Do you compare yourself to others? Perhaps your best friend receives something you really want, or you’re not allowed to go to a concert but your brother or sister is. 【小题1】 However, focusing on your own progress is important for your happiness.

★Why does focusing on me matter?

“We often compare ourselves to others who are doing better or not as well as ourselves,” says Dr. Jack. “But comparing your achievements with your past self and your future self can be more important. 【小题2】 Focusing on your own goals is more important than always trying to come out on top.”

★Does comparing make you unhappy?

Comparing yourself with those around you is natural. It can help you to be clear about your achievements. 【小题3】 However, it’s important to remember that nobody is perfect in real life.

【小题4】 If you begin to feel quite low, Dr. Jack suggests focusing on your own advantages. He says that asking yourself questions like “What am I good at?” can help you feel active.

★【小题5】

“Jealousy（嫉妒）is a common emotion,” says Jack “but focusing on improving your own performance can help you feel successful. Also, learning to celebrate your friend’s achievements can not only help improve your friend’s mood but can also help you feel good.”

My nine-year-old son Ben had been begging me to let him find his way home by subway, by himself. After all, we live in New York City, and getting around by public transportation(公共交通) is a basic part of life. It is also the first step toward feeling grown-up.

So on that sunny Sunday, I gave him a subway map, a transportation card, $20 for emergencies, and a couple of coins so that he could call me if necessary. I didn't give him a cell phone because nine-year-olds could lose things easily.

A few days later, I wrote about this experience for a newspaper. Little did I realize the idea that a kid could tour the city on his own, and that a mom would let him go, was big news.

It turned out that many TV shows called me and asked for an interview. Bloggers were going crazy. so I started a blog, too, and letters came pouring in. Finally, I found out why this was such a big story: we have become fearful for our children. Fear is hardly a new thing for parents. But the fear of letting our children out of sight for even a second-that's new. How did this happen? How did it become too scary to let kids be kids? I asked the question when the reporter Trevor Butterworth came.

" News reports! "he answered, “News reports scare the pants off you.” What is scarier than a kid being kidnapped(诱拐)? Because there are so many such stories. People start to feel as if kidnappings are happening all the time. That's why the kid-on-the subway story surprises the whole world.”

Ben probably did a good job. He simply proved(证明) that kids could leave home alone and return home safely! But he didn’t think it was a big deal. "It was fun. "He said, "But I missed some classes because of the interviews.”

Sometimes, it really pays to be brave.

Franz Kafka met a little girl in the park. The little girl was crying as if her heart was broken. When Kafka asked why she was crying so badly, the girl said she lost her doll. Kafka told the girl that he knew the doll was fine now. “How can you be so certain?” the little girl asked.

“Why? I have received a letter from the doll just this morning.” said Kafka.

Kafka promised to meet the girl at the same place in the park the next day. That night he wrote a letter in the name of the doll. He read it to the little girl when they met again, “Please do not worry about me. I have gone on a trip to see the world. I will write to you about my adventures.”

Since then, the meetings with Kafka and the letters from the beloved doll continued. The little girl was very happy when she heard from the doll. When the meeting came to an end, Kafka gave her a new doll and a letter. The doll looked different from the original doll. The letter explained, “Do not be surprised at my appearance because my travels and adventures have changed me.”

Many years later, the now-grown girl found a letter which was put into a deep fold in the doll. Kafka had written, “You will finally lose everything you love. However, love will return in a different form in the end.”