“To think in terms of either pessimism or optimism oversimplifies the truth. The problem is to see reality as it is.”

The amount of happiness that you have depends on the amount of freedom you have in your heart.

To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.

If we are not fully ourselves, truly in the present moment, we miss everything.

We have to walk in a way that we only print peace and serenity on the Earth. Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.

Birth is okay and death is okay, if we know that they are only concepts in our mind. Reality transcends both birth and death.

When another person makes you suffer, it is because he suffers deeply within himself, and his suffering is spilling over. He does not need punishment; he needs help. That’s the message he is sending.

Keeping your body healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos – the trees, the clouds, everything.

Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion.

Sometimes when I am alone in my room in the dark, I practice smiling to myself. I do this to be kind to myself, to take good care of myself, to love myself. I know that if I cannot take care of myself, I cannot take care of anyone else.

The source of a true smile is an awakened mind. Smiling helps you approach the day with gentleness and understanding.

There is no way to happiness – happiness is the way.

Seek peace. When you have peace within, real peace with others will be possible.

Human beings are not our enemy. Our enemy is not the other person. Our enemy is the violence, ignorance, and injustice in us and in the other person.

The most precious gift we can offer anyone is our attention. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.

Life is a miracle, and being aware of simply this can already make us very happy.

The past is gone, the future is not yet here, and if we do not go back to ourselves in the present moment, we cannot be in touch with life.

There’s a tremendous bias against taking risks. Everyone is trying to optimize their ass-covering.

Though we are optimistic, we must remain vigilant and maintain a sense of urgency.

I think all Americans should be hopeful, and try to be optimistic.

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.

Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward.

Optimism can keep a fool from accepting failure.

Well, you know, I’m the forever optimist.

Optimism is a perfectly legitimate response to failure.