It has been my finding that actually the opposite is true. I believe that happiness is a stimulus and response is what life brings to those who are truly happy. When we are happy, we tend to have more success in our work. When we are happy, people want to be around us and enjoy loving relationships. When we are happy, we more naturally take better care of our bodies and enjoy good health. Happiness is not a response—rather, it is a stimulus.
Happiness is a conscious choice we make every day of our lives. For unknown reasons to me, many choose to be miserable, frustrated and angry most of the time. Happiness is not something that happens to us after we get something we want—we usually get things we want after we choose to be happy.
很多人都找到了令自己快乐的源泉——有些人全身心地投入工作；很多人吸毒和酗酒；还有数不清的人，从拥有名贵汽车、异国情调的度假小屋和其他一些流行“玩具”中寻找到了快乐。他们的努力大多基于一个共同的事实：人们在寻找永恒的快乐源泉。
但我认为，很多人与快乐无缘。因为他们错误地理解了寻找快乐的过程。
现在，有些人认为名贵汽车、高薪工作和爱情都是刺激物，而快乐就是刺激的结果。这种想法让我们觉得：“当我拥有……时，我才会快乐。”
但我发现，事实恰好相反。我相信快乐也是一种刺激物，而它作为刺激的结果，是生活给那些真正快乐的人的馈赠。我们快乐时，就会在工作上取得更多的成功；我们快乐时，就会有融洽的人际关系，也会得到爱情垂青；我们快乐时，很自然地就会善待自己，关注自身健康。快乐并不是刺激的结果，而是一种刺激物。
快乐是我们每天在生活中作出的有意识的选择。不知为何，我认为，许多人多数时候都选择让自己痛苦、沮丧和恼怒。快乐并不是得到自己想要的东西之后的感觉——我们往往是在选择快乐之后，才会得到自己想要的东西。
记忆填空
1. Many have sought a variety of sources for their feeling of_______. Some have put their heart and efforts into their_______. Too many turned to drugs and alcohol. Untold_______have looked for it in the possession of expensive cars, exotic vacation hoes, and_______ popular“toys”.
2. Unfortunately, I _______ that happiness evades many_______they misunderstand the process and journey of finding it.
3. For unknown _______ to me, many_______to be miserable, frustrated and angry of the time.
佳句翻译
1. 我们快乐时，就会在工作上取得更多的成功。
2. 我们快乐时，就会有融洽的人际关系，也会得到爱情垂青。
3. 快乐是我们每天在生活中作出的有意识的选择。
短语应用
1. When we are happy, we tend to have more success in our work.
tend to：有……的倾向
2. When we are happy, we more naturally take better care of our bodies and enjoy good health.
take care of：照顾；注意；抚养；处理
让轻松和快乐与你随行
Go Easy and Enjoy Yourself in Harmony
佚名 / Anonymous
To go on a journey is often worrisome, but so long as one lives he proceeds on his life’s journey. Different people go along differently. Some take hasty steps in anxiety. Obsessed with reaching the next goal in time, they spare no time for sight-seeing along the way, nor do they have a clear view where their long roads end. Others travel leisurely like tourists. They would take time off now and then for a look at blooming flowers or fallen petals. They would stop to admire clouds gathering and dispersing. Even when they go against the wind or are caught in the rain, they never get annoyed, for worries slip off their minds as if from an open net.
Cramped is one’s workplace. Narrow is one’s residence and small is the social circle one moves about—such limitedness in space entails lack of variety which is the source of some people’s complaint. But a person is always able to find peace and comfort if he takes things as they are. Compared with the vastness of the universe it is only a tiny spot one occupies on earth. However, though larger than the ocean is the sky, even larger is the human mind, for in it imagination would come and go on the wing without limitations.
One may eventually win what he has set his mind to, only to find that he has lost quite a lot. Perhaps what he loses is even better than what he gains.
On one’s journey of life some people hurry on with a heavy heart in pursuit of fame and wealth while others go easy and enjoy themselves in harmony with nature.
人在旅途，难免有不安与困惑与你同行。不管怎样，你都要继续自己的人生之旅。人生之旅的走法因人而异。有的人步履匆忙，心急意切。他们只关注及时到达目的地，根本无暇观赏路边的风景。可路途漫漫，终点何在呢？有的人像游客，不紧不慢，时而停下来观花开花落，看云卷云舒，时而逆风而行，冒雨而进。他们不会苦恼，因为烦躁与苦恼已从敞开的胸怀中溜走。
狭小的工作场所，拥挤的居住空间，局限的社交圈子——人们对这一成不变的单调越来越不满。然而，如果一个人随遇而安，总能找到安宁与舒适。浩渺的大千世界，一个人只能占据其中微小的一隅。然而，比海洋更宽广的是天空，比天空更宽广的是人的心灵，因为有一对想象的翅膀进驻于这小小的心灵，它可以尽情地飞翔。
当一个人最终得到他想要的东西时，却发现自己已经失去了太多太多，或许他会得不偿失。
人生旅途上，一些人带着追名逐利的疲乏之心奋力前行；另一些人则自在逍遥地与自然和谐相处，享受人生。
记忆填空
1. Different people go along_______. Some take hasty_______in anxiety. Obsessed with reaching the next goal in _______ , they spare no time for sight-seeing along the way, _______ do they have a clear view where their long roads end.
2. One may eventually win what he has set his_______to, only to find that he has lost quite a lot. Perhaps_______he loses is even better than what he _______ .
3. On one’s journey of life some people hurry on with a heavy heart in pursuit of fame and _______while others go_______and enjoy themselves in harmony nature.
佳句翻译
1. 人在旅途，难免有不安与困惑伴你同行。
2. 有的人像游客，不紧不慢，时而停下来观花开花落……
3. 浩渺的大千世界，一个人只能占据其中微小的一隅。
短语应用
1. Some take hasty steps in anxiety.
take steps：采取措施；采取步骤
2. On one’s journey of life some people hurry on with a heavy heart in pursuit of fame and wealth while others go easy and enjoy themselves in harmony with nature.
in harmony with：与……协调；与……一致
放轻松
Lighten up
佚名 / Anonymous
These days, it seems that almost all of us are too serious. My older daughter often says to me, “Daddy, you’ve got that serious look again.” Even those of us who are committed to nonseriousness are probably too serious. People are frustrated and uptight about virtually everything—being five minutes late, having someone else show up five minutes late, being stuck in traffic, witnessing someone look at us wrong or say the wrong thing, paying bills, waiting in line, overcooking a meal, making an honest mistake—you name it, we all lose perspective over it.
