1 . A Big Question: Can Explosive Ideas Start Small?

Cai Guo-Qiang seeks grandness with emptiness

There’s so much in this life that we cannot control, so expressing your thoughts and ideas and ideals naturally can ease our state of mind. I look for the infinite within the very small. This is how the ancient Chinese experienced paintings and the aesthetic (美学的) experience.     1     It could be something that they hide in secret until it’s time to be displayed.

In the modern living room, you will display a work of art on the wall — your house may be full of different artworks that you can see and enjoy.     2     This is their museum — their collection. Over a conversation, the host will see where your interests lie and determine if you are worthy of a certain work — a painting of a Chinese landscape or calligraphy — and unroll a scroll in front of you, opening a whole world up to you.     3     Sharing an artwork with guests and friends is also the way the host experiences a work.

This is perhaps a bit opposed to what I look for in my work. I look for something grand in scale, but I also look for that emptiness too.     4     After the viewing, it’s rolled up and it’s empty again; but this emptiness also holds endless possibilities. Sometimes I consider my explosion projects like these scrolls.     5     What you hold in your mind is a world that’s limitless. Art doesn’t need to be verified. It doesn’t have to look like anything. Anything is possible.

—— Cai Guo-Qiang

2 . How to Stop Overthinking

You might convince yourself that thinking about something for a really long time is the key to developing the best solution.     1     In fact, the longer you think about something, the less time and energy you have to take productive action. Here are some tips to help stop overthinking.

Distract Yourself

Rather than sit and think about a problem for endless amounts of time, you can distract yourself for a bit. Your brain may find better ways to work out a solution in the background while you’re distracted with another task —like working in the garden. Or, you might “sleep on it” and discover that your brain solves the problem for you while you’re sleeping. A brief distraction can give you a break.     2    

Challenge Negative Thoughts

Remind yourself that your thoughts are not facts.     3     When you find yourself overthinking, challenge these thoughts. Ask yourself if they are realistic. Consider alternative possibilities. It can be difficult at first, but learning to call out your own overthinking can help you learn to replace negative thoughts with more helpful ones.

Practice Self-acceptance

Overthinking often comes from worrying about your past mistakes or things that you cannot change. Instead of blaming yourself for things you might regret, try working toward being more accepting and show sympathy for yourself.     4     In addition, forgiving yourself for things you regret can also do good to your overall well-being.

Get Therapy

People often be caught unable to break from overthinking by themselves.     5     Over-thinking may be a symptom of a mental health issue, like depression or anxiety. A mental health professional may teach you skills that will help you stop focusing on things that aren’t helpful. They may also help you identify strategies that work for you, such as mindfulness or physical exercise.

3 . While happiness is what most people pursue for a life-long time, many still find it easier to lose than to gain.     1     ? Here come many practical ways.

    2    

Internally, our character, mindset, and habits play a vital role in maintaining happiness. A positive attitude towards life’s challenges and a mindset to see things as a developing process instead of a fixed result are the key to happiness. Moreover, habits like regular exercise, healthy eating, and sufficient sleep contribute significantly to our overall well-being, including our good mood.

Set clear goals and plan accordingly (相应地)

When having a purpose and a proper plan, we are more likely to achieve success and thus we feel more fulfilled and satisfied.     3     .

Explore new things and embrace fresh experiences

    4    , they can definitely provide us with happiness. These activities can not only satisfy our curiosity but also enrich our lives.

Accept unhappiness as a normal state and practice gratitude

At last, it’s fine to be unhappy from time to time.     5     . Just let it go. Don’t push yourself to be happy all the time. Remember that the journey to happiness is an ongoing process and thanks to the contrast of unhappiness, happiness can be more precious. Besides, appreciate what we have and complain less about what we lack. A grateful heart is a content heart, and contentment is the key to sustained happiness.

4 . ChatGPT—an AI-powered chatbot that responds to questions in a detailed and natural way—is causing a stir (震动) in the education world. Educators, worried that students might use it for cheating on homework, are trying to ban it completely in schools.     1    .

    2    . But students have phones, laptops and any number of other ways of accessing it outside of class. (Just for fun, I asked ChatGPT how a student who intended to use the app might avoid a schoolwide ban. It came up with five answers, all totally reasonable.)

Some teachers have high hopes for tools such as GPTZero, a program claiming to be able to detect AI-generated writing.     3    . Besides, it’s easy to fool them by changing a few words, or using a different AI program to paraphrase certain passages.

AI chatbots could be programmed to watermark (加水印) their outputs in some way, so teachers would have an easier time spotting AI-generated text. But this, too, is a weak defence.     4    . But there will be others, and students will soon be able to take their pick, probably including apps with no AI fingerprints.

    5    , do teachers want to spend their nights and weekends keeping up with the latest AI detection software? Several educators I spoke with said that while they found the idea of ChatGPT-assisted cheating annoying, policing it sounded even worse.

It seems that the challenge for educators now is to learn how to use ChatGPT thoughtfully as a teaching aid instead of trying to ban it from the classroom.

5 . If your pile of “to-be-read” books could fill a room, you’ve likely wished more than once that you could read faster. Fortunately, there are methods that can offer help.

This technique is a simple method you may have learned while learning to read as a child.     1     All you need to do is run your finger along the line you are reading, moving your finger as you read. Gradually, you can increase your speed, but the pointer keeps you on track and focused on each word as it comes.

This reading technique can be challenging to learn, but it is possible.     2     For example, rather than reading “It/is/a/truth/universally/acknowledged” as individual words, you can start to read them in small groups all at once. So, your brain would begin to see it like this: “It is/a truth/universally acknowledged.”

This tip is easier said than done, but practice scanning a line without reading aloud or vocalizing the words in your head.     3     Yet, you won’t think them “aloud” as clearly as if someone is reading the text to you.

It takes time to move your eyes through a text.     4     It is because regressive (后退的) eye movements slow reading and take time. Stay focused when reading and read it once.

It doesn’t matter what you’re reading; you have to focus. If you cannot concentrate, you won’t read faster because your brain can only process a certain amount of information at once.     5     You’ll see that the more you concentrate, the more naturally you read.

6 . Spending time in front of a computer may cause eye strain(疲劳). While eye strain typically isn’t harmful, it can cause dry and watery eyes, headache and so on. Fortunately, it’s fairly easy to protect your eyes when using a computer.

Sit far enough away from the screen.     1    . To make sure your computer is positioned right, try the high-five test: If you can properly high-five your computer screen with a full arm extension, you’re sitting too close.

    2    . If you’re using any books or papers while working, you can strain your eyes if you don’t position them properly. If they’re too low, your eyes will have to refocus every time you glance at them, leading to eye strain. Reference materials should be located above the keyboard and below the computer’s monitor.

Blink(眨眼) often. We naturally blink about 20 times every minute, but when we focus on a screen, this can drop by as much as half.    3    . Since your eyes won’t blink as much naturally, you’ll have to be aware of this and force yourself to blink.

Adjust your screen lighting. Your screen should be illuminated(照明) in relation to your environment.    4    . If the room is not bright, lower the settings.

Take regular breaks. It is recommended that for every two hours of looking at the computer screen, you should take a 15-minute break. During this time, you should blink, close your eyes, and allow them to rest.    5    .

7 . Nowadays, we know how to work with al old items. Many of them can be reused after being properly processed. Instead of sending them to the trashcan, we have new choices.     1    

Participate in the Give the Gift of Sight Program. Run by Lions Club International, the program makes it easy for you to donate your old eyeglasses and sunglasses to needy people in developing countries. After you drop glasses off, they are cleaned, repaired, and grouped, then distributed.

Donate your used computer to computers for Kids, a non-profit organization.     2     Its donation program collects and cleans computer equipment, and gives away the equipment to schools and children’s organizations in need.

    3     Contribute to offering help to the troubled kids by sending either entire greeting cards or just the fronts of cards, to St. Jude’s Card Recycling, 100 St. Jude’s Street, Boulder City, NV89005. The youth redecorate the cards by adding new backs, and sell them to support the program. For more information, call 1-877-977-8888.

Recycle sneakers (运动鞋) and athletic shoes. Since 1990, NIKE has sponsored the Reuse-A-Shoe program.     4     Then they are made into athletic equipment, such as playground padding, gymnastic mats, and running tracks. Call 1-800-344-6453 for drop-off locations or get the mailing address at Reuse-A-Shoe.

Never throw away books or magazines. Books and magazines are a great aid to help those who’ve been sent to prison. Some of them quit school at an early age.     5    

8 . Self-improvement doesn’t have to be a terrifying task. It can be a fun and exciting adventure that takes you on a journey of discovery and growth. With some simple tricks, you can transform yourself into a better version of you.

First off, remember that self-improvement is a marathon, not a dash.     1     Take it one step at a time, and enjoy the ride. Think of it like climbing a mountain: you take one step after another, admiring the view as you go, until you reach the summit.

Start with small, achievable goals. Whether it’s reading a book a week, going for a daily walk, or learning a new skill, these little milestones will help you stay motivated and feel accomplished.     2    

Don’t be afraid to fail. Failure is part of the learning process. If you stumble or fall short of your goals, don’t beat yourself up.     3     Keep in mind, failure is just a temporary setback — it doesn’t define you.

    4     Share your goals with friends or family, and ask them to hold you accountable. Join a self-improvement group or find someone who can guide and encourage you on your journey. You’ll find that makes the process even more enjoyable.

And finally, don’t forget to celebrate your progress.     5     Whether it’s a small accomplishment or a major milestone, take a moment to appreciate your efforts and feel proud of yourself. You can even create a reward system for yourself — maybe a delicious treat or a fun activity for every goal you achieve.

9 . There are reasonable dependencies that are healthy for an individual’s development. However, other dependencies bring unhappiness.     1     In this article, we’re going to be talking about some of them.

Depending on other people’s opinions means letting your behavior, likes and desires be determined by the approval of those that surround you.     2     As a result of this, you guide your life projects, dreams, and behavior according to what others may think.

Few are able to tell apart their own tastes and style from the current fashion trends. Now, we’re not only talking about clothing or accessories here but about general preferences and even philosophies. That desire to hop on a train and be part of the majority sometimes leads to dependency. Some become truly concerned about not being “in style”.     3    

    4     As a result, they end up believing that their worth as human beings is defined by the way they look. We can’t lie; beauty opens doors to some individuals. Also, it makes it easier for some to climb to the top. However, it doesn’t serve much beyond that initial chapter.

When the individual begins associating their personal value with the amount of money they have, it becomes a problem. Relying on money sometimes means believing that happiness equals consumption.     5     To those who think this way, not having money is equivalent to losing everything, including themselves.

10 . Knowledge is power, and the more you learn about mental health, the better the position you may be in to help those facing mental health battles. Consider doing the following things to support those closest to you.

Attend a training course

    1    . In fact, anyone can benefit from depression awareness training that focuses on supporting those at risk. You might be a teacher that manages youth or a sports coach wanting to pick up on depression risk signs in your players. You may even be a worried parent who wants to make sure your children can tell you anything. Depression awareness and prevention courses teach you both theoretical and practical skills to recognize warning signs and behaviors.     2    .

Listen

If someone approaches you in their time of need, it’s not always easy to know what you’re supposed to do, and it may be more beneficial for you to just listen.     3    . They may just need to get what they are feeling off their chest and to feel valid at that moment. Try your best not to interrupt, but ask questions if you require clarification. The more listening you do, the better your position in deciding what to do next.

    4    

While being a listening ear is sometimes all someone needs to feel better, you can also become an ongoing source of support. Check in with the person experiencing a mental health problem like depression so that they know you are always there for them. Make contact with them regularly to see how they are feeling. Just knowing someone cares can make a world of difference.

Call emergency services

Your support, guidance, and listening ear can be of great value to anyone going through a tough time.     5    . If someone you know is experiencing self-abuse thoughts or tendencies, don’t delay in seeking emergency help. The faster you act, the safer your friend or family member may be.