How often do you feel joy; that pure and unadulterated experience of serenity, happiness, and cheerfulness? In our childhood, joy arises spontaneously and freely in the moment, but as we grow up, we face the pressures of increasing responsibilities, endless demands, and a flood of breaking news. Along the way, we forget how to live in the present moment in our lives. In this book, Rachel Macy Stafford provides a comprehensive practical guide to help us survive the culture of distraction and depletion, and find our way back to what delights our hearts, makes us feel alive, and grants us peace. She reveals how to embody the practice of presence, where we return to our true selves and to the joy that exists only in consciously living the present moment. Stafford accompanies you as a wise and compassionate friend on an astonishing journey of self-discovery, taking you through a symbolic botanical garden composed of eight areas designed to help you practice: presence, worthiness, freedom from perfectionism, self-compassion, authenticity, forgiveness, self-care, and nurturing your talents. This book helps you rediscover the joy within you at a natural pace, and in a gentle manner, through easy-to-apply practical exercises. Here you will learn how to: free yourself from external measures of success to focus on what truly matters, respond to life's challenges with awareness and compassion, rebalance with your heart and your calm inner presence, create a framework that brings you back to your center when life throws you off course, and embrace the healing power of presence with yourself and your loved ones.