49 LIGHTEN UP
Angels fly because they take themselves lightly.
Alan Watts
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For the next few days step back and observe your interactions with
others. How often do you:
■ Over-analyse?
■ Talk about yourself and/or your problems?
■ Sulk?
■ Miss seeing the funny side of situations?
■ Say ‘I’?
■ Take offence?
If you answered ‘often’ to any of these, you need to lighten up.
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Take every opportunity to have a good laugh. Watch funny films and
videos. Read comic books. Listen to comedy programmes on the radio,
cassette tape or CD. When things don’t go your way, smile, and ask
yourself:
‘What’s funny about this that I never noticed before?’
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Three things to avoid:
■ Giggling: this betrays nervousness.
■ ‘Isn’t it awful’ conversations: they focus your attention on what you
don’twant.
■ Cheap laughs at other people’s expense. Confident people are never
sarcastic or unkind. They don’t need to be.
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