Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Be a good friend. Spend time with them. Get to know them. Let them know you. Find common ground. Share their passions.

Answer: Support them, like a friend should. This is an attractive quality, because it shows how much you care and how much you can add to their life. Listen to them rant about that teacher you both hate, watch one of their games, or surprise them by dropping in on their concerts. Say "Hi!" to your crush as you pass by them. If they aren't feeling well or are upset about something, help them out and comfort them as best as you can. You don't need to spend time alone with them, but you do need to spend time together. You can hang out in groups and do things like watch movies or go to a great local music venue. Just give them the opportunity to start to get to know you. Learn more about them and get to know them for who they really are, rather than just the basic facts that anyone could tell you. People like to feel a strong connection and that the person they're with really understands them as a whole, so if you know your crush well, they'll be more likely to take your feelings seriously. You can get to know them by talking about things that are important to them, like their hobbies, their life goals, their family, and their beliefs. They should also get the chance to learn the same things about you. Be open to discussion and inviting. Don't try to compete with them when you discuss your life; just let them see you for who you are. Find out what things you share in common, in order to help build a lasting foundation for a relationship. No matter how cute they are, if you have absolutely nothing in common, you're not going to have a very good time together. Find out what they're into and share your own interests with them. Relationships work best if both of you are geeky about the same thing. And believe us, everyone is geeky about something. Even if that something is football. You don't necessarily have to enjoy what they are most passionate about, but it will help a lot if you can understand and follow along with what they love. Immerse yourself and give it time. And especially ask them for help: it's a great bonding experience.

Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Volunteer for a river clean-up project. Donate to a conservation group. Report any river pollution you see.

Answer: Do a quick search for "river conservation groups" online. If you live near water, chances are a nonprofit or community group helps preserve it. Project volunteers go out as a group and remove trash from waterways. Volunteer groups may have alternative ways to get involved as well, such as helping out at their offices. Visit a river conservation group's website or talk to a group representative in-person to find out about their donation policies. You can find plenty of groups online and across the world. Most of these groups are nonprofit, so they depend on donations. Even if you don't clean the river, your donation helps the group stay active. Many groups also offer annual memberships. With a small donation, you can get perks like a newsletter subscription and a merchandise discount. A few examples of national and international river groups include American Rivers and International Rivers. Serve as a riverkeeper by telling others about any issues you see when you're down by the water. When you see something wrong, you can usually call a river conservation group and tell them. Otherwise, call the government environmental or natural resources in your area. For example, dead fish or trash near the river are some signs of pollution. Avoid handling animals or dangerous waste like needles unless you are trained by a conservation group.

Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Know what you can control. Take action. Change your perception. Embrace what life is trying to teach you.

Answer: Take a few minutes to think about your situation and what you can control in it. Just know that you may not be able to control the major stressor, but you may be able to control the smaller ones that are contributing to the situation. When you do this, you'll be able to feel some relief from the pressure you've had on you. You may not be able to control where you move to, but you can control what you do in the new location. You may not be able to lose weight, but you can eat well and exercise more to be in better health. You may not be able to get back together with your significant other, but you can look through photos or read old letters. When people get into a crisis situation, they may become frozen. They don't know what to do or say because they are just too anxious. If this sounds like you right now, it's only making you feel worse. You can start to feel better by taking action. Devise a plan of how you'll act, so you have a better chance of your action being effective. You may not be able to control where you move to, but you can make the best of it by joining a group in the community to make new friends. You may miss your friends, so you look up flights, hotels, and you're going to take time out of work to visit them. When you change your perception, you change the situation you're in, which means you may have more control. You can do this by considering your situation in a different way. You may want to look at it positively versus negatively. You may not be able to buy a new car right now, but you have a car that runs to get to work every morning. You may have broken up with significant other, but you also don't have to deal with the arguments anymore. You may not be able to see your children right now, but you will be able to see them in the near future. Everything in life can be a lesson. You will need to take a step back to see the big picture to be able to benefit from what it is teaching you. When you know what you're supposed to learn from the situation, you'll be much calmer and not feel so out of control because you'll have more knowledge.

Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Separate yourself from the criticism. Hear the person out. Do better next time. Use the experience to grow.

Answer:
Although your behavior is certainly a big part of who you are, it isn't everything and doesn't point to everything you're capable of doing. Think about great artists, athletes, musicians, and business people who started out small and may have been rejected at first. Your sense of self doesn't need to depend entirely on your current or past behavior. Instead of taking criticism as a personal attack on your worth as a person, think of it as localized to the particular action being discussed. If you're being criticized for writing a bad essay, consider the fact that with practice you could write a better essay. Accept the criticism without over-generalizing. Be generous about the other person's intent. They may actually want to offer constructive criticism and help you do a better job in the future. After hearing them out, you can assess whether their intentions are good or if they're simply attacking you. If it's an attack, you can simply disregard what they're saying. Avoid taking "good" criticism personally. Receiving constructive criticism is actually an important part of learning how to improve your abilities. For example, if you are taking an English class and the teacher points our an error in your writing, thank her for her input, which will help you become a better writer. Research shows that the ability to be vulnerable is tied to being successful and happy. Being willing to listen to criticism is an important form of vulnerability. If the criticism is targeted toward a specific behavior and you do see room for improvement, be thankful for the attention brought to your performance, so that you can correct the mistake. Criticism can actually contain gifts that lead to a better version of yourself, even if the person's intentions aren't kind. Be patient with yourself. Self-improvement can be a powerful force in your life, but self-compassion is an essential component to positive growth. Practice makes perfect, so consider this experience an opportunity to hone your criticism-handling skills. Thank the person for giving you an occasion to practice the behaviors listed in this guide. Only thank the person if it's genuine! Sarcasm may feel satisfying in the moment, but it's a hostile mode of communication that's frequently perceived as negative and can create additional friction between you.