Choosing Happiness[选择快乐生活]

Burstingwithcreativeideasandbrimmingwithilluminatinganecdotes,thisconcise,joyful,andpracticalbookshowshowtofind—andforge—happinessinthelargeandsmalleventsofeverydaylife.Basedonhermorethanthirtyyearsasanotedthinkerandspeakeronpersonalcontentment,AlexandraStoddardshareswhatshehaslearnedaboutthesmallbutsignificantchangesyoucanmakeinyourmind,heart,andsurroundingstobehappierdaybyday.Agentleandfunfirststepistoquicklywritedowntenwordsthatdefinewhoyouare—perhapsbeaches,family,food,home—andwhatelse?Tofurtherexpandyourawareness,selectonewordandwritedowntwenty-fivewordsthatcometomind.Theseanddozensofotherinventiveideaswillhelpyoudeveloptheself-knowledgetopursuehappinesswiselyandwell.Inchallengingtimes,itiseasytoquestionwhetherhappinessisachoice.AlexandraStoddardaffirmsnotonlythatitispossibletochoosehappinessbutthathappinessisthebestchoicewecanmake.Itisthe"firstprinciple"oflifethatuniteshumankindbecauseitiswhatwealldesire.Happinessliesinthepassionswepursueandinthepressureswedecline.Itisinknowinghowtoworkandwhentoplay.Itisinthetreasuredobjectswekeepnearbyandintheordinarymomentsweelevateintosmallcelebrations.Itisinthenotewewritetoafriendandthekindnessweshowastranger.Itisinthecolorsweloveandthemusicthattransportsus.Itmaybeassimpleassunlightonyourface;assuddenasasharedsmile;assensuousasasinglefloweronyourdesk,candlesonyournightstand,orcookieshotfromtheoven.Happinessiswhatyoumakeit,whereyoumakeit.Happinessisourbestchoice.