FORWARD THINKING

Nov 27, 2024

Gratitude in the Valley

Life

Daniel Nice

“Gratitude turns what we have into enough." — AESOP

Forward Flash

Database work continues, using Firebase as our foundation, working on table structure and linking it into our UI.

5-Minutes Forward

This week, try the following:

  1. Keep a Gratitude Journal
    Take five minutes to write down three things you’re grateful for today. They can be small (like a hot cup of coffee) or big (like a supportive friend or teammate). This simple practice can shift your perspective, helping you focus on the positives even in the midst of challenges.

  2. Reflect and Reframe
    Think of a recent frustrating or difficult experience in your work or life. Spend five minutes reflecting on one aspect of that experience you can be grateful for—maybe it taught you a valuable lesson, revealed a new opportunity, or simply gave you a chance to grow. Gratitude can help you see the silver lining and move forward with clarity.

Nov 27, 2024

Gratitude in the Valley

Daniel Nice

“Gratitude turns what we have into enough." — AESOP

0:00/1:34

Forward Flash

Database work continues, using Firebase as our foundation, working on table structure and linking it into our UI.

View All Posts

5-Minutes Forward

This week, try the following:

  1. Keep a Gratitude Journal
    Take five minutes to write down three things you’re grateful for today. They can be small (like a hot cup of coffee) or big (like a supportive friend or teammate). This simple practice can shift your perspective, helping you focus on the positives even in the midst of challenges.

  2. Reflect and Reframe
    Think of a recent frustrating or difficult experience in your work or life. Spend five minutes reflecting on one aspect of that experience you can be grateful for—maybe it taught you a valuable lesson, revealed a new opportunity, or simply gave you a chance to grow. Gratitude can help you see the silver lining and move forward with clarity.

Question

Why should I be grateful when things are so hard?

My Perspective

When life feels overwhelming, gratitude can seem like a luxury. But in truth, it’s a necessity. Whether we’re facing personal challenges or professional obstacles, gratitude has a way of clearing the fog, calming our emotions, and showing us what really matters. It’s not about pretending things are fine when they’re not—it’s about finding the good even in the midst of hardship.

This principle applies to design and development as well. A buggy release or a last-minute client change can send us into a spiral, but gratitude helps us reframe those frustrations as opportunities to grow and learn. It gives us the patience to collaborate effectively and the optimism to keep building, even when the path isn’t smooth.

Joy, a character from Inside Out and Inside Out 2, perfectly represents the power of gratitude and its role in finding balance. In Inside Out 2, Riley faces new struggles as she navigates anxiety, which causes her to lose her way and feel disconnected. Amid this, Joy’s influence becomes even more vital—helping Riley reconnect with her center and rediscover the beauty and meaning in her life. Joy reminds us that while emotions are complex and anxiety or sadness have their place, gratitude is the light that keeps us grounded. Without it, emotions can overwhelm us, leaving the world feeling heavier and darker.

In our work, gratitude is like Joy—it centers us. It reminds us why we create and who we’re creating for. It helps us approach our projects with curiosity and purpose rather than frustration and burnout. And most importantly, it helps us stay connected to the bigger picture, even when we’re deep in the trenches.

So this week, take a moment to pause and reflect. Whether it’s the chance to work on something you love, a supportive teammate, or even just the satisfaction of solving a small problem, there’s always something to be grateful for. Gratitude won’t solve every problem, but it will help you see the next step—and sometimes, that’s all we need.