The first step in overcoming your negative thinking is acknowledging that it exists. Ignoring these thoughts does you no better than dwelling on them, so both behaviors should be avoided. Instead of trying to push these thoughts away, take a moment to think about them and to examine how you are feeling in your body. Developing self-awareness and emotional intelligence is the first step towards becoming more positive. For instance, perhaps you are thinking "I will never be able to do this job". Acknowledge the thought, and then move on to addressing it. You can also try asking yourself some questions to understand your negative thoughts better. For example, you can ask, "What emotions am I feeling along with these negative thoughts?" "When did I start having these thoughts?" "What was I doing, or who was I interacting with when these thoughts occurred?" and "When was the earliest time in my life when I first started experiencing these feelings and thoughts? What happened during that time? Who was in my life then?" Sometimes, our negative thoughts are rooted in something bad we have done or something we dropped the ball on. Remember that you are human and that no human is perfect. Acknowledge your feelings but then forgive yourself for what caused them. Though it is normal to re-experience guilt, it is also okay to let it go. For instance, perhaps you have been off of your diet for a few days even though you pledged that you would keep it up. Though you should work to keep promises to yourself, remember that you will make mistakes from time to time and that is okay. Gaining a better understanding of your negative thoughts may be helpful. Ask yourself questions about the negative thoughts you are experiencing to gain better understanding of the issue. You can ask yourself questions like, "Why am I having this thought? Is it benefiting me right now?" "If this thought is created from an interaction or experience, do I have all the facts to validate why I am having these thoughts?" "Is this something I can change within me, and how can I make this change for the better?" "Am I dwelling on these thoughts?" "Am I having racing nagging negative thoughts to the point where it is disrupting my daily life?" and "Am I able to utilize healthy coping skills to address these negative thoughts? If so, what are these coping skills, and have I utilized them effectively? Or, is this a pressing issue that maybe needs assistance from a professional therapist or counselor?" You may not be where you want to be at the moment and that's okay. Take some time to reflect on the progress that you have made as it relates to your negative thinking. You will often times find that you don't give yourself enough credit for the strides that you have made. For instance, if you are thinking of yourself as being a terrible student, reflect on the time that your professor gave you high marks on a paper or how you have recently spent more time studying. You might find it helpful to process your emotions by writing them out, so get out your journal and develop a 'thought record.' Write down the thought that you had, how you're feeling, why you may feel that way, and solutions to eliminate this kind of thinking in the future. Identify when the negative thought arose. Identify the source of your negative thought. For instance you might write something like: I had a thought that I am not good enough and that made me feel sad. I feel this way because I got a bad grade a few weeks ago. However, I have been studying more lately and feel more confident." Though you should not avoid your negative thoughts, you should also consider what good can possibly come from them. You will often find that negative thinking rarely yields any positive results. The more you work out your negative thinking, the more rarely you will experience these kinds of thoughts. For instance, if during a project you think "I cannot do this" consider how that will impact your work. It will likely put a wrench in the process, so try instead to be positive and productive. Try to redirect your thoughts to two or three positive thoughts whenever you have a negative thought. For example, if you are feeling upset at yourself for failing a math test, then you might reflect on the A+ you got on your history test, or how quickly you ran the mile in gym class the other day. Or, you could just think about something about yourself that you like, such as your kind nature or your personal style.

Summary: Acknowledge your negative thoughts. Forgive yourself. Question your negative thoughts. Acknowledge your progress. Write out a thought record. Take into account the consequences of your negative thinking.

The color of your skin can range from light pink to red or purple, and your skin will feel hot. Some people experience flushing for no reason at all, but it can also be triggered. Skin may be flushed for just a few minutes, but it could also last for hours. Common triggers for flushing include exercise, stress, and alcoholic beverages. People who have carcinoid syndrome may experience symptoms similar to asthma, even though they don't have it. This can include wheezing, shortness of breath, and feeling like you can't breathe. You may experience this during an episode of skin flushing. If this happens, talk to your doctor as soon as possible to rule out possible causes. Seek emergency care if you cannot get your breath. Diarrhea is a symptom with a lot of causes. If you do have carcinoid syndrome, it can cause watery, loose stools that are accompanied by abdominal cramps. While it's a common symptom of people with the condition, diarrhea alone does not mean that you have carcinoid syndrome. Talk to your doctor to rule out other causes of diarrhea before settling on carcinoid syndrome. The blood vessels will look like a spider-web of veins that spreads across the nose and mouth area. If you notice this on your face, you should contact your doctor immediately to get your symptoms checked. Rapid heartbeat may last for short or extended periods of time. While rapid heartbeat alone does not mean you have carcinoid syndrome, it could be an indication of the condition if other symptoms are present. A drop in blood pressure may occur concurrently with changes in your heartbeat. If the tumor is in your lungs, then it may also result in a persistent cough. This is usually only a concern if you haven't had a prior infection. You may also cough up blood. If the condition goes undetected for an extended period of time, you could develop pneumonia. Since carcinoid syndrome can lead to extra chemicals in your bloodstream, you may gain weight with no explanation. It's best to keep track of what you're eating and how often you exercise so that your doctor can determine if the weight gain could be caused by a medical condition. Remember, weight gain alone does not mean that you have carcinoid syndrome. Similar to with weight gain, chemicals secreted into your bloodstream could increase hair growth on your face or body, especially if you're a woman. If you notice extra hair, talk to your doctor about it. Increased hair growth can have many causes. Your doctor can help find what's causing your hair growth and identify possible treatments.

Summary: Watch for flushing on your face and neck. Watch for difficulty breathing, especially if you don't have asthma. Notice repeated episodes of diarrhea with no clear cause. Look for purplish blood vessels on your nose and upper lip. Watch for episodes of rapid heartbeat, along with the other symptoms. Notice a persistent cough when you haven't had a respiratory illness. Watch for unexplained weight gain. Check for increased facial and body hair.

The things some people throw away could be free construction material for you. Watch for carpeting or area rugs, large pieces of furniture to use as lumber for other projects and paint.
Summary: Check the dumpster area of large apartment buildings periodically, especially when it's close to pick-up day.