科學告訴我們這四件事能讓我們感到幸福
People spend years chasing happiness, only to learn the hard way that it wasn’t where they thought it was. They assume career success, riches, retirement or the “perfect relationship” will bring the happiness they’ve always wanted. In the process, they miss the enjoyable Moments all around them.
人們爲了追求幸福而花費數年的時間，最終卻只能領會到物是人非。他們認爲事業成功、富有、退休或“完美的關係”會給他們帶來一直想要的幸福。但在這個過程中，他們錯過了自己身邊所有快樂的時刻。
But what will make you happy? To find out, we turned to one of the best resources available today. Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education has devoted considerable effort to studying “the positive qualities of the human mind.” In the process, the team at Stanford regularly releases studies that quantify happiness. Here are a few things Stanford researchers have learned over the past few years.
但是什麼會讓你幸福呢？爲了找出答案，我們求助於當今最好的資源之一。斯坦福大學的同情和利他主義研究教育中心投入了大量的精力來研究“人類思想的積極品質”。在這期間，斯坦福大學的研究團隊定期發佈量化幸福的研究報告。以下是斯坦福大學的研究人員在過去幾年發現的一些東西。
1. Be compassionate. 1. 要用同情心
Stanford has a longstanding research interest in the connection between practicing compassion and achieving happiness. The medical school offers an eight-week course called Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT), that teaches attendees how to develop a more compassionate attitude. In a study to determine the program’s usefulness, they found that it led to an increase in both mindfulness and happiness. The training, the study authors said, emphasizes the benefits of connecting with fellow human beings to a person’s overall well-being.
斯坦福大學有一個長期的研究，聚焦於實踐同情和實現幸福之間的聯繫。醫學院開設了一個爲期八週的課程，名爲“同情培訓訓練”（CCT），它教聽衆如何培養一種更慈悲的態度。在一項確定該計劃有用的研究中，他們發現同情心導致了正念和幸福的增加。這項研究的作者說，培訓強調了與其他人的聯繫對一個人整體幸福感的好處。
You don’t have to spend every weekend doing charity work to achieve happiness, however. Simply find ways in your everyday life to be more compassionate. Listen to others when they’re speaking and truly work to see things from other people’s perspectives.
不過，你不必每週末都通過慈善工作來獲取幸福，在日常生活中也找到更富有同情心的辦法。當別人說話時，傾聽他們的意見，真正從別人的角度去看問題。
2. Spend time in nature. 2. 花點時間給大自然
When was the last time you took a walk through the park or spent the afternoon by the pool? While it’s important to minimize sun exposure, Mother Nature brings many benefits, both physical and emotional. One of those benefits is an improved affect, according to a study led by Stanford University’s Gregory N. Bratman.
你最後一次在公園裏散步或是在池塘邊度過一個下午是什麼時候？雖然儘量減少陽光直射是很重要的，但大自然也帶給我們許多好處，無論是身體上還是心理上。根據斯坦福大學Gregory N. Bratman的研究，其中一個好處是改進的影響。
The study separated participants into one group that spent their outdoor time in urban settings and a second that took nature walks. Those who took the nature walk showed a marked improvement in overall well-being, including a decrease in anxiety and worry. If you don’t have easy access to a hiking area, consider taking your lunch to a nearby park or waterfront area.
這項研究將參與者分組，把第一組的戶外時間花在城市環境中，第二組進行自然散步。參加自然行走的人整體幸福感顯著提高，包括焦慮和憂慮的減少。如果你不方便去遠足地區，考慮把午餐帶到附近的公園或海濱地區享用吧。
3. Disconnect from social media. 3. 脫離社交媒體
People are constantly connected to other people through social media, even when they’re trying to enjoy “alone time.” Stanford University psychology researchers set out to determine just how contagious negativity is. Unfortunately, people aren’t as good at guessing the moods of others as we might think they are. The researchers discovered that people overestimate how happy other people are, leading them to assume that other people’s lives are better than they actually are.
人們經常通過社交媒體與其他人聯繫，甚至當他們想享受獨處時光的時候。斯坦福大學的心理學研究人員致力於確定消極的傳染性是怎樣的。不幸的是，人們並不像我們想象的那樣善於猜測他人的情緒。研究人員發現，人們高估了別人的快樂程度，導致人們認爲別人的生活比他們實際的要好。
Social media is especially dangerous to happiness. Time spent on social media has been connected to prevalence of depression and anxiety. Make a concerted effort to stay off social media, especially if you find yourself unfavorably comparing yourself to others. As a test, try to stay away for a few days and see if your mood begins to improve.
社交媒體對幸福來說是尤其危險的。花在社交媒體上的時間已經與抑鬱和焦慮的流行有了聯繫。努力遠離社交媒體，尤其是當你發現自己在和別人做比較的時候。做一個測試，試着離開幾天，看看你的心情是否開始好轉。
4. Search for meaning. 4. 尋找意義
Philosophers have long pondered the meaning of life, and they aren’t the only ones. One Stanford study attempted to find the link between meaningfulness and happiness and found that while they’re different, they also overlap. Someone can find meaningfulness while still being unhappy. For instance, someone may work as an activist or social worker and find great meaning but still feel unhappy.
哲學家們長期以來一直在思考生命的意義，而他們不是唯一的羣體。斯坦福的一名研究員試圖找到意義和幸福之間的聯繫，發現它們既有重疊又有不同。有人在找到意義的同時依然不幸福。比如，有人可能作爲活動家或是社會工作者，找到偉大的意義，但依然覺得不幸福。
At the same time, someone who is self-involved may find that he or she feels happy while living a life that doesn't have much meaning. The idea is that it's important to look for ways to live a meaningful life while also finding what makes you happy. Based on the results of the study, some things that make people happier include focusing on the present rather than the past or future and spending time with those who make you feel happy.
同時，一個自我參與的人可能發現自己過着沒有意義的生活但卻感到幸福。這個想法是說尋找有意義的生活以及讓自己感覺到幸福都是很重要的。根據這項研究的結果，讓人們更幸福的事情包括關注現在而不是過去或未來，和那些讓你感覺到幸福的人在一起。
Happiness is not easily defined, but science tells us what has been shown to boost our own well-being. Each person’s definition of happiness will differ, so it’s most important to find the key to happiness for you and eliminate the obstacles that are keeping you from living the happiest life you can.
幸福是不容易被定義的， 但科學告訴我們幸福的源泉是什麼。每個人對幸福的定義都不同，所以最重要的是找到對你來說幸福的關鍵，消除阻礙你過上幸福生活的障礙。
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