One of my favorite posters1 says， " Life is a test. It is only a test. Had this been a real life you would have been instructed where to go and what to do." Whenever I think of this humorous bit of wisdom2， it reminds me to not take my life so seriously.

　　When you look at life and its many challenges as a test， or series of tests， you begin to see each issue you face as an opportunity to grow， a chance to discover more about life. Whether you're being bombarded with3 problems， responsibilities， even insurmountable4 hurdles5， when looked at as a test， you always have a chance to succeed， in the sense of rising above that which is challenging you. If， on the other hand， you see each new issue you face as a serious battle that must be won in order to survive， you're probably in for a very rocky6 journey. The only time you're likely to be happy is when everything is working out just right. And we all know how often that happens.

　　As an experiment， see if you can apply this idea to something you are forced to deal with. Perhaps you have much pressure from your parents or you have a demanding7 boss. See if you can redefine the issue you face from being a " problem" to being a test. Rather than8 struggling with your issue， see if there is something you can learn from it. Ask yourself， " Why is this an issue in my life？ What would it mean and what would be involved to rise above it？ Could I possibly look at this issue any differently？ Can I see it as a test of some kind？"

　　If you give this strategy9 a try you may be surprised at your changed responses. For example， I used to struggle a great deal over the issue of my perception of not having enough time. I would rush around trying to get everything done. I blamed my schedule， my family， my circumstances， and anything else I could think of for my plight10. Then it dawned on11 me. If I wanted to be happy， my goal didn't necessarily have to be to organize my life perfectly so that I had more time， but rather to see whether I could get to the point where I felt it was okay that I couldn't get everything done that I felt I must. In other words， my real challenge was to see my struggle as a test. Seeing this issue as a test ultimately12 helped me to cope with one of my biggest personal frustrations. I still struggle now and then about my perceived lack of time， but less than I used to. It has become far more acceptable to me to accept things as they are.

　　中文翻譯

　　生活是個測驗 僅僅是個測驗

　　我喜歡的一幅招貼畫上面寫有，"生活是個測驗。僅僅是個測驗。你要是真能直面人生，你便早會被告知何去何從。"每當我想起這頗有點幽默的人生哲理，它便提醒我不要把我的生活看得那么嚴肅。

　　當你把生活及其中的諸多挑戰看成一個測驗，或一系列測驗，你便會將你面對的每一問題看作一次成長的機會，看作一次更深刻地發現生活的機會。不管你是否深陷種種問題、責任，甚至是不可逾越的障礙的圍攻而不能自拔，當你將這一切視之為測驗，你總有機會獲勝――就是說你能超越挑戰。但另一方面，如果你視你面臨的每一新問題為一場嚴肅的、為了生存你必需贏得的戰斗，那你恐怕就踏上了一個十分艱辛的旅程。你惟一的快樂時光便是一切都順順當當盡如人意。但我們都知道一切盡如人意的概率是多么得低。

　　作為試驗，看看你能否把這一概念應用到你必須應付的某件事情中。也許你感覺有來自父母的很大壓力，或者你有一位要求甚高的老板。看看你能否將你面臨的 "問題"重新定義為"測驗".與其和你的問題搏斗，不如看看你能從中學到點什么。問問自己，"為什么這成了我生活中的一個問題？它意味著什么，超越它我需要做些什么？我能否換個角度看看這問題？我能否視之為某種測驗？"

　　如果你試著用一用這一策略，你會驚奇地發現你對它的反應全變了。比如說，以前我總是感到時間不夠用。我風風火火地干這干那，要把一切事情做完。我抱怨我的日程表、我的家庭、我的處境和一切可能抱怨的，認為是它們讓我陷入困境。后來我突然明白，如果我想要過得開心，我的目標不一定非得是把我的生活安排得井井有條以便我能有更多的時間，而是看我能否做得到不做完一切我認為我必須做的事情依然能夠心安理得。換句話說，我的真正挑戰是將我的戰斗視為測驗。將這一問題視為一個測驗最終幫助我克服了我最大的一個困擾。現在我仍然偶爾會感到時間不夠用，但比起以前頻率少多了。我已漸漸學會按照事情的本來面目接受它們。

　　1.poster n.標語牌，招貼畫

　　2.wisdom n.智慧，至理名言

　　3.bombard vt.向…連續提出問題，不斷攻擊（常與with搭配）

　　4.insurmountable adj.難以克服的

　　5.hurdle n.障礙，難關，（跨欄賽跑的）欄架

　　6.rocky adj.障礙（或困難）重重的

　　7.demanding adj.要求高的，苛求的

　　8.rather than與其…（不如），不是…（而是）

　　9.strategy n.策略，計謀，戰略部署

　　10.plight n.困境，苦境

　　11.dawn vi.被理解，被領悟（常與on搭配）

　　12.ultimately adv.最終地

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