Thankfulness plays powerful, self-affirming roles in our lives. Our favorite quotes of simple appreciation inspire us, and reflecting on the good in our lives builds mindfulness and a sense of well-being. For many, gratitude meditation serves as a fulfilling way to build upon this mentality of giving thanks. But what are the benefits of this practice? And where can you find the best guided meditations on YouTube and elsewhere?
What is gratitude meditation?
Guided meditation can play an important role in practicing appreciation. As with any meditation, you may practice for a few minutes or longer at the time of day that suits you. What distinguishes gratitude meditation is that your guide will help you feel grateful. This mindfulness practice focuses on giving thanks for the good things in life, including positive aspects of yourself, your experiences and the positive people and opportunities in your life.
What are the benefits?
Meditation improves our lives both at the physiological and mental levels. It helps us develop mindfulness while reducing stress and improving our sleep patterns. Likewise, practicing gratitude provides health benefits while building resilience. Simply keeping a gratitude journal can boost happiness as many find that intentional gratefulness changes everything.
Combined, the two practices can provide a synergistic, life-affirming effect. Benefits include:
- Enhanced mental well-being and reduction of sadness or depression
- Reduced anxiety and stress that may boost your immune system
- Increased overall happiness through greater optimism
- Stronger relationships as you learn to appreciate yourself and others
- Improved sleep patterns and sleep quality
In fact, the benefits of committing just 10 minutes or less per day can be transformative as you build a mindset of growth and abundance.
Tips for practicing gratitude meditation
To get the most from your meditations, follow these simple tips.
- Start with short, guided meditations. Brief meditations won’t stress the beginner, and guides will both calm and assist you as you learn.
- Set a regular time to help your mind and body build a habit. The best times are those that you know you can have alone without being interrupted.
- Choose a comfortable, upright position to avoid falling asleep. A meditation pillow can help enormously!
- Begin with breathing and relaxation exercises. The best meditation guides will help you here.
- Focus on specific points of gratefulness. Your meditation guide will speak in generalities, but visualize and feel the real-world good things in your life.
- Never drive or perform any other potentially dangerous activity while listening to guided meditations.
Best gratitude meditations to try
Working mindfulness and positivity into your morning routine or nightly regimen is easy. Get started with these top gratitude meditations on YouTube and elsewhere.
1. 5-Minute Guided Meditation for Gratitude
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Great for beginners, this short meditation from the Mindful Moment YouTube channel begins with a brief introduction to the practice of gratitude for mindfulness, healing and overall well-being. Host Sara Raymond begins with breathing and relaxation exercises to put you in the present moment. With nearly 1.5 million views, it is one of the most popular meditations you will find.
Length: 5 minutes, 56 seconds
Voice: Female
Where to find: YouTube
Cost: Free
2. Gratitude Meditation – 10 Minutes of Thankfulness & Gratefulness
We often neglect to feel grateful for all the seemingly little things that provide comfort and joy in our lives. This daily meditation reminds us of all the good in our lives, from our clients to the truckers who deliver our food. Perfect as a morning affirmation, begin your day with a sense of thankfulness, peace and calm with this My Peace of Mindfulness meditation.
Length: 10 minutes, 50 seconds
Voice: Female
Where to find: YouTube
Cost: Free
3. Gratefulness – 10-Minute Guided Meditation
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Cultivating an attitude of gratitude begins with yourself. Likewise, this meditation focuses on your actual, physical body. Presented by Meditate With Me, your guide will gently lead you to become aware of your body and feel joy and contentment for all that it provides you. By the end, you will feel at one with all the good things that surround you while building your resilience and mastering your well-being.
Length: 11 minutes, 54 seconds
Voice: Male
Where to find: YouTube
Cost: Free
4. 7-Minute Guided Meditation for Black Men
Created for the Meditations for Black Culture series, this track is designed specifically for Black men to inspire peace and love through appreciation and affirmation. Soothing music and nature sounds accompany your guide’s warm voice as she leads you through a breathing exercise and a body scan. Encouraging and kind, this meditation delivers a healthy way to begin your day.
Length: 7 minutes, 15 seconds
Voice: Female
Where to find: YouTube
Cost: Free
5. Rising in Gratitude Guided Meditation for Black Women
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Healing and the willingness to receive life’s blessings play critical roles in our health and well-being. This gratitude meditation on YouTube not only empowers you to appreciate life’s blessings, but opens you to affirming your own worth. Caringly created for Black women, Winter serves as your guide to learning self-love and kindness through the decisions you make.
Length: 5 minutes, 28 seconds
Voice: Female
Where to find: YouTube
Cost: Free
6. Morning Gratitude Meditation Guided
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Your entire day will improve by starting out with a positive mindset. Bob Baker created this morning meditation to do just that. Inspired by Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer and others, this morning meditation guides you to more purposeful living by reminding you of all the positive assets you have in life. Enabling yourself to reach your goals throughout the day begins here.
Length: 12 minutes, 30 seconds
Voice: Male
Where to find: YouTube
Cost: Free
7. Madison Mindset Gratitude Meditation
Too often, we wait for good things to come to us. Taking control of our own lives through thankfulness enables you to overcome obstacles and build an empowering mindset. With this calming track, Madison will guide you to trust in yourself and the world around you. Practiced daily, such meditations build a growth mindset and the resilience needed to face every challenge in life.
Length: 10 minutes, 27 seconds
Voice: Female
Where to find: Spotify
Cost: Free with Spotify account
8. Gratitude with Annemaree Rowley
Gratitude means more than counting your blessings and being thankful. It involves an enthusiasm to embrace the many joys, wonders and assets you have at your disposal. Few meditation guides understand this as well as Rowley. In this exquisite gratitude meditation track, she will guide you to embrace a life of ever-increasing abundance.
Length: 16 minutes, 9 seconds
Voice: Female
Where to find: InsightTimer
Cost: Free; full meditation app subscription: $60.00 at the App Store and Google Play
Photo by mimagephotography/Shutterstock.com
Bryan enjoys the digital space where arts and technology meet. As a writer, he has worked in education, health and wellbeing, and manufacturing. He also assists smaller businesses in web development including accessibility and content development. In his free time, he hikes trails in central Florida.
