How to Stop Thinking About Something That's Bothering 停止思考困扰你的事情

There's a strong connection between the way you think and the way you feel.
你的思维方式与情绪状态之间有着密切的联系.

 And it goes both ways.
这种联系是双向的.

 The way you think affects your emotional state and your emotional state affects the way you think.
你的思维方式会影响你的情绪状态,
而你的情绪状态也会影响你的思维方式.

When you're feeling sad,
 for example,
 you look at the world through a gloomy lens.
例如,
当你感到悲伤时,
你会用阴郁的视角看待世界.

 You're more likely to dwell on the negative,
 engage in harsh self-criticism,
 and predict things are going to end poorly.
你更容易沉溺于负面情绪,
进行严厉的自我批评,
并预测事情会以不好的方式结束.

On the flipside,
 your thoughts also influence how you feel.
另一方面, 你的思维也会影响你的感受.

 When you begin thinking about something gloomy--like someone you miss or that person who treated you poorly,
 you'll start to feel sad.
当你开始思考一些阴郁的事情,
比如你想念的人或那个对你不好的人时,
你会开始感到悲伤.

The more you think about sad things,
 the worse you feel.
你越是思考悲伤的事情,
你的感受就会越糟糕.

 And as your mood plummets,
 the more likely you are to think about sad things.
而随着你的情绪下滑,
你越容易思考悲伤的事情.

 It's a cycle that can be hard to break.
这是一个很难打破的循环.

You have to get proactive about changing the channel in your brain so you don't get stuck in a dark place.
你必须主动改变你大脑中的频道, 以免陷入黑暗的情绪中.

1.  Differentiate between ruminating and problem-solving.
 区分沉思和解决问题.

Feeling down or thinking about unpleasant things isn't always bad.
感到沮丧或思考不愉快的事情并不总是坏事.

 Sometimes, it's part of the healing process.
有时候, 这是康复过程的一部分.

 And sometimes,
 you can turn those thoughts and feelings into something more productive.
有时候, 你可以将这些思绪和感受转化为更有生产力的东西.

But it's important to differentiate between ruminating and problem-solving.
但重要的是要区分沉思和解决问题.

If you're behind on your bills,
 thinking about how to get caught up can be helpful.
如果你在账单上落后,
考虑如何追赶上来是有帮助的.

 But imagining yourself homeless or thinking about how unfair it is that you got behind isn't productive.
但想象自己无家可归,
或认为自己落后是多么不公平则没有生产性.

So ask yourself,
 Am I ruminating or problem-solving?
所以问问自己, 我是沉思还是解决问题?

If you're dwelling on the problem,
 you're ruminating.
如果你沉溺于问题上, 那就是沉思.

 If you're actively looking for solutions,
 you're problem-solving.
如果你积极寻找解决方案, 那就是解决问题.

Problem-solving can help you move forward.
解决问题可以帮助你前进.

 But ruminating will hold you back.
但沉思会拖慢你的进展.

 If you're ruminating,
 you need to change the channel.
如果你在沉思, 你需要改变思路.

2.  Change the channel in your brain.
 改变大脑中的频道.

Telling yourself,
 Don't think about that,
 isn't likely to be effective.
告诉自己不要想那个可能不会有效.

 Your brain will revert back to those unpleasant thoughts in about two seconds.
你的大脑会在大约两秒钟内重新回到那些不愉快的想法上.

You have to be proactive about changing the channel in your brain
(sort of like you'd change the channel on your TV).
你必须主动改变大脑中的频道(就像你会换电视台一样).

The best way to do that is to get involved in an activity that distracts you.
最好的办法是参与一些能分散你注意力的活动.

 Find something that requires some serious mental energy for at least a few minutes.
找一些需要认真思考的事情, 至少坚持几分钟.

Here are some examples of how you might change the channel in your brain:
这里有一些改变大脑频道的例子:

    Call a friend and talk about a completely different subject
 打电话给朋友, 谈论完全不同的话题  

    Challenge yourself to rearrange your bookcase in 10 minutes
 挑战自己在10分钟内重新整理书架  

    Sit down and plan your next vacation
坐下来计划下一次度假  

    Spend a few minutes clearing clutter in a particular room
花几分钟时间清理一个特定房间的杂物  

    Turn on some music and dance
 播放一些音乐并跳舞  

    Work out vigorously (a slow stroll will give you more time to think but a fast-paced workout requires concentration)
 劲量锻炼(慢跑会让你有更多时间思考, 但快节奏的锻炼需要集中注意力)  

    Engage in a hobby
 从事一个爱好  

The key is to find something that works for you.
关键是找到适合你的方法.

 You may need to experiment with a few different strategies until you find the activity that best helps you change the channel in your brain.
你可能需要尝试几种不同的策略,
直到找到最能帮助你改变思路的活动.