- Unbound Gratitude
- Posts
- Can You Be Grateful and Still Want More?
Can You Be Grateful and Still Want More?
What if the guilt you carry for wanting more is the very thing blocking your gratitude?
Gavin Kemp
March 30, 2025
In partnership with
Welcome back to Week 2 of The Shadow Side of Gratitude
Last week, we explored the quiet resistance that can make gratitude feel impossible.
This week, we turn toward something even more subtle—the guilt that creeps in when we want more, even as we try to be thankful for what we have.
Let’s unpack that tension—and find a way to honour both sides.
Week-by-Week Progress Tracker
Week 1: When Gratitude Feels Forced (Past Issue)
Week 2: The Guilt of Wanting More (You are here)
Week 3: Gratitude & Grief – Thankful and Heartbroken
Week 4: Gratitude in an Unfair World
Week 5: Envy, Shame, and the Comparison Trap
Week 6: Holding Both – Rebuilding a Deeper Practice
Opening Reflection
There’s a guilt that doesn’t get talked about much.
The guilt of wanting more… while being grateful.
It sneaks in when you write a list of things you're thankful for, then feel greedy for dreaming of something else.
It whispers:
“Isn’t this enough?”
“Don’t be ungrateful.”
“Other people have less.”
And it leaves you stuck between appreciation and ambition.
This Week’s Emotional Truth
Gratitude isn’t supposed to cancel desire.
But we’re often taught it should.
This week is about unhooking that belief—and making space for both the thankful now and the hopeful not-yet.
You’re allowed to be grateful.
You’re allowed to want more.
Those two things are not enemies.
How to Hold This
Journaling Method: The Dual Desire Practice
In your journal, draw two columns.
Left Side: “I’m grateful for…”
Write three things you deeply appreciate in your life right now. Grounded. Real.
Right Side: “I still want…”
Write three things you long for. Big or small. Let them be honest, not filtered through guilt.
Now pause.
Look at the two sides—not in conflict, but in conversation.
Ask yourself:
“How might these two lists support each other instead of shame each other?”
Need a nudge? Here’s one way it might look on the page…
I’m grateful for…
The roof over my head and the quiet space it gives me.
My ability to write, even when no one’s reading.
The people who have stayed, even when I’ve been difficult.
I still want…
A home that feels like mine, not just something I rent.
A writing career that supports me financially.
To build deeper, more nourishing friendships.
These lists don’t fight.
They tell the full story.
The Reframe
Gratitude isn’t the ceiling.
It’s the floor you grow from.
Affirmation
“I am grateful for what I have,
and I’m allowed to want more.
Both can exist in the same breath.”
Thank you, Headway, for sponsoring this week’s newsletter!
Start taking insurance with ease
As a provider, your expertise changes lives – and taking insurance makes care accessible to those who need it most. Headway makes it seamless. Start accepting insurance with ease so you can focus on what you do best – providing quality care.
Join 50,000+ providers building their best practices and expanding their reach with Headway.
Simplify insurance with streamlined billing, credentialing, and compliance
Earn more with higher rates, bi-weekly payments, and expert guidance
Access free continuing education to deepen your skillset and keep up your licensure
Manage a connected practice with EHR tools for scheduling, messaging, and documentation
The best part? It’s all in one free, no-commitment platform. With Headway, taking insurance is easier than you think.
Gratitude Gem
“Gratitude is not the end of the road—it’s the fuel for the next step.”
Call to Action
Try the Dual Desire Practice this week.
Let your longing breathe beside your gratitude—without shame, without editing.
Wanting more doesn’t make you ungrateful.
It makes you human.
Until next week,
Gavin
Our Partner
I am proud to announce a partnership with Intelligent Change. (This is an affiliate link)
They create elevated, thoughtfully designed products to help you realise your potential and live a happier, more fulfilling life.
Use the coupon code UNBOUNDLIVING10 for a 10% discount.
If you know anyone who would enjoy these newsletters, please share them with them using the button below.
Reply