INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Feeling good about yourself is crucial to mental health. Worry and negative thoughts can bog you down and keep you from feeling your best. Self-doubt can be particularly distressing. The following exercises can help you quiet your inner critic and soothe your worries: If you catch yourself worrying and or thinking negatively about yourself, ask yourself some questions. For example: "Is this thought kind to myself?" "Is this thought true?" "Would I say this to someone else?" The answers to these questions can often help reduce self-doubt. Change a negative thought to make it truer or kinder. For example, you might find yourself thinking: "I never get anything right." Try to make this more truthful by thinking instead: "Sometimes I don't get things right, but other times I do a really great job. It is ok that I can't do everything, and I am proud of what I can do." In times of difficulty, focus on qualities that can help you get through life's challenges. For example, if you might find yourself thinking: "I don't like not knowing what is going to happen. What if something terrible happens?" In this case, you can remind yourself of your strengths. You might say to yourself: "I do not like not knowing what will happen, but I do know that I have overcome unforeseeable events in the past. I trust my ability to handle whatever comes my way." Acknowledging what you value about yourself will remind you of your worth, which is essential to mental wellness. Valuing your strengths can remind you of how capable and competent you are. It is helpful to write down your thoughts about your strengths, or even start a journal. Here are some helpful prompts to get you started: What makes you feel strong? Is it something you do, or a certain environment? Describe what you feel in moments of strength. Confidence? Pride? List 5 qualities about yourself that are strengths. Which of these is the most important? Why? Self-affirmation is an exercise in which you remind yourself of your worth by saying or writing down things that you like or admire about yourself. Routinely acknowledging the attributes you love about yourself can give you a huge boost in self-esteem. Say what you like about yourself out loud in a mirror. Anytime you have a moment, you can do this short exercise. Doing it repeatedly will help build self-esteem. An example of an affirmation would be: "I love what a great friend I am, and I proud of how I treat my friends." Another example could be: "I love that my hair is curly because it is different. I'm glad I am embracing my hair today." Studies show that self-affirmation can also help relieve stress and promote creative thinking in stressful situations.

SUMMARY: Question your inner-critic. Focus on your strengths. Practice self-affirmation.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Breaking down the word into its parts ("cine" and "phile"), you can see that a cinephile is more than just someone who likes movies. A cinephile is passionate about film. They generally choose to study movies whether they like them or not in order to develop a real appreciation for this industry. Greek has four different words for love, and "phileo" is love that is centered around companionship and pleasure derived from friends or objects (or hobbies). Although "phileo" is part of the word "cinephile," this does not mean cinephiles love all movies. Rather, they have a passion to understand films in general so they can better critique and discuss them. When many people hear the term "cinephile," they immediately picture a pretentious or snobby individual who bores everyone with their opinions and extensive knowledge. However, a cinephile is not a snob. Snobs define themselves by what they don't like, whereas cinephiles by what they do like. For example, a cinephile is open to discussing all films, and does not demean others for having different opinions. Not only do movies help you become well-rounded and appreciate what you see, they give you subjects of conversation. On one hand, you have a wealth of experience to draw from in order to start quick conversations with anyone. On the other, you are able to connect easily with other cinephiles. This holds true whether you like a film or not. Watching films that you would not usually pick out helps you appreciate what you already like even more. Films are often full of references to other films. If you have seen a lot of movies, you will pick up on these references and appreciate them more. For instance, in the 2003 movie Finding Nemo, there is a scene that mimics swarming birds from Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 The Birds.

SUMMARY: Discover that cinephiles love film. Realize that a cinephile isn't a snob. Understand that movies help you communicate. Appreciate what you like even more.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: You should get creative here. While you definitely want to visit the mall, think about alternatives like boutique shops or bridal stores. This can open your options to designs you may not have considered as well. The same goes for online retailers. Think about looking into renting your dress or checking out a costume store. Try this option if you want to save money. A thrift store dress, for example, will be unique, vintage and really inexpensive. This is a sure fire way to avoid showing up in the same dress as someone else. With all the excitement, it will be tempting to purchase the first one you try on but don't make this mistake. Take your time and really enjoy the experience of finding the perfect one. If you're leaning towards an online purchase, find out if they will ship several for you to try before you buy. This will save you the heartache of committing, only to find out you hate the way it looks on you. The perfect prom dress will ruin your night if it's pinching in places, too tight or practically falling down. You don't want to spend the entire evening tugging at it or tripping over the train. Make sure it's what you want and easy to maneuver in. When trying on a dress, make note of itchy fabric or wiring poking you in the side. Ask the associate what can be done to remedy this discomfort. While trying on the dress, try jumping up and down or dancing a bit to test the fit. If you were planning to skimp on the alterations, it may come back to haunt you. If you are going to the prom with a date, find out what they will be wearing. Think about wearing matching outfits. For example, if they've chosen a blue suit, you can wear the same colored dress. Keep in mind that you don't have to match from head to toe. You can wear accessories that match their ensemble or vice versa. Pick out your friend's dress and let her pick yours! Before you head out, swap 5-10 dress ideas online and plan a day-long shopping trip to try them on. They might come up with something glamorous and gorgeous that you may not have ever considered for yourself. The whole point is to have fun so give it a shot. You can even bring your entire group of friends to get their advice. The more the merrier, right? This could help take the pressure off if you're overwhelmed by all the options.

SUMMARY:
Visit multiple stores. Try on several. Think about comfort. Consider your date. Let your friend pick.