Beauty is in the brain of the beholder | Todd Fink | TEDxNaperville

[@josuelepiere]

I legit have to check my conditioning every day to see the TRUE beauty in this world, otherwise I would miss out completely

[@darrellrussell7259]

I feel you on that one, I am the same tbh

[@kenoxfps8598]

the world is a beautiful place, if you want it to be

[@kenanxo7384]

perception is very important in todays world

[@TRIGO_ALLINE]

sometimes I feel like I can only see the bad in things

[@dunstanbondura3363]

most people are in the same as you are

[@novasux5681]

It's so obvious to me that unrealistic standards of beauty are pushed on us in order to make us insecure so we buy things we don't need, and it makes me sad when I see young women who have just fallen in to this trap. I am sharing this talk and I hope many people watch it!

[@MichaelToddFink]

so true! if we weren't conditioned to constantly feel incomplete, we wouldn't be good consumers. when we get what we want, that moment of peace is merely a glimpse of our true nature when the seeking ceases. thanks for sharing!

[@natalyaguilerafigueroa]

yes, agree, and thanks for sending this to me!

[@janetsplace1953]

How true Nova, beauty is they say is skin deep.

[@estebanreyes5043]

Yes, and especially in women, it creates a lot of insecurity. How unfortunate that in these times things like this are still seen

[@joseducatti3942]

nice comment

[@jonasblix]

This is such a healthy take on how people should actually look, think, and feel about themselves.

[@laycienega]

what a vibe and aesthetic with a pure message

[@diywithderby6069]

Life is as good as you make it seem

[@DrishtiRaval17]

I really like the positivity from everyone

[@tuckerr2165]

good vibes everywhere

[@zelmacastricone1228]

A great message that you do not want to miss out on

[@yaboimike940]

I felt this video on a whole other level, so glad I had the opportunity to watch it

[@zackpinonet]

"perfectionism is a type of anxiety." Well damn. That's something I've never thought of but makes so much sense to me.

[@MichaelToddFink]

right?! because the perfectionism leads to avoidance, the hallmark of anxiety.

[@michealrighini]

Everyone and everything is beautiful when viewed with a brain filled with love.

[@MichaelToddFink]

i love that! 🙏🙏

[@grazynaparadowska1306]

So happy I stopped and listened to this articulate talk. Thanks Todd.

[@MichaelToddFink]

thanks!

[@grazynaparadowska1306]

@@MichaelToddFink welcome...

[@svetlanavstarceva]

I regret not learning to play an instrument as it clearly brings more beauty to Todd's life.

[@MichaelToddFink]

never too late to learn ;) but yes creating music is beautiful and soothes my soul 🙏🙏

[@audreylstamford]

"self-imposed pressure" is a loaded term in this conversation. On the one hand, yes, it is self-imposed in the sense that no one should be putting any pressure on you to look a certain way... on the other hand when you live in a society that is so over-saturated with images of 'perfect' bodies and faces the pressure feels like it's coming at you from everywhere, all at once.

[@MichaelToddFink]

very good point! and so many of our definitions of self or sense of identity is based on projections from society.

[@cedrickdroui]

"If we can no longer accept and appreciate imperfection in our art how can we accept and appreciate imperfection in ourselves?" A very good question, makes me worry for future generations.

[@MichaelToddFink]

me too! i don't think young people get to fail enough and get gritty enough

[@mdsamsuzzaman2588]

I think you find as you get older that beauty is inside. Beauty is a feeling - to feel peaceful and happy and want someone else to feel that feeling - that itself is beautiful.

[@randompi9492]

I love the bit at the 13:21 where he talked about how his heart banjo will continue after him.

[@williammathews1648]

The title of this talk is profound and packs a knock our punch, thanks Todd.

[@butterflyaffect]

'whereas art decorates space, music decorates time' - as a musician, I'm surprised I never thought about it that way!

[@MichaelToddFink]

thanks for appreciate that! it's such a magical way for us musicians to think of sharing our gift :)

[@buddabuxby]

What he said at the 5:07 mark was very interesting "perfectionism is a type of anxiety" never considered that.

[@blaircailean]

'impermanence can strike unexpectedly' - Todd has a fantastic way with words!

[@MichaelToddFink]

thanks! since time is so vast, we can be deluded by pockets of seeming stability.

[@jacey-morgan]

Todd is dreamy af so the fact he is making a point of doing what he's doing says a lot of where we are within society right now - doing better for all of us!

[@MichaelToddFink]

thank you Jacey! you play the flute? :)

[@ularesser]

Imperfection turns into adoration when you see the warmth and vulnerabilities of humans, and their character is appreciated.

[@thegutcheck]

With a title like this I was hooked from the start.

[@MichaelToddFink]

thanks for checking it out!

[@sepchaster]

Bravo Todd that meditation and music have brought more beauty to your life.

[@MichaelToddFink]

thank you!

[@CharlesKeaton1]

Wide eyes, full cheeks, and a refined nose are essential features of a good looking face. However, facial beauty is more than the sum of these parts. It’s about how all your facial features come together. How your eyes, nose, mouth, cheeks, and jaw just look perfect relative to each other. It’s all about proportions and symmetry.❤😎

[@1misscookas]

And the wise peacefully touch the world with their knowing whispers. They are not loud. They do not need to shout to be heard. They just blow in like the wind and touch us, for a moment. How beautiful this wind was. Thank you for it. ✨

[@MichaelToddFink]

your comment is a beautiful poem 🙏😊 thank you Brooke!

[@cliftonwilliams7489]

What he talks about around the minute mark is super interesting. I used to see a lot of local bands play and afterwards whenever they would talk about their set and say 'oh we screwed this up though it wasn't meant to sound like that.' a lot of those times it sounded better than what it was meant to! Kinda like it was the perfect alteration for the energy in the room that night, which is so much of what music should be!

[@MichaelToddFink]

i like how you said "perfect alteration for the energy in the room" because that's it! there's more to the performance than the notes. composer John Cage had a famous piece called 4' 33" which was 4 minutes and 33 seconds of silence but he was trying to illustrate that something unique was still happening. the first night it was "performed" there was rain on the roof, percussion.

[@hildashaw302]

Such a great talk, Todd. I listened this two times today. Always finding a good message. Thank you. God bless you.

[@MichaelToddFink]

thank you for your kindness!

[@julie-chan]

Only a being with a pure and beautiful heart could bring this out to the world like you have Todd, thank you !!

[@iamtherealyesman]

Life is a process! Definitely agree with you there Todd and learning to love yourself and the way you look when society seems dead set on telling you otherwise is also a process, and very achievable!

[@savannahdiego]

This is a really wholesome approach to a subject that can often make people feel pretty bad about themselves. Nice one Todd.

[@budwebb]

I surely will share your wisdom and music with others, thanks Todd.

[@MichaelToddFink]

thank you Bud!

[@thecurenotthesymptom]

The selfie story mannnn.... I have witnessed similar things and it breaks my heart because I think it's more about who gets to see the selfie afterwards, that makes people, especially young girls, so self-critical. I only send mine to people who love me so much they would think I looked beautiful if I was pulling my best goblin face and honestly I think those are the only people you should be sending selfies to.

[@josephandris6148]

yep, that was a key one

[@shystrshystr]

Wonderful talk, thank you Todd for your truth!

[@steeveleibold531]

Completely agree Todd! How you feel about yourself plays such a huge part of how you're perceived.

[@skyec8562]

Steve, I love this. Thank you for sharing it with me!

[@MichaelToddFink]

thank you Steeve! and accepting ourselves is half the battle :)

[@georgenotbest]

There are so many interesting expressions and bits of wisdom in this video.

[@teclio7379]

Yes Todd, so true, and we are our own harshest critics and biggest bullies.

[@jihankurdish6876]

Someone with an exceedingly gorgeous external appearance, with a heart of gold, sweet as can be forgiving nature, whos eyes sparkle, and whos smile lights up a room, something that leaves you in awe and wonder reminding you of pure and utter perfection.

[@mdkamrujjaman5852]

Beauty isn't just superficial, and is actually a key part of how we understand and interact with the world around us. Beauty infuses our inner life and helps us form relationships with our environment, from food to landscape to art, and even with each other.

[@henrycrespo9749]

That was terrific and thanks for the moment have a great day and I hope you all feel like you are beautiful. You are Beautiful.

[@MichaelToddFink]

glad you liked it! thanks :)

[@ismailhossen9805]

When you smile or laugh, your face looks younger and prettier. A straight and refined nose balances out the rest of your face while you’re smiling and adds beauty to your happy face.

[@MichaelToddFink]

yes a happy face is beautiful!

[@PaulaLSmith-vi1hi]

It’s not about the clothing, the hair, the make-up. It’s about the way her smile radiates warmth, or how she dances when she’s excited, no matter who’s watching.

[@thomaspowell3rd]

Definitely sharing this in the hopes that some of my friends will see it.

[@joemurray1664]

Finding an inner peace, being present and knowing your true self creates true beauty. Taking time to understand and love your true nature, and not focusing on other people’s appearance and possessions, allows you to experience and radiate beauty.

[@marinamarini547]

Todd, your perceptions are truly a gift! Thank you for this wonderful talk!

[@karakims8239]

Agree 100% beauty is a concept that exists uniquely in each of our brains. Our filters are different and change over time.

[@junipruit]

I'm such a huge fan of incorporating music into TED talks. Makes it really easy to connect with the speaker and remember the message they're trying to get across

[@alisonjanicewhite]

I am so, so so SO glad I grew up when I did, and that I never had to feel that social media pressure as a teenager. It's already so hard to figure yourself out.

[@teddybearlemaire]

Watching this talk was a delight because Todd's energy is very soothing.

[@deorasarvan4967]

When coming to the debate, the brain has an upper say over beauty. The inner beauty of the person can make one succeed, but the external looks alone cannot excel in life. Brain undoubtedly has the stronger domination to rule the world in comparison to the external outlook and beauty.❤

[@noahjerted]

The connections he makes between the tools we have for making the perfect selfie and auto-tuning songs is pretty interesting! Only we know how we want something to look or sound so it does seem bizarre how much we can agonise over making it perfect when it probably comes across as wonderful anyway, especially to the people who love us.

[@MichaelToddFink]

thanks! and producer Brian Eno talked about how past mechanical failures become sought after sounds in music. distortion is the sound of a speaker failing for example.

[@busterbeansishere]

came for the bango and stayed for the message. wow

[@beverlystillwater]

This man has such a beautiful, calm energy. Will definitely be re-watching this one.

[@MichaelToddFink]

much appreciation!

[@belenbel1181]

You can carry a lot of your worry and stress on your forehead and it shows up as forehead wrinkles. A wrinkled forehead makes it look like you’re stressed out or living an unhealthy lifestyle even if you’re not. This can make your face look tired, angry or less beautiful to others.

[@iamlaylathomas]

'the endangered aesthetic of imperfection' was a phrase he used that weirdly resonated with me.

[@MichaelToddFink]

glad it resonated :) i think of this topic as endangered aesthetics and the future of beauty

[@gemi10togood]

What a rare gem to come across. So beautiful!

[@MichaelToddFink]

thanks! glad you found it!

[@rawirinikau]

What a beautiful and unique story teller you are Todd! 😊

[@MichaelToddFink]

thank you for saying that because i love telling stories!

[@danikaiser6508]

I so wanted to be there to see this live and sad to have not been there. Cannot get enough MTF wisdom. “Art decorates space, music decorates time and therefore needs to be flowing..” “Accepting unpleasant events in life as incomplete, leads to seeing the bigger picture.” That’s deep and I’m still digesting it all (I have a slow processor 😉). But also, I needed to hear “living life like it’s everyone else’s last day”. I learned so much from your latest on KindMind about forgiveness, but I really needed to hear that. Thanks for spreading kindness and love.

[@toddfink8347]

those were some of my favorite moments to share in the talk. thank you Dani! i am happy that this and the podcast resonates :)

[@IPlayLofiTunes]

This is such a beautiful message Todd and I love that you've added a musical element. Music and beauty are so inexorably connected

[@angrybeagles4108]

"until recently there wasn't even the means to reject oneself for 15 minutes straight." This had me in absolute stitches.

[@edolieshars]

I wish more people understood this about themselves, so much of how we are perceived is based on our confidence and happiness within ourselves.

[@geriovermire6746]

The irony is, others think a person looks more beautiful on the outside when it’s really beauty that comes from the inside.❤

[@peoplepower100]

Inner beauty shines through to the outer as well. If you're a joyous person whose at peace within themselves and able to share that joy with others it's very attractive.

[@justinberdand]

not what I was expecting but even better!

[@suebakernottly]

I know!

[@itsmesamrendall]

This is such an insightful talk. It's a little scary how tech and social media are driving us toward the pursuit of perfection.

[@MichaelToddFink]

even when we know an image or video is doctored, it still affects us. our psychology still responds to it.

[@nancymorsay9624]

Oh wow- perfection can happen again, imperfection can not. This talk is utterly mind shaking and I am so grateful I came across it.

[@MichaelToddFink]

yes sometimes imperfection can be so rare it only happens once. thanks for watching!

[@billywalters5469]

oh bless him. there is a real need for us to be more accepting of each other and ourselves. Looking forward to seeing this gentleman's other projects, sounds like a really humble being.

[@MichaelToddFink]

thanks for the blessing Billy! hope you can check out the other videos or my podcast (Kind Mind)

[@samanthakatzalay]

Absolutely and the fact that we've been brainwashed into thinking a 'certain type' of body or face is the most desirable brings nothing but misery for those who aren't 'naturally' bless with those features.

[@natashaislier]

Yes and our personal standards of beauty should be based on what we find aesthetically pleasing, starting with ourselves! 🥰

[@MichaelToddFink]

and i wonder if people would use technology to set beauty levels in their brain

[@samsuzzamansagor2441]

Beauty has the power to spawn aspiration and passion, thus becoming the impetus to achieve our dreams. In our professional lives as fashion designers, we often deal with beauty as a physical manifestation. But beauty can also be an emotional, creative and deeply spiritual force.

[@vladkarchenko]

Finding the love inside, pretty challenging when the external is the focus.

[@mattiesanders5102]

Every generation struggles with striving for an ideal. From the full-figured hourglass shape to the waif look to the lean, athletic look - what the “ideal” is seems to always change. The list of attributes one can fixate on can be endless, but there are some that never go away.

[@MichaelToddFink]

yes the imaginary goal post is always moving. now there's even a computer-generated ideal

[@therealmariorossi]

Absolutely and a huge part of it is confidence too!

[@liamnneely]

There is something so powerful about hearing raw music... I don't know how else to put it, but I think Todd will know what I mean. Something unpolished, acoustic, live gigs in pubs... the feeling that it evokes is amazing and the conspiracy theorist in me wants to talk about how and why that's being destroyed through auto tuning and overly produced recordings... but I'll restrain myself.

[@lesliecrossI]

Fantastically unique Ted talk!

[@MichaelToddFink]

thank you Leslie!

[@phyllismknapp6038]

I am so moved. Thank you

[@MichaelToddFink]

grateful to know the message inspired you!

[@cattunes]

Beauty is imperfection though. It's the little blemishes and differences that captivate us and make us want to keep looking

[@justinerather]

Oh Todd you have such a beautiful energy and spirit, so awesome to see you sharing it on this platform.

[@MichaelToddFink]

thanks for the kind words Justine! hope you can check out the other videos and looking forward to sharing more on this platform :)

[@declanmackenzie0001]

I like how he incorporates music as a way to emphasize what he's saying. very cool talk!

[@madisongrace9146]

A friend of mine just shared this and I'm glad I took the time to watch it.... not sure how I'll go putting this stuff in to practice but it is a lovely state of mind to work towards.

[@KimMiner]

Smile-ing, rain-ing, LOVE-ING... not things, but processes

[@toddfink8347]

the world is made up of more verbs than nouns :))) thank you for being there!

[@IAmTheRealJoker]

I think it's the classic thing of when something new becomes widely available people tend to overdo it. It's still somewhat of a novelty to be able to edit and filter your face so that you look airbrushed and amazing at all times but I think there is an inherent craving for authenticity and I'm hopeful that we'll return to that place

[@jennick4311]

I've been having so many discussions about this lately! About how we see ourselves and how that changes over the years... I'm so glad to be in my 30's and well over the need to 'look good' all the time.

[@znonemper5519]

Todd, thanks so much for this. Please keep on spreading your light! 💫✌🏼🌟

[@toddfink8347]

thanks for the support and encouragement Toni!

[@1martinarose1]

I really like this too, love me the Banjo!

[@officialsefrey]

i wish more ted talks were like this !!

[@leotencall]

The 6:53 mark is pretty spot on

[@parksungwoo4730]

Thanks for the memorable image of our seniors as barns leaning over in their advanced years.

[@MichaelToddFink]

i can see how that could sound insensitive. i do think part of the anxiety of this era is the obsession with not "looking" old. the Jungian archetype for the old woman is the crone, the waning moon returning to the mother earth. all the resistance to what's natural obscures the beauty and obfuscates the storehous of wisdom. my body is declining in the second half of life. i'm not going to hide that.

[@rabiasalas7410]

“Until recent times, there wasn’t even the means to reject oneself for 15 minutes straight”. This line hit me so hard

[@shiasmarglent8554]

Love your work Todd! Your podcast is a personal favourite of mine.

[@MichaelToddFink]

thanks for listening to the kind mind podcast Shia!

[@rahataleem6544]

This talk is amazing, so much to think about and ruminate on, thank you Todd.

[@MichaelToddFink]

thank you! yes when we contemplate and let ideas sprout in us, then we can really transform and make wisdom our own!

[@theonlyway977]

Why has this got so few views, this is a gem. great music great points!

[@dustinprichards]

I have so many gal pals who are insecure in this way, the smoothie selfie story could have been any of them. Definitely sharing this one and hopefully they'll see it, because it doesn't matter how matter times someone else tells them they're beautiful.

[@danabailey3887]

I'd love to boast about how I've never done that but what's the point in lying? Such an easy trap to fall in to, but I'm trying to shift my mindset towards self acceptance. Thank you for this affirmation Todd, all of this helps.

[@MichaelToddFink]

same! almost impossible not to be affected or influenced by the cultural and media pressures but agree self acceptance is a path to contentment. thanks!

[@rubusberry]

On imperfection, impermanence, and incompleteness: “Perhaps our outlook matters more than the outcome. If we can consciously look through these aesthetic lenses, we might just share a vision of a more beautiful world; and experience the inner beauty of self acceptance and the freedom of an unencumbered mind”. -Todd Fink ❤️🙏🏼🦊

[@trustfactornow]

I wish it hadn't taken me so long to watch this, what a breath of fresh air.

[@MichaelToddFink]

thanks Rubus Mary, life is beautiful

[@electicbd2249]

It improves your self-confidence when you are more beautiful than other individuals. According to studies, applying minimal makeup boosts people's confidence by making them feel more beautiful.

[@danlasson333]

Happy to have met you. Shared this with my family!

[@n9zmn]

Hi Todd. So cool to discover you in a different space! One thing reminded me of what my voice tutor once said: “The thing most distinctive; what we remember about an artist we admire are the tiny imperfections, the slight sharps and flats they might think mis-articulated. These are what beauty and uniqueness are made of.” And “The silent parts of the song are as much a part of it as the sung.” Thanks Todd. Peace and Love, Andy.

[@silviapalagi]

Great insights into the world around. New job titles are now being called Creators on social media. They work in Creator mode technology and it does it for you. Once you know how to use it of course.

[@MichaelToddFink]

wow that's a trip! i appreciate the watch and response :)

[@philr.henson4329]

There is beauty in everyone and taking the time to look a little deeper will also unlock your beauty within. Find what it means to you and live it.😎

[@pierremartinetto]

This is a wonderful message you're spreading here Todd, and so important for young people to hear this kind of stuff.

[@TrishKinnavy]

Todd you are awesome! Thank you for your insight and deep wisdom.

[@toddfink8347]

thanks Trish! much appreciation for our friendship :)

[@jaradpd]

This is a really lovely talk Todd, I found a lot of beauty in it 😉😊

[@abradisme]

I'm so glad I didn't grow up with access to a camera at all times, I seriously shudder to think about what my self esteem would have been like

[@josephandris6148]

me too!

[@annelucas9631]

"Accepting unpleasant events in our life or in the world as incomplete, leads to seeing the bigger picture and the ability to solve problems from an elevated perspective." - thanks for an insightful discourse!