Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Be positive and hopeful. Give a gift. Assist in changing negative thinking. Problem-solve.

Answer: This means not letting the person’s sadness get you down. You need to be able to regulate your own emotions and not become overwhelmed yourself, otherwise you won’t be able to help your friend very much. Take a break from the conversation if you need a minute to re-group. Perhaps excuse yourself to go to the bathroom. Take deep breaths, or let some of your emotions out if you need to. According to the 5 love languages, many people enjoy receiving gifts as ways to show love and support.This can go a long way in cheering someone up who is sad and it shows that you are thoughtful and supportive.  Give a gift such as flowers, a card, or her favorite candy. If you are lacking in finances, you can write her a loving letter or make her a home-made gift (art, etc). Sometimes people can have negative (and untrue) thoughts that increase sadness or guilt. For example, some individuals may tend to personalize events or situations, which can create unnecessary negative emotions.  An example might be if your friend says, “It’s my fault that Fido ran away.” Help your friend re-direct these types of thoughts by offering alternatives and calming disagreeing with her. You could say something such as, "You love Fido and do everything you can to take care of him. Maybe he just got out somehow and couldn't find his way home." Some people might have negative thoughts that try to predict the future such as if your friend says, “I’m never going to find Fido.” This is an incorrect thought because she cannot predict what will happen. You can gently say something like, “Isn’t it possible that you will still find him? I have hope that we might be able to get him back.” Avoid blaming others. Encourage your friend to focus on what she can do about the situation instead of thinking too much about how others may have contributed to the issue; this can increase anger and reduce her ability to think logically and problem-solve. When people are very sad they can sometimes have difficulty thinking rationally and working toward solutions to their problem. Encourage your friend to look at her emotions as information. Her sadness is telling her that something is wrong and might need to be resolved. Then, you can help her come up with possible solutions and work toward them.  For example, if your friend lost her dog, you can say, “Let’s work on a solution together. What do you think we should do first?” Offer possible solutions. For instance, you could say, “I have an idea, why don’t we start calling local shelters to see if anyone has found him.”


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Take time to remember the person. Visualize yourself without that person. Move on with your life. Focus your mind on the present.

Answer: Whether the person is an ex, a friend, or a relative you need to take some time to remember your relationship. Remember the good parts as well as the bad parts. Make an effort to see the person as a whole and look past the one incident that has hurt you. Doing so will help you empathize with the person and forgive them.  For example, if your friend said something that hurt you, acknowledge that the same friend has said things that made you happy before, too. You don’t have remain friends, but you will retain a level of respect for them as a person. Assess if only one or two things have been said, or if there has been a repetitive pattern over time. One good way to remember the person is to write them a letter. You do not need to send the letter to them, just writing it will allow you to think back on the good times and the bad times, and often you may release some of the pain you having been dealing with in the process. Think back to a time before you were hurt by this person. Remember the person you were before you met that person. Imagine the person that you would like to be without that person in your life. Having a clear picture of what you want in life can make it easier to let go of a painful relationship. Friends are difficult to let go. Still, partners and family can often be even harder relationships to move past. Motivate yourself to move past the relationship by having a clear picture of the life you want to live. Let go of the things or people that have hurt you in the past. Holding onto this hurt only hurts you, not the person. This hurt can also be carried over to new relationships, friendships, and even careers. Learn a lesson from this pain, but forgive the person and move on, and remember that forgiving does not mean that you return to having the same degree of connection or intimacy. It has more to do with freeing yourself up.  Forgive an old partner for hurting you in a relationship. Forgive a friend that did something wrong. Forgive your family members for things that happened in your childhood. Avoid venturing down the road of asking “What if?” Thinking emotionally about the past instead of factually about the present will leave you in pain. Put up pictures and other adornments that reflect your life now, not your old life.  For example, take down pictures of you and your old lover and put up pictures of you with your friends. You can also use quotes or mantras to inspire yourself to focus on the present. For example, when you feel like dwelling on the past, you could repeat something like “To be happy now, I have to think about now.”


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Think about those you know. Find a meetup group for similar people. Participate in online forums. Create a support group.

Answer: Ask yourself if you know anyone in your social network who has a similar personality. You could then make an effort to get to know this person better. It may be easier to accept your personality if you surround yourself with others who are similar. You will probably have more in common with people who are similarly quiet and reserved than you would with people who are quite outgoing and extroverted. You can use the website http://shy.meetup.com/ to find other quiet and reserved people to socialize with. If there aren't any upcoming events in your area, consider organizing one yourself! You may find that talking with others online who are similar to you can help you to accept yourself for who you are. When you realize that there are lots of other people out there who are also quiet and reserved, it can help you to realize that your personality characteristics are quite normal and nothing to be ashamed of. To find an online forum, try searching with the terms: "forums for shy people" If you are struggling to accept yourself, consider starting a support group and recruiting like-minded people for social support.  You'll need to decide a few things about your group. Ask yourself where you will hold your meetings and when and what the name of your group will be. You will also need to advertise the group. You can try recruiting on online forums or posting ads on bus stops in your city.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Comb through the grass to remove dead foliage. Clip out stubborn dead blades. Cut off brown or spent flowering tips in the spring.

Answer:
Every few months, it’s a good idea to put on a pair of gloves and gently run your hands through the grass. It should feel kind of like you’re finger-combing your hair. This helps pull out any dead foliage and keep your evergreens looking their greenest. Work gloves are ideal for this process, but if you don’t have a pair of those you can always use rubber gloves. Combing through the grass usually removes most of the dead foliage. If some brown blades remain after combing, though, you can always trim them out with gardening shears. Just remember to trim at the base of the blade to remove as much of the dead foliage as possible. Like deciduous grasses, evergreens generally need an annual trim. Unlike deciduous grasses, though, you don’t need to prune that much off evergreens. Use your gardening shears or hedge trimmers to cut any brown or spent flowering tips off the grass. Cut your grass back to new growth, which should still be green. The exact length that you need to cut depends on what type of grass you have and how much your grass has grown out. That’s why you typically go by color instead of length for evergreen grasses.