# The Power of Being Uncomfortable Luvvie Ajayi on Inciting Social Change Through Discomfort By Ell Smith | Published 2020-07-23 | Keynote Trends Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/luvvie-ajayi References: [luvvie.org](https://luvvie.org/) Writer, speaker, activist and self-proclaimed troublemaker, Luvvie Ajayi takes to the TedTalk stage to speak to the power of speaking up, even in uncomfortable moments. In the talk titled 'Get comfortable with being uncomfortable,' Ajayi details that her ultimate goal is to leave the world a better place than how she found it, and she aims to do so by "being a domino." By saying this, the speaker means that someone has to make the first move in order to incite change, and she has no problem being that first domino to fall. Being a domino means speaking up and saying what's needed in the hopes that others that will be inspired, and have no choice but to follow. Ajayi goes on to explain that [saying hard truths in uncomfortable moments](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/being-honest-by-ignacio) is one of the few ways society can progress socially. She powerfully states that being comfortable simply maintains the status quo, and the only way to make [positive change happen](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/humancentered-leadership) is by making the first move, by being the first domino to fall. Image Credit: Luvvie Ajayi ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.8/10 - Popularity: 7% | Activity: 38% | Freshness: 9% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Keynote Trends](https://www.trendhunter.com/keynotetrends) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Speaking Up:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop technologies and platforms that encourage and amplify voices in uncomfortable moments, enabling individuals to speak up for social change. - **Uncomfortable Truths:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create tools and strategies that facilitate the communication of uncomfortable truths, fostering discussion and driving societal progress. - **Being the First Domino:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Build systems and initiatives that empower individuals to take the first step towards change, inspiring others to follow and creating a ripple effect of transformation. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Social Media:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop social media platforms with robust moderation features that promote healthy discussions on uncomfortable topics and foster social awareness. - **Communication Technology:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create communication technologies that encourage open dialogue, facilitate empathy, and make uncomfortable conversations more productive and constructive. - **Personal Development:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Design personal development programs and tools that help individuals build resilience, confidence, and effective communication skills to address uncomfortable moments for meaningful change. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Uncomfortable Conversations Learning Resources](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/uncomfortable-conversations.md) - [Awareness-Raising Poverty Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/unaccept-inequality.md) - [Prolonged Activism Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/stay-in-the-fight.md) - [Unconventional Changemakers Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/daring-moves.md) - [Mindfulness-Encouraging Challenges](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/better-than-yesterday.md) - [Curated Conversation Starters](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/talksmi.md) - [Unconventional Awkwardly Seated Tables](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/uncomfortable-table.md) - [Social Justice Desert Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/make-some-motherchunkin-change.md) - [Branded Thought-Provoking Podcasts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/thoughtprovoking-podcast.md)