Article: If you’ve ever played an instrument or shown some talent for drawing, revisit those skills. Maybe you never stopped. Renaissance people spend time working on their creative sides, so get ready to develop any existing talent you’ve got. The only way to be good at music or art is to spend lots of time practicing. Look for free time in your schedule and fill those spots with practice sessions. You may be able to take 20 minutes during your lunch hour to practice. You can also practice after you’ve eaten dinner at night during the weekdays. Add a longer practice session on your off days. Try to practice at least 4-5 days per week, for about 20 minutes to an hour each day. If you’ve never sang a note or picked up a paintbrush, don’t despair! It’s never too late to start. Figure out what artistic skill (or skills!) most appeals to you and start learning.  Gardening, cooking, writing, baking, photography, website design… the list of things that qualify as art goes on and on. Find your passion and have fun with it.  Take an art or music  class in school if you’re a student. If not (and it fits into your budget), sign up for one at a local community college. You can also find guided tutorials online or at bookstores for learning artistic crafts or musical instruments. If you’re hoping to get into music, look for a community choir or band that accepts beginners. This is a great way to meet people and develop your creativity. Get inspired by what past artists have produced. Attend concerts and art shows to see what’s being put other there now by fellow artists. These events will teach you new things about the people and world around you.  Observing other artists can also help you decide on your own style. You may start out by imitating something you like, and then you’ll slowly start to create your own special artwork. Craft shows and local fairs are also great events for experiencing art and culture. These may even let you see the folksy side of art that you can’t get in all museums.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Take stock of any creative abilities you have. Practice frequently if you’ve already got artistic skills. Learn new artistic skills. Go to museums, cultural centers, and shows.
Article: Find comfort from the people who love and care for you the most. Once you’re ready to be out and about, or at least starting to feel like holing up in your basement and listening to The Cranberries may not be the best idea, make a point of spending time with your loved ones. Help your mom do some chores or go to the movies with your best friends. Invite an old friend out for lunch. You don’t have to go out to a huge party or a large family event if that makes you feel overwhelmed.  Start small, find the comfort in spending time with the people who know you the most, and gradually start to spend more time with the people you love. You may even feel like you should spend more time socializing than usual. That’s great, if you’re up to it – spending more time with your friends will make you forget the guy faster. It’s simple. The more time you spend doing what you love, the happier you’ll be. Maybe you’ve let your favorite hobby or interest fall by the wayside; maybe you’ve lost sight of your dreams. Well, pick those up and start putting in extra hours working on whatever you really care about – whether it’s a play, your plan to be an actress, or the beginning of your career as a teacher –  and you’ll feel better much more quickly.* Get lost in the thing that you love and see how much more quickly you forget the guy. If you don’t have a passion, this is the perfect time to find your passion. Use some of your free time to try something completely new and out of your comfort zone and see if you’ve found a new interest that captivates you. You may dread all of the time that you have to spend by yourself because it makes you feel even more prone to feelings of sadness and longing, but you have to change that. If you want to feel whole again, then you have to cherish the time you spend by yourself instead of waiting for your next social or work engagement. Though it’s good to plan to be a bit busier than usual if you know that being alone will make you sad, you should get to a point where you cherish that “me time” and enjoy being on your own and doing exactly what you want to do – instead of worrying about the guy.  Plan dates with yourself and do something relaxing and fun. Take a hot bath, watch your favorite movie – the one that everyone thinks is too corny anyway – and relish the fact that you can decide exactly what you want to do. You won’t be ready to fully get over the guy or find someone new until you truly find peace on your own. Exercising will give you a little endorphin kick, keep you from wallowing, and will generally make you feel happier and healthier. Making a plan to exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, whether you’re taking a group yoga class, running, or playing basketball with some friends, will make you set a firm schedule, feel more active, and get over the guy more quickly.  When you’re busy working out your body, you won’t have time to worry your mind over the guy. If you’re just sitting still all day, you’ll be much more likely to keep thinking about him. You can also switch up your routine and get a great workout by trying a form of exercise you’ve always wanted to try. Have you been eyeing that rock wall at your gym? Wishing you knew the rules to tennis? Try out something completely new – it can help you get out of your funk. Just making an effort to go outside instead of sitting inside watching that Law and Order marathon all day will make you feel happier and healthier. Breathing fresh air and feeling the sun hit your face is much better than feeling the light from the microwave oven, isn’t it? Even if you feel like getting out of the house is the absolute last thing you want to do, force yourself. Read at a local park instead of in your bed. Walk to a coffee shop to get your afternoon caffeine kick instead of making coffee at home. Make sure you leave the house at least once or twice a day if you want to start forgetting the guy. If you want to forget the guy, then you should really enjoy being single – not just go out and get drunk with your girlfriends and then come home sad at the end of the night. You can drink and party once you’re feeling up to it, but not before, or it’ll only make you feel worse. Have fun flirting, going on casual dates, or just hanging out with the girls for a while. All of these things will help you forget the guy. Don’t jump into a relationship with the first person you see right away or you’ll just suffer again. Rebound relationships almost never work. Once you feel that you’ve really forgotten the guy, are happy being on your own, and have a life that is fulfilling and meaningful to you, then it’s time to open yourself up to love again. Don’t be disappointed if it takes months, or even a year or more, for you to truly get over the guy and move on. It’s better to deal with your feelings than to be in denial. Once you’re ready to love, open your heart, keep a positive attitude, and get excited for what the world has in store for you. You’ll see that all of the pain you went through to forget the guy was worth it – you’ll know that you came out stronger on the other side.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Spend time with your friends and family. Spend more time pursuing your passion. Learn to love your alone time. Exercise. Get out of the house as much as you can. Enjoy the single life. Love again when you’re ready.