YoggNation: The Spirit of Gratitude
Welcome to the YoggNation: Spirit of Gratitude podcast, hosted by Yogesh Patel
Each week, you’ll hear from a diverse mix of high-profile guests from different ages, backgrounds, professions, and cultures, who open up about topics like gratitude, bullying, self-awareness, resilience, and tuning into that quiet inner voice we often ignore.
This podcast is all about honest conversations that make you pause, reflect, and maybe even see yourself a little more clearly.
Recent Episodes
Gratitude Starts Small — Here’s Why One Note Matters!
What if music is not just something you learn, but the first place you learn who you are? Stacy Ryan shares how band-based music education helps kids and adults rebuild confidence, find belonging, and develop a voice that fear, bullying, and self-doubt often silence. Through her work at School of Rock, she has seen shy students transform into performers who lead, collaborate, and step into their own identity. 🧠 What you will learn: How learning music in a band builds confidence and comm...
What Helped Ryan Thompson Reach the Champions League?
What if the people laughing at your first tryout have no idea who you’re about to become? Ryan Thompson walked into a soccer tryout wearing church shoes, got laughed at, and still kept showing up. He went on to become the first Jamaican to play in the UEFA Champions League, Jamaica’s number one goalkeeper, and founder of RTG Academy. His story is a powerful look at resilience, belief, and what it takes to keep going when others doubt you. 🧠 What you will learn: How athletes build confid...
Why Libraries Matter for Education, Mental Health, and Community Support
What if one library card could change the direction of a life? Mychal Threets, known online as one of the internet’s most beloved librarians, shares how public libraries create more than readers. They create safety, belonging, learning, and connection for people who need it most. From growing up as a “library kid” to becoming an advocate for literacy and mental health, Mychal explains why libraries still matter deeply in the digital age. 🧠 What you will learn: How libraries support ment...
The Power of Perspective: How One Minute Can Change Everything
What if gratitude is not a soft emotion, but a tool you can use when life gets hard? Yogesh Patel, host of YoggNation’s Spirit of Gratitude podcast, shares the story behind the mission and how gratitude became a daily practice shaped by personal challenges, family, and purpose. From growing up between cultures to raising a neurodivergent child and facing health struggles, he explains why turning stress into strength is not theory, it is lived experience. 🧠 What you will learn: How grati...
AI Is Changing Everything — Here’s What It Can’t Change
What if the fear of AI replacing your job is actually a signal to evolve, not retreat? Dave Melillo, a former touring musician turned data professional, shares how he rebuilt his career from the ground up and what it really takes to pivot when passion and income no longer align. From scanning invoices to working in high-performance data environments, his story shows how small steps and consistent learning create real momentum. 🧠 What you will learn: How to transition careers by starting...
The Unexpected Way David Leaf Built Trust in the Music Industry
What if greatness is not what you see on stage, but what happens in the unseen moments that make it possible? David Leaf, writer, filmmaker, historian, and UCLA professor, has spent his career documenting and working closely ...