INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Just thinking about yawning can cause your body to want to yawn. Prime yourself for yawning by imagining yourself doing so. Look at the word "yawn" and think about how it feels to have a good, deep yawn. Pretend like you're going to yawn, even if you don't feel one coming on. Open your mouth as wide as you can. Just getting in position to yawn can be enough to prompt an actual yawn to form. These muscles naturally contract a little when you yawn. Contracting them now may stimulate your body to form a real yawn. Your brain will connect the feeling of these muscles contracting with the act of yawning. Just as you would with a real yawn, breathe in through your mouth. Breathe quite deeply and slowly, rather than taking a quick, shallow breath, since real yawns allow you to take in a lot of air. With your mouth and throat in position, a real yawn is likely to kick in at this point. Your body will naturally want to yawn when your mouth is open, your throat is slightly contracted and you've taken a good deep breath. If you still can't yawn, try the next method.

SUMMARY: Think about yawning. Open your mouth wide. Tighten the muscles at the back of your throat. Take a deep breath through your mouth. Stay in position until you feel a yawn coming.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Having your goal somewhere that you can see it, such as on your refrigerator or as the wallpaper on your laptop, can help you to stay focused on the goal. By reminding yourself of your goal every day, you will help yourself to make choices that bring you closer to achieving your goal. It is important to commit to achieving your goal when you first set it and to recommit any time that you stumble. Maintaining your commitment will help you to stay focused and keep working towards your goal. For example, you could make and sign a contract with yourself where you agree to do certain things (daily or weekly) in order to accomplish your goal. Writing about your journey can be a great way to keep yourself motivated. Journaling can help you to privately sort out your thoughts about your new situation, while blogging can allow others to share the journey with you. Decide which method you are more comfortable with and begin writing today. You can use your journal to record your thoughts and feelings about the change you are trying to make, make lists of things you want to do each day, or just write about whatever is on your mind. Visualization is a powerful tool that can help keep you motivated to make the change you have envisioned. Take about 10 minutes every day to simply think about what it will be like to accomplish your goal. Imagine what it will look like, how people will react, and how you will feel. Staying positive can help you to accomplish your goals by keeping you happy. The happier you are, the more you feel capable of accomplishing your goal. Try to remind yourself to focus on the positive more than the negative. If you find either yourself or those around you being extra critical, think about making some changes.  Leave encouraging notes for yourself to put a smile on your face when you least expect it. Writing down things like, “You’re awesome!” or “Keep going!” can help to give you a little boost now and then. Spend time doing things that make you feel happy with people who make you feel good. Walk around the mall with your best friend or go see a movie with your significant other. You can also help yourself to stay motivated by setting rewards for yourself. Simple things like rewarding yourself with a new outfit after you lose 10 pounds can make a big difference in your motivation to stick with your goals. Make sure that you choose rewards that are healthy and that you can afford to provide yourself. When you accomplish a goal, make sure that you give yourself the reward right away.

SUMMARY: Post your goal somewhere that is visible to you. Commit to keep working towards your goal until your achieve it. Start a journal or a blog to track your progress. Visualize accomplishing your goal. Stay positive. Reward yourself.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: For every day they go without their pacifier, let them put a sticker on the chart and praise them for doing well. If they ask for their pacifier during the day, let them know that they will not get a sticker if they use it. Choose a reward that your child will receive once they complete the sticker chart. This can act as an extra motivator to go without their pacifier. Birthdays work well for this, since the pacifier can easily be "replaced" by gifts. Gifts that your child recognize as signifying a transition to older childhood - such as a toy reserved for "big kids" - are especially effective for this. If your child is very attached to their pacifier this is a good way to bring negative associations to it. Dunk the pacifier in lemon juice or vinegar to give it a bad taste before giving it to your child. Avoid using salt or pepper as these aren’t good for young children’s health. This method works best for children that are 2 years or older, as they will be able to comprehend what is happening. Suggest to your child that they give the pacifier away to a small baby. Ask a friend with a young baby to receive the pacifier from your child as a “gift” for their baby. This can help your child feel involved in the process of stopping the use of their pacifier. Give your child plenty of praise after they have given away their pacifier.

SUMMARY:
Create a sticker chart if your child responds well to incentives. Plan a date to stop using the pacifier if you want a quick approach. Make the pacifier taste unpleasant if your child relies on it for comfort. Ask your toddler to give the pacifier away if they know a young baby.