Problem: Article: To get the best results, you should iron your shirt to smooth out any wrinkles that could mess up the ink transfer.  Inkodye works best with cotton shirts so be sure to set your iron to the cotton setting. Iron the shirt until you’ve removed all wrinkles, especially on and around the area you plan to print on. Use a dry ironing method without steam. Place the cardboard inside your shirt and smooth out the area again. Cardboard works well because it’s flat and won’t let the ink bleed through to the other side of the shirt. Plus, when you’re done, you can just throw it away. You can use a piece of cardboard or plastic frame that you’ve made or simply use blue painter’s tape to tape off the area.  The area inside your frame is where you’ll paint on the ink. The frame ensures that no ink gets outside of the area. If you don’t want any extra inked area around your photo, use a frame that’s slightly smaller than your image. A smaller frame ensures that the ink won’t bleed out past your photo. Make sure not to tape the image down. It will get stuck. And run your fingernail along the taped edges if you used tape you ensure there are no gaps. Make sure to shake the bottle well before pouring the ink.  Make sure that your bowl isn’t absorbent, you don’t want the dye seeping into it. Try to do this in a ventilated room that isn’t exposed to a lot of natural light. About 2.5 tablespoons (40 ml) can coat an 11X11” cotton square. Coat your brush or roller with the dye. Use the edges of your bowl to get excess dye of your brush so there’s not dripping or blotting.  Evenly apply the dye to your desired area on your shirt. Don’t soak your shirt. Inkodye is fairly colorless so pay close attention to how much you are applying. After you’ve covered the desired area, grab a paper towel and blot the area to soak up any excess dye. Once you’ve covered the area you no longer need your frame. You can keep the frame on if you used tape and you think some of the dye may have bled through. You can press down your negative onto your shirt to help it stick to the dyed area.  Smooth out the area with your hand. You want your negative to make good contact everywhere with the dye. Use straight pins on the edges of your negative to keep it in place. Alternatively, you can place a piece of acetate over the top of your negative. You now want to bring your shirt with the negative on it outside and let it soak up the sun to dry and transfer the image.  Expose your print to direct sunlight for 10-15 minutes. It’s best to do this when the sun is strongest around 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. You may have to expose your print for longer if it’s cloudy out. After about five or so minutes you’ll begin to see the image darken. It’s best to remove the negative in a space that isn’t very bright. Removing the negative in subdued lighting will help to keep the print intact. It’s best to wash your shirt in the washing machine, but you can hand wash it as well.  Washing will remove any extra Inkodye from your shirt and make your print look nice and fresh. Use warm to hot water for best results. You may want to wash it twice to remove all the residue. After your shirt is clean, it’s ready to wear!
Summary: Lay your shirt on a flat surface and iron it. Insert a piece of foam core or cardboard into your shirt. Create a frame where you want to place the image. Pour your Inkodye into a bowl. Apply the Inkodye to your shirt. Remove the frame to see the painted area. Place your negative on the inked part of the shirt. Expose your print to direct sunlight. Remove the negative. Wash your shirt.

Problem: Article: Remember that though your intentions may be good, sometimes your words might hurt others.  Before speaking about a sensitive topic, ask yourself if what you’re about to say is true, helpful and kind.  Use “I” statements to describe your own thoughts instead of guessing at what others think or feel.  For instance, you can say “I’m feeling uncomfortable with the decision made in today’s meeting” instead of “You should be upset about that decision today.” Always make statements from your own point of view and perspective. Avoid being defensive or blaming others. If you need to discuss something serious with someone, practice your words beforehand. Always know your audience before delivering a message.  This will help to ensure that it is well received and understood.  Determine whether email or in-person communication works best or if news is best delivered in groups or in one-on-one settings.  For instance, perhaps you need to tell your staff that there will be budget cuts.  In the past you may have used email to deliver sensitive information, but have found that caused confusion.  Call a staff meeting instead and deliver the facts while providing time for questions. Schedule individual meetings as necessary or requested. Instead of always making decisions on your own, listen to the perspectives of others.  Thank them for telling you how they feel so that they always feel comfortable doing so.  Take time to consider others’ opinions, but stand firm by your own decisions when you feel that you have made the best choice. Say “Thank you for your honesty, Jason.  I’ll take what you said about universal healthcare into consideration and I’ll do more research.” When speaking to others, don’t be aggressive, but do be confident.  Speak slowly and deliberately.  Sit with your legs and arms uncrossed and look people in the eye when they are speaking. You should still acknowledge when you don't know something. For example, say, "I'm not sure about that subject and don't know the answer right now, but I'll be sure to look into it further." Instead of being overly direct about your thoughts and feelings, add a bit of fluff.  Make suggestions instead of telling people what to do.  A diplomatic person does not bark out orders, but finds ways to inspire others to action instead. Your goal should be to collaborate with your team and encourage them to do their best.  For instance, if you are managing a conflict between your children, you might say “You two might want to consider a better way to divide up the space in your room so that you fight less.” You can say to an employee who’s often late “Have you considered taking the interstate to work instead?  It’s a bit quicker in my experience.”  If you choose to say this, say it to someone who you have a good relationship with.  It could be perceived as passive-aggressive in some contexts. Having good manners is key to diplomacy.  Wait your turn to speak and never interrupt others.  Be encouraging and avoid hurling insults.  Keep your voice at a natural and neutral level and avoid cursing or yelling. Perhaps you have to work with people who you really don’t like or whose actions you consider offensive. However, being diplomatic is not just for those you get along with. Practice deep-breathing techniques to calm you when others stress you out. If you feel that you are going to cry or yell, walk away for a moment to use the restroom.  Consider trying a meditation app such as Insight Timer to help you manage your emotions. Alternatively, you could try grounding yourself in the moment. Focus your attention on how your feet feel against the floor or how your buttocks feels against your chair.
Summary: Choose your words carefully. Adapt your communication style based on the situation. Be open to new ideas. Be assertive with your words and body language. Use indirect language. Mind your manners. Control your emotions.

Problem: Article: Immerse yourself in the tub. Let all your stresses wash away. Let your worries dissolve into the water. Think happy thoughts of sun-kissed beaches and starlit skies. Let all thoughts of kids, work and money evaporate with the steam. Open your mind, meditate and just enjoy! When it starts to feel less enjoyable or it's getting too cold, it's time to hop out. You've just pampered yourself and you'll feel a whole lot calmer.
Summary:
Check the water temperature before getting in. Relax. Stay for as long as it feels comfortable and pleasurable.