Discover the simple, yet profound, wisdom inside the little book being passed from hand to hand, from friend to friend, since it debuted in small local gift shops and bookstores across America…
The Gratitude Jar is a work that has come to light when the world deeply needs to read its message. The story itself is a heartwarming, inspirational tale of spiritual transformation and self-discovery, but it is also a guidebook with the power to instantly release the negative belief systems no longer serving you….and to direct your steps with new energy onto the path of joy and emotional freedom.
Nourish your soul and restore your faith in the goodness of the world as you begin to use its simple truths within your daily life. The time is right to hear its message, and to accept the invitation that awaits inside its pages to a joyful and inspiring new life.
Josie Robinson is a licensed counselor and bestselling author who helps everyday people navigate this hectic modern world with gratitude and grace. Josie created Give THANKS, a simple, yet powerful self-help technique that combines the stress-relieving benefits of gratitude with the mental clarity of mindfulness. Now, Josie's mission is to teach others the power of a simple "thank you" and to quietly start a gratitude movement around the world. She lives in Minnesota with her husband, sons, and a chatty black cat.
This small and quick autobiographical tale, packs a punch for a rather simple idea!
We have all heard of the concept of changing your mindset with Gratitude, daily thanks through a journal, or with an actual jar. Oprah and others have been big proponents of this idea. And I believe it. That happiness, and mindset is absolutely a choice.
What is amazing about this book however, is that the author was a harried mom, and perhaps a more negative/dysthymic person. And she drank, drank excessively throughout the day, compromising her children and husband, her life felt meaningless and non-engaging. She knew she needed help and couldn't ask. But between a psychic healer and this simple gratitude task, her life changed! I love stories like that. When a person puts their mind to it, they can really transform their lives and let a new kind of love and peace in. Changed it for her children too! That is role modeling as a parent, and now two boys will grow up so differently, for the presence of their mother, and the gift of perspective (and love) that she gave them. And then wrote about it to share it with us. I hope this little book finds its way to those who need it most. Maybe my review will help that just kind of magically happen. Thankful for this group, for my group of local readers at home, for books and connections, for positivity and intentionalization, and for healing.
I appreciate the honesty here. This is definitely a good idea but I don’t think it’s going to change your circumstances, just the way you perceive them. 3.5 stars
As a therapist, I have utilized & have encouraged a gratitude practice in everyone I have worked with and known. The importance of really recognizing the gifts we already have around us can absolutely change your life. Josie's story is one of a person that experienced that change & I enjoyed her experience she shared in the book. I can also see why she would want everyone to begin a practice immediately after experiencing so much change in just 30 days. I too became excited by the changes I experienced when I began my gratitude practice 13 years ago. It's as if you have been converted to a new, peaceful awareness around you that you want to open the world's eyes too. I do believe though that each person needs to come to it in their own time & commit to it in their own way. So, if you are ready, please read this book!
Can't find any light? Wallowing in a darkness of your own?
There are many ways to find your way back to the light of love, joy, and happiness. One way is to read this book. Whether you need a refresher course in how to change your life for the better or need immediate help, this book contains ways to enable yourself to enjoy life once again. Read it.
I read (well, actually listened to this gem of a book) the day before Thanksgiving 2023. It is very short, yet inspiring. I also came to learn that this short little book was written by a Minnesotan, which I thought was way cool. I have read other books on gratitude, read articles on gratidude and actually already practice writing down what I am grateful for. I strive to write down 3 grateful per day, and/or 30 grateful sun a month. (The daily three grateful I do fail to keep up with) ha! However, this book hit differently, it just has a new magical spin on how writing down what you are grateful for, just seems to attract more in your to be be grateful more. I am not one to set New Year’s resolutions, because I’m not good at keeping them! Ha! However, after listening to this book THE GRATITUDE JAR, on audible, I just feel inspired to create a decorative jar and fill it up. In the book, the author shared how significantly her life seemed to magically change in a 30 day period. What is it about the jar, and writing down your thankfuls on tiny slips of paper that seems to be the key verses other gratitude types of excercises. I don’t really know? However, I’m actually declaring that I’m going to make a New Year’s resolution have my own gratitude jar. If I can keep it up for one year, I think it will be really fun to reread all the slips of papers in a year from now. So, my first thankful to put in my jar, is that I’m thankful I read (listened) to this book, especially because it was written by a Minnesota author. I excited to experience the “feel good feelings and possible life transformations that may result from simply having a gratitude jar.” Note- I will be submitting this review on Amazon, it will appear on Amazon in approximately 2 weeks. (Jan 14th 2024) Liking my reviews on Amazon is greatly appreciated.
"Typically, I rushed to get somewhere or get something done. But now that I had to come up with gratitude each night, I went through my day in a completely different way. There was a little boy waiting expectantly for me to come up with something *really good* to be thankful for each night, so I had to start paying attention. And pay attention I did." (pages 29-30)
The way things resolve in the author's life is a little too tidy. I guess I'm not sold on the idea that life opens up for us in a whole new way once we start being more positive. And to be honest, I slightly wanted to punch her husband for saying he was glad that her "old self" was back. I understand where he's coming from, and sure it's nice to have a Significant Other notice a change in us and appreciate positive change. BUT I don't like the whole "old self/real self" thing, after spending 3+ years with a guy who couldn't accept that I wasn't the same person I'd been at 19. I don't want to feel like my guy is waiting for me to be a certain incarnation of myself, but that he can stick around and watch me change, whether it's growing or backsliding, and support me and let me support him. I realize it falls beyond the scope of the book, but the author doesn't give much indication of how her husband was doing in the middle of all this. Almost like she's going through all this profound change apart from him and once she feels great again, they'll reconnect. IDK.
I like her son Lucas. The conversations with him keep the book's fourth star.
I just finished The Gratitude Jar — which I read front to back in one sitting. Josie tells her story with unflinching honesty, sincerity and true appreciation for the gift of seeing life through the eyes of gratitude, with the simple daily practice using a gratitude jar (basket). The story speaks to that place inside all of us that sometimes feels hopeless, but reaching for some kind of Divine intervention. When her mentor suggests she keep a gratitude jar, I love how she describes seeing a chance to reconnect with her son in sharing this journey together, and then as a family. I love how she let gratitude open her up to see the beauty and gifts from life, both within and all around her —seeing everything in the light of miracles! How she shares how she let this simple practice of daily thanks, transform her self, her life, and her relationships both personal and professional. And she shows how gratitude creates MIRACLES in your life, and makes you a happier and more peaceful human being. I’ve actually practiced this gratitude jar for long stretches in my life and it was transforming. I’m not sure where I learned about it. For all I know, it was someone who had read this wonderful book!!! This is truly a book everyone will benefit from reading, and by applying what it suggests. I know I’ll be sharing it with everybody I know!
This reminds me of a business fable book - there’s a simple story describing a less than ideal before, then magic ingredient action, and a happily ever after for the protagonist.
Despite its compactness and simplicity, it’s a powerful little book - the story feels so adaptable and repeatable. Also, there are so many nuggets of wisdom, that woo-woo or not, make sense.
‘When you're in that Higher Self energy … you're happy, joyous, free, peaceful, and useful.’
‘how you do anything is how you do everything including laundry. I found this to be true. I went from feeling resentful and irritated about doing my drudgery—to actually looking forward to it.’
‘What we put our attention to increases. What we appreciate, appreciates. The six inches between our ears are the most powerful part of the human body.’
As a result of this book, my occasionally snarky, cynical hat is firmly off. Wherever I’ve had a negative thought, I’ve flipped it, and rephrased it to a positive statement.
Depuis quelques années que je m’intéresse au développement personnel, j’ai souvent entendu parler de « gratitude ». Or pour moi, ça a toujours été un concept abstrait que je ne comprenais pas spécialement et surtout que je ne savais pas comment mettre en application. Puis je suis tombée sur ce livre (il est gratuit en ebook). Cette femme a vécu un très mauvais moment dans sa vie et s’en est sortie grâce à la gratitude.
Si vous ne voulez pas lire son histoire mais simplement lire la manière dont mettre en œuvre la gratitude, allez directement au chapitre 7. Mais je vous conseille de tout lire, c’est intéressant et positif.
En attendant, je me prépare pour le challenge !
À lire si : - vous avez envie de savoir ce qu’est la gratitude - vous n’êtes pas dans une bonne passe de votre vie. (Bien sur vous pouvez aussi le lire en étant bien, ça ne fera que décupler ce sentiment!) - si vous cherchez plusieurs manières d’appliquer la gratitude au quotidien
This book is short and sweet. Josie goes to a spiritual healer one day after realizing that something in her life needed to change. She was drinking too much and hiding her depression with smiles and over confident happy responses. The healer suggested a jar which she could place notes of gratitude or wins from the day. So she began to do this each night for 30 days with her 4 year old son. Friends and family begin to notice the shift in her and simple miracles began to happen. Here are some of my favorite parts of the book:
“I learned a life changing lesson from that experience: thinking about and giving thanks for what you want produces more of it, while thinking and complaining about what you don’t want produces more of it.”
“There have been several studies proving that sharing your happiness with others elevates both your moods and increases your long term satisfaction with life.”
I loved this book! I opened it up and read from cover to cover in one sitting. It is beautifully and simply written. I felt as if Josie was sat with me at the kitchen table, drinking coffee and telling me her life story. Unlike some "self help" books which are long on words and short on solutions, Josie tells it like it is, you are left knowing exactly what to do, how to do it and what to expect. I will be buying copies to give to friends as presents. Thanks you Josie, you are the first note in my gratitude jar,
I’ve practiced gratitude at certain times and know the impact it can have. However I’ve let my negative thoughts get the best of me. This is a refreshing book on making gratitude a daily practice and seeing you shouldn’t complicate it. I too have struggled with journals (which is why I quit so easy) the gratitude jar is something that I am definitely going to try. Her story is inspiring and REAL. She does not fluff up her past which I appreciate. Life can be hard but there is always something to be thankful for.
I don't know why I started crying as I finished reading your book. As I sit here with tears falling, I can't help but think about everything that I should be truly thankful for.
Thank you for sharing your profound and humbling experiences. I am also thankful for one of my dear friends who gave me this ebook as a gift.
An easy, quick read that nicely reminds the reader about the benefits of gratitude thinking, as the author guides us through her challenges with money, alcohol, and her need to connect more with her family. Readers in the same boat will relate & author does an engaging job of sharing her gratitude jar methods.
Having stumbled on this great book and having read it, it’s really so uplifting to know that such a small thing can change our whole being, I already have my gratitude jar ready, and hope anyone that reads this book follows this gift, so thank you Maleah for first telling Josie about it and thank you also to Josie for sharing it further.
What a book. Such a great story on how gratitude completely changed Josie's life by just being grateful and using a jar. I already practice gratitude, but this was a great refresher and it incorporated a few extra practices to take it a step further. So many great quotes in it too. Highly recommend this book to all.
I bought 10 copies for Christmas presents for my yoga group based on a recommendation from a colleague. Then I read it. It works. The depth of the story seems to have been sacrificed a bit for the brevity of the read, so, on the balance, it works, in that it inspires one to try a daily gratitude practice outside of their head.
Some good ideas in this book but… and this is a huge but, it is just new age thinking with a little God sprinkled on top for good measure, along with buddha and Oprah 🤦🏼♀️ It starts out with her thinking God send her to a mystic…. Nope he didn’t!
But the idea of daily gratitude and writing it down is excellent. We need to be grateful to God for everything.
This life changing story or rather gratitude changing lives story is a quick but powerful read. We can all learn from it and create our own extraordinary lives if we can just recognize all the blessings we already have.
A very quick, short read, but very impacting. It emphasizes a very important concept: being grateful. For everything. It also gives you techniques to put it into practice, which is very helpful if it's something you're struggling with.
I loved this simply told story!!!! Anyone who wants to love their life more should read this short, simple, amazing book! We need more gratitude in this world! I am so grateful that I found this book!!!
I came upon this book exactly when I needed it. It was funny, simple and a delight to read I already have my Thank you bucket and can't wait to get started with my children tonight. Heaven sent. Thank you.
A nice book that is quick to read. It gives a nice description of not only keeping a gratitude jar but of sharing your gratitude with others. It does, in my opinion simplify some issues many people may struggle with in life.
I liked the presentation of the concept. You see the personal application and the changes that gratitude can bring to a person’s life. While gratitude is talked about in self-help books, I felt the author’s story gave the idea a clearer meaning.
The author bears her soul in this book. She shares her dark secrets and how she overcame them. Her journey out of darkness helps bring the reader with her into the light. A real enjoyable insiprational read!
Thank you!! Just finished reading this book and already noticing the little things around me to be grateful for!! Thankful, thank P.S- going to share with hubby tonight! ♥️♥️