The Gratitude Pumpkin

Research shows that expressing gratitude—whether towards ourselves or others—can foster hope and improve mental health. Practicing gratitude helps re-wire our brain’s patterns, making it easier to focus on positive aspects and reducing negative emotions. When we show appreciation, “feel good” chemicals like Dopamine and Serotonin are released, activating our reward pathways and bringing feelings of contentment and reduced anxiety. The Amygdala, which regulates our “fight or flight” response, becomes less active, promoting emotional regulation and relaxation. Positive thinking strengthens neural circuits associated with optimism and resilience, encouraging us to notice the good in our lives. Since our brains tend to seek what we tell it, filling our thoughts with gratitude and hope helps us recognize the blessings around us.

In a society obsessed with thinness, messages often promote self-criticism, unhealthy comparisons, and the belief that our bodies need fixing. This negative narrative is hard to change if it’s all the brain ever hears. Because our minds seek out what they are exposed to, finding ways to rewrite this story is essential. We have the power to author our own narratives and can make changes whenever we choose, though sometimes a gentle nudge is necessary. For instance, I encourage clients to write down “3 Good things from the day” or “3 things you are grateful for,” and reread them regularly. This practice aims to help their brains build a new, more positive perspective and discourage negative self-talk.

This is the story of my “Gratitude Pumpkin”.   Each year for the month of November I put a pumpkin on the counter inviting whoever walks by to write at least one thing they were grateful for that day. By Thanksgiving our “gratitude” pumpkin is full and shared as a centerpiece on our Thanksgiving table. I decided this past year to keep the pumpkin through the holidays and into January since it matched the “white” winter décor. By November 2025 our “gratitude” pumpkin was still alive, and although a little yellowed, it still carried the positivity from the year before. It brought me joy to see this.  I 100% believe the pumpkin thrived because of the kind words and grateful moments that were written over it’s smooth, uneven and imperfect surface. I continued the tradition this past November and the “gratitude” pumpkin still sits on my shelf as a reminder of how saying positive things can keep us grounded and thriving. I tell this story to my clients as a metaphor and ask them to be curious about what speaking kindness and gratitude towards our own body could do to shift our thoughts, beliefs and stories we carry about ourselves. Words have power and our brain is a sponge and it can be molded and filled to see/feel and sense all that is good when we allow it. In gratitude…