Shelley Civkin Richmond Public Library

Easy reading ridden with clichés

If you’re someone who likes quick fixes for those pesky personal problems, then Richard Carlson’s the man to read. You know the guy– good-looking millionaire, expert on happiness and stress reduction, author of the ubiquitous, best-selling series Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff. Well, he’s up to his old tricks again, solving the woes of the inner world with a wave of his hand.

The latest addition to the Carlson happiness empire is Easier Than You Think ...Because Life Doesn’t Have to Be So Hard: The Small Changes That Add Up to a World of Difference.

My goodness, if you can make it through the title in one breath, you win.

This newest collection is much like the others—bite-size personal anecdotes interspersed with case studies that practically promise to turn you into a happier, well-adjusted person in 195 pages.

If I sound a tad sarcastic, it’s because I am.

I’m not suggesting there’s no valuable information in this book–there is.

I just find Carlson’s dumbing down of the information a bit tedious and uninspiring.

Much of his advice is valid though. For instance, “small changes can make a huge difference in our lives.”

True.

“Our attitudes can change our behavior.” True.

“You can control your thoughts but little else.” True.

“It’s all about making choices.”

True. But hasn’t this all been said before? Like maybe a million times.

Many of Carlson’s case studies offer ridiculously simplistic fixes.

And frankly, all the trite advice, clichés and platitudes get to be a bit much.

I mean how innovative are the phrases: “What goes around comes around” and, “If we don’t love ourselves, we can’t love others.”

Been there, heard that.

And if I hear Carlson say: “This can change your life,” or “The results will amaze you,” one more time, I’m going to puke.

In all fairness though, I did find a few chapters that spoke to me.

In chapter nine he suggests focusing on what life is, instead of what it isn’t.

He goes on to say: “If you base your happiness on things being different than they are currently, you’ve set yourself up for constant disappointment.

There is a substantial reward for appreciating your day-to-day life just the way it is.”

Okay, I can go with that.

I also like the idea that if you don’t expect anything you won’t be disappointed.

This is one of my favourites actually.

As Carlson explains, this doesn’t mean giving up your hopes and dreams. It just means that if you don’t have any expectations about how things should be, then everything is a miracle, a bonus.

This kind of positive, accepting attitude leads to a happier life, according to him.

If there’s only one piece of advice you take away from this book, then this should be it: Appreciate what’s right in your life instead of bemoaning what’s wrong in it.

For other popular reading suggestions check out Richmond Public Library’s Web site at www.yourlibrary.ca/goodbooks/.

Shelley Civkin is communications officer at Richmond Public Library. Her column appears Thursdays in The Richmond Review.

For other popular reading suggestions check out Richmond Public Library’s Web site at www.yourlibrary.ca/goodbooks.

Shelley J. Civkin is the Communications Officer at the Richmond Public Library. For other popular reading suggestions, check out Richmond Public Library's Web site at www.yourlibrary.ca/goodbooks.