It is easy to get overwhelmed and weighed down during challenging, fast-paced times like today when numerous occurrences come one after the other. Depression and dejection have become more common than before, affecting the state of mind of many individuals all around the world. However, believing there is a way to change things and renew the spirit of everyone, Teddy Droseros launched Grateful Peoples, a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to spreading the power of gratitude, starting with students in the classrooms.
Grateful Peoples was established based on the principle of enjoying the moment and making the most out of it. The website says: “if we focus on getting the most out of the present moment, we set up the best possible foundation for our future.” The nonprofit believes strongly that creating a more grateful world starts with the imagination and that it takes a strong sense of belief for anything to become achievable.
Over the last five years, the nonprofit has donated more than 20,000 Gratitude Journals to schools across the United States and Canada. Its goal is to focus on children and instill the spirit of gratitude in them early to condition them to be stronger as they go through life.
The motivation to build Grateful Peoples came from the founder’s struggle with mental health, which improved when he began to keep a daily gratitude journal. “It really helped me respond to life’s circumstances in a different way, and I hoped for the people around me to have the same experience. This is why we’re working with schools and local businesses, because it really helps you develop mental resilience,” Teddy said.
Grateful Peoples is all about connecting humans and bringing ideas to life. It never shies away from the fact that no one has control over what happens in life, but it believes that the power to control the feelings that come right after is available for anyone to harness and access. “Everything we experience is a reflection of our mind, so it’s important to take time to play and meditate with our thoughts,” the website said.
Grateful Peoples connects with schools, neighborhoods and corporate organizations. It has also partnered with coffee shops, hotels, yoga studios and more in its bid to connect better with communities and individuals of different backgrounds. The nonprofit’s impact encourages more people to write down a list of the things they are grateful for every day before they start the day’s activity. An initiative that began with 25 children has now grown into 20,000 young minds spanning three countries.
Grateful Peoples hopes to launch more initiatives that center on its strong commitment to creating a world where people are mentally healthy and balanced. It also aims to continue assuring people not to worry about situations they cannot change. In the next few years, Grateful Peoples plans to reach more countries and connect with more people globally. On top of that, plans are underway to expand its giving initiatives so that more people can have access to its life-changing gratitude journal.