【推荐1】Since the Sydney Story Factory opened in Redfern, my colleagues and I have taken over 8,000 young people aged 7 to 17.

Back in 2011, it seemed a risky decision to leave my job as a journalist to run the Sydney Story Factory. But later every time I see that light go on in a child’s eyes when he understands the power and joy of words, I know I made the right decision.

All our programs end in a publication. This might be an animation (动 画 片 )recorded on a DVD, or a beautiful book, but either way, it’s something the students can take home and proudly show to their family. There is nothing like the smile that spreads across the face of   an eight-year-old when he holds that publication in his hands.

There’s one boy called John, I remember-whose mum almost dragged him through the door when we opened. He hated writing. But our teachers didn’t treat him as a kid who was bad at writing; they were curious to find out how he was going to finish his story and what would happen next. And very slowly John’s ideas came. When he threw one out, our teachers would say, “Yes. And?” Then he’d have another idea. At the end of that first course, he’d worked with a small group to produce a short animated film. Gradually, John came back himself. Nearly four years later he’s still coming.

John is a very different boy from the one who first walked through our door. He’s doing better at school, and he’s far more confident. When younger kids come into the Sydney Story Factory, he welcomes them and shows them around. We don’t claim credit for all of that, of course, but some part of it is because he has become something he never thought would be: a writer.

【推荐2】We always hold the view that high levels of intelligence are more the result of nature, rather than cultivation. But that’s just not the case. The truth is, people aren't born smart. People learn how to work with what they've got, and become smart as a result.     1    

Smart people read a lot.

Sure, it's discouraging when you meet someone who can practically download books into their brain and remember every single piece of information.     2     For most people, reading has to be a practice and a habit. Smart people practice reading often. And just like anything else, with practice they get better and better over time.

Smart people hang around other smart people.

Most people hang around other people just like them. This can be both a good thing and a bad thing.     3     When you spend time with smart people, their drive, their knowledge, their awareness inherently influence you.

Smart people love making mistakes.

Smart people understand that “mistakes" don't really exist.     4     Because they show you what you need to learn next, refine, and improve upon in order to reach the next level. That's what the growth process really is.

    5    

Dumb people often say, “Oh, that's not relevant to me. I don't need to know that." Smart people always say, "That's interesting. I didn't know that. Tell me more." Knowledge, in itself is subjective. It's relative to your pursuits, your goals, your ambitions, and your current projects.

Smart people work (very, very) hard.

Rome is not built in one day. There is no doubt that hard work is the key to improvement and intelligence in general. It doesn't just happen.

【推荐3】Hobbies let you explore interests outside your work. They make you be creative and try all kinds of new things.    1    How can you choose the hobby that suits you from these options? Here are some tips.

Look at what interests you. And examine what takes up your spare time, when you have it. Do you enjoy reading books? Maybe you want to try your hand at writing them.    2    

    3    Do you value wisdom or courage? Do you admire artistic expression? Let those traits(特点) guide you when choosing a hobby. For instance, you could take up painting because you admire people who can express themselves with art.

Examine your skills and personality. Certain hobbies require certain skill sets. If you don't have a great deal of patience, then maybe hand sewing isn't something you'd enjoy. However, if you love building things, maybe you should consider a hobby like working on older cars or building furniture.    4    

Pay attention to what excites your passion. The way you talk about issues can also reveal your passions and those passions can be developed into a hobby. Think about the topics you go on endlessly about.    5    Now, think about what it is about that subject that you enjoy so much and determine how it can be transformed into a hobby. For instance, maybe you are passionate about local politics, and getting involved in the community voluntary work could become your hobby.

【推荐1】The idea that you can use humour, laughter, and play to make you healthier probably seems too simple to be true. However, it is really true and simple. The sense of humour, laughter and play plays an important part in keeping you healthy.

Treat the blues with a sense of humour, which is closely tied to laughter. Laughter is infectious. Have you ever heard a big laugh of a young child and been able to keep yourself from smiling? When laughter is shared between people, it makes them closer to each other and increases their happiness. Smiling is the beginning of laughter and a smile is also just as infectious as laughter is. You can experience something by smiling at everyone around you, and you will feel happier just by sharing a smile, even with a stranger.

Play is an important part of making sure that we stay healthy. We are often encouraged to make sure our children play, and are told of the benefits of being out playing. However, what we often forget is that it is just as important for old people to make play be part of their life as it’s for children. Physical play is important for the old and it certainly helps prevent illness. While the studies are still in the early stages, the studies that have been done have shown that physical play certainly plays a part in preventing cognitive (认知的) falling.

Anyway, adding humour, laughter, and play to our life will influence us mentally, physically and socially and bring us many advantages. we should make full use of humour, laughter and play to make our life more active, more interesting and happier.