Everyone has countless things to be grateful for in life, but in the chaos of day-to-day life, it can be easy to forget to practice gratitude. Increasing your gratitude in every situation and circumstance in life can help you feel better, and may help you find a greater sense of purpose.  Write a letter to someone you appreciate (a parent, a friend, your romantic partner, etc.) and let that person know why you appreciate them. Thank that person for everything they've done for you, and let them know that you value their friendship. Keep a journal of things you're grateful for. You can write about the big things in life, of course, but carry your journal around every day and write about the little things, too. Perhaps a hot latte prepared perfectly at your favorite cafe was what you needed to feel better on a gray, rainy day. Often it's the little things that can have a tremendous impact on your day-to-day life. Take time to dwell on pleasant places and things you encounter. Allow yourself to stop what you're doing and watch the sunset, or slow down your walk through the park to enjoy the colors of the leaves around you. Share good news and joyous occasions with others in your life. Studies have shown that sharing good news with someone you care about can actually increase your joy, and it allows your friend to engage with you in your moment of happiness. It can be hard to hear what other people think of your performance, but learning how to identify and use the constructive feedback that you receive can help you to develop your skills and work towards a happier life.  Keep in mind that criticism can be constructive or non-constructive. For example, if after giving a presentation someone tells you that you made a bunch of mistakes and that it was really boring, then this is not constructive. This statement is mean and it does not offer an opportunity for you to improve your next presentation. However, if a classmate tells you that she really liked your presentation, but sometimes had a hard time following along because you were talking kind of fast, then this is constructive feedback. You received a compliment and can use this information to improve on your next presentation. If you receive feedback that upsets you, try to take some time for yourself before you do or say anything about it. Take a walk, call up a friend, or do something else to distract yourself. Wait until you are feeling less emotional to think about ways that you can use the feedback to improve yourself. Forgiveness is one of the hardest things to offer to someone who has hurt you. It can be even more difficult to forgive yourself when you've done something upsetting. However, harboring anger, resentment, or even guilt can be incredibly damaging to your sense of self, your mental health/wellbeing, and the relationships in your life.  We all make mistakes, and we often learn from those mistakes. That's what makes someone a stronger, more caring individual. Forgiving others doesn't mean you have to necessarily forget others' wrongdoings. It also doesn't mean you should make yourself a doormat that other people walk all over. It simply means recognizing that someone (including yourself) made a mistake, hoping that something was learned from that mistake, and letting go of anger and resentment. It's often easy to forgive others for their mistakes, but hard to forgive yourself. Don't hold yourself to an unfair standard that you wouldn't hold others to. Accept yourself as someone who is trying his or her best, and try to learn any lessons you can from your mistakes. Living compassionately will help you be a better friend, a more caring person, and an overall happier individual. In fact, studies show that practicing genuine compassion and love towards others can also give you greater insight into how and why other people live and think.  See yourself in others, and try to see others in yourself. Your experiences are ultimately not so different from others' experiences, and everyone desires happiness, health, and affection. Offer genuine warmth, humor, and friendliness to everyone around you. Try smiling at others. It may be the little boost that someone needed to get through a difficult moment. Everyone has hurdles to overcome. We're learning through life every day, so it's natural that everyone will occasionally make mistakes. Practice genuine gratitude to others. This extends beyond being grateful when someone does something nice to you. Learn to appreciate the patience, love, and efforts of everyone in your life, including those who work with you or for you.
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One-sentence summary -- Practice gratitude. Identify and use constructive feedback. Be forgiving of yourself and others. Cultivate compassion.


If you're a human being, chances are you have had a bad day and been in a bad mood, lost your temper, needed alone time, told a lie, and been selfish. Try to keep in mind that people don't always live up to their ideals. So, just as you might cut yourself some slack when you make a mistake, try cutting those you know some slack, too. Instead of making harsh judgments based on single instances of behavior, instead look for patterns that may better reflect the kind of person the individual is. Ever receive a thank you card from someone? For some reason it feels way better than if the person merely thanked you in person. This suggests that when others go to extra effort, these efforts are appreciated and make the recipient feel grateful and happy. When you treat a friend well, she will be more likely to return the favor. This will help the relationship thrive and help you to have a better life. Communication is difficult as it entails you translating your feelings and thoughts into a format that you think the listener will understand exactly as intended. But how can you be sure your words were taken as meant? One way to increase your changes is to take more time before you speak, so as to communicate more effectively. If your thoughts aren’t worked out yet, sort them out in your head before you say them out loud. Concentrate and focus on the person who is speaking. Value her words even if you disagree with her perspective or opinion. Do your best to remove distractions from your mind. You can do this in part by watching the speaker's mouth. Studies show that visual information from the lips facilitates language processing. Do your best to consider her perspective. Put yourself in her shoes before you evaluate her. Does it seem like she is being short with you? Why might that be? Rather than assuming that she is a mean or bad person, consider that perhaps she had a tough day at work, or other people were rude to her before. Studies show that spending money on others makes us happier, even more so than spending money on ourselves. This is the idea of "paying it forward" – doing kind acts for others who (in theory) go out and do kind acts for others still. Examples of random acts of kindness include paying for the people behind you in line at the movies, buying a warm meal or blanket for a homeless person, or cleaning your parents’ house.
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One-sentence summary -- Keep your flaws in mind before judging others. Commit random acts of kindness for those you know. Communicate more clearly. Be a better listener. Take the perspective of the speaker. Give to strangers.


In this way, the student can understand music theory more fully. Doing so without an instrument can prove boring, unfruitful, and sometimes even pointless. The practical side often brings to life the reasons you've already highlighted above. The piano or the guitar can be the best choices for this, since they are versatile instruments and offer a broad range of sounds. Additionally, the layout of the keyboard (on the piano) and the fretboard (on the guitar) facilitate visualizing chords and scales while the student practices.
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One-sentence summary -- If the student does not already play an instrument, teaching the basics of an instrument and how to play it will encourage the learner to apply what has been learned. Select an instrument that isn't too complicated and that is generally acceptable and useful.


Find a container that is 12 (h) x 12 (w) x 20 (l) inches in size. Avoid containers with patterns on the sides or bottom, as it will make removing the gel more difficult. Measure the inside wall 6 inches (15.2 cm) from the bottom of the container and mark it with a permanent marker. This will be the line that you fill the water to. Coat the entire inside with spray to help release the gel when it is finished. Wipe any excess spray out to avoid cloudiness in the finished gel.
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One-sentence summary --
Obtain a large plastic storage container. Measure and mark the mold. Spray the container with non-stick cooking spray.