Episode 58 : 21 steps to an unavoidably happy life, with Marci Shimoff [PODCAST]

On today’s episode of Crank It UP Marci Shimoff is our fabulous guest. She’s a #1 NY Times bestselling author, a transformational leader, and one of the nation’s leading experts on happiness, success, and unconditional love. Her two books have soared to the top of many national bestseller lists including The New York Times, Amazon, and the Wall Street Journal and have been translated into 31 languages. On today’s show she and David chat about the issue of happiness, the reality of a “happiness formula,” and how you can do some very simple but powerful things to increase your level of happiness.

From Chicken Soup to Happiness Formulas

Today’s guests, Marci Shimoff is one of the driving forces behind the most amazing self-help book phenomenons in history, Chicken Soup for the Soul. She has authored six bestselling titles in the series, including Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul and Chicken Soup for the Mother’s Soul. In her own words she got to the point where she had enough chicken soup to last a lifetime and she moved on to other things. Her work since that time has been spent interviewing and interacting with some of the happiest people on the planet in an effort to understand what makes them so happy. In this conversation you’re going to hear some of her observations and learn some practices that can increase the happiness quotient in your life.

What is the happiness formula?

What Marci Shimoff calls “the happiness formula” is 21 different components or steps that she found to be in common among all the happy people she interviewed and studied, from the Dali Lama to everyday people like you and me. Her findings were astonishing, especially in the simplicity of some of the mindsets and practices that were uncovered. In this episode Marci walks you, the listener, through two of those practices to demonstrate how quickly these practices take hold and how impacting they can be on your life. Don’t miss this episode. You’ll be glad you learned these two practices for happiness and be motivated to learn all the others.

The power of breaking the hold resentment and unforgiveness have on you.

In all of her research and interviews one thing she found that was common in everyone of her “happy people” was that they had found a way NOT to hold onto unforgiveness or bitterness.  They were able to release things that bothered them rather than holding them close. What she found was that, that practice alone is the most powerful step toward building a happy life, and as a result it’s the very first thing she suggests that everyone interested in increasing their happiness level learn to implement. You can hear  her description of what it looks like to let go of things and even hear a personal example from her own life. It’s a touching, powerful episode so don’t miss it.

What is the most important thing you can do for the world?

How would you answer that question? David’s guest today, Marci Shimoff says it doesn’t have anything to do with money or success. It’s something that you have to do for yourself that will benefit the world around you in countless ways. Can you guess what it is? Be happy. Of course, it’s easier said than done but the fact remains that your happiness level is the number one thing that impacts your world. If you can take intentional steps to increase the level of your own personal happiness, your family, your friends, your neighbors, your co-workers, everyone you come in contact with will benefit. Find out how today’s “happiness expert” recommends you can go about increasing your happiness today.

Outline of this great episode

[1:48] How Marci came to write her books, “Happiness for No Reason” and “Love for No Reason”

[6:40] How the happiness code has impacted Marci’s life.

[9:44] How Marci started her journey to discover the “happiness code.”

[12:48] Marci’s experience with the Dali Lama.