The Power of Gratitude to Rewire Your Brain

Gratitude is often spoken about like a soft, feel-good practice—writing in a journal, whispering thanks before bed, or pausing to notice a beautiful sunset. But neuroscience tells us that gratitude is so much more than a mood booster. Gratitude is a powerful force that actually strengthens the neural pathways in our brains.

Every time we practice gratitude, we reinforce positive circuits in the brain. Think of it like walking the same trail in a forest. The more often you walk it, the clearer and easier that path becomes. Gratitude literally reshapes our wiring, shifting our focus away from fear, stress, and scarcity, and towards presence, abundance, and joy. Brainimaging studies show that gratitude activated areas like the prefrontal cortexx and anterior cirgulate cortex—regions tied to award, decision-making, anf emotinal regulation (PMC study).

But here’s the part I struggle with—and maybe you do too: gratitude in the face of challenges. It’s easy to be grateful when things are smooth, when the blessings are obvious. But what about when life feels heavy, unfair, or simply exhausting?

This is where gratitude asks us to go deeper. To look at the very things we want to resist, the moments that stretch us thin, and say: this, too, is teaching me something. A challenge is not a punishment—it’s an invitation. It’s an opportunity to grow, to learn, and to expand our capacity.

When I went through divorce in 2014, it was one of the hardest seasons of my life. It felt like the grounding underneath me had shifted. But over time, I began to notice that gratitude—sometimes just for small things, like my morning smoothie, a yoga class, or taking a walk—was helping me heal. Science backs this up: research shows that after divorce, gratitude can support post-traumatic growth. A 2023 study found that gratitude was directly linked to greate well-being and resilience following divorce, as people reframed the hardship into an opportunity for personal growth and appreciation of life (PubMed study).

Then, in 2019, I faced another life-altering event: my card accident. I spent over a month in a coma, and doctors told my familyy I would never talk again and would likely liv in a vegetative state. Waking up to that reality could have broken me—but gratitude became a lifeline. I learned to be grateful for breath, for my family's love, for each small sign of prgress in recovery. Neuroscience shows that gratitude after trauma like accidents can literally rewire the brain, buffering against stress and even PTSD. For example, one landmark study with Vietnam veterans found that higher levels of gratitude predicted fewer PTSD symptoms and stronger emotional recovery (Self article summarizing the research). Similar patters have been observed in survivors of accidents and serious injuries.

When I pause to be grateful for the challenge itself—whether it was my divorce in 2014 or my recovery after the 2019 car accident—I’m choosing to believe that I can handle more than I thought possible. I’m rewiring my brain to not only withstand stress but to transform it. The difficulty becomes a training ground for resilience. Instead of feeling trapped by the struggle, I begin to see myself as someone capable of moving through it with strength and grace.

Gratitude doesn’t erase the hard stuff. It doesn’t mean pretending everything is fine when it’s not. What it does is open a doorway—a way to hold space for both the pain and the possibility. A way to say: this hurts, and I’m still grateful for what it’s shaping in me.

And every time I do that, my neural pathways grow stronger. My mind learns to return more quickly to hope. My heart learns to rest in the abundance of what’s here, even when it’s hard.

So, the next time you’re faced with a challenge, try this simple practice:

1. Name the challenge honestly. Don’t sugarcoat it.
   

2. Ask yourself, “What might this be teaching me?”
   

3. Find one thing—just one—you can be grateful for in the middle of it.
   

Over time, this practice doesn’t just change your perspective. It changes your brain. And when you change your brain, you change your life.

Gratitude is also the foundation of my work with BLK + GRN. Building a platform that connects Black women to high-quality, non-toxic products hasn’t always been easy—it’s come with challenges, risks, and setbacks. But I’ve learned to be grateful for those challenges because each one has grown my capacity as a leader and deepened my commitment to our mission. Just as gratitude rewired my brain after divorce and a life-threatening car accident, it continues to shape how I lead and serve.

For me, gratitude is not only personal healing—it’s also a collective practice that creates healthier lives and stronger communities.