Have you ever felt imposter identity syndrome? What do you do when your life story takes a turn for the worse and you realize that your accomplishments and successes have created limiting beliefs, a false identity, and even shame?

Despite achieving a Ph.D., an honorary doctorate, multiple degrees, and being at the peak of success, Dr. MelindaJoy Mingo found herself homeless living in her car. In this rich story-filled talk, she shares her journey of being afraid to embrace her true self, debilitating perspectives, and the solutions she courageously took to move from unhealthy attachments and shame to a fulfilled, purpose-driven life. MelindaJoy Mingo has a powerful and inspiring life transformative story that spans from her living in the streets as a homeless person to traveling the world as a widely sought out speaker both nationally and internationally.

More incredible than her story of overcoming life challenges such as being kidnapped at gunpoint, or almost losing her sight as a teen, is her incredible joy and passion for life!

She speaks openly and genuinely about her personal `identity reset’ journey of learning to value and love herself beyond her accomplishments.

MelindaJoy has a Ph.D. in Global Leadership and Education, is the founder of Significant Life Change Transitions Coaching, is an equity and inclusion specialist, a professor, and is the author of `The Colors of Culture – The Beauty of Diverse Friendships’. She has a mission of helping others to understand their value, worth, and dignity. 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

12 years into her post-college professional life, Meredith Masse found herself commuting 1.5-hours each way, every day, 5 days a week to a job thought she should love. But truly did not. After another dozen years, she figured out exactly what every professional woman needs to define for herself in order to stop shoulding and start choosing. In this engaging talk, Masse shares the 3 things that are key to creating a work life you'll love. Meredith Masse spent the first 15+ years of her professional life chasing jobs that her resume said she could do but that, she had an inkling, didn't really... fit. After two dozen years she finally figured out why and now has to help other professional women accelerate toward a work life they'll love. Since then, Meredith has coached professionals -- especially women -- seeking to transform their work lives into powerful experiences that allow them to do what they do best, serving something that's meaningful to them, in places that need to them to be 100% authentic. She is passionate about filling our workplaces with employees, managers, and leaders who are on fire -- who model and demonstrate the kind of world they demand to live in. 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

NOTE FROM TED: Some viewers may find elements of this talk to be distressing. This talk contains a discussion of suicide. TEDx events are independently organized by volunteers. The guidelines we give TEDx organizers are described in more detail here: http://storage.ted.com/tedx/manuals/t...

How would you react if you received the heart-wrenching and raw voice mail Kristen Christy received from her son when he attempted suicide? Kristen shares the devastating aftermath of her first husband’s suicide after deployment and the two sides of HOPE – for those in crisis and the ones around them who love them. Kristen Christy, known as America’s Resilience Speaker, was named the 2018 AFI Air Force Spouse of the Year, a 2019 Top 30 Women Military Influencer, a 2020 Remarkable Woman finalist, and a 2021 Force for Change awardee. She is an international speaker and a subject matter expert on suicide prevention and resilience.

Kristen is a co-sponsor of the new 9*8*8 Suicide Prevention Lifeline; creator of National Resilience Day – March 4th & Conquer your disappointments, insecurities, and adversities; a President’s Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End a National Tragedy of Suicide (PREVENTS) Ambassador with the Dept. of Veterans Affairs; and an advisor to the Dept. of the Air Force on Resilience.

She continues the search for her missing son. 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