Science Has Cracked The Code On Happiness, And It’s Not A Pill

by Marci Shimoff

Finish this sentence:

“I’m happy because _________.”

What did you insert into the blank?

Did you say that you’re happy because you’re in a relationship with a partner who loves you? Because your children are happy and healthy? Because you have a good career? Going on vacation next week? Live in a beautiful home in a vibrant city?

All those things are wonderful, but what happens when you lose those things or circumstances change? Like when your partner leaves you, your children get sick and you get laid off from your high-paying job?

One minute you’re happy, and the next minute you get bad news and poof! There goes your happiness.

Maybe you’ve experienced this in your life. You’ll have moments of joy when things are going your way and the stars are aligned.

But those moments don’t come often enough. And they don’t stick around.

Maybe most of the time, you’re solving one life problem or another, or you’re energetically maxed out trying to achieve a goal that you think will make you happier. You’re not as happy as you’d like to be, because you’re mired in worry and stress.

Either way, you’re NOT what I call “happy for no reason.”

What It Means To Feel “Happy For No Reason”

When you’re happy for no reason you have an inner backdrop of peace and wellbeing that doesn’t change or fluctuate depending on your circumstances.

You’re not looking for the next reason to be happy.

Not that vacation.

Not that promotion.

Not that favorable diagnosis.

Not that new gadget or goodie that’s coming in the mail from Amazon.

Not that sweet text from your beloved.

When you’re happy for no reason, and something good happens, you’re just as happy as you were before it happened.

And when something bad happens, you’re still okay.

It doesn’t mean that when bad things happen, you don’t feel fear, sadness or grief. Of course you feel those things! But that inner backdrop of peace and wellbeing isn’t destroyed just because your dog chewed up your favorite pair of shoes, or because your partner insulted you.

It just means that you bounce back quickly. You’re more resilient.

You deal with whatever you have to deal with, and you move on. Nothing can take that inner peace and wellbeing away from you for long.

It’s the kind of happiness we all crave, but most of us don’t know how to achieve.

I certainly didn’t know how to achieve that kind of happiness when I was younger.

I thought I did. But I was so wrong…

The Moment I Thought It Was Game Over For Me

I used to be one of those people who could never be fully content. I was always aching to feel happier, always pushing for the next thing.

When I was in my 20s, I had this idea that if I could have a successful career helping people, a great husband, wonderful friends, a comfortable home and a Halle Berry body, I would be happy.

Eventually, I managed to reach 4 out of the 5 goals (I don’t have the Halle Berry body, but I have a healthy body).

Even better, I was the author of three books that were in the top of the New York Times Bestseller List!

One day, during a book tour, I had just autographed 5,000 books and had given a speech to 8,000 people.

I had “arrived.” I had fame and fortune and was surrounded by loving friends and was married to a great man.

But that night I burst into tears because I had everything I thought I needed in life to be happy. And I wasn’t.

It was game over for me, it seemed.

I could no longer keep thinking that one more thing was going to bring me the happiness I was longing for.

That was the moment I told myself that I was going to find out what it REALLY takes to be happy.

I spent the next few years diving into the scientific literature on happiness.

I interviewed hundreds of naturally happy people.

And that’s when I discovered something surprising.

The Surprising Fact About What It Really Takes To Be Happy For No Reason

The surprising thing that jumped out at me from the research was why some people never seem to be happy for long, no matter what good things happen in their lives….

…while others are NATURALLY happy most of the time, no matter the challenges.

The answer, it turns out, is that we all have a personal HAPPINESS SET-POINT.

This is our natural default state of happiness. For some of us, it’s quite low. Something good happens—like winning the lottery—and we’re happy for a little while, but then fall right back into feeling down and pessimistic.

Yes, even after winning the lottery!

Some lucky few are born with a high happiness set-point. No matter what happens, these people bounce right back to being joyful, optimistic and at peace with their lives. Even when tragedy befalls them, they bounce back quickly.

How you feel day-to-day depends on your personal happiness set-point—set somewhere in the range of frequently gloomy to frequently joyful. You may not have even realized you have one until just now.

All you know is that you acquire things, achieve goals, and make money, but it doesn’t necessarily make you all that much happier than you are normally. And maybe you’re normally someone who is discontent with life.

So, this is where the exciting part comes in…

What science has shown is there’s a way to permanently RAISE your happiness set-point.

WITHOUT pills, therapy or medical procedures.

What I learned from the research is that it is possible to raise your personal happiness set point by incorporating some simple (yet life-changing) HABITS into your day to day life. These are habits that take only minutes but have the power to change your life. These habits can actually change your happiness baseline.

I decided to test this for myself!

I started incorporating these specific habits into my life and, although I was extremely skeptical at first, I started to notice a difference after just a couple days.

The way I looked at everything in my life started to change. The thoughts in my head were different. I started to notice that my day-to-day life was just so much BETTER… even though nothing on the outside had changed.

I had changed.

After a very short time of practicing these “happiness-making” habits, I went from a D+ in happiness to an A-.

I had to admit, it was an enormous transformation.

Plus, once I really got deeply happy, I got even MORE successful. I felt better. My relationships improved.

That’s when it occurred to me that we have it backwards in our society. We think that if we can just be more successful, we could be happier, but it’s the other way around.

When we’re HAPPY, we become MORE SUCCESSFUL.

I now knew that nothing outside of me could make me happy.

That sort of “happy for no reason” comes from within, from practicing certain habits that raise your happiness set-point, so you can feel joyful and at peace, no matter what happens in your life.

Once I mastered those habits and permanently raised my own happiness set-point, I couldn’t wait to share that discovery with as many people as possible.

How To Raise YOUR Happiness Set-Point And Enjoy A Sense Of Contentment And Wellbeing Daily

When I completed my research on happiness habits, I couldn’t wait to share what I learned with the world.

Everyone who wanted to be happier deserved to learn about this.

That’s why I wrote my book, which became a #1 international best-seller

But I knew that in order to get this information out to the most people possible I couldn’t stop at writing a book… I had to make it easy to learn and as accessible as possible.

It had to be inspiring. It had to be based on science, but also personally vetted by me.

That’s why I created my 30 day video program: 30 Days to a Happier Life.

30 Days to a Happier Life breaks down the most valuable information I learned about happiness habits into bite-size, digestible, delicious nuggets of daily practices, thought-provoking exercises and fun games that you can do daily over a span of 30 days.

And I will be personally guiding and mentoring you through it all.

It’s a step-by-step, but holistic process, which means it will transform your WHOLE SELF.

In fact, this program focuses on 7 major areas where other books on happiness only focus on one or two.

You’ll learn how to:

• rewire your brain circuits
• change your physiology
• attain more physical energy
• connect with your authentic self
• nurture your relationships and spiritual life
• connect to your purpose
• and more

All with the purpose of raising your personal happiness set-point… permanently.

These practices and habits can be mastered in as little as 10 minutes a day, sometimes less, sometimes more. It only takes a few days to notice a change in your outlook, and after you’re done with the 30 days, you’ll be amazed at what a difference it makes in your mood and in your daily life!

Here’s where to start watching:

When you learn and practice the happiness habits I teach in my program, you’ll probably have endless answers to the question at the start of this article.

“I’m happy because I’m alive.”

“I’m happy because the sun is shining.”

“I’m happy because it’s raining.”

“I’m happy for no reason whatsoever!”

I can’t wait for you to start your journey to being a happier person. Science says it’s possible and completely do-able.

And because I’m your guide and mentor in this video program, it’s also a whole lot of fun ;-)

Here’s where to begin:

With love and happiness,