The Healing Journey

April 24, 2025

Since it was published in 1997, Richard Carlson’s book “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff … and It’s All Small Stuff” has sold more than 25 million copies in 135 countries and been translated into 30 languages. Before his death at 45 in 2006, the psychotherapist and motivational speaker had written 20 books.

Oprah once said she kept “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff” on her nightstand, and countless readers use it like a daily devotional. The following excerpt talks about the importance of living in the present moment, which is necessary to minimize anxiety about the future and regret about the past on our healing journey:

“To a large degree, the measure of our peace of mind is determined by how much we are able to live in the present moment. Irrespective of what happened yesterday or last year, and what may or may not happen tomorrow, the present moment is where you are—always! Without question, many of us have mastered the neurotic art of spending much of our lives worrying about a variety of things—all at once. We allow past problems and future concerns to dominate our present moments, so much so that we end up anxious, frustrated, depressed, and hopeless.

“On the flip side, we also postpone our gratification, our stated priorities, and our happiness, often convincing ourselves that ‘someday’ will be better than today. Unfortunately, the same mental dynamics that tell us to look toward the future will only repeat themselves so that ‘someday’ never actually arrives….Many people live as if life were a dress rehearsal for some later date. It isn’t. In fact, no one has a guarantee that he or she will be here tomorrow. Now is the only time we have, and the only time that we have any control over. When our attention is in the present moment, we push fear from our minds.”

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