Living with Courage: Embracing Fear to Follow Your Heart: Kelley Kalafatich at TEDxBend

Ғылым және технология

Kelley is an adventure guide, explorer, and novice-filmmaker who paved the way for women to become guides in the adventure travel industry. Today, paralyzed from the waist down after ingesting a waterborne parasite on the first descent of the Blue Nile River, Kelley continues to illustrate the need for courage to make the world better.
Her experiences include:
- Trainer for third-world locals who continue to earn living wages for their families as guides on their native rivers
- Guide on historic journeys that retraced the steps of great explorers such as John Muir's expedition through Alaska and Teddy Roosevelt's wilderness river descent through the rain forests of Brazil
- Stunt woman for Meryl Streep in the movie "The River Wild"
- Award-winning documentary film maker for the movie "Three Women, 300 Miles," which chronicled her river-board (similar to large boogie-board) trip through the Grand Canyon.
Kelley inspires listeners to live in the moment, embracing and not shying from fear. She uses her spinal cord injury to support all people in their pursuit of living the life they dream.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

Пікірлер: 93

  • @johnnielawson
    @johnnielawson9 жыл бұрын

    My deepest respect Kelly, you are an inspiration. Blessings to you and yours. Johnnie Lawson

  • @Vaevin-Xx
    @Vaevin-Xx8 жыл бұрын

    Grateful for her emotional honesty.

  • @M0rph1sm
    @M0rph1sm9 жыл бұрын

    "...coming up with new dreams and goals to replace the old ones." Growth mindset !!

  • @ireneperez4009
    @ireneperez40099 жыл бұрын

    I guess she's right, even when your dreams can lead into terrifying consequences as her, you should never regret of making them true, cause they made you happy once. And I guess happiness wouldn't be the same without fear or without sadness because then, we would never get to appreciate joy.

  • @Redwood2163
    @Redwood21639 жыл бұрын

    thanks Kelley. I often have fear of taking on the big waves in the surf.......what happens if I get slammed on the sand and break my spine, what if a shark attacked me, what if I got carried out to sea and drowned and so on. your talk reminded me that often danger is not where we expect it to be, its somewhere else where we wouldn't think to look, so we might as well do what we love, face our fears, knowing that the danger is probably somewhere else.

  • @theChannel40
    @theChannel408 ай бұрын

    She's amazing! Her vulnerability is so refreshing!

  • @sarapanaitescu4048
    @sarapanaitescu40489 жыл бұрын

    Beautiful lady. Blessings and love from everybody! Thank you!

  • @sarahdavis9177
    @sarahdavis91776 жыл бұрын

    I came across your talk in the search for TEDx talks on courage. And when I saw the description I cried, before I even pressed play. I met with Mark Tanner because I'm planning the same expedition. And he told me briefly your story. I'd returned from Uganda and the Nile a few months before and had been meaning to talk the bilharzia meds. I took them that night. And now I have just watched your talk. You have clearly shown courage throughout your life, from your years as a pioneering female rafting guide and now more than ever after your life being turned on it's head thanks to that tiny parasite and giving this truly inspiring talk. Thank you for sharing your story.

  • @yasmeen66
    @yasmeen667 жыл бұрын

    I've been watching TED-Talk all day. Your peach is the best thing I've heard today. Thank you for sharing :)

  • @suzannejohnson3335
    @suzannejohnson33359 жыл бұрын

    That was a very moving talk. I am glad you pushed past your fear to give this talk. I hope you found a way to get more relief from the neurological pain in your legs. Suzanne

  • @TheUnanymous
    @TheUnanymous6 жыл бұрын

    This is by far one of the most genuine and inspiring story Ive heard :)

  • @alir.9894
    @alir.98949 жыл бұрын

    I had tears in my eyes by the end of the talk while eating breakfast. Thank you for the talk. It was very inspirational.

  • @dariapow
    @dariapow7 жыл бұрын

    I cried with you Kelley :(

  • @maverickjackman8658
    @maverickjackman86588 жыл бұрын

    WoW Kelley! I appreciate your sincere messages. This is simple but exactly what 99% of everyone needs to hear and hear it from someone who has been there and done that!! X

  • @leRadicidelPiacere
    @leRadicidelPiacere9 жыл бұрын

    adaptation and passion are great resources to overcome difficulties in life. beautiful speech

  • @jbaby007
    @jbaby0077 жыл бұрын

    I wish her story was more cohesive but I'm glad she shared.

  • @barbarawebster6808
    @barbarawebster68089 жыл бұрын

    Most awesome talk ever!

  • @heartworkbykitty7933
    @heartworkbykitty79335 жыл бұрын

    I wish I could hug her. She's such an amazing courageous person

  • @ChienMinistries
    @ChienMinistries4 жыл бұрын

    Perfect love cast out fear.!!! You are beautiful inside out , Kelley.!!! You are the light shining in the dark.!!! Blessings & Much love from Chien.

  • @justalover0123456789
    @justalover012345678910 жыл бұрын

    Take the leap and put your dreams and goals into action now..awesome ^_^

  • @TheFreshspidey
    @TheFreshspidey9 жыл бұрын

    This was great and very inspiring. Such a sweet lady

  • @IrexArols
    @IrexArols8 жыл бұрын

    Awe I wanted to hug her when she was crying..

  • @TaoCapital
    @TaoCapital10 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for sharing your experiences and message

  • @9catlover
    @9catlover9 жыл бұрын

    I agree laziness can lead to indifference. I can walk, run.... but don't do things out of laziness... and know it's stopping myself from feeling alive and it. This makes me ashamed!

  • @martamariamroz8438
    @martamariamroz84387 жыл бұрын

    very inspiring ... thank you Kelley Kalafatich!

  • @73jandersen
    @73jandersen10 жыл бұрын

    Kelley, thanks for sharing your journey. Book that's personally been really helpful in discovering a new perspective in the face of physical limitation and suffering - 'A New Earth' - E. Tolle. Best wishes

  • @raspberry1011
    @raspberry10116 жыл бұрын

    What great advice from such a kind soul

  • @mariecook622
    @mariecook6225 жыл бұрын

    Beautiful story. I have been inspired. Thank you for sharing your story. Storytelling connects our HEARTS

  • @joshualipovetsky2744
    @joshualipovetsky27446 жыл бұрын

    This hit me hard, and in such a beautiful way. Thank you so much, Kelly.

  • @melriser
    @melriser Жыл бұрын

    I remember our adventures. Love you so much. See you soon.

  • @Bailey3305
    @Bailey33058 жыл бұрын

    beautiful! well said and well intended powerful message! Thank you!

  • @Lisa_In_Canada
    @Lisa_In_Canada6 жыл бұрын

    Inspirational and touching. She is a lovely and honest speaker. I am a better person for hearing her story.

  • @iwnunn7999
    @iwnunn79999 жыл бұрын

    Your courage goes well beyond this Ted Talk which is terrifying in itself with all the unforgiving and mostly unsympathetic stares..........not to mention knowing that the plethora of negative comments once the video was posted would show their ugly faces (funny choice of words since cowards rarely show their faces). I admire you immensely. Thank you for sharing your story.

  • @Levandetag
    @Levandetag8 жыл бұрын

    Just Wonderful and Softening speach! to all those who "battle" something, whatever it is

  • @j.bryangaldonez3522
    @j.bryangaldonez3522 Жыл бұрын

    We love you!!

  • @koreycrawfordDreams2Life
    @koreycrawfordDreams2Life9 жыл бұрын

    I am definitely inspired by this story...Thank you!!

  • @Fcycfvyvvyvtfutg
    @Fcycfvyvvyvtfutg3 жыл бұрын

    What an inspirational woman

  • @Zero2speeding
    @Zero2speeding5 жыл бұрын

    To be completely blunt if I were to have seen this lady out in public in her wheelchair I would have thought to myself oh that's sad but I would not have considered that she had other things going on as well as being in a chair such as the spinal cord pain she endures daily. What an eye opener and such courage!

  • @yuuuyuuyu
    @yuuuyuuyu8 жыл бұрын

    I've done things out of selfconfidence and trust in my own believes. Those things were stupid and dumb in a way. I felt and sometimes still feel really bad about those things. And my selfconfidence en strength didn't spiral upwards at all (getting out of the comfortzone).But I got wiser from those things I've done. I hope I can let the bad feelings go now and work forward with I've become to know. Stay strong Be wise

  • @ceciliamac4283

    @ceciliamac4283

    4 жыл бұрын

    So very true !!! Maybe try to learn how to focus on your breath when you are thinking of those things and feeling very guilty about them try to remind yourself that the only thing you can control now is your breathing and also to try your best to NOT redo the same mistakes. Cheers

  • @katieb1546
    @katieb154610 жыл бұрын

    i really engaged with this. thank you xx

  • @MAVakil-gj9mv
    @MAVakil-gj9mv9 жыл бұрын

    GREAT SPEECH. WELL TIMED TO THE LAST MOMENT, KNOWING WHEN TO SPEAK WHAT. SHE IS REALLY GREAT PUBLIC SPEAKER AND KNOWS HOW TO CAPTIVATE THE AUDIENCE. ONE OF THE GREATEST MOTIVATION SPEECH I HAVE HEARD. STORY OF COURAGE AND GRIT AND WILL POWER AND PERSISTENCE. HATS OFF TO YOU KELLEY. WHAT AN INSPIRATION YOU ARE !!!!!. AND MOST OF ALL I LOVE YOUR INNOCENT AND CHARMING SMILE. WOW !!! WHAT A LOVELY AND BEAUTIFUL AND CAPTIVATING SMILE. YOUR COURAGE AND PERSISTENCE AND YOUR LOVELY SMILE WILL ALWAYS REMAIN IN MY MEMORY. GOD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU ALWAYS HAPPY AND SMILING.

  • @jonmcmahon90292
    @jonmcmahon902929 жыл бұрын

    Thank you.

  • @Yamagatabr
    @Yamagatabr10 жыл бұрын

    *3* What a lovely Lady, what a lovely Human :)

  • @melriser
    @melriser Жыл бұрын

    New dreams and goals.

  • @abhishekghosh6809
    @abhishekghosh68092 жыл бұрын

    This was very touching and very inspiring. 👏👏

  • @diegoflores6164
    @diegoflores61645 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for pointing the obvious because under stress nothing seems like it

  • @christopherbear5379
    @christopherbear537910 жыл бұрын

    quality. loves it

  • @soonpham1497
    @soonpham14976 жыл бұрын

    Y re great inspiration .good luck for y

  • @lewincarr9686
    @lewincarr96869 жыл бұрын

    amazing lady , charming inspiring humble hats off

  • @RussellChilds
    @RussellChilds8 жыл бұрын

    Great talk - thank-you!! :)

  • @christinaaquino3334
    @christinaaquino33347 жыл бұрын

    i take that leap.i can do start my own business.

  • @annadav72
    @annadav7211 жыл бұрын

    you're so brave.

  • @shannonkringen
    @shannonkringen Жыл бұрын

    Great talk

  • @marciesalkowski8139
    @marciesalkowski81396 жыл бұрын

    💗very inspirational

  • @christinaaquino3334
    @christinaaquino33347 жыл бұрын

    thanking inspiring me do what i dream.not dwell onmy regrets.i want travel.i dislike heights.

  • @christinaaquino3334
    @christinaaquino33347 жыл бұрын

    thankyou sweet lady i will do it take leap.

  • @Cynthia-Landers
    @Cynthia-Landers9 жыл бұрын

    3:11 There's a beastie in the back of her wheelchair! I like this lady.

  • @bencollard9243
    @bencollard92438 жыл бұрын

    awesome courage

  • @ULTIMATE_FREEDOM_FIGHTER
    @ULTIMATE_FREEDOM_FIGHTER6 жыл бұрын

    "What do we gain from fear?" Survival! Not ending up in a wheelchair! We fear things because there's actually a REAL RISK involved. Otherwise we wouldn't fear anything.

  • @Onlinesully
    @Onlinesully4 жыл бұрын

    powerful woman

  • @AracaneLive
    @AracaneLive6 жыл бұрын

    Already know but I feel dead inside 💀

  • @DucVietNguyenPhD
    @DucVietNguyenPhD9 жыл бұрын

    My such pleasure to enjoy valuable your winning of fear, not fearful loser. My warm best regards to you.

  • @petergarrison
    @petergarrison7 жыл бұрын

    wow

  • @Robert-3691
    @Robert-36914 ай бұрын

    This is phenomenal content. I had the privilege of reading something similar, and it was nothing short of extraordinary. "Reclaiming Connection: The Journey of a Digital Detox" by Joshua Ember

  • @Saifullahkhalid22
    @Saifullahkhalid229 жыл бұрын

    what is at the bottom of her wheel chair at 3.12.

  • @myassessmentadres1349

    @myassessmentadres1349

    9 жыл бұрын

    Saifullah Khalid Dog ?

  • @ukaszru5319

    @ukaszru5319

    9 жыл бұрын

    Saifullah Khalid wtf right?! :D

  • @XanatharEye
    @XanatharEye8 жыл бұрын

    damn.

  • @dennisr.levesque2320
    @dennisr.levesque23206 жыл бұрын

    I have to be careful here. I don't want to sound callous or deny your struggle. But, there is a BIG difference between embracing your fears and facing them. Courage is more like a muscle that you need to exercise, than a "thing" that you decide to get. It's the difference between pursuing a goal and expecting instant gratification. I suspect that your talk here was more to convince yourself that you're doing the right thing, than to teach others what the right is. If you really had the right answer, you would not have cried when you got to the reality of your situation. The very fact that you cried, is evidence that you have not embraced it yourself. And to me, that indicates that you still need help to face your fears instead of trying to embrace them. Good luck.

  • @ceciliamac4283

    @ceciliamac4283

    4 жыл бұрын

    I can see what you mean. I felt the same way at different parts of her talk. I think she cried because it’s a though situation to be living (it’s probably from exhaustion (physical and emotional). It’s a huge change in her life. She spent a big BIG part of life being able to use her legs and now that she is older she has to change her life and that’s why I think it brings her so much and so many emotions. IMO)). I think she needs professional support (like a life coach, a psychotherapist and a medical team that helps her deal with the pain and maybe some acupuncture? I wonder how much that would help elevate the pain and the stress that she is having to deal with daily!!!). Overall, I see what you mean and I partly agree. I think courage also means patience and taking the right amount of time to study the situation, acknowledge the fear, the true risks, the pros and cons, etc. But yeah I don’t think courage is just to go and do it just because you think it’s what you want to do. It might not be WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU. And might not be what you truly NEED in life and that’s courage for me: to not give in to some of our temporary desires)

  • @diamondpool

    @diamondpool

    2 ай бұрын

    The fear- is the pain my friend. The thought of the kind of pain where you aren’t sure you can stand another moment of it- but you do- knowing IT will surely be back. Her fear- was getting in front of an audience- and opening up to strangers the most devastating event of her life- not embracing a raft trip gone bad. The tears you criticize - you may have missed her entire point. I, too, have lived w chronic nerve pain since an injury 40 years ago. I “ accept” what happened- the result of dangerous decision making, I don’t “ embrace” my pain nor do I wish I had made different choices. I could have been a florist- and kept it to a safer level. Kelley was struggling with the kind of pain you may not understand - but when I tried to explain MINE I just found a similarity that most would understand: it’s like an ice cream headache that never goes away. Okay- now get out there and talk about it for 20 minutes- but be sure not to cry. You never ever accept that fully. 18:41

  • @rockymegaman8496
    @rockymegaman84965 жыл бұрын

    I am.

  • @RighteousBarber777
    @RighteousBarber777 Жыл бұрын

    Jeremiah 17:9

  • @suzee907
    @suzee9078 жыл бұрын

    Ok I am going to do it! I am going to leave my loser soul sucking boyfreind today!!!! I will not call him! and if he gets the hint and doesnt call me then,I promise I will not fall into a pit and be all screwed up like last time.Although I must admit coming out the other side is definetly an unreal feeling!!!Day 1..............

  • @voyarismus

    @voyarismus

    7 жыл бұрын

    so what happened?

  • @bradenrodriguez5183

    @bradenrodriguez5183

    6 жыл бұрын

    Come back to me girl! I'll change I promise!

  • @beebuzz959

    @beebuzz959

    6 жыл бұрын

    Suzee Mexico I think that's great! And that's probably the first step, to not reach out to him. And possibly you never responded because it didn't work, as in you didn't break it off. And sure, there at those who'll judge you, but they don't matter because you're there one who let's them, and many more worthy souls on her DO matter! Listen to us! That being said, if that's the step you're able to take, that's fine. It's a first step. But it'll give a person more strength if they're able to break up instead of run away.

  • @kittycattrashbag

    @kittycattrashbag

    6 жыл бұрын

    I am curious too! What happend??

  • @AracaneLive
    @AracaneLive6 жыл бұрын

    I think she was a navy seal 😋

  • @chughakshay20
    @chughakshay209 жыл бұрын

    Horrible mouth noises, cant listen with headphones.

  • @iluros6898

    @iluros6898

    9 жыл бұрын

    TooLong well i would see you dealing with spinal cord pain and telling the hardest story of your life..

  • @xfactor5326

    @xfactor5326

    8 жыл бұрын

    Enjoy the ASMR

  • @socorrochua2031

    @socorrochua2031

    7 жыл бұрын

    X Fa

  • @justbeegreen

    @justbeegreen

    6 жыл бұрын

    Take off the headphones and listen to the message.

  • @judypark4885
    @judypark48856 жыл бұрын

    Terrible story tbh. Her story has a sad ending...so it sort of defeats the moral, no? :*/

  • @diamondpool

    @diamondpool

    2 ай бұрын

    The fear- was giving the talk. The fear- was rolling out there trying to keep composed while having a massive amount of nerve pain. She was giving you the story of how she ended up a paraplegic- and maybe if you are having regret about “ that thing” you regret not doing- you might go and do.

  • @sarahmoonnn
    @sarahmoonnn10 жыл бұрын

    Sorry I'm sure this is very good but I couldn't watch it because I was disgusted by the sounds her mouth was making

  • @strongwallers

    @strongwallers

    9 жыл бұрын

    Yea, I noticed that too...but I kept watching. Too bad you let that small issue get in the way of a rich experience. Intolerance contributes to ignorance.

  • @debd1371

    @debd1371

    6 жыл бұрын

    I'm disgusted by your shallow comment.

  • @edwardkirkhope814
    @edwardkirkhope8149 жыл бұрын

    I am really sorry but found this rather boring and flat.

  • @beebuzz959

    @beebuzz959

    6 жыл бұрын

    Edward Kirkhope so walk away and don't waste your time and ours whining.

  • @mangoyacho
    @mangoyacho2 жыл бұрын

    Kelley does look like Merryl indeed. Most interesting talk, thank you!

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