Q: We all engage in some negative self-talk, calling ourselves “Stupid” or saying “You idiot!” if we make a mistake. However, too much negativity can sap your self-esteem. If you feel yourself about to vocalize some negative self-talk, you should stop, take a deep breath, and try to think of something positive. One way to engage in some positive self-talk is to give yourself compliments throughout the day. If you make a good decision, tell yourself “Good job!” These little comments will help boost your self-esteem and make you feel a little better about yourself. For example, if you decide to eat a healthy salad for lunch instead of a greasy hamburger, you might tell yourself “I’m proud of you” or “Good job! That was a good choice.” You could even give yourself a little pat on the back. If you need a little motivation for a task, some positive self-talk can help you get motivated. This can be more dramatic self-talk, such as talking to yourself in a mirror before a big event, or more mundane talking, like motivating yourself to perform daily chores. Either way, a little pep talk will help you convince yourself that you are in control and that you can get things done.  For example, if you are getting ready for a job interview, you might say something like “You’ve got this. You are the best candidate for this job!” or “You are going to blow their socks off during the interview.” If you need a little pep talk to motivate yourself, you might say something like “Why are you laying around? You have time to get this done.” If you want to achieve a certain goal, talking aloud about how you will reach that objective can help you stay focused on it. Vocalizing your goal and the steps necessary to achieve it focuses your attention on the task and reinforces the message you are trying to convey. It also helps control your emotions and filters out distractions. For example, if you want to run every day, you might say something like “I’m going to go run” each morning.
A: Limit negative comments. Compliment yourself. Give yourself pep talks. Set a goal.

Article: Put the toasted spices into a mortar or spice grinder. Use the pestle or grind the spices until they're crushed into coarse pieces. You'll need to combine:  1 tablespoon of toasted whole black peppercorns 1 teaspoon of toasted coriander seed 1 teaspoon of toasted fennel seed 1 teaspoon of toasted cumin pods 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano Transfer the coarsely ground spices into a small bowl and add 2 medium cloves of minced garlic and 2 tablespoons (28 g) of vegetable or canola oil. Stir the spice rub together using a fork and rub this evenly over a 2 to 2 1/2 pounds (900 g to 1.1 kg) sirloin tip. Turn a gas grill on to high or prepare a charcoal grill. If you're using charcoal, dump the hot coals on one half of the grate to make 2-zones of heat. The grill should be hot and ready to use about 5 to 10 minutes before you're ready to grill the sirloin. Sprinkle the seasoned sirloin with kosher salt. Put it directly over the coals and grill the steak for 8 to 10 minutes. You should use tongs to turn the sirloin frequently so it cooks evenly. Stick a thermometer in the sirloin to check the temperature. It should register 125 degrees F (50 degrees C) once it's finished cooking. Remove the sirloin tip from the grill and place a piece of foil over the meat. Let it rest for 5 minutes so it finishes cooking. Use a sharp knife to slice the meat into thin strips. Turn the strips 90 degrees and and cut the strips into bites. Serve the grilled sirloin tips immediately. You can serve the grilled sirloin with grilled vegetables and crusty bread.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Grind the toasted spices. Make a spice rub and coat the sirloin. Heat a grill to high heat. Salt the sirloin and grill it for 8 to 10 minutes. Rest and slice the sirloin.

Problem: Article: A bad dream can make you wake up suddenly. This shocks your body and the fear can increase your heart rate. Use the technique of tensing and relaxing each muscle group to bring your heart rate down to a normal level and help you fall back asleep. Focusing on the tension and relaxation may also further distract your thoughts from your bad dream. Tense and release each muscle group in your body starting at your toes and ending at your head. Tense each muscle group for 10 seconds and then release it for 10 seconds. Taking a deep breath in between each muscle can further relax you. A bad dream can increase your heart rate and it may also cause rapid breathing and anxiety. Taking a few minutes to meditate can lower your heart rate, return your breathing to normal, decrease anxiety, and increase relaxation. In turn, this can help you not only fall back asleep, but may divert lingering memories of the bad dream.  Breathe naturally without controlling it to help relax you and bring your heart rate back to normal more quickly. Let your thoughts to come and go as they will. This can help you relax and more easily let go of your bad dream. Repeat “let” every time you breathe in and “go” every time you exhale if you are having a hard time meditating. Bad dreams can cause a lot of emotional and physical symptoms including sweating. Taking off any restrictive bedding can help you cool off, lower your heart rate, and help you fall asleep more easily.  Take off only enough bedding to help you stay cool and comfortable. Cover yourself enough to minimize chills and help you feel safe. Having increased body temperature may make it more difficult to fall asleep.  Change your bedding if you’ve soaked it during a bad dream. This can help you forget the dream, relax you, and help you fall back asleep.
Summary: Tense and relax muscles to fall asleep. Meditate to calm yourself to sleep. Peel off restrictive bedding.

Q: Use plywood, particle board, or MDF to create a base for the scratching post. Buy a piece that’s 2 ft by 4 ft by ½ in (.61 m by 1.2 m by 1.27 cm) or cut it to the correct measurements using a table saw. Exercise caution when cutting to ensure no one gets hurt. Try to pick a natural, non-treated wood. Avoid wood treated with chemicals, as these may be harmful to cats. Your carpet should be at least 3 ft (.92 m) by 5 ft (1.5 m) to ensure you have enough to wrap around the base and staple it tightly. Use an X-acto knife and a ruler to ensure you have a neat, straight line. Choose a stiff carpet, such as Berber, for a longer lasting post. Flip the carpet upside down and lay the base in the middle of the carpet.  Draw a line straight out from each side of the base to the end of the carpet so you have squares extending from the corners.  Draw a straight line ¾ in (1.9 cm) from the corner of the base that intersects the squares you made.  Cut across the straight line first, then cut along the lines you made extending from the corners. Staple the carpet to the bottom of the base on one side, putting staples in every 2 in (5 cm) using a ½ inch (1.3 cm) crown stapler. Pull the carpet tight and staple it on the bottom of the opposite side, putting staples in every 2 in (5 cm). Repeat on the remaining two sides, making sure to staple all the way to edge so your corners are flush.
A:
Cut or buy the base wood. Cut the base carpet to size. Cut notches for the corners. Cover the base in carpet.