Let’s be real, Reader.

This time of year, everyone’s shouting “be grateful!” like it’s a magic spell that’s supposed to fix everything. 🙄

But what happens when gratitude feels fake? When your nervous system is fried, your boundaries are thin, and you’re trying to convince yourself you’re thankful for things that actually hurt? Yeah… that’s where The Gratitude Myth comes in.

In this week’s episode, I sit down with my friend Carrie Kish for a raw, real, and slightly rebellious conversation about what it actually means to practice gratitude: the grounded kind, not the forced kind. The kind that makes space for your full emotional range instead of slapping a smile on top of exhaustion.

We talked about what it means to be authentic during the holiday season, where you show up as your whole self... even when things are messy. We unpacked the difference between genuine gratitude and toxic positivity, and why trying to “stay positive” all the time actually blocks emotional movement.

Because here’s the thing, boo: emotions are energy in motion.

They’re meant to move, not be masked.

We also explored how to approach family from a place of gratitude if it feels aligned (but only if you can do it while honoring your own boundaries). You don’t owe anyone access to you just because it’s the holidays.

And maybe most importantly, we dove into the power of asking better questions. Instead of the usual “How are you?” that no one ever answers honestly anyway (LOL), try asking, “What’s going well right now?” or “What are you enjoying in your life?” Those small shifts create deeper connection and help us see what’s actually working, even when things are hard.

Carrie and I also talked about how vital it is to get into your body: to move, breathe, stretch, feel. Presence anchors gratitude in something real. When we’re in our bodies, we can access the truth of how we feel instead of forcing ourselves into some spiritual bypass version of joy.

All that and more with just one click: 🎧 Tune in, take a breath, and maybe even rethink what gratitude really means to you this season.

With love and TRUE gratitude to you,
​Jess​