The Healing Journey

February 12, 2026

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 as a daily devotional. The following excerpt talks about the importance of compassion, which is fundamental for healing from grief:

“Nothing helps us build our perspective more than developing compassion for others. Compassion is a sympathetic feeling. It involves the willingness to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, to take the focus off yourself and to imagine what it’s like to be in someone else’s predicament, and simultaneously, to feel love for that person.

“It’s the recognition that other people’s problems, their pain and frustrations, are every bit as real as our own—often far worse. In recognizing this fact and trying to offer some assistance, we open our own hearts and greatly enhance our sense of gratitude.

“Compassion is something you can develop with practice. It involves two things: intention and action. Intention simply means you remember to open your heart to others; you expand what and who matters, from yourself to other people. Action is simply the “what you do about it.” You might donate a little money or time (or both) on a regular basis to a cause near to your heart. Or perhaps you’ll offer a beautiful smile and genuine ‘hello’ to the people you meet on the street. It’s not so important what you do, just that you do something. As Mother Teresa reminds us, ‘We cannot do great things on this earth. We can only do small things with great love.’”… Compassion develops your sense of gratitude by taking your attention off all the little things that most of us have learned to take too seriously.”

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