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今日导读：知足，并不是满足于现状，不思进取，而是满足于自己所拥有的——作为人类，我们将时刻努力尝试进步，不管此时的自己是如何的快乐。

难度指导：★★★★☆

 

You might say, “But my life is crap! Of course I’m going to be unhappy!” And I hear you: I’ve had those times when my job wasn’t going well, when my relationships weren’t going well, when my finances were very bad, when I was overweight, when my life was a mess.

 

What behaviors and thoughts and attitudes were different between my times of unhappiness and happiness? When I was unhappy, I focused on all the bad things in my life. Not only that, but I continually thought about how bad they were, and would complain, and would ask, “Why me?” I would let myself sink into inaction and eventually depression. I would be grumpy and cause those around me to be unhappy. That, in turn, only made the situation worse. It certainly didn’t help my job.

 

Let’s look at the times of happiness, in contrast: I focused instead on the good things in my life. Because while I had problems at my job and with my relationships and with my finances and health and all that … there were still good things. At least I had a job! At least I had someone who loved me! At least I wasn’t sick! At least I wasn’t bankrupt and homeless! I counted, instead, my blessings. I do this when things aren’t looking so good, and it turns me around.

 

It’s proven true time and again — that it’s not the conditions that make me unhappy, but my choice of thoughts, of attitude, of behavior.

 

I was happy, despite my conditions, because I chose to be happy. I found contentment in what I already had, instead of wishing I had something else, instead of being discontented with what I had. Contentment not only made me happy, but it transformed my life in many ways.

 

 

      你可能会说，“但我的生活是彻底的败笔，我当然不会幸福啦！”我也听见你们当中的人抱怨：我也有这样难过的日子——工作不顺，人际关系处理不好，资金困境，体重超标，生活一团糟。

      在我感到幸福或难过的时候，行动、思想、态度有什么不同呢？我不高兴的时候，总是关注生活中的不幸。不仅如此，我还会持续地考虑这些不幸有多糟糕，继而抱怨，质问：为什么是我？我沉溺于静止无为，最后陷入沮丧。我的脾气这时候也会特别暴躁，令我周围的人怏怏不乐。这反过来又使我的处境更糟糕。这当然不会对我的工作有任何帮助。

      来看看高兴时的状况吧。与上文相反：我关注生活中积极的事情。我的工作、人际关系、资金、健康等方面都有问题，但还是好的。至少我有工作！至少有人爱我！至少我没生病！至少我没有破产！至少我不是无家可归！这一次，我数着生活当中的好事情。在事情不是很好的时候，这样做使我能转身看到光明面。

      事实一次次证明这结论正确——快乐与否，不是条件所定，而在于人对想法，态度，行动的选择。

      我很幸福，不是因为我出的环境，而是因为我选择快乐的生活。不期许再拥有什么，不抱怨拥有太少，我在自己所拥有的事物中，找到满足。知足不仅仅使我快乐，它还改变了我生活的方方面面。