Gratitude Isn’t Fluff
The Real Impact of Looking for What’s Working in the Middle of What’s Hard
Every day may not be great, but there is goodness in every day.
A few years ago, during a particularly difficult season of life where everything felt heavy, and the wins were hard to see, I finally decided to try this "daily gratitude" thing I'd heard over and over again.
I'll be honest, I'd avoided it for quite a while because I didn't think I had time for it and wasn't sure how much of a difference it would actually make. I figured at this point I had nothing to lose and everything to gain, so why not.
Three things a day is what I focused on to start. Sometimes they were obvious like progress on a project, a great conversation with a colleague or the excitement of my babies when I got home. Other days they were harder to find, but I still found something small like a brain break outside between meetings.
It definitely did not change my circumstances overnight, but it did shift how I moved through them.
Choosing to look for the good helped me lead better, stay grounded, and show up more fully for myself and for the people around me. Gratitude became a mindset that built resilience, and created space for reflection, perspective, and growth.
In the workplace, we’re trained to constantly focus on what’s next like deadlines, metrics, and goals, which is important, but so is pausing to recognize what’s working, who is showing up, and where progress is being made. This allows us to shift our energy and sharpen our focus.
Gratitude isn't fluffy. It's a mindset that fuels growth, improves collaboration, and helps us lead with intention.
So here is a small challenge… at the end of your day today, write down three things that went right or made you happy (they can be big or small, doesn't matter!) and let them be your foundation as you head into tomorrow.
