Action Step #1: Ask yourself the following question: “What matters most to me?” which is a shortcut to clarifying your values. For example, my top answers are relationships, love and ease. It took me several years to understand these core values, and now . . .

I think I’ve always struggled with happiness although I do have some fond memories with neighborhood friends when I was a kid. On the inside of my home I saw a lot of suffering that showed up as competition, criticism and envy, just to name a few painful ingredients. My childhood was not a happy time of my life, but somehow I managed to shut the door to my bedroom and create a mini-sanctuary equipped with . . .