School of Humanity

How the discipline you learn in sport benefits your life

Marika Guderian — Mon, 02 May 2022 18:38:09 +0000

We often get caught in seeing legends as superhumans: the Steve Jobs of this world, the former CEO of Apple or Haile Gebrselassie, an Ethiopian retired long-distance track with world records but the secret sauce to their success boils down to one thing and one thing only: discipline in your mind. In my latest episode of my podcast, the School of Humanity, I talk to Liberty, who won major International Tennis Federation tournaments about how discipline as a mindset leads you on the pathway to success. Shortcuts in life, the lack of commitment or hard work will show eventually, and Liberty will share his lessons from sports and how they apply to our life that will help us to truly achieve our goals.

Why we cannot ask for help? The taboo of seeking psychosocial support in the aid sector.

Marika Guderian — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 16:47:21 +0000

A humanitarian aid worker sent an email to the counsellor seeking help but it went to all staff. She wanted to disappear from the face of the earth because everyone knows now but do we feel embarrassed? Why is it such a taboo to ask for help? These are the questions we will explore in this podcast episode together with Omneya Makhlouf, who not only sent out this email but talked about it on all her social media platforms. It is more important than ever since COVID-19 pandemic where for instance in the United States alone, about 4 in 10 adults report symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder, that we seek professional help.

The impact of emergency work on personal relationships. A conversation with Psychotherapist Mark Snelling

Marika Guderian — Sat, 12 Mar 2022 15:54:17 +0000

In this episode, I talk to psychotherapist Mark Snelling and former aid worker about how our very own childhood has potentially influenced subconsciously our decision to join the humanitarian sector. In conversations with aid workers, you will hear a long list of issues that we are dealing with on a regular basis: long working hours, management issues, loss of motivation, problems too big to solve and painful events and trauma. But sooner or later, we start to talk about the main issue: relationships. Mark Snelling uses attachment theory to shed light in how on a much more unconscious level we distract ourselves from our personal relationship insecurities when going from one emergency to the next. Humanitarian work takes the focus away from personal pain towards the needs of others.

Relationships in the aid sector: a conversation with Love Coach Pauline Busson

Marika Guderian — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 16:30:21 +0000

Humanitarian organizations have paid increasing attention in recent years to the psychological wellbeing of aid workers. But one major challenge aid workers continue to face is being left out: that of deeper levels of relationships. What is the impact of humanitarian work on personal relationships of those who deliver it? In a conversation with Pauline Busson, a former aid worker turned Love Coach has helped hundreds of clients to turn their relationship life around to finally have fulfilling and supporting relationships that are crucial in the aid sector, we explore the challenges around relationship in the sector.

The perfect humanitarian

Marika Guderian — Mon, 06 Dec 2021 17:44:48 +0000

Burnout is real in the humanitarian sector. We get overwhelmed, and stressed. Some of us seek help, while others don't. #GemmaHouldey however talks about the systems of power in the humanitarian sector and how they require fundamental changes for humanitarians to be less at risk of burnout. Its no longer about the individual, but how the sector as a whole is set up. This is particular the case for national staff, which is 90% of the workforce. Join me in this fascinating conversation during the #4 episode of my podcast "The School of Humanity".