The Ryan Leak Podcast

Episode: Thanksliving

Host: Ryan Leak
Date: November 24, 2025

Episode Overview

In this Thanksgiving-themed episode, Ryan Leak explores the idea of "Thanksliving," a concept borrowed from his friend Guillermo Castellano. Moving beyond the traditional, once-a-year act of Thanksgiving, Ryan encourages listeners to adopt gratitude as a daily mindset—a lifestyle, not just a holiday. Through personal stories, scientific insight, and reflective commentary, Ryan illustrates how living thankfully can transform our perspective, relationships, and overall experience of life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. From Thanksgiving to Thanksliving (00:15)

• Ryan introduces "Thanksliving"—an approach to gratitude that extends past the holiday table.
  • Quote:
    "Thanksgiving is a day, but thanks living is a way. It's a lifestyle." (00:27)
• Emphasizes that while Thanksgiving happens annually, thanksliving can be a daily choice and a mindset shift.

2. The Science and Practice of Gratitude (01:15)

• Shares research on how intentional gratitude can physiologically change the brain, increasing happiness and calm while reducing stress and improving sleep.
  • Quote:
    "Did you know that gratitude literally changes your brain?...Gratitude doesn't just improve your day, it improves your mindset." (01:30)
• Points out that gratitude is not a mere reaction to positive circumstances but a proactive decision based on perspective.

3. Perception and Perspective in Daily Life (02:10)

• Contrasts optimism and pessimism with a third choice: being grateful regardless of the amount in the glass.
  • Quote:
    "Can you imagine if we all just decided to be grateful for the glass of water at all?" (02:36)
• Differentiates happiness and gratitude:
  • Quote:
    "Happiness depends on what happens. Gratitude depends on how you see what happens. You don't have to wait for everything to be perfect to be grateful." (02:47)
• Gratitude as a conscious decision, even during difficult times.

4. Gratitude in Adversity: Scriptural Perspective (03:40)

• References a faith-based scripture: "Give thanks in all circumstances," highlighting the importance of maintaining gratitude amidst hardship, not necessarily for the hardship itself.
  • Quote:
    "Notice it says in all circumstances, not for all circumstances. Massive difference." (04:12)
• Applies this principle to common frustrations—job dissatisfaction, difficult commutes, family irritations—redirecting focus to underlying blessings.

Notable Segment: Comparing Struggles and Blessings (05:03)

• Uses relatable examples:

  • Complaints about jobs, commutes, housing, family, and even Netflix options—all reframed with the reminder that others may long for these very problems.

  • Quote:
    "Your spouse might get on your nerves, but there’s someone who goes to bed every night wishing they had a person to share their life with and get on their nerves." (06:20)

  • Quote:
    "Gratitude does not deny the frustration, my friend. It just reminds you that even your frustrations come wrapped in blessings someone else wishes they had." (07:20)

5. Entitlement vs. Gratefulness (07:40)

• Explores the danger of entitlement, especially when we (or our children) lose sight of how blessed we are.

  • Memorable Story:
    Ryan jokes about children complaining over Chick-fil-A and reminisces about his own simpler upbringing, underscoring generational differences in gratitude.

• Quote:
  "Gratitude sometimes gets lost when we start treating blessings like background noise." (09:06)

6. Personal Story: Gratitude Through Loss and Perspective (09:24)

• Ryan recounts receiving a concerning text from his mother while on a trip, and discusses the perspective his friend Daniel—who lost his mother to cancer as a teen—brought to the exchange.

  • Memorable Moment:
    Daniel’s emotion and his quip—"Would your mom consider adopting me?" (10:13)—drive home what Ryan had been taking for granted.

  • Quote:
    "Sometimes gratitude sneaks up on you just like that. It's not that God gives you something new. I think it's that he helps you see something old in a new way." (11:08)

7. Shifting from Wanting More to Seeing Enough (11:50)

• Critiques the cultural narrative that “enough” is always one achievement or object away.
  • Quote:
    "Gratitude turns what you already have into more than enough." (11:54)
• Highlights that gratitude changes not what we have, but how we experience and appreciate life.

8. Connecting Joy and Gratitude (12:25)

• Suggests that rediscovering joy often begins with gratitude, even in small, daily moments.
  • Quote:
    "Joy and gratitude are always connected. You can't have one without the other." (12:50)
  • Encourages starting with one thing—one thanks, one small acknowledgment—to turn bitterness into thankfulness.

9. Thanksliving in Action (13:20)

• Encourages listeners to focus on people and presence, not just things, during Thanksgiving and beyond.
  • Quote:
    "Don't just think about what you're thankful for. Think about who you're thankful for. Look around and realize that every person, every breath, every story is grace on display." (13:40)

Memorable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• On shifting from feeling to choosing gratitude:
  "Gratitude isn't something you feel when life is good. It's something you choose. Because I believe God is good." (01:08)

• On gratitude and adversity:
  "Gratitude doesn't ignore pain. It puts pain in perspective." (03:10)

• On recognizing blessings in daily annoyances:
  "Your complaint sometimes is a privilege." (06:55)

• On entitlement and perspective:
  "We hate seeing entitlement in anybody, especially our kids, right? ... But you know how many people in this world will look at us and think the same thing. You don't realize how blessed you are." (08:44)

• On gratitude and perception changes:
  "I don't need life to get better. I just need eyes that can see how good it already is." (11:44)

• On the impact of living thankfully:
  "It's hard to stay bitter when you're busy being thankful." (13:01)

• On the core message of the episode:
  "This is thanks living." (13:35)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 00:15 – Thanksliving vs. Thanksgiving explained
• 01:15 – Science of gratitude and intentional practice
• 02:10 – Optimist, pessimist, and the power of perspective
• 03:40 – Scriptural/spiritual context and reframing hardship
• 05:03 – Everyday frustrations viewed through gratitude
• 07:40 – Discussion of entitlement and taking blessings for granted
• 09:24 – Personal story: gratitude, loss, and newfound perspective
• 11:50 – Rethinking “enough” and the cultural chase for more
• 12:25 – Connection between joy and gratitude
• 13:20 – Advice for practicing thanks living

Takeaways

• Thanksliving is a daily mindset of gratitude—not just a holiday practice.
• Gratitude has proven mental and emotional health benefits and changes how we perceive our lives.
• Both happiness and hardship offer opportunities for gratitude if we intentionally shift our focus.
• Sometimes, the things we complain about are privileges others long for.
• Joy and gratitude are inseparably connected.
• Practicing gratitude can soften bitterness, reduce comparison, and increase overall life satisfaction.
• As you gather with loved ones this season, focus on the people, not just the food or “things,” and recognize the grace in every moment.

Ryan’s "nugget" challenge:
“Maybe life gets better when we become more grateful. And I’ll just tell you this, it’s hard to stay bitter when you’re busy being thankful.” (13:01)

This is Thanksliving.