A SPOONFUL OF GRATITUDE

A public health professional collects her articles about easing stress and enjoying life more by practicing gratitude and other strategies.

Khorrami offers advice on personal growth in a book that gathers 68 of her brief articles from sites like the Huffington Post and Psychology Today. She writes that regularly practicing gratitude promotes optimism, strengthens relationships, and increases motivation as it helps to protect against depression and curb anxiety. As evidence, she cites research showing that being grateful increases dopamine and serotonin levels, creating a sense of contentment. To make the science accessible, she simplifies key findings, breaking her articles into bite-sized sections and highlighting major points in headers. She also describes simple ways to practice gratitude. Her suggestions include appreciating enjoyable aspects of a day, saying thank you more often, complimenting a stranger, and sharing uplifting social media posts. Some tips focus on the Covid-19 pandemic, and others go beyond simply expressing gratitude: They involve letting go of insecurities, achieving goals, bolstering confidence, and building emotional strength. Other suggestions home in on strategies that can help with work, relationships, or healing after a difficult time. Khorrami also celebrates the global mental health movement spearheaded by celebrities like Michelle Obama, Prince Harry, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. She ends with a section called “All Good Things,” which promotes kindness, humility, and giving back. Some readers may see parts of the book as oversimplified or even Pollyannaish, including its idea that they can find “silver linings” in the Covid-19 pandemic, such as opportunities for more sleep, personal growth, or building resilience. Or they may find the by-your-bootstraps approach to problem-solving naïve given the entrenched prejudices or legal barriers that hold back some groups. Overall, however, this book is well designed and easy to use. The articles have a conversational tone and don’t need to be read in chronological order. That user-friendly approach means that even readers who disagree with parts of this book may be able to jump in at any point and find a useful tip or two.

A collection of accessible, but sometimes oversimplified, self-help articles.