You can do better (than me). Episode 4: Gratitude

For the longest time, I misunderstood gratitude. I thought it was just about saying “thank you” to people—even when I wasn’t really thankful. If someone did me a favor or gave me something, I’d say thanks out of politeness, but my heart wasn’t always in it. I was just going through the motions, and for a while, that was my version of gratitude.

Then, something shifted. I began to see that gratitude is more than just a social nicety. It’s an attitude, a perspective, and a practice that goes far beyond saying thanks to people. It’s about recognizing that everything in life, even the challenges, is something to be grateful for. And yes, I mean everything.

One day, I was working on a big business deal that seemed like a game changer. I was excited about it. But just before we closed, I found out that the person I was dealing with wasn’t who I thought they were. The deal fell apart. At first, I was frustrated. What was there to be grateful for? The business was gone. But then I realized that not closing the deal actually saved me from a much bigger disaster. I didn’t have to thank the person who tried to mislead me, but I did have to thank the situation for revealing itself before it was too late. That’s the kind of gratitude I’m talking about.

This new concept of gratitude goes deeper. It forces you to practice positivity, even on the bad days. It's about finding three things to be grateful for every day, no matter how tough the day has been. It’s also about reframing situations to see the bright side. This practice does more than just keep you thankful—it rewires your brain to focus on the positive. And when you focus on the positive, you can’t help but feel more optimistic.

Gratitude fights off the victim mentality. It stops you from thinking, “Why does this always happen to me?” or “I’m so unlucky.” Instead, you start to realize how every challenge is an opportunity to learn, grow, or avoid bigger mistakes. This mindset also keeps you grounded in the present moment, something Eckhart Tolle talks a lot about. Gratitude helps you appreciate what you already have, rather than focusing on what’s missing or what might go wrong in the future.

For someone like me, a parent and an immigrant, it’s easy to fall into the trap of longing for what I had in the past. There have been countless times when I missed the life I had in Buenos Aires, or even the days in New York, and all the things I took for granted back then. But gratitude has taught me to focus on the here and now, and to be thankful for what’s in front of me, even if it’s not always perfect.

Practicing gratitude also elevates your vibration. Neuroscience backs this up—when you meditate and focus on positive emotions like gratitude, your body changes. You start to feel better, think clearer, and attract more positive experiences into your life. And when you start visualizing the future you want, gratitude can help you manifest it. You begin to feel grateful for the life you’re building, even before it arrives.

That’s the power of gratitude. It not only helps you focus on the present but also guides you toward a better future. And that’s a lesson I wish I had learned a lot sooner.