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Gratitude: The Invisible Force That Shapes Futures

Gratitude: The Invisible Force That Shapes Futures

Welcome to NEXTletter, your personal 121 (One To One) with your future - 1 question, 2 perspectives, 1 experiment.

Frederik Pferdt
April 11, 2025

Prefer to listen 🎧 > click here.

Hi future friends,

For the past few weeks, we’ve been on the road.

From small towns to vibrant cities, we’ve met thousands of people as part of a journey called the Zukunftsgeist Tour—an exploration of how we can all live more future-ready. And while every stop is unique, one emotion keeps rising to the surface:

Gratitude. Not just for what was—but for what’s possible.

Sometimes, it’s spoken.
Sometimes, it’s silent.
But it always opens a door.

Gratitude is more than a feeling. It’s an attitude.
One that reshapes how we see the present—and how we create the future.

And science backs this up: Researchers at UC Berkeley found that practicing gratitude consistently can improve our capacity for empathy, strengthen mental resilience, and activate parts of the brain involved in future thinking.¹ In short: when we thank life, we become more capable of shaping it.

#thankyou #peoplewemet #vitrapartners #technicians #rapha #hannah #sven #steffi #lisa #angela #rainer #ak #ms #ourkids #ourfriends #allideagenerators #podcasthosts #murmann #lukas #rotaryclubberlin #hanselounge #salonluitpold #zukunftsinstitutwien #dai #ameria #seb #bmw #audi #nrvk #messagespreaders #rocketeers #phoenix #ili #designoffices #dani #friendswestayedat

ONE QUESTION TO REFLECT ON

What if every “thank you” was a small step toward a better version of you—and a future you want to live in?

TWO PERSPECTIVES TO CONSIDER

Gratitude trains your attention.

It tunes your awareness to what’s working, what’s unfolding, what’s possible. That doesn’t mean ignoring challenges—it means facing them with a deeper reservoir of clarity and strength.

We’ve seen it in real time.

In city after city, people tell us after the show:

“I didn’t expect to feel this much.”
“Thank you—for helping me feel ready again.”

That’s not about us—it’s about the power of noticing. Gratitude connects people to their agency. To choice. To hope.

ONE EXPERIMENT

(Try it now. Return to it often.)

Thanking Forward
We’re used to saying thanks for what already happened.
But what if we thanked the future?

→ Take a breath.
→ Inhale slowly. Exhale gently.
→ Say silently:

“Thank you for what I will discover.”
“Thank you for the growth I don’t yet see.”
“Thank you, future, for the chance to begin again.”

Gratitude is the seed.
The future is what grows from it.

P.S. A warm welcome to all our new subscribers—many of you joined after attending a stop on our tour. Whether we met in person or you just found your way here, I’m grateful you're part of this community. You belong here.

Let’s keep asking:

What kind of future do I want to create—and how do I want to be in it?

Future love
Frederik

Catch up on previous editions 📧 : The Most Important Question You’re Not Asking About Your Future, A Better Relationship With Your Future or Turning Crisis Into Creation.