LOS ANGELES, CA– Everyone wants to feel happy and productive. But here’s the Catch 22: the things people do to try to feel that way–working long hours, rushing kids from one activity to the other and meeting all of life’s obligations–can leave them feeling stressed, anxious, and even resentful.

This scenario doesn’t even count the complications that spring up. People may find themselves thinking: What’s the point of all this hard work if I can’t enjoy my life?

Thankfully, it is possible to feel contentment (and yes, happiness!) even when life is at its most chaotic. It comes not from trying to control the circumstances (which isn’t always possible) but from shifting how they are looked at.

A favorite saying is this, “Gratitude doesn’t change things for you, it changes you for things.” When people can learn to come from a place of gratitude, they see things differently. There’s a mindset shift that brings peace.

A new musical/visual meditation series entitled Gratitude is available on YouTube to help listeners tap into that mindset at www.youtube.com/c/GratitudeVideo.

In other words, instead of dreading a tough project at work, people may feel gratitude for their job. Instead of feeling stressed about taking an aging mother to the doctor, they may be grateful to be able to spend the afternoon with her.

Colleagues, Grammy-winner Alex Wand and composer/vocalist Rayko, are on a mission with Frank Kilpatrick to fill the world with gratitude. Their meditation series–which combines “microtonal” music, vocals, visuals and on-screen lyrical messages in a unique way that keeps listeners attention–is designed to help train the brain for gratitude and peace.

This focus stems from their work on a video/podcast documentary entitled Stay Alive and is a central part of their strategy for supporting at-risk populations.

Of course, a person can’t just flip a switch and BOOM! Their grateful. Gratitude evolves over time. It’s about building some small, daily habits into a routine–and the right now is the perfect time to start. For example:

Make room in life for gratitude. Often FOMO (Fear of missing out) drives people to stretch themselves too thin. But it’s hard for those who are overcommitted to feel grateful.

People need to know that it’s totally okay to turn down invitations when they don’t feel like being around others, or to spend the weekend recharging. In fact, immersing oneself in the Gratitude meditation series is a great way to spend the time that is freed up when anyone cuts back on all the “going and doing.”

The Gratitude program can be an alternative to giving in to the toxic phenomenon of FOMO. When people remove what they’ve been conditioned to see as a “reward” they may feel empty, like something is lacking.

This program is a great replacement. It’s fine to feel grateful for friends and opportunities, but people also need to feel grateful for quiet moments and downtime as well.

Prepare one’s mind. It’s important to make time for meditation or contemplation. Think of this as strength training for the mind. At first it might seem difficult to find the time, but it teaches a person to get relaxed and centered, which is a vital life skill.

Over time, it will get easier and easier to drop into a space of quiet contentedness where gratitude is abundant. “Mind training” should be a part of the daily health routine, like brushing teeth or stretching.

But also, get into the habit of grabbing opportunities to meditate or watch the Gratitude series–like when getting ready for the day or waiting for a child at soccer practice.

There are very real advantages to this type of mind training. It helps a person stay in a state of gratitude, which enables them to feel peace. It keeps them in the present moment, which is an incredibly powerful technique for keeping anxiety and depression at bay.

Make mind training a part of a self-care routine. People tend to think of self-care in terms of diet, exercise, and maybe sleep, but they often ignore what is put into their minds, what they think about and ruminate on. This is a mistake.

Getting intentional about what is watched, listened to and infuse into their consciousness is just as important. What people focus on shapes their mental state, impacts their relationships and influences every choice they make.

Stop allowing junk food into the consciousness. There is a need to monitor personal cognitive input in the same way that the intake of fats, carbs and calories are regulated. When this is done, a person is intentionally creating the best version of them self.

Think of it as a gateway to overall happiness. Neuroscience has proven over and over again that a focus on gratitude literally rewires the brain to be happy. When people engage in practices like meditating on gratitude (as the Gratitude series encourages) or by keeping a daily journal of what they are grateful for, they tend to feel more optimistic and positive about their lives. That’s happiness!

What’s more, they may sleep better, exercise more and enjoy better physical health than those who don’t focus on gratitude.

Focus on the small things. There are plenty of things a person can and should be grateful for in life’s simple moments. A hot cup of coffee. Toasty sheets fresh from the dryer on a cold evening. A catchup phone call from a dear old friend.

Consider the smell of a delicious dinner wafting from the kitchen. The look of wonder in a toddler’s eyes when they see the first snowfall of the year. Just start paying attention and let yourself feel the wonderment.

Say “thank you” and really mean it. When someone does something kind, recognize it with a sincere “thank you.” Be specific about why what they did matters.

This helps you mean it, which is important; mindless “thank yous” don’t count.) Recognition, even in small doses, makes others feel great, but it also provides the giver with a boost of joy and it exercises those gratitude muscles.

Manage personal expectations. Real life doesn’t look like a Norman Rockwell painting and most homes will never look like a spread in Better Homes and Gardens.

Parents get old. Kids get bad grades. Tempers flare from time to time. Even during a wonderful meal with family and friends, someone might get sick, make a judgmental comment, or burst into tears during the salad course. That’s life. It’s messy and complicated…and beautiful.

It’s hard to be grateful and focused on perfection at the same time. Keep in mind that even the best-laid plans seldom go off without a hitch. Remember to savor the good moments and seek out loving feelings toward friends and families. Find the love in every situation.

The best thing about gratitude is that it’s contagious. Once it is put it out there, chances are very good it will come back to the giver! And don’t forget: others are watching and will see how empowered a person may become just by being happy.

Make the effort this year to focus on gracious and loving feelings and that peace will find its way back to you. Those who do will be amazed at the new and joyful places this attitude of gratitude will lead them.

About Gratitude series

The Gratitude musical/visual meditation series is a daily mindfulness engagement tool created by Frank Kilpatrick along with collaborators Grammy Award-winning Producer Alex Wand and bilingual composer and performer Rayko.

It couples global musical material from eclectic spiritual disciplines and non-religious sources, mystical microtonal arrangements, beautiful vocals, binaural beats and enchanting visuals with affirming on-screen lyrical messages.

Its purpose is to create a synthesis that engages and entrains the brain toward a personal connection with inner peace. Gratitude’s individual audio/video elements are available for viewing and listening at no charge online at www.youtube.com/c/GratitudeVideo and its own site www.gratitudevideo.com/.

About Stay Alive

Stay Alive is a 75-minute video/podcast documentary serving at-risk populations. The program delivers messages of education, compassion and caring for those who are in deep despair, along with guidance for their families and friends who love them.

Moderated by Mark Goulston, MD, participants in Stay Alive’s intimate and disclosing discussion also include Kevin Hines, best known as the man who jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge and survived (www.kevinhinesstory.com), and suicide prevention advocate Rayko (www.rayko.com).

Its producers, Frank Kilpatrick (www.frankikmusic.com) and Linda Kilpatrick, along with director Paul Emami (www.storytellerz.tv), created Stay Alive to help those in need to find their way out of despair.

Stay Alive is available to view on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VPnHKm03Co&t=393s.

For more information, visit www.stayalivevideo.com/.