Get a thorough understanding of oneself
悟透“自己”

In all one's lifetime it is oneself that one spends the most time being with or dealing with. But it is precisely oneself that one has the least understanding of.
　　人生在世，和“自己”相處最多，打交道最多，但是往往悟不透“自己”。

When you are going upwards in life you tend to overestimate yourself. It seems that everything you seek for is within your reach; luck and opportunities will come your way and you are overjoyed that they constitute part of your worth. When you are going downhill you tend to underestimate yourself, mistaking difficulties and adversities for your own incompetence. It's likely that you think it wise for yourself to know our place and stay aloof from worldly wearing a mask of cowardice, behind which the flow of sap in your life will be retarded.
　　人生走上坡路時，往往把自己估計過高，似乎一切所求的東西都能垂手可得，甚至把運氣和機遇也看做自己身價的一部分而喜不自勝。人在不得意時，又往往把自己估計過低，把困難和不利也看做自己的無能，以至把安分守己，與世無爭誤認為有自知之明，而實際上往往被怯懦的面具窒息了自己鮮活的生命。

To get a thorough understanding of oneself is to gain a correct view of oneself and be a sober realist -- aware of both one's strength and shortage. You may look forward hopefully to the future but be sure not to expect too much, for ideals can never be fully realezed. You may be courageous to meet challenges but it should be clear to you where to direct your efforts. That's to way so long as you have a perfect knowledge of yourself there won't be difficulties you can't overcome, nor obstacles you can't surmount.
　　悟透自己，就是正確認識自己，也就是說要做一個冷靜的現實主義者，既知道自己的優勢，也知道自己的不足。我們可以憧憬人生，但期望值不能過高。因為在現實中，理想總是會打折扣的。可以迎接挑戰。但是必須清楚自己努力的方向。也就是說，人一旦有了自知之明，也就沒有什么克服不了的困難，沒有什么過不去的難關。

To get a thorough understanding of oneself needs selfappreciation. Whether you liken yourself to a towering tree or a blade of grass, whether you think you are a high mountain or a small stone, you represent a state of nature that has its own raison detre. If you earnestly admire yourself you'll have a real sense of self-appreciation, which will give you confidence. As soon as you gain full confidence in yourself you'll be enabled to fight and overcome any adversity.
　　要悟透自己就要欣賞自己。無論你是一棵參天大樹，還是一棵小草，無論你成為一座巍峨的高山，還是一塊小小的石頭，都是一種天然，都有自己存在的價值。只要你認真地欣賞自己，你就會擁有一個真正的自我。只有自我欣賞才會有信心，一旦擁有了信心也就擁有了抵御一切逆境的動力。

To get a thorough understanding of oneself also requires doing oneself a favor when it's needed. In time of anger, do yourself a favor by giving vent to it in a quiet place so that you won't be hurt by its flames; in time of sadness, do yourself a favor by sharing it with your friends so as to change a gloomy mood into a cheerful one; in time of tiredness, do yourself a favor by getting a good sleep or taking some tonic. Show yourself loving concern about your health and daily life. As you are aware, what a person physically has is but a human body that's vulnerable when exposed to the elements. So if you fall ill, it's up to you to take a good care of yourself. Unless you know perfectly well when and how to do yourself a favor, you won't be confident and ready enough to resist the attack of illness.
　　要悟透自己，就要心疼自己。在氣憤時心疼一下自己，找個僻靜處散散心，宣泄宣泄，不要讓那些無名之火傷身；憂傷時，要心疼一下自己，找個三五好友，訴說訴說，讓感情的陰天變晴；勞累時，你要心疼一下自己，為自己來一番問寒問暖，要明白人所擁有的不過是一個血肉之軀，經不住太多的風力霜劍；有病時，你要心疼一下自己，惟有對自己的心疼，才是戰勝疾病的信心和力量。

To get a thorough understanding of oneself is to get a full control of one's life. Then one will find one's life full of color and flavor.
　　悟透了自己，才能把握住自己，你生活才會有滋有味！