The Transformative Power of Gratitude

By Karen Johnson, President & CEO, New Pathways for Youth
Phoenix, Arizona — November 26, 2025

At every Power Up at New Pathways for Youth, we invite our youth and mentors into a practice of gratitude. We ask them to share why they are grateful for each other. The examples our matches share range from simple (“I am grateful that you always respond to my texts”; “I appreciate that you brought me a drink when you picked me up this morning”) to the profound (“I am glad you were there for me when I called you this week”; “I am thankful for the way you always recognize your younger siblings”).

At its core, gratitude is the practice of recognizing and appreciating the good in our lives—both the monumental moments and the mundane ones. Research in positive psychology has shown that cultivating gratitude can improve mental health, enhance relationships, boost resilience, and even improve physical wellbeing. Gratitude becomes even more powerful when we understand it not just as a reactive emotion, but as an active choice. It’s a fundamental practice that can reshape how we experience life. When we practice gratitude regularly, we train our brains to notice what’s working rather than fixating solely on what’s broken.

Perhaps one of the most meaningful ways to practice gratitude is by sharing it with young people through mentoring.

Young people today face unprecedented pressures: social media comparison, academic stress, uncertainty about the future, and often, exposure to divisive rhetoric and negativity. Teaching gratitude gives teens a tool to build resilience and perspective.

What’s remarkable about mentoring youth through the lens of gratitude is that it’s a two-way exchange. Youth often have fresh perspectives that remind us to appreciate things we’ve begun to take for granted. Their questions can challenge our assumptions and help us see our own lives with new eyes. Their resilience in the face of their unique challenges can inspire profound gratitude in us.

When we mentor with gratitude at the center, we’re not only helping one young person—we’re potentially influencing how they’ll show up in the world, how they’ll treat others, and perhaps how they’ll one day mentor someone else.

As we cultivate gratitude in our own lives and share it with young people through mentoring, we participate in something larger than ourselves. We contribute to a culture that values appreciation over entitlement, connection over isolation, and hope over cynicism.

So today, consider: What are you grateful for? And who might benefit from learning this practice alongside you? The answers to these questions might just be the beginning of a transformative journey—for you and for the young people whose lives you have the privilege to touch.