Start Here: A Guide To A Happy Life

by Albert Garcia

This book is a reflection of my journey from chaos to clarity. It’s not about achieving perfection; it’s about embracing the process of growth and discovering the person you’re meant to be. Along the way, I learned to re-frame challenges as opportunities, use meditation and mindfulness to find peace, and build routines that fit my life instead of forcing change overnight.



What I’ve discovered is that the true reward isn’t in reaching the destination, it’s in becoming someone who shows up for themselves every single day. This isn’t a book about quick fixes. It’s an invitation to take control of your life, one small step at a time, and discover the joy of living with purpose.

Are you ready to begin your journey?

38 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 2, 2025

About the author

Albert J. Garcia is a native of Northern California. He grew up on a walnut orchard near Red Bluff, and much of his work has a connection to the valley. He graduated from California State University, Chico, and the University of Montana. He is the author of a book of poetry, Rainshadow: Poems, published by Copper Beech Press, and of a textbook, Digging in: Literature for Developing Writers.

His poems have appeared in Prairie Schooner, The Laurel Review, Poetry East, Mid-American Review, Yankee, The North American Review, and other journals. Among his awards, he has received an Emerging Artists Fellowship from the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission.

A former naturalist at Lassen Volcanic National Park, Garcia currently lives in the rural community of Wilton, California, with his wife and three children. He has taught community college English for 22 years, and serves as dean of the Language and Literature Division at Sacramento State City College.