Gratitude as a Way of Life: A Heartfelt Pause

Sometimes the most powerful episodes come from quiet moments. No guests. No back-to-back interviews. Just space to reflect, share, and connect. In this solo episode of The Best Ever You Show, I take a pause to catch up, share what’s been unfolding behind the scenes, and speak from the heart about something we all need more of — gratitude.

Gratitude, to me, is not just a feeling. It’s not a journal entry or a holiday tradition — though those are beautiful practices. It’s a way of life. A guiding principle. And especially during seasons of personal and professional transition, it becomes an anchor.

This episode is an invitation to slow down and breathe with me. It’s a chance to check in with yourself and maybe even begin a new chapter with more intention, clarity, and yes — gratitude.

A Personal Catch-Up

As I shared in the episode, life lately has been rich and full. I’ve been immersed in the work of bringing The Peace Guidebook to life alongside my dear friend and co-author, Dr. Katie Eastman. We’ve also been continuing to grow the impact of The Change Guidebook, The Success Guidebook, and Percolate. Each book has become more than just a project — they’re movements, and reflections of a lifelong commitment to helping people navigate change and success with authenticity and heart.

And at home? Well, we’re in a season of change there too. The boys are growing up and moving out. Our home feels a little bigger… and a little quieter. It’s bittersweet — filled with deep pride and love, and at the same time, a feeling of “Where did the time go?”

That’s the thing about change — it often arrives in quiet ways. In a room that doesn’t need to be cleaned anymore. In a house that holds more echoes than footsteps. In the stillness that invites us inward.

Why Gratitude Matters Now More Than Ever

In moments like these, I return to gratitude — not as a reaction, but as a practice. In The Change Guidebook, I talk about how gratitude can be a stabilizer during transformation. It gives you something solid to stand on when everything else feels like it’s moving beneath your feet.

Gratitude helps you focus not on what’s missing — but on what remains. And more than that, it helps you see what’s possible.

Here’s the truth: Gratitude isn’t reserved for the easy seasons. In fact, it’s most powerful in the middle of the messy ones. It’s not about ignoring your challenges or pretending everything is fine. It’s about standing in the middle of your real life and saying, “This matters. This moment is enough. I see it. I honor it.”

Introducing The Gratitude Flip

One of the most meaningful mindset tools I’ve created is something I call The Gratitude Flip. It’s all about shifting from “I have to” to “I get to.”

It’s a powerful reframe that can help you step out of resistance and into appreciation — even when life feels hard.

• “I have to go to work” becomes “I get to earn a living.”

• “I have to clean the kitchen” becomes “I get to care for a home that shelters me.”

• “I have to do errands” becomes “I get to move through my day with purpose.”

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This isn’t about denying hardship. It’s about remembering that even amidst stress and responsibility, there is still something sacred. There is still something to honor.

Celebration Begins with Gratitude

In The Success Guidebook, one of the 10 principles I explore is Celebrate — and we can’t truly celebrate if we’re not grounded in gratitude.

Celebration is not just for birthdays and big wins. It’s a way to honor effort, growth, and resilience. When we practice gratitude, we automatically become more aware of what there is to celebrate. And in a world that’s always pushing us to “do more,” that’s a radical act of self-love.

Real Questions, Real Practice

During the podcast, I asked a few questions I’ll repeat here — because they’re worth sitting with:

• What are you grateful for right now?

• Who are you grateful for?

• When was the last time you expressed that gratitude out loud?

  
  

Even one small act of acknowledgment — one thank-you, one deep breath of appreciation — can shift your whole perspective. And that’s how change begins. That’s how success becomes sustainable. That’s how peace is practiced.

You Don’t Need to Earn Your Gratitude

A lot of people ask me, “What if I don’t feel grateful?”

And here’s my answer: That’s okay. Gratitude isn’t something you earn. It’s something you practice. It’s a posture of the heart, not a perfect state of mind. Some days it comes easily. Other days, it takes effort. Both are valid. Both are real.

The point is to stay open. To stay present. And to keep choosing it — over and over again.

Final Thoughts

If you’re reading this, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for being here. Thank you for caring about your own growth. Thank you for letting me be a part of your journey.

Gratitude isn’t passive. It’s active. It’s how we live with awareness. It’s how we return to our true selves, over and over again.

I hope this podcast episode — and this blog — serves as a gentle invitation to pause. To catch up with yourself. To celebrate what’s already here. And to remember that you don’t have to wait for life to be perfect to feel thankful.

The moment you have? It’s already enough.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Elizabeth

Listen to the episode on your favorite podcast platform and visit BestEverYou.com to explore more resources, tools, and upcoming events.