Loretta LaRoche, who has been called by Joan Borysanko “‘the jolly-lama,” turns spring 2003 into a giant party with a new PBS special and this new tie-in book, Life Is Short—Wear Your Party Pants: The Nine Essential Traits You Need to Live an Amazing Life Ms. LaRoche has helped millions of people find ways to lighten up and overcome stress in their lives. Now, she gives people the tools they need to not only reduce stress, but to bring joy, passion and gusto into their lives. Her techniques are a brilliant blend of old-world common sense and the most contemporary research in brain chemistry, psychology and mind-body studies. With very specific exercises, her new book gives readers dozens of proven techniques for developing the nine most important traits people need to live an intense, happy, successful life: Resilience; Optimism; Connection; Mindfulness; Humor; Respect; Integrity; Creativity and Purpose Loretta’s wisdom grows from her own life, a life filled with the demands of being a single mother of three; of starting her own business when broke; of the wacky invasiveness of her Italian family. She is like all of us: real, flawed, stressed out and on edge. Her magic comes from an ability to not take herself too seriously, and to always shift her focus away from the self-destructive and toward the truly important things in life. This book will give readers those same tools. In her work, Loretta has seen tens of thousands of people who live their lives as if they’re sitting in the waiting room, hoping that their turn comes up next. This book will show those people how to get up, knock on the door, get what they want, or move on! Life Is Short—Wear Your Party Pants is a delightful and insightful book of wisdom for everyone who has ever had the instinct to keep her good clothes in the closet, lock away the expensive silverware, or deny themselves a bite of dessert, waiting for a special occasion. Loretta says: ‘Every day if you wake up and you’re still breathing, it’s a special occasion!’