Don't Sweat the Small Stuff . . . and It's All Small Stuff (U)

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. Don't Sweat The Small Stuff -- Make Peace With Imperfection -- Let Go Of The Idea That Gentle, Relaxed People Can't Be Superachievers -- Be Aware Of The Snowball Effect Of Your Thinking -- Develop Your Compassion -- Remind Yourself That When You Die, Your In-basket Won't Be Empty -- Don't Interrupt Others Or Finish Their Sentences -- Do Something Nice For Someone Else And Don't Tell Anyone About It -- Let Others Have The Glory -- Learn To Live In The Present Moment -- Imagine That Everyone Is Enlightened Except You -- Let Others Be Right Most Of The Time -- Become More Patient -- Create Patience Practice Periods -- Be The First One To Act Loving Or Reach Out -- Ask Yourself The Question, Will This Matter A Year From Now? -- Surrender To The Fact That Life Isn't Fair -- Allow Yourself To Be Bored -- Lower Your Tolerance To Stress -- Once A Week, Write A Heartfelt Letter -- Imagine Yourself At Your Own Funeral. Repeat To Yourself, Life Isn't An Emergency -- Experiment With Your Back Burner -- Spend A Moment Every Day Thinking Of Someone To Thank -- Smile At Strangers, Look Into Their Eyes, And Say Hello -- Set Aside Quiet Time, Every Day -- Imagine The People In Your Life As Tiny Infants And As One-hundred-year-old Adults -- Seek First To Understand -- Become A Better Listener -- Choose Your Battles Wisely -- Become Aware Of Your Moods And Don't Allow Yourself To Be Fooled By The Low Ones -- Life Is A Test. It Is Only A Test -- Praise And Blame Are All The Same -- Practice Random Acts Of Kindness -- Look Beyond Behavior -- See The Innocence -- Choose Being Kind Over Being Right -- Tell Three People (today) How Much You Love Them -- Practice Humility -- When In Doubt About Whose Turn It Is To Take Out The Trash, Go Ahead And Take It Out -- Avoid Weatherproofing -- Spend A Moment, Every Day, Thinking Of Someone To Love -- Become An Anthropologist. Understand Separate Realities -- Develop Your Own Helping Rituals -- Every Day, Tell At Least One Person Something You Like, Admire, Or Appreciate About Them -- Argue For Your Limitations And They're Yours -- Remember That Everything Has God's Fingerprints On It -- Resist The Urge To Criticize -- Write Down Your Five Most Stubborn Positions And See If You Can Soften Them -- Just For Fun, Agree With Criticism Directed Toward You (then Watch It Go Away) -- Search For The Grain Of Truth In Other Opinions -- See The Glass As Already Broken (and Everything Else Too) -- Understand The Statement, Wherever You Go, There You Are -- Breathe Before You Speak -- Be Grateful When You're Feeling Good And Graceful When You're Feeling Bad -- Become A Less Aggressive Driver -- Relax -- Adopt A Child Through The Mail -- Turn Your Melodrama Into A Mellow-drama. Read Articles And Books With Entirely Different Points Of View From Your Own And Try To Learn Something -- Do One Thing At A Time -- Count To Ten -- Practice Being In The Eye Of The Storm -- Be Flexible With Changes In Your Plans -- Think Of What You Have Instead Of What You Want -- Practice Ignoring Your Negative Thoughts -- Be Willing To Learn From Friends And Family -- Be Happy Where You Are -- Remember That You Become What You Practice Most -- Quiet The Mind -- Take Up Yoga -- Make Service An Integral Part Of Your Life -- Do A Favor And Don't Ask For, Or Expect, One In Return -- Think Of Your Problems As Potential Teachers -- Get Comfortable Not Knowing -- Acknowledge The Totality Of Your Being -- Cut Yourself Some Slack -- Stop Blaming Others -- Become An Early Riser -- When Trying To Be Helpful, Focus On Little Things -- Remember, One Hundred Years From Now, All New People -- Lighten Up -- Nurture A Plant. Transform Your Relationship To Your Problems -- 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 -- Redefine A Meaningful Accomplishment -- Listen To Your Feelings (they Are Trying To Tell You Something) -- If Someone Throws You The Ball, You Don't Have To Catch It -- One More Passing Show -- Fill Your Life With Love -- Realize The Power Of Your Own Thoughts -- Give Up On The Idea That More Is Better -- Keep Asking Yourself, What's Really Important? -- Trust Your Intuitive Heart -- Be Open To What Is -- Mind Your Own Business -- Look For The Extraordinary In The Ordinary -- Schedule Time For Your Inner Work -- Live This Day As If It Were Your Last. It Might Be! Richard Carlson. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 247-248).