365 Thank Yous

A man shares his personal journey of embracing life after loss—and during times of adversity—by practicing gratitude every day.

One December, at age fifty-three, John Kralik found his life at a terrible, frightening low: his law firm was failing; he was struggling through a painful second divorce; he had grown distant from his two older children and feared losing contact with his young daughter; he was living in a tiny apartment where he froze in the winter and baked in the summer; he was forty pounds overweight; his girlfriend had just broken up with him; and overall, his dearest life dreams—including hopes of upholding idealistic legal principles and of becoming a judge—seemed to have slipped beyond his reach.

Then, inspired by a beautiful, simple note his ex-girlfriend had sent to thank him for his Christmas gift, John chose to focus on being grateful for what he did have, and express that gratitude by writing thank you notes. One by one, day after day, he handwrote thank yous—for gifts or kindnesses from loved ones and coworkers, from past business associates and current foes, from college friends and doctors and store clerks and handymen and neighbors, and anyone who'd done him a good turn. Immediately after he'd sent his very first notes, significant and surprising benefits came John's way—from financial gain to true friendship, from weight loss to inner peace. While John wrote his notes, the economy collapsed, the bank across the street from his office failed, but thank you by thank you, John's whole life turned around.

365 Thank Yous is a rare memoir: its touching, immediately accessible message—and benefits—come to readers from the plainspoken storytelling of an ordinary man.