A TEDx Speech – How One Person Can Make A Difference

Speaking at TEDx was an amazing experience. You see, after I had countless health problems, took dozens of prescriptions a day, and felt terribly unfulfilled. After I left a high pressure sales job downtown Chicago that I hated. After living for 15 years without getting outside in nature. After building side-yard gardens, back yard gardens, front lawn gardens, and helping my friends build out their gardens. After all that I built a drought tolerant/native plant garden behind my fence on an area of property which I did not know at the time was city property and had to fight for it to stay.

That garden changed my life.

It all started with the impossible thought that I could beautify my community via this garden space. At first it was small; just around my back gate. Then it expanded the length of my property. Soon I asked my neighbors if I could garden on the space behind their homes as well. I could never guess that the story about this garden would have a global impact.

I began gardening out behind the fence at the same time I started writing books which is based on the  transformation for the good people can make if they get out in nature and live a greener more sustainable life. At the end of that time in 2008 I was down to only two prescriptions per day, had left the job I hated, and was well on my way to an adventure I never could have dreamed would happen. Since then I have spent a lot of time sharing and speaking, I have worked hard to inspire sustainable social action, and I see the world a whole lot differently than when I started this journey.

When Dafna Jenet, an organizer at TEDx, invited me to speak at TEDxCrestmoorParkWomen in Denver, Colorado, I was incredibly honored. She asked me to share my story and passionate belief  that one person CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE for positive social good and environmental awareness. Speaking at TEDx was SO COOL – I met many inspirational people and learned so much. You have been along for this crazy journey with me, so I wanted to share the video of the speech with you – many of you have inspired new thinking in my soul and made me a better person so this little blog has been really special for me. (If you received this post via email and cannot see the video, please click through to the website and you will see it there.) Some of you may not agree with the speech and some of you may. Either way, it is from my heart and I hope that means something. Thank you for sharing and for being there with me both in good times and in bad. Thank you. Thank you. I love you.

Please share my video if you like it and definitely leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts on how we all might make a difference in our communities.

XOXOXO,

Shawna