Gratitude Changes More Than You Think

Hey friend,

Welcome to Starting the Year Right — a short Lunch Box series about setting things up intentionally so the year ahead isn’t just busy… but meaningful.

We’re starting with something simple, ancient, and surprisingly powerful: gratitude.

Not the fluffy, “just be positive” kind — but the kind that rewires how you see your life, your time, and even God’s hand in the everyday.

1️⃣ Why practice gratitude?

Gratitude grounds us in reality.

Instead of living constantly in lack (“I’ll be happy when…”) gratitude gently brings us back to what already is. And that shift changes everything.

Scripture reminds us that gratitude isn’t optional — it’s formative:

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. — 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Not for all circumstances… but in them.

Psychologically, gratitude has been studied extensively. Research by Dr. Robert Emmons, one of the leading researchers on gratitude, shows that regular gratitude practices are linked to:

• Better mental health

• Improved sleep

• Reduced stress and anxiety

• Greater emotional resilience

  
  

In other words: gratitude doesn’t ignore reality — it helps us face it with steadier feet.

2️⃣ How to practice gratitude (without overcomplicating it)

Gratitude doesn’t need fancy systems. It needs consistency.

A few gentle ways to start:

• Daily noticing: one thing that brought peace, one thing that brought joy.

• Written reflection: journaling trains your brain to remember, not rush.

• Prayerful gratitude: telling God thank you before asking for the next thing.

• 
  

The Psalms are full of this rhythm — remembering first, then moving forward.

“Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” — Psalm 103:2

Gratitude is remembrance. And remembrance shapes identity.

3️⃣ Gratitude & your Word of the Year

This is exactly why the gratitude section exists inside the Word of the Year Notion template.

Before you choose a word.

Before you set goals.

Before you plan what’s next.

You pause… and reflect.

What did this past season teach you?

What did God already carry you through?

What are you grateful for — even if it wasn’t easy?

That clarity becomes the soil your Word of the Year grows from.

The Notion template is free, and you can use it whether this is your first time with Notion or your tenth.

📘 A limited-edition printed guide is also available locally at Kayasah House, for those who prefer pen, paper, and quiet moments.

Gratitude won’t make the year perfect.

But it will make you more present, more anchored, and more intentional as you walk through it.

Next up in the series: doing vs. becoming.

Until then, take a breath — and thank God for something small today.

I'm rooting for you,

Mel

---

P.S. — If you'd like to read more about the topic

The Bible

• 1 Thessalonians 5:18 — gratitude as spiritual formation

• Psalm 103 — remembrance and praise

• Psalm 136 — gratitude as repeated practice

Faith-based

• Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts — on gratitude as remembrance and worship

• Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines — spiritual practices as formation

• Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline — inward disciplines and attentiveness

Research & Psychology

• Emmons, R. A. (2007). Thanks! How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier. HarperOne

• Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). “Counting Blessings Versus Burdens,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

• Harvard Health Publishing — articles on gratitude and well-being (Harvard Medical School)