Test anxiety is a form of performance anxiety. Wanting to perform well can be a strong encouraging factor that helps you prepare for success. 【小题1】 Here are some tips to help you reduce your test anxiety.

【小题2】. Proper prepare is one of the best ways to immediately lower anxiety levels. Give yourself enough time to study and develop a study plan that works for you.

Get a good night’s sleep. Since your brain is responsible for taking all the information you’ve studied and storing it for test day, getting seven to nine hours of sleep will help you remember what you’ve learned. Proper rest is also important for calming yourself. 【小题3】.

Try to do some exercise. The importance of exercise goes far beyond (超出) its physical benefits. Exercise can also help you to calm your mind and relax. You can lift weights and practice yoga in the gym. 【小题4】 These can reduce feelings of anxiety to set you up for success on test day.

Form a picture of success in your mind. When you imagine success, you create a mental image (心理意象) of yourself performing well on the test and achieving your goal. 【小题5】 You begin to believe in your ability to do so in real life. You can stay focused on your goals and avoid getting distracted (注意力分散的).

Recent research suggests that if an argument gets resolved, the emotional response tied to it is significantly reduced or almost completely erased. Thus, it may be worth bringing up issues with your friends, family members, or classmates rather than holding them back.

There is a difference between arguing and fighting. Arguing is that you and your opponent present your concerns and discuss the feelings and issues related to those concerns. You can engage in an argument respectfully without stirring up (激起) anger. Fighting, however, usually involves personal attacks, raising of voices, and storming out. Discussing your issues and resolving them instead of stuffing them down can improve your emotional health.

In a study, 2,000 people were asked to record their feelings and experiences for eight days in a row. When people had an argument that they considered resolved, they had half the reactivity of those who avoided an argument. Reactivity is an increase in negative emotions or a decrease in positive emotions. In other words, resolving an argument cuts your negative feelings by half. One day later, people who had a resolved argument reported no increase of negative emotions compared with those who avoided an argument. This means that resolving an argument can feel like you have reached a state of resolution — and you are less likely to be annoyed.

Moreover, the older you are, the more likely you will come to a resolution after an argument. This may be because more life experience usually leads to more defined priorities. You are more likely to distinguish between what matters and what does not.

It is easier to avoid a discussion, but risking talking about it may eventually lead to a better outcome.

I never imagined that someone telling me I looked skinny would anger me. And yet, I was enraged when a colleague pinched (捏) my waist and squealed (尖声说), “You’ve lost weight. You look great!” The truth is, I was run-down (疲惫不堪) and not taking care of myself. I decided to embark on a proper weight-loss program — one that would tackle the quality of the weight, not the quantity.

The first to go would be a solid chunk of road rage (路怒). I am in far less control of this poundage (重量) than any other. Every time something gets in my path, I fly off the handle. I need to lose the road rage, and fast! No, no more speed. Instead, I now repeat the words: “I am not in a hurry.” Because really, I’m not. This year, I will drive safely, allowing “stupid” to happen all around me. From that, I hope to gain patience.

Next is the heaviness of guilt. When guilt drives my conscience ( 良 知 ) to do better, it’s functional. But when it presents itself as an internal dialogue that goes nowhere —it’s useless. This year, I want to stop feeling guilty for not keeping a cleaner house, for spending time away from my children to be with friends, for not baking something from scratch, for not attending every party because I would rather be at home, or for watching TV when I should be reading. My image and performance is not at the front of anyone else’s mind but my own. From this, I hope to gain freedom to be myself. Freedom, I expect, will feel weightless.

The last pound is fear. Fear has held me back. Fear of failure has prevented me from being a writer. Fear of embarrassment has prevented me from giving an opinion. Fear of rejection (拒绝) has stopped me from aiming higher in all aspects of my life. Fear of regret has led me into situations that made me uncomfortable. If I can lose anyone of these fears, I stand to gain experience.

So, if I can lose the rage, shed some guilt, and take a chunk of fear off my plate, I stand to gain patience, freedom, and experience. Pound for pound I have not lost a thing but I will be much lighter. Next time, I hope my colleague looks me in the eye to see my glow instead of pinching a part of me that has nothing to do with how great I really look.