The Power of Gratitude

With the world seemingly teetering on the edge of chaos and anxiety running laps in so many of our minds, I’ve been wondering what it would look like to slow down and simply be grateful for the small things - because while we can’t control the world, we can control how we think about it.

But first, I had to ask myself: what is gratitude, really? And what isn’t it?

Gratitude isn’t always a tidal wave that sweeps us off our feet. More often, it’s a quiet awareness - a soft exhale of appreciation for the moments that fill us with awe: a baby’s first smile, a friend’s hug, a walk through crisp fall leaves, a really good kiss, a long-awaited smile after time apart.

Gratitude is not toxic positivity. It’s not the “hey, it’s all good” when, truthfully, it isn’t. It’s not forcing ourselves to feel something we don’t, or minimizing our pain because someone else seems to have more.

True gratitude is simpler, deeper. It’s recognizing what we do have - and who we have beside us. It’s the quiet acknowledgment that life itself is a gift, and that we get to live it today.

So how do we practice it?

• Start small. Begin the morning with a silent thank you, or end the day by jotting down a few moments that made you smile.

• Practice self-gratitude. Thank yourself for showing up, for doing your best, for being resilient - even when life feels hard.

• Offer gratitude to others. Say thank you to the people who have helped you, supported you, or simply walked beside you.

Then - pause and notice. Watch how the act of being thankful begins to shift something inside you. Watch how it softens your heart, quiets your mind, and gently changes the way you see the world.

Because the more we practice gratitude - toward ourselves and others - the more our anxiety fades, and the more we begin to see the beauty that’s been there all along.

“Lighthouses don’t go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining.” - Anne Lamott

Lori T. Howard is a Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in grief and loss. You can find her at lorithoward.com