Wrapping Up the Year with Gratitude

Why do we so often save gratitude for the very end of the year? Thanksgiving kicks off the holiday season, gathering us around the dinner table sparking the notion of giving thanks, as the leaves turn quietly from green, to red, to brown, and then to dust. Maybe this being the designated time for gratitude makes the very idea of giving thanks feel more like a chore than a joy as we search for something meaningful to say. But what if we took a deeper dive into this notion of “Gratitude”?

Gratitude doesn’t need to be grand. It can be as simple as noticing the smallest blade of grass, a breath of fresh air, or the quiet chirping of baby birds in the morning. When we truly pause to focus on the things we’re grateful for, something shifts. We feel a little lighter. A little better. A little happier about being right here, right now.

So why wait until the end of the year to feel that way?

I’ve said this before—writing is a selfish act. You sit with your thoughts, your imagination, and your words. Gratitude, in many ways, is selfish too. Because when you give thanks, who truly benefits? You do.

It feels good to pause and appreciate the moment.

And if it feels good, why not practice it every single day? Especially on the days when it feels the hardest—when joy seems nowhere to be found. That’s when gratitude becomes a practice, a habit, a choice. You don’t have to lie to yourself or force a grand display. You can start small: a warm cup of tea, the soft light at sunset, a deep breath that reminds you to keep going. Or my kitten, Christopher, waking me up this morning by nibbling my toes.

The more you notice those moments, the more they add up. Suddenly, you’re not just waiting for joy—you’re creating it. And from that joy, the magic unfolds.

Bright ideas are born. Smart choices are made. Community grows. Memories form. Gratitude becomes the quiet spark that turns ordinary days into something extraordinary.

So, as this year draws to a close, take a moment to pause. Reflect on the things—big and small—that make you grateful to be here, right now. Then carry that practice with you into tomorrow, and the next day, and the one after that.

Because gratitude doesn’t belong to the end of the year. It belongs to every day we’re lucky enough to share.