Back to the Book - The Four Basic Skills...

I think that out of all of the four skills that the book talked about for making the transition from me to we, the most important one to me would be that we need to redefine happiness. For a lot of people happiness is based on how many "things" they have. It's all about who was the most or the best toys - whether that toy is a doll, a bike, a car, or a house. Very few people seem to understand that material things are not what are going to make you a happy person. They will bring you a bit of a thrill for a while but that just doesn't last. If people were to stop for a minute and take a look at the world around them they would see that some of the happiest people in the world are also some of the poorest, and its all because they've straightened out their priorities and they realize that the things that really matter, the ones that will truly make them happy, are not material things. They include things like family, friends, purpose, standing up for what you believe in, and helping others around them in any way they can. The happiness that comes from every new toy you'll ever get is nothing compared to the happiness that comes from making a positive difference in someones life or from sticking up for your values. That is the kind of happiness that is deep and profound and will stay with you throughout your entire life. That is the kind of happiness that, when you look back, you will realize that your life was worth living. You didn't let people push you around, you had the courage to so what was right, you were able to influence a life, you were their for someone when they needed it most, and so many other things. That and only that is what will bring you peace at the end of your life, when you can reflect and honestly say that you had no regrets because you cared about the important things...because you made the shift from me to we.