Unwrapping Gratitude: A Practice Beyond Politeness
Thanksgiving is here, and with it comes the familiar chorus of gratitude: for family, friends, health, and the food on our plates. But let’s be honest—gratitude has become a bit of a buzzword. It’s on every mug, t-shirt, bumper sticker and refrigerator magnet. It’s the thing you’re “supposed to do,” like saying “please” and “thank you.” But what if we flipped the script? What if gratitude wasn’t about what we’re thankful for, but how we live?
Gratitude as a Daily Movement Practice
At 2C Yoga, we teach that movement is medicine. What if gratitude worked the same way? Gratitude isn’t just a feeling; it’s a muscle. And like any muscle, it needs regular practice to stay strong. Sure, you can list what you’re thankful for once a year over turkey and pie, but what happens when you make gratitude a part of your everyday routine?
Here’s the kicker: practicing gratitude doesn’t have to mean journaling or sitting quietly (unless that’s your thing). It can look like anything—moving your body, rolling out tension with a Yoga Tune Up® Therapy Ball, or just giving yourself permission to rest (give me more of that!). Gratitude can be physical. It can be messy. It can be active. It can be still.
Surprising Science: Gratitude and the Nervous System
Here’s something you might not expect: gratitude isn’t just good for your mood; it’s good for your body. When you practice gratitude, your nervous system takes note. Gratitude shifts you out of fight-or-flight mode and into a parasympathetic state—that place of calm and repair where your body can heal.
Think about it: when you focus on what’s good, your heart rate slows down. Your breathing deepens. Your body feels safe. And when your body feels safe, it can release the tension it’s been holding. That’s not just a nice idea; it’s biology.
Gratitude for the Hard Stuff
Now here’s the curveball. What if we practiced gratitude not just for the good things, but for the hard ones? The injuries that forced us to slow down. The challenges that made us rethink our priorities. The setbacks that taught us resilience.
At first, this might sound impossible—maybe even insulting. But gratitude for the hard stuff isn’t about pretending it didn’t hurt. It’s about recognizing that pain and growth often go hand in hand. When we thank the hard moments, we’re not saying, “I’m glad this happened.” We’re saying, “I see how this shaped me.” We just keep building that “Badass Muscle”.
A Gratitude Practice to Try This Week
This Thanksgiving, I invite you to try a different kind of gratitude practice. Instead of listing what you’re thankful for, list what you’re thankful to. Here’s how:
Thank Your Body: For carrying you through every high and low, no matter how tired or imperfect it feels.
Thank the Floor Beneath You: For always being there to catch you, in yoga and in life.
Thank the Hard Moments: For the lessons they taught you, even if you’re still figuring out what those lessons are.
Thank the Present Moment: For being here, right now, even if it’s not exactly where you want to be.
This practice isn’t about forcing positivity. It’s about noticing what’s already there and allowing yourself to feel it.
Gratitude in Action
Gratitude doesn’t have to be performative. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be yours. This Thanksgiving, let’s take gratitude off the pedestal and bring it into our bodies, our breath, and our everyday lives. Not because we’re “supposed to,” but because it’s how we stay grounded, connected, and fully alive.
Gratitude isn’t a thing you do once a year. It’s a way of being. And it’s available to you anytime, anywhere—even if there’s no turkey involved.