I recently had the opportunity to give a TEDx talk.

The organizers approached me and invited me to apply for the event. Of course, it was expected that I would talk about dementia, but when I sat down to write a proposal, I was stuck. Not because I didn’t have anything to say, but because I had too much to say.

What is actually important for people to know about dementia? What do most people not understand—but really need to? And how do you say something new about a topic that so many people think they already understand?

I didn’t want to give a talk about medications, biomarkers, or early detection. Those topics matter. They are important, but they’re not my area of expertise. And they’re not what most people are asking me about when they pull me aside after a talk or send me a message late at night.

What people want to know is how to live with dementia.

I talked about dementia and anxiety and about how people living with dementia have limited “mental energy pennies.”

I had 14 minutes.

That’s not a lot of time.

I’m a college professor. I’m used to talking for hours. My husband will tell you that I love to hear my own voice—and honestly, that part is probably true. I love public speaking. But this was different.

I couldn’t wander or improvise. I had to memorize a 14-minute talk that mattered and might change how people think.

On the day of the event, I spoke for 14:07.

And recently, I was notified that my talk was selected as an Editor’s Pick on the TED YouTube channel. That’s why the video hasn’t been released yet.

I’ll give myself some credit for that. But more than anything, I think it’s the topic.

I think people are hungry for this kind of information about dementia.

This talk wasn’t about curing Alzheimer’s or other dementias. I never mentioned a cure. I didn’t talk about biomarkers or the newest Alzheimer’s drugs on the market.

I talked about how to live with a life-changing condition and experience joy, love, humor, and connection.

And maybe what I talked about will lead to more conversations about dementia that focus on living alongside it with hope and honesty.