10 Best TED Talks for Women Who Feel Stuck (and Ready for Change)
Why TED Talks Can Help When You’re Stuck
If you’ve been circling the same thoughts, routines, or survival patterns, sitting down with a TED Talk might sound too simple. But here’s the thing: sometimes you don’t need a big dramatic fix-you need one spark. A sentence that makes your shoulders drop. A story that makes you nod so hard you want to grab a pen. A fresh perspective that slips through the cracks of your stuck-ness.
The magic with things like TED Talks is there is no big committment (of money or time), no pressure, you can stretch your idea comfort zone a bit, and get just enough of a spark to lighten your day.
That’s why I gathered 10 TED Talks for women who feel stuck—talks that speak to motivation, identity, courage, and those “ohhhh, it’s not just me” moments.
1. Why You Feel Stuck — and How to Get Motivated (Shannon Odell)
Ever wonder why you feel so fired up at the beginning of something… and then lose all momentum halfway? Shannon Odell explains the psychology of motivation dips and how to climb out of them.
✨ Key Takeaways:
Motivation naturally slumps in the middle phase of any project.
Your brain plays tricks that make you believe “stuck = failure.”
Small cues (environment, accountability, rewards) can reignite energy.
📝 Reflection Prompt: Where have I given up because I thought I was failing, when I was really just in the middle?
2. Stuck Standing Still: How to Generate Momentum From the Inside Out (Christie Browning)
When outside circumstances aren’t moving, it’s tempting to wait for a miracle. Christie Browning shares 4 steps to generate inner momentum—even if everything around you feels frozen.
✨ Key Takeaways:
Internal shifts spark external results.
Start with one tiny internal decision and let it ripple out.
You don’t have to bulldoze your way out—momentum is gentler than that.
📝 Try This: Name one choice you can make today (however small) that feels like motion.
3. Getting Unstuck Before You Come Unglued (Candace Yaeger)
Candace Yaeger speaks to those moments when stress builds until you feel like you might unravel. Her 4-step process helps you pause, reframe, and move without exploding.
✨ Key Takeaways:
Catch the signs of overwhelm before burnout.
Use pause → reflect → reframe → act.
Micro-moves are more sustainable than dramatic leaps.
Reflection Prompt: What early signs tell me I’m heading toward overwhelm, and how could I pause sooner next time?
4. How to Pivot When Feeling Stuck (Aideen Finnegan)
When the old path doesn’t fit anymore, pivoting can feel terrifying. Aideen Finnegan offers strategies for experimenting without needing the “perfect plan.”
✨ Key Takeaways:
You can pivot without blowing everything up.
Transitions don’t need to be “all or nothing.”
Curiosity makes pivots less scary.
Reflection Prompt: What’s one small experiment I can try this month without needing a perfect plan?
5. Feeling Stuck? Here’s the Solution (Rachel Teague)
Rachel Teague challenges us to shift our perspective when we feel trapped in the same loops. She reminds us that “stuck” is often a story we’re repeating.
✨ Key Takeaways:
Break free by noticing the circle you’re running in.
Perspective shifts create instant freedom.
Stop forcing change; allow small adjustments.
Reflection Prompt: What’s the loop I notice myself replaying? How could I step sideways instead of forward?
6. Getting Unstuck: Do You Understand Your Assignment (Kim Mills)
Sometimes we’re not stuck—we’re unclear. Kim Mills encourages us to ask: “What’s my assignment?” When you define what you’re really here to do, direction returns.
✨ Key Takeaways:
Lack of clarity creates inertia.
Re-examine your values and goals.
Stepwise growth matters more than leaps.
Reflection Prompt: If I stripped away “shoulds,” what would I say my assignment is right now?
7. Why We Get Stuck in Life — and How to Break Free (Dmitry Dumik)
This talk shines a light on the deeper stories that trap us—identity, roles, expectations. Dumik shows how to update your “life map” so you’re not living someone else’s script.
✨ Key Takeaways:
Feeling stuck is often about outdated identities.
Question the roles you’ve outgrown.
Rewrite the map to match who you’re becoming.
Reflection Prompt: Which role or label in my life feels expired, and what’s ready to take its place?
8. How to Get Unstuck (Terry Singh)
Instead of rushing to fix things, Terry Singh suggests sitting with stuckness long enough to understand it. His approach is gentle, not forceful.
✨ Key Takeaways:
Avoid fighting the feeling.
Name the emotions that surface.
Small acts of movement will follow naturally.
Reflection Prompt: What emotion is hiding under my “stuck” feeling today?
9. Why Feeling Stuck Is a Sign of a Breakthrough (Claudia Warias)
What if being stuck isn’t a dead end—but a signal that something big is about to shift? Claudia Warias reframes stuckness as a prelude to transformation.
✨ Key Takeaways:
Discomfort means growth is near.
Breakthroughs require friction first.
Use this stage as a sign, not a verdict.
Reflection Prompt: What’s one area of my life where discomfort might be a sign of growth?
10. The Power of Vulnerability (Brené Brown)
This classic talk isn’t about “stuckness” directly—but it is about the fears and shame that keep us locked down. Vulnerability is often the key we’re avoiding.
✨ Key Takeaways:
Vulnerability = courage, not weakness.
Shame isolates; openness connects.
Creativity and innovation flow through vulnerability.
Reflection Prompt: Where am I avoiding being seen because it feels safer to hide?
Bonus TED Talks to Get Unstuck
How to Stop Screwing Yourself Over (Mel Robbins) — introduces the 5-second rule to move from thought to action.
The Gift and Power of Emotional Courage (Susan David) — explores how avoiding emotions keeps us rigid and stuck.
How to Use These TED Talks for Motivation & Change
Instead of binge-watching all 10, treat these talks like mini “sessions.”
Pick 1 talk this week.
Watch, then journal. Use the reflection prompts above.
Apply a micro action. Small is better than none.
✨ Want help turning these sparks into steady momentum? Check out the Following Sparks journals + tools designed to gently move you from “stuck” into possibility.
Ready to spot your own sparks?
Don’t just watch inspiration — track it. The Spark Wheel Journal helps you notice tiny shifts and patterns, so you can see proof that you’re moving forward even when it doesn’t feel like it.
👉 Grab the Spark Wheel Journal here »
Press pause without guilt.
The Permission to Pause Journal gives you 30 days of gentle prompts to rest, release, and reconnect. Perfect if your brain won’t stop buzzing after watching all these talks.
👉 Start your Permission to Pause journey »
Anchor your breakthroughs.
When a TED Talk, book, or quiet walk sparks something in you, don’t let it slip away. The Leapbook is a daily portal to record synchronicities, self-trust wins, and moments of magic — proof that you’re leaping, even in small ways.
Final Thoughts: You’re Not Permanently Stuck, You’re Just Between Sparks
Feeling stuck doesn’t mean you’ve failed—it often means something is waiting to shift. Each of these TED Talks can be a door cracked open. The only question is: which one will you walk through first?
If you feel like you are on a healing journey out of stuck but feel like it’s one step forward, 50 steps back and sideways, read up on The Path. It will help you feel seen and understood which is a major win when healing.
