徒步之旅：生活减压4步法，你学到了吗？
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老桑说
减
压
徒步有感
朋友，你好，我是老桑。
我们都喜欢绿意盎然的地方。在城市公园散步或是到偏远的森林徒步旅行，这些户外活动让我们平静下来，让我们从新的角度看待我们的烦恼，减少心理压力。在我上一次徒步旅行时，我反思了最后一点：压力。我们每个人都有这样的问题，所以我们能做的最好的事情就是想出应对的策略。
公园里的鳟鱼塘
廊桥
这条路上的别样风景让我想起了在生活中人们所面临的各种压力。
1
跨过树干：时间的压力
Trees to climb over: time stress
2
树下穿行：感到压力
Trees to crawl under: encounter stress
有些树倒在小路上，太高了爬不过去，所以我只好从树下钻过去。这让我想起了一些社交场合，我只想保持低调，或者“保持低调”。“感到压力的情形遭遇通常涉及到人，因为我们担心与某个人或一群人交往。
例如，我最近在费城参加了一个博客研讨会。许多参与者比我先到，他们彼此都认识。由于我不太了解现场的安排，我只能暂时“躲到树下”，一个人坐在会场前面的角落里。刚开始有点紧张，但会议的互动很快变得顺畅，我也找到了融入的方式。
当我们处于新的环境时这种压力就会出现，比如与客户或其他人有 很多个人互动，或是感觉与太多的人互动很累的时候。处理这种压力，你需要有更高的情商，找一个安静的地方深呼吸，并且在与周围的人交流时尽量有移情的能力。
3
陡坡徒步：对压力有预期
Steep inclines: anticipatory stress
这次徒步旅行有些斜坡，我看不到山顶。原本应该是一次放松的徒步旅行，后来开始有些令人生畏。随着路越走越高，我开始问自己:“我能行吗?”毕竟，我已经走得太远了，不能回头了!怀疑的声音开始浮现，破坏了我此刻的好心情。
预期压力描述了我们对未来的焦虑，无论是短期的还是长期的。它可能与特定的事件有关，比如做演讲。它也可以是模糊的，比如对未来有一种迫近的厄运感，或一种对未来的总体恐惧感。好像有一个唠叨的声音对你说：“有些事情会出问题。”
我们对不确定性的恐惧加剧了预期压力。然而，处理这种恐惧最好的方法之一就是想象一个积极的结果。研究表明，你的大脑经常分不清你反复想象的进展顺利的情况和实际发生的情况。所以，如果你担心将来会发生什么事，要从积极的角度去考虑。
以我自己为例，当我攀登另一座epic（壮丽的）山峰时，我对自己说:“虽然我看不到山顶，但我知道我能成功!”但我也有一个应急计划，可以帮助克服对失败的恐惧。我问自己，“如果我不能成功，最糟糕的结果是什么?”徒步返回看到美丽的风景其实也是相当愉快的结果！
4
急剧下降:情境中的压力
Steep declines: situational stress
有上升就必然会下降，这条路上有多少上坡，也就有多少下坡。虽然从理论上讲，徒步下山要比徒步上山容易，但是陡峭而崎岖的下山道路会让人感到失去控制。人们很容易滑倒，失去平衡，下坡也会对你的膝盖和其他关节造成伤害。这可能非常可怕。
当你无法控制自己的处境时，情境压力就会出现，比如医疗紧急情况，或者涉及冲突或在同伴眼中丢脸的情况。被解雇，在同事面前犯错，在课堂上回答错误的问题，或者在下坡时失去对身体运动的控制，这些都构成了情境压力。
当我沿着这条崎岖的小路走下去时，感到胃部有些不太舒服，但我认识到了当时的情境压力，并对自己说:“这可能有点吓人，但我要慢慢来，在适当的时候弄清真相。这里没有必要表现得很英勇。“由于这些情况往往是突然出现的，所以要随机应变，控制好自己的情绪。
最近,我在公共汽车上遇到了一个tantrum（闹脾气）的三岁孩子，当时他不想坐在他母亲让他坐的地方。他反复大叫：“你把我弄哭了！”另一位乘客嘲笑他说:“你让我们都哭了！”许多人都笑了起来，虽然那位母亲责备了这位乘客，但冲突解决技能对于避免这种情境下的压力是有用的。
以下是我在这次徒步旅行中获得的一些减压技巧:
摸着石头过河
Cross the river by feeling for the stones
作为小径的一部分，我跨过了一条小溪，那里有足够多的石头可以踩着过河。这种按部就班的方法在处理压力情况时也很有用。
例如，尽管我们尽了最大的努力，我们可能还是会开会迟到，对公开演讲感到紧张，为个人冲突感到unnerved（不安），或者在晚宴或社交聚会上感到非常不舒服。与其一次性解决所有问题，不如一步一步来。
当我参加会议的时候，一开始我觉得很不自在，因为我是这群人中的新成员。但我没有躲起来，而是先和一个人聊，然后又和另一个人交流。在我了解清楚之前，我已经有了很多新朋友，我现在正期待着他们的下一个活动。你也可以边做边学。
寻求帮助
Get help
沿着这条小路，还有一条大峡谷，需要一座桥才能通过。就像我在新泽西州的兰科克斯州立公园(Rancocas State Park)所见的一样，我只是步行过桥，而不是自己去攀登峡谷。当你被压力压得喘不过气来的时候，要知道你并不是一个人在战斗，可以向朋友、顾问或曾经走过这条路的人寻求帮助，协助你跨越这条鸿沟。
休息一下，去钓鱼
Take a break and go fishing
在山脊小径的尽头，我来到了一个原始的鳟鱼养殖场。那里邀请游客坐下来，拿出一根钓鱼竿，打发时间。这也是一种处理压力的方法。无论你在哪里，你都可以深呼吸,冥想,或者只是注意自身的状况（正念）。绕着大楼走五分钟，或者喝杯茶，都能创造奇迹！
倒影中的景色
我的朋友，当我们在为健康、人际关系、财务、工作和学校而奋斗时，很容易会被生活的阴云笼罩。通过更好地理解压力（无论是时间、遭遇、预期和情境带来的），你就能更好地摆脱压力的控制，更好地应对常见的压力。所以，深呼吸，出去走走，减轻你的负担吧！
本文图片均由老桑拍摄。
往期文章
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给你启发，激励你上进，陪伴你坚持。
敬请期待下一集。
英文版
English
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Dealing with life's 4 major stressors
▾
「 Hello, my friend！
I'm John Smagula. 」
Hello, my friend！I'm John Smagula.
We all love green spaces. From walking in a city park to hiking in a remote forest, getting into the outdoors calms us down, gives us new perspectives on our struggles, and reduces our stress. On my last hike, I reflected on this last point: stress. We all have it, so the best we can do is come up with strategies to manage it.
On my recent trip back to my home state of Connecticut to attend my cousin Linda's wedding, I also made a trip to nearby Chatfield Hollow State Park, a picturesque park with about 10 miles of hiking trails around lakes, through jagged rocky ledges, across soft pine woods, and by historic structures such a waterwheel (that once powered a gristmill) and a covered bridge.
Trout pond
Covered bridge
Various features of the trail reminded me of the different kinds of stressors we face in life.
1
Trees to climb over:
time stress
Some trees or logs had fallen across the trail. They weren't an impediment to the hike, but I did need to make an effort to climb over them. They reminded me of jumping over the hurdles of life, like meeting deadlines, being on time for a meeting, or achieving a goal within a reasonable amount of time. These time hurdles can significantly increase our stress levels.
A common expression in English is I have “so much to do and so little time,” or we complain that we’re always “pressed for time.” As we work through our tasks and goals, we cross one hurdle but then come to another. We often stress about the number of things we have to do.
If you are facing time-related stress, you can learn good time management skills and use to-do lists. Often, we get trapped in what is urgent, but not necessarily important to meeting our life goals. We can learn to budget more time for what is important to us and also learn to say no to tasks that we do not have the bandwidth to handle.
2
Trees to crawl under:
encounter stress
Some trees that had fallen across the trail were too high up to climb over, so I had to scooch under them to get by. This reminded me of social situations where I just wanted to maintain a low profile or “stay under the radar.” Encounter stress involves people, where we worry about interacting with a certain person or group of people.
For example, I recently attended a blogging conference in Philadelphia. Many of the participants arrived before me, and they all knew each other. As I didn’t understand the group dynamic, I just “crawled under the tree” and sat by myself in the front corner. It was kind of stressful at first, but the conference soon became very interactive, and I learned how to fit in.
This kind of stress occurs when we are in new situations, have lots of personal interactions with customers or others, or feel drained from interacting with too many people in general. To deal with this stress, you can develop greater emotional intelligence, find a quiet place to take some deep breaths, and try to have empathy for yourself and those around you.
3
Steep inclines:
anticipatory stress
There were some inclines on this hike where I couldn't see the top of the hill. What was supposed to be a relaxing hike started to become more daunting. As the path kept rising, I started to ask myself, “Will I make it?” After all, I had gone too far to turn back around! The voices of doubt tried to creep in, frazzling my good humor at the moment.
Anticipatory stress describes our anxiety about the future, either in the short-term or long-term. It may be related to a specific event, like giving a presentation. It can also be vague, like having an impending sense of doom or an overall sense of dread about the future. It’s like a nagging voice that says to you, “Something is going to go wrong.”
Anticipatory stress is fueled by our fear of uncertainty. One of the best ways to deal with this fear, however, is to visualize a positive outcome. Research shows that your mind often can’t tell the difference between a situation you have repeatedly visualized going well and one that’s actually happened. So, if you are worried about some future event, think positively about it.
4
Steep declines:
situational stress
What goes up must come down, and there were just as many steep declines along this trail as there were inclines. Although, in theory, hiking downhill is easier than hiking uphill, a steep and uneven downhill path makes you feel out of control. It is easy to slip, slide, and lose balance, and downhill hiking also takes its toll on your knees and other joints. It can be very scary.
Situational stress arises when you have no control over your situation, like a medical emergency, or one that involves conflict or losing face in the eyes of your peer group. Getting laid off, making a mistake in front of coworkers, answering a question wrong in class, or losing control of my body movements on a downhill climb all constitute situational stress.
As I hiked down the rocky trail, my stomach flipped a few times, but I acknowledged the situational stress, saying to myself, “This may be scary, but I’m just going to take my time, and I’ll get to the bottom in due time. There’s no need to be heroic here.” As these situations often appear suddenly, it’s important to think on your feet and manage your emotions.
I was recently on a bus where a three-year-old boy was having a temper tantrum because he didn’t want to sit where his mother placed him. He repeatedly screeched, “You’re making me cry!” Another passenger mocked him, saying, “You’re making us all cry!” Many laughed, but the mother scolded the passenger. Conflict resolution skills would have been useful to avoid this kind of situational stress.
Here are some other stress-busting tips I picked up along this hike:
Cross the river by feeling
for the stones
On one part of the trail, I crossed a brook where there were enough stones to step on to make it across. This step-by-step approach is useful in dealing with stressful situations as well.
For example, despite our best efforts, we may still be late for the meeting, nervous about a public speaking event, unnerved over a personal conflict, or deeply uncomfortable at a dinner or social gathering. Rather than try to resolve it all at once, take it step-by-step instead.
When I attended the blogging conference, I felt out of place at first, as I was new to the group. Rather than hide away, I first talked to one person, and then another. Before I knew it, I had many new friends, and I am now looking forward to their next event. You can learn by doing.
Get help
Trail bridge
Along the trail, there was also large gulch that required a bridge to cross. Like my trip to New Jersey's Rancocas State Park, I just walked across the bridge, rather than try to scale the ravine myself. When you are weighed down by stress, know that you are not alone, and get help from a friend, counselor, or someone who has walked this road before to help you bridge the gap.
Take a break and go fishing
Trout pond
At the end of the Ridge Trail, I came to a pristine trout pound. The scene just invited visitors to sit down, take out a fishing pole, and idle the time away. This is also a way to deal with stress. No matter where you are, you can take a deep breath, meditate, or just be mindful about your circumstances. A five-minute walk around the building or a cup of tea can do wonders!
Schreeder Pond
My friend, it’s easy to get weighed down in the murkiness of life, as we all struggle with health, relationships, finances, work, and school. By better understanding stress (time, encounter, anticipatory, and situational), you become better equipped to loosen its grip and manage common pressures. So, take a deep breath, go for a walk, and lighten your load!
{ 今日英文速记卡 }
1.Jagged \ ˈja-gəd \
a)含义：adj. 锯齿状的；参差不齐的
b)例句：
i.On my recent trip back to my home state of Connecticut to attend my cousin Linda’s wedding, I also made a trip to nearby Chatfield Hollow State Park, a picturesque park with about 10 miles of hiking trails around lakes, through jagged rocky ledges, across soft pine woods, and by historic structures such a waterwheel (that once powered a gristmill) and a covered bridge.
最近我回到了位于康涅狄格州的老家参加表姐琳达的婚礼，我还去了附近的查特菲尔德山谷州立公园，那里风景如画，周围有大约10英里环绕湖泊的健行步道，四周有一些参差不齐的嶙峋怪石，茂盛的松树森林，还有一个水车(曾经是一座水力磨坊)和一座廊桥。
ii.The jagged peaks of Antarctica’s Filchner Mountains rise in the distance as an intrepid mountaineering team makes camp on an ice field.
南极洲菲尔西纳山脉参差不齐的山峰在远处升起，当时有支无畏的登山队在冰原上扎营。
c)近义词：bumpy, ragged, uneven
2.Impediment \ im-ˈpe-də-mənt \
a)含义：n. 障碍
b)例句：
i.They weren’t an impediment to the hike, but I did need to make an effort to climb over them.
它们并不是远足的障碍，但我确实需要努力跨过它们。
ii.No impediment could shake my determination.
任何障碍都不能动摇我的决心。
c)近义词：bar, encumbrance, obstacle
3.Epic \ ˈe-pik \
a)含义：adj. 史诗般的；宏大的
b)例句：
i.In my own case, as I hiked up yet another one of those epic hills, I said to myself, “Even though I can’t see the top, I know I can make it!”
以我自己为例，当我攀登另一座壮丽的山峰时，我对自己说:“虽然我看不到山顶，但我知道我能成功!”
ii.An epic adventure on the edge of the world of dreams and imagination.
对梦想和想象力的世界边缘的一个史诗般的冒险。
c)近义词：grand, magnificent, massive
4.Tantrum \ ˈtan-trəm \
a)含义：n. 发脾气；发怒
b)例句：
i.I was recently on a bus where a three-year-old boy was having a temper tantrum because he didn’t want to sit where his mother placed him.
最近,我在公共汽车上遇到了一个闹脾气的三岁孩子，当时他不想坐在他母亲让他坐的地方。
ii.Do not give in to your child’s whining, crying, or temper tantrum, as it only reinforces the behavior.
不要让您的孩子抱怨、哭泣或发脾气，因为这样做只会强化他们的行为。
c)近义词：blowup, explosion, hissy fit
5.Unnerved \ ˌən-ˈnərvd \
a)含义：adj. 气馁的；烦恼不安的
b)例句：
i.For example, despite our best efforts, we may still be late for the meeting, nervous about a public speaking event, unnerved over a personal conflict, or deeply uncomfortable at a dinner or social gathering.
例如，尽管我们尽了最大的努力，我们可能还是会开会迟到，对公开演讲感到紧张，为个人冲突感到不安，或者在晚宴或社交聚会上感到非常不舒服。
ii.I think it unnerved me to be interviewed by so many people.
我认为这么多的人给我面试时我紧张不安。
c)近义词：discouraged, disheartened, dismayed
Thank you for watching me to inspire, encourage, and accompany you.
See you next time.
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