This book has become one of my favorite books of all time.  The reason?  It puts things in perspective.

Everyday we are faced with stressors… Job, kids, events, deadlines, and well… life to put it simply.

This book discusses a lot of “small stuff” that can initiate anger or frustration, and then provides you with ideas of how to look at those situations differently.

This has become our nightly reading material.  Each chapter is about one page so it is a great way to end a stressful day.

Just a few things this has help me work on:

ROAD RAGE: This was something I experienced almost daily.  If I wasn’t rushing to work in the morning, I was rushing to the gym after work, and then rushing home.  Everyone seems to be in the way when you’re in a rush.  So I decided, I need to stop rushing.  To force myself, I actually started working on being the polite driver… For example: Letting people merge if needed (even if that requires me to hit my brakes).  This has definitely helped my mood by the time I get home.

LISTENING:  When you’ve had a busy or exciting day, all you want to do is talk to someone about it.  But you have to remember, other people may have had things occur through their day they would like to talk about too.  So listening without interrupting is extremely important when trying to be an active listener.  A lot of times my boyfriend may be telling me about something that reminds me of something else.  And instead of discussing it immediately, I wait… I make a mental note to bring it up a little later, because I want to know more about what he has to say.

ENJOY LIFE:  This has been one thing I struggle with.  The book discusses how not to wait to have fun, because your “inbox” will never be empty.  I am always thinking of chores to do or errands to run.  For this reason, I may pass up a bike ride, pick-up soccer game, or a short hike.  Now I ask myself, “Can I vacuum tomorrow to go hiking today?” And most of the time, the answer is yes.

These are just a few things (of many) I’ve tried to incorporate from this book.  It truly is a great read and has helped me see life a little differently.  If you are looking for a great way to wind down your day, grab a cozy blanket and check out this book.  Figure out how to get started now eliminating stress.  Life is just too short.

“Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff and It’s All Small Stuff”

BY: Richard Carlson, PH.D.

**I do not have any relationship with this author.  I am not promoting this book for any other reason than to offer a way to reduce stress and help others in the way it has helped me. **