The Gratitude Diaries

How a Year Looking on the Bright Side Can Transform Your Life

By: Janice Kaplan

Narrated by: Janice Kaplan

In this New York Times bestseller, Janice Kaplan spends a year living gratefully and transforms her marriage, family life, work, and health.

On New Year’s Eve, journalist and former Parade editor in chief Janice Kaplan makes a promise to be grateful and look on the bright side of whatever happens. She realizes that how she feels over the next year will have less to do with the events that occur than her own attitude and perspective. Getting advice at every turn from psychologists, academics, doctors, and philosophers, Kaplan brings readers on a smart and witty journey to discover the value of appreciating what you have.

Relying on both amusing personal experiences and extensive research, Kaplan explores how gratitude can transform every aspect of life, including marriage and friendship, money and ambition, and health and fitness. She learns how appreciating your spouse changes the neurons of your brain and why saying thanks helps CEOs succeed. Through extensive interviews with experts, and lively conversations with real people, including celebrities like Matt Damon, Daniel Craig, and Jerry Seinfeld, Kaplan discovers the role of gratitude in everything from our sense of fulfillment to our children’s happiness.

With warmth, humor, and appealing insight, Kaplan’s journey will empower readers to think positively and start living their own best year ever.

Critic reviews

Praise for The Gratitude Diaries

“Uplifting and entertaining, this book is sure to give readers a more positive perspective.”—Booklist

“If you liked Sheryl Sanberg’s Lean In . . . read Janice Kaplan’s The Gratitude Diaries.”—TIME

“Kaplan's plan to be more grateful is approachable for anyone. Her conversational tone is encouraging, like talking to a good friend who's having a great day and wants to share it with you. . . . Simple, effective procedures that can be easily incorporated into even the busiest lifestyle.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Kaplan’s study is insightful and loaded with compelling research and solid techniques for positive thinking, and her own example provides the most convincing testament to her ideas.”—Publishers Weekly

“The subtitle says it all: How a Year Looking on the Bright Side Can Transform Your Life. Kaplan interweaves anecdotes from her year of living gratefully with interviews with doctors, psychologists, philosophers, artists, and A-list actors, teaching you that working at being happy pays off.”—American Way

“A heartfelt, thoughtful, and entertaining read on how we can bring more gratitude into our lives. It’s like The Happiness Project meets Thanksgiving—a guided tour through the science and experience of appreciation.”—Adam Grant, Wharton professor and New York Times bestselling author of Give and Take

“Janice Kaplan has written a warm, inspiring, wonderful book, showing each of us how gratitude and focusing on our blessings can transform our lives.”—Jane Green, New York Times bestselling author of Jemima J and The Beach House

“Can there really be such a thing as a hardheaded woman's practical guide to living in gratitude? There can and there is. After reading about Janice Kaplan's transformative year, I'm here to say I believe it!”—Jacquelyn Mitchard, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Deep End of the Ocean

“I recognized myself in almost every word of Janice's excellent book. And tracking my hours was an eye-opener for me, as it appears I'm one of the people who's been unrealistic about how I spend my days. This book is liberating, useful, and so important in this era in which everyone seems to feel overwhelmed.”—Celeste Headlee, author of We Need to Talk

Thought provoking

Good book to listen to on audio. Loved the voice of the individual whom read the story.

Excellent work

I couldn't wait to drive to work every morning. This was not just a joyous listen on a subject we all know, it was articulate and had the right mix of anecdote and science, without the rambling. You could hear the enthusiasm in the author's voice. While listening, I purchased the hardcover and promised myself that I'd listen to this book again at least once a year.

6 stars.

Gratitude is an attitude

if you know that you need a fresh perspective on your life, learning how to be grateful is a good place to begin. the narrator takes you through her year of self exploration on leading a more grateful existence, with some worthwhile nuggets in each chapter.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

Janice Kaplan is a wonderful author and narrator. She shared many of her personal experiences, which made the book seem very personable. I'd like to thank her, this book is helping me be more grateful for the things I have. I am working on my own gratitude diary. J.J.

Lovely book and I will be recommending it plenty!

This is a very uplifting and well written book about gratitude and the affect a positive outlook can have on life. The only things that I disliked was that she seems to have created a religion out of the practice. Also, it feels like things have been overly romanticized in some cases and the word gratitude (and it's variants) feels forced into odd places at times.

Loved it!

Great life enhancing lessons throughout, and deep research into every kind of gratitude no matter the circumstances.

Sincere and usable concepts

Very relatable information. I liked the way the material was played out and examples used.

Great book of ideas and perspectives on the power

Great book of ideas and perspectives about the power, beauty and elasting effect of grattitude.

Gratitude for Gratitude

Loved this book!

I was at a point where I really needed a change. Was already starting to focus on 3 things a day to be grateful for. But the idea of using gratitude to build stronger relationships was ground breaking.

This book has helped me think outside the box as to where and how being grateful and " here now" can help create a better life experience.

excellent

light-hearted read with a strong lead by example. Great narration by the author. Made me more grateful, and aware of gratitude. Thanks for sharing (: