Latest / The Kathie Owen Perspective Podcast / 225. The Power of Gratitude in Adversity | Not Toxic Positivity

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225. The Power of Gratitude in Adversity | Not Toxic Positivity · The Kathie Owen Perspective Podcast

• 0:00
  Kathie: Have you ever felt like life was just, I don't know, too much like you were holding it all together with a thread and even that thread felt frayed?
• 0:11
  Kathie: Yeah.
• 0:12
  Kathie: I've been there too, and this morning, sitting by a quiet pond on the golf course surrounded by ducks and turtles, I remembered something that helped me get through the hardest times.
• 0:24
  Kathie: Gratitude.
• 0:25
  Kathie: Today, I wanna show you how this simple but powerful emotion can become your greatest tool for resilience.
• 0:35
  Kathie: You're listening to Kathie's Coaching Podcast.
• 0:38
  Kathie: I'm your host, Kathie Owen.
• 0:41
  Kathie: So what is resilience?
• 0:43
  Kathie: Resilience is actually our ability to bounce back.
• 0:47
  Kathie: Not just from tragedy or trauma, but from the everyday stress that wears us down.
• 0:53
  Kathie: And it's not about being unbreakable, it's about being flexible, like bamboo in a storm.
• 1:01
  Kathie: Gratitude isn't just about saying thank you.
• 1:04
  Kathie: It's a mindset, a shift in energy, a way to anchor into the present moment, even when everything feels like it's spinning.
• 1:14
  Kathie: And it's not just feeling good fluff, it is backed by science.
• 1:21
  Kathie: Just this morning I was feeling so anxious.
• 1:24
  Kathie: This month is mental health awareness month and I really focus on mental health when I'm working with corporate clients or any of my clients for that matter.
• 1:35
  Kathie: Mental health is so important, I was just trying to juggle my big dreams with daily realities.
• 1:42
  Kathie: I went to the park under the advice of my mastermind and I just sat down.
• 1:49
  Kathie: Just to see what would happen and to release some of those anxious emotions I was feeling, you know, ducks came up to me.
• 1:58
  Kathie: They were expecting food and chattering away.
• 2:01
  Kathie: When they realized I didn't have any, they just floated there.
• 2:05
  Kathie: There were turtles in the water and the breeze rustled the trees.
• 2:10
  Kathie: It was so simple, but suddenly I felt safe.
• 2:15
  Kathie: I had a message when I asked what am I to do, and it said, feel gratitude.
• 2:23
  Kathie: I realized right there, right then that I'm okay.
• 2:28
  Kathie: You know, that's the power of gratitude.
• 2:31
  Kathie: It brings us back to the now it whispers, you're still here, you're doing your best, and that's enough.
• 2:40
  Kathie: Studies show that people who practice gratitude consistently have greater emotional resilience.
• 2:46
  Kathie: They don't avoid pain, they just don't get stuck in it.
• 2:51
  Kathie: And gratitude shifts your brain out of fight or flight and into a space of presence, healing, and hope.
• 2:59
  Kathie: One of the simplest tools I've used over the years is a gratitude journal, and I don't mean a big production, just three things every morning or every night.
• 3:10
  Kathie: If you want, write down three things you're grateful for.
• 3:14
  Kathie: Some days it's just coffee, sunshine and getting to wear stretchy pants.
• 3:19
  Kathie: Other days it's the strength to keep going or that connection call.
• 3:23
  Kathie: That means business is coming.
• 3:27
  Kathie: You know, I remember when I worked back in corporate, I was the wellness director and there were days I felt completely overlooked, talk about a mental health overload, but I still found gratitude in leading fitness classes or helping someone with their health, or simply taking a walk during lunch to clear my mind.
• 3:52
  Kathie: These moments help me stay connected to myself when everything else around me felt off.
• 3:59
  Kathie: Gratitude can also be felt, not just written.
• 4:03
  Kathie: Take deep breaths, close your eyes and bring to mind one thing you are grateful for.
• 4:10
  Kathie: Let expand in your heart.
• 4:12
  Kathie: It could be your pet, a moment of peace, or even the fact that you have another chance today.
• 4:19
  Kathie: Stick around to the end because I am including a gratitude meditation just for you.
• 4:25
  Kathie: You can also check the timestamps in the show notes or description below, and return to this meditation when needed.
• 4:33
  Kathie: I actually did this at the park this morning.
• 4:36
  Kathie: I placed my hand over my heart.
• 4:38
  Kathie: I listened to the ducks, and I silently said, thank you for this moment, for this breath.
• 4:46
  Kathie: For the chance to begin again, that five minute meditation changed the energy of my entire day.
• 4:55
  Kathie: Gratitude becomes even more powerful when it's shared.
• 4:59
  Kathie: Text a friend, write a letter to someone who impacted your life or tell your dog that you love him.
• 5:05
  Kathie: I do that every day with Rusty.
• 5:08
  Kathie: When you express gratitude, you shift not only your own energy.
• 5:13
  Kathie: But theirs too.
• 5:15
  Kathie: You build connection, you spread resilience.
• 5:19
  Kathie: And in a world that often moves too fast, that connection is priceless.
• 5:27
  Kathie: One of the hardest things to do when you're going through something painful, like being let go from a job, losing your financial footing or watching a loved one suffer, is to be grateful.
• 5:40
  Kathie: It almost feels unnatural, right?
• 5:43
  Kathie: I remember when I was pushed out of the company that I worked for, I had poured my heart into it.
• 5:49
  Kathie: I helped build wellness programs, hosted health fairs, and truly cared about the people.
• 5:56
  Kathie: I even had a Charity Awareness Day where I was going to have the women's shelter teenagers come in and see what we did in the company.
• 6:06
  Kathie: But I was shot down.
• 6:09
  Kathie: I was actually told that this was illegal.
• 6:13
  Kathie: I mean, this is how bad this company's values did not align with mine.
• 6:19
  Kathie: I was so hurt and my mental health was actually shot when I got let go from that company.
• 6:27
  Kathie: And even before I got let go from that company because there was so much going on, but the leadership had shifted there and so did the culture.
• 6:37
  Kathie: I was actually blindsided and honestly.
• 6:41
  Kathie: It crushed me.
• 6:42
  Kathie: I questioned everything about myself, but when I looked deeper, I realized that that door closing, which really closed, hard and slammed, it wasn't rejection, it was redirection.
• 6:57
  Kathie: I.
• 6:58
  Kathie: In the middle of that pain, gratitude showed me something powerful.
• 7:02
  Kathie: I wasn't meant to stay small in that little box, you know, that they had me in.
• 7:07
  Kathie: I couldn't have a charity awareness day of what the company did for the women's shelter teenagers.
• 7:14
  Kathie: What?
• 7:15
  Kathie: That's a small, tiny box, and I'm sorry, but my values don't meet that.
• 7:22
  Kathie: I was meant to help more people, people who truly want to thrive, and companies who value their team's wellbeing and who are actually ready for transformation.
• 7:32
  Kathie: If I hadn't gone through that storm, I wouldn't be here today sharing this very message with you.
• 7:40
  Kathie: And even recently watching my sweet, loving dog, rusty, he is struggling with his vision and he's had mobility issues.
• 7:50
  Kathie: I mean, he's 14 years old.
• 7:52
  Kathie: That's over a hundred years in people years.
• 7:56
  Kathie: I knew this day was coming.
• 7:59
  Kathie: But it's been hard and some days I cry and I feel helpless, but then I remember every day with him is a gift, and I'm grateful that I had him as long as I did, and I'm grateful he still wags his tail when I laugh at him.
• 8:15
  Kathie: Even though he can't see me, he still knows that my energy is there and gratitude helps me cherish what is, instead of fearing what might be.
• 8:26
  Kathie: When we choose gratitude, even in heartbreak, even in uncertainty, we plant the seeds for emotional growth.
• 8:35
  Kathie: We begin to trust that life isn't happening to us.
• 8:39
  Kathie: but for us.
• 8:40
  Kathie: And I say that all the time.
• 8:42
  Kathie: I know it sounds cliche, but honestly, when you look at the big picture, life is happening for you.
• 8:50
  Kathie: It's not happening to you.
• 8:51
  Kathie: And gratitude helps us build that inner strength.
• 8:55
  Kathie: You know, the kind that doesn't come from having an easy life, but from growing through what we go through.
• 9:04
  Kathie: And I wanna say this to you, if you're in a hard season right now, you don't have to be grateful for the pain, but you can be grateful within it.
• 9:13
  Kathie: You can still say, this hurts.
• 9:16
  Kathie: And I'm still thankful for my breath for a friend, for, for this chance to keep going.
• 9:23
  Kathie: I can't tell you how many times I've said that in the dark nights that I dealt with.
• 9:29
  Kathie: After losing that job, I loved that job, but I found gratitude in the fact that I was meant for bigger and better things.
• 9:41
  Kathie: Did you know that practicing gratitude actually rewires your brain?
• 9:46
  Kathie: Studies have shown that consistent gratitude practices lower cortisol.
• 9:51
  Kathie: You know that stress hormone, and it activates the brain's reward center.
• 9:56
  Kathie: This means you literally feel calmer, more balanced, and more in control, and someone who has suffered with anxiety over many, many years.
• 10:06
  Kathie: I can tell you that gratitude really did help me feel calmer, more balanced, and more in control.
• 10:13
  Kathie: I felt this firsthand.
• 10:16
  Kathie: When anxiety starts to rise about money, business or Rusty's Health, I pause and say, what is working right now?
• 10:24
  Kathie: That small shift gets me out of fight or flight and into faith.
• 10:31
  Kathie: Research from UC Davis, and other institutions shows that people who regularly practice gratitude report higher levels of happiness, optimism and even better sleep.
• 10:43
  Kathie: And here's the kicker.
• 10:45
  Kathie: The benefits increase the longer you do it.
• 10:48
  Kathie: Gratitude compounds just like interest in a savings account.
• 10:52
  Kathie: Only this one pays you in joy.
• 10:56
  Kathie: I've been journaling gratitude for years, and while life hasn't always gone the way I planned, it's given me the resilience to respond to life instead of reacting to it.
• 11:08
  Kathie: Gratitude also strengthens our relationships.
• 11:11
  Kathie: When we express appreciation to others, whether it's a friend, a coworker, or even ourselves, it creates a feedback loop of trust, respect, and love.
• 11:23
  Kathie: I've seen this in my coaching clients, in my Toastmasters group and in my own family.
• 11:30
  Kathie: Just saying, I'm grateful for you.
• 11:32
  Kathie: Changes the energy in the room.
• 11:34
  Kathie: It softens the walls.
• 11:36
  Kathie: It deepens connections.
• 11:38
  Kathie: And don't forget to include yourself in that loop.
• 11:41
  Kathie: Be grateful for how far you've come for the person you're becoming.
• 11:45
  Kathie: That's self love.
• 11:47
  Kathie: It's the root of everything.
• 11:49
  Kathie: So how do you make gratitude part of your life and not just a one time journal entry but a lifestyle.
• 11:57
  Kathie: Start small.
• 11:58
  Kathie: Pair it with something you already do.
• 12:00
  Kathie: Brushing your teeth, walking your dog, pouring your coffee.
• 12:05
  Kathie: In those moments, pause and say, I'm thankful.
• 12:08
  Kathie: It doesn't have to be deep or poetic, just real.
• 12:12
  Kathie: Gratitude is like a muscle.
• 12:14
  Kathie: The more you flex it, the stronger it gets.
• 12:16
  Kathie: But it's not about perfection, it's about consistency.
• 12:22
  Kathie: And if you ever fall out of the habit, that's okay.
• 12:25
  Kathie: Just come back.
• 12:26
  Kathie: One moment of gratitude can shift the entire trajectory of your day.
• 12:31
  Kathie: One thought, one breath, one spark of light.
• 12:35
  Kathie: Just by listening to this episode, you are already hitting the gratitude path.
• 12:40
  Kathie: When I was sitting by the pond this morning, I wasn't trying to do anything.
• 12:45
  Kathie: I was just being.
• 12:47
  Kathie: Just like my mastermind had suggested, and in that stillness, gratitude rushed in like a breeze.
• 12:54
  Kathie: That moment reminded me we're always one breath away from peace, one thought away from a miracle.
• 13:01
  Kathie: And this is not just goo goo spiritual stuff.
• 13:05
  Kathie: It really works.
• 13:07
  Kathie: Gratitude isn't a destination either.
• 13:10
  Kathie: It is a path.
• 13:11
  Kathie: It's a way of moving through life with more softness, more strength, and more trust.
• 13:17
  Kathie: And it's okay if you're not always feeling it.
• 13:20
  Kathie: You're human, believe me, I get it.
• 13:23
  Kathie: I don't feel it all the time either.
• 13:25
  Kathie: But if you can remember to reach for gratitude in the small things, the smile, the sunrise, you'll find resilience growing in your heart like a seed that know spring is coming.
• 13:39
  Kathie: I hope today's message reminded you of your own strength of how far you've come and the power you have inside you to rise again.
• 13:49
  Kathie: So let's take a moment to do the Guided Gratitude meditation.
• 13:56
  Kathie: Take a moment, close our eyes, and just breathe.
• 14:02
  Kathie: Inhale gently.
• 14:04
  Kathie: And exhale slowly place your hand over your heart.
• 14:10
  Kathie: Feel the rise and fall of your chest.
• 14:13
  Kathie: Feel that heartbeat.
• 14:16
  Kathie: That's life.
• 14:18
  Kathie: That's you.
• 14:20
  Kathie: With your next breath, bring to mind one thing you're grateful for.
• 14:26
  Kathie: It can be big or small, maybe the sound of the birds this morning.
• 14:32
  Kathie: Your favorite cup of coffee or a friend who checked in on you.
• 14:38
  Kathie: Let that gratitude grow in your heart like a soft, golden light.
• 14:45
  Kathie: Imagine it spreading through your chest, down your arms, to your fingertips, through your shoulders, your face, your legs, your toes.
• 14:58
  Kathie: With every breath, this light of appreciation expands.
• 15:04
  Kathie: Let it fill your entire being.
• 15:07
  Kathie: Now, bring to mind someone in your life that you're grateful for.
• 15:14
  Kathie: Picture their face, say to them in your mind, thank you for being part of my journey.
• 15:24
  Kathie: And lastly, bring that same gratitude to yourself for showing up, for growing, for Trying Whisper in your mind.
• 15:36
  Kathie: Thank you.
• 15:38
  Kathie: I love you.
• 15:39
  Kathie: I've got you.
• 15:42
  Kathie: Let's take one more deep breath together.
• 15:44
  Kathie: Inhale and exhale when you're ready.
• 15:51
  Kathie: Gently open your eyes, carry this light with you.
• 15:56
  Kathie: You are resilient, you are supported, and you are deeply, deeply loved.
• 16:07
  Kathie: All right, that's my episode for today.
• 16:09
  Kathie: I trust that you found it helpful.
• 16:11
  Kathie: If this video resonated with you, please like it, share it, or leave a comment with one thing you're grateful for today.
• 16:19
  Kathie: Let's fill this space with appreciation.
• 16:24
  Kathie: It might be exactly what someone else needs to read.
• 16:29
  Kathie: And if you want more support on your wellness journey, body, mind, and spirit, check out my better You challenge or join my email list.
• 16:38
  Kathie: I share weekly mindset, tools, wellness tips, and personal reflections just like this to help you feel better and live fuller.
• 16:50
  Kathie: Thank you for being here today.
• 16:51
  Kathie: Thank you for being you.
• 16:53
  Kathie: I'm grateful for you more than you know.
• 16:56
  Kathie: Peace out and namaste.