5 Life Lessons I Learnt Through Giving & Preparing for a Tedx Talk (Relevant for Anyone!)

5 Life Lessons I Learnt Through Giving & Preparing for a Tedx Talk (Relevant for Anyone!)

On 31st December 2022, I created my vision list for the year ahead. On it, I wrote that I would give a TEDx talk.

I held that vision firmly (while detaching from the outcome – the most important step!), and by March I was booked to speak at TEDxCowes. No, manifestation doesn’t always happen that quickly, but the ACTION STEPS had been taken in order to allow this VISION to become a reality – manifestation really is a culmination of so many steps, which is why I have a whole module dedicated to it on the RYLA!

Last week, on Thursday, the event finally happened and I gave my first TEDx talk, something I’m really proud of.

If you’ve been here for a while you’ll know that I do what I do because I believe my journey from disability to wellness happened so I could be a conduit of hope for others in their own healing journeys, and being able to do a talk like this helps me to reach more people with my message of hope and holistic healing.

I learnt A LOT in the time I was preparing for – and giving – this talk; more than I’ve learnt preparing for any other talk I’ve given, and I wanted to share that with you here, because the lessons are relevant for everyone.

Before I continue, just a quick note to say that the talk will be live on TED website and YouTube within a few weeks and I’ll share it as soon as it’s live. I’d love for you to help me share my message of hope in healing to as many people as possible once it’s live, so I’ll be sending out another email then with the link.

5 life lessons I took away through preparing for a TEDx talk:

1. Always expect the unexpected.

My business coach James always says “Your biggest problem is that you think you shouldn’t have problems”. It really is the best advice because it’s so true! Our biggest issue is we get shocked when problems arise, like we believe that life should be plain sailing. No one promised us this! We can work towards an aligned life, but things that are out of our control will always happen, and knowing this helps me centre myself when things I haven’t anticipated happen. My TEDx talk came 3.5 weeks after the start of the war in Israel. My sister and her kids (who live in Israel) had been living with us for all those 3 weeks, we were all in grieving mode for the first few weeks, and as a result, my cognitive function was greatly reduced. It wasn’t the lead-up to the biggest talk of my life that I’d hoped for! Not to say that one piece of advice made it miraculously easy, but I was able to use my spiritual practice to ground me into that place of acceptance, and be led by faith. 

2. Nothing in life can beat a support system.

I count myself very very lucky. I’m fortunate enough to have not only an amazing family and circle of friends, but also an incredible husband and exceptional teachers. During the lead-up to this talk, when I was faltering on my ability to see it through with everything that was going on, my spiritual teachers reminded me of my true PURPOSE – my DHARMA – and why I was doing this. My friends rallied round to help me practise and test me, sent me cards and bought me crystals for memory and all sorts. My mum and mother-in-law stepped in to help with the kids while we travelled to the Isle of Wight for the event, and of course, my husband. He supported me in the way he knows I needed, speaking my love language during those few days we were away – that was everything. (I have an episode coming out on Reconditioned in a few weeks about how to use love languages to meet your partner’s needs so make sure to subscribe on Spotify or iTunes if you’re not already!) Genuinely, I believe that our support system offers us strength when we don’t have it ourselves, and without that, it’s like pushing bricks uphill on your own. You could probably do it if you tried really hard, but you’d break yourself doing it.

3. Clothes aren’t important in the grand scheme of things, but feeling good is.

I always like to remind my clients that making the best of yourself aesthetically isn’t “unspiritual”. We chose to incarnate as human, and part of that human life is having a body. Sacred adornment is a thing! It’s why tribes throughout history have dressed themselves in specific colours, textures and materials. We know that energy transmutes, so when I feel good in myself, I’m going to present myself from a place of strength and authenticity. I chose a dress that made me feel good, strong and powerful, and that helped me present from the identity I want to emanate. I could absolutely have done this talk in a white flowy hippie dress (which I love and wear often!), but I know it would have sent a different message. So yes, in the grand scheme of things, clothes won’t be the make or break of the big thing you’re doing, but they certainly make a difference to how you feel, and that helped me show up stronger.

4. Do what you do to serve, above all else.

When all the speakers were in the green room 10 minutes before the event began, everyone was understandably nervous. From the night before, I’d been reminding myself of one integral thing that got me through, that I shared with my fellow speakers in that room, and it was this: “We are here first and foremost to serve, to share a message that will help people. Once we remove the ego about it being about me from this, the nerves dissipate that little bit more. Once we come back to the root of why we are doing this, it offers perspective, which drives a strength through us that will help make this talk the best it can be.” At the end of the day, I learnt a long time ago that none of this is about me – in fact, none of it is real anyway! – it’s about how I can use the cards I was dealt in this life to help others elevate in their own journeys. Every single time I worry about the state of my business, what’s next, or “how well I’m doing”, I remind myself that what matters is that I’m serving, and then I chill the f**k out because that’s what matters!

5. Nothing in life is black and white; it’s never just one thing.

Lastly, my talk was titled: “When it comes to healing, it’s never just one thing”. This could not have been more relevant for every single part of the lead-up to giving a TEDx talk. To prepare for something like this I knew I needed to improve my cognitive function through supplements and diet that support the brain, but, just like in how I healed the arthritis, it’s never just one thing. The supplements were a huge part of it, but so was meditation, ceremony, breathing, trust, connection to Source, detachment, walking in nature, the support I received and so much more.

I know that you might be reading this without having a talk to prepare for, but I wanted to write this because I believe that these life lessons I took away from this experience are relevant to anyone, so I hope this served you in some way.

I’ll look forward to being able to share the video of the talk with you soon – in the meantime, feel free to subscribe to my YouTube channel where you can find heaps of other helpful content for life and health optimisation!

In the meantime, thank you for being here in this community, and for allowing me to serve you in some way.

With love & gratitude

Lauren ♾️

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