The Little Book of Lykke: Secrets of the World's Happiest People (The Happiness Institute Series)

by Meik Wiking

“What are we holding on to, Sam?” “That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.”

The keys to happiness are buried around the world, and it is our job to gather them up.

What I see is a big potential to improve happiness through little adjustments in our behavior. Great things sometimes have small beginnings.

Whether you look at the English word companion, the Spanish word compañero, or the French copain, they all originate from the Latin com and panis, meaning “with whom one shares bread.”

People on a quest for something they find meaningful—whether that is building a boat or growing the perfect tomato—tend to be happier; they know that happiness is the by-product of the process and not a pot of gold at the finish line.

When we discover that our happiness does not rest on the foundation of money, we have found a true treasure.

First, while money matters, it is not all that matters. Second, it is not only about how much money we make, it is also about what we do with the money we have.

Buying experiences is especially good for happiness if these experiences bring you together with other people and if they are linked with who you see yourself as being.

I think the key lesson from the Danish way of living when it comes to health is to build movement into your daily routine.

What if we all became secret superheroes of kindness?

We need more dreamers and doers. We need more creators of kindness, heroes of happiness, and champions of change.