“There is no way to happiness, happiness is the way.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Post written by Leo Babauta.

This morning I found myself lying around, enjoying a lazy weekend with my wife and kids, basking in the peaceful simplicity of today.

It’s in these moments that I find not only my greatest happiness, but my purpose in life.

I am here not to achieve or even to change the world, but simply to live. Life is a gift, and I’m happy to accept every moment of it.

And so, in this spirit, I thought I’d dig through my archives and share a few favorite posts, to help others find this peace.

A lot of Zen Habits readers are new, and haven’t taken the time to peruse the 800+ posts I’ve written. Shame on you! :)

Here’s a good way to get started. If you want more, check out the Beginner’s Guide to Zen Habits, or see the newly revamped Zen Habits archives for every post ever published here.

12 Classic Posts You Might Not Have Read Don’t read these all at once:

1. Peaceful Simplicity: How to Live a Life of Contentment

2. The Four Laws of Simplicity, and How to Apply Them to Life

3. The Cure for What Ails You: How to Beat the Misery of Discontentment

4. 30 Things to Do to Keep From Getting Bored Out of Your Skull at Work

5. A Guide to Cultivating Compassion in Your Life, With 7 Practices

6. 9 Steps to Achieving Flow (and Happiness) in Your Work

7. 10 Simple Ways to Live a Less Stressful Life

8. 15 Tips for Becoming as Patient as Job

9. 12 Practical Steps for Learning to Go With the Flow

10. Calm as a Monk: How Equanimity Can Save Your Sanity

11. The Many Paths to Simplicity

12. The Magical Power of Focus

“Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” ~Lao Tzu