You don't have to hold off on noting everything you're thankful for until Thanksgiving. Every Sunday, get a notebook and sit outside for fifteen minutes while making a list of all of the things that you're thankful for. Try to think of as many new things as you can, and always generate at least ten things, whether they are big or small. You can write, My mother's endless love or The painting my roommate made for me. Challenge yourself. Think of at least fifteen new things you're grateful for every week. Writing down the things that you're grateful for will make you appreciate them even more. Many people are guilty of taking their friends for granted. You may come to think that your friends are kind of just there, like the couch in your living room or the tree on your front lawn. But that is not the case, dear reader. If you take your friends for granted for too long, then they will slowly make their way out of your life. So, every time you go hang out with one of your friends, think about how much this person means to you, how much he or she's done for you, and how lucky you are to have this person in your life. Sure, nobody's perfect, and one of your friends might have disappointed you a time or two. But have you been a flawless friend yourself? Most likely not. Your family is another thing you should be grateful for. Your parents might have even been the people to tell you that you should be more grateful. So, take the time to tell your family how much they mean to you, to help out around the house, to call or write letters if you're not living near each other, and to let the people who raised and grew up with you know how much they mean to you. Don't let a day go by without telling your family how much you love them. If you were not raised by a family that treated you well, then this is something you will have to accept eventually. Though it is completely not fair, if you want to work on being more grateful, you have to focus on the people who were a part of your support system, not the people who were absent from it. Throughout history, imagine how many people have contributed to where you are now through unnoticed hard work and selflessness. Realizing that you couldn't be where you are now if it weren't for all of these people is an important step in being a grateful person. Some of these people have never revealed their identity. For example, people who write Wikipedia articles. For this reason, you never know much a stranger or a friend really may be helping you. Sometimes the most moral person can also be the most humble. Health is another thing people often take for granted, and it's something you need to think about the next time you find yourself whining or complaining. Sure, you might have lost your cell phone or gotten into a fight with your best friend, and those things suck, but you will get over them and fix them pretty easily. What can't be fixed so easily is a debilitating physical condition that can change the course of your life; so, the next time you feel like the world hates you, be happy that you have a healthy working body. Be grateful for the air in your lungs, the clearness in your head, and the spring in your step. There are many people who are not so lucky, and who manage to be grateful anyway. You will have a better sense of gratitude after you have your first health scare and then realize that everything is all right. But hopefully it won't have to come to this. Be thankful for all of the things you are able to do. This can mean going to school, going to work, having the luxury of spending a night out with friends, or the ability to afford that new jacket you had your eye on. This could mean the chance to travel or to study something that fascinates you even if it isn't all that practical. Chances are, there are plenty of things you are able to do that others couldn't even dream of doing, so make sure to be thankful for all of the opportunities that you are given. Sure, other people may have been given even more opportunities than you, but that doesn't mean that you should dwell in bitterness or jealousy. There is nature all around you, even if you're living in the heart of a big city. Go out into a public park or walk around a lake, and be grateful for all of the beauty around you. Taking twenty minutes a day to walk around your neighborhood can make you even more grateful for all of the opportunities you have been given. Even if it's a rainy, gloomy day, you can be grateful for the comforting sound of the rain. If you want to be a grateful person, then you have to learn to see the positive aspect of any situation. Stop all of the whining and complaining and think of the things that do make you happy, not the things that are getting in the way of you and happiness. If you want to be grateful, then you should conquer your negative thoughts by thinking three positive thoughts for every one negative thought. Put things in perspective. You may be upset because you failed a math test, but you're not suffering from financial ruin. Remember that there are always people whose problems are much bigger than yours, and focus on being positive and happy about the things you do have. People who are ungrateful are always blaming the world for their problems and thinking that nothing bad that happens is their fault. If you want to be a grateful person, then you have to stop thinking that the world, your teachers, your boss, your friends, or your family are all out to get you, and focus on all of the ways that the world is helping you make your life easier. Take control of your life. Stop thinking that you're a victim of bad circumstances and focus on all of the things in your life that anyone would agree are actually good circumstances.

Summary: Make a gratitude list every Sunday. Be grateful for your friendships. Be grateful for your family. Be grateful for all of the good deeds done in your benefit. Be grateful for your health. Be grateful for your opportunities. Be grateful for nature. Look for the silver lining. Stop playing the victim.

Before you walk up to a random girl, it's a good idea to scan the room and figure out what's going on. Look at the people at the party and figure out who came together. Find girls that look bored or have no one to talk to and consider talking to those girls first. Once you've found the girl that you want to start a conversation with, make eye contact before approaching them. Look in their direction and wait to lock eyes with them and smile. If the girl smiles back, you can approach them. If they look away or seem uninterested, you should approach a different girl. Once you get the girl's attention, approach her and strike up a conversation. Walk over to her and smile as you approach so that you put her at ease. If she smiles back and makes eye contact, it's a good signal that she wants to talk. Look at her arms and whether they are crossed. Crossed off arms indicate closed body language and she may not be interested in talking to you. If you've walked up to the girl and her body language says that she wants to talk, start up a conversation and introduce yourself. If they say hello back, there's a good chance that they want to talk to you. Say something like "Hey, my name's Erin. I just saw you from across the room." After you ask her what her name is, make sure to remember it. Asking a question can open up a conversation with the person. Good starter questions include "Having fun at this party?" or "Are you into the music they are playing tonight?"
Summary: Scan the room and assess the people there. Make eye contact. Walk up to the girl and smile. Say "hi" and introduce yourself. Ask her what her name is and ask her a question.