My books are love stories at core, really. But I am interested in manifestations of love beyond the traditional romantic notion. In fact, I seem not particularly inclined to write romantic love as a narrative motive or as an easy source of happiness for my characters.
I really wanted to buy a Range Rover. It was a big dream, and the day I bought it, I was very happy, but by evening, I was immune to it. That's when I realized that excitement, if it's happiness, is not in reaching the goal but in the process. Thus process trumps over realization.
I think money is essential to happiness and right now I wouldn't want to be anyone other than Wilbur Smith - I've had a fantastic life, rewarded far more heavily than I deserve. Maybe I'd like to be J. K. Rowling, but I'll settle for second best.
Happiness is like a cat, If you try to coax it or call it, it will avoid you; it will never come. But if you pay not attention to it and go about your business, you'll find it rubbing against your legs and jumping into your lap.
Character is the basis of happiness and happiness the sanction of character.
Because I am married to a surgeon, I do Botox and I do some fillers. But I truly believe that the best beauty secret is happiness. I know that sounds sappy, but I'm just telling you it comes from the inside and spreads out. The happier and more satisfied you are living your life, the better you will look.
Satan would have you believe that happiness comes only as you surrender to his enticements, but one only needs to look at the shattered lives of those who violate God's laws to know why Satan is called the Father of Lies.
What we call happiness in the strictest sense comes from the (preferably sudden) satisfaction of needs which have been dammed up to a high degree.
What if I couldn't handle people's opinions of me? I know that shouldn't dictate a person's degree of peace or happiness in life, but the problem is, I chose a business saturated in judgment.
The word 'happiness' always bothered me, partly because it was scientifically unwieldy and meant a lot of different things to different people, and also because it's subjective.
Scientifically, happiness is a choice. It is a choice about where your single processor brain will devote its finite resources as you process the world.
It is not the possession of truth, but the success which attends the seeking after it, that enriches the seeker and brings happiness to him.
I think happiness comes from self-acceptance. We all try different things, and we find some comfortable sense of who we are. We look at our parents and learn and grow and move on. We change.
Happiness is dependent on self-discipline. We are the biggest obstacles to our own happiness. It is much easier to do battle with society and with others than to fight our own nature.
Self-pity comes so naturally to all of us. The most solid happiness can be shaken by the compassion of a fool.
The great thing in the world is not so much to seek happiness as to earn peace and self-respect.
I'm not motivated by money or power or fame. In the end, it doesn't bring much happiness. The only thing that is driving me is self-satisfaction, self-validation.
False happiness renders men stern and proud, and that happiness is never communicated. True happiness renders them kind and sensible, and that happiness is always shared.
Being of service to others is what brings true happiness.
Happiness... consists in giving, and in serving others.
