How long does it take for you to get mad? Can one flippant remark or wayward stare send you into the depths of fury so strong people can swear your eyes turn red? Has someone (or more than one person) suggested that maybe you should consider some type of anger management class... on more than one occasion? Or are you so stressed from trying to fit 25 hours' worth of work into a 24 hour day EVERY DAY that you are more counterproductive and feel more stressed than accomplished?
Don't Sweat the Small Stuff...and it's all small stuff is the perfect book for you. "But I don't have time to read an entire book!", you might say. First, the book isn't split into actual chapters; rather, it shows each step and spends two to three pages explaining each step. How can you not have time to read two to three pages a day?
"I don't have time to reflect on each section. How am I going to remember all of the points?" Well, the beauty of this book is that each title of each section seems to be it's own personal mantra: "Ask Yourself the Question: Will This Matter a Year From Now?" and "Repeat to Yourself: Life Isn't an Emergency". And because they are more like mantras, it is easy to repeat them when the going gets tough. You will also find that you don't feel results from this book simply by reflecting. You can think about doing the tips all you want but until you actually set them into motion nothing will happen.
If anybody can get hotheaded VERY quickly like me (I'm glad I'm not the Hulk because I'd probably stay a monster), you will find this book very helpful. With 100 mantras, there is a saying to help you tackle just about any situation that could affect you. I have personally used at least 10 different mantras that readily come to mind within the past two weeks, and probably a lot more of the less recognized ones.
Like Advair for those of us asthmatics, however, this book is not a fast-acting inhaler so don't expect to pick it up in fury and immediately be able to calm down. Because let's face it, when you're mad, you don't give a damn about much of anything but what you're angry about, and you certainly aren't in any mood to read a book telling you that what you're mad about isn't really all that important (besides, who the hell is this book to tell you what you're angry about isn't important anyway? It must be important if you're mad...right? Right??) But if you take a few moments each day and read just a few mantras, and really take the time to not just understand but exercise what they have to say, you will find that they are EXTREMELY helpful next time you want to ram that ignorant driver's car or rip the hair out of the woman behind the teller window.
2 comments:
I think I've come across this book a few times and scanned the pages, but didn't really get to sit down and read the whole thing. Will try that soon, though. :)
@caffeinated muse - I was just like that the first time I read the book...i was actually in the middle of an angry fit! I'm glad you're going to give it another go...you'll be glad you did
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