Book Review

Books that we have read and reviewed

The Grateful Life- A Book Review

The Grateful Life Book Cover

The Grateful Life Book Cover

The Grateful Life: The Secret to Happiness, and the Science of Contentment by Nina Lesowitz and Mary Beth Sammons is a book filled with stories and testimonials on how gratitude has changed ones life.

The impact of positivity  on a person’s outlook of life and how it has helped to turn their lives around are mentioned throughout the  ten chapters of the book.

Gratitude is habit-forming. It doesn’t happen overnight and when it does exist you would find that you are more at peace with yourself and change the lens which you view the world.

Giving thanks for all that happens- good or bad- strengthens your relationship with the spirit and how spiritual prosperity manifests itself in the world.

Lesowitz and Sammons portray  how the ordinary person is able to live a full and fruitful life despite having to suffer from various worldly ailments and personal hardships if they have gratitude in their lives.

Despite the physical and emotional pain that the people in the stories were experiencing they managed to follow their heart’s desires and passions.  Even though they were suffering they were able to reach out and help others in need.

In one of the stories a family lost almost everything that they had in a flood and were really touched when the community reached out to them and helped them rebuild their home.  Their neighbours and friends opened out their house to them and strangers donated both their time and money to their rebuilding efforts. It was a really show of caring and generosity for the responders who were really grateful for the help of others during their time of hardship.

My thoughts

I found the stories in the book extremely inspirational. It is not easy for one to be appreciative about the things that they have in life. It may seem that someone else is getting a better deal than you have or more fortunate then you.

Comparison only leads to bitterness and negativity. However once you start to realize that there are many blessings that you have in your life and start to show gratitude for what you have your outlook of live will change for the better.

With gratitude  one will be able to pull through the difficult times in life like the women in all the examples given in the book.  The positivity that they radiate gave them the energy to  see them through all the trials and tribulations that they face.

Being positive also made it easier for them to go through and recover from trauma. Having appreciation in your heart also makes one more at peace and also increases  the level of happiness felt on a daily basis.  It’s certainly a great approach to life to adopt.

If you are looking to learn how to be happy and contented this is certainly the book to read.

Pick up your copy of The Grateful Life: The Secret to Happiness, and the Science of Contentment by Nina Lesowitz and Mary Beth Sammons today.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions are 100% my own. This post has a compensation level of 3. Please visit Dominique’s Disclosure page for more information.

Small Talk by Amy Julia Becker

Small Talk  book cover

Small Talk book cover

Small Talk: Learning From My Children About What Matters Most by Amy Julia Becker is a book that Amy wrote about her experiences as a mother of three.  The book is divided into three parts – Holding on, Letting go and Growing up.

In each part Amy goes recollects her thoughts on the issues of birth, failure, gratitude etc and how she had survived through the years with GOD’s help.  She shares with the readers which the struggles that she has gone through, her experiences of motherhood as compared with her childhood and how she is moving forward as a mother.

Amy uses her experience with her own kids and shows how it is possible to to live a normal and fulfilling life as a parent of a special needs child.  She weaves in passages from the bible and how GOD has worked wonders in her life.

Many time we are focused on being the “perfect” parent that we neglect the fact that the small things are the ones that matters. There is no need to be so “picture perfect” in our lives and the challenges we face are there to help nurture us.

My thoughts

While reading Amy’s book it reminded me how many things that she has described runs parallel to my own life.  The three children and how different they see life as compared to me. My strive to be a better mother and person and have a closer walk with GOD. I too try to teach the children to pray and am working to make it a regular part of our lives. Even though I have similar doubts that Amy has I’m sure that it will work out some how and GOD will help me make my spiritual journey a bit clear to me as I lead my kids on theirs.

This book will be available for sale end October at on Amazon and other main book store. Do pick up a copy if you are interested in learning how GOD has touched Amy’s life.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions are 100% my own. This post has a compensation level of 3. Please visit Dominique’s Disclosure page for more information.