Pritesh's Story

Hi there, I am Pritesh — maker of the Gratitude app, a Completely Private Journal app that reminds you to be grateful during the day. I built this app out of a personal need to cope with a tough time. Here's my story:

In June 2017, my family and I were facing many challenges. My father had always been an ambitious and hard-working person, and he had always dreamed of becoming the Municipal Secretary, the highest level in the Mumbai (metro city located on west coast of India) Administrative wing. He had worked his way up the ranks and was well qualified for the position, so when he was passed over in favor of someone else, it was a devastating blow to him and to our family. We were all heartbroken and struggled to understand why this had happened.

My father was determined not to give up, and he decided to pursue legal action in an effort to appeal the decision. We supported him and hoped that justice would prevail, but despite our efforts, we ultimately lost the case. The legal process was emotionally and financially draining for all of us, and my mother also began experiencing health issues. In addition to these challenges, I was feeling unfulfilled in my job and my sister was struggling to find employment. It felt like we were stuck in a dark place with no way out.

We were desperate to find ways to improve our situation and bring some joy back into our lives. We asked for help and sought guidance from a variety of sources, including spiritual healers and experts on Vastu, the traditional Indian system of architecture and design. We even moved to a new apartment that was supposed to be more conducive to Vastu principles, hoping that this would bring us some sense of peace and happiness.

Despite all of our efforts, we were still struggling to find hope and positivity. That's when I stumbled upon the book "The Secret," which introduced me to the concept of the law of attraction and the idea that "whoever has gratitude will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have gratitude, even what he has will be taken from him." This resonated with me, and I began to try to focus on being grateful for what I had, rather than dwelling on the challenges we were facing. In the midst of difficult challenges, I found hope and solace in the practice of gratitude. I began by taking time each day to reflect on the things I was thankful for, no matter how small or insignificant they might seem. This simple practice helped me to feel lighter, less anxious, and more joyous. It also helped me to see the positive aspects of my life and to find meaning in my daily experiences.

As I continued to practice gratitude, I noticed a change in myself. I felt more empathetic and happier for others, and I found that I was better able to navigate difficult situations. This newfound confidence and positivity led me to leave my job and start working independently, and eventually to become engaged to my now-wife.

Looking back, I am grateful for the challenges that I faced, as they ultimately led me to create the Gratitude app, which has now touched over 1.5 million lives around the world. As Rumi said, 'Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.' The practice of gratitude has helped me to grow and change in positive ways, and I believe it can do the same for others.

Here are some of my journal entries from the Gratitude app.