Americans seem to have an unwritten social norm that bigger is better. Perhaps it was brought about after "everything is bigger" Texas entered the Union. Perhaps it was just this huge, richly endowed continent which inspired humans to think big. It's hard to determine exactly where it comes from. This bigger is better philosophy, along with the greed and growth inherent in capitalism has brought us to a point of history where we have come to threaten our health and the health of our home---Spaceship Earth.

Another "law" that Americans abide by which goes hand in hand with "bigger is better" is "more is better." Especially more money. The multitude of surveys and polls from around the world point out graphically that there is no correlation between wealth and happiness. Researchers have checked the outcome of these results comparing factors of age, race and gender. Many different countries have done this type of survey. They all find similar results: Beyond subsistence income, NO ONE SEEMS TO BE HAPPIER SOLEY FROM HAVING MORE CASH. Still the mythology holds secure! I don't think that this type of information is given lots of print in a consumer/money driven society such as ours.

Personal benefits of working through QOL issues found by seekers around North America are many fold and profound:

• " The adjectives I use most frequently for my life [now] are blessed, sane and balanced."

• "Life is exciting; there's a sense of my own power, no matter what the external circumstances."

• "Today I live a life with so much less anxiety and fear and with so much more gratitude and love and freedom."

It is my belief that we need to look at quality of life over quantity of life if we are truly to find joy, happiness and satisfaction. Other surveys brought up in this workbook will show that Americans are yearning for more balance, quality and connection. To achieve these we will need to somehow slow down, figure out what is REALLY important to us and start saying "No" to the less important things of life. Doing these things can save our lives and our sanity. They might just help save the Earth too!