The Journey Behind Shows What's Ahead

How to nurture your heart so it can guide you forward.

Hello friend,

Tomorrow I’m celebrating my birthday.

I’m not big on parties anymore. Instead, I like to treat birthdays as a quiet ritual - one that has become a steady companion in the times of transition and uncertainty.

A Story: What is there to celebrate?

When I turned 35 a couple of years ago, I didn’t want to celebrate. I wanted to hide. My inner critic shouted, “Half your life is gone, and you’re nowhere close to where you thought you’d be.”

Anxiety flooded my chest. I sat alone, staring into the void, eyes filled with tears.

Then I remembered an old practice. I opened a small notebook and challenged myself to list 50 things I was grateful for. I started with the obvious - health, close friends, family - but soon drifted into tiny, tender details: the smell of black coffee, rain tapping on the window, a stranger’s smile the other day, my courage to start over (again).

I can’t recall how many lines I filled, but somewhere around line 37, my shoulders dropped, my breath deepened, and warmth spread through my chest.

What we focus on grows.

I still don’t have everything I wished for, yet I’m closer to the life I envisioned than ever before.

Gratitude didn’t give me a shortcut; it gave me the energy to keep walking.

And most importantly, the destination became less important once I shifted my attention to the path I’m on in the present moment.

A Thought: There is always something to celebrate

We are often busy chasing the next milestone, growth, and improvement that we forget the journey we’ve already covered. We might ignore our strengths, relationships and resources that are at our disposal.

Ironically, that relentless forward‑leaning can hamper our progress.

Like a flower, we bloom only when the soil is nourished.

Science backs this up: regular gratitude practice reshapes the brain.

“When we express gratitude, our brain releases dopamine and serotonin, the two crucial neurotransmitters responsible for our emotions, and they make us feel ‘good’. They enhance our mood immediately, making us feel happy from the inside. By consciously practising gratitude every day, we can help these neural pathways to strengthen themselves.”

It even works silently. Researchers at Indiana University found out that even people who wrote gratitude letters and never sent them enjoyed the benefits of experiencing gratitude. Your brain can’t tell the difference between remembered appreciation and the real‑time kind.

Moreover, Robert Emmons and Anjali Mishra found that individuals who regularly practised gratitude reported increased energy levels and were more likely to make progress toward personal goals. This suggests that gratitude not only uplifts mood but also serves as a catalyst for self-improvement and proactive behaviour.

In short, practising gratitude shapes our future selves.

A Practice: Three Ways to Cultivate Gratitude

1. The Deep Dive (Somatic Version)

• Grab a notebook and list 50 things you’re thankful for - big, small, or wildly specific.

• When you finish, close your eyes. Let the feeling expand in your chest. Picture it radiating through your body like warm light. Breathe there for a couple of minutes.

2. The Three‑Line Nightcap (Daily Version)

1. Keep a journal by your bed.

2. Before lights‑out, jot three fresh gratitudes from the day. Don’t repeat them from the previous day. Think about:

   • What made me smile today?

   • Who supported me, even in a tiny way?

   • What simple thing made life easier?

3. Morning Gratitude Meditation

• Start your day with a gratitude meditation—even 5 minutes counts. I like to use this one from Insight Timer, but choose any that resonates with you.

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Thank you for reading and for being here.

I’m grateful for every soul who finds a little nourishment in these words.

With warmth,

P.S. I’d love to hear: What are you celebrating this week? Hit the comment button and let me know.