Gratitude gets talked about a lot this time of year, usually in ways that feel… predictable. Lists. Platitudes. Pumpkin-spiced reflections.
But lately, I’ve been thinking about gratitude in a way that has nothing to do with holidays or traditions. More like a daily practice of noticing the tiny, almost forgettable moments that actually shape the way we lead, build, and show up.
Here’s the truth: the biggest shifts in my life and work rarely came from big wins or giant milestones. They came from the small, quiet moments I almost missed.
- A comment from someone who saw potential when I didn’t.
- A teammate stepping up without being asked.
- A stranger holding the door on a day when everything felt heavy.
- A tiny “you’ve got this” text from someone who didn’t even know I needed it.
None of that shows up on a P&L or in a quarterly recap, but it changes everything.
We’re building businesses, communities, and entire creative ecosystems that depend on the energy people bring into the room, not just their skill sets. And gratitude, at least the way I’m seeing it now, isn’t a thing you say at the Thanksgiving diner table or the end of the year. It’s a lens. A way of paying attention.
Because here’s what I’ve noticed…
Gratitude isn’t soft.
It’s not performative.
It’s not a “nice to have.”
It’s a strategy.
It sharpens your intuition. It anchors you when things get messy. It opens doors to partnerships, ideas, and people you wouldn’t have seen otherwise. It shifts teams out of survival mode and into possibility. It reminds you why you’re building any of this in the first place.
It’s the fuel for resilience…quiet, steady, and easy to overlook if you’re not intentional about it.
This year hasn’t been simple. We’ve been navigating transitions, rebuilding momentum, strengthening culture, and stretching in ways that required every ounce of courage and patience we had. But even in the mess, or maybe especially in the mess, gratitude showed up as a guide.
Not the holiday version, the transformational version.
The version that looks like:
- Noticing when someone tries.
- Celebrating small courage.
- Appreciating honesty, even when it’s uncomfortable.
- Honoring the moments when people choose community over ego.
- And recognizing that none of us are doing this alone, even when it feels like it.
If you’re reading this, you’re part of this ecosystem, whether you’re a collaborator, a client, a creator in this community, or someone who quietly cheers from the sidelines. And I’m grateful. Deeply. Not in a seasonal way, but in a “you’re part of the reason this works” way.
So here’s the twist: instead of asking “What are you grateful for?” this week…
Ask: What moments have been quietly holding you up, and how can you pay that forward?
That’s the kind of gratitude that builds leaders, culture, and community.
And honestly, it’s the one worth practicing long after the leftovers are gone.
If something came to mind while reading this, send the person a text. Share this with someone who needs the reminder. Or just take one breath and acknowledge the small moment that shaped you this year.
Those are the things that move us forward.
And if you’re brave enough, tag the person you’re grateful for in the everyday ways… no holiday needed.