Dear Headspace,
When I downloaded your app almost a year ago, I was a little skeptical. I didn’t consider meditation as a way of processing the stress and emotional rollercoaster of everyday life until my mom suggested it. My dad had brought it up when I mentioned having more anxiety than before, but I brushed it off. He always knows the right thing to do. But then my mom recommended it. If this was coming from both my parents, then I started to consider the idea of meditation.
I looked into which apps could help me and discovered you, Headspace. I have to say, when I saw Emma Watson call your app “kind of genius,” I was very interested. I launched into a journey that I hoped would be fruitful, and little did I know how much I would get out of this experience.
Throughout this year I have learned how to notice which emotions I am feeling without judgement. I have learned how to ‘part the clouds’ and find a clearer mind. But most of all, I have learned that I am not my anxiety. I am not my emotions. They come and go while I stay unwavering. This is the biggest takeaway I have incorporated in my everyday life and it’s the reason I encourage my friends to meditate. You are not your anxiety, depression, mood swings… You can notice these feelings without becoming them. Being able to truly believe that I am more than any mental health issue I may face is one of the most empowering realizations I have ever had.
In consequence, I am fundamentally happier. I am calmer. I am less prone to anxiety attacks. Friends and family are always there as support, but there is nothing worse than feeling like a burden. Now, if I feel like I am fighting this alone, I know that I can. It isn’t a lonely aloneness.
Thank you for showing me that everything I need to be happy is within me. I control my own feelings, they do not control me.
Best,
Liane Ruddy