225. The Power of Gratitude in Adversity | Not Toxic Positivity

🔗🔗Links for today:
Blog post: http://www.kathieowen.com/blog/gratitude-cure-rewire-brain-resilience-sitting-with-ducks
Kathie Owen Links: https://www.kathieowen.com/links
Corporate Wellness: https://www.kathieowen.com/corporate-wellness
Reality Transurfing: https://www.kathieowen.com/reality-transurfing
Fitness and Wellness: https://www.kathieowen.com/fitness
Mental Health Awareness Month: https://www.kathieowen.com/blog/may-2025-mental-health-awareness

In today’s video, we discuss:

Power of Gratitude: Boosting Resilience and Mental Health | Kathie's Coaching Podcast

In this episode of Kathie's Coaching Podcast, host Kathie Owen shares how gratitude can be a powerful tool for building emotional resilience. She recounts her personal experiences with anxiety and challenging life circumstances, emphasizing the transformative effects of gratitude.

Kathie explains how practicing gratitude can shift one's mindset, reduce stress, and enhance overall well-being. She also guides listeners through a gratitude meditation and offers practical tips to integrate gratitude into daily life.

Listen in for an inspiring message on finding strength and peace through gratitude.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction: Overwhelmed by Life
00:45 Understanding Resilience
01:10 The Power of Gratitude
01:29 Personal Struggles and Gratitude
03:22 Practical Gratitude Practices
05:55 Gratitude in Tough Times
14:56 Gratitude Meditation
17:20 Conclusion and Call to Action

Thank you for being here!!

Transcript

Kathie: 0:00

Have you ever felt like life was just, I don't know, too much like you were holding it all together with a thread and even that thread felt frayed? Yeah. I've been there too, and this morning, sitting by a quiet pond on the golf course surrounded by ducks and turtles, I remembered something that helped me get through the hardest times. Gratitude. Today, I wanna show you how this simple but powerful emotion can become your greatest tool for resilience. You're listening to Kathie's Coaching Podcast. I'm your host, Kathie Owen. So what is resilience? Resilience is actually our ability to bounce back. Not just from tragedy or trauma, but from the everyday stress that wears us down. And it's not about being unbreakable, it's about being flexible, like bamboo in a storm. Gratitude isn't just about saying thank you. It's a mindset, a shift in energy, a way to anchor into the present moment, even when everything feels like it's spinning. And it's not just feeling good fluff, it is backed by science. Just this morning I was feeling so anxious. This month is mental health awareness month and I really focus on mental health when I'm working with corporate clients or any of my clients for that matter. Mental health is so important, I was just trying to juggle my big dreams with daily realities. I went to the park under the advice of my mastermind and I just sat down. Just to see what would happen and to release some of those anxious emotions I was feeling, you know, ducks came up to me. They were expecting food and chattering away. When they realized I didn't have any, they just floated there. There were turtles in the water and the breeze rustled the trees. It was so simple, but suddenly I felt safe. I had a message when I asked what am I to do, and it said, feel gratitude. I realized right there, right then that I'm okay. You know, that's the power of gratitude. It brings us back to the now it whispers, you're still here, you're doing your best, and that's enough. Studies show that people who practice gratitude consistently have greater emotional resilience. They don't avoid pain, they just don't get stuck in it. And gratitude shifts your brain out of fight or flight and into a space of presence, healing, and hope. One of the simplest tools I've used over the years is a gratitude journal, and I don't mean a big production, just three things every morning or every night. If you want, write down three things you're grateful for. Some days it's just coffee, sunshine and getting to wear stretchy pants. Other days it's the strength to keep going or that connection call. That means business is coming. You know, I remember when I worked back in corporate, I was the wellness director and there were days I felt completely overlooked, talk about a mental health overload, but I still found gratitude in leading fitness classes or helping someone with their health, or simply taking a walk during lunch to clear my mind. These moments help me stay connected to myself when everything else around me felt off. Gratitude can also be felt, not just written. Take deep breaths, close your eyes and bring to mind one thing you are grateful for. Let expand in your heart. It could be your pet, a moment of peace, or even the fact that you have another chance today. Stick around to the end because I am including a gratitude meditation just for you. You can also check the timestamps in the show notes or description below, and return to this meditation when needed. I actually did this at the park this morning. I placed my hand over my heart. I listened to the ducks, and I silently said, thank you for this moment, for this breath. For the chance to begin again, that five minute meditation changed the energy of my entire day. Gratitude becomes even more powerful when it's shared. Text a friend, write a letter to someone who impacted your life or tell your dog that you love him. I do that every day with Rusty. When you express gratitude, you shift not only your own energy. But theirs too. You build connection, you spread resilience. And in a world that often moves too fast, that connection is priceless. One of the hardest things to do when you're going through something painful, like being let go from a job, losing your financial footing or watching a loved one suffer, is to be grateful. It almost feels unnatural, right? I remember when I was pushed out of the company that I worked for, I had poured my heart into it. I helped build wellness programs, hosted health fairs, and truly cared about the people. I even had a Charity Awareness Day where I was going to have the women's shelter teenagers come in and see what we did in the company. But I was shot down. I was actually told that this was illegal. I mean, this is how bad this company's values did not align with mine. I was so hurt and my mental health was actually shot when I got let go from that company. And even before I got let go from that company because there was so much going on, but the leadership had shifted there and so did the culture. I was actually blindsided and honestly. It crushed me. I questioned everything about myself, but when I looked deeper, I realized that that door closing, which really closed, hard and slammed, it wasn't rejection, it was redirection. I. In the middle of that pain, gratitude showed me something powerful. I wasn't meant to stay small in that little box, you know, that they had me in. I couldn't have a charity awareness day of what the company did for the women's shelter teenagers. What? That's a small, tiny box, and I'm sorry, but my values don't meet that. I was meant to help more people, people who truly want to thrive, and companies who value their team's wellbeing and who are actually ready for transformation. If I hadn't gone through that storm, I wouldn't be here today sharing this very message with you. And even recently watching my sweet, loving dog, rusty, he is struggling with his vision and he's had mobility issues. I mean, he's 14 years old. That's over a hundred years in people years. I knew this day was coming. But it's been hard and some days I cry and I feel helpless, but then I remember every day with him is a gift, and I'm grateful that I had him as long as I did, and I'm grateful he still wags his tail when I laugh at him. Even though he can't see me, he still knows that my energy is there and gratitude helps me cherish what is, instead of fearing what might be. When we choose gratitude, even in heartbreak, even in uncertainty, we plant the seeds for emotional growth. We begin to trust that life isn't happening to us. but for us. And I say that all the time. I know it sounds cliche, but honestly, when you look at the big picture, life is happening for you. It's not happening to you. And gratitude helps us build that inner strength. You know, the kind that doesn't come from having an easy life, but from growing through what we go through. And I wanna say this to you, if you're in a hard season right now, you don't have to be grateful for the pain, but you can be grateful within it. You can still say, this hurts. And I'm still thankful for my breath for a friend, for, for this chance to keep going. I can't tell you how many times I've said that in the dark nights that I dealt with. After losing that job, I loved that job, but I found gratitude in the fact that I was meant for bigger and better things. Did you know that practicing gratitude actually rewires your brain? Studies have shown that consistent gratitude practices lower cortisol. You know that stress hormone, and it activates the brain's reward center. This means you literally feel calmer, more balanced, and more in control, and someone who has suffered with anxiety over many, many years. I can tell you that gratitude really did help me feel calmer, more balanced, and more in control. I felt this firsthand. When anxiety starts to rise about money, business or Rusty's Health, I pause and say, what is working right now? That small shift gets me out of fight or flight and into faith. Research from UC Davis, and other institutions shows that people who regularly practice gratitude report higher levels of happiness, optimism and even better sleep. And here's the kicker. The benefits increase the longer you do it. Gratitude compounds just like interest in a savings account. Only this one pays you in joy. I've been journaling gratitude for years, and while life hasn't always gone the way I planned, it's given me the resilience to respond to life instead of reacting to it. Gratitude also strengthens our relationships. When we express appreciation to others, whether it's a friend, a coworker, or even ourselves, it creates a feedback loop of trust, respect, and love. I've seen this in my coaching clients, in my Toastmasters group and in my own family. Just saying, I'm grateful for you. Changes the energy in the room. It softens the walls. It deepens connections. And don't forget to include yourself in that loop. Be grateful for how far you've come for the person you're becoming. That's self love. It's the root of everything. So how do you make gratitude part of your life and not just a one time journal entry but a lifestyle. Start small. Pair it with something you already do. Brushing your teeth, walking your dog, pouring your coffee. In those moments, pause and say, I'm thankful. It doesn't have to be deep or poetic, just real. Gratitude is like a muscle. The more you flex it, the stronger it gets. But it's not about perfection, it's about consistency. And if you ever fall out of the habit, that's okay. Just come back. One moment of gratitude can shift the entire trajectory of your day. One thought, one breath, one spark of light. Just by listening to this episode, you are already hitting the gratitude path. When I was sitting by the pond this morning, I wasn't trying to do anything. I was just being. Just like my mastermind had suggested, and in that stillness, gratitude rushed in like a breeze. That moment reminded me we're always one breath away from peace, one thought away from a miracle. And this is not just goo goo spiritual stuff. It really works. Gratitude isn't a destination either. It is a path. It's a way of moving through life with more softness, more strength, and more trust. And it's okay if you're not always feeling it. You're human, believe me, I get it. I don't feel it all the time either. But if you can remember to reach for gratitude in the small things, the smile, the sunrise, you'll find resilience growing in your heart like a seed that know spring is coming. I hope today's message reminded you of your own strength of how far you've come and the power you have inside you to rise again. So let's take a moment to do the Guided Gratitude meditation. Take a moment, close our eyes, and just breathe. Inhale gently. And exhale slowly place your hand over your heart. Feel the rise and fall of your chest. Feel that heartbeat. That's life. That's you. With your next breath, bring to mind one thing you're grateful for. It can be big or small, maybe the sound of the birds this morning. Your favorite cup of coffee or a friend who checked in on you. Let that gratitude grow in your heart like a soft, golden light. Imagine it spreading through your chest, down your arms, to your fingertips, through your shoulders, your face, your legs, your toes. With every breath, this light of appreciation expands. Let it fill your entire being. Now, bring to mind someone in your life that you're grateful for. Picture their face, say to them in your mind, thank you for being part of my journey. And lastly, bring that same gratitude to yourself for showing up, for growing, for Trying Whisper in your mind. Thank you. I love you. I've got you. Let's take one more deep breath together. Inhale and exhale when you're ready. Gently open your eyes, carry this light with you. You are resilient, you are supported, and you are deeply, deeply loved. All right, that's my episode for today. I trust that you found it helpful. If this video resonated with you, please like it, share it, or leave a comment with one thing you're grateful for today. Let's fill this space with appreciation. It might be exactly what someone else needs to read. And if you want more support on your wellness journey, body, mind, and spirit, check out my better You challenge or join my email list. I share weekly mindset, tools, wellness tips, and personal reflections just like this to help you feel better and live fuller. Thank you for being here today. Thank you for being you. I'm grateful for you more than you know. Peace out and namaste.