【推荐1】An obstacle usually refers to a difficulty or problem that prevents you from achieving something. Whether it was in your past, or you’re presently facing an obstacle, you have to resolve it. Some people avoid obstacles or deny their existence. Others let obstacles control them, and they feel defeated. Your attitude towards obstacles will define the outcome of whether you rise from the challenge, or remain stuck in it. Here are some more great things to love about obstacles.

First, obstacles give you purposes. Sometimes obstacles can reset your goals. You might have always had a particular way of doing things, or wanted to pursue certain goals; but when you’re faced with setbacks or difficulties, you’re forced to re-think, and re-examine your path. You may end up focusing on something new and exciting. Or, you may concentrate on something that you otherwise wouldn’t have if not for the particular setback. By having to overcome an obstacle, you’ll be fulfilling a purpose, rather than just going through the motions. Second, obstacles prepare you for the unexpected. Obstacles serve as guides for where to go next. Even though obstacles can bring out many negative emotions in us, such as frustration, anger, or sadness, it’s important to realize that they don’t stop you from reaching your intended goals. Instead, they, in a way, give you time to stop and think if perhaps there is a new and better path to take and what you can prepare for what will happen along the way. Obstacles shift your perspective.

Obstacles whether you like them or not are unavoidable. Life will never stop throwing you new obstacles. So, the best thing to do is know how to better see and address these obstacles, and transform them into opportunities for self-improvement. The more you’re able to see obstacles as being an advantage to your life, the better you’ll be at managing them.

Accepting obstacles will be rewarding. It will make you constantly change and adapt to new situations, allowing you to grow into a better version of yourself.

【推荐2】I’m a talker. I’m into debating, gossiping and teasing. I solve problems by talking them through. This works perfectly well when I have people to talk to. Under lockdown, however, I’ve only had my partner,   Peter. We not only lived, worked and traveled together, we socialized together, too. Under the first UK lockdown, our constant closeness began to feel uncomfortable.

For the first time in our 10 years together, we needed to be alone. I tried to manufacture this by going on walks on my own, but a short walk in the local park wasn’t doing the job. I considered my options and hit upon an idea: the semi-solo hike. Could we do a circular hike but walk in different directions? This would give us the space and peace of a solo hike. It felt like a promising compromise, so I told him about it. He thought it was thoroughly silly but agreed to give it a try.

We started with a four-mile loop(环形)from Reeth. At the start, we parted ways. At first, I was aware of how close we were, which lessened the appeal. Walking alone offers freedom and alone time, but here I was with my boyfriend nearby. As I gained ground, however, I found myself very much alone. I set my own pace, and I decided to take my time.

I sat on a rock and breathed out. That moment-with the weak sun through the clouds and the breeze blowing across makeshift(临时的)pools-felt extraordinary to me. I was born and raised in London and had never imagined leaving until I met an outdoorsman(野外活动爱好者). Now, my former life as a city girl felt crazy. Realizing what I had gained, I felt the tension leave me. There, in the chilly air, I no longer needed to talk. The semi-solo hike gave us a shared experience with added room to breathe. I didn’t see Peter en route(在途中)but reunited back where we started, both of us sheepish(难为情的)but pleased. The semi-solo hike is admittedly silly in theory, but for me it has been a lifeline. It has given me the gift of time alone and, in a year of constant closeness, the joy of reuniting.

【推荐3】On November 18, 1995, Itzhak Perlman, the world famous violinist, came on stage to give a concert at Lincoln Centre in New York City. If you have ever been to a Perlman concert you know that getting on stage is not easy for him. He got polio (小儿麻痹症) as a child, and has to walk with the aid of two crutches (拐杖) now.

That night Perlman walked slowly to his chair. Then he sat down and began to play. But, suddenly, one of the strings on his violin broke. You could hear it break — it broke with a loud noise.

People thought to themselves, “He would have to get up to either find another violin or find another string for this one.”

But he didn’t. Instead, he waited a moment closed his eyes and then signaled the conductor to begin again. The orchestra (管弦乐队) began, and he played from where he had stopped. He played with such passion and such power.

Of course, everyone knows that it is impossible to play a symphonic work with just three strings. But that night Itzhak Perlm refused to know that. You could see him changing and recomposing (重新作曲) the piece in his head.

When he finished, there was a silence in the room. Then people rose and cheered. We were all on our feet, doing everything we could to show how much we appreciated what he had done.

He smiled and then he said in a quiet tone, “You know, sometimes it is the artist’s task to find out how much music you can make with what you have left.”

His words have stayed in my mind ever since I heard them. That is also the way of life. Perhaps our task in this quickly changing world in which we live is to make music, at first with all that we have, and then, when that is no longer possible, to make music with what we have left.

【推荐2】Do you spend too much on coffee? Clothing? Eating out? Adding your spending craziness to a “do-not-buy” list can keep money in your wallet, according to a writer Sarah Winfrey. A do-not-buy list is a list of items you’re not going to buy for a certain period of time, according to Winfrey.     1    . She has a few tips on how to create your own do-not-buy list.

    2    . Do you always have to have a coffee on your way to work? Are you always the first in line to buy the newest fashion? Understanding your needs will help you figure out which items should be on the top of your list.

Track your spending. If you spend $6 a day on coffee, you probably already know what needs to go on your list. But if you’re not sure, you may need to go through your bank statements to figure it out.     3    .

Don’t cut yourself off completely.     4    , but only if it’s absolutely necessary. For example, if clothing is on your list but you need a new suit for a job interview, you should probably make an exception.

    5    . When you’ve saved enough and you’re already to start shopping again, establish spending rules that will control impulse buying (即兴购买). For example, if you love coffee, make a rule that you can only buy one each day.

【推荐3】Growing pains and gains

It’s not easy to grow up. Actually it’s far from easy. Growing up can be a real “pain” for some of us. We are always doing things that someone else makes us do and aren’t allowed to do all the things we like. Sometimes we feel stuck, sometimes we are fearful, and sometimes we just don’t understand why we can’t stay young forever. When we look back on all the challenges in life with a positive attitude, we realize that all of our growing pains actually turn into growing gains!

As a young girl my parents forced my sisters and me to do so many things that I never liked. They made me learn to play the violin and then the piano. At that time I hated music, just because it was what they wanted me to do. But looking back now, I am so glad that my parents encouraged me to take music lessons. Music has enriched my life in so many ways. I realize that my parents and teachers were always pushing me along. not because they wanted me to suffer(受苦)but because they wanted me to succeed in life. They’ve always wanted me to have a better life than they did themselves.

Every moment of our lives is either living or dying, so live life to its fullest! We are all going to experience growing pains, but they are just small pains in life. They might seem so huge at the time but we must be strong. Think about how we would feel if we had no fear and live life like that. The future is ours!

A little hard work and sweat never hurt anyone! If we realize that these pains are just small bumps(凸块)on our road to success we will realize that our growing pains are actually growing gains!

First. I think you have a beautiful name. Of course, I' d say the same to Olivia L., Olivia R..， and Olivia S. Come to think of it; maybe “Dear Olivias” would have been a better header.

I too, was given one of my birth year’s most popular names. I was one of many Erins in 1980.

I wonder if our parents considered how many of us, both Erins and Olivias, there would be. Growing up, I babysat （照看孩子）an Erin whose house was across our backyard, knew an Erin who lived around the corner and who also happened to be my best friend's older sister, knew an Erin who lived just down the street. Not to mention the Erin population at school.

Mostly. I felt like the Erins around me weren’t much like me. 1 thought it was strange that we all had the same name. Then, around Grade 9, as my brother was changing his name from Stacey James to S.J., I wanted to change my name, too.

I experimented （尝 试）a bit with how I might respell my middle name Megan and decided on Maygen, and hyphenated （用连接号连接）it with Erin. I kept using this name until a couple of years later when I said goodbye to Erin all together.

Now, having spent most of my life as Maygen, I've learned that although there were no Megans in my neighbourhood, it turns out I had changed my name to an even more popular name of the 1980s.

But you know what? Common or not, 1 love my name. In my life, I've befriended Erin after Erin, none of whom remind （使想起）me of the kid I babysat or my friend's sister.

I’m not sure why names become popular, but one thing is certain, Olivia: your name is loved by many. May you love it as well.

【推荐3】One morning I jumped into the swimming pool and the words "eighty-four degrees" popped into my mind. I knew that the temperature of the water was 84 degrees Fahrenheit. Just to confirm my impression, I dropped a thermometer(温度计) into the water. Sure enough, it was 84 degrees. Over the next few days, a the temperature in the pool changed, I continued to "guess" the water temperature accurately. I then realized had become something of a "human thermometer".

I was not born with this ability. I trained myself to do it, entirely by accident. Swimming is one of my favorite activities. Each morning from late April through early October, I swim laps in my backyard pool. didn’t really develop any special ability. Every healthy person is able to sense warmth and cold. What I did was connect those sensations to specific numbers. Over time, with daily reinforcement(加强), it made me into an amazing human thermometer. It certainly won't get me a show on "America's Got Talent", but it does earn me a little respect at the beach or at pool parties.

What's most interesting to me is the way it came about I did not try to learn how to be a human thermometer. Yet as a result of my consistent actions, day after day, it did indeed happen. And that made me wonder what else I was training myself to do that I didn't even realize.

I started writing articles for The Daily Motivator back in 1995 because I understood the power of positive reinforcement on a daily basis. The messages are short and simple and not particularly shocking I take Sundays off but other than that I have never missed a single day of writing a new, original daily message in 21 years. This actually makes a real difference to me. Not overnight, but over time.