1 . Do you ever feel like you’re not good enough, even though you’ve done some cool stuff? This feeling can contribute to increased anxiety, depression and a cycle of overworking to prove yourself. But you are not alone. Actually, lots of people, up to 82%, have these kinds of discouraging feelings.     1    

●Collect proof of your accomplishment.

    2    . Start a journal where you write down projects you’ve finished, goals you’re reached, and nice things people have said about you. Work out a practical schedule to look back at this list.

●Figure out what’s good enough.

Success can mean different things in different situations for different persons, so it’s okay not to be the best at everything all the time.     3    . This way, you may know when to stop properly and then it can save your energy for other important things, like spending time with your family and friends.

    4    .

Working with a seasoned life coach who has done well and has qualities you admire can be a big help. They can assist you by sharing their own struggles with self-doubt and this exchange equips you with good strategies in your own pursuit of success. You can benefit a lot from the practical guidance.

Just remember, it’s normal to be fooled by negative feelings sometimes, but you can’t be tricked by them all the time. You are sure to break free from the cycle of self-doubt.     5    , you can start a transformative path towards personal growth.

3 . “Can we look at the school supplies while we’re here?” my daughter, Julia, _________ during a trip to the store. My favorite school-supply item is the daily planner because I struggle with _________. I always dream that the perfect planner will somehow _________ me of my delay and turn my life into a paradise of order and productivity.

The list of habits I wanted to develop was _________. Exercising _________. Drinking more water. _________ a junk drawer or closet each week. Reading more books and watching less TV. Delaying less on work deadlines. Spending more time with each of my _________ and reaching out to family and friends more often. Making special meals, and doing other things to make my loved ones feel _________.

Over the next few days, I was able to _________ several items on my habit tracker. I was __________ with the progress, but I hadn’t done much with the habits intended to __________ my relationships with others. I tried to put more focus on those habits.

One morning, I __________ my planner and realized that it was Julia’s. The first __________ was “Write in my gratitude journal.” The second one was “Do something nice for someone else.” Julia was a __________college student. How did she find time to keep a journal and do random acts of __________? When I asked her about it, she said, “Those two habits go together. Writing in my gratitude journal __________ me want to do nice things for other people.”

“What a wonderful thing to do!” I said, “I love that your gratitude __________ your acts of kindness.” I took a plain notebook and wrote, “I’m __________ for…” I prepared my husband’s favorite dinner, sent a (n)__________text to a friend, and __________ another batch of cookies for Julia to share with her friends.

4 . “By removing needless details in pursuit of perfection, Van Den followed in the footsteps of many great artists, writers, composers, and painters.”

Juhani Murros made an unexpected discovery during his visits to art galleries when he worked for an organization in Ho Chi Minh City in 1990. A small still life in an unnoticeable gallery commanded the Finnish physician’s attention. “It was not an eye-catching oil painting, yet its dark, mysterious colors and the emotional tension of its disciplined composition set it apart.” Thus began a long journey of discovering the art and life of Van Den, a Buddhist of mixed Chinese and Vietnamese ancestry who studied in Paris for less than two years during the first French Indochina War.

Murros’ biography is, by necessity, brief because there is limited knowledge of the artist, mostly in oral way by family and friends. Many of his paintings did not survive the damp Southeast Asian climate nor the political chaos of his lifetime. However, the author’s research appears to be extensive, as much a years-long spiritual examination of Van Den as a historical one. The artist’s love for country life is apparent in his work, and it is said by those who knew him that he preferred to paint countryside scenes close to his heart and worked as an outsider. He is uninterested in the more elegant work of academically recognized painters. Despite these limitations, Van Den won Vietnam’s most honorable art award in 1960.

Murros gives an in-depth look into the life of this obscure master. The book introduces the readers to Van Den’s art with photographs of his paintings, accompanied by short stories behind them. The book is as quiet as the artist’s work, but it is a satisfying read. Each stroke of words in the book connects to the readers; the narrative awakens the artistic spirit in each one of us, encouraging us to follow our heart.

5 . Join us on Sunday, April 28, 2024, for the NYCRUNS Brooklyn Half Marathon! Starting in North Brooklyn, the route offers stunning waterfront views and passes under the historic Williamsburg, Manhattan, and Brooklyn Bridges. Experience the vibrant streets of Brooklyn, from Fulton Street & Flatbush Avenue to the grandeur of Grand Army Plaza, and finish in Prospect Park.

Registration:

Fees for NYCRUNS members are $135 if registered by December 13th. Non-members pay $150. Register early to se cure your spot in this unforgettable race! NYCRUNS members can enjoy a $10 discount on the registration fee. Additionally, up to 50% of the race fee can be covered using Race Credit.

Amenities:

NYCRUNS is known for putting on running events of the highest quality. After the race, celebrate your achievement with the official race shirt and an incredible medal with pride! When you finish, enjoy fresh Brooklyn bagels, NYS apples and more!

Awards:

Top finishers in various age groups will be recognized. Prize money will only be awarded to athletes who complete the NYCRUNS Brooklyn Half Marathon in a gun time faster than the qualifying time. Athletes will be subject to drug testing to ensure a fair and equal field.

Volunteer Opportunities:

Non-profits interested in group volunteering, please contact us.

Transportation:

Public transportation recommended.

Closest stations: L train to Bedford Avenue, G train to Metropolitan Avenue.

Register today and be a part of this unforgettable Brooklyn experience!

On a sunny early spring morning, Anna, together with her grandchildren Julie, Fred and Erik, was playing happily in the backyard. While playing, Anna said to the kids, “I am going to plant something in the garden. Who would like to help me?”

“What are you going to plant, Grandma?” asked Julie. “I like pleasant, bright-colored roses.”

“But I like lively, big, yellow sunflowers!” said Fred.

“Well, I’m going to plant some vegetables so that we can have fresh vegetables to eat when they are ready,” said Anna.

“How long does that take?” asked Erik. He liked vegetables sometimes, especially tomatoes.

“It will take several months before anything is ready to eat,” answered Anna. The kids were surprised.

“Several months? Why would you do all that work and then have to wait so long?” asked Julie. “Why not just go to the store and buy them?”

“Patience, my sweeties! Don’t you know food always tastes best when you grow it yourself?” replied Anna. “And if all of you come to help, it won’t be too much work.”

“I’ll help you, Grandma,” offered Erik. He put down the basketball and went to look at the gardening tools Anna had laid out. “What should we do first?” Fred and Julie came over to have a look, too.

Firstly, Anna taught Erik how to use a travel (小铲子) to dig rows of small holes for the seeds. Next, she showed Julie how to pour the seeds into each hole carefully. And then it was Fred’s job to cover up the holes with soil little by little. Finally, Julie wrote the vegetable names on sticks that Erik pushed into the ground. “This way we can remember which vegetable seeds we have planted,” said Anna.

After planting everything, the kids took turns in filling up the watering pot so that Anna could make the soil nice and wet for the seeds to start to grow.

“From now on, we just water them a little each day, and with some time and sunshine, we’ll have some delicious things to eat in the summer,” said Anna.

Every time the kids came to visit, they would rush into the garden as fast as possible.

Eventually, Anna said, “It was about time for the first harvest.”

I hope this email finds you well.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon!

Yours,

Li Hua

8 . One evening I was running late for a meeting and I passed a friend in the hallway. My friend asked the daily ______ question, “How are you doing?” Rather than give the expected response, “Good, how about you?” I decided to ______ my frustration with traffic, people who can’t put down their cellphones at traffic lights, poor ______ in the rain and everything else about my ______ journey to work.

Instead of showing empathy (同理心), my friend asked thought-provoking (引人深思的) question, “What would have happened if your guardian angel hadn’t created those ______?” The inference was that I might have been ______ something much worse than being late for a meeting. My immediate reaction was to ______ and walk on, but later I began to ______ what he had asked. Over the next few days, the more I thought about his question, the more ______ I was able to see in it.

I thought about my ______ experiences as well as the things that had happened to me, and the seed he had ______ started to grow. I remembered an uncle who was late for a flight and the flight he had missed ______. I remembered when ______ kept me from accidents on the same road I was traveling on.

Ever since my friend gave me his advice in the form of a ______, I have become less stressed. Keeping the advice in mind makes me more at ease and has ______ my life.