Life can quickly change from great to grim at any given moment. These unexpected shifts can startle and frighten us, which in turns makes us feel negative. It could be something as simple as stubbing a toe when getting out of bed that sets the tone for the entire day. If we cultivate more awareness around trying to be positive, however, we have the power to radically change the way we feel.
生活有時總是處于起伏不定的狀態(tài)。這些意想不到的轉變會讓我們受到驚嚇和恐嚇,讓我們感到消極。起床時踩到腳趾這種不起眼的小事就會影響這一整天的心情。不過,如果我們有意識試著多培養(yǎng)積極心態(tài),我們也能從根本上改變我們的情緒感覺。
I know that positive thinking often gets a bad rap. That's because negativity is often mistakenly perceived as powerful and decisive, with an edge of hip cynicism. Positivity, on the other hand, is often wrongly viewed as puny, entreating, and even feeble-minded. But consider that protracted over time, unchecked, accumulated negative feelings such as anger and hostility, can result in health damaging consequences.
正面思維的口碑往往很差。因為消極思考常被誤認為很強勢而又有決定性,有些憤青的那種憤世嫉俗的感覺。另一方面,積極性常被誤視為微不足道、乞求于人甚至低能遲鈍。但長期拖延下去不加以控制的話,其所累積的負面情緒如憤怒和敵意,可能對健康有害。
In his book Love & Survival, Dr. Dean Ornish writes, "In an analysis of over 45 studies, hostility has emerged as one of the most important variables in heart disease. The effects of hostility are equal to or greater in magnitude to the traditional risk factors for heart disease: elevated cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and so on."
迪恩·奧尼什博士在他的《愛與生存》這本書中寫道,“在45個以上的分析研究中,心懷敵意已經成為誘發(fā)心臟病其中一個最重要的因素。心懷敵意的影響作用相當于或高于誘發(fā)心臟疾病的傳統(tǒng)風險因素:如高膽固醇、高血壓等等。
Luckily, contributions from the field of Positive Psychology are now verifying the importance of positivity, not only suggesting that it is far more potent than we think, but that it is a powerful component necessary for optimal health and overall well-being. In her book Positivity, renowned researcher Dr. Barbara Fredrickson writes:
幸運的是,積極心理學領域的最近貢獻是正在驗證積極性的重要性,它不僅遠比我們想象的更為強大,而且它是最佳健康和整體健康所需的一個功能強大的組件,這是著名的芭芭拉德里克森博士研究員在她的著作《積極情緒》一書中寫到的。
For example, positive emotions that are broadening such as feeling curious, playful and compassionate towards a stranger can result in building a possible life-long friendship.
例如,積極情緒對陌生人起到催化好奇心、頑皮心和同情心的作用,最終結下終身友誼。
When experiencing the stress of negative emotions, we tend to be more susceptible to cardiovascular effects such as increased heart rate and blood pressure, higher blood sugar, and immune suppression. Prolonged exposure to negative emotions can eventually lead to coronary artery disease.
在憤怒或高度焦慮時會出現負面情緒,經歷負面情緒的壓力時,我們的心血管往往更容易受到影響,如心率增加、血壓升高、血糖升高、免疫力差。長時間積壓負面情緒最終會誘發(fā)冠狀動脈疾病。
Some Simple Suggestions for Increasing Positivity:
增加積極性的一些簡單的建議:
1. During the day, be mindful of wins: a satisfying completion of a project, a kind gesture, a humorous email, or an unexpected compliment.
白天,銘記成功:完成一個項目感覺很有成就感,一個友好的態(tài)、一封幽默的電子郵件或一個意想不到的恭維。
2. Take a full body stretch every hour. Snag a brisk walk with a coworker on your lunch hour. Enjoy your favorite healthy snacks, and keep hydrated.
每小時做一下全身伸展運動。在午餐時間和同事散步。享受自己最愛的零食,并堅持補水。
3. Ritualize your transition at the close of the workday. Consciously decide what you want to bring home with you. Leave the burdens and upsets of the day behind. Sit in the car for a few minutes and breathe deeply. When you get home, take time to relax and unwind with a guided five-minute "Lying On Back" gentle yoga stretch.
以儀式化的方式來過渡去結束這一天的工作。要有意識提醒自己隨你一起帶回家的。放下一天的負擔和不適。在車里坐幾分鐘,做一下深呼吸。到家后找時間放松一下,做一下柔和的瑜伽伸展動作:“仰臥”五分鐘。
4. Contact and connect with loved ones. Call, text, email, send a love letter or a shared photo of a happy memory. Laugh, dance, share a meal, sit together, hold hands, cuddle.
聯系一下親人/愛人。打打電話、發(fā)發(fā)短信/電子郵件、發(fā)送一封情書或分享一下留有快樂記憶的照片。要有笑聲、要跳舞、分享一頓美食、一起坐一坐、牽手、擁抱。
5. Make an ongoing list of what is NOT broken. Keep a gratitude journal.
列出一個正在進行的清單。保持一顆感恩的心。
Developing a positive attitude greatly enriches our lives as well as that of those around us. Cultivating positivity can alter your body, mind and spirit in formidable ways that will aid you in creating your best life. As Dr. Fredrickson writes, "The treasure of your own positivity is waiting for you.
培養(yǎng)一種積極的態(tài)度極大地豐富了我們的生活并增強你與周圍的人的人際關系。培養(yǎng)積極性可以改變你的身體狀態(tài)、思想狀態(tài)和精神強大,幫助你創(chuàng)造最好的生活狀態(tài)。弗雷德里克森博士寫道,“你自己的正能量寶藏正向你敞開。
重點詞匯學習:
radically ['rædik?li]
adv. 根本上;徹底地;以激進的方式
參考例句: I don't think it has fundamentally altered the sport 我認為它并沒有從根本上改變這項運動
rap [ræp]
vt. 搶走;輕敲;敲擊致使;使著迷vi. 敲擊;交談n. 輕敲
參考例句:Masked robbers broke in, tied him up, and made off with $8,000 幾個蒙面大盜破門而入,把他捆起來,搶走了8,000美元
cynicism ['sini,siz?m]
n. 玩世不恭,憤世嫉俗;犬儒主義;冷嘲熱諷
參考例句:He was dismayed at the cynicism of the youngsters 他對年輕人的玩世不恭感到驚愕
cholesterol [k?'lest?r?l]
n. [生化] 膽固醇
參考例句:Oxidized cholesterol may be responsible for furring up the arteries 氧化膽固醇可能是造成動脈堵塞的元兇