by Mina

翻译：寒星

画己百遍，其义自现

by Mina

翻译：寒星

在这个自拍成瘾的时代里，每天画一幅自画像，试着坚持一百天。你会发现，这种持之以恒正不知不觉地改变着你的人生。

There was that time I wanted to be a fashion designer but gave up halfway through1）sewing my first shirt； that time I wanted to be a model but got bored after two2）gigs； and that time I wanted to be a rockstar but never learned to play my shiny new guitar.

The one thing I3）stuck with was drawing.

That’s why this “100 Days of Self Love” project was both such a joy and a challenge.

The rules I set for myself were simple： One4）self-portrait a day for 100 days. “Portrait” is a loose definition— there were some pretty5）abstract ones in the6）bunch— but the word “self”was the7）key.

Following my own advice， I wanted to achieve something outside of my day job. Not only did I get a8）sketchbook to9）cherish forever out of this project， but I also got a little better with my work10）ethic， improved my skills and gained some valuable lessons.

Plus， I proved to myself that I could do it. And I learned to look at myself.

In our11）selfie-obsessed culture， we take pictures of our faces all the time12）without a second thought. I wanted to explore the13）notion of “self” and see what I could learn.

I quickly realized in the process that I never really sat and analyzed my face. Have you？ All the14）curves， the15）features，the16）imperfections？

By about day 20th， I got a good sense of what I looked like— I could draw myself pretty well without a17）reference. My face was familiar to me—instead of just being the reflection in the mirror.

I also got tired of looking at myself. I could never get my nose right， and I wanted to draw something other than my face. The last 40 days were very hard.

Doing anything every day for 100 days is really difficult. And no one else cared about seeing my face 100 times. Most days， I would do them at night. If I knew I had plans at night， I would try to18）squeeze the drawing in during the day. Even if I was in the park or on the road.

19）Persistence20）paid off because I now proudly have a sketchbook filled with my face that I can cherish for years.

Even though I could have spent more time on some pieces， and even though I didn’t make it a daily habit21）for good， I’m still proud that I22）accomplished this project.

Sometimes life gets in the way， and we make so many excuses for ourselves， that it’s hard to reach any goal.

This project was a good reminder that if I set my mind on something— and if I’m actually23）passionate about it— I can do it.

It starts with the small goals. And if I can do this， what else can’t I accomplish？

1） sew ［səu】 v. 缝制

2） gig ［gIg】 n. 短期演出

3） stick with 坚持

4） self-portrait 自画像

5） abstract ［'æbstrækt】 adj. 抽象的

6） bunch ［bʌntʃ】 n. 群，束

7） key ［kiː】 n. 关键

8） sketchbook ［'sketʃbuk】 n. 素描本

9） cherish ［'tʃerIʃ】 v. 珍惜

10） ethic ［'eθIk】 n. 道德标准

11） selfie-obsessed 沉迷于自拍的

12） without a second thought 不假思索地

13） notion ［'nəuʃən】 n. 概念

14） curve ［kʒːv】 n. 曲线

15） feature ［'fiːtʃə】 n. 特征

16） imperfection ［Impə'fekʃən】 n. 不完美

17） reference ［'refərəns】 n. 参照物

18） squeeze ［skwiːz】 v. 挤，压榨

19） persistence ［pʒː'zIstəns】 n. 坚持

20） pay off 偿清，有回报

21） for good 永久地

22） accomplish ［ə'kʌmplIʃ】 v. 完成

23） passionate ［'pæʃənət】 adj. 充满热情的

参考译文

我曾梦想成为一名时装设计师，可是我在第一次缝制衬衫时，干到一半就放弃了；我曾梦想成为一名模特，但是在走了两场秀之后我就感到无聊了；我也曾梦想成为一名摇滚巨星，然而我从未学会弹奏我那把崭新闪亮的吉他。

我唯一坚持下来的事情，是画画。

这也是为什么这个“爱上自己100天”的计划既是一件乐事，也是一个挑战。

我为自己设定的规则很简单：每天给自己画一幅自画像，坚持100天。“自画像”是一个不严谨的定义—这当中有一些挺抽象的—但关键是为“自己”作画。

我跟随着自己的想法，只希望在自己的本职工作之余能有点小成就。通过这个计划，我不仅能收获一本值得永远珍藏的素描本，还能修炼更好的职业道德，提升自己的绘画技巧，获得一些宝贵的经验。

同时，我向自己证明了我能行。我还学会了正视自己。

在这种自拍成瘾的文化里，我们随时想都不想就拍下了自己的脸。我想挖掘“自我”这个概念，看看自己能学到什么。

在作画的过程中，我很快就意识到，我从未真正坐下来仔细端详过自己的脸。……