6 Ted talks for the soul

While each of us may have our go-to people for comfort and advice, there are some days when strangers’ words strike our hearts with the most unexpected impact. In my case, some of these strangers stand amongst thought leaders from TED Talks. Mental health has been a focus of many stories shared on this platform, accompanying me and many other listeners in our personal journeys. Here are some recommendations packed with nuggets of wisdom that hopefully you can take away from as well!

1. To those who want to understand the importance of mental health

Guy Winch: Why we all need to practice emotional first aid
Curious about all the buzz about mental health and why advocates are fighting to break the stigma? Guy Winch’s story may be able to help you understand why (and maybe even turn you into an advocate yourself!). This TED talk illustrates the glaring truth that our world values physical health more than it does mental health, and how we can work towards keeping ourselves in check through both physical and emotional hygiene.

2. To those stuck in a slump and languishing

Adam Grant: How to stop languishing and start finding flow
As one of 2021’s most popular buzzwords, ‘languishing’ might as well be awarded as this year’s most dominant emotion. This ‘meh’ feeling has taken over many of us, as we harboured feelings of stagnation, and the emptiness of not being able to reach our peak, full capacity performance. Using a very simple Mario Kart experience, Adam Grant offers some advice for how we might be able to overcome this slump to get back on track and find flow -- through mastery, mindfulness and mattering.

3. To those overwhelmed with emotions

Kathy Mendias: The mood-boosting power of crying
When I was growing up, I was told that crying was a sign of weakness so I trained myself to be as emotionless as possible. Needless to say, I scared myself when, at the height of my anxiety spells, tears came uncontrollably. This TED talk does not mean to tell us to immediately resort to crying when faced with setbacks. Rather, we are invited to view crying as an opportunity for physical relief. After all, when we let it all out, we also gain the chance to take more in, and perhaps, this time, with a calmer, more open mindset.

4. To those trying to find their passion in life

Emilie Wapnick: Why some of us don’t have one true calling
Culture has conditioned most of us to choose a single path to be defined by. This has brought about many existential crises for ‘multipotentialites’ -- people who don’t necessarily have one true calling due to diverse interests and creative pursuits. If you’re feeling lost and confused in the midst of a quarter-life crisis like me, or anxious about the progression of your personal narrative, this may offer you the comfort and reassurance to live your life in the most authentic cadence possible. Anyway, the only thing ‘wrong’ would be not being ‘you.’

5. To those coming to terms with their mental health

Nikki Webber Allen: Don’t suffer from your depression in silence
One factor that contributes to normalizing the conversation around mental health would probably be hearing from other people’s stories of growth. In this talk, Nikki Webber Allen narrates her personal journey of coming to terms with her struggles, and gaining the confidence to be open about this with others. Hopefully, this inspires you not only to be honest with your mental state, but also to be a sensitive voice of support to others who might be suffering in silence.

6.To those who want to be a better mental health support for others

Sophie Andrews: The best way to help is often just to listen
The human experience is pretty much characterized by give-and-take. As much as we must try to cultivate courage and not bottle up our emotions, we must also work towards developing empathy and creating a psychologically-safe environment for others. However, sometimes I’d worry that I wouldn’t have any advice to offer to my friends because I could not relate to their problems. Sophie Andrews has one solution: simply listening. Perhaps, this is the strongest superpower we need in order to be a ‘catcher’ to at least one person for at least one point in our lives.

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