In this episode, Shailey and Katie dive into the real, practical side of gratitude — the kind that actually rewires your brain, improves your relationships, and helps you show up as a calmer, less-reactive human (science says so). They unpack how neuroplasticity works, why your brain loves repetition, and why gratitude isn’t about ignoring hard things — it’s about training your mind to notice more than just the problems. Katie jumps in with research on gratitude, self-awareness, and why “toxic positivity” isn’t the goal — acknowledging the real stuff is part of the healing. Together, they introduce a simple experiment to help listeners practice gratitude in a way that feels doable, not delusional. The Practical Gratitude Challenge Pick a trigger category — a person or area that normally sparks frustration — and choose your challenge level: Light: Do a one-time brain dump of everything good or redeemable about that challenging area/person. Medium: Write one genuine gratitude each day for two weeks. Intense: Write three specific gratitudes daily plus one “first-person goal” (a sentence you want to be true about you, written as if it already is). Bonus: Add The Complaint Diet for the week — pause before venting, redirect where it makes sense, and watch what shifts.