Excerpt from Don't Sweat The Small Stuff by Dr Richard Carlson, plus links to reviews, author biography & more

To play "time warp," all you have to do is imagine that whatever circumstance you are dealing with isn't happening I right now but a year from now. Then simply ask yourself, "Is this situation really as important as I'm making it out to be?" Once in a great while it may be-but a vast majority of the time, it simply isn't.

Whether it be an argument with your spouse, child, or boss, 7 a mistake, a lost opportunity, a lost wallet, a work-related rejection, or a sprained ankle, chances are, a year from now you aren't going to care. It will be one more irrelevant detail in your life. While this simple game won't solve all your problems, it can give you an enormous amount of needed perspective. I find myself laughing at things that I used to take far too seriously. Now, rather than using up my energy feeling angry and overwhelmed, I can use it instead on spending time with my wife and children or engaging in creative thinking.

© Dr Richard Carlson 1997.  Published by Hyperion