The Power of Gratitude: How Noticing What’s Good Changes You

There was a season in my life when I woke up already tired. My thoughts would jump straight to what wasn’t done, what was missing, or who needed something from me. Gratitude felt like a nice idea, but honestly, it felt out of reach.

1. Gratitude Rewires the Brain and Calms the Body

Science tells us gratitude activates the brain’s prefrontal cortex, increasing dopamine and serotonin, the “feel-good” neurotransmitters. It lowers inflammation, improves heart health, and helps regulate sleep. Gratitude isn’t just emotional, it’s physiological.

When you practice gratitude, you’re signaling safety to the nervous system. Your cells relax. Your digestion improves. Your energy returns. It’s biology meeting mindfulness.

2. Gratitude Cools Soul Inflammation™

When life feels heavy, your Soul Self (your inner CEO—calm, clear, wise, and fiercely capable) gets drowned out by the Life Self, the one who hustles, worries, and tries to control outcomes. That’s where Soul Inflammation™ lives: in the space between truth and tension.

Gratitude bridges that gap. Each time you choose to notice what’s working instead of what’s wrong, you reduce that inflammation, not just in your body, but in your spirit.

3. A Simple Daily Gratitude Ritual

• Begin small. Each morning, name one thing that makes you feel thankful, not a list, just one.

• Make it sensory. Feel it, see it, breathe it in. Let your body register the gratitude.

• Speak it aloud. Words create resonance. “I’m grateful for the quiet of this morning.”

• Anchor it. Tie your gratitude to a daily act, like brushing your teeth or your morning tea, so it becomes part of your rhythm.

The Takeaway

Gratitude doesn’t deny pain; it gives it context. It reminds you that even in chaos, goodness is still present. Over time, this practice turns survival into serenity and effort into ease.

Your Baby Step This Week

Keep a small notebook by your bed. Each night, write one line beginning with, “Today I noticed…” It could be a smile, a breeze, a moment of peace. Over time, you’ll find you’re not just listing gratitude, you’re living it and looking for it.