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 --- A GOPHER-LIKE INTERFACE FOR HIVE BLOCKCHAIN ---

Episode 17: Support and Kindness Podcast

BY: @gregscloud | CREATED: Jan. 18, 2026, 5:10 p.m. | VOTES: 12 | PAYOUT: $0.25 | [ VOTE ]

Gratitude

In Episode 17, Greg Shaw and co-hosts Rich, Jay, and Derek slow down and talk about gratitude as a lived practice, not “good manners” or forced positivity. The heart of the episode is simple: gratitude doesn’t erase pain—but it can change how we meet pain, and that shift matters. (iHeart)

Right from the start, the episode gives a surprising example: in a fundraising/call-center setting, a simple expression of thanks led to more than a 50% increase in calls for the week. That’s not magic. It’s what happens when people feel seen. (Harvard Gazette)

“Gratitude isn’t the finish line. It can be part of the path.”

—

“Gratitude changes the room. When people feel appreciated, they show up differently.”

— Rich

“We all have something to be grateful for, even if it’s at a root level.”

— Jay

“It’s an honor and a privilege to have a warm shower. We take that for granted.”

— Derek

What this episode gets right (in plain language)

Gratitude can get a bad name because people use it in hurtful ways:

This episode pushes back on that.

Gratitude is not denial

Gratitude isn’t pretending you’re fine. It’s telling the truth more fully.

Key point: You can hold two true things at once:

“This is hard” and “Something good still exists.”

That “both/and” approach is often what helps people breathe again, especially during grief, chronic pain, isolation, or recovery.

Why gratitude helps (the science, without the fluff)

The research around gratitude is deep, and it’s not just “good vibes.”

1) Gratitude shifts attention away from worry loops

When the brain is stressed, it scans for threats. That’s human. Gratitude gently trains attention to notice what’s still okay, still meaningful, still supportive.

2) Gratitude strengthens social bonds

Being thanked can increase prosocial behavior (helping, effort, willingness to contribute). In Grant & Gino’s work, gratitude expressions helped people feel socially valued and more willing to help again. (PubMed)

That connects directly to what Rich shares in the episode - gratitude creates ripples: the giver feels it, the receiver feels it, and the environment changes.

3) Gratitude practices can have lasting effects

One reason the “Three Good Things” practice became so popular is that it showed benefits over time in Seligman and colleagues’ work. (Greater Good in Action)

And the “gratitude visit/letter” practice is also backed by research, because it turns a private feeling into a real human connection. (Greater Good)

4) Gratitude may support health and longevity

A Harvard Health summary of research highlights that gratitude is linked with multiple health benefits, and it discusses newer data from the Nurses’ Health Study suggesting an association with lower mortality risk among older women with higher gratitude scores. (Harvard Health)

Important note: “Association” is not the same as “proof,” but it’s still a meaningful signal, especially because gratitude is low-cost, low-risk, and accessible to most people.

The real-life side (why the hosts’ stories matter)

Research is helpful, but the episode’s power is the lived experience.

Greg: gratitude during hard holidays

Greg openly shares that holidays can be painful due to distance and estrangement, yet gratitude helps him stay grounded in what he does have. That’s the kind of gratitude many people can actually practice: not fake joy, just steady footing.

Rich: gratitude that builds morale

Rich talks about thanking people who don’t expect it, customer service, work settings, everyday moments - and how that changes the whole feel of a day. That lines up with what workplaces are learning: appreciation isn’t “extra.” It’s a form of care that improves trust and effort. (Harvard Gazette)

Jay: gratitude in recovery spaces

Jay brings in a powerful point: even when life feels “broken,” community can still be a source of gratitude, especially in recovery rooms where the message is “keep coming back.” That is gratitude as belonging.

Derek: gratitude as noticing

Warm water. Light through clouds. People holding hands. Derek’s approach is a skill many of us lost: notice what you normally rush past. Noticing is often the first step back to hope.

When gratitude feels blocked (and what to do instead)

Sometimes gratitude feels impossible. That doesn’t mean you’re “ungrateful.” It often means you’re overloaded.

Grateful.org describes common “gratitude inhibitors” like fear, scarcity thinking, comparison, entitlement, and the constant pressure of “not enough.” (Grateful.org)

Try this gentler question

Instead of “What am I grateful for?” try:

That counts.

Key Point

Gratitude works best when it’s honest, small, and repeatable.

A simple gratitude practice you can actually do (7 days)

This is the episode’s main suggested practice, and it’s one of the most research-backed:

The “Three Good Things” exercise (10 minutes)

For at least one week:

  1. Write three things that went well today

  2. Write why they went well

  3. Keep it real, no forced positivity

  4. Small things count (very small things count) (Greater Good in Action)

    Example (realistic):

  5. “I answered one message.” (Why: I asked for 5 minutes of energy, not 50.)

  6. “I took a shower.” (Why: I left the towel out ahead of time.)

  7. “I saw a nice sky.” (Why: I paused on purpose for 10 seconds.)

Make it easier (tiny “cheat codes”)

A second practice with big emotional power

The gratitude letter (15 minutes)

Think of someone who helped you and never got the thanks they deserved:

This practice is powerful because it builds connection, and connection is often where healing lives.

A question for Hivians

When life feels heavy, what’s one small thing you can still honestly appreciate today, without pretending everything is okay?

(If you feel comfortable, share your answer in the comments - someone else may need your words.)

Listen to the podcast

You can listen to Episode 17: Gratitude here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmPWNTR-cXg&utm_source=chatgpt.com

Join our weekly virtual support groups (KindnessRX)

KindnessRX hosts free, safe, confidential online groups each week. (KindnessrRX)

You can sign up through the KindnessRX Luma calendar. (Luma)

If you need support right now

This podcast is for encouragement and peer support, not medical advice.

Recommended Resources

Recommended: Gratitude practices you can start today

Recommended: TED Talks and videos

Recommended: Research & studies (high-quality)

Recommended: Books (reader-friendly + practical)

Recommended: Podcasts (authoritative)

Recommended: Apps (gratitude + mood support)

Recommended: Immediate support (U.S.)

Recommended: Additional support areas

Chronic pain

Disability rights

Grief

Substance use / recovery

kindness #gratitude #cwh #support #mentalhealth #chronicpain #peersupport #recovery #kindnessmatters #community

Edited with the help of ChatGPT. Images were created using Nano Banana. I hold a commercial license for each.

TAGS: [ #kindness ] [ #kindness ] [ #gratitude ] [ #cwh ] [ #support ] [ #mentalhealth ] [ #chronicpain ] [ #peersupport ] [ #recovery ] [ #kindnessmatters ]

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