雙語文摘
「最豐盛的語言文化大餐 最自由的外語學習基地 」
故事幽默 | 心靈美文 | 旅遊勝地 | 音樂賞析 | 有聲閱讀
There are so many things I wish I had known while growing up. No one ever tells you the hard truths of life. Maybe it’s because they can’t stomach it, or maybe it’s because they think it’s just something you have to experience firsthand to understand. Here are twenty things nobody told you while growing up that would』ve been nice to know beforehand:
真希望我在成長時能知道這些事情，可惜沒人告訴過我生活的無情現實。或許是因為他們也無法忍受，抑或在他們看來，一切都得靠自己經歷領悟。下面這20個道理沒人在你成長時告訴過你，現在我希望你能提前明白：
1. You’re Going to Spend A Lot of Time Figuring Stuff Out
你要花很多時間才能搞明白某些事情
Unless you’re one of the lucky few who already knows what their passion is and what you really enjoy, you will be spending a lot of time trying new things and figuring out what you’re good at and what you like. Don’t be afraid to try new things and fail at them; failing builds character. You have a lot of growing up to do in your 20s, a lot of self-examination and exploration. Use this time wisely to get to know yourself as best as you can–not that you won’t change as you continue to get older, but it’s definitely a time of discovery, getting to know oneself and what you want in this world and what you have to contribute to the world。
除非你是極少數的幸運兒，一早清楚自己的所向所往，否則你會花很長時間一直嘗試，直到最終明白自己擅長什麼又喜歡什麼。別害怕嘗試和失敗；失敗塑造性格。20幾歲時，你有許多成長機會，會經歷無數次反省和探索。所以，請理智把握這段時光，盡力了解自己——因為年紀再大些後，你基本就定型了。這個階段，你需要去發現並了解自我，弄清楚自己想要什麼、能為這個世界貢獻什麼。
2. Don’t Expect Smooth Seas
別指望一帆風順
There will be many challenges, obstacles and curve balls swung your way. Just try to take life as it comes. Don’t fight against the current because you』ll just wear yourself out. If there’s a door that is standing wide open for you and another that you’re trying to get through by knocking it down, sometimes it’s best to take the door that’s already open for you. In other words don’t try to be someone/something you’re not。
成長途中會遇到無數挑戰、障礙和挫折，這時請順其自然。若逆流而上，你只會精疲力竭。如果面前有兩扇門：一扇門迎面敞開，另一扇門卻緊閉待敲；那最好選擇已經敞開的那扇門。也就是說，不要試圖成為有悖於自我的其他人。
3. Learn About Personal Finance Now
現在就學會個人理財
Learn how to budget and manage your money, how to open a checking/savings account, and how to use credit wisely and live within your means. Your future self will thank you for it. Buy quality items you can keep around for a long time to come, not cheap crap that breaks that you』ll have to buy again in a year. Invest in yourself, your education, your personal improvement, your health and your relationships to others。
學會預算開支，設立儲蓄帳戶，在力所能及的範圍內理智使用信用卡。以後你會受益匪淺。買持久耐用的高質量產品，而不是那種每年都得更換的低檔貨。為個人成長、教育、健康及人際關係進行投資。
4. Assume Change Will Come
相信何時都會改變
Life is about change; don’t fight it and just go with it. Learn from your mistakes and grow. Let go of things you can’t change. Sometimes change will be so painful you will want to rip your heart out, but you』ll be okay if you just hang on and know that no matter what happens, you will be alright. Win, lose or draw, life will go on and you』ll get another chance to start your life over if things haven’t gone according to plan。
生活就是改變；與其抗拒，不如接受。從錯誤中吸取教訓並獲得成長。若無力改變事情，那就請放手。有時改變令人痛苦、心碎不堪；但只要堅持相信「不管怎樣，一切都會安好」，你便能闖過去。不論輸贏還是平局，生活總會繼續；倘若事與願違，總還有機會重新開始。
5. Keep Your Plans Loose
計劃要寬鬆靈活
Speaking of plans, keep them loose and flexible. It’s good to have an idea of things you want to accomplish and where you want to be a couple years down the road, but honestly no one knows what’s going to happen tomorrow, let alone 5 years from now. It’s fine to make some plans but be flexible and willing to change them. Remember that people change and things happen that will push you in one direction or another. Don’t waste time beating yourself up because your plans didn’t go the way you wanted. Don’t worry about things you can’t change; focus on making new plans/goals and where you will go from here。
計劃要寬鬆靈活。你清楚自己想要什麼、幾年後要實現什麼樣的目標，這無可厚非；但說實話，誰也不能保證明天會怎樣，更別提5年後了。制定目標雖好，但不可太死板，而應保持靈活可變。請記住：人變物變，到時候說不定你也會改變方向。不要因為事情沒有完全按照計劃實施就萬般苛責自己；不要為自己無法改變的事情糾結；立足當下，專心制定新的計劃和目標吧。
6. Time Is a Limited Resource
時間是有限資源
Nothing lasts forever. Enjoy every moment that you have. Enjoy life and practice being present in the moment because it goes by extremely fast. There will be both good and bad times. The bad thing about up is there’s always a down. It’s important to really enjoy and savor the good moments in life because you』ll need those memories to reflect back on when the bad times come. The first 10 years after high school go by at a breakneck speed and before you know it you’re 28 and wondering how the time has escaped you。
世事無永恆。享受當下擁有的每一刻。享受生活、珍惜此時此刻吧，因為時光快如白駒過隙。生活總是有喜有悲、有起有落。珍惜生活中的美好時光，當不幸降臨時，你還能擁有美好的回憶。高中畢業後的10年過得非常快，眨眼你就到了28歲，詫異這時間到底是怎麼飛逝而過的。
7. Life is Hard
生活是殘酷的
When you’re a teenager, you’re just at the beginning of your life’s lessons. Life is the toughest teacher you will ever have. 「Life is a cruel teacher. She gives the test first, then the lesson。」 Life will throw everything that it can at you; it will try to break you and choke you until you can’t breathe, but you can’t let it。
青春年少的你現在才剛剛開始人生歷程。生活是最嚴峻的老師。「生活是嚴師，先設考驗，後給教訓。」生活會想方設法為難你：它打擊你、壓抑你，直到你無法呼吸。但你決不能讓它得逞。
8. You’re Only Young Once
青春稍縱即逝
Enjoy being young while you are still young! Enjoy being young as much as possible. Enjoy the metabolism and the fun times. Cross stuff off your bucket list while you’re young because no one knows how much time you truly have. Don’t wait until you’re old and can’t or may not be able to do the things you really want to experience. Seriously, you may be broke while you’re young, but that doesn’t matter. You』ve got time to make money and settle down. Travel, explore and do what your heart desires now. You can still get married, have children and a household and career starting in your 20s if you want, but you should try to balance your life with equal amounts of responsibility and fun. The last thing you want to do is look back on missed chances。
趁著年輕趕緊享受吧！盡情享受青春時光，經歷成長、感受快樂。趁著年輕趕緊實現你的願望清單，因為時間稍縱即逝。不要等老了無法去做時才追悔莫及。或許，年輕的你一窮二白，但那又怎樣，你還年輕，總有時間掙錢安家置業。現在，你應該去旅行、去探索、去追尋內心的渴望。只要你想，你也可以在20幾歲時結婚生子、成家立業；但你也可以嘗試平衡生活，在擔負責任的同時也能找點樂趣。最不該的就是任由機會流逝空悲切。
9. Make Your Health a Priority, Not an Option
健康是必選，不是可選
Once you get into your late 20s and early 30s your body is going to start losing metabolism and energy. You’re going to start going to bed earlier. Start eating better and exercising. Don’t think of it as a choice. Start developing a healthier lifestyle and soon it will become habit. Take care of yourself physically, mentally and spiritually。
一旦到了二十大幾、三十出頭，人體新陳代謝就會變慢，精力也會慢慢下降。你會變得容易疲倦，必須早些上床睡覺；你要開始健康飲食、規律運動。不要覺得這些可有可無。開始嘗試健康的生活方式，很快就會養成習慣。不論是生理還是心理，都請照顧好自己。
10. Attitude Determines Your Altitude
態度決定高度
Attitude is everything and that’s not something they teach you in school. Having a good attitude can make all the difference in your life. It makes life easier and happier when you have a positive outlook and are able to keep your attitude light and flexible when dealing with other people and with life’s challenges。
態度決定一切。這裡的態度不同於你在學校學到的東西。良好的態度能讓生活與眾不同。如果你積極樂觀，與人交往或 面對困難時能靈活自如，生活也會變得更舒暢更開心。
11. How You Treat People Matters
待人接物很重要
Treating people with respect and decency can get you a long way in the world. Remember that 「honey attracts more flies than vinegar。」 Being nice to people really does actually matter to people. You won’t get anywhere tearing other people down or blaming others for anything. Take responsibility for yourself, your actions and your feelings。
禮貌得體待人可以使你走得更長遠。請記住：「蜂蜜比酸醋招蜂多。」善待他人真的非常重要。不論在什麼場合、為了什麼事情，都不要挖苦責備他人。請為自己的言行情緒負責。
12. Relationships Don’t Come Easy
親密關係不易形成
Choosing a life partner/spouse is hard. Relationships in general are hard, not just romantic ones but friendships and family relations as well. Stay in touch with people who you really care about and who really care about you. Make an effort to stay an active person in their life if you really care. You will not have as many close friends as you get older and you will probably lose some friends as well. Remember that it is okay, not everyone who comes into your life is meant to stay forever; let them go and cherish the people who are still in your life。
選擇生活伴侶並不容易。親密關係都不易形成：不僅是戀愛關係，朋友關係和親人關係也是如此。選擇真正在乎你而你又非常喜歡的人。如果你當真在乎，那請在他們的生活裡保持積極樂觀。親密朋友不會隨著年齡的增長而變得越來越多，相反，你甚至會失去一些朋友。但你也不必太介意，畢竟生活中不是所有人都能一直陪伴身邊；離開的姑且離開，現有的更應珍惜。
13. Be Prepared To Deal With Changes in Relationships
關係有變時，要懂得處理
Look at your time with exes and be thankful; even though it didn’t work out, at least you got to experience it and learn from it. You rolled the dice and lost, but at least you took a chance! Don’t think that just because something wasn’t meant to be for your entire life doesn’t mean it didn’t add value and was right where you needed to be at the time。
回望與前任的時光，請心存感激；雖然你們有緣無分，但至少你擁有過、收穫過。雖然賭輸了，但你至少抓住了機會！不要因為事情未盡人意就片面否定當時的價值與意義。
In your 20s, especially if you have a family, it gets harder and harder to spend time with friends because of so many different time demands. You will be pulled in every direction and it’s up to you to decide what your priorities are. Having a couple of close friends you can rely on can make a difference in your life. As they say 「shared joy is doubled, shared sorrow is halved。」
20幾歲時，如果你還建立了家庭，那麼跟朋友廝混的時間會越來越少，因為佔時間的事情變多了。事情四面八方湧來，你必須決定優先次序。如果能有幾個好友，那會大有不同：因為朋友「既可以使快樂翻倍，又能讓悲傷減半」。
14. Take Every Chance You Get
把握每一次機會
Life is about taking chances, grabbing opportunities and taking risks. Don’t be afraid to try something new, move somewhere new, work somewhere new, meet new people and learn something new。
生活就是要把握機遇、勇於冒險。別害怕嘗試新鮮事物、移居陌生地方、進入新工作環境、認識新朋友或學習新東西。
15. Let Go of Expectations
拋開期望
Expectations ruin everything and most of the time our expectations are too high for those around us and for ourselves. No one is perfect and nothing is ever going to be perfect. The faster you can learn this and let go of too high or false expectations, the easier life will come to you. Expectations bring heartache and only cause harm. Expect nothing and appreciate everything。
期望搞砸一切。我們對自己及周圍人的期望往往偏高。人無完人、金無足赤。若你能及早明白這一道理，放棄過高或離譜的期望，生活會輕鬆很多。期望使人緊張受傷。停止期望、享受一切。
16. Life Is Complex. Try Not to Worry
生活複雜，請勿自擾
Don’t worry because everyone has ups and downs. It’s just how life is. Life is extremely messy and complicated, but don’t despair because things will work out in the end. Keep living and keep on doing what you enjoy. Don’t be too hard on yourself。
每個人都會經歷起起落落，請不要糾結煩惱。生活原本如此——混亂而複雜。所以，請不要感到絕望，事情最後總歸會柳暗花明。繼續生活，繼續做自己喜歡的事。何必把自己逼得太緊。
17. You Get What You Put In
種瓜得瓜，種豆得豆
Happiness, love and confidence come from within. Life is what you make of it and what you put into it. You can create whatever life you want, and if you create that life and it doesn’t work for you anymore, guess what? You can create a whole new life that does work. You may not have a choice in things that happen to you but you have a choice in how you react to them. Try to stay positive no matter what life throws at you and get through the tough times by talking to friends, family and a counselor if you need to。
快樂、愛與自信源於內心。你付出什麼，生活就會反饋給你什麼。你可以隨心創造自己想要的生活，如果創造的生活不盡人意，那你完全可以從頭再來！你或許奈何不了周圍發生的事情，但你至少可以選擇如何應對它們。不論生活發生什麼，請保持積極樂觀；遇到困難時，可以跟朋友、家人或者諮詢人員傾訴。
18. You Will Face Rejection
你會遭遇拒絕
You will be rejected at some point in your life. Rejection hurts at the very core of your being, but try not to take it too personally. Oftentimes, when you’re rejected it has nothing to do with you and everything to do with the person rejecting you. Take it in stride, let it slide off your back and move on. I know this is easier said than done, but it will go a long way in making you feel better and happier。
你會在生活的某個時刻遭遇拒絕。拒絕讓你大受打擊，但你不可太往心裡去。有時候，被拒絕並不是你的問題，而是對方的責任。所以，請坦然面對、一笑而過，然後繼續前行。我知道，說起來容易做起來難，但它能使你更舒心快樂。
19. You Will Not Have Everything Figured Out Anytime Soon
你不可能任何時候都能很快想通一切
If you don’t have everything figured out by the time you’re 30, you’re not alone. If you’re not where you want to be in your life or career, don’t sweat it, you still have time. Some people never figure out what they really want to do with their lives, but they get a lot of great experience, learn new things and can transfer their skills to many types of jobs. If you know what you want to do in life, start doing it immediately, practice it as much as possible and you will get better at it。
到了30歲還沒弄明白一切？不止你一個人這樣。如果還沒得到渴望的生活或職業，也請不要焦躁，你還有時間。有些人從沒想清楚自己真正想要什麼，但他們卻能不斷嘗試新鮮事物、積累豐富經驗、學習各式崗位的技能。如果你清楚知道自己要的是什麼，那就立刻去做，只要不斷磨練，總能越做越好。
20. Love More and Keep Your Heart Open
敞開心懷，多付愛心
Love is all that really matters in the end.Give of yourself more than anything. Try to be patient, empathetic, understanding, caring and gentle with other people. Get to know people better by asking questions and listening attentively. People usually like to talk about themselves and questions are a great way to get conversations going. Love people for who they are, just as they are, and realize that everyone is a work in progress! Life is a continual work in progress. We’re all just trying to find our way, and we’re all confused and looking for contentment. Life is a journey, and happiness is not a destination to arrive at, but a way of living。
愛是最後的真諦，比任何東西都重要。請學會耐心、悲憫和理解，請關心並溫柔對待他人。有疑而問、悉心傾聽，以此更進一步了解他人。人們通常都喜歡談論自己，提問是展開話題的好方法。熱愛人們本真的模樣，發掘每個人的進步！生活本身就在不斷進步，我們都在努力追尋、都心存困惑、也都渴求慰藉。生活是場旅程，幸福並不是理應到達的目的地，而只是一種生活的狀態。
【英語美文】十問自己，成就更好的一生
【英語美文】靈魂深處的東西，總是安靜的
【英語美文】我想要的幸福:有你，有我，有孩子，僅僅如此，就好
【英語美文】時間，讓深的東西越來越深，讓淺的東西越來越淺
【英語美文】愛情，在婚姻的殿堂中成長
【英語美文】其實你很傲慢，只是你沒意識到
【英語美文】生命中不值得我們去做的30件事
【英語美文】我們不斷地追求，不斷地失去
【英語美文】孩子，當我漸漸老去的時候
【英語美文】 魯迅《一件小事》
【英語美文】給幸福一個機會
【英語美文】我喜歡這種淡淡的感覺
【英語美文】我想告訴年輕時的自己
【英語美文】每個人都有一個故事
【英語美文】轟動全球的短文：《青春》
【英語美文】十年（觸動心靈）
【英語美文】下一班幸福，幾點開？
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