The Happiness Benefit

Today’s Miracle Moment Is About The Happiness Benefit

Many of us have been taught to believe that success makes us happy. But what if I told you it’s actually the other way around? That being happy can lead you to unprecedented success and open up a world of possibilities and miracles?

In my book Happy for No Reason, I explore this paradigm-shifting idea that you don’t need a reason to be happy — happiness is a state you can choose, regardless of your circumstances. And choosing happiness doesn’t just feel good, it actually sets you up to receive more of life’s beautiful gifts.

Here’s an example of how this works. Imagine you’re having a really good day: you wake up feeling rested, the sun is shining, and everything seems to go your way. On days like this, don’t you find it easier to smile at strangers, lend a helping hand, or come up with creative solutions at work?

This isn’t just a coincidence. When we’re happy, our brain releases dopamine and serotonin, chemicals that not only make us feel good but also enhance our ability to organize new information, keep that information in the brain longer, and retrieve it faster later on. This means we are literally smarter when we are happier.

Scientific studies support this. Researchers at the University of California found that happiness leads to greater creativity, improved immune function, and more effective problem-solving skills.

Another study from Harvard University showed that doctors in a positive mood before making a diagnosis showed almost three times more intelligence and creativity than doctors in a neutral state, which led them to make accurate diagnoses 19% faster. Pretty cool, right?

Let me share a story from my book that perfectly illustrates the Happiness Benefit.

This is about Karen, a woman who always seemed to struggle with negativity and skepticism. She found herself laid off from her job, going through a divorce, and feeling utterly defeated.

I think most of us can relate to Karen’s circumstances at some point in our lives. Walking in those shoes, it’s easy to justify looking at the world in a negative way and feel sorry for yourself. I mean, what’s to feel happy about?  But when Karen decided to shift her focus from despair to gratitude and optimism, amazing things began to happen.

Every day, despite her circumstances, Karen wrote down things she was grateful for. She began visualizing her life filled with joy and abundance. Slowly, she started to feel better, and as her happiness increased, so did the positive opportunities around her. Within a few months, Karen received a job offer in a field she had always wanted to work in, she met a supportive partner, and most importantly, she regained her zest for life.

Karen’s story isn’t unique because of the dramatic turnaround alone; it’s powerful because it demonstrates that our internal state can attract external success. By fostering a positive emotional state, Karen opened herself up to more miracles in her life, and the same can happen for you.

How can you experience this Happiness Benefit? Let’s walk through a simple step-by-step process to bring more joy into your life:

Step 1: Practice Gratitude

Start by keeping a gratitude journal. Every night before you go to bed or first thing in the morning when you wake up, write down three things that you’re grateful for. This can be anything! Small things like clean air to breathe or big things like your most important relationships and everything in between. This helps to shift your focus from what’s missing in your life to what’s abundant.

Step 2: Cultivate Optimism

Spend a few minutes each day visualizing your life as you wish it to be. Imagine all your dreams coming true and allow yourself to feel the joy as if they already have. This visualization not only boosts your current mood but also aligns your energy with the outcomes you desire. Even if it’s hard to do at first, keep going! This gets easier with practice. The more you do it, the more fun it becomes.

Step 3: Random Acts of Kindness

Once a week, commit to performing a random act of kindness. It could be as simple as paying for a stranger’s coffee, sending a thank-you note to a colleague or friend, or simply making eye contact and being fully present with someone. These acts of kindness increase not only your happiness but also that of others, creating a positive ripple effect. Of course, you don’t have to limit yourself to just one a week! I think you’ll find that these random acts of kindness become an ongoing habit because they make you feel so good. 

By integrating even one or all of these steps into your daily life, you’ll begin to experience the Happiness Benefit. Remember, happiness is not just about feeling good, it’s a catalyst for success, creativity, and deeper connections. It’s your secret weapon for leading a fulfilling and prosperous life and stepping into the Miracle Zone.

I want to end this Miracle Moment with a wonderful quote from Helen Keller who said “Happiness cannot come from without. It must come from within.”

Here’s to activating the Happiness Benefit in your life!

From my happy heart to yours, I wish you an abundance of joy and miracles.

Want More Easy & Fun Happiness Practices?

P.S. True story: I began studying happiness because I had been unhappy nearly all my life. I felt like I was born depressed and I wanted to figure out why other people were happy and I just wasn’t. This desire took me on a deeply rewarding journey and I knew I had to share what I learned with as many people as possible. And boy does this message resonate, especially now!

This work has been my deepest joy. And in 2025 I’m devoted to training a few select people to become Certified Happiness Trainers. Could this be you?

Apply to become certified so that you can make a good living being an advocate for happiness!

I’d love to hear from you! How has the presence of happiness affected your relationships or your money or your health? What would you like to welcome into your life as a result of simply being happy?

Please share your experience with being happy for no reason below.

Comments

47 responses to “The Happiness Benefit”

  1. Barbara Laurie Johnson Avatar
    Barbara Laurie Johnson

    Your book and your YOM groups have made such a difference in my life . Thank you for all you do .

    1. Marci Shimoff Avatar
      Marci Shimoff

      Thank you so much for these kind words, Barbara! So glad to have you as part of our YOM community. More miracles to you!

      1. Michelle Gemlo Avatar
        Michelle Gemlo

        Sooo amazing
        Thank you

        1. Laura Avatar
          Laura

          I love these 3 simple steps. I have integrated them into my daily life. Thank you Marci for making it so easy to be happy!!

          1. Marci Shimoff Avatar
            Marci Shimoff

            Awww! You’re welcome, Laura. Please let me know how these steps were beneficial to you after integrating them into your daily routine.

        2. Marci Shimoff Avatar
          Marci Shimoff

          You’re welcome, Michelle! I hope the step-by-step process helps you experience the happiness benefit.

        1. Assunta Ercolano Avatar
          Assunta Ercolano

          Thank you Marci! Happy for No Reason has changed the lives of many, I am sure. Today I am grateful to be reading this book for the first time. Sending you congratulations for all the happiness you share so generously.

          1. Marci Shimoff Avatar
            Marci Shimoff

            Hi Assunta,
            I’m so excited for you to read Happy for No Reason. I’m happy to answer any questions you might have while reading it. I hope you enjoy the read and find it insightful!

        2. Jill Baird Avatar

          I resonate so much with these three principles of happiness. I have used all of these in my life during some very heavy challenges, and with them I have found healing, both on emotional and physical levels. Thank you for the beautiful reminder of these things, and for your positive and hopeful energy toward these concepts! 💕

          1. Marci Shimoff Avatar
            Marci Shimoff

            Hi Jill,
            I’m glad these principles have guided you well through your miraculous journey. I hope you use them in your daily routine and find more benefits from them. More miracles to you!

      2. Hawa Avatar
        Hawa

        Thank you Marci

        1. Marci Shimoff Avatar
          Marci Shimoff

          You’re welcome!

    2. Giselle Avatar
      Giselle

      I am aware of the truth that you make your fate yourself and I see my failures
      finally, in old age, as lessons I have to take. Ten times I say to myself

      “I have the power to change my pain
      to happiness and freedom

      1. Marci Shimoff Avatar
        Marci Shimoff

        Hi Giselle,
        It’s never too late! Keep affirming those beautiful words and align your actions towards happiness and freedom. Sending you loads of love!

    3. Gillian Holland Avatar
      Gillian Holland

      I’d forgotten the reason behind your writing Happy for No Reason, thankyou for that reminder, it’s very relevant to me right now
      I love how you’ve combined science with spiritual

      1. Marci Shimoff Avatar
        Marci Shimoff

        So glad this message found you when you needed it, Gillian! More miracles to you.

  2. Kathleen Ressler Avatar
    Kathleen Ressler

    Trusting the universe is here for me and my experiences here to perfect me is one of the greatest truths. This has changed my paradigm for only good things to occur in my life. I feel and see the Universe is here to support me. I am So grateful for Marci and the YOM family. Much love to you all.

    1. Marci Shimoff Avatar
      Marci Shimoff

      That’s beautiful, Kathleen! Thank you for sharing your learnings with us. So happy to have you as a part of our YOM community.
      Yes, once you start trusting that the Universe is there for your greater good and is much wiser, you’ll experience miraculous shifts.

  3. Barbara Spears Avatar
    Barbara Spears

    Thank you, Marci for that sweet message on the Happiness Benefit.
    I loved your comments on having a gratitude journal
    Do you know I’m working on volume 2 of my gratitude journal? I can’t believe it about myself. Writing in a gratitude journal is a habit I am maintaining thanks to HFNR where I learned about it several years ago. That’s a paradigm shift. Thank you so much!!

    1. Marci Shimoff Avatar
      Marci Shimoff

      Yay! That’s wonderful news, Barbara. How has the practice of keeping a gratitude journal helped in your miraculous journey?

  4. frances mance Avatar
    frances mance

    I have been practicing gratitude for several years now. My brother John Mance is a personal development coach and he suggested I start this practice. I have been much happier
    I have started part-time work and have several interviews for full time work. I enjoy walking or running in the mornings and have a more positive outlook on life.

    I would like a full-time position and to find a soul mate. I really liked your video and will add visualizations and random acts of kindness into my day and week.

    1. Marci Shimoff Avatar
      Marci Shimoff

      Hi, Frances! It’s great to know that you already have habits that will help you live in the Miracle Zone. I can’t wait to see how adding visualizations and random acts of kindness helped you bring more joy into your life.

  5. Shirley Cole Avatar

    I am with a man who teases me and makes me laugh. He has his own life to live so we are not living together. Every time I am with him I feel most grateful that he is in my life. I tell him all the time how much I love being with him. I tell him how much I like his company. I feel us becoming more and more close in our relationship.

    1. Marci Shimoff Avatar
      Marci Shimoff

      That’s amazing, Shirley! More miracles to both of you.

  6. Nina Kamwene Avatar

    Happiness to me is a reflection of the joy I must first feel within. Every morning I am grateful to be above the ground and breathing. The three steps of practice you shared are what makes practice perfect. Being-Feeling & doing. I send to Marci, YOMie founders my sincere gratitude.

    1. Marci Shimoff Avatar
      Marci Shimoff

      I love the concept of “Being-Feeling & Doing” that you shared with us, Nina! It’s a brilliant takeaway from this Miracle Moment of The Happiness Benefit. More miracles to you!

    2. Patricia Avatar
      Patricia

      Grazie, Marci! Consigli preziosi di tenere ben presenti! Pratico la gratitudine più volte durante il giorno, e già questo cambia l’umore, ma a volte è difficile sottrarsi alle circostanze esterne. Sono fermamente convinta che ogni cosa parte dall’interno.

  7. Carla Avatar
    Carla

    Thanks a lot Blessed Marcy for this simple, powerful 3steps daily path😀

    1. Marci Shimoff Avatar
      Marci Shimoff

      You’re welcome, Carla! Hope it helps you live more in the Miracle Zone.

  8. Christina VESELAK Avatar

    I now find myself living in a place of contentment and happiness much of the time. I have not been seriously depressed for almost 30 years. My experience this year of being in YOM has certainly contributed to my positive attitude! However, I was one of those people who was also seriously depressed from day one. My depression came from lots of trauma, but it also had nine different biochemical/nutritional causes to it.
    It turns out that I had food allergies, neurotransmitter deficiencies, which I turned around using amino acid therapy and fatty acid deficiency. When I started taking fish oil every day, it felt like like the sun came out. I then discovered that because of my Scandinavian heritage my deep dark depression from day one had a genetic component that was easily addressed using a fatty acid GLA found in Borage or Evening Primrose oil. I find that I have to take it every single day but when I do, I am much more able to stay happy.
    Marci, like you in discovering some of the secrets to happiness and wanting to share it with the whole world, I too want to share with the whole world what I have discovered about nutrition and emotional well-being :-). It’s been life transforming!

    1. Marci Shimoff Avatar
      Marci Shimoff

      Thank you so much for sharing your transformational journey with us, Christina! It’s amazing to see you redirect your life to live more in the miracle zone each time. I hope you find a way to share your this journey with others. Thank you for being part of the YOM community!

  9. Janene Avatar
    Janene

    I think I will try the Gratitude Journal to start

    1. Marci Shimoff Avatar
      Marci Shimoff

      Yes, Janene! Please do try out the gratitude journal practice and let us know how it goes for you. Lots of love!

  10. chrisina Avatar

    I attract a new soulmate who recognizes my spirit, and we fall in love!I will cultivate optimism. I envision myself living in a wonderful house. I am moving in June to a beautiful, positive place that is not hectic; it will be a smooth transition. I feel good about this new environment because it is close to a community that resonates with me. I have friends and a supportive community around me, and I feel healthy every day. I am making positive changes in my life and increasing my income.

    I attract a new soulmate who recognizes my spirit, and we fall in love!

    1. Marci Shimoff Avatar
      Marci Shimoff

      Love these affirmations, Chrisina! Supercharging them so you can experience these beautiful moments in your life soon. Much love!

  11. Catherine Avatar
    Catherine

    Thank you! Three concrete steps that sound like they might make a huge difference…

    1. Marci Shimoff Avatar
      Marci Shimoff

      I really hope they do make an impactful difference for you, Catherine! Please let me know your experience with these steps whenever you try them.

  12. Toni Avatar
    Toni

    I have been practising gratitude for many years and awake with the gratitude of

    being alive as I open my eyes! I then affirm whatever my heart focuses on as

    gratitude. this ois my opening ritual every morning. As the day progresses I

    again affirm gratitude for different things throughout the day and as I reflect

    before I go to sleep, I add more things I am grateful for!

    Being grateful is second nature to me and it raises my vibration for the day

    1. Marci Shimoff Avatar
      Marci Shimoff

      This is amazing, Toni! Thank you for sharing your gratitude journey with us. It’s inspiring and gives us an insight into how beautiful one’s day can be when guided by gratitude. Keep going!

  13. Colleen Neustaeter Avatar
    Colleen Neustaeter

    There are many moments during the day when I say, “thank you”. Being grateful was a learned trait when i was a young girl. Along with recognizing all the things I can be happy with makes me a happy person. Optimism comes when I realize i can affect change and “have”, “be” or “do”. This is what dreams are made of. So i continue to dream and cultivate a life of change. I want to continue to grow in mind, body and spirit therefore I am alive.

    1. Marci Shimoff Avatar
      Marci Shimoff

      Hi Colleen,
      This is so inspiring, and thank you for sharing your miraculous journey. I agree that to grow you need aligned actions that uplift your dreams. Keep at it. You’re doing amazing.

  14. Jenny Avatar

    I took 3/4 of your Happy for no reason course. Had to stop as I was exposed to high levels of 3 different molds in a rental house. Also discovered why I had several health issues before the mold was lead paint in my kitchen cabinets.
    Thanks to your course I remained happy during the years that it took to get healthy. Friends and family couldn’t believe I stayed so positive and happy
    through the entire recovery. Thank you for making my recovery easier.
    Years before all of this I was blessed to see Mike in person in VA. and even won a cd set which he autographed! These were miracles in my life and I am looking forward to many more. All of you are a huge miracle in my life.
    Thanks to all of you!

    1. Marci Shimoff Avatar
      Marci Shimoff

      Hi Jenny!
      I’m so sorry you couldn’t continue the course with us, but I’m so glad you’ve recovered and now lead your miraculous life with positivity and happiness as your focus. More miracles to you!

  15. Bonnie Hoo Avatar

    Hi Marci, I don’t think you would have remembered me, I joined your 2017 YOM while you were hosting with Debra. Not in a million years could I imagine then that now I am completing a manuscript for my book titled “Everyday Miracles – a spiritual perspective on events of coincidence”. I am doing this through HayHouse, Balboa Press branch. I belong to Debra’s Facebook so I can contact her there. But there is something I would like you to enlighten me. To tell the truth, it was your and Debra’s combined goodness and energy together with such a well planned out year long curriculum that turned my life around. Not exaggerating, there would never be such a book, esp with that title and I am writing in English as my second language without your input. The magical moment happened around Christmas that year, I think it was the last or the second last episode and Debra was thanking all of us but said she could not read out all our names, so picked nine names out from that vast number and I could not believe my ear while I heard my name read out as the most contributed members. How could I get so lucky and have the two most influential and my beloved mentors sensing that I do have something worthy to share and to give. Now I need your advice, I know you two do not need me to promote your work but I can’t see any harm if more people (e.g. my readers) know about your offerings, they do change lives, period. So, is there any way for me to do it properly with “class” heehee- yes, I am great with class… under my “Acknowledgment section”. This is my first book but I guess Balboa press would show me the way. Do you have encountered other new authors (your previous students) who would like to acknowledge you for your awesome influence without sounding like a pitch? But, heehee, what is so wrong with that? I have done many online courses, yes, most of them do not require a year long commitment, but to be honest, I really think it takes at least a year, and that frequency of sharing and the community group to make it work perfect. Do you know we are still posting to each other, with all those familiar names, making your hearts often skip a beat. Of course I would love you and Debra to write a few words at the beginning of the book, but I might be crossing the line? I also understand you need to read the manuscript first and I have zero idea how to do things like that as I am only at the stage of penning the last chapter then send the material over to Balboa. My only intention to write this book is to share my life amazing stories with so many miracles happened and many attached photos for proofs. I have been a teacher/counsellor for over 40 years and I often shared with my students when they asked me “how do I reply you?”, I told them to have courage and heart to do something huge enough to feel slightly nervous, then they have repaid me. So here is your payment, Marci, your trust in me and your loving light guided me hand with the pen. I will write to Debra soon and ask Balboa Press how do I go about it without offending or being disrespectful to you and Debra. If you gals can’t do it because you are too famous and I am too green, the no worries, I will send over to you both a physical copy as a token for my utmost gratitude.

    1. Marci Shimoff Avatar
      Marci Shimoff

      Hi Bonnie,
      This is such a wonderful news! Congratulations on the book. I’m so glad to be part of your miraculous journey to get this book ready. Please contact our Chief Everything Officer, Gina Lombardo, at gina@happyfornoreason.com for the request.

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