BE FEARLESS. NOW.

Job Losses | Business shutting down | Deaths | Depressing news headlines | Government decisions | Civil unrest | Domestic Violence | Multiple Lockdowns | Conspiracy theories | Brexit | 2020 has been a challenging year and as we continue to battle with radical changes there has been one emotion that has swept up each one of us to varying degrees - FEAR. 

There is no doubt that there are different parties who will contribute carving out the so-called recovery stage. The government, Business forums, financial institutions, thought leaders, and you and me. For now, let's focus on the ‘you and me’ and what we can do. Fear is here to stay and learning how to be fearless is a life skill worth investing in. Now. 

NAME IT: What is Fear?

Fear is an emotion. True. That is how we experience it and recognise it. In fact, there are other emotions that are closely associated with it - anxiety, concern, being scared, worried. Behind these words, fear and all the emotions I have listed are human ‘energetic response(s)’ to take action, triggered by our brain.

When we experience fear, there are two chemicals that flood our human body triggered by a part in the brain called amygdala - they are, Adrenalin and Cortisol. Both are important to help us survive in face of ‘threat’ - either by fighting, freezing or fleeing. This, as some of you already know, is the human response that was hard-coded in us as we evolved as humans. Fear as an energetic response is meant to protect and safeguard us from perceived danger.


 CLAIM IT: How do you experience it? 

This varies from person to person. Some of us feel it in the pit of our stomach, some of us find we are clenching our teeth, or our shoulders tense up, or perhaps you feel your face getting flushed. This is the instant reaction. If the fear factor or stimuli persists as it had been with the pandemic, we begin to show other symptoms - stress, exhaustion, confusion, depression, sleep disruption, weight gain/ loss, inertia/ hyperactivity, sharp bursts of emotion, and so on.

Get close to recognising what happens to you when you experience fear. ‘In the moment’ what bodily sensations do you experience? Noticing the sensations acts like a pause button to the emotion taking over in the moment.

My Leadership Acceleration programme trains clients to recall the physiology behind fear (Name it) and notice how they experience it (Claim it). This helps minimise the control fear has on them. Just like a spotlight that lights up a dark scary corner.

REFRAME IT: How do you overcome it?

When the amygdala that triggers fear is engaged, another part of your brain called the pre- frontal cortex (PFC) is not engaged - and you need to engage it. It is the part that helps us find solutions, be creative, be logical, find an answer, calmly explore new options and identify new choices.

But there is a problem.

 The PFC and amygdala work like a seesaw. Only one of them has power to control your actions at any one point of time and the amygdala has priority clearance. When your brain senses threat, the amygdala is switched on automatically - you have no control. However, you can switch it off from taking over, with what I call a CIRCUIT BREAKER.

What is a Circuit Breaker? Well, it can be a word, an action, a person’s memory, a pause, a prayer, a drink of water. Any of these can be your chosen circuit breaker. A client of mine chose her son’s face, another humour, a third saying the words - ‘I need time’. The key is to train yourself to recall the circuit break whenever you are fearful or feeling the fear rise in you.

When you recall your chosen circuit breaker it acts like a bucket of cold water. It snaps you out of the fear (triggered by your amygdala) and gives you an opportunity engage your PFC. This can help you calm you down. Once you identify your circuit breaker get experimenting and use it.

Nelson Mandela said, “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” With practice you begin to learn to be fearless as you teach your brain to identify new options and choices despite the threat around you. Champions are made with practice. Stay on track as you consciously Name It, Claim It and Reframe it.

“ Be Fearless.”
Reena Dayal

Reena Dayal

Read more articles by Reena Dayal

THE BEST KEPT BUSINESS SECRET IN LONDON

REIGNITING FAITH IN LOCAL DEMOCRACY

CitizenLab is expanding its presence in the UK market in a bid to revive faith in democracy and drive up participation in local decision making. With an already well-established presence in mainland Europe, CitizenLab’s civic engagement technology is set to be embraced by local authorities and organisations across the UK following a series of successful citizen participation pilots. 

With campaigning for local elections on hold, traditional, in-person forms of political participation are currently impossible. CitizenLab’s technology allows people to make their voices heard in a safe and efficient way. The platform provides Governments, Local Authorities, and membership organisations with a ‘digital democracy toolbox’. The platform enables them to replace community meetings with virtual discussion forums, organise votes on suggested policy changes, or gather new ideas through surveying tools. 

The technology has already been piloted successfully by the London Borough of Newham. Using digital engagement tools, CitizenLab was able to provide an online portal where people who live, work, and visit Newham could participate actively in the decision making processes, which continued throughout the pandemic uninterrupted. Newham were able to gather hundreds of community views on a number of urban regeneration decisions across a four month period. 

The CitizenLab platform was founded by three Belgian millennials (Wietse Van Ransbeeck, Aline Muylaert, and Koen Gremmelprez), who discovered that, after leaving university and moving into new neighbourhoods, there were very few ways to get involved in community-related issues and local politics. They also found, despite 55% of citizens saying they would like to be involved in local decision-making, 83% say there is a lack of transparency in politics preventing them from doing so. Founded in Brussels 2015, the growing CitizenLab team comprises over 35 people based throughout Europe and the UK, and is a mix of developers and citizen participation experts.

CitizenLab_founders (1).jpg

CitizenLab’s technology has also been designed to drive up engagement amongst young people, who are statistically the least likely to get involved in local politics. A recent study from the University of Cambridge found that in almost every global region, it is among 18-34 year olds that satisfaction with democracy is in significant decline, with less than 50% of under 35s feeling confident in the current democratic system.

Speaking on the importance of trust within political engagement and the need for a continuation of democracy during this unprecedented time, Wietse Van Ransbeeck, CitizenLab Co-founder said:

“As millennials, we felt frustrated that there was, and still is, a communication and participation gap between citizens and their decision makers. The pandemic and recent political events within the UK and Europe has meant that this divide has never felt bigger. It’s vital that we find solutions before trust is eroded permanently.

“Our platform has been designed to not only engage with people in a more efficient and effective way, but also to allow citizens and communities to continue to be heard, and collect relevant data about citizens’ priorities. We believe that empowering citizens can help governments make better decisions, improve trust and strengthen democracy.”

EMBRACING HEALTH LITERACY

By Akua J.Quao

Beginning a new year always signifies an excellent opportunity to reflect and start afresh. Most of us will have felt exhausted or at worst battered by 2020 and are glad to say goodbye to an incredibly challenging year.  Perhaps you have been thinking about doing something different this year to improve your health, especially as the international battle against Covid-19 continues. Unfortunately, not everyone succeeds at achieving the targets they set themselves. So many factors contribute to this, ranging from a lack of self-discipline and self-motivation, to not embracing healthy eating, inadequate exercise, or simply not getting the right information.

Health Literacy, which is based on one’s ability to access and make good use of appropriate health information, is increasingly recognised as an effective tool in self-improvement. Yet, whilst the right information is imperative to your success, the wealth of material available can often make the journey seem daunting.

Here then, are just a few pointers to help you navigate the right path

Start with your health professional

Whilst this is a great place to start, sometimes misunderstanding between the patient and health professional can cause anxiety which can lead to confusion about what exactly needs to be done. Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you are having difficulty in understanding some of the jargon that they often use. They are the professionals so will have no issue in clarifying what they are advising you. Always repeat the advice back to them so you are both clear that it has been understood correctly.

Evaluate the health information carefully

Whilst health information can be invaluable, bear in mind that incorrect or misinterpreted information can have a detrimental effect. Due to the dense volume of health information currently available via different sources, it’s worthwhile independently researching and cross-referencing information to check out what others have said, as well as checking the credibility of the research, author, publisher or organisation.

Find the information platform that best works for you

Everybody learns at a different pace, so using what suits your lifestyle and comfort is crucial. Do you prefer watching videos, listening to audio, or reading? If you are not sure, try out different platforms to find what works best for you. You need practical information that will stick in the mind, and thus positively impact your life.

Set clear goals and keep a regular record of progress

If you have a specific goal to focus on you will know when you have achieved it. Set SMART goals which means they are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timebound.

Specific - make them simple and clear.

Measurable - break them into portions. So, if your goal is to lose weight, then set a weekly or monthly target, not one huge target that you may not achieve.

Achievable - based on your lifestyle and circumstances, set a goal that you can actually achieve.

Realistic – make sure you have the commitment and drive to achieve the goal.

Timebound – set a date for when you wish to have achieved your final goal.

Keeping a record will help you to stay focused and motivated as you monitor your progress. How you choose to keep the record is determined by what enables you to keep sufficient detail and is easy for you to maintain. You can make written notes or make an audio or video recording to capture your daily or weekly accomplishments. There are even apps out there that will do this for you.

Have a support network

Being in contact with people who are working towards the same goal as you, or are already where you want to be, can give you a big boost. This is important for when you hit those times where you feel like it’s an uphill battle and just want to stop. This network can also help you to navigate the information and keep each other updated of changes.

Your health and wellbeing are so precious. If you have struggled in the past with making improvements, then make this the year that you move your health goals in the right direction