Don't Sweat the Small Stuff...And It's All Small Stuff: Simple Ways to Keep the Little Things From Taking Over Your Life

Carlson, Richard

ISBN 10: 0671580752 ISBN 13: 9780671580759

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio, 1997

Synopsis

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff...and It's All Small Stuff is an audiobook that tells you how to keep from letting the little things in life drive you crazy. In thoughtful and insightful language, author Richard Carlson reveals ways to calm down in the midst of your incredibly hurried, stress-filled life.

You can learn to put things into perspective by making the small daily changes Dr. Carlson suggests, including advice such as "Choose your battles wisely"; "Remind yourself that when you die, your 'in' box won't he empty"; and "Make peace with imperfection." With Don't Sweat the Small Stuff... you'll also learn how to:

• Live in the present moment
• Let others have the glory at times
• Lower your tolerance to stress
• Trust your intuitions
• Live each day as it might be your last

With gentle, supportive suggestions, Dr. Carlson reveals ways to make your actions more peaceful and caring, with the added benefit of making your life more calm and stress-free.

About this title

Review

This single audiocassette version of yet another bestseller about caring for the soul is the Zeitgeist in a nutshell. The author's softly spoken message, aimed at people who feel that their lives have become overwhelmed by trivial demands and the shadow of stress, is a series of practical, homely tips on how to regain both perspective and control. The key is to remember--or rather, to learn to bear in mind--some simple truths that we already know. As Carlson observes, "when you die, your in-box won't be empty," so you should stress less about emptying it now. And a century from now we'll all be dead and gone--so things that seem blisteringly urgent now are really trivial, and will soon be forgotten. Carlson is particularly good on the importance of controlling self-pity, especially the sense that we are the ones doing all the hard work, which can be so damaging to our relationships with others.

Two kinds of people might be disappointed by this tape. Those who have already thought deeply about these issues are likely to be underwhelmed by advice such as "change what can be changed, and learn to accept what can't be changed." And those who expect a single cassette to transform their lives will find, not surprisingly, that Carlson is much better at saying what we should do than at explaining how we can do it. But he reads well, and for overtaxed people who don't expect a miracle cure, the message on this tape could be a small first step to a saner life. (Running time: 90 minutes, one cassette) --Richard Farr

About the Author

Richard Carlson, Ph.D., is a frequent lecturer and a stress consultant. He is the author of Don't Don't Worry, Make Money, You Can Be Happy No Matter What, and You Can Feel Good Again, among other titles, and coauthor of Handbook for the Soul and Handbook for the Heart. He lives with his wife and children in Northern California.

Edition details

• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0671580752
• ISBN 13: 9780671580759
• Binding: Audio Cassette
• Language: English