Evaluate what you believe makes you happy. You may have been taught that working hard, making lots of money, and living in a big house are what bring joy to your life. But ask yourself if the stress and anxiety you feel by maintaining that life make you happy. Even if they do, there are so many other aspects of life where you can find contentment. Look at other areas in your life to find happiness, like your family, friends, pets, and spirituality. By focusing on them and allowing yourself to feel the contentment they may bring, you may learn that you actually do deserve to be happy and finally allow yourself to feel that way. . Think about everything you are thankful for when you are feeling happy. Take the time to stop and look around and notice the things in your life that are going right—they don’t have to be huge. A beautiful sunrise, a neighbor who brings up your trash cans, or even a friend who sends a funny text are all things you can be grateful for. Acknowledging them may help you understand that you are worthy of being happy. Practice an act of kindness that will bring happiness to someone else when you are feeling joyful. Doing so will likely bring you a sense of happiness that you don’t have to feel guilty about since you were helping someone else. In turn, your act of kindness may inspire that person to do the same for someone else, which may create a chain of paying it forward. This may finally help you realize that feeling good isn’t a bad thing and that it can help others. . Spend time serving others so that they can experience the same feelings of joy like you. Think about what your hobbies and interests are, and then spend time doing them with those who are less fortunate than you. Volunteering may help you make a connection with others and bring joy to their lives, which may ultimately make you feel less guilty about experiencing it yourself. Sign up for an after-school program that lets you, tutor kids. Volunteer to work with the animals on a local farm. Just do things that you like that also allow you to share your time and talents for the good of others.
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One-sentence summary -- Redefine what happiness means to you.  Practice gratitude Pay it forward.  Volunteer


Very small scratches that need to be touched up quickly can actually be repaired using only a walnut or pecan. Begin by breaking the meat of the nut open so that the nut's oils are exposed. Gently rub the nut back and forth along the scratch in the wood surface. The oils in the nut will naturally fill in and darken the scratched area, lending the exposed raw wood a finished look. This technique works well for quickly minimizing the appearance of small surface imperfections.
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One-sentence summary -- Break open a walnut or pecan. Rub the broken nut across the scratch.


If you typically use a purse with no closing mechanism, get a purse with a twisting latch or zipper. These purses are harder to open and a pickpocket likely won’t bother trying to slip their hand inside. If possible, use a purse with a lock on it to ensure that nothing goes missing while you’re traveling. The smaller you can make your purse, the better. Big purses provide more space for a thief to operate. To avoid having your bag ripped away from you, keep your bag or backpack as close as you can to your body. Pull the straps on your purse or backpack to shorten them and keep the bag closer to your body. This will make it much harder for someone to reach into your bag while you’re traveling. If you really want to avoid giving pickpockets a chance at your bag, you can walk around with it hanging on your chest instead of your back. If you take a seat at a restaurant or sit down on the bus, rotate your bag around your shoulder and hold it on your lap. If you set it down on the floor or hang it off the back of a chair, it’ll be an easy target for thieves. You’re also more likely to forget about your bag when you get out of your seat if you set it down. A purse strap can be cut, making it easy to rip the bag away from you in a matter of seconds. However, a nylon fanny pack that sits tightly around your waist is much harder to cut or remove. Take your purse and move the cards and cash to your fanny pack. Tighten the straps around your waist and rotate the bag so that the pouch sits just below your belly button. This will make it easier to keep an eye on your valuables. Do not use a fanny pack with the standard plastic buckle. Instead, get an anti-theft fanny pack online. These packs have tougher buckles, and can often be locked to prevent thieves from accessing their contents.
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One-sentence summary --
Choose a purse with a complex latch to deter pickpockets. Shorten the straps on your bag or purse to keep it close to you. Hold your bag or backpack instead of setting it down when you sit. Transfer the contents of your purse to a fanny pack.