【英语泛听】03 为什么我选择过无聊的生活？

【英语泛听】03 为什么我选择过无聊的生活？

English

My name is Sophie and I live on the island of Maui.
The perfect place to go surfing,
hiking, go to the beach every day.
And that’s exactly how I should be spending my time, right?
Actually, my day-to-day looks quite different.
I’m a proud homebody and it brings me so much joy to have a whole day to get lost in a good book, tend to my little patio garden, or dive into one of my hobbies.
Every day looks more or less the same.
Nevertheless, it’s full of meaning and made of little moments of happiness.
More importantly, this ordinary, boring life is what fulfills me.
I mean, I’m the first to admit that I feel so blessed to live in this beautiful place and I can go see the ocean whenever I want to.
But for the majority of us, including myself, we spend a lot of our times at home in some kind of a routine, whether it’s eating, sleeping, or working.
And I think there’s absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying the ordinary side of our day-to-day lives.
Just reflecting back on some of my happiest moments, I can really say with certainty that it doesn’t take that much for me to be happy.
I mean, I look forward to walking my dogs every single day, as much as I look forward to going out on the weekends with my friends.
Trying out a new recipe at home is just as exciting as going out and dining out at some resort.
And maybe this is because I am an introvert and I am a homebody, but I can’t deny that I feel the same kind of joy from these activities as those activities that society would label as fun and exciting.
And I think I’ve resisted admitting this for the longest time because there is so much pressure to stand out and also to live our best lives, whatever that means.
We’re so often told to dream big, be bold, live large, and to stand out from the crowd.
And everything else falls under this category of being boring or just being average, like that is the worst thing to be.

We look to our friends and peers on social media and feel like we have to constantly do cool things or upgrade in lifestyles to be validated in some way, or just to look like we’re also having a great time.
Not only social media, but the constant noise of advertisements telling us to buy this, go on that trip, drive this car, and only then we can live this extraordinary life.
Our society pushes this narrative that happiness is something to be pursued, that we have to spend our time and money to acquire happiness.
Maybe there’s some truth to that, but I just don’t think it tells the full story.
Definitely does not tell the other side of the story.
As a very impressionable 20-year-old something girl, I was very influenced by social media, but also advertisements.
Even if I knew that social media was just a highlight reel of everyone’s lives and marketing was just big companies trying to do their jobs, I guess the constant exposure to it really changes the way that we think and can have an influence on how we define happiness for ourselves.
So I bought those outfits, I went on those trips, I had a very full social calendar, but these things didn’t make me any happier as a person.
And I think it’s because these were not my dreams.
It felt like I was living someone else’s life and in fact it actually distracted me from being satisfied with everything that I already had.
Now living an ordinary or a boring life does not mean that I can never dream or have aspirations.
I mean I still dream of being able to move to the coasts of Portugal or Spain one day.
I dream of having a huge lot where my dogs can run around freely and maybe even live on an orchard with big mango trees and fruit trees. Yeah, I think I will always be a dreamer, but my dreams now don’t interfere with what’s happening right in front of me, my real life.
And to be honest, if I can’t find contentment in my day to day now, there’s no way that I’ll be able to feel it no matter where I am or what I’m doing, even on my orchard with all my mango trees.
This ordinary and simple life is what appeals to me, but I also notice that I gravitate towards others who share more real and authentic moments of their lives.
In a world where it’s becoming so easy to fabricate things, I think seeing life and people in the rawest forms is such a nice change.
I love seeing what people eat for breakfast instead of what you ate at a Michelin star restaurant.
I’m more interested in seeing what your home looks like instead of what your vacation looks like.

I notice myself paying more attention to the person and their story because that is truly what makes you unique and interesting.
Maybe you really enjoy living a fast-paced or eccentric life and there’s nothing wrong with that, but there’s also nothing wrong with not wanting that.
In fact, I think there’s so much value in embracing living an ordinary life.
What really focuses on the deep and meaningful relationships, being rooted in our communities, getting to know the people that shape our lives.
This is a life where we have the time and energy to be fully present with our families, friends and partners. Being able to celebrate the little wins and enjoying the getting there instead of always wanting to skip to the result.
Instead of meeting society’s standard of a good time, it encourages us to explore and figure out what we enjoy as individuals, no matter how lame it might be to others.
And instead of putting so much emphasis on having a story to retell, it lets us focus on what’s happening in the moment.
I’m not claiming that everything ordinary is impressive in any way, but I am putting the message out there that we might be ignoring what’s really beautiful about living an ordinary life.
Thank you guys so much for watching today’s video. I hope you enjoyed it.
And until next time, take care and I’ll talk to you soon. Bye.

English-Chinese

My name is Sophie and I live on the island of Maui.
我的名字是索菲，我住在毛伊岛上。

The perfect place to go surfing, hiking, go to the beach every day.
这是一个完美的地方，可以去冲浪、徒步旅行，每天去海滩。

And that’s exactly how I should be spending my time, right?
这正是我应该利用时间的方式，对吧？

Actually, my day-to-day looks quite different.
实际上，我的日常生活看起来完全不同。

I’m a proud homebody and it brings me so much joy to have a whole day to get lost in a good book, tend to my little patio garden, or dive into one of my hobbies.
我是一名自豪的宅人，整天沉浸在一本好书中，照料我的小阳台花园，或者投入到我的某个爱好中，这让我非常快乐。

Every day looks more or less the same.
每天的生活大同小异。

Nevertheless, it’s full of meaning and made of little moments of happiness.
然而，它充满了意义，由一个个小小的幸福时刻组成。

More importantly, this ordinary, boring life is what fulfills me.
更重要的是，这种平凡无聊的生活让我感到满足。

I mean, I’m the first to admit that I feel so blessed to live in this beautiful place and I can go see the ocean whenever I want to.
我是第一个承认我感到非常幸运，能住在这个美丽的地方，并且可以随时去看海。

But for the majority of us, including myself, we spend a lot of our times at home in some kind of a routine, whether it’s eating, sleeping, or working.
但对我们大多数人，包括我自己，我们的大部分时间都在家里过着某种例行生活，不论是吃饭、睡觉还是工作。

And I think there’s absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying the ordinary side of our day-to-day lives.
我认为享受我们日常生活中的平凡一面完全没有问题。

Just reflecting back on some of my happiest moments, I can really say with certainty that it doesn’t take that much for me to be happy.
回顾我一些最快乐的时刻，我可以确实地说，我的幸福并不需要太多东西。

I mean, I look forward to walking my dogs every single day, as much as I look forward to going out on the weekends with my friends.
我期待每天遛我的狗，就像我期待周末和朋友们出去一样。

Trying out a new recipe at home is just as exciting as going out and dining out at some resort.
尝试在家里做新菜谱的乐趣与去度假村用餐一样令人兴奋。

And maybe this is because I am an introvert and I am a homebody, but I can’t deny that I feel the same kind of joy from these activities as those activities that society would label as fun and exciting.
也许这是因为我内向而且喜欢待在家里，但我不能否认，我从这些活动中感受到的快乐与社会标签为有趣和激动人心的活动是一样的。

And I think I’ve resisted admitting this for the longest time because there is so much pressure to stand out and also to live our best lives, whatever that means.
我认为我很长时间以来一直不愿承认这一点，因为有太大的压力去突出自己，以及过上最好的生活，无论那意味着什么。

We’re so often told to dream big, be bold, live large, and to stand out from the crowd.
我们常常被告知要有宏大的梦想，要大胆，生活要精彩，并且要从人群中脱颖而出。

And everything else falls under this category of being boring or just being average, like that is the worst thing to be.
而其他一切都被归入无聊或平庸的类别，好像那是最糟糕的事情。

We look to our friends and peers on social media and feel like we have to constantly do cool things or upgrade in lifestyles to be validated in some way, or just to look like we’re also having a great time.
我们看着社交媒体上的朋友和同龄人，觉得我们必须不断做一些酷炫的事情，或提升生活方式以某种方式获得认可，或者仅仅看起来我们也在享受美好时光。

Not only social media, but the constant noise of advertisements telling us to buy this, go on that trip, drive this car, and only then we can live this extraordinary life.
不仅是社交媒体，还有不断的广告噪音告诉我们购买这个、去那个地方旅行、开这辆车，只有这样我们才能过上非凡的生活。

Our society pushes this narrative that happiness is something to be pursued, that we have to spend our time and money to acquire happiness.
我们的社会推动着这样一种叙述，认为幸福是一种追求的东西，我们必须花时间和金钱来获得幸福。

Maybe there’s some truth to that, but I just don’t think it tells the full story.
也许这其中有些许真理，但我认为它并没有讲述完整的故事。

Definitely does not tell the other side of the story.
它绝对没有讲述故事的另一面。

As a very impressionable 20-year-old something girl, I was very influenced by social media, but also advertisements.
作为一个非常容易受影响的二十多岁的女孩，我受到了社交媒体的强烈影响，还有广告的影响。

Even if I knew that social media was just a highlight reel of everyone’s lives and marketing was just big companies trying to do their jobs, I guess the constant exposure to it really changes the way that we think and can have an influence on how we define happiness for ourselves.
即使我知道社交媒体只是每个人生活的高光片段，而营销只是大公司在做他们的工作，我想这种不断的暴露真的改变了我们的思维方式，并影响了我们如何为自己定义幸福。

So I bought those outfits, I went on those trips, I had a very full social calendar, but these things didn’t make me any happier as a person.
所以我买了那些衣服，我去了那些旅行，我有一个非常满的社交日程，但这些事情并没有让我作为一个人更快乐。

And I think it’s because these were not my dreams.
我认为这是因为这些并不是我的梦想。

It felt like I was living someone else’s life and in fact it actually distracted me from being satisfied with everything that I already had.
感觉我在过别人的生活，实际上这分散了我对已经拥有的一切感到满足的注意力。

Now living an ordinary or a boring life does not mean that I can never dream or have aspirations.
现在，过一种平凡或无聊的生活并不意味着我永远不能有梦想或抱负。

I mean I still dream of being able to move to the coasts of Portugal or Spain one day.
我的意思是，我仍然梦想着有一天能够搬到葡萄牙或西班牙的海岸。

I dream of having a huge lot where my dogs can run around freely and maybe even live on an orchard with big mango trees and fruit trees.
我梦想拥有一片大地，让我的狗可以自由奔跑，甚至可能住在一个有大芒果树和果树的果园里。

Yeah, I think I will always be a dreamer, but my dreams now don’t interfere with what’s happening right in front of me, my real life.
是的，我认为我会永远是一个梦想家，但我的梦想现在不会干扰我眼前发生的事情，即我的现实生活。

And to be honest, if I can’t find contentment in my day to day now, there’s no way that I’ll be able to feel it no matter where I am or what I’m doing, even on my orchard with all my mango trees.
说实话，如果我不能在现在的日常生活中找到满足感，无论我在哪里或在做什么，即使在我那片果园里，满是芒果树，也无法感受到这种满足。

This ordinary and simple life is what appeals to me, but I also notice that I gravitate towards others who share more real and authentic moments of their lives.
这种平凡简单的生活让我感到吸引，但我也注意到我倾向于接近那些分享自己生活中更真实和真诚时刻的人。

In a world where it’s becoming so easy to fabricate things, I think seeing life and people in the rawest forms is such a nice change.
在一个变得如此容易伪造事物的世界里，我认为看到最原始的生活和人是一个很好的改变。

I love seeing what people eat for breakfast instead of what you ate at a Michelin star restaurant.
我喜欢看到人们吃什么早餐，而不是你在米其林星级餐厅吃了什么。

I’m more interested in seeing what your home looks like instead of what your vacation looks like.
我更感兴趣的是看到你的家是什么样子的，而不是你的假期是什么样子的。

I notice myself paying more attention to the person and their story because that is truly what makes you unique and interesting.
我发现自己更加关注那个人及其故事，因为那才是真正让你独特和有趣的地方。

Maybe you really enjoy living a fast-paced or eccentric life and there’s nothing wrong with that, but there’s also nothing wrong with not wanting that.
也许你真的喜欢过快节奏或古怪的生活，这没有什么错，但不想要这种生活也没有错。

In fact, I think there’s so much value in embracing living an ordinary life.
事实上，我认为拥抱平凡的生活有很大的价值。

What really focuses on the deep and meaningful relationships, being rooted in our communities, getting to know the people that shape our lives.
这真正关注深厚和有意义的关系，扎根于我们的社区，了解塑造我们生活的人。

This is a life where we have the time and energy to be fully present with our families, friends and partners.
这是一种我们有时间和精力与家人、朋友和伴侣完全融入生活的生活方式。

Being able to celebrate the little wins and enjoying the getting there instead of always wanting to skip to the result.
能够庆祝小小的胜利，享受过程，而不是总是想跳过结果。

Instead of meeting society’s standard of a good time, it encourages us to explore and figure out what we enjoy as individuals, no matter how lame it might be to others.
而不是迎合社会对美好时光的标准，它鼓励我们探索和找出我们作为个体所喜欢的东西，无论这对其他人来说多么无聊。

And instead of putting so much emphasis on having a story to retell, it lets us focus on what’s happening in the moment.
而不是过于强调拥有一个可以讲述的故事，它让我们关注当下发生的事情。

I’m not claiming that everything ordinary is impressive in any way, but I am putting the message out there that we might be ignoring what’s really beautiful about living an ordinary life.
我并不是说一切平凡的事物都很令人印象深刻，但我想传达的信息是，我们可能忽视了平凡生活中真正美丽的部分。

Thank you guys so much for watching today’s video. I hope you enjoyed it.
感谢大家观看今天的视频。希望你们喜欢。

And until next time, take care and I’ll talk to you soon. Bye.
下次见，保重，我会很快再和你们聊。再见。