Whether you want to learn something, be inspired, laugh, or even have a good cry, TED Talks can hook you up. TED Talks are those amazing short videos of people like Brene Brown, Amy Cuddy, and Shane Koyczan who have 18 minutes to present their ideas in the most innovative and engaging ways they can. If somehow you haven’t heard of these, TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) is defined as a global set of conferences started in 1984, run by the non-profit Sapling Foundation, with the motto, “ideas worth spreading.” In 2009, TED started granting licenses to third parties to organize independent TED-like events called TED-X. A couple of weeks ago, some visionaries and sponsors provided me, along with 500 of my new closest friends, the unbelievable privilege of attending one in our very own Fabulous Fargo Theatre #TEDXFargo “Rethink Learning.” These presenters, volunteers, and visionaries gave us the opportunity in 7 short hours, not only to rethink learning, but through the eyes, and ideas of 16 amazing people, to rethink our life, our community, even our world. We met and learned from some amazing people.  A few of my favorites were:

• Victor Saad, founder of The Leap Year Project and the Experience Institute. He taught us to learn to risk, and risk to learn.
• Monsignor James Patrick Shea, the youngest college or university president in the United States, who’s message was basically – get over yourself.
• Sugata Mitra, who taught us the future of learning may just be a granny cloud.
• Hugh and Emerson Weber, the most adorable father/three-year-old daughter duo ever, who taught us in order to not lose the awe and wonder of childhood we must follow the child.
• Jamie Casap, Glogal Education Evangelist at Google. Education breaks the cycle of poverty.
• Eric Mahmood, the founder of two successful charter schools in inner city Minneapolis.  He contends that there is not an achievment gap, but rather a belief gap.  We should believe in everyone’s possibilities.
• Heather Zinger the artist in residence at our very own Roger Maris Cancer Center, taught us that providing an art enriched environment and social interaction can have a measurable impact on a patient’s healing power.
• Mike Derheim, President of The Nerdery, showed us that the secret to a successful company is empowering employees in an engaged workplace.

This day of immersing myself in new ideas, vibrant speakers and inspiring thought was just the thing I needed to give my mind and body a chance to breathe deeply, enjoy something new then come back to work refreshed. I encourage you to click on the links and learn a little about the speakers above, and if there is a TED Talk or TEDx in or even near your town, I highly recommend you go, take the day to rethink your own learning.