VOA慢速英语2020--How to Be Productive During Difficult Times

 

From VOA Learning¹ English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.

When we are struggling, when we have a hard time focusing, or when we have a hard time in general -- we may turn to others for help. We may even wish we had a hero to help us.

Well, today we offer you some advice.

Turn yourself into your own hero!

That is the idea behind Kendra Levin's self-help book The Hero Is You. When you make yourself the hero of your own life, Levin suggests, you not only gain focus but also purpose. To date, The Hero Is You has been translated into Turkish and Russian.

Levin based her idea on the teachings² of American professor and writer Joseph Campbell and his Hero's Journey.

Campbell studied stories from many different time periods and many different cultures. He found that many stories had something in common: a hero who goes on a journey. On this journey, the hero overcomes a great challenge and then comes home changed for the better.

Making ourselves the hero in our own story, Levin explains, helps us in many ways. For one, it can give us hope as stories often do.

"I think that's one of the reasons that we love stories. We love to read to books. We love to watch movies and TV shows – we love stories because stories are all about hope and the belief that after something bad happens to you, you get some value out of it."

In stories, writers often give their hero, the main person in the story, a purpose. Levin suggests we do the same for ourselves and identify our purpose.

"It's important and valuable for all of us to see ourselves as heroes on a journey. And the reason for that is that we need to have a sense of purpose. We need to have a sense that what we're doing matters and that it's leading toward³ something."

She says this can be a powerful tool for anyone facing a difficult time. Levin shares similar advice on the website Psychology⁴ Today.

Levin is a book editor and life coach. She uses this method with struggling writers and artists. Levin also has used her teachings with people in jail⁵ or facing possible jail time. She observed that when these people saw their experiences as part of a story, it was easier for them to see a better future for themselves.

"It's really important and valuable to use the hero's journey as a tool for seeing yourself as a hero and seeing this moment in your life as just that -- a moment, rather than this is just how life is going to be forever."

Write out your mission⁶ and vision⁷

In stories, heroes also have a mission - what they want to accomplish - and a vision - what they see for themselves. Levin suggests that we write out our mission and vision, not just for a project but for our lives as well.

With a clearly defined⁸ mission and vision, events in our lives no longer feel like separate events. They become a part of our larger story.

"There's just a lot of value in having a mission and a vision. So, a mission meaning kind of like: What is your goal? What are you trying to accomplish? And you can have a small one and a long-term one. You know, you can have more than one. And then a vision. What do you see for yourself? What do you see that's possible? And I think that that can really help people to stay focused on what they are trying to accomplish."

Know your strengths and weaknesses

Levin explains that when we know our strengths, we can use them fully⁹. In difficult times, we can make our lives easier by focusing on our strengths.

It is even more important, she adds, to identify weaknesses. All heroes have them. On their journey they face their weaknesses and learn from them.

"And the more we know about ourselves and the better we understand ourselves, the better we can figure out what to do to make the most of who we already are."

Have small goals within a larger goal

Levin reminds us that the hero's journey is not a one-time thing. It is a journey you are on your entire life. So, she suggests having small goals that you can measure in some way. This is especially helpful if you have a large goal like learning English.

"And that's very much the case with something like learning a language. You're never really done. So, to feel a sense of accomplishment¹⁰ it's so important to break it down into smaller pieces."

Our life's journey, says Levin, is ongoing¹¹ and ever-changing. She reminds us to be realistic with our goals and to be kind to ourselves, especially during difficult times like a global pandemic.

Words in This Story

focus – v. to cause (something, such as attention) to be directed at something specific : focus – n. a center of activity or interest

advice – n. suggestions about a decision or action

journey – n. something suggesting travel or passage from one place to another

overcome – v. to successfully deal with or gain control of (something difficult)

life coach – n. an advisor¹² who helps people make decisions, set and reach goals, or deal with problems

forever – adv. for a limitless time

accomplish – v. to bring about (a result) by effort

pandemic – medical noun : an occurrence in which a disease spreads very quickly and affects a large number of people over a wide area or throughout the world

1 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

2 teachings   

n.教学( teaching的名词复数 )；教学工作；教诲；学说

参考例句：

• We must never be unworthy of our teachers' untiring and sincere teachings. 我们决不要辜负老师的谆谆教导。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The Party's teachings were ringing in her ears. 党的教导在她耳边回响。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 toward   

prep.对于，关于，接近，将近，向，朝

参考例句：

• Suddenly I saw a tall figure approaching toward the policeman.突然间我看到一个高大的身影朝警察靠近。
• Upon seeing her,I smiled and ran toward her. 看到她我笑了，并跑了过去。

4 psychology   

n.心理，心理学，心理状态

参考例句：

• She has a background in child psychology.她受过儿童心理学的教育。
• He studied philosophy and psychology at Cambridge.他在剑桥大学学习哲学和心理学。

5 jail   

n.监狱，看守所；vt.监禁，拘留

参考例句：

• The castle had been used as a jail.这城堡曾用作监狱。
• If she carries on shoplifting,she'll end up in jail.她如果还在店铺里偷东西，最终会被抓进监狱的。

6 mission   

n.使命，任务，天职；代表团，使团

参考例句：

• He was charged with an important mission.他受委托承担一项重要使命。
• I'll leave you to undertake an important mission.我要让你承担一项重要使命。

7 vision   

n.视觉，先见之明，光景，视力，眼力，幻想，影像；vt.幻想

参考例句：

• The wall cuts across our line of vision.那面墙挡住了我们的视线。
• Much reading has impaired his vision.大量读书损害了他的视力。

8 defined   

adj 定义的; 清晰的

参考例句：

• These categories are not well defined. 这些类别划分得不太明确。
• The powers of a judge are defined by law. 法官的权限是由法律规定的。

9 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

10 accomplishment   

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。
• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

11 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

12 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。