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Lighten Up: Survival Skills for People Under Pressure
Humor can help you thrive in change, remain creative under pressure, work more effectively, play more enthusiastically, and stay healthier in the process. But humor is also a set of specific, learned skills, and like any other discipline, these skills need to be developed. Lighten Up shows you how to build these skills so that you can see the absurdity in difficult situations and take yourself lightly while you take your job, problem, or challenge seriously.
304 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1994
37 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 2, 2017
"Humour - The developed capacity to take yourself lightly, even though you may take your work or your problem very very seriously." (C.W. Metcalf, Lighten Up)
This audio program from Nightingale Conant teaches us how to use humour in our lives for our benefit. Humour can help us to gain a different perspective in life's difficulties and problems. A sign that you may be experiencing a mental health issue is when you are getting too serious and have very little room for humour in your life. Humour can enhance your life and the life of those in your sphere of influence.
The only criticism I have of this program is that it probably would have been better to have watched the sessions on video, rather than by listening to them on audio. The reason is because the author takes the listeners through many different exercises in which facial expressions and body movements would have been beneficial to watch.
Humour can unlock potential that will help you to gain an edge over difficulties and problems you face. It will help you to see things in the light, rather than only in the darkness.
This audio program from Nightingale Conant teaches us how to use humour in our lives for our benefit. Humour can help us to gain a different perspective in life's difficulties and problems. A sign that you may be experiencing a mental health issue is when you are getting too serious and have very little room for humour in your life. Humour can enhance your life and the life of those in your sphere of influence.
The only criticism I have of this program is that it probably would have been better to have watched the sessions on video, rather than by listening to them on audio. The reason is because the author takes the listeners through many different exercises in which facial expressions and body movements would have been beneficial to watch.
Humour can unlock potential that will help you to gain an edge over difficulties and problems you face. It will help you to see things in the light, rather than only in the darkness.
December 28, 2017
I read this book in hardcover when I was having trouble keeping things in perspective. He has great points, suggestions and descriptions. I remember vividly The American Bat Face, "the silliest face an adult could make...." Basically, if you get doing the silly thing out of the way early in the day, the rest of the day you don't need to worry about embarrassing yourself: just go with the flow and do what you can do.
I use his concepts in group situations when students are reluctant to "sound off" in class. "Here: do this. Make a hand like 'party on,' with forefinger and little finger extended. Use that hand to reach over your own head, and use middle and ring fingers to pull up your nostrils. Wiggle the 'party on' fingers. Open your mouth and stick out your tongue. Open your eyes WIDE. Do it all at once. There. The silliest you will look all day. Now... would you like to share something about yourself, your week, or whatever?"
Recommended for Type-As, firstborns, etc., and for those who must deal with them.
I use his concepts in group situations when students are reluctant to "sound off" in class. "Here: do this. Make a hand like 'party on,' with forefinger and little finger extended. Use that hand to reach over your own head, and use middle and ring fingers to pull up your nostrils. Wiggle the 'party on' fingers. Open your mouth and stick out your tongue. Open your eyes WIDE. Do it all at once. There. The silliest you will look all day. Now... would you like to share something about yourself, your week, or whatever?"
Recommended for Type-As, firstborns, etc., and for those who must deal with them.
March 23, 2017
The reference to a dental study that related how stress could impact your ability to recover is interesting.
July 9, 2007
A good read for anyone who wants to learn to life or to teach others to life and take life lightly. A fun read.
June 30, 2008
take your work seriously, but don't take yourself too seriously
April 28, 2014
Heard Metcalf speak and laughed so hard I bought the book. Good read for people who stay stressed.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews