Happy for No Reason: 7 Steps to Being Happy from the Inside Out

Happy for No Reason

Written by the author of the best-selling "Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul", this is one of the most popular happiness books around. While the author isn't a bona fide positive psychology researcher, that's not necessarily a bad thing when it comes to happiness books- although opinions vary.

Some people think that the best happiness books are written by the positive psychology researchers themselves- because they know the info the best. On the other hand, there are excellent happiness books around written by non-happiness researchers, such as "Finding Happiness in a Frustrating World" -penned by a physical therapist who began studying happiness after wondering how some of his patients in the hospital could be so happy- despite being so sick or faced with a grave prognosis. Sometimes its nice to get a non-happiness researcher's point of view- to avoid the inherent biases that people have when they discuss and write about their own research. You be the judge- on to the book.

The idea presented is to get the reader to become "Happy for No Reason"- which the book defines as true happiness that isn't dependent on external circumstances. You can then take a questionnaire to see how close you are to being "Happy for No Reason."

So if you're not quite there yet, how does the book intend to get you there? By several ways:

-you'll learn three guiding principles that will help you get past the common blocks to happiness
-you'll learn how to apply the "Law of Attraction" to being happier (the author was featured in the mega-bestseller "The Secret" which focuses on this law)
-you'll learn about a seven-step program to become "Happy for No Reason". Each step has three "Happiness Habits" with corresponding exercises.
-the author interviewed 100 happy people and shares 21 of their stories that define what it means to be "Happy for No Reason"- stories reminiscent of the "Chicken Soup" series.

A few comments. First, having read much happiness literature, readers should know that some of the things the book suggests you do to become happier ARE research based, such as focusing on gratitude (readers can check out Emmon's book "Thanks!: How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier" for more on expressing gratitude), while other advice, such as "trust life's unfolding" have NOT been shown to increase happiness levels in controlled trials.

Also, it should be obvious by my brief synopsis that the book has a lot of stuff for the reader to "do" in order to become happier. And, if readers "do" the exercises and become happier, the reason they're happier is because of the things they've done. This kinda goes against the whole point of the book- which is to show us how to become happier for NO reason. This confused me a bit.

Logic aside, there's plenty of value in this book. Happiness books written for the popular read seem to fall into one of two general categories. They're either mainly based on scientific evidence and give you research-tested techniques OR they primarily give you advice and things to think about to help you "reframe" your thinking. "Happy for No Reason: 7 Steps to Being Happy from the Inside Out" seems to fit in the latter category- and for that I can recommend it to happiness searchers everywhere. Happy trails!

6 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

Happiness Habits

The book I read for this review Happy For No Reason: 7 Steps to Being Happy from the Inside Out by Marci Shimoff and Carol Kline left me with a smile on my face and inspired to make some changes in my own life.

It was a fairly easy read, considering how thick and detailed it is. When I closed the book I had this incredible feeling of "That's what I want!" I immediately knew that I wanted to be a better mom, a better wife, a better friend - really a better person. I haven't felt that way about a book in a very long time.

Like you may be, I'm very goal oriented and I sometimes have a hard time just enjoying the moment. I could really benefit from learning to do small things to kind of pause and take notice as I experience my life.

I found myself taking notice of how others around me create more happiness for themselves and for the people with whom they interact. I decided that I'd like to be more demonstrative with my kindness, warmth, and generosity; I want to be friendlier.

Through the process of reading the book and reflecting, I realized that I actually want to talk to people more, enjoy what I'm doing in each moment, make more connections, and just reach out and experience more of that joy in day-to-day, regular life.

My excitement about the book was stoked because after reading it, I recognized that these things that I want are within reach!

The book contains 20 fun-to-read stories that provide good examples of how others have been successful at cultivating lives filled with more happiness. It's clear from the examples, that your level of satisfaction with your life simply doesn't have to be linked to external factors. Your happiness is up to you.

I really love that Shimoff covers all the elements that contribute to feeling happy - spiritual, scientific, attitude, nutrition, health, exercise, toxins, stress, etc. All of these play a part and it was so powerful to see them each addressed in one book.

Instead, Shimoff highlights the danger of "The Myth of More." People often live their lives believing "I'll be happy when..."; that the more they have the better they'll feel. To replace this self-defeating lie, she provides some happiness principles to live by.

She calls them The Guiding Three and they simply ring true: what expands you makes you happier; the universe is out to support you; and what you appreciate, appreciates. The last one really resonates with me. When you practice gratefulness you get an almost immediate benefit. The more grateful you feel, the more aware you are of the wonderful things you already have. According to Shimoff, we can embrace these truths and use our gratitude to reinforce Happiness Habits and find ourselves feeling better and more content, even if outside appearances wouldn't indicate we should.

The book provides practical techniques - including those Happiness Habits - that any one of us could use to increase our own happiness setpoint step-by-step. She really makes a case for happiness being a choice - one that you can make a habit, even a practice!

I really recommend this for anyone looking to improve their outlook or to magnify their positive impact on those around them. A little shift like this can do wonders for your business, your relationships, and your health - and all the steps are there in the book for you to immediately implement in your own life. If you're anything like me, you'll hardly be able to wait f

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Highly Recommended!

In conducting research for my own "happiness movement" I came across "Happy For No Reason" when I was searching online. The next day I ran to Barnes & Noble and bought myself a copy. I am thoroughly impressed! It is written to speak to anyone who is looking for a little more happiness in their lives. I believe the reader will get the most out of the book if they approach it with an open mind and a willingness to follow through on the action steps inside. It is a mix of facts, humor, stories, and application. Easy to read and right on the happiness target!

Kudos to Marci Shimoff for writing a book that not only speaks to the research she has conducted, but also to her own choice to live a life of being Happy For No Reason!

~Grace

Happy for no Reason

I just started to Read this book and I just Love the way that she is so positive. Makes me want to be a more inspiring person in everyday life.
there is a lot to learn from Marci Shimoff...

I also could not believe what a great price that I got this book for. I have never ordered a book from Barnes and Noble and I reallt appreciate the brand new condition and cost it was to me...Keep selling Marci and Barnes and Noble
Thank-you
Adrienne

Excelent!!!

One of the more delicate books, inspirational, and enthusiastic I have read. It is interesting and entertaining, learn and discover that happiness is within us that is worth being Happy for No Reason.
Highly recommended.

Not bad at all.

Pretty good book, easy to read. Not like other repetitive self-help books. Although you have to read the book more than once to remember the principles, but worth it.

AMAZING READ!!!!

Happy For No Reason gave many practical and easy ways to look inside yourself and make changes to make your life happier. The stories about real people were very inspirational and showed how any one can be happy in any circumstance. The book showed how we can quit blaming others and depending upon others to make us happy. Many of the suggestions for being happy are small acts or exercises that we can do that will effect our happiness as well as lift those around us. Highly recommended, easy reading, uplifting self-help book. I would definitely buy this book and give it as a gift.

I recommend it to all my friends

I always like these kinds of books when they have actual science backing up what you might otherwise think of as kind of "new-age" ideas. It has helped me make my life happier.

Happy for No Reason

This book is FANTASTIC! Everyone should be required to read it. It will change your life and realize that you don't have to have materials things to make you happy. You can wake up happy everyday. LOVED IT!

Great Ways to get Happy

Happy For No Reason gave many practical and easy ways to look inside yourself and make changes to make your life happier. The stories about real people were very inspirational and showed how any one can be happy in any circumstance. The book showed how we can quit blaming others and depending upon others to make us happy. Many of the suggestions for being happy are small acts or exercises that we can do that will effect our happiness as well as lift those around us. Highly recommended, easy reading, uplifting self-help book. I would definitely buy this book and give it as a gift.

A reviewer

Are you truly happy from the inside out? If you¿re like many people, you might say you¿re happy, but is it only because things are pretty much going the way you like them? And what if your life isn¿t perfect right now? Marci Shimoff believes it¿s possible to be happy no matter what your circumstances are, and this book will show you how. Research has shown that we all have a certain level of happiness that we seem to feel comfortable at. This set-point is partially genetic, but we have the ability to change the rest. By following the seven steps presented in this book, we can better control our happiness set-point and learn to be happy for no reason. Marci Shimoff interviewed what she calls the Happy 100 to discover their secrets to staying happy in every circumstance. These steps outline their experiences, with deeply moving personal stories to demonstrate them in action. Fun exercises are also provided on how to use these steps in your own life. The positive energy of Happy For No Reason is contagious. Marci Shimoff is one of the teachers featured in The Secret, and it¿s obvious she lives what she teaches. If you want to be happy for no reason, you¿ll find this book to be an inspiring and valuable guide. Reviewer: Alice Berger, Bergers Book Reviews

Put Happiness in Your Hands

I have known Marci Shimoff for ten years. She is the perfect person to write this kind of a book. She has spent all of her conscious years researching happiness and making adjustments to find the perfect formula. Her ability to write and deliver this message in a simple and yet profound way is fantastic. The concept that the most valuable commodity on the planet, happiness, is not outside us but within us is groundbreaking. It will help a person uncover the power that each of us has within us, a resource that is always there as long as we know how to get to it. Her simple instructions will help guide you to happiness and you will be happy for one reason: that you bought the book! Yakov Smirnoff Renowned Russian comedian Owns a theatre in Branson, Missouri Master's degree in psychology Ivy League University of Pennsylvania Professor at Missouri State University Write a relationship column for AARP Magazine Author of the best-selling book America on Six Rubles a Day

We all deserve happiness

Thank you Marci for writing a book about one of our heart's greatest needs which is to be authentically happy. Thank you for sharing the 7 proven steps of being happy for no reason, the scientific studies, and the beautifully written stories about those that experience authentic happiness after experiencing very difficult challenges, and showing us how is it possible to be happy for no reason. I appreciated the different, yet proven approach to experiencing a deeper inner and more authentic level of happiness! I found the 7 steps easy to understand, easy to follow, and easy to use. I highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to be happy.

What's more important in life?

It's ironic that people spend so much time chasing things they think will make them happy and don't put much attention on cultivating happiness itself. But who knew how? Marci Shimoff makes it doable! It's a an amazing achievement. She take a very pragmatic, step-by-step approach that de-mystifies the whole idea of happiness. It's not some amorphous state we have no control over. I'm very grateful to her for writing Happy for No Reason as it's made me happier already. I don't know why it wouldn't do the same for anyone. If you want to love life more, do yourself a favor and buy this book!

Anyone that wants to be happy from the inside out needs to read this book

This is an amazing book. It seems simple at first but as I kept reading I realized how profound and life changing this book is. The stories from the Happy 100 were amazing and the way that Marci uses the stories as a means of teaching how to be happy for no reason is brilliant. This isn't just a feel good book, it is a book that will teach you how to increase your happiness set point and maintain it at a higher level for the rest of your life.

Chock full of useful information

'Happy for No Reason' is full of inspiration and easy-to-use techniques for attaining happiness. Marci Shimoff is a best-selling Chicken Soup series author and she uses delightful stories from happy people to illustrate her points. It's fun to read because she uses a lot of humor. Anyone will benefit from this book.

How We All Want to Be

Happy for No Reason is how we all want to be. This is a rich and engaging book filled with insight and many practical applications on how to truly change your life. I felt happy just reading it. It's an 'everyone should read' book that combines scientific proof along with experiential understanding. It's charming and genuine, once I picked it up, I didn't want to put it down. The experience of Happy for No Reason is still with me days after reading it. Thank you Marci!

A book that can make a real difference!

We've been told that happiness can't be chased, that it isn't what we do or what we have, and that it comes from inside. Now what? Marci Shimoff has answered the 'Now what' question. She shows the reader how happiness comes from the inside out in such a way that you can actually do something about it. Her wisdom and real life examples give you what you need to take solid, grounded action to make a real difference in your life!

Who doesn¿t want to be happy?

Who doesn¿t want to be happy? If you are searching for a practical guide to learn just how to go about being happy this book is for you. What makes this book different from others out there is that it advocates no external changes in circumstance. You don¿t have to lose weight or win the lottery to make yourself feel better. All the change comes from within, simply by altering ones¿ `happiness set-point¿. The author has done an impressive job creating a read that is both enjoyable and informative, weaving real life case samples of happy people with scientific data. I would highly recommend you perusing this book and making a difference in your life today.

A reviewer

Wow. Generally, I think that many self-help books are overdone and not very palatable to readers. So I was pleasantly surprised to find that Marci's message in Happy for No Reason struck such a chord with me. This book made me assess ways I can raise my own happiness as well as helped me understand how to increase my overall sense of well-being. I found Happy for No Reason to be an empowering and profound read. I truly hope that everyone who reads it receives as many gifts from its message as I have.