170. The Gratitude Equation: How Thankfulness and Perspective Create Peace (and Multiply Generosity)

This week, we’re taking gratitude far beyond cute quotes and holiday clichés. We’re digging into the kind of gratitude that changes you—the kind that quiets comparison, rewires your perspective, and builds lasting peace in your money and your home. Discover the Gratitude Equation, why peace fuels generosity, and how simple daily practices can transform your financial life from the inside out.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The Gratitude Equation: why thankfulness + perspective = peace
• How gratitude quiets comparison, impulse spending, and financial stress
• Simple daily practices to cultivate peace—even in a busy, messy season
• How peace naturally multiplies generosity in your money and your home
• Why gratitude reframes the ordinary and helps you see your life clearly
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Transcript

Audio Only - All Participants-16: 0:00

This week is all about gratitude and not the kind that lives on a cute Pinterest quote or get shared once a year at a dinner table. But the kind that changes you, because gratitude, when practice intentionally is powerful. It multiplies peace. It loosens the grip of comparison, and it turns simple awareness into generosity.

Laura: 0:21

hello and welcome to money and career mastery from overwhelmed to ownership. I'm Laura Sexton, your abundance and legacy coach here to help you navigate the world of money, debt payoff, and career growth with confidence and clarity. In this podcast, we'll tackle the financial and career challenges, holding you back, optimize your income and build the freedom that comes with true ownership. If you're ready to break free from overwhelm, create a budget that aligns with your values and design a legacy that empowers future generations. You're in the right place.

Audio Only - All Participants-16: 0:56

Hey, accelerators. Today we're talking about what I call the gratitude equation. This is how Thankfulness plus perspective equals peace, and peace multiplies generosity. If you've been feeling stretched, thin, stuck in comparison, or just trying to feel thankful while juggling a dozen things, this episode is for you. We're gonna take gratitude out of your to-do list, and we're gonna turn it into your way of doing money and life. Let's start here. Comparison and gratitude can't live in the same heart at the same time. One whispers, I have enough and the other insist. Oh, never have enough. In this season, we're surrounded by comparison triggers. There's Black Friday ads, perfectly decorated homes. Highlight reels all over social media. Comparison tells you you're behind, and gratitude is going to remind you of how far you have come. When I first started practicing gratitude intentionally with money, I noticed something very surprising. It wasn't about pretending everything was fine. It was about seeing clearly, I started thanking God for the electric bill because it meant that we had light. I started thanking God for groceries because it meant that we could gather together and eat around the table. I started thanking God for work, even the stressful parts, because it means that I have purpose. Gratitude doesn't erase the hard things. It reframes them. It turns I have to into. I get to. Now, this time of year, this holiday season, it's all about gratitude. It's all about saying thank you. When Abraham Lincoln created Thanksgiving Day, it was only supposed to be a one time thing. But there's a reason why it continues. There's a reason why it endures, and it's because it feels really good to be grateful. It feels really good to gather with your family and to eat a home cooked meal. If you get that luxury spending time with your people, that's what the season's all about. So here's how I think about gratitude. Thankfulness plus perspective equals peace, and peace multiplies generosity. All right, let me say that again because it's simple, but it's powerful. Thankfulness plus perspective. Equals peace. And when you have peace, that peace naturally begins to multiply your generosity. Because gratitude starts with noticing what you already have, the things that you once prayed for. Perspective helps you see why those things matter. And when you put those together, you get this grounded, steady sense of peace that isn't dependent upon income, circumstances, or what everyone else is doing. Peace doesn't say everything is perfect. It doesn't. I wish, I wish that it meant everything was perfect, except if it had to be related to everything being perfect, I would never have peace. I. Peace says, I'm held, I'm provided for, I'm okay. And out of that place, generosity begins to overflow. It's not forced. It's not pressured. It's all natural. All right. Let me tell you a quick story. Years ago when we were newly married, our budget was. Tight. I mean, creative dinners, praying that the gas tank lasts a little bit longer. That kind of tight. I remember standing in the grocery store one night feeling very frustrated and embarrassed that I couldn't afford everything that I wanted to buy. And right there, right between the bread aisle and the cereal aisle, I felt a nudge. You can still be thankful for what you have. So I started naming it. What am I thankful for? What am I still able to get if I can't get everything, let's be thankful for what I can't have. The bread, peanut butter, the bananas, the milk. Every item that I named softened my attitude just a little bit. I walked out with fewer groceries than I had hoped, but somehow I had doubled The peace. That is your gratitude equation. Your thankfulness plus your perspective will equal peace, and that peace becomes the foundation of generosity. It didn't change my circumstances, but it definitely changed me. And listen, the kind of peace I experienced that night, that didn't come from the numbers, it came from Jesus. There's a peace the world cannot give and the world cannot take away. Philippians four, seven says, the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding and guards your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. That's the kind of piece that steps into grocery store overwhelm or late night anxiety or a spreadsheet that just doesn't add up. It steps in and it steadies you because real peace, lasting peace starts with Jesus. Everything else is just the overflow. When you practice gratitude intentionally, it changes how you handle money. You slow down, you see clearly, you stop chasing enough. Gratitude is going to quiet the impulse spending. It will soften the envy. It reduces financial stress. It opens your hands towards generosity. You can't be anxious about money and grateful for provision. In the same breath, one will always quiet the other. So let gratitude speak first. Now you're asking Laura, how do I practice this gratitude equation that you speak of? Here is how you live it out. You start your day with three good things. Be specific about the things that you are grateful for, and this will equal greater peace. Now, if you want to extend this challenge every day of the month, right? Three good things, and make sure that at no point in time do any of the things repeat. In order to do that, you'll have to read over your list of the things that you are specifically grateful for. And that will multiply your peace. So we started with our daily three good things, and then we need to reframe the ordinary. Laundry means clothes on our body. Dishes means food and our belly and bills. That is the provision of life the way that you want to live it. Speak your gratitude out loud. Tell someone that you appreciate them. Speak life into your home. And number four, give something small. Be it a word, a hug, a small blessing, peace, naturally multiplies, generosity. One of my clients, and I'm not going to name names, but she began sharing one gratitude a night with her family. At first, her kids rolled their eyes, but a month later, their home atmosphere had shifted. There was more helping, more kindness, more joy. Yes, there were still challenging times. There always will be, but gratitude doesn't just change your mood. It will change your whole home. So pause for a moment. What's one thing that you are grateful for today? Even in the chaos? Maybe it's tiny. Maybe it's messy, but it still counts. Thankfulness plus perspective equals peace and peace. Peace is the fertile soil for generosity. Here's your challenge this week. Notice what's good. Add perspective. Feel the peace and let that peace multiply your generosity. If you're ready to build a money system that's rooted in peace instead of pressure, book a clarity Call with me at accelerateyourlegacy.com/claritycall all one word. And before we wrap up, I wanna leave you with this one quote from my mentor, Dave Ramsey. There's ultimately only one way to financial peace. That's the Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus. That's the truth. You can practice gratitude, simplify your season, and set boundaries. Those things can bring calm, but Jesus brings peace, the kind that holds you steady no matter what the numbers say. Next week we're talking about how to be grateful and not tense, how to protect your peace through the rest of this holiday season. And until then, take a deep breath. You have more good in your life than you realize, and gratitude is the gateway to abundance. That's it for this week. Accelerators go out and make a difference.

Laura: 9:50

thank you for spending time with us today on Money and Career Mastery from Overwhelm to Ownership. Remember, your legacy isn't just about financial freedom. It's about living with purpose, taking action, and building a foundation that lasts for generations. Don't just listen, implement what you've learned and share it with someone who could use a financial or career breakthrough. If you found value in today's episode, help us grow by rating, reviewing, and sharing the podcast. I'll be back next week with more strategies to help you master your money and career. Until then take ownership of your future and build your legacy with intention.