10/27/2025
I was listening to one of my favorite spiritual teachers recently—the late, great Dr. Wayne Dyer. He was talking about the simple power of gratitude, and a story he shared really struck me. It’s a practice so simple, yet so profound, that it instantly reminded me of everything we do here on the mat.
He said that every morning, the first thing he did was wake up and repeat one phrase: “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”
Over and over again. Not because something extraordinary had happened, but as a commitment, an intention, to start the day from a place of gratitude.
It made me realize how similar this simple repetition is to our dedicated yoga practice.
When we come to the mat, we know the benefits. We feel them immediately: a little more space in our body, a quieter mind, a sense of grounding.
If you practice regularly for a year, you’ll feel stronger, more flexible, and more peaceful.
But here is the simple truth: the benefits only exist when you are doing the practice.
If I practice yoga for a year, then stop, I will eventually lose the physical and mental benefits. My hamstrings will tighten up again. The noise in my head will return.
This isn’t a failure; it’s just the nature of practice.
Gratitude is the same way. Waking up and saying “Thank you” for five minutes isn’t a permanent fix for all your problems. It’s an act of conscious awareness that benefits you in the moment you are doing it, and that benefit ripples out through your day.
If you are going through a particularly challenging time right now, or you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected, I encourage you to try this simple exercise for just one week.
For seven days, before you check your phone, before your feet hit the floor, and before the distractions of life begin, just close your eyes and say:
“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”
It may feel uncomfortable or even silly at first. Do it anyway. Be brave enough to meet a new version of yourself, even if it’s just for one minute on your pillow.
If you give this a try, I would genuinely love to hear how it goes. Send me an email and let me know if it shifts even just one moment of your week.
xo, Diana
