Small Change: It's the Little Things in Life That Make a Big Difference! (Paperback)

by Larry Terkel (Author), Susan Terkel (Author) "Put your change in a piggy bank every single day and watch it steadily accumulate..." (more)
Key Phrases: opportunity mode, standing date, one small change, Annie Mae, Bathroom Yoga, Golden Rule (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
We all know that the goal of losing 50 pounds can be overwhelming and self-defeating. But the goal of adding a short walk to your day to begin working off calories is doable and has other rewards as well. If your life has gone off-course, say the authors, co-founders of the Spiritual Life Center and the Hudson Yoga Center in Ohio, you don’t need to make radical changes to get back on course. Small changes can be powerful, they are easier to accomplish, and they add up quickly to significant change. For instance, to begin exercising, you don’t have to start running 10 miles every day: just start walking to the next bus or subway stop instead of the closest one. Upbeat and optimistic, the Terkels reassure the reader that change is possible and offer specific tips on how to take those small steps at work and at home to attain better relationships and improved health. This heartening little book is easy to read and its advice easy to implement.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Product Description
It's the little things in life that make a big difference!

Replace a soft drink with water at just one meal-say, lunch. Over the course of a year, you will drink approximately forty gallons more water, avoid consuming up to 50,000 calories, and save as much as $500. Indeed, just as the stray coins you toss into a jar each evening gradually build into an amount you can use to actually purchase something sub-stantial, small changes-of any kind-can really add up! In Small Change, husband-and-wife writing team Susan and Larry Terkel offer readers a gentle yet powerful program for making significant changes in their lives based on three simple principles:

- Small changes are easier than big makeovers. (Each week add just one private dinner with your mate to your schedule and see your relationship improve by leaps and bounds.)
- Small changes add up to big benefits over time. (Smile just a little each day and, over time, watch your stress levels decrease, your immune system grow stronger, and your relationships prosper.)
- Small changes are more consistent with human nature and evolution. (After all, in the end, the tortoise did beat the hare.)

With an emphasis on daily habits, and some simple recipes for improving them, this wise little book outlines a fresh perspective on the timeless quest for sustainable self-improvement and a (relatively painless!) pathway to a better you.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Tarcher (September 9, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585423599
• ISBN-13: 978-1585423590
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #354,546 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a big little book, March 26, 2005

By	readsalot (Newton, MA) - See all my reviews

In a market flooded with books telling us how to improve our lives, this one is a gem. The Terkel's non-judgmental, conversational tone makes it fun to read, and while some of their suggestions may not be anything new, the simplicity and manageability of their ideas will inspire you to take action. Secular and down to earch in its point of view but with heart-felt feeling for the human spirit, this optimistic, practical book invites the reader to create the life s/he wants, one small step at a time.
By the way, this attractive little book (great size and cover color, feels great in the hand) makes an excellent gift. I've given away several, to all ages (including, many pre-teens and teens who have then passed it around among their friends) and continue to receive enthusiastic thanks.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 1% DOES make a big difference (in the long run)!, July 1, 2005

By	Jen S. "Jen" - See all my reviews

I've read a lot of books that are supposed to make you realize the way you treat yourself and your life and then make positive changes. The problem with those books are that they are so authoritative. Eat this, don't do that. Blah, blah, blah. This book was different for me because it wasn't radical in it philosophies of change (obviously - it's called SMALL change right?). I found myself using some of the concepts exactly or even being able to adapt each concept to my lifestyle which made a BIG difference because I would find myself inventing my own small changes in my daily routines that benefit ME. This book is just a starting point for the reader to be able to customize a 1% angle change (or changes) in their own life that can add up to a great distance by the time they take that 1% angle out over 80 years! One more big plus in my opinion = Larry provides this information without being hypercritical. He knows that "if we are all here on earth - we are all working on something!"

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worked very well for me, March 11, 2005

By	Robert Allen "Robert" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

I managed to get my cholesterol down and strengthen my back by making very small changes to my daily habits. Nothing happened overnight but six months later and I have full strength and no back problems anymore. This book taught me to make a change and stick with it until it became a routine rather than an effort. Rome was not built in a day and even the most basic things such as a breath can be overlooked by the stresses of everyday life.