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Richard Carlson Quotes

    “Sometimes our grandiose plans to do great things at some later time interfere with our chances to do little things right now.” ~ Richard Carlson, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

      “So often, either consciously or unconsciously, we want something from others, especially when we have done something for them – It’s almost as though we keep score of our own good deeds rather than remembering that giving is its own reward.” ~ Richard Carlson, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

        “The truth is, there’s no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when? Your life will always be filled with challenges. It’s best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway.” ~ Richard Carlson, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

          “An argument that happened while you were walking out the door on your way to work is no longer an actual argument, it’s a thought in your mind.” ~ Richard Carlson, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

            “Indeed, the important question in terms of becoming more peaceful isn’t whether or not you’re going to have negative thoughts – you are – it’s what you choose to do with the ones that you have.” ~ Richard Carlson, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

              “When you focus not on what you want, but on what you have, you end up getting more of what you want anyway.” ~ Richard Carlson, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

                “When you do too many things at once, it’s impossible to be present-moment oriented. Thus, you not only lose out on much of the potential enjoyment of what you are doing, but you also become far less focused and effective.” ~ Richard Carlson, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

                  “The next time you’re feeling bad, rather than fight it, try to relax. See if, instead of panicking, you can be graceful and calm. Know that if you don’t fight your negative feelings, if you are graceful, they will pass away just as surely as the sun sets in the evening.” ~ Richard Carlson, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

                    “If you are a generally happy person who rarely gets annoyed and bothered, then you can move from place to place, from person to person, with very little negative impact.” ~ Richard Carlson, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

                      “We tend to believe that if we were somewhere else – on vacation, with another partner, in a different career, a different home, a different circumstance – somehow we would be happier and more content. We wouldn’t!” ~ Richard Carlson, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

                        “When we judge or criticize another person, it says nothing about that person; it merely says something about our own need to be critical.”

                        Richard Carlson, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

                          “Our minds are powerful instruments. When we decide that something is beyond our reach, it’s very difficult to pierce through this self-created hurdle.” ~ Richard Carlson, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

                            “When someone acts in a way that seems strange to you, rather than reacting in your usual way, such as, ‘I can’t believe they would do that,’ instead say something to yourself like ‘I see, that must be the way she sees things in the world. Very interesting.'” ~ Richard Carlson, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

                              “Ironically, the less you care about seeking approval, the more approval you seem to get.” ~ Richard Carlson, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

                                “Your heart, the compassionate part of you, knows that it’s impossible to feel better at the expense of someone else.” ~ Richard Carlson, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

                                  “It’s true that other people do weird things (who doesn’t?), but we are the ones getting upset, so we are the ones who need to change.” ~ Richard Carlson, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff