对于学生来说，他们可以通过参加多种课外活动丰富自己的生活。学校的必修课是得到一份理想职业和稳定工作的关键，但书本知识并不能使实践中的你更聪明。无论你花费多少时间阅读有关游泳的书，若你不真正下水去实践，所有的阅读都是徒劳。烹饪书也不是一本仅供阅读的书，而是要将书中的理论付诸实践。课外活动能帮助人们学习怎样与人交往，让人们知道并非所有的理论在实际生活中都行得通，要适当地改变个人对不同问题的看法。参与各种活动，能帮助你更合理地分配时间。谨记，只有忙人最容易抽出时间，因为他们知道轻重缓急。无论多么繁忙，无论多么琐碎的小事，他们总能抽出时间去做。
变化是生活的调味剂。正如不同的调料使食物有不同的口感一样，变化使工作有条不紊。创造力的芳香使思维获得新生，将创造的宝藏开启。
■ 心灵小语
我们要在生活中学会激发我们的求知欲和好奇心，积极培养我们敏锐的观察力和丰富的想象力，从而发掘有创造性的观点。
Variety Fuels Creativity
Anonymous
Variety is the fuel for survival。 Variety injects the fluid of creativity in the most barren of minds。 To be grooved on to your POA of a successful career life； variety bined with flexibility to fit in changing circumstances is the major mantra of the hour。
No job can be done in one single way。 The more one explores； more will be the different dimensions that will be observed which can help to plete a job。 It is logical to choose the better way of doing a thing among various available options。 Innovation is your own discovered way of doing a job； that has been appreciably noticed and yielded favorable results。 Innovation is just like a fresh paint being splashed on the walls of creativity。
Innovation is not something that cannot be achieved by us。 Belief in ourselves jelled with the unique distinction of having the ability to give concrete shape to our values and ideas is what separates the boys from the men。 It takes a lot of guts to venture out and execute the algorithm of ideas on our mind。 The initial phase is the toughest； which will not give you any favorable takers or pushers。 But to keep on going when the going is tough is what takes a test of mental perseverance and never say die grit and determination。
For students they can spice up their lives with variety by focusing on extra curricular activities apart from academics。 Agreed that academics are the time…tested key to a good career and a secure job； but the books don’t make you bee street smart。 No matter how long you have read on swimming； unless and until you enter the water and swim； all the reading is useless。 The recipes given in a cookery book are not there to be read like a book； but to be tried practically。 Extra curricular activities help one to deal with people； tells one the areas where theoretical theories can’t be applied in real life and also changes the individuals outlook to various problems。 Also time management bees easy by involving one in various activities。 Remember that only a busy man can find time； because he knows how to set his priorities and take out time even for the smallest task； no matter how busy his schedule is。
Variety is the spice of life。 Just like different spices flavor the food in a different way； variety flavors any task。 The aroma of creativity revitalizes the mind to open its creative reserves。
如何让空虚的生活充实起来（1）
艾伯特？内斯比特
大约15年前的一天，我在面对自己时，突然觉得自己的生活很空虚。也许这是朋友和同事所无法理解的。按照公认的标准来看，我是一位“成功者”。我领导着一个生意不错的制造公司，是社交界及商界中的“活跃分子”。然而，对我而言，这些并没有太大的意义。我始终都在圈内转来转去。我努力工作，尽情享乐，但很快就发现自己喝酒有些过多。虽然我并不准备加入嗜酒者互诫协会，但说真的，我不得不承认自己喝了太多的酒。也许，这是因为我的生活实在太无聊了。
于是，我开始想着去做点什么。突然，我想到或许是由于自己将过多的精力投入工作，却付出了失去最基本精神生活价值的代价。我顿时明白：自己一向都很自私，我只对别人对我意味着什么，作为我的生意伙伴或员工会为我带来什么价值感兴趣，而不在意我对他们而言意义何在。记得孩提时，母亲常告诉我，一位虔诚信徒的人生价值在于他拥有精神的寄托。当时，她还送我去主日学校学习，并鼓励我参加教堂唱诗班。我努力在脑海中回想着《圣经》中的金箴和基督教义中一些最重要的信条。于是，我开始对基督教青年会的工作感兴趣了。
凑巧的是，那时我们与工厂工会之间发生了一些尖锐的摩擦。后来的一天，我突然想到：他们真正的观点是什么？为什么会这样？我开始明白他们为何会对我们产生怀疑，并常持敌对态度，于是我决定采取相应的行动。
在处理与员工间的问题时，我们试图将基督教的信条应用甚至照搬到其中，比如说，将金箴中的某些忠告付诸行动。当人们相信我们的诚意，自然就会作出良好的回应。这种做法痛苦但却有所回报。我所说的回报并非金钱，而是人的尊严，会使一个人为他的工作与公司而骄傲。他明白，自己不再是一个微不足道的小齿轮，而是公司中生动鲜活的一分子，公司不会在乎他属于哪个教会，或是肤色深浅。
然而，我可以肯定地说，我和我的人生观正是因这种态度而发生了转变。也许，对于我的变化，多数朋友并没有发现。
但是，我自己注意到了。曾经用酗酒来排遣的空虚感，如今已不复存在，取而代之的是明确的目标：充实地生活，关注并尊重他人的存在。我并不假装自己已经成了一个典范，我明白自己还有许多缺点。
但是，在我看来，与其什么都不做地虔诚思考，不如拥有一点宗教信仰并将其付诸实践。我感觉，相比以前，自己得到了更好的调整，也更为成熟了。我无所畏惧。我之所以这么说，并非吹嘘，而是满怀谦卑。我的生活也因将基督教信条付诸实践而发生了改变。
■ 心灵小语
如何让空虚的生活充实起来？就是要将想法付诸行动。要懂得关心他人，尊重他人，你的生活也会就此改变。
How to Refill an Empty Life
Albert Nesbitt
One day about fifteen years ago I suddenly came face to face with myself and realized there was something quite empty about my life。 My friends and associates perhaps didn’t see it。 By the generally accepted standards； I was “successful”。 I was head of a prosperous1 manufacturing concern and I led what is usually referred to as an “active” life； both socially and in business。 But it didn’t seem to me to be adding up to anything。 I was going around in circles。 I worked hard； played hard； and pretty soon I discovered I was hitting the highballs harder than I needed。 I wasn’t a candidate2 for Alcoholics Anonymous； but to be honest with myself I had to admit I was drinking more than was good for me。 It may have been out of sheer boredom。
如何让空虚的生活充实起来（2）
I began to wonder what to do。 It occurred to me that I might have gotten myself too tightly wrapped up in my job； to the sacrifice of the basic but nonmaterialistic values of life。 It struck me abruptly that I was being quite selfish； that my major interest in people was in what they meant to me； what they represented as business contacts or employees； not what I might mean to them。 I remembered that as my mother sent me to Sunday school as a boy； and encouraged me to sing in the church choir； she used to tell me that the value of what she called a good Christian background was in having something to tie to。 I put in a little thought recalling the Golden Rule and some of the other first principles of Christianity。 I began to get interested in YMCA work。
It happened that just at this time we were having some bitter fights with the union at our plant。 Then one day it occurred to me：what really is their point of view； and why？ I began to see a basis for their suspicions； their often chip…on…shoulder point of view； and I determined to do something about it。
We endeavored to apply―literally apply―Christian principles to our dealings with employees； to practice； for example； something of the Golden Rule。 The men’s response； once they were convinced we were sincere； was remarkable。 The effort has paid for its pains； and I don’t mean in dollars。 I mean in dividends of human dignity； of a man’s pride in his job and in the pany； knowing that he is no longer just a cog but a live personal part of it and that it doesn’t matter whether he belongs to a certain church or whether the pigmentation of his skin is light or dark。
But I can speak with most authority on how this change of attitude affected me and my personal outlook on life。 Perhaps； again； many of my friends did not notice the difference。
But I noticed it。 That feeling of emptiness； into which I was pouring cocktails out of boredom； was filling up instead with a purpose： to live a full life with an awareness and an appreciation of other people。 I