Self Love Sunday… TED Talks to Inspire You

Rupi Kaur: I’m taking my body back

(*Sexual violence trigger*)

Rupi Kaur, an Indian-born Canadian poet and performer, was first introduced to me by my little sister and, as I began watching, I was immediately inspired by her. Rupi Kaur is able to take each person’s unique experience and still inspire you, heal you, and teach you to love yourself through her words and her own experiences. She suffered from sexual abuse at a young age, and this is her story about how she was able to take back her body, to love her body, and to love and accept herself. I haven’t had trauma in my life comparable to the pain and torture of sexual abuse, but I suffer from depression. Rupi Kaur’s inspirational talk targets victims of all kinds of abuse, people suffering from physical or mental illnesses, trauma, PTSD, and everybody else struggling with their internal battles. I cried as she told her story of her fighting through this battle, and I cried as she taught me to love myself and love my body. To say I was incredibly inspired is an understatement. Rupi Kaur’s poem and TED talk helped me to enhance my self-love and helped me to remember to love my own, unique body.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: The danger of a single story

I watched this TED talk in my college class. The lesson was steering away from judgments, from stereotypes, from our own ignorance that causes us to not see everybody for all of their stories, and the damage it can cause to not understand that you’re more than what people say you are. This TED Talk talks about just that. This beautiful Nigerian writer inspired me in so many ways. She inspired me to find my voice. She taught me that I am not defined by a single story. I’m not defined by the stereotypes people think about me or the “single story” somebody might have of me. Not only did this teach me how multi-faceted I am and how positive, beautiful moments in my life shape me just as much as the negative experiences, but it also taught me not to judge others. We are always taught to not judge others, but that doesn’t mean we don’t accidentally slip into stereotyping people or just seeing one side of their story. Chimamanda Adichie reminds us that every person has more than one story, every culture, every place. “Reject the single story” and realize “there is never a single story.” We all have emotion and we all have more than just our stereotypes and more than just one story that makes us who we are. Be confident, be aware, and love every part of yourself.

Elizabeth Gilbert: Your elusive creative genius

Elizabeth Gilbert, a New York Times bestseller, gives an impressionable TED Talk on finding your creativity. It’s a rather humorous, enlightening, and endearing TED Talk that is sure to get you creatively thinking and sure to make you smile. If you’re visiting this blog, then you are most likely a creative soul or someone with ambition or goals. Elizabeth Gilbert helps you to unlock your creative genius and become in tune with your passionate mind. I love to write, and Elizabeth taught me that it’s okay to pause and listen to that little voice inspiring you or let that wave of inspiration fill you up. Trust yourself, trust those nudges, and trust your mind. Unlock your true potential, but also be okay with realizing that your life isn’t about the big, successful moments, but about each moment that makes you YOU.

Caitlyn Roux: Self-Love, be Intentional

Caitlyn Roux, a young speaker at a TEDx event gave a beautifully relatable and uplifting speech on how to love yourself. If you’re looking for a quick pick-me-up, watch this quick 8-minute TEDx Talk. Self-love is a subject people commonly speak of and strive for, and Caitlyn Roux shares how she practices self-love. Her stories are relatable for all women, especially teenagers, and she makes you feel loved. The more we fill ourselves up with these talks of self-love and different ideas on how to practice it, we will find the perfect fit for us and accomplish that self-love every day. Self-love is a day to day practice. You don’t just learn it overnight and once you accomplish it you still have to work at it every day. But it’s worth it, and Caitlyn reminds us that.

My Thoughts:

Notice the diversity. Notice the different backgrounds. Notice the different stories. Notice how we all can love ourselves no matter what we’ve been through, what we look like, or who we are. We all deserve to be inspired, to be understood, and to love ourselves. I wanted to include even more TED Talks from men, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, all nationalities, etc. but I think I’ll save those for another Self-Love Sunday later on so we can constantly be filled up with positivity. Let your day be happy, inspired, and full of love for everybody and for yourself.

Please, send me your favorite TED talks or podcasts or videos or ANYTHING that inspires you and promotes self-love.

XO – Alex