Article: As we go through life, we will meet a variety of people and will build complicated, personal relationships with them. There are various types of relationships such as friend, work, romantic, and family relationships. It is important to remember that relationships are as individual and different as the people who are a part of them. There are different expectations in every relationship. Sometimes, these expectations are made clear by talking about them, but other times they are just unspoken rules that develop as people spend time together. Friendships are platonic, meaning there is no sexual interest involved. These relationships fulfill our needs as humans to be around other people who we feel are similar to us and feel valued, secure, and appreciated for who we are. Some relationships are casual "acquaintances," and include people you might pass in the halls and smile at or say, "Hello." Acquaintances help you feel connected to the outside world, but they're generally people you wouldn't call up to hang out. The only expectation you have of your casual acquaintances is politeness. Other relationships are casual friends. You may have met by chance (for instance, because you are in the same class) and you may interact on a regular basis based on your shared interest or common schedule. You may chat with these people about surface-level topics, but you probably don't know much about them as individuals. More intimate friends are the people you trust and choose to be with when you have a choice. These are the people that you feel that you can be yourself around, and you don't have to worry about impressing them. Intimate friendships can require a lot of work to maintain, because you owe each other attention and time as part of your friendship. Best friends are those intimate friends who have proven to be faithful, loyal, and trustworthy; these are often relationships that have stood the test of time. Best friends feel as if they know each other inside out. Not everybody has or needs best friends, and that's ok too. Friends can range from someone you just hang out with to have fun, to someone you confide in when you're having trouble or ask for advice when you need it. True friends are an important part of life because they help you learn more about yourself, help you make good choices, and help you connect with others. True friends tell each other the truth and keep each other's best interests in mind. You can know if someone is not really your friend if they lie to please you or to trick you, or if they undermine your efforts or don't care about your successes. Friendships can take a lot of work to maintain. Try to make time every week to call or visit your friends just to stay caught up with their lives and let them know you're thinking about them. Like friendships, romantic relationships can vary from casual to more intimate, depending on how well you know one another and how committed you are to one another (in other words, what expectations you have of each other). Some people enjoy dating casually and spending a lot of time with lots of different people, perhaps even becoming sexually intimate with lots of casual partners. This has the advantage of allowing you to find out what traits you like in a romantic partner, and it gives you a chance to develop your communication and other relationship skills without the pressure of commitment. Other people prefer to become very emotionally attached and committed to just one person. Eventually, most people hope to find someone they can commit to in a long-term relationship or marriage. These are the people whom you see every day but are not necessarily close to. These relationships can be very important to your success. If you build good relationships with the people you work with or the people you're in school with, you can show that you are a team player. Try to treat everyone you work with with respect and kindness, even if they are not someone you would want to be friends with on a social basis. Your coworkers all have different life experiences that can be helpful in the workplace, so look for everyone's strengths. Sometimes work relationships overlap with romantic or friend relationships, which can often be confusing (and in the case of romantic relationships, may sometimes be against your workplace rules). Remember to stay professional whenever you are at work, and treat everyone the same. Whether it be dating or marriage, relationships like these can be complicated and hard to understand. Romantic relationships give people a chance to open their hearts to someone else, and connect on a very intimate level. This person will see the good and bad sides of you, and love you anyway. Communication is key to keeping a romantic relationship healthy and happy. Because of the intimacy of romantic relationships, they can cause a lot of pain and heartache from misunderstandings, hurt feelings, and disappointment. Choose carefully who you open your heart to, but you also have to be willing to take some risks in the name of love. Otherwise, you might miss out on a great relationship. Depth and sincerity should be most important. Have a few good, solid and rewarding relationships rather than focusing on too many people, who slip in and out of your life as they please.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Know that relationships mean different things to different people. Learn about types of friendships. Understand that good friendships are essential. Understand that romantic relationships can be complex. Learn about work relationships. Familiarize yourself with romantic relationships. Look for quality in any relationship.
Article: . See the situation from the offender's perspective. Why would they behave that way? Maybe they had a really tough day at work. Maybe you would have reacted in a similar way if you were in their shoes. You can practice empathy by actively listening to others, opening up to others, withholding judgment, and volunteering. Remember when your brother forgave you for calling him mean names? Think of when others have forgiven you, and extend similar compassion to those who you think wronged you. Write down your account of the situation. What happened, why were you upset, and who wronged you? This will help you recognize that the distress you feel is from hurt feelings you still have. Letting everything out onto the page helps you understand your feelings. Writing everything down will empty your mind of any baggage associated with the grudge. Getting out all of those thoughts will offer you more room to fill the space with positive thoughts and help you let go. Talk about your grudge and the feelings associated with a trusted family member or friend. They can offer perspective to consider, like that it is time to talk to the person who upset you or that it is time to let go of a past breakup. Sharing with others will also help you understand exactly how you feel.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Practice empathy Reflect on times where you hurt others. Write your thoughts and feelings in a journal. Share how you feel about the situation with a loved one.
Article: Having a regular shower routine can keep you at a steady pace and on schedule. Try to do your shower activities in the same order so that you don't even have to hesitate or think about what you are doing. Try to maximize the time that you have in the shower by consolidating some of your shower activities! For instance, you apply and rub shampoo into your hair, then wash your body while you let the shampoo cleanse your hair. Once you finish washing, you can rinse the shampoo out of your hair and then apply your conditioner, then multitask in a similar way while the conditioner soaks into your hair. Shampooing and conditioning your hair is often what takes the largest chunk of time in the shower, especially if you have particularly long hair. To cut the time it takes to wash your hair, use a two-in-one shampoo and conditioner. These products can be equally as effective as using two separate products, and they can shave off a significant amount of time from your shower. Another great way to keep on schedule is to decide roughly how long you want to spend on each shower activity. For instance, you may decide to spend two minutes applying shampoo and washing your body, one minute rinsing out your shampoo and applying conditioner, and two minutes finishing washing your body and rinsing out your conditioner. If you're really serious about shortening the time of your shower, consider turning down the temperature of the water midway through the shower. A hot, luxurious shower can be difficult to get out of, but if you turn down the water temperature to a temperature that is not as comfortable, it can be a powerful motivation to get out quicker. Never turn the water to a temperature that is too uncomfortable. Instead, turn the water from hot to lukewarm, rather than freezing.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Set up a firm routine. Do two things at once. Use a two-in-one shampoo and conditioner. Time each shower routine. Turn down the water temperature.