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Always Bring Your Whole Self (w/ Heather Havrilesky) | How to Be a Better Human, a TED Podcast

Heather Havrilesky is the author of the book Foreverland: On the Divine Tedium of Marriage. She’s also the writer behind the advice columns “Ask Polly,” and “Ask Molly,” which is written by Polly’s mischievous alterego. In this episode, Heather and Chris navigate how to showcase your whole self – even if it means embracing the…

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Heather Havrilesky is the author of the book Foreverland: On the Divine Tedium of Marriage. She’s also the writer behind the advice columns “Ask Polly,” and “Ask Molly,” which is written by Polly’s mischievous alterego. In this episode, Heather and Chris navigate how to showcase your whole self – even if it means embracing the messy parts – and how leaning into contradictions can make you happier and healthier. They also discuss how most people’s twenties are a disaster, how to write in a way that feels true, and why it’s necessary to laugh at your own ridiculousness.

This is an episode of TED’s How to Be a Better Human podcast. Listen on your favorite podcast app:

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

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The TED Talks channel features talks, performances and original series from the world’s leading thinkers and doers. Subscribe to our channel for videos on Technology, Entertainment and Design — plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. Visit to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more.

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TED’s videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy: . For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at

#TED #TEDTalks #Podcast #HowToBeABetterHuman

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13 Comments

13 Comments

  1. @Sveta-r5n

    June 11, 2025 at 11:09 am

    Hi I love you

    • @AayushiRohilla

      June 11, 2025 at 11:44 am

      Thank you 😅

  2. @anasabidi662

    June 11, 2025 at 11:11 am

    Like if ronaldo is the best player in the history of football

  3. @sooma-ai

    June 11, 2025 at 11:11 am

    Heather Havrilesky discusses embracing your whole self, including contradictions and flaws. She explores writing authentically, balancing personal and public personas, and resisting pressure to become a simplified brand. Havrilesky advocates for bringing your full self to everything you do to find greater happiness and satisfaction.

  4. @TrườngTranvan-t4i

    June 11, 2025 at 11:30 am

    *Anyone in 2013?* 💖

    • @AayushiRohilla

      June 11, 2025 at 11:44 am

      Feaking bots 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

  5. @RoelCandaele

    June 11, 2025 at 11:47 am

    True 😘💓🫶

  6. @LadyJ1111

    June 11, 2025 at 12:00 pm

    HEATHER!!!!!! polly molly icon !!!

  7. @LadyJ1111

    June 11, 2025 at 12:01 pm

    heather i adore you. thank you for putting so much love into your work. you have helped me navigate so many different parts of my life. i adore ya

  8. @Islaras

    June 11, 2025 at 1:53 pm

    omg my favorite living writer!!

  9. @mozchick2

    June 11, 2025 at 2:22 pm

    Listening to this woman talk for just 10 minutes I already wanted to buy her book. Shes so genuine and admits to not being perfect which is rare and refreshing. She genuinely seems like a person I would want to be.

  10. @mcricket3326

    June 11, 2025 at 2:27 pm

    I want Urdu caption
    Big audience 230 millions people understand urdu

  11. @BusinessTacticsDaily

    June 11, 2025 at 9:27 pm

    Are we truly being ourselves when we’re constantly trying to meet society’s expectations? Heather Havleski suggests that sometimes, embracing imperfection is the key to happiness. What do you think about living without worrying about others’ judgments? Share your thoughts below!

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What to Do When You’re Told There’s Nothing Left to Try | David Fajgenbaum, Kiah Williams | TED

What do you do when the world declares something impossible? When physician-scientist David Fajgenbaum was dying from a rare disease and social entrepreneur Kiah Williams was confronting the realities of economic hardship, they began asking a different question: What can I do today? In this conversation, they discuss how turning hope into action can drive…

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What do you do when the world declares something impossible? When physician-scientist David Fajgenbaum was dying from a rare disease and social entrepreneur Kiah Williams was confronting the realities of economic hardship, they began asking a different question: What can I do today? In this conversation, they discuss how turning hope into action can drive meaningful change — one step at a time. (This conversation is hosted by The Audacious Project’s Alexandra Tillmann) (Recorded at TEDNext 2025 on November 10, 2025.)

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The TED Talks channel features talks, performances and original series from the world’s leading thinkers and doers. Subscribe to our channel for videos on Technology, Entertainment and Design — plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. Visit to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more.

Watch more:

TED’s videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy: . For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at

#TED #TEDTalks #Change

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Being surrounded by puppies all day and helping people in need? Talk about a DREAM job! #TEDTalks

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Which Idea Wins Over 4,000 People? | Amman | TED Idea Search

The TED Idea Search wraps up in Amman, Jordan, in a 2,000-year-old Roman amphitheater and in front of a crowd of 4,000. What unfolds inside those stone walls is something the series hasn’t quite seen before: speakers shaped by the weight of living in a region the world tends to define for itself. From a…

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The TED Idea Search wraps up in Amman, Jordan, in a 2,000-year-old Roman amphitheater and in front of a crowd of 4,000. What unfolds inside those stone walls is something the series hasn’t quite seen before: speakers shaped by the weight of living in a region the world tends to define for itself. From a mountaineer who turned grief into motivation to a therapist rewriting the Arab world’s language around mental health, the final city makes the strongest case yet that the best ideas can come from anywhere.

Watch the full talks from the TEDxAmman Idea Search:

00:00 – Intro
3:24 – Rehearsals
16:00 – The Talks
36:28 – Deliberation
38:48 – The Winner Is…

The most interesting ideas often come from the most unexpected places. We searched the globe for ideas with the power to inspire, motivate and change lives — and we found them at @TEDx events around the world. The TED Idea Search follows extraordinary speakers from 9 countries competing for a spot on the TED main stage in Vancouver this April.

A WING London production for TED

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The TED Talks channel features the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world’s leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less) — plus originals, podcasts and exclusive content. Look for videos on Technology, Entertainment and Design as well as science, business, global issues, the arts and more. Visit for our entire library, transcripts, translations and personalized recommendations.

TED videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with the TED Talks Usage Policy: . For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), submit a request at

#TED #TEDTalks #TEDIdeaSearch

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