Q: Because creativity flourishes during moments of solitude, you may benefit from selectively choosing periods to boost this aspect of yourself. When you are not distracted by the demands of others on your time, your mind opens up to greater possibilities. Being alone is a great time to brainstorm a new business idea, write a novel, develop a new song, make pottery, improve your photography skills, and so on. Even if you do not work in an obvious creative field, you can still benefit from this creativity boost. Although you can pursue passions and interests with others, you can also have fun pursuing them alone. Whatever it is that makes you feel relaxed and happy, do it by yourself. This brings with it the added value of allowing you to relax and de-stress on your own. You can also do things that maybe your friends or partner are not interested in or do not have time to join in on. Solo activities cover the full spectrum of hobbies. You can go for a hike, read a book, visit a museum, or shop at a flea market. Just because you’re not spending time with any humans doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy time with an animal companion. Caring for pets can help you overcome a multitude of ills, such as loneliness, depression or anxiety. Pets influence us to go outdoors, they provide companionship without requiring conversation, and they help us make healthier decisions. Alone time is a perfect opportunity to do activities that are nurturing and soothing to your mind, body, and soul. Many people neglect self-care because they are so busy with other obligations. However, tending to your mental and emotional well-being can allow you to perform better, concentrate better, and even fight stress in your daily life--no matter what your career involves.  Self-care activities can be anything you enjoy doing that restores you. It could be meditating in the mornings before starting your daily routine. It could be relaxing in a hot bath after a long day of work. Choose a few activities that you find soothing and do them during your alone time each week. You might find, after doing this for a few days/weeks, that you have actually come to like solitude!
A: Develop a passion for art. Engage in a hobby. Play with a furry friend. Perform self-care activities.

Q: Place the top of the canopy flat on the floor so that the bottom of the umbrella is facing up.
A: Set the new canopy on the floor.

Q: You may feel numb because you don’t know how to identify how you feel, or you feel obligated to be a certain way, like always in a good mood. If you’re unsure how to identify your emotions, take cues from your body. Focus on identifying emotions that arise. For example, if you’re going into a situation that makes you feel uncomfortable, you might get ‘butterflies in your stomach’ or tension in your shoulders. Notice subtle changes in your thoughts and behaviors that might impact the way you feel.  If you feel lonely, acknowledge that you feel lonely. Notice what this feels like in your body and how it affects your mood, thoughts, and behaviors. If you’re purposefully closing your emotions out to protect yourself, don’t rush the process. This can overwhelm you and lead to panic. Once you’ve identified your emotions, learn to express your feelings in a positive way. Many people talk about their feelings to gain clarity and express their feelings, but this doesn’t have to be the only way. You might write, dance, play or listen to music, paint, or meditate as a way to express your emotions. Creative expression can help improve your health and well-being. Find a meaningful outlet to express whatever emotions arise.  Let your emotions out instead of bottling them up or pretending they don’t exist. If talking about your feelings helps, confide in a good friend or see a therapist. If you feel detached or disconnected, try to feel grounded in the present moment. Sit in a chair and feel your feet on the ground and your body against the chair. Feel your body and use your senses to feel connected. Lengthen your breathing and start to notice things around you. For example, start noticing how many things are blue or yellow. Listen closely for sounds and noises. Connect with the present moment. If you’re not comfortable talking about your feelings, writing can be an easier way to work through them. Use a journal to process and express your emotions. A journal provides a safe, nonjudgmental, and private way to express your thoughts and feelings. If you don’t know where to start, begin with prompts that require some thoughtful reflection or emotional component. You might feel like a part of you has left and you cannot connect with your own emotions. This can lead to feeling numb from both good and bad emotions. Do things that previously brought you happiness. For example, start to paint, jog, or play with your dog. Even if you don’t want to do activities at first, try them. You might feel more connected once you start. Perhaps you feel like you’re in a rut and don’t know how to change your thoughts to support yourself emotionally. If your thoughts tend to be negative or you’re not sure how to make them more positive, start to challenge them. For example, ask yourself “Is this thought true? Are there other ways I could look at this situation? Am I jumping to conclusions?” Focus on making your thoughts more positive. Because your thoughts influence your emotions, having more positive thoughts can help you connect emotionally.
A: Identify your emotions. Express your feelings. Stay grounded. Write about your feelings. Do things that make you feel happy. Challenge negative thoughts.

Q: If your baby has ringworm, you should clean all the surfaces in your house. This includes floors, counters, and cabinets. You should also disinfect the things that your baby touches often, like walkers, strollers, car seats, high chairs, and even toys.  Try using a disinfectant, like Lysol, or another safe cleanser that will get rid of fungi or that has antifungal properties. If your baby has ringworm on the scalp, you want to make sure to disinfect or toss out any items that come in contact with her hair or head. This includes combs, brushes, hair bows, headbands, or hats.  To avoid ringworm, discourage any sharing of hair or head items with children who are not family members. You should also wash and sanitize any towels you use to dry your baby’s hair or head. Wash the child’s bedding in hot water to get rid of any fungus that may have been transferred. If your baby goes to daycare, you should contact the daycare to let them know about your baby’s ringworm infection. The baby may have gotten the infection at the daycare and may potentially spread the ringworm to other children. Talk to the daycare about the measures you are taking to treat the ringworm. If you believe your baby got ringworm at daycare, you may want to discuss with the child care providers what measures they are taking to ensure that your baby stays safe. If you think your baby may have gotten ringworm from a pet, you should take your pet to the vet. Both dogs and cats may transfer ringworm to a human. You should take your dog or cat to the vet to get him checked out for any ringworm infection, and then treat the pet if he is infected. If your baby got ringworm from an animal, she will not be able to transfer it to another human because it is a different type of ringworm. Ringworm is most commonly spread through direct contact with an infected person. This is why it is less common in babies than school children; however, your baby can catch ringworm by interacting with other children with ringworm. He may also catch it by crawling across or touching an infected surface.  Your baby may also get ringworm from pets since dogs and cats both carry ringworm fungus. Ringworm is usually no longer contagious after about 48 hours of treatment.
A:
Sanitize the environment. Contact the daycare. Treat any pets. Learn how ringworm is spread.