Become Familiar with ‘No’
敢于拒绝
词汇：四级 | 句法：四级 | 文本：高考
刘立军供稿
Become Familiar with ‘No’
敢于拒绝
Perhaps one of the most immediate ways you can gain a wash of self-confidence is through a simple word: “No”.
也许，能让你立即获得自信的最直接的方式之一，就是通过一个简单的词：“不”。
It’s absolute in its certainty and definitive in its brevity. Yet, it’s something so many shy away from. After all, while repeating things you’re good at does act as a self-confidence booster, recognising situations and environments that pose a risk to your confidence can be just as, if not more important, at growing and maintaining confidence levels. For example, you may find that even though you like being with your friends, playing football is not your thing. It’s easy for self-esteem levels to fall from there.
这个词语绝对且简洁明确。然而，很多人都会避而不谈。毕竟，重复做你擅长的事情确实可以增强自信，但认识到可能威胁到你自信的情形和环境，对于提升并保持自信水平来说，也同样甚至更为重要。例如，尽管你喜欢与朋友在一起，但踢足球并不是你的菜。从此，你的自尊心就很容易受挫。
It can feel difficult to say no to things and people, but at the end of the day, it’s you that feels uncomfortable as a result. Of course, leaving your comfort zone is important for overall growth, but it’s also okay to know your boundaries and protect yourself from pain.
拒绝事物和人可能让人觉得很难，但最终，因此感到不舒服的是你自己。当然，离开舒适区对整体成长很重要，但知道你的界限、保护自己免受伤害也是可以的。
A lot of self-confidence derives from feeling in control. Becoming accustomed to the word “no” enables you to set up psychological boundaries, putting you in the driver’s seat. This way, your social and emotional wellbeing can flow more smoothly. The more you control, the better.
很多自信来自于掌控感。习惯说“不”能让你建立起心理防线，让你掌握主动权。这样，你的社交和情感健康将更顺畅。你能掌控得越多，效果就越好。
Putting it into practice may feel daunting, but it doesn’t need to go that way. The next time you’re invited to a function that you know will damage your self-confidence, by however much, respectfully decline. Time will pass, and the sense of accomplishment you gather from choosing yourself over other people will only serve to push self-confidence to new heights.
付诸实践可能让人感到有挑战性，但并非一定如此。下次当你被邀请参加一个你知道会损害你自信心的活动时，无论程度如何，礼貌地拒绝。时间会流逝，选择自我而非他人所带来的成就感会推动自信心达到新的高度。
【词汇】
1. definitive adj. 决定性的；明确的
2. brevity n. 简洁；简炼
3. daunting adj. 令人畏惧的；使人气馁的；令人怯步的
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