Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable | Tanushri Sriram | TEDxPine Lake Youth
What if the secret to discovering our hidden strengths wasn’t avoiding discomfort, but learning to get comfortable with being uncomfortable?
Tanushri is a 12-year-old middle schooler, student of Indian classical music, black belt in Taekwondo, avid reader, and gamer who believes in the power of curiosity, persistence, and gradual growth.
In this uplifting and relatable talk, Tanushri shows how everyday moments like speaking up in class, trying something new, or going on an exhilarating amusement park ride can transform us when we shift our mindset from fear to curiosity. By simply trying, and taking baby steps into the unfamiliar, we begin to grow stronger, more confident, and more resilient.
She also shares a practical framework of four simple questions that anyone can use to face new challenges:
What’s the WORST thing that will happen if I DO it?What’s the WORST thing that will happen if I DON’T do it?What’s the BEST thing that will happen if I DO it?What’s the BEST thing that will happen if I DON’T do it?Through this lens, she invites us to see discomfort not as something to avoid, but as a guide toward hidden capabilities waiting to be unlocked. Her message is clear: when we practice getting comfortable with being uncomfortable, we discover strengths and possibilities we never knew we had.
Tanushri Sriram is a thoughtful and confident young speaker who inspires others to step outside their comfort zones. Once a shy student who hesitated in raising her hand in class, Tanushri learned that true growth begins with stepping out of one’s comfort zone. Her TEDx talk shares relatable personal moments of placing herself in unfamiliar situations, facing fears with a mindshift change and her subsequent growth. Guided by the mantra, “Get comfortable with being uncomfortable,” she encourages friends and family to try new experiences, make venturesome choices, and find hidden capabilities within themselves. 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
More from TED
- 14:19The social lives of viruses | Asher Leeks | TEDxNewEnglandViruses rely on social interactions for their most fundamental biological processes: reproduction and survival. This dependence means that viruses, just like other life forms, experience the evolutionary forces of cooperation and conflict. However, for viruses, these forces manifest at the molecular level. By exploring the social lives of viruses, we uncover a hidden world of viral diversity and unlock new tools to combat future pandemics.Asher is an incoming assistant professor of evolutionary biology at the University of British Columbia who studies social evolution in viruses. Viruses are intrinsically social organisms; every aspect of the viral lifecycle can be influenced by social interactions, from replication within a cell to transmission between hosts. He uses social evolution theory to understand how these interactions evolve and to predict their clinical consequences.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
- 10:43The potential of the adolescent brain | Anagha Hamsala | TEDxMcfarren Boulevard YouthIn this TEDx talk, Anagha brings us through the neuroscience of growth in adolescents and how heightened neuroplasticity allows teens to intentionally shape who they become through focus, habits, and positive environments. Speaker of The Neuroscience of Potential 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
- 10:26Degree impress but knowledge is endless | Jaspreet Kaur | TEDxASBM UniversityIn this thought-provoking talk, Jaspreet Kaur challenges conventional ideas about education and success. Drawing from personal insights, everyday humor, and real-life examples, she highlights that while degrees open doors, true learning comes from perseverance, adaptability, and the ability to learn from everyone and everything around us. With powerful analogies and stories, she emphasizes that humans are limitless—we can reinvent ourselves, unlearn, and grow at every stage. The message is simple yet profound: success is personal, learning is lifelong, and we hold the power to shape our own journey. An educationist and filmmaker, she serves as Director educational conglomerates and is the founder of a dynamic production house that creates films, documentaries, interactive television, and digital content. A Computer Science Engineer and VFX & Animation expert, she nurtured her passion for storytelling by pursuing filmmaking at the prestigious Vancouver Film School, Canada. With a progressive leadership style, she focuses on empowering educators, fostering student-centric initiatives, and driving innovation across academic and medical institutions, positioning the Group as a hub of creativity, opportunity, and growth. As an educationist, she is deeply committed to creating environments where learning is engaging, inclusive, and future-ready. 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
- 9:46Why did no one warn me? Women's ACL injuries | Isabelle Brown | TEDxFrancisHollandSchoolSloaneSquare5 months ago, I tore my ACL, but could it have been prevented? In this eye-opening talk, I will challenge the assumptions baked into sports medicine: Why aren't young athletes taught to prevent injuries? How can we overcome gendered environments? And can your menstrual cycle play a role? Combining personal experience with sharp insights, I invite you to question the silence, the systems and the science that failed to warn me and countless others. A huge amount of recognition should also go out to Joanne L Parsons, Stephanie E Coen, and Sheree Bekker for their landmark paper on ACL injures: Parsons JL, Coen SE, Bekker S. Anterior cruciate ligament injury: towards a gendered environmental approach. British Journal of Sports Medicine 2021;55:984-990. See: https://www.instagram.com/power_up_to_play/?hl=en — a brilliant charity pioneering efforts to reduce knee injuries through evidence-based warm-ups. Isabelle Brown is a 17 year old A-Level student studying Biology, Chemistry and Maths. Izzy has an avid interest in medicine and the healthcare industry and has decided to do her talk on a topic that both lends itself towards her personal life and academic interests. 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
- 7:03Performance | Instituto Ciranda | TEDxCuiabáTransformar vidas através da música: esse é o propósito do Instituto Ciranda – Música e Cidadania, que esteve conosco no TEDx Cuiabá 2025.A equipe levou ao nosso palco a potência de uma educação que une arte e cidadania. Um espetáculo de talento e inspiração para todos nós. Para saber mais, acesse: https://www.instagram.com/institutociranda/ 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
- 4:58Performance | Henrique Maluf | TEDxCuiabáA música também é uma ideia que merece ser espalhada. O músico, compositor e produtor cultural Henrique Maluf foi uma das atrações culturais do TEDx Cuiabá 2025. Com uma carreira que já cruzou fronteiras e palcos ao lado de grandes nomes da música brasileira, ele trouxe ao palco a força e a poesia de sua trajetória. Para saber mais, acesse: https://www.instagram.com/henriquemaluf/ 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
