🍃 GRATITUDE
“Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” – Aesop
Gratitude is the soft pause in the trail—the moment you stop climbing, turn around, and see how far you’ve come. It doesn’t demand positivity or deny pain. Instead, it says: “Even here, in this mess, there is something I can honour.”
For people with ADHD, the journey is often marked by what went wrong, what was forgotten, what still isn’t done. We’re taught to notice the gap, not the gain. But gratitude shifts the lens. It helps us see the tiny triumphs: the returned email, the friend who stuck around, the time we remembered to breathe.
Gratitude isn’t about forced optimism. It’s about recognition. It’s saying, “This moment matters.” And it often opens the door to motivation, clarity, and calm. Not because the world has changed—but because our way of seeing it has.
This value also brings balance. In a brain wired for scanning threats or chasing novelty, gratitude is an anchor. It reminds us we are not only struggling—we are growing, connecting, adapting. There is still light. And when we name it, we carry it further.
🧭 The HOPE Trail Map
- Helps or Harms: Am I spiraling into what’s lacking—or noticing what’s quietly working?
- Own My Values: I want to be someone who honours the good, even when it comes in small or imperfect ways.
- People and Pursuits: Who do I feel thankful for—and how can I let them know? What moments this week felt worth pausing for?
- Enact and Evaluate: Today, I’ll name three things—big or tiny—I’m grateful for, just as they are.
⚠️ Trail Challenges
- ADHD minds can hyperfocus on problems, to the exclusion of positives.
- Fast-paced thought loops may skip over reflection.
- Chronic stress can shrink our ability to notice goodness.
🪧 Trail Markers: Small Steps Toward Gratitude
- Start a “tiny wins” journal—one sentence a day.
- Send a thank-you message (even if it's short or overdue).
- Pause mid-task and ask: What’s something here I can appreciate?
🔥 Campfire Questions for Reflection
- What do I often overlook that actually supports me?
- Who or what am I grateful for, even if I’ve never said it aloud?
- How might gratitude help me feel more anchored, not just more productive?
Gratitude doesn’t ask you to pretend things are perfect. It invites you to see what’s already blooming in the soil you’ve been tending all along.
