I am sure you have felt discouraged and scared and hopeless in your life. Everyone goes through these feelings and that’s completely normal.
You might need some words of encouragement to lift you out of this feeling. If you are looking for some much needed inspiration and practical advice, you have come to the right place.
I have put together a collection of 10 amazing TED talks that every woman should watch.
I hope you find hope and help from these TED talks.
Are you a Grey’s Anatomy fan? Love Bridgerton?
The first TED talk in this list is ‘My Year of Saying Yes to Everything’ by the creator of these legendary shows – Shonda Rhimes. She explains how saying yes to everything, be it for personal or professional purposes, changed her life.
Shonda Rhimes describes even though she loves working how she lost touch with her ‘hum’. And most importantly, how she was able to be in touch with her deeper self by saying yes to everything. Through this journey, she ultimately found the real meaning of ‘hum’.
Why are less women in the top leadership roles?
The Ted talk ‘Why we have too few women leaders’ by Sheryl Sandberg, the former COO of Meta Platforms, dwells into this. It is difficult for women to climb the ladders to reach a position of power.
She talks about the barriers that prevent women from advancing into leadership roles. Sandberg makes three powerful suggestions: “sit at the table,” “make your partner a real partner,” and “don’t leave before you leave”, to deal with this issue.
This talk gives hope that you and me can overcome this invisible roadblock that seems to be blocking our way to the top.
The society expects women to be perfect all the time. Your laugh should be perfect, your posture should be perfect, all your decisions should be perfect. Often times, women are afraid to do something because it might not be the perfect thing to do and just end of not doing it. Perfection is holding women back.
The TED Talk “Teach Girls Bravery, Not Perfection,” Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code, challenges the societal norms that wants girls to be perfect whereas the boys are expected to be brave. When you are expected to be perfect, women are held back. They are scared to take risks and fail. Through this talk Saujani advocates to teach girls to be courageous and to be brave enough to make mistakes.
“The Power of Vulnerability” by Brene Brown is one of the best TED talks ever. As of writing this blog post, this talk has 21 million views which in itself says a lot.
We are all scared to be vulnerable isn’t it? There is a common belief that being vulnerable is a sign of weakness. Brene, through her years of research shows us that vulnerability is not a weakness. It is actually a source of strength. Being vulnerable helps us to empathetic and authentic and make deeper connections.
The TED talk “If I Should Have a Daughter”, by spoken word poet Sarah Kay received not one but two standing ovations. Sarah explores a of of topics through this moving talk. And the poetry is like an icing on the cake.
She reminds us the power of story telling and how it can be used to deliver thoughtful and inspiring messages.
Do you struggle with lack of confidence? Then this TED talk is for you.
Amy Cuddy gives practical advices to become confident in her TED talk “Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are”. She explains that our body language not only affects how others perceive us but also how we perceive ourselves. She has found through her research that being in “power poses” for just a few minutes can help you to increase your confidence and reduce stress.
Watch this to know how posture can make a significant impact on your confidence.
Is there something called bad feminist?
Watch this candid and honest TED Talk “Confessions of a Bad Feminist,” by Roxane Gay to find out what is bad feminist. Through this talk she explores the complexities of feminism and the pressures of trying to live up to its ideals. This talk is a much needed refreshing take on feminism.
Gay encourages women to embrace their flaws and engage with feminism in a way that is authentic and accessible, rather than rigid and idealized.
It is a sad reality that even though a man and a woman is in the same position of power, the man is given more importance and taken seriously than women. Well, it doesn’t have to be in a position of power to be true. Many women might experienced this in their day to day life. They aren’t given importance while talking in a meeting or a project discussion group.
In her TED Talk “How to Close the Authority Gap,” Mary Ann Sieghart explores this harsh reality. She explains how women aren’t given the recognition and and the credibility that they deserve compared to their male colleagues, even though they are equally qualified.
This talk gives actionable solutions to change this scenario. Some of her solutions includes recognizing and challenging unconscious bias and making more inclusive environments.
“A 3-Step Guide to Believing in Yourself” by Sheryl Lee Ralph is a TED talk that will lift your spirits. It’s energetic, honest, beautiful and inspiring.
All our lives women are told what they can’t do more than what they can do. This kind of messaging right from childhood has made it difficult for women to believe in themselves. If you are someone who is struggling with self-belief this TED talk is for you.
Through this TED talk, she gives three key steps to start believing in ourselves: really, deeply, truly see ourselves, think about ourselves in order to believe in ourselves, and act like we believe in ourselves. Sheryl leans into her life and shares personal stories to back up the message she is giving. She encourages all of us to embrace our unique journeys and overcome self-doubt.
The TED Talk “How to Make Stress Your Friend,” by psychologist Kelly McGonigal talks about changing our mindset towards stress. She encourages us to see stress as a source of energy. This simple shift in the way we ‘see’ stress can make us stronger and resilient.
Though this talk she explains how connecting with others during stressful times can beneficial for both emotional and physical well-being. This talk is important for anyone dealing with stress.
I hope you enjoyed this collection of TED talks. Share this with your friends and family and empower them to live their lives to the fullest potential.
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