Words are powerful and influence all aspects of our lives. Those specially chosen for encouragement and affirmation can elevate everyone’s spirits, including your own.
言語很有影響力，能夠影響生活的方方面面。這些用來鼓勵和肯定的話能令大家振作起來，包括你自己。

Step 1: Affirm the present
Speak encouragements and affirmations in the present tense, rather than the future. Positively hoping for something yet to come denies the good you experience now.
第一步:肯定現在
說鼓勵和肯定的話時要用現在時而不要用將來時。熱切期盼將來的事會使人覺得現在的境況不佳。

Tip:A Penn State study discovered we have many more negative words in our vocabulary than ones for positively identified emotions.
小貼士：賓夕法尼亞州立大學的研究發現比起態度積極的人，我們使用的話語中有更多消極的詞。

Step 2: Reconsider problems as opportunities
Redefine problems as “challenges,” or “opportunities.” The attitude with which you approach conflict can change outcomes. Learn from mistakes instead of avoiding or regretting them.
第二步:重新審視問題將它看做機遇
重新審視問題將它看做“挑戰”或“機遇”。你對待問題的態度會改變結果。從錯誤中學習而不是去避免或悔恨錯誤。

Step 3: Choose phrases with intent
Give phrases new intent by refusing to use “I can’t,” and saying instead, “I will.” Replace the word “mistakes” with the phrase “life lessons” to combat past feelings of guilt and shame.
第三步:有意挑選詞語
有意挑選詞語，不使用“我不能”這樣的短語，而用“我能”。不用“錯誤”這個詞而用“生活的教訓”來抵制過去情感中的內疚和遺憾。

Step 4: Use honey, not vinegar
Convert criticisms into encouragements. Eliminate absolutes like “always” and “never” from your vocabulary when describing unacceptable behavior. Recognize that no one is all bad or all good all the time.
第四步:使用積極的詞而不用批評的話
將批評轉換成鼓勵。在描述無法接受的行為時，不要使用絕對性的字眼，比如“總是”和“從不”。要意識到沒人總是對的或錯的。

Step 5: Believe and support
Compliment someone to build their self-esteem, or just to show genuine appreciation of them. Believe what you are saying and convey your absolute support for their efforts.
第五步:相信并支持
贊美他人來樹立他們的自尊，或只是對他們作出積極的評價。相信你所說的，并將你的支持轉化成他們的進步。

Tip：Be careful: overdone praise, repeated frequently, may lose its value if it is a function of practiced and empty manners rather than a genuine, heartfelt affirmation.
小貼士：要注意：如果只是泛泛而無實質意義的過分地贊揚，而不是發自內心的肯定，就會使贊揚失去意義。

Step 6: Repeat to believe
Express short, specific affirmations, such as “I am a good person,” passionately and repeatedly, to imprint them on your subconscious. You must feel with every affirmation that your visualized reality has been willed into existence. You can be a positive person and make the people around you positive, too.
第六步:反復重復來使自己堅信
用簡短而又特別的肯定，比如“我是個優秀的人”，要熱情地反復地使用，從而將它植根到你的潛意識中。對每個肯定你都會感到你預見的現實一定會成真。你可以做一個積極的人也可以使你周圍的人變得積極。