Instead of letting bad stress drag you down the path of unhappiness, exhaustion¹ and burnout, use these six simple steps to harness its power in a positive way.

为了不让压力把自己变得很不快乐，筋疲力尽，通过以下6个简单的步骤，让自己积极应对压力。

Be honest about your self-talk.

真诚对待你内心的声音。

Only by listening without judgment² to that inner dialogue can you begin to understand where those automatic responses come from and then replace them with a more helpful and motivational commentary that can guide you through various tough situations.

只有通过聆听内心的声音，不做任何判断，你才能逐渐懂得那些下意识的反应是怎么来的，然后用一个更有帮助且具有激励作用的评价来代替那些下意识的反应。这些评价能为你在不同的艰难处境中指明方向。

Catch it before it starts.

先下手为强。

Once a stress response is under way, there's no stopping it biologically, which makes it even more critical to develop foresight³ into dealing⁴ with stressful situations in a constructive⁵ manner. Since control is so closely linked to the anxiety aspects of the stress response, focusing your energy on determining what you can (and can't!) affect is one of the most powerful, proactive tools available for dealing with the downsides of stress.

一旦做出了应激反应，通过生理的方式阻止它是没有用的。通过建设性的方式培养远见来应对压抑的状态，这样更重要。因为抑制和应激反应的焦虑部分关系很密切，所以将你的能力集中在考虑你能影响什么，不能影响什么，这是你能做到应对压力消极方面最强大和最积极的方法。

If you're able to go into each moment with this type of calm and mental clarity, the stress you experience will become more of a fleeting⁶ feeling than a consistently overwhelming pressure to try and change or fix.

如果你能用这种方法让自己变得平静，保持头脑清醒，那么你试着改变或修复的压力会变成转瞬即逝的感觉，而不会让你难以招架。

Reframe challenges as opportunities.

将挑战看做机会。

This mental trick not only makes you more resilient to the negative impact of stress, but also sets you up for more successful stress face-offs in the future. That repeated exposure lends the body psychologically as much as physically⁷ a sense of control that resurfaces when similar experiences arise.

这一条不仅让你对压力的消极影响更能轻松应对，而且能让你在未来应对压力时，更得心应手。在将来遇到相似经历的时候，你的身体在肉体和心理两方面对压力都能做出抑制。

So instead of viewing a daily dose of stress as a roadblock to overcome, accept it as a positive challenge to then improve your productivity, focus and overall performance.

不要把每天的压力当作是需要克服的路障，而要把它当作一个积极的挑战，欣然接受它，从而提高你的生产能力，注意力和表现。

Think about what works and what doesn't for you.

想一想什么适合你，什么不适合你。

Everyone is different when it comes to the particulars (not to mention intensity) of their stress triggers. Some people fear public speaking while others can't get enough of it. Some people seek the thrill of tight deadlines while others can't stand it.

说道触发压力的具体细节（更不用说强度）的时候，每个人的情况就不尽相同了。有些人害怕公开演讲，有些人求之不得。有些人喜欢紧张截止日期的刺激感，有些人则无法忍受。

Just as it's important to listen to how you speak to yourself regarding stressful situations, knowing the circumstances, activities or personality traits in others that make you feel less in control and full of consistent anxiety can help you tremendously in managing your unnecessary stress exposure.

倾听自己是如何谈论压力是很重要的，同样的，了解那些能让你崩溃和持续焦虑的环境，活动和别人的个性特征是很重要的，会给你很大帮助，让你避免不必要的压力。

Living by your own individualized meaning and purpose, both at work and otherwise, can boast big benefits when it comes to reducing your stress levels.

无论是工作，还是其他方面，按照自己的人生意义和目标而活。这样子你在减轻压力时，才能受益良多。

Change up your surroundings.

改变环境

Good stress is a motivator to finish a given task at work or push for a challenging promotion⁸ -- in a sense, it helps us thrive. Without it, we would often lack the motivation to achieve anything at all.

积极的压力能成为完成任务的动力，让你更进一步。某种程度上说，压力帮助了我们。没有压力，我们就会经常缺少让自己有所成就的动力。

But for many of us, our modern environments seem to antagonize us rather than inspire us. Sticking with jobs we truly dislike that require longer commutes⁹ and more time away from the people and activities we enjoy keeps chronic¹⁰ stress at a persistent¹¹ high. And that stress, over time, can lead to premature¹² aging, a weakened immune system, damage to the brain, a higher risk of infection, the development of mental disorders¹³, and the beginnings of heart disease.

对于我们很多人来说，现代社会环境似乎对我们起了抑制作用，而不是激励作用。长时间来回奔波，花更少的时间和喜欢的人和事在一起，干着不喜欢的工作，这样会让我们不断处于高压状态。随着时间推移，这样的压力就会导致提前衰老，免疫系统变弱，损伤大脑，更容易受感染，导致精神障碍和心脏病。

Rather than sticking with surroundings that perpetuate¹⁴ the burnout -- and breakdown¹⁵ -- of the body, consider making lifestyle changes that would help reduce the amount of "bad" stress in your life automatically.

不要长期让身体处于精疲力竭和崩溃的环境下，考虑一下改变生活方式，这样会自然而然减少生活中的消极压力。

Ask for help.

寻求帮助。

Changing your perception of stress (even before it happens) is often easier said than done, which is all the more reason to not go it alone.

改变你对压力的看法（在有压力之前也要这样）说得容易做的难。这也是不要一个人面对压力的原因。

Research has shown that the utilization¹⁶ of coaching, training and peer support groups can be quite effective in transforming typically negative stressors into positive ones. For example, Columbia Business School research scholar Alia Crum gave a group of employees at a struggling financial services company a video-based training program intended to lighten their perspectives of their work environment. After watching motivational clips of athletes and professionals both facing challenges and overcoming them, the workers experienced a substantial improvement in their own attitudes.

改变你对压力的看法（在有压力之前也要这样）说得容易做的难。这也是不要一个人面对压力的原因。研究表明进行辅导，训练，参加同侪支援小组的方式，转化消极压力方面很有效果。例如哥伦比亚大学商学院研究学者艾丽·雅克拉姆给一群在一家濒临破产金融服务公司供职的雇员进行了视频训练项目，目的在于减轻他们对 工作环境的感受。首先他们观看了一些具有激励作用的短片，短片中是一些运动员和专业人员都遇到困难并且克服了困难。这些工人对他们各自的态度都有了明显的改善。

Instead of interpreting stress as an energy drainer, they viewed it as a potential performance aid -- a change that may or may not have occurred without this external assistance.

他们没有把压力当做榨干精力的罪魁祸首，他们将其看做一个潜在的救助手段——是在没有外部的推动下可能或者不可能发的一种改变。