Thanksgiving Menu: Skip Elections and Bitcoin
Why Gratitude Should Be the Ultimate Side Dish
Are you grateful?
I am—until I’m not.
Emotions are real, and the human condition is to experience a variety of them.
And they fluctuate—like your stomach after late-night tacos: calm one moment, chaos the next, leaving you questioning everything.
But we’re in this together. Well, most of us.
The only people who don’t feel emotions are:
Dead
Psychopaths
The secretary at my kid’s middle school—never a smile, never a frown, just nothing.
If you’re reading this, I’m guessing you don’t fit into those categories.
I’m not here to push toxic positivity, but I am here to talk about the power of gratitude—and no, they’re not the same thing.
The Rollercoaster of Emotions
Emotions are our greatest asset.
They’re energy in motion.
And while it’s normal to ride the ups and downs, we all need to aim for more ups than downs.
A little perspective can go a long way.
Last week, I was overwhelmed—managing an ecommerce business, creating an online course, hosting family, and, for the cherry on top, dealing with a power outage.
But that cherry reminded me to ground myself in gratitude.
It’s amazing how losing electricity can make you fall in love with Edison and Tesla all over again. I’ll take direct or alternating current—no debate.
So as Thanksgiving approaches, I’m making an effort to table my insecurities and negative emotions, using gratitude as a reset button to refocus on what truly matters.
Oh, and a Thanksgiving tip:
Skip the politics and Bitcoin talk at dinner.
Unless you want dessert to turn into a debate about inflation and decentralized currencies.
Gratitude Through Polarity
Sometimes the best way to feel gratitude is through polarity.
For those who’ve never tasted bitter, sweet is just a word.
So here’s what I’m grateful for:
I’m grateful my family and I sleep safely at night, without the threat of bombs or hunger.
I’m grateful my voice as a woman can still be heard, unlike the silenced girls in Afghanistan.
I’m grateful for free access to the internet, unlike those in North Korea.
I’m grateful I had the means to leave a job that drained my personal power.
I’m grateful for my lungs, legs, eyes, and the ability to dream.
For all those who can’t say the same, my heart sends them love and prayers. I dream of a world where basic dignity, safety, access and health is afforded to all.
The extreme contrasts in the world remind me how different life can be for others. They ground me—I know I am blessed.
But the reality is, I still feel things. And my problems will still be there tomorrow.
For now, I’m pausing to feel gratitude.
Taking this moment to pause helps me reset my perspective.
When I unpause, my problems may still be there, but they’ll feel smaller—and I’ll feel stronger.
The Science of Gratitude
Gratitude is one of the highest emotional energies—right up there with love and joy.
Research shows that gratitude does more than lift your mood—it rewires your brain.
A notable study by Emmons and McCullough (2003) explored the impact of gratitude on well-being.
Participants were assigned to one of three groups: one wrote about things they were grateful for, another recorded daily hassles, and a control group noted neutral life events.
After ten weeks, those in the gratitude group reported higher levels of well-being, including increased optimism and fewer physical complaints, compared to the other groups.
This research proves that regularly focusing on gratitude can enhance overall well-being and perceived health.
A Final Thought
Right now, pause for a moment.
Close your eyes and think of one thing you’re truly grateful for.
If you can’t think of anything I want you to remember the last time you felt really sick or got injured.
Like a really sucky time.
That moment sucked more than this one.
There’s an opening for gratitude here.
Hold onto that feeling.
Gratitude doesn’t erase problems—it transforms perspective and magnetizing more reasons to be thankful.
Don’t take me word for it—try it.
Love and light my friend.
Happy Thanksgiving!
"Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues but the parent of all others."—Cicero
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