INPUT ARTICLE: Article: When you speak to someone, you make eye contact with them. This shows that you are listening attentively, and that you are focused on the conversation. This rule applies for girls as much as it does for boys. By making eye contact with her, you show her that you respect her. This doesn't mean that you should stare unblinkingly into her eyes. You can allow your gaze to shift about, but try to stay focused on her eyes as much as possible. Listen to what girls have to say and avoid dominating the conversation. Conversation between two people is give and take. After you say something, give her a chance to respond. When she is saying something, wait until she finishes speaking to respond. If you are truly listening, your response will be relevant to what she has said and add substance to the conversation. Try to practice active listening, such as by:  Using neutral statements to show you are paying attention, such as “yes,” “I see,” and uh-huh.” Asking probing questions to keep her talking, such as “What happened next? “How did that make you feel?” and “What are you going to do now?” Restating to ensure you understood what she said, such as by saying, “It sounds like you are saying ____. Is that right?” Basically every culture has some version of “The Golden Rule” that basically says “Treat others as you would like to be treated.” Well, this is applies to girls as well. Using degrading and disrespectful slurs (anything from calling her a “gold digger” to implying that boys are smarter than girls) is not an appropriate way to talk to, or about, girls. Take some time to reflect on your attitude towards girls to help you determine what your biases might be.  For example, do you tend to associate women with certain careers, behaviors, or social roles? Are you skeptical of women in positions of power? Make a list of things that you consider your biases against women.  Do not allow this behavior from other people. If a friend is being disrespectful towards girls, point it out and correct them. Avoid obsessive swearing, passing gas, burping, etc. While it’s best practice to avoid this things around any person, girls tend to be less amused by these behaviors than boys. Accidents happen, for example, a burp slips out after dinner, and that’s okay. Say excuse me and move on.  Try to practice good manners, such as by saying please and thank you, paying attention during conversations, offering help, and opening doors. The point is to avoid being deliberately rude, not to be a robot.

SUMMARY: Make eye contact when talking. Allow her to speak. Assess your attitude towards girls. Mind your manners.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: Nutrients are most plentiful in fruits and vegetables that have just been picked. The longer you wait to eat your food, the more nutrient loss will have occurred.  Only buy as much as you will use in a few days. It is better to shop more often and have fresher food options. Shop at markets that offer the freshest food. In season, you may be able to buy directly from farmers or at farmers’ markets. Cooking vegetables can reduce the amount of vitamin C they contain, though it can also increase other valuable nutrients, such as lycopene. Broccoli, watercress, and garlic are all generally better raw than cooked. Moderation and balance are the keys. Raw broccoli contains sulforaphane, a potentially protective compound, and raw carrots contain polyphenols, another protective group of chemicals. Cooking these vegetables destroys these compounds, but replaces them with other beneficial substances including indole and carotenoid. Air, water and heat all attack vitamins starting at the surface of the produce. Vegetables cut into large pieces will retain more nutrients in cooking than small pieces. If you need smaller, bite-size pieces, you can always cut them smaller prior to serving. Avoid fruits that were picked green. Tomatoes ripened outdoor on the vine can have twice as much vitamin C as greenhouse tomatoes, for example.
Summary: Eat fresh foods. Include raw food in your diet. Reduce surface exposure. Choose fruits ripened in the sun.

While you may feel like you put in a lot of effort to this relationship-- including caretaking roles-- it’s likely you’ve also gained from this relationship. If you did not find some fulfillment in the relationship, you probably would have ended the relationship much sooner. Consider how this relationship has served you and why it no longer serves you. For example, you may have felt like you had a sense of purpose by taking care of someone who was an alcoholic or that had a major medical condition. You may love the feeling of “being needed” or being in control. People in codependent relationships tend to have a fear of abandonment. This can be one reason they choose a helping role in a relationship: taking care of someone and having someone depend on them means this person won’t likely abandon them. If you have a fear of people leaving you, see a therapist. Therapy can help you work through feelings of abandonment, explore ways to care for yourself, and trust others. Often, abandonment issues start in childhood or with a traumatic event. It’s beneficial to work through these issues in order to help you free yourself from the fear of abandonment. Chances are, you find at least part of your self-worth in caretaking. Instead of relying on helping others to validate you, learn to validate yourself without needing others to validate you. You may feel as if you need others to tell you how important you are, but you can do this on your own. As you think about ending the codependent relationship, reflect on where you derive your sense of self-worth. How do you perceive yourself?  What are your own thoughts about who you are and what you deserve? Do other people seem more able to attain success or happiness than you? You may be so caught up in meeting someone else’s needs that you neglect your own needs. While it may feel like the person depends on you, recognize what is within your own responsibility. It’s likely that by devoting your time, attention, and resources on this person, you’ve neglected taking care of yourself. You may feel like you have no idea who you are outside of taking care of this person, or that your full identity is taking care of someone. Start to regain a sense of what your own needs are. For instance, do you need alone time to recharge after a stressful day? What do you do to cope with stress? Have you neglected your nutritional or exercise needs? What about sleep?
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One-sentence summary -- Think about what the relationship fulfilled for you. Work through feelings of abandonment. Validate your own self-worth. Meet your own needs.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Use a broom to sweep all loose dirt, mud, and debris off of the rubber mat. If it is a large mat, use a push broom. If there is a lot of debris on the mat, you may need to sweep it multiple times. Take a garden hose and spray the mat with water. Use moderate to high pressure. Avoid using pressure washers since they can damage the rubber mat. If there are particularly stubborn stains, you may need to use a cloth rag or brush. Scrub the stain with the rag or brush until the dirt is removed. If the stain won’t come up, use a bit of soap or water-based spray cleaner. Don’t use solvent-based cleaners. They can weaken the rubber. Use the hose to rinse the soap from the mat. Use the broom to remove excess water and any leftover debris from the mat. Pick up the mat and hang it up to dry. Make sure to leave it long enough that it completely dries so it doesn’t start to mold.

SUMMARY:
Sweep loose debris off the mat. Use a hose to wash the mat. Scrub stains with a brush and soap. Rinse the mats with water. Let the mats air dry.