The speaker, a 26-year-old self-identified author, begins her talk by expressing her anxiety about being at college, despite not having a degree. She admits to feeling insecure and vulnerable but decides to speak up anyway, as she believes it's important to face fears head-on.
She discusses her life, explaining that she didn't have a traditional college experience but was fond of college romance. She speaks about the importance of time, opportunities, and the power of dreams. She expresses her belief in fairy tales, princes, and happy endings, stating that it's okay to be romantic and idealistic.
She talks about her journey as a writer, stating that a book writes itself when it feels the urgency to be written. She shares her experience of writing a book while dealing with grief and loss, and how it helped her process her emotions. She speaks about the joy she felt when one of her readers found solace in her words.
She emphasizes the importance of kindness and connection, stating that we should never make anyone feel unimportant or worthless. She believes that the universe brings to you what you give out, and that we should always be kind, especially to those who are not kind to us.
In conclusion, she encourages the audience to stay true to themselves, to embrace their vulnerabilities, and to believe in their worthiness of love and importance. She emphasizes that success is not optional but it should not come at the cost of being a good person. She thanks the audience for having her and ends with applause.
1. The speaker is a 26-year-old author who does not have a graduation degree.
2. The speaker is attending a college event, which they find intimidating due to their lack of formal education.
3. The speaker struggles with the concept of vulnerability and the fear of failure.
4. The speaker's topic for the day is the "upside of your Darkness," a reference to their past experiences and how they've shaped their present perspective.
5. The speaker did not have a typical college experience and did not get to experience college romance.
6. The speaker believes in the power of time, opportunities, and hope.
7. The speaker is passionate about writing and believes that a book writes itself when it feels the urgency to be written.
8. The speaker experienced a significant loss in their life, which led them to write a book for an internet stranger.
9. The speaker's book brought joy to a reader who had lost both her parents, marking the first time she smiled in months.
10. The speaker started writing stories when they were 10 years old and does not regret this part of their life.
11. The speaker believes in the power of kindness and innocence and encourages others to preserve these qualities.
12. The speaker has a policy of never making anyone feel the way they don't want to feel about themselves.
13. The speaker's parents have always supported them, even when they let them down.
14. The speaker believes that connection is everything and that they deserve love and support because they give it out in the universe.
15. The speaker encourages others to be kind to everyone, including those who are not kind to them, as a gratitude for those who have sacrificed for them.
16. The speaker emphasizes the importance of embracing vulnerabilities and quirks as a path to compassion for oneself and others.
17. The speaker concludes their speech by stating that they have blown up that day and thanking the audience for having them there.