Stress and holidays seem to go hand-in-hand. 【小题1】 However, this may be a good time to try to rethink about holidays and view holidays as an opportunity to improve your psychological well-being.

Take time for yourself. You may feel pressured to be everything to everyone. But remember that you’re only one person and can only accomplish certain things. 【小题2】 Plus, others will benefit when you’re feeling less stressed. Reflect on aspects of your life that give you joy; go for a long walk; get a massage; or take time to listen to your favorite music or read a new book. All of us need some time to recharge our batteries.

Volunteer. Find a local charity, such as a soup kitchen or a shelter that needs volunteers, and offer to help. Alternatively, participate in a community giving tree program or an adopt-a- family program.【小题3】

Encourage healthy conversations. Let your family know that holidays are times to express gratitude. 【小题4】 If there is worry about heated disagreements or negative conversations, focus on what you and your family have in common. Families might even plan activities they can do together that foster good fun and laughter, like playing a family game or looking through old photo albums.

Seek support. 【小题5】 Getting things out in the open can help you manage your feelings and work toward a solution.

Long, long ago there were a lot of donkeys. The donkeys worked hard every day. They had no time to play or to relax, but they never felt appreciated (赏识) for the work they did.

One day two donkeys got bored. They wanted to live a comfortable life, so the donkeys went to see a wise old man. They told him their problem. The wise old man agreed that they worked too hard, and he wanted to help the donkeys. “I have an idea,” he said.

“What is your idea?” asked the donkeys.

“I will paint you and no one will know you are donkeys,” said the man.

The man went off to find some paint and he returned in just a few minutes. He had two pots of paint. One pot was filled with white paint, and the other black paint.

The old man first painted them white, and then painted black stripes (条纹) over the white paint. When he finished, the donkeys did not look like donkeys at all. “You no longer look like donkeys,” the old man said. “Everyone will be fooled. I will call you something else, Zebras (斑马).”

The zebras went to a field to eat grass. Now they did not have to work.

Soon, other donkeys saw the zebras. They asked the zebras where they came from. When the zebras told the donkeys their secret, the donkeys all rushed to see the old man.

“Please make us into zebras, too.” They pleaded (恳求). So the wise old man painted more donkeys. As he did, more and more donkeys came.

The old man could not paint fast enough. Soon the donkeys became impatient. They began to kick about, and they knocked over the paint pots.

There was no more paint. The painted donkeys ran off to become zebras. The unpainted donkeys, because of their impatience (不耐烦), had to return to work.

This is why it is important to be patient.

I rushed to the back of the ambulance before I thought to fasten my seat belt as our ambulance dashed down the road. My legs trembled uncontrollably as I felt around for boxes of gloves and passed them to the rest of the crew. Despite my jumpy nerves, I felt a thrill. Here I was, on my first real call after three months of training.

We pulled up to the scene and I jumped out, feeling official and important at having arrived in such style. As we approached the patient, we saw the terrible scene, but the two emergency workers with me were prepared. One immediately began treating the patient while the other calmed the anxious family. I was asked to give breaths to the patient while a worker did chest compressions (按压).

Though I agreed, my excitement and nervousness disappeared as I felt the gravity of the situation. This person’s life was in my hands. For the next 20 minutes the emergency workers and I counted breaths and compressions, occasionally switching positions. We continued administering CPR for the whole of the rough ride to the hospital and I grew increasingly alarmed since the patient was not responding.

Arriving at the emergency room, we knew it was over. My first call, my first chance to save someone, but I failed. I was horrified. A complete stranger had died before my eyes, under my care. The doctors comforted me, and though I felt responsible, I soon realized that there was nothing we could have done to change the result. Our CPR technique had been sound, but the reality was that the chances of life after a heart arrest were very slim.

As the initial shock wore off, a strong motivation to go on another emergency call replaced it. Watching life turn into death is not an easy experience to forget, but it can create a thirst to try again and perhaps save a life the next time. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, the chance hasn’t yet happened. The worst call I’ve had since that first day is a twisted ankle.