A wonderfully readable book which promises 'Simple ways to keep the little things from taking over your life.'

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Product Description

Got a stress case in your life? Of course you do: "Without question, many of us have mastered the neurotic art of spending much of our lives worrying about a variety of things all at once." Carlson's cheerful book aims to make us stop and smell--if not roses--whatever is sitting in front of our noses. Don't Sweat the Small Stuff... offers 100 meditations designed to make you appreciate being alive, keep your emotions (especially anger and dissatisfaction) in proper perspective, and cherish other people as the unique miracles they are. It's an owner's manual of the heart, and if you follow the directions, you will be a happier, more harmonious person. Like Stairmasters, oat bran, and other things that are good for you, the meditations take discipline. Even so, some of the strategies are kind of fun: "Imagine the people in your life as tiny infants and as 100-year-old adults." The trouble is, once you start, it's hard to stop.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1532 in Books
• Published on: 1997-01-01
• Released on: 1996-01-02
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

Amazon.com
Got a stress case in your life? Of course you do: "Without question, many of us have mastered the neurotic art of spending much of our lives worrying about a variety of things all at once." Carlson's cheerful book aims to make us stop and smell--if not roses--whatever is sitting in front of our noses. Don't Sweat the Small Stuff... offers 100 meditations designed to make you appreciate being alive, keep your emotions (especially anger and dissatisfaction) in proper perspective, and cherish other people as the unique miracles they are. It's an owner's manual of the heart, and if you follow the directions, you will be a happier, more harmonious person. Like Stairmasters, oat bran, and other things that are good for you, the meditations take discipline. Even so, some of the strategies are kind of fun: "Imagine the people in your life as tiny infants and as 100-year-old adults." The trouble is, once you start, it's hard to stop.

From Library Journal
Stress consultant Carlson reads his self-help guide with conviction, his gentle voice clear and persuasive. He presents common-sense advice for living a less hectic and more meaningful, loving life. His essential message is that we get caught up in minutiae, "the small stuff," and never get around to doing what makes us or our loved ones happy. He advises readers to engage in such small acts as paying someone a compliment daily, putting a lid on keeping track of who does what around the house, and writing a letter to a friend. Carlson urges small daily changes and uses examples of improvement from his own life to show how the advice works, making the book ideally suited to the audio format. Tape quality is excellent. Recommended for public libraries.?Nancy R. Ives, SUNY at Geneseo
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From AudioFile
Learning to live in the present, increasing stress tolerance, living each day as if it might be the last, and accepting imperfections consistently are a few of the lessons taught by Dr. Richard Carlson. Calm, convincing, confident and effective, Dr. Carlson stresses the importance of keeping life in perspective, allowing the important things to gain priority, resulting in a more satisfying and centered outlook. Carlson focuses on eliminating many of the complications unknowingly created by the average person. He emphasizes simplicity in daily living by abandoning externally caused stress. Listeners may want a "second listen" of this single-cassette program to ensure long-term results. B.J.P. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

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Customer Reviews

No Sweat
I've owned two copies of this book over the years. The first copy I lent to a friend who in turn lent to a friend and so on. Needless to say that this great little gem of a book never found its way back into my eagerly waiting hands.

I've purchased another copy since then and read chapters from it from time to time. We all tend to stress about the little things in life, and I'm no different. Whenever I find myself getting unduly frustrated or uptight, a read of this book always helps me put things back into perspective.

I'm a firm believer in not sweating the small stuff: Not just the book, but the principal of it. Life's way too brief and fleeting to always be tied up in minor details and insignificant issues. Save it for the big problems, I say.

This is a handy little guidebook that does well to serve as a constant reminder to keep things in perspective. I believe every household should have a copy of a book like Richard Carlson's 'Don't Sweat The Small Stuff".

How To Keep Your Man: And Keep Him For Good

Real Life Dramas - Volume One

Darren G. Burton

One of the best books ever!!!
This book got me through my divorce without any emotional scares! Need I say more... This is a must read for just learning how to appreciate what you have in life rather than focussing on what you could have. Definitely a must read.

Zen comes to Suburbia
This book could have easily been titled: Basic Zen Buddhism for Suburbanites. If you look at the principles Richard Carlson teaches they are absolutely Zen 101 (albeit specifically tailored to a modern, western audience). Ideas such as living in the moment, non-attachment to the transitory nature of life, taking time to sit quietly each day (or as a well-known Soto Zen teacher once said, "Don't just do something, sit there"), contemplating your own mortality as a method of keeping the events of your life in perspective... all of these are a part of basic Buddhist practice. While anyone who has practiced one of the eastern contemplative disciplines will find this old hat, these lessons are invaluable for the average person - I bought this for my new wife who tends to get obsessive when it comes to the little things. There's a reason these ideas have been around for thousands of years - they work!