Welcome to PeopleJam's Q & A, a regular feature where we interview influential life improvement authors, bloggers, PeopleJam members and individuals.

We have interviewed Tina Su, the Chief Happiness Officer and founder of Think Simple Now, a  weekly publication on clarity, simplicity, motivation and personal happiness.

PJ: Tina, can you tell us a little about yourself? 
 
Tina: I’m the Chief Happiness Officer at Think Simple Now, a weekly online publication on personal fulfillment and happiness. The site started in September of 2007 and it is an expression of my passion – personal growth. A year later, my dream came true, and I left my six-figure salaried job to work on the site fulltime.

 
PJ: What lead up to you creating Think Simple Now?

Tina: I spent several years obsessing over improving myself in all major life areas. I read books, attended seminars, went to meditation camps, talked to people and had several incredible revelations. I would write these revelations down in my journal. At the same time, I was actively seeking ways that I could contribute and work on projects that were meaningful to me.

So now, instead of writing my revelations in my journal, I publish them openly on Think Simple Now.

 
PJ: You have a very active readership. What's the number one thing that your readers have taught you?

Tina: I’ve learned that we are all really good people, and that deep down, we all want the same thing - to be happy.  But somehow along the path of life, our vision becomes fogged, causing us to live in a reaction mode to the never-ending demands, and we lose touch with the knowingness that life is about Joy. 

All we need is a little reminder to gain the clarity we need, and in effect, find happiness with what we have. 
 
 
PJ: You occasionally write about very personal issues. How important is it for bloggers to let their guard down for their audience? 
 
Tina: I think it’s important to be authentic and express yourself as freely and honestly as you can. People are incredibly sensitive to fakeness and fluff.  People will eventually stop reading if they detect diluted content.   
 
I like to use personal stories, because it shows that I am not some guru floating on a cloud, but rather a regular person dealing with the same real issues that confront each of us.  And I’ve found that when personal experiences are shared openly, it helps others who are experiencing similar feelings, to find clarity.  
 
 
PJ: How has the internet changed the life improvement industry? 
 
Tina: The Internet is a phenomenal platform for spreading valuable information for free, thus having the potential of reaching more people.   I love free stuff, and I love the idea of producing value-packed content and life enhancing products, and making them available for free. 
 
 
PJ: Any New Year's Resolutions for 2009? 
 
Tina: One of my main targets for 2009 is to develop a healthy daily routine that includes: waking up early, meditation, exercise, reading, minimal email checking, and increasing the number of highly productive hours in a work day. 
 
 
PJ: What's the number one piece of advice you would give to people looking to improve their lives?

Tina: Spend a few minutes every day on centering yourself.  When done regularly, this will add clarity to your life and improve the quality of your life experience, significantly.

Simply, close your eyes and focus on your breathe. Take a few deep breaths and continue to put your attention on your breathe. When a thought comes, observe it like a passing train, and then gently bring your focus back on your breath. Powerful stuff! 

Thanks Tina! Be sure to check out Think Simple Now for practical and applicable articles aimed at making a positive contribution to your life, Now. It is a truly inspirational site!

Click here to see Think Simple Now’s page on PeopleJam, where you can review his site and see what others like yourself think.

Here's what one of our readers had to say:

"Think Simple Now is a really great website. Each week has great information usable by almost anyone. The layout is very simple with vivid pictures. It's not overdone like some self help websites, everything is very easy to find, and because of the stark whiteness of the page -itself your eyes are drawn immediately to each entry. I love it! -KnitsofLove