (like being kind, compassionate, caring, and generous) and your unique abilities (such as being a great dancer and big brother).

Summary: Be nice to everyone. Write in a journal. Increase your confidence. Join sports or clubs. Focus on positive experiences.


Depending on the size of your estate, you may be able to pass down your assets without interference from a court. However, many estates must go through the legal system for heirs to access the assets. The legal process of transferring money from a deceased account to living heirs is called probate.  The American Bar Association defines probate as "the process by which assets are gathered, applied to pay debts, taxes, and expenses of administration, and distributed to those designated as beneficiaries in the will.”  Not all estates need to be probated -- there are times when the executor of the will can distribute the estate without court interference. The personal representative will be responsible for setting up and administering the estate. Executors and administrators are the formally appointed personal representatives of an estate and have been granted Court authority to act on behalf of the estate. More often than not, the executor has been named in the will. If the decedent (the person who has died) did not leave a will the family decides who to ask the Court to appoint as administrator(s). The Court may appoint one administrator who is authorized to act alone, two or more administrators who are required to act together, or two or more people authorized to act alone, depending upon the agreement the decedent’s family reaches. Make a list of all the assets and debts in your estate. This includes property, cash, valuables (furniture, antiques, cars, etc.), investment or bank accounts, and debt. If it could be sold for money, it is an asset. You can also higher a professional appraiser to help determine the value of your estate.  Gather all financial documents including bills, bank and investment statements, and information on any outstanding loans. Add up all bills, including the payoff amount for any loans or credit cards. Add up the value of the estate assets, including the estimated value of all real estate. You may use the last appraised value of the real estate for estimation purposes. Subtract the total debt from the total assets. This is the estimated value of the probate estate. Check your state’s probate code with your attorney to determine your legal responsibilities. An estate which contains assets above your state’s small estate limit, typically $20,000 to $100,000, will need to be probated. If the estate’s assets do not exceed your state’s small estate limit and there is no dispute about who inherits what, you may choose to administer the estate by informal administration, with little to no court involvement.   If the estate’s assets do not exceed your state’s small estate limit, but if there is real estate involved you may be required to set up and administer the estate through the probate courts. Check your state’s probate code or with your attorney for your state’s rules governing small estates. If the estate’s assets do not exceed your state’s small estate limit, but there is any dispute as to whom should inherit property or pay estate debt, you may choose to probate the estate in order to have these issues decided by the Court. In informal administration, when the executor carries out the decedent's wishes, property may be transferred via an affidavit (written, court-confirmed statement) or through summary administration, bills paid by the family in almost any manner agreed upon, and no estate set up. The probate estate consists of all assets which do not pass directly to a new owner. All of these assets must go through a probate court before they are passed on. Assets pass directly to a new owner and skip probate if:  They are jointly titled with another party, such as joint bank accounts or vehicles, which list a co-owner on the title. They are named as a transfer on death beneficiary. A transfer on death beneficiary can be designated on financial accounts, vehicles, and, in some states, real estate. Transfer on death beneficiaries will be listed on the title or deed to the account, vehicle, or property if one has been named. They are named as a beneficiary. A pay on death beneficiary can be designated on financial accounts and life insurance policies. Pay on death beneficiaries are listed on the account or policy if one has been named.

Summary: Differentiate between supervised and unsupervised distribution. Determine who will act as personal representative of the estate. Calculate the estimated value of the estate. Determine with an estate lawyer whether or not you need to go through probate. Determine which of your assets are part of the probate estate.


Resting on all fours will help the baby into a good position. When the baby’s head puts downward pressure on your cervix, the cervix starts to efface, or shortens and thins out. Resting on all fours for 10 minutes at a time, several times a day, can help move the baby’s head into the optimal position. You are probably exhausted at this late stage of pregnancy and ready to just relax. But reclining or sitting back on the couch can be counterproductive to making sure the baby is in the right position for labor. Instead, lay on the couch on your left side, slightly rolled forward. Prop yourself up with cushions to make it comfortable. A birth ball is a large bouncy ball (they are also used in exercising) that can help you sit comfortably towards the end of pregnancy. You can also use this ball to help you cope with labor. Sitting or bouncing on the ball, while spreading your legs wide, can help the baby move downward.
Summary: Rest on all fours. Don’t recline backward on the couch. Bounce on a birth ball.