10 Headspace employees share their go-to meditations

We’d like to open up that conversation by sharing some thoughts on our colleagues’ favorite Headspace content. Of course, we think all of our meditation packs are pretty great. But we want to highlight some of the unsuspecting benefits, too. Check out some of our favorites below, and maybe you’ll find a new go-to of your own.

Sleep

"The Sleep pack is my ride or die. Ever since I can remember I’ve had difficulty falling asleep. Since high school, or maybe middle school. Once I started working at Headspace I really tried to take into consideration the idea of minimizing technology use right before bed. And, that the last app we use each day should be Headspace. It’s become such an effective part of my evening routine, and 9 times out of 10 I fall asleep before the session ends. It’s incredible to know how to seek calm before falling asleep and to rule out any restlessness in the body or busyness in the mind. Now, when I know that I have a big day ahead of me, or want to get a certain amount of sleep before waking early, I know exactly how to achieve that." -Maria Toce, People Operations Coordinator

Training

"I was drawn to this pack because I’m an avid CrossFit athlete and there’s a strong connection to my own training. I spend a lot of time in my head, naturally, and this translates to my time in the gym as well. If I’m too in my head in the gym, I can make errors or risk injuring myself and having the reminder to connect to my breath and scan through my body while training is invaluable. (Even my trainer uses Headspace and reminds me to come back to the breath!) I’ve found, more than anything, that this pack helps me to keep my mind as clear as possible, and has given me a new capacity to adapt quicker and avoid injury. It’s incredible to feel the mechanics of my body without also overthinking it; staying with my breath and scanning through my body has also given me new techniques to push through mental and physical rough spots, building endurance I didn’t know possible. When it seems possible to give up, I build new awarenesses instead." -Ricky Ramsaran, Agile Coach of Engineering

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Relationships

"I was just coming off of an all-consuming work launch project (at a previous job) that had me in a frazzled mental state, and I remember looking for something that would make me feel reconnected to the people around me. My work normalized again and I felt ready to get back to nurturing my personal life. The Relationships pack started to call to me... As I began the pack, I noticed subtle internal shifts and small (seemingly insignificant) positive exchanges with those around me. As I continued, the impact felt bigger and more transformative. In following the guidance to shift my focus from myself to others, I felt lighter, happier, and more open to the world. I began to notice that I was more present in conversations—reaching out to old friends, laughing more easily, and generally more attuned to the people in my immediate vicinity. Around this time, I happened to meet and fall in love with my boyfriend. It can be tough to notice others when you are so caught up in yourself and your own stresses, and this pack helped me consciously refocus my attention outwards. A combination of serendipitous events brought us together, but had I not been training my mind and heart to be open to the people around me, I probably would have missed the moment when it presented itself. These important, life-changing events come and go under the guise of everyday minutiae, and it's up to us to stay awake and attuned to the present so they don't pass us by. I am so happy this one didn't." -Charlie Hart, Senior UX Designer

Self-esteem

"I completed the Self-esteem pack and my perspective of myself and the idea of self-esteem totally changed. Before, I assumed that these were matters of the self, but in fact, once I spent time learning to be less judgmental and more empathetic, I realized that this is a much wider awareness—one that expands outward rather than inward. I’ve learned to be less judgmental of others, and also be more empathetic. Rather than making assumptions or falling into patterns of self-doubt, I know now that thoughts are just that: thoughts! They don’t define us in any way. It helps me to understand that we’re all going through similar struggles and taking time out to learn more (and let go of more!) will have a massive effect on those around us." -Kenny Bonilla, Customer Experience Detective

Self-esteem

"I completed the Self-esteem pack and my perspective of myself and the idea of self-esteem totally changed. Before, I assumed that these were matters of the self, but in fact, once I spent time learning to be less judgmental and more empathetic, I realized that this is a much wider awareness—one that expands outward rather than inward. I’ve learned to be less judgmental of others, and also be more empathetic. Rather than making assumptions or falling into patterns of self-doubt, I know now that thoughts are just that: thoughts! They don’t define us in any way. It helps me to understand that we’re all going through similar struggles and taking time out to learn more (and let go of more!) will have a massive effect on those around us." -Kenny Bonilla, Customer Experience Detective

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Kids

"I love this pack because it reminds me of the playful sides of meditation and the mind. I’m reminded that we can practice meditation like a child throughout our lives, coming to it each time with a fresh, beginners approach. It’s quick, so it’s also a really nice refresher. The tone is upbeat and cheerful. It can be easy for the tone of meditation to get quite serious, and of course, there’s a time and place for that. But as someone who came to meditation with anxiety, the playfulness is a good way to remember that there are many ways to look at everything. There are really great visualization techniques that encourage us to picture that we all have what we need and that we’re all in this (and playing) together. It’s a great reminder that meditation is bigger than just us. It motivates me to continue to practice (and be part of) something much larger than myself." -Tom Freeman, Learning & Development Manager

Acceptance

"This pack has been really helpful for me when I feel like I have a number of different lives at once and sometimes they’re tough to translate or transition between, one from the next. My past, my present, and my truest self throughout it all.

I’m learning to accept each place and time for what they represent—and to integrate my whole self wherever I go. Although it’s sometimes tough to handle situations I may not choose or prefer, I’m learning to accept them for what they are and continue to move forward. The practice of acknowledging the differences between thought and action, perception and reality, and temporary versus permanent have been super useful. I’m developing a much better relationship with my mind and my fullest potential."

-Ryan Kelly, Program Manager for International Business Development

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Acceptance

"This pack has been really helpful for me when I feel like I have a number of different lives at once and sometimes they’re tough to translate or transition between, one from the next. My past, my present, and my truest self throughout it all.

I’m learning to accept each place and time for what they represent—and to integrate my whole self wherever I go. Although it’s sometimes tough to handle situations I may not choose or prefer, I’m learning to accept them for what they are and continue to move forward. The practice of acknowledging the differences between thought and action, perception and reality, and temporary versus permanent have been super useful. I’m developing a much better relationship with my mind and my fullest potential."

-Ryan Kelly, Program Manager for International Business Development

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Creativity

“I was initially drawn to the pack because I wasn’t looking to delve into a classically difficult issue. Instead, I wanted to further my practice and learnings in a way that felt unlocking and encouraging. What’s incredible about this pack is that it encourages us to envision a completely blank slate, to do anything. You might see that canvas as a place for specific types of creative outlets, but also it guides us toward opening ourselves up to be creative in any space we have. It’s excellent, too, for people who don’t necessarily know where to go next from the intro packs. The creativity pack provides teachings that can be applied to so many aspects of our lives.” -Ryan Wolpa, Customer Experience Manager

Focus

“[The Focus pack] been super helpful to notice certain parts of my body (and differently!) from a body scan. I learned to recognize localized, specific places, and become more aware. Focus is an easy name to be drawn to because it’s the opposite of distracted, and removing distraction of the mind from my day-to-day has been a goal of mine. Now when I catch myself and try to be mindful throughout the day, I often choose to focus on one of the seven points the focus pack instructs to” -Austin Levine, Data Analyst

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Focus

“Focus is an easy name to be drawn to because it’s the opposite of distracted, and removing distraction of the mind from my day-to-day has been a goal of mine. Now when I catch myself and try to be mindful throughout the day, I often choose to focus on one of the seven points the focus pack instructs to” -Austin Levine, Data Analyst

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Balance

“I really like the idea of finding a healthy balance across all aspects of my life and I feel most content when I can get to this state. I remember doing the pack every night before bed and when I would wake up the next day I could really feel a difference. It's difficult to articulate but my mind overall felt a lot calmer and, for lack of a unique word, balanced!” -Monica Grandy, Software Engineer, Android

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Sleep

"The Sleep pack is my ride or die. Ever since I can remember I’ve had difficulty falling asleep. Since high school, or maybe middle school. Once I started working at Headspace I really tried to take into consideration the idea of minimizing technology use right before bed. And, that the last app we use each day should be Headspace. It’s become such an effective part of my evening routine, and 9 times out of 10 I fall asleep before the session ends. It’s incredible to know how to seek calm before falling asleep and to rule out any restlessness in the body or busyness in the mind. Now, when I know that I have a big day ahead of me, or want to get a certain amount of sleep before waking early, I know exactly how to achieve that." -Maria Toce, People Operations Coordinator

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Acceptance

“I was drawn to the Acceptance pack because I often find myself fighting things in my life that are beyond my control, particularly the thoughts and feelings of other people. I felt as though developing a greater ability to accept what is beyond my control would lead to greater peace of mind. I go back to the pack during times when I am having difficulty letting go of resistance with respect to certain aspects of my life. I do feel better equipped to accept that which is beyond my control these days.” -Michael Marchand, Corporate Counsel

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We’d love to hear about your favorite packs, too. Please jump in on the conversation over at Facebook.