3 TED TALKS BY INSPIRING BLACK WOMEN

I’ve listened to a lot of TED Talks. There was a time in my life where I was at a shitty job and needed daily motivation. I wanted to learn more than what I knew and I needed inspiration from something other than a self-help book. Through that time, I discovered inspiring women who had drive, spectacular rhetoric, and life-changing advice. Here are 3 TED Talks by inspiring black women I think you should know.

3 questions to ask yourself about everything you do

by: Stacey Abrams

How do you respond when life sets you back? When Stacey Abrams asks herself questions, they are always self-aware and she strives to get to the why and the how of everything she embarks on. She talks about asking yourself the questions that get you to your why. The ones that help fuel your passion. In this TED Talk, she talks about how to figure out what you want, why you want it, and how you’re gonna go out there and get it.

One of the things we always strive for here is to continue opening the doors for others. Abrams is one of our favorite role models. She continues to keep moving forward and always brings others with her on the journey. Whether it’s a movement, a business, a community, or even a calling—ask yourself what, why, and how. Try and try again. Open the door behind you, let the opportunity become a bridge.

Get comfortable with being uncomfortable

by: Luvvie Ajayi

I’m always seeking interviews with Luvvie Ajayi. She has the best advice. Her boldness and honesty inspire me. She sets her standards high to serve the lovely life she wants to live. I listened to the audiobook of I’m Not Judging You: The Do-Better Manual on a long drive and couldn’t stop listening to her truth. She also has a podcast with Yvonne Orji called Jesus and Jollof that I highly recommend.

In this TED Talk, Ajayi talks about overcoming fear and why it is so important to speak up. She gives you a guideline to help use your voice for change. Her self-assessments in career and life encourage me to be more confident in my goals and my voice. Speaking up can be scary, but a lovely life isn’t lived in silence. Being uncomfortable is what gets you to a lovely life worth living.

My year of saying yes to everything

by Shonda Rhimes

Shonda Rhimes is a titan. She works hard. She admits that she works hard AND isn’t afraid to say she deserves the life she has made for herself. I think a lot of women, myself included shy away from talking about how hard we work. Rhimes broke that down for me, leaving me feeling less guilty about my talents and my work ethic. In this talk, Rhimes reminds us how to find the drive and passion for the things we love when we lose love for what we do.

Saying yes is easy. Well…sometimes. Saying yes to everything sounds exhausting. I went on my own Year of Yes journey before discovering Shonda Rhime’s book A Year of Yes. I read her book a year after mine and felt less alone in my journey of yes. Her advice in this talk is just the beginning. If you want a lovely life, you have to start saying yes to things. You will then learn there are things you want to say no to. That’s okay, it’s part of the process. But you have to learn to say yes more before you can say no. A lovely life has balance. More yes, though. Always more yes.