How Practicing Gratitude Turns Everyday Moments Into Lasting Joy

There’s a quote we want to leave with you today:

“Be the reason someone smiles today.”

It’s more than just a pleasant sentiment — it’s a daily invitation.

A few weeks ago, we met Sahil. He was serving us at Stoney’s restaurant in Oakville, Ontario, and his joyful, lighthearted presence reminded us exactly why we started the 10,000 Grateful Souls mission. His kindness wasn’t forced. His smile wasn’t practiced. He was just being himself, and it changed the entire energy of our day.

But the way we met him wasn’t by chance.

We had gotten off the GO Train with our bikes, ready for an afternoon ride. But as soon as we were about to start, Sackeria’s handlebars decided to become… decorative. Turn them left — the wheel stayed straight. Turn them right — same thing. Totally unridable.

It was a holiday, so nothing was open. The streets were still. We found ourselves pushing our bikes across to a little plaza, looking for help.

Eventually, we stumbled on a small car wash garage where a few guys were working. We asked if they had an allen key. They did — and after some trial, error, and laughter, we got the handlebars fixed.

It was already 30–35 minutes later. We were behind “schedule” (whatever that meant), hungry, and a bit lost. But here’s the thing — that little detour changed everything.

We ended up at Stoney’s, a restaurant I’d heard people rave about for over 15 years. And this time, we weren’t going because we’d planned it or chased it. We were simply following the flow.

The food was incredible — homemade bread, hearty and fresh, the kind that feels like it was baked in your grandmother’s kitchen (if your grandmother cooked… mine didn’t).

But it wasn’t just the food.

It was the way Sahil greeted us — with genuine warmth, a bit of goofiness, and the energy of someone who loves life. He didn’t try to impress us. He was simply present, and because we were present too, the experience was magnified.

We realized something:

Two people could go to the exact same restaurant, order the exact same meal, even have the exact same server — and yet walk away with completely different experiences.

The difference?

Intention and presence.

When we bring gratitude and presence to any experience, life feels fuller. Food tastes better. Conversations feel deeper. Even challenges seem lighter. Gratitude doesn’t just help us notice the good — it transforms us, and in turn, transforms the world around us.

One thing we’ve learned: whenever we chase something outside ourselves — whether it’s food, a career, money, validation, or even love — we set ourselves up for disappointment.

When we went to Stoney’s that day, it wasn’t because we were “chasing” a food experience. We followed a natural flow — a broken bike, a chance encounter at a car wash, a wandering path — and that allowed the moment to unfold perfectly.

The joy came not from the bread, but from the fact that we trusted ourselves enough to follow the moment without trying to control it.

This is what we mean when we say:

You are the fulfillment you’re looking for.

When you live from that space, you naturally become the reason someone smiles today — because you’re not showing up to get something from them. You’re showing up full.

Our mission isn’t just to collect stories of gratitude — it’s to create a ripple effect of presence, joy, and kindness across the world.

Every person we meet — like Sahil — becomes part of this living tapestry of grateful souls.

When we highlight someone, we’re not just saying, “They were nice to us.” We’re saying, “Look at how this person’s presence touched our lives. Imagine what could happen if all of us lived that way.”

Gratitude isn’t passive. It’s active. It’s a choice we make every day — in how we see people, how we listen, how we show up.

So here’s our question for you:

• When was the last time someone made you smile simply by being themselves?

And maybe the deeper question — When was the last time you made someone smile by simply being yourself?

The world doesn’t need us to be perfect. It doesn’t need us to have it all figured out. It just needs us to show up — fully, authentically, and with love.

The moment we stop waiting for the “right” situation and start living from gratitude right where we are, we begin to see life differently.

And from that place… smiles become contagious.

If you’re reading this, you’re already part of something bigger than yourself. Our 10,000 Grateful Souls mission is growing, and with each story, each smile, each act of presence, we’re weaving together a world where gratitude isn’t just a word — it’s a way of being.

Be the reason someone smiles today. And if you can, share that moment with us. We’d love to highlight your story in a future newsletter.

With love and gratitude,

Alex and Sackeria Dezan

Sharing Gratitude Worldwide