Before it became a popular buzzword, resilience was an adjective used to describe goldfish or tires, something that didn’t need much taking care of. Even the dictionary says that resilience is about the “ability to return to the original shape.” Isn’t that a little ridiculous? How can we possibly be expected to return to our original shape when our lives fall apart? Don’t we want to allow ourselves to be altered by disruption, setbacks or change? Isn’t adaptation—a true change—something to celebrate in a rapidly changing world and workplace? In this talk, Nora McInerny uses stories from her own life and her podcast to introduce a new definition of resilience, one that acknowledges the changes we didn’t choose.

How are you? Nora McInerny wants to know the truth. As the creator and host of the podcasts “Terrible, Thanks For Asking” & “It’s Going To Be OK,” and the TED speaker known for her viral talk, “We Don’t Move On From Grief, We Move Forward With It,” Nora McInerny specializes in making space for emotional honesty and difficult conversations. From her bestselling memoirs and essay collections to her pieces in The New York Times, TIME magazine and The Washington Post, Nora’s work regularly touches on topics many would rather not discuss — death, loss, illness, mental health, trauma and change — with disarming wit and earnest candor.
Drawing on her personal experiences with grief — Nora lost her husband, second pregnancy and father within a few weeks of each other — and her years of interviewing people who have lived through their own terrible experiences, Nora’s unforgettable talks inspire audiences to face and conquer any obstacle — with the strength that comes from knowing that we are not alone.
Though Nora addresses challenging and uncomfortable topics, she does so with a light touch. Her disarming humor and wit break down the barriers that often isolate people who are going through adversity and change. Whether Nora is presenting a keynote or participating in moderated Q&A sessions, she creates interactive one-of-a-kind multimedia presentations tailored to her audience, giving everyone new tools to help them connect more deeply with themselves and with each other.