What are you waiting for? Live life to the fullest. We are not promised tomorrow, so enjoy today.
We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another. Then we are frustrated1 that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more content when they are. After that, we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage. We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse2 gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, when we have our dream house, when we are able to go on a nice vacation, when we retire, when we win the lottery3.
The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when? Your life will always be filled with challenges. It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy right now.
One of my favorite quotes4 comes from Alfred Souza. He said, “For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin—real life. But there was always some obstacle5 in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on6 me that these obstacles are my life.” This perspective7 has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way.
So, treasure every moment that you have. Recognize that each breath you take is a gift and be thankful. Remember that time waits for no one... So stop waiting until you finish school, until you go back to school, until you lose the weight, until you have kids, until your kids leave the house, until you start work, until you retire, until you get married, until you get divorced, until Friday night, until Sunday morning, until you get a new car or home, until your car or home is paid off, until spring, until summer, until fall, until winter, until you've had a drink, until you've sobered up8, until you die, until you are born again—to decide, that there is no better time than right now to be happy...
Happiness is a journey, not a destination9. So, Work like you don't need money, Love like you've never been hurt, And dance like no one's watching.
你还等什么？活着，要活得尽可能充实。没人许诺给我们明天，所以今天要过得尽兴。
我们总相信，等结了婚、有了孩子、再生一个孩子，生活就会更好。孩子太小，我们沮丧，心想他们大点儿我们就会满意。可随后，我们还是烦恼，因为你得对付家中半大不小的少年，心想等他们过了这一阶段，我们一定会幸福。我们告诉自己，要是配偶与我们步调一致，买更好的车，住梦想中的房，能痛快地度假，当我们退休，等我们中奖，我们的生活就完美无缺了。
事实是，要幸福，没有比此刻更好的时候。此时不快乐，何时快乐？生活永远充满挑战。最好承认这一点，并且打定主意：现在就要快乐起来。
我最喜欢阿尔弗雷德·苏泽的一段话。他说：“好久以来，生活——真正的生活，好像马上就要开始了。可又总是有东西妨碍着，有些事得先处理，有些事还没了结，还得抽出点时间，还有些帐没还…… 然后生活就会开始。后来我终于明白，这些障碍，正是我的生活。这个见解帮我看清，通往幸福没有别的路。幸福本身就是路。
因此，要珍惜你拥有的每一时刻。要认识到，每一次呼吸都是礼物，要心怀感激。要记住，时光不会把任何人等待。所以，停止等待。别等到毕业，又回学校，体重下降，有了孩子，孩子离家、上学，你开始工作，退了休，结了婚，离了婚，周五晚上，周日早上，买了新车或买了房，车款或房款付清，到春天，到夏天，到秋天，到冬天，等到你喝一杯，再等你清醒，等你死了，等你再生——别等到那时才决定：要幸福，没有比此时更好的时候。
幸福是一个旅程，而不是一个终点。
所以，工作时，让自己觉得不是为五斗米而工作；言爱时，用自己觉得从不会为爱受伤而打过折扣的心去爱；跳舞，则旁若无人地跳吧！
1. frustrate v． 使人沮丧
2． spouse [spauz] n． 配偶；伴侣
3． lottery n． 彩票
4． quote n． 引语，引言
5． obstacle n． 障碍
6． dawn on sb．（某人）逐渐明白
7． perspective n． 观点
8． sober up 醒酒；清醒
9． destination n． 终点，目的地