1 . When you hear that your friend has passed an exam that you failed earlier, how do you react? Do you share in her happiness? If you do, congratulations!     1     Studies have shown that experiencing Freudenfreude can lead to acts of kindness, such as helping others. By celebrating the victories of others, we can bring more success into our own lives.

    2     Sometimes, the disappointment of our own failure can make it difficult to feel happy for others. If we were raised in an environment where winning was strongly associated with self-worth, we may mistakenly interpret someone else’s success as our own failure. Our mental health and overall well being can also affect our ability to share in someone else’s joy.     3    

One method to evoke positive feelings for others is through asking questions. We don’t have to wait for someone else’s good news to practice Freudenfreude. By inviting others to share their victories and genuinely listening to their stories, we can cultivate joy.     4    

Since emotions are contagious (有感染力的), expressing appreciation can also enhance Freudenfreude. We can think of Freudenfreude as something that can be shared when we are experiencing personal happiness.     5     Starting by sharing our own achievements and expressing gratitude can create a sense of shared joy, enhancing Freudenfreude for both parties involved.

2 . Emotional regulation (情绪管理) is taking any action that changes the intensity of an emotional experience.     1    . It refers to the ability to effectively control our emotions through various approaches. We are expected to manage our emotions in ways that are socially acceptable. There are a number of skills that can help us self-regulate our emotions.

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Emotions happen fast. We don’t think “now I will be angry” — we just suddenly have fires in our eyes and become extremely angry. So the number one skill in regulating difficult emotions is to pause. Take a breath. Slow down the moment between trigger (触发) and response.

Noticing what you feel

An equally important skill involves the ability to become aware of what you’re feeling. Dr. Judson Brewer, MD Ph. D. recommends practices for becoming more curious about your own physical reactions. In what parts of your body are you noticing feelings? Is your stomach upset? Is your heart racing?     3    . Looking into what is happening to you physically can also draw away your focus and reduce the intensity of the emotion.

Naming what you feel

After noticing what you feel, the ability to name it can help you get control of what is happening. Ask yourself: What would you call the emotions you’re feeling? Is it anger, sadness, or disappointment?     4    .

Accepting the emotion

    5    . Rather than beating yourself up for feeling angry or scared, recognize that your emotional reactions are acceptable. Try to practice self-sympathy and give yourself respect. Recognize that experiencing emotions is a normal human reaction.

3 . Emotional pain is part of life.     1     Whether the pain is associated with loss, failure, or disappointment, you must develop a strategy to lessen and manage the struggle. By taking action you will learn to cope with emotional pain.

Seek help from those close to you. Asking for help can be awkward. However, if you let someone know that you are trying to make specific changes in your life, it will increase the likelihood of your success.     2     It is important for you to let others know what you are trying to achieve.

    3     Sitting around missing someone will only make you feel worse. Sometimes you need to occupy yourself with new, more interesting things to do. Have you ever thought about learning to play a musical instrument or becoming a master gardener? Now might be your time.

Volunteer your time to a cause. One way of coping with emotional pain is to volunteer your time, resources, or expertise to a worthy cause or individual. Volunteering will help you develop new skills, and begin or strengthen your connection with your community. It can also provide a boost to your self-esteem and personal development.     4    

Make a plan to build coping skills. Following a problem-solving model will give you a structure for creating change. You must determine clear objectives, carry them out, make adjustments as needed and monitor your progress.     5     You can lessen your strict adherence (遵守) to the steps of your plan and maintain positive outcomes.

4 . Have you ever felt like others don’t understand your pain when they seem to be living a happy life? You’re not alone in feeling this way, but the truth is that happiness takes work.    1    

Live in the present moment

Your past is important to learn from.    2     At the end of the day, though, the only thing that exists outside of your head is the present. In order to ground yourself in the now, you can practise noticing what’s around you, how you’re feeling, why you’re feeling that way, etc.

Be kind to others

    3     While you may not be at a place to help them financially (经济上), offering a smile or a kind word can help them feel better about where they’re in life. When others see you show kindness, they’ll also be more likely to do so.

Keep your mind open

Having an open mind is important for your growth. You may be right about something, but it doesn’t mean there aren’t other ways to look at it.    4     You are sure to learn something as long as you stay open to difficult conversations.

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You’ll hear people say “I had that idea” every time you see someone create something great. Everyone had the idea for Facebook first. The reason Mark Zuckerberg got rich off it is that he went out and did it, while everyone else was talking about it. Ideas are useless if you don’t act on them. Less thinking, more doing.

5 . How to Overcome Feeling of Guilt

Guilt can be a depressing feeling that prevents you from moving forward with your life.     1     However, this article will guide you through the process and help you move towards a positive future.

Identify what you feel guilty about. If you feel guilty about something, it is important to identify what you feel guilty about and why. Identifying the source of your guilt and why it makes you feel guilty can help you to determine if you are experiencing healthy or unhealthy guilt.     2    

Write about your feelings.     3     Start by writing down the reason that you feel guilty. If it was something you did or said to someone, describe what happened in as much detail as you can. Include in your description how this situation made you feel and why. What do you think that you should feel guilty about?

Apologize if necessary. Once you have understood your feelings, you can determine if you need to apologize for your actions.     4     It is important to take full responsibility for your actions in order to show your friend that you really do feel bad.

    5     Reaching out to others often helps the person who offers help as much as the person who receives it. Although you must understand that good deeds will not reverse your actions, they will help you move forward into a positive future.