Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Take stock of what feels to be missing. Look closely at the people and events that may have contributed to losing part of yourself. Begin a mindfulness routine. Embrace good relationships and distance yourself from bad ones. Spend time with yourself. Set goals. Be patient.

Answer: Take time to reflect on what part of you seems to be missing and on what might have contributed towards your losing it. Helpful questions to think about--or, even better, write about--include: Who am I currently? Do I like who I am? What part of myself seems to be missing? When did it go missing? Why did it go missing? What am I longing for? What were my dreams when I was younger? What were my passions? What do I wish my life looked like right now? In a year? In five years? What are my values? What do I cherish most? What makes me feel happy and satisfied? Use your answers to these questions to help you figure out where things aren't working well for you in your life. For example, if your values are courage, honesty, and kindness but you find yourself in a job or surrounded by people who value money and success at any cost, the conflict between what you value and what you're surrounded by may be part of what's making you feel alienated from your true self. Sit down and go carefully through your memories, looking for what may have led you to abandon a part of yourself. For example, were you forced to abandon the imaginative part of yourself when, as a child, your parents insisted your fantasies and daydreams were useless? Think about anything that had a strong physical, mental, or emotional impact on you. Begin with the major ones that come most easily to mind, then move on to smaller, less expected ones. Factors to consider include: Particular events (both positive and negative) Personal relationships (friends, family, partners) Jobs you've held Life transitions Accidents Medical issues Childhood memories (both positive and negative) Loss Being forced into an uncomfortable role Being forced to lie to or about yourself Remember that the point of this reflection isn't so you can blame past people or events; rather, it's to allow you to understand how and why you lost a part of yourself so you can start working to get it back. When it feels like part of you is missing, mindfulness practices help you reconnect with your center. Practices like meditation, yoga, and tai chi are all good options for practicing mindfulness and connecting with who you are at a deeper level. When trying to rediscover yourself, it helps to have positive, loving, and supportive people around you. Distance yourself from any negative relationships, whether it be a friend or partner who needs to be convinced in order to love and support you or a family member who continually criticizes you. Those relationships will only set you back. If there's a negative person in your life whom you can't avoid, like a boss, co-worker, or close family member, work on distancing yourself mentally and emotionally rather than physically. Resolve not to engage them and to recognize any negativity they direct at you as a reflection of their own shortcomings rather than of yours. Seek out people who love and accept you as you are and are willing to support you. Spend time with the people who make you feel energized and who help you feel more in touch with who you really are. It can be easy to lose track of yourself when you avoid spending time in your own head. It's tempting to drown out potentially troubling thoughts or emotions by never setting aside time to simply be quiet, without music playing, without other people around, without a book, without the internet, etc. If you want to reconnect with yourself, you're going to need to stop avoiding your own mind and feelings. Granted, it will probably be uncomfortable at first to sit down quietly and just be with yourself for a while. It might bring up thoughts or feelings you've been trying to avoid, but once you acknowledge them and stop trying to run away from them, they suddenly become much more manageable and less intimidating. Take 5-10 minutes each day to just sit quietly. It might be on your living room couch, on a rocking chair on your front porch, or underneath your favorite tree. Wherever it is, start to reconnect with yourself and to enjoy your own company. When you set goals for yourself that you truly want to accomplish--rather than having goals set for you by others--you feel more connected to yourself and more fulfilled in your life. Set both long- and short-term goals. For long-term goals, think about how you want to be in a year from now or in five years from now. Do you want to be more forgiving of yourself and others? Make that a long-term goal. Do you want to feel satisfied with your life and work? Make that a long-term goal. Use short-term goals to help you work towards your longer-term goals and to help you feel a sense of accomplishment and progress. Set achievable goals that will help you get closer to meeting your long-term goals. If, for example, your long-term goal is to feel calm and at peace, set achievable short-term goals that will help get you there, like meditating four times a week for a month or writing in a journal three times a week for two months. Write down your goals and place them somewhere you'll see them every day so you'll be reminded of what it is you're working toward. The work of reflecting on and rediscovering lost parts of yourself can be challenging and time-consuming. Don't be discouraged if you don't have an immediate revelation. Be patient with yourself and allow yourself to be curious without feeling like you to have to find a particular answer. Understand that rediscovering and reclaiming a lost part of yourself is an ongoing process that you work on each day--it doesn't happen all at once.

Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Thaw in the refrigerator. Thaw in cold water. Defrost in the microwave. Cook thawed bacon normally.

Answer:
This is generally the cleanest way to thaw a package of bacon. Simply put it in the fridge in its original container and wait for it to thaw to a uniformly soft texture. This can take anywhere from a couple hours to a day or more depending on your refrigerator's temperature. This method of thawing generally leaves the bacon usable for the longest amount of time it's almost as if you transferred fresh bacon directly into the fridge. You can cook or refreeze the bacon within seven days. For loose slices of bacon, place them inside a sealed plastic bag or container before defrosting. This can help prevent the dehydrating effects of cool refrigerator air. Fill your sink with cold water from the faucet. Drop the package of bacon into the water and let it sit. If it floats, weigh it down with a heavy pan or plate. Smaller packages will take 10-15 minutes to fully thaw. Larger packages may take up to an hour. If it takes longer than 30 minutes, dump the water and refill again with cold water. Don't use warm or hot water. This will make the outside of the bacon warm quicker than the inside, ruining its texture and potentially causing dangerous bacteria growth. If you're not thawing the bacon in its original package, make sure you seal it in an airtight bag. You don't want the bacon to come into direct contact with the water this can be unsanitary and may affect the bacon's taste or texture. Place the bacon on a paper towel-lined plate and defrost it for three minute intervals, checking its texture between each defrosting. Separate the bacon as it defrosts to speed up the process. You can leave the bacon in its original package, but if you do, poke a few holes in the package to allow it to vent. If you don't, steam can build up and cause an explosion. Once the bacon is completely thawed, you're ready to start cooking. Transfer it to a frying pan (or another vessel if you're using a different cooking method like baking) and cook it as you normally would. Be sure to wash your hands after handling defrosted bacon. Warming uncooked bacon to luke-warm heat (like most defrosting methods do) makes it a prime breeding ground for bacteria. Most thawed bacon should be cooked fairly quickly to avoid bacterial contamination. The exception is bacon thawed in the fridge since it's kept cool, it's generally safer to store.