365 Thank Yous by John Kralik

Product Details from Amazon.com

Hardcover: 240 pages
Publisher: Hyperion (December 28, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1401324053
ISBN-13: 978-1401324056
Product Description

One recent December, at age 53, John Kralik found his life at a terrible, frightening low: his small law firm was failing; he was struggling through a painful second divorce; he had grown distant from his two older children and was afraid he might lose 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 40 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, during a desperate walk in the hills on New Year's Day, John was struck by the belief that his life might become at least tolerable if, instead of focusing on what he didn't have, he could find some way to be grateful for what he had.
Inspired by a beautiful, simple note his ex-girlfriend had sent to thank him for his Christmas gift, John imagined that he might find a way to feel grateful by writing thank-you notes. To keep himself going, he set himself a goal--come what may--of writing 365 thank-you notes in the coming year.
One by one, day after day, he began to handwrite thank yous--for gifts or kindnesses he'd received 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, really, absolutely anyone, who'd done him a good turn, however large or small. Immediately after he'd sent his very first notes, significant and surprising benefits began to come 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 note by thank-you note, 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. Kralik sets a believable, doable example of how to live a miraculously good life. To read 365 Thank Yous is to be changed.
About the Author
John Kralik was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and attended the University of Michigan for college and law school. He practiced law for thirty years, and was a partner in the law firms of Hughes Hubbard & Reed, Miller Tokuyama Kralik & Sur, and Kralik & Jacobs. In 2009, he was appointed a judge of the Los Angeles Superior Court. He lives in the Los Angeles area.
My Thoughts: 
Prior to John Kralik becoming a successful judge in the Los Angeles Superior Court, he was at the lowest point in his life, where everything was  falling apart around him. Ex-wife, child support, law firm failing, break up with girfriend, lack of communication from him to people, past and present in his life. A walk in the hills changed that. How you ask?? John took a good tough look at his life and what it was becoming and decided that he had to make a change or life was not worth living. He started writing thank you notes. Thank you notes, in this day of email, texting and social networks, we as a society have forgotten the basic way of communication. It is incredibly easy to just send a quick text or email but who does thank you notes anymore. Johns goal was to write 365 thank you notes in 365 days. These notes had to be genuine not just a quick note scribbled on a card. John started thanking all the people in his past and current life, which in turn slowly changed John's life for the better. I really enjoyed this little book. I would not call it a self help book per se, but it is a book that makes the reader think that maybe he/she has not done enough thanking people in their own lives. True, we say thank you all the time as a courtesy but do we really mean it?? And it is because of these people in our lifetime that makes us who we are.. I would highly recommend it and it came with a thank you card!! To read more about 365 Thank Yous click here
I received this ARC from Hyperion and was not monetarily compensated for my review.