15 Wellness-Focused TED Talks That Will Inspire You to Live Your Happiest (and Healthiest) Life

Photo: Shutterstock

If you've watched a TED Talk or two before, you know they're surprisingly effective at serving up a quick burst of inspiration. Many TED speakers have a way of presenting ideas that can change the way you see the world in a short period of time. But between TED and TEDx, there are a lot of talks to comb through. To help you out, we rounded up 15 of our favorite TED Talks related to health and wellness. Whether you want tips on staying motivated in the gym, handling stress at work, or boosting your happiness in relationships, these videos provide insight into living your best (and healthiest) life.

1. Laura Vanderkam: How to Gain Control of Your Free Time

As a time management expert, Laura Vanderkam has spent years looking into how successful people tend to spend their time. What did she discover? We've been looking at how to make the most of our time all wrong. The key to time management, according to Vanderkam, is learning to treat priorities like they're non-negotiable. Watch her talk and you'll finally stop missing those workouts you love because you have "literally no time."

Watch the video: How to gain control of your free time | Laura Vanderkam

2. Sangu Delle: There's No Shame In Taking Care of Your Mental Health

When entrepreneur Sangu Delle's doctor suggested that he speak to a mental health professional for his anxiety, he adamantly refused. But when he heard people making demeaning comments about his best friend's schizophrenia, he became passionate about mental health and was inspired to try to fight the stigma and ignorance that surround mental health issues. If you've ever had a hard time making your mental health a priority, watch this talk.

Watch the video: There's no shame in taking care of your mental health | Sangu Delle

3. Dan Gilbert: The Psychology of Your Future Self

Everyone has made a decision they later regret, whether it's a cheesy tattoo or that embarrassing MySpace photo. That's because people change more than they think they're going to, according to Harvard psychologist Dan Gilbert. The happiness expert will completely change your mindset about how we change as people over time.

Watch the video:The psychology of your future self | Dan Gilbert

4. Daniel Levitin: How to Stay Calm When You Know You'll Be Stressed

When we're under stress, cortisol is released and causes cloudy thinking-which can lead to poor decisions. That's why neuroscientist Daniel Levitin attempted to figure out how to prep yourself in advance for unexpected stressful moments that are bound to arise. Follow his advice now and your future self will thank you.

Watch the video: How to stay calm when you know you'll be stressed | Daniel Levitin

5. Sheryl Sandberg: Why We Have Too Few Women Leaders

Balancing career and life can be quite challenging. In the famous TED talk that inspired her "Lean In" movement, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg shares three pieces of advice for women who want to be successful in the workforce. Sure, it may be 7 years old now, but it still has plenty of wisdom to help you kick ass in your career.

Watch the video: Why we have too few women leaders | Sheryl Sandberg

6. Andy Puddicombe: All It Takes Is 10 Mindful Minutes

Sitting still and doing absolutely nothing for 10 minutes might sound really hard. But a daily meditation practice really can transform your mind, according to Andy Puddicombe, the cofounder of Headspace. In his talk, he lays out the benefits of 10 mindful minutes a day. (Here, 10 stress-relief tips if you're just too busy to meditate.)

Watch the video: All it takes is 10 mindful minutes | Andy Puddicombe

7. Judson Brewer: A Simple Way to Break a Bad Habit

Psychiatrist Judson Brewer believes that cutting out a pesky habit is all about training yourself. In this talk, Brewer shares some pretty groundbreaking research about how using mindfulness practices can actually help you break even the most deeply rooted habits. (Yep, it even applies to that oh-so-powerful chocolate craving.)

Watch the video: A simple way to break a bad habit | Judson Brewer

8. Diana Nyad: Never, Ever Give Up

Anyone who swims all the way from Cuba to Florida probably knows a thing or two about willpower. For her TED Talk, long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad shares what was running through her head during the swim. After watching, you may be inspired to try something that seems impossible, whether it's running a marathon or signing up for your first CrossFit class.

Watch the video: Never, ever give up | Diana Nyad

9. Dan Pink: The Puzzle of Motivation

In his popular TED Talk, career analyst Dan Pink challenges traditional wisdom about motivation being driven by greater incentives and rewards. You don't need to be in a managerial position to benefit from watching the talk-it could change how you approach motivating yourself whether you want to work out more or reach a career goal.

Watch the video: The puzzle of motivation | Dan Pink

10. Sofia Jawed-Wessel: The Lies We Tell Pregnant Women

There are all kinds of myths around pregnancy (like the idea of eating for two). In her TED Talk, sex researcher Sofia Jawed-Wessel debunks common lies pregnant women are told about sex. Her sex-positive and pleasure-inclusive approach to pregnancy is seriously refreshing for anyone with a baby on board.

Watch the video: The lies we tell pregnant women | Sofia Jawed-Wessel

11. Ashley Graham: Plus-Size? More Like My Size

She may be a famous model, but Ashley Graham has struggled to love her body. In this TED Talk, Graham discusses her issue with term "plus-size" and how she came to truly embrace her shape as a curvy woman. If you've ever picked apart your body when looking in the mirror, you'll love Graham's opening.

Watch the video: Plus-size? More like my size | Ashley Graham | TEDxBerkleeValencia

12. Tracy McMillan: The Person You Really Need to Marry

Online dating or hitting up bars to find a potential love interest is straight up exhausting. After getting married and divorced several times, relationship expert Tracy McMillan had a revelation about finding "the one." If you're looking to nail down a healthy relationship that will make you happy, you'll want to hear McMillan's advice. (After all, relationships can make you happier than money.)

Watch the video: The person you really need to marry | Tracy McMillan | TEDxOlympicBlvdWomen

13. Kelly McGonigal: How to Make Stress Your Friend

Everyone knows stress is a bad thing... right? Not according to one groundbreaking study, which found that it's actually our belief that stress is harmful that causes negative health effects. In this talk, psychologist Kelly McGonigal walks through how to actually use stress as a positive to avoid those negative effects. If you find yourself muttering, 'ugh i'm just so stressed' multiple times a day, this one is a must-watch.

Watch the video: How to make stress your friend | Kelly McGonigal

14. A.J. Jacobs: How Healthy Living Nearly Killed Me

There's so much information thrown around about how to eat, exercise, and live to achieve a healthy lifestyle. (We would know!) Journalist A.J. Jacobs tried following every single piece of health advice he could get his hands on and shared the experience in his TED Talk. If you've ever been confused by conflicting health facts and annoyed by preachy gurus, you'll find Jacob's talk both hilarious and enlightening.

Watch the video: How healthy living nearly killed me | A.J. Jacobs

15. Jacqueline Way: How to Be Happy Every Day: It Will Change the World

Everyone wants to find the "key to happiness," and there's no shortage of research aimed at finding what happy people have in common. Jacqueline Way, founder of the charity 365give, discovered a simple trick anyone can use to boost their happiness: Simply giving to others. Way tested her theory by giving something every day for a year as an experiment and the results were seriously inspiring.

Watch the video: How to be happy every day: It will change the world | Jacqueline Way |TEDxStanleyPark