Episode #24: The Gratitude Myth: Getting Real About Joy with Carrie Kish

In this episode, I sit down with Carrie for a raw, honest, and refreshing conversation about The Gratitude Myth and what it really means to practice grounded, authentic gratitude without slipping into toxic positivity. We explore how to stay true to yourself during the holiday season, especially when outside pressure pushes people to act cheerful, grateful, or “fine” even when that doesn’t match what they’re actually feeling.

Together, we talk through what it means to be authentic around family and friends, and how to tell the difference between genuine gratitude and the kind of forced positivity that shuts down emotional movement. We explore why trying to “stay positive” all the time can actually disconnect you from your body, your intuition, and your emotional needs. We also discuss the power of asking better questions—like “What’s going well right now?” or “What are you genuinely enjoying?”—and how shifting your focus can support emotional honesty without bypassing the hard stuff.

Carrie and I dive into how to release attachment to specific outcomes and instead focus on what you can actually control: your choices, your actions, and how you show up. We discuss how to approach seeing family through a lens of gratitude if it feels aligned for you—and how to honor your boundaries when it doesn’t. We touch on the importance of recognizing your own value system so you can show up as your real self, without letting other people’s expectations override what you know to be true for you.

And throughout this conversation, we return to one core truth: gratitude becomes more powerful when you get into your body. Presence, movement, and embodiment help anchor emotional honesty in real time and keep gratitude rooted in what’s real—not what you think you “should” feel. When we stop pretending everything’s fine and start being honest about where we are, we make more space to see the good that’s already here.

🎧 If this conversation landed for you, please share it, leave a review, and subscribe! To connect further, subscribe to my weekly newsletter or learn more over at www.jessleone.com!