Article: When you are mindful, you are living in the moment. Your mind is not focused on the past or present, but on the here and now. Being mindful also means acknowledging your thoughts, feelings, and present situation without judgment.  Don’t: Earlier today, someone budged in front of you in line at the grocery store. You thought about saying something, but decided against it. Now you can’t stop thinking about how angry you felt at that moment; you practise over and over again in your mind the things you wish you had said to that person. Do: Whenever the angry memory of that person budging in front of you pops into your head, acknowledge it but then let it go. Think, “yes, I felt angry then, but I don’t have to waste time feeling angry now,” and then return your awareness to the present moment. In a sense, being mindful means getting out of your head (and into the moment)! This is connected to being mindful. Practise making a mental photograph of your surroundings. Really pay attention to the things around you — the colours, the smells, the people, the weather.  Live in the moment. Studies have shown that your brain cannot efficiently switch between tasks, meaning that when you multitask, you actually lose time. Research has also shown that we are less likely to retain what we learn when we’re multitasking. In short, if you want to remember something, don’t do it while multitasking! Learn a language, play an instrument, increase your vocabulary — learning new things will keep your brain on its toes, so to speak. When we do the same things every day, our brain doesn’t receive the stimulation it needs to grow, so be sure to introduce new things regularly. You might also try learning different ways of using your senses — for example, brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand (if you’re right-handed, use your left) or turning a book upside down and reading it that way for 10 minutes. Studies show that using multiple senses helps us better understand and remember new concepts. If you want to remember something, visualize it, write it down, and say it out loud.  If you are trying to remember someone’s name, visualize them with their name written on their head. As you do this, say their name out loud. If you are trying to memorize a language, pick 10 to 20 words to remember each day, and write each of them out 10 times while saying them out loud. You might even do this a few times until you can write and say each word perfectly, without having to think about it. Flash cards are a good example of how you can enlist visualization, writing, and speaking to create memories; they are a wonderful tool for studying. If you want to help a memory stick in your brain, say it out loud as you complete the activity associated with it. When you meet someone new, say their name as you shake their hand (“Hi Sam”), then say it again when you finish the conversation (“It was nice meeting you, Sam”) or, if that feels weird, you can say it quietly to yourself as you walk away. On the way out the door in the morning, you remember that when you get home you need to do laundry. Instead of writing yourself a note or starting laundry before you go, you can do something like leave a shoe out in your hallway (if your hallway is usually empty/tidy, that is). Simply seeing that shoe out of place should spark the memory of wanting to do laundry. Your brain can only process so much information at a time; reduce what you want to learn into bite-sized chunks, so to speak. To ensure that you use your memory as effectively as possible, prioritize what you want to memorize, and start with the most important information.  It’s important to give yourself the time and space to properly remember things. We often need time just to process information before we can properly use it.  Instead of remembering the number, 5-6-2-2-8-9-7, make it 562-28-97. Throughout the day, give yourself little tests — for example, when you leave a restaurant, ask yourself to describe what your server looked like: his/her hair, eyes, shirt colour, name (if there was a name tag). Your brain may get slower with age, but it is still possible to learn new things and to improve your brain’s function.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Practise mindfulness. Pay attention to your surroundings. Avoid multitasking. Learn new things. Involve all of your senses in creating a memory. Repeat things. Create associations. Don’t overload your brain. Test yourself daily. Don’t give up.

Don’t let societal norms influence which subject(s) you chose to study. Often society pushes women into certain fields (English, the fine arts, teaching, nursing and other “helping” subjects), while men are pushed into other fields such as science, math, and technology.  More and more schools are pushing for women’s greater involvement in STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) because the number of women in these fields is extremely low despite the fact that there is plenty of interest. If you are interested in physics, go for it! If computers make you happy, dive in and learn all you can about technology. Don’t let prescribed gender roles interfere with you desire to learn more about a particular subject. By all means, follow your favorite subject. If you like music, follow that. If you like math, follow that. Remember that not all education has to be formal (i.e. attained through an institution like a university). Keep up with current events in politics, science and technology, read books (both fiction and non-fiction), learn another language, watch documentaries, and so on. Aspire to learn about new subjects throughout your life. . Being an independent woman means dressing the way you want, regardless of what people around you are telling you to wear. Use fashion as a way to express your mood, your taste, and your creativity.   Many times throughout history, women’s fashion choices have been dependent on the social and cultural norms of the time period. At one point in US history, tightly pulled corsets were the norm and it was a social taboo for women to wear pants. We live in an era in which women have much more freedom of choice for their clothing and dress. Embrace that freedom! When deciding what to wear, you should take into account your body type as well as your personal taste.
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One-sentence summary --
Study what you want to study. Become a lifelong learner. Embrace your own style