Customer Reviews

Attitudes of Gratitude: How to Give and Receive Joy Everyday of Your Life

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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The ideas in this book are presented in a series of essays. Even if you only read a few pages a day, you'll learn something valuable. I found the quotes used at the beginning of each section to be very inspiring, and have copied several of them into my journal. The book is a perfect size to be easily carried in a knapsack or purse if you want to read a section a day as a daily meditation. Overall, this book has been helpful to me in my quest to begin practicing an attitude of gratitude.

This book actually succeeded in changing the way I view my life. I started reading a small section of the book every day at my desk before I started the day along with keeping a daily journal and over the course of a few months, I have found that I get so much more joy out of life. I notice and appreciate beauty that has always been surrounding me, but that I've never taken note of before.
It's wonderful and I recommend it to everyone. It makes a great gift, too! (especially for someone who always seems to see the glass as half empty!) What's better than the gift of joy?

Talk about personal feng shui! Read this book it shows you how to give in abundance. It will instruct you how to place your thoughts and actions in line with the universal laws of love, gratitude and forgiveness. I loved it. Thanks again MJ Ryan.... from the angel in Tucson.

I love this book more than any other that I own. The reason is that I read one passage every night before I go to sleep and it gives me so much to think about in improving my life. I limit myself to reading only one per night so that I can concentrate on the points of the particular essay of the night. I am almost to the end of the book and plan to begin rereading it and continuing to do so until I have the messages embedded in my brain and heart!!! This book is for everyone--I recommend you buy more than one copy and give them as gifts because I don't think you'll want to lend your copy out!!!

I have several autoimmune disorders. Unfortunately, chronic depression both runs in my family and is a symptom of one of my disorders, so I've struggled with depression on and off throughout my life. I do not, however, receive medication for my depression; instead, I manage it through exercise, a support group of family and friends, and positive thinking.

One of my tools is Attitudes of Gratitude by M.J. Ryan. It's a smallish book that focuses on keeping a gratitude journal; it's been medically proven that people who regularly count their blessings are less likely to be depressed.

Written in 1994, Attitudes of Gratitude is a sequel to the author's A Grateful Heart: Daily Blessings for the Evening Meal from Buddha to the Beatles. Each of the sixty chapters is a meditation on gratitude and practical ways to practice and maintain thankfulness in our daily lives. The author recommends only reading one chapter a day in order to let the stories and messages sink in. According to Ryan, since gratitude is an attitude as well as a practice, we should take enough time to integrate her learnings so we can truly possess them.

Each of the individual chapters is opened by a quote on gratitude, and feature stories of various individuals who've overcome devastating medical diagnoses and divorces, personal obstacles, or other barriers to happiness. The readings are very brief (a page or two at most), so you have no reason not to be able to work one into a hectic day. Ideally, with practice you'll be able to take five or ten minutes for yourself to make a list of everything you're grateful for, from chocolate to loved ones to sunsets.

If the sound of all of this is making you uncomfortable with touchy-feely New Age overtones, the book is written in a friendly and accessible manner. It is spiritual rather than religious; there are no cutesy angels or cloying illustrations of puppies and kittens. In fact, there are no illustrations to allow you a clear view of the idea of recognizing and expressing gratitude.

This is a priceless gift for someone who is facing a rough spot, whether it's a recent medical diagnosis, a death in the family, or any event that temporarily robs someone of hope or joy. Attitudes of Gratitude showed me the power of positive thinking and expressing gratitude for what I DO have as opposed to what I think I'm missing or being deprived of, and has helped me to focus on the things I enjoy rather than what I'm not able to do or what I don't own.

A lot has been said about having a "positive attitude," but this is one of the first books I have read that actually shows you how to accomplish this and experience life as a series of everyday miracles. I love this book and have given it as a gift several times. A must read.

This book looked great from the reviews, so I decided to reserve it at the library to see if I thought it was worth purchasing. I was really excited when it was ready for pick up! I've just sat down with it tonight, however, and I'm really kind of disappointed... keep in mind this is coming from someone who has struggled for more than half her life with depression and anxiety - who has read the books and talked to professionals about problems and life and all that. This book didn't tell me anything I hadn't heard elsewhere.

To me this book seemed like a whole lot of "You should be grateful for simple things..." as opposed to, "This is how you can be grateful for simple things." I, personally, don't need someone telling me a list of things to be grateful for... I need someone to tell me *why* to be grateful for them... in a manner that is actually passionate and compelling. Why is life such a wonderful gift, why should I be moved by a rainbow, or a flower, etc.

The book is broken down into 5 "chapters", all filled with short 2 or 3 page stories. In one of the parts towards the beginning, the author talks about how worry, stress, etc., are bad for us... while gratitude and joy are good. It's not worded exactly like that, obviously, but that is the basic premise, and it's something I think just about everyone knows already. Not much is said about how you can go about getting rid of that worry and stress, though. Well, actually, there is... we can get rid of it by being grateful, but nothing seems to tell you how to do *that*.

In chapter 4, the stories start offering some suggestions. Most of them involve thinking of things you're thankful for... or thinking of ways you can improve your life to get things you want (not in a material but an emotional fashion). I didn't read anything about how to actually go about getting into the mindset of *being* thankful, or how to actually take the steps to *make* the improvements to your life.

Reading this book reminded me so much of the "Just do it" attitude I run into everywhere. In many cases, a great affirmation... but sometimes it isn't that easy. Be grateful... for life, simple things, etc. It reminds me of how people often tell you to "stop it" when they hear you are anxious or depressed. It isn't a light switch that everyone can flip on or off at will. The author DOES know this, and acknowledges that you have to work at gratitude... but I am not one of those people who is helped much by self reinforced positive affirmations on a day to day basis. That seems to be the method this book suggests.

Perhaps, if you're normally a happy person who has hit a rough spot... or if you're a person who can change easily... this book will help you. For anyone who has problems changing and needs really sound suggestions and things to practice that will do the job, I don't think I'd suggest this book. That's not to say this book is bad, I just find it average in the "help" it offers. If I judge it only among self-help books, I would say it is above average, because it's much easier and more fun to read.

[...]

As usual, M J Ryan has written an easily read book that allows the reader to absorb some very good ideas. Her chapters are generally short, precise, entertaining, and to the point. I have attempted to purchase all of this author's books. My one regret is that they have not been translated into Spanish. There are so many people here in the USA who speak only Spanish; it is a shame to deny them access to some excellent material.

Attitudes of Gratitude was gifted to me by a friend many years ago. I keep it close by and read selections from it often. Many pages are "tagged" and much "highlighting" throughout. Recently, I purchased another copy (through Amazon) for a close friend as we were talking about the importance of being grateful for the blessings in our lives. There have been times when I found myself being thankful for things that didn't happen. That also is addressed in this book. It's one that I can pick up and read whenever I want to be lifted up and reminded of the importance of gratitude. I am grateful for each and every story shared. Rev. Joyce C. Zorger

This is a "must read" for all of us to keep our lives balanced with the blessings we have today.