1Are you living a "checklist life"? Are you getting married, working a 9-5 job, and buying a house in the suburbs because you want to, or because that's what we are all "supposed" to do?

Carl Stars was doing just that-"winning" at the game of life-but he was not happy. He always felt there had to be more meaning out there.

In this engaging memoir, Carl tells his story and how he changed from chasing money and material possessions to finding true happiness.

Carl was raised to be happy; his parents were diligent people who understood the value of working hard, living frugally, and spending their precious time and money on what was most important. Carl shares his childhood memories, and the fortuitous vacation in the Florida Keys that changed the trajectory of his life.

Through Carl's adulthood, there were many drunken adventures. For decades, he somehow held down high-pressure jobs, using alcohol to numb himself to an over-abundance of responsibility he never wanted. He chased the material world-endless dinners, shopping, work, and more work-and all the trappings of "normal."

After Carl started living his own life, by adopting minimalism and doing what he wanted to do, only then did he discover real happiness.

Gratitude and Abundance aren't just buzzwords on Facebook; these are the true keys to happiness!