The Cow Dung Moment: Finding Joy in Life’s Messiest Challenges | Aalya Tandon | TEDxPine Lake Youth
In her heartfelt and humorous TEDx talk, Aalya Tandon shares a childhood story from India that turned an unpleasant moment—stepping in cow dung—into a lasting lesson on resilience. Through her sister’s simple wisdom, “Take a breath. Get over it. Let’s go get ice cream,” Aalya reveals how small shifts in perspective can help us bounce back from life’s unexpected messes.
Blending personal storytelling with research from the CDC, Harvard Medical School, and stress reduction studies, Aalya introduces her “Ice Cream Method”:
Pause and Breathe – stop the spiral.Find the Sweet – notice or create a moment of joy.Keep Moving – clean up, let go, and move forward.Her message is clear: resilience doesn’t mean avoiding hardships—it means learning to carry on without letting one bad moment define us. With warmth, humor, and relatability, Aalya reminds us that life is full of both beauty and “cow dung,” but joy is always waiting just a little further down the road—if we choose to keep walking.
Aalya Tandon, a thirteen-year-old Eastside Prep student, has played piano since age five and has composed and recorded three pieces, with a fourth in progress. Her literary interests span fiction by authors such as J.K. Rowling, Enid Blyton, and Chris Colfer, as well as motivational works like "Chicken Soup for the Soul". Academically, Aalya is engaged in writing a research paper and actively participates in debate, having qualified for nationals three times. Her extracurricular activities also include piano, dance, and serving as a student ambassador for her school. A passionate traveler, Aalya has visited nineteen countries around the world. 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
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