Some inspiring reads from the master author of War and Peace and Anna Karenina.

"A truly wise man is always joyful."

"It’s much better to do good in a way that no one knows anything about it."

"Seize the moments of happiness, love and be loved! That is the only reality in the world, all else is folly."

"People try to do all sorts of clever and difficult things to improve life instead of doing the simplest, easiest thing - refusing to participate in activities that make life bad." 

"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself."

"If you look for perfection, you’ll never be content."

"If you make it a habit not to blame others, you will feel the growth of the ability to love in your soul, and you will see the growth of goodness in your life."

"A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people to whom it is easy to do good, and who are not accustomed to have it done to them; then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one’s neighbor — such is my idea of happiness."

"Happiness does not depend on outward things, but on the way we see them."

"Remember that there is only one important time and it is Now. The present moment is the only time over which we have dominion. The most important person is always the person with whom you are, who is right before you, for who knows if you will have dealings with any other person in the future? The most important pursuit is making that person, the one standing at your side, happy, for that alone is the pursuit of life."

"There is something in the human spirit that will survive and prevail, there is a tiny and brilliant light burning in the heart of man that will not go out no matter how dark the world becomes."

"If you want to be happy, be."