I have three kids and a great husband and I’m enjoying a career that I find challenging and fun．To the outside world，this feels like“Success．”But there is still a voice in my heart asking if this is who I truly am．Only in silence do I hear the self and wonder who that person might be．

So I booked a trip to find out．I travelled，for the first time，without my husband or kids．I went to Iceland with a friend，who shares an appreciation for wilderness and silence．

For six days，we were immersed(沉浸)in wild，raw scenery and real weather—a11 kinds of weather．Climbing a mountain against rain and returning to a tent for a simple meal reminds you how little you actually need．And how strong it feels to be uncomfortable sometimes．

I found silence in Iceland，and time to consider the me outside of career and the me out—side of kids as I shared stories with strangers．

When I stopped talking and just 1istened，I became more generous．I 1earned that choosing to be generous can create more space，more food and more warmth．

But I didn’t really gain any better appreciation of what I want from life or my job．I suspect the anxiety that drove me to seek silence in Iceland was losing sight of my ability to choose gratitude and joy，and to be present in the challenges I set in my career and my family．

I came home to noise，rush and love；with no less confusion on who I want to be． I know the answer isn’t waiting out there on the top of a mountain in Iceland．The answer is in front of me with every step on my own 1ife’s path，and in every choice I make．

Ask any new college graduate about his immediate goals, and it is likely that he will tell you he wants a job. But it turns out that today’s students are not going to be satisfied with any job. According to the latest survey, making a difference through their work is essential (必要的) to young people’s happiness.

The survey found that 72 percent of graduating college seniors believe being able to have a positive social influence through their work is essential to their happiness. Making a difference is so important to them that 45 percent say they would take a 15-percent pay cut to work at an organization that has a social or environmental influence, and 58 percent say they would take a pay cut to work for an organization whose values are the same as their own.

Besides this, the survey found that female students are far more likely to put social influence in first place than their male classmates, echoing the results of a former study showing that female maths and science majors are more likely to say they go into those fields to make a difference.

One reason for the emphasis (强调) on improving the world probably has to do with the culture of colleges, which encourages students to connect their studies back to real-world problems. Students are used to discussing important social issues (问题) with their friends and professors, and doing something about them in class or through volunteer activities. Once students develop those habits, they don’t shut them off when graduation rolls around.

Anyone who knows me well would see me as an optimist (乐观主义者).   【小题1】 . This was the case for me on a particularly cold January day.

I felt tired by the painful challenges I was dealing with in my personal life.     【小题2】— The gray sky blocked even a single ray of sunlight.

About midway through the day, I left work to get some lunch. Still feeling negative (消极的), I noticed that the sun had come out for a moment. I began to think about my negative attitude and reminded myself that I was responsible for choosing my state of mind.   【小题3】. Even though I reminded myself of this truth, I couldn’t make the change.

As I stopped at a red light, I looked at the car in front. The license (执照) plate caught my eye—It read “SUNOUT”. This brought an immediate smile to my face.   【小题4】 . And in the midst of the longest, darkest, coldest winter, this was a blessing. Then my eyes moved to the next car. The license plate on that car read FOOL. This brought more than a smile to my face as I laughed out loud! Seeing the two opposite license plates encouraged me to choose my right attitude. 【小题5】.

I learned that day that when we’re feeling too discouraged to bring ourselves out of an active state, relief is only a prayer away!