HAPPY FOR NO REASON : HAPPINESS AND THE LAW OF ATTRACTION
HAPPY FOR NO REASON : HAPPINESS AND THE LAW OF ATTRACTION
by Marci Shimoff
(Watch Marci's video at: Video)
Imagine your fairy godmother is standing before you, ready to wave her
wand and make your wishes come true. Suddenly, the world appears a
different place, full of possibilities and magic!
Well, it turns out that this imaginary scenario is actually how the
process of manifestation works—and is based, not in magic, but in science.
The film “The Secret” vividly explains this powerful universal principle
called the Law of Attraction, which simply stated is: like attracts like.
Whatever we think, feel and put our energy into, whether positive or
negative, we magnetize to us. The universe, like a good fairy godmother,
simply responds.
Sounds easy enough. So, why don’t we all have everything we want?
The answer lies in my favorite formula for applying the Law of Attraction
that was given to me by my good friend and advisor Bill Levacy. It has
three simple, easy-to-remember steps:
1. INTENTION – Be clear about what you want
2. ATTENTION – Experience the thoughts and feelings of already having what
you want, AND take the action steps to manifest your intention.
3. NO TENSION – Let go. Relax. Shift from being tightly focused on your
specific desired outcome to being wide open to all possibilities. Trust
that your highest good will come to you, and feel the happiness of that.
A lot has been written and spoken about the first two steps. Many of us
have mastered them, but have stopped there. We end up holding on to our
desire like a terrier chewing on a bone. We have to take action towards
our goals, but when we push and struggle and hold on too tight, we get in
our own way.
The problem is we haven’t taken the last step. We haven’t let go.
Surrendered. Said, “Okay, this or something better.” The third step, “no
tension,” frees our minds, opens our hearts, and, most importantly, lets
us be happy in this moment. If we skip this step, it’s like having a
closed fist; how can we receive anything when our hand isn’t open? In our
“gotta-get” culture, this is the step most people miss or dismiss.
When we let go and trust that all is ultimately working out for the best,
we feel happier. And happiness attracts more happiness.
When I first heard Bill’s formula, I had an “a-ha moment.” I realized that
every time I had succeeded in manifesting my desires, it had happened only
after I’d done step #3, let go, relaxed and felt happy. In fact, one of
my greatest successes is a perfect example of this.
In 1994, I had been working for ten years as a corporate trainer and a
professional speaker focusing on self-esteem for women. My career
intention was clear (step #1): to inspire and empower millions of people
around the world to live their lives to their highest and best potential.
My attention was focused on thinking, feeling and visualizing BIG success
(step #2). I was the queen of persistence and had taken all the “right
actions” to further my career. Although I had achieved a good degree of
success by then, I knew I wanted to take my work to a higher level, and it
just wasn’t happening. I had done everything I knew to do and was burned
out.
Needing to take a break, I decided to go on a seven-day silent meditation
retreat. After a few days of silence—no easy feat for a Chatty Cathy like
me—the most amazing thing happened. I began to tap into something deeper
in myself, and started to feel peaceful, relaxed and fulfilled. I moved
into that state of no tension, where my grip on achieving my goal melted
away, leaving me with a feeling of deep contentment.
Then, on the fourth day of silence, while I was sitting quietly in
meditation, a light bulb went off in my head, and I clearly saw the words
Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul in my mind. This was back in 1994 when
only the first Chicken Soup for the Soul book had been published, so the
idea of spin-off books for different niche markets was a breakthrough. As
soon as the idea came, I knew it was a winner. I was so excited that it
was all I could do to sit silently for three more days without shouting
the idea to anyone in earshot!
The minute the retreat ended, I ran to the closest payphone and called
Jack Canfield, who had been my mentor for the past six years and was the
co-creator of “Chicken Soup for the Soul”. I told him my idea and he loved
it. Before long I had a book contract to create what would be one of the
first in the now legendary series of over 150 titles. Within a few years,
I had co-authored six New York Times bestsellers in the Chicken Soup
series, with over 13 million books sold. I had finally, and thrillingly,
fulfilled my original intention of touching millions of people’s lives.
I am absolutely certain that it was by using all three steps of this
powerful formula—intention, attention, and no tension—that I was able to
realize my dream. Any two of the steps would not have done it.
So, did I live happily ever after? Not right away. After using this
formula for many years to attract extraordinary situations, people and
things that I wanted, I eventually realized, like many people before me,
that having the things and circumstances you want in your life is
wonderful AND it’s not enough. It was then that I discovered another
essential key: there is more. . .
Having things and circumstances – money, success, relationships,
health--brings a certain happiness, what I call being “happy for good
reason.” Unfortunately, this temporary experience of satisfaction or joy
soon fades and we have to hurry up and fulfill the next desire to get a
new high. To experience true and lasting happiness, we must be free of
the need for any external reason to be happy. As Deepak Chopra has said,
“happiness for a reason is just another form of misery.”
What we all want most deeply is to be what I have come to call “happy for
no reason”—a lasting neurophysiological state of peace and well-being that
is not dependent on circumstances. I’ve spent the last few years
researching the latest findings on happiness and interviewing truly happy
people for my upcoming book, "Happy for No Reason." The good news is this
is an achievable state.
Ironically, we seem to have things backwards. True happiness isn’t a
result of getting what we want; getting what we want is a side effect of
happiness. Why? Because, when we are happy for no reason, we have
mastered that tricky step #3, no tension, and then our desires manifest
more quickly and effortlessly than ever.
Perhaps we need to focus a little less on getting what we want to make us
happy and a little more on creating a deep inner state of happiness. When
we are happy for no reason, all else is just icing on the cake.
That is the ultimate secret!
