Reddit reviews The Gratitude Diaries: How a Year Looking on the Bright Side Can Transform Your Life

Did a lot of soul search in the last two years. In terms of life purpose two books totally changed my life The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World by the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu and The Gratitude Diaries. The first was life changing and inspiring looking at how people can thrive, love, and find happiness even during the worst of times (the invasion of Tibet, apartheid in South Africa). The second was on practical application of gratitude and moving away from materialism in an everyday manner.

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Most impactful quote for me is from my grandfather: "Anything more than $10 is expensive, for once I prayed for even a grain of rice."

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My grandfather grew up on a farm in southern China, during the Japanese occupation most of his village starved. He then studied incredibly hard and got into law school only to be thrown in a labor camp during the Communist revolution. His daily allotment of food a the camp was a bowl of rice. Later he and my grandmother escaped to Hong Kong where he worked as an A/C salesman and become a manager. But, when they moved to America he spoke no english and had to start over as a dishwasher. He's a guy that knows the value of every dollar and have saved his entire life - my grandfather and grandmother retired with $1M+ in savings and a pension.