Focus on yourself in the moment. Turn your attention inward. Tune out all distractions, whether they're external or internal. Quiet your mind until the kata itself is the only thing you're thinking about. Resist holding your breath. Inhale fully for maximum lung capacity. Avoid full exhales since these will leave the body limp and vulnerable. Adjust your rate of breathing as the situation demands, timing it to match your movements. Avoid breathing at a uniform rate throughout the kata. Concentrate on your posture, balance, and stability. Pay close attention to your hips, since they will help ground your center of gravity. Prioritize form over speed in the beginning and practice your kata slowly to ensure mastering the form before speeding up your movements. Pay attention to how the muscles in each part of your body work together in each movement; for example, when delivering a punch with your fist, pay attention to how your legs and torso lead into the punch. Maximize the force of impact by using all interrelated muscles efficiently. Imagine an opponent of equal height and build to yourself. Use your imaginary opponent as a point of focus for both impact and penetration. Pretend that this is a real fight that may prove lethal. Maintain an even speed from start to finish. When learning a new kata, start slowly to master its pattern, but as you improve and quicken your speed, achieve that speed from your first step forward to intimidate your opponent.
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One-sentence summary -- Get into the mindset. Breathe efficiently. Maintain form. Focus on how your muscles work in tandem. Visualize your opponent. Project confidence.

A hibernaculum is a small container for your turtle or tortoise to hibernate, and it protects your animal from hazards. Take two boxes: one about twice or thrice the size of your animal, and one only a few inches larger than your animal. The smaller box should fit into your large box with an inch or two on each side. Your outer box should be made of sturdy material able to withstand chewing by rats. Use plywood, plastic, or wood. Do not use cardboard. Your turtle or tortoise should be able to turn around in the smaller box, but not wander a lot. This is a critical step. You need material to fill the gaps between the large and small box, when the small box is placed inside the larger one. This will help regulate your pet's temperature, and keep your pet from dying or leaving hibernation too early. The best insulation is polystyrene or packing foam. Alternatives include insulation from housing or packing projects. If you need, tightly packed shredded paper can work too. A thermometer is absolutely necessary for checking the temperature in your pet's environment. You will be checking your thermometer often, so get one you understand and can use well. Many pet owners like using a classic maximum-minimum reading thermometer from any garden or hardware store. Some pet owners like using thermometers with alarms that sound when the temperature gets above or below a certain reading. Place a bottom layer of insulation in the large box. Place your small box in the middle of the large box, on top of the layer of insulation. Add the rest of the insulation around the sides of the smaller box. Put insulation on the top lid of your boxes. Drill small ventilation holes in the lid. Cover the bottom of your smallest box with some substrate. Some examples of substrate include: coir (crushed coconut husk) straw shredded newspaper peat moss commercial substrates for reptiles, such as Carefresh or Bed-A-Beast Do not use substrate with fertilizers, plant food, or any chemical additives Check the appropriate moistness of your substrate for your species of pet. For example, box turtles need very moist substrate that is almost wet. Turtles and tortoises use up very little oxygen when hibernating, but still require a small amount of oxygen. Make ventilation holes that are small (less than an inch or centimeter in diameter).
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One-sentence summary -- Pick your boxes. Pick your insulation. Add a thermometer. Assemble your box.

In order to manage your emotions, you need to fully understand them. All of us have certain emotional needs that are just as important as our physical needs. Spend some time taking an inventory of the emotional needs that are most important to you. For example, some important emotional needs are feeling in control, feeling respected, and feeling comfort. If your brain feels one of those needs is not being met, that can trigger the negative emotions. Throughout the course of a day, it is normal to go through a wide range of emotions. When things aren't going your way, it is very common to feel anger or irritation. The key is to be able to manage your emotions so that they do not negatively impact your daily life. Knowing the things that trigger negative emotions is an important part of remaining in control. When your brain feels as though it has lost or been deprived of something it needs, the most common emotions are anger, fear, or sadness. Needs are not bad, but it is important to understand your needs and how to manage them. Maybe your boss criticized you for sloppy work on a project. You might feel that you are not being respected, because you spent months creating a great product. Your initial reaction is probably very negative. Take note of this, and remember that not feeling respected is one of your triggers. Once you know your triggers, you can use that to your advantage. When you know that something is triggering a negative emotion, try to shift your focus away from that person or situation. Instead, refocus on something positive in order to help you regain your composure. Perhaps feeling out of control is one of your triggers. When you are in a traffic jam and running late, you are likely to feel frustration and anger. Try to shift your focus. Turn on your favorite CD or have an interesting podcast downloaded for just such an occasion. Shift your focus from the traffic to listening to something you enjoy. Many of us are very critical of ourselves. If you are feeling mad at yourself for not going to the gym all week, shift your focus. Instead, congratulate yourself on getting caught up on much needed housework. When you are experiencing very strong emotions, it can be difficult to think and act rationally. When you are angry or frightened, your body goes into a flight or fight mode, which can cause you to react emotionally instead of logically. This type of response is generally not helpful in professional or social settings, so it is important to learn to calm yourself down when you are experiencing negative emotions. Take deep breaths. Focusing on your breathing will not only shift your focus, but it will help you calm down, physically and emotionally. Breathe in slowly for five counts, then let your breath out slowly for two counts. Repeat this for a few minutes, or as long as needed. Do something repetitive. Repetition can calm your nerves. Try walking, or even rhythmically tapping your feet. Strong emotions can cause you to act impulsively. This is true for both positive and negative feelings, like extreme sadness or happiness. A good way to manage your emotions is to take a time-out before acting when you are feeling intense emotions. Step away from the situation. If you are in a tense meeting at work, suggest that everyone take a five minute break to regroup. If you are having a heated discussion with your partner, calm down before making decisions. Say that you need to take a quick walk around the block before continuing the conversation.
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One-sentence summary --
Understand your emotional needs. Know your triggers. Shift your focus. Calm down. Take a time-out.