Page 57 - Tree of Happiness

”She continued with her task until she got what she thought to be the 1,000 best books. She then returned to her kingdom and put them in the monument so they would be available to everyone in the Kingdom. The Queen was able to keep herself motivated by focusing on how much she had accomplished, not what was left to be done.
This is an overlooked coping technique because it seems natural to look forward to our difficulties. It was the Queen’s, “Look how far you have come” thinking that helped her through these difficult times. Life’s difficulties should not be underestimated or hidden from view. To obtain happiness in real life, depends on your willingness to endure and cope with hardships and difficulties.
This is what the Queen did in the story and what you can do now.
Finally, she faced the Dragon. This part of the story has two lessons: First, how to raise an army (make friends and second, what happens when you face the “Dragon” (your fears).
In raising the army, the Queen focused on the needs of the people. She did not tell them that she was the Queen and they must follow her. Neither did she offer them bribes. Instead, she said, “Without you, I have no kingdom to rule. My goal is to make your lives better but now I need your help.”
The skill of empathy ( being aware of the feelings of others) and a concern for others, are necessary skills for the development of true friends.
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