NOT AS BAD AS WE ARE MAKING IT OUT TO BE

 

“We forget that life isn’t as bad as we are making it out to be.

We also forget that when we blow things out of proportion,

we are the ones doing the blowing.”

Dr. Richard Carlson

 

It’s very difficult to tide over the ‘big stuff’ in life, unless and until we learn to tide over the ‘small stuff’.

Now, what I may refer, here, to be ‘small stuff’, may not be ‘small’ for you, and vice versa.

Most of us tend to lose perspective when faced with small irritations in life… We tend to ‘react’ without even  waiting to take the next breath. In the process, we blow it all out of proportion… We end up making mountains out of the molehills, as the old saying goes.

The ability to pause before we ‘respond’ is, rightly, the definition of the word ‘Responsibility’… Our ability to respond. It helps us react less to what happens to us in our daily life… to every small, little thing. We are able to stand back – stand aside – and see the ‘small stuff’ as only that – a ‘small stuff’.

What a simple, yet, sublime tool that is!

In his phenomenally-popular book, ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’, Dr. Stephen Covey had placed ‘Being Proactive’ as the Habit no 1. He had placed all other habits of personal effectiveness only after this habit. Our ability to take charge – is our ‘response-ability’… That’s being proactive. He pointed to that subtle ‘space’ between the ‘stimulus’ (the trigger) and ‘action’ (our response to the trigger). The clearer this 'space’ appears to us, the lesser we shall react, and the better we shall respond.

Dr. Covey said, “If I really want to improve my situation, I can work on the one thing over which I have control – myself.” Is it not a plain truth?

The same message was conveyed, beautifully, by Dr. Richard Carlson in his popular  book, ‘Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff’. He outlined in it very simple ways of dealing with our daily irritations – ‘the small stuff’ – through pause, perspective, wit and gratitude.

Both, Dr. Covey and Dr. Carlson, have been my favourite authors. Their basic message appeals to my commonsense. Not surprising it is, therefore, to see Dr. Covey’s ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’ spilling into ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families’ (by his wife) and ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens’ (by his son). Similarly, not surprising it is to see Dr. Carlson’s simple tool-kit, to enable us not to sweat the small stuff, spilling into ‘Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff at Work’ and ‘Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff in Love’… 'with Family'... 'with Teens' and so on.

Life may have many compartments. But, Life’s principles are no different for each of these compartments… Work, Love, Family, Children,  Leisure or whatever!

Life is, also, short... Right? We never know, when we leave home, whether we will return or not… Right?

Dr. Stephen Covey had left home on his bicycle for his routine fitness… A freak fall, and he was gone! At 79, he was still at the crest of his career!

Dr. Richard Carlson was on a flight from San Francisco to New York to promote his new book ‘Don’t Get Scrooged’. Inside the flight, he had an attack of Pulmonary Embolism and was gone! He was 45 and at the crest of his career, too!

However, before going, both, Dr. Covey and Dr. Carlson, have left behind their priceless life-lessons… Their enduring legacies!

 

GERALD D’CUNHA 

Pic.: pixabay

Videos: 1. The 7 Habits  2. Don't Sweat the Small Stuff.