感悟生活：享受一個人的獨處時光大綱

Do not rely completely on any other human being, however dear. We meet all life’s greatest tests alone.” -Agnes Macphail
不要完全依賴另一個人，無論他/她有多麼珍貴。生活中最大的考驗，我們只能獨自經歷。——加拿大首位女性議員艾格尼絲·麥克菲爾

I have found that the more time I spend alone, the more comfortable I become in my own skin because I can truly get to know myself. This provides me with more patience to accept myself as I am, wherever I am in my journey, on a daily basis.
我發現獨處的時間越長，我越覺得舒服、放鬆和自信，因爲這樣我可以認識真正的自己。這讓我每天都有更多的耐心來接受自己，接受自己在生活旅途中的位置。

This lesson was something I learned after spending a summer alone in Italy with a family friend.
這堂人生課是我獨自一人在意大利學到的，當時我在一位世交朋友家裏度過了一個夏天。

I embarked on the journey, turning off my phone for the first time, well, probably ever. I would be jetting all over America then landing in a country with a family basically unknown to me.
我踏上旅途，第一次關上了手機，嗯，這麼多年來第一次。我在美國上方飛來飛去，然後降落在一個國家，和一家基本上不認識的人生活在一起。

It wasn’t until two years after I returned that I wished I had spent more time living in the moment while experiencing the greatest adventure of my life. I was not comfortable enough in my own skin to truly be present in the magical moments presenting themselves in a foreign country.
直到我回來兩年後，我才希望當時要是我能有更多的時間活在當下，經歷人生中最大的冒險就好了。當時我不夠放鬆、自信，無法在一個陌生的國家，在那樣神奇的時刻，把它們展現出來。

My mind stayed distracted as I wondered what people were thinking of me, and what I would post online to my friends back home.
當我在想我在人們心中是什麼樣子，當我在想回家後我會在網上發佈什麼內容時我就會分神。

At 19 years old, it seemed much more important to capture photos to upload to social media. The Internet was a crutch for me to not feel so alone in an unknown territory. As brave as I was to be completely alone in my adventure, I had a thousand people to “connect” with on my lonely nights!
19歲時對我來說，拍攝照片並把它們傳到社交媒體上要更爲重要。互聯網對我來說是個柺杖，能讓我在未知的領域中不會感覺到那麼孤獨。和我獨自一人冒險時一樣勇敢，在孤獨的夜晚，我有一千人可以去“交流”。

Two years later I realized that I could have filled my days with activities for growth.
兩年後，我意識到，我可以用有助於自己成長的活動來填滿日子。

I now wish I had traveled to nearby cities, spent my days reading in a cafe, tried acupuncture—anything out of the ordinary.
現在我希望我能遊遍附近的城市，把時間用在在咖啡館裏閱讀、嘗試鍼灸——任何與衆不同的東西上。

The truth was I didn’t have the hobbies I have now. The trip did help me grow, but I regret that I could not simply enjoy the moments, instead of wanting thousands of others to see I was enjoying them.

事實上，我現在的愛好以前都沒有。旅行確實幫我成長，但我後悔當時我沒能享受當下的時光，而是去讓成千上萬個人看着我在享受。

I discovered that if I want to be happy, it would be my own doing. Happiness is an interior process and comes without validation from others.
我發現如果我想要開心，那是我自己的事情。幸福是內心的過程，不需要得到別人的認可。

This is something that is a lesson to be relearned each day.
這是我每天都要再次重新學習的人生課。

Spending small moments of time alone—sans phone, tablet, laptop, TV, and radio—allows one to really tune in. We need to ask ourselves things like: What is my body telling me today? How do I feel today?
用碎片時間進行獨處——關掉手機、平板電腦、筆記本、電視和收音機——允許自己真正地進行調整。我們需要問問自己：我的身體今天告訴我什麼？今天感覺如何？

There are all kinds of things we can do to enjoy our alone time, some of them very simple. I enjoy my shower, my yoga Practice, and the scenic drive home, all without communication to the exterior world. This helps me to really absorb my practice and just “be.” I find it helpful to journal, old fashion style, with a pen and paper after this little escape.
我們可以做很多事情來享受獨處的時光，有些事情非常簡單。我喜歡淋浴，喜歡瑜伽練習，喜歡在開車回家的路上看秀麗的風 景，這些都不需要和外部世界聯繫。這能幫我真正消化自己的所做所爲，僅僅安靜的待着。我發現在這種小小的消遣之後，用在紙上用筆寫日記這樣古老的方式很有幫助。To truly figure out if you are relying on others, ask yourself: What have I done today, only for myself? Do I need to have my cell phone? Or can I stow it away and just be?
要想真正弄清你是否在依賴他人，你可以問問自己：今天我做了哪些事情，是僅僅爲自己而做的嗎？我需要帶手機嗎？還是把它收起來？

You may also want to ask yourself: Am I taking a photo so I can remember this occasion, or so others can see how I spent my hour? Am I updating my social media because I want to, or because I need validation through likes and posts to be happy?
你可能還想問問自己：我現在拍照是爲了記住這件事，還是想讓他人看看我是怎麼度過時光的？我更新社交媒體是因爲我想這樣做，還是因爲我需要別人的“贊”和帖子纔會開心？

Lastly, ask: What would happen if I stopped seeking the opinions of others in order to be happy? Would the world still accept me if I spent less time trying to win their approval?
最後，問問自己：如果想要開心，不再關心別人的看法會發生什麼事情？如果我花少量的時間來爭取他們的認同，世界還會接受我嗎？

The only one keeping you away from your true self is you.
唯一能讓你遠離自己的人就是你自己。

Practice spending an hour a day doing something just for you and keep it a secret. Relish in the fact that this activity is just for you.
練習一下，每天花一個小時，爲自己做些事情，並把它作爲祕密不告訴別人。享受這項活動是爲自己而做的那種樂趣。

Once you grow fond of spending time alone, you can start to increase the amount of time you spend on your “secret” activities. Eventually, your presence in the moment will grow as you stop seeking approval and recognition from others.
一旦你喜歡獨處了，可以開始增加“祕密”活動的時間。最終，當你不再尋求別人的贊同和認可後，你活在當下的時刻會越來越多。

I find that when I take a day off and unplug, I emerge fully ready to engage with others with more energy and enjoyment.
我發現當我休息一天、遠離電子設備後，我會完全準備好，有更多的經歷和樂趣來和他人交往。

When your brain stops worrying about what others think of you, what you should have said or done, you can truly listen to your friends and provide feedback and attention.
當你的大腦不再擔心別人對你的看法、你應該說什麼、應該做什麼之後，你就能夠真正地傾聽你朋友的聲音，並能給他們反饋和關心。

Trust in yourself and feel powerful in the fact you are taking your happiness into your own hands.
相信自己，感受一下把幸福掌握在手中的那種強大的感覺。