Mary Lou Retton's Gateways To Happiness : 7 Ways to a More Peaceful, More Prosperous, More Satisfying Life

Celebrated gymnast Mary Lou Retton shares the inspiring philosophies behind her success--and offers seven practical gateways to finding true happiness in your own life.

Who can forget Mary Lou Retton's perfect vault and winning smile? Fifteen years after her Olympic triumph, Mary Lou is no longer the little girl on the Wheaties box--she's a dynamic, accomplished mother of two who has become one of America's most sought-after motivational speakers and inspiration to people everywhere. Now, in Mary Lou Retton's Gateways to Happiness, she shares her secrets for achieving a balanced, fulfilling career and life and presents seven gateways that can help you cultivate lasting happiness every day.

Based on her remarkable experiences as an Olympic athlete, professional speaker and spokesperson, Christian, wife, and mother, Mary Lou Retton's Gateways to Happiness shows that, even with life's challenges and obstacles, true happiness is always within our reach. The seven gateways she presents--Family, Faith, Relationships, Attitude, Discipline, Health, and Laughter--are the tools we can use to improve our sense of contentment and well-being, as we follow our true dreams and ambitions, take care of our bodies, devote more time to the special people in our lives, and make our relationship with God an integral part of every day. For each gateway, Mary Lou provides concrete suggestions, action plans, and even recipes to help you embrace its principles and make it work for you. From communication exercises, to time management, to spiritual disciplines, Mary Lou's warm hearted prescriptions and advice will help you discover your deepest needs, reduce stress, and open the door to a life filled with peace and joy.

Flavored with inspiring stories from renowned athletes and celebrities, and brimming with the trademark enthusiasm and energy that have made her such a beloved American figure, Mary Lou Retton's Gateways to Happiness is a fresh and engaging collection of wisdom that will enable you to realize your true, God-given potential. The next time you look in the mirror that winning smile will belong to you!

From Mary Lou Retton's introduction. On August 3, 1984, I stopped being just Mary Lou Retton from Fairmont, West Virginia, and discovered that overnight I'd become "America's Sweetheart." Without the unfaltering support of my family, and without the strength I received from my faith in the Lord, I never would have made it through this difficult period. They helped me understand that this overwhelming transformation in my life was not something to run away from, but rather to be embraced. I came to realize that it was just one part of the larger journey I was on--what Dr. Billy Graham calls our "journey toward happiness."

Even with all my preparation and training for success in the Olympics, I was never aware that I was also preparing for something else. Something which would last for the rest of my life, long after I was able to mount a balance beam or stick a perfect landing. I was training for happiness.

True joy and happiness are within reach for all of us no matter how bad our circumstances may seem, I believe that our happiness depends on how we respond to certain basic opportunities, or gateways, that God has opened to each and every one of us--Family, Faith, Relationships, Attitude, Discipline, Health, and Laughter--gateways that will take us one step further down the road to true happiness.

MARY LOU RETTON vaulted to fame in 1984 when she became the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in gymnastics. Since then she has become one of the country's most popular motivational speakers, working with major corporations such as IBM and Wal-Mart. The 1995 recipient of the Flo Hyman Award for athletic excellence, she has been a regular commentator on network television as well as a columnist for USA Today during the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics. She lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband, Shannon Kelley, and their two daughters.

DAVID BENDER is a writer and editor. He lives in California.