138. Toxic Gratitude

Lives of Courage with Jessica Stong

Oh, friends. I'm coming to you with something very near and dear to my heart. I want to discuss gratitude.

Listen, we all know gratitude matters. Gratitude will change you and shape you. Gratitude will connect you and us and your heart to divine love. Gratitude heals us. Gratitude has so many benefits physically, psychologically and socially.

But we often get mixed messages about gratitude.

True gratitude actually comes after a process of surrendering to all of our emotions, even the hard ones.

Toxic gratitude = not allowing yourself to feel anything and forcing yourself to deny true emotions through a list of how you "should" think and feel. (A term I made up, similar to toxic positivity.)

Let's be clear here. We already have a long list of things we "should" do. Adding gratitude to that isn't helpful if it's only used as something to check off. Gratitude changes you when it's real.

So the work - and the invitation - is to feel your feelings. This is the way to avoid toxic gratitude.

I'd love to hear what you think of this concept!!

Here's to a courageous week. XOXO

PS. I'd also love to invite you to leave a review. Every review counts and helps this message of hope be seen by a wider audience.