Once upon a time a psychology professor walked around on a stage while teaching stress management principles to an auditorium filled with students.
从前,
一位心理学教授在一个讲堂上教导压力管理原则,
她在讲台上来回走动.
As she raised a glass of water,
everyone expected they'd be asked the typical glass half empty or glass half full question.
当她举起一杯水时,
大家都以为她会问那个典型的玻璃是半满还是半空的问题.
with a smile on her face,
the professor asked,
How heavy is this glass of water I'm holding?
相反,
教授脸上带着微笑,
问道:我手里的这杯水有多重?
Students shouted out answers ranging from eight ounces to a couple pounds.
学生们纷纷回答, 从八盎司到几磅不等.
She replied,
From my perspective,
the absolute weight of this glass doesn't matter.
她回答说:从我的角度来看,
这杯水的绝对重量并不重要.
It all depends on how long I hold it.
它全看我持有它的时间.
If I hold it for a minute or two,
it's fairly light.
如果我拿一两分钟, 它相当轻.
If I hold it for an hour straight,
its weight might make my arm ache a little.
如果我连续拿一个小时,
它的重量可能会让我手臂有些酸痛.
If I hold it for a day straight,
my arm will likely cramp up and feel completely numb and paralyzed,
forcing me to drop the glass to the floor.
如果我连续拿一天,
我的手臂可能会痉挛,
感觉完全麻木和瘫痪,
迫使我把杯子掉到地上.
the weight of the glass doesn't change,
but the longer I hold it,
the heavier it feels to me.
在每种情况下,
玻璃的重量没有变化,
但我持有的时间越长,
感觉就越重.
As the class shook their heads in agreement,
she continued,
Your stresses and worries in life are very much like this glass of water.
当班级的学生们纷纷点头表示同意时,
她继续说道:你生活中的压力和忧虑就像这杯水一样.
Think about them for a while and nothing happens.
想一想它们一会儿, 没什么事情发生.
Think about them a bit longer and you begin to ache a little.
多想一会儿, 你会开始有些痛.
Think about them all day long,
and you will feel completely numb and paralyzed
--- incapable of doing anything else until you drop them.
整天想着它们,
你会感到完全麻木和瘫痪
---无法做其他任何事情,
直到你把它们放下.
The moral: It's important to remember to let go of your stresses and worries.
寓意:记住放下你的压力和忧虑是很重要的.
as early in the evening as you can,
put all your burdens down.
不管白天发生了什么,
尽可能早地在晚上把所有的负担放下.
Don't carry them through the night and into the next day with you.
不要带着它们过夜,
进入第二天.
If you still feel the weight of yesterday's stress,
it's a strong sign that it's time to put the glass down.
如果你仍然感受到昨天压力的重量,
那是一个强烈的信号,
说明是时候放下这杯水了.
