The belief that unhappiness is selfless and happiness is selfish is misguided. It's more selfless to act happy. It takes energy, generosity, and discipline to be unfailingly lighthearted, yet everyone takes the happy person for granted. No one is careful of his feelings or tries to keep his spirits high. He seems self-sufficient; he becomes a cushion for others. And because happiness seems unforced, that person usually gets no credit.

The thing that inspires me most is reading and just observing the people around me. I think those are the two things that make me want to write.

I can build a happy life only on the foundation of my own nature.

Self-awareness is a key to self-mastery

He is my fate. He's my soul mate. He pervades my whole existence. So, of course, I often ignore him.

Feelings follow actions. If I'm feeling low, I deliberately act cheery, and I find myself actually feeling happier. If I'm feeling angry at someone, I do something thoughtful for her and my feelings toward her soften. This strategy is uncannily effective.

One of my Secrets of Adulthood is: Most decisions don't require extensive research.