A caveman out on a hunt or a soldier on the front line needs the stress response in his body to have the energy to fight; the anticipation of the life-or-death experience puts his whole body into a state of red alert. Stress enables us to meet challenges, to push ourselves through heightening our awareness and focusing concentration.

外出打獵的穴居人或者前線作戰的士兵體內都需要應激反應來激發戰斗力;預見到非生即死的體驗，這讓他全身都進入了紅色警戒狀態。壓力使我們迎接挑戰，促使我們提高警惕并集中注意力。

But the stress most of us have is not from life-or-death situations, but arises from an accumulation of much smaller issues. If our response becomes increasingly stressful then the body will put out the red alert. We may feel like a steam cooker coming to full pressure, but we are the only one who can turn down the heat. Unfortunately we usually feel powerless to do so.

但我們大多數人面對的壓力都不是生死攸關的，而是源于小事的積累。如果我們的反應過度緊張，身體就會發出紅色警報，我們會感覺像壓力鍋壓力達到極限，但只有我們自己能把熱度降下來。不幸的是，我們總是感覺自己無能為力。

We may have little or no control over the circumstances or stressors we are dealing with, but we do have control over our response. No matter where we go or what we do, the change that's the most effective is the one within ourselves.

我們可能幾乎控制不了局面或給我們造成壓力的人或事，但我們的確能控制自己的反應。無論我們去哪兒或做什么，最有效的改變就是改變自己。

If we believe we cannot cope, then we'll begin to lose ground; if we believe we can cope, then we'll be able to ride over any obstacles.

如果我們覺著自己無能為力，就會開始退卻;如果認為自己能行，那我們就能跨越任何障礙。

It's a change within our perception of our capabilities that will make the biggest difference. In turn, this will help develop the relaxation response and begin to normalize everything the stress response has put out of balance.

改變對自己能力的認知最重要，反過來也能幫助我們放松自己的神經，逐步讓壓力造成的失控局面步入正軌。

Luckily, we can transform our beliefs and our perceptions. The ability to keep our peace and maintain an even-balanced state is one of the greatest gifts that we can give ourselves.

幸運的是，我們能轉變自己的想法和看法。維持內心平和、保持平衡狀態的能力是我們給予自己最好的禮物之一。

It is like a warrior. The greatest warrior in history is the one who is calm—if he freaked out, then he would easily lose the battle. In the same way, when our mind is stressed and tense, then we think everyone is attacking us or taking advantage of us, and we can't see anyone or anything objectively or lovingly.

就像戰士，歷史上最偉大的戰士都很冷靜——如果他害怕了，就很容易輸掉戰斗。同樣，我們的精神在有壓力和緊張的情況下，我們會認為每個人都在針對或利用我們，我們就不能客觀或者仁慈地看待人或事。

"Meditation really helps us not to panic or freak out; it brings us back to this calm ground, where we can see ourselves clearly."

“冥想真的能幫我們不驚慌不退卻;它使我們回歸平靜，以便我們能看清自己。”

A caveman out on a hunt or a soldier on the front line needs the stress response in his body to have the energy to fight; the anticipation of the life-or-death experience puts his whole body into a state of red alert. Stress enables us to meet challenges, to push ourselves through heightening our awareness and focusing concentration.

外出打獵的穴居人或者前線作戰的士兵體內都需要應激反應來激發戰斗力;預見到非生即死的體驗，這讓他全身都進入了紅色警戒狀態。壓力使我們迎接挑戰，促使我們提高警惕并集中注意力。

But the stress most of us have is not from life-or-death situations, but arises from an accumulation of much smaller issues. If our response becomes increasingly stressful then the body will put out the red alert. We may feel like a steam cooker coming to full pressure, but we are the only one who can turn down the heat. Unfortunately we usually feel powerless to do so.

但我們大多數人面對的壓力都不是生死攸關的，而是源于小事的積累。如果我們的反應過度緊張，身體就會發出紅色警報，我們會感覺像壓力鍋壓力達到極限，但只有我們自己能把熱度降下來。不幸的是，我們總是感覺自己無能為力。

We may have little or no control over the circumstances or stressors we are dealing with, but we do have control over our response. No matter where we go or what we do, the change that's the most effective is the one within ourselves.

我們可能幾乎控制不了局面或給我們造成壓力的人或事，但我們的確能控制自己的反應。無論我們去哪兒或做什么，最有效的改變就是改變自己。

If we believe we cannot cope, then we'll begin to lose ground; if we believe we can cope, then we'll be able to ride over any obstacles.

如果我們覺著自己無能為力，就會開始退卻;如果認為自己能行，那我們就能跨越任何障礙。

It's a change within our perception of our capabilities that will make the biggest difference. In turn, this will help develop the relaxation response and begin to normalize everything the stress response has put out of balance.

改變對自己能力的認知最重要，反過來也能幫助我們放松自己的神經，逐步讓壓力造成的失控局面步入正軌。

Luckily, we can transform our beliefs and our perceptions. The ability to keep our peace and maintain an even-balanced state is one of the greatest gifts that we can give ourselves.

幸運的是，我們能轉變自己的想法和看法。維持內心平和、保持平衡狀態的能力是我們給予自己最好的禮物之一。

It is like a warrior. The greatest warrior in history is the one who is calm—if he freaked out, then he would easily lose the battle. In the same way, when our mind is stressed and tense, then we think everyone is attacking us or taking advantage of us, and we can't see anyone or anything objectively or lovingly.

就像戰士，歷史上最偉大的戰士都很冷靜——如果他害怕了，就很容易輸掉戰斗。同樣，我們的精神在有壓力和緊張的情況下，我們會認為每個人都在針對或利用我們，我們就不能客觀或者仁慈地看待人或事。

"Meditation really helps us not to panic or freak out; it brings us back to this calm ground, where we can see ourselves clearly."

“冥想真的能幫我們不驚慌不退卻;它使我們回歸平靜，以便我們能看清自己。”