1 . It’s never easy to say “no”, especially when we’re asked by someone close to us, Maybe a friend is asking you for a favor, or a co-worker is asking you to cover their shift for the afternoon
Be kind but forthright. Though you can always just say “no” on your own terms, you might find more success by padding your refusal with positivity.
Offer a brief explanation. Providing a concise explanation as to why you’re refusing a request is one polite way to say “no”. For instance, if you already have other work this week that would prevent you from hitting a pew deadline, let the person know that. You’d better avoid adding too much fluff (无价值的东西) to your explanation.
Know yourself. Knowing yourself and your needs will help you decide if you should say“no”. Have a brainstorming session about areas where you have too much on your plate.
A.Set healthy boundaries. |
B.Be honest about your own needs. |
C.When should you say “no” to them? |
D.Set boundaries between work and your personal life. |
E.That can very likely give the other person false hope. |
F.You can try keeping your voice calm, welcoming and kind. |
G.How can you stand your ground politely without feeling guilty? |
2 . It’s a great feeling when someone gives you a compliment (赞美), isn’t it?
When someone does an activity or a task particularly well, let him/her know about it by saying “You did a great job!”
When you’ve bought something new, it feels great when other people are excited about it. For example, if you take out your new mobile phone and a colleague says, “What a cool phone!”, it makes you feel like you made the right decision to buy it.
Compliment someone on their personalities and you'll make a new friend. For example, if you like how happy a coworker is, you can tell him/her, “You are always so happy. It makes my day better.”
A.It’s a useful way to start a conversation, too. |
B.Everyone likes compliments about their appearance. |
C.Be careful with compliments about appearance, though. |
D.So, try giving someone a compliment and see their reaction. |
E.Return the favor by complimenting others on nice things they own. |
F.To make the compliment more meaningful, make it more specific. |
G.Use compliments like this for any quality that you appreciate in a person. |
3 . Tips to help you overcome people-pleasing
Considering other people’s feelings and treating them with kindness is something we strive to do.
When this happens, people-pleasing has crossed the line from kind and generous to self-abandonment — not being the authentic self because we’re afraid others will disapprove, criticize, or reject us. Here are tips for you to overcome such behaviors.
Self-care is a necessity, not a luxury. It’s not something you do if you have time or if you deserve it. Taking care of your emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical needs keeps you healthy. Without it, you’ll get sick, stressed, and irritable. Try putting self-care activities (exercise, socializing, hobbies, etc.) on your calendar to ensure that self-care is a priority.
Not everyone’s opinion matters.
One big mistake people-pleasers make is acting as if everyone’s opinion matters equally. You don’t differentiate whose opinion matters more. Generally, the closer the relationship, the more you’ll value their opinion and want to please them. Thus, it’s natural to want to do things to make your loved ones happy.
Healthy conflict can improve relationships.
Most people worry that painful conflicts will destroy relationships.
A.Be aware of your inner needs. |
B.Taking care of yourself isn’t selfish. |
C.This indicates that we’re People-Pleasers. |
D.It’s understandable and common to want to avoid them. |
E.But sacrificing our wellbeing to make others happy is not. |
F.However, you don’t need to please acquaintances in the same way. |
G.It results in greater understanding and ultimately strengthens the relationship. |
4 . Active listening is a communication skill that involves going beyond simply hearing the words that another person speaks but also seeking to understand the meaning and intention behind them. The word “active” implies that you are taking some type of action when listening to others.
Be fully present
Active listening requires being fully present in the conversation. It enables you to concentrate on what is being said. Being present involves listening with all your senses and giving your full attention to the speaker. To use this active listening technique effectively, put away your cell phone, ignore distractions, and shut down your internal dialogue.
Pay attention to non-verbal cues (非言语暗示)
As much as 65% of a person’s communication is unspoken,
Keep good eye contact
When engaged in active listening, making eye contact is especially important. This tells the other person that you are present and listening to what he or she says.
Be patient
Patience is an important active listening technique because it allows the other person to speak without interruption. Being patient involves not trying to fill periods of silence with your own thoughts or stories. This also requires listening to understand, not to respond.
A.Don’t prepare a reply while listening. |
B.It also shows that you aren’t distracted. |
C.This isn’t helpful during active listening. |
D.So use open, non-threatening body language. |
E.Don’t focus too much on insignificant details. |
F.Place your focus on your conversation partner. |
G.This involves using certain strategies or techniques. |
5 . We all know the golden rule: treat others the way you want to be treated. This is an old proverb we learn from an early age.
Have you ever noticed that when you do something nice for someone else, it makes you feel better too? This isn’t just something that happens randomly (随机地).
Making others feel good can “warm” your heart, sure — but being nice to others can also affect the actual chemical balance of your heart. Kindness releases the hormone oxytocin which reduces blood pressure and therefore protects the heart.
Kindness can help you live longer. You may be shaking your head at this one, but there’s science to back it up. According to Health.com, you’re at a greater risk of heart disease if you don’t have a strong network of family and friends. When you’re kind to others, you develop strong, meaningful relationships and friendships.
A.Anxiety is an extremely common human experience. |
B.This behavior can help you handle stressful situations. |
C.Kindness strengthens your heart physically and emotionally. |
D.It has something to do with the pleasure centers in your brain. |
E.Besides improving personal relationships, kindness can make you healthier. |
F.So, make some new friends, or expand your kindness to the ones you already have. |
G.However, there are a number of real-life benefits connected with the way we treat others. |
6 . It’s natural for people to compare themselves with their peers. Peer pressure is a force that nearly everyone has faced at some point. If it’s not well handled, there might be some destructive consequences.
Find positive influence
At any age, it’s beneficial to stay involved with extracurricular activities like sports, music, art, or other hobbies. Team building activities can help increase self-confidence and create a support system that allows an individual to succeed. Additionally, enjoying hobbies and other harmless pastimes like exercising can release feel-good hormones.
Plan ahead
Experiencing peer pressure, especially when in an unfriendly environment, can cause a person to panic and make impulsive decisions.
Positive influences, usually parents or siblings, can teach you how to deal with peer pressure directly. Having a trusted friend, family member, or another resource to call on can relieve some of the everyday life stresses. They can be there to give advice or just support the decisions you’ve made that you feel are right for you.
Convey feelings and emotions
Honesty goes a long way in reducing the harmful effects of peer pressure. Speak to the person or group of people who may be causing feelings of unease or uncertainty and kindly ask them to stop.
A.Talk to a trusted resource. |
B.Don’t be afraid to find new groups. |
C.Unfortunately, peer pressure is difficult to avoid. |
D.Therefore, it’s essential to know how to deal with it. |
E.So, it’s best to have a plan that can help map out a response. |
F.They can help reduce anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems. |
G.It’s ok to distance yourself from those who are not serving you in a positive aspect. |
7 . Saying “thank you” when you receive an unexpected gift is all well and good, but how can you get a little creative with your appreciation? As it turns out, there are plenty of ways to express your gratitude to others while remaining gracious and sincere.
I appreciate this.
You’ve made my day! Show them that their gifts turned your day around. Telling someone that they made your day will make the giver feel that their gifts are much more meaningful and worthwhile.
It’s like you read my mind! Thank you. Compliment (恭维) their gift-giving skills.
A.I’m extremely astonished |
B.When someone gives you a gift |
C.If people choose to spend time with you |
D.It is impolite of you to say those words |
E.You may receive gifts from others in daily life |
F.Be specific about what you appreciate and why |
G.They’ll be pleased that they were able to make you smile |
8 . Have you ever struggled to understand how someone else feels? Building up your empathy (同理心) skills helps you connect with your friends.
What is empathy?
Empathy is a kind of capability that lets you step into someone else’s shoes and then figure out how they are feeling. For instance, if you can see your friend is upset after losing a football match and you support them by telling them some warm and motivating words, you are showing empathy. Miranda McKeamey set up an organization called EmpathyLab that builds empathy through reading.
Scientists say empathy isn’t something you are born with, it’s a skill you can acquire through learning. One way you can do this is by active listening. When someone is talking to you, listen closely and respond in a way that shows you understand their situations and emotions thoroughly. Reading, advocated by EmpathyLab, is also a great way to boost empathy, since stories can take you inside someone else’s mind and show you the world through their eves and emotions.
Put empathy into action.
A.How can you have more empathy? |
B.Who need empathy most in daily life? |
C.Besides, it also spreads kindness and inspires them to do the same. |
D.To find out more conducts you can do, log in EmpathyLab.UK.com. |
E.Only by putting empathy into action can you relate to others’ bad lives. |
F.She believes even small, supportive actions can have a positive impact. |
G.Miranda recommends going into the thick of people’s lives to show empathy. |
9 . I came across some excellent tips on how to communicate better with others.
Pause(停顿)before replying to others.
Be honest.
Ask for feedback(反馈)from others. When it’s all said and done, one of the best ways you can learn to communicate more effectively is to ask for feedback. Take some time to speak to those who you communicate with frequently to find out how you can improve on your communication with them.
A.Be patient and open-minded. |
B.Trust and hard work are valuable. |
C.When you’re honest, communication becomes a lot easier. |
D.I believe communication is key to living a good life. |
E.It’s not always easy to ask for feedback, but it’s worth it! |
F.You’ll be on the road to creating a better understanding with others. |
G.Pause works wonders when it comes to communicating effectively with others. |
10 . Have you ever wondered why different people react differently to the things you say and do? Maybe you told your parents a story that made them laugh, but found that the same story was upsetting to the kids at school. What caused them to react so differently?
Boundaries are the cut-off point between what a person finds funny and charming, and what they find hurtful and inappropriate.
While many people won’t tell you directly that you’ve made them uncomfortable, some people will.
A.You aren’t sure of a person’s boundaries. |
B.Different people have different boundaries. |
C.The gateway to a healthy relationship is boundaries. |
D.They may tell you that you’re standing too close to them. |
E.Pay attention to the way they react to your ideas and jokes. |
F.A person tends to tell you directly if you’ve made a mistake. |
G.The answer has something to do with a tricky concept called boundaries. |