Thank And Grow Rich, by Pam Grout, is a book about gratitude. There aren’t many thoughtful people who wouldn’t agree that we all could use more gratitude in our daily lives. After all, we’re swimming in blessings. Recently I read an estimate that it would take 200 slaves in the days of Imperial Rome to create the comforts of an average citizen today!!! That’s really astounding.
But our culture is focused on negativity, on problems, on ‘what’s wrong’ and switching to the gratitude channel isn’t easy. And I bought this book because I was looking for more ways to practice gratitude besides the usual “make-a-gratitude-list-and-write-daily” advice. Having said that, I am positive about this book in some ways, not so much in others.
What I Do NOT Like About Thank And Grow Rich
☹ The author has included her political opinions. This isn’t about agreeing or disagreeing with her – it’s about the subject matter. I read this book to learn about gratitude – if I want political opinion I’ll read materials labelled as such.
☹ The book title is, of course, a take-off on Napoleon Hill’s classic Think And Grow Rich. But Grout devotes a lot of time to criticizing wealth.
True: wealth doesn’t automatically bring happiness.
Also true: poverty doesn’t bring happiness, either.
Also true: life is easier on many levels when we have adequate money.
Besides all that, Pam Grout mentions such enjoyments as eating fresh-caught lobster in a resort or zip-lining through the jungle. So she doesn’t exactly live in a 400 square foot apartment, subsisting on food stamps and she is in no position to be lecturing readers on the evils of money. It’s very hypocritical.
☹ Thank And Grow Rich has a collection of “party games” which are exercises to help us get in the habit of appreciating our lives. And I really appreciate many of them but there’s no doubt that some of them are repetitive. It’s the same game with different words. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with repetition but let’s not pretend they’re different activities, because they aren’t.
What I Do Like About Thank And Grow Rich
There’s just no question that Pam Grout is a really good writer. I find myself constantly inspired by the contents of the book. Here are some examples.
“Dance in ecstasy over the gift of each blessed moment.”
We used this as one of the quotes in our new gratitude quotes series and it’s pictured above. After all, this is a site about bliss and what could be more wonderful that being in ecstasy every moment over the sheer joy of being alive and the privilege of being on this gorgeous planet?
“No matter what you’re doing, deem it fun. Find the joy in it.”
Our society has strong views on what’s fun – and what’s not. Going to the movies is fun, doing the dishes is not. Going out to eat is fun, doing laundry is not. But what if we decided to make dishes and laundry fun? Who’s to say we can’t? I admit that I will never be able to decide that going to the dentist is anywhere near fun, but the dishes … well, we’re doing them because we had food to eat; we’re doing them because we have our own kitchen; we’re doing them because we have dishes and cutlery to eat with, rather than our hands. There’s a lot to like about such a mundane chore when you think about it that way.
“Blessings pour down on you like sunbeams on a golden summer day.”
Wow, what a strong visual I get from that sentence and it’s all positive and filled with light and beauty.
“Giving thanks is the gateway drug to a life most extraordinary.”
Imagine a “drug” that’s good for us, that helps to create an amazing, joyous, exuberant life. Pretty nice idea, isn’t it? We are rewarded for enjoying ourselves and our lives. Very cool, I’d say.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
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