Weeknotes: When is fear real enough to listen to it?

1. What actions did I undertake last week?

I signed up to an online fact-checking course at Poynter University last week. Thank god I did. Even though I’m acutely aware of the misinformation out there, it made me realise I’m also guilty of buying into a lot of what is being said. But once you start paying attention you just suspect everyone of being blatant liars. Not an easy balancing act but one I intend to master!

I also lay the foundations for my first in-depth piece, a character-driven article that will focus on stories of individual migrants in Belgium. Besides that I attended an extremely interesting seminar on infiltrating the far right in Europe as part of the Dataharvest conference. Triggered something inside of me, though maybe that was just fear?

2. What insights did I gain?

Talking about fear. My self-awareness journey of these past months made me acutely aware that fear is our number one dream killer. Want to kill ambition and motivation instantaneously? Listen to that little scared voice inside and you’re good to go! But when the fear is actually founded because what you want to undertake involves life-threatening risks, when should we actually start paying attention to that voice and to what extent? Interested to hear thoughts on this! Brave thoughts please 😊

3. What events in my area of interest impacted me the most?

1. Hard to miss: Amy Coney Barret’s hearing regarding her appointment as judge on the supreme court. Should this rushed appointment take effect, the US would be catapulted 50 years back in time. Goodbye Roe vs Wade, goodbye affordable care act. Hello Gilead, or hell we might as well bring back the KKK.

2. This AI report on police violence in Chile, published just days after the controversial footage of police throwing a teen demonstrator off a bridge in Santiago. Thankful for data and facts and so grateful we can put it to good use. Keep exposing!

3. The inspiring story of Rita Brown, first certified yogi inside a refugee camp in Kenya and how she is helping make life more bearable for those around her.

#factchecking #fearless #dreambig #inspirations #nomorepoliceviolence #data4good #exposure #gratitude