People who are trying to quit smoking will often be irritable. Know that your boyfriend's behavior is not about you. However, you certainly have the right to call him out on rude or unkind behavior and to get away from him entirely if this irritability becomes full-fledged abuse. This is especially important if you live together. If your boyfriend's behavior exposes you to second-hand smoke, both of you are at risk for serious health problems. Moreover, people who don't smoke at home are likelier to quit. Don't keep lighters or ash trays in your home, eitherthis will just remind your boyfriend of what he's avoiding. This will not only further protect your own health, but alsoby eliminating potentially triggering settingshelp your boyfriend avoid the behavior. How important is it to you that your boyfriend quit smoking? While there are steps you can take to help him quit, you will need to think about how you will proceed if he has no interest in doing so. Think about whether his smoking outweighs all of his other good qualities. Most people have serious flaws, and some experts suggest that having dealbreakers is not really conducive to happiness. The exception here is a serious moral or ethical shortcoming. Smoking does not really fall into this category, but it can prevent a long and healthy life. If losing your boyfriend to health problems down the road sounds too painful, smoking might just be too much for your relationship to overcome. If his smoking is a dealbreaker, he needs to be aware of it. It's not fair giving him an ultimatum he doesn't know about. Tell him that you cannot be with a smoker, but that you are confident he can quit and want to help him do so.

Summary: Don't take it personally. Make your home and car smoke-free spaces. Avoid places where there will be smoking. Know your limits.

Many people who experience panic have a tendency to beat themselves up or criticize themselves. Try to go easy on yourself in the midst of an attack. Getting angry or upset without yourself for not being strong enough or succumbing to an attack won't help. Replace self-criticism with compassion. Be gentle with yourself as you would a friend. Instead of judging yourself for not snapping out of it, hug yourself and inwardly tell yourself to take the time you need to calm down and relax. If you are guilty of being hard on yourself, think about the statistics. Having an anxiety attack does not make you weak or crazy. More than 6 million people in America struggle with panic disorder. What's more, if you are female, you are twice as likely to be afflicted by this condition. A common thought during a panic attack is that you are going to die. Fear and dread hold your common sense captive and all you can think about is escaping this feeling. It may be helpful to remind yourself that you have lived through an attack before. You are a survivor. All you have to do is continue to control your breathing and eventually the attack will pass. Positive self-talk is an incredibly useful strategy for overcoming panic during an attack. In addition, regularly using this form of thinking can also minimize the level of anxiety you feel throughout the day. Tell yourself the following: "I am completely safe." "I am not in danger." "This feeling will pass." "I am getting calmer by the minute."

Summary: Avoid criticizing yourself. Remind yourself that you have survived before. Talk yourself back to a calm state.

For instance, teach him how to play hangman, taking turns being the guesser and the writer. Alternatively, try simple word puzzles. For instance, try mixing up a word, and see if he can figure out what it is. Work on letters by using fun substances to write in. Doing things a little differently makes it more engaging, and it can help it stick better. Plus, it makes the whole process a lot more enjoyable for your child, who will see it as a game rather than work. For example, try putting shaving cream on the table, and have her write letters in it. You can also use sand or rice. Another option is finger painting letters. That is, don't just give her a plain pencil. Let her use colored pencils or markers. Gel or glitter pens are also great options. Some people also swear by vibrating pens, saying that they can help solidify letter shapes in your child's mind. If her writing instruments are colorful or sparkly, your child will be more inclined to want to use them. Crayons are also a good option.

Summary: Play simple games with him. Have sensory fun. Make her writing instruments fun.

To operate a nonprofit, you'll need to raise funds. The first step to finding donors is to make an effort to cultivate public support for your organization. Here is where your mission statement and goals will come in handy. Host a public meeting to talk about your organization's goals and plans. Advertise this meeting through press releases, newspaper articles, social media outreach, and paper advertisements. Explain what your organization hopes to accomplish and why at your first public meeting. Develop an online presence. As you begin to publicize your nonprofit, it's vital to develop a web presence. You want people to be able to locate your website for more information. There are many sites that provide website templates and allow you to operate a website for free or a small price. Create a mailing list. Compile a list of animal-loving friends and colleagues. Ask them to suggest additional people to add to your list. Ask people to provide their e-mail and physical address when hosting your first public meeting. When you begin setting out requests for donations, you'll have a list on hand to pull form. Contact the media. Hit up local newspapers and radio or TV shows. Send out press releases. A short human interest interest segment on the nightly news can do wonders for gaining support for your organization. A membership program can help support operating costs of your nonprofit. Members are not the same thing as board members in that they do not get voting power. They are simply regular donors for the organization. You can make your membership program as simple or complex as you want. Some membership programs offer benefits for members, like special prizes like tote bags or water bottles. Other nonprofits simply ask members to donate because they believe in the cause. How you execute a membership program is up to you. To recruit members, send out pamphlets and other publications explaining what you're doing for animals and why. Explain any benefits or perks of membership. If you have different levels of membership (such as gold, silver, and bronze) explain what each level entails. Sometimes simple phone calls are a great way to raise funds. Have board members phone people on your mailing list and ask for donations. Keep in mind many people are wary about giving money over the phone, so prepare for setbacks and resistance. Once again, go to your mailing list. Use this to send out e-mails and letters asking for money. Have a simple means to donate online. A GoFundMe page can work well, as well as a section of your own website where people can easily donate. You can provide addressed envelops in letters so people can easily mail in checks to your organization. The first step to dealing with your organization's money is to establish some kind of accounting system. A good system will document income and expenses in easily understandable categories. It's a good idea to hire a bookkeeper or accountant at this stage. If you do not have familiarity regulating money, a qualified accountant can help you decide how to allocate funds. Create a budget. Based on your goals, needs, and current funds decide how the money you've earned will be allocated in the coming financial year. Once again, a qualified accountant or bookkeeper can help with this process. Establishing an accounting system is vital to a nonprofit. Not only does it help board members have a clear understanding of how money is being spent, the IRS requires you put together a budget to prove your nonprofit status.
Summary: Cultivate public support. Start a membership program. Make phone calls. Send e-mails and direct mail. Establish an accounting system.