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BOOK REVIEW: Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff by Richard Carlson

My Rating: 4/5

To find time for self-reflection is essential for personal growth. We can automate other habits but self-reflection. The reason is simple, the process of self-reflection can make be overwhelming. In a broader perspective, Richard Carlson’s Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff… and It’s All Small Stuff: Simple Ways To Keep The Little Things From Taking Over Your Life serves its purpose by providing wisdom in terms of strategies in over 100 short chapters in this book.

I believe some of these strategies are a part of our daily routine. In 100 Strategies describe by Carlson in this book, you are familiar with most of them. While reading this book, think of it as a reminder application of your mobile phone, instead it’s reminding you about all those little things which we get anxious over but are not worth of our attention. These little overwhelming things serve one purpose, is to fill our daily routine with complexity.

This book is easy to read. You can go through the entire 100 strategies at once for an overview and take your time, and come back to pick out of those which you want to apply straight away. Each chapter is not more than 3 pages long. The author has discussed the reason behind these strategies in detail, read them as they provide clarity over context. Each detail contains personal experience of the author, and seeing how conquered on not sweating the small stuff over little things, is motivating in itself.

The writing style is clear and uses a conversational style in a concise manner. Carlson’s scholarly background is not reflected in his writing at all which is a good thing for the reader to grasp the text.

Some lessons from this book that I applied to my routine:

  • Don’t sweat the small stuff, as the title suggests, do not get overwhelmed
  • Develop Compassion
  • Become an Effective Listener
  • Practice Humility, Carlson suggests nicely that humility and inner peace go hand in hand
  • When in doubt about whose turn it is to take out the trash, go ahead and take it out is an amazing concept that helps me to avoid unnecessary conflicts with my daily routine and people around me

I am so glad I read the book at the start of this year. On reading this, you will be reminded that ‘it’s all small stuff, and not worth that much attention’.

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Read books by day and blogs about them at night. In his mid-twenties, been blogging about books for 5 years now.

View Comments

  • modestly says: March 10, 2017 at 4:40 PM the one about trash sums it all up - practice it and lifes a breeze
  • Elizabeth says: March 10, 2017 at 1:52 AM I especially appreciate the words about "whose turn is it." I can see that reducing a lot of conflict.

the one about trash sums it all up - practice it and lifes a breeze

  • Aman(@amanhimself) says: March 11, 2017 at 10:11 AM Yes, it does!

Yes, it does!

I especially appreciate the words about "whose turn is it." I can see that reducing a lot of conflict.

  • Aman(@amanhimself) says: March 11, 2017 at 10:11 AM Yep :)

Yep :)

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