BEST 41ST Birthday Present EVER!
On my birthday, March 1, I received the most exciting news! I was selected to be 1 of 10 TEDx speakers at University of North Carolina (UNC) in Pembroke out of hundreds of applicants. Since I started speaking years ago this is been a dream of mine. A big one.
With the help of so many supportive people in my life I applied in February. One of my 2024 goals for the year! I will be speaking on April 20. For those who are not speakers, it’s quite incredible the dozens and dozens of hours speakers put into 1 hour of speaking – the prep, research, practicing, iterating, etc. It’s exhaustive, but incredibly exhilarating for so many of us with just the thought of being able to hopefully help one other person with whatever you may be speaking on.
TEDx speeches range between a strict 15 – 20 minute time frame. One of the hardest things for speakers to do actually. We love to talk. Trying to get our life stories and messages across in 15 minutes … Not an easy feat!
This is my purpose. To help other human beings overcome incredibly adverse challenges in their life or in their professions through the use of psychology and neuroscience.
The title for my discussion is: “KEEP MOVING FORWARD: Embracing Adversity to Make You Stronger”
This is not just about my personal story, it’s going to be centered around how we move forward in life, practically speaking, when things don’t always go our way.
TEDx Talk Description:
Ali Ingersoll is living proof that we all have the power to keep moving forward despite the circumstances surrounding us. Becoming paralyzed after a tragic accident at just 27 years old, she would endure years of painful hospital treatments and diagnoses that would nearly end her life. However, she would eventually discover how to embrace her physical paralysis differently and transform her new physical reality to uncover hidden and extraordinary opportunities.
In Ali’s TEDx talk, she’ll share her story and reveal her idea worth spreading which serves as a testament to the power of resilience and boundless potential that lies within each of us. As long as we take 100% responsibility to persevere, our next chapter in life will reveal itself as it should even if it may not be immediately obvious in the moment. Ali’s message will inspire us that whatever obstacles or adversity we may be faced with each day, there is always opportunity to KEEP MOVING FORWARD.
Biography for TEDx talk:
Ali’s life took an unexpected turn when a tragic accident left her paralyzed from the chest down. While she grappled with feelings of hopelessness and through 7 years of hospitals and treatments, she was convinced her life had reached its end. Rather than succumbing to despair though, she would eventually experience a self-discovery that would empower her to shift her thinking and find the courage to keep moving forward despite her paralysis.
Ali’s story serves as a testament to the power of resilience and the boundless potential that lies within each of us, regardless of the challenges we face to transform visible challenges into extraordinary opportunities. Sharing her message and insights now as a professional speaker and disability consultant, Ali travels the world advocating for disability inclusion and inspiring people and organizations to harness the power of purpose and persistence to keep moving forward despite adversity. She’s not only known as the “Energizer Bunny on Wheels 2.0” and the “Quirky Quad,” but also Ms. Wheelchair America.
Wish me luck!