Barring psychological illness, we are all largely responsible for our own emotional health and well-being. What does that mean? That what we say to ourselves over and over for days, weeks, months, and sometimes years, has a dramatic effect on how we see ourselves. This also contributes to many of the mental health disorders we see rampant today: what we choose to have continually playing in our brains stays there, and there’s a real problem when we start buying into the negative thoughts we have about ourselves.
除了身体上的疾病，我们还应该关注我们的情绪健康。这所指的是什么呢？我们在日复一日，有时年复一年里，给予自己什么样的暗示，是对我们的如何看待自己有着巨大的影响力的。这也与我们现在十分严重的心理健康问题有着很大的关系：我们是不断地往脑袋里装什么东西，而当我们开始把那些消极的想法灌输到大脑里去时，真正的问题就出现了。
I discovered how powerful the effect of conditioning is firsthand when I was listening to some oldies the other day on the radio—I was amazed at how quickly I could belt out the words to songs I hadn’t heard in decades. How could I remember all those lyrics from so long ago? Because I was conditioned by them. I listened and sang those words day in and day out for what seemed like forever, until they were burned into my brain cells, and some of those old songs even provoked strong feelings in me as I took a quick trip downmemory lane.
第一次发现习惯的作用有多强大是，有一天，我正在听一些老歌的时候。当我能够迅速哼出，十几年没听的歌曲的歌词时，我自己都十分地惊讶。我怎么会能够记住那些那么久之前的歌词？因为我原来已经习惯这些歌词了。当时，我日复一日地去听这些歌，好像永远不会停那样，直到这些歌词深深地印在了我的脑海里。当我走在短途旅行的小巷时，有些老歌甚至能够在我心里引起极大的感情起伏。
The mind is a powerful thing, and in a nanosecond, it can elevate or crush our mood because of the beliefs lurking behind our feelings.
记忆是很神奇的。只需要一纳秒的时间里，记忆就可以振奋或者消沉我们的情绪。因为那些潜藏在我们感觉后面的信念。
If you think I’m kidding, try it yourself: think of an old song, or even the lyrics to one of your favorite television shows. Those of us who are old enough can belt out the opening line to The Beverly Hillbillies in our sleep.
如果你觉得我这是天方夜谭，你可以试试看：想起一首老歌，或者你喜欢的电视剧的主题曲。那些和我们年纪相仿的人，即使是在做梦，都能吼出贝弗利山人的开场白。那么，我们能做些什么来让我们的情绪健康呢？每一件事都可以。
So, what does all this have to do with our emotional health? Everything.
许多人都会有负面思想的问题。但如果这些负面的思想挥之不去，并且你开始相信它们，这会
Many of us have problems with negative thoughts playing on the channel of our minds, but if you’re engaging in it consistently, and you believe it, it could be eroding your sense of self-esteem. Here are a few beliefs that indicate you may need to switch the station:
侵蚀你的自信。有下面的想法，则说明你需要改变了：
I’m a loser
我是个失败者
I’m not good enough
我不够好
I don’t deserve….
我不配拥有......
No one likes me
没有人喜欢我
I suck at relationships
我不擅于交际
I’m a failure
我太失败了
Negative thoughts conjures up bad feelings and hooks you into believing that what those old tapes in your head are playing is actually true. In short, it brings your focus to your failures, and that gets you nowhere.
这些自我否定的想法会使人感觉很糟糕，它们会不停得在你脑海里闪现，并且使你相信它们都是真的。简而言之，它会使你专注在你的失败上 ，而这则会让你什么都做不好。
What can you do?
你能做什么来改变这一切呢？
Here are some suggestions:
这里有一些建议可以参考：
Notice when that same old song starts playing, and switch the channel
当意识到同样的消极想法出现时，要及时转换想法
Self-talk is so subtle that we often don’t notice its effect on our mood and belief systems—as previously noted, one song can conjure up an entire series of thoughts and memories. Key things to notice are “if only or “what if” statements: the former keep you stuck in the past with regret, while the latter keep you fearful of the future. There is nothing you can do about the past, and the future isn’t here yet, so stay in the present moment.
自我暗示是很微妙的，以致我们通常感觉不到它在影响着我们的情绪和信仰系统。正如我们上面提到的，一首老歌能激发我们无限的思绪和回忆。我们需要特别留意的是，以“要是”或者“如果”开头的句子：前者使沉浸在对过去的悔恨里，后则则使你对未来怀着恐惧。对过去，你已经无能为力，而未来来尚未来到。所以，请把握现在。
Visualize the good things
形象化美好的事物
Three scoops of ice cream: chocolate, vanilla, strawberry. Fresh crushed pineapple and strawberries, warm luscious hot fudge. Ripe sweet banana. Fresh whipped cream and a juicy red cherry. Get the drift? By now, you’re not only thinking of the banana split, you can taste it. If we want to change the negative tapes playing in our heads, we have to visualize ourselves positively—that means seeing yourself non-judgmentally. Picture accepting yourself. How would that look? Draw a picture in your mind and expand on it.
三勺冰淇淋：巧克力味的，香草味的，草莓味的。刚榨出的菠萝、草莓汁，温暖甘美的热软糖。甜甜的熟香蕉，新鲜的奶油和多汁的红樱桃。有所了解了吗？现在，你不只是去想象香蕉圣代，你可以去品尝它。如果我们想改变脑子里那些挥之不去的消极想法，我们必须积极地去形象化我们——不带评判的眼光去看待你自己。想象去接受自己。这会是什么样的情境呢？在你的脑海里，把它画出来，丰富它。
Whatever you believe, you’ll experience more of, and you’ll also find yourself behaving in ways that are congruent with your beliefs. So, start believing the best about yourself: act as if you believe that you’re a valuable and worthy person.
无论你相信的是什么，你会更有可能去经历那样的事，你将会发现你行为方式会越来越吻合你的信念。所以，现在开始相信最好的自己：表现出你相信你是宝贵的，有价值的人。
Pay attention to triggers
远离会激发你这些想法的人或物
Triggers are anything that can start the old tapes playing. If a certain person is a trigger for you, set boundaries with them.
触发器是任何能使你产生消极想法的人或者物。如果有这样的人会激发你这些念头，与他保持距离。
Develop positive counterstatements to refute negative self-talk
建立积极的抗辩书来反驳消极的自我对话
Instead of always putting yourself down in your head, think of some things you actually like about yourself. What are your strengths, what are you good at? Developing counterstatements requires you have some degree of belief in their veracity. Keep your counterstatements in the here-and-now, instead of saying “I’m not good enough” try saying, “I am capable. I’m good at ______. I accept myself the way I am .”
与经常自馁相反，要多想想自己喜欢自己的地方。你的长处是什么，你擅长的是什么？建立抗辩书需要你有一些准确的信念。此时此刻开始，始终相信它们，而不是不停地说“我不够好”，试着去说”我很能干。我擅长做什么什么。我能接受我自己。“
Thinking poorly about ourselves gets us nowhere and is extremely self-limiting. Decide today to turn off the negative self-talk channel in your mind and develop your true potential.
自我贬低会使我们一事无成，并且限制我们的能力。从今天开始，扭转这些脑子里消极的自我对话，开发你的真正潜能。
|
