To set your respondent at ease, make the interview seem as casual as possible. Beforehand, refer to the interview as an opportunity for you to talk with them (as opposed to interviewing them), which will put less pressure on them as the designated subject. Be friendly and kind, and allow them to see any nervousness you may be feeling as well.  Before starting the actual interview, engage your interview subject in casual small talk to break the ice. Say something like, "I'm happy that I have the chance to chat with you. I find your work so interesting!" To build the interview subject’s confidence in you, demonstrate that you are listening to them. In between questions, restate the subject’s last response briefly but accurately. Do not reinterpret the answer to summarize it, which will give your interviewee the clear impression that you don't understand them. For instance, if the subject states that their neighbour’s dog startled them, do not summarize by presuming they are scared of dogs in general. It is important to give your interview subject the opportunity to speak freely after you ask them a question. If you attempt to control the conversation too much, you run the risk of missing important points or surprising developments. Let your respondent address the question to their satisfaction before talking again. If your interview subject goes off topic, let them finish without interrupting. Gently guide them back to the context of your original question. Be polite and respectful to avoid seeming critical or uninterested.  For example, if you are interviewing a city councillor about the safety of local playground equipment and they end up talking about other city developments, guide them back by saying something like, “It’s wonderful to hear about these new developments, but I am eager to hear what you have to say about the issue of playground safety in the city.” Avoid writing questions that are too detailed or lengthy, as they may overwhelm your interview subject. Break longer questions up into smaller, simpler questions that are more conducive to a dialogue. Similarly, avoid two part questions, as the answers to the two parts may be different and result in a confusing response. For instance, instead of writing the question, “Have your health and family life been good recently?”, write, “How is your health?” and then, “How are things with your family?” as a separate question.

Summary: Make the interview seem casual. Show that you are listening. Stay quiet after posing a question. Keep the interview subject on topic. Keep questions brief and concise.


Start by writing down what you like about yourself. This strategy will give a focus. Consider writing both physical and psychological lists. Start with small things to help motivate yourself. Perhaps write things:  I like the color of my eyes. I like my laugh. I enjoy my job. I like my hard work ethic. Similarly, it helps to write a list for what you are thankful. These can be vary from the previous list to focus more on what you appreciate about the world around you. Consider writing things:  I am thankful for my loving family. I am thankful for my dog. I am thankful for my apartment/house. I am thankful for the wonderful weather today. If you are struggling with getting started with what you should write about, consider talking to people who love you. They might provide a different perspective. Think about asking:  ”Mom, what do you think are my best traits?” ”Dad,  what are you thankful for?” (This might give you ideas.) ”[Sibling name] Do you think I’m good at [x]?” Daily affirmations are scientifically proven to improve the way to think about yourself. They have been proven to improve mood and reduce stress. To practice daily affirmations, do the following:  Every morning, when you first wake up, stand in front of a mirror. Look yourself in the eye and repeat a mantra. This affirmation is designed to help you reinforce positivity. Try saying things like: “I will say yes to more things today.” Repeat this three to five times to help you reinforce the idea. You can change your affirmation daily, or focus on something specific you want to change. Getting physical has many positive benefits, both psychological and physical. The “exercise effect” is the scientific phenomenon of feeling better about oneself after physical exercise. Also, participating in  exercises that you enjoy can promote happiness. For example, try taking a walk through a local park. It’ll give you time to think, burn off some calories, and provide a beautiful view! . Similar to exercising, eating healthy has psychological benefits. Try eating more proteins (fish, meat, beans) and less simple carbohydrates (white bread, sugars, sweets, etc.). . Sleeping makes a body and mind feel good. Scientists suggest that amount of sleep varies on age.  School age — nine to 11 hours per night. Teenager — eight to 10 hours per night. Young adult — seven to nine hours per night. Adult — seven to nine hours per night. Older Adult — six to eight hours per night.

Summary: Write a list. Be thankful. Talk to those you love. Practice daily affirmations. Exercise. Eat a healthy diet Get plenty of sleep


Of all five senses, eyesight is the sense that you depend upon the most. Despite this, few people insure their eyes or get eye exams, almost taking their sight for granted.  One of the greatest adversaries to your eyes is the sun. With dangerous UV rays, glare, and carcinomas, the sun damages the eyes considerably over time. Carcinomas of the eyelids, like squamous and basal cell, spread rapidly and are typically found in people who have a history of sun exposure. Melanomas are linked to intense, intermittent sun exposure and if not treated promptly can prove lethal. Transitions lenses adapt to the sun’s brightness and protect the eyes from potentially fatal damage by darkening the lenses of your glasses. Constant adjustment to changing light can cause eyestrain and fatigue. Your lenses have to filter all the sunlight that comes into contact with your eyes making them work hard and wears them down quickly.  Although eyestrain by itself does not have long-term consequences, it can severely aggravate your eyes making you tired and reducing your ability to concentrate. Transitions lenses protect your eyes allowing them to stay relaxed and comfortable throughout the day. Glare and squinting are related but glare is far more dangerous, especially if you are driving or walking along a road. Glare, caused by excessive sunlight, forces you to either squint or look away because it is blinding. Without proper protection, this distraction can cause a serious accident.  Good vision is important to safe driving. Driving without protection against glare — from the road, snow, or other cars — is a treacherous proposition. Make sure you use the sun visor, keep your windshield clean, rest your eyes from squinting, and look into Transitions Drivewear sunglasses, which cuts glare considerably. Drivewear lenses rapidly adapt to glare while you are driving your car making them the perfect answer for driving safely. Most windshields are treated with UV protection, so most normal Transitions lenses may be less effective behind the wheel (as they respond to UV light, which will already be filtered by the windshield). Drivewear, however, uses ambient light and will get darker depending on light conditions. The earlier you begin to protect your eyes against the sun the better. In other words, it is never too early to protect your vision. Children are even more susceptible to the harmful effect of UV radiation than adults. Children under the age of ten have a greater chance of getting photokeratitis, which is sunburn of the eye, and UV-related retina problems because their eyes are not as efficient at filtering UV rays as adults' eyes.  Without proper eye protection, your child could suffer red eyes due to sunburn, non-stop tearing, burning or itchy eyes, or severe eye pain and spasms. Transitions eyewear blocks 100% of UV radiation, providing safety for your children’s eyes.
Summary: Don’t ignore your eyes. Avoid squinting. Prevent glare while driving. Protect your eyes early.