Hey there,

Recently, I listened to an episode of the On Being podcast with Krista Tippett, where she interviews Brother David Steindl-Rast, a 99-year-old Benedictine monk.
He was born in Austria and has lived in the U.S. since the 1950s.

There is something deeply touching about listening to him.
His voice.
His presence.
That gentle Austrian accent. 🤗

And I smiled, because I realized—that’s probably what I sound like when people hear my voice.

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Brother David speaks about gratitude—not as a concept, but as a way of being.

Not forced, but lived in every moment.
It’s a state of being.

Gratitude does something subtle and profound:

• It helps us acknowledge and appreciate the gifts and opportunities we receive.
• It nourishes our well-being, easing anxiety and softening depression.
• It deepens relationships with ourselves and others.
• And yes, it ripples outward beyond our own small world.

You cannot be fully upset and fully grateful at the same time.

So, why not make gratitude a part of your daily life?

Gently inviting more gratitude into your life gradually shifts your inner lens …
From primarily seeing what’s wrong to noticing and appreciating what is alive, available, and beautiful.

Lately, I find myself stopping more often.

For instance, I noticed the imprint of a leaf that remained in the concrete after a path was poured.
The leaf is still there, actually, and its beauty frozen.
It stopped me in my tracks. I had to take a picture.

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Or when I spotted a dirty penny on the floor next to a gas station.
I picked it up.
And quietly said, Thank you.

I feel grateful for water—
to drink,
to shower,
to cook,
to be sustained by.

None of these moments is grand.
That’s the point.

Gratitude trains us to see beauty where we might otherwise rush past.
And beauty, once seen, gently changes us.

Gratitude trains us to appreciate what we already have.

What small thing caught your attention today?

With love,
xx Antonie
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​Do it before you die.
Stop waiting for someday.

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P.S.: If this story made you nod, smile, or breathe a little deeper, and you'd like to say thank you in a small but meaningful way, you can leave me a little tip (or coffee!) here:

☕ Caffeinated Radiance Tip.

Your support helps me keep creating and sharing my work from the heart. 💛

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