How Announcing One Talk Sparked Gratitude, Growth, and Reflection

Gratitude is a habit.

When practiced, gratitude has the power to change our lives – for the better.

Yet too often,  in the rush of deadlines, rejections, pivots, and possibilities, we forget to be grateful for what we have.

We dwell on failures. We compare. We complain.

We focus on what’s missing instead of what’s here.

We see the glass as half empty.

And when that becomes our pattern, our emotional and mental health suffer.

We spiral inward—and downward.

It’s not good for us, and it’s not good for the people around us.

So why is gratitude so easy to forget?

Why do we let the noise of the world drown out what’s already good?

As I sat with this question, something unexpected brought me back: the pull to post about our upcoming talk at Serious Play 2025.

This will be our fifth time speaking at the conference.

In the past years, we’ve presented as many as three sessions.

This year, we’ll deliver just one.
But one is enough.

We’re happy to contribute—whether it’s one talk or ten—because we’re here to serve, share, and keep building.

Serious games are a serious business.

And we’re excited to return to Serious Play Conference 2025.

As I think about attending yet another conference something else hit me: an attitude of gratitude.

I paused.

And in that pause, I felt the weight — and the wonder — of the journey.

The journey of innovation and creativity.
The thorny road, full of ups, downs, uncertainty, and learning.
The moments of triumph that we too often move past without celebration.

We’ve had some big wins. We’ve had many setbacks.
But through it all, we’ve kept building — and I am deeply proud of what we’ve created, and who we’ve become.

As I reflect on our thorny road – the many ups, and the many downs – I feel a deep sense of thanks and gratitude.

I feel a deep pride in my team.

I am proud (and grateful) that Indelible Learning, Inc. has been recognized with competitive awards and trusted to deliver high-impact educational innovation in health, civic engagement, and behavior change.

Over the past 25+ years, we’ve engaged with a wide range of agencies, building, proposing, and collaborating on solutions that advance learning, health, healthy habits, science, and civic participation through serious games.

We learned a lot.
Each experience has sharpened our purpose and expanded the reach of what serious games can do.

But in addition to the awards— for which we are immensely grateful – it’s the people who have made this journey meaningful.

To our amazing and brilliant team—the tireless creators, designers, developers, researchers, and testers—thank you.

You bring these games to life.

Your brilliance, persistence, and heart make it all possible.

And to those who connected with us, brainstormed with us, dreamed with us—even if we didn’t get the funding (for which I was heartbroken), even if we never got to collaborate fully—thank you.

You reminded us what is possible.
Sometimes the idea worked out. Sometimes it didn’t.

But the conversations mattered. The energy mattered. You mattered.

And I still hold hope that one day, our paths will cross again—on a grant, on a project, in a classroom, or somewhere in the wild world of serious play.

In the meantime—let’s keep building.
Let’s make serious games transformative.
Let’s teach how to use technology for good, to make this world a better place.
Let’s lead with creativity—and with compassion.

And most importantly, let’s do it all with an attitude of gratitude.
Because gratitude is one of the healthiest habits humans can have.
Gratitude turns what we have into enough.

“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” — Melody Beattie

Let’s go forward with gratitude.
For what was.
For what is.
And for what will be.

If this year has been challenging for you, you are not alone.
If you have struggled, grown, lost, dreamed, or dared — I hope this piece resonates.

What is one thing you’re grateful for right now — even if it didn’t go as planned?
I would love to hear it. Let’s start a conversation rooted in purpose, persistence, and gratitude.