In order to stay true to your beliefs and values, you need to know what they are. Write a list of the values and things that are most important to you. Refer to that list whenever you're feeling uncertain about how you feel about things. Some common values are authenticity (being as genuine a person as you can), faith, kindness, justice, love, and respect. Learning to think for yourself isn't going to have much of an impact if you don't act on those thoughts. Once you've had time to think about things, make a decision about how you'll act, and stick to it. For example, if you're trying to decide who to vote for, research to see how the candidates live up to your values. If you believe in authenticity, kindness, and respect, but one of the candidates goes against all that, he's probably not someone you want to vote for! When you are setting goals for yourself, make sure that your goals match up with your values. If you're asking a friend questions about a certain issue, or if you're asking them for evidence to support their point of view, they might try to pressure you into seeing things their way. Resist giving in to that peer pressure especially if you have a lot of friends saying the same thing. Sometimes it's best to just not respond, because the more you do, the more others might try to convince you of their point of view. For example, if your friend says that vaccines are bad, you should ask them to support their claims. If they refuse, don't listen to them and do your own research. It's okay to respectfully disagree with people. For example, after stating your opinion, you could say: "You're entitled to your opinion and I appreciate you respecting mine." If you're making a decision or discussing something, and you just feel like something's not right, listen to yourself! You often know what's best for you and your life, as well as how you actually feel deep down about certain things. Don't discount that little voice. Listen to it more often and it could help you to think for yourself. For example, when choosing between two job offers, you might be pressured to take the higher-paying one, but your instincts might tell you to take the job where you'll be happier. Pick your battles as well. If you feel that the person you're talking to won't respond well to your opinion, you might want to keep your opinion to yourself.

Summary: Write down your values. Act according to your values. Resist peer pressure. Trust your instincts.

A humane way to prevent a growing flock of geese is a practice known as "addling." Goose eggs are treated with corn oil or removed from the nest entirely at the earliest stage of development. Addling prevents geese from tending flightless goslings, and limits the number of geese in an area. You must be properly trained to addle eggs. There are courses available online to guide you through the process. You must register with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service before addling eggs. Some states require special permission aside from registering with the U.S.F.W. Geese nest near ponds and other bodies of water where they can have a good view of the area. Search near fence lines and other human-made barriers. Geese often return to their nesting places from the previous year. Keep records of nest locations to make finding nesting areas easier. Geese build oval nests out of vegetation, mulch, and other similar materials. Goose feathers on the ground may be a sign that a goose nest is close by. Don't approach a nest alone. When approaching a goose nest, it is important to work in small teams of 3-4. Geese will actively, and aggressively, defend their territory. Coating eggs that are young enough (less than 14 days old) with corn oil prevents air from passing through the shell to the embryo. If you know the eggs to be older than 14 days, it is no longer humane to coat them in corn oil. If a goose egg floats in water, it is past the 14 day limit. Return the goose egg to the nest. Do not dry the egg off as this can disrupt the protective outer layer of the shell. Another way to addle eggs is to remove them from the nest within the 14 day incubation time. Dispose of eggs according to the guidelines provided by the U.S.F.W. Your state may have other requirements for disposing of goose eggs. Consuming goose eggs is illegal, as is trading, buying, or selling. Once the eggs have been removed, you can scatter the nesting material to discourage geese from using the nest again.

Summary: Learn how to keep eggs from hatching. Locate the nests. Use corn oil to addle eggs. Remove eggs from the nest.

Your cat's changed behavior might be one of the first signs you notice that alerts you to a tail injury. Your cat may begin dragging his tail or keeping it low to the ground all the time, dribbling urine randomly, or having diarrhea. Your cat may begin walking unevenly or losing coordination in his back legs. Dribbling urine and having diarrhea are not symptoms of a broken tail on their own. If the tail injury was severe enough to cause these signs, the cat will definitely be dragging the tail. Gently feel along the length of the tail. Signs of injury or break include tender, swollen or bent areas. If you notice redness, tenderness, and swelling with fluid underneath, there may be an abscess, or pocket of pus, forming on your cat's tail. If there is exposed bone or if the skin has been stripped from the tail leaving only bone this is called a 'degloving' injury. If you happen to notice a hard, non-painful kink in your cat's tail, it's probably because he was born with the kink in the tail or it's an old, already healed injury. Never pull or try to remove a severed portion of tail since there are tough tendons and sensitive nerves. If you pull or stretch the tendons, you'll damage the use of the tail, hind limbs, bladder and bowel functions. It may also cause arterial bleeding, which is difficult to control and potentially life-threatening for your cat. The vet can address the injury without additional damage to the tail. Your cat may need a partial or full amputation of his tail if he has a degloving injury, deep cut, or if his tail is deeply or mostly severed. Your vet can also prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection which is highly likely with any open wound. Even if there are no external wounds, the vet can check your cat for other injuries. The vet may find neurologic damage from the tail being pulled during the accident. The vet will examine the tail for signs of physical or neurological damage. If the vet suspects nerve damage, your cat may have an electromyogram test. Anal sphincter and tail muscles are tested for nerve input. This lets the vet know if the tail will be able to recover. Your cat may still be in pain when you bring him to the vet's office. Stay close to him and speak in gentle comforting tones. You may want to loosely wrap your cat in a towel and place him in his carrier when you bring him to the vet's. This will calm him. Depending on where and how the tail is injured, your veterinarian will determine surgery or another treatment. If the tail is paralyzed, but your cat can still walk, the vet will probably amputate the tail. If the end of the tail has a break that's not causing problems for your cat, the vet may tell you to let it heal on its own. Your cat may need to stay at the veterinarian's for a few days to either rest and heal, or to determine the extent of the damage to the tail. If your cat's tail must be amputated, don't worry. It may take him a while to adjust to the lack of nerve sensation and change in balance. But, your cat will adapt to the change and his mobility won't suffer in the long run.
Summary: Watch your cat's behavior. Examine the cat's tail for injury. Take your cat to the vet if you suspect a tail injury. Understand treatments.