The Gratitude Trap and the Power of Resistance
Resistance Isn't Futile. It's Fuel.
You’re knee-deep in the manifesting world. The vision boards, the gratitude lists, the meditation marathons. You’re doing all the right things.
But underneath the affirmations and the “I’m so grateful for everything” mantras, you feel cheated. Short-changed. Like life handed you the scraps while others got the feast. This manifesting stuff is bunk, you secretly worry.
You’re not alone. I’ve been there.
And I want to show you how staring resistance square in its ugly eye was a significant key to moving through fear, disappointment, and hurt ... and into the happiest chapter of my life.
Brief Backstory
Six years ago, I was deep in an ugly divorce, raising two kids on my own in a two-bedroom apartment.
My willpower was maxed out just trying to keep food on the table. I’d gone from part-time work to full-time sales in the nutraceuticals space (okay, CBD, a derivative of cannabis, but I digress!).
I’d listen to inspiring videos on loop, scribble gratitude lists like they were sacred scrolls, and meditate until my back hurt (which wasn't too long, truth be told).
Always, something felt off. I kept saying “thank you” while secretly wondering why someone else got the bigger house, the money, the joy, the ease.
I was grateful, sure. And resentful. That contradiction was a slow emotional bleed.
I felt like a fish out of water, swimming upstream with a broken compass, torn map, and no clear destination.
The Wake-Up Call
Then someone told me: Appreciation and gratitude are not the same. I was enraged. What do you mean they’re different? Isn’t appreciation just a fancier word for gratitude? Turns out, no.
Appreciation is deeper. It’s not just saying thank you, it’s feeling into the value of something. It’s presence. It’s reverence. It’s seeing the sacred in the ordinary. And I wasn’t doing that. I was checking boxes, not opening my heart.
Rock-Bottom Realignment
Then came COVID. Unemployed again. Savings draining. Rock bottom knocking. I had no choice but to surrender. Something Had to Give. I started small.
“I appreciate that I’m alive.”
“I appreciate that I have a bed.”
That bed became my anchor. It was my first real furniture purchase, a custom organic mattress I splurged on pre-COVID.
The Bed that Held Me
I mentioned it a lot in those early days. It reminded me that I had made one decision rooted in care, comfort, and worth. And that was enough to start. Appreciation became my rebellion. Not against the world but against the part of me that believed I wasn’t worthy of joy unless I had proof.
Appreciation said: You’re worthy now. Even in the mess. Even in the stretch. Even in the resistance.
Three Years Later...
Today, I'm married to the man of my dreams, living in the prettiest, most peaceful home of my entire life. Yeah, it works. Appreciation really works. Because when you start to feel, savor, cultivate, hone, honor, and live in appreciation, everything begins to shift.
Your Invitation: Start Today
Appreciation isn’t a performance; it’s a practice. It’s not about sounding enlightened or checking boxes. It’s about feeling the truth of what’s still good, still sacred, still yours.
Here’s your challenge: Try it for 30 days. Each morning, as soon as you wake up and before the world rushes in, list what you appreciate. It’s okay if it’s small. It’s okay if it’s hokey.
“I appreciate the sun streaming through the window.” And then FEEL the joy of that warmth, that glow, that miracle of the sun.
“I appreciate the quiet.” And then SAVOR the calm, the serenity, the pause.
“I appreciate the noise.” And then smile at the signs of life all around you.
“I appreciate that I’m alive.” Does this need any explanation?
The only rule? You have to mean it. No gap between your heart and your words. No ego stepping in with roadblocks or comparisons. Just you, your breath, and the beauty that’s already present.
Because when you start to feel, savor, cultivate, hone, honor, and live in appreciation, everything begins to shift.
Now it’s your turn to share.
What do you appreciate after reading this article? Who can you share this with to give them a badass boost?
