Humans are emotional beings who experience all kinds of emotions. Living a joyful life doesn’t mean refusing painful emotions. Instead, it means developing a mindset (心态) that prefers a positive view of the world. At the same time, it means developing healthy ways to deal with difficult emotions. 【小题1】

Joy strengthens relationships. When you have a positive attitude, you tend to approach the people in your life from a place of gratitude and love.【小题2】 You also tend to appreciate the strengths in others, rather than focus on what you don’t like in that person.

Joy improves physical health.【小题3】 According to a study in BMC Cancer, researchers found that happiness may protect against breast cancer. The same goes for heart disease, with a study from Psychosomatic Medicine suggesting that depression may be linked to coronary (冠状动脉) disease.

【小题4】 According to Scientific American, happy people are open to all sorts of ideas, and people are more likely to come up with new ideas when they are in a good mood. This is because they tend to see the bigger picture, which, in turn, inspires greater imagination.

Joy creates more joy! When you surround yourself with positive people, you experience more happiness in your own life.【小题5】 People who spend more time with cheerful friends are more likely to have a happier behavior. By spending more time with happy people, you may feel happier, which inspires even more joy in those you meet!

All students have bad times. What do they usually do when they get into trouble?

My mom is like my friend. I talk about everything to her. Whenever I have some trouble, I can get good advice from her. I have another good friend — my diary. It knows all my secrets. Talking with my two friends always makes me feel better.

                                                                                             —— Linda

Laughing helps me when I’m upset. I usually watch funny movies and TV shows. I also love spending my hard time with my best friend Dave. He is humorous and always makes me laugh.

                                                                                               —— Peter

Every time I feel bad, I go climbing alone. The study says exercising can help cheer one up (精神振奋). And the beautiful view at the top of the mountain makes me forget all my troubles. Sometimes I shout at the mountain top. It feels fantastic.

                                                                                                 —— John

Everyone feels anxious or nervous at times. Feelings like these can surface when you face a challenge. 【小题1】 You might feel anxious when it’s your turn to speak in class. These feelings can be uncomfortable, but you can manage with the help of the following tips.

●Start with a growth mindset (思想倾向).

Some people have a fixed mindset. They might think, “This is how I am. I get anxious before speaking in class. So I don’t raise my hand.” With a fixed mindset, people don’t think things can change. But people with a growth mindset know they can get better at just about everything — with effort and practice. 【小题2】

●Notice what anxiety feels like for you.

Get to know the body feelings that are part of anxiety. When you’re anxious, do you feel “butterflies”? Shaky hands? A faster heartbeat? Know that these feelings are part of the body’s normal response to a challenge. 【小题3】 Next time they happen, try to notice the feelings without getting upset. Accept them and let them be there.

●【小题4】

When you’re anxious, it’s common to tell yourself things like, “I can’t do this.” Or “What if I mess this up?” Instead, tell yourself something that could help you face the moment with a bit of courage, “It’s OK to feel anxious. I can do this anyway.” It’s facing the anxiety that helps you manage it. This is called exposure.

Learning to cope with anxiety takes time and patience. Most of all, it takes practice and willingness to face it. It starts with one small step. 【小题5】