I’ve come across article after article stating the obvious, like these in the Baltimore Sun and Insight. The economic downturn has negatively impacted the happiness of the general population.

I’ve experienced this first-hand working with many executives who were “down-sized” as companies reduced their overhead costs. After leaving my job of 14 years when my company shrank its workforce, I had a choice to make – be unhappy or push back. I decided to create some happiness. This is why my company name is The Happy Chocolatier and not something else. Over many years, I found that giving people chocolates made them happy. So, I decided to start a business that not only made me happy, but enabled me to make others happy. In the coming months, I hope that my chocolates – especially our Fudge Cubze which each contain a statement about happiness – provide people a bit of joy. So, this blog not is not so much a shameless plug (though I clearly sell chocolates), but hopefully a reminder to those already giving gifts to give a “bite or two of happiness.”