Happiness Break: A Meditation for When Gratitude Feels Hard
The Science of Happiness
Make space for hard emotions
Dacher normalizes grief and anger and invites holding difficult feelings as meaningful.
When gratitude feels distant, gently notice what’s here now— creating space for both heaviness and small moments of appreciation.
How To Do This Practice:
- Get Comfortable: Sit upright or lie down. Whatever feels most supportive. Then soften your gaze or close your eyes.
- Take Three Slow Breaths: Let your body begin to settle. Feel the tension release a little more with each exhale.
- Notice How You’re Feeling: Without changing anything, simply acknowledge what’s present—tiredness, frustration, numbness, ease—whatever it is.
- Make Space for What’s Hard: Recognize that the world can feel heavy. It’s okay to hold grief, anger, or stress. You don't have to push it away.
- Gently Notice the Present Moment: Shift your attention to something neutral: your breath, your feet on the floor, the air on your skin. Just observe.
- Look for One Small Thing to Appreciate: Ask: Is there anything, however small, I can be thankful for right now? A warm cup of coffee, a slower breath, the fact that you showed up.
Today’s Happiness Break Guide:
DACHER KELTNER is the host of The Science of Happiness podcast and is a co-instructor of the Greater Good Science Center’s popular online course of the same name. He’s also a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.
Related Happiness Break episodes:
A Meditation on Original Love: https://tinyurl.com/5u298cv4
Loving Kindness Meditation: https://tinyurl.com/2kr4fjz5
Who Takes Care of You: https://tinyurl.com/5xmfkf73
Related Science of Happiness episodes:
Nine Steps to Forgiveness: https://tinyurl.com/vb7kk5ky
How to Show Up For Yourself: https://tinyurl.com/56ktb9xc
Who’s Always There for You: https://tinyurl.com/yt3ejj6w
We want to hear from you! Take our quick 5-minute survey to tell us what you love, what you want more of, and how we can make the show even more inspiring and useful. Everyone who completes the survey can enter a drawing to win a copy of The Science of Happiness Workbook: 10 Practices for a Meaningful Life. Click the survey link in the show notes wherever you’re listening, or go directly to: https://tinyurl.com/happyhappysurvey. Thank you for helping us make the podcast even better!
Follow us on Instagram: @ScienceOfHappinessPod
We’d love to hear about your experience with this practice! Share your thoughts at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap
Help us share Happiness Break! Leave a 5-star review and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap
Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/f6xa56mx
The AI-powered Podcast Player
