Problem: Write an article based on this summary: See rejection as opening new doors. Consider rejection as a learning experience. Try, try, and try again. Identify alternatives.

Answer: Reframe your perception of rejection to see it as an opportunity. Remember that old adage "when one door closes, another door opens"? It's true. Being rejected from one opportunity keeps you free for other opportunities. Though it may not seem like it the exact moment of the rejection, in some time from now, you may very well look back at this rejection and think, "Thank goodness, I didn't get that job. I wouldn't be able to do what I am doing now." Sometimes we think there is only one path to achieve a particular goal. Remembering that there is more than one road to a destination can help you successfully face your fear of rejection. For example, imagine you are applying to a full-time research assistantship position. While the experience and pay are real advantages to the job, the position will also consume all of your time. What if you don't get the position? Think of what you could do instead: you could volunteer a few hours in the lab to get more experience and tutor to keep up an income. In some cases, then, rejection can free you up to look for other opportunities you would have had to be closed off to had you not been rejected. The same goes for your personal life. What if after a few weeks after you were rejected by a girl you liked, you meet a new girl and embark on a new relationship with her. It's likely that you wouldn't have been able to have this relationship if the other girl had said 'yes'! Rejection isn't an end, but a beginning. This is true because you often can take something away or learn something from the experience of rejection. Instead of fearing it, try to think of rejection as yet another chance, if it happens, to learn. For example, if you applied for a job in which you didn't meet the base requirements but decided to apply anyway, maybe you've learned that it's best only to apply if you can meet those requirements. If you asked someone out via text message, maybe you've learned that it would actually be better to do in person. There are all kinds of lessons we can take from rejection that can help us do things differently and sometimes better in the future. You will also learn about rejection itself as you experience it. The more you experience rejection, the less you will fear it as you will see that you come back and thrive every single time. You may take a bit of weathering but you're not beaten. Speaking strictly in regards to probability, the more times you put yourself out there and try, the more opportunities you create. Before negative thinking creeps in (e.g., "The more I put myself out there, the more likely I am to be rejected), remind yourself that when you don't try, you are in the same place and situation you would have been in had you been rejected. You'll see that your fear is keeping your from potential opportunities. Furthermore, the more you try, for example by sending out 10 applications rather than just one, the more you increase the chances of being accepted and reduce the negative effects of a rejection. Just keep going until you get that one yes! When we are rejected, we may fall into "all-or-nothing" thinking (see Part 1) and assume we are being rejected because we are in some way inferior or lacking something. It is important to remember that there are always factors and information you are not aware of and there may be alternative reasons why someone has chosen to reject you. Identify a few potential alternatives to a situation to help reduce this kind of negative thinking and to remind yourself that you do not know all the information and factors in any given situation and that, again, you can only control for yourself and not anyone else. For example, if you are rejected by a graduate program, you may have very well been at the competitive forefront, but a particular professor may have already known another applicant personally. Or maybe the person you asked out on a date really can't go out with you because he already has a significant other, or just recently endured a breakup, or is leaving the country soon. The lists of alternatives are endless and rarely ever reflect that "all-or-nothing" trap we often find ourselves in. Acknowledging these alternatives will help keep you from taking a rejection personally and help remind you that your subjective experience is not necessarily a reflection of reality.

Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Agree to wear girls' clothes at certain times. Compromise on the type of clothes you can wear. Take them shopping with you. Discuss makeup and accessories.

Answer: If your parents are hesitant about how you want to dress and revealing it to other people, discuss and agree on certain places or occasions you can wear girls' clothing. Find a compromise with your parents, like being able to wear girls' clothes after school but not at school or church. Or decide on special occasions that you can wear female clothes for. Your parents may just need to get used to your new wardrobe in small amounts before they let you wear it all the time, so be patient and agree to let them set some limits at first. Come to an agreement about the clothing your parents will feel comfortable with you wearing. Try more androgynous (gender-neutral) clothing or mixing boys' and girls' clothes together in the same outfit to ease them into the idea of dressing in more girls' clothes. Try asking for or buying boys' jeans and tops in a slimmer and tighter fit for a more feminine look. Or add girls' accessories or a few key clothing items to a typical boys' outfit. Invite your parents to come with you to the mall or stores where you'd like to buy girls' clothing. Offer to let them help you make decisions and be involved in the whole process. If they won't go to the store with you, show them pictures of what you want to buy or the kind of outfit you might like to wear to get their approval beforehand. You might even ask a parent who identifies or dresses as female if you can borrow some of their clothes or get tips on dressing from them. Being more involved in your decision or transition may help them to become more accepting of it. If you want to add makeup, jewelry, and other typically feminine accessories, discuss these with your parents, too. Talk about what they're okay with you buying and wearing. Come up with compromises for these things, too. Maybe your parents will allow you to wear just makeup and not girls' clothes yet. Or you can agree with them on how much makeup you wear and when you can wear it.

Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Boost morale. Do activities together. Hold regular rehearsals. Hold group meetings.

Answer:
Make sure your group members feel appreciated and valued. Let them know that you respect what they contribute to the group dynamic and that you wouldn't be where you are as a group without them. Everyone needs to feel like they are an important part of the group. Make sure everyone is kept informed of plans, gigs, and all events. Don't leave anyone in the group out of the loop. Avoid gossip. Don't spread rumors about other members of your group. It's easy to get caught up in the business aspects of making and practicing music together. Make sure that you make time to do some fun things together as a group. Since you spend so much time together, it's important that you work on your friendship as much as you work on your vocals. Take some time to go to a party together or spend a day at an amusement park. Whatever you do, just make sure you're having fun with your group members. Participating in a sport or charity event can be a fun team building experience. Nothing will make a group feel more grounded in the same mission than performing well together. To get to this level, you must practice. The more you practice, the less likely it is that one or more of you will make mistakes during performances. Practice until every group member has the routine/songs memorized and can perform them flawlessly each time. Group meetings are a great way to make sure everyone is on the same page and that all of the group members are happy with they way things are going with your group. Making sure that every member feels like their opinion matters is important for keeping a group together, and a group meeting is a great platform to make that happen. Talk about upcoming gigs and events to make sure everyone knows their obligations. Use these meetings to divide up the work between group members. This can be anything from buying supplies, to coordinating with a venue, to advertising etc. Make sure that if there are any problems in the group, they are discussed when everyone is there. If there are conflicts in the group, remain calm and treat everyone with respect.