Have any of you ever read the American Girl magazine?
Who of you then graduated to slightly-less wholesome but certainly more glamorous literature such as Seventeen and Teen Vogue?
If you’re like me, you read those magazines for two reasons: advice columns and the incredibly innovative quizzes, the results of which were always alarmingly accurate. Why? Because they elicit introspection. Who doesn’t love a good personality test? Who doesn’t love thinking about their tendencies, their likes and dislikes, their emotions? This is why I love the following TedX talks — they encourage that same very enjoyable, mildly vain self-reflection that come from various bona-fide, knowledge-rich sources.
These talks will inspire you to care for your brain and your heart — the two things that, when nurtured, will bring us to even greater fulfillment and success. These top five are sure to make you think while also inspiring you to invoke change within your life.
1. Vulnerability
Years of research and thousands of case studies lead skeptic (as well as sociological researcher) Breneé Brown to the conclusion that vulnerability is the forefront of human connection. Her talk also touches on the fascinating and illuminating role of shame and empathy in relationships. What she shares is authentic, full of resounding truths that have affected communities of women and men alike across the globe. The power of her insight is self-evident, and that’s why she’s so captivating.
2. How to Practice Emotional Self-Care
This is an incredible commentary by German identical-twin and doctor of psychology Guy Winch. During this TedX, he asks why as a culture, we are trained to tend to physical wounds with more urgency than emotional ones. This talk is peppered with eloquently recounted anecdotes including one about loneliness that will resonate with many. He urges viewers to cut out bad psychological habits, such as self-deprecating internal dialogue and “rumination.” And if you want to figure out what exactly he means by that funny-sounding word, stop reading this summary and go watch the talk.
3. Define Your Fears Instead of Your Goals
Tim Ferriss, an eclectically brilliant author and entrepreneur, addresses fear management in this hard-hitting, articulate talk. He maintains that fear derives its power from uncertainty, and that in order to significantly mitigate its power over our decision-making, we must practice “fear-setting.” This exercise requires that you ask yourself a mildly terrifying question: what would it look like if your weightiest concerns, your deepest distresses, your worst nightmares, came true? Ferriss claims that this kind of honest and practical self-examination will diminish doubt and irresolution. This talk is certainly a game-changer.
4. Feelings: Handle Them Before They Handle You
In this TedX, the brazen and engaging Mandy Saligari (whose British accent makes this talk infinitely better), urges us to reflect on how our feelings affect how we interact with the world. She claims that when we are unaware of our insecurities, of our agitations, of our hurt, we become resentful and aggressive. But, when we are willing to pause and recognize them, we are able to master them. In the end, she says, we can save ourselves from entering parties blindfolded and ending up with the other codependent male/female undoubtedly lurking at the bar… I’ll leave you in suspense on that one.
5. Getting Stuck in the Negatives (And How to Get Unstuck)
This TedX, given by social psychologist Alison Ledgerwood, is a brief, intriguing look at the human tendency to focus on the negatives. She talks about the “gain/loss frame,” which confirms our species’ negativity bias: the effect that negative stimulus has on our mental state persists and is not easily upended. Watch this for a few low-key, well-delivered jokes and some interesting food for thought.