Do you know how many countries there are in the world? 21-year-old Lexie does because she took on the adventure to visit them all. She broke the Guinness World Record for the youngest person to travel to every country in the world. To give this achievement some context, more people have been to space than have traveled to all 196 sovereign nations and approximately less than 20 of those people are women. In this TEDx talk, Lexie shares her stories from around the world to inspire others, especially young women, to follow their dreams, to get out of their comfort zone and to stimulate personal growth. Lexie Alford was born in a small town called Nevada City, California. She has been traveling for as long as she can remember with her family who started a travel agency. She traveled to all 196 countries by 21 years old, breaking the Guinness World Record for the Youngest Person to Travel to Every Country by over 3 years. To find out more about Lexie, follow @lexielimitless on Instagram or visit her website lexielimitless.com. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

Bilingualism makes you more cultural aware and able to communicate easier with other cultures, foreigners. Gaston has a fantastic way in explaining this to you.

As a journalist and writer Gaston has a lot of linguistic experience. But in terms of experience, he says, there’s nothing like staying abroad. In Peru and Ecuador, speaking Spanish was the best and often the only way to communicate with people who lived completely different lives. “By learning another language, you make your world bigger, more diverse and less scary.” More about the delights and surprising effects of bilingualism in his talk.

The evolution of languages is an ongoing process, and huge changes can be expected in decades to come. “Young people want to distinguish themselves from the generation before them, and changing the language is a great way to do that, especially as it annoys older people no end.” Among adults, women tend to be leading in language change. So when it comes to language, adult men are mostly followers? “Yes, we are. And often grumpy ones at that.”

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

“My seven year old self learnt to tell people what I thought they wanted to hear. By the age of eight I’d convinced the other kids that my hair was made of sponge… because being black it couldn’t be made of ‘hair’.”

Through her own personal story and the hair-raising experiences of other women and girls, Mena Fombo’s TEDxBristol talk is a witty, yet compelling and sometimes dark exploration of the objectification of black women. Its an issue she has spent a lifetime experiencing and exploring, with both a political and creative lens.

Mena is the driving force behind the international campaign “No. You Cannot Touch My Hair” which has attracted contributions from people across the UK and around the world. Over half the respondents said they had their hair touched on a monthly basis by people they’d never met before. 18% said it happened every week. The vast majority described the touching as intrusive, invasive and unwelcome. 90% of those responding identified as female, and the majority were black or of mixed race origin. Some said it felt like being petted in a zoo. Mena says: “We are not animals in zoos — #DONTTOUCH”.
Mena Fombo describes herself as a British Nigerian Bristolian through and through! She is a purposeful coach, facilitator, motivational speaker, consultant and activist with a background working in the arts, the voluntary sector and educational establishments across Europe, the USA, Africa and South Asia.

She is also the founder of The OJiJi Purple Project, a Bristol based non-profit that campaigns for equality, focusing on working with black women and girls through everyday activism, connecting communities and creativity. She is the curator of Bristol’s first Black Girls
Convention.

As a confident, black woman, who has overcome a lifetime of adversity and personal experiences of injustice, she has carved out a role for herself as a creative activist, working tirelessly to support the political, social and economic equality of black people and women. She is passionate about social change, the development of people, values-based leadership and creating powerful learning experiences. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

In today’s busy distracted world, those who carve out 15 min to walk in a park or forest on a regular basis will have an edge. Research shows time in a park or forest practicing Shinrin Yoku or forest bathing will decrease stress and anxiety, and it will increase the ability to focus, think critically and make better decision.

For the past 25 years Ronna has been exploring ways of connecting people to themselves through time in wild places. This interest has led her to study a variety of practices including leadership development, meditation, storytelling, indigenous traditions, and most recently Shinrin Yoku (forest bathing).

Ronna is one of the first people in Canada to guide the simple yet powerful practice of Shinrin Yoku. As faculty with Leadership Development at the Banff Centre, Ronna has been working with professionals and executives using nature as the teacher to create powerful reflections and transformation. When people feel connected to nature they become connected to themselves, others and everything else in their life becomes clear. Ronna provides effective tools so people can listen to themselves and what nature has to tell them. With our increasingly busy technological world, research shows it is the nature wise who will have the advantage.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

Marica’s experience along with her voice to share her story inspired her and created a platform for her to reach, motivate

95% of North Americans either go to bed or wake up worrying about something. Yet, worrying is the #1 killer of creativity, performance and dreams. When revolutionary brand strategist Isabelle Mercier-Turcotte discovered “What we tolerate we worry about,” she realized a little structure brings a lot of inner flexibility and freedom. The result is her simple yet powerful model to help you instantly decrease worry and increase peace of mind.

Isabelle Mercier — isabelle@leapzonestrategies.com — is a ‘no-nonsense’ dynamo born to catapult passionate entrepreneurs to build infectious and impactful brands, businesses and lives.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

Основатель бегового сообщества “Tashkent Runners” Мирхан Сагитов рассказывает о том, как изменилась его жизнь с появлением в ней бега. Помимо желанной фигуры, бег дал ему новые цели, силы на их достижение, а затем и команду единомышленников. Изменив свою жизнь и помогая меняться другим, Мирхан теперь стремится через бег изменить город, вдохнуть в него новую энергию и открыть дорогу на мировую арену.
— The founder of “Tashkent Runners” society Mirkhan Sagitov shares his story of transformation after running. Other than getting into shape, running inspired him to set new goals, filled with energy to achieve them and got him acquainted with like-minded people. After changing his own life and the lives of other people, Mirkhan is dedicated to inspire the city for action and pave the path for world class running marathons.
— “Tashkent Runners” yugurish jamiyatining asoschisi Mirxan Sagitov yugurishni boshlaganidan so’ng hayoti qanday o’zgarganligi haqida gapirib beradi. Jismoniy sog’liqdan tashqari, yugurish unga yangi maqsadlarga qiziqish uyg’otdi va ularga erishish uchun kuch berdi, keyinchalik esa hamfikr jamoadoshlar bilan tanishtirdi. O’z hayotini o’zgartirib va boshqalarga ushbu yo’lda yordam berib, Mirxan endi yugurish orqali shahar qiyofasini o’zgartirmoqchi, unga yangi quvvat keltirib jahon arenasiga yo’l ochmoqchi. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

When you tell people that the Coxless Crew set 2 World Records rowing from America to Australia, the first question is not about the journey, but is usually how on earth, as a team of women on a small 29ft boat, did you not throw each other over-board?!

If youre part of a team, whether thats a sporting context or in the corporate world, team effectiveness is what we all strive for, so listen to this talk for some take home messages which may help improve collaboration within your own team.

Laura Penhaul is the Paralympic Lead Physiotherapist for British Athletics and Coxless Crew Team Lead who set 2 World Records in being the first all female crew, to row from mainland America to mainland Australia

Robin Esrocks success as a global adventurer, travel writer, TV producer and international TV personality was no accident, although it did start with one. Struck down on his bike at a Vancouver intersection, Robin hobbled away with a broken kneecap, and one year later, a modest $20,000 insurance settlement. It was just enough for him pack up his things, quit his job, and set off on a one-year solo round-the-world backpacking adventure to 24 countries. He named his journey Modern Gonzo, and committed to record his year of living dangerously, with online weekly reports, photography, videos, and interviews with every person he met. In doing so, he pioneered a new era of multi-platform, switched-on and wired-in travel journalism, leading to adventures beyond his wildest dreams.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

You learn many things in school, but learning how to learn is often forgotten. Neuroscientist and 4 time Guinness World Record Holder for Memory Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad believes in a World, where students are passionate about learning and believe memorization is fun and easy. In his TEDtalk he answers the question «How does memory work?» and explains how to improve memory by using your brain the way it is meant to be used. Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad is a Guinness World Record holder for memory, a neuroscientist, an author, and an international expert on memory improvement. He teaches memory techniques anyone can employ to achieve outstanding memory performances. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx