Alphatudes: The Alphabet of Gratitude

By Michele Wahlder

Alphatudes reveals that gratitude is the unexpected, simple secret of living a joyful life. In a world obsessed with negativity, we must deliberately choose to focus on the positive. Alphatudes uses... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0982364504
• ISBN13: 9780982364505
• Release Date: January 2010
• Publisher: Life Possibilities, LLC
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.74 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 7.5" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

A beautiful, inspiring treasure to own and give

"The more we express gratitude, the more positively we perceive the world and our experiences in the world." Said differently, the more we express gratitude, the better life will be. In today's fast paced society, it is very easy to slip into the habit of taking things for granted. We often fail to express gratitude. And as a result, our lives are more stressful than need be. Alphatudes is a marvelous book that will help keep you on track for being grateful each and every day. The book is visually very appealing, well designed with very interesting graphics and art work. It is small and can easily be read in an hour of so. However, that is not the best way to appreciate this book. As Michele Wahlder points out, the best way is to read it through once, then read it periodically. I would suggest one alphabet letter per day. The purpose of the book is to help us increase our expression of gratitude. The book has a simple format. Michele has selected one "gratitude" word for each letter of the alphabet. There is a quotation and a beautiful graphic or art work associated with the word. Then there is a one page essay that starts, "I am grateful for ____." After the essay there is an affirmation and then a prayer involving that word. For the letter C, she has chosen the word Choices. The quote is, "It's choice - not chance that determines your destiny." Jean Nidetch. What a beautiful quote, what a powerful lesson. For the affirmation, "I courageously make choices that propel me forward into the life I desire. I easily release the need for other people's approval. I choose options that are in alignment with my inner truth." The quotes, essays, affirmations and prayers are all designed to open our awareness, to provoke thought. They should not be read in a hurry. You will get the most from this book by letting these ideas sink into your subconscious mind. By going over them periodically, you will keep the concept of gratitude in your mind and these thoughts will have a profound impact on the way you think and therefore your life. This book would make a wonderful gift. It will give in many different ways. First it is visually very appealing. The quotes, essays, affirmations and prayers are all well written and thought provoking. There are so many lessons in this short book. It is truly a gift what will give time and time again. With each reading, you will gain new and deeper insights. Get a copy for yourself and one for those in your life you are grateful for. They will be grateful you did.

The Attitude of Gratitude

This is review number 444 and a very special number for me, so I wanted to assign a special book or product to that number. 444 and 44 are numbers that remind me my angels are around and are sending me messages, even if they are just saying Hi. Well, they surely were around when they got this book into my hot little hands. At 111 pages (another interesting number), it is a relatively small book, but a very nice book to have in your library. It is basically about using the letters of the alphabet to remind you of what to be grateful for. Although a simplistic concept, it is quite powerful. There is a wonderful loving peacefulness about this book. The book is filled with pictures/drawings. The acknowledgements begin by thanking God for gifting the author's soul with this book, so if you find the use of "God" offensive, you may want to move away from this book. Otherwise, please continue reading. I believe that those of you who are spiritually-based will absolutely love this book. The structure contains a 7-page introduction, where Michele explains that she came up with the alphatudes concept during a sleepless period in her life where counting sheet just didn't work. It became a way in which she could clear her mind and begin focusing on the day's events in a positive way. There is a chapter for each of the 26 letters of the alphabet. Some examples are: "B" is "Beauty, followed by Dreams, Imagination, Kindness, Music, Relationships, Serendipity, Work, and all the other letters. For an example, let's look at "M"/Music, a subject that is deep in my soul, heart, and mind. The 4-page chapter begins with a 2-page peaceful picture of "music" and a quote by an unknown author: "Music heals the heart and makes it whole, flows from heaven to the soul." The next page is a nice explanation of why one should be grateful for "music". Some of that page includes the following comment, "Music is the rhythmic breath of the Divine moving all around us." Michele also tells us that, "Music communicates beyond words because the vibrations and melody speak to us at a higher level of receptivity than language is able to access. Music stirs our soul and alters our consciousness." An affirmation about attuning oneself to music follows. The next page includes a "prayer" related to music. "Guide me in choosing music that resonates with the needs of my soul. Help me to relish the delightful melodies that fill our world. Thank you for blessing me with the precious pleasure of music." Although you could easily read 111 pages in one setting, I would encourage you to read through the alphatudes slowly, and savor them one at a time. That is where the real beauty is. Michele is so right-on-target in what she is saying about each subject. I always take the opportunity to thank God for everything throughout each day. Living in gratitude has such a powerful effect on one's life. This book serves as a constant reminder of the abundance we already have and s

Teaches you HOW to express gratitude, rather than just telling you to be grateful

"Alphatudes: The Alphabet of Gratitude" is based on a concept of expressing gratitude in alphabetical order, but it's not just about this particular practice. It's about looking at everything in life with a grateful mindset. Michele shows how we can be grateful for simple things, such as music, and also for less obvious things like obstacles and ex's. I agree with other reviewers that you may want to read one alphatude per day so you can learn to make practicing gratitude part of your daily routine. Before reading Alphatudes, I understood that I can be grateful for little things in life, but I didn't understand how to express it. Michele's use of prayer, affirmation statements, and the way she eloquently discusses each alphatude shows HOW to practice gratitude, rather than just pointing out that you should be grateful. Initially, I used the Alphatudes method of going through the alphabet and selecting things to be grateful for while I was driving or going to sleep. Lately, though, I've noticed that as I'm living life I am actively thinking about why I am grateful for my current situation or an object I'm using. Alphatudes gives you a new outlook on life. I also love the Olivia Newton-John song, Grace & Gratitude, that comes with the book. It's a beautiful song to meditate on as you learn to make gratitude a part of your every day life.

An Ideal Gift - Inspiring and Beautiful !

I brought a copy of Alphatudes to my office because reading a brief passage, an uplifting affirmation or a soulful prayer gave me a sense of peace during my stressful work day. The great thing about this book is that its structure is similar to that of a daily devotional. You can open Alphatudes on any page and know you are on the perfect topic for you at that moment. i.e. Acceptance, Choices, Forgiveness, Hope. This book has mesmerizing and colorful illustrations as well.(you don't find many books for adults these days that spend time or money on beautiful artwork - Alphatudes does) By the end of the day, all my co-workers wanted a copy for themselves or to purchase as a gift of encouragement for a friend. They were all "ooohing and aaahing" about the gorgeous artwork and as they flipped through the pages, they were inspired by the spiritually uplifting messages. If you want to feel better, more positive, optimistic and grateful - I would highly recommend this book for yourself or as an exceptionally, lovely gift.

This book makes me appreciate life more.

An alphatude is anything in life that can be a source of gratitude. Michelle Wahlder takes each letter of the alphabet and provides readers with 26 things to be grateful for. Each thought is accompanied by a quotation, a prayer and a positive affrimation. This is a very colorful book with beautiful pictures. These prayers are very helpful. They will help me relax and focus when I need to. Some of the alphatudes are obvious. Wahlder includes sleep as a source of gratitude. I love to sleep, and I am grateful when I can sleep peacefully. Relationships is another alphatude that Michelle includes. I am always trying to make and strengthen my relationships with other people. Michelle Wahlder reminds me that the relationship I have with myself is also important. Imagination is another excellent alphatude in this book. I hope I can do something creative with my life. I will view each obstacle in my life as a gift and a chance to grow as a person. This book is easy to read. The best thing about a book like Alphatudes is that I can reread it when I need a pick me up. I love this book.