实用英语口语(高等级) 26.Reducing stress

ADVENTURER:There are a wide range of activities you can do to reduce your stress. Do an Internet search and you'll find hundreds of different websites promising you a magic cure. But sometimes, when it all gets too much, it doesn't matter how many breathing exercises, back stretches or yoga postures you do, sometimes you just have to get away from it all. If you don't have the time or money to go on vacation, how about taking up a new sport or hobby, something that gets the adrenalin pumping and keeps the brain active. Although the feeling of excitement fades some time after you've finished, the sense of pride and fulfillment you get from mastering a difficult new skill stays with you for a long time.

ADVENTURER:This is one of the reasons why people do sports such as skydiving, rock climbing, snowboarding or BASE jumping. It adds not just excitement, but balance, to their lives. Listen to what Gav has to say about it ... I took up rock climbing ten years ago. A friend introduced me to it and, like, even after only my first time, I knew I was gonna be a rock climber all my life.

ADVENTURER:I had this amazing feeling. I know it sounds like a cliché but when I got to the top of the rock, I felt like I was on top of the world. Every ounce of stress and worry in my body had just faded away. It was incredible. And it didn't end there.

ADVENTURER:I had a smile on my face all week at work. I was more productive, more focused, happier! Of course, you don't have to confront danger to feel a sense of achievement. 学习一门新技术，特别是你一直想学的一门技术，可以提升自我意识以及锻炼大脑，从而帮助缓解压力。 But what if even this isn't enough?

ADVENTURER:What if you need a real break? Well, here's what Lily did ...

LILY:I'd just finished a major project at work, and really needed a break. So, I decided to go somewhere quiet, somewhere beautiful, somewhere serene. After doing some research online, I found this small village in the north of Finland where, at night, you could watch the Northern Lights. I'd always wanted to see them, and the closer you get to the North Pole, the easier it is to do it. Unfortunately, for the first two nights, the visibility was bad, and we couldn't see anything!

LILY:However, on the third night, the sky was clear and there it was! The Aurora Borealis! It was beautiful!

ADVENTURER:The point is to be aware that you feel stressed and then do something about it. You don't necessarily need to go on an expensive holiday do de stress yourself. Find something that's suitable, and affordable, to you, preferably something you've never done before, something that stimulates both your body and your mind, and feel that stress fade away.