Gratitude Is Supposed To Be Easy. Right?

Hey there, Yogi!

We’ve read many thoughtful responses to our polls over time, but last week’s stood out.

Your stories were real, unfiltered, and deeply human.

Reading them filled us with gratitude and pride for the community we’re growing together.

That feeling is what sparked today’s reflection. 💚

Yoga Deep Dive
Gratitude is supposed to be easy, right?

When you think about the concept of gratitude, it feels second nature.
“Of course, I’m grateful. At least, I know I should be.”

Our ancestors struggled, but food, clean water, and family were things to be genuinely grateful for.

Today, comfort is constant, but appreciation doesn’t always follow.

We’re supposed to wake up thankful.
Notice the good.
Feel blessed by what we have.

Except when we’re stressed, overwhelmed, or just trying to get through the day, gratitude can feel impossible.

Our nervous system wasn’t designed for the pace we live at now.

Information is constant. Our days move fast. Rest is often an afterthought.

In these environments, the nervous system is always scanning for threats:
What’s wrong? What’s next? What needs fixing?

It’s simply doing its job, trying to keep us safe.

Gratitude asks something different.

Instead of scanning for what’s wrong, you pause and notice:

• What’s already okay?

• What’s working right now?

That shift, from threat mode to noticing mode, doesn’t happen automatically. Especially when everything feels like too much.

But it changes something when you practice it.

Your nervous system calms. Not because stress disappears, but because you're telling your body: We're safe enough to pause. To breathe. To notice what's here.

Your body releases tension. Gratitude and anxiety can't fully occupy the same space. When you notice what your body's doing for you, you stop criticizing it for what it can't do.

The smallest noticing counts.

You don't need to feel overwhelmingly thankful.

You don’t need a gratitude journal or a big practice.

They can help build the habit, but gratitude doesn’t start there.
It starts when you pause, once maybe twice, and notice one true thing.

That's gratitude. Not pretending everything's perfect. Just noticing what's real.

Brought To You By
Juliana Larochelle

Teaching yoga asks a lot from you: presence, creativity, steadiness; often all at once.

If you’ve ever walked into class second-guessing a sequence you spent hours planning, or spent that time planning when what you really needed was rest, you’re not alone.

Juliana, founder of The Creative Sequencing Studio, knows this struggle too well.

Early in her career, she spent hours scrolling Instagram and looking up flows to follow cue-by-cue on YouTube, simply because sequencing was never taught in her 200-hour training.

Over time, she created the resource she wished she’d had from the start: a membership designed to support teachers with structure, clarity, and breathing room.

The Studio supports teachers by offering:

• Ready-to-teach weekly sequences with thoughtful dharma themes

• Live classes with replays, so you can hear cues and pacing in real time

• Curated playlists that help set the tone without extra effort

The result? Less time planning, more presence teaching, and classes that feel intentional instead of rushed.

👉 Join Juliana Today and Level Up Your Teaching!

Practice of the Day
The 3-Breath Reset

This takes 30 seconds. You can do it anywhere: your car, the bathroom, waiting in line, middle of a chaotic moment.

Wherever you are right now, pause.

Breath 1: Feel your body

Feel your feet on the ground. The chair under your hips. Your back against the wall. Your hand holding coffee…

Just notice where you are for one breath.

Breath 2: One small gratitude

Name one tiny thing that's okay right now. Not big, not profound. Just true.

Your body's here. You can breathe. You made it through yesterday. This will end eventually.

Anything real, your eyes opened today, you have water to drink…

Breath 3: Let it go

Exhale everything you're holding. The tension, the to-do list, the worry. Just for this one breath, let it all go.

That's it. Three breaths.

💡 You're not trying to fix everything. You're giving yourself one moment to remember: You're okay. Right here. Right now.

Yoga In Everyday Life
The “Second Half” Tip

Every time you criticize your body this week, follow it with something you’re grateful for. You're adding what you left out: the second half of the sentence.

• "My back hurts again" → "...and it's been carrying everything I hold."

• "I'm behind on everything" → "...but I'm still showing up."

• "My hips are so tight" → "...and they've been holding me up for years."

Closing Reflection

Gratitude isn't a feeling you force. It's a practice you return to.

Especially when it feels far away, when everything's hard.

And this last week of the year might feel that way; it’ll probably be chaotic.

You might not get on your mat. You might eat too much, sleep too little, and feel overwhelmed.

That's okay. You're human.

If you get 3 minutes for legs up the wall, take them. If you don't, that's okay too.

Be grateful you’re showing up; even thinking about it counts.

Have a gentle week.

With gratitude,
~The Yoga Daily Team

P.S. As we plan content for 2026, we’d love to hear from you, especially if you haven’t written to us before.

What would you like to see more of in the newsletter?

To those who’ve already written to us: your stories sparked so many meaningful ideas for the year ahead. Thank you!💚

Now we’d love to hear your voice too.

Pick an option below, and a box will appear to write your message 👇️