Is happiness within your grasp? According to the Dalai Lama, it is the goal of life to achieve happiness and whether we do or not is up to each of us. The perspective we take on what happens to us and around us. Whether we hang on to hurts and anger and grief or take steps to move forward.

In preparation for hearing His Holiness speak this week, I read his book “The Art of Happiness.”  A practical look into the Dalai Lama’s views on happiness, this book offers useful insights for all of us on our own personal role in achieving happiness.

Particularly interesting to me was how he re-framed the enemy. Be grateful for an enemy, he urges. An enemy is a great teacher and a true blessing. Only with an enemy do we face someone who can truly teach us patience and tolerance.

This book is useful because it not only offers what to do, but also steps for how to do it.

In the interests of full disclosure, this book is written by a psychologist based on interviews with the Dalai Lama.