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TEDxMcMasterU

@tedxmcmasteru

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Annual conference filled with thought-provoking speakers to unleash new ideas, inspire and inform in Hamilton, Ontario.

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My biggest flaw is not knowing how to say “no”.

Too many conferences, events, excursions to even count since January 2026.

If you need a push to take that next step, to apply for something you’re not sure if you’re ready for, to walk into a room where you don’t know anyone, just say YES and figure out the rest along the way.

Here’s to the next 6 months of attending every conference to ever exist 🤣

Onwards

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Everyone is chasing a degree.

Very few are building an identity.

A college can give you a certificate. Only you can build your employable identity.

The harsh reality?

Many graduates know the answers to exam questions. Few know how to solve real problems.

In today's world: ✔ Communication beats memorization. ✔ Problem-solving beats mugging up. ✔ Confidence beats hesitation. ✔ Skills beat excuses. ✔ Employability beats qualifications alone.

Companies don't pay for your marksheet. They pay for the value you create.

Your degree gets you an interview. Your identity gets you the opportunity.

Stop asking: "What course should I choose?"

Start asking: "Who am I becoming while pursuing it?"

Because careers are built on skills. But extraordinary careers are built on identity.

#EmployableIdentity #shiva #instadaily #instapic #reelsgrowth

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My official TEDx talk at @tedxmcmasteru March 2026

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I’m a huge believer in repurposing your wins. 👏

You’re often told to show up, but we rarely talk about what happens after the stage lights go down. 🔦

The real marvel is not in the spotlight, but in the systems you build to leverage the opportunities. 💪

Recently, I’ve felt that idea come to life through repurposing clips from my TEDx Talk on elephant conservation, here discussing their declining populations, a subject I’m passionate about. 🐘

What was an in-person public engagement event can now live on, because I put in processes to edit, re-frame, and share the message again. 🔁

A moment you’re proud of shouldn’t have an expiration date. ❌

Here’s a recommended Strategy:

1️⃣ Show Up: Do the hard thing once (The TED Talk, the personal trip, the local vlog in public, you do you).

2️⃣ Repurpose: Break it down into lessons. Structure > chaos.

3️⃣ Leverage: Use a templated ststem so you aren’t always starting from zero. Double down on what works.

If you make your systems work for you, the long-term benefit is massive. ⏳

You can still aim to create “new” outcomes every day, while still honouring the great things you’ve already done. ✅

Your achievements are a gold mine. Stop letting them collect dust. ✨
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#SustainableKind #ContentStrategy #Tedx #StanDaretoPost @stanforcreators #creativejourney

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Booking a trip based only on the hotel’s website is like trusting a Business with only one suss 5-star review. 😬

If they say they’re “eco-friendly” just because they have one succulent in the lobby, we’ve got problems. 🌵

Sustainable tourism only works if the money actually goes to the right places. Don’t just take their word for it, look for the receipts. 🧾

A little extra scrolling now means a much bigger impact later.🙏

When you’re doing your deep dive, look for these logos. They are the “third-party” receipts you’re looking for:

➡️ GSTC (Global Sustainable Tourism Council): If a hotel or tour operator is GSTC-certified, it means they’ve passed a rigorous, global-standard audit.

➡️ @earthcheck : The leading scientific benchmarking group. They use actual hard data (water usage, waste, etc.) rather than just pinky promises.

@bcorporation : If a travel company (like a tour operator) is a B-Corp, it means they legally balance profit with purpose for people and the planet.

If you didn’t check at least three independent sources, can you even trust the booking? 🌍✈️

#travelgram #tedx #wildlifeconservation #standaretopost @stanforcreators #publicspeaking

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Four years ago, if someone had asked me where my life was going, I would have quietly told them the truth: I didn’t think I would still be here. I had lost hope. Completely.

Then one day I learned something that broke my heart in a way I cannot explain. In South Korea, the leading cause of death is suicide. Think about that for a moment. Entire lives… dreams… families… futures… gone because someone believed the world would be better without them.

Then I looked closer to home.

In Canada, suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people.

I cannot describe the pain of realizing how many people wake up every day believing they are not worth fighting for. Because I know that feeling. I know what it is like to feel invisible… to feel like hope has disappeared… to feel like the future has gone dark.

And that is why this matters to me so deeply.

I am autistic. My brain works differently. Sometimes the world can feel overwhelming, loud, and impossibly heavy. But I am still here. And being here means something.

It means hope is real.

Every time I meet someone who believes they are worthless, every time I hear someone say they want to give up, something inside me refuses to accept it. Because I know that the moment someone loses hope is the moment they need it the most.

Every single human life has value. Every person reading this right now matters more than they realize.

That is why I do the work I do around the world.

I want people to see living proof that hope still exists — even after the darkest moments imaginable. Even after believing life was over.

My purpose in life is simple now.

As long as I am alive, I will fight to give this world hope. I will do everything I can to save lives, to reach the people who believe they are alone, and to remind them that their story is not finished yet.

Because someone out there right now is holding on by a thread.

And if my voice, my story, or my work can help even one person hold on a little longer…

then every breath I take will have been worth it.

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Confidence doesn’t come before the thing. It comes from doing the thing

🎥: @theresolution__

#publicspeaking #confidence #educational

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¿Qué acaba de pasar? Todavía estoy procesando con una mezcla de emoción, alivio y una gratitud muy profunda.

Lo que casi nadie ve es todo lo que pasa antes de un escenario. La cantidad de horas de ensayo. Los momentos en los que sientes que tienes algo valioso que decir y al mismo tiempo te cuestionas si lo vas a poder sostener con claridad. Las veces que repites una idea hasta encontrar la forma más humana de decirla. Los días en los que avanzas muchísimo… y al siguiente te vuelve a temblar el piso un poquito.

Y aun así, llegué.

Llegué con una emoción enorme, con el corazón acelerado y con esa sensación de estar viviendo algo que no se olvida.

Estar ahí fue una experiencia preciosa y muy real, muy humana. Y eso me lo llevo como lección.

Quiero agradecer de corazón a @tedxmcmasteru y al equipo que hizo posible este espacio: por la invitación, por la organización, por el cuidado en cada detalle y por recordarnos que las ideas importan… pero la manera en la que las compartimos también.

Y quiero agradecerles a ustedes. A los que estuvieron ahí presentes acompañándome. Y a los que estuvieron “a miles de kilómetros”: mandando mensajes, porras, cariño, palabras que sostienen. De verdad, leerlos, sentirlos cerca, saber que estaban conmigo en pensamiento… me dio un empujón que no se explica.

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I set an intention this year to do more public speaking. It’s not easy for me — but I do love a good challenge.

A few months later, a random post popped up on my Instagram looking for TEDx applicants at my alma mater in my hometown. On a whim, I applied and honestly didn’t think much of it.

Out of more than 150 applications, they chose 10. Somehow, I was one of them. 🫣

Getting to go back to the university where so much of my story began and stand on that stage was surreal. In the audience were my best friends and my family, the people who have seen every chapter of the journey that brought me here.

And the message I got to share was one that means everything to me: that women deserve spaces where they can get strong, take up space, and believe in what their bodies and lives are capable of.

I’m incredibly grateful for the people who raised me, the friends who believed in me long before any stage existed, and the community of women who continue to inspire the work I do through Sage Society.

Full video coming soon 😉

❤️

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Today I had the incredible honour of standing on the TEDx stage at McMaster University and sharing an idea that means everything to me.

Looking out at that audience, I was reminded of something powerful: every single one of us has a voice, a story, and a responsibility to use it. The message behind my talk was simple but deeply true — the only barrier standing between us and the change we want to see is often ourselves.

Moments like this are not just about speaking on a stage. They are about courage. They are about choosing to believe that your ideas matter, that your voice deserves to be heard, and that one conversation can spark a movement.

I am deeply grateful to the entire TEDxMcMasterU team, the organizers, and everyone who came to listen and engage. Your openness, curiosity, and energy made this experience unforgettable.

To anyone chasing a dream, sharing an idea, or trying to make the world better in their own way: keep going. Speak up. Stand tall. The world changes when people are brave enough to step forward.

Today was a reminder that the stage is never the goal — the impact is.

And this is only the beginning. ✨
#TEDx #TEDxMcMasterU #IdeasWorthSpreading #Leadership #Inspiration Gratitude

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Today I’m giving my TEDx talk on Momentum: “The Power of the 2:17 AM Moment.”

It’s about the moment when reflection becomes decision, and decision becomes momentum. Mental health affects everyone. The key is to use that as fuel to do good.

As I share in the talk:

“The experiences that once made me feel helpless BECAME the fuel I needed to move mountains.”

Grateful for the opportunity to share this idea today.

#TEDx #Momentum #IdeasWorthSpreading

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Standing on the @TEDx stage to speak about elephant wellbeing was a full-circle moment. 🔴

Finding the confidence to speak openly about an area you’re invested in hasn’t always been easy, especially given the sensitivity of the animal welfare. 🐘

However, I’ve realized that speaking up is the only way to create real change. 💪

I’ve always believed that when you align your passion with a sustainable process, the fear of the camera (or the stage) begins to fade.

Developing your confidence, whether on stage or behind camera, is one of the many skills taught in @greenvideoessentials. 🎤

#tedx #publicspeaking #passionproject #standaretopost @stanforcreators #sustainablecreativity

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