‘Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff’ offers perspective
By Brittany Muller
IV Leader Staff, Oct. 19, 2006
Many say that college is a stressful time, and I would
definitely have to agree.
There is so much to worry about and so much changing.
Classes, jobs and friends change, and it feels like all of it is happening too
fast. Through all of this, it is easy to feel stressed and anxious about the
present, even the future. Sometimes I feel like I am speeding; it is hard to
slow down when it feels like there is so much to do.
On the plus side, there are a lot of ways to minimize the
stress and confusion of college. In his book “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff,”
Richard Carlson gives helpful hints on how to make life easier and, don’t freak
out, stress-free.
“Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff” is a series in which each book
speaks to different groups of people. For example, one book is dedicated to
women while another may be written for parents or those in love.
Some are even helpful in learning to be happy or successful.
All of the books, some of which are written by his wife, speak from experience
with an optimistic vibe.
My favorite book from the “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff”
series is one for teens. Each chapter is dedicated to a certain problem. For
example one chapter is entitled “Try Not to Become a Fault-Finder” while another
reads “Empathize.” All of these chapters help one look at life and feel like
there is room for change and the power to do it.
I admit that when I first heard about this book, I thought,
“How cheesy!” But, it turned out to be excellent, and even though I’ve read it a
few years ago, I still remember what it taught me about life and about myself.
One of my favorite chapters “Be OK With Your Bad Hair Day”
explains it like this: “How often do you spend looking at your friends’ hair—or
a stranger’s hair? Probably not very much. Obviously, you see hair everywhere
you look, but do you really study it? Probably not.”
Then, the author goes on to say that we, as individuals, tend
to make situations worse than they really are; over-exaggeration can sometimes
seem like a pastime. Every book is conversational, witty, and enlightening.
“Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff” is simply too good to ignore.
Plus, there may even be a book in the series written just for
you.