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What If Our Approach to Aging Is All Wrong? | Heather Durenberger | TEDxMinneapolis
TEDx Talks· 2025-10-17 16:39
Core Concept - The presentation introduces the "adolescence of aging" as a distinct and challenging life stage where aging parents require increasing support while resisting assistance, mirroring teenage rebellion [1][3] - This stage is characterized by defiance, denial, and decline, leading to disempowerment for both aging parents and their adult children [3][4] Challenges Faced by Adult Children - Adult children often find themselves in a "squeeze," balancing career, family, and caregiving responsibilities, a situation affecting 37 million (百万) in the United States [1] - They experience emotional turmoil, including frustration, fear, and powerlessness, while navigating the changing roles and needs of their aging parents [1] Psychological and Neurological Basis - The "adolescence of aging" has roots in psychology, referencing Erikson's ninth stage of development and Franco's five stages of aging, which describe the shift from independence to end-of-life [1] - Neuroscience suggests that the prefrontal cortex, responsible for risk assessment and self-regulation, may decline with age, leading to behaviors similar to those seen in teenagers [1] The 3Ds: Defiance, Denial, and Decline - Defiance manifests as resistance to losing independence, such as refusing to give up driving, leading to conflicts over safety and control [1] - Denial serves as a defense mechanism against the uncomfortable truth of declining capabilities, with aging parents downplaying incidents like falls or health issues [1][2] - Decline involves physical, cognitive, and emotional changes that can be gradual or sudden, requiring significant caregiving efforts from adult children [3] Disempowerment and Control - Aging parents may experience disempowerment when they lose control over decisions and routines, leading to emotions like shame and anger [3][4] - Adult children, in their efforts to ensure safety, risk stripping away the autonomy of their parents, creating tension between control and freedom [4] Solutions and Support - The presentation introduces the PACE model (Pause, Assess, Choose, Embrace) as a tool for adult children to manage stress and respond with compassion [4] - It emphasizes the importance of normalizing the challenges of aging, building support systems, and having open conversations [10][11] Impact and Legacy - The journey of caring for aging parents shapes relationships with siblings and leaves a lasting impression on children, highlighting the importance of how one shows up during difficult times [7] - The presentation advocates for shifting the narrative around aging, creating language, tools, and supports to better navigate this life stage [11][13]
Making Happiness a Choice - A Journey from Challenges to Joy | Ms. Shalini Jaiswal | TEDxYouth@JGIS
TEDx Talks· 2025-10-17 15:47
Japanese educator and author Dr. . Da Sakua has said and I quote, "Happiness is something we build for ourselves. It is not something that someone will give us." I unquote. Life is all about making choices and we are known by the choices we make.Right from choosing the right answer in the MCQs to choosing the dress to wear for a party to choosing the right friend and to choosing the right career options. We make innumerable choices in our life. If made right, these choices lead us to happiness.Then why not ...
You Are a Part of the Body of Humanity | Alice Frank | TEDxPacific Avenue
TEDx Talks· 2025-10-16 15:25
[Applause] How many of us sometimes feel like we are starving for love? Like it's something out there and we have to figure out how to get it in here. And we do so much to try. We wear things, we don't wear things, we say things, we don't say things, we buy things, we buy more things. But who can blame us really? Because look around the world, it's very obvious that love is a lacking resource. I mean, like food. 1 billion people on the planet are starving. And yet, wait a minute. We actually know that there ...
What if you had to become nothing to become everything? | Ruth Harris | TEDxDoncaster
TEDx Talks· 2025-10-16 15:22
I am nothing. And as I share my idea, I want you to come into nothingness with me. Cuz only there can we discover everything.Eight years ago, I drank vodka for breakfast. I couldn't go a day without drugs or alcohol in my system. As you can imagine, I was quite a handful.At that point, I'd been diagnosed with everything. PTSD from violence, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, you name it, I had the t-shirt. And I really did try everything.medication, therapists, church, quite a lot. But still, I woke up ...
What Dreams May Become | Geetha Shankaran Lam | TEDxSunway University
TEDx Talks· 2025-10-13 16:40
Career and Artistic Journey - The speaker's 40 years of work in performing arts started at age five, driven by a childhood dream of global peace [1][2] - The speaker trained for seven and a half years and became a national champion winner in Barasanatium competitions [6] - The speaker's first award was for service to Southeast Asian countries for teaching nearly 8 to 10 thousand students [17] - At 56, the speaker returned to the limelight, embracing her scars and sharing her story through dance [18] Family and Mentorship - The speaker's parents provided a foundation of education, spirituality, and arts, influencing her work [2][5] - The speaker emphasizes the importance of teachers (gurus) in her life, highlighting the gurukulum system where students live and study with the teacher [5][7] - The speaker's family is known as a Malaysian family in the arts, with her children being multi-talented musicians and dancers [13][14] Overcoming Challenges and Finding Purpose - The speaker faced personal struggles, including depression and a health condition (atopic dermatitis) that impacted her ability to perform [10][15] - The speaker found healing and purpose in teaching at the Temple of Fine Arts, which allowed her to grow and help others [12][13] - The speaker challenged traditional expectations by dancing without makeup or costumes and shaving her head, making a statement about beauty and perfection [16] Message and Vision - The speaker advocates for using performing arts as a tool to create empathy, compassion, and unity in the world [19] - The speaker hopes to inspire millions, especially children, to love, live, and communicate with their parents [19]
Scaling Mountains, Inspiring Ripples of Change | S. Jaahnavi | TEDxSIS Ajmer Youth
TEDx Talks· 2025-09-29 15:54
Personal Development & Goal Achievement - The core message revolves around the importance of embracing change, consistency, and adaptability to achieve personal goals, drawing parallels from mountaineering experiences [1][25][26][27] - Overcoming challenges and failures is presented as a crucial part of personal transformation, emphasizing resilience and continuous learning [23][24][28][30][31] - The speaker advocates for starting small, being consistent, and adapting to failures as key elements in achieving any goal, whether it's in music, sports, or public speaking [26][27][28] Lessons from Mountaineering - Scaling mountains is used as a metaphor for overcoming life's challenges, highlighting the significance of each small step towards reaching the summit [1][2] - The speaker's experiences on various peaks, including Mount Kilimanjaro (Africa), Mount Elbrus (Europe), Mount Kosciuszko (Australia), and Mount Denali (North America), illustrate the diverse challenges and adaptations required in different environments [3][11][15][19] - Mental strength is emphasized as being more critical than physical strength in mountaineering, particularly in situations where exhaustion and the urge to give up are overwhelming [22][23] Overcoming Adversity - The speaker's personal story includes her father's diagnosis with terminal lung cancer, which served as a motivation to push her limits and achieve more [15] - The experience of being denied a permit to climb Mount Everest due to age restrictions led to a change in plans and the successful climb of Mount Denali, demonstrating adaptability [18][19] - The speaker shares instances of having to turn back from summits due to illness or bad weather, emphasizing the importance of making smart decisions to preserve life and try again later [29][30] Importance of Continuous Learning - The speaker emphasizes the importance of remaining a learner throughout life, regardless of age or expertise, and being open to gaining knowledge from others [31][32] - The speaker's father, a mental health doctor, is presented as a role model for staying grounded and always being willing to learn from others [33]
What directing the CDC taught me about compassion #shorts #tedx
TEDx Talks· 2025-09-24 17:01
I asked my staff at CDC to give me the names of five people a week. Five people I called unsung heroes. People who were doing extraordinary things but out of the spotlight.I talked to somebody who repelled out of a helicopter to drop COVID test kits on a cruise ship at sea. I spoke to somebody who had stayed up all night booking flights for a massive CDC staff deployment. And I spoke to somebody who had knocked on doors going doortodoor doing health surveys after a train derailment had emitted toxic fumes.A ...
After the Bell, I Found My Pulse | Shreya Pepsilal | TEDxSJS Abu Dhabi Youth
TEDx Talks· 2025-09-23 15:56
Personal Growth & Development - The speech emphasizes the importance of persistence and resilience in overcoming challenges and discovering one's passion [2][4][11] - It highlights that true learning and personal growth often occur outside of formal education settings [4][12] - The speech underscores the significance of mental health as a foundation for success, advocating for self-care, vulnerability, and seeking help [13][14] Leadership & Teamwork - The speech defines leadership not as power, but as presence, listening, and lifting others, emphasizing the importance of teamwork [6][7] - It suggests that leadership involves inspiring growth in others and working together towards common goals [7] Purpose & Passion - The speech encourages finding one's "pulse" or passion, which can drive individuals to overcome challenges and achieve their purpose [20][21] - It asserts that human compassion, creativity, and purpose are irreplaceable by artificial intelligence [19] Service & Responsibility - The speech highlights the importance of service to causes greater than oneself, particularly in areas like environmental sustainability and medicine [15][16][17] - It suggests that medicine is not just about science, but also about story, care, and compassion, utilizing skills learned outside the classroom [16][17]
The Human Cost of Addiction: A New paradigm for Drug Abuse | Dr. Ngozi Antonia Madubuike | TEDxNWU
TEDx Talks· 2025-09-23 15:15
But more importantly, I will focus on addiction stigma and the society. When we talk about addiction, we are talking about someone who does not have control over the use of a chemical substance. It is >> it is a compulsive behavior >> and very relaxing. It is referred to as a chronic >> relapsing medical condition.Although we do not see it as such, we see it as a criminal issue but it is a health issue and that is the purpose of this presentation. Drug abuse is a global health challenge in Nigeria. The prev ...
The Unspoken Connection Between Parents and Children | Hyesha Barrett | TEDxAl Qurum
TEDx Talks· 2025-09-16 15:05
Emotional Neglect Prevalence & Impact - One in three individuals experience emotional neglect, translating to 66 out of 200 people in a given group [1] - Subconscious patterns, formed largely before puberty, drive 90% of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors [1] - Emotional neglect can lead to low confidence, low self-worth, anger issues, intimacy issues, trust issues, procrastination, and perfectionism in adulthood [4] Childhood Experiences & Development - Early childhood experiences, particularly before the age of 10, significantly shape an individual's emotional development [2] - Unvalidated feelings and unmet needs in childhood can lead to suppression of emotions and the development of defense mechanisms [4] - Seemingly inoffensive moments, when repeated, can dampen a child's curiosity and disconnect them from their feelings [4] Healing & Intervention - Connecting with one's younger self through exercises can be a powerful and healing experience [4][8] - Recognizing that negative behaviors in children and adults often stem from unmet needs or triggered inner child wounds is crucial [13] - Emotional regulation and secure attachments in adults and parents positively impact children's emotional development [10][11] Generational Impact - Unresolved emotional neglect can spill over into how individuals treat and raise their children, perpetuating the cycle [4] - Addressing inner child wounds is not only a personal journey but also has the potential to impact generations to come [11]