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The Side Road to appiness —Boosting Mood with a Little Creativity
很喜欢这么一句话：“Happiness is not a destination, but the process itself.”很多人一直在寻找幸福，殊不知自己早已处在幸福之中。好几个月来，Rico的心情随着地震灾区和连月的暴雨而起起伏伏，感觉特别压抑。你是否也想找到某些捷径，让心情明亮起来？虽然下文看似为上班族而作，但快乐的道理是相通的哦！现在就让脑子动起来吧，发挥创意会是很好的找乐方式！
You may wonder why it’s so important to loosenyour creative1)juices, but diving into innovative pursuitscan be your ticket to a healthier, more joyful life.When a painter paints, for example, he becomes utterly2)immersed in what he is doing. This focused 3)engagementtakes deep involvement where time seems to moveeffortlessly. The fulfillment that provides is at theheart of happiness. Forget money and4)worldly possessions.They’re not even close. Instead, 5)plungingyourself in work, a hobby, or craft will get you to thebliss you’re looking for.
Go With the Flow
Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi 6)conferred thelabel “flow,” on the mental state in which you are fullyengaged in creativity. In his research on happiness andwell-being, he learned that people can become so absorbedthat they feel they are outside of time. Other researchershave found that the passion of such pursuitscan keep you physically healthy and out of the doctor’soffice.
Up to the Challenge?
Psychiatrist Gregory Berns of Emory Universitytakes the idea of engagement even further. He hasfound that experiencing discomfort is necessary toget you to contentment, arguing that satisfaction isto some extent generated by the 7)stress hormonecortisol’s effects on the 8)dopamine system. That’swhy some people 9)derive joy from extremechallenges. Think about the marathon runner who10)slogs through 26 miles of pain and suffering or thecrossword puzzler who gets that same feeling wheneverything falls in place in “Aha!” clarity.
I’m Not That Creative
Yet, you wonder, isn’t creativity reserved for thelikes of artists, writers, and inventors? Not so fast. Weall know that kindergarteners are bundles of creativeenergy. But all of us were once in kindergarten, weren’t we? So where does this early innovation go? The truthis: we are all creative, but somewhere along the wayit was beaten out of us. Finding your passion is the key;think about what moves your motor and start small.But whatever you do, start somewhere.
Creative Thinking in Suits
Granted, you may not play the 11)cello likeYo-Yo Ma or paint like Picasso, but creative thinkingcan be deployed in any profession. Take sales andmarketing: each new sale requires a differentapproach. “If that doesn’t work, I’ll try this....”Many companies know a good thing when it sees it.Companies like Microsoft and Toyota are using theidea of flow to get the best out of their workers–with employee satisfaction and productivity in mind.
Got What It Takes?
To be creative you have to be passionate aboutwhat you are doing. This passion will lead you to amore joyful life. What helps? Creative people donot live by rules, they know how to do their ownthing. These people are also more open to experienceand fantasy; that’s why they are happy to takemore risks. And remember, genius does not require atortured spirit–Van Gogh is not the 12)epitome of thecreative soul.
Showing Up
Some times just showing up is all ittakes. Make a time and place for your pursuit,and your body will slip into the momentas soon as you allow it. If you follow a pattern,it will become somewhat automatic.You might even find yourself 13)pining for your14)easel when that time of day comes. Beyond that,stick with the program; nothing will happen if you quitin the thick of it.
Work Is Play
And play is work. Don’t worry about the endproduct, just 15)concentrate on the process. 16)Fussingover finished results will get you nowhere. And don’t17)fret over what other people might think. You’re doingthis for you, not for them. Think about the knitter whopulls apart a sweater just because she wants do it allover ahain. Sounds crazy,but it can be worth it.
你也许搞不懂为什么挥洒创意是如此重要。事实上，全心投入创造性的活动，你可以获得一张踏上更加健康、快乐的人生旅途的车票。这就好比画家在作画时会全身心地沉浸其中。这种一心一意的状态要求深度投入，此刻时间仿如过隙白驹，由此带来的满足感便是幸福的极至。忘掉金钱和物质财产吧，这些与幸福根本沾不上边。与此相反，把自己沉浸在工作、爱好或是一门手艺当中，你就会发现，那种非同一般的愉悦就在灯火阑珊处。
寻找心流
心理学家哈里·奇克森特米海伊把个人完全投入在创造活动上时的精神状态称为“心流”。在其关于幸福和健康的研究中，他发现人们会变得如此全神贯注，以致于感觉不到时间的流逝。其它研究则发现，这种活动所产生的热情会让你身体健康，远离疾病。
准备好接受挑战？
埃默里大学的精神病专家乔治·柏恩斯进一步研究了这种专心致志的状态。他发现体验不适是得到满足的必经之路。他认为，在某种程度上，满足感是在应激激素皮质醇作用于多巴胺系统的时候产生的。这也是为什么有些人会从极限挑战中获得快乐的原因。比如说，马拉松选手在完成长达26英里的充满痛苦和磨难的路程后，或是玩纵横字谜的人在填完所有空格、终于参透所有谜底时，都会有这样的感觉。
我不够创意
然而，你会这样想，创造力不是留给那些艺术家、作家和发明家们的吗？别太早下结论。我们都知道幼儿园的孩子满脑子都是创意，可我们大家都是从幼儿园出来的，不是吗？那么，这种早期创造力到哪儿去了呢？其实是这样的：我们都有创造力，但它在成长的过程中被逐渐消磨掉了。关键是要找到热情，想一想你的动力所在，并从小处着手。无论你选择什么，首先要开始行动。
工作中的创造性思维
的确，你拉大提琴可能不及马友友，画画也不如毕加索，但任何职业都有发挥创造性思维的空间。比如说市场营销：每一个新产品都要准备一套不一样的销售方法——“如果那种方法不管用，我会用这种……”很多公司面临这种情况时很有经验。微软、丰田等公司就把员工的满意度和生产创造力放在心上，利用心流最大限度地发挥员工的才能。
怎样才能做到？
要想更富创造性，你必须对所从事的活动充满热情。这种热情会让你的生活更加快乐。有什么建议？有创意的人不受条条框框的束缚，他们对事情有自己的一套主张。这些人对个人体验和幻想持更开放的心态，因此他们乐于接受更多挑战。不过要记住，天才并不一定非得是受过煎熬的人——梵·高算不上是创意人物的典型。
行动起来
有时候只要行动起来就足够了。给自己的活动制定好时间和地点，一旦开始了，你就会很快沉浸其中。如果形成了规律，它就会成为自然而然的行为。当那一天到来，你甚至会发现自己盼望着那个“画架”。除此之外，要坚持你的计划。如果中途退出， 你就什么也得不到了。
工作即玩乐
玩乐也是工作。别去担心结果，把精力放在过程上。过分在意结果反而会让你一无所有。也不要对别人的想法焦虑不安——你是为自己做，而不是为他们而做。想想看，打毛线的人把毛衣拆开就是因为她想重新织一遍。这听起来很疯狂，但也许是值得的。
1) juice [dVu:s] n. 精力，生命力
2) immersed [I5mE:st] a. 浸入的，沉入的
3) engagement [In5^eIdVmEnt] n. 约定，投入
4) worldly [5w\:ldlI] a. 物质世界的
5) plunge [plQndV] v. 陷入，投入
6) confer [kEn5f\:] v. 交换意见
7) stress hormone cortisol 应激激素皮质醇
8) dopamine [5dEupE7mi:n] n. 多巴胺
9) derive [dI5raIv] v. 得到
10) slog [slɒ^] v. 艰难行进
11) cello [5tFelEJ] n. 大提琴
12) epitome [I5pItEmI] n. 缩影，典范
13) pine [paIn] v. 渴望
14) easel [5i:zl] n. 黑板架，画架
15) concentrate on 集中精神
16) fuss [fQs] v. 大惊小怪，使焦虑
17) fret [fret] v. 折磨，烦躁
很喜欢这么一句话：“Happiness is not a destination, but the process itself.”很多人一直在寻找幸福，殊不知自己早已处在幸福之中。好几个月来，Rico的心情随着地震灾区和连月的暴雨而起起伏伏，感觉特别压抑。你是否也想找到某些捷径，让心情明亮起来？虽然下文看似为上班族而作，但快乐的道理是相通的哦！现在就让脑子动起来吧，发挥创意会是很好的找乐方式！
You may wonder why it’s so important to loosenyour creative1)juices, but diving into innovative pursuitscan be your ticket to a healthier, more joyful life.When a painter paints, for example, he becomes utterly2)immersed in what he is doing. This focused 3)engagementtakes deep involvement where time seems to moveeffortlessly. The fulfillment that provides is at theheart of happiness. Forget money and4)worldly possessions.They’re not even close. Instead, 5)plungingyourself in work, a hobby, or craft will get you to thebliss you’re looking for.
Go With the Flow
Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi 6)conferred thelabel “flow,” on the mental state in which you are fullyengaged in creativity. In his research on happiness andwell-being, he learned that people can become so absorbedthat they feel they are outside of time. Other researchershave found that the passion of such pursuitscan keep you physically healthy and out of the doctor’soffice.
Up to the Challenge?
Psychiatrist Gregory Berns of Emory Universitytakes the idea of engagement even further. He hasfound that experiencing discomfort is necessary toget you to contentment, arguing that satisfaction isto some extent generated by the 7)stress hormonecortisol’s effects on the 8)dopamine system. That’swhy some people 9)derive joy from extremechallenges. Think about the marathon runner who10)slogs through 26 miles of pain and suffering or thecrossword puzzler who gets that same feeling wheneverything falls in place in “Aha!” clarity.
I’m Not That Creative
Yet, you wonder, isn’t creativity reserved for thelikes of artists, writers, and inventors? Not so fast. Weall know that kindergarteners are bundles of creativeenergy. But all of us were once in kindergarten, weren’t we? So where does this early innovation go? The truthis: we are all creative, but somewhere along the wayit was beaten out of us. Finding your passion is the key;think about what moves your motor and start small.But whatever you do, start somewhere.
Creative Thinking in Suits
Granted, you may not play the 11)cello likeYo-Yo Ma or paint like Picasso, but creative thinkingcan be deployed in any profession. Take sales andmarketing: each new sale requires a differentapproach. “If that doesn’t work, I’ll try this....”Many companies know a good thing when it sees it.Companies like Microsoft and Toyota are using theidea of flow to get the best out of their workers–with employee satisfaction and productivity in mind.
Got What It Takes?
To be creative you have to be passionate aboutwhat you are doing. This passion will lead you to amore joyful life. What helps? Creative people donot live by rules, they know how to do their ownthing. These people are also more open to experienceand fantasy; that’s why they are happy to takemore risks. And remember, genius does not require atortured spirit–Van Gogh is not the 12)epitome of thecreative soul.
Showing Up
Some times just showing up is all ittakes. Make a time and place for your pursuit,and your body will slip into the momentas soon as you allow it. If you follow a pattern,it will become somewhat automatic.You might even find yourself 13)pining for your14)easel when that time of day comes. Beyond that,stick with the program; nothing will happen if you quitin the thick of it.
Work Is Play
And play is work. Don’t worry about the endproduct, just 15)concentrate on the process. 16)Fussingover finished results will get you nowhere. And don’t17)fret over what other people might think. You’re doingthis for you, not for them. Think about the knitter whopulls apart a sweater just because she wants do it allover ahain. Sounds crazy,but it can be worth it.
你也许搞不懂为什么挥洒创意是如此重要。事实上，全心投入创造性的活动，你可以获得一张踏上更加健康、快乐的人生旅途的车票。这就好比画家在作画时会全身心地沉浸其中。这种一心一意的状态要求深度投入，此刻时间仿如过隙白驹，由此带来的满足感便是幸福的极至。忘掉金钱和物质财产吧，这些与幸福根本沾不上边。与此相反，把自己沉浸在工作、爱好或是一门手艺当中，你就会发现，那种非同一般的愉悦就在灯火阑珊处。
寻找心流
心理学家哈里·奇克森特米海伊把个人完全投入在创造活动上时的精神状态称为“心流”。在其关于幸福和健康的研究中，他发现人们会变得如此全神贯注，以致于感觉不到时间的流逝。其它研究则发现，这种活动所产生的热情会让你身体健康，远离疾病。
准备好接受挑战？
埃默里大学的精神病专家乔治·柏恩斯进一步研究了这种专心致志的状态。他发现体验不适是得到满足的必经之路。他认为，在某种程度上，满足感是在应激激素皮质醇作用于多巴胺系统的时候产生的。这也是为什么有些人会从极限挑战中获得快乐的原因。比如说，马拉松选手在完成长达26英里的充满痛苦和磨难的路程后，或是玩纵横字谜的人在填完所有空格、终于参透所有谜底时，都会有这样的感觉。
我不够创意
然而，你会这样想，创造力不是留给那些艺术家、作家和发明家们的吗？别太早下结论。我们都知道幼儿园的孩子满脑子都是创意，可我们大家都是从幼儿园出来的，不是吗？那么，这种早期创造力到哪儿去了呢？其实是这样的：我们都有创造力，但它在成长的过程中被逐渐消磨掉了。关键是要找到热情，想一想你的动力所在，并从小处着手。无论你选择什么，首先要开始行动。
工作中的创造性思维
的确，你拉大提琴可能不及马友友，画画也不如毕加索，但任何职业都有发挥创造性思维的空间。比如说市场营销：每一个新产品都要准备一套不一样的销售方法——“如果那种方法不管用，我会用这种……”很多公司面临这种情况时很有经验。微软、丰田等公司就把员工的满意度和生产创造力放在心上，利用心流最大限度地发挥员工的才能。
怎样才能做到？
要想更富创造性，你必须对所从事的活动充满热情。这种热情会让你的生活更加快乐。有什么建议？有创意的人不受条条框框的束缚，他们对事情有自己的一套主张。这些人对个人体验和幻想持更开放的心态，因此他们乐于接受更多挑战。不过要记住，天才并不一定非得是受过煎熬的人——梵·高算不上是创意人物的典型。
行动起来
有时候只要行动起来就足够了。给自己的活动制定好时间和地点，一旦开始了，你就会很快沉浸其中。如果形成了规律，它就会成为自然而然的行为。当那一天到来，你甚至会发现自己盼望着那个“画架”。除此之外，要坚持你的计划。如果中途退出， 你就什么也得不到了。
工作即玩乐
玩乐也是工作。别去担心结果，把精力放在过程上。过分在意结果反而会让你一无所有。也不要对别人的想法焦虑不安——你是为自己做，而不是为他们而做。想想看，打毛线的人把毛衣拆开就是因为她想重新织一遍。这听起来很疯狂，但也许是值得的。
1) juice [dVu:s] n. 精力，生命力
2) immersed [I5mE:st] a. 浸入的，沉入的
3) engagement [In5^eIdVmEnt] n. 约定，投入
4) worldly [5w\:ldlI] a. 物质世界的
5) plunge [plQndV] v. 陷入，投入
6) confer [kEn5f\:] v. 交换意见
7) stress hormone cortisol 应激激素皮质醇
8) dopamine [5dEupE7mi:n] n. 多巴胺
9) derive [dI5raIv] v. 得到
10) slog [slɒ^] v. 艰难行进
11) cello [5tFelEJ] n. 大提琴
12) epitome [I5pItEmI] n. 缩影，典范
13) pine [paIn] v. 渴望
14) easel [5i:zl] n. 黑板架，画架
15) concentrate on 集中精神
16) fuss [fQs] v. 大惊小怪，使焦虑
17) fret [fret] v. 折磨，烦躁