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The following guest post is by Amy Morin, a licensed clinical social worker in Lincoln, Maine. In addition to working as a psychotherapist, she is also an adjunct college psychology instructor and she serves as About.com’s Parenting Teens expert.
以下这篇客座文章的作者是艾米·莫兰（Amy Morin），她是缅因州林肯市一位持有执照的临床社会工作者。除了作为一名心理治疗师外，她还是兼职大学心理学讲师，此外她也担任About.com网站的青少年养育专家。
Psychology often discusses mental health — but what’s not often discussed is a clear definition of mental strength. To me, mental strength means that you regulate your emotions, manage your thoughts, and behave in a positive manner, despite your circumstances. Developing mental strength is about finding the courage to live according to your values and being bold enough to create your own definition of success.
心理学常常讨论精神健康问题——但如何清晰地定义精神力量却不常被拿来讨论。在我看来，精神力量意味着：无论处于何种环境中，都能够调节自己的情绪，管理自己的思想，并且表现出积极的态度。培养精神力量就是根据自己的价值观找到生活的勇气，并勇敢地创造符合自己定义的成功。
Mental strength involves more than just willpower; it requires hard work and commitment. It’s about establishing healthy habits and choosing to devote your time and energy to self-improvement. (Check out Cheryl Snapp Connor’s post, based on my list of the 13 things mentally strong people avoid.)
精神力量不仅仅包含意志力；还要求勤奋努力和全力以赴。这其实是关于培养健康的习惯并选择将时间和精力用于自我提高。
Although it’s easier to feel mentally strong when life seems simple — often, true mental strength becomes most apparent in the midst of tragedy. Choosing to develop skills that increase your mental strength is the best way to prepare for life’s inevitable obstacles.
尽管当生活平顺时很容易感到精神强大，但真正的精神力量常常是在逆境中才最得以彰显。掌握一些能够增强精神力量的技能，是为生命中不可避免的挫折做好准备的最佳方式。
Many exercises exist that can help you develop mental strength. But here are five that can get you started:
有许多练习能够帮助培养精神力量，但你可以从以下五个方面做起：
1. Evaluate Your Core Beliefs
1.评估你的核心信念
We’ve all developed core beliefs about ourselves, our lives and the world in general. Core beliefs develop over time and largely depend upon our past experiences. Whether you’re aware of your core beliefs or not, they influence your thoughts, your behavior and emotions.
我们都已经形成了关于我们自己、我们的生活以及世界的核心信念。核心信念随着时间的推移而发展，并且主要取决于我们过去的经历。无论你意识到与否，自己的核心信念都影响着你的思想、行为和情感。
Sometimes, core beliefs are inaccurate and unproductive. For example, if you believe that you’ll never succeed in life, you may be less apt to apply for new jobs — and inadvertently, you may not present yourself well on job interviews. Therefore, your core beliefs may become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
有时，你的核心价值观是不正确的和徒劳的。例如，如果你认为自己此生都不会成功，你可能不大易于申请新的职位——而且无意间，你可能不会在工作面试中好好表现。于是，你的核心价值观可能就成为了一种自我应验的预言。
Identify and evaluate your core beliefs. Look for beliefs that are black and white, and then find exceptions to the rule. Very few things in life are “always” or “never” true. Modifying core beliefs requires purposeful intention and hard work, but it can change the entire course of your life.
识别并评估你的核心价值观。寻找那些好的和不好的信念，然后找找例外。在生命中很少有什么是“一直”或“从不”正确的。修正核心价值观需要下定决心并付出努力，但这能改变你的整个生命历程。
2. Expend Your Mental Energy Wisely
2.明智地投放你的精力
Wasting brain power ruminating about things you can’t control drains mental energy quickly. The more you think about negative problems that you can’t solve, the less energy you’ll have leftover for creative endeavors. For example, sitting and worrying about the weather forecast isn’t helpful. If a major storm is headed your way, worrying about it won’t prevent it. You can, however, choose to prepare for it. Focus on what is only within your control.
浪费脑力反复琢磨你所不能控制的事情会很快耗尽精力。在你无力解决的负面问题上想得越多，留给创造性活动的精力就越少。例如，坐在那里担忧天气预报无助于事。如果一场大风暴正向你袭来，再怎么担心也阻止不了。然而，你可以选择做好相应的准备。只关注那些在你掌控范围内的事吧。
Save your mental energy for productive tasks, such as solving problems or setting goals. When your thoughts aren’t productive, make a conscious effort to shift your mental energy to more helpful topics. The more you practice expending your mental energy wisely, the more it will become a habit.
省下精力留给一些有产出的任务吧，如解决问题或设定目标。当你的想法不会产生什么成果时，有意地将精力转移到一些更有帮助的话题上。在如何明智地投放精力方面练习得越多，就越能习惯成自然。
3. Replace Negative Thoughts with Productive Thoughts
3.用有用的想法代替消极想法
Although most of us don’t spend time thinking about our thoughts, increasing your awareness of your thinking habits proves useful in building resilience. Exaggerated, negative thoughts, such as, “I can’t ever do anything right, ” hold you back from reaching your full potential. Catch your negative thoughts before they spiral out of control and influence your behavior.
尽管我们大多都不会花时间反思我们的想法，但事实证明，提高你对自己思考习惯的意识对培养韧性而言很有帮助。夸大的负面想法，如“我总是做不对事情”，会限制你充分发挥自己的潜力。在负面想法开始疯长并影响你的行为之前把它们揪出来吧。
Identify and replace overly negative thoughts with thoughts that are more productive. Productive thoughts don’t need to be extremely positive, but should be realistic. A more balanced thought may be, “I have some weaknesses, but I also have plenty of strengths.” Changing your thoughts requires constant monitoring, but the process can be instrumental in helping you become your best self.
找出过于消极的想法，并用更有用的想法取而代之。有用的想法不必非常积极，但应该讲求实际。一个更加平衡的想法可能是，“我有一些弱点，但我也有许多长处。”改变自己的想法需要不断地自我监测，但这一过程有助于实现最好的自我。
4. Practice Tolerating Discomfort
4.练习对不适的忍耐度
Being mentally strong doesn’t mean you don’t experience emotions. In fact, mental strength requires you to become acutely aware of your emotions so you can make the best choice about how to respond. Mental strength is about accepting your feelings without being controlled by them.
精神强大并不意味着不会经历情绪波动。事实上，精神强大要求你能够敏锐地意识到自己的情绪，这样你就能在如何应对方面做出最好的决定。精神强大是接受自己的情绪，并不被它们所控制。
Mental strength also involves an understanding of when it makes sense to behave contrary to your emotions. For example, if you experience anxiety that prevents you from trying new things or accepting new opportunities, try stepping out of your comfort zone if you want to continue to challenge yourself. Tolerating uncomfortable emotions takes practice, but it becomes easier as your confidence grows.
精神力量还包括知道何时应与自己的情绪反着来。例如，如果你很忧虑以至于不能尝试新的事物或者接受新的机会，想要继续挑战自己的话就试着勇敢地走出自己的舒适区。容忍令人难受的情绪需要练习，但随着你的自信心不断增长，这会变得越来越容易。
Practice behaving like the person you’d like to become. Instead of saying, “I wish I could be more outgoing, ” choose to behave in a more outgoing manner, whether you feel like it or not. Some discomfort is often necessary for greater gain, and tolerating that discomfort will help make your vision a reality, one small step at a time.
你想成为什么样的人，就练习着像他们一样行事。不要只在嘴上说：“我希望我能变得更加外向。”而是选择以一种更加外向的方式行事，无论自己是否喜欢这样做。为了有更大的收获，经历些许不适常常是必要的。忍耐这种不适将有助于你愿望成真，不积跬步无以至千里。
5. Reflect on Your Progress Daily
5.每日反思你的进展
Today’s busy world doesn’t lend itself to making much time available for quiet reflection. Create time to reflect upon your progress toward developing mental strength. At the end of each day, ask yourself what you’ve learned about your thoughts, emotions and behavior. Consider what you hope to improve upon or accomplish tomorrow.
当今忙碌的世界使人们没有很多时间可以静静地思考。创造一些时间，反思你在培养精神力量方面的进展。每天结束之时，问问自己在思想、情绪和行为方面学到了什么。思考一下明天你希望提高哪些方面或者完成哪些目标。
Developing mental strength is a work in progress. There is always room for improvement, and at times this will seem more difficult than at other times. Reflecting upon your progress can reinforce your ability to reach your definition of success while living according to your values.
培养精神力量是一个循序渐进的过程。总有提高的余地，而且有时这似乎会格外困难。反观你的进展能够强化你的能力，实现你所定义的成功，同时按照你的价值观生活。
