如何在逆境中保持积极的态度

译者 txstar

How to Be Positive Even if Circumstances are against You

如何在逆境中保持积极的态度

Can you be a balanced person with a negative attitude? I would like to see that.

你能成为一个可以平衡消极态度的人吗？我看好你哦。

“Hey, how was your day?”

“嘿，你今天过得怎么样？”

“Rotten”

“糟糕透了”

“Why? Did anything bad happen?”

“为什么？发生什么糟糕的事情了吗？”

“Of course, haven’t you watched the news?! The politicians are not doing anything to improve the economic situation. My favorite football team has just lost its first game of the season. And on top of all that, I have to hang out with relatives that I pretty much hate – they are just so annoyingly happy.”

“当然了，你没看新闻吗？！那些政策对改善经济状况一点用都没有。我最喜欢的足球队在第一赛季中输了。而最可恶的是我不得不和我最讨厌的亲戚出去玩--他们却非常高兴。”

“I’m sorry to hear that… Is there anything I can do?”

“听到这些我很难过……我有什么可以为你做的吗？”

“Oh, no. I feel pretty balanced right now. [Sigh]”

“哦，不用了，我现在觉得平和多了。(叹气）”

Definitely, positive attitude is the way to go if you want to stay in balance. According to a new meta-analysis of more than 200 studies, positive attitude helps you create success in all areas by making you more effective and efficient at nearly everything you do (from your career to your relationships to your physical health.)

很明显，如果你想要保持平和，积极的态度是个方法。根据一个新的对200多项研究的元分析，积极的态度有助于你跟有效和高效地做几乎任何事情从而让你在所有方面创造成功（从你的事业到你的人际关系到你的身体健康）。

Even if you think that you are a rather positive person already consider these 9 tips that will help you feel even better. For your homework, the rest of the week, work on implementing all of these strategies into your life. Figure out which ones work the best for you.

即使你认为你是已经一个非常积极的人，考虑到以下九个小窍门会让你感觉更好。这些是你的家庭作业，这周剩下的日子里，将这些策略贯彻到你的生活中。弄明白哪些项对你最好。

1. Create a positive chain of reaction

1.创造一个积极的行动链。

The human brain is wired to create patterns, so if you constantly focus on worries, fears and problems your brain gets “stuck” looking for the negative and has no resources left to seek the positive. An easy way to change this pattern is to start a mini gratitude journal.

人类大脑是会创造模式的，所有如果你不停地集中于焦虑、恐惧和问题，你的大脑将启动寻找消极的东西而没有资源剩下去寻找积极的东西。改变这种模式的简单方法就是开始记一个迷你感恩日记。

Every day spend 45 seconds a day listing three things you are grateful for. The key is making sure that each one is new, different and specific each time you do the exercise. You can focus on your accomplishments, on events that happened in your life today, on people around you or just your own wellbeing.

每天花45秒列出你感恩的三件事。关键是确定每次你做这个联系的时候每件事都是新的、不同的和特殊的。你可以集中于你的成就，你生活中发生的事情，你周围的人或者仅仅是你自己的快乐。

A while back I read an interesting story in a parenting magazine. One mother was complaining that her son was extremely negative: no matter what he did he managed to find something negative about it. One day the family went to see a baseball game of an older brother. It was cloudy and by the time they got to the field it started raining. Of course the little boy started complaining that the game was worthless, nothing interesting was going on and he was about to catch a cold from sitting in the rain.

不久之前我在一本教育杂志上读到一个很有趣的故事。一个母亲正在抱怨她的儿子太过消极：不管他做什么事他总能找到这件事消极的方面。一天，一家人去看一个兄长的棒球比赛，天气阴沉，当他们到达赛场的时候开始下雨了。于是这个小男孩开始抱怨这个比赛毫无价值，很没有意思，而且他将要而且马上会因为坐在雨里而感冒。

His mother sent him to the car alone and told him not to return until he thought of 10 positive things about that day. The boy was gone for most of the game but when he got back he was a different child. He thought of how beautiful the rain clouds were, how happy he was to have a car to sit in, how happy he was to have eaten pancakes for breakfast, etc. After that it became a tradition in that family to create a list of 10 positive things whenever anyone made a negative comment.

他的妈妈把他带到车里单独呆着并告之他不能回去直到他想出今天发生的10件积极的事情。比赛的大部分时间这个男孩都不在，而当他回来的时候他成了一个不同的孩子。他想起雨云是多么的漂亮，他有一辆轿车坐着是多么高兴，有薄煎饼做早餐吃他是多么的幸福，等等。从此以后，任何一个人在任何时候做一个负面评论时要列出10件积极的事情成为这个家族的传统。

2. Become mindful

2.变得专注

Most of us get stuck in a rut of daily habits. We get used to our route to work, our breakfast options, our family members and co-workers. Did you ever get a call from a friend asking you “Hey, what’s new in your life?” And after a long pause you answered “Oh, nothing really, same old – same old.”

我们大部分都会陷入千篇一律的日常生活习惯。我们习惯于我们的模式工作，我们的早餐选择，我们的家庭成员和同事。。你是否曾经接到一个朋友的电话问你“嘿，你生活里有没有什么新鲜事？”在一个很长的停顿之后你回答“噢，真的没什么，照旧-照旧。”

Living out of habit prevents us from engaging in what’s around us, it makes us lose track of time and feel exhausted and unenthused. Mindfulness, however, energizes, excites and allows us to maximize our potential personally, professionally and socially.

出于习惯的生活阻止我们参与那些围绕着我们的事情，它让我们不能跟上时代的发展并且感到精疲力尽、缺乏热情。然而，专注力激发、刺激和让我们将个人的、职业的和社交上的潜能最大化。

Commit to this simple daily exercise: walk out of the house and actively seek five new things. Try to discover something different about a task at work (or add your own creative spin on it), a friend, a relationship, your kids etc. Your work will become more interesting, your relationships will be more exciting and life more engaging.

做这样一个简单的日常练习：走出家门并积极地寻找5个新的事物。尝试发现工作中一个任务的不同之处（或者在上面加上你自己的创意），一个朋友，一种关系，你的孩子等等。你的工作会变得更加有趣，你的人际关系会更好，生活会更迷人。

Create the same rule for yourself or even your family members. Whenever you catch yourself thinking negative thoughts blast them with 5-10 positive things about that particular day.

为你自己或者你的家庭成员创造一样的规则。当你发现自己有消极的想法，用那个特殊日子的5-10个积极事物来摧毁它们。

3. Try new things

3.尝试新的东西

While mindfulness is a passive way to get out of a daily rut, you can also adopt a more aggressive strategy. Every week try something new, whether it is a new recipe, a new hair style, a new workout or a new route to work.

然而专注力是一个摆脱日常惯性的被动方法，你也可以尝试一个更积极的策略。每周尝试一些新的东西，不论是一个新的食谱，一个新的发型，一种新的锻炼或者一种新的工作方式。

4. Accomplish something that has value to you

4.完成对你有价值的事情

True happiness stems from achieving something meaningful to you. It can be anything like painting, raising kids, helping others, growing a house, writing a blog or organizing your house. It doesn’t matter how spectacular or how famous it makes you – what you do just has to be intrinsically motivated. Ignoring what matters to you sets you up for unhappiness now and regret later in life.

真正的快乐是源于完成对你有意义的事情。这可以是任何事情，比如绘画、抚养孩子、帮助他人、造房子、写博客或者装修你的房子。不论这些事情会让你变得多伟大多出名，你只是做了你内在动机让你做的事情。现在忽略那些让你从不快乐的事情走出来的事情，在以后的生活中你会后悔的。

Make it your personal “me” time and make sure that you leave some time in your schedule to engage in this activity.

让它成为你个人的自我时间并确认在你的行程里可以留出一些时间来做这个事情。

5. Break the cycle of overthinking

5.打破思前想后的循环

Ruminating about your life – obsessing over circumstances you can’t change or replaying them over and over in your mind – can sabotage your happiness and lead to depression (according to research from Susan Nolen-Hoeksema, Yale University.) This bad habit can also zap your creativity, lessen decision-making abilities and slow comprehension.

反思下你的生活--困在你不能改变的循环中或者在脑海中一遍又一遍地重演它们--这会破坏你的快乐并让你变得消极（根据Susan Nolen-Hoeksema, Yale University的研究）。这个坏习惯也会抹杀你的创造力，削弱决策能力并减缓理解能力。

The next time you catch yourself dwelling on an event – a negative exchange with a coworker or an argument with your family member- find a solution. If you can change something – do it right away. Apologize or try to find a compromise with the other party, make a positive remark about the other person and suggest moving on. If you can’t change anything – just create a plan of action if something like this happens again and move on.

下次你发现自己在讨论某件事情--与一个同事消极的交流或者与家人的争论--找到一个解决方法。如果你能改变一些东西，马上做到。道歉或者想另一方妥协，用积极的言辞评论另一个人，并建议你继续下去。如果你不能改变一些事情，那么如果此类事情还会发生，就制作一个行动计划然后继续。

You can’t change people around you, your can only change your own attitude and behavior.

你不能改变你周围的人，你只能改变你自己的态度和行为。

6. Create emotionally intimate relationships

6.创造感谢的亲密关系

Keeping up with a thousand friends on Facebook won’t make you any happier (if anything, it can make you only more depressed.) Create deep relationships with a few friends, family members or your spouse to increase your happiness level. We all need a few confidants who hear us on a deeper level, allow us to share experiences and become involved in our lives.

在facebook上与1000个朋友联系并不能让你更快乐（甚至会让你更沮丧）。和一些朋友、家庭成员或者配偶创造更深层次的关系来提升你的快乐指数。我们都需要一些密友，可以更深层次地倾诉，可以互相分享经历，并开始参与我们的生活。

Once a day spend some time with a close person. Talk to your partner and spend time with him/her. Call your friend or a close family member. Plan monthly events with your close friends.

每天一次，花一些时间和一个亲密的人。和你的搭档聊天，花些时间陪他/她。打电话给你的朋友或者一个亲密的家人。和你亲密的朋友们计划每月的事情。

If you don’t have a confidant right now then think of the people from your past that you want to reconnect with or make the first step to build a new friendship. Remember, that in order to have good friends you must be a good friend yourself first.

如果你现在没有密友，那么想想你想联系的过去认识的人或者迈出建立一个新的友谊关系的第一步。记住，为了有好朋友，你首先必须是自己的好朋友。

7. Go out in nature

7.走进大自然

Nature has an amazing power to fight depression and put us in better mood. According to research conducted by Richard Ryan (University of Rochester), a breath of fresh air rejuvenates your mood and energy levels as much as a coffee break. Spending just 20 minutes a day on a park bench or in your own yard can revitalize your spirits.

大自然有一种很惊人的能量来对抗沮丧并让我们有一个很好的情绪。根据Richard Ryan (University of Rochester)的研究，呼吸一口新鲜空气能使你的情绪和能量水平复原，等同于一个咖啡休息时间。每天花20分钟在公园长椅上或者你自己的花园里能够让你精力恢复。

Even if you are not an outdoorsy person try to combine your favorite activities with being outside. Do your mindfulness exercises while walking, exercise outdoors and plan picnics with your friends or family.

即使你不是一个户外运动爱好者，尝试着在户外做你喜欢做的事情。在散步、户外锻炼和计划与朋友或者家人野餐的时候做你的专注力练习。

8. Exercise

8.锻炼

It’s a well-known fact that regular exercise is beneficial to your body. A recent study published in the Archives of general Psychiatry found that working out regularly can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety as much as anti-depressants. Why don’t more people exercise regularly?

经常锻炼有利于你的身体是个众所周知的事实。最近the Archives of general Psychiatry 出版的一个研究表明经常在户外工作可以降低患抑郁症焦虑症的几率，等同于抗抑郁药。为什么没有更多的人经常锻炼呢？

If you find it difficult to get in the exercise mood, imagine yourself enjoying your favorite parts of the routine or how great you will feel after the end of the workout (in contrast to how tired you feel right now.) Another trick is to tell yourself that you will exercise only for 5 minutes – if you are still feeling tired after 5 minutes then you will stop. Of course, once you start moving you will go all the way. These mental tricks will help you overcome negative thinking and motivate you to stick to your workout.

如果你发现很难进入锻炼的状态，想象一下你自己正在享受日常工作中你最喜欢的一部分或者是锻炼后你感觉有多棒（与之相对照你现在有多累）。另一个窍门就是告诉自己你只要锻炼5分钟。如果你5分钟后仍觉得疲劳那么久停下来。当然，一旦你开始行动你将一路走下去。这些心理小窍门将帮助你克服消极的想法并促使你坚持锻炼。

9. Make other people happy

9.让别人高兴

Research has long shown that if you want to instantly improve your mood, spread positive energy or be perceived as more intelligent, outgoing, attractive, interesting and confident person, smile more.

研究早已表明如果你想持续地改善自己的情绪，传播积极的能量或者被视为智慧、活泼外向、有魅力、有趣和自信的人，那么多微笑。

By sharing your smile with a negative coworker or a client you can bring their mood up too which will make your communication much easier. Smiling at somebody triggers their mirror neurons, parts of our brain that make us feel what we see someone else experiences. (It’s the same process that makes us yawn when someone else yawns first.) The unhappy person in turn feels happier, which changes how they treat you and others.

通过和一个消极的同事或者客户分享你的微笑，你能够带动他们的情绪让你们的交流更容易。微笑的人能带动他们的镜像神经元，大脑中让我们能够感觉看到别人经历的那部分。（这就是跟我们看到别人先打哈欠我们也会打哈欠一样的过程。）不快乐的人变得快乐，这改变他们如何对待你和其他人。

Homework

家庭作业

Print this article and commit to trying all these new techniques at least for a week. Pay attention to how different you feel before and after the end of the week. What was the most helpful tip for you?

打印这篇文章并去尝试所有这些新技术至少一周。注意你的感觉在这周结束和之前有什么不同。那一条对你最有用。

Share your own ways of keeping a positive attitude in the comments below.

将你自己保持积极态度的方法分享到下面的评论中。

Share this article to give more people a positivity gift.

将这篇文章作为一个积极的礼物和更多人分享。

Keep it balanced!

保持平和。