Branson可絕不是等閑之輩，他是維京集團的創(chuàng)始人。他成為英國乃至全球最有名的人物之一，不僅因為他富有（身價300億歐元左右），更因為他無與倫比的好奇心、勇于嘗試并挑戰(zhàn)極限的企業(yè)家精神，以及極度張狂的個性！
布蘭森一開始說，他之所以寫這封信，是因為現(xiàn)在有心理健康問題的人很多，他希望分享自己的快樂和幸福觀，幫助這些朋友找到自己應得的快樂。
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對“快樂”的普遍性誤解
信的一開始，他就試圖安慰大家，表現(xiàn)出了很強的同理心。他說，感到壓力很大、恐懼和悲傷并不算什么，他自己過去66年中，也經(jīng)歷過太多人生的起起伏伏，心碎、恐懼的味道都嘗過。
布蘭森說很多人可能認為，他的巨額財富和商業(yè)成功給他帶來了幸福和快樂，他說其實正好相反。恰恰是因為他快樂才有了成功、財富和廣結(jié)人緣！
他進一步解釋說，很多人希望通過做（doing）一些事情去獲得快樂，這樣他們常常會失??；快樂不在于你干什么，而在于你的心態(tài)、你的狀態(tài)（Happiness is not about doing, it’s about being）。
因此，為了快樂，我們需要有意識地思考快樂。不要忘記自己的to-do list，但更要記得寫下你的to-be list。
快樂，在于活在當下，感受當下
布蘭森說，重要的不是做某些事情，它們也許可以使你快樂片刻；重要的是活在當下，感受當下。
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什么是活在當下、感受當下、享受當下？
黃昏時分看鳥飛過、牽著新生孫輩稚嫩的小手、仰望星空憧憬有一天可以觸手可及（他已經(jīng)啟動了自己的航天事業(yè)）、家人的餐桌辯論、陌生人的笑臉、雨水飄香、水波蕩漾、沙漠風塵、冬季初雪、夏日最后一場暴雨、日落日出 ……
他的這番遐想，不禁讓我想起年輕一些的時候讀過的一篇英文。這篇英文的大意是這樣的：
Pulitzer、Oscars、Nobel、Tony…
（普利策、奧斯卡、諾貝爾、托尼獎……）
人生中的這些大獎，
不是我們每個人天天可以撞上的，但是，
A cold beer in a hot summer
（夏日里的一杯冰啤酒）；
A hot soup in a cold winter
(寒冬中的一碗熱湯面)；
An empty parking space
（等了半天正好空出來的停車位）；
A kiss behind the ears
（在耳后根一個輕輕的吻）
……
這些小小的、美好的瞬間，在人生中卻是取之不盡 用之不竭的。
多美！
因此，不管我們現(xiàn)在人生的境遇如何，一定要努力去發(fā)現(xiàn)人生中的美，努力去感受當下、享受當下、活在當下。像布蘭森說的那樣，快樂和幸福會來的
最后，附布蘭森的信，與大家分享：
In an age where so many people are affected by mental health issues, I wanted to share the following letter, which I wrote for Mind's book: Dear Stranger, Letters on the subject of happiness. I hope that my words can help others find the joy they deserve. Let's make 2017 the year of happiness.
Dear Stranger,
You don't know me but I hear you are going through a tough time, and I would like to help you. I want to be open and honest with you, and let you know that happiness isn't something just afforded to a special few. It can be yours, if you take the time to let it grow.
It's OK to be stressed, scared and sad, I certainly have been throughout my 66 years. I've confronted my biggest fears time and time again. I've cheated death on many adventures, seen loved ones pass away, failed in business, minced my words in front of tough audiences, and had my heart broken.
I know I'm fortunate to live an extraordinary life, and that most people would assume my business success, and the wealth that comes with it, have brought me happiness. But they haven't; in fact it's the reverse. I am successful, wealthy and connected because I am happy.
So many people get caught up in doing what they think will make them happy, but in my opinion, this is where they fail. Happiness is not about doing, it's about being. In order to be happy, you need to think consciously about it. Don't forget the to-do list, but remember to write a to-be list too.
Kids are often asked: 'What do you want to be when you grow up?' The world expects grandiose aspirations: 'I want to be a writer, a doctor, the prime minister.' They're told: go to school, go to college, get a job, get married, and then you'll be happy. But that's all about doing, not being – and while doing will bring you moments of joy, it won't necessarily reward you with lasting happiness.
Stop and breathe. Be healthy. Be around your friends and family. Be there for someone, and let someone be there for you. Be bold. Just be for a minute.
If you allow yourself to be in the moment, and appreciate the moment, happiness will follow. I speak from experience. We've built a business empire, joined conversations about the future of our planet, attended many memorable parties and met many unforgettable people. And while these things have brought me great joy, it's the moments that I stopped just to be, rather than do, that have given me true happiness. Why? Because allowing yourself just to be, puts things into perspective. Try it. Be still. Be present.
For me, it's watching the flamingos fly across Necker Island at dusk. It's holding my new grandchild's tiny hands. It's looking up at the stars and dreaming of seeing them up close one day. It's listening to my family's dinner-time debates. It's the smile on a stranger's face, the smell of rain, the ripple of a wave, the wind across the sand. It's the first snow fall of winter, and the last storm of summer. It's sunrise and sunset.
There's a reason we're called human beings and not human doings. As human beings we have the ability to think, move and communicate in a heightened way. We can cooperate, understand, reconcile and love, that's what sets us apart from most other species.
Don't waste your human talents by stressing about nominal things, or that which you cannot change. If you take the time simply to be and appreciate the fruits of life, your stresses will begin to dissolve, and you will be happier.
But don't just seek happiness when you're down. Happiness shouldn't be a goal, it should be a habit. Take the focus off doing, and start being every day. Be loving, be grateful, be helpful, and be a spectator to your own thoughts.
Allow yourself to be in the moment, and appreciate the moment. Take the focus off everything you think you need to do, and start being – I promise you, happiness will follow.
Happy regards,
Richard Branson
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