Perceptions are portraits, not photographs, and their form reveals the artist’s hand every bit as much as it reflects the things portrayed

People are happiest when they're trying to achieve goals that are difficult but not out of reach.

Alas, we think of ourselves as unique entities-minds unlike any others-and thus we often reject the lessons that the emotional experience of others has to teach us.

The secret of happiness is variety, but the secret of variety, like the secret of all spices, is knowing when to use it.

Human beings are works in progress that mistakenly think they're finished.

Lower your cortisol level. The happiest people have the lowest level of cortisol, a stress hormone that raises blood pressure and weakens the immune system. Cut the stress-more yoga, less road rage-and you'll cut your cortisol production.

In short, if we adhere to the standard of perfection in all our endeavors, we are left with nothing but mathematics and the White Album.