There Is Always Something to Thank For

I once had a colleague who, no matter what was going on in his life, never seemed happy.

He had a steady, well-paying job. He owned his apartment. He was deeply religious—his favorite quote, according to him, was, “Jesus said life is a test.”

I gently challenged him one day.
“Are you sure Jesus actually said that? Which verse is it from?”
He couldn’t say, but he was convinced it was true.

His life felt heavy to him. He often told me he was lonely. He struggled with his health. He didn’t have close friends, and dating wasn’t working out.
He was living with a cloud over his head.

And yet… he had the same basic resources as many others. So I wondered: could his lens on life be the issue? Could a shift in perspective help him feel lighter, even without changing the circumstances?

He often texted me about how bad things were, so one day, I offered a small idea:
“Would you be willing to try something? Just one thing each day. Since you believe in God, maybe you could text me one thing you’re thankful to Him for. Just one.”

He agreed. But I never received a single message.
And his life stayed the same.

It’s not that gratitude magically fixes everything. But I do believe it helps us notice what’s already good. What’s working. What’s quietly supporting us, even when life feels messy.

So let me ask you—can you think of just one thing today to thank the universe for?

Here are some of mine:

• I woke up today.
• There’s warm water running from my tap.
• Breakfast smelled amazing.
• I had lunch. (In 2023, 733 million people around the world didn’t always get that.)
• I have a roof over my head.
• My dishwasher makes my evenings easier.
• The air is fresh.
• A child ran up to me in the park and smiled. Pure joy.

Several times a day, I take a moment to feel that gratitude. Not just think it—feel it.

And here’s what I’ve found:

When I do that, my eyes soften. I smile.

And the world seems to smile back.

If gratitude feels hard right now, that’s okay. It doesn’t mean you’re broken or ungrateful. It just means you might be tired, overwhelmed, or stuck in survival mode. That’s human.

If you’d like support to slowly shift how you see things, I’m here. Sometimes it just takes one small change—like noticing what’s already good—to begin seeing the path forward.

Reach out

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