The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living

by Dalai Lama XIV

happiness is determined more by one’s state of mind than by external events.

Change takes time.

There is no guarantee that tomorrow at this time we will be here. But still we are working for that purely on the basis of hope. So, we need to make the best use of our time.

‘I think that in many cases people tend to expect the other person to respond to them in a positive way first, rather than taking the initiative themselves to create that possibility.

And since all things are subject to change, nothing exists in a permanent condition, nothing is able to remain the same under its own independent power.

So, at any given moment no matter how pleasant or pleasurable your experience may be, it will not last.

The ability to shift perspective can be one of the most powerful and effective tools we have to help us cope with life’s daily problems.

It’s the very struggle of life that makes us who we are.

And while it is natural to recoil from suffering, suffering can also challenge us and at times even bring out the best in us.

the past is past, so there is no use continuing to feel anger and hatred, which do not change the situation, but just cause a disturbance within your mind and cause your continued unhappiness.

If there is a solution to the problem, there is no need to worry. If there is no solution, there is no sense in worrying either.