一个月前，我的外教老师Ben给我布置了一个作业：写一篇500字以上的英文故事，要求要有趣有创意，主题不限。那是个周六晚上，我花了30分钟的时间完成作业。当我把这篇故事念给Ben听时，他睁大眼睛，惊讶地用夸张的声音说：“你可以出版绘本了，你考虑过这个方向吗？”
我心想：外国人真是会鼓励人，我不过是随便写写，哪有那么容易就出版绘本呢。
就这样，这件事翻过篇章。一个月后，也就是上周六，Ben忽然问我：“你现在还有写故事吗？”
我总不能直接说我没写了，琢磨了一下，我笑着说：“没写呢，但如果这是个作业的话，我会写的。”
我没料到Ben居然一本正经地说：“那么我现在就给你布置一个作业，每天写一篇短故事。”我提高音量想也没想就脱口而出：“Terrible！”然后Ben哈哈大笑。好吧，他是开玩笑的，把我吓了一跳。
这件事也这样过去了，当然，Ben并没有真的给我布置这样的作业，但是他很认真地对我说：“你真的可以考虑一下，你的故事很有趣，只是需要赋予故事一个价值观，或者别的什么观点，让这个故事有意义。”
我不知道我会不会继续，我没有信心，这个鼓励有点超出我的能力了，我只是随便一写用来交作业，顶多只能算是比较用心地完成作业，并没想过会发生什么。但是这件事，Ben的这段话，让我想到一个词：刻意练习。
Ben跟我开的玩笑，不正是刻意练习吗。
“刻意练习”这个概念是佛罗里达州立大学心理学家安德斯·艾利克森提出来，是指人通过完成一系列的小任务来逐步提高水平。这些小任务必须是这个人正好不会做，但是又正好可以学习掌握的。也就是踮踮脚尖可以达到的，既不在舒适区，也不在恐慌区，而是在学习区。
这有点像一万小时定律，如果花一万小时不断地在学习区刻意练习，也许，我真的可以写出一个非常好的故事，再找个画家搭挡，出版绘本。假如我想做这件事的话。
我没有行动起来去写儿童故事，我想的是另外一些事，比如：故事化写作；还比如，解决我最近糟糕的状态。如果刻意练习解决的本质是改变一个人的行为习惯，通过行为的改变重塑心理表征。那么，它就不仅可以用来提升技能，也能用来改变生活状态。
在我讲我改变状态的故事之前，我想先剧透结果——我成功了！
我记得三年前，我刚刚与先生分离，那个时候的我，除了经济低迷，其它都非常有干劲，我努力、积极、上进、善于思考、任何时候都清楚自己想要什么，需要什么、阳光且不匮乏。然而，最近几个月，我频频出现情绪低落，频率高、时间长。在这样的情绪里，我工作效率降低，工作质量降低，学习的质量也降低，只要是我一个人独处，我内心的这个那个，就像洪水猛兽，瞬间决堤…… 即便我只是一个人坐着地铁，思绪也会马上飘散到那个地方。再这样下去，我可能会陷入忧郁的牢笼里，连自救都不能。
我想回到三年前的状态，积极阳光地过好每一天，每一刻都在朝梦想迈进。
所以我首先思考两者间的不同，究竟发生了什么变化。最后得出的结论是我的需求改变了，我增加了对“爱与归属”的需求，然而这个需求被错误地放大了，演变成“过去记忆中被抛弃感的重演”。知道这一点很重要，因为它可以帮助我找到“舒适区”与“恐慌区”之间的“学习区”。
我闭上眼睛，静静回忆我所喜欢的那个我，一个人的时候会做什么事情，是什么让我感到快乐，我是如何安排生活的；再回忆我不喜欢的那个我，一个人的时候会做什么事情，是什么让我越陷越深，越走越偏。
既然我不能够解决“被抛弃感”的心理负担，那就让我找到“学习区”进行“刻意练习”。不管我心情怎么样，愿不愿意，是否勉强，总之，just do it！这两天我就在做这些事，全是自我挑战（学习区）的事情。我发现，我的状态越来越好了，我逐渐摆脱忧郁的牢笼，欢愉越来越多，我能感受到内心力量的上升。我很开心，越是开心，越是愿意继续刻意练习。因为我最大的快乐源泉是心流呀（心流是指以完成目标为导向的忘我而专注的精神状态）。
通过刻意练习，改变自己的行为，继而改变自己的心理表征，调整状态。现在再听到同样的音乐，看到同样的事，想起同样的事，我不再是低落，而是嘴角上扬。
我会继续下去，因为，我好了，一切就都会往好的方向发展，不能让任何人，包括我自己，糟蹋了我的人生。
虽然我很早就知道“刻意练习”这个词，但是用“刻意练习”来调整状态，这是第一次，真的要感谢我的外教老师Ben，是他欣赏我的英文短故事，他的话语，触发了我的灵感。在此，我把这篇英文短故事贴出来，大家可以拍砖，也可以赏花，么么哒~
Sasa Fairy and Kitty Bunny
A long time ago, there was a beautiful forest where many animals and fairies lived. One of those fairies was a pretty girl called Sasa. She had wonderful wings and always dressed in pink. She lived with the Rabbit Family. Her best friend was Kitty Bunny. The most naughty member of the Rabbit Family.
One day, Kitty Bunny went out to play. She didn't bring out her communication equipment - a communication flower, even though she was told by her mother again and again to take it with her. Yes, you know, Kitty was naughty. She didn't think she would lose her way home. But this time, things were different...
Kitty found a strange and special cave. It was a big cave which was surrounded by roses.
"Maybe there is a Prince Bunny living inside." Kitty whispered to herself. Then she walke in.
Wow~ What a wonderful and amazing place! A lot of butterflies were flying in front of Kitty. They appeared to have been waiting there all the time. They led Kitty deeper into the cave. Kitty forgot about the dangers and worries, and just ahead.
This was really a huge cave. It became bigger and bigger as they went in. It was another world, endless grassland, trees, blue sky and more butterflies. Kitty was curious, but she didn't fear anything.
Then, they stopped in front of a giant tree. Kitty thought maybe a prince or warrior would come out, or some other brave person, like in a fairy story.
But, she was wrong, she began to regret that she came in with the butterflies without any hesitation. And the worst of all, she didn't bring her communication flower with her, so that she was unable to ask for help. Because, the one who came out was not a prince or warrior, but a monster! A big, green monster with a big, red mouth and scary, yellow eyes.
He stepped forward toward Kitty, with teeth and claws. Kitty was very terrified. She wanted to escape, but she couldn't move. Oh no~ Those beautiful butterflies were evil spirits.
"I am going to die..."Thought Kitty. She closed her eyes tightly and sadly, she was ready to die. But suddenly, a pink, bright light flashed by. It was Sasa! Sasa came to help Kitty, flapping her wings. Behind her, there were forest fairies flying forward, working their magic. Lots of colorful rays of light fell down from the sky and evaporated the monster and the butterflies. They all disappeared within several seconds.
In the meantime, fairies and Kitty Bunny were back at the entrance of the cave.
Kitty was saved. What strong magic they have!
Sasa and Kitty went home together. Kitty's mother and father hugged Kitty. They didn't scold her about the communication flower issue. But Kitty was confused about how Sasa could have found her.
"How could you find me?" She asked Sasa the fairy.
"I am a fairy. I can foresee your future, I know where you are and what you are facing when I work my magic. I guessed you must have been in trouble when daddy rabbit told me that he couldn't find you all day. So I immediately gathered my fairy friends together to come rescue you." Sasa said.
Well, it's a wonderful thing to have a fairy friend. Isn't it?
对了，Ben问我，这个故事是要传达什么观点。
我说：“其实我写的时候并没有考虑这些，那如果非要说的话，大概就是出门记得保持联系，这是自我保护的一种方式吧，还有大概也可以是表达父母子女间的爱吧。”
感谢大家花时间看完此文 ^^
