To listen to the radio show April Perry recorded with Trista Sutter, please click here!
Title: Happily Ever After: The Life-Changing Power of a Grateful Heart
Author: Trista Sutter
Basic Overview:
Happily Ever After is the recently released book by Trista Sutter, who is most widely known for her role on the television show The Bachelor and as the original Bachelorette. In 10 chapters she outlines her own story of gaining and recognizing the importance of a grateful heart. She shares personal experiences, from her time on The Bachelor to her previous job as a pediatric nurse, but most importantly her role as a wife and mother of two young children. She discusses topics like taking care of ourselves, nurturing our relationships with family and friends, how to teach children gratitude, and how small acts of kindness can have a big effect on those around us. At the end of each chapter she lists several “Happily Ever Actions” which are specific tasks and suggestions readers can do to shape a grateful heart.
I enjoyed her emphasis on changing our perspectives. As mothers we can not always change our circumstances or situations but we can always choose to look for the good. One example she shared was about a messy living room with toys strewn all over. She mentioned how the pessimist in her would just see a chore that needed to be done all day long, so cleaning up was a waste of time. Then she said, “In forcing myself to look past the superficial layer of chaos, I am shown a much deeper meaning of abundance and joy. That messy living room is a testament that healthy, happy, energetic children live in a home full of things they love, with people they love and imaginations that can take them anywhere.” (p.24-25)
I enjoy books where they not only share their experiences but also give you real and attainable suggestions and goals. The Happily Ever Actions served this purpose, but the experiences she shared had me taking notes too. She talks about teaching her children to begin each prayer with “Thank you for today.” She shares an experience where a family in her community had lost everything due to a fire and how she and her children gathered much needed items and donated them to this family. She shared another story of a school teacher who, inspired by Trista’s gratitude tweet each day, had her students begin keeping a “favorite part of the day” journal. (Chapter 2)
How this book made an impact in my life, especially as a mother:
This book really opened my eyes to what true gratitude is. I have always considered myself to be a grateful person and try to instill gratitude as one of our family values. At the dinner table each evening we do our “bad news/good news” where we take something bad or not so fun that happened that day and find the positive in it. We focus on being thankful for what we have, especially when it comes to children whining in the store for more toys than they could ever possibly need.
What I had perhaps not emphasized enough was that gratitude is not just being grateful for the big things such as a roof over our heads and a wonderful family. Gratitude and developing a grateful heart has more to do with our perspectives and how we choose to see things rather than how things really might be. As Trista said, “By actively noting my favorite part of each day, I make myself more receptive to the joys of life… and helps me realize through a changed perspective that I have so much to be grateful for.” (p.15)
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