The benefits of keeping a journal(日志)

    If you want to grow, one important thing you should do is keep a journal. It may seem simple, but it can make a big difference in your life. I have been keeping journals for years. Writing all the lessons I learn and all the ideas I get has become a habit for me. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here are some benefits you will get by keeping a journal.

♦ It prevents you from losing an idea. Have you ever gotten an idea and lost it later because you didn't write it down? {#blank#}2{#/blank#} But then I developed the habit of writing down every idea that came into my mind as soon as possible. If I am away from my computer, I usually write it down on a piece of paper that I bring wherever I go. I will then transfer the idea to the journal in my computer.

♦ It helps you review all the lessons you've learned. By reviewing your journal, you can quickly see the lessons you've learned and the ideas you've gotten. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} You can use the ideas to propel yourself forward.

♦ {#blank#}4{#/blank#} After keeping a journal for years, you can look back at it and see how far you've gone. Things that were big problems in the past might seem small today. The raw ideas you had in the past have been realized today.

♦ It helps you expand your ideas. When you try to come up with a sentence to express an idea, you are thinking actively about it. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} In the end, you will expand your ideas.

A.I often experienced that myself.

B.It trains you to express your thoughts.

C.It allows you to see your progress over time.

D.Just use whatever tool you feel comfortable with.

E.Thinking actively helps you connect your idea to another idea.

F.And to be honest, I can't imagine what my life would be like without it.

G.Then you can do whatever necessary to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

    Have you ever heard of spring fever? When we have spring fever, are we really sick? Originally, yes. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} But now people used it to mean a sudden increase of romantic feelings.

    These days, we use "spring fever" to describe a restless feeling after the long, cold days of winter. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} It is also a verb that means something happening or appearing quickly.

    Imagine that you are resting in the chair when suddenly you see a mouse run across the floor. You spring into action! You jump from the chair and run after the mouse! {#blank#}3{#/blank#} And it works! But when you tell your roommate that you caught a mouse in a trap, tears spring from her eyes. You feel badly, but she really should have told you about her pet mouse Charlie!

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} You say to her, "You can't just spring that on me! I'll need time to find another roommate!" But then you think that maybe it's for the best. Every time you see her you feel guilty about Charlie. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} She always expects you to buy her things: she wants you to spring for lunch, spring for movie tickets, and sometimes even spring for groceries.

    So, when you spring for something, you pay for someone else.

A. Many people suffer a lot from it.

B. Your roommate turns her back on you.

C. But the word "spring" is not just a season.

D. Spring fever used to refer to an actual illness.

E. Then your roommate is moving out tomorrow.

F. That night you spring a trap with some cheese in it.

G. And anyway, she does something that really annoys you.

    Summer is the season to dive into new activities and relax. And right now is the time to make sure that you're ready for the great outdoors, the holiday planning and travel, and the bathing suit beach days.

    If you want to lose weight before summer, concentrate on dropping no more than a pound or two a week.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}And when you trouble yourself, sooner or later you're going to gain it back. Operate on a 500-calorie-a-day deficit (亏损).{#blank#}2{#/blank#} So if you cut 500 calories a day for seven days straight, you'll lose a pound a week right there.

    Operating at a decrease of 500 calories a day should involve both eating less and moving more. For example, you could consume 300 fewer calories and bum 200 extra per day.

    Include both healthy eating and exercise in your weight-loss plan, and break the 500-calorie goal into small groups to make it more reachable.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    To cut 100 calories:{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Have vegetable pizza instead of pepperoni (意大利辣香肠). Use our Nutritional Needs Calculator to determine how many daily calories you should consume in order to lose, gain, or maintain your healthy goal weight. Once you've reached your goal, recalculate your nutritional needs for keeping extra weight off all summer long.

    To burn 100 calories: spend 15 minutes biking.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Spend 20 minutes gardening. Keep on exercising at least 30 minutes daily a week. Reading food labels and counting calories or writing down what and when you eat can give you more control as well.

A. Here are some simple ways to get there.

B. Walk or run one mile.

C. A pound is 3,500 calories.

D. It is okay to have some snacks between your meals.

E. You should always make sure you get a lot of sleep.

F. Anything more than that usually means you're troubling yourself.

G. Eat a chicken breast without the skin.

    Facing the Enemies Within

    We are not born with courage, but neither are we born with fear. Fears, even the most basic ones, can totally ruin our ambitions (雄心壮志). Fear can ruin fortunes. Fear can ruin relationships. Fear, if left unchecked, can ruin our lives. Fear is one of the many enemies living inside us.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    The first enemy we face is indecision. Indecision is the thief of opportunity{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Take a sword to this enemy.

    The second enemy inside is doubt.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} But you also can't let doubt take over. Many people doubt the past, doubt the future, doubt each other, doubt the government, doubt the possibilities and doubt the opportunities. Worse of all, they doubt themselves. I'm telling you, doubt will ruin your life and your chances of success. It will empty both your bank account and your heart.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Do battle with the enemy. Do battle with your fears.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}. Be courageous in your life and in your pursuit of the things you want and the person you want to become.

A. Sure, there's room for healthy doubt. You can't believe everything.

B. Build your courage to fight what's holding you back, what's keeping you from your goals and dreams.

C. Let me tell you about two of the other enemies we face from within.

D. Below are the ways which might be useful for us to overcome our fears.

E. Doubt is an enemy. Go after it. Get rid of it.

F. It will steal your chances for a better future.

G. Some people doubt everything.

Time is on your side

    How frequently do you say "I don't have time"? Quite often, I guess. Every time we say those words, they make us feel weak and out of control. You are in control of your hours and your life. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    I don't as easy as simply turning off the TV. But here are two steps that will help you take back control and get time on your side.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Be honest: do you Spend an hour or two visiting Weixin and QQ every day? Are you spending time with people that you don't really like just to please them? Are there meetings you attend that you can politely refuse?

    It's time to get real about the hours that add up to a lot of dissatisfying nothing. Think how you can cancel daily activities that are not useful. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Change your language.

    Words matter. They have power. Saying "I don't have time" is an excuse for not wanting to do something. Here are some good, empowering alternatives (选择):

    "I choose not to start that project until next year."

    "{#blank#}4{#/blank#}"

    "I'd love to go out this weekend but have important work I need to do first."

    Get better at saying no. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Use little pockets of time (friend running late, car stuck in traffic, meeting ending 10 minutes early) to do some productive thinking. All these things can add up over time more than you believe!

A. Identify your blocks.

B. But you are likely wasting a lot of it!

C. I really don't have enough time to do it.

D. Replace them with things that satisfy you.

E. Take no notice of all those unimportant messages on your phone.

F. I'd love to read that book — I'll get to it after my homework is complete!

G. When you don^ have a plan for your life, someone else will plan it for you.

    Test anxiety is actually a type of performance anxiety-a feeling someone might have in a situation where performance really counts. It can be a real problem if you're so stressed out over a test that you can't get past the nervousness to focus on the test questions and do your best work. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Use a little stress to your advantage.

    Stress is a signal that helps you prepare for something important. So use it to your advantage. Instead of reacting to the stress with fear, take an active approach{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Chances are that you'll keep your stress under control. After all, nobody ever feels stressedout by thoughts that they might do well on a test

    Ask for help.

    Although a little test anxiety can be a good thing, too much of it is another story. If sitting for a test gets you so stressed out that your mind goes blank and causes you to miss answers that you know, then your level of test anxiety probably needs some attention. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Never let test anxiety get to be too much to handle

    Be prepared.

    Many students find that their test anxiety eases when they start to study better or more regularly. It makes sense-the more you know the material, the more confident you'll feel {#blank#}4{#/blank#} When you expect to do well, you'll be able to relax into a test after the normal first-moment nervousness passes.

    Watch what you're thinking

    If expecting to do well on a test can help you relax, what about if you expect you won't do well? Watch out for any negative messages you might be sending yourself about the test. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    If you find yourself thinking negative thoughts (I'm never any good at taking tests "or It's going to be terrible if I do badly on this test"), replace them with positive messages. Not unrealistic positive messages, of course, but ones that are practical and true, such as "I've studied hard and I know the material, so I'm ready to do the best I can.”

A. They can contribute to your anxiety.

B. Let stress remind you to study well in advance of a test.

C. Having confidence going into a test means you expect to do well.

D. A little nervous expectation can actually help you do better on a test.

E. However, feeling ready to meet the challenges can help manage test anxiety.

F. Your teacher, a school guidance counselor, or a tutor can be good people to talk to.

G. They can help to learn ways to calm yourself down and relax when you're anxious.