Don't sweat the small stuff-- and it's all small stuff
Subtitle: simple ways to keep the little things from taking over your life
By: Richard Carlson
Edition: 1st ed.
Publisher: Hyperion
Published: 1997
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 248
ISBN-13: 9780786881857
Subjects: Conduct of life; Psychological Adaptation; Behavior Therapy; Peace of mind; Behavior modification
Description: From the co-author of the bestselling Handbook of the Soul comes a collection of short essays on attaining peace of mind by learning to let go of small aggravations.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 247-248).
Table of contents: title: Contents: Don't sweat the small stuff; title: Make peace with imperfection; title: Let go of the idea that gentle, relaxed people can't be superachievers; title: Be aware of the snowball effect of your thinking; title: Develop your compassion; title: Remind yourself that when you die, your "in-basket" won't be empty; title: Don't interrupt others or finish their sentences; title: Do something nice for someone else and don't tell anyone about it; title: Let others have the glory; title: Learn to live in the present moment; title: Imagine that everyone is enlightened except you; title: Let others be "right" most of the time; title: Become more patient; title: Create "patience practice periods"; title: Be the first one to act loving or reach out; title: Ask yourself the question, "Will this matter a year from now?"; title: Surrender to the fact that life isn't fair; title: Allow yourself to be bored; title: Lower your tolerance to stress; title: Once a week, write a heartfelt letter; title: Imagine yourself at your own funeral.; title: Contents (cont.): Repeat to yourself, "Life isn't an emergency"; title: Experiment with your back burner; title: Spend a moment every day thinking of someone to thank; title: Smile at strangers, look into their eyes, and say hello; title: Set aside quiet time, every day; title: Imagine the people in your life as tiny infants and as one-hundred-year-old adults; title: Seek first to understand; title: Become a better listener; title: Choose your battles wisely; title: Become aware of your moods and don't allow yourself to be fooled by the low ones; title: Life is a test. It is only a test; title: Praise and blame are all the same; title: Practice random acts of kindness; title: Look beyond behavior; title: See the innocence; title: Choose being kind over being right; title: Tell three people (today) how much you love them; title: Practice humility; title: When in doubt about whose turn it is to take out the trash, go ahead and take it out; title: Avoid weatherproofing; title: Spend a moment, every day, thinking of someone to love; title: Become an anthropologist.; title: Contents (cont.): Understand separate realities; title: Develop your own helping rituals; title: Every day, tell at least one person something you like, admire, or appreciate about them; title: Argue for your limitations and they're yours; title: Remember that everything has God's fingerprints on it; title: Resist the urge to criticize; title: Write down your five most stubborn positions and see if you can soften them; title: Just for fun, agree with criticism directed toward you (then watch it go away); title: Search for the grain of truth in other opinions; title: See the glass as already broken (and everything else too); title: Understand the statement, "Wherever you go, there you are"; title: Breathe before you speak; title: Be grateful when you're feeling good and graceful when you're feeling bad; title: Become a less aggressive driver; title: Relax; title: Adopt a child through the mail; title: Turn your melodrama into a mellow-drama.; title: Contents (cont.): Read articles and books with entirely different points of view from your own and try to learn something; title: Do one thing at a time; title: Count to ten; title: Practice being in the "eye of the storm"; title: Be flexible with changes in your plans; title: Think of what you have instead of what you want; title: Practice ignoring your negative thoughts; title: Be willing to learn from friends and family; title: Be happy where you are; title: Remember that you become what you practice most; title: Quiet the mind; title: Take up yoga; title: Make service an integral part of your life; title: Do a favor and don't ask for, or expect, one in return; title: Think of your problems as potential teachers; title: Get comfortable not knowing; title: Acknowledge the totality of your being; title: Cut yourself some slack; title: Stop blaming others; title: Become an early riser; title: When trying to be helpful, focus on little things; title: Remember, one hundred years from now, all new people; title: Lighten up; title: Nurture a plant.; title: Contents (cont.): Transform your relationship to your problems; title: The next time you find yourself in an argument, rather than defend your position, see if you can see the other point of view first; title: Redefine a "meaningful accomplishment"; title: Listen to your feelings (They are trying to tell you something); title: If someone throws you the ball, you don't have to catch it; title: One more passing show; title: Fill your life with love; title: Realize the power of your own thoughts; title: Give up on the idea that "more is better"; title: Keep asking yourself, "What's really important?"; title: Trust your intuitive heart; title: Be open to "what is"; title: Mind your own business; title: Look for the extraordinary in the ordinary; title: Schedule time for your inner work; title: Live this day as if it were your last. It might be!