You. Are. Enough. | Shantae Edwards | TEDxHerndon

“I am enough”. This affirmation creates a feeling of pride, a feeling of hope, a feeling that releases imperfections. This is a shift in the conversation of standing in your truth, and owning that regardless of the odds against you, your past or your failures, you matter, you are enough and the world needs you, because the fact will always remain that no one can do or be you.
Shantae J. Edwards, is a native of Chicago, first of seven children, and first-generation college graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is passionate about exposure, education, college access and media awareness for youth. She is the Digital Outreach and Engagement Director with The Future Project, Inc. where she works with the team who believes in all people living a life full of passion and purpose.
Shantae’s the founder of I AM D.O.P.E., Inc. (Dreaming Of Possibilities Everyday), a self-empowerment and story-sharing enterprise. A platform designed to create narratives to save humanity, one story at a time through workshops, speaking engagements, blog writing and transformative programing. She is a "Certified Passion Pusher" and inspirational speaker, using self-expression and empowerment to change the world one high-five at a time.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

[@shaneladd100]

I am enough I am enough I am ENOUGH I am deserving of LOVE I am constantly attracting love I am always hopeful I am AMAZING because I am me and that is ENOUGH much love everyone we are ENOUGH

[@MrPurpledin0]

who said you were amazing / deserving of love.

[@prestonmoore9996]

@@MrPurpledin0 Herself and the 122 people who liked her comment. But let's go deeper. The moment your born you are enough. Because you just are. I am enough. Lets go further. Who is I. Who do you think you see when you look in the mirror. The flesh or the soul within the flesh. Look into your eyes and you'll see the true I. The eyes are the window to the soul.

[@djurraca927]

Yes you are

[@LesIsMoreFilms]

🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️you are pathetic 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@en3503]

I love the way she delivers her speech. I really believe her.

[@symmitch6063]

The way she puts emphasis on 'you' hits me. It's like a big reminder that you are something special, you are worth it. We forget these things

[@thusterm]

I had many options to choose from for analyzing a speech and i chose your video because just the title alone resonated with me. Then I watched and this is one of the most beautiful speeches I have heard. Thank you because i may be doing this for some homework but your speech did more for me then just a homework assignment. MUCH LOVE!

[@Cha4k]

Thats what my parents said when they adopted me. They picked me up, Shrugged, and mumbled "Good enough"

[@MissMillennial]

Love you Shantae! You have such a beautiful speaking voice + powerful words. You are an inspiration to me. Congrats girlie. Wicked proud of you.

[@michaelthehuman3981]

What trips me out is 1) how I'm 23 and just now watching this and 2) how I've subconsciously associated myself with friends who, although are fun to be around, make me realize how not "enough" I was or am for them because of how much I have to reach out to them in order to feel like I am "enough". I'm starting another delivery job after loosing my job last year and one of the first feelings I have going into it is how desire for money in order to get this psychological closure feels like such a mental prison even though I feel the need to make up for the loss of money. I'm just thinking about 1) how will I feel once I get that check, will this job be all that I am enough for? And 2) how can this really be enough when I can get more? Idk why this video has me reevaluating my life, smh.

[@rahkingsungod2728]

I didn’t know.... my mentor, my sister, my heart!!! I love her so much!!! This was DOPE!!!!!!!

[@KeeKster_07]

That’s my Professor y’all 🗣‼️‼️‼️

[@qumayy3017]

i have read somewhere that "dont compare your inside with other peoples outside"

[@koloosprite5981]

I literally cried when she said you are enough but felt more powerful afterwards

[@Nevarek_]

1:14 look how happy these people are, if even just for a moment...

[@nicktsardoulias2771]

Had to watch this for a speech class in College and it was rather enjoyable and powerful. She did a good job!

[@user-rf6yq8zx3s]

It is not unloved or no one cares for you... When this madness comes to your mind, thinking you are not enough - that is when you will take whatever is given to you. And often you would be confused between abuse for love. And you try to justify abuse for love. I've been beaten, taken advantage of, lied to verbally abused and my mind thinks it is okay. I deserved it. Soon in time, I would rise from all of these but now I'm still stuck in the sea of sorrow and despair. I know I would be fine.

[@abhigurtifernandes5308]

How are you buddy?

[@eugeniamikulan3328]

she's awsoomeeeeeeee

[@RawwafOfficial]

what a wonderful person. Your idea is concert and can not possibly be anything else but true. Thank you for digging in your experienced life and presenting a pure fruit out of it. I am looking forward for your future ideas and presentations. I would suggest opening a youtube channel to be your stage of greatness. Best go luck. Rawaf Alkharji,,

[@tamishajohnson981]

So so much given in those words..it was more than enough. So grateful. Thank you.

[@jessicafraser9314]

Anyone else hurting because it’s true

[@GulnaraOmar]

Awesome motivation, Shantae! I loved how you suggest to soften the phrase " I am not good enough", by "I am not good enough yet." .. You are a passionate and inspiring story-teller. Thank you so much!

[@emmqmora]

This video appears in perfect timing❤️

[@lilianoliveira5027]

Why a beautiful speech👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 thank you!

[@sumittanwar9438]

Im crying and saying i am enough...

[@TheKatrinaRuthShow]

This is great! Thank you for sharing about 'I am enough'

[@fatimamohammad5866]

At age of eighteen, after a mistake, someone sent a text "you think doing this made you cool? It showed you have no personality" I still remember it

[@commanderjames806]

I feel that to my core

[@user-nk4ed6tq4k]

Why talking about it ur not the centre of this world we all did awkward stuff and got scolded for doing it !

[@fatimamohammad5866]

@@user-nk4ed6tq4k I may not be the center of your world but I am in mine, and you are right it won't matter if I put it out there, same as your reply but we human have the urge to put our two cents in every opportunity we get because it relieves us that someone else knows too

[@user-nk4ed6tq4k]

@@fatimamohammad5866 May be ur right but you have to know that what happened to you ridiculously common among teenagers..I thought you should move on and take off that ego who you are to not get beaten by this mean life يعني ماكانت مستاهلة انك تجيبي سيرة انت مش شهيدة التنمر والموقف بيحصل كل يوم لاي حد !

[@siennapayne9485]

​@@user-nk4ed6tq4k I'm sorry you are hurting so much that you feel the need to hurt others

[@livingholistically1485]

If we just accept enough is an adjective and not a noun we would never say we are not enough. We would just get more skills and that feeling goes away. Also knowing God completes the shortfall. He can give us the confidence we lack to continue our development.

[@Shrek-pu8uu]

Amazing, thank you so much!

[@men1100tim]

very powerfull thank you! This video works. Because i realeaze i dont give MYSELF enough. Its always the critics of the other. It even make me scared. Now things will not be this anymore!!

[@miescuelitadecolores9889]

beautiful💙💙💙 Thank you 😭💙🙏

[@ostringfellow0]

I truly enjoyed your segment beautifully spoken!!!!!

[@KennyDacko333]

In tears, I love this

[@RecklessInspirer]

Thank you ♥️

[@vika2162]

It’s like i had the best hug ever. 😍😍😍

[@KennyDacko333]

Her words will echo on into eternity

[@simoneevans7248]

This was amazing !! Thank you

[@SoulSearch11110]

Beautiful

[@SHADOW-bg4mm]

Thank you

[@osibosi99]

You are just amazing

[@akkkiyamma1206]

This is amazing thank you very much.!

[@briannawilliams5603]

Loved this

[@Divicati]

You Are Enough Baby 💓

[@ashmeadali]

Sing HU daily to open your heart to love yourself and all of life, unconditionally, as God does. HU app shows how.

[@simplyredislandgirl]

Interesting!👍

[@arlinegeorge6967]

Great talk . so heart felt soul encouraging other souls I am enough. Thank you, bless you. All your dreams come true.

[@restinaaprilianti4798]

WOW

[@theoxymoron8793]

Really good work Shantae

[@nataliedvorak7692]

Trying to focus on what makes me unique is so hard when you've been told all your life that you are nothing special. How do I know that a part of me is truly unique? How do I know Im not just lying to myself saying I'm special when I'm really not? How do I forgive myself for not being enough? How do I believe it?

[@caro1280]

You are not alone with this thoughts and questions

[@sje9903]

Natalie these questions are valid. The painful part is detaching from what others told you and creating the narrative that speaks true for you. It's taking the time to reflect on what you have heard and reframing it to what you choose to hear. It's shedding and creating boundaries that support your overall wellbeing and allowing for the truth to be what you create it to be. It's a slow process, yet it starts with the questions you've posed, the ones that keep you up at night and greet you in the morning. What does your enoughness look like, if you could create it, what truth would you want to be known about you that no matter what anyone else says, it is your truth in the end? You are worthy of exploration, curiosity, joy, and a happiness. Gift yourself grace, you are worthy of being kind to your past and embracing the future you see possible. Thank you for taking the time to experience my talk. I appreciate you beautiful human. -sje

[@sje9903]

@@caro1280 and you are not alone. You are too worthy of exploring the narratives that ring true for you. The same thing I shared in my response to Natalie, I share with you. Who are you when no one is looking? Who do you choose to be? It's a process. Be kind to you. I appreciate you beautiful human for experiencing my talk.

[@briannaphillips1195]

❤️

[@jollygood9071]

i don't get it. channel 4mil. but video just 1k views. whats up?

[@LesIsMoreFilms]

Because it's an empty speech

[@eloisekendall1470]

I don’t feel like I’m not enough but that I am too much

[@totowashere]

She's giving a speech, not taking to us. That's why, however true and inspiring her words are, they don't land with me, because it doesn't feel vulnerable or authentic.

[@SilverySiren]

Yes, plus all the screaming...

[@sje9903]

Toto I appreciate your honesty. That day I delivered that speech, I wasn't present in my authenticity. I was battling self-doubt, a broken heart both personally and professionally. I was not whole. I had a message to deliver and it was presented knowing that it would come from me yet the place I was in was not in a place of truly feeling enough, in that moment. Honestly it was as if I was trying to remind myself that I too mattered, and was enough. Thank you for experiencing my talk. I appreciate you beautiful human.

[@sje9903]

@@SilverySiren Just as I shared with toto, I agree. It was not my authentic self given what I was battling internally. It was during a time of true sadness and honestly it was something that had me cringe often after watching the recording. Even in the midst of delivering these words I was broken. I appreciate you experiencing my talk beautiful human.

[@hypnosis9616]

I like what she says just not the way she says it. Her way of public speaking :/

[@KelliesKitchen]

Hypnosis I love they way she talks it reminds me of a charter named Bismuth from Steven Universe

[@AMReed8]

Ditto.

[@gianfrancow2850]

love chocolate made filosophy

[@mabururozu5954]

sorry but I don't have any reasoning to support why I am enough

[@logtube12]

You exist. You exist for a reason. If you didn't matter, you would have never existed. I love you friend♡

[@siennapayne9485]

You exist. You are here. That is enough. I know you may not feel it, but you are. Your life is beautiful even if you don't realize it. Much love to you ❤️

[@aidangutierrez5736]

she kinda sounds like clash...

[@god0fgames100]

Good energy but she needs to take a public speaking course because the random changes in volume are jarring and cringe. Not to mention her reading from an ipad rather than having it memorized lowers the impact of her words because she isnt looking the audience in the eyes. She also needs to ditch the poor attempts at humor because it comes off too `my fellow kids`. Other than that though, its a great message and I enjoyed the talk overall.

[@user-nk4ed6tq4k]

Empty speech!

[@hellothere7824]

Why yelling so much? OMG

[@callmeviper7723]

its cringe

[@callmeviper7723]

This was a bad speech. It reached cringe levels. She was practically screaming at times.

[@msushi98]

Chef Carl Casper People express themselves in different ways. This was her way :)

[@blaakcoffee]

Then get off the video silly!

[@solacegold2227]

Beautiful