Ways To Manage Stress Creatively

    Stress is a huge problem for us all. Here's what I've learned and applied to manage stress using my creativity.

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    Putting my creativity and my work first, I often neglected to eat, exercise, even stand up from my desk. I now realize that how I feel physically (and mentally) is more important than the work I create. Taking care of myself includes all natural remedies(疗法). I'm learning how to say no to social pressures, in favor of my own well being.

    Don't worry about what other people think of you.

    This is easier said than done, but I promise it does come with age{#blank#}2{#/blank#}A lot of people do offer unsolicited(自发的) advice. It is human nature to want to help other people. But if that advice is coming from a place of control or judgment, RUN in the opposite direction.

    Don't compare.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Most people are not as happy as they describe themselves to be. The best advice I ever heard was this：Don't compare your inside to other people's outside. Be open to new experiences, be kind to yourself and accepting of the journey which is life. Being present means not thinking into the future, or harping(唠叨) on the past. The coolest thing about being present is that CREATIVITY LIVES IN THE MOMENT.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Your intentions matter.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}What was your intention? I remind myself to enjoy the process of my creative fun stuff, it's for me. If others like it, great, but it's the enjoyment of my creative intention, in the moment, that I treasure.

A. Stop judging

B. Each moment is UNIQUE

C. We have to work in order to live

D. Take care of yourself--Mind AND Body

E. Stress is often caused by comparison to others

F. It's important to remember why you started doing something

G. No one cares about what you're doing unless what you're doing affects them

                                                                             Easy Ways to Keep Your Brain Sharp

Everyone is forgetful, but as we age, we start to feel like our brains are slowing down a bit一and that can be a very annoying thing.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Read on for some techniques worth trying.

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    People who regularly made plans and looked forward to upcoming events had a 50 percent reduced chance of Alzheimer's disease (早老性痴呆症)，according to a recent study.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Something as simple as setting a goal to have a weekly coffee date with a friend will do. There's evidence that people who have a purpose in life or who are working on long or short-term goals appear to do better. In other words, keep your brain looking forward.

    ⒉Go for a walk.

    Mildly raised glucose (葡萄糖) levels can harm the area of the brain that helps you form memories and physical activity can help get blood glucose down to normal levels. In fact, exercise produces chemicals that are good for your brain.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    ⒊Learn something new.

    Take a Spanish class online, join a drawing club, or learn to play cards. A study found that mental stimulation (刺激) limits the weakening effects of aging on memory and the mind. But the best thing for your brain is when you learn something new and are physically active at the same time.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Or go dancing with your friends.

A. Focus on the future.

B. This can be especially harmful to the aged.

C. It should be something like learning gardening.

D. So take a few minutes each day to do some reading.

E. But don't worry if your schedule isn't filled with life changing events.

F. Luckily, research shows there is a lot you can do to avoid those moments

G. In other words, when you take care of your body, you take care of your brain.

    It is not as simple as opening the door and hitting the track in winter. There are a few things you can do to ensure you are getting the most out of your run, and, importantly, not doing more harm than good.

    Warm up, cool down

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Your muscles need some time to warm up when it's cold  so take it easy when you set off and do a few stretches (伸展) once you're finished.

    Drink water

    You might not feel hot, but that's because sweat evaporates (蒸发) more quickly into the chilly, dry air. So be sure to drink water before, during and after cold-weather workouts. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} A belt bottle conveniently attaches to your waist so you don't have to carry it and can have a drink whenever you feel like it.

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    Running in cotton is a bad idea. Wear thin, breathable layers of synthetic (合成的) clothing that help protect you from the wind and snow, but still let out heat and moisture (水分).Thirty percent of your body heat escapes through your hands and forty percent through your head. Wear a hat, or beanie (无边小便帽), and gloves so your circulatory system can distribute warm blood to the rest of your body. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Run into the wind

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Obviously, it will be an easier passage home with some extra help from Mother Nature. But, more importantly, you won't have the wind in your face for the second half of your run, when you are more likely to be sweating and catch a chill.

    After a tiring day, your bedroom, a comfortable and inviting space, should be one place where you can finally relax. If the space seems too limited, you can try out these tips to make it look larger.

    ⒈Avoid dark colors and increase natural light.

    In a small room, walls and decoration that are dark can make the area seem even smaller. Choose light color like cream and peach for your walls. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Try to allow as much natural light as possible to fall into the room, through the window or the balcony door. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    ⒉Look for furniture that uses wall space.

Choosing furniture that fits into a corner or which can be placed against a wall will greatly increase ground space in your room. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}—--try hanging some on one wall and see the difference it makes.

    ⒊Find creative ways to store your stuff.

    Make full use of the built-in shelves and storing capacities in the kitchen and bathroom. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}You can also look for multi-function furniture: a coffee table with drawers, or a foot stool with interior storage.

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    When doing weekly clean-ups, throw out your old and unused objects and keep only the essential items in view. You can also cut back on the unnecessary appliances. Move the table fan out into the living room during winter. If your bedroom is already small, don't bring in a TV. If you already have one, try moving it out and see if it gains you extra space.

A. Mirrors also create an impression of space.

B. Remove untidy and unnecessary appliances.

C. Store rarely used items in a box under your bed.

D. Purchase the possible less furniture for your room.

E. Bright sunlight can kill some bacteria in your bedroom.

F. Sunlight will brighten the room and make it seem more cheerful.

G. Pillows, curtain covers, and decorative items should also be light in color.

Public Speaking

    Public speaking can be defined as the act of making a speech in front of a group of listeners.

    The types of public speaking are deliberately structured with three general purposes: to inform, to persuade and to entertain. An informative speech has a purpose to inform, or give knowledge to its audience. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}For persuasive speech, the speaker would try to change the mindset, perception, or behavior of the audience for their own good. Thus, the speaker needs to look for common ground with the audience and try to relate to what they might agree on. The last type is a ceremonial speech. It tends to be less formal and more personal than the other types of speeches. No matter how well you know the person you are giving speech about, try not to say bad things about them, even if it is meant to be a joke.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Sparing some time to practice will help build confidence and help determine how long the presentation will last. Aside from it, knowing who the audience will be is quite necessary. Try to get as much information as possible regarding this particular area related to the audience. Knowing the "battlefield" in advance will give the speakers a huge advantage.

    Language is the main aspect a speaker needs to pay attention to while giving a speech.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}A speaker needs to choose their words carefully and make it clear to the audience what they mean. Often, when given a speech, the audience look up to the speaker to give them something new and useful. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Language and delivery alone will not be sufficient if the speaker does not have the body language. The movement and gesture of a speaker also affect the audience. While closing the speech or presentation, speakers can restate their main points, just to remind the audience of the important things that have been said. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. It needs to be used clearly.

B. These speeches mark special occasions.

C. The important thing to watch about is not to put in too much information.

D. The key of perfecting anything is through practice, including public speaking.

E. They can also end it with a special message and encourage the audience to ask questions.

F. Knowing how public speaking is done is a key part in understanding the importance of it.

G. Thus, the speaker needs to know how to deliver their speech to fulfill the audience's expectation.

    Unless you think you're the smartest, who doesn't want to be smarter? Of course I want to be smarter too. So I try to find out who's the real smart guy that maybe I can learn from.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    ▲ They probably do social media. Not always, but probably.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} They also use this to ensure they can feed their brains with things they otherwise wouldn't have come across.

    ▲ {#blank#}3{#/blank#} They never bother their head about the problem of "work-life balance" and somehow manage to seem 100% engaged in what they're doing, on all fronts simultaneously(同时), even though you know they're taking appropriate steps behind the scenes to make sure their lives are well balanced.

    ▲ They know they are the smartest in the room, but they don't spend much time talking about that.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} That is, they challenge themselves to make everyone else in the room the smartest person too.

    ▲ They never, ever, under any circumstances, make you look stupid, even though it would be easy to do so. They've learned through bitter experience that the only thing that happens when you make someone look bad is that you look bad yourself.

    ▲ If they are managers, they will make every effort to get people more connected and more popular than them in their teams.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} They're not threatened because they know that smartness is synergistic.(相互促进的)

A. It is not only a chance to listen.

B. They know it is an advantage to them.

C. They take it as a personal challenge instead.

D. They will be smiling even when things go wrong.

E. Now I've got an answer about whether someone's smart.

F. They also ensure their smart people look smarter than them.

G. They deal with home, work and personal interests perfectly.