Mindfulness.com
Meditation
See all Meditation

Browse

Top articles

How to Meditate: Meditation 101 for Beginners

10 Science-Backed Benefits of Meditation

What is Meditation?

Mindful LivingSleep
CommunityFor Work

00:00

00:00

Melli O'Brien

4.8

Duration

Scan the following QR code with your camera app to open it on your phone

The Grace Experiment

Personalized support for learning how to integrate mindfulness into your life. Delivered fresh everyday by our world renowned experts. Choose meditation duration:

Hi, and welcome to your Daily Mindfulness.

Today, we'll be exploring the value

of trying the grace experiment.

So the practice of saying grace before

a meal is a really old tradition that's

faded a little in recent generations.

But it was really common in days

gone by to pause and express

gratitude before each meal.

Now you might be hearing me talk

about the practice of saying grace

right now and already you're thinking

to yourself, Melli, I am so not

interested in something like that.

You know, maybe you associate

this practice to religion and

you're thinking, I just don't

want anything to do with that.

But just bear with me here.

So at its core, this grace practice is

simply a regular way to express gratitude.

And here's why it might be of interest

to you to try the grace experiment.

In recent years, researchers have

found that our ability to express and

experience gratitude is a key determinant

in our overall happiness and wellbeing.

According to Robert Emmons, a psychology

professor at the University of California,

the practice of gratitude can increase

happiness levels by around 25%.

In addition, he notes that people who

express gratitude regularly have been

shown to be less resentful, enjoy

better sleep, exercise more often,

and even have lower blood pressure.

Several studies suggest that those who

take time to be grateful on a regular

basis enjoy reduced stress levels,

stronger in the personal relationships.

And according to Northeastern

University psychologist, David DeSteno,

gratitude makes people more selfless.

But these great benefits

come with a catch.

We only reap the benefits, says

psychology professor, Sonja Lyubomirsky,

if we express it on a regular basis.

So the grace experiment is this,

if you'd like to see firsthand how

a regular gratitude practice might

improve your quality of life, I

encourage you for the next 30 days to

try saying grace, at least once a day.

So taking a couple of minutes per

day, just to pause and contemplate

what you're grateful for in life.

And pairing it with another activity

like a meal time is ideal so that

you get into a regular routine.

But it doesn't have to be with a meal.

You could do it before or after

meditation, with your first cup of

tea, before you go to sleep at night.

So I invite you to just try this.

And each time you say grace really

let the energy of gratitude fill your

body and mind and being attentive to

how this regular practice of saying

grace affects you in your life.

And you might also find, as Robert

Holden once said that, "The real gift

of gratitude is that the more grateful

you are, the more present you become."

So we will start your grace experiment

as part of today's meditation.

So I invite you to settle in for that now.

And as a always, thank

you for your practice.

Get Unlimited Access

Start your mindfulness journey today.

A Mindfulness Plus+ subscription gives you unlimited access to a world of premium mindfulness content.

  • Over 1,800 meditations, sleep, calm music, naturescapes and more
  • Daily mindfulness video meditations 365 days a year
  • 100s of courses and tools to help manage anxiety, sleep and stress

Get started today

Start your 7-day free trial
Or sign up with

Email Missing

We couldn’t detect your email with the SSO provider you have selected.
or

Mindfulness Guarantee

We are here to make a positive impact on the world. We never want to sell you something that hasn’t helped you live a better life. That’s why if you’re unhappy with any purchase from us, you have 30 days to get a full refund and your money back.

If you subscribed to Mindfulness Plus+ and are unhappy with your purchase, please get in contact with us within the 30-day period and we’ll refund your purchase.


Learn more about our Mindfulness Guarantee.

Mindfulness

Bring balance into your everyday life.

We believe in a world where everybody has access to the life-changing skills of mindfulness.

  • 2,000+ Guided Meditations
  • Daily Coaching
  • Sleep Content
  • Mindful Exercises
  • Mindful Radio
  • 10+ Courses from world-class teachers

Private Browsing

Added to your cart!

Checkout

Claim your free access

Create a mindfulness account and we’ll unlock this premium session in your account forever.

or continue with
By continuing, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Do you already have an account?

Start a free trial to play this session

7-Days free trial, cancel anytime.

Finish personalizing your account

Complete a few quick questions to make your own personalized mindfulness plan.