From expanding our use of words to practical ways to keep a healthy mind in a healthy body, there were some valuable takeaways from the latest TEDx Royal Tunbridge Wells talks.
I played a small role in the team that brought together the fifth TEDx to be held in Royal Tunbridge Wells this past weekend. It was a sell-out, which is great, and the whole day was an emotional rollercoaster ride driven by some really impactful personal stories and performances.
The event also reaffirmed three things for me as a communications professional:
- the power of words
- the importance of listening to all viewpoints
- maintaining a healthy body to maintain a healthy mind – and nature itself holds the key to that
The power of words
Did you know that the English speaker has 171,000 words available to them but on average uses just 11% of them? As writers and orators, yes, it’s important that we use simple language to make sure a message hits home, but we should definitely not be shy about widening our verbal and written pallet.
The dangers of the echo chamber
Speak Adam Greenwood invited us to challenge the echo chamber. This is not a new topic but speaking personally, yes, I have been guilty of filtering out the voices I don’t like/want to hear in the current environment.
If everyone – especially politicians, who should be leading by example – took time to respect each other’s viewpoints and disagree in a civil and articulate manner (see the point above on ‘words’), then we’d seen a healthier discussion around the key societal and political challenges of our time.
Healthy mind/healthy body
We all know the mantra, but it’s often a challenge to find the time and space to keep active with a demanding career. But small changes can make a massive difference. Whether that’s standing desks or breathing exercises, or even incorporating herbal tea into our day.
Personally speaking, I’ve raised eyebrows in the office for the last decade or so with my yerba maté – it’s a herb grown in South America (not as dodgy as it sounds!) loaded with caffeine and anti-carcinogenic elements. It keeps me sharp in the afternoon and I’ll be adding Milk Thistle to my liquid diet now, after a talk from two herbalists.
Given that we humans are animals, it Is no surprise that we feel more connected – alive, even – when we’re out in nature. This can be hard to find in an urban environment, but we should seek it out.
Each speaker was eloquent, passionate and spoke from the heart. A massive shout-out to the organising committee, volunteers, sponsors and attendees, too. The feedback has been incredible. I’d recommend everyone attends a TED or TEDx talk at some point and defently subscribe to the TED Daily podcast!