双语：如何追求幸福

Three Myths and Four Truths About How to Get Happier

幸福的三个误区和四个真相

During my years of teaching and researching happiness, I've heard thousands of people say, "I just want to be happy." I've said it myself, and you probably have too. As Saint Augustine once said, "There is no one who does not wish to be happy."

在我从事幸福教学和研究的这些年里，我听到成千上万的人说：“我只是想快乐。”我自己也说过，你可能也说过。正如圣奥古斯丁曾经说过的：“没有人不希望幸福。”

But what do we really mean by happiness? Most of us just want to feel good—joyful or cheerful—but problems like money, health, or relationships always seem to get in the way. From small troubles to big disasters, life often makes happiness hard to find. This seems unfair, since everyone wants to be happy. But maybe the real problem is that we misunderstand what happiness truly is. If we can see past common myths, we can actually create better, happier lives.

但我们所说的幸福到底是什么意思呢？我们大多数人只是想感觉良好——快乐或愉悦——但金钱、健康或人际关系等问题似乎总是阻碍我们。从小小的麻烦到巨大的灾难，生活常常让幸福变得难以寻觅。这似乎不公平，因为每个人都想幸福。但也许真正的问题是我们误解了幸福的真谛。如果我们能看透常见的误区，我们实际上就能创造更美好、更幸福的生活。

Myth 1: Happiness is just a feeling.

误区1：幸福只是一种感觉。

Many people think happiness is only about feeling good emotions, like joy or love. But real happiness is more than just feelings. It's like saying a job is only about the money—it's more complicated than that. True happiness is made up of three parts: Enjoyment, Satisfaction and Meaning.

许多人认为幸福仅仅是感受良好的情绪，如喜悦或爱。但真正的幸福不仅仅是感觉。这就好比说工作只是为了钱——实际情况要复杂得多。真正的幸福由三部分组成：享受、满足感和意义。

·Enjoyment is feeling pleasure, especially when sharing good times with others.

·享受是感受快乐，尤其是与他人共享美好时光时。

·Satisfaction is the pride you feel after working hard and reaching a goal.

·满足感是在努力工作并实现目标后所感受到的自豪。

·Meaning is knowing your life has value and purpose.

·意义是知晓自己的人生具有价值和目标。

Myth 2: Your problems are the problem.

误区2：问题本身就是问题所在。

Some think they would be happy if they had no problems. But that's impossible—everyone faces challenges. In fact, happiness often requires effort and sometimes even suffering. Enjoyment and satisfaction come from working hard, facing difficulties, and learning from both good and bad experiences. Meaning often comes from overcoming hardships.

有些人认为如果没有问题，他们就会幸福。但这是不可能的——每个人都面临挑战。事实上，幸福往往需要努力，有时甚至需要经历痛苦。享受和满足感来自努力工作、面对困难以及从好坏经历中学习。意义往往来自克服困难。

Myth 3: The goal is perfect happiness.

误区3：目标是完美的幸福。

No one can be happy all the time. Happiness isn't a place you can reach and stay forever. Instead, we can always work on becoming happier by making good choices and building healthy habits.

没有人能一直幸福。幸福不是一个你可以到达并永远停留的地方。相反，我们可以通过做出正确的选择和养成健康的习惯来不断努力让自己更幸福。

So, how can we become happier? Here are four ways:

那么，我们怎样才能更幸福呢？以下是四种方法：

Truth 1: Check Your Happiness "Diet"

真相1：检查你的幸福“饮食”。

Happiness, like a balanced meal, needs enjoyment, satisfaction, and meaning. Ask yourself: Are you just having fun, or are you truly enjoying life? Are you proud of your hard work? Does your life feel meaningful?

幸福就像一顿均衡的膳食，需要享受、满足感和意义。问问自己：你只是在寻欢作乐，还是真的在享受生活？你为自己的努力工作感到骄傲吗？你的生活有意义吗？

Truth 2: Don't Try to Erase All Unhappiness

真相2：不要试图消除所有的不快乐。

Everyone has tough times and bad feelings—it's normal. Instead of running away from problems, accept and learn from them. These experiences help you grow and become stronger.

每个人都有艰难时刻和不好的情绪——这很正常。不要逃避问题，而是要接受并从中学习。这些经历会帮助你成长并变得更强大。

Truth 3: Focus on Progress, Not Perfection

真相3：关注进步，而非完美。

Happiness isn't about reaching a perfect goal. It's about making progress, learning new things, and growing as a person. Enjoy the journey, not just the result.

幸福不在于达到一个完美的目标。它在于取得进步、学习新事物以及个人成长。享受这个过程，而不仅仅是关注结果。

Truth 4: Build Good Habits

真相4：养成好习惯。

The happiest people have good habits: they believe in something, stay close to family and friends, and help others.

最幸福的人有好习惯：他们有信仰，与家人和朋友保持亲密，并且帮助他人。

Try to develop these habits in your own life！

试着在你自己的生活中养成这些习惯！

2025年5月25日于经典龙苑