Alyda’s Gratitude Story: Letting Go of the Timeline
Trading strict expectations for the joy of simple moments
Alyda always wanted to be in control of her plans. As a perfectionist, she mapped out exactly how her life would go, especially her dream of moving to America. But when the pandemic hit in 2020, those plans completely fell apart, leaving her disappointed and depressed by the sudden delay. She struggled with mental health issues and severe anxiety as she watched her timeline disappear. Prone to negative thinking, she spent a lot of time looking at social media, comparing her life to others, and feeling frustrated that her friends were out living their lives while she was stuck waiting.
She told herself she was stronger than her circumstances and refused to stay stuck. This new perspective guided her to begin a journey of gratitude. She started writing down basic daily things she used to take for granted, like waking up, smelling the fresh air, and having a healthy family. Seeing the world go through such difficult times made her realize just how fortunate she and her family were to be safe and well. Because of the delay, she was able to stay in her home country, spend quality time with her parents, and work as a nurse to serve those in need during a critical time.
"I think being grateful means being happier with whatever you have because I can imagine every single one of us has something to be grateful for."
~Alyda
Practicing gratitude became a regular tool to beat her depression. She found the Gratitude app for her journey of thankfulness back in 2021, and notes that it’s something she still comes back to today in 2026. She found comfort in daily challenges and positive affirmations that boosted her morale. She loved being more aware of her emotions, pausing to acknowledge whether she felt down or great, and capturing those meaningful moments with photos. She even started looking back at her past journal from a year or two ago, finding joy in realizing how impactful those simple moments still were to her life. Whenever she came across a comforting thought or reminder, she shared it directly with her husband and friends to pass the warmth along.
Working in a hospital gave her a very direct view of reality. She constantly saw people passing away and families losing their loved ones, which made her stop complaining. Just surviving a busy day at work became a huge reason to be thankful. It made her appreciate the absolute basics of living, taking a moment to rest in her bed, and drinking her coffee.
"If you have a grateful heart, you start seeing the glass as half full, and that changes your entire perspective about life."
~Alyda
By 2022, Alyda finally made it to the United States and is living her dream. She is married, has a young daughter she adores, and continues her nursing career. Living in a new country far from her parents and long distance friends brings moments of sadness and homesickness. Today, Alyda lives with much greater mindfulness and intention. When she feels down, she remembers she has a safe place to live, water to drink, and air to breathe.
Her advice to anyone struggling is to look around and find the most basic things to appreciate, and to never give up. She knows it is easier said than done when you are hurting, but taking a moment to look at your surroundings changes everything. Choosing to be thankful is an everyday effort that completely turns life around.
"When you're grateful, you're happy. And when you're happy, happy things happen. It just attracts good things. There's magic."
~Alyda
This is Alyda's story, told beautifully by her and curated in its truest form by me to share with you.
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