Life is What You Make It

I am addicted to watching TEDx. If you’re not familiar with TEDx there short 15 -20 minutes talks given by amazing people. Topics range from finding success, purpose in life, discoveries in science and so much more. Today I want to share with you 3 of the most inspiring TED talks I've watched.

I firmly believe that we don't need to be victims of our circumstances. We can go through suffering but how we choose to deal with it can either make or breaks us. It’s hard to turn yourself around when things feel like their falling apart.

The 3 amazing people in the following TED talks - Sammy Rangel, Elizabeth Smart, and Gerardo Lopez are true survivors. They found the strength to not be victims and turned their lives around. I listen to their stories and it puts my life into perspective and inspires me to keep going when things get tough.

I hope you take the time to listen to these amazing survivors. Their stories are tragic, yet powerful and what they have to share is empowering.

1. The Power of Forgiveness | Sammy Rangel

This would have to be the most powerful and moving talks I've seen. Sammy shares his life story from a tortured child, to a remorseless beast, to healing and change. Today Sammy has a Masters in Social Work consulting with law enforcement agencies and other services on reducing violence, he has written an autobiography, Fourbears: The Myth of Forgiveness. Sammy is also the founder of Formers Anonymous, a self-help program for men and women looking to exit a lifestyle of crime and violence, co-founder and executive director of Life After Hate. I suggest you may need a few tissues for this one.

2. My Story | Elizabeth Smart

In June 2002 at the age of 14, Elizabeth was kidnapped from her bedroom one night by Brian Mitchell and his wife Wanda Barzee. Held captive Elizabeth endured being repeatedly raped, drugged and forced to partake in religious rituals, until earning her freedom in March 2003. Elizabeth shares her time in captivity and the strength she found to overcome her ordeal. She is an amazing young woman. Elizabeth is now a noted public speaker, an activist on behalf of kidnapping survivors and child victims of violence and sexual abuse, who helped to author the United States Department of Justice's 2008 handbook for kidnapping survivors, You Are Not Alone: The Journey From Abduction to Empowerment. In 2011 Elizabeth launched the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, aimed to empower children and provide resources and trauma support for victims and families. Elizabeth has also authored 2 books My Story: Elizabeth Smart and Where There's Hope: Healing, Moving Forward, and Never Giving Up.

I was an MS-13 Gang Member. Here's how I got out | Gerardo Lopez

Gerardo grew up in gang territory and by 14 had joined the Salvadorian MS-13. The most notorious gang in L.A. Gerardo escaped gang life and has spent the last two decades working with youth on a daily basis doing gang intervention/prevention and talking to them about his history with gang violence, and how he was able to overcome the odds and leave that life behind. He is the Executive Director of the Denver chapter of Homies Unidos, a non-profit organization dedicated to ending violence and promoting peace through gang intervention and prevention. He works In July of 2017, Lopez was appointed by Denver’s Mayor as Commissioner for the Denver Office of Strategic Partnerships and he sits on Denver’s District’s Attorney’s Law Enforcement and Community Relations Council.

He is also the subject of the award winning short documentary, Clever, which has played in film festivals in the U.S. and Mexico,

I hope you have found these 3 TEDx talks as inspiring and empowering as I have. Please share your comments below. I'd even love to hear who inspires you.