Harnessing Gratitude for Inner Peace, with Kessonga

Hey, Eve here. I don't know about you, but for me, this time of year can feel really overwhelming, trying to juggle work, family, and the holidays. The good news is Headspace is offering our biggest sale of the year, 50% off your annual membership. Whether you need help with stress, sleep, or anything else, Headspace has something for you, and now's the perfect time to sign up and get 50% off today. (screen hissing) (mouse clicking) (bright music) Headspace Studios. (bright music) (gentle music) Welcome to this Thursday on Radio Headspace. My name is Kessonga. The past couple of episodes have been part of a series I call Mindful Moments. These are those moments in our lives where we are fully present, and remembering that these moments can possess an array of feelings, from anger or sadness to happiness or calm. For the purpose of these episodes, I'll be focusing on the mindful moments in my life where I was present, content, happy, and in a space of wellbeing, and also remembering that it could be a person, place, thing, or event that made me feel this way. I decided that for this episode, I would highlight the wonderful experience and team that I happen to be working with right now at the super dynamic meditation app known as Headspace. (Kessonga laughing) (gentle music) As I sit here writing this, it's going on the second year that I've been working at Headspace as one of their mindfulness meditation teachers. I distinctly remember the day I was introduced to the possibility of working with Headspace. I was an adjunct mindfulness instructor at UNC Chapel Hill's School of Medicine in the program of integrative medicine, and actually, I still teach there, but just in a much more limited capacity. But anyway, I was in charge of teaching the eight-week mindfulness-based stress reduction class, in addition to serving as the mindfulness instructor on various research projects. It just so happened that the primary investigator on one of the research projects was a brilliant woman by the name of Dr. Wizdom Powell. If you're able to Google her, please do. She's a complete rockstar. She now serves as the Chief Social Impact and Diversity Officer right here at Headspace. So on this particular day, while we were working at UNC, she randomly asked me if I ever heard of the meditation app called Headspace. Now, have you ever had one of those moments where you hear or see something and your entire body gets tingly all over? Well, that's exactly what happened when Dr. Powell asked me that question. (Kessonga laughing) "Why, yes, Dr. Powell. "I have. "Why do you ask?," I replied, trying to maintain my composure. I was hoping with everything in my bones that she was going to follow up with a true dream of an opportunity, and sure enough, she said, "Well, they're looking for new teachers. "Would this be something you're interested in?" I kind of lost it at...