Gratitude Attracts
It all begins—and ends—in the mind.
The quality of your thoughts shapes the mood, direction, and movement of your life. The more gratitude you allow in, the more you begin to notice just how much there is to be grateful for.
For me, this couldn’t be more true, and I know I’m not alone in that. Gratitude doesn’t come naturally to me—it’s something I have to practice with intention. I have to keep it at the forefront of my thoughts, because if I don’t, it’s easy to slip back into old patterns of negative thinking.
Yesterday, Dawn and I were driving to Omaha for our usual grocery run. We started talking about a sensitive situation, and she shared how grateful she is for how things are unfolding. Almost immediately, my mind traveled backward—replaying the difficult parts of the past and pointing out everything that went wrong to get us here. I caught myself mid-thought and realized I needed to stop. I consciously shifted the conversation, knowing that staying there would only pull me further out of gratitude.
There are some things I still struggle to release. Moments I can’t seem to move past. I think part of that comes from shame, or maybe even a sense of selfishness, but I’m working through it. I’m learning to forgive myself for where I feel I’ve fallen short and to honor the growth that came from those experiences. I’m choosing to look for reasons to be grateful for where I am now—regardless of how I arrived here.
The truth is, I have so much to be grateful for. I am deeply thankful for the life I have today. There was a time when my heart longed for Omaha—the convenience, the anonymity, the feeling that everything I needed was right there. But what I have here is something far more meaningful.
I have all three of my children here, along with all four of my grandchildren. My mom, my brother, my sister, my nephew—my family is here, supporting me. My community is here, supporting both of my businesses. I’ve had my daycare here for 26 years, and Mind Body Soul was born here about five years ago. This place holds my roots, my growth, and my purpose.
When I really sit with it, I feel truly blessed. I am profoundly grateful for the life I’m living—and I’m working toward adding an even healthier mind, body, and soul to that list.
My challenge now is to stay present in this feeling of gratitude. To let it deepen, expand, and become a permanent part of how I think and feel. I’m committing to practicing gratitude regularly as I continue this journey.
So I’ll end with this question—one I’m asking myself often lately:
What are you grateful for?
