3 . Belonging is important in most cultures. It can give you a sense of purpose. Working alongside people who might be serving an important cause, or being on a championship team, or working together with people who share similar goals, values, or interests makes a person feel important and useful.

Sometimes, though, the belonging aspect can translate to a sense of “us versus them”. It can create a situation where you view someone who is not of your team or group as the enemy and the person to be feared. While this often happens in political contexts, it can also occur in daily life. You might hear the way someone talks, or look at their dress, or learn where they went to school, and depending on your alignment to a certain group you might consider them worthy of your attention, or ignore them because they don't belong where you belong.

The problem with belonging is that sometimes you begin to gain such a sense of purpose from it, that your group is what matters most. In some cases, you may even find ways to separate from others not in your group. The fact is that fundamentally we all belong to the human race. We all have the same make- up and design underneath, with different packaging around us.

When you use belonging to create separation, you are missing out on gifts that others might be able to share. It's one of the most hurtful and judgmental things you can do to someone else: dismissing them out of hand simply because they don't share the views of your group.

Become aware of your desire to belong, and try to be objective about your need for it. Belonging can be a powerful experience, and it can also serve to separate you. You might want to be separated from the people in “that group,” but you end up cutting yourself off from potential gifts and support that may be meaningful to you. Having beliefs and supporting noble causes is certainly important, and simply being part of a group isn’t fundamentally a bad thing; just become watchful about whether it translates into a refusal to accept someone who belongs elsewhere.

In today’s fast-paced world, many people lack     1     (emotion) connection with others. It wasn’t until I reflected     2     my own life that I realized how grateful I should be for the ordinary moments that often go unnoticed. An incident     3     (occur) that exposed this issue to me.

One day, while browsing through a magazine, an advertisement caught my eye. It     4     (base) on the idea that the     5     (major) of people feel disconnected in their daily lives. The advertisement recommended     6     (find) a solution to this problem by changing our attitude towards relationships.

I was struck by the thought that our emotions can sometimes disappear in the hustle and bustle of life. We become so engaged in our own routines that we fail     7     (appreciate) the people around us. This reflection made me realize the importance of being     8     (gratitude) for every interaction, no matter how small.

Everyone should take the time to think about connections they have with others. By doing so, we can change our different     9     (attitude). It’s only when we appreciate the ordinary moments     10     true connections can appear, and the sense of disconnection will gradually disappear.

5 . Do you like spending time alone? If so, you probably know that there are people criticizing you for it. They think you are alone because you’re anxious about being around other people and just don’t have very positive relationships with humans.     1    

These have been the common opinions on spending time alone for far too long.     2     Scholars believe that spending time alone helps you break free from pressures and is good for mental and physical health.

    3     You need to feel the dissatisfaction with where you’re now to get the motivation to change and achieve what you want. Being around others constantly might distract (转移) yourself from the informative feeling. Spending time alone enables you to check how your life is in line with your plans, or research resources related to your aims.

Your creativity is increased when being alone. If you are constantly in the presence of others, your mind is more likely to be engaged in being social.     4     Those who enjoy creative pursuits, like writing and music, especially need to get alone time. If you’re not used to alone time, being alone while around others is a good way to start, such as writing at a library or in a café.

Keeping yourself away from others improves sleep quality. If you are always busy with others, you may notice that it’s difficult to wind down at night. Those moments right before you fall asleep can be uncomfortable if you are not used to being alone.     5     Consequently, you feel more comfortable transitioning (过渡) from wakefulness to sleep.

6 . Relationship conflicts can cause emotional pain and stress. Knowing how to apologize can repair damage in a relationship. Effective apologies are simple if you know what to say.     1    

Understand reasons to apologize.

When you’ve made a mistake or hurt another person, there are many good reasons why you should apologize. By apologizing, you are able to:

Acknowledge that you were wrong;

Discuss what is allowed and not allowed in your relationship;

Express your regrets and thoughts;

    2    

Take responsibility.

Taking responsibility means acknowledging mistakes you made hurt the other person. It’s one of the most important parts of most apologies. Saying “    3     I’m sorry” shows that you know it was what you said that hurt the other person and you take responsibility for it.

Express regrets.

When you seek to understand how to apologize effectively, it’s also important to understand the value of expressing regrets. Taking responsibility is important, but it’s also helpful for the other person to know that you feel bad about hurting them. They already feel bad.     4    

    5    

Although apologizing can be a way to repair the relationship and be forgiven. Sometimes this doesn’t happen. Sometimes the other person just isn’t ready or able to forgive you and move on. Or they may forgive you but still be guarded. Realize that you can’t control their response and if you’ve done everything you can, let it go for now.