Wake Up Grateful—Not Gripping

I used to wake up already bracing for the day.

Before my feet hit the floor, my brain was negotiating:
Hope traffic isn’t bad. Hope the kids cooperate. Hope that meeting goes well.
So much of my energy went into hoping the day wouldn’t fall apart.
It was like I needed the world to behave for me to feel okay.

Then I made a shift:
Start with gratitude. Not control.

Each morning, I name three things I’m thankful for.
Doesn’t have to be profound. Just real.

• The coffee’s strong.

• My kid smiled at me.

• I get another shot at today.

Gratitude doesn’t make the hard stuff disappear.
But it changes how I enter it.
It slows me down. Softens me. Anchors me.

And the truth is:
The day might still go sideways.
But now, I’m not gripping it so tightly.
I’m not asking it to prove itself to me.
I’m already grounded. Already grateful.

Control is exhausting.
Gratitude is grounding.
Start your day holding what you have—not chasing what might go wrong.