I am a huge fan of gratitude, even for the smallest things. I believe gratitude is the number one (of five) steps we need to find and maintain optimism in our lives.

The Grateful Life: The Secret to Happiness and the Science of Contentment by Nina Lesowitz and Mary Bath Sammons (2014. Viva Editions) conveys the importance of gratitude flawlessly and is written in such a way that even the most negative, ungrateful person will appreciate it.

In addition to the real-life stories, terrific quotes, and clear and concise writing, each chapters ends with a, “Grateful Life Practice.” These practice exercises are extremely powerful but yet simple and easy to do for any reader. And, they bring the ability to achieve gratefulness to each and every person who reads the book. I also appreciate the format which allows for a pick-it-up and put-it-down read. In this day and age, most of us have limited schedules and can’t read an entire book in one sitting. This book makes it conducive to reading at one’s own pace and to really absorbing the lesson without feeling overwhelmed or burdened with homework.

The last key point is that this book is equally beneficial to the person that is already grateful for their life as well as for the person that is trying to find gratitude. For those that are already grateful, it is an enjoyable read that supports their chosen path. It reminds them that their life view is contagious. For those that currently live without gratitude, it is the perfect primer to shifting their outlook and reminding them that life with gratitude is the only way to be!

David Mezzapelle, bestselling author of the Contagious Optimism Book Series