There is no problem so great that it can’t be lightened or lessened by watching the right TED Talk. If you’re not familiar with TED, it is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or less). TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, and today covers almost all topics — from science to business to global issues — in more than 100 languages. Meanwhile, independently run TEDx events help share ideas in communities around the world.
These 10 TED Talks number among my favorites. They cover a wide variety of topics, but they all inspire and make you think.
1. Whitney Thore: Living without shame: How we can empower ourselves
2. Tah Riq Amawi: Taking a Leap: From Desktop to Rooftop
3. Maysoon Zayid: I got 99 problems… palsy is just one
4. Tim Urban: Inside the mind of a master procrastinator
5. Jia Jiang: What I learned from 100 days of rejection
6. Magnus Walker: Go with your gut feeling
7. Brené Brown: Why your critics aren’t the ones who count
8. Brené Brown: The power of vulnerability
9. Courtney Ferrell: Girl Up: The secrets to an extraordinary life
10. Mel Robbins: How to stop screwing yourself over