Leo Tolstoy

Whatever our fate is or may be, we have made it and do not complain of it. – Vronksy (Anna Karenina)

He was afraid of defiling the love which filled his soul.

Happiness is an allegory, unhappiness a story.

It’s all God’s will: you can die in your sleep, and God can spare you in battle.

He felt now that he was not simply close to her, but that he did not know where he ended and she began.

Man cannot possess anything as long as he fears death. But to him who does not fear it, everything belongs. If there was no suffering, man would not know his limits, would not know himself.

Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.

One of the keys to happiness is a bad memory.

Money itself won’t bring happiness, but it sure makes paying the bills easier.

Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.

The unhappiest man on earth is the one who has nothing to do.

A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes.

Happiness ain’t a thing in itself -it’s only a contrast with something that ain’t pleasant. And so, as soon as the novelty is over and the force of the contrast dulled, it ain’t happiness any longer, and you have to get something fresh.

The smallest seed of faith is better than the largest fruit of happiness.

I’ve found happiness in my work, but not in my private life. I had to take from my private life to make my public life successful. I had to make a lot of sacrifices. I was happy in Cardiff. I had a great time. Every Thursday there was a factory club; darts, dancing. I was happy until success entered my life, and then it was all downhill. Success spoilt me. It took away my happiness. My success became a barrier with my family. They couldn’t relate to me, and I couldn’t relate to them.

If only we’d stop trying to be happy we could have a pretty good time.

It isn’t necessary to be rich and famous to be happy, it’s only necessary to be rich.

The intense happiness of our union is derived in a high degree from the perfect freedom with which we each follow and declare our own impressions.

There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.

Whether happiness may come or not, one should try and prepare one’s self to do without it.

It’s not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself, and to make your happiness a priority. It’s necessary.