5 TED Talks That Inspire

So I have this thing about watching inspirational videos.  I love them.  I love how they make me feel after I watch them.  I love that I feel the need to be much more productive after I watch them.  I even love when they make me cry, or worse, make me want to write a blog post.  I wanted to share some of that emotional wealth with you and give you my 5 favorite TED Talks.  Here we go! 

"It's not easy to ask... asking makes you vulnerable."

Amanda Palmer is a badass.  She talks about how she used to be a sidewalk performer and wonders if it's fair to take money from people.  She explains that she believes in "crowd funding" in which people share their music and their movies, but give what they can to the artist, and she talks about how successful it has been for her.  She's very honest and passionate, and I've watched this video a million times, so you should too. 

"Because there’s nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shore line, no matter how many times it’s sent away."
I love spoken word poetry, and Sarah Kay is one of the best spoken word poets I've ever come across.  This video is worth watching, even if you only stick around to watch her perform her poem at the beginning.  I can't even tell you how many times I've watched this video.  It's so inspirational and makes you want to get off your ass and get stuff done.

"Our schools and workplaces are designed for extroverts." 

Okay, this video really says what I was trying to say in this post, except more eloquently.  She basically says that a bias exists in our world that makes introverts believe that to be accepted, they need to become extroverts.  And it's so true.  In our schools and in our workplaces, teamwork is so encouraged, which is not a bad thing, but what about those people who work best individually?  Worth a listen.

"Brain magic to me indicates the area of magic dealing with psychological and mind-reading effects."
This guy is so nuts.  In this video, he tricks the audience several times and then involves the audience in some dangerous bits of "magic".  Is is magic, really?  Well, I guess that's up to you to decide... :P Pretty cool to watch no matter how you feel about the subject.  

“If you ever are wondering, you know, ‘if I have thinner thighs or shinier hair, will I be happier?’ You just need to meet a group of models, because they have the thinnest thighs and the shiniest hair and the coolest clothes and they’re the most physically insecure women probably on the planet.”
This video is super inspiring, because I feel like a lot of women have a sort of grudging admiration/envy toward models, but this woman is very honest about her job.  She tells a very honest story about her life as a beautiful girl and how the deck has always has been stacked in her favor but how, at the same time, it doesn't mean that she's a happier person.  
Which of these talks have you seen or want to see?  What are some of your favorite talks that didn't make the list? 
Linking up with Treat Yo Self Thursday and Little Friday.