Write an article based on this "Practice. Stay positive during small talk. Learn people's names. Remember other people get anxious. Listen actively. Be empathetic"
article: Small talk is like any other skill. It takes practice to master. If you want to be better at small talk, practice making small talk whenever you can. Choose low stakes situations to practice small talk. If you're going to a party on Friday, you may be very nervous about making small talk with potential new friends. Therefore, work on making small talk during less intense social situations. For example, make small talk at the line in the grocery store. Try to strike up small talk with a barista at a coffee shop. If you're making small talk with people you're unlikely to see again, you may be calmer. If you're stressed when making small talk, this is likely to rub off on other people. Therefore, work on developing a positive mentality surrounding small talk. Going into the situation positive can make it a more positive experience for everyone. This can make small talk easier, easing your social anxiety in future situations. Change how you think about small talk. Don't think of it as a burden. Instead, look at it as a way to get to know new people. Try doing something to relax, like taking a few deep breaths, before going into a situation that requires small talk. You will end up calmer during the situation, and better equipped to make small talk in a positive manner. You may feel anxious going into a social situation where you don't know anyone. Something as simple as learning people's names can help. In places where you need to make small talk, like your office, work on learning the names of co-workers. After you've heard someone's name the first time, repeat it once or twice in your head. This can help you commit the name to memory. Repeating the person's name out loud when you meet can also be helpful, such as by saying something like, "Nice to meet you, John." You can also try coming up with a way to connect the name to something familiar to you and this may help you to remember. For example, you might think to yourself, "John with the tweed blazer," or "John rhymes with Sean my brother," or "John, like my uncle John." Remember, you can always ask a third party for someone's name if you forgot it. Sometimes, just knowing you're not alone can help you make small talk. Going into a social situation, remind yourself that everyone gets nervous. You are probably not the only one feeling anxious during small talk. When you start to feel social anxiety coming on, remind yourself the other person is likely as anxious as you are. Being a good listener is important even when you are just making small talk. Active listening is a way to stay focused while someone is talking while also showing them that you are listening. To be an active listener, try to: Show that you are listening using your body language. Maintain eye contact, face the person, and nod your head. Use neutral leading statements to make the person feel heard. Try saying things like, "yes," "uh-huh," and "I see." Ask questions to keep the person talking or to clarify. When appropriate, try asking questions like, "What happened next?" "How did you feel?" and "What did you mean when you said ___?" . Showing empathy for someone else can also help you to be a good listener. When making small talk with someone, try to consider their perspective when they tell you things. How might you feel if the same thing happened to you? This can help you to respond appropriately to the things the other person says. For example, if you are making small talk with a coworker who tells you she got halfway to work and realized she left her phone at home and had to go back, then you might guess that she felt very frustrated and it was not a pleasant morning for her. Therefore, an appropriate response might be something like, "Oh no! That sounds frustrating! I hope the rest of your day goes better."

Write an article based on this "Perfect your bridge to help you arch backward. Master the backbend move. Make sure you can do a handstand."
article: Lie on your back on an exercise mat or the floor. Bend your knees, keeping your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands just above your shoulders with your palms pressed against the ground. Tighten your glutes and abs as you raise your hips off the floor, pulling your belly button up toward the ceiling. Arch your back so that your body looks like a bridge. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, then release. To build up your strength, repeat the move for 2 sets of 8 reps. You can modify your bridge by placing your hands on a higher surface, like a stair, when you're first getting started. The bridge position is a key element of the back limber, so practice it until you have a good feel for how to do it. Stand up straight with your feet about shoulder width apart. Raise your arms over your head with your palms facing forward. Then, arch your back and bend backwards toward the floor. Plant your palms firmly on the floor to complete the move. Your body should now be in bridge position. Another way to modify this move if you're a beginner is to do your backbend onto an elevated surface rather than the floor. For example, you can arch backward toward your bed or your couch. The backbend is the first move in a back limber, so you need to be able to do it well. Stand in a lunge position with your arms raised over your head. Press off the floor through your back leg, propelling yourself up onto your arms. Straighten your legs over your head, then hold for a few seconds. Release and lower your legs back down to the floor. Keep your legs together as you go up into your handstand. You'll need to be able to do a handstand to do a back limber.

Write an article based on this "Think about what type of hiking backpack you need. Measure your torso. Fit your backpack. Try on the backpack."
article:
Not all hiking trips will be the same and there are varying styles of backpacks that can meet the demands of these differences. Depending on the length of your hike and the gear you need to carry you will need to purchase a backpack with the correct frame style. Backpacks with external frames are mainly used for heavy and asymmetrical loads. An internal frame backpack might be right for you if you need to maintain stability and don't need to carry heavy items. Frame-less backpacks are for those hikers who don't need to carry much gear with them and like to move quickly on their hike. Hiking backpacks will need to be fitted exactly to the size of your torso. Any backpack that isn't the right size won't fit correctly and will be uncomfortable or may cause injury. Measure your torso's length and hip width before you buy your backpack to ensure a great fit. Measure your torso's length by starting from the top bump at the base of your neck down to your hip level. Measure your hips to make sure that the hip belt will fit. Your hip measurement will be taken just above where your pants normally rest. Before you load up your backpack and head out hiking you will need to properly fit your backpack. Try wearing your backpack and then making adjustments using the straps on your backpack where needed. There will generally be four main areas to adjust including the hip-belt, shoulder straps, load lifters, and sternum straps. The hip-belt should fit snugly around your hips and will support much of the weight. Shoulder straps should pull the bag tight against your back but not actually carry much of the weight. Some backpacks will have load-lifting straps. These should relieve the weight from your shoulders and help keep it properly distributed. The sternum strap will pull the weight up and away from your shoulders and should fight tightly and comfortably across your chest. When it comes to hiking backpacks, it is ideal to visit a store where you can try on the backpacks in person. Although you might know your measurements, each backpack might fight differently in actuality. Try on plenty of backpacks before purchasing one to make sure you find the right fit. If you are unable to visit a store you may still be able to try a backpack and return it free of charge if the manufacturer allows for it.