1 . The round-up fundraising strategy was first introduced about 15 years ago. Why have round up for charity campaigns proven so successful? Katie Kelting, an associate professor of marketing at Saint Louis University, suggests that there’s some powerful psychology at work.

In 2018, Kelting and her colleagues enlisted the St. Louis Zoo in a field study. Instead of asking people for the usual $1 donation for a wild animal conservation effort, the zoo temporarily tried the round-up approach.     1     As Kelting explains, a lot of it has to do with the “pain” of parting with our hard-earned cash. The perceived pain is less in the consumer’s mind when that round-up request is presented.

    2    Humans, for instance, appear to have a fairly strong preference for round numbers, or figures ending with a zero. A 2013 study noted that at restaurants, many people prefer to leave tips that bring the final bill to a round number. “    3     People are better at and intuitively(直觉地) prefer to deal with round numbers,” Kelting says.

Arguably more important is that at cashier register charitable requests can change an ordinary purchase into a moral dilemma. It becomes an opportunity to signal to others that we care. In the case of the round-up request, it becomes something of a moral test.    4    

Kelting says that customers might also change their behavior and perceptions in public and private settings.    5    However, the same decision in front of a cashier—especially one who adds a verbal(口头的) request for the donation—is something different.

2 . Uplifting words

When you see your friends or loved ones feeling down or being met with some setbacks at school or work, you might want to offer them a pep talk. A pep talk is usually a brief, intense and emotional talk designed to influence or encourage an audience.     1     Just saying what you think the other person wants to hear might not be enough. It requires an understanding of what your audience needs — whether it is simply cheering them up or motivating them to change.

The column offers the following steps towards an effective pep talk.

● Step one is to listen.

Don’t jump right in and insist: “you will be fine.” Show your friend that you understand how they feel and empathize.    2    

● Express care and support.

Show your friend that you believe in them.    3     Talk about their strengths based on your knowledge about them. Saying things like: “You are a very resilient person.” “You are outgoing and friendly.” “You bounce back well.” Avoid general sentences like “You can overcome your fears.” or “Time heals.”

● Talk about hope.

You can’t guarantee success.    4     But you can remind the person that he or she has been through a tough time before and gotten through it.

● Be there.

Make sure they know that you will be there for them, follow up with them after the pep talk.

●     5    

Don’t argue if the person disagrees with what you are saying or tells you: “You don’t understand; this time is different.” Tell them: “I’m Sorry, you are having such a hard time.” Then back off.

3 . How to Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

It can surely be challenging and a little scary to step out of your comfort zone, but facing unfamiliar challenges can help you feel happier and more fulfilled in the long run. How to grow outside your comfort zone?     1    .

Regard discomfort as progress.

    2    .Whenever you try something new and make a move to step out of your comfort zone, remind yourself that the discomfort you’re feeling is ultimately progress that’s leading you to achieve your goals. Getting comfortable with discomfort is just like exercising a muscle; you have to continuously do it to get stronger and better.

Reward yourself for trying new things.

Treat yourself to stay motivated and energized. For example, whenever you do something that’s out of your comfort zone, buy yourself a small treat, take yourself out to a nice meal, or spend time doing other activities that you enjoy.     3    .

Surround yourself with supportive people.

Ask friends and family for encouragement and support. Tell your closest friends, family members, or partners what you’re trying to do and why.     4    .Whenever you feel hesitant, just know you have a whole team of people ready to celebrate your accomplishments.

    5    .

Get rid of things that’ll give you an excuse not to try something. For example, if your goal is to socialize with more people, turn off your phone when you go to a party or gathering so you won’t be tempted to use it as a distraction. Your environment can block or help your progress, so do what you can to improve it to guarantee success.

4 . When your child plays youth sports, we know you want to be the best parent you can be and make sure they're set up for success! It's easy to get caught up in the game just like the players and coaches do.     1     Check out these tips for parents with kids who compete in youth sports.

·    2    

Don't force children to play basketball just because you were a child basketball player, or because you missed an opportunity of a basketball career. Some parents may find themselves caring more about how well the child plays than they do. It may be a sign to take a step back. Let your young athlete create their own path.

·Let the coach do the coaching.

    3     While you may want to step in and give out pointers to your child, always let the coach do the coaching. The biggest problem with parents coaching is you might be telling them one thing while the coach is telling them another. It's essential to keep the roles of parents and instructors separate.

·Encourage positive life lessons.

You should leave the coaching to the coach, but what you can do is encourage core positive values. Talk to them about the importance of commitment.     4     Don't let them get discouraged if they're playing badly. Explain to them that it takes hard work and dedication to be good at something.

·Be a positive role model.

Make sure that you're being a positive example on the field for your child. Treat the other players and the coach with respect, and your child will follow. It's also important to set a good example of being active. Get outside and play with each other.     5    

5 . Discovering your passion is a journey of self-exploration and understanding. It involves delving into your innermost thoughts and feelings to find what truly ignites (点燃) your spark.     1    .

Reflect on your experiences

Look back on your life and identify moments that have brought you joy, fulfillment, or a sense of purpose. Think about the activities, people, or causes that have excited you in the past.     2    .

    3    

Experiment with new hobbies, skills, or activities. Try something that piques (激起) your curiosity or that you’ve always been interested in but never had the chance to explore. This could be anything from learning a new language to taking up a sport or trying an artistic medium.

Listen to your emotions

    4    . What activities or moments make you feel alive, excited, or fulfilled? What causes your heart to race or your eyes to sparkle? These are clues to your passion.

Surround yourself with supportive people

Seek out individuals who are passionate about their lives and who can inspire and encourage you. Surround yourself with a supportive network of friends, family, or mentors who can provide guidance and encouragement on your journey.

Embrace failure and setbacks

Discovering your passion isn’t always a smooth process.     5    . Don’t let these discourage you. Embrace the challenges and learn from them. Use them as opportunities to grow and refine your understanding of what truly ignites your passion.

6 . Five Tips to Boost Your Self-Confidence

The following tips might help boost your self-confidence so you can feel more comfortable with whom you are.

    1     Sometimes people’s criticism can be severe, but our criticism of ourselves is likely the hardest. We all know that no one is perfect, yet most people tend to expect more from themselves than is realistic. To stop this habit, it may help to write down all your strengths and remind yourself of them each time you begin to criticize yourself.

Think about what makes you feel attractive. Make a list of things that make you attractive. You might begin with qualities that make you a good friend, parent, or co-worker.     2    

Set goals for yourself.     3     You don’t have to set large goals; you might begin with small goals that you can easily achieve. It may be helpful to keep a list of the accomplishments (成绩，成就) that have made you feel proud. You can use this list as a motivation to get you to achieve your bigger goals.

Be grateful and helpful. Doing good things for others can make us feel good about ourselves. The smallest gestures, like smiling or holding the door for someone, can make a big difference to someone.     4     Being able to make a positive difference for someone may make you feel good and improve your self-image.

Do something brave once a week. It can be frightening to put ourselves out there, but sometimes the risk can be worth the reward.     5     You can simply do something to step out of your comfort zone. Perhaps you might talk to that person you’re interested in.

7 . Knowledge is power, and the more you learn about mental health, the better the position you may be in to help those facing mental health battles. Consider doing the following things to support those closest to you.

Attend a training course

    1    . In fact, anyone can benefit from depression awareness training that focuses on supporting those at risk. You might be a teacher that manages youth or a sports coach wanting to pick up on depression risk signs in your players. You may even be a worried parent who wants to make sure your children can tell you anything. Depression awareness and prevention courses teach you both theoretical and practical skills to recognize warning signs and behaviors.     2    .

Listen

If someone approaches you in their time of need, it’s not always easy to know what you’re supposed to do, and it may be more beneficial for you to just listen.     3    . They may just need to get what they are feeling off their chest and to feel valid at that moment. Try your best not to interrupt, but ask questions if you require clarification. The more listening you do, the better your position in deciding what to do next.

    4    

While being a listening ear is sometimes all someone needs to feel better, you can also become an ongoing source of support. Check in with the person experiencing a mental health problem like depression so that they know you are always there for them. Make contact with them regularly to see how they are feeling. Just knowing someone cares can make a world of difference.

Call emergency services

Your support, guidance, and listening ear can be of great value to anyone going through a tough time.     5    . If someone you know is experiencing self-abuse thoughts or tendencies, don’t delay in seeking emergency help. The faster you act, the safer your friend or family member may be.

9 . The saying goes that a dog is man’s best friend, but this companionship isn’t unique to dogs. Even though rabbits are smaller and quieter than dogs, they are also intelligent, outgoing, active, and social and they make great pets. Here are five reasons for adopting (养) a rabbit.

Rabbits are budget-friendly.

Rabbit care is much less expensive than the budget (预算) required for taking care of a dog or cat.     1     And they also require less pet doctor checkups than larger animals.

It’s easy to fit a rabbit into the schedule.

Rabbits are awake in the early morning and early evening, and spend most daytime and nighttime sleeping.     2     The rabbit is ready for playtime in the morning before work and after getting home from work, and the owner doesn’t need to feel guilty (内疚的) about leaving the rabbit home during the daytime, because it spends those hours sleeping.     3     There’s no need to take it for daily walks, so it’s a great choice for a busy pet-lover.

Rabbits are clean, quiet, and contained.

Rabbits are clean animals that generally don’t make large messages. Rabbits don’t require as large living spaces as a dog or cat does, so they are apartment-friendly.     4     So they won’t bother the owner or the neighbors.

Rabbits are intelligent and lovely.

    5     They are also friendly. Rabbits quickly come to recognize their owners. They will follow them around the house and show them all sorts of love. They love to be petted and are eager for attention although they don’t like being picked up.

10 . Humans are driving climate change. That means we can change our path.     1    , individual actions matter, too. Here are some individual actions that can make a positive impact.

    2    . First, be mindful of your meat. Cows create a lot of methane (甲烷), a significant driver of global climate change. One study found replacing beef with almost anything else for one meal a day can cut a person’s dietary carbon footprint by 48%. Then, address your food waste. Cut down on what you throw away and watch out for single-use items like coffee beans whose production produces greenhouse gases.

Extend product lifespan (寿命).     3    . Shoes, clothes, furniture and even some electronics can be repaired to extend their life and keep waste out of landfills.

Switch to electric cooking. Not only is gas-powered cooking releasing harmful chemicals into the environment, but it could be contributing to health problems for you if you’re cooking indoors.     4    .

Plant trees where you can. Trees can help control temperatures and improve air quality.     5    . Local wildlife organizations often have lists of plants with neutral (中性的) or positive impacts on local flora and fauna (动植物群).