Episode 9: Gratitude Doesn't Require Gaslighting

The True Practice of Gratitude: Embracing Both Joy and Pain

In this episode of 'Swearing is Allowed,' host Haley Veronyak delves into the intricacies of gratitude, exploring how it often gets misused as a tool to diminish our emotional experiences. Haley discusses the common misconceptions around gratitude, emphasizing that it isn't an innate mindset but a skill that requires practice. She shares her personal journey with gratitude journals and reframes gratitude as an acknowledgment of both good and bad coexisting simultaneously. This episode tackles the importance of practicing gratitude without invalidating pain and offers practical tips for making gratitude a more embodied and consistent practice. Haley also answers a listener's question about handling guilt while complaining, highlighting the need to hold space for multiple emotions. The episode concludes with reflections that encourage listeners to recognize their pain without silencing it and to understand that gratitude is about noticing, not earning. Tune in to explore a more compassionate and realistic approach to gratitude.

00:00 Introduction to Gratitude

00:43 Misconceptions About Gratitude

02:03 The Practice of Gratitude

03:44 Reframing Gratitude

05:51 Practical Tips for Practicing Gratitude

09:31 Listener Q&A: Dealing with Guilt

10:32 Final Reflections and Next Episode Preview