1 . Have more fun. Learn new things. These aren’t bad New Year’s resolutions. But where do you start?

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Ask yourself how you want to feel

Hobbies present an escape — they can help you get out of your head and calm down, says Matthew J. Zawadzke, an associate professor of health psychology at the University of California.     2     Mentally engaged? Distracted? Relaxed? Socially connected? It’s also helpful to consider what your life is missing, like creativity or physical activity.

Start small

    3     Ease in to figure out if it’s right for you, advises Rebecca Weiler, a mental health advisor. “You can always do more later,” she says. If you’re wondering if paintballing might be a good fit, join an outing or two with a local Meetup group. Or sign up for a one-time pottery class rather than a set of eight.

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When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? The answer could point you toward an appealing hobby, Weiler says. “If you wanted to be a major league player, what can you do now that fulfills that urge for you?” she asks. Joining a softball team or coaching some neighborhood kids could awaken a passion.

Go back to school

Consider signing up for a lesson to learn more about a potential hobby, Weiler advises. Always dreamed of producing a novel?     5     Interested in family history? Take a genealogy (宗谱) class. Plenty of e-courses are available free or at a low price.

2 . There are ways to make friends online while also keeping yourself protected. These are the top tips that you can follow to ensure this.

Choose the right apps

    1    . However, not all these apps are good. How can you tell the good apps from the bad ones? You should choose apps that only legal members can join. This will largely increase your chances of being safe with your new friends.

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Don’t wait too long to figure out who your friend really is. If you find this person interesting and would like to continue chatting with him, you need to do a little background research.

Trust your feeling

This may seem like a rather old-fashioned idea but it is important.     3    , make it a point to trust what that little voice is telling you. If you have been speaking to someone for a while and you feel uncomfortable, there is probably a reason for that.     4    .

Meet your “friend” in a public place

You can't completely trust someone that you haven't actually met before. If you do decide that it is time to meet each other, then you should set up the place at a busy restaurant or coffee shop.     5    , even if you have met. Try to avoid going to an unfamiliar place.

3 . Do you know that singing along to your favorite song can lift your mood and make you happy? Why do you think they play songs at the gym while you're working out?     1     Regarding learning, these harmonies can stimulate the brain to help with literacy（读写能力）. Here are a few ways those jazzy beats can help with your child's reading.

Music strengthens attention and focus

In early childhood, many parents find that keeping the focus and attention of their child is impossible. Their brain still has much learning and calming to do, so it can make reading a challenge. Musical training helps them focus, as it requires much attention. You may play some songs while they are cleaning and doing other chores.     2    

Music enhances memory

Kids can remember anything except when you tell them to clean their room. Experts have discovered that melodies(旋律) are a great way to help link emotion and memory. For your child to develop comprehension skills, they need their mind to be sharp.     3     And they will better understand learning concepts.

Music expands the vocabulary

Early childhood requires your kid to learn new words. These words are based on their experiences. When you expose your child to certain melodies, it has a powerful effect on their little mind.     4     From classic tunes to hip-hop and jazz, your kid will grow their vocabulary and apply what they learn to their education.

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When your child learned to walk , they fell more than they took steps. They had to practice before they ever developed the ability. In early childhood, good practice habits are essential for reading and many other things. Your child can enhance their learning abilities by engaging in music. Music can inspire your children and push them to practice more. Finally, they will learn the fact that practice makes perfect.

4 . Do you wish you could create something meaningful? Do you wish you had the time to work on that thing you’ve always wanted to produce — that novel, that piece of art and that passion project?     1    . Based on my experience, I’ve written a guide to get you started.

Look at yourself in the mirror. It’s time for you to be honest with yourself. Either you’re accomplishing what you want to accomplish or you’re not.     2    . If it’s the latter, then you must admit to yourself that you are the only person preventing you from pursuing your passion project. The first step is looking in the mirror and admitting that you haven’t even scratched the surface on creating something meaningful.

    3    . Make a list of everything that distracts (使分心) you. Surfing the net too much? Get rid of the Internet at home. Are certain people draining (耗尽) all your time? Get rid of your unpleasant relationships. Are material possessions getting in the way? Get rid of your crap.

Stop worrying. We tend to worry about the naysayers (拒绝者). People are going to judge you. Some people are going to think what you’re doing is stupid. Others will think you’ve lost your mind.     4    . So, instead of thinking about their opinions all the time, it’s time to roll up our sleeves and get to work.

Change your beliefs. One of the biggest reasons we don’t accomplish what we set out to accomplish is our limiting beliefs. For years you’ve told yourself that you’ll never be this, you’ll never do that, or you’ll never be good enough. But you’re no different from the people who have constructed their masterpieces. The people who create something special — something lasting — aren’t necessarily smarter or funnier or better or more attractive than you.     5    , and through this belief they didn’t let anything stand in their way.

5 . Writing a poem is about observing the world within or around you.     1    , from love to loss to the gate at the old farm. Writing poetry seems difficult. However, with the right approach, you can write a poem that you can be proud to share with others.

Pick a specific theme or idea. This can make it easier for you to narrow down what images and descriptions you are going to use in your poem. For example, you may decide to write a poem around the theme of love and friendship.     2    .

Avoid cliché(陈词滥调). Your poetry will be much stronger if you avoid cliches, which are phrases that have become so familiar that they have lost their meaning.     3    . By doing so, your reader is surprised and attracted by your writing. If you feel a certain phrase or image is too familiar to your reader, replace it with a more unique one.

    4    . Poetry is made to be read out loud. So you should write your poem with a focus on how it sounds on the page. Pay attention to the structure of your poem and your word choice. Notice how each line of your poem flows into one another and how placing one word next to another creates a certain sound.

Get feedback(反馈) from others. You can also share your poem with other poets to get feedback from them and improve your poem.     5    , where you discuss your poems with other poets and work on your poetry together. Or you may take a poetry writing class, where you work with an instructor and other poets to improve your writing.

6 . The wildfires in the Amazon rainforest have produced alarm around the world.     1     However, there are several steps you can take to help reduce your impact on the Amazon and other rainforests.

Buy fewer paper and wood products.

One of the main causes of deforestation in the Amazon is logging, which is driven by the high demand for wood-based products.     2     For example, you can use both sides of a piece of paper. On top of that, look out for alternative paper products that are not made from tree materials as well as paper with a high percentage of recycled materials.

Cut your fossil fuel consumption.

Some scientists think that climate change could significantly increase the rate of forest loss in the Amazon. The burning of fossil fuels and the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere afterwards is one of the primary drivers of climate change:     3     You might take a bike to work instead of driving a car and switch off electrical appliances when you are not using them.

Hold businesses responsible.

    4     If you believe that a business is operating in a manner that is environmentally irresponsible, make yourself heard: Contact the company; call them out on social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter; or organize a boycott.

Direct action has the power to transform how companies do business. In 1999, Home Depot, the single largest retailer of household. items in the world, agreed to gradually stop sales of old-growth wood.     5    

7 . Dealing with school stress is something most students have to learn to do during the course of their education.    1     Here are some tips for you to beat school stress.

    2    . Is there a certain person, or thing that’s causing you to feel stressed out? An important tool in learning to deal with your stress is to find out more about what’s causing it. Common reasons for stress at school include homework, grades, the lack of sleep and bullying. If you are being bullied, talk to your parents and your teachers.     3    .

Ask for help.     4    , find someone to help you. Everyone has to ask for help at times. Asking for help doesn’t mean you’re not independent or clever. Instead, it’s a sign of real cleverness to know your limitations.

Practice thought-stopping. Sometimes feeling overwhelmed (不知所措) in a stressful situation leads to fast, or “racing” thoughts. If this happens to you, try a way named “thought-stopping”.     5    . You may try saying. “That’s enough of those thoughts for now. I will get busy and come back to this after lunch.”

8 . Life is filled with numerous victories and downfalls.     1    Here’s how you can create a new chapter in your life.

Life is going to throw a lot of problems your way, so you need to be mentally prepared for each and every situation.     2     In order to be better than before, you need to leave that guilt and shame in the past and emerge as someone new. The secret here is to never stop trying. Once you stop trying, you are already defeated.

It is an effective approach to find people that have gone through the same trials as you have.     3    They can assist you better since they know the hardships. Always seek out people who are truly free of their issues, as they will be able to help you genuinely.

    4    Don’t follow the path to anger and destroy what is good for you. Actively engaging in battles and struggles can be challenging, but being stuck in pain and self-resentment will be even harder.

Picture your goals in your mind and take sensible steps towards them with each passing day.     5     Let nothing stand in your way.

9 . If you’ve ever tried something big, then you’ve probably had to deal with doubt at a certain point. No matter how often you face it, doubt can be depressing.     1     In situations where doubt arises, consider these methods below, and you can silence doubt and put your best efforts toward your goals.

·    2     Doing this stimulates the reward center, tricking your mind into focusing on completing the task to experience the achievement. And imagining desired outcomes can have potential benefits including improved motivation and confidence.

·Look back on past wins. Reflecting is a powerful way to tell yourself that you’re capable of doing much more. Get rid of doubt by entering reflection mode and reminding yourself that you are capable of getting things done.     3    

·Meditate (冥想) regularly.     4     But by meditating regularly, you can keep your energy levels high in the face of challenges and pressure and stay above doubt. It is a powerful tool to keep your mind clear about your goals and get your desired mission accomplished.

·Take action on your plans. A sure sign that self-doubt has you in its grasp is that you are beginning to buy into the excuses you make.     5     Taking action is the most effective method to silence doubt when sensing it. Don’t let the doubt hold you back; use it to motivate yourself. Then you’ll be fueled to move toward your mission.

10 . Studies have shown that gardening and garden-based activities have positive impacts on childhood development, including better eating habits and stress relief.     1     . Here are some tips on how to create a great garden with your kids.

Involve them from the very beginning

Take your kids to the store and give them options to pick from. This will allow them to select plants that they can handle and are appropriate for your home conditions. Then give them tasks suitable to their age. For example, younger kids can be assigned to water plants or just cut yellow and brown leaves.     2     . Although you might want to step in when you see your children feeding a plant with too much water, some of the most lasting lessons come from just trying things out.

Pick the perfect plant

To make sure your garden is a success, assess both your home environment and your kids’ attention span.     3     .

Instead, think about your goal: Growing something tasty? Filling your home with flowers? Then ask your kids to choose plants in their favorite colors.

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Another way to get kids excited about gardening—and to raise lifelong nature lovers in the process—is to adopt eco-friendly methods. Seeds from ripe peppers or tomatoes can be saved and planted. Potato “eyes” can be planted and grow into potato plants.

Reuse household items as planting vessels (容器). Almost anything can be used as planters, from old food containers to kids’ toys.     5     . For example, a plastic bottle in front of a hot window could be damaged by the heat soon.