365 Thank You’s by John Kralik

John Kralik was 53 years old, owner of a struggling law firm, divorced twice, distant children, 2 mortgages (not his own), a tiny apartment, and a girlfriend that was about to become his ex-girlfriend.  Life , it was safe to say, was at an all time low.

One New Years day while taking a walk to sort out his thoughts, John struggled with what he had to be grateful about.  Shoot…. he coulomb even spell the word grateful.  Certainly…. even as he looked through his crumbling life… there had to be something.

And that is where it began.  John made a decision that day to write a thank you card every day for a year in an attempt to focus on the positive.  At first it was easy, he thanked people for the Christmas gifts that he had recently received.  Then, he had to dig a little deeper.  What came out of this project was far beyond what John could have ever imagined.  Relationships…. healed and strengthened, people responded in kind, he learned more about people he hardly knew, and John’s world… became a friendly place again….

All because he opened up to the possibility of gratitude for what he had… no matter how little it seemed.

 

Read mostly in the dining room

I love books that make me realize I was wrong.

When I agreed to review this book I really thought this was going to be a little guide on writing thank you notes.  In a small way it is just that.  In a much larger and more important way, it is about a true story of a man who changed his attitude to gratitude and in turn…. changed himself into someone he wanted to be.

This book… is right up my alley.

I love stories like Pay It Forward, where a kindness changes someone…. makes us look at the good and not focus so much on all that is and can be bad around us.  It’s easy to see where the world fails… where we fail…. it takes a little effort to find the good in things sometimes but I promise you, it is there.

I take this book a little personally because I have been in the low places in my own life and have learned that even the darkest times… have a little light.  It may not be as obvious as the dark that surrounds us, but you can find it.

I won’t get all deep on you – but I will tell you this.  This book inspired me to try to do my own 365 thank you’s.  The written thank you seems almost a thing of the past, yet I know when I receive one I am always thrilled that someone took the time to thank me or appreciate me.  I want to do the same for others.  I think a project like this is one that makes you dig a little beyond the surface…. sure there are the obvious people to thank:

• the mailman who delivers the mail to your box rain or shine (or in my case hauls books to my front door)
• a grandparent for sharing their past with you
• your hairdresser who has listened to your stories for years
• the friend that is always the first one you call when things are rough
• your spouse who you share your life with
• the neighbor who may or may not be a part of your life
• the adult child who struggles but you love – no matter what
• the child still in your home
• A relative who you may have not connected with in a while
• a boss from the past who really made your job worthwhile
• the person who bags your groceries
• parents and siblings

I am going to create a sidebar button and post who I sent the thank you’s to in order to keep track.

I think this book would be a wonderful gift for someone who is struggling to find anything to be grateful for.  I found the book to be inspirational and I am so glad I for the opportunity to read and review it.

Amazon Rating

My 2011 WHERE Are You reading Map has been updated to include 365 Thank Yous

 

I received this advanced copy of this book from Shelf Awareness

 

 

 

A few of you have expressed an interest in also doing a 365 Day Thank You Challenge

Here is a button for that challenge: