The November Lineup

What does it really mean to be grateful?

Nov 02, 2025

All,

The time has come to settle into a new month and therefore a refreshed focus for our work with Lighten Up.

And if ever a month had a theme, it is November and its universal nod to the notion of gratitude.

The topic is about to be everywhere, and while I am aware of the power of counting our “blessings,” I also feel the practice of gratitude can be misused – and can even backfire in our pursuit to live a life worth living.

Perhaps this sounds absurd to you. Or maybe you’re curious.

Because maybe, like me, you’ve found the whole idea of “practicing” gratitude in a specific form unfulfilling.

So that is why this month we’re going to explore what it really means to be grateful. Not to appease the algorithm or capitalize on a holiday, but – as always – to assess how to apply it in a way that directly has a positive impact on our wellbeing.

And I think what we’ll find is that true gratitude is active. That one of the best ways we can express it is to leverage the gifts we’ve been given.

Our lineup appears below. I thank you in advance for joining me – and for challenging the context of this core human emotion.

Here’s to a month of growth – and yes, gratitude.

Here’s to you!