A Gift of Hope: 52 Ways to Live a Better Life [Paperback]

Shadonna Richards (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 12, 2008

A Gift of Hope is a compilation of 52 inspirational essays (one for each week of the year) and offers a variety of tips on living well, with chapters such as: Stay Mentally Fit, Understand That Money Isn t Everything, Reach Out to Those in Need, Be the Friend You Desire to Have, Turn Your Weaknesses into Strengths, and Dare to Dream: Be Inspired by the U.S. First Black Elected President, Barack Obama. This book is designed as a practical guide and workbook, filled with weekly exercises to implement positive changes in your life. Shadonna Richards is a registered nurse who works with terminally ill cancer patients. She was inspired to compile stories from her tenure as a nurse, her previously published newspaper columns and empowering words of wisdom from many sources including her great-grandmother, a nurse-midwife and cancer survivor, who lived to be 105-years-old.

Editorial Reviews

Review

...being a student and teacher of transformation, I know it works. Shadonna Richards has provided a book, A Gift of Hope, to take us to a higher level of consciousness, a place where we can manage our personal lives with ease and contentment. ----Irene Watson, Reader Views

A Gift of Hope is full of wisdom, insight and hope. Flavored with amazing stories and inspirational poetry, it will uplift your spirits and gently remind you to believe in yourself. --~Yvonne Blackwood, author of Into Africa, a personal journey

"...an important topic and you write about it in a straightforward and inspiring way." ---- Sandra Martin, Senior Features Writer, Globe and Mail

About the Author

SHADONNA RICHARDS, R.N. is the author of more than 250 articles & inspirational stories, former newspaper columnist and registered nurse. Her work has appeared in the Toronto Star, Toronto Sun, Metro Toronto Edition, Word Magazine and the Scarborough Mirror with a combined readership of 2 million readers. She also has a BA in Psychology and lives in Canada with her husband and son.

Product Details

• Paperback: 166 pages
• Publisher: Infinity Publishing (December 12, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0741451670
• ISBN-13: 978-0741451675
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,222,633 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Bestselling author Shadonna Richards enjoys reading and writing about the magic of romance and the power of love. She has a B.A. degree in psychology and is the author of the non-fiction books, A Gift of Hope and Think and Be Happy: 365 Empowering Thoughts to Lift Your Spirit. Winner of Harlequin's So You Think You Can Write 2010-Day Two Challenge, she is a member of the Romance Writers of America. An Unexpected Bride is her first novel and is an Amazon Top 10 bestseller in romance. She's a proud mommy and wife and lives in Canada with her husband and son. Check out her blog at www.shadonnarichards.blogspot.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book! Uplifting..., December 23, 2008

By 

J. King - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Gift of Hope: 52 Ways to Live a Better Life (Paperback)

This stuff really works. Richards has written a collection of inspiring true stories and anecdotes designed to uplift your spirits and awaken your soul. The 52 lessons are followed by motivational exercises to apply to your own life. Reading the first few pages has enabled me to improve my outlook on life. Hope is something we all need during these times of gloom. What a great book!

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 52 Positive Thoughts, March 5, 2009

By 

Cathy A. Pulsifer "http://www.wow4u.com" (N.B., Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Gift of Hope: 52 Ways to Live a Better Life (Paperback)

In the authors introduction she writes, "Words can move you to change. The choice is often up to how you internalize them and on what you choose to dwell." Shadonna Richard's book, A Gift of Hope, can move you to change if you so choose to do so.

Fifty-two positive thoughts and inspirational quotes are provided - one for each week of the year. In addition, the reader will find the weeks content summarized at the end of the writing in "this week's hope initiative" which offers food for thought. Plus, there is a space for the reader to write their hopes for this week. So, in fact the author has not only provided real life stories, actual experiences, and shared her knowledge but she has provided the questions to challenge our thinking and is encouraging us to document our thoughts. We have all heard that writing your challenges helps you deal with the issues facing you; well this book helps people do just that.

Some of our favorite quotes from the book:
"Leave yesterday in the past. Get rid of that rewind button in your memory of bad situations."

"Your life is whatever you focus on."

"Believe in the power of possibilities. Believe you can accomplish anything you put your mind to."

"Life can be simple, so why make it harder?"

"One of the hardest things to do is to train our minds to always focus on good thoughts, even if our world around us is crumbling."

"Money isn't everything."

"Beginning today, make it a habit to count your blessings everyday."

"It's not about what happens to us but our reaction to it that matters."

A Gift of Hope is a wonderful companion to be read each week, and it is a great way to start your week on a positive note. The stories and thoughts shared by the author are full of common sense and contain words of wisdom that everyone can benefit from.

We do recommend this book for all ages