How Gratitude Helps Calm Our Money Stress
Picking Up From Last Week
I’ve been thinking (no surprise there)... with Thanksgiving here, what impact does gratitude have on our well-being. Not just in the moment, but when it becomes a regular practice.
Last week I talked about the stress loop and the moment of pause. In that pause, we intentionally take notice of how we react, on auto-pilot. Maybe a powerful next step, right there in that space, is to call out what we’re grateful for.
Why Gratitude Helps Us Interrupt Stress
We’ve all heard about the power of gratitude, whether it’s through prayer, journaling, reflection, or simply noticing. What if we filled that space between feeling the stress and reacting with a gratitude exercise? Doing this can help us see ourselves, and the world around us, differently.
I agree with you if you’re thinking: “gratitude doesn’t solve my problems… and my problems are big.” Many of us are carrying very real, difficult situations. I’ve had mine, and I’ll have more. But gratitude interrupts the tone of stress. It gives our nervous system a break. Science shows it changes the way the brain scans for threat vs possibility. Something shifts. Something loosens. Something quiets.
Seeing What Is Already Enough
Gratitude also helps us notice what is “enough.” When we’re stuck in the stress loop, we fixate on what’s missing, wrong, or urgent. Gratitude brings us back to what’s good, and worthy of attention. You may have heard it said, “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
How Gratitude Changes Our Financial Journey
This comes up often in money coaching. What is enough? What changes could we make with our spending and financial burdens to move things in a better direction? What short-term sacrifices might support long-term gains? With an attitude of “enough,” that journey becomes a little easier. And along the way, we may discover that some of the things we were striving for, the things adding pressure, are things we can discard permanently. We may uncover what’s truly important to us.
Gratitude isn’t a magic pill. But honestly, it can feel like a small miracle. That shift in perspective can change so much.
Where Your Stress Might Live
Let’s take a moment to notice where our stressors might be living. Debt. Keeping up with others. Not wanting our kids to struggle the way we did. Proving we’re not repeating the poverty of our childhood. Having money but not allowing ourselves to use it. Wanting our partner to change so we can feel better. Over-control. Overspending for comfort or reassurance.
What are you holding on to? Stress says, “more.” Gratitude says, “enough.”
What You Can Let Go of This Season
What could you let go of this season?
A pressure you’re carrying?
A story about not being enough?
A financial expectation that doesn’t actually match your life?
A comparison?
A fear shaping your decisions?
A Thanksgiving Practice 🙏
Name one thing you’re grateful for today.
Name one area of your financial life that already is “enough.”
Name one thing, big or small, you’re ready to loosen your grip on.
A Simple Note to Take With You
This isn’t just a sentimental holiday exercise for Thanksgiving week. It’s a powerful interrupter of stress, and can give you direction for what’s next. In that pause, in that space, call out what you can be grateful for. And I just bet that will allow you to let go of a few things. And open up room for more calm, focus, and possibility as you move forward.
If this feels like a season where you want support to create more space and less stress in your financial life, coaching is always available with rolling enrollment inside Wealth Together, private or group. You’re welcome to reach out for a connection call.
Wishing you a sense of gratitude and release this Thanksgiving.
