Do you really want to be happy? You can begin by being appreciative of who you are and what you've got.
This observation alludes to the fact that humans generally fail to live on the moment but are constantly looking for the next thing. Most of the time they are so busy looking for the next big thing that they don't take the time to see the things they already have. The world around is is programmed to remind us of what we don't have and that our lives would be better if we had it. This has the effect of making us feel that our lives are missing something when in fact we have more than we realize around us and inside us already. The key to happiness is appreciating what we have already and not constantly striving to have what somebody else has or what we are told that we need.
You'd be surprised how many people violate this simple principle every day of their lives and try to fit square pegs into round holes, ignoring the clear reality that Things Are As They Are.
This statement deals with people's tendency to try to mound themselves according to society's "one size fits all" expectations. Things are as they are refers to the fact that however one tries to change oneself to fit the expectations of others, change can only come from within and can never be successful or make us happy unless it is genuine. Trying to fit a square peg into a round hole is never going to be possible and trying to fit into something that we are essentially are not will never lead to success either. The key to being happy is to become comfortable with being the square peg.
When you know and respect your Inner Nature,you know where you belong. You also know where you don't belong.
This quote follows the theme of the book which is that happiness comes from not only knowing oneself but also being comfortable and happy with that. The truly happy person knows that there is nothing to be gained by trying to fit in somewhere where one does not fit in and there is also nothing to be gained by forcing the issue and trying to be they person one is not. This is the key principle on the book and the route to true happiness and contentment.
