List
Gratitude for Grown-Ups
It's a great time of year to consider, start, or strengthen the role of gratitude in our lives. These books represent just a tiny sample of what's out there, showing the power of gratitude through reflections, stories, and practical tips. Just putting this list together reminds me of many things I'm grateful for!
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Giving Thanks: The Gifts of Gratitude
2007 by Ryan, M. J.Get this itemIn a series of quotes and reflections, this slim book focuses on the gifts, grace, and acts of gratitude that we can cultivate. I particularly enjoy some of the accompanying photos.
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Gratitude
2015 by Sacks, OliverGet this itemOnly 45 pages, this book is a tiny gem of four essays on a life well-lived. Nearing death, the author writes, "My predominant feeling is one of gratitude. I have been given much and I have given something in return." It's not a "how-two" of gratitude--it's a celebration of gratitude's gifts.
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365 Thank Yous: The Year a Simple Act of Daily Gratitude Changed My Life
2010 by Kralik, JohnGet this itemI intended to skim this book and wound up reading the whole thing. The raw honesty with which the author writes about his desperation when he started his thank-you note project is truly inspiring, along with the changes he made on the way.
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Living in Gratitude: A Journey That Will Change Your Life
2011 by Arrien, AngelesGet this itemI like this book's division into monthly guides to practicing gratitude, giving a different focus to each month. It's also useful to think about the four "portals" to gratitude: blessings, learnings, mercies, and protections.
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Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?
1973 by SeussGet this itemPicture books aren't just for kids! Read this one out loud for maximum impact, and reflect on this anonymous quotation, "If you haven't got all the things you want, be grateful for the things you don't have that you don't want."
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Gratitude & Trust: Six Affirmations That Will Change Your Life
2015 by Williams, PaulGet this itemIf you've ever felt curious about what it means to be "in recovery" but you don't see a 12-step program that fits, read this book. It offers the tools of recovery for the non-addict, whatever it is that you see standing in the way of being your best self.
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The Gratitude Diaries: How a Year Looking on the Bright Side Can Transform Your Life
2015 by Kaplan, JaniceGet this itemOne of my colleagues says this book changed her life! The author, who is a journalist, embarks on a year of trying, and studying, how practicing gratitude affects both her own life and what she sees happening around her. This book is organized by season, which gives it an interesting twist.
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Ties That Bind: Stories of Love and Gratitude From the First Ten Years of StoryCorps
2013Get this itemIt may take some time to get through this book. I kept popping onto the StoryCorps website to find recordings of some of the interviews so I could hear them as well as read them. It's a great reminder of how awesome so-called "regular" people and their lives are.
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Attitudes of Gratitude: How to Give and Receive Joy Every Day of Your Life
2009 by Ryan, M. J.Get this itemThe first edition of this book was one of the early classics on the topic of gratitude, and it preceded much of the scientific research on the emotional and physical benefits of giving thanks. This 10th anniversary edition has it all.
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The Grateful Life: The Secret to Happiness and the Science of Contentment
2014 by Lesowitz, NinaGet this itemThis book follows up on Living Life as a Thank You, with a collection of tips and interviews on all aspects of gratitude, including the scientific evidence of benefits that have come out since the earlier book was published.
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Living Life as a Thank You: The Transformative Power of Daily Gratitude
2009 by Lesowitz, NinaGet this itemIf you like brief, real stories of people whose lives have been transformed by practicing thankfulness, pick up this book. Each section also includes simple tips for putting gratefulness into daily life in practical ways.
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Living a Life of Gratitude: Your Journey to Grace, Joy & Healing
2013 by Wiseman, SaraGet this itemThis books is a warm collection of brief stories and reflections that show how to open your heart to appreciating life for what it is. Good for dipping into for brief bits of grace.
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