How to of the Day

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• How to Fall Safely
• How to Stop Spending Too Much Money
• How to Make a Fleece Tie Blanket

How to Fall Safely Posted: 30 Nov 2016 04:00 PM PST Falling can pose a serious risk of injury, even if it is only from a standing height. Depending on your age, health and fitness levels, the severity of those injuries can vary. However, there are a few techniques that anyone can use if they find themselves falling to help reduce the impact and prevent injury. EditSteps EditFalling Properly Protect your head. The most important body part that you need to protect in a fall is your head. Head injuries can be very serious, even deadly. Make sure you prioritize protecting your head as you fall by properly positioning it.[1] Tuck your your chin down, lowering your head. If falling down, face first, turn your head to the side. Bring your arms up to head level for additional protection. Put them in front of your head if falling forwards or behind your head if falling backwards. If you are taking anticoagulants or blood thinners and fall and hit your head, this may result in a dangerous and life threatening bleed inside your skull. Call your doctor, who may tell you to go to the hospital for a CT scan. Turn as you fall. If you are falling either straight forward or straight backwards, try to turn your body so you land on your side. Falling directly on your back can cause serious injury to it. A frontal fall can cause damage to the head, face, and arms. By landing on your side you can reduce the chance of injury from high distances (for example, one way vertical paths).[2] Keep arms and legs bent. It may be tempting to try and catch yourself fully as you fall with your arms. However, landing with your arms straight out and absorbing the full force of the fall with them can cause injury. Try keeping both arms and legs slightly bent as you fall.[3] Landing fully on your arms in an attempt to catch yourself can break both your wrists and arms. Stay loose. Tensing up during a fall can increase the chances of sustaining an injury. The tension in your body won't allow for the absorption of force from the fall. Instead of spreading the impact out over a flexible body, the parts that were kept taught are more likely to break instead of going with the motion.[4] You can try breathing out as you fall to help keep your body relaxed. Roll out of the impact. If you are able, a good technique to dissipate the force of a fall is to roll into it. By rolling, you send the energy of the fall into the roll, rather than having your body absorb the impact. Since the technique is difficult, you may want to practice falling and rolling at a gym or somewhere with padded and cushioned floors.[5] Start in a low squat position. Lean forward and place your palms flat on the ground in front of you. Push off the ground with your legs and move your weight forwards. Your legs will go over your head. Keep your back rounded and gently try to land on a shoulder. Let the momentum carry you through the roll and back up onto your feet. Spread out the force of the fall. A big part of falling safely is to spread out the force of the impact over a large area of your body. Falling on a single point will result in that area taking most of the damage. By spreading out the impact, you reduce the chance of serious injury to a single part of the body.[6][7] EditPreventing Falls Wear proper footwear. If you work or walk in an environment where slipping hazards are present, you will want to wear slip-resistant shoes. These shoes are specially designed to grip surfaces and prevent falls, even if those surfaces are slick or wet.[8] Most footwear of this type will be labeled as "slip-resistant." Pay attention when you walk. As you walk, pay careful attention to the speed at which you are walking and where you're stepping. The faster you walk or run, the more likely you are to fall, especially if the ground is suddenly or surprisingly uneven. By slowing down and being aware of the environment, you can lower the chances of falling.[9] Be careful walking or running in any areas where the ground may be uneven. Pay attention when taking the stairs and always use the hand rail. Use proper safety equipment. If you are performing any task that requires the use of a ladder or similar device, always practice proper safety. Read over any operation manual or safety instructions to make sure you are using the device properly.[10] Always check to make sure any ladder or step stool is secure and is in good working order. Never ride on a vehicle unsafely. Always enter or mount a vehicle slowly and carefully. Create a safe environment. Whether at work or at home, take a few steps to create a safe environment that removes the most common tripping hazards. Making frequently used rooms and spaces safe from trip hazards can greatly reduce your chances of falling. Review the following list for some helpful tips:[11][12] Always close drawers after you are done with them. Don't leave cords or wires in walkways. Keep the area well lit. Walk slowly over slippery or dangerous areas, taking small controlled steps. Consider relocating if you live somewhere with steep stairs and falling is a concern. Otherwise, make sure you have handrails or a banister. Use non-slip bath mats in the tub and bathroom and consider installing a grab bar in the tub. Remove small throw rugs or use double-sided tape to make sure they don't flip up or slip. Improve your strength and balance with exercise. Weak legs and muscles can increase your chance of falling. Gentle exercises like Tai Chi can improve strength and balance, making falls less likely.[13] Be aware of medications that might affect your balance. Some medications can cause dizziness or drowsiness, which could increase your chances of a fall.[14] Talk to your doctor about your medications (sometimes the interaction of several medications might lead to these side effects). She may be able to prescribe you something else. EditTips Always protect your head first. Try practicing how to fall in a safe environment, such as a gym with floor mats and pads. When falling from high places, a regular forward roll is dangerous - you could break your spine or collarbone or hit your head. Instead, try doing a shoulder roll, where you roll across your spine instead of directly along it. EditRelated wikiHows Survive a Long Fall Take a Punch Control a Fall EditSources and Citations Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found

How to Stop Spending Too Much Money Posted: 30 Nov 2016 08:00 AM PST Do you find yourself spending your paycheck or your allowance as soon as you get it? Once you start spending, it can be difficult to stop. But overspending can lead to piles of debt and zero savings. Stopping yourself from spending money can be difficult, but with the right approach, it's possible to stop spending money and save it instead. EditSteps EditAssessing Your Spending Habits What Non-Essentials are You Spending a Lot On? When you are not living within your means, the first thing to examine are things that you do not really need. Unlike fixed expenses (essentials like rent, utilities, and other payments) which remain the same each month, discretionary expenses are nonessential and are easier to cut back on. [1] Ask yourself: Am I spending too much money on these discretionary expenses? Are you finding it difficult to pay bills because of going on vacation, for instance? Or do you really need the designer shoes or the latest gaming system? Check for things you do not use. This may mean a gaming site subscription you have not used in months, or a gym you do not go to, or cancelling cable because you watch everything online. There are admittedly a few grey areas, such as a gym membership or a nice wardrobe that may be necessary for your professional career. These may not need cutting, but worth scrutinizing. Review your spending for the past quarter (three-month period). Look at your credit card and bank statements as well as cash expenditures to see where your money goes. Take note of even little things like a coffee, a postage stamp, or a meal on the go.[2] You may be surprised by how much you end up spending in just one week or in one month. If possible, look at data compiled over the course of a year. Most financial planners would review entire year of expenditures before making recommendations. Discretionary expenses can end up taking up a large percentage of your pay cheque or allowance. Recording them will give you a sense of where you can cut back on your spending. Take note of how much you spend on wants versus needs (for example, drinks at a bar versus groceries for the week). Figure out what percentage of your expenses are fixed versus discretionary. Fixed expenses remain the same each month, while discretionary expenses are malleable. Keep your receipts. This is a good way to track how much you spend on certain things every day. Rather than toss your receipts, keep them so you can record exactly how much you spent on an item or a meal. This way, if you end up overspending for the month, you can pinpoint exactly when and where you spent your money. Try to use less cash and instead use your credit or debit card, which can be tracked. Credit card balances should be paid in full each month if possible. Use a Budget Planner to assess your spending. A Budget Planner is a program that calculates how much your expenses are for a year and how much your income will be for a year. It will then tell you how much you can afford to spend in a given year, based on your expenses.[3] Ask yourself: Do I spend more than I earn? If you are dipping into your savings to pay for your rent every month or using your credit card to pay for shopping sprees every month, you are spending more than you earn. This can only lead to greater debt and less savings. So, be honest about your spending every month and make sure you only spend as much as you earn. This means factoring in money every month for expenses and savings. You can also use budget apps to help track your spending on a day to day basis. Download a budget app to your phone and record your purchases right after you make them.[4] EditAdjusting Your Spending Habits Create a budget and stick to it. Determine what your basic expenses will add up to every month to make sure you don't spend money you don't have. These likely include:[5] Rent and utilities. Depending on your living situation, you may be splitting these expenses with a roommate or a partner. Your landlord may also pay for your heat, or you may pay for your electricity every month. Transportation. Are you walking to work every day? Biking? Taking the bus? Carpooling? Food. Factor the average amount per a week for meals for the month. Health care. It is important you have health insurance in the event of an incident or accident, as paying out of pocket will likely be more expensive than being covered. Do some research online to find the best insurance rates. Miscellaneous expenses. If you have a pet, this could be where you determine how much pet food will be for the month. If you and your partner go for a date night once a month, factor this in as an expense. Account for every expense you can think of so you do not spend money without knowing exactly where it is going. If you have any debt payments, add these to your budget under necessary expenses. Go shopping with a goal in mind. A goal could be: new socks to replace your holey pairs. Or, replacing your broken cellphone. Having a goal when shopping, especially for discretionary items, will stop you from spontaneous purchases. Focuses on one essential item when shopping also gives you a clear budget for your shopping trip.[6] When food shopping, look at recipes beforehand and make a grocery list. This way, when you are in the store, you can stick to the list and know exactly how you are going to use every ingredient you buy. If you have a hard time sticking to a grocery list, try online grocery shopping. This will allow you to keep a running total of your purchases and be aware of exactly what you are spending.[7] Don't get sucked into sales. Ah, the irresistible lure of a deal! Retailers are counting on their customers to get sucked in by the sales rack. It's important to resist the temptation to justify a buy just because its on sale. Even big discounts can mean big spending. Instead, your only two considerations when shopping should be: do I need this item? And does this item fit within my budget?[8] If the answer is no to these questions, it may be best to leave the item in the store and save your money on an item you need, rather than want, even if its on sale. Leave your credit cards at home. Only take the cash you need, based on your budget, to get through the week. That way, you will have to walk away from an unnecessary purchase if you have already spent all your cash.[9] If you do end up taking your credit card with you, treat it like a debit card. This way, every cent you spend on your credit card feels like money will have to pay back every month. Treating your credit card like a debit card means you won't be so hasty to whip it out for every purchase. Eat at home and bring your lunch. Eating out can get very expensive, especially if you're spending $10-$15 a day, 3-4 times a week. Limit your eating out to once a week and then gradually, to once a month. You should notice how much money you save when you buy groceries and cook for yourself. You will also appreciate a nice meal out for a special occasion that much more.[10] Bring your lunch to work every day, rather than shell out money for lunch. Take 10 minutes at night before bed or in the morning before work to make a sandwich and a snack. You will notice you save quite a bit of money every week by just bringing your lunch. Do a Spending Fast. Test your spending habits by only buying what you need for 30 days or one month. See how little you can spend in one month by focusing on buying things you need, rather than things you want.[11] This will help you determine what you consider a necessity and what you consider a nice to have. Beyond the obvious necessities like rent and food, you may reason that a gym membership is a need because it keeps you fit and feeling good. Or a weekly massage to help with your bad back. As long as these needs fit within your budget and you can afford them, you can spend money on them. Go DIY. DIY or Do It Yourself is a great way to learn new skills and save money. There are many DIY blogs and books out that allow you to recreate expensive items with a limited budget. Rather than spend money on an expensive piece of art or a decorative item, make it yourself. This will allow you to create a custom item and stay within your budget.[12] Websites like Pinterest, ispydiy[13], and A Beautiful Mess[14] all have great DIY ideas for household items. You can also learn how to recycle items you already own and make something new with them, rather than spend money on a new item. Try doing household chores and activities yourself. Shovel your walkway yourself, instead of paying someone else to do it. Get the whole family involved in outdoor chores, like mowing the lawn or cleaning the pool. Make your own household cleaning items and beauty products. Most of these products are made of basic items you can buy at your local grocery store or health food store. Laundry detergent, all purpose cleaner, and even soap can all be made by hand, by you, for cheaper than store prices.[15] Put money aside for a life goal. Work towards a life goal, like traveling to South America or buying a home, by putting aside a set amount of money in your savings account every month. Remind yourself that the money you save by not buying clothing or going out every week will go to a bigger life goal. EditGetting Help Understand the characteristics of compulsive shopping. Compulsive shoppers often cannot control their spending habits and become emotional spenders. They "shop till they drop" and then they keep shopping. But compulsive shopping and spending generally makes a person feel worse, rather than better, about themselves.[16] Compulsive shopping usually affects women more than men. Women with compulsive shopping issues usually have racks of clothing with the tags still on them. They will go to the mall with the intention of buying just one item and come home with bags of clothing. Compulsive shopping can be a seasonal balm for depression, anxiety, and loneliness during the holiday season. It can also occur when a person feels depressed, lonely and angry. Recognize the signs of compulsive shopping. Do you go on weekly shopping sprees? Do you continually spend more than you can afford?[17] Do you get a certain rush when you go shopping and buying things you don't need? You may feel a certain "high" when buying many things on a weekly basis. Notice if you have large amounts of debt on your credit card or multiple credit cards. You may also hide your purchases from concerned family members or partners. Or you may try to cover up your spending by taking on a part time job to supplement your spending habits. Individuals who have a compulsive spending problem will likely be in denial and have a hard time admitting they have a problem. Talk to a therapist. Compulsive shopping is considered an addiction. So talking to a professional therapist or going into a support group for compulsive shoppers are both important ways you can address the issue and work to resolve it.[18] During therapy, you may identify the underlying issues behind your compulsive spending and acknowledge the dangers of over spending. Therapy can also offer healthy alternative ways to cope with your emotional issues. EditVideo EditRelated wikiHows Earn and Save Money Avoid Spending Too Much Money on Your Wardrobe Invest Small Amounts of Money Wisely Spend Money Wisely EditSources and Citations Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found

How to Make a Fleece Tie Blanket Posted: 30 Nov 2016 12:00 AM PST You've admired fleece tie blankets and throws because they are soft, warm, and comforting. What's not to like? But maybe you feel you have the room/ability/physical capability to make one. Here are some instructions that will help you get around many obstacles that people may find limiting. EditSteps Select your fleece blankets. Use two different fleece patterns or two solid fleece blankets that complement each other. Alternately, use a pattern on one side and a solid color on the other. Try different combinations. Some patterns that don't seem they would go together actually complement each other quite well. You never know what will look good until you try it out in person. Purchase anywhere from 1.5 to 3 yards (1.3-2.7 meters) of each fleece. 1.5 yards makes a decent size throw, 2.5-3 yards (2.3-2.7 meters) makes a nice twin size blanket. Spread out the material. Spread it out so that the softer or more brightly colored sides face out, matching both up at one end and the sides as far as they lay flat. Trim if needed. Consider the area you have available to spread out your material. If you don't have room to spread out the whole material or you can't physically crawl around on the floor, you can adapt by using a kitchen table or available floor room to cut and tie your fleece. Consider how you will measure the cuts to make the ties. They don't have to be exact. When cutting against the nap (usually the narrower end) the strips need to be a little longer (about 4-5 inches/11-14 cm) than along the long sides, (about 2.5-3 inches/7-9 cm) because they don't stretch as much while tying. Cut out a rectangle from both corners with a pair of scissors (see tips). Make sure you are cutting through both pieces of fleece. Use something rectangular in shape to measure. If you have trouble seeing the graduations on a ruler, a card cut to the right measurements (for instance 3"x5"/9x14 cm) is easier to use to make corner cuts even and strips uniform in length. Use the long edge of the card for the longer strips and the short edge for the shorter ones. Start cutting strips. Cut strips of approximately 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) from each corner down the end and the sides for as long as the material lies flat. These strips don't have to be exactly uniform, but they should be approximately the same size. Small irregularities will not be noticeable in the finished product. An easy way to measure is by using your thumb. If your fingers are larger, use the width of your thumb, if your fingers are smaller, use from tip to first knuckle. Tie the corner strips together. Using a simple knot, attach the bottom layer to the top layer. Tighten the knot. If you have trouble getting the knot tight due to arthritic or weak fingers, hold the end of one tail of the knotted pair with one hand and slide the fingers of the other hand up to push the knot tighter. Tie the strips at the end between the two corners next in the same way. Don't worry if the fleece puckers. Flatten the fleece out. Use flat hands to stretch and smooth the material so it lies flat again. Tie the strips down each side for the length of the blanket. Flatten as needed. Fold the tied portion up. Move the fleece down so that more of the material lies flat (trimming if needed) and repeat steps #6 through #8 until about 2/3 of the blanket is tied. Turn the blanket around. Spread the blanket out so that the remaining end is flat. Trim end and sides as needed. Repeat from step #5 until blanket is finished. Notice how all those little imperfections seem to magically blend into the pattern. Fold blanket, place into gift bag(see tips), and tie handles together with ribbon. Give it someone who will appreciate it, or give it to yourself and make good use of it. Finished. EditTips People often think that if they can't follow the instructions perfectly, they can't attempt a project. Luckily this is a project that is very forgiving. When choosing patterns, try to make it a pattern that will reflect something the person receiving the blanket likes. For instance, give someone a blanket with their favorite sports team, favorite cartoon or movie character, pattern of dogs, cats, etc, or something you know will go well with a specific bedroom or living room color scheme. Make sure your knots are tight. They can easily be retied, but if it's for a gift, you want it to be together entirely when you gift it. Cuts don't have to be completely straight to look good at the end, but the straighter and less jagged the better, so take your time. If you have trouble cutting through the material, try using a pair of kitchen poultry shears instead of general use or sewing shears. Whatever type you use, make sure they are not dull. If your hands are painful, try soaking them in warm water for a few minutes prior to beginning work on the blanket. If you have trouble keeping both pieces of fleece to lay flat and not bunch up underneath, you can use a couple of dinner plates to keep the underside flat while you lay out the top, and then place the plates on top while you cut to keep the material from sliding around. If your store doesn't have a particular pattern in stock, they may be able to order it in from another outlet. It can't hurt to ask, but be prepared to wait at least a couple of weeks. For an environmentally friendly option, use a reusable bag from any store instead of a gift bag and colored string instead of ribbon. EditWarnings Be sure that you find fleece that are of similar nap, weight, or quality. Different quality (usually you can tell by the price, but if in doubt, ask your store clerk) cloth tends to stretch and shrink differently during tying and washing. EditThings You'll Need The proper amount of fleece for the size blanket you wish to make. An area at least as wide as the narrowest part of the cloth. A ruler or card cut to preferred measurements. A pen or pencil to mark the card to your measurements. A pair of sharp scissors. An equal measure of self-esteem and patience. Two dinner plates.(opt) A gift or reusable store bag.(opt) Ribbon or colored string.(opt)}} EditRelated wikiHows Make a Baby Fleece Blanket Make a Weighted Blanket Make a Blanket

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How to of the Day

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• How to Recover Your Voice After Losing It
• How to Grow Lemon Trees Indoors
• How to Survive Overthinking

How to Recover Your Voice After Losing It Posted: 29 Nov 2016 04:00 PM PST Whether you were talking too much, singing too much, screaming at a concert or amusement park, or dealing with illness, putting too much strain on your voice can cause you to lose it. Thankfully, you should be able to regain it soon enough with some basic home care. To recover your voice after losing it, comfort your throat with water, teas, and other soothing remedies, and rest your voice as much as possible by speaking as little as you can, breathing through your nose, and avoiding irritants. If your voice doesn't return within several days of home care, it might be best to consult a doctor for professional advice and treatment. EditSteps EditComforting Your Throat Drink plenty of water. The best thing to do for your achy vocal chords is to drink water. Nothing on the entire Earth is better for you than good ol' H2O. Keep it at room temperature to avoid shocking your throat with the freezing or burning liquid. You shouldn't be chugging the stuff like it's your job. Your body is very good at telling you when you're thirsty, so do not ignore it. Drink regularly, but sensibly. Not only will it help restore your voice, but it's good for your body, your digestive system, your skin, your weight, your energy levels, and just about everything in between. Gargle salt water. Four times a day, heat up a glass of water in the microwave (until it's very warm, but not hot) and dissolve a tablespoon of salt in it. Gargle the entire thing.[1] This helps deal with the mucus in your throat. Don't worry about the taste -- you aren't swallowing it. In fact, if your throat is a bit sore, you'll probably find it comforting. Another option is gurgling apple cider vinegar, although it is way worse tasting than salt water. Consider drinking teas with honey and lemon. There are two sides to the story here: Some people believe that tea (especially chamomile with honey and lemon) is a great vocal soother.[2] It's been used for decades in this manner. However, know that acid is bad for your epithelial tissue (the stuff that makes up your vocal folds) and both tea and lemon are acidic.[3] What's your verdict? There's nothing wrong with honey, however. Another common (but less common) method is a spoonful of honey straight. What a great excuse to get your honey on! Next up they'll be saying spoonfuls of Nutella. Hang your head over steam for five minutes twice a day. Steam can increase the moisture in your throat. It's the same reason you see divas wearing scarves when they're sick -- it's for the idea that heat is good for the throat. Boiling water is an easy way to create steam. Put a towel over your head and the pot with hot water so you get a good amount of steam. Try adding some essential oils if you want. You could hang around the humidifier, too. Or, turn the shower on hot, plug the drain, turn off the fan and breathe deep. (Please use water responsibly, especially when in a drought). Use lozenges. Many singers are on the slippery elm bandwagon (sounds kind of funny if you've never heard of it), but the official scientific verdict is still out. Slippery elm lozenges have great reviews, but there's no science to back up why they work. It could be a placebo effect.[3] Even if there's no math behind it, at the very least they're not harmful. Lozenges in general will offer some form of temporary relief. EditResting Your Throat Give your hoarse voice a break. The best thing you can do is to not talk at all for a couple of days. Vocal rest is necessary for your epithelial tissue to repair. Silence, after all, is golden. If you have to communicate with someone, pass notes instead of whispering. Whispering can cause your vocal cords to bang together as strongly as if you were shouting. Passing notes can also be fun, if you draw pictures or make the receiver decode the message! If you have a job which requires you to raise your voice to be heard, use mechanical means to make yourself louder. Chew gum or suck on lozenges so that you will have no choice but to keep your mouth closed. It will also improve production of saliva. Breathe through your nose. Hopefully you figured this out when you were told not to talk and keep your mouth closed. How else would you breathe, but through your nose? Breathing through your mouth makes it dry, so hopefully you don't have a stuffy nose and can still breath somehow! Don't take aspirin under any circumstances. If one of the reasons you might of lost your voice because you yelled too loudly, you probably ruptured a capillary. Aspirin can reduce clotting and cause excess bleeding which can impede the healing process. There are other ways to relieve pain if your throat is scratchy. We'll get to those in the next section. Don't smoke. Big duh, right? In case you've been living under a rock, smoking is a cause of throat dryness, in addition to many other negative health consequences. Smoking could be the cause of your voice changing. After all, your lungs are using smoke to produce sound. What do you expect? Quit smoking and you may see an immediate improvement. Avoid acidic foods. Foods like tomatoes, chocolate, and citrus fruits are highly acidic; that acid tears away at the tissue in your vocal folds. To be most comfortable with your hurt throat, it's best to avoid this as much as possible. Spicy foods aren't super good for your voice, either. Anything that causes a reaction should be avoided. (That's why water is so ridiculously good for you -- it's au natural.) EditKnowing When to See a Doctor See a doctor if your voice doesn't come back within 2 or 3 days. If you rocked out at a concert a little too hard last night, it's perfectly normal to lose your voice the next day. But if you randomly lose your voice with no other symptoms, it's probably the sign of a bigger problem. Consult your doctor for further guidance. Treat other issues. If you're battling a fierce cold, it doesn't make sense to tackle your voice -- hit your immune system first and your voice will fall into place. If you're experiencing other symptoms, address those first. It may solve your problem. Take it slow. Even if your voice is getting better, keep up your voice-healthy habits. Think of it as completing a course of antibiotics; even if you feel good after the first few days, you still have to take the rest. Keeping it up will ensure you reach 100% and stay there. Stay away from dairy (in addition to acidic foods) if you're trying to sing during this time. Coating your throat won't do it any favors, though it might feel good at the time. You want to get rid of all that mucus buildup, not add to it. EditWarnings When handling boiling water be very careful as you can be severely burned. Ask parents or guardians to look after you in case if you need to go see the doctors. EditRelated wikiHows Make an Elderberry Jelly Sore Throat Soother Deal With Angina Pain Soothe Irritated Eyes with Potato Slices Choose Vitamins and Supplements to Prevent Flu Get Back a Lost Day when You Were Sick EditSources and Citations Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found

How to Grow Lemon Trees Indoors Posted: 29 Nov 2016 08:00 AM PST Tending a small lemon tree in your home can be a delightful aromatic experience. While the thought of growing a tree inside a house or apartment may seem daunting to beginners, it is not as difficult as it may sound. Give the roots of your tree plenty of room to grow, and keep its soil and branches moist and warm. All you need to do is give your lemon tree a little TLC, and in return, it will give you a fresh-scent and delightfully sour yield of fruit time and time again. EditSteps EditPreparations Choose the right type of lemon tree. Meyer lemon trees are the most common for indoor growing and produce small to medium fruits with a strong flavor. Pink variegated lemon trees are another good option for beginners and produce lemons with pink flesh. Purchase a good specimen. Shop at a nursery for a tree between two and three years in age. Planting a lemon tree from seed can be done, but is not recommended, since trees planted from seed may take a long time to grow and produce fruit. Select a large container with drainage holes. A 10 to 15 gallon (40 to 60 liter) container should give your tree plenty of room, and under average conditions, a lemon tree can grow up to 8 feet (2.4 meters) in a container that large. If the container you choose does not have any drainage holes, drill one or two into the bottom. Prepare an all-purpose soil mix. A store-bought, soil-based mix that is slightly acidic works best. Mix sand into the potting mix to allow for better drainage. A potting mix with a base of peat moss can also work and presents a soil less alternative. These artificial mixes work even better when they contain compost. EditPlanting Find a saucer that is large enough to fit beneath the bottom of your container. Place a few pebbles or gravel on the saucer and add a little water before placing the container onto the saucer and the pebbles. The water-filled saucer will help maintain a trace amount of humidity around your tree. Lay a layer of landscaper's cloth over the bottom of the container. This cloth will prevent soil from draining out of the container's drainage holes when you water. Place a layer of gravel or broken pots inside the bottom of the pot. The gravel will promote better drainage, preventing the roots of your tree from drowning or rotting. Fill your container halfway with potting mix. Pack the soil in so that it will create a sturdy base for your tree to stand in. Slip the lemon tree out of its nursery pot. Rub its roots slightly to help them spread out before placing the tree into the pot. If you purchased a bare root tree, create a mound of soil and place the tree into the pot with its roots spread over the mound. Pack soil around the tree. Press the soil down firmly to remove excess air, creating a denser, sturdier set-up to support the tree. Do not allow any roots to remain exposed, and do not cover the trunk. The trunk will begin to rot if kept covered. Water the tree immediately. Give your tree enough water so that excess drains out into the saucer. Empty the saucer once the soil finishes draining. EditCare and Harvest Keep the soil moist. Periodically check the top 2 inches (5 centimeters) of the soil. When the top 2 inches (5 centimeters) are moderately dry, give your tree a thorough watering until excess water drains out of the bottom of the pot and into the saucer. Empty the saucer. If using hard tap water, you may need to drop the water's pH before giving it to your tree. Adding 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) white vinegar to 1 gallon (4 liters) of water will usually do the trick. Mist your tree using a spray bottle. This should be done on a frequent basis, if not daily. Misting your tree mimics the natural humidity that your tree misses out on by being indoors. Keep the room humid by using a humidifier. If your lemon tree does not seem to be doing well even in spite of frequent misting, you may need to go a step further in keeping it moist by running a humidifier in the same room for a few hours a day. You can monitor humidity levels by using a hygrometer, and the relative humidity level should be around 50 percent during the spring and summer. Manage the temperature of the room you keep your lemon tree in. These trees do best in rooms with an average temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21.1 degrees Celsius) by day and 55 degrees Fahrenheit (12.8 degrees Celsius) at night. While temperatures that dip below 55 degrees Fahrenheit (12.8 degrees Celsius) will not kill your tree, they will cause your tree to go into dormancy and stop growing. Place your tree in a south-facing window. Lemon trees need full sun, meaning 8 to 12 hours of sunlight a day. Supplement natural light with artificial lighting. Place a 40-watt fluorescent grow light several inches (10 to 20 centimeters) above the top of your tree. Keep the light on as long as necessary until your tree has soaked in a total of 8 to 12 hours of light. Pollinate your lemon tree by hand. By keeping your tree inside, you prevent bees and other insects from pollinating it. Some trees can produce fruit without being pollinated, but pollination greatly increases your odds of a plentiful yield. Perform the process early in the day, preferably in the morning. Pollen can be killed by the heat or dryness of a warm afternoon. When your tree flowers, gently rub the antlers inside each flower with a paintbrush or cotton swab. The antlers are the yellow tips of the five stamens that stick up from the center of the flower. Rubbing the antlers gathers a dusty yellow pollen onto the brush. Rub the pollen onto the sticky lobes of the pistil. The pistil is the center stalk that rises above the other stalks in the middle of a flower. Gently apply the pollen you gathered on your brush or swab onto the lobes, or stigma, until the pollen sticks. Allow the plant to take over from there. The plant should finish developing from that point without further assistance. Feed your tree with a balanced fertilizer. Select a fertilizer with high levels of nitrogen and moderate levels of phosphorus and potassium, such as a 12-4-4 fertilizer. The numbers refer to the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, respectively, so the first number should be highest. Many plants would experience a decrease in fruit and flowering with a high-nitrogen fertilizer, but citrus trees are heavy nitrogen feeders and need a higher dosage than most plants for rapid growth. Fertilizers that also include minerals like iron and zinc will help your tree to absorb the food better. Apply your fertilizer once or twice a month according to package directions. Prune with caution. Pruning too many leaves will reduce your yield, but occasional pruning can be helpful. Remove dead, broken, and diseased branches, and thin to control the height and spread of your tree as space allows. Root-prune only as necessary. Your tree should remain root-bound in order to keep its size in check, but some potted lemon trees will stop producing fruit if their roots get too out of control. When a tree stops growing, root-pruning becomes necessary. Remove your tree from its pot. Expose the roots and keep them moist by spritzing them with water from a spray bottle. Use pruning shears to remove the largest roots that circle around the root ball. Shave 1/2-inch to 1-inch (1.27 to 2.5 centimeters) of the roots around the exterior of the root ball using a sharp knife. Repot the tree and prune approximately 1/3 of its foliage to balance out the pruned roots. Watch out for pests. Pests are rare for indoor trees, but small infestations can occur. Spray the pests with soapy water to kill them off. If this does not work, apply neem oil. Keep a look out for signs of disease. Fungal diseases are especially common, but bacterial diseases can attack as well. Look into possible anti-fungal and anti-bacterial remedies to determine what might work best to treat the specific disease your tree has. Thin out clusters of lemons. Once a cluster of small lemons appears on your tree, remove 2/3 of them to allow the remaining 1/3 a chance to mature to full size. Typically, lemons take between 7 to 9 months to ripen. Twist ripe lemons off the tree. You may also use shears to snip them off, but truly ripe lemons usually drop with a fair amount of ease. EditTips Do not use fertilizers containing alfalfa meal or cottonseed meal. A fungal disease known as anthracnose frequently infects both alfalfa and cottonseed, and fertilizers containing these products may introduce the fungus to your tree. While it is not necessary, you may wish to move your lemon tree outdoors during the summer so that it can pollinate naturally and receive more light. Just be aware of the fact that you will need to slowly acclimate your tree to its new environment each time you move it. Otherwise, it could go into shock. Consider growing other citrus trees indoors, as well. Acid fruits tend to be easier to manage than sweet fruits, so beginners should stick with highly acidic citrus trees like Calamondin Orange, Persian Lime, Eustis Limequat, and Nippon Orangequat. More advanced growers can consider sweeter citrus fruits like Valencia Orange, Clementine Mandarin, Oroblanco Grapefruit, and Moro Blood Orange. EditThings You'll Need Lemon tree Large pot or other container Large saucer All-purpose soil mix Pebbles Landscaper's cloth Spray bottle Watering can Humidifier Fluorescent grow lights Paintbrush or cotton swab Fertilizer Shears Neem oil Anti-fungal and anti-bacterial treatments EditRelated wikiHows Grow Chocolate Indoors EditSources and Citations Apartment Therapy: How to Plant and Keep an Indoor Lemon Tree

How to Survive Overthinking Posted: 29 Nov 2016 12:00 AM PST Overthinking an issue, event, or even conversation is a common method of coping with stress. But studies show that overthinking and ruminating on something stressful/troubling has strong ties with depression and anxiety.[1] For many people, overthinking things is just an automatic way of seeing the world, but that mindset can lead to prolonged periods of depression and may even cause some people to delay seeking treatment.[2] Learning how to cope with overthinking can help you let go of painful memories and break out of damaging thought patterns. EditSteps EditManaging Your Thoughts Learn different cognitive distortions. Before you can begin to address or cope with your habit of overthinking things, you'll need to learn what kinds of thoughts occur when you're engaging in this damaging behavior. Any time you find yourself indulging in painful, unpleasant, or self-doubting thoughts, you are on the road to overthinking because of cognitive distortions. Likewise if you find yourself listing reasons to not do something, or otherwise making excuses for your self-doubt.[3] The most common cognitive distortions include: All or nothing thinking - believing things are absolute and seeing every situation as being black or white.[4] Overgeneralization - seeing one negative event as a continuous cycle of defeat or embarrassment.[5] Mental filtering - dwelling only on negative things (thoughts, feelings, outcomes) while ignoring all the positive elements of those situations or scenarios.[6] Discounting the positives - believing that none of your admirable qualities or accomplishments matter.[7] Jumping to conclusions - either assuming that other people are reacting/thinking negatively towards you without any real evidence (called "mind reading") or believing that an event will turn out badly without any evidence for this conclusion.[8] Magnification or minimization - blowing bad things out of proportion or reducing the importance of good things.[9] Emotional reasoning - believing that the way you feel reflects an objective truth about yourself.[10] "Should" statements - chastising yourself or others for things that should or shouldn't have been said/done.[11] Labeling - turning a mistake or shortcoming into a character attribute of yourself. (For example, turning the thought "I messed up" into "I'm a loser and a failure.")[12] Personalization and blame - internalizing fault for situations or events you aren't responsible for, or blaming others for situations/events that they had no control over.[13] Identify how you overthink. There are numerous ways to overthink, many of which are caused by cognitive distortions. One form of overthinking is the thought pattern known as "catastrophizing." Catastrophizing occurs any time you automatically predict a negative outcome to some event or series of events, and jump to the conclusion that such an outcome would be devastating and unbearable.[14] Catastrophizing is a combination of jumping to conclusions and overgeneralizing. Try to identify which cognitive distortions affect your overthinking the most. Write down the thoughts you experience, and try to label which thoughts could fall into the category of cognitive distortions.[15] Practice learning to recognize your "overthinking" thoughts in the moment, as they arise. Simply naming them when you become aware of them may be helpful. Try silently saying the word "thinking" whenever you begin to overthink - it may help ground you and break you out of your spiraling thought pattern.[16] Take note of how you're feeling. It's easy to fall into "autopilot" mode during the course of your day. But if your day is filled with situations that have the potential to induce anxiety, you may be walking blindly into a situation that will cause you to overthink and catastrophize. Try mandating a personal "check in" for yourself. Assess how you're feeling as you enter different scenarios and situations that tend to evoke your pattern of overthinking.[17] Identify any instance in which you begin to indulge patterns of overthinking.[18] Don't judge yourself for it, just acknowledge it before you work to change it.[19] Challenge your automatic thoughts. Once you've identified an incident of overthinking or catastrophizing, you can now begin to challenge the validity of those thoughts. Challenging those thoughts by remembering that thoughts are not facts may help you break out of your pattern of overthinking.[20] Thoughts do not always reflect reality, and they are oftentimes warped, uninformed, or simply wrong. By letting go of the infallible perception of your thoughts, you'll be more capable of considering other possibilities, or at least accepting that your overthinking isn't always right.[21] Examine what (if any) real, objective evidence you have to support the cognitive distortions and patterns of overthinking that you're experiencing. There is a good chance that you will not be able to come up with any real, compelling evidence that the thoughts you're experiencing have any basis in truth.[22] Try silently saying to yourself, "These are just thoughts, and they are not truth."[23] Repeating this mantra may help you disengage from the spiraling thought patterns you're stuck in. Replace cognitive distortions with real facts. If your patterns of overthinking are spiraling out of control, it may feel difficult to break out of that thought pattern. However, once you learn to recognize that the thoughts you're experiencing are not factual, you can then fairly easily replace that thought pattern with a more realistic one. Tell yourself, "If I accept that my assumptions and overthinking are not grounded in facts, then what are the facts in this situation?" Even if a situation ended badly, you can focus on what to do differently next time as an alternative to dwelling on what you should have said/done in the past.[24] It won't come easily at first, but once you retrain your brain to process situations differently, it will eventually get easier. Try asking other people who are aware of the situation for their input. Sometimes asking a trusted friend, relative, or colleague whether you're overreacting or overthinking things can help you realize that there's no reason to continue thinking that way.[25] Try positive self-talk to replace self-doubt or overthinking.[26] The way you talk to yourself (and think about yourself) can affect how you feel. So instead of criticizing yourself or ruminating on bad thoughts, try to focus on the things you did well and continue to do well.[27] EditOvercoming Your Fear Practice relaxation techniques. Many people who suffer from overthinking and cognitive distortions find relaxation techniques to be helpful in breaking out of harmful thought patterns.[28] Relaxation techniques can also have physical benefits, like lowering your heart rate and blood pressure, slowing down your breathing rate, and reducing the activity of stress hormones in your body.[29] There are numerous types of relaxation techniques, including: Autogenic relaxation - repeat words or suggestions to yourself internally to help you relax. You might imagine a tranquil environment and then repeat positive affirmations, or simply focus on your breathing.[30] Progressive muscle relaxation - focus on tensing, holding, and then relaxing each major muscle group in your body. Start at the head with your facial muscles and work your way down to your toes (or vice versa), tensing and holding each muscle group for five to ten seconds before releasing the muscles' tension into relaxation.[31] Visualization - let your imagination form calming mental images, and visualize a serene place or situation.[32] Mindful breathing - place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. While sitting, lying, or standing (whichever is most comfortable and convenient), take slow, deep breaths in, forcing the air into your abdomen instead of just your chest. You should feel your belly expand outward as you inhale. Hold the breath for a few seconds, then exhale slowly until all of the previous breath is gone. Repeat as many times as needed until you begin to feel calm.[33] Meditation - similar to mindful breathing, meditation focuses on the slow, deep inhalation and exhalation of breath coupled with an element of meditative mindfulness. That may mean reciting a mantra (a word or phrase that helps you remain calm/focused) or focusing your attention on physical sensations, such as the feeling of sitting where you are, or the sensation of breathing in and out through your nostrils.[34] Find ways to distract yourself. If you find yourself constantly doubting yourself or overanalyzing situations, you may need to find a more active way to break out of that thought pattern. Try distracting yourself with a positive, healthy alternative. For example, you can try meditating to ground yourself in the present moment. Or, if you enjoy crafts, try taking up knitting or sewing to occupy your mind whenever overthinking thought patterns take over. If you play an instrument, pick it up and play for a bit. Find what comforts you and grounds you in the present moment, and use that activity as often as you need to.[35] Explore your thoughts in writing. Writing is a very effective way of processing your thoughts, analyzing patterns of thinking, and finding ways to move past those thoughts. One writing exercise that many people find helpful is to take 10 minutes to explore the nature of your overthinking thought patterns in writing.[36] Set a timer for 10 minutes.[37] In that time, write as much about your thoughts as you can. Explore the people, situations, or time spans that you associate with those thoughts, and whether those thoughts have any bearing on who you were, who you currently are, or who you hope to be in your life.[38] Read through your writings when the time is up and look for patterns of thinking. Ask yourself, "Have these thought patterns influenced how I see myself, my relationships, or the world around me? If so, has that influence been a positive or negative one?" You may also find it helpful to ask yourself, "Have these thought patterns ever really helped me? Or have the number of missed opportunities and sleepless nights outnumbered the occasional time I was right?" Do things that make you happy. Many people who overthink things avoid going out or having interactions out of fear that something may happen. Even if you're not yet able to break out of those thought patterns, it's important that you don't let your overthinking dictate your decisions. If there's something you want to go to (for example, a concert or a party), stop finding reasons not to go and force yourself out the door. Otherwise your overthinking will prevent you from doing anything, and you'll almost certainly regret it.[39] Tell yourself that the regret you'd feel over missing out would be stronger than the regret over having a less-than-perfect time.[40] Think of all the times you took a risk at trying something new and it paid off. Then think about all the times that staying home or being afraid of trying new things has gained you anything. You'll quickly see that taking that risk of failure was valuable because it led to good things.[41] Remind yourself that you can always leave early if you aren't having a good time. The important thing is to go and see whether or not you can end up having a fun and meaningful experience.[42] EditChanging Your Mindset Alter your view of failure. Whether you're afraid of trying something because your overthinking has led you to believe you'd fail, or you can't stop replaying the memory of a time you failed at something or in some role, you need to recognize that sometimes things just don't work out the way we'd like them to. And that's not always a bad thing. A lot of what we perceive as failure is not an ending, but a beginning: to new options, new opportunities, and new ways of living.[43] Recognize that behaviors may fail, but people (namely, you) do not.[44] Rather than seeing failure as the end of something good, try thinking about it as a new opportunity. If you lose your job, you may be able to find a better job that gives you more satisfaction. If you start a new art project and it doesn't turn out the way you hoped, at least you got some practice out of it, and you might have a better idea of what you'd like to do differently next time.[45] Try to let failure motivate you. Put more effort and concentration into doing better next time, or spend more time preparing for future events.[46] Try not to dwell on the past. An important part of overthinking is to recognize that you cannot change the past, and that dwelling on it over and over will not help change anything. While learning from the past is an important part of growing and maturing, overthinking and ruminating on mistakes, missed opportunities, and other elements of the past is harmful and unproductive.[47] Once you learn the lesson you believe you need to learn from a past event, try letting go of the memory. Don't consciously think about it, and any time you find yourself thinking about it try to distract yourself or snap yourself out of that thought pattern. Focus on the present moment, which you do have the power to change.[48] Realize you can't predict the future. No one knows what's going to happen, and your overthinking mind certainly isn't going to predict the future any better than the rest of the world. But many people with overthinking minds tend to believe that they know what will happen in advance: that trying out for the basketball team will only result in failure and humiliation, or that asking someone out will result in an awkward and devastating rejection. Yet without trying, how do you know? What are you basing your assumptions on? More likely than not, those assumptions are unfounded and are setting you up to fail by assuming from the start that you will.[49] Remind yourself that no one knows what the future holds, and if you suffer from an overthinking mind, your "predictions" are mostly built from self-doubt and fear of the unknown.[50] EditTips Get yourself a notebook and pen. Use journaling or writing exercises to help you process what you're thinking and determine whether that way of thinking is part of a larger problem. Some people who overthink things tend to believe they cannot perform well or that they will fall behind and be looked down upon. Don't fall into this trap! Believe that you can do it and you will; the pain and breathlessness will fall away. EditSources and Citations Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found

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