About Lauren

Bio

Lauren Blanchard Zalewski is a writer, speaker, passionate champion of all things gratitude, and a self-diagnosed “gratitude addict,” hence the name of her blog.  Having lived with chronic illness for over 20 years and hitting a very deep personal rock bottom in 2013, she has found that the single most powerful tool to aid in her emotional healing is gratitude.  Her year-long “Gratitude Project of 2016” on Facebook deepened her understanding of the effectiveness of this in a life-altering way.

She is the founder of the Facebook group Attitude of Gratitude with Chronic Pain,” (AoG) along with its several sister spin-off groups, which offer various tools for healing and happiness for those living with chronic emotional and/or physical conditions.  Additionally, she hosts the weekly live broadcast, Gratefully Living the Chronic Life,” which streams on both Facebook Live and YouTube on Thursdays at 8 pm EST.  Each week brings expert guests and new topics pertaining to living our best possible lives despite dealing with life’s curveballs.  She has recently created a new community on Mighty Networks called “AoG Mighty” for those wishing to gain even more in-depth support in living with chronic pain and illness.

Lauren is a voracious student of the human experience who has spent many years delving into intensive research into the power of gratitude as a powerful tool for those who endure life’s difficulties, such as pain and illness. Her mission, passion, and life’s work lie in spreading the message of gratitude as the ultimate ‘therapy’ for resilience, hope, joy, and intention, even through the most difficult of circumstances.

Lauren has published several books focusing on practicing GRATITUDE and utilizing other personal growth tools to find hope despite life’s challenges.  “The 5-Minute Gratitude Journal for Teen Boys: Quick Prompts for Wisdom, Courage and Confidence” was released in November 2021 by Rockridge Press with her follow-up title  “52-Week Intention Journal: Guided Prompts to Build a Practice of Reflection, Focus, and Meaningful Change,” being released in March 2022.  Her third book entitled, “Chronically GRATEFUL: A Year-Long Interactive Journey Toward Joy & GRATITUDE for Those Living with Chronic Pain and Illness” is currently in the works featuring her years of research and experience in how GRATITUDE works to relieve the emotional debilitation brought on by living with chronic pain and illness.

Lauren has also been active in the non-profit sector, having served on the Board of Trustees of Chronic Pain Anonymous for many years.  She has been featured in The Atlantic, Everyday Health, The Mighty, and Pain-Free Living.

She holds a certification as a Facebook Community Manager and in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction.

The mother of two grown children, Lauren lives in Hunterdon County, NJ, with her husband, Rob.  Each summer, you can find them in the garden enjoying their shared passion for growing heirloom tomatoes!

Follow her at gratitudeaddict.com.