I’m giving a TED talk!

Originally posted on Friday, May 6th, 2022.

Event details can be found here.

This still feels completely surreal to say, but I’m giving a TEDx talk tomorrow! You can read a bit more about my experience getting nominated and selected to speak here.

So that I can put all of my energy into talk prep, I put together this handy-dandy resource for friends and family that answers frequently asked questions regarding the talk and my experience. All information regarding the event will be posted on the TEDxUW website and Facebook - please check there for updates!

In the spirit of my talk (advocating for your own wellness needs!) I am going to be fully transparent here; I don’t have bandwidth this week to answer any logistical questions about the event right now and am putting all of my energy into staying calm, getting things right, and practicing. If you’re looking for an answer that is NOT in this blog post, it’s most likely because I don’t have the answer. Please check the TEDx resources linked throughout.

ONE IMPORTANT LOGISTICAL NOTE FOR THOSE OF YOU INTENDING IN PERSON: Saturday, May 7th is also the Opening Day of boating season on Lake Washington. During Opening Day, the Seattle Yacht Club and University of Washington Rowing put on an assortment of events, and it gets VERY busy on campus. Give yourself extra time for parking, traffic, etc.,

TEDxUofW 2022 Details

• What's your TED talk about?

  My TED talk, “Your body is talking to you, are you listening?” explores the hidden problems with American wellness culture, the difference between health and wellness, and how losing my mom to cancer while competing as a college athlete completely overhauled my perception of what it truly means to be well.

  Here’s a little preview:

  When I was in college, I was what most would consider "healthy". I was a D1 athlete, a disciplined vegan, and rode my bike to yoga on the weekends. I took dozens of vitamins and supplements.

  But at the same time, I was witnessing the slow decline and eventual death of my mom to colon cancer. I was privately having weekly panic attacks, experiencing intense chronic pain that nobody could diagnose, my periods were all over the place, and I was deeply depressed. I constantly felt like I was split between two different realities - one in which I was seen as a benchmark for health, and another one where I felt deeply sick.

  I kept trying to "fix" myself - but the things that would make me feel better for a little while (exercise, diet, supplements) never made a significant change. I felt like a bad person for not being able to just fix myself. When people would remark on how healthy I was, I would feel guilty. What did they mean by that? How could they know if I was healthy? Who gets to decide what "well" even means?

  I wish someone had told me that the word "well" can mean the opposite of healthy. It can mean something like "in accordance with a norm." And norms are really arbitrary things. We need them because we can't all agree on everything - but it's really easy to conflate them with actual health and happiness and self-worth.

• How can I watch it?

  As of publishing this post, my talk is available to be viewed via the livestream from TEDxUofW. I’m the second speaker and begin about 36 minutes in.

• How were you selected as a TED speaker?

  I was anonymously nominated as a speaker for TEDx and was contacted to audition my topic in January 2022. From there I interviewed with a panel and waited a few weeks to find out if I’d been selected. You can learn move about my experience on Instagram.