Did you know human performance can improve by over 500% through flow? After 20 years in the education and healthcare sector, burned out despite her mastery of play, Acey Holmes explored the neuroscience behind this peak performance phenomenon. She uncovered play's essential yet overlooked role in catalyzing flow via a cyclical framework anyone can access. Acey shares the journey of rediscovering playfulness to avoid hustle culture and achieve healthy optimal experiences and a fulfilled life. Acey Holmes is the founder and CEO of BoredLess, a company that helps professionals rediscover the power of play. With a background in pediatric speech pathology, Acey has studied and experienced how play can enhance learning, creativity, and well-being for children and adults alike. With a cliche pandemic pivot, Acey decided to follow her passion for playfulness and help companies spice up their culture. She now works with solopreneurs, teams, and organizations to design playful experiences that spark innovation, collaboration, and joy. Acey is also a speaker, coach, and consultant who shares her insights and expertise on playful work design, based on the neuroscience of play. She is on a mission to spread the message of play to the world through her TEDx talk. Acey believes that play is not only fun, but also essential for human development and happiness. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Ever wondered why reaching your goals might not be the key to happiness? In this TEDx talk, Jamie shares a captivating personal story, inviting you to rethink success and find peace in the continuous pursuit of your dreams and aspirations. Unlock the secret to genuine success as Jamie reveals the unexpected journey of self-discovery and resilience that challenges conventional notions. Jamie has been on a sprint searching for happiness through achievement since her mom passed, reaching societal milestones of success at a young age including: getting a master’s degree, 6-figure job, loving marriage, beautiful home, 2 dogs, and notable accomplishments in her business. Feeling no different than she did before accomplishing everything, she found that her definition of success has been wrong the entire time. She believes that as a society we need to redefine what success looks like as this is where peace truly lies. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Explore how our physical and mental environments crucially shape our identity and actions, drawing on Kurt Lewin's equation for behavior. By delving into the dynamics of these environments and the factors of behavior, we uncover strategies to subtly influence and optimize human behavior and happiness. This approach allows for transformative changes in individuals, often without their conscious awareness of the underlying shifts occurring. Paul Hylenski is an accomplished Aerospace Manufacturing Business Leader with over 15 years of experience in the industry. Beyond his technical expertise, Paul is passionate about leadership and human dynamics. He has implemented psychological safety and social engineering principles to create environments where people can thrive. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Can we trust what we see and hear anymore? Filmmaker/author Kyle Vorbach was living his dream life— or at least he made it look that way on social media with the use generative AI. Join Kyle as he talks about the living on the edge of reality, and through the use of magic, demonstrates why we need to question everything. Kyle’s career began after a battle with cancer showed him life’s too short to NOT do what he loves. He’s since worked tirelessly, making high-impact, high-concept films, using music, comedy, and technology to bend genres and push boundaries. His most recent short film, Somewhere In Between, premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Festival and his most recent documentary, a provocative social stunt about the advent of AI called How I Faked My Life With AI, opened the Cinema & AI symposium at the 2023 CogX Festival in London. This led Kyle to author his first book, Pandora’s Code: Decrypting the History, Benefits, and Dangers of AI, and launch his brand-new podcast exploring this cutting-edge field. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx