In her TEDx talk, Stephanie Wilson delves into the pressures and expectations faced by women in their 20s and 30s, what she terms the “everything era”. She highlights the societal norms and historical precedents that often dictate the major life decisions women are expected to make during this time, such as career choices, relationships, and motherhood.
Wilson challenges the idea that there is a singular right way to live a fulfilling life by encouraging women to question what they think they are supposed to do, who told them it had to be that way, and whether those sources are truly guiding them in the right direction. She emphasizes the importance of creating a life that aligns with one’s individual values and desires, rather than succumbing to external pressures.
Drawing from her own experience, Wilson shares how she navigated the complexities of marriage, motherhood, and personal fulfillment to build a life that felt authentic to her. She concludes by urging women to embrace the multitude of paths available to them and to craft their own unique collage of experiences and choices.
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Author Video Description
That decade between a woman’s 25th and 35th birthday is where she makes most of her life defining decisions– I call this The Everything Era. The Everything Era represents a woman’s most foundational life years… It’s the time for us to set the tone for our identities, our careers, our homes, and our families. And yet, we are currently separated by only ONE generation of women who still had to have a man’s permission in the U.S. to have a bank account! While these outdated ways have thankfully expired, we are now coming up against a lot of pressure to make ALL of our decisions within a 10 year window! Before we can decide what we want our lives to look like, we need to question our thoughts and beliefs – and WHO they came from. Are these people who we want deciding the direction of our lives? I believe there are three questions every woman can ask herself to get more connected to the life she actually wants: (1) WHAT do I think I’m “supposed to do” (2) WHO told me it has to be this way? (3) Are they right? The more I looked around at the actual women in my life that I admired- and saw how they were putting their lives together in many different ways that were beautiful and specifically suited to them, the more I was able to see that there was room for me to do the same in my own Everything Era. This is what I want for everyone. “I’m Stephanie May Wilson and through my books, courses, and podcast, I help women take off the pressure of what they think their lives are supposed to look like by now — and then intentionally, confidently, and authentically build the life they actually want to live. My biggest passion is helping women navigate some of the major life transitions so many of us experience in our 20s and 30s…
Being single and getting into a relationship, getting engaged and then married, changing jobs, moving to a new city, and (this is the HUGE transition I’ve been going through lately!)… becoming a mom.
I’m here to be a mentor, a friend, a guide, and a cheerleader. I’m here to tell you that you’re not alone in what you’re going through, and that you WILL make it through.
I’m also here to equip you with as many resources as possible to help you not only survive these gigantic transitions, but truly thrive. (My favorite is the Girls Night Podcast!)” This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
About TEDxTalks
TEDx is an international community that organizes TED-style events anywhere and everywhere — celebrating locally-driven ideas and elevating them to a global stage. TEDx events are produced independently of TED conferences, each event curates speakers on their own, but based on TED’s format and rules.
Video “Unlocking Your 20’s and 30s: 3 Questions to Create the Life You Want | Stephanie Wilson | TEDxUSD” was uploaded on 05/08/2024 to Youtube Channel TEDx Talks