|
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. 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. 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. 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.
When you practice gratefulness you get an almost immediate benefit. 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. 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. 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. All of these play a part and it was so powerful to see them each addressed in one book.
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.
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. 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.
The more grateful you feel, the more aware you are of the wonderful things you already have. 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. 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.
If you're anything like me, you'll hardly be able to wait for the end of the book to get started
I highly recommend it. This book doesn't give you the standard mumbo-jumbo that many happiness books try to push off on you. This is a great book and I'm so fortunate that I found it. Another great book on happiness I read is Why Can't I Just Be Happy. It's good practical advice and it accomplishes a lot in how it gets it's point across. Also the interviews are great. A Realistic Approach To Happiness. I really enjoyed both of these books.
There are certain books in life that help us along the way, this is one of them. that mandate owning it vs. Marci Shimoff is one of a group of many with an empowering message. This is one of those books with many references, exercises, etc. borrowing or going to the library. We are created to be happy, we just seem to forget along the way.
Marci Shimoff shares pearls of wisdom in "Happy For No Reason". Truly inspiring.If you are inspired by Marci Shimoff as I am, check out Authors/Seminar Leaders, Ariel and Shya Kane. There is freedom in her suggestion that my thoughts aren't always true and not to believe everything I think - especially when my thoughts about my myself are unkind in nature. I am touched by the wonderful stories Marci Shimoff includes from 100 happy people she interviewed. After reading their books, Working on Yourself Doesn't Work: The 3 Simple Ideas That Will Instantaneously Transform Your Life, Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment and How to Create a Magical Relationship: The 3 Simple Ideas that Will Instantaneously Transform Your Love Life, I have found a sense of well-being that is consistent. Happiness is no longer a fleeting moment, but is now a life style.
I guess its nice sometimes to get a non-happiness researcher's point of view to avoid the inherent biases they have when they discuss and write about their own research. -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. On the other hand though, 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. Some people think that the best happiness books are written by the positive psychology researchers themselves- because they know the info the best. 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. "Happy for No Reason" seems to fit in the latter category- and for that I have no trouble recommending it. Each step has three "Happiness Habits" with corresponding exercises. 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".
Happiness books written for the popular read seem to fall into one of two general categories. 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. While the author isn't a bona fide positive psychology researcher, that's not necessarily a bad thing when it comes to happiness books. In conclusion, there's plenty of value in this book. Anyway, you be the judge- on to the book. 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. 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.
|
