Happiness

Bookstore shelves are crammed with personal development books, but I have a hard time wrapping my head around it, personally. With a bit of thought, I realize that I get most of my development as a person from others. Life is never exactly what we expect it to be, it's full of surprises, and that's a good thing. So surrounding oneself with the right people is the secret to finding joy. We live in a time where the "I" is king. Where there are no unfiltered selfies. I like to think that the people in my life are my salvation. Friendship is my refuge. Recently, we had a chance to focus, to re-center, on ourselves. Now it's time to focus, to re-center, on others.

Don't expect me to psychoanalyze or give you a bunch of life lessons. Even if I think we always see better with a new pair of glasses, I also think that taking a step back is the best way to take stock in our lives. And I can tell you with confidence that without friends, life isn't worth living. Countless happiness studies have proven that friendship makes us happier and even has positive health benefits. That said, why bother with working out? I'd much prefer to plan a dinner with friends than go running any day. And in any case, you might hurt yourself working out ... especially at my age. On the other hand, sharing a chocolate mousse with friends, not only won't ever hurt you, but you'll even get the anti-stress virtues of the anandamide in dark chocolate.

In this book, I have compiled everything that brings me happiness through my various relationships--friends, couple, family, colleagues--along with the lifestyle tips to get you through every day: from style, to cooking, to the simple wellness pleasures like goal-setting, gratitude, self-affirmations, and letting go. There are activities throughout the book so you can practice, too--even better with the help of a friend or two.