INPUT ARTICLE: Article: You've already narrowed it down to street magic, but think about which props you want to work with. If you have a specific area in mind you'd like to perform in, consider the limitations of space, lighting, and noise. You'll probably want to start out in an area without large crowds or other magicians so you can practice commanding a smaller audience's attention. You'll have a more interesting routine if you learn several different types of tricks, but start by focusing on what drew you to the magic tricks in the first place. There are several suggestions below you can use as a base for your performance. A foundational skill for magicians is the ability to manipulate small objects in unexpected ways. Practice the disappearing coin trick until you can perform it without looking. Continue to practice in front of family and other friendly audiences so you can develop your misdirection skills, directing the audience's attention away from your hands. If you enjoy that coin trick, spice it up with variations such as the coin falling through your head. Expand your coin act with knuckle rolling. Once you're a real expert, try advanced sleight of hand tricks such as putting a coin in an audience member's pocket. A coin is a simple and traditional object to use while practicing sleight of hand, but you move on to all sorts of objects. Make an audience member's watch (briefly) disappear as a simple lead in, or practice other tricks that involve sleight of hand, such as the missing card illusion. Almost everyone is familiar with card tricks, but with hundreds of variations out there, you can still find ways to surprise and delight your audience. The four of a kind card trick involves no sleight of hand and only minimal audience distraction, making it a good first choice. This type of trick involves stacking the deck beforehand, so it won't work on a tough audience that tells you to shuffle the cards. Card control techniques are vital for "guess the card" type tricks. Use sleight of hand to make your card tricks seem more astonishing. For instance, make a card rise to the top of the deck or make a card disappear behind your hand. Add more to your bag of tricks by practicing specific tricks that make ordinary objects seem to do impossible things. Do you want to fool your audience with sleight of hand, or specially prepared objects? Here are several tricks to practice so you can decide which you enjoy: Make two rubber bands pass through each other. Use rubber bands of different colors so the audience can tell which is which. Refill a crushed soda can with your hands. Bend a spoon with your psychic powers. Some types of tricks will get more attention than others. If you're aiming for fame, or if you're not great at attracting people with your announcements alone, consider some of these flashy tricks: Escape from a straitjacket. You can make this more impressive by adding handcuffs as well, but that will take significant practice and sleight of hand ability. Appear to levitate if you have the space to keep distance between you and the audience. There is at least one more variation on this trick. See if you can develop your own alterations to make it more convincing or astonishing! Create smoke from your fingers. Bring along water and soap to wash this off your hands afterward. Create a fire in your hand. Enlist a competent ally to help you practice this trick safely, as you can seriously burn your hand if you perform it incorrectly. Whether you seek out a mentor, or simply watch street magic techniques in slow motion on DVDs, to do street magic effectively you'll need training. Peruse the library for old magic trick books, or surf the Internet for fresh ideas. Learn the basics first, and take the time to develop your skill. Over time, you'll combine the techniques you most enjoy to create your own unique style. Consider using trick cards and coins, which you can buy from a local magic shop or websites devoted to magician supplies. Many cities have magic clubs, where you can meet other amateur magicians and exchange tips and ideas.

SUMMARY: Decide what types of tricks you'll be performing. Practice your sleight of hand. Consider learning a few card tricks. Gather props and practice more tricks. Choose flashy tricks that will get a crowd's attention. Constantly learn and practice new tricks.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: In order to manage your emotions, you need to fully understand them. All of us have certain emotional needs that are just as important as our physical needs. Spend some time taking an inventory of the emotional needs that are most important to you. For example, some important emotional needs are feeling in control, feeling respected, and feeling comfort. If your brain feels one of those needs is not being met, that can trigger the negative emotions. Throughout the course of a day, it is normal to go through a wide range of emotions. When things aren't going your way, it is very common to feel anger or irritation. The key is to be able to manage your emotions so that they do not negatively impact your daily life. Knowing the things that trigger negative emotions is an important part of remaining in control. When your brain feels as though it has lost or been deprived of something it needs, the most common emotions are anger, fear, or sadness. Needs are not bad, but it is important to understand your needs and how to manage them. Maybe your boss criticized you for sloppy work on a project. You might feel that you are not being respected, because you spent months creating a great product. Your initial reaction is probably very negative. Take note of this, and remember that not feeling respected is one of your triggers. Once you know your triggers, you can use that to your advantage. When you know that something is triggering a negative emotion, try to shift your focus away from that person or situation. Instead, refocus on something positive in order to help you regain your composure. Perhaps feeling out of control is one of your triggers. When you are in a traffic jam and running late, you are likely to feel frustration and anger. Try to shift your focus. Turn on your favorite CD or have an interesting podcast downloaded for just such an occasion. Shift your focus from the traffic to listening to something you enjoy. Many of us are very critical of ourselves. If you are feeling mad at yourself for not going to the gym all week, shift your focus. Instead, congratulate yourself on getting caught up on much needed housework. When you are experiencing very strong emotions, it can be difficult to think and act rationally. When you are angry or frightened, your body goes into a flight or fight mode, which can cause you to react emotionally instead of logically. This type of response is generally not helpful in professional or social settings, so it is important to learn to calm yourself down when you are experiencing negative emotions. Take deep breaths. Focusing on your breathing will not only shift your focus, but it will help you calm down, physically and emotionally. Breathe in slowly for five counts, then let your breath out slowly for two counts. Repeat this for a few minutes, or as long as needed. Do something repetitive. Repetition can calm your nerves. Try walking, or even rhythmically tapping your feet. Strong emotions can cause you to act impulsively. This is true for both positive and negative feelings, like extreme sadness or happiness. A good way to manage your emotions is to take a time-out before acting when you are feeling intense emotions. Step away from the situation. If you are in a tense meeting at work, suggest that everyone take a five minute break to regroup. If you are having a heated discussion with your partner, calm down before making decisions. Say that you need to take a quick walk around the block before continuing the conversation.

SUMMARY:
Understand your emotional needs. Know your triggers. Shift your focus. Calm down. Take a time-out.