Not only do people make new resolutions at the start of the New Year, but many are also looking to drop bad habits. A toxic habit can be an insidious force in your life — you'll keep falling into its trap, and pretty soon, it'll become second nature and you won't even notice it. Instead, when unfortunate events happen in your life, you'll wonder how they all came about without realizing that you set them up by indulging in bad habits. Nip these bad behaviors in the bud before they spiral out of control:
新年伊始,人们不仅制定新计划,也决心改掉坏习惯。坏习惯是生活中的潜流暗礁——你一再因它而跌倒,而且坏习惯很快会在不知不觉中成为你根深蒂固的习性。当生活遭遇不幸时,你往往只会哀叹为何倒霉的事总发生在你身上,却很少意识到一切都是恶习所致。所以,一定要将坏习惯扼杀在萌芽中,以免日后造成祸害:

The "later" mentality. Organization expert Peter Walsh says the one habit you should drop this year is procrastinating. Walsh says it's the small steps that need to be done to stay on top of clutter. This mentality applies to all areas of your life. For example, that work task you've been putting off for weeks or months? Instead of holding it off until "later," working on it step by step will get you to your end goal faster.
拖延心理。组织专家彼得-沃尔什认为今年应改掉拖延的坏习惯。沃尔什说,一步一步做任务便可化解一堆琐事。拖延心理在生活中随处可见。例如,某些工作任务经被拖上几周甚至数月。不要等“以后”再做了,一步一步先做起来,最后就能更快地完成任务。

Saying "yes" to everything. If you're a people pleaser, learn to say "no" to people this year. It's one thing to do a favor for a friend or co-worker, but remember not to overextend yourself. Learn to delegate better at work and be honest with people. There's always a nice way of saying "no," so don't worry about hurting people's feelings.
来者不拒。如果你总是讨好别人,今年请试着学会说“不”吧。向朋友或同事提供帮助是一回事,但也不能毫无原则。请试着分配好工作、坦诚待人吧。委婉拒绝的方法有的是,还不用伤人感情。

Unhealthy addictions. Moderation is the key to a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Assess your addictions — be it things like sugar, smoking, shopping, or reality TV — and figure out the best one to work on this year. Addictions can be costly to your health and your wallet, so for a better 2013 and beyond, choose one unhealthy addiction to drop.
不良嗜好。自我控制对健康平衡生活至关重要。反省一下自己的嗜好——甜点、抽烟、购物或电视秀等,然后在今年改掉那个最容易下手的吧。不良嗜好不仅有害健康,还耗费金钱。所以,为了更美好的2013年以及以后的日子,开始戒掉某个不良嗜好吧。

Self doubt. Insecurities can hold you back and set negative thought patterns that will make you feel blue or give up easily. They can also sour your relationships with people. For example, you may be overly sensitive to what others say, and this may impact the way you interact with them. To remove self doubt, go on a self-improvement journey this year. Try attaining new skills and hobbies so you'll start being more confident of your abilities and do things like meditate to calm yourself.
自我怀疑。不安全感会妨碍你的发展、向你灌输消极思想、让你心情沮丧或轻言放弃。不安全感还会影响你的人际关系。比如说,你可能会对他人的评论过于敏感,继而影响到你与他人的交往。今年开始,请抛开自我怀疑、走上一段自我提升的旅程吧。尝试学习新的技能和爱好,这样你就对自己的能力更加自信,也会更容易调整自己镇定处事了。

Living in the now. Everyone throws around the popular catch phrase "you only live once" and uses it as an excuse for short-term indulgences. It's true that life is short, but remember that it's usually the long-term approach that achieves the biggest accomplishments and goals. Saving up for the dream vacation to an African safari may take longer than an impulse shopping spree, but it'll be much more fulfilling.
只顾眼前。人们总是引用那句至理名言“活在当下”,并以此为借口停留在眼前的舒适区。人生确实苦短,但请记住:生活中只有放长线才能钓大鱼。为梦想的美洲旅行积攒盘缠或许比一次冲动购物更难捱,但结果却会非常有意义。