Lighten Up - Survival Skills for People Under Pressure C.W. Metcalf and Roma Felible

C.W. Metcalf attempts to do good by taking care of hospice patients but the patients tell Mr. Metcalf that he needs to fix his own life. In Lighten Up: Survival Skills for People Under Pressure by C. W. Metcalf we are given an opportunity to get to know people in difficult situations often near the end of their life and observe how they develop a disciplined sense of joy in life.

Book chapter title by C.W. Metcalf - photo - N. Carlson

He recommends taking care of yourself with tackling our addictions, good nutrition, exercise, constant learning, and a healthy serving of child-like playfulness. Focus on "curiosity, openness, spontaneity, flexibility, creativity ... and joyfulness."

He lists several techniques to pull yourself out of the blues (not clinical depression where you need professional help). Finding number of small activities that bring you joy. Writing joy list with all of the things that bring you joy. It can be referred to when the blues show up uninvited. He doesn't recommend chasing happiness but putting the effort in to activities that stretch and bring joy. You do not have to win but you do have to play.

Many of his recommendations fall into similar ones made in the book Play by Stuart Brown, MD. The goal is not to win but to keep the game going.  When I play with my dog Yukon, he keeps bringing me objects to toss or to play tug of war. He wants to extend play as long as possible.

Mr. Metcalf recommends doing the facial exercises below designed to induce laughter.

C.W. Metcalf - smile muscles - 2 min. 

C.W. Metcalf - Humor, Altruism and Community - 1 min.