Finding Gratitude in the Everyday
I’ve always believed that gratitude isn’t just about the big moments — it’s about training your eyes to notice the small ones. The ones that sneak up quietly between errands, sessions, and the rhythm of everyday life.
For me, gratitude often begins behind the wheel. My commute winds along Mulholland Drive, that long spine of the Santa Monica Mountains where the city spills out endlessly on both sides. When I drive home in the evening, I catch the twinkling lights stretching to the horizon — Los Angeles breathing and glittering beneath me — and I can’t help but give thanks. Gratitude for perspective, for beauty, for the simple act of moving through it all.
Then there are the smaller, lighter moments — like driving through the flats of Beverly Hills, palm trees standing tall and surreal against the California sky, influencers darting into traffic for the perfect selfie. It’s such a uniquely L.A. scene that it always makes me smile. Sometimes I give gratitude just for the colors — the way sunlight hits glass, the shade of green in those palms, the brilliance of bougainvillea in bloom. When I remember to be thankful for being able to see color, somehow the world looks more vivid in return.
Gratitude shows up at the table, too. A great vegan meal — like one from Pure Vida in West Hollywood — feels like a small celebration. After spending time in Costa Rica, where vegan options can be limited, I don’t take it for granted. Every bite is a reminder of abundance, creativity, and how good food can be its own kind of nourishment for the soul.
And most of all, I hold gratitude for the people who helped shape my path — friends, family, and mentors who believed in me, who encouraged me to build a life and a practice rooted in healing. Becoming a male massage therapist in Beverly Hills wasn’t just about career; it was about trust, resilience, and finding a place where authenticity is part of the work.
When I bring gratitude into my daily life, it transforms the ordinary into something sacred. The drive, the light, the color, the food, the connection — all reminders that every moment has something to offer if I’m paying attention.
Because gratitude isn’t something we find once; it’s something we return to again and again, like breath.
