【推荐2】Steps to happiness

Life is full of happiness and sadness. The following skills can help improve your state of happiness.

Be kind to yourself

It is not always easy as we are often not confident. But those little troubles, such as when we make a mistake, and when we judge ourselves as “stupid” or such like, can actually have quite an impact on our mental well-being.     1    

Find your happiness

For some people, watching 90 minutes of man running around and kicking a ball brings great joy and passion.     2     We are all different, and knowing what bring you peace and happiness helps. Explore more and find what you really like.

Move

    3     Humans weren’t designed to sit all day long. Apart from getting fat, and increasing the risk of diseases, sitting all day leads to boredom. And the more you sit doing nothing, the worse it gets. So, make a start now and take a walk.

Improve your relationships

We all need others.     4     Again, humans are social creatures, so getting out to see friends is important, even taking time to talk to those you live with is important. Put down your device and actually have a chat. It can really boost your mood.

Eat properly

Eat the right foods and you’ll feel an obvious change in your attitude and mental well-being in a few weeks.     5     Avoid lots of processed food.

A few simple steps can improve your mental status. Give it a try, a few minor changes can make all the difference to your happiness.

【推荐3】Without goals, you may feel like wandering through life without a plan, purpose, or sense of direction. Despite knowing the importance of goals, many people fail to set a meaningful goal and successfully achieve it.     1     Others set lots of goals for themselves but end up not achieving them. Read on, and you may benefit a lot from a set of steps as follows.

Set a SMART goal and write it down.

The first step is to figure out what you want or need to change.     2     It is a goal that has the following required elements: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. Writing down your goal is also important because this simple step is proven to make you more likely to accomplish it.

    3    

After you identify a SMART goal, the next step is to make a specific plan on exactly how you will achieve it. You should break the goal down into a set of actionable steps you can take.     4     Besides, it’s beneficial to make a list of outcomes or specific milestones that will indicate progress.

Take small, consistent (持续的) steps early on.

Early on, it can be better to make small changes to your daily routine than to make big changes all at once. Consistency is key when it comes to working towards any goal. Research has shown that it takes an average person 66 days to form a new habit.     5     It no longer requires as much attention, time, and effort as before, thus boosting your confidence and keeping you on the track of achieving your goal.

【推荐2】Only about 20% of U.S.adults say they have a best friend at work.Should the other 80% start looking for one?Yes and no.    1     ,says psychologist Catherine Heaney. That support can come from a coworker who has become a close friend,but it doesn’t have to;interactions with managers and friendly acquaintances can also boost your well-being, Heaney notes.

    2    : having friends in the workplace can improve wellness.It’s linked to a lower risk of burnout,better mental health,and maybe even a longer lifespan.Meanwhile,research is equally clear that loneliness is bad for your health.    3     , given its links to various health problems.

But if becoming best friends with your coworkers feels too daunting (使人气馁的),or just not your style,you can still benefit from social support.When most people hear “social support”,they think of emotional support,like venting (发泄) to a coworker over coffee, Heaney says.    4     :when someone steps in to help you on a busy day,for instance,or shares advice.Even relatively minor interactions,like a manager allowing you to leave early to pick up your sick child,can buffer (缓解) the negative effects of stress, Heaney explains.    5    —although it is great if you do—but rather to promote “a sense of being in the right place” by becoming part of a community.

【推荐3】The recent criticisms of Taylor Swift for her silence on the war in Gaza highlight a peculiar issue: the unrealistic expectations we place on celebrities to be know-alls. It’s a topic worth looking into.

While many are quick to urge figures like Taylor Swift to lend their voice s to critical global conversations, a concerning pattern emerges on the flip side: celebrities navigating the dark waters of complex debates with limited knowledge. Take, for instance, Billie Eilish’s fashion choice at the Oscars — a red hand pin. This wasn’t just any accessory (配饰); it’s rooted in the upset history of the 2000 cruel treatments of two Israelis. It begs the question: Was Eilish aware of the weighty story this symbol carries? This moment serves as a reminder of the nuanced (微妙的， 细节的) balance celebrities must strike between being supportive and the profound responsibility of using apublic platform.

The celebrity culture in the United States, where public figures are elevated to almost god-like status, plays a significant role in this phenomenon. They are seen as perfect, their opinions holy. This is not only unfair to the celebrities themselves, who are, after all, only human, but it also takes away from the voices of actual experts on these subjects. When we prioritize a celebrity’s opinion over those with lived experience or specialized knowledge, we do a disservice to the complexity of these issues.

As a society, we must reevaluate our obsession with celebrity culture and recognize the limitations of looking to entertainers for guidance on complex issues. This doesn’t mean celebrities can’t or shouldn’t speak out on matters that affect them personally or on which they’re well-informed. It’s entirely appropriate for Taylor Swift to publicly support political candidates in her home country. The action stems from personal values and people’s engagement, which are different from commenting on international conflicts without a deep understanding of the nuances involved.

In advocating for this nuanced approach, we’re not suggesting celebrities should remain silent on all matters of public concern. Instead, we’re calling for a shift in how we, as the public, perceive and react to their involvement in social and political issues. By adjusting our expectations, we can foster a healthier, more informed public discussion that prioritizes substance over the temptation of star power.

Ultimately, the goal should be to create a more empathetic, informed society that values expertise and genuine activism over celebrity support. By encouraging public figures to use their platforms responsibly and directing our attention to where they can make a real difference, we take a step toward a more nuanced understanding of global issues. This isn’t just about relieving celebrities of undue burdens; it’s about empowering all of us to seek out and elevate the voices that matter most.