Thanksgiving Break is almost here! I know at least for me this semester has been a stressful one. Finals are approaching, so I know the stress is only going to pick up. However, Thanksgiving Break will be a nice reset to spend time with family and relax before the craziness of the end of the semester.
It is easy to get caught up in the craziness of the school year and complain about everything that is going wrong. Especially around Thanksgiving, it is important to step back and truly recognize all that we have to be thankful for. Living a life of gratitude can be life-changing and truly lead you to living a more joyful life.
If you are looking for a good read this Thanksgiving Break, here are four books about living with gratitude.
“Gratitude” By Oliver Sacks
Oliver Sacks died in 2015 from metastatic cancer. In this book, Sacks takes you through the reality of living with a terminal illness. Approaching the end of his life, Sacks decided to write multiple essays about the end of life and coming to terms with death. While every human being experienced the same ending of death, Sacks believed that the beauty came in the uniqueness of every individual’s life. Sacks could have become bitter by the cards he was dealt at the end of his life. Instead, however, he used the end of his life to have gratitude for the gift that life truly is. “Gratitude” truly puts into perspective the importance of having a constant appreciation for life despite the circumstances of life. This could be a great reminder to take in this holiday season.
“BlessBack: Thank Those Who Shaped Your Life” By Julie Saffrin
Research was conducted for this book to show how giving thanks truly impacts an individual’s life. A grateful person will have not only better mental health but also physical health. Leading a grateful life also has a positive impact on the people that you encounter throughout the day. True stories are shared to show how living a life of gratitude truly leads to a transformed life of sustained happiness. This book also offers 120 practical steps and ways to take in order to lead a more positive life.
“365 Thank Yous: The Year a Simple Act of Daily Gratitude Changed My Life” By John Kralik
When John Kralik was 53 years old, he found himself consumed by the sorrows of his life. He was going through a second divorce, his girlfriend broke up with him, he was growing distant with his children, he was overweight, and his law firm was failing. Nothing was going right in his life and he found himself constantly replaying all that was wrong in his mind. While on a walk on New Years Day, Kralik decided instead of focusing his attention on all that he did not have, he was going to start being grateful for what he did.
He decided he was going to write 365 Thank You notes that year: a thank you note for every day of the year. He wrote thank you notes to those he personally knew and strangers for the smallest of deeds to the largest of deeds. Once Kralik started this, he saw not only external improvements to his life but internal improvements as well. If you want a heart-warming story that also offers great advice, give this book a read!
“Living in Gratitude: A Journey That Will Change Your Life” By Angeles Arrien
In this book, Arrien explores how to live a year with gratitude as the focal point. She provides practical steps in a 12-month plan on how to make gratitude the foundation of your life. She explains how to overcome feelings of envy, comparison, narcissism, and jealousy. The way to a grateful heart involves four things: blessings, learnings, mercies, and protections. Arrien explores how to integrate these four things into your work, relationships, finances, and any other aspect of life. She also provides journaling and reflection exercises to guide you through any season and situation. All of these are steps are supposed to help one grow in gratitude. If you are interested in growing in gratitude and seeing how doing so can change your life, read this book this Thanksgiving!
I hope this Thanksgiving Break is a restful time for you to truly reset before the final stretch of the semester. This Thanksgiving, remember all that you have to be thankful for! If you have the time, give one of the books above a read. Learn how to grow in gratitude and see the change that it brings to your life!
Happy Thanksgiving!
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