Written by:

Updated on:

February 8, 2017

Open to the sense of gratitude and gladness. Explore what these experiences are like and how it has the power to lift up your mood and your spirit.

Download this Audio Meditation for Free, Just Enter Your First Name and Email Address:

In this short guided meditation on gratitude and gladness, Sean Fargo invites us to sense what these experiences feel like on a deeper level. While we might not always be consciously aware of the boost that appreciation and contentment provide us with, these inner experiences send out positive ripples throughout our being – energetic currents that can be cultivated as we honor them with our attention.

The Benefits of Cultivating Gratitude

Whether through this meditation or in our own quiet time, cultivating gratitude has a profound effect on our overall experience of life. As we harness a sense of appreciation for things both big and small, our mood improves, our experience of stress lessens, and we find ourselves able to flow with and trust the universe with greater ease. 

The quality of our sleep improves, which in turn, fuels the energy and vitality we experience in our waking lives.

Harnessing Gladness

Gladness arises when we feel pleased, delighted, or joyous. While this sense of joy comes more effortlessly at some times in our lives than others, we can practice harnessing gladness in times when we are feeling neutral.

By mindfully drawing our awareness to moments in life when gladness coursed through us effortlessly, we can gain a sense of what it was like to experience this on a very tangible level. By cultivating this memory, the body experiences it.

The more we practice this, the more effortlessly it comes to us as the waves of life pass by. If you are interested in this work, consider exploring some of the other mindfulness exercises on happiness and contentment.

Download this Audio Meditation for Free, Just Enter Your First Name and Email Address:

mindfulness exercises attribution
Become a Certified Mindfulness Teacher

About the author 

Sean Fargo is a mindfulness teacher and founder of Mindfulness Exercises, a global platform offering evidence‑based resources and teacher certification. A former Buddhist monk in the Thai Theravada tradition, he bridges contemplative wisdom with modern psychology to make mindfulness practical at work and in life. Sean has taught alongside Jack Kornfield and supported leaders at organizations such as Reddit, PG&E, and DocuSign. Through online trainings, guided meditations, and mentorship, he has helped thousands of educators, clinicians, and coaches bring mindfulness to diverse communities. Sean’s mission is simple and ambitious: expand access to authentic, science‑informed practice while cultivating compassion, clarity, and resilience. Today, Mindfulness Exercises serves millions with free and premium tools, empowering individuals and teams to lead with presence and purpose.

Page [tcb_pagination_current_page] of [tcb_pagination_total_pages]

>