To the same pot that you cooked the sausage, add 1 cup (175 g) of chopped green bell pepper, 1 cup (225 g) of chopped celery, and 1 cup (150 g) of chopped onion. With the heat on medium, allow the vegetables to cook until they are tender, which should take approximately 4 to 5 minutes.  If you find that the butter has cooked off after you’ve finished with the sausage, you can add 1 to 2 tablespoons (14 to 28 g) more before adding the vegetables. Stir the vegetables periodically to ensure that they cook evenly. Once the vegetables are tender, add 4 cloves of minced garlic to the pot. Allow the mixture to cook for approximately 1 minute, or until the garlic becomes fragrant. If you prefer, you can substitute 1 teaspoon (3 g) of garlic powder for the minced garlic. Add it in the following step with the other dried spices. After you’ve cooked the garlic with the vegetables, add 1 teaspoon (1 g) of dried thyme, 1 teaspoon (6 g) of salt, and ¼ teaspoon (½ g) of cayenne pepper to the pot. Mix the spices in well, and allow the mixture to cook for 30 seconds.  If you want your sausage gumbo to be spicier, you can add more of the cayenne pepper. You can substitute 1 to 2 teaspoons (3 to 6 g) of Cajun seasoning for the thyme, salt, and cayenne pepper. It is spice blend that contains all of those ingredients.

Summary: Add the pepper, celery, and onion and cook until tender. Stir in the garlic and saute briefly. Mix in the thyme, salt, and cayenne pepper and cook until fragrant.


If you're nursing a serious family wound, such as childhood abuse or neglect, you should deal with this injury as soon as possible. Otherwise, if you keep suppressing it, you'll find your ability to trust and love in other relationships and aspects of life will suffer. For serious problems, you should seek the help of a therapist to analyze and guide you through your feelings. A licensed professional can also help you brainstorm ways to deal with the past and move on in the future. If you have health insurance, you should ask your provider about which doctors or services they cover. Websites like PsychologyToday and goodtherapy.org have searchable online databases that can help you find professionals in your area. When reflecting on the impact a betrayal or trauma has had on your life, have your therapist help you identify your objectives for the process. For example, do you want to eventually forgive your family member and re-forge former bonds?  Or, do you just want to find a way to get over the past so that it doesn't affect your life in the future? Since seriously abusive family members rarely apologize for the past, your goals should not include receiving an apology or even recognition from the injurious person. Personal healing after painful family wounds is largely dependent on self-esteem: you'll only be able to acknowledge your pain and get over any associated shame if you believe you're a person worthy of respect and happiness. You can work on building this self-esteem by investing time and energy in yourself and your interests.  Physical activities like jogging, swimming, or team sports will buoy your mood by releasing endorphins and relieve anxiety by burning off adrenaline.  Creative pursuits such as painting or writing will help you to express your feelings and feel a sense of accomplishment, as well as helping you recover from family trauma. Getting over a troubled family past is much easier if you work on building trust and intimate relationships with friends. It will improve your self-esteem, improve your mental health, and even boost your physical health, all while proving that you aren't totally dependent on nuclear family ties.   You can strengthen existing friendships by making time for personal conversations, trust-building activities, and attending one another's special events. One of most important parts of the healing process is closure, and a wonderful way to achieve closure is to write a letter and express unaired feelings.  Even if the other person doesn't claim accountability or never even responds to the letter, you'll feel a sense of relief at having released pent-up sadness and anger. Depending on your goals, you might have decided not to address the family member directly. You can still reap the therapeutic benefits of this step, though, by writing a letter which you won't actually send. You can say all the things you've always wanted without putting yourself in a vulnerable position and potentially re-aggravating healing wounds. . Even if you intend to never see or speak to the offending family member again, you might want to consider forgiving the family member for the sake of your own mental and emotional wellbeing. This is because forgiveness can help you let go of the past and feel liberated moving forward. You can ask your therapist for help creating a manageable, productive plan for forgiveness that doesn't compromise your progress. If there is an abusive family member, it may be necessary to dissolve your relationship with that person. As hard as it is to repair conflict within the family, it is equally as hard to protect yourself from an abuser within the family, especially if you experience pressure from other family members to have a relationship with the person. This can be very difficult and complicated, so enlist the help of a therapist to strategize how to do this. You may wish to tell the other members of your family why you are ending this relationship. An unfortunate truth is sometimes other family members will not want to believe what you are saying. Your therapist can help you prepare for this. If other family members are siding with your abuser, then you may need to remove them from your life as well.

Summary: Seek help from a licensed professional. Identify your goals for recovery. Do things that make you feel good about yourself. Build strong relationships with others. Write a letter or make a phone call. Forgive Know when to end the relationship.


A crew sock that comes past your ankle will work well for this, but you can also use a knee sock as well. Do not use an ankle sock; it won't be long enough to drape around your neck. Plan on using about 2 to 3 cups (370 to 555 grams) of rice. You can pour the rice straight into the measuring cup; if the cup isn't big enough to hold all the rice, use another container that has a spout. This will make it easier to pour the rice. Place the pillow into the fridge or freezer to keep it nice and cool. When you need to use it, drape it around your neck. Most socks have a natural arch to them, so you can drape this part around the back of your neck. You can also heat the pillow up in the microwave at 1-minute intervals until it reaches the temperature you want. Shake the pillow between each interval.

Summary: Get a clean, colorful sock. Pour enough uncooked rice to fill your sock into a measuring cup. Use the pillow.


Chances are that after going to a bunch of houses, you will hear certain similarities in disinterest. Keep an eye out for these basic themes, and prepare answers. You may not always get past them, but you will be prepared to address some early concerns. A negative buyer can still be open to persuasion. Don't see those negative responses as refusals, but as opportunities to give more information. Your potential customer needs to know that what you are selling will give them something they want. You should know the difference between a "benefit" and a "feature." A feature is something your product does, such as a vacuum that picks up more dirt than its competitors. A benefit is what you get from that feature. For that vacuum, the benefit would be a cleaner, healthier home. If your potential customer seems unwilling to buy, let your enthusiasm guide them. If they can't believe that you like or believe in your product, why should they? Most people will not want to stand in their doorway for too long, so if there is an opportunity to talk further, they will generally invite you inside. If possible, try to get contact information. With that, you can always offer to come back or call at another time. If you have fliers, business cards, or other printed materials with your contact information, this is a good moment to pass them out. If you don't have any, it might be good to get some. If a person gives you a direct "No" in response to your offers, thank them for their time and move on to the next house. There is no benefit to pushing that person any further.
Summary: Learn the common negative responses. Focus on your product's benefits. Be positive about your product. Offer to provide more information. Pay attention to clear rejections.