Richard Carlson quotes

Richard Carlson was an American author, psychotherapist, and motivational speaker, best known for his book "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff." His approachable advice on stress reduction and happiness resonated with millions worldwide. He encouraged people to focus on what truly matters in life and inspired countless readers to cultivate inner peace. Here are 43 of his quotes:

Will this matter a year from now?

Richard Carlson

Reading is a gift. It's something you can do almost anytime and anywhere. It can be a tremendous way to learn, relax, and even escape. So, enough about the virtues of reading. Time to read on.

Richard Carlson

We deny the parts of ourselves that we deem unacceptable rather than accepting the fact that we're all less than perfect.

Richard Carlson

Choose to be kind over being right and you'll be right everytime.

Richard Carlson

Meanwhile, life keeps moving forward. The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when?

Richard Carlson

The trick is to be grateful when your mood is high and graceful when it is low.

Richard Carlson

Be Aware of the Snowball Effect of Your Thinking.

Richard Carlson

There is no prescription for how to practice random kindness. It comes from the heart. Your gift might be to pick up litter in your neighborhood, make an anonymous contribution to a charity, send some cash in an unmarked envelope to make someone experiencing financial stress breathe a little easier, save an animal by bringing it to an animal rescue agency, or get a volunteer position feeding hungry people at a church or shelter. You may want to do all these things, and more. The point is, giving is fun and it doesn't have to be expensive.

Richard Carlson

Let Others Have the Glory.

Richard Carlson

The shortest distance between two points is an intention and this is certainly the case when it comes to becoming more loving to oneself and to others. We must first have the desire and then the intention and commitment to be a source of love - this means that rather than waiting for the world to be more loving, we decide that we will be the first one to reach out and act loving - no matter what!

Richard Carlson

Treasure Yourself.

Richard Carlson

Search for the Grain of Truth in Other Opinions.

Richard Carlson

Our way through life should not be difficult - but it is. The fact is that our lives are filled mostly with picking and choosing. "I want this, but not that." And because things are not anything other than the way they really are, we suffer. Nowhere is this more apparent and painful than when we are trying to find life after death. We so desperately want things to be the way they were. But they are not. So the longing itself becomes an additional source of suffering.

Richard Carlson

Ask yourself: Is there any way I can become even more loving than I am? Can I fill my heart with more loving kindness? Can you, despite the fact that there are less than perfect people in our world, think loving thoughts about yourself and about others? Spread that love around as far as your mind will allow!

Richard Carlson

Turn Your Melodrama into a Mellow-Drama.

Richard Carlson

Don't sweat the small stuff... and it's all small stuff.

Richard Carlson

You are what you practice most.

Richard Carlson

If we would just slow down, happiness would catch up to us.

Richard Carlson

Life is a process--just one thing after another. When you lose it, just start again.

Richard Carlson

One of the most dynamic and significant changes you can make in your life is to make the commitment to drop all negative references to your past, to begin living now.

Richard Carlson

Even though we often mess up, most of us are doing the best that we know how with the circumstances that surround us.

Richard Carlson

Learning to stop sweating the small stuff involves deciding what things to engage in and what things to ignore. From a certain perspective, life can be described as a series of mistakes, one right after another with a little space in between.

Richard Carlson