The Unexpected Power of Gratitude (And Why I’m Starting Here)

I used to think of gratitude as something you jot down in a journal—maybe three quick things before bed or something you whisper before a meal.

Nice, sure.

But life-changing? I wasn’t convinced.

But something happened when I picked up Attitudes of Gratitude by M. J. Ryan this month as I turned towards gratitude to help me through my grief.

It started to shift me.

As I opened the first few pages, I realized that I’ve spent so much of my adult life chasing. Chasing goals, chasing peace, chasing the version of myself who finally has it all “together.” (which I have not learned it not possible)

And while there’s nothing wrong with wanting more, I’ve often overlooked the most powerful starting point of all…

Gratitude for what already is…

Why This Book, Why Now?

I decided to launch this book club as a space where we could read books that change us. Not just entertain us (though that’s lovely too and I’ll be sharing plenty of those), but ones that help us become who we want to be.

And Attitudes of Gratitude felt like the right beginning. Because how can we grow if we don’t first acknowledge the value in where we are?

This book doesn’t preach at you. It gently invites you into a new way of seeing.

M. J. Ryan writes with warmth, clarity, and compassion is there reminding us that gratitude isn’t just a feeling.

It’s a practice.

A choice.

A life skill.

One line from the early chapters had me rereading it a few times to let it soak in…

“The more attention we pay to our gratitude, the less room there is for our negative emotions.”

I read it twice. Three times.

Because this is something I’ve felt, but never had words for. When I’m caught in comparison, doubt, or burnout, it’s not that I don’t have things to be grateful for. It’s that I’m not noticing them.

That’s what this book is helping me shift. Slowly, quietly. But powerfully.

This week in the book club, we’re reflecting on the small ways gratitude can show up and the sneaky ways we sometimes resist it.

We are just reading and letting the words wash over us. No pressure. No homework. Just space to breathe, connect, and gently grow.

And if you’re reading this and thinking, I need that… you’re not too late.

We’re just getting started, and you’re warmly invited to join us.

This space isn’t about hustle. It’s about alignment. It’s about tuning back into who you are and who you’re becoming.

Each month we read a book together. Each week, I share reflections, quotes, and prompts. There’s community, conversation, and space for you to show up exactly as you are.

If that sounds like something your heart is craving, I’d love to see you inside.

You can join us here and start reading with us today.

Let’s begin with gratitude.

P.S. We’re discussing the first few chapters inside the book club right now and I can already tell it’s going to be one of my favorites. Come say hello in the chat if you're reading along ✨

Before I go, I have a few books to highlight that I’m grateful to have read recently.

There's no such thing as a perfect guy, but Xavier Rush comes disastrously close. A gorgeous veterinarian giving Greek god vibes—all while cuddling a tiny kitten? Immediate yes. That is until Xavier opens his mouth and proves that even sculpted gods can say the absolute wrong thing. Like, really wrong. Of course, there’s nothing Samantha loves more than proving an asshole wrong . . . unless, of course, he can admit he made a mistake.

But after one incredible and seemingly endless date, Samantha is forced to admit the truth, that her family is in crisis and any kind of relationship would be impossible. Samantha begs Xavier to forget her. To remember their night together as a perfect moment, as crushing as that may be. Only no amount of distance or time is enough to forget what's between them. And the only thing better than one single perfect memory is to make a life—and even a love—worth remembering.

Click HERE to check it out. P.S. Right now there is a 25% off coupon on Amazon.

This love story is a work in progress…

When romcom author Allie Edwards crosses paths with bestselling crime novelist – aka publishing dinosaur – Martin Clark at a party, they discover they both have crippling writer’s block, overdue manuscripts and precisely zero words to show to their respective editors.

With deadlines looming, Allie and Martin decide to switch plots and tell each other’s stories. In the writing process, Allie not only gains a father-figure in Martin, but also meets gorgeous events caterer Will, the answer to the leading man-shaped hole in her life and her lack of spicy material.

Caught between love and her career, what could possibly go wrong?

Click HERE to check it out. (Also currently 25% off or grab the e-book for 99 cents)

If your twenties are supposed to be the best years of your life, Bennet Taylor is failing miserably . . . with a big emphasis on the miserable. Where’s that zest she keeps hearing about? She’s a temp worker in New York City with no direction, no future, and no social life. And at the painful center of this listlessness is grief over the death of her first love.

When Bennet runs into Henry Adams just hours after standing him up for a first date, she makes an alcohol-fueled confession: She’s not ready to date. In fact, it’s been years since she felt passion for something. Not even pottery, or organized sports—not anything. Rather than leaving her to ruminate, Henry jumps at the opportunity for adventure: Bennet needs to find a passion for life, and Henry will help her find it. Every Saturday, they’ll try something new in New York City. As friends, of course.

As their “passion project” continues, the pair tackle everything from carpentry to tattooing to rappelling off skyscrapers, and Bennet feels her guarded exterior ebbing away. But as secrets surface, Bennet has to decide what she wants, and if she’s truly ready to move on. With emotional resonance and sparkling banter, Passion Project is a fun, flirty, thoughtful story of finding a spark—and igniting happiness.

Click HERE to check it out.

If you are an upgraded subscriber who would like to be participating in the book club, join us in the chat space for The Literary Assistant.

I would love to know what you have been reading and enjoying this week!

As a community we have now donated 16 books to women who need them.💝

For every membership upgraded to $5, we donate a historical fiction or romance book to a local women’s shelter.

Affiliate links are used at no extra cost to you, but they help me earn a small amount—just enough to grab a tea and keep writing! ☕