Where I live, the Covid numbers are climbing again. It’s now a race to vaccinate people to offset the spread of more contagious and potentially more severe variants. Maybe that’s why morale seems to be dropping amongst friends and family. These aren’t easy times. It’s been a long, difficult haul, and the restrictions aren’t over yet. So, this week, a bit of cheer from Canadian Neil Pasricha, one of the most popular Ted Talk presenters. Admittedly, some of his recommendations for simple pleasures – going to a movie, for instance – are off the table right now, but they won’t be forever. And his short twenty-minute talk is guaranteed to make you smile.
Category: Ted Talk
The Importance of Fictional Worlds
If you love books – whether as a reader or a writer – and if you can spare 20 minutes, have a listen to this TED talk by children’s author Mac Barnett. His premise? A good book is a secret door into another world. Be prepared to smile . . .
The Power of Words
Words are my currency in life. They’re what I use to do my job, That, in turn, allows me to pay my bills, to put food on the table and to buy the occasional pair of very nice shoes. But it occurred to me recently that words are everybody’s currency in life. How we use them, what we say to each other, has a profound effect on the quality of our lives and the relationships we have with each other.
So today please take ten minutes – just ten – and listen to this Ted Talk from Julian Treasure on how to speak so people will not only listen but will like what they hear.
https://www.ted.com/talks/julian_treasure_how_to_speak_so_that_people_want_to_listen?language=en
Success – What Does it Mean to You?
According to author Alain de Botton, it’s easier than ever to make a living, but getting harder and harder to enjoy our success. In this inspiring 15 minute Ted Talk, de Botton suggests we might want to examine our attitudes to success and make sure they are truly our own.
http://www.ted.com/talks/alain_de_botton_a_kinder_gentler_philosophy_of_success
How Books Opened One Girl’s Mind
Books can bring comfort, open minds, change lives. We’ve heard that before. But even though I write books for a living, I’m sometimes so caught up in the story I’m trying to tell that I don’t think about their potential power. In this wonderful Ted talk, Lisa Bu talks about the important role books have played in her quest for happiness.
http://www.ted.com/talks/lisa_bu_how_books_can_open_your_mind.html
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