INPUT ARTICLE: Article: " False hope syndrome is probably already familiar to you if you've ever set a New Year's resolution. Psychologists describe this syndrome in three parts that make up a cycle: 1) setting the goal, 2) feeling surprised by its difficulty, 3) giving up on the goal. False hope syndrome often happens when you expect immediate results from your actions. For example, you might set a goal of "Become more physically fit" and then get discouraged when you've been working out for two weeks without noticeable changes. Just remember that some goals do take time and setting up clear stages and timeframes can help combat unrealistic expectations. This syndrome can also happen when the initial "rush" of the goal wears off. For example, the goal "Learn to play the guitar" is really exciting for a little while, as you buy a new instrument, learn a few chords, etc. However, when the real work of daily practice, calluses, and chord progressions sets in, you may lose momentum. Setting small goals and celebrating small successes can help you keep your momentum going. Several studies have shown that people who treat setbacks as learning experiences are more likely to feel positive about their ability to achieve their goals. If you view challenges, setbacks, or even your own mistakes as "failures" and beat yourself up for them, you'll be focusing on the past instead of looking toward the future. Research has shown that people who accomplish their goals don't usually have fewer setbacks than people who give up on their goals. The difference is in how you envision the setbacks. Can you learn from what went wrong to do something differently next time? The drive for perfectionism can also hold you back from acknowledging mistakes as sources of growth. When you hold yourself to impossible standards of performance, you're actually more likely to feel like your goals can't be achieved. Instead, be compassionate with yourself. Remind yourself that you are human, and that all humans make mistakes and experience challenges. Studies have shown that positive thinking is effective at helping people learn and adapt than focusing on your mistakes or flaws. Next time you find yourself beating yourself up over a perceived failure, remind yourself that you can learn from every experience, no matter how unpleasant it is in the moment. So much of achieving goals is a matter of perception. Celebrate small wins. If your goal is to make straight A's and you do well on an exam, celebrate it. If you goal is to become a lawyer, celebrate every hoop you successfully jump through, such as getting into law school, doing well in a course, passing the bar, and finally getting a job. Celebrate benchmarks or milestones. Some goals will take years if not longer to accomplish. Recognize and celebrate the amount of time that you've spent doing something. Practice takes time and effort. Recognize and be proud of the amount of time you've put into something. Celebrate the smallest accomplishments, too. For example, if your goal is "Eat healthier" and you're able to say "no thanks" to that greasy but delicious slice of pizza, pat yourself on the back for your willpower. Whatever your goal is, it is a goal for a reason. It is something that you want for yourself in the future. Let that passion and drive show. Reminding yourself about what you are working towards can help you get through momentary difficulty or unpleasantness. Sometimes, the best destinations force you to take the roughest trails. Life is filled with lemons that don't make very good lemonade. Sometimes, unexpected things happen that will affect your plans. Don't be afraid to recalibrate, think of new plans, set new goals, and in some cases reject old goals that you might not care about any more. Setbacks are natural. They shouldn't automatically deter you from your ultimate goals. Recognize why you are facing a setback. Is it something you can control or not? Move forward accordingly. Consider new opportunities. Some of the best things in life aren't planned. Say yes to new opportunities if they help further your own goals or present new, better goals. Keep track of the small successes you accomplish. Achieving these smaller tasks will help you build your self-confidence, because you'll know that you're capable of achieving things you set out to do. Remind yourself of your past successes when you find yourself struggling. Remember that setbacks don't mean failure. Author J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels were rejected twelve times in a row before a publisher agreed to take a chance on them. Inventor Thomas Edison's schoolteachers told him he was "too stupid to learn anything." Oprah was fired from her first television job and told she was "unfit for TV." Sometimes it's that negative feedback from others that fuels our drive to be successful at our goals and dreams.

SUMMARY: Recognize "false hope syndrome. View challenges as learning experiences. Acknowledge every victory. Stay passionate. Revise your goals if necessary. Persevere.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: For 3-7 days, track when, what, and how much you drink, and when and how much you urinate. After several days, you'll likely start to notice clear patterns to your urination habits. Ideally, you should use a collection cup to record how much you urinate each time. Alternatively, you can just estimate the amount as "a lot," "average," and "a little." After you've kept track of when you usually urinate, build a schedule around this data. To start out, try to set up the schedule so that you urinate every 2 to 2.5 hours during the daytime. For example, schedule a "pee break" when you wake up (6:30 am), then when you arrive at work (9:00 am), then right before your lunch break (11:30 am), and so on. Do your best to stick to your schedule. Waiting 5-15 minutes can help stretch your bladder so that, over time, it can hold more urine. If you really need to go, however, just go. If you start your schedule by urinating every 2 hours, move to 2.25 hours between restroom visits the next week, then 2.5 hours the week after that. Your end goal should be to urinate every 3-4 hours. While the average adult urinates every 3-4 hours, this may not be manageable for you. Stretch out your pee breaks slowly, and stop when you seem to have reached your limit. To practice, start urinating, then make yourself stop the stream of urine by contracting your muscles. These are the muscles of your pelvic floor. Once you know what it feels like to contract the pelvic floor muscles, you can do Kegel exercises at other times throughout your day. Try doing Kegel exercises during commercials while watching your favorite show, sitting at your desk, lying down, or filling up your car with gasolineyou can do them at almost any time, really. Try to do these exercises at least 3 times a day and at least 3-4 days a week. If you continue to need to urinate frequently despite your efforts to retrain your bladder, visit your doctor for a checkup. If you have to pee frequently and urgently, you may have an over-active bladder (OAB), which is a rather vaguely-defined medical condition that should be diagnosed by your doctor. OAB can often be treated by making healthy lifestyle changeslike improving your diet, exercising regularly, losing excess weight, and quitting smokingand possibly by taking medication. Also speak to your doctor if you have any type of issues with incontinencethat is, releasing urine when you don't intend to.

SUMMARY:
Keep a "pee diary" for about 1 week to chart your habits. Set a comfortable urination schedule. Slowly extend the amount of time between pee breaks. Do Kegel exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. Talk to your doctor about any bladder control issues.