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The Art of Taking It Easy
HOW TO COPE WITH BEARS, TRAFFIC, AND THE REST OF LIFE’S STRESSORS
The Art of Taking It Easy
Dr. Brian King
PSYCHOLOGIST AND COMEDIAN
The Art of Taking It Easy: How to Cope with Bears, Traffic, and the Rest of Life’s Stressors
Copyright © 2019 by Dr. Brian King
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.
Print ISBN: 978-1-948062-46-6
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-948062-47-3
Printed in the United States of America.
For Alyssa,
Although it is impossible for me to protect you from all the bad things that happen in life, I can definitely teach you the skills to cope with whatever comes your way.
Contents
Preface
What Happens in Our Head During Stress?
What Happens to Our Bodies During Stress?
Negative Emotions and the Stress That Inspires Them
Feeling in Control, Even When We’re Not
Learning the Hard Way (Through an Unfortunate Series of Break-Ins)
Interview with a Real American Badass
Getting to the Gym Across the Street
Three Days in Xpujil (Jon’s Story)
Puzzles, Games, and Bear Attacks
Fostering Resilience in Children
Feeling Overwhelmed and Exhausted
Money Doesn’t Buy Happiness, But Misery Takes Credit
The Biggest Irony of My Modern Life
Are You Happy?
I hope so, I really do. And I’m not just saying that to get you on my side either; the happiness of other people has always been very important to me.
Comedians frequently open a joke by saying, “And now, a little about me,” so let me start by telling you a little about myself. As the book cover says, I am Dr. Brian King, although I really only use my title as a stage name. I am a pretty casual guy so I usually just go by Brian. Besides, I’ve never been comfortable calling myself “Dr. King”—that name has already been taken.1
As a public speaker with a doctorate in psychology, I have been traveling the country teaching audiences about happiness, the benefits of humor, and how to manage stress for nearly a decade. These subjects are very interrelated, as managing stress is key to happiness, and humor contributes to them both. I've