Reading Resources for Turbulent Times
March 26, 2009 by Mary Ellen
My “to read” pile stacks high and usually leans to non-fiction although a good fiction blast lets me escape when life gets too rough. Happy for No Reason: 7 Steps to Being Happy from the Inside Out by Marci Shimoff and contributor Carol Cline had been recommended to me sometime last year. After a particularly grueling day I peeked inside and finished it off by the end of the week.
What I liked about this book: little fluff. Marci offers solid research to back her theories and couches everything in an easy, story-like style. Each chapter includes a summary and action steps to help you practice your own happiness set point.
Marci uses the metaphor of a home, the foundation for your happiness, with its four pillars – the mind, heart, body and soul – as well as the roof which covers your purpose and your relationships. The Happy Ever After principle is the seventh piece.
Even if you’ve heard this information before (Marci was involved with The Secret as well as Chicken Soup for the Soul for Women) Happy for No Reason offers a persuasive list of reasons to take charge of your own perspective with chapter titles like:
Focus on the solution
Make peace with yourself
Question your thoughts
Focus on gratitude
Contribute to something greater than yourself
Stories from Happy 100 participants (she interviewed 100 people from all over the world who were happy for no reason) mix with quotes, folklore and best practices. I found the book entertaining, practical and interesting. See for yourself and then let me know what you think.
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