That's why I wrote this book: to show how these people can imbue us with hope. I read somewhere that when a person takes part in community action his health improves. Something happens to him or to her biologically. It's like a tonic.

As a doctor when I was minister of health and would go somewhere little girls would come up to me and say 'I want to be like you one day I want to be a doctor.' Now they tell me 'I want to be president just like you.' All of us can dream as big as we want.

And under the existing circumstances I understand there are situations where people indeed need care and need services but I believe in America that the majority of those people are getting those services under situations and circumstances that are afforded to them by their health care providers and their state government.

I can understand why some people might look at me and say 'What's she got to be depressed about?' I get that a lot in Britain where mental health issues seem to be a big taboo.

Voters did say 'repeal health care ' they did say 'reduce the size of government.' But not a single one of them from the tea party or anywhere said 'give tax breaks to the wealthiest.'

Today we have a health insurance industry where the first and foremost goal is to maximize profits for shareholders and CEOs not to cover patients who have fallen ill or to compensate doctors and hospitals for their services. It is an industry that is increasingly concentrated and where Americans are paying more to receive less.

As long as I have my health I want to be reporting somewhere.

Think of an economy where people could be an artist or a photographer or a writer without worrying about keeping their day job in order to have health insurance.

The only truly individualistic health-care choice - where you receive care that is unpolluted by anyone else's funds - is to forgo insurance altogether paying out-of-pocket for health services as you need them.

In order to lead a country or a company you've got to get everybody on the same page and you've got to be able to have a vision of where you're going. America can't have a vision of health care for everybody green economy regulations - can't have a bunch of piece-meal activities. It's got to have a vision.

Anywhere you have extreme poverty and no national health insurance no promise of health care regardless of social standing that's where you see the sharp limitations of market-based health care.

In societies where mature workers are respected and where their wisdom is respected everybody benefits. Workers are more engaged and productive. Their health is better. They live longer.

At the end of the day sleep is a barometer of your emotional health. And so if you're not in the right place where you need to be then you're going to have voices keeping you up at night because you have to work through those issues.

If you're working out in front of a mirror and watching your muscles grow your ego has reached a point where it is now eating itself. That's why I believe there should be a psychiatrist at every health club so that when they see you doing this they will take you away for a little chat.

Learning is the beginning of wealth. Learning is the beginning of health. Learning is the beginning of spirituality. Searching and learning is where the miracle process all begins.

We can make a commitment to promote vegetables and fruits and whole grains on every part of every menu. We can make portion sizes smaller and emphasize quality over quantity. And we can help create a culture - imagine this - where our kids ask for healthy options instead of resisting them.

I learned that people everywhere are basically the same and have similar goals that we do. They want health and happiness and the opportunity to provide for their families.

I love being on stage. I'm completely totally relaxed. It's the only time in my life when I know where I am and what's coming next. The other Robert Powell is probably fairly melancholic. Let's just say happiness isn't my default position. There are dark parts. I'm very good at it. I frighten people sometimes.

In civilized life where the happiness and indeed almost the existence of man depends on the opinion of his fellow men. He is constantly acting a studied part.

Eventually we reach the point where we start to realize that we are not going to find peace contentment happiness strength fearlessness - all of the things that in our heart of hearts we wish we had - outside of us.

Only one thing has to change for us to know happiness in our lives: where we focus our attention.

Friends have suggested that I am the least qualified person to talk about happiness because I am often down and sometimes profoundly depressed. But I think that's where my qualification comes from. Because to know happiness it helps to know unhappiness.

You find happiness where you find it.

Happiness I do not know where to turn to discover you on earth in the air or the sky yet I know you exist and are no futile dream.