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How can we be happier? A ThinkIn with Will Young

Easter special: in-person and digital tickets tickets are available to all members for this ThinkIn.Navigating day-to-day life can be a tricky business. By the time we are adults, our experiences have formed our way of thinking and we have learned patterns of behaviour that are not always helpful. We must unravel these to understand, accept, nurture and allow ourselves to rise with our vulnerabilities, not in spite of them.After having a breakdown in 2011, Will Young began a process of interrogating everything he thought he knew: how he formed his identity, what he relied on for self-esteem and how he behaved and communicated. His story raises many questions, such as: How do seemingly mundane daily moments affect our wellbeing? How can we better understand our emotions and where they come from? Join us for a very special ThinkIn with Will Young, talking about his latest book: “Be yourself and happier” where he shares his own vulnerabilities with his trademark wit and wisdom. We’ll explore advice on how to identify destructive patterns, develop good mindful habits, be true to who we are and grow into better versions of ourselves. editor and invited experts Liz MoseleyEditor Will YoungSinger-songwriter, Actor and Author of ‘Be Yourself & Happier: The A-Z of Wellbeing’

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Why is it still so hard to talk about mental ill-health?

This is a digital-only ThinkIn. There’s no doubt that ‘awareness’ of mental ill-health has improved throughout the pandemic. We’re being encouraged to take care of our own and each other’s mental wellbeing in workplaces and on primetime television. So why is the stigma around mental health proven so doggedly resistant to change?As the first in a series of ThinkIns that seek to critically examine, and ultimately progress, the public conversation about mental health and wellbeing, we zeroed in on the elephant in the room: many people still don’t want, or know how, to talk about it. How can we recognise, and start to shake off, our own awkwardness about admitting we’re struggling, or asking whether others are? Are we dressing our discomfort up as discretion? If we don’t know how to ask, what hope do we have of knowing how to help? Are all the “awareness” initiatives helping at all, or might they actually be making it worse? How much should businesses and leaders do to really create workplaces where mental health is taken seriously, discussed openly and managed well?ReadoutThe Readouts that follow a ThinkIn often resemble a to-do list, but as Chris Creegan pointed out during the discussion: this stuff is inherently messy. We were in general agreement that there’s been a huge change in how we talk about mental health, namely that we do now talk about it. But the operative word here is ‘we’. We are much more comfortable talking about collective experiences of mental ill-health than we are personal experiences. And perhaps nowhere more so than in the workplace.Dr Lucy Foulkes, honorary psychology lecturer at UCL, said companies were still paying lip service to mental health without understanding the depth of what’s involved, a thought that framed the whole discussion.Here is a bit of sense of that depth:– We’re not incentivised to speak up. A lack of productivity. Difficulties in dealing with stress. These are seen as weaknesses, where they are sometimes the product of mental ill-health. It is, Dr Foulkes said, “rational not to say anything because people know that saying things has negative consequences”.– We’re not all speaking the same language. My colleague Luke Gbedemah pointed out that “we find ourselves using terminology and ideas and concepts that aren’t universally accessible”. Some would give a clinical diagnosis to what others might see as the stresses of life. Without shared understanding, worthwhile communication is hard.– We are more comfortable talking about some mental illnesses over others. When it comes to discussing Borderline Personality Disorder, for instance, Steph Preston said that responses can vary from not knowing how to talk about it all the way to: “This is a bit too heavy.”– We strive towards neat solutions, when it’s not always neat. “The issue is that sometimes there’s no trigger,” said my colleague Tomini Babs. “Someone can be depressed just because they’re depressed.” – We haven’t set reasonable expectations for recovery. “When you are off because you’re mentally unwell, the sound of the clock ticking of other people’s patience is really loud,” said my colleague Liz Moseley. It’s impossible to set a recovery time on any mental illness, but having the capacity within an organisation to give a colleague what they need feels like it should be a bare minimum for company leaders.What we know, for sure, is that employees really care about this. “I could easily quit my day job and do a thousand webinars a month,” said Dr Ken Duckworth (whose day job is chief medical officer at NAMI, the largest grassroots mental health organisation in the US). Employees are demanding discussion and workplaces are responding. But as Emma Codd, Global Inclusion Leader for Deloitte, said, discussions like the one we had are just a first step: “Words are easy but if the everyday culture that you are living doesn’t actually embed that, if you don’t feel able to have a conversation about it without stigma, retaliation, lack of career damage, you’re not going to speak up. That’s the missing piece now.”It’s a big piece, but Emma Codd gave us a starting point for the degree of seriousness with which workplaces should treat this issue. “We need to focus on psychological safety as much as we focus on physical safety.” editor and invited experts James HardingCo-founder and Editor Dr. Ken DuckworthChief Medical Officer of NAMI Dr. Lucy FoulkesHonorary lecturer in psychology at UCL Emma CoddGlobal Inclusion Leader for Deloitte

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What’s so funny about anxiety? In conversation with Georgia Pritchett

This is a newsroom ThinkIn. In-person and digital-only tickets are available.It’s often said that laughter is the best therapy. But when anxiety hits, it just isn’t as easy as all that to look on the funny side. Georgia Pritchett is multi-award-winning comedy and drama writer, who has five Emmys, five Writers Guild awards, a Golden Globe, a BAFTA and a Producer’s Guild award. She is also no stranger to anxiety.  Her book, My Mess is a Bit of a Life: Adventures in Anxiety, is an invaluable field guide for anyone who struggles to contain their worries. Why bother writing them down? When you feel like you’re losing your mind, how do you even begin to talk about it? How do you discover what makes everything worse, and find the things that make it better? Join us for a frank and funny conversation with Georgia about learning to cope with anxiety. If the book is anything to go by, we may also talk about hamsters, the Queen, budgies, questionable fashion choices and Jimmy Osmond.  editor and invited experts Liz MoseleyMembers’ Editor Georgia PritchettAuthor of My Mess is a Bit of a Life: Adventures in Anxiety

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How can we be happier? A ThinkIn with Will Young

Easter special: in-person and digital tickets tickets are available to all members for this ThinkIn.Navigating day-to-day life can be a tricky business. By the time we are adults, our experiences have formed our way of thinking and we have learned patterns of behaviour that are not always helpful. We must unravel these to understand, accept, nurture and allow ourselves to rise with our vulnerabilities, not in spite of them.After having a breakdown in 2011, Will Young began a process of interrogating everything he thought he knew: how he formed his identity, what he relied on for self-esteem and how he behaved and communicated. His story raises many questions, such as: How do seemingly mundane daily moments affect our wellbeing? How can we better understand our emotions and where they come from? Join us for a very special ThinkIn with Will Young, talking about his latest book: “Be yourself and happier” where he shares his own vulnerabilities with his trademark wit and wisdom. We’ll explore advice on how to identify destructive patterns, develop good mindful habits, be true to who we are and grow into better versions of ourselves. editor and invited experts Liz MoseleyEditor Will YoungSinger-songwriter, Actor and Author of ‘Be Yourself & Happier: The A-Z of Wellbeing’

thinkin

Why is it still so hard to talk about mental ill-health?

This is a digital-only ThinkIn. There’s no doubt that ‘awareness’ of mental ill-health has improved throughout the pandemic. We’re being encouraged to take care of our own and each other’s mental wellbeing in workplaces and on primetime television. So why is the stigma around mental health proven so doggedly resistant to change?As the first in a series of ThinkIns that seek to critically examine, and ultimately progress, the public conversation about mental health and wellbeing, we zeroed in on the elephant in the room: many people still don’t want, or know how, to talk about it. How can we recognise, and start to shake off, our own awkwardness about admitting we’re struggling, or asking whether others are? Are we dressing our discomfort up as discretion? If we don’t know how to ask, what hope do we have of knowing how to help? Are all the “awareness” initiatives helping at all, or might they actually be making it worse? How much should businesses and leaders do to really create workplaces where mental health is taken seriously, discussed openly and managed well?ReadoutThe Readouts that follow a ThinkIn often resemble a to-do list, but as Chris Creegan pointed out during the discussion: this stuff is inherently messy. We were in general agreement that there’s been a huge change in how we talk about mental health, namely that we do now talk about it. But the operative word here is ‘we’. We are much more comfortable talking about collective experiences of mental ill-health than we are personal experiences. And perhaps nowhere more so than in the workplace.Dr Lucy Foulkes, honorary psychology lecturer at UCL, said companies were still paying lip service to mental health without understanding the depth of what’s involved, a thought that framed the whole discussion.Here is a bit of sense of that depth:– We’re not incentivised to speak up. A lack of productivity. Difficulties in dealing with stress. These are seen as weaknesses, where they are sometimes the product of mental ill-health. It is, Dr Foulkes said, “rational not to say anything because people know that saying things has negative consequences”.– We’re not all speaking the same language. My colleague Luke Gbedemah pointed out that “we find ourselves using terminology and ideas and concepts that aren’t universally accessible”. Some would give a clinical diagnosis to what others might see as the stresses of life. Without shared understanding, worthwhile communication is hard.– We are more comfortable talking about some mental illnesses over others. When it comes to discussing Borderline Personality Disorder, for instance, Steph Preston said that responses can vary from not knowing how to talk about it all the way to: “This is a bit too heavy.”– We strive towards neat solutions, when it’s not always neat. “The issue is that sometimes there’s no trigger,” said my colleague Tomini Babs. “Someone can be depressed just because they’re depressed.” – We haven’t set reasonable expectations for recovery. “When you are off because you’re mentally unwell, the sound of the clock ticking of other people’s patience is really loud,” said my colleague Liz Moseley. It’s impossible to set a recovery time on any mental illness, but having the capacity within an organisation to give a colleague what they need feels like it should be a bare minimum for company leaders.What we know, for sure, is that employees really care about this. “I could easily quit my day job and do a thousand webinars a month,” said Dr Ken Duckworth (whose day job is chief medical officer at NAMI, the largest grassroots mental health organisation in the US). Employees are demanding discussion and workplaces are responding. But as Emma Codd, Global Inclusion Leader for Deloitte, said, discussions like the one we had are just a first step: “Words are easy but if the everyday culture that you are living doesn’t actually embed that, if you don’t feel able to have a conversation about it without stigma, retaliation, lack of career damage, you’re not going to speak up. That’s the missing piece now.”It’s a big piece, but Emma Codd gave us a starting point for the degree of seriousness with which workplaces should treat this issue. “We need to focus on psychological safety as much as we focus on physical safety.” editor and invited experts James HardingCo-founder and Editor Dr. Ken DuckworthChief Medical Officer of NAMI Dr. Lucy FoulkesHonorary lecturer in psychology at UCL Emma CoddGlobal Inclusion Leader for Deloitte

thinkin

What’s so funny about anxiety? In conversation with Georgia Pritchett

This is a newsroom ThinkIn. In-person and digital-only tickets are available.It’s often said that laughter is the best therapy. But when anxiety hits, it just isn’t as easy as all that to look on the funny side. Georgia Pritchett is multi-award-winning comedy and drama writer, who has five Emmys, five Writers Guild awards, a Golden Globe, a BAFTA and a Producer’s Guild award. She is also no stranger to anxiety.  Her book, My Mess is a Bit of a Life: Adventures in Anxiety, is an invaluable field guide for anyone who struggles to contain their worries. Why bother writing them down? When you feel like you’re losing your mind, how do you even begin to talk about it? How do you discover what makes everything worse, and find the things that make it better? Join us for a frank and funny conversation with Georgia about learning to cope with anxiety. If the book is anything to go by, we may also talk about hamsters, the Queen, budgies, questionable fashion choices and Jimmy Osmond.  editor and invited experts Liz MoseleyMembers’ Editor Georgia PritchettAuthor of My Mess is a Bit of a Life: Adventures in Anxiety

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How do we live with loneliness?

Why is the 21st century the loneliest ever, and what can we do about it? Our daily digital ThinkIns are exclusively for Tortoise members and their guests.Try Tortoise free for four weeks to unlock your complimentary tickets to all our digital ThinkIns.If you’re already a member and looking for your ThinkIn access code you can find it in the My Tortoise > My Membership section of the app next to ‘ThinkIn access code’.We’d love you to join us.Even before Covid-19 made the term ‘social distancing’ so familiar, UK government statistics reported that up to a fifth of all UK adults feel lonely most or all of the time. Loneliness is beginning to affect us all, and often in surprising ways. What is the “loneliness economy” and how should we feel about it? Why does AI risk making us feel even more lonely? What is the link between loneliness and politics – could loneliness even affect the outcome of the US election? Join Noreena Hertz, author of The Lonely Century, and other invited experts to explore why the 21st century is the loneliest ever, and how we can learn to cope with it.Editor: James Harding, Editor and Co-founder, TortoiseBuy Noreena’s book hereOur invited experts include:Noreena Hertz is an economist, best-selling author and broadcaster. She was named by The Observer as “one of the world’s leading thinkers”. Her new book, The Lonely Century, is out now. Baroness Barran MBE was appointed Minister for Civil Society in July 2019, with a responsibility for the cross-government work programme on tackling loneliness. She has previously had extensive experience in the charity sector, including founder and and chief executive of the domestic abuse charity SafeLives for 13 years until 2019. How does a digital ThinkIn work?A digital ThinkIn is like a video conference, hosted by a Tortoise editor, that takes place at the advertised time of the event. Digital ThinkIns are new to Tortoise. Now that our newsroom has closed due to the coronavirus outbreak, we feel it’s more important than ever that we ‘get together’ to talk about the world and what’s going on.The link to join the conversation will be emailed to you after you have registered for your ticket to attend. When you click the link, you enter the digital ThinkIn and can join a live conversation from wherever you are in the world. Doors open at 6:25pm for a welcome and briefing. Come early to get settled, meet the team and chat to other members. ThinkIn starts at 6:30pm. Members can enter their unique members’ access code to book tickets. Find yours in My Tortoise > My Membership in the Tortoise app.If you have any questions or get stuck, please read our FAQs, or get in touch with us at memberhelp@tortoisemedia.comRead our ThinkIn code of conduct here. What is a Tortoise ThinkIn?A ThinkIn is not another panel discussion. It is a forum for civilised disagreement. It is a place where everyone has a seat at the (virtual) table. It’s where we get to hear what you think, drawn from your experience, energy and expertise. It is the heart of what we do at Tortoise.

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Can we overcome imposter syndrome?

Reign in your self-sabotaging inner critic with the help of successful people who’ve managed to shake off their own imposter syndrome. Our daily digital ThinkIns are exclusively for Tortoise members and their guests.Try Tortoise free for four weeks to unlock your complimentary tickets to all our digital ThinkIns.If you’re already a member and looking for your ThinkIn access code you can find it in the My Tortoise > My Membership section of the app next to ‘ThinkIn access code’.We’d love you to join us.A ThinkIn for Fora Restore Week.Ever had an anxiety dream just before a big event? Ever felt like you were ‘winging it’ at work, just waiting to be found out for the charlatan you are? If so, you’re in good company. Many people suffer, or have suffered, from what is commonly called ‘imposter syndrome’. For some, the feelings are fleeting – triggered by a bad meeting or disappointing result. For others, living day to day with persistent feelings that life you haven’t earned the success you have – in your job or relationships – can be crippling. It can affect anybody, even the most successful and impressive of us.Join Tortoise editors and a lineup of extraordinary business leaders to listen to their personal stories of overcoming imposter syndrome, and to learn how we can all feel more confident and at ease with ourselves.Chair: Liz Moseley, Editor and Partner, TortoiseOur special guests include:Rita Clifton is a business leader and bestselling author of Love Your Imposter . She started her career in advertising, becoming vice chairman and strategy director at Saatchi & Saatchi. She spent 15 years as London CEO and then Chairman at global brand consultancy Interbrand. She has advised leading companies, start-ups and businesses all over the world, and, in 2013, she co-founded the business and brand consultancy BrandCap which now has offices in London, New York and Hong Kong. In addition to being a non-executive director on the board of businesses including ASOS, Nationwide and previously BUPA, her non-profit work has included being a board trustee of the WWF (Worldwide for Nature) and a member of the UK government’s Sustainable Development Commission. Rita Clifton is a regular commentator across the media, including CNN and the BBC. She received a CBE for services to the advertising industry in 2014. Buy Rita’s book hereTokunbo Ajasa-Oluwa joined Career Ready as CEO in January 2020, following his role as CEO of the Foyer Federation. He has a track record of executing innovative concepts, particularly within the media and youth development sectors. He was a Cabinet Office appointed Social Enterprise Ambassador from 2007-2010 and invited to 10 Downing Street three years in a row to advise on diversity, youth development and social entrepreneurship.Stevie Spring is Chairman of the British Council, the UK’s international cultural relations organisation and a £1bn turnover teaching and exams business. She also Chairs Mind, the mental health charity, having previously chaired Children a decade. Described by The Guardian as ‘a media industry grandee’, she was CEO of two international media companies and is now a portfolio director, investor and adviser to private equity. She Chairs Kino-mo – a technology company specialising in 3D holography; is a director and Chairman of Remuneration for the £10bn turnover Coop Group; and she recently completed the sales of both Ladbroke Coral Group Plc to GVC and the ITG Group to Equistone. Stevie was named by GQ magazine as one of the UK’s 100 most connected women; and is on the Telegraph/Debretts list of Britain’s 500 most influential people .How does a digital ThinkIn work?A digital ThinkIn is like a video conference, hosted by a Tortoise editor, that takes place at the advertised time of the event. Digital ThinkIns are new to Tortoise. Now that our newsroom has closed due to the coronavirus outbreak, we feel it’s more important than ever that we ‘get together’ to talk about the world and what’s going on.The link to join the conversation will be emailed to you after you have registered for your ticket to attend. When you click the link, you enter the digital ThinkIn and can join a live conversation from wherever you are in the world. Doors open at 6:20pm for a welcome and briefing. Come early to get settled, meet the team and chat to other members. ThinkIn starts at 6:30pm.Members can enter their unique members’ access code to book tickets. Find yours in My Tortoise > My Membership in the Tortoise app.If you have any questions or get stuck, please read our FAQs, or get in touch with us at memberhelp@tortoisemedia.comRead our ThinkIn code of conduct here.What is a Tortoise ThinkIn?A ThinkIn is not another panel discussion. It is a forum for civilised disagreement. It is a place where everyone has a seat at the (virtual) table. It’s where we get to hear what you think, drawn from your experience, energy and expertise. It is the heart of what we do at Tortoise.

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Living Better: In conversation with Alastair Campbell on mental health

Listen to Alastair Campbell’s intensely personal story about coping with depression. Our daily digital ThinkIns are exclusively for Tortoise members and their guests.Try Tortoise free for four weeks to unlock your complimentary tickets to all our digital ThinkIns.If you’re already a member and looking for your ThinkIn access code you can find it in the My Tortoise > My Membership section of the app next to ‘ThinkIn access code’.We’d love you to join us.”Last Christmas I almost killed myself. Almost. I’ve had a lot of almosts. Never gone from almost to dead. Don’t think I ever will. But it was a bad almost.”Alastair Campbell built a career at the very top of UK politics as the so-called ‘spin doctor’ for former Prime Minister Tony Blair. He has been a vocal critic of the government’s communications strategy throughout the pandemic.His new book, Living Better: How I Learned to Survive Depression, is a deeply personal account of his lifelong struggle with mental ill-health. It’s a painful but ultimately hopeful story that takes in his childhood, family and work relationships, as well as his relentless quest to understand the condition and the treatments for it. Stephen Fry has said of Living Better, ‘Superbly readable, supremely useful. Unflinching, clear-eyed, honest, raw and revealing, it may be the most important achievement of Alastair Campbell’s vivid and varied career.’Join us to listen to his story and reflect on how we might look after ourselves and each other better. Chair: James Harding, Editor and Co-founder, TortoiseBuy the book hereAbout Alistair CampbellAlastair Campbell is best known for his role as Tony Blair’s chief spokesman and strategist. He has written several bestselling books, including The Blair Years and Winners. A former ‘Mind Champion of the Year’, he is an ambassador for several mental health charities. In November 2017 he was awarded an honorary fellowship of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in recognition of his role in breaking down the stigma surrounding mental illness.How does a digital ThinkIn work?A digital ThinkIn is like a video conference, hosted by a Tortoise editor, that takes place at the advertised time of the event. Digital ThinkIns are new to Tortoise. Now that our newsroom has closed due to the coronavirus outbreak, we feel it’s more important than ever that we ‘get together’ to talk about the world and what’s going on.The link to join the conversation will be emailed to you after you have registered for your ticket to attend. When you click the link, you enter the digital ThinkIn and can join a live conversation from wherever you are in the world. Members can enter their unique members’ access code to book tickets. Find yours in My Tortoise > My Membership in the Tortoise app.If you have any questions or get stuck, please read our FAQs, or get in touch with us at memberhelp@tortoisemedia.comRead our ThinkIn code of conduct here.What is a Tortoise ThinkIn?A ThinkIn is not another panel discussion. It is a forum for civilised disagreement. It is a place where everyone has a seat at the (virtual) table. It’s where we get to hear what you think, drawn from your experience, energy and expertise. It is the heart of what we do at Tortoise.

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How to love the skin you’re in with influencer Flo Simpson

Influencer Flo Simpson tells it all on body positivity, going viral, self care and beating trolls. At Tortoise, we’re determined to reflect the voices of young people in our journalism. That’s why NextGen ThinkIns are free to join for students and apprentices. On top of that, thanks to our partners, you get a complimentary membership of Tortoise thrown in with your ticket. What’s not to like? Flo Simpson is a body positivity blogger with over 61k followers on Instagram. At the start of lockdown, she downloaded TikTok on a whim to record her progress as she tried to fit back into her old jeans. Now, with over 23.4 million likes on her videos, the 21 year old student is using her newfound social media fame to help people of all ages and sizes to love the skin they’re in.As one of 15 British TikTokers chosen to trial the platform’s new monetisation programme, Flo is also at the forefront of using the increasingly popular social media platform as a side hustle.We’ll be chatting to Flo to hear how she became so popular, the reality of beating internet trolls and why she’s passionate about spreading self love online. Bring your questions for Flo and personal reflections on body positivity and the pressure to be perfect, to the first ThinkIn of our NextGen series. How can we learn to love ourselves in an increasingly negative digital space? Editor: Liz Moseley, Editor and Partner, TortoiseA bit about FloSick of the common online diet culture, Flo began posting on Tiktok in lockdown with the goal of fitting back into her old jeans. She threw the scales out the window and has been doing it her own way ever since, sharing her journey with her 655k TikTok followers.She quickly went viral, but that also left her open to trolls on the platform. This included comments targeting the hair on her arms, a symptom of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. But, she hasn’t let that stop her. Flo is using her videos to teach people of all ages & sizes to love their bodies, because, as she says, “we only get one life and one body”.Just like many young people, she’s juggling university, a social life, a part time job and trying to eat a bit healthier at the same time. She’s 21, from Portsmouth, and just finished her degree in law at Solent University.What is NextGen?With education and employment opportunities in turmoil, young people’s voices are, perhaps, the ones those in power most need to hear. Introducing NextGen ThinkIns, by Tortoise. Launching in Autumn 2020, a live virtual event series that puts you face to face (over Zoom..) with artists, politicians, activists and business people for an honest conversation like no other. One hour, one editor, one amazing speaker and a room full of young people. The world is chock-full of ‘virtual events’ these days – but we believe there’s nothing quite like this. NextGen ThinkIn speakers are all world-changers in their field. They’re people with stories to tell – of love and death, success and failure, health, hustles, protests, politics and everything else that matters. As for what we’ll talk about? That’s up to you. About TortoiseTortoise is a different kind of newsroom. One in which everyone has a seat at the table. We’ve created a place, in the real world and the virtual one, where people can come, listen, learn and, importantly, say what they really think. That’s why, with the help of our partners, Tortoise is making another 5,000 complimentary memberships available to students and apprentices across the UK, to ensure young people’s stories are front and centre in Tortoise journalism. If you’d like to join us, you can become a member when you sign up for this event.

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