Gautama Siddharta, better known as the Buddha, once said, "We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves." There is a lot of truth in these words, and you don't have to adhere to any specific religion, ideology, culture or generation to understand it.

This is a book with a quote, an action plan, and a point to ponder for every day of the year. You can read it every year anew, day by day, page by page, because it is timeless.

This marvelous work consists of positive thoughts, carefully written over the course of three years, and especially focused on working people. We all work in different environments: some of us travel a lot, others work in the same office or factory for decades; yet others work from home, telecommute, or shift jobs regularly. Regardless of who and where you are at this moment, you will find yourself in this book. It is written for people who want to take more ownership of their lives--people who realize that positive thoughts lead to higher awareness, which leads to constructive actions, followed by improved circumstances, a better living and working environment, and, ultimately, a better world. Every great movement has started with one good intention from one wakeful person. You could be that person, and this book could steer you in the right direction.

Joy at Work, Work at Joy is not a book that you read from cover to cover in a day or a week. It should be read in small sections daily, because it entails a quote, an action plan, and a point to ponder for each day of the year. Some of the action plans are specific, and others are deliberately kept general to leave room for your own interpretation, according to what is going on in your life at the time. The points to ponder are either presented as elaborative thoughts on the quote, or age-old stories from all over the world.

This is a timeless book that transcends boundaries. People from all beliefs, cultures, mind-sets, preferences, ethnicities, or other classifications will relate to it well. It is a great gift to others, but even more to yourself, and can be used at various stages in your life, even after you have retired. Changing your world and your circumstances starts with changing yourself for the better. You just took the first step. Cheers!

Dr. Joan Marques