We often hear that our phones are the biggest distraction in modern life. But in truth, it’s not the device in our hand that disrupts our focus – it’s our mind. Constantly pulling us out of the present moment, it fills us with anxiety about things that haven’t even happened. It steals our peace, our clarity, and our connection to the here and now.

Gratitude offers a powerful antidote. It’s more than saying “thank you.” It’s a mindset an active, daily choice to focus on what is good, meaningful, and true in our lives. Gratitude asks us to pause, notice, and appreciate. To see what is instead of worrying about what might be. To focus on how far we’ve come rather than how far we think we need to go.

We always have a choice. When something difficult happens, we can fall into self-pity, expect disaster, or spiral into worry. Or, we can take a breath and reframe. What is the best outcome I’d like to see here? What small step can I take forward? What is still beautiful or working well in this moment?

Recently, I was with a friend who shared that they sometimes feel unappreciated by others. Then they quickly added that they are grateful for their life – their family, their friends, their health, but the feeling of being unappreciated still lingered. It made me reflect on what gratitude really is. It’s not about denying our struggles or forcing ourselves to feel good. It’s about shifting our perception so we can see possibility, not just problems.

For me, gratitude is not a list of things we write down now and then. It’s a practice – something to strengthen, like a muscle. It’s the lens through which we begin to see life. When we practice gratitude regularly, we start to notice the beauty, kindness, and small joys all around us. We start to train our minds to look for what lifts us up, instead of what drags us down.

I remember years ago, I was at a yoga class, happily settled on my mat, enjoying the stillness. Then, a woman arrived and, despite all the free space in the room, chose the mat right next to mine. I was immediately irritated – she’d invaded my space! I considered moving but decided to stay. Then something shifted. I caught myself and thought: how lovely that, of all the mats, she chose to be near me. What if, instead of feeling imposed upon, I felt honoured? That small mental shift changed everything. I softened. I smiled. I enjoyed the class.

That’s the power of reframing through gratitude. It doesn’t ignore the challenges or dismiss discomfort but it gives us a new way of seeing. It gives us space to choose our response.

Gratitude isn’t about being happy all the time. Some days, it’s worth simply asking, How productive was I today? Or What did I notice or learn? It’s about moving forward with intention, noticing beauty, and opening ourselves to joy – however small.

Gratitude isn’t an afterthought. It’s a way of moving through life. When we choose it daily, it shapes our relationships, shifts our focus from scarcity to abundance, and helps us live more fully, more peacefully, and more present.