Light Watkins

Light Watkins is a keynote speaker, bestselling author and meditation teacher, known as "The Presence Whisperer." For over two decades he has helped leaders and teams bring presence into how they live, lead and connect, using humor, storytelling and practical, science-backed Reset techniques for calming the nervous system in under a minute. He has given more than 500 talks across six continents.

He grew up in a family of six in Montgomery, Alabama, and took a job in the creative department of an ad agency in Chicago that lasted only a few months. He went on to spend years modeling in New York City. Yoga led him to meditation, and a difficult breakup pushed him to make what he had been studying real. He moved to Los Angeles to teach yoga full time and, in February 2003, met his spiritual teacher. Soon after, he recognized teaching as his highest calling. He later went to India to learn the traditional ways of teaching meditation. He says he was good at teaching it because he had struggled with it himself, so he meets people where they are with a simple approach.

Light is the author of five bestselling books on happiness, mindfulness, minimalism and transformation. They include The Inner Gym (2015), Bliss More (named "Best Meditation Book of All Time" by Book Authority), Knowing Where to Look and Travel Light: Spiritual Minimalism to Live a More Fulfilled Life, a 2023 bestseller. His TEDx talk on the misconceptions about mindfulness has passed a million views. He also hosts a podcast and created The Happiness Insiders, an online community focused on meditation and inner happiness.

After his book tour for Bliss More, he experimented with minimalism and spent five years traveling the world with everything he owned in a backpack. His YouTube channel describes a daily meditation practice of more than 15,000 consecutive sessions. His signature keynote, The Reset Advantage, addresses stress, burnout and performance.