You look around.
You have enough.
You’ve come far.
You’re thankful.
You remind yourself to appreciate what you have.
To not take it for granted.
To stay grounded.
But then you start shrinking your wants.
You silence your discomfort.
You swallow your hunger for more.
Because somewhere along the way,
gratitude got twisted into guilt.
There’s a thin line.
Gratitude expands your heart.
Guilt compresses your desire.
Gratitude says:
I honor what I have.
Guilt says:
I don’t deserve to want more.
Gratitude softens you.
Guilt shames you.
Gratitude opens the door for abundance.
Guilt locks you in the room with whatever you were first given.
You say:
- “I should just be grateful.”
- “Other people have it worse.”
- “This is enough.”
And maybe it is.
But ask:
- Am I being thankful — or gaslighting myself?
- Am I appreciating — or emotionally settling?
- Am I honoring what I have — or punishing myself for wanting growth?
You can be grateful and want more.
You can love where you are and still be curious about what’s next.
Gratitude isn’t the end of desire — it’s the foundation of it.
This is the Cushy way.
Thanks without silence.
Contentment with curiosity.
Peace that holds possibility.
You don’t have to feel guilty for growing.
Gratitude is not a cage — it’s a garden.
