In times of rising authoritarianism and social upheaval, how do we find hope without falling into toxic positivity? This week, I sit down with my dear friend Abigail Somma, founder of Gratitude Buddies and mindfulness teacher, to explore gratitude as a tool for resistance and refocusing.

Abbie taught me about loving-kindness meditation nearly a decade ago, and her approach to gratitude as a practice—not just a feeling—completely shifted how I understand presence and self-compassion.

In this conversation, we explore:

• Why gratitude becomes accessible in moments of crisis (and why it's harder during prolonged depression)
• How to practice loving-kindness toward people who disagree with us
• The difference between empathy and toxic positivity
• How workplace gratitude has evolved from transaction to inner wellness—and what comes next
• Gratitude Buddies: a platform for skill-sharing and community building beyond traditional capitalism
• Why we need "compassionate wise action" instead of judgment
• Using gratitude as a refocusing tool in moments of conflict

Abigail Somma (Abbie) is the founder of Gratitude Buddies, a platform where people swap small joys and meaningful skills. She has coached and trained hundreds of people in mindfulness, gratitude and emotional wellbeing, and delivered workshops to international organizations, businesses, and leading universities. Previously, she worked in international policy as a speechwriter for business leaders, celebrities and multiple United Nations figureheads. Her writing has appeared in Scary Mommy, Foreign Policy, the Globe and Mail and others. She is also a poet and playwright, with degrees from Johns Hopkins University and Villanova University. Abbie lives in Vienna with her two children. Learn more at gratitudebuddies.com and abigailsomma.com.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 Introduction and how we met through Priya Parker
• 3:00 Gratitude vs. toxic positivity
• 8:00 Is gratitude innate or learned?
• 11:00 Practicing loving-kindness toward difficult people
• 15:00 Finding balance between empathy and effectiveness
• 17:00 What is Gratitude Buddies?
• 23:00 Europe vs. US: different responses to social regression
• 28:00 Technology, AI, and staying human
• 33:00 How to stay grounded in uncertain times