Rio Fredrika on Identity, Confidence and Letting Go | Extraordinary Life Stories

15:34John Reynolds:on Instagram even though it may not seem that way over the years I've posted certain things but there's so much of me that I would like to share online and so much of my views and I guess the different work that I'm doing now and I'm I've been scared for years because there was I was ingrained with this fear of judgment then i looked into it the reason that i'm scared of it from others is because i don't accept myself right now i'm getting closer to that point does it ever come

15:58Rio Fredrika:fully i don't know i'm on that journey i love the fact you shared that but i if i'm judging myself

16:05John Reynolds:then if you say something negative about me because i'm already saying negative things from to myself i'm gonna go there's a possibility that that could be true or maybe that is true whereas the more i accept myself now I'm getting to the point that I think ah if someone's comment comments something negative on me one it's that's all to do with them it's nothing to do with me it's their view on me but from their experience so anything online majority of people won't probably know me most of them won't know me at all so it's just their judgment based on something I've said and they might hold on to one tiny thing rather than the whole video we don't know what's going on what they've held on to now it's you're never going to be able to control that so it's easier to just let it go and it might play on my mind for a couple of times over and i'm like we're gonna stop now what does it matter is it has it changed your life how's it affected your day you're letting it affect your day you could just say oh i hope that person's okay goes back to that

17:02Rio Fredrika:external validation doesn't it just do it for yourself be true to yourself so on that i i got connected to you by our mutual friends at global yes and they rave about you they think you're an absolutely rock star so that rubs off for me to then be able to bring that into the conversation but the the bit i'm interested in is almost like your ambition your desire you've you've got you've got all the experience you've got the things you're working on i want to open that up you mentioned the documentary on um by hacking what else are you doing and almost like is there a north star because i feel like you're enjoying the journey but there's something you'd really like to achieve

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18:02Rio Fredrika:1-800-CONTACTS.

18:04John Reynolds:LinkedIn is pretty great at a lot of things,

18:06Rio Fredrika:like helping you tap into the latest trends and insights in your field. We cannot stop your coworker from tapping her pencil. LinkedIn can help you find new jobs that align with your career goals. We cannot help you find the source of that weird smell in the office fridge. Ew.

18:23John Reynolds:And while we can't stop your coworkers from bringing their hobbies into the office, LinkedIn can help you bring your career to the next level. LinkedIn is the network that works for you. I think so. My personal project is making documentaries now, and the tagline is Rio Frederica's Learning How to Live Better. So I realized my journey with healing and understanding myself, it fascinated me so much and it transformed my life, right? I went from a place of really disliking myself to a place of now really loving who I am and feeling so proud of me and not being afraid of me anymore and being seen and all of that stuff.

19:04John Reynolds:I see myself, so I'm not craving it from another as much as I once did.

19:09Rio Fredrika:What a great place to be. I mean, congratulations. I mean that in a sense of like, and as British people, there's often an element of like, how dare she say that? You know, up yourself and so on. I take that as like you've been through, I didn't mean to break your flow, but I think it's so important to champion that. I love it because there's so many people giving themselves a hard time. They want to be where you are and you put the graft in and you're keeping it going. To love yourself, to be happy with yourself every day.

19:32John Reynolds:And I don't mean that in a big headed way.

19:35Rio Fredrika:It's not come across as arrogant at all.

19:38John Reynolds:But even just anyone that's listening, it's more like just really understanding myself and having my own back. I said, this is something I do every morning. And when I first started doing it, I was like, this was a bit weird. I look at myself and I say, I love you and I've always got you, no matter what. No matter what. You say that in the mirror. In the mirror. and at first like someone a therapist spoke to me about it and I didn't really believe it and the more I say it now I'm like yes we've got this like no matter what happens we're going to be all right and um that really helps but so the the ambition I think it's to my healing journey transformed my life I see so many people struggling with themselves because of the modern world we're constantly distracted we're constantly overstimulated we don't allow ourselves time and space to slow down i'm just seeing so much similarities in what i've experienced and also where i've decided to say actually let's try and do this differently that i feel like people could be curious about because of the struggles that individuals are experiencing so i want to make these documentaries i would love to create more content around stuff in the world that i feel is missing um because we're getting a lot of like i have this this idea that's in the works now which i won't go into too much detail around but just think of it in a way of we're displayed a lot of like what's wrong with the world and less of what's right and i would love to bring more of that into the mainstream so that's like my ambition that's my goal that's what i'd love to do around content because i guess content is where my heart is i'm a presenter and

21:16Rio Fredrika:that fascinates me yes so i love i'm looking forward to following your journey from here right because that's that's heartfelt the passion you had for what you want to do there is so evident but also the bringing the presenter side of things in right so whatever you did earlier in your career to ultimately be on capital you know massive radio radio show for six years and to have the confidence in our back self to present now what makes a good presenter

21:44John Reynolds:what makes a good presenter is being yourself like fully and I do you know what it was it's interesting when I left capital I thought you know I'm gonna do a couple of acting courses I've got I've got time I did it and I realized because I am so much a presenter and I am so much myself I really find it hard to not be myself so I think what makes a good presenter learning who you are what you like what your style is sometimes i think we try i did it in my early career i tried to be like other presenters because they knew what they were doing and it just never works because be authentic even if it's weird even if you've got these weird quirks we're all weird at the end of the day we're all so weird life is weird but bringing yourself forward i think is the best advice ever for a presenter.

22:34Rio Fredrika:I love it. Authenticity.

22:35John Reynolds:Yeah, don't try and be different. Just be you.

22:37Rio Fredrika:The reason why I ask you that is, you know, or maybe you don't know, I've not been a broadcaster or a journalist or presenter in my past. This is a three to four year journey. So the younger version of myself would have basically been like, well, that's for other people because they've been trained in that. And then this goes back to just what you said. You need to be more like him or her. You need to do this because that's the kind of the media a training element whereas it feels like this is why i asked you to almost your journey in it feels like you just like unapologetically came in and was like this is me and you either like me or you don't and clearly it's worked for you and it's working for you i love that yeah and i can identify with that because i'm i've got my own traction and enjoyment of what i'm doing and you're not turning around to me and saying you should be doing this we should be doing that not that you would but you know what i mean and that's the bit i think i'm sitting in is the authentic kind of integrity.

23:27Rio Fredrika:I'm craving that. It works. I think people need to know that. Don't try and be someone else.

23:31John Reynolds:Of course. And also, I think sometimes with careers, right, you do one thing and people are like, well, then you can't do that because you did that. We can do anything. That's the freedom of life. If you want to change at one point, you change and there is space for everyone. I think sometimes people worry that like, oh, I can't change the course and maybe say, for instance, be a DJ because people know me as this. Do whatever you want. This is like your life,

23:54Rio Fredrika:you know yeah and so what have you not done because there's i reckon you've got i reckon you've got a long list but what's the you know what's the because i wouldn't know about the documentaries the passion that's evident but like dj that's that's sort of off piece that's interesting music and that's yeah sort of entertaining people and so on but what have

24:10John Reynolds:you not done that you really want to do what have i not done that i really want to do

24:18Rio Fredrika:i don't know i don't know that probably means it probably means you're doing it because you're You've got a really infectious energy and it feels like you just lean into what you want to do when you do it. You haven't even thought about it. You just go into it and do it.

24:30John Reynolds:I want to do more events. That's actually what I want. I want to get more people actually physically in front of me and others. And I want to create more communities. That's something I really want to do. Right now, because of the making of documentaries and because I'm working out how that looks, I'm doing a lot of work on my own, a lot of ideas and then working with just one or two friends. i would love to do more events have people engaging meeting like i think the world needs that

24:54Rio Fredrika:well i was just about to say in 2026 now that covid wasn't that long ago and there's a there's been a culture you've lived through that right what i mean by that of course we all have but you've lived through it in the true sense of what events and community looked like before coming out of it and now and i think you know with ai really um accelerating the tech side of things where we don't need to go out yeah you know i can literally we could be sat in our living room now and hit a button for some food to arrive put a film on you know what i mean so everything can be controlled and done without us needing to go out and and people are getting less social if you like they're not going out as much so what would you do if you were going let's put you on the spot so that whole community you're a dj you're a presenter and so on you know how to bring people together you know what what does that event look like so i think the events i want them to

25:45John Reynolds:i've got loads of ideas for loads of different events for different different purposes i'm actually planning one right now where i'm going to screen a documentary of mine and then we're going to do like a connection workshop so people get to meet each other in real life and get to know about each other so i'm creating like deep question cards so it's not kind of like hi what's your name and what do you do it's like let's go straight into deep questions don't worry about anything else so there'll be question cards that we sat across each other kind of like we are and it will be like speed dating but to make friends and make connections that's the connection workshop part then we're going to do breath work sound watch the doc little q a that's the first one i'm doing and they'll all be like similar around connection around tools that we can use to make our experience in life better um and i want them to be like super fun because i sometimes find if I go to say a breathwork class or a meditation event it's very much I turn up I sit down I don't really talk to anyone I kind of look at them smile but essentially I'm there on my own and then we do the meditation and then I leave whereas I want when people come to the events to be like we've made friends here proper interaction like as soon as you get in that room you're going to connect with everyone and like you it might feel weird at first because we don't do it often but again it just takes practice and i i hope that i can create a space where people just feel

27:06Rio Fredrika:so comfortable and open we should carry that conversation out of here because i think i can i'm big on visualization so i can imagine i'm now imagine i could go into a deep dive and what does

27:15John Reynolds:the venue look like yeah how can i help you with that yeah yeah i don't want to come yeah no sure

27:19Rio Fredrika:we'll do that because that's that's a big part of like almost learning on on sort of on air if you like live about where i can help you because that whole not being a broadcaster journalist it's like there's a lot more to do from this conversation that leads into things because I think you've got so many things you're already working on that could be massive and people need it yeah and on that that could lead to what we'd all call success and there's lots of people that would already label you successfully if you like already with what you've already done sitting here now how do you define success oh this is good I thought about

27:52John Reynolds:this the other day um i define success as a feeling of feeling fulfilled with myself and my my views so before i used to see success as a destination that i couldn't wait to get to and the journey of it wasn't successful until i got to the destination and then i'd get there and go oh that kind of doesn't feel how i thought it was going to is that it and i'm now a bit underwhelmed and the other day I was walking down the street and my life is so different to how it's ever been right I've got so much free time because essentially I'm not working how I used to I'm trying to create something from scratch which means a lot of downtime and a lot it's my own time I do kind of whatever I need to with my time but that gives me a lot of free time it also means a lot of time on my own I was walking down the road and I thought am I happy with where I'm at right now and would I be happy if I stayed like this forever in this like this present moment where I'm at with myself and I thought yeah I'm enjoying it and that for me I went oh my that's success being happy with where you're at and not of course I can't wait to experience more but if it didn't happen would I still be okay with myself now I'm like yeah because I'm making really good choices for my life and I'd never ever experienced that before and I'd never even thought about it like that that no longer it's about the destination I want to enjoy this journey which is why I also when you said like what what's the next thing or kind of what's the big dream I try not to focus too much on so far ahead it's more like what can we do now that I'm enjoying creating or developing or I'm enjoying spending my time doing it's more focusing on that for me that I now feel is successful.

29:37Rio Fredrika:Eczema is unpredictable but you can flare less with Epglis a once monthly treatment for moderate to severe eczema. After an initial four-month or longer dosing phase, about four in 10 people taking EMPLIS

29:49John Reynolds:achieved itch relief and clear or almost clear skin at 16 weeks. And most of those people maintain skin that's still more clear at one year with monthly dosing. EMPLIS, LibriKizumab, LBKZ, a 250 milligram per two milliliter injection is a prescription medicine used to treat adults and children 12 years of age and older who weigh at least 88 pounds or 40 kilograms with moderate to severe eczema. Also called atopic dermatitis that is not well controlled with prescription therapies used on the skin or topicals or who cannot use topical therapies. EBCLIS can be used with or without topical corticosteroids.

30:16John Reynolds:Don't use if you're allergic to EBCLIS. Allergic reactions can occur that can be severe. Eye problems can occur. Tell your doctor if you have new or worsening eye problems. You should not receive a live vaccine when treated with EBCLIS. Before starting EBCLIS, tell your doctor if you have a parasitic infection. Ask your doctor about EBCLIS and visit ebglis.lily.com or call 1-800-LILY-RX or 1-800-545-5979. When you want your spring break to feel like and your kid's pool day to feel like and your hotel bed to feel like ooh, and room service to feel like because at Hilton, hospitality feels like

30:56Rio Fredrika:Your cabana's ready. Would you like fresh towels?

30:58John Reynolds:It matters where you stay. Book now at Hilton.com. Hilton, for this day. It's beautiful.

31:08Rio Fredrika:You can feel it. your words are backed up by the vibe that comes off you you know and that's uh especially how many people that are in the eyes of the external validation where people looking in have got loads of money and our achievers are actually not able to say what you just said yeah they're not they're not feeling it if they ask that themselves that question you know they won't be able to won't be

31:30John Reynolds:able to say that but it's you know it's so hard because the world just kind of gives us all these messages of like what success is what luxury is how life is better you know and and so of course it's so hard to navigate how do you navigate that world it's like it is a journey isn't it yeah

31:45Rio Fredrika:and going back to that test and learn I mean you know you say you got this time on your hands that's a pleasure it's a privilege and you're embracing some people find that intimidating because the world of uh six years of radio I mean that must have been intense there's there's an intensity that goes I was I was uh in in global yesterday you know and there's there's teams of people around the presenters and there's a schedule and then there's not just what's on air it's the prepping and so on and so you because you've done that you know you're capable of it yeah and that gives you all the experience to inswine into what you're doing now yeah and i

32:15John Reynolds:actually think slowing down for anyone is the best thing that they can do because it creates space to be able to understand yourself better and understand actually like what you want because i think sometimes when we're kind of on the hamster wheel of this career path we don't ask those questions because we kind of just keep getting led to like where the next spot is and it's been honestly it's been i feel so privileged to be able to take time out um and i've realized it's so necessary for us to just like stop being our own worst enemy because it takes us it gives us time to reflect essentially you know we're getting our own way

32:47Rio Fredrika:right oh man we do i mean this this is a chat that i could flip into two three times as long i don't know if you're aware but we've actually run out of time which i'm like gutted about but What you just said may well be the answer to the question that was coming to me, which is for all the experience and this lovely sort of contentment that you've got, coupled with ambition to really be kicking ass and doing a lot more. What advice would you give to a younger version of yourself that would just allow you to not be so pressured?

33:17John Reynolds:Yes, I think the advice to my younger self would be stop being so hard on yourself. focus on all of the amazing things that you are capable of as opposed to keep chipping yourself down like just stop focusing on the negatives remember that you only get one go at life so absolutely go for it and you will learn if it doesn't work out it wasn't meant to you will learn but be open to it and yeah i think that would be it and and also just remember to give yourself of love and space and time to slow down and to nourish yourself. Don't spread too thin.

33:53Rio Fredrika:I'm gonna watch or listen to this conversation every time I'm having a, seriously, like a moment, a bad day, a whole kind of like, I need to hear that back. Cause you know, that's massively important for me to learn from, let alone anyone else. You know, the learning and the deliberate kind of journey you've gone on to be with you now. I'm really excited for what you achieve. And thank you for making time.

34:16John Reynolds:Thank you so much. me today I hope you've enjoyed it honestly I've enjoyed it thank you so much for having me thank

34:20Rio Fredrika:you