I just finished hosting the most incredible Full Moon circle and Jupiter expansion ritual, and the energy was completely off the charts. That is one of the wonderful things about summertime, at least for those of us who live somewhere with four seasons. Although, I’m fairly certain Colorado operates strictly in either summer or winter, with approximately six business days of fall thrown in for decoration. Being able to gather outside and celebrate these cosmic doorways beneath the actual sky always enhances the experience for me. There is something powerful about working with the energy while physically immersed in it. During the discussion portion of the circle, something came up that I felt was important to share here because I see it everywhere in manifestation culture. Gratitude. Here is my unpopular opinion: In my personal and professional experience, gratitude is not the key to actualizing your desires. In fact, it is not even particularly important to the mechanics of manifestation. Now, don’t misunderstand me. Gratitude is a beautiful practice. It can help create a happier, healthier and far more pleasant life. It can soften us, expand our awareness and help us recognize the goodness that already exists around us. We should all probably practice more of it. But gratitude, by itself, has absolutely no bearing on whether you can manifest and sustain the life you desire. Honestly, I consider it a bit of a red flag when I see an influencer, coach or spiritual guide treating gratitude like the holy grail of manifestation. You can express gratitude every second sentence, but if your identity is still rooted in scarcity, low self-worth or low-caliber decision-making, you are going to continue creating from those foundations. You can be grateful for what you have and still subconsciously believe you are incapable of receiving more. You can write ten pages in a gratitude journal every morning and still choose unavailable partners, undercharge for your work, avoid opportunities, sabotage momentum or retreat the second your desires require you to become someone unfamiliar.