When I read this quote a few weeks ago, I was speechless. Those of you who know me personally know that I am RARELY at a loss for words. I wondered who this Samuel Johnson fellow was and how he could use twelve little words to shift how I looked at my life. Samuel Johnson was a very famous man in 18 century Britain. He was a writer, speaker, philosopher, and all around influential person. In fact, he wrote a dictionary that set the stage for how English words are used throughout the world. He is the second most quoted person in the English language after Shakespeare.

This quote cuts to the heart of all of our goal setting, career planning, and continuous quest to improve. No matter how fat our bank account is, how prestigious our title, or how quickly we are moving up the career ladder, at the end of the day we all go home. Here are a few questions to ponder:

* How happy am I at home?

* Does thinking of home fill me with peace or dread?

* Am I satisfied with the quality of my relationships at home? * Does my home nurture me or stress me out?

Here are a couple of ideas to make the environment in your home more nurturing:

* Get rid of clutter - Clutter creates stress, plain and simple. You cannot look at kitchen counter full of dirty dishes, mail, and old newspapers and feel joy. Reducing the clutter in your home will make you feel more organized and give you feelings of space and freedom. However, clutter takes a long time to conquer. Don't set yourself up for failure by saying, Today, I am going to get rid of all this clutter. Take things slowly and conquer clutter in small sections. You will be amazed at how great you will feel after cleaning out one drawer or one pile of junk in a corner.

* Create some routines - I read an interview with two crisis counselors who met and married during the great floods of 1993. When asked how they separate their stressful work from their home life, they said that the

* Bring beauty into your home - Give yourself a visual massage by making the rooms of your home beautiful. This does not mean spending a fortune on redecorating. Beauty can simply mean a fresh coat of paint, artwork that pleases your eye, a photograph of loved ones, plants and flowers, or a bright throw pillow.

* Be aware of noise levels - Noise can raise our stress levels without us being aware of it. How much background noise do you have at home? I notice that if we eat dinner with the TV on, the washer, dryer, and dishwasher going, our meal is complete chaos. Now, I make sure to time the use of noisy appliances so they are not running during the dinner hour and turn off the TV. As soon as I can get my family to agree on a music choice, I am going to experiment with playing music during dinner.

Being happy at home is the essence of success. All the career achievements and material possessions in the world cannot compensate for an unhappy home life. Even though Samuel Johnson lived more than 200 years ago, his words inspire and guide us still. What will you do TODAY to make yourself happier at home?

Lynne Klippel is the author of Web Wonder Women, a book highlighting the stories of twenty-six women with super successful internet businesses. She also hosts an online talk radio show for women. To learn more, visit www.WebWonderWomen.com and www.WebSororityTalkRadio.com
About the Author

Lynne Klippel is a certified coach and an occupational therapist. Lynne has a bachelor's degree in education and a master's degree in occupational therapy. She holds several coaching certifications, completing post-graduate training at Comprehensive Coaching University. She provides coaching services to individuals and corporations by inspiring greatness, creating opportunities, and celebrating success. Her passion is helping people grow and