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Marci Shimoff Says … You Can You Be Happy For No Reason?
By Liz Sterling©2008
Since the times of classical antiquity, man has searched for happiness. Buddha said, “If one speaks and acts with a pure mind, surely happiness will follow like one's own shadow!" According to Jainism, one of the world‘s oldest religions, happiness and bliss are the natural state of the soul. And today, thousands of years later, we finally uncover and discover, thanks to Marci Shimoff, that we can all be Happy for No Reason!
Happy for Good Reason vs. Happy for No Reason
The Upanishads, ancient Vedic texts dating back to the 7th century B.C., warn, “To be happy for any reason is just another form of misery.” And yet, everyone is seeking happiness—it’s the goal of all we do. The “I’ll be Happy When… Myth” perpetuates a belief that happiness is achieved by acquiring things or by accomplishments. “This approach to happiness,” Marci says, “is almost as insidious as the ‘Myth of More.’ More of anything will not generate true happiness.” Fortunately, Marci has uncovered a breakthrough approach to being happy by activating the innate happiness that is within each human being. In her book, Happy for No Reason, Marci explains that happiness is not an emotion, a spike of elation or euphoria. True happiness is a lasting, neuro-physiological state of peace and well-being. “True happiness,” she says, “is not based on what we do or have -- it doesn't depend on external reasons or on any specific circumstances. It really depends, science now shows, on raising our happiness set-point.
The Happiness Set-point
Recent research indicates that we all have a happiness set-point that is approximately 50% genetic and 50% learned. No matter what happens to us, we tend to return to a set range of happiness. And in the same way that we'd crank up the thermostat to get comfortable on a chilly day, we can actually reprogram our happiness set-point to a higher level of peace and well-being. We're so busy trying to change our outer world in order to be happier, when what we really need to do is change our happiness set-point. In Happy for No Reason, Marci presents the tools and techniques we need to do this, starting with what she calls the “The Guiding Three.”
The Guiding Three – Principles to Live By
In the spirit of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books, Marci set out to interview people and find what she refers to as the “Happy 100.” The book is peppered throughout with stories that illustrate the habits and principles that emerged as a pattern among those she selected as her Happy 100. She found that there are Three Universal Principles that play a significant role in helping to become and remain Happy for No Reason:
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The Law of Expansion says what expands you makes you happier. When your energy expands, you experience greater happiness and when energy contracts, you experience less happiness. “It turns out, Marci explains,” that we each have our own built-in GPS that leads us toward happiness in the form of an expansion-contraction feedback system. You can rely on your GPS often. I use it when faced with a choice. I stop, take a deep breath, and feel which option brings more lightness, openness and expansion. I do this for simple decisions and for bigger decisions too. You will always be happier with the choice that makes you expand.”
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The Law of Universal Support is easy to understand but requires you to answer one question posed by Albert Einstein: “Is this a friendly universe?” “According to Marci, “the Happy 100 answered this question with a resounding ‘Yes!’ Rather than thinking that the universe is out to get them, they believe the universe is out to support them. This also ties into the first principle. Feeling supported is a great tool to keep you feeling expanded.” (It is worth noting for the ladies that all references to expansion are to be understood energetically -– not the menopausal bodily shift that we meet so often in the mirror!)
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The Law of Attraction. Marci is a featured teacher in the international movie and book phenomenon, The Secret, offering her insights on the key principles to creating lasting success and fulfillment. “My favorite tool,” Marci writes in her book, “for using The Law of Attraction is what I refer to as my Secret Formula: Intention, Attention, No Tension. I first learned this simple 3-part process from my friend, Bill Levacy. #1: Intention: Be clear about what you want – in this case, your desire for greater happiness. #2 What you put your attention on grows stronger in your life. Put your attention on happiness. #3 Let go and relax. As you practice the happiness habits, be easy with yourself and trust you are removing blocks to experiencing greater happiness. Remember: What You Appreciate – Appreciates!”
Building a Home for Happiness
Marci learned from her research that there are seven specific steps for becoming Happy for No Reason. She decided to use the analogy of a home because she says, “Homes are so often a metaphor for our lives. The steps correspond to the seven main areas of our personal lives: personal power, mind, heart, body, soul, purpose and people.
7 Steps to Being Happy From The Inside Out
- The Foundation – Take Ownership of Your Happiness
- The Pillar of the Mind – Don’t Believe Everything You Think
- The Pillar of the Hear – Let Love Lead
- The Pillar of the Body – Make Your Cells Happy
- The Pillar or the Soul – Plug Yourself in to Spirit
- The Roof – Live a Life Inspired by Purpose
- The Garden – Cultivate Nourishing Relationships
Each of the seven steps has three Happiness Habits – 21 in all. “Addressing your habitual behavior is the key to establishing true happiness,” Marci reminds us. “And practicing these new habits will help to raise your happiness set-point, so you too will be Happy for No Reason.”
In preparation for my interview with Marci, I received an advance manuscript from the publisher called a galley. The galley is not fancy. The one I received was standard card stock green. Written on the cover in black ink, Times New Roman font and all caps it said: HAPPY FOR NO REASON: 7 Steps for Being Happy from the Inside Out. I liked carrying the book around. It reminded me about being happy.
I found myself in the mall one day with galley in hand. As I set it on the counter to sample the newest Jo Malone cologne, White Jasmine and Mint, the sales associate grabbed the book, read the title aloud and exclaimed, “Yes, I am!, Happy for no reason; all the time. I love life. I love feeling great. I am so lucky.” She continued by explaining that there are so many people she works with who are not happy.
And you know what?” she said. “I do my best to spread my happiness but my job is to just stay happy from the inside out.” In her enthusiasm, she showed me that happiness is an inside job and reinforced a passage that Marci chose as the final quote for her book. It was His Holiness the Dalai Lama who said, “Our business is to be happy.”
My interview with Marci was as inspiring as a white Dendrobium Orchid in full bloom. Throughout our conversation and as I read the book, I felt myself rejoicing in the liberation from my old belief that happiness is to be acquired. No grasping, longing, seeking, wanting. Happiness, I now know, is within and I’m truly grateful I found this book; it’s’s a great way to start the new year. So set your New Year’s intention to be happy for no reason and make it your business to learn how… now! This is 2008 – and we can truly make it great… by expanding our joy and bringing forth our inner happiness.
The Pillar of the Soul – Happiness Habits
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Invite Connection with Your Higher Power: Find silence through prayer, meditation or time in nature.
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Listen to Your Inner Voice: Make a connection with your soul’s wisdom to guide you in life.
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Trust Life’s Unfolding: Open to grace and put yourself in the flow of life.
Marci Shimoff is a celebrated transformational leader and one of the nation's leading motivational experts. She is an integral part of the inspiration for the biggest self-help book phenomenon in history, expanding Chicken Soup for the Soul to include the Woman’s Soul series. Her six bestselling titles in the series have met with stunning success, selling more than 13 million copies worldwide in 33 languages. She is one of the bestselling female nonfiction authors of all time. Her newest release, Happy for No Reason, is published by Simon and Schuster.
Visit Marci's Web Site
