When Dreams Fail, Gratitude Prevails

Recently, I was talking to a friend - let’s call her Smitha. Her husband had a major car accident, and the car was completely destroyed. Along with that, there were legal complications, court cases, penalties - it was a huge mess.

When she told me about the accident, my immediate thought was: "You are so blessed. Be thankful. Despite such a major accident, your husband walked away even without a single scratch, and no one else was hurt. That alone is a huge blessing!"

Smitha’s husband had been manifesting a Tesla for many years. He had wished for it so deeply, and when the accident happened, she felt upset, thinking all their efforts and plans had gone to waste. They were just starting to get financially settled and had big plans for the future, so this felt like going back to square one. She found herself revisiting old memories - especially the painful ones - and they pulled her down. 

These days, the term “manifestation” is everywhere. People talk about visualizing their desires, writing them down, and following countless techniques - you can easily find endless methods with a quick search. But I first heard about it nearly a decade ago from a friend of mine. She would often say, “I’m manifesting this” or “I’m manifesting that.”

One day, curious, I asked her how it actually worked. She smiled and gave me a simple, almost amusing example: if she wanted to eat biryani over the weekend, she would vividly imagine it - the aroma, the steam rising from the plate, the rich flavors as if she were already tasting it. Back then, I didn’t know much about manifestation, nor did I practice it.

Over time, I’ve realized that no matter how strong my determination or how sincere my efforts are, things don’t always unfold the way I hope. I remember telling Smitha that manifestation hasn’t really worked for me. Instead, I’ve learned to simply go with the flow.

We all set goals and work hard to achieve them. Yet when things don’t go as planned, we tend to drift back to old wounds - replaying what went wrong and holding on to regret over things we cannot change. Strangely, in our happiest moments, we rarely pause to revisit the joy we once felt.

I gently suggested to Smitha that she try shifting her focus - looking for something positive, even in a situation as difficult as her accident. Perhaps that small change in perspective could help her feel a little lighter.

But the truth is, no matter how much advice we receive, there are times when the mind simply refuses to accept it. That, too, is human nature. Over the years, I’ve come to believe that the universe has its own way of guiding us. If it’s leading us down a certain path, perhaps there’s a reason for it - so why struggle to force outcomes or manifest things that may not truly be aligned with our journey?

In life, we all desire many things - some become true, while others don't. Feeling frustrated or disappointed along the way is completely natural - I've experienced it many times myself. Recently, I developed a simple habit: every night before going to sleep, I write down at least one thing I am grateful for from that day. It can be anything - a simple walk in the nature, time spent with loved ones, an afternoon nap, or watching a movie peacefully. These small blessings often go unnoticed in our busy lives. But when we pause and reflect, we realize what seems ordinary to us is something many others long for. And in that awareness, those small moments begin to feel truly precious.

Try doing this for a month - journaling the things you’re thankful for each day - and you may begin to notice a quiet sense of contentment growing within you. Instead of focusing only on big goals and feeling like life is wasted if they don’t materialize, you start to appreciate the small, meaningful positives that exist every day. In the midst of chaos, revisiting a few pages of your gratitude journal can remind you of how far you’ve come and all that you’ve already achieved. It brings a fresh perspective and with it, the strength and confidence to keep moving forward.

My simple belief is - Dream big and strive for it… but remember, there is always something in life to be thankful for - even if that dream doesn’t turn into reality!!

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What’s one thing you’re grateful for today?”