This morning, I scrolled through Instagram while sipping my coffee, I came across a post from Jim Kwik that stopped me mid-scroll:

“Life has a funny way of giving grateful people even more things to be grateful for.”

I couldn’t shake it. It sat with me in that quiet, nagging way, like a song lyric you didn’t realize hit too close to home. And honestly? It’s true. Gratitude has a way of multiplying—not in a cheesy, rainbows-and-unicorns kind of way, but in a grounded, real-life, “wow, I didn’t notice how much I have” kind of way.

I didn’t always believe in this stuff. Gratitude practice? Yeah, right. I thought it was just another self-help gimmick to slap on a fridge magnet. But now, looking back, I can see how it became one of the most transformative tools in my life. So, let me tell you how I went from eye-rolling at the idea to actually living it—and reaping the benefits.

My (Reluctant) Start With Gratitude

Let’s rewind to a few years ago. I was in what I call my “burnout era”—working too much, stressing too often, and ignoring all the small joys in my life. The idea of being grateful felt laughable back then. Grateful for what? The crushing deadlines? The constant “why am I even doing this?” existential questions? Yeah, no thanks.

But after yet another sleepless night of overthinking, I stumbled across a video from Lewis Howes talking about gratitude journaling. He made it sound… simple. Too simple. Write down three things you’re grateful for every day, and poof, your life magically improves? Yeah, I wasn’t buying it. But I was desperate and running out of options, so I figured, why not?

The Awkward Beginnings of My Gratitude Practice

That first week? Rough. I didn’t even know what to write. I mean, how many times can you say “I’m grateful for coffee” before it starts to feel like a cop-out? My early entries were stiff and kind of mechanical:

• I’m grateful for my job.
• I’m grateful for my apartment.
• I’m grateful for… I don’t know, my Wi-Fi?

It felt forced. Fake, even. But I stuck with it, partly because I’m stubborn and partly because I had nothing to lose. And then, something weird happened.

The Shift I Didn’t See Coming

One morning, as I sat with my journal, I caught myself writing, “I’m grateful for the way the sunlight came through my kitchen window this morning.”

That was it. Nothing earth-shattering. But it was so specific, so real, that it felt like a crack in the wall I’d built around myself. I started noticing more little things—the way my cat’s tail wagged when I came home, the exact shade of pink in a sunset, the smell of my favorite candle.

It wasn’t that my life had suddenly become perfect. Far from it. But I started seeing things I’d been blind to before. Gratitude became less about what I had and more about what I noticed.

Why Gratitude Works (Even When You Don’t Believe It Will)

Gratitude rewires your brain. Literally. People like Dr. Tara Swart and Jim Kwik talk about this all the time—when you focus on what you’re thankful for, your brain starts looking for more of it. It’s called neuroplasticity, and it’s like training your mind to see the good instead of the bad.

I didn’t realize it back then, but gratitude was slowly shifting my mindset. Instead of obsessing over everything going wrong, I started focusing on what was going right. And when you do that, you’re not just fooling yourself into being happy—you’re creating a mental framework that makes you more resilient, more optimistic, and honestly, just easier to be around.

How to Start Your Own Gratitude Practice (Without Feeling Like a Fraud)

If you’re new to this and feeling skeptical, I get it. I’ve been there. So here’s a no-BS guide to getting started:

1. Start Small – Don’t overthink it. Just write down one thing you’re grateful for each day. It doesn’t have to be profound—”I’m grateful for my favorite hoodie” totally counts.
2. Be Specific- The more detailed, the better. Instead of “I’m grateful for my friends,” try “I’m grateful for the way my best friend always knows when I need a pep talk.”
3. Find a Routine That Works for You- Morning? Evening? On a Post-it while you wait for your coffee to brew? There’s no right way to do this—just make it a habit.
4. Don’t Force It – Some days, it’s hard. That’s okay. Write what you can, even if it’s “I’m grateful I made it through today.”
5. Make It Fun – I started keeping a “gratitude jar” on my desk. Every time something good happened, I’d jot it down on a scrap of paper and toss it in. On tough days, I’d pull one out and remind myself that not every moment sucks.

The Unexpected Benefits of Gratitude

Now, I’m not saying gratitude will solve all your problems. It won’t. But it will change the way you see them. Here’s what I’ve noticed since making gratitude a daily habit:

• I’m less reactive. Instead of spiraling over small annoyances, I’ve learned to let things go.
• My relationships improved. When you focus on what you appreciate about people, you stop nitpicking their flaws.
• I’m happier. Not in a “walking-on-sunshine” way, but in a quiet, steady way.

And here’s the kicker: the more I practiced gratitude, the more things I found to be grateful for. It felt like life kept handing me little gifts, just because I was paying attention.

Final Thoughts (And a Little Challenge for You)

If you’re still on the fence about gratitude, here’s my advice: just try it. For one week. Write down one thing you’re thankful for every day. No pressure, no judgment. Just see what happens.

It might feel awkward at first, and that’s okay. But who knows? You might just find that life really does have a funny way of giving grateful people more to be grateful for.

And hey, if nothing else, you’ll have an excuse to buy a cute journal.

Let me know how it goes—I’d love to hear about your journey.