Being a creative is all fun and games until you get hit by the struggle bus.
Challenges like creating great content, growing pains and the emotional struggles of being a creator or entrepreneur are just some of the things that plague us on a regular. And although we know that we can turn to our support circles, family and friends in those times, sometimes you just need a quick pick-me-up that will inspire, motivate and put you back on the path to greatness, in little to no time.
That’s why TED Talks are my jam.
So if you’re feeling overwhelmed, absolutely uninspired or you just need to be gathered all together, here are 11 must-see TED talks from Black speakers that will definitely give you the jolt you’re looking for.
Hi, I’m Scott – Scott Mescudi, TEDxSHHS
Musician Scott Mescudi, aka Kid Cudi, returns to his high school to talk about growing up and his career path in the music industry. – – via TedX Youtube
Get Comfortable With Being Uncomfortable – Luvvie Ajayi Jones
In this bright, uplifting talk, Luvvie Ajayi Jones shares three questions to ask yourself if you’re teetering on the edge of speaking up or quieting down—and encourages all of us to get a little more comfortable with being uncomfortable.
3 Questions to Ask Yourself About Everything You Do – Stacey Abrams
How you respond to setbacks is what defines your character, says Stacey Abrams, the first black woman in the history of the United States to be nominated by a major party for governor. In an electrifying talk, she shares the lessons she learned from her campaign for governor of Georgia — and some advice on how to change the world.
How to Rewrite Your Life – Jully Black, TEDxDownsviewWomen
Revealed? What does it mean to reveal ourselves? Reveal yourself. Jully Black pays tribute to her mother and reminds us to live our lives because there are no do-overs.
The 5 People You Need to Be Happy – Stacey Flowers
Everyone wants to be happy, but we often don’t know how to actually achieve it. Having a supportive network helps but here are the 5 specific people that we all need in our lives to be happy.
How To Build Your Confidence—and Spark It In Others – Brittany Packnett
“Confidence is the necessary spark before everything that follows,” says educator and activist Brittany Packnett. In an inspiring talk, she shares three ways to crack the code of confidence — and her dream for a world where revolutionary confidence helps turn our most ambitious dreams into reality.
Black Mental Health Matters – Phillip J. Roundtree
What is “Black Mental Health” and why does it “Matter”? Hear Phillip’s journey of trauma, resilience, and advocacy as he gives an impassioned talk discussing the impact of trauma on black identity, and black wellness, and why America’s current conversation on mental health is inadequate.
How Creative Writing Can Help You Through Life’s Hardest Moments – Sakinah Hofler
Have you ever seen or experienced something and wished you spoke up? Writer Sakinah Hofler makes the case for writing as a tool to help you process difficult memories and reclaim the power they may hold. Pick up a pen or pull up a keyboard and follow along as she walks you through how to unburden your mind and inspire reflection.
Shonda Rhimes, the titan behind Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away With Murder, is responsible for some 70 hours of television per season, and she loves to work. “When I am hard at work, when I am deep in it, there is no other feeling,” she says. She has a name for this feeling: The hum. The hum is a drug, the hum is music, the hum is God’s whisper in her ear. But what happens when it stops? Is she anything besides the hum? In this moving talk, join Rhimes on a journey through her “year of yes” and find out how she got her hum back.
My Year of Saying Yes to Everything – Shonda Rhimes
Fxck It Button – WALLO267, TEDxBuckhead
In his 2nd TEDxBuckhead Talk, orator, tv host, social influencer, activist, and entrepreneur Wallace Peeples, better known as Wallo267, urges you to activate your “fuck it button” to ignore others’ limiting opinions and beliefs of you so you can access your greatest potential in his signature unorthodox style of unflinching honesty and humor.
Stop Chasing Purpose and Focus on Wellness – Chloe Hakim-Moore
For ages, people have been told to find their purpose, and that purpose will lead to a fulfilled life. But what if finding purpose isn’t enough to bring fulfillment? This talk explores how our singular mission should be collective wellness, why now is the time to pursue it, and how the journey will offer the healing our world has desired for centuries.
