1 . Ways to Overcome the Future Shock

Future shock is a term that is used to describe a psychological phenomenon in which people are negatively affected by the rapid rate at which the world is changing.     1     , and with new sciences and research appearing all the time, it’s easy to feel lost among the progress and even to be a little frightened. So what do you do if you feel you’re suffering from future shock?

    2     . So whether you just want to improve your word processing, or you need to completely learn everything from the beginning, you should be able to find a class with helpful teachers.

Reading is also one way to learn the basics of new inventions and technologies. Read up on your chosen subject and you’ll find there’s a lot of information there. Similarly, if you’re worried about some technology, reading more about it is a great way to overcome future shock.     3     —so once you understand the science, it can be a lot less frightening.

Another useful thing to do is to try asking a friend working in related areas to show you how to get on with new technologies.     4    , because the person instructing you will have a better idea of the way your mind works and how to communicate with you.

In the end, the future really isn’t anything to be afraid of. What we should always keep in mind is that the future belongs to those who hold their own destiny.     5     , we can make the world develop in a brighter direction within our own abilities, so cherish our great time today and everything we have.

2 . More and more people are making eco choices on the road. Follow these tips to get your next trip off to the greenest start possible.

Pack light

Lighter luggage is the first step to reduce your travel footprint. Pack quick-dry, washable items that you can mix and match.     1    . This multipurpose item will come in handy throughout your travels.

Go your own way

Some destinations are too popular for their own good, but there are so many beautiful places to visit beyond these overcrowded hotspots. Get off the beaten track.     2    . Visit a different national park, or explore smaller towns in the countryside.

Slow down

You may as well stay a little longer and really get to know a place. Start up a conversation and find out where the locals like to eat and drink. Get around using public transport, book a homestay, and explore some days without a plan.     3    

Show kindness

Visiting another country is a chance to build bridges between cultures, and learn about different points of view.     4    , and be kind to those who help you on your travels. A tip or thank you and a smile can brighten the day of the people that help you carry your bags, check you in, or serve your meals.

    5    

Social media can take a beautiful destination from fantastic to horrible in no time when shared images and videos draw crowds from around the world. National parks and other ecosystems have suffered a lot from the flood of travelers. Avoid sharing the location on social media.

4 . Do you need a career launch plan? It isn’t absolutely essential but it can be extremely helpful! A well-created plan is not just about landing a job; it is about entering the professional field with a competitive edge. Beyond that, it’s a strategy.     1     Therefore, a career launch plan is your survival guide, helping you avoid the traps and seize the right opportunities. So why not follow the following tips to create a right career launch plan?

    2     If you were to plan out your travel routes, what would you do? You’re not just randomly moving; you’re intentional about where you want to go and what you want to achieve. So is a career plan. It involves outlining specific and achievable goals that give direction to your career trajectory (轨迹).

Develop relevant skills. Once you’ve identified the qualifications and skills demanded in your ideal profession, it’s time to acquire them! Sign up for courses, pursue certifications, or gain hands-on experience to enhance your skill set.     3    

Start your job hunt. Your approach to job applications should be more like a precision strike than a messy explosion of arrows in all directions.     4     It’s not just about quantity; it’s about quality. Tailor each application to the specific role and company, emphasizing how your skills and experiences agree with their needs.

Stay flexible and agile (机敏的). The job market is changing, and being adaptable is an invaluable ability.     5     Develop a mindset of continuous improvement — always seeking ways to enhance your skills, knowledge, and approach to stay relevant in the ever-evolving professional landscape.

6 . We’ve all been there: You check your phone and see over 100 unread texts thanks to a group chat. The more this happens, the more it can start to feel overwhelming. “When we see so much activity happening, it creates a sense of panic and often results in difficulty separating from the phone due to fear of missing out,” said therapist (治疗专家) Becky Stuempfig. But group texts don’t have to be a source of stress.     1    .

“I recommend choosing certain times of the day when you plan to catch up on texts,” Stuempfig said. “    2    , one in the morning, afternoon and evening, where they read and respond to messages. By doing so, you avoid feeling like you spent the entire day trying to keep up. and it decreases anxiety caused by receiving constant alerts (提醒).”

“My advice is turning off all notification alerts. No sounds, no vibrating (震动) — nothing.” Stuempfig said. “    3     — all of the necessary positive activities for our mental health.” You can set exceptions for certain contacts and apps, so you don’t have to worry about missing important calls.

    4    . “I recommend minimizing the number of people on group chats so that the notifications are not quite as overwhelming.” Stuempfig said. “Large group chats are extremely hard to manage and create a feeling of constantly needing to check to see what is being discussed.”

Even if you make some changes, you might still find yourself feeling overwhelmed at certain times. It can be helpful to try some mindfulness exercises.     5    . Stuempfig said, “Taking a walk without bringing a phone with you or silencing texts and only allowing calls from emergency contacts can be a great way to refresh ourselves.”

7 . Scrapbooking (剪贴簿制作) is a hobby that has been growing in popularity.     1     For the wonderful moments, the scrap booker starts with a book and a set of photos, cards, and other small mementos (纪念品) that he or she wants to preserve for the future.

    2     Although family history is a common subject of scrapbooks, there are several other themes (主题) to choose from. Scrapbookers will discover several ideas as they learn how to make a scrapbook. He or she can highlight graduation day, a school year, a vacation abroad, or a wedding. The choices are multiple!

Once the scrapbooker has decided on a theme, he or she can start working on it. Instead of just placing photographs in a photo album, he or she may pay attention to the feeling and the mood associated with his or her memories. Photographs decorated with drawings and cards can make the photographs beautiful.     3    

Let us imagine a birthday party settled in a scrapbook. The scrapbooker may start with a festive (节日的) sheet of background paper and place it with photographs from the party.     4     Next, some thoughts about the party and some details are written on the pages. Finally, confetti (五彩纸屑) from the party is glued over the entire paper.

Getting involved in the hobby is not too expensive. Basic scrapbooking tools include scissors, paper, photographs and glue.     5     For example, he or she can choose cut-outs, colorful pens, stickers, and other decorations. Although there are detailed tools that can add interesting effects to a scrapbook, simple pages often have the most impact.

8 . Some children love reading, some dislike it, and many are in between. Most children and adults are drawn to reading materials that are engaging and understandable.     1     So building reading abilities is always a good idea. As a parent, you can help your child develop reading skills with enjoyable activities, some of which you might not have thought of as reading enrichment. Here are some easy reading strategies for parents to use at home.

    2     When your child creates a story out loud or in written form, you can prompt more specific vocabulary and encourage your child to div e into descriptive details. This activity provides practice for thinking through logical sequences(顺序)and may motivate curiosity as a child looks for books in similar settings.

Compare books to films.     3     Talk about the similarities and differences between the two mediums. What did you each like or dislike about each form? Did your child prefer the book or the movie, and why?

Encourage curiosity about vocabulary. As your child reads books, suggest that you look up difficult or unfamiliar words in the dictionary together.     4     This builds the skill of inference (推理), which is thinking through the possible answers based on the context.

Strengthen spelling skills. If you are making flashcards with difficult words, have your child practice spelling the words out loud or on paper. Give your child the opportunity to double-check spelling and find mistakes independently. This is a great strategy to use throughout the year.     5    

9 . The tendency to engage in negative self-evaluation affects almost everyone. Listening to your loud inner voice is a habit. But there’s a good reason to work on silencing self-criticism, which has been found to worsen depression, anxiety, disordered eating and etc.     1     We asked experts to share their favorite ways to overcome critical self-talk.

1. Investigate the origins.

The first step to stop self-criticism is understanding where the thoughts originated, says Tiffany Green, a psychotherapist in Chicago. When her clients say negative things about themselves, she often asks them, “Where did this come from? Who was the first person you heard say this about you?” The response tends to be revealing: maybe their mom called them lazy, or their grandmother told them they needed to lose weight.     2    

2. Set up a self-criticism jar.

Every time you catch yourself engaging in a critical thought, throw a coin or piece of paper into a jar. The goal in the beginning is to fill the jar with lots of coins,     3     Over the next three to six months, however, you should notice that you’re adding to it less frequently. Having a visual way to monitor your progress can be motivating and rewarding, Green says.

3.     4    

One of Turow’s self-talk strategies is called “spot the success.” Every night before you go to bed, write down 10 things you did that day that benefited you, or somebody else. “No item is too small. You helped your friend, you got up early, you took exercise regularly,” she notes. “It generates this sense in your brain, like, ‘I am doing these good things.’”

4. Look for the gentle lessons.

Self-criticism can sometimes contain important information and even prove helpful, Turow says. You might, for instance, be hard on yourself for not keeping in good touch with your friends. That’s valuable information. If you’re upset with yourself for not making it to the gym, that could signal a desire for a healthier lifestyle. Turow advises noticing the criticism gently, and then learning from it.     5     Instead of “You’re not good at keeping in touch.” try “This is really important to me. I wonder how I can make it happen more often.”