Problem: Article: To help you feel less afraid during your doctor’s visit, carry a comfort item. Look for an item that makes you feel secure and calm. Carrying it with you can help you feel less afraid. This could be a stress ball that you squeeze in your pocket or a small stuffed animal that you hold during the visit. Stuffed animals, such as teddy bears, can be a good comfort item for children who are afraid of the doctor. To help you feel more comfortable, you can ask the doctor to agree to pause if you start to feel frightened. You may ask them before the appointment begins to listen to you if you say "pause" and to give you time to get comfortable before they resume the check up. For example, you may say to the doctor, "Would you mind pausing if I say pause at all during the appointment?" or "Can you agree to pause for a moment if I say pause?" Some people find it helpful to do stress-releasing tactics like deep breathing and meditation. You may do this in the waiting room before your appointment or before you get in your car to drive to the appointment. Deep breathing and meditation can help to calm you down and feel less fearful of your doctor’s visit. Deep breathing can be done by taking deep inhales and exhales from your diaphragm. Hold the inhales for four counts and then exhale for four counts. Repeat this several times until you feel calm. If you think it will help you feel less fearful, get the doctor to explain their actions as they are doing them. This can help you feel more secure and in control of the situation. Your doctor will narrate their actions, such as tests on certain parts of your body, to put you at ease.  For example, if your doctor is about to test your blood pressure, they may say, “I am now going to test your blood pressure. Are you ready?” If you think that the doctor's explanations will make you more anxious, you might ask your doctor to share only what is necessary for you as a patient to know. You can say, "It might actually make me feel better if you didn't explain the procedure to me. Just let me know what is important for me to understand about my health."
Summary: Bring a comfort item with you to the visit. Make an official agreement with the doctor. Do deep breathing and meditation to stay calm. Ask your doctor to explain what they are doing during the visit.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Approaching someone at the wrong time can sabotage your chances before you really even get started.  Don’t try to start a conversation at an obviously bad time, like in the middle of a quiz or while the person is distracted by other things that seem to be commanding their attention. Realize that some people don’t like talking in certain situations. Some people don’t enjoy talking while riding the bus or wiping the cafeteria tables. If they don’t seem to warm up to your attempts to engage them in conversation, let it go. The adage that people like to talk about themselves turns out to be largely true. And questions are also great icebreakers.  If you don’t know how to start a conversation with someone, begin with a question like, “What’s the homework?” or “Who are you taking for biology?”  A good way to get closer to someone is to ask them questions about themselves. Ask questions about their hobbies, their family. their pets, etc. If they tell you about something they did or accomplished, ask them how they got into it and why. Key to getting to know someone is listening carefully to what they say.  Show that you’re giving them your full attention by holding eye contact, nodding your head, and pitching in small comments here and there to show you’re following the thread of the conversation. As you ask the other person questions, listen carefully to their answers to find out what the person is most interested in or passionate about. If one topic doesn’t elicit much of a response from them, don’t keep asking more questions about it. Instead, move on to another topic. Once you find a topic the other person seems excited about or has more to say about, ask follow-up questions and pitch in your own thoughts to keep the conversation going. People feel more at ease when you mirror their body language--subtly. Don’t pantomime their every movement, just subtly adopt similar body postures.  If they’re leaning forward, do the same. If they’re sitting with their legs crossed, cross yours. If they’re showing negative or closed-off body language (arms crossed, legs crossed while standing, or hands in their pockets), don’t mirror the negative body language. Instead, take that as a cue that they’re not feeling at ease. Adopt an open body language (leaning forward if sitting, arms at your sides with palms out, shoulders back, and legs shoulder-width apart, with feet towards the other person if standing) and try to redirect the conversation to something that elicits a more positive response. When you’re nervous or tense, you make other people nervous or tense--which most people don’t like.  Don’t psych yourself out. Practice quieting the doubting voice in your head telling you “you look so awkward right now” or “they’re just going to laugh at you.” Realize that it’s only the voice of insecurity and it doesn’t have any actual merit. Breathe. When you’re nervous you tend to hold your breath or take quick, shallow breaths, which perpetuates your nervousness. To calm yourself, take several full, deep breaths before approaching the person you want to talk to and remind yourself to keep taking deep, regular breaths throughout the conversation. Sharing too much about yourself too quickly can be off-putting.  Don’t tell the other person your entire life story. Not only do they probably not care enough to listen to you talk all about yourself at this point, people tend to see people who overshare about themselves as having poor boundaries or being self-obsessed. When first getting to know someone, keep the personal details fairly general. Don’t get into details that might make the conversation awkward, like your cousin’s stint in jail or your sister’s habit of eating paper towels.

SUMMARY: Choose your moment. Ask questions. Listen attentively. Mirror their body language. Relax. Avoid oversharing.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: While you may feel like flying is a special occasion, don't dress up to your international flight. Flights overseas are long, and you'll want to wear loose, comfortable clothes. If your flight is especially long, consider packing a pair of sweats for your flight in your carry-on. Change back into your original clothes for the landing. Some airports offer long-term parking rates for your car while you're away. Call or email about the long-term car storage options and the costs of each choice. If car storage isn't an affordable option for you, use a shuttle service, hire a taxi, or ask a friend/family member to drive you there. Check in for your flight as early as possible to go through security and board on time. You'll also have time to use the bathroom or grab something to eat before you depart. While you're waiting for your flight, bring something to relieve boredom: keep a book, journal, or game in your carry-on to entertain you while waiting. Dehydration is a common problem on long flights, which can lead to exhaustion or irritability. Buy a large water bottle to fill up before you board the flight so you can take it in your carry-on. Avoid drinking alcohol or caffeine before and during your flight, as both can lead to dehydration. Most nations require you to mark on an official form what goods you bring with you to their country. Which items you must declare depends on the country. You will likely receive your customs form at the airport and during the flight. Fill it out while on the plane so you are prepared for landing.  Some countries require a customs form for each person traveling while others require one per family. Check beforehand to know which forms you must fill out. Most countries require declaration of: alcoholic drinks, tobacco, animals, seeds, soils, medication, and animal products. International flights involve crossing time zones and long, uncomfortable plane rides. Both can disrupt your sleep schedule. Bring a sleeping mask and earplugs with you, and consider taking an over-the-counter sleep aid to help you adjust to the new time zone.
Summary:
Wear comfortable clothing to your flight. Check with your airport about car parking rules for international flights. Arrive at the airport two to three hours before your flight. Stay hydrated. Declare your items for customs. Prepare for jet lag.