Problem: Article: Most of the time, you may be much harder on yourself than you would be on others or vice versa. Think about how a dear friend or family member would see your situation. Ask yourself whether you can look at your circumstances differently. For example, you encounter a setback while applying to college that makes you question your worthiness. How would your mother or father view the situation? They would likely tell you to keep pushing and not beat yourself up. Learn to treat yourself as your best friend would. Think of how your friend would speak to you about this situation and speak the same way towards yourself. The words you use to describe yourself have the power to tank your self-confidence. Plus, absolute terms are often very unrealistic. Remove absolute terms from your vocabulary and notice how your feelings of self-doubt start to change. Skip words like "always," "never," "no one," or "should." These terms are rigid and unrealistic, only adding to your sense of insecurity. When you lack self-confidence, you can trick your brain into thinking you feel empowered by repeating a mantra. Certain words or phrases have the capacity to shift your thinking and help you believe in your abilities. For instance, you might say, "You are worthy" or "You are doing great." Repeat these aloud for maximum impact. Cultivating gratitude is another way to shift your thinking in a positive direction. If you are insecure, you may focus primarily on what's going wrong. The very nature of gratitude is the oppositeto focus on what's right in your life. Spend some time each day in gratitude. Start a gratitude journal or log. Add two to three things that you appreciate about your day to the journal. There are many free or inexpensive apps, such as Gratitude Journal or Gratitude Diary, that you can use to help keep your gratitude a daily practice.
Summary: Look at the situation through someone else's eyes. Remove absolute words from your vocabulary. Recite empowering affirmations. Start a gratitude practice.

Problem: Article: Though this is a relatively common practice for many people, it's actually very dangerous to use cotton swabs to clean the inside of your ear canal. You can ultimately do more damage than good. Ear wax protects your ear canal from water and infection. Using a cotton swab or anything smaller to clean it out will actually only create more problems for your ears. the outside of your ears. Use a cotton ball, some warm water, and mild soap to gently clean the outside of your ears. Keeping the outside clean will help keep debris and allergens out of your ear canal, and keep your ear from feeling irritated. You can even do this in the shower with a clean washcloth. Just make sure you don't stick anything into the inner part of your ear. Clean only the outside, and make sure you get all the soap off if you use it. You can also use cotton balls in your ears when swimming or even showering. This will keep water and debris out of your ears, and prevent an infection from occurring from water getting trapped in the ear canal. Also wear earplugs when attending loud concerts or other noisy events. Try to keep the volume low on your earbuds when listening to music. Loud noise may damage your inner ear over time, and cause eventual depletion of your hearing.
Summary: Don't use cotton swabs in your ears. Clean Wear earplugs when swimming.

Problem: Article: Running or leaking toilets are one of the most common source of water leaks in a home. This can cause very high water bills, so it is a good idea to determine if this is the root cause of a water pressure problem. Start by removing the lid from the tank of the toilet. Put a few drops of food coloring or a dye tablet into the tank. Do not flush the toilet for at least one hour. If color has leaked into the bowl, your toilet has a leak. This can usually be fixed by replacing the toilet flapper or filling mechanism. This can help you determine if you have a service line leak. Locate your service meter. Take a reading of the meter and check to see if the indicator gear is turning. The leak indicator can be a small triangle shaped dial or disk that rotates when water is flowing. If the leak indicator is turning, you likely have a leak. If it is not turning, it does not mean there isn't a leak. A slow leak may not register on the leak indicator. Don't run any water for 2 hours and do another service meter reading. If the numbers have changed you are losing water and have a leak Call your water company or a plumber to help you find the source of a leak and to arrange repairs. This can be a clear indication of a water leak. In many cases you can hear a dripping sound in the case of a leaking faucet. Usually this requires a simple home repair. If there are large areas of water in the basement, there may be a water main leak. You should also check the ground in the area outside your home where your main meets the local supply. If the weather has been dry and the area around this junction is wet, there could be a leak at this spot. Contact your water company to resolve this issue.
Summary: Check the toilet in each bathroom. Check your service meter. Check for water spots in the basement and near water fixtures in the home.

Problem: Article: Depending how large your trash can is, you can bring it inside for clothes or other home storage. If it is too large to bring inside, store large garden tools like rakes and shovels and leave your trash can in your garage or yard. Drill holes in the bottom and sides of the trash can to provide air. Add uncooked vegetable scraps, dried leaves, and plant material into the trash can. Turn your compost every two weeks to keep it moist. Just put the lid on, turn it on its side, and roll it! Place your compost bin on bricks to increase air circulation. Use your compost to boost your gardening soil! If you have a dog or other large pet, use your old trash can to store pet food so you don't have to run to the pet store as much. Buying pet food in bulk is also cheaper in the long run! Make sure your trash can is fully cleaned before storing food in it.
Summary:
Use your trash can as a storage bin. Transform your trash can into a compost bin. Store pet food in your old trash can.