Problem: Article: Before you'll be able to take your cat outside, you'll first need to get it accustomed to wearing its harness. Start by putting your cat in its harness for short periods of time every day for several days. Initially, put the harness on for just a few minutes, then increase the length of time each day for several days. Give your cat treats and lots of praise while putting on the harness and while your cat walks around wearing the harness. You want your cat to eventually feel comfortable moving around the house in its harness, ideally to the point that it doesn't pay any mind to the harness. Once your cat has become comfortable with its harness, begin attaching the leash to the harness. At first, allow the leash to trail behind your cat. Encourage the cat to walk around with the leash attached by offering treats and lots of praise. Once your cat has become comfortable having the leash trail behind it, pick up the leash and again encourage your cat to walk around--this time with you holding the leash. Offer your cat its favorite treats and lots of praise as it begins to walk around. Try not to yank or drag the cat along as you go--let the cat move about of its own volition.
Summary: Put your cat in its harness for short periods of time. Attach the leash. Practice walking with the harness and leash.

Problem: Article: Many people have a tendency to fall into unhealthy relationships over and over again. If you're worried about losers in your life, try to take some time to honestly evaluate relationships. It can be hard to accept when certain relationships become toxic to the point of not being sustainable. Do you feel drained when you're around a person? Do you honestly want to spend time with certain people, or do you feel obligated? Do you expect an amount of respect that you never received? Are you consistently disappointed by someone's attitude, behavior, or treatment of you? Answer these questions honestly. Avoid the temptation to make excuses, like, "Well, I do feel tired when I'm around Marguerite, but she's been going through a lot lately." If you're feeling negative about someone overall, this is a sign this is not a healthy relationship. Everyone goes through bad times. However, even at their worst, most people will have some ability to care for another person's needs. If someone is consistently draining to be around, and this has been going on for quite some time, you may be better off ending the relationship. A relationship should make you feel positive about yourself. You may occasionally feel frustrated with another person, and everyone inadvertently hurts someone else's feelings on occasion. However, if someone always makes you feel bad about yourself, this may be a toxic relationship. Try logging your feelings after spending time with someone. Returning to the above example, jot down how you feel after, say, having coffee with Marguerite. Do you feel drained, tired, frustrated? Are you going over things she said that upset you? If this happens consistently, this is probably not a good relationship. This is likely someone you should get rid of in your life. You may find you're significantly affected by another person's drama. If your friend Marguerite is upset about her boyfriend, for example, she may be unwilling to talk about anything else when you two are together. It may get to the point where you dread being around her when she's upset, because you know it'll result in endless and unproductive complaining. A relationship should be relatively equal. You should each support one another's emotional needs. In a toxic relationship, one person may always believe his or her needs are important. Once again, try to be honest with yourself and avoid making excuses for the other person. Try to remember the last time you were in need. Did this person reach out to you? Did he or she ask how you were doing? Or did this person simply avoid you until your neediness passed over? In a toxic relationship, one person may be competitive about his or her needs. Returning to the Marguerite example, you may bring up a stressful issue with your significant other. Marguerite may respond by saying something like, "At least you have someone. I've been single for almost a year." She may then launch into a tirade about her own issues, leading you to comfort her. This is an uneven balance. This person is placing her own emotional needs on a higher level than yours, and using your problems as a way to shoehorn in her own. Toxic relationships are often ripe with emotional manipulation, which can take many forms. Watch for signs of emotional manipulation to identify toxic relationships. If you're being emotionally manipulated, you may be afraid to assert your feelings to a friend, romantic partner, or family member. This person may find a way to dismiss your feelings, accusing you of hypersensitivity. You may also find an emotionally manipulative person does not take "No" for an answer. If you say you cannot attend an event due to work, for example, a manipulative person may ask several follow up questions, pushing you to blow off work unnecessarily. You may also feel controlled by this person. You feel like you have to walk on eggshells around this person to avoid an outburst, to the point you're emotionally checked out. You may simply go along with situations to avoid the fallout, ignoring your own needs to cater to the other person. It may sound strange, but identifying the perks of toxic relationships can be helpful for you. There are often reasons people are drawn to the wrong people. Try to figure what you get out of the relationship. You may have deeper issues you need to work out to stop the cycle of toxic relationships. You may be drawn to a type of personality due to previously poor relationships. For example, say your mother was cold and emotionally distant. You may unconsciously seek out people similar to your mother as you're hunting for an approval you never received. You may also have issues with self-esteem that draw you to toxic relationships. For example, if you worry your own life is a mess, you may unconsciously be drawn to people with problems you perceive as worse than yours. Emotionally unhealthy people may allow you to feel like you're caring for someone else, making you feel needed even when you have doubts about your own capabilities.
Summary:
Be honest about your feelings regarding a relationship. Assess how someone makes you feel. Consider if the relationship feels equal. Watch for signs of emotional manipulation. See if there are any positives left in the relationship.