If you've taken a class with me, you've probably heard me say that gratitude is the pathway to joy and abundance. At the end of every class, we spend a few moments acknowledging what we're grateful for.
Recently, while talking with a client, I heard myself say it a little differently. And it made me stop and think: Have I been talking about abundance as though it's something we're trying to get?
When I say, “Let's bring in joy and abundance,” does that sound as though abundance is something we earn? As though, if we practice gratitude well enough, we'll receive more of what we want?
That gave me pause. Because that's not what I mean, and I want to spend a little time with that distinction today.
What are we expecting gratitude to do?
We might name the people we're grateful for, our health, or having a home to come back to at the end of the day. And somewhere in that practice, we might begin to think of gratitude as an exchange.
If I appreciate what I have, maybe more good things will come to me.
It's an understandable thought. But notice where it leaves our attention. We're still looking ahead to something we don't have yet. We're still waiting for something more before we can feel content.
The gratitude I'm talking about invites us to spend a little time with what's already here.
That kind of noticing is part of living more intentionally. We pause long enough to question a familiar thought and ask whether it reflects what we really believe. Even a phrase I use often can give me something new to consider.
What if abundance is recognizing what's already here?
When we pause to recognize something we truly appreciate, we may have a moment of feeling that we have enough. There's something good here, in our lives, right now.
Maybe it's a relationship we value. Maybe it's the comfort of coming home. We give that part of our life our attention and allow ourselves to appreciate it.
In that moment, we aren't asking it to become something else. We aren't wondering what we can get from it. We can feel content with what is here.
Gratitude doesn't bring us abundance as a reward. Gratitude can help us recognize the abundance that's already here.
There may still be things we need or circumstances we hope will change. We can acknowledge those honestly and also recognize something we appreciate today. We don't have to make a sweeping statement that everything in our lives is good in order to notice something that is.
Let yourself experience the appreciation
At the end of a gentle yoga or chair yoga class, those few moments of gratitude give us time to pause and notice. The same opportunity is available in everyday life.
This week, choose one person, one thing, or one part of your life that you appreciate. Take a little time with it before moving on to the next thing.
You might ask yourself:
What do I appreciate about this?
What does it feel like to recognize that it's already part of my life?
Can I spend a moment here without asking for anything more?
There's no particular feeling you have to produce. See what you notice when you give your appreciation a little room.
I want to be more thoughtful about the way I describe this practice. When I invite you into gratitude, I'm inviting you to recognize the good that's already present and experience what that means to you.
What comes to mind for you today? What is already here that you might have been looking past?
Explore mindful living together
A question like this can be meaningful to sit with on your own. It can also open up a conversation. Someone else may hear something differently, as my client helped me recognize, or offer a perspective we hadn't considered.
That's the kind of reflection we make room for in the Authentic Living Circle. We meet online each week for a teaching, conversation, and practical ways to bring more awareness to our everyday lives. It's time to reconnect with what matters to you, with the support of others who are exploring their own questions.
If these Mindful Mondays speak to you and you've wanted a place to explore a little further, I'd love to invite you to experience the Authentic Living Circle.
Our free open session is Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at 8 a.m. Eastern, online.
Come meet us and see how it feels to make this kind of reflection part of your week.
I'd love to hear what gratitude means to you. And if someone in your life came to mind as you read, you're welcome to share this with them.