How to Defeat Negative Thinking
如何擊退負面思考
Negative thinking is one of the biggest obstacles we face in experiencing more happiness, but there's hope. Here are two strategies based on cognitive behavioral therapy to defeat your negative thinking.
負面思考是我們在獲得更多幸福時所面對最大的阻礙之一，不過還是有解決辦法。以下是根據認知行為治療所提出的兩種擊退負面思考的方法。
The first is to distract. When you're heading into a social gathering and you begin to wonder, What if I don't connect with anyone? Am I even likable? do something that lifts your mood. Generating a positive emotion will counteract the anxiety you feel—listen to a song that makes you smile or take a moment to appreciate people in your life who love you. Positive emotions literally undo the effects of anxiety by lowering our heart rate and muscle tension.
第一種是分散注意力。當你去到一個社交聚會，然後你開始心想「萬一我和誰都聊不來怎麼辦？會有人喜歡我嗎？」時，做件能提振心情的事吧。激發正面情緒能抵消你的焦慮感－－聽一首會讓自己微笑的歌，或花點時間體會一下生命中愛著你的那些人。正面情緒真的能藉由降低心率和肌肉緊張度來消去焦慮的影響。
We often believe that our negative thinking is true. But in reality, our minds feed us messages that range from mild embellishments to outright lies. Here, we might prefer to combat.
我們常相信自己的負面思考是真實的。但在現實中，我們的大腦常提供我們一些訊息，從稍作渲染的資訊到全然的謊言都有。這時，我們或許會想選擇戰鬥。
Imagine yourself in court. You are the prosecutor, and your negative thought is the defendant. He's guilty, and you know it, but he's pleading not guilty and sticking to his story. Your task is to get the judge to hear your side. So when the negative thought shouts out, "You're not good enough at your job," you need to consult the evidence you have at your disposal to prove it wrong, argue back with the strongest piece of evidence you can find. For example, "I am good enough because every performance review I've had has been positive. I'm currently being considered for that promotion, and my boss told me last week how much she enjoys working with me." Bring your best version of a tough lawyer to that courtroom and convince the judge that the negative thought doesn't deserve his or her attention—after all, the judge is you.
想像自己在法庭上。你是檢察官，你的負面想法是被告。他有罪，你心知肚明，不過他一直辯說自己沒罪，而且堅持他的說法。你的任務就是要讓法官聽你這方的說詞。所以當負面想法大喊：「你在工作上不夠有能力」，你得利用手邊擁有的證據來證實這是錯的，用你所能找到最有力的證據反擊回去。例如，「我夠好，因為我每次的績效考核都是好的。我現在是那個升遷機會的候選人，而且我老闆上禮拜才跟我說她有多喜歡和我共事。」在法庭上表現出你最強悍的律師那面，說服法官不用理會負面想法－－畢竟，那法官就是你自己。
Both of these strategies, distract and combat, are skills anyone can learn and get better at with practice. Remember, with each negative thought you defeat, you've successfully earned your own happiness.
這兩種策略，分散注意力和戰鬥，是任何人都可以學習並且熟能生巧的技能。記住，每擊退一個負面想法，你就成功獲得屬於自己的幸福快樂。
- 「根據、以...為基礎」- Base On
Here are two strategies based on cognitive behavioral therapy to defeat your negative thinking.
以下是根據認知行為治療所提出的兩種擊退負面思考的方法。 - 「實際上、事實上」- In Reality
But in reality, our minds feed us messages that range from mild embellishments to outright lies.
但在現實中，我們的大腦常提供我們一些訊息，從稍作渲染的資訊到全然的謊言都有。 - 「堅持、固守」- Stick To
He's guilty, and you know it, but he's pleading not guilty and sticking to his story.
他有罪，你心知肚明，不過他一直辯說自己沒罪，而且堅持他的說法。 - 「可供某人使用」- At One's Disposal
...you need to consult the evidence you have at your disposal to prove it wrong, argue back with the strongest piece of evidence you can find.
...你得利用手邊擁有的證據來證實這是錯的，用你所能找到最有力的證據反擊回去。 - 「畢竟」- After All
Bring your best version of a tough lawyer to that courtroom and convince the judge that the negative thought doesn't deserve his or her attention—after all, the judge is you.
在法庭上表現出你最強悍的律師那面，說服法官不用理會負面想法－－畢竟，那法官就是你自己。
