Problem: Article: A gratitude journal is useful for cultivating gratitude on a daily basis. Write in your journal each day, either morning or night (or both!). Start with 5 things that you are grateful for each day. The activity of using a journal makes the practice of gratitude intentional and conscious each day. It's also a great way to look back on your life and see where you were at during different points in your life. Waking up in the morning and writing in your gratitude journal can jumpstart your day and keep you in joyful anticipation, or combat feelings of dread. Journaling at the end of the day can close out your day with feelings of contentment as you go to bed. For more information, check out How to Start a Gratitude Journal. Maybe keeping a journal sounds like too much work or effort. Instead, you can find time throughout the day to acknowledge the things you are grateful for. Silently acknowledge the big and little things in your life daily. For example, think of one thing in the morning, another at lunch, and one at bedtime. Wear a bracelet every day and remind yourself that each time you see it, you think of something you are grateful for. While this sounds counter-intuitive, think back to a difficult period in your life. Perhaps you went through a difficult breakup, a traumatic event, or the death of a loved one. Now reflect on the fact there here you are, able to look back on that as a memory. You successfully overcame that difficult period of life and you have what it takes to get through dark moments. Write in your journal about a challenging time you went through. Recall what it felt like, and what got you through the difficult time. Note the strengths and personal attributes you utilized to get through it. Perhaps you're going through another even darker time now. By looking back on difficult situations, you can reflect that you found your way out of the dark then, and you can do it again. While depression can make you feel like everything is in a negative light, expressing gratitude can help you see the silver lining. Think about three good things that have happened in the last week. Then, explain why those things happened. This practice can help you change that negative fog into a more positive approach. For example, one good thing could be, "My dog greeted me at the door every day this week." For the explanation, you can say, "My dog loves me and he is excited to see me every day when I get home. This fills me with happiness, even when I feel down." Another example: "I was nervous about making my deadline, but I made it on time. I put in a lot of work and even though I felt stressed, I finished on time. This made me feel good and accomplished." . Mindfulness meditation often involves focusing your attention on one thing (such as "peace" or "calm"). While practicing meditation, tune your focus onto gratitude. Let any thoughts you have float out of your awareness and bring your attention back to gratitude. Choose one thing that you feel grateful for and meditate on it. This can be a warm sunny day, a delicious meal, a hug from a child, or a beautiful painting. Practice feeling gratitude for your relationships. Focus on one person at a time, like your mother, father, grandparent, partner or spouse, or child. Focus on the feeling of gratitude you have for this person being in your life.
Summary: Write a gratitude journal. Count your blessings. Remember challenging moments. List three good things. Meditate

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: In the U.S., each county runs its own fire department, and not every department has a dedicated website. Run a web search to find email contacts and station addresses or visit the National Volunteer Firefighter Recruitment Center at [ http://www.nvfrc.com ] .Call, write an email, or go down to the nearest fire station. Say that you're interested in becoming a volunteer firefighter. If you call, make sure to use the non-emergency number! This should be listed on the department website. The emergency line is reserved for fires, and the people at the station won't appreciate a non-urgent call. If you are in the U.S., you can go through your state firefighters' association. Visit the website and look for information about firefighting in your area. Not all stations take volunteers. Even if your local station does take volunteers, it might already have plenty of help. Ask about non-firefighting roles like communications, support, and fundraising. If there are no current openings, ask if there is any sort of waiting list. The department may need more help at some point. The qualifications for volunteer firefighting vary widely from department to department. However, all fire stations do enforce a minimum age requirement. Most fire departments require that you have a valid driver's license and can legally work in the U.S. Make sure that you live within the service area of the fire department so that you can respond to local emergencies! Most departments require that you are at least 14 years old. Some only accept volunteers older than 18. Some departments only accept volunteers with a high school diploma or an equivalent degree. You will need to fill out an application form, and you may need to undergo a background check. Check the requirements! The screening process and the qualifications are slightly different for every fire department. Wait for the station administration to review your application. If they want your help, they will contact you. If the department accepts your application, you'll usually be asked to come into the station and meet the firefighting team. There may be an interview, and you may even sit in on a training session. If the fire squad approves you for volunteering, then you will need to get a physical examination before you start your training. Be respectful and engaged. Focus on your goal.

SUMMARY: Contact your local fire department. Ask if they need volunteers. Meet the requirements. Apply. Take the next steps.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: Since small children are constantly making messes and dirtying their clothes, it's easy to feel like your house is always a wreck. If you want your child to help you keep things tidy, make chores or simple tasks into a game. Avoid just telling your child that he has to clean something up. You may need to help him or get him started. You can also make challenges or chores into races where you compete. For example, get a large bucket and help your child toss toys into it. You might encourage your child to find all of the blocks or balls to throw in. This will help him learn to sort and makes cleaning more interactive. Make chores a competition between several kids. This will make it seem more like a game. Kids like feeling as though they have some control or power over things. If you give your child an option, he'll feel as though he's in control of the situation and he'll be less likely to disobey or throw a tantrum. For example, you might tell your child he can select his pajamas to get ready for bed or he can pick out what story he'd like to listen to before bedtime. When giving small kids options, keep them simple or your child might become overwhelmed. Also, give your kid a chance to make the decision. If you're caring for several kids, ask "who wants to help me with this project?" Small children don't have a sense of time like adults do. But, they do have a sense of routine. Knowing what comes next and what to expect during the day can be comforting. You don't need to plan out detailed activities for every hour of the day. But, a loose routine will give your kid a sense of security which can improve his behavior and create good habits. For example, a loose bedtime routine might include getting pajamas on, brushing teeth, snuggling while reading stories, and bed. When handling more than one child, it can help to coordinate their nap schedules so that they both get rest and you get a break. Don't wait for your child to do something naughty before talking about appropriate behavior. Instead, catch your child doing something good and praise him for it. Kids respond better to positive reinforcement than punishment. Just be sure to use specific praises or your child might start tuning it out. For example, if your child wipes up a spill, you could say, "Good job cleaning up after your mess!" Avoid chastising one child by pointing out how good another child is. This will just make one kid resent the other one.
Summary:
Make tasks fun. Give choices. Create a routine. Reward good behavior.