Inquisitive.me

I’m not religious. I’ve never understood why, out of all the gods mentioned across different religions, I should just believe in one and ignore the rest. To me, religion often feels like a way to explain the things we don’t yet understand. Many people are uncomfortable with the unknown, so the idea of a greater power controlling everything gives comfort.

But I don’t believe in that. I’m a scientist. And being a scientist means living in the unknown. We ask questions and try to find answers. Sometimes we succeed, sometimes we don’t. Sometimes we stumble upon answers before we even know the question. And sometimes we think we’ve found the truth—only to realize later that we were wrong.

Still, there’s something we can learn from religion: gratitude.

Praying before dinner to thank God for food. Thanking God for surviving cancer. Kneeling by the bed at night, grateful for the day. Whether or not you believe in God, the core practice here is gratitude.

Of course, we can argue about the “logic” of it. Your mom probably cooked the food, your doctor may have saved your life, or you made that day worthwhile through your own choices. But the essential part isn’t who you thank — it’s the act of gratitude itself.

And gratitude needs practice. Otherwise, you simply don’t notice it — especially in today’s world, where negativity spreads faster than anything else. The constant stream of bad news, workplace complaints, financial stress, and everyday worries can drown out the small things that make life good.

One of the greatest gifts I’ve ever received is something called The 100-List. I heard about it from a patient. At first, I was skeptical — it sounded cliché. But it turned out to be life-changing.

Here’s how it works: you pick a person and write down 100 things you’re grateful to them for. That’s it. It could be your parents, your partner, a friend, or even yourself. It could also be someone you have a grudge against — and believe me, that can be surprisingly healing.

I started my 100-list around this time of year, hoping to finish by Christmas. At first, I sat staring at a blank page. Minutes went by and I couldn’t come up with a single thing. My parents gave me life, and yet I couldn’t find one sentence? Then it clicked.

“Thank you for giving birth to me,” I wrote on my mother’s list. “Thank you for giving me the opportunity to study two majors,” I wrote on my father’s list.

From there, the flow began:

• Thank you for helping me with my dog.
• Thank you for encouraging me when I feel insecure.
• Thank you for hugging me when I’m sad.
• Thank you for giving me values.
• Thank you for fighting for me.
• Thank you for helping me whenever I need it.

And for my father:

• Thank you for picking me up in the middle of the night without hesitation.
• Thank you for answering all my questions.
• Thank you for teaching me how to ski.
• Thank you for patching me up when I was hurt.
• Thank you for being proud of me.

The list grew and grew. Some things were big, others small: my mom washing my clothes when I was a kid, my dad changing my diapers. But those little moments matter just as much — often even more.

When I gifted the lists to my parents, they cried. And honestly, so did I.

Because gratitude doesn’t have to be grand. It just has to be honest.

🧪 Let’s Experiment

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Gratitude grows when you practice noticing it.

It’s easy to overlook the good in our lives because stress, news, and complaints usually shout louder. But gratitude doesn’t need to be complicated — it just needs attention.

🎯 Try This:

Choose one person and start a 100-list. Write down 100 things you’re grateful to them for — big or small. You don’t have to come up with all 100 right away. Take your time. Sit down every now and then and add a few lines. You’ll start noticing more as the days go by. It took me about 2–3 months to finish mine. Whenever a new idea came to me, I’d simply open my notes and jot it down.

And if you’re feeling brave, try it with someone you have a grudge against. You’ll be surprised how healing it can feel.

🧠 Final Thought:

Gratitude isn’t about ignoring pain or pretending everything’s perfect. It’s about remembering what’s already good — and letting that be enough, at least for a moment.

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Keep it simple, stay curious, and keep learning—you’ve got this.

Take care,

Carina 🦊