You Don’t Have To Be Grateful For Everything To Be Grateful For Something

The holidays have a way of exposing what’s tender. We set the scene at a real Thanksgiving table—the one with burnt rolls, a too-long prayer, and a determined dog—and talk directly to anyone carrying a diagnosis, a breakup, a job loss, or grief that hasn’t moved on your timeline. If your voice shakes when someone asks how you’re doing, you’re among friends here.

I share why transitions rattle identity, relationships, and routines, and why they still hold the power to form something strong in us. We explore the practice of quiet gratitude that doesn’t pretend pain is pleasant and how one honest sentence—I’m still here—can anchor a stormy day. From there, we walk through the wilderness as a place of formation, not punishment, drawing on time-tested stories that show how the in-between refines purpose and rebuilds confidence.

You’ll take away three grounding truths you can use today: you don’t have to be grateful for everything to be grateful for something; your story isn’t over even if a chapter ended; and you’re allowed to be fully human, tears and laughter included. I offer simple, practical steps for the next right move, plus a spoken blessing for rest, courage, and the people who belong at your table in the next chapter. If you’re craving reassurance that hope is steady and close, pull up a chair.

If this spoke to you, follow the show, share it with someone who needs a seat at a real table, and leave a review so more people can find honest encouragement when life changes without warning. DM me on Instagram @ToniThrash to share your one small gratitude today.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Naming The Hard Transition
• 0:11 Welcome And Purpose Of The Show
• 0:45 The Real Thanksgiving Table
• 1:16 When Life Changes Without Warning
• 2:43 Permission To Be Honest
• 3:03 Quiet Gratitude And Small Steps
• 4:24 Wilderness As Formation
• 5:14 Three Grounding Truths
• 6:19 Blessing, Hope, And Assurance
• 7:36 Closing Encouragement And CTA

Transcript

SPEAKER_01: 0:00

Is there a major life transition pinching you? I know you may be asking, what's next? What's my purpose? What if? Because I've asked those two. Welcome to the Start Your Comeback Podcast. I'm Tony Thrash, a certified life coach, and I want to share the tools and practical steps to help you create a winning game plan to move into your new adventure. I saved you a spot at this Thanksgiving table. Not the one that you're thinking of, not the fancy one with polished silverware and a perfectly cooked turkey. But, you know, the real one. The table where somebody burned the rolls or the mashed potatoes got cold because the prayer went too long. And the dog keeps finding a way to lick the sweet potato casserole. You know, yeah, that table where real life is happening. And today I want to talk to the ones who didn't walk into Thanksgiving the same way they did last year. The ones carrying news you weren't expecting. Maybe a diagnosis, maybe a divorce, a job loss, grief you thought you should be over by now, or a relationship strain so thin you're scared the whole thing might snap into. If you find yourself in one of these transitions, maybe in the middle, or you're about to walk through one, I want you to hear me today. And I need you to soak it in. You are not alone. Not for one second, not for a heartbeat, not at this table anyway, and not in this season. It might look like everyone else showed up with color-coordinated napkins and centerpieces made from Pinterest glory. Smiling like life is one big hallmark special. But transitions, they don't check the calendar, they don't ask permission, they don't wait for a better month, or until after the holidays, or even if you feel strong enough to handle them. They come when they come, and here you are. So let's take a deep breath together. If your voice shakes when someone asks, How are you doing? If you're tired of pretending you're fine, and if you stop mid-sentence because you suddenly don't recognize the life you're describing, you're in the right place. Transitions, even the ones that lead to something good, rattle us, they change routines, they change relationships, our identity, our finances, our confidence, and the story you thought you were living, they stretch you. And sometimes they break you open. Maybe this year you don't feel thankful for much of anything. That's okay. Because gratitude doesn't demand that you pretend something painful is pleasant. But I do know there is this quiet kind of Thanksgiving that doesn't get printed on pillows or decorative signs, it's not loud, it's not poetic, and it doesn't rhyme. It sounds more like this. I don't know how this will turn out, but I'm still here. But I can see the next step. And I know somebody cares about me, even if I forget that sometimes. That's gratitude. Just say it out loud to yourself because if that's all you've got today, that's enough. You might feel like you're in the wilderness, but wilderness seasons are often where our identity gets rebuilt, and I'm so grateful for that. Just think of some people in scripture who were transformed during transition. Joseph went from the jail to the palace, but not without a bunch of years in the in-between. Paul changed course so drastically that nobody even believed him at first. And even Jesus spent 40 days in the desert before stepping fully into his calling. If the wilderness was necessary for them, then guaranteed it will do something in you too. It's not meant to punish you, it's meant to form you. Here are three simple truths that you can take with you today. The first one, you don't have to be grateful for everything to be grateful for one small thing. There's room for both the gratitude that you're feeling and the grief you're feeling at the same table. They're not usually enemies, they actually often hold hands. Number two, your story's not over. Even if a chapter ended, even if you never saw it coming, the author hasn't stopped writing it. And number three, you're allowed to be human. Laugh if it comes, cry if it comes. Excuse yourself to the backyard with a slice of pie if you need a moment. Because God isn't disappointed in your humanity. He meets you in it. I pray that you let these words land where they need to. May your heart find rest from the questions that don't have answers yet. May the people who are meant for your next chapter find their way to your table, whether it's today or in time. And may you feel the steady, quiet assurance that even here, even now, hope is not done with you. So before we push ourselves away from the table, if you're walking through a transition, just remember today, you're not alone. I'm grateful you're here. Pulling up a chair, even with the weight you are carrying. That's courage and that's strength. That's something worth giving thanks for. I want to wish you happy Thanksgiving. Even though it may not feel happy, just whisper one grateful thing. Because you're not alone, not today, not tomorrow, and certainly not in the journey in front of you. Thanks for being here today. I'll see you next time. Hey, thanks for listening. I don't take it for granted that you're here. You didn't listen by mistake. If you want to reach out, you can DM me on Instagram at Tony Thrash. Until next week, remember, there's still time left on the clock. Let's get you off the bench to start your comeback. I want to give a special shout out to Country Club for the original music. You can find them on Instagram at Country Club.