How to Develop Insight Into Your Own Life

Developing insight into your own life can make your life more meaningful. It can also help you better understand yourself as a person and others. By studying yourself as well as the world around you, you can discover new truths about your life and identity. Such an endeavor may take a great deal of time and energy, but it will be worth it.

EditSteps

EditKnowing Yourself

1. Practice mindfulness. Studies demonstrate that most people have huge blind spots about themselves, their behaviors, and their desires. It is easy to paint yourself as the hero of your own story, but consider what it is that you might be ignoring about yourself. By practicing mindfulness, you can take a look at yourself and your life more objectively.^[1] Mindfulness involves two components:
   
   • Paying attention to yourself.^[2] Think about who you are in this moment. What are you thinking about? What are you feeling? How would you describe your behaviors? Learning to pay attention to who you are and what you are thinking at each moment can make you more aware of your emotions and reactions.
   • Observing non-judgmentally.^[3] When you have a strong emotional reaction, it can be useful to act as an objective observer of your own behaviors. Is your emotional reaction worth it? Rather than letting your feelings drive your life thoughtlessly, take a few moments to consider where these feelings are coming from and how you should be reacting to them.
2. Consider how your actions live up to your values. People who are introspective are more likely to behave morally and empathetically. The key is to compare how your behaviors measure up to your core principles. Are you meeting the standards you believe everyone should hold for themselves? Make a list of the qualities that are most important to you in others; then ask yourself how you might be able to embody these qualities.
   
3. Resist escapist activities. Many people who are uncomfortable with how they live their lives seek to escape from introspection and self-knowledge. They do this through alcohol, drugs, mindless entertainment, or other problematic behaviors. Don't give in to these temptations. Tell yourself that getting to know yourself is hard work that you must not try to shirk or escape.
   
4. Consider who you compare yourself to. When people are trying to learn more about themselves, they instinctively begin to compare themselves with others. For example, someone who has recently changed jobs will likely compare herself both to her new colleagues and to her old colleagues in order to figure out how competent she is. Understand that these comparisons are a normal way for people to develop insight into who they are. However, rather than becoming blindly jealous of those who are superior to you or becoming smug about those who are inferior to you, be mindful about the instinctive comparisons you make. Tell yourself that these comparisons are a more useful barometer of what is important to you than about your actual skillsets.
   
   • For example, if you find yourself constantly comparing your smaller home to the larger homes of your friends, resist the urge to be jealous. Instead, understand that this instinctive comparison is giving you information about your priorities in life. Ask yourself why you care about the size of your home: do you wish to be more financially secure? Are you interested in growing your family? Or do you wish to be respected by your community? Use comparisons as a source of information about your priorities, not as fuel for jealousy.
5. Watch a video of yourself. Studies show that the way we think about our internal selves does not always match up with our external selves.^[4] As a tool to develop insight into your own life, record yourself speaking or interacting with someone else, such as through a vlog or video diary. Pay attention to your voice, your body language, your intonations, your facial expressions. Ask yourself whether what you see in the video matches your self-conception.
   
6. Remember that your life is not static. There is no such thing as a single, unchanging self. Your life will involve experimentation, change, and dynamic interactions with others. Try to keep a healthy balance between staying true to your own values and desires and admitting when these values and desires must change. Try to view personal development not as an obstacle to your awareness of a single truth but rather as a journey to multiple truths and insights about who you are.^[5]
   
7. Take a personality test. Personality tests help test-takers determine their personality types, desires, and skillsets. There are many different kinds of personality test, though the Myers-Briggs inventory is one of the most widely used.^[6] The science of personality tests and inventories is shaky, and you should take the results with a grain of salt. However, it is also likely that the results of your personality test will allow you to consider whether your self-perception lines up with the test's evaluation. Did anything unexpected turn up? Have you learned something new about your personality or your self-perception? You can take a personality test for free at many websites.
   
8. Meditate. Studies show that persons who train in meditation techniques are more likely to know themselves in a thorough, objective way.^[7] Take a meditation course or learn meditation techniques in order to train yourself in self-awareness. If you are not comfortable with traditional meditation, you might also experience a similar benefit from engaging in focused, repetitive activities such as running, biking, or knitting.^[8] When you meditate, it is helpful to:^[9]
   
   • Maintain a routine. Meditate at the same time in the same place each day.
   • Keep good posture.
   • Breathe deeply.
   • Shut out distractions, worries, and nagging thoughts.
   • Use mantras in order to keep yourself focused.
9. Make a list of your life goals. Goals are one of the keys to living a happy, satisfied life. People who work hard to achieve goals that are important to them report feeling more content with their lives and are more confident in who they are.^[10] It helps to set goals that are positive (such as learning a new skill) instead of negative (such as not failing calculus).^[11] In order to make sense of your life goals, do the following:
   
   • Make sure your goals are achievable and reasonable. Do not make your goal to "become a trillionaire": instead, have your goal be something you can attain in your lifetime, such as to "become more effective at my job."^[12]
   • Set a goal that you can control. There are many things in life that are great but also totally outside of our control. For example, a life goal of winning the lottery is not something you can ever control.^[13]
   • Think about where you want to be in 5 years. How about 10 years? 20? Feel free to daydream about where you want your life to be headed. Daydreaming is one of the most important tools to reaching a bright future in your life.^[14]
   • Think about all aspects of your life. How do you want your career to look? Your family? Your social life? Your personal development? Your hobbies? Don't limit yourself to one particular area of life: think about all of your most important activities.
   • Break large goals down into smaller, achievable tasks. It can be difficult to work toward a vague, large goal such as "becoming my own boss." However, if you break a large goal down into its component parts, you might find that the goal is easily achievable. For example, the first step to becoming your own boss might be to expand your social network in order to develop a potential client base, which is something you can do right now.
   • Develop an action plan. Once you have a sense of the large goals you are working toward as well as the small tasks involved to get there, you can begin to work towards them one-by-one. Challenge yourself to achieve great things, and reward yourself whenever you achieve one of your goals.^[15]

EditExpressing Yourself

1. Keep a journal. Daily journaling can allow you to consider your deepest desires, darkest secrets, and outlook on life. Get to know yourself better by writing your thoughts down every day. Set a timer for 15 minutes, and make sure that you write throughout the entire period. Your journal will be a valuable tool to allow you to develop insight into your current self as well as how you develop over the course of many years.^[16] If you find that you have writer's block, consider using a journaling prompt such as:
   
   • What is the most interesting thing that happened to me today?
   • What did I daydream about?
   • What topics make me uncomfortable to write about?
   • Who are the 10 people I care about the most?
2. Tell your life story. Our memories often take the shape of a narrative or story, in much the same way that memoirs and autobiographies do. Articulating this life story can allow you to process these memories and make sense out of a great deal of chaotic information.^[17] Take a few minutes to think about how you might tell the story of your own life. What memories are the most significant? What life events have shaped the person you are today? What arc has your life taken? Simply thinking about your life story or talking about it with friends is beneficial. However, you might also consider more formal ways to communicate your life story, such as through:
   
   • A memoir or autobiography
   • A photo album
   • A short film
   • A graphic novel
3. Experiment with your appearance. Your appearance is one of the first ways that you communicate yourself to others. At the same time, your appearance also allows you to gain a better handle on yourself. Indeed, many introspective, reflective people take some time to consider how their self-presentation is related to their values, likes, and tastes.^[18] Consider experimenting with how you look in order to understand your own tastes and, by extension, your own life. You can:
   
   • Wear a color you've never worn before
   • Experiment with a new hairstyle
   • Consider getting a tattoo or piercing
   • Try to find a fashion or accessory designer you admire
   • Remember to take standards of professionalism into account when you experiment. Some workplaces forbid visible tattoos and facial piercings for example.^[19]
4. Learn an art form. Many people are able to learn about themselves by engaging in some kind of creative activity. By making beautiful works of art, you come to know your own preferences. At the same time, you are honing a skill that might allow you to tell your own story more effectively.^[20] Consider taking a class at a local arts studio if you are a novice. If you already practice a craft, be sure to take time to work on it every day. Some arts and crafts you might consider are:
   
   • Sculpting
   • Painting
   • Creative writing (poetry, fiction, or non-fiction)
   • Blogging
   • Photography
   • Dance
   • Woodworking
   • Pottery-throwing
   • Gardening

EditReaching Out to Others

1. Cultivate strong relationships. You do not exist in isolation: who you are as a person depends in large part on how you interact with other persons, especially those who are closest to you.^[21] In order to get to know yourself better, get to know your loved ones better. Not only will you discover surprising things about yourself, but your loved ones might be able to assist you during confusing or troubling times in your life. In order to cultivate strong relationships with others, you must:
   
   • Be empathetic
   • Practice forgiveness
   • Demonstrate active listening skills
   • Be willing to initiate conversations and activities
2. Find an objective listener. In order to develop insight into your life, you have to admit that sometimes you might be deceiving yourself. Perhaps you are blind to your own prejudices, or perhaps you sometimes think that you are a more generous person than your actions demonstrate. In order to be able to work through your blind spots and pernicious patterns, you will need to find a smart, objective person who can help reveal the darkest corners of your life to you.^[22]
   
   • Many people find that talking to a therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist can serve this key function.
3. Pay attention to the behavior of others. One key tool of self-knowledge is the information we get from observing the behaviors of those we interact with.^[23] Think about the cues you are being sent when you talk to old friends and to new acquaintances. Consider whether you can interpret them in order to develop insight into your life, behaviors, and values.
   
   • Be aware that not everybody can (or should) get along with everybody else. Pay particular attention to the reactions of those whom you respect, care for, and admire.

EditExploring the World

1. Be aware of the world around you. People can be affected by their surroundings in many subtle, subconscious, yet significant ways. Do not tell yourself that you are immune to the world around you: your life has been irrevocably shaped by the world you live in. While you cannot (and should not) escape the world, what you can do is learn more about the world in which you find yourself. You might be able to understand more clearly how the world has shaped your life.
   
2. Recognize that culture affects the self. Studies show that some cultures value speech as a tool of self-knowledge, while others value silence.^[24] Consider whether your own native culture has shaped how you view yourself and what you prioritize in life. Read about your own culture as well as other cultures in order to begin to understand how culture has impacted you.
   
3. Broaden your horizons. Routines can be important and healthy in everyday life. But sometimes they can leave us stuck in a rut, unwilling to discover new places and ideas. Shake up your routine by actively seeking new and different opportunities. Some great ways to broaden your horizons include:
   
   • Taking a class in a new topic
   • Reading about a brand-new idea
   • Visiting a place you've never seen before
   • Have conversations with strangers
4. Volunteer. Think of the causes you care about the most, and devote several hours each week to helping that cause. You will learn about your own potential as well as about the world around you. You will meet people who share your ideals and vision as well as people who might come from a completely different background. You might even discover a new career pathway by helping others.^[25]
   
5. Inform yourself on the "goings-ons" of the world. Read the news daily. Be sure that you turn to reputable journalists and news agencies so that you are getting the most accurate, up-to-date information about local, national, and international events. Take a few minutes each day to react to these events. What are your thoughts on how the world is moving? What can you do to help or change things? What is most important to you right now?
   

EditTips

• Find a balance between looking inward for insight into your own life (such as through meditation) and looking outward (such as through reading about the world). Your life is a combination of internal and external factors, and you must know about both in order to know yourself.
• Talk to your friends and family members about your goal of developing insight into your own life. They might be able to provide you with guidance or necessary objectivity.
• Don't be single-minded. Insight into your life can emerge through social interactions, hobbies, creativity, and volunteering: it does not happen from you forcing it. Live a normal, healthy life, and be patient. The insights will develop naturally.

EditWarnings

• Many people are afraid or unwilling to confront some of the less likeable or less moral parts of themselves. Remember that everybody has flaws, including you. Be honest about your own faults so that you can work to fix them: do not run away from yourself.
• Do not resort to mind-altering substances in order to develop insight into your life. These substances are escapist: they will not provide you with the answers you need, and many mind-altering substances have negative consequences on your health.

EditRelated wikiHows

• Become Mentally and Spiritually Emancipated
• Build an Artistic Brand
• Think Clearly and Logically Under Pressure
• Reach Inspiration Any Where Any Time

EditSources and Citations

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How to Tell if Chicken Is Bad

Consuming chicken that has gone bad can make you extremely ill, regardless of whether it's raw or cooked. This wikiHow will show you how to tell if raw, frozen, or cooked chicken is bad. It will also give you tips on proper storage.

EditKey Points

• Raw Chicken: The chicken is bad if it starts to look grey, have a sour smell, or feel slimy or sticky. More ↓
• Frozen Chicken: The chicken is bad if there is an ice crust or freezer burn. A dark grey color also indicates spoilage. ↓
• Cooked Chicken: The chicken is bad if it smells like sulfur or starts to look grey. Check for mold or a bad taste. ↓

EditSteps

EditChecking Raw Chicken

1. Look for a change in color.^[1] When fresh, raw chicken has a pink, fleshy color. As it starts to spoil, the color fades to grey. If the color of the chicken begins to look duller, you should use it soon before it goes bad. Once it looks more grey than pink, it is already too late.
   
   
   • Raw chicken colors can range from appearing grey to having yellow spots that aren’t skin.
   • If you begin to cook bad chicken it may continue to look dull and not become as white.
2. Smell the chicken. Raw chicken that has gone bad has a very potent odor. Some describe it as a "sour" smell, while others liken it to the scent of ammonia. If the chicken has begun to take on an unpleasant or strong odor of any sort, it is best to discard it.
   
   
   • Chicken can start to smell bad while cooking, it is best to discard it if it starts to smell less appealing.
3. Feel the chicken. Is it slimy? The touch test is a little more difficult than the color or smell test because chicken naturally has a glossy, somewhat slimy feeling to it. If this slime remains even after rinsing the chicken under water, however, there is a good chance that the chicken has spoiled. If the chicken feels unusually sticky, it has almost certainly gone bad.
   
   

EditScrutinizing Frozen Chicken

1. Look for an ice crust. If there is a thick layer of ice around your chicken then it is no longer good. The ice crust will be thick like the ice on a freezer hasn’t been thawed in a while. A flash-frozen chicken will not have a thick crust if done properly. If the ice is white it could be a issue with freezer burn.
2. Check for freezer burn. Freezer burn looks like a white rash or mark on the chicken that isn’t fat. It is rougher than the skin around it and raised slightly.
   • While it won’t hurt you it will make your chicken less enjoyable.
3. Analyze the color. A frozen chicken is harder to check for color. It will be off color, similar to the raw or cooked chicken, a slight grey or yellowing of fat. If it is darker than grey, that chicken belongs in the trash bin.

EditInvestigating Cooked Chicken

1. Smell the chicken. The smell test can work for cooked chicken as well as it can for raw chicken, but it is sometimes more difficult to distinguish the smell of bad chicken if spices and other seasonings are masking the odor.
   
   
   • If the chicken smells like rotten eggs or sulfur, it is bad.
2. Check for changes in color, if possible. Sometimes this is not possible if the chicken has been breaded or if the color was altered by a glaze or marinade. If chicken that cooked white begins to look grey, it is no longer safe to eat.
   
   
3. Look for mold. Mold is one of the most obvious signs of rotten, decaying, bad chicken. If green, or black fuzz, or any organic growth of any kind has begun to form on the chicken, it has gone very bad and should be discarded immediately. Even the smell of chicken this 'off' may make you ill.
   
   
4. Taste the chicken before you swallow it. If you feel uncertain about whether or not cooked chicken is still good, but do not want to waste it if it still is, you can cautiously take a bite. Instead of chewing and swallowing the chicken immediately, though, you should pause and carefully analyze the flavor.
   
   
   • If it tastes “off” or seems a little sour, spit it out and discard the rest.

EditReviewing Storage of Chicken

1. Check the "Sell By" date. This alone is not always a good indication of whether or not raw chicken is still good because the "Sell By" date only dictates at which point chicken can no longer be sold to consumers. Instead of relying on the "Sell By" date, it is best to use it as a means of confirming whether or not chicken you suspect has gone bad is actually past its prime.
   
   
   • If you purchase fresh, refrigerated chicken from a store and freeze it, it can last up to nine months past this date, as long as it was fresh when purchased.^[2]
2. Check into how thoroughly the chicken was stored. Cooked chicken goes bad faster if it is exposed to air, and improperly stored chicken is more likely to be bad.
   
   
   • Chicken should be stored in shallow, airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags.
   • It could also be wrapped tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
   • Example: In order to remain safe to eat, whole chicken should be cut into smaller portions and any stuffing should be removed prior to refrigeration or freezing.
3. Find out where and for how long the chicken was stored.^[3] It depends also depends on how you stored the chicken. After these time periods elapse, there is a higher chance that the chicken will have gone bad.
   
   
   • In the refrigerator, raw chicken should be used in one or two days, while cooked chicken stays good for about three to four days.
   • In the freezer, cooked chicken can remain good and safe to eat for up to four months while raw chicken can be good for up to a year.

EditTips

• If there is any question if your chicken is "grey enough" or "slimy enough", it is and you should toss it.
• If your chicken has been thawing on the counter, toss it.
• If it was frozen, thawed, and then frozen again, throw it away.

EditSources and Citations

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How to Read Egyptian Hieroglyphics

Hieroglyphs were developed by the ancient Egyptians as a way to integrate writing into their artwork. Rather than letters, like we see in modern English, ancient Egyptians used symbols. These symbols, or hieroglyphs (or glyphs for short), can have more than one meaning depending on how they are written. The steps below will help you understand the basics of Egyptian hieroglyphs and can be used as a starting place for further education on the subject.

EditSteps

EditLearning the Ancient Egyptian Alphabet

1. Obtain a visual chart of the Egyptian hieroglyphic alphabet. Because hieroglyphics are images and not letters, like we use in modern English, it’s quite difficult to describe how to read them if you can't visually see them. Start your learning process by obtaining a visual alphabet chart from the internet. Print the chart out and keep it with you while you learn.^[1]
   
   • The following list of URLs all offer visual charts of the Egyptian hieroglyphs translated into the English alphabet:
     • http://ift.tt/2lttNzW
     • http://ift.tt/2mvfJe5
     • http://ift.tt/2ltDePF
   • The glyphs found in these alphabet charts are also referred to as ‘unilateral’ because most have only one symbol.
2. Learn how to pronounce the hieroglyphs. Even though some glyphs can be translated into a letter from the English alphabet, they don’t all sound exactly the same as the English letter. The URL where you obtained the glyph alphabet should also contain a chart that shows what each glyph’s pronunciation sounds like. Print this chart off as well and keep it with you as reference.^[2]
   
   • For example, the bird-like hieroglyph translates to what looks like a three, ‘3,’ but is pronounced as ‘ah.’
   • Technically speaking, the pronunciations are a guess from Egyptologists. Since the Egyptian hieroglyphs are a dead language, there is no one around to demonstrate how the sounds are pronounced. Instead, Egyptologists had to make educated guesses based on a later form of the Egyptian language called Coptic.
3. Learn the difference between an ideogram and a phonogram. Egyptian hieroglyphics have two main types: ideograms and phonograms. Ideograms were drawings that directly represented the object being written about. Phonograms were drawings that represented sounds. Since the Ancient Egyptians didn’t write vowels, phonograms mostly represent consonant sounds.^[3][4]
   
   • Phonograms can represent one sound or multiple sounds. Refer to the glyph alphabet you downloaded for specific examples.
   • Ideograms, in addition to having a literal translation (e.g. a glyph that’s a pair of legs might mean movement or walking), may also have a not-so-literal translation (e.g. the same leg glyph combined with other glyphs might actually refer to giving directions).
   • Egyptian hieroglyphs were normally created with phonograms at the start of a word and ideograms at the end of a word. In this case, the hieroglyph is also referred to as a determinative.
4. Create your own sentences with hieroglyphs. Hieroglyphs represent sounds, not letters. As such, there are no glyphs that are silent like there are letters in the English language that are silent. In order to spell a word using hieroglyphs, you need to be sure each sound in the word is represented by a glyph.^[5]
   
   • For example, the word ‘freight’ is spelled using seven letters, but only contains four sounds. The sounds are ‘f,’ ‘r,’ ‘long a,’ and ’t.’ Therefore, in order to spell the word freight using hieroglyphs, you need to use the glyphs for each of the four sounds. In this case it would be the horned viper plus a lion laying down plus an arm plus a bread loaf.
   • Not all sounds that are found in the English language have an associated sound (and therefore glyph) in ancient Egyptian.
   • Because a lot of vowels are silent in the English language, they aren’t used when spelling a word in ancient Egyptian. This means it can be hard to decipher what word is being spelled because there could be more than one possible translation. This is where determinatives come in. Use a determinative glyph after spelling a word in hieroglyphics in order to help describe the word properly.

EditReading Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs

1. Determine in which direction hieroglyphs should be read. Hieroglyphs can actually be read in almost any direction: left to right, right to left, and top to bottom. To determine how to read a specific set of glyphs, start by locating a glyph with a head. If the head is facing to the left, start reading from the left and work you way towards the head. If the head is facing the right, start reading from the right and work you way towards the head.^[6]
   
   • If the glyphs appear in vertical columns, always start at the top and work your way down. However, you still need to determine if you read right to left or left to right.
   • Note that some glyphs may be grouped together to save space. Tall glyphs are usually drawn on their own while short glyphs may be stacked on top of one another. This means one line of hieroglyphs may require you to read both horizontally and vertically.
2. Deciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic nouns. Hieroglyphs have two types of nouns, gender nouns (masculine vs. feminine) and quantity nouns (singular, plural, or dual).^[7]
   
   • In most, but not all cases, when a noun is followed by the bread loaf glyph it indicates that the word is feminine. If the noun doesn’t have a bread loaf glyph, it is likely masculine.
   • A noun that is plural may be represented by either the quail chick glyph or the rope curl glyph. For example, the glyph containing water and a man means ‘brother' (singular). The same glyph with a quail chick included means ‘brothers.'
   • A noun that is dual may be represented by two backwards slashes. For example, the glyph containing water, a rope curl, two backwards slashes, and two men means ‘the two brothers.'
   • Sometimes dual and plural nouns do not contain these extra glyphs, instead vertical lines or multiple glyphs of the same type will indicate how many of those items are being referred to.
3. Learn ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic suffix pronouns. A pronoun is a substitute for a noun and is normally used after the noun (also known as the antecedent) is first used. For example, in the sentence “Bob tripped as he climbed the stairs,” ‘Bob’ is the noun and ‘he’ is the pronoun. In ancient Egyptian pronouns also exist, but may not always follow an antecedent.^[8]
   
   • Suffix pronouns must be attached to nouns, verbs, or prepositions, they are not individual words. They are the most common pronouns in ancient Egyptian.
   • My, me, and I is represented by either a person glyph or a reed leaf glyph.
   • You and your is represented by basket with handle glyph when it is referring to a masculine singular noun. And is represented by a bread loaf glyph or tethering rope glyph when it is referring to a singular feminine noun.
   • He, his, it, and its is represented by a horned viper glyph when it is referring to a masculine singular noun. And is is represented by a folded cloth glyph when it is referring to a singular feminine noun.
   • Our, us, and we are represented by the water glyph on top of three vertical lines.
   • Your and you (the plural versions) are represented by either the bread loaf glyph or the tethering rope glyph on top of the water glyph and three vertical lines.
   • Their, them, and they are represented by a folded cloth glyph or a door bolt glyph plus the water glyph and three vertical lines.
4. Grasp the idea of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic prepositions. Prepositions are words like under, beside, on top, near, between, until, etc. that make other words in a sentence make sense in terms of time and space. For example, in the sentence “the cat was under the table,” the word ‘under’ is the preposition.^[9]
   
   • The owl glyph is one of the most versatile prepositions in ancient Egyptian. Most of the time it translates to ‘in’ but can also mean ‘for, during, from, with, and through.'
   • The mouth glyph is another versatile preposition that can mean ‘against, concerning, and in order to,’ depending on the context of the sentence where its contained.
   • Prepositions can also be combined with nouns to make a compound preposition.
5. Understand ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic adjectives. Adjectives are words that describe nouns. For example, in the sentence “the pink umbrella,” the word ‘pink’ is the adjective as it is describing the noun ‘umbrella.’ In ancient Egyptian, adjectives can be used as both modifiers of nouns and as nouns themselves.^[10]
   
   • Adjectives that are used as modifiers will always follow the noun, pronoun, or noun phrase they modify. These types of adjectives will also have the same gender and plurality as the noun.
   • Adjectives that are used as nouns have the same rules as nouns in terms of feminine versus masculine and singular versus plural versus dual.

EditGetting Help Learning Egyptian Hieroglyphics

1. Buy a book on how to read hieroglyphics. One of the most recommended books that can teach you to read Egyptian hieroglyphics is How to Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs: A Step-by-Step Guide to Teach Yourself by Mark Collier and Bill Manley. The most recent version was published in 2003 and is available at a variety of online booksellers.^[11]
   
   • If you go to any online bookseller (e.g. Amazon, Book Depository, etc.) and search for “Egyptian Hieroglyphs” you’ll be presented with a large number of options.
   • Read through the reviews on a bookseller’s website or on Goodreads to determine which book may meet your specific needs.
   • Make sure the book can be returned, or try to get a look inside the book before you buy it, just in case it isn’t what you wanted.
2. Download an iPhone / iPad app. The Apple Store has a number of Egyptian-related apps that can be downloaded to either an iPhone or an iPad. One specific app, called Egyptian Hieroglyphs, was designed specifically to help teach the user how to read glyphs. The same developer also has an app that can turn a QWERTY keyboard into an Egyptian hieroglyphs keyboard.^[12]
   
   • Most of these are paid apps, but the costs are fairly low.
   • Keep in mind that these apps will have a decent variety of glyphs to learn from, but will not be complete.
3. Follow the Royal Ontario Museum’s activity website. The ROM’s website (http://ift.tt/2ltz7Db) contains step-by-step instructions on how to write your name in Egyptian hieroglyphs. The website contains all the info required to complete this simple task, but doesn’t go into detail about more complicated hieroglyphs.
   
   • The ROM also has an extensive Ancient Egyptian gallery with a number of artifacts on display. It may be worth the visit (if you’re in the area) in order to get an idea of what actual hieroglyphs looked like when carved into stone and other materials.
4. Install the JSesh editor on your computer. JSesh is an open source ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic editor that is free to download from the program’s website at http://ift.tt/1b4WF4M.
   
   • The website also contains complete documentation and tutorials on how to use the software.
   • Technically, JSesh is designed for people who already know something about hieroglyphics, but can still be a useful tool while you’re learning or if you want to challenge yourself.
5. Study Egyptology. There are many in-class and online courses available on topics related to Ancient Egypt and Egyptology. For example:
   
   • The University of Cambridge’s has a workshop called Learn to read ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. If you aren’t able to attend the course in-person, download the course syllabus in PDF format. The syllabus contains a number of other helpful resources that you may find useful.^[13]
   • Coursera has an online course called Ancient Egypt: A history in six objects, which is available for free for anyone who has internet access. While it doesn’t teach hieroglyphics specifically, it does talk about Ancient Egypt by using actual artifacts from the time period.^[14]
   • The University of Manchester has both a certificate and diploma program in Egyptology, all available online. They also have courses available that can be taken on their own, for those who are interested. While the programs are online, the ability to go to specific museums and libraries may be useful.^[15]

EditTips

• Names of gods and kings usually appear in front of noun phrases, but should be read after the noun phrase. This is called a honorific transposition.^[16]
• In addition to suffix pronouns, ancient Egyptian also has dependent pronouns, independent pronouns, and demonstrative pronouns. These additional pronouns have not been explained here.^[17]

EditWarnings

• Learning to read ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics will not be a quick and easy task. Those who study Egyptology can spend years learning how to read hieroglyphs properly. Not to mention that entire books have been written to teach people how to read hieroglyphs. This article outlines the basics, but is not a complete and total representation of everything there is to learn about Egyptian hieroglyphs.
• Most ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic alphabets found online include only a subset of possible glyphs available. In order to get a full list of all possibly glyphs (which number in the thousands) you may need to obtain a book that specializes in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.

EditRelated wikiHows

• Read a Study Text Quickly
• Read Braille
• Use a Maintenance Manual

EditSources and Citations

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How to Get Rid of a UTI Fast

Urinary tract infections can be extremely uncomfortable, so it is little wonder that people suffering with them are eager to get rid of the infection fast. Prompt, quick treatment is also important to prevent the UTI from developing into a more serious condition. UTIs sometimes get better on their own within four of five days, and there are several home treatments you can try, but it is strongly recommended that you get professional medical treatment for the fastest and most thorough treatment.^[1]

EditSteps

EditSeeking Medical Treatment for a UTI

1. Recognize the symptoms. A urinary tract infection (UTI) is very common, but can be unpleasant and very uncomfortable. UTIs are an infection of your upper urinary tract (kidney and ureters), lower urinary tract (bladder and urethra), or both.^[2]
   
   • If you develop a UTI you will likely feel a burning sensation when you urinate as well as a need to urinate often.
   • You may also feel pain in your lower abdomen.^[3]
2. Know the different symptoms for an upper or lower urinary tract infection. There are different symptoms for the different infections. It can be useful to think about your symptoms so you can explain them clearly if you need to go to the doctor. Symptoms of lower UTIs include: needing to urinate more often, cloudy or bloody urine, back pain, very unpleasant smelling urine, and generally feeling unwell.^[4]
   
   • If you have an upper UTI you may experience a high temperature (over 38 degrees C, or 100 Fahrenheit).
   • You may also be nauseous, and shiver uncontrollably.
   • Other symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea.^[5]
3. Know when to seek medical treatment. 25-40%of mild UTIs will spontaneously resolve, but that still leaves more than half who could be putting themselves at risk for a complication by not seeking medical care. Make an appointment with your doctor straight away if you are experiencing a UTI and you develop a high temperature or your symptoms suddenly get worse.^[6]
   
   • If you are pregnant or diabetic you should contact your doctor immediately.
   • Going to see a doctor will enable you to get a clear diagnosis. What you think is a UTI could be a yeast infection or something else.^[7]
   • Your doctor will likely have you take a urine test to determine if you have a UTI and what bacteria might be causing it.^[8] These cultures usually take 48 hours to complete.
4. Take a course of antibiotics. UTIs are bacterial infections, and as such, doctor prescribed antibiotics are the most thorough, most recommended treatment to consider. Antibiotics are particularly recommended for women who suffer frequent UTIs. Longer-term courses of antibiotics can help prevent the infection recurring.^[9]
   
   • Antibiotics typically prescribed to treat a UTI are nitrofurantoin (branded as Furadantin, Macrobid, or Macrodantin), and sulfamethoxazole with trimethoprim (branded as Bactrim, or Septra).^[10]However, ciprofloxacin (known as Cipro), fosfomycin (known as Monurol) and levofloxacin (known as Levaquin) are also prescribed^[11].
   • In addition to antibiotics, AZO is an over the counter bladder analgesic that can help.
5. Complete the course of antibiotics. Take a one- to seven-day course of antibiotics, with your doctor's prescription and advice. Most women are put on a 3 to 5 day antibiotic. Men might be put on an antibiotic for 7 to 14 days. While symptoms usually clear up around three days after antibiotic treatment, it can take up to five days for all the bacteria in your urinary tract to die off.^[12] It may take even longer for men.
   
   • It is vital that you finish all of the antibiotics that your doctor prescribes, unless your doctor tells you otherwise.
   • If you stop taking your antibiotics before the course is over, you’re not allowing the antibiotics to completely kill the bacteria.^[13]
   • If your symptoms continue after you have taken all your antibiotics, or you don’t feel any better after a few days, contact your doctor again.^[14]
6. Be aware of potential complications. There are potentially serious complications from a severe UTI, which could lead to kidney failure or blood poisoning. These are not common, and they normally only affect people with a pre-existing health problem, such as diabetes. If you have a weakened immune system you are more susceptible to complications and infections.^[15]
   
   • Pregnant women with UTIs are at risk for life threatening complications and should always be examined by a physician.
   • Men who have recurrent UTIs are at risk of developing inflammation of the prostate, known as prostatitis.^[16]
   • You may require hospital treatment for a severe upper UTI, or if there are complications.
   • This will still involve antibiotics, but you will be closely monitored and perhaps put on a drip to keep you hydrated.^[17]

EditAlleviating a UTI at Home

1. Drink plenty of water. Antibiotics are the only way to really treat a UTI, but given that they often pass in a few days, there are things you can do to help ease the symptoms and make it less likely for the infection to recur. The most straightforward of these is just to drink plenty of water throughout the day, approximately a glass every hour.^[18]
   
   • When you urinate your bladder is cleansed and this can help flush out bacteria.^[19]
   • Do not hold in your urine. Holding in your urine can cause the UTI to get worse, by encouraging the bacteria to breed.
2. Try some cranberry juice. Drinking cranberry juice is often cited as a home remedy for a UTI. While there is little evidence that cranberry juice can actually fight an infection, it may help prevent one.^[20] If you have recurring UTIs try taking higher-strength cranberry capsules.^[21] As with water, drinking plenty of fluids helps you to flush out and cleanse your system.
   
   • Do not take cranberry juice if you or your family has a history of kidney infection.
   • You should not take cranberry juice capsules if you are taking blood thinning medication.^[22]
   • There is no medically specified dose of cranberry juice to take, as its effectiveness is not proven.^[23]
   • One study found positive results for women who took either one tablet of concentrated cranberry juice a day, or drank 8oz of unsweetened cranberry juice three times a day for a year.^[24]
3. Take vitamin C supplements. Taking vitamin C supplements when you first start to feel the symptoms of a UTI can help to limit a developing infection. The vitamin C helps to acidify the urine, which discourages the bacteria from colonizing your bladder, while strengthening your body’s immune defences.^[25]
   
   • Try a 500mg dose every hour, but stop if your bowel movements become loose.^[26]
   • You can combine vitamin C supplements with mild anti-inflammatory teas, such as goldenseal, echinacea, and nettle.
   • If the symptoms persist after a few days, go to doctor regardless.
4. Avoid consuming irritants. There are certain things you consume which can be irritants, the effects of which are heightened when you have a UTI. The two biggest culprits to avoid are coffee and alcohol. Not only are they irritants, but they also dehydrate you which can make it more difficult to flush the bacteria from your urinary tract.^[27]
   
   • You should also avoid soft drinks that contain citrus juices until after your UTI has cleared.^[28]
   • Restricting caffeine and alcohol in your diet can also be used as a preventative measure against future UTIs if you are susceptible to these infections.

EditStaying Hygienic and Healthy

1. Maintain excellent urinary hygiene. While proper hygiene is generally considered a preventative measure against urinary tract infections, it is also an essential part of getting rid of the infection sooner. The more you can incorporate healthy and hygienic practices, the better off you will be^[29]
   
   • Wipe from the front to the back after using the bathroom. This is especially important for women, who should always wipe from front to back.^[30]
2. Clean before and after sex. Sexual intercourse is one of the ways in which bacteria can be introduced to a woman’s urethra, eventually ending up in the bladder.^[31] In order to help prevent this, the genital and anal areas should be cleaned before and after sexual activity. Women should also urinate before and after sexual activity. Avoid body lotions and Massage oils as a lubricant unless it says it's safe. These have chemicals that can lead to an infection.
   
   • Urinating after intercourse empties the bladder and flushes out bacteria.^[32]
   • UTIs are not infectious and you cannot catch one from somebody else.^[33]
3. Wear the right clothing. Certain clothes can make it more difficult to get rid of your UTI. Tight-fitting underwear which is made of non-breathable materials can enable a moist and bacteria-friendly environment to develop adjacent to the bladder. For these reasons, go for cotton underwear, rather than non-absorbent fabrics like nylon.^[34]
   
   • Avoid tight-fitting pants or shorts. Tight garments can cause sweat and moisture to build up, creating an ideal breeding ground for bacteria.
   • Wearing the right underwear can help prevent infections developing or worsening, but it won’t cure them.

EditVideo

EditTips

• Don't have sexual intercourse while treating a UTI. You might introduce new bacteria and reduce the likelihood of complete recovery.
• Drink lots of water, take medicine prescribed by your doctor.
• Take some Ibuprofen to help with pain, while you are taking all the remedies.
• Do not use lotions or massage oils as a lubricant unless it specifically says it can be used. Chemicals in some of these products can cause a UTI.
• Get lots of rest as well and drink plenty of water.
• Use a heating pad to minimize discomfort. While this will not get rid of the UTI, it may help ease your symptoms. The heating pad should be warm, but not hot, and you should apply it to your lower abdomen to relieve pressure, pain, and other discomfort associated with urinary tract infections.
• Do not consume cranberry or take antibiotics - it will temporarily help, but will make you worse! Drink 8oz of water with a tablespoon of baking soda, then 8 oz of lemon water every hour. This will immediately soothe bladder pain.

EditWarnings

• Taking cranberry daily as a preventative measure is very effective, but exercise caution when consuming cranberry juice with an active infection.
• Because cranberry juice is very acidic, it can actually worsen an existing UTI. Acidic foods and drinks can irritate the already inflamed bladder.
• If you do not notice a dramatic improvement in your symptoms after 24 to 36 hours of home treatment, you need to seek out professional medical help.
• Even uncomplicated UTIs can develop into fatal kidney infections if allowed to fester for too long.
• If home treatment does seem to work, you should still consider having a professional urine test taken to double-check for remaining bacteria.

EditThings You'll Need

• Cranberry juice
• Water
• Vitamin C
• Goldenseal, echinacea, and nettle supplements
• Cotton undergarments
• Loose-fitting pants or bottoms
• Antibiotics

EditRelated wikiHows

• Treat a Urinary Tract Infection
• Do a Kidney Cleansing Fast
• Treat a Bladder Infection
• Heal a Urinary Tract Infection Naturally

EditSources and Citations

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How to Grow Longer Curly Hair

Curly hair demands different care than its straight or wavy counterparts. Because it’s a little more finicky, curly hair is also more vulnerable to premature breakage, potentially making it hard to grow it out to longer lengths. But with the right care, even curly hair can grow long. Read on to find out how.

EditSteps

EditWashing

1. Limit your washes. Don’t wash your hair every day. Daily washing strips hair of its natural oils, and because curly hair is typically prone to dryness, daily washing can lead to drier hair that’s more likely to break. Instead, wash every other day or a few times a week.
   
   • Don’t “wash, rinse, and repeat”--that style advice may work for people with straighter hair, but it’s no good for those with curly hair. When you wash your hair, only wash it once.
   • If needed, you can wash your hair with conditioner (called “co-washing”) in-between washes. That way you won't be harming your hair with sulfates, which are found in most shampoos.^[1]
2. Wash and condition your hair in sections. Curly hair can be dense and unruly, sometimes making it difficult to reach all the parts of your hair. If you have particularly thick or curly hair, wash and condition your hair one section at a time.
   
   
   • How large each section should be will depend on the density of your hair--the denser it is, the smaller you should make each section.
   • Consider using a shampoo specifically targeted for curly hair; it may be more moisturizing and strip away less of your hair’s natural oil.
3. Use a rich, deep conditioner during every wash. You may even find it helpful to condition your ends between washes if they’re particularly dry.
   
   
   • You might also consider using additional moisturizing/protective products after or between shampooing. A number of oils and serums are available that will help “seal” your hair cuticle and help protect it from damage.^[2]
   • Apply the conditioner starting from the bottom of your hair. Generally, you won’t need to apply conditioner higher than halfway up the length of your hair unless hair is noticeably dry near your scalp.^[3]

EditStyling

1. Use your fingers. Don’t try to drag a fine-toothed comb or brush through your hair--it’s only likely to cause damage and undue breakage. Instead, use your fingers or a very wide-toothed comb (like a pick) to detangle your hair before styling.
   
   
   • You should generally avoid brushing your hair, but particularly avoid brushing it when it’s wet and thus more susceptible to damage.
2. Press, don’t rub, moisture out. When using a towel to dry your hair, don’t rub the towel against your head--squeeze your hair gently with the towel instead. The friction of rubbing a towel against your hair will cause damage and lead to easy breakage.
   
   
   • You can also try replacing a towel with a cotton t-shirt or microfiber cloth to dry your hair. Both are generally softer and less abrasive than towels, so they can be gentler to use on hair.^[4]
3. Avoid heat-styling. This includes blow drying, curling, and straightening. Excessive heat changes the protein structure of hair, leading it to become more limp and less resilient (and thus more prone to breakage) over time.^[5]
   
   
   • Although avoiding the blow dryer is optimal, sometimes it isn’t practical. If you do need to blow dry your hair, do so with the dryer on a low setting and use a diffuser. You might also consider using a curl-styling cream before drying.
4. Avoid wearing your hair in a bun or ponytail everyday. An occasional bun or ponytail won’t cause irrevocable harm, but wearing a pulled-back style too frequently can cause wear and tear (ie, breakage).
   
   
   • If you do wear your hair back, be sure to use non-tangle hair ties. Avoid ties with metal pieces and definitely stay away from raw rubber bands.

EditFurther Care

1. Use protein or oil treatments. Protein and oil treatments are more intensively moisturizing and repairing, which means they help prevent breakage and keep hair healthy. Most people will benefit from using them anywhere from weekly to several times a month. Everyone’s hair will respond a bit differently to various kinds of treatments, so you may need to try out a few different types before finding the one that’s best for you.
   
   
   • If you choose to use a commercial protein treatment, it’s often advisable that you balance it with a conditioning treatment afterward or hair may become stiff or vulnerable to breakage.
   • Natural protein treatments, like using egg or mayonnaise, may work for those whose hair doesn’t respond well to commercial protein treatments.
   • Hair oils come in two major types: sealing and moisturizing. Sealing oils, like jojoba or almond oil, are meant to be used with damp hair to protect it and seal in moisture,^[6] while moisturizing oils, like castor and avocado oil, are heavier and are meant for periodic deep conditioning.^[7] Heating a moisturizing oil and gently massaging it into your scalp for between 5 and 20 minutes can also help moisturize hair and encourage hair growth.^[8]
2. Cover your hair at night. Protect your hair by covering it with a silk or satin bonnet, a bandana, or a scarf before going to bed. The added protection will help prevent unnecessary damage and breakage.^[9][10]
   
   • Alternatively, you can spritz your hair lightly with water and then cover your hair with a shower cap just before bed to create a naturally warm, moist environment that can help keep your hair moisturized and protected.
   • If putting on a hair cap doesn’t appeal to you, you can also try sleeping on a silk or satin pillow, which will reduce friction against your hair.^[11]
3. Get regular trims. Though it may seem counter-intuitive to trim your hair when you’re trying to grow it out, untrimmed ends tend to accumulate damage that leads to breakage--ultimately making it harder to grow your hair.^[12]
   
   
   • Regularly trimming off dry, damaged, and split ends will improve your hair’s overall health, helping it grow in healthier and more resilient.
   • On average, most people’s hair will grow about 1/2 an inch per month. If you’re noticing that your strands are breaking more than 1/2 an inch from the end, it will indeed seem like your hair can’t grow past its current length.^[13]
   • When going to a hair stylist, ask them to trim or cut your hair while it’s dry--if they don’t know to do so already. (Or, even better, before you even get this far, make sure the stylist you’re seeing is experienced working with curly hair.) Because curly hair texture and length can differ significantly from wet to dry, dry cuts are best.^[14]
4. Relax. Stress can have a significant impact on the health of your hair; when you’re stressed, your hair becomes more vulnerable to breakage and can begin to fall out in larger-than-normal amounts. So if you want long, healthy hair, you’re going to need to relax a little. Also you need to do yoga if you have stress.
   
   • Try taking up meditation, yoga, or tai chi. All are great ways to reduce the kind of stress that can lead to hair loss and damage.^[15]
5. Take care of your whole body. Hair responds not only to the kinds of nutrients you put on it, but to the kinds of nutrients that go into it. To keep your hair healthy, you also need to take care of your body by giving it good nutrition and enough exercise.
   
   • Eat a generally healthy, well-balanced diet. Be sure you’re getting enough protein, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids, all of which are important to hair strength.^[16]
   • Drink lots of water each day.
   • Get regular exercise. You don’t need to become a gym rat, but getting 15-20 minutes of moderate exercise several times a week will improve your body’s overall function, including hair growth.

EditVideo

EditTips

• It is true, however, that some people’s hair grows faster than others’.
• Do not let anyone touch your hair because it can damage your hair!
• Wearing your hair up helps you to avoid unnecessary breakage by protecting it from the weather and even you running your hands through it. It allows the hair to keep it's moisture while it's compacted together, but be sure to moisturize and seal it beforehand.
• It’s a myth that some people can’t grow hair beyond a certain length. What in fact tends to happen is people with delicate or vulnerable hair have more difficulty growing their hair out past a certain length because of breakage.^[17]
• The curlier your hair, the drier it’s likely to be because your scalp’s natural oils can’t travel down your strands as easily, resulting in drier-than-average ends.^[18][19]

EditRelated wikiHows

• Get a Hairstyle That Fits Your Personality
• Follow the Curly Girl Method for Curly Hair
• Care for Naturally Curly or Wavy Thick Hair
• Style Curly Hair
• Get Your Hair to Be Long and Healthy
• Remove and Prevent Split Ends
• Make Your Natural Hair Color Last Longer
• Grow Thick Curly Hair
• "Dust" Hair

EditSources and Citations

• Videos provided by SunKissAlba

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