Written by: Dr. Denise Moore Revel, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Happy Women’s History Month! This month we celebrate the accomplishments of women throughout history and recognize the many ways women have impacted our world. Women are leaving a legacy in all walks of life, from business to politics and from science and technology to the arts. It is important to recognize and celebrate these accomplishments and to recognize the progress that is still needed. This is a good time to think about how we can leave our own mark on the world, regardless of gender, and how we can build a legacy that will inspire future generations. So how can we leave our own legacy? One way is to find something we're passionate about and make a difference in that area. Whether it is volunteering for a cause we care about, starting a business that solves a problem, or pursuing a career that allows us to make a positive impact, we can all find ways to make our mark on this world. We can do this by also serving as a role model for others. By sharing our stories, our struggles, and our successes, we can inspire others to pursue their own dreams and make a difference in their own way. We can also support others by lifting them up, mentoring them, and advocating for their rights. If you are looking for ways to make a lasting difference that will help build your legacy and the legacy of those around you, here are eight more ideas you can start today! Notice others. It can be a challenge to actually see those who are right in front of you. Consider the custodian at work, the elderly man who walks his dog past your house each day, or the sales clerk at the convenience store. We all offer something of value to the world. Focus on who is around you and acknowledge their presence. Make a personal comment. A kind word, funny statement, or short conversation can make a positive impact on another person’s day – or sometimes, even their life. Emit positivity. No matter where you are, nothing has a greater effect than a positive person in the crowd. Be that person. Keep your eyes and ears open to the needs of others. Maybe an unemployed neighbor has a teenage daughter who desires to complete a training program for her dream career. Unfortunately, the program costs $500 and your neighbor cannot afford to pay this fee for his daughter. Can you? What would it mean to you and that young lady if you’re willing to pay for the training that will make her dreams come true? You’ll be exhilarated once you begin to give what you can to others in ways that will enhance their lives. You simply cannot imagine this feeling until you have experienced it. Be willing to give your time to something worthwhile. What if a friend needed to complete a class but had no babysitter for her child? Would you step up and offer your babysitting services free of charge? Think about how appreciative she would be. Perhaps, at first, she would not accept your offer. There may be times like these where you must insist in order to help another. The experience will be quite rewarding for you. Be brave. Whenever you reach outside your comfort zone to affect others, it will feel different, awkward or a bit uncomfortable at first. Embrace the idea of doing something to affect another person in ways you might not even understand or realize right now. Exude your confidence in the process. Try it and see what happens. Start your own “slush fund” for contributing to the lives of those who need it. The total amount is less important than your intentions to do something that matters. If you want to give a larger amount than you have right now, save a little at a time. If you save $50 a month, at the end of a year you will have $600 to contribute. You will be surprised at the opportunities you will discover to do something great for someone. Your generosity can change their life for the better. Think of the long-term effects of your contributions. When evaluating situations to determine whether to help, consider the long-term consequences. Leaving a legacy is a daily practice, start by looking around you. It is exciting to know that with a bit of extra money, time, or work, you can dramatically change the life of another person forever. Commit now to make a difference and leave a legacy, just like the powerful women throughout history who have made our world a better one. You will be amazed at the renewed passion you feel for your own journey! Leaving a legacy and the ability to be a strong and effective leader go hand in hand. Legacy and leadership are connected in that a leader's actions and decisions can shape the legacy they leave behind. A strong leader who prioritizes values such as integrity, innovation, and empathy can leave a positive legacy for future generations to follow. On the other hand, a leader who lacks these qualities may leave behind a negative legacy that can hinder progress and growth. The daily practice of being a leader takes work, but it does not have to be difficult. It is also an ongoing practice – so you do not have to be perfect, nor do you start that way. Realizing this and more as a personal and professional development coach inspired me to think of ways to leave a legacy of my own. I created worksheets to give to my clients and students that help them meditate and take action towards the best leader they can be. I would love to share the Leadership: Becoming the Leader You’ve Always Wanted to Be worksheets for free! This dynamic resource will guide you through a series of vivid exercises and activities designed to help you unleash your leadership potential. Through our worksheets, you will feel the rush of excitement as you identify your strengths and weaknesses and the thrill of discovery as you set powerful goals for personal and professional growth. You will be empowered to conquer any obstacles in your path to success, as you learn from real-world examples and implement practical tips to become the inspiring leader your team deserves. Do not wait another day to ignite your leadership potential. With our Leadership: Become the Leader You Always Wanted to Be worksheets, you will feel the urgency to take action and transform your leadership skills. Download now to begin your journey towards greatness! Ready to unleash your leadership potential and become the leader you always wanted to be? Do not wait another day. Download our Leadership: Become the Leader You Always Wanted to Be worksheets now and experience the thrill of transformation! For more information on me and the Own Your Amazing Movement, please visit the OYA website. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Dr. Denise! Dr. Denise Moore Revel, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Denise Moore Revel, PhD is a Thought Leader, Best-selling Author and Personal Development coach. She built a career and business in Speech-Language Therapy before realizing she had more to offer when it came to helping others use their voice. This revelation inspired her to become the CEO and founder of the Own Your Amazing Movement (OYA). OYA is a movement that speaks to women who are looking for the perfect balance of happiness and success in their lives. Dr. Denise helps her clients discover their personal power beyond their job title and accolades to achieve a fulfilling life beyond their wildest dreams.

Written by: Rozalia Kieliszkiewicz , Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Reiki is a form of therapy. It connects us to communion in the form of communication. An intertwinement of energy creates questions, intention, and a solution through connection. It provides hope, and a charge of energy propels us forward into healing and wholeness. There are five precepts for a happy life created by Usui Sensei. "Just for Today... Do not Get Angry Do not Worry. Work Hard Be Grateful Be Kind" As you witness this beautiful healing method, you will understand that it is not solely a form of healing art but a science. Anyone can learn. However, you need a master to initiate you and open the door towards inner guidance. Here are 7 Healing benefits received through Reiki Meditation 1. Dispels Psychic Attacks A form of faith , reiki healing connects you to a Divine Source of energetic will. You entrust the universal energy to fill you with its abundant light flow, always shielding you from negative ions. This practice is fruitful and lights your way through the darkness when surrounded by antagonistic forces outside your control. When you stay connected to this light source, you can always find safety in the truth of your soul essence. 2. Clears Negative Debris A flow of light current, Reiki Meditation creates an energy that moves through the cells of your body, mind and soul. This healing energy is abundant and ever-flowing, like a river current of lasting life. As you welcome this energy into the crown of your head and through the root of your spine, you can trust that any damaging debris left from trauma, past life experiences, or paths that have simply completed their time will wash away. 3. Aligns your Chakras. Alignment of Chakras is a beautiful feeling that naturally occurs through Reiki Meditation. The healing practice focuses on the imbalanced area the healer is guided towards. Typically, the focus is on a particular chakra or assessing all chakras to regenerate and align them to create balance in the body, mind and soul. Through Reiki meditation, you focus on each chakra point allowing the flow to guide you toward the end of focus naturally. By aligning your chakras, you create a greater awareness of your life force and understanding your strengths and weaknesses better assists you and your choices moving forward. 4. Protects your Aura. Seven astral layers surround your physical body. These astral layers are known as your Aura. Your Aura can determine the state of your emotions, mind and physical and spiritual health. Reiki Meditation allows you to cleanse your Aura and create a transparent colour free from dark spots or empty holes that could otherwise harm you. Throughout time, Reiki Meditation may assist you in seeing your own Aura and the Auras surrounding your immediate environment. 5. Stabilizes your Emotions. It is natural to feel out of control of your emotions. This response is because you are constantly surrounded by changing tides, winds and structures as a collective. As a result, these emotions can become unstable and pull you out of your unique natural energy from within. Reiki Meditation can bring you back to the centre and align your emotions so that you can better observe them through non-attachment. This state allows you to remain connected without letting it take over your senses. 6. Reduces Anxiety The Divine likes to take us for a ride, and at times the spiritual spirals we are taken on have us separating from our bodies being up in our minds and into the sky. This illusive experience can create a feeling of anxiety, where your muscles feel tight, and you are flying through time. Reiki Healing helps ground you with an energetic principle stored in your astral layers and chakra centers. By creating the intention that you can bind yourself to matter, you bring yourself back down to the physical body, where reality exists in the present. 7. Increases your Immune System At times, our body can begin to display symptoms that are small nudges of a particular imbalance within. However, Reiki Meditation helps you be aware of your body's natural rhythms, and thus, you can apply this healing method whenever you feel you need an increase in your immune system. It might not be the cure if you catch a cold or come in contact with a bacterial infection. However, it can assist you in being more aware of what your body needs at this time and thus make appropriate choices towards healing. Connect with me through a Guided Reiki Meditation. During this Video session, we will focus on connecting through a meditative exchange behind the camera screen. Each in the comfort of our home, I will guide you through healing meditation as I connect to Nature and Universal energy. By being directed by a higher power, I will intuitively guide you to open up chakra centers to trigger a subconscious design within you and dissolve any blocks that could limit your life force. Trusting in the Divine to heal through me will initiate healing within you. Connect with me by booking here. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Rozalia! Rozalia Kieliszkiewicz, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Rozalia Kieliszkiewicz is a writer and entrepreneur educated in the various healing arts. Her goal is to help others create change within by healing and connecting with their Body, Mind and Soul by experiencing her healing and spiritual journey. Founder and Owner of Soul Food Fitness, She shares the knowledge that she has learned with others through practices such as Tarot Divination, Astrology, Psychology, Nutrition and Fitness. In addition, she is one of the co-founders of Leinko, a free space platform dedicated to entrepreneurs who wish to work in freedom to teach, coach, heal and serve humanity. Her Mission: Heal Within, Heal the World.

Written by: Amelia Harshfield, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. You probably have heard of the great things that can come from real estate investing. Forbes shares that real estate is more trusted than other sources to grow wealth. There are lots of people who have become wealthy just by investing in homes. However, investing in real estate can be a gamble. Between the ups and downs of the market, the unseen repairs required in real estate, the challenges with tenants, and knowing how to make money, there can be lots of ways to lose money. Even season investors can be in over their heads easily on properties. What can keep you on the sidelines of real estate investing is fear of the unknowns. You might not know where to begin. You might believe you need to be a renovation expert to purchase your first deal. You may be talking yourself out of the deals while looking at the numbers. If you knew how to quiet your fears, you stand a greater chance to make the best decision you can. Anxiety hinders your ability to think clearly and set yourself up for success. The first way you can reduce anxiety before jumping into purchasing is to take a solid look at your capabilities with real estate. Look at what you know, try to identify what you do not know. Also, understand what you are and are not willing to do with the property before putting your offer in. Are you willing to paint the property? Who can help you if you want to go quicker? Do you know a good roofer? What do you know about the property’s foundation? Does the rent cover all the expenses plus some? If you are thinking about flipping a property, what numbers do you need to know? The more information you have the better prepared you will be heading into your first sale. The second way is to learn what is helpful and unhelpful advice in real estate. People will have lots of opinions of what you should do with your first investment. People may tell you to turn it into a short-term rental. People may offer to be your property manager. Someone may come to you saying they have a homeless friend who is needing a home. People will be quick to tell you what they think you should do. Be cautious with these people. They are telling you what they would do with your property not trying to understand what is best for you. If you follow unhelpful advice, it may cost you thousands of dollars. People who want what is best for you will try to understand what you are wanting with your property. They will ask you questions like: What are you wanting to do long-term with the property? What is your budget for repairs? What have you stored away for unforeseen issues? How much risk are you willing to tolerate with your property? Are you planning on owning this with a business or under yourself? These people are who will likely give the best advice, thus leading you to what you want. The third way is to practice reducing your anxiety now. Issues will arise in real estate investing. The better you are at practicing your anxiety now the better you will be when they pop up. How comfortable are you with uncertainty right now? How do you currently handle financial hits? What is your reaction to money being tight? The more you can practice now at being calmer with money the better you will be then. The Becoming Resilient – Reduce Anxiety’s Impact on Your Life workbook is designed to teach you the process for lessening stress’ control on your investments. That way you can set yourself up for financial success while not having your emotions sabotage your investments. Click here. For more info follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website! Read more from Amelia! Amelia Harshfield, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Amelia Harshfield is fascinated and motivated by what impact makers can achieve as they become more resilient. With a solid education and a master’s degree in economics, she has been creating passive income in Real Estate investing for over 5 years. Her key foundational work is The Overcoming Anxiety Method™, a powerful 4-step formula for playing a bigger game without being crushed by fear. This process is paramount to finding an authentic version of freedom and wealth. Mentoring and educating high-level operators is her passion, her work has been featured in magazines, podcasts, conferences, and she has been a trainer on Sir Richard Branson's Necker Island.

Written by: Andrea Hunt, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Could you imagine someone following you closely, every second of the day and night, and constantly criticizing your every move? Would you ever follow around someone you loved telling them they weren't good enough, smart enough, or they were stupid for making a mistake? I certainly hope the answer is no! And yet, for many of us, this unwelcomed, negative self-talk is a daily reality. Read on to learn how the way you talk to yourself matters and why it might be sabotaging you... Why the way we talk to ourselves matters Words are incredibly powerful and the way we speak to ourselves matters way more than we realize. Why? Because even though you might not realize it, self-talk is an inner monologue that guides our thinking and behaviors. That directly affects the way we approach situations and people. Not only that, but our subconscious mind is also fueling our fears as well as activating our anxiety and worry. Think about it: what happens in your body and how do you show up when you tell yourself: ‘I’m always lucky! People love me!’ Vs. ‘Nothing ever goes my way. People suck.’ Taking that into account, the real problem is when it’s constant and our own negative self-talk undermines our goals, diminishes our self-worth, and sabotages our success. We can be our own worst critics with disastrous consequences. Negative self-talk is a reflection of the narratives you have about yourself The way we describe ourselves matters with words like: I AM … I AM NOT the kind of person who.., I CAN’T… THE WORLD IS... The terms we apply to ourselves in these inner conversations hold tremendous power ‒ they can push us forward or trap us in perpetual cycles of self-defeating thought patterns. They affect what we think we're capable of, what possibilities we have, whether we're lucky or unlucky, accepted, or whether 'THEY" let us do things. It's important to mention that we don’t all start from the same place. We don't all get the opportunities in childhood, we don't all have nurturing homes or stable support systems. And that means that many of us have a lot of UN-LEARNING to do. When we engage in regular negative self-talk as if our own inner critics are guiding us through life’s paths. So instead of encouraging our growth and progress, we actually limit our potential instead. To break out of these damaging cycles, it’s important to take control over what thoughts fill our minds on a daily basis ‒ by focusing on kinder, more supportive language when speaking to ourselves about the work that needs doing or mistakes we made. Where does negative self-talk come from? The way we talk to ourselves many times stems from our belief system ‒ or limiting beliefs. Sometimes it's not even a voice that came from us. We might not even know it’s there we’ve gotten so used to it. We create our internal narratives and beliefs in three core ways: What we heard - from an early age, we listened to our parents, caregivers, our families. We listened to what our teachers told us, maybe our community, maybe our houses of worship, our cultural norms, or the media we were exposed to. What we saw - We are very in tuned in to watching others and learning from their experience. Whether it's watching an older sibling make mistakes we can learn from, or observing what happens to colleagues or someone in our community. What we experienced - we might have had one terrible experience where we felt emotional or physical pain, shame, and embarrassment. Since then, when our brain anticipates or sees a situation that looks similar, we start to feel that anticipatory anxiety based on our past experience or worry towards the future. Like it or not, our beliefs influence our behavior. If we have the belief that something might be too hard for us, or that we don't deserve it, or that the world is against us and won't help us succeed, then these beliefs will hold us back from even trying. They might prevent us from even attempting to do something new or challenging. The good news is that we can start to challenge our beliefs and create new thought patterns. How to start challenging negative self-talk Notice when it's happening: The first step in challenging your negative self-talk is to become aware of it. Start noticing when these thoughts come up, what type of language you're using, and how they're affecting your emotions and decisions. Reframe your thoughts: Once you’ve identified a negative thought, try to reframe it in a more positive and productive way. Rather than thinking “I can’t do this,” tell yourself “I am in the process of learning…”. The goal is to turn the negative into something more empowering. Practice self-compassion: Instead of beating yourself up for making mistakes, practice self-compassion and understanding. We all make mistakes, and it’s important to acknowledge them while also being mindful of our progress as well. Surround yourself with positive people who also have goals and dreams: there's a saying that we become like the 5 people we are around the most. It's easier to challenge your negative thoughts when you surround yourself with people who encourage and support your dreams. Speak to yourself as you would to a friend: When it comes to self-talk, ask yourself if you’re being helpful or hurtful. This will help you ensure that your inner dialogue is positive and constructive rather than critical or dismissive. Why negative self-talk is linked to our self-sabotage Negative self-talk can be incredibly destructive and can sometimes cause us to sabotage our own goals and dreams. Left unchecked, it can fill our heads with doubts, fears and limiting beliefs that erode away at our confidence. And what's worse, we can significantly hinder our progress by leading us to worry too much, talk ourselves out of things, procrastinate on important tasks, or worst of all give up before giving ourselves a chance. The good news is that we have the power to stop sabotaging our own success and look within ourselves for the strength, confidence, and courage needed to make progress. People don't typically want to self-sabotage or even do it on purpose! Most of the time what I have noticed with my clients is that they do it usually out of fear or resistance. Unfortunately, some people will tell you that all you need to do is push through and you'll do it. Because that works for them. And to those people out there who have never had such a gripping fear that it causes anxiety and you self-sabotage something you wanted, that's amazing! You are incredibly capable! For many of us who push ourselves outside our comfort zones, fear, worry, and anxiety feel very real. Many of my clients are ambitious and then get extremely frustrated with themselves when they can’t follow through with things. By working with a transformational coach and EFT practitioner, you can get to the heart of the matter so you can start peeling back the layers of self-doubt that lead to self-sabotage. This will help you clear the negative emotional charge and the fears that come up so you can start moving forward step by step. This will allow you to take action on things that you've been putting off because you're stopping yourself. Every step forward is a step closer to achieving your goals! Conclusion: By taking small, deliberate steps and acknowledging our progress, we can start to build up our self-belief and confidence. We can challenge ourselves to learn new skills, push past our comfort zones and develop emotional resilience, which will help us face any setbacks with courage and grace. We can cultivate an attitude of gratitude by recognizing the good in all that we have achieved, however small it may seem. Does this sound like something you need? Join my workshops on March 25 or on April 16 to step into your power this Spring! Space is limited! You'll learn where your self-doubting narratives come from You’ll identify how they’re holding you back and what they’re costing you How to reframe your beliefs to find more empowering ones Try EFT Tapping for a mindset breakthrough right there! Register here: March 25 ‒ click here. April 16 ‒ click here. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or visit my website for more info! Read more from Andrea! Andrea Hunt, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Andrea Hunt is an online transformational life coach & EFT Practitioner for expats and digital nomads. A US expat who's lived in 7 different countries, Andrea helps those who boldly took the road less traveled to thrive abroad with confidence. She understands the challenges of planning a move abroad, integrating into a new culture, finding new friends and social circles, rebuilding life after a job loss or breakup while living in another country. She helps you empower your mindset and erase your limiting beliefs to thrive.

Written by: Amie Dean, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. You carry around a life story that impacts you today and these stories run deep ‒ they live within your body, your thoughts, and your emotions. The story you tell yourself and others, the good and the bad, has led you to where you are today. Your story has impacted every single moment of your life. Your story changes naturally over time, but there are parts of your story that never change until the past has been healed. Perhaps you hide the storybook of your pain in the attic of your mind where it collects dust and debris seemingly hidden from your awareness. If so, you’re not alone. My heart goes out to you as I know that whatever pain you have endured has ripped your heart wide open, and when this happened towering walls were built around it to protect you from additional pain. Fear becomes the primary experience and shadows the innocent desire to live as your true authentic Self. This human journey is like a maze, and while we all want to find the center (where true joy and peace reside) to get there, you are bound to come up against dead ends and constant fear blocks in your continued commitment to trudge ahead. On top of it all, it is also incredibly common to experience trauma (which is any adverse life event that was deeply distressing at the time of the event). In fact, five out of ten women have experienced at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. ¹ Also, women experience more complex and varied patterns of childhood adversity that cause core wounding and are more likely than men to have mental health, social, and emotional difficulties in adulthood. ² This means no matter your story, whether it includes trauma or not ‒ you’ve had enough pain in your life and no matter what you have been through, I can guarantee you have been through enough suffering. Enough is enough. We are on the brink of one of the largest shifts in mental health and spiritual growth for women so many women want to go beyond coping, beyond healing even there is a blazing fire burning within the hearts of women everywhere ‒ this desire to transform the parts of their lives negatively impacted by their past while deepening the connection to their Soul. If you’re ready, we will rewrite your story together one step at a time knowing that your new empowering story is waiting for you to discover. Your Four Core Wounds Listening to my client's stories and reflecting on my healing journey, I have discovered that the cause of most (if not all) of our human suffering can be broken down into four core wound categories: shame, survival, abandonment, and disempowerment. These wounds are most often carried by your inner child, who lives within the walls of your heart. These core wounds are intricately woven together like a tapestry, you likely carry more than one or even all four, but you have one core wound that has negatively affected your life the most. There is one core wound that wreaks havoc in all areas of your life and once this one is fully healed, it is much easier to heal the others. Let’s walk through them one by one in more depth so you can start to identify your 1 core wound and how it affects your life today. I’ll share more of my pathway to heal these wounds and then I will walk you through your journey to help you step into your true, authentic self. Shame Wound (being judged, not seen for who you are, guilty, feeling unlovable) From a very young age, I knew I was different. I was deeply sensitive and highly anxious, I felt things so very deeply and struggled to process through my emotions. I didn’t know it at the time, but I discovered I was a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) which makes up about 15-20% of the population. An HSP is someone who is extremely sensitive to the emotions and energy of people, animals, and elements in the environment. In addition, I discovered I was also an empath which takes sensitivity to the next level, as we tend to absorb others emotions unconsciously. Without the knowledge of this understanding, my only outlet was writing poetry. It became my trusted friend when I didn’t feel safe enough to share the inner workings of my mind and emotions with others. When I became a teenager, I continually asked myself the question “what's wrong with me?”, and despite my ability to make friends easily, I never truly feeling good enough. It didn’t help that I was a very late bloomer ‒ I was told by peers and adults that I was too thin (are you anorexic or bulimic? They would ask.) too nerdy (thank you so much glasses and braces) and too sensitive just all around too much, and yet…not enough. All the while, I suffered with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) with chronic panic attacks (which I didn’t have a name for at the time and instead thought I was dying). I never felt safe in my body, a theme I would come to face throughout my adult life. Because none of my friends seemed to exhibit these behaviors, clearly I thought, there had to be something wrong with me. I was also a natural So I tried to fit in, to be like everyone else. When I had panic attacks, I pretended I was okay. When I struggled with OCD, I tried to hide it from others. I believed that no one could accept my shadow self. It wasn’t until my early twenties that I began the personal counseling journey and discovered that my high sensitivity and related anxiety was actually a treasure chest of gifts just waiting for me to unlock them. Through a lot of deep inner work, I learned that my life purpose was to help others awaken to the qualities of their divine Soul, to align as their most authentic selves. In this empowered state, I was drawn to a holistic spirituality which became my beacon of light. According to Brene Brown, researcher and author of Daring Greatly, almost everyone suffers with shame (except the rare individuals who lack the capacity for empathy). Her definition of shame is incredibly helpful: Shame is the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging. ³ For women, shame shows up as the need to look perfect and be perfect. The fear of being judged by others, the fear of the flawed aspects of self-revealed. For many women, no matter how much they achieve or accomplish in their lives they never feel good enough in different areas of their lives intimate relationships/sex, friendships, family, career/finances, and body image. If any of this resonates with you, know that this is one of the most common core wounds. What shame can look like: Heightened self-consciousness “what do others think of me?” An embarrassment of “who I am” Comparison with others activates a loud “inner critic” sub-personality Feeling like an imposter Feeling unworthy and not good, not smart enough A sense of not being able to do things “right” Feeling inauthentic in relationships Social anxiety Self-doubt in decision-making Underlying feelings of guilt The world will tell you that you need to become someone, to prove your worth (just look at any advertisement or magazine geared towards women, there's a message about who you should be, how you should look, and how you should spend your time, money and energy). In truth ‒ you are ALREADY enough There is nothing you need to do, become or achieve to align as the divine brilliance that you are. I encourage you to breathe into this knowing, right here and right now. You dear one, are beautiful and perfect just as you are. Abandonment Wounds (feeling neglected, betrayed, rejected, needs unmet) My dad passed away several years ago, he was my very best friend, at the same time we had quite a complex relationship. My dad struggled with an alcohol and narcotic addiction throughout my childhood and into adulthood as a result of living with painful, chronic health conditions. I watched a man I love dearly be taken over by the throws of addiction, fighting against it some days, and just barely hanging on the others. On the good days, I saw him as the dad I knew and loved, the funny, loving father I could depend on. On the bad days, he was numb, depressed and therefore, emotionally unavailable. My roles switched quickly between daughter and responsible caretaker, which means I had to grow up much faster than my inner child was ready for. Through the ups and downs of my childhood, I developed an insecure attachment style, known as Anxious Attachment, which led me to feel fearful and preoccupied in my adult relationships. Now that my dad has passed and I have had time to grieve and heal, I can look back and say with certainty that my childhood was exactly the way it was supposed to be. I needed these experiences for my highest growth, to help me awaken to the truth of who I really am. I wouldn’t be more this braver, more compassionate aspect of myself without this key piece of my past. When I look back at my dad‘s role in my upbringing, I have nothing but love in my heart for him and I feel him with me all the time. With all my dad was up against, I admire him. He remained strong and his love for me, my mom and my sisters were always at the root of who he was and how he lived his life. And today, after healing multiple layers of wounding within, I’m happily married with much more of a secure disposition than an anxious one. However, healing never happens in a linear fashion, so I know there will be more layers of healing that will make themselves known to me in the right timing, and when they do ‒ I’ll be ready. The abandonment wound occurs after experiencing abuse, neglect, betrayal, or losing the people you love, or as I shared, growing up in a chaotic home. There are three different insecure attachment styles that fall under this abandonment wound: anxious, avoidant, and disorganized attachment. What the abandonment wound can look like within each of these attachment styles: Anxious Attachment: An underlying sense of unease, and preoccupation with a lack of trust and safety in the relationship, and a lurking worry that you’ll lose your partner Difficulty trusting others Low self-esteem Craving closeness and intimacy, feeling like there is a hole that can’t be filled Needing ongoing reassurance that others care about you Avoidant Avoids long-term commitment in relationships Feels uncomfortable with touch or being physically close to others Does not show emotions easily Does not ask for emotional support Stresses the need for independence, feels that partners are too “needy” or “clingy” Disorganized Attachment: Difficulty in regulating emotions Back and forth between extreme closeness and isolation from others (push-pull) Desiring close relationships but struggles with emotional intimacy Extreme fear of rejection Disempowerment Wound (feeling manipulated, gaslit, used/exploited, make yourself small) My inner ego system was born to make others happy to avoid conflict (aka to avoid more pain and potential abandonment from childhood). I learned early on that people like you when you are nice to them, and do not like you when you show any kind of negative emotion (hint: because it activates their wounding, which then activates my wounding and then the cycle continues). So I played the game especially in young adulthood, not knowing it was a societal game at the time. It felt very serious, and I had to make sure everyone was happy, all the time, in every circumstance. It felt like walking on eggshells. I carefully set up around every relationship imaginable. I was the “yes” woman, even when I wanted to say no. Boundaries? Nope. Too high of stakes to set boundaries, my wounds could be activated. I simply smiled when I was cringing inside, and then I wondered why I was burnt out, exhausted and deeply craving alone time in nature. I was all “peopled” out. The worst part? In part it led to my success, to my achievements and appeared to help me move more quickly towards my life purpose of helping others and making a big impact. This is the disempowerment wound, it sneaks up on you sometimes when you least expect it, and only afterwards do you realize that you lost your voice, your authenticity and your dignity. I also became angry, and in case it wasn’t obvious, anger wasn’t okay either. Not as a woman, as a professional or as someone who was “supposed to have it all together” (what an impossible standard..) Emily and Amelia Nagoski in their book Burnout: Unlocking The Stress Cycle said it perfectly when they called it “Human Giver Syndrome” ‒ “Human givers must, at all times, be pretty, happy, calm, generous, and attentive to the needs of others, which means they must never be ugly, angry, upset, ambitious, or attentive to their own needs.” But there is another way. And this way for me included walking the dark tunnel of being willing to confront my people's pleasing tendencies and in turn the disempowerment wound. That way, I’m not so broken down when I am faced with other people's wounds. I’ve come a long way as now I speak my truth, even when it’s not the popular opinion, and might even upset someone else. I also now put my self-care first, which come to find out also means you might upset someone in the process, but have discovered it is well worth the relationship repair after. And as before, there are always more layers to heal, but in the past I used to dread this painful process of healing, and now, I am here with open arms, it is afterall, my path to awaken. The Disempowerment wound can occur as a result of childhood experiences where you learned that it wasn’t okay to express yourself authentically. Such as growing up in a family that asked you to keep quiet often, and to contain your emotions. Or being bullied by other children in school. Perhaps you were told “children should be seen but not heard” when you were upset as a child, maybe you were criticized for speaking your truth, and boundaries weren’t acknowledged or respected. This is a suppression wound, at the time you had to suppress who you are to be who others wanted you to be. What the Disempowerment wound can look like: A feeling of helplessness, and the potential to blame others for the way you feel due to suppressed anger Struggling to set firm boundaries in relationships in fear that you won’t be acknowledged or respected. Silencing your voice, making yourself smaller around others Self-doubt, difficulty making decisions, and trusting intuition On the other end of this, you might notice a feeling of rage when you are not respected Survival Wound (feeling attacked, violence at home (childhood/current), physical or emotional trauma, scarcity) As with many things, there is a web that connects one wound to the next, is this is definitely my experience. As an anxious, sensitive child that struggled to feel safe in my body with a predisposition towards OCD/health related fears, I was not well prepared for the health catastrophe that would cause the spiral that led to my rock bottom. As life will have it, sometimes we will given challenging”life assignments” to face our wounding one after another after another. In my case at the time of my identity and life crisis, I was carrying the heaviness of abandonment wounding (which peaked when my dad passed away), the disempowerment wound, and the shame wound. It took a near death hospital experience to launch me into a two year journey to heal my physical pain, underlying shame and loss of identity. But here's the good news ‒ I survived! Everytime we survive, no matter what we have been through, it can become a Post Traumatic Growth experience. PTG is a positive transformation after trauma where you feel stronger and more resilient than ever before. And studies show time and time again that those who face adversity (come up against their Survival wound) are often the ones who are the most empowered, the most resilient, and the most transformed. It turns out the aphorism, “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” does have a great deal of truth to it. The survival wound shows up in many different ways. For some this wounding begins during a time of witnessing violence or experiencing abuse or neglect. For others, they grew up in poverty watching their parents struggle to put food on the table for dinner or stress over their inability to pay the bills. No matter how this wounding comes about, the underlying belief and felt sense is the same: I am not safe. This lack of safety spills over into all areas of life as adults but especially in the categories of relationships and money as well. What the Survival wound can look like: Preoccupied with finances and having enough Concerned about the loss of money even when things are fine Experiencing chronic anxiety or panic attacks Fear of death, getting sick, or suffering Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Anxiety or Panic Attacks Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) All of your suffering has brought you to this very moment. That’s so important to consider, because while you have been through enough suffering ‒ it is also a beautiful blessing in a cloaked disguise. Suffering truly is the catalyst to your highest growth and your deepest awakening to who you really are. Let’s walk this journey home together… Discover Your 1 Core Wound Download The Free Core Wound Guidebook To Learn More Read Part 2 To Discover A Simple, Powerful Method To Heal Your Core Wounds Follow Amie on Facebook or visit her website. Read more from Amie! Amie Dean, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Amie Dean is a Clinically Certified Trauma Professional and Awakening Transformation Coach specializing in high sensitivity. Her Awakened Living Community and online courses have helped hundreds of empaths and HSPs break free of the four core wounds hindering their growth in their spirituality, relationships, work/career, and life purpose. She guides them to fully align with their Higher Selves so they can awaken their true essence, and live a meaningful life while sharing their gifts with the world. References: [1]http://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/common/common_women.asp3A~%3Atext%3DWomen%20are%20more%20than%20t [2] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6968572/ [3] Brown Brené. Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead. London: Penguin Life, 2015.

Susanna Holowati is a passionate Embodied Change Facilitator, corporate trainer, and embodiment coach. She founded Embodytopia to empower purpose-driven leaders to act with more impact. Her mission is to catalyze transformation through increased embodied intelligence. With leadership embodiment practices, she helps change-makers worldwide to grow beyond brainy boxes and to embody the change they want to bring to the world. Susanna Holowati, Embodied Change Facilitator Hello Susanna, nice to meet you! Can you tell us more about you and your background? Yes, my name is Susanna Holowati, and with multicultural origins from Germany, Russia and Ukraine, I spent 13 years living in France, where I founded Embodytopia in 2020. I am a certified Embodied Facilitator and a professional UZAZU Embodied Intelligence Practitioner, and I use a range of embodiment practices in my training and coaching approach. For more than seven years, I worked in international education and media organizations and as a trainer before specializing in embodiment in 2019. Before that moment, I felt like a crucial part of myself was missing in my career, and I figured it out: my body! My whole life, I had my somatic practices ranging from dance to martial arts, yoga and meditation, and I was also longing to bring these parts of me to my job. With embodiment, I finally could! What I learned through my own body is actually an essential part of my client work. Since 2022 I am again based in Germany, located near France and Switzerland, where I also facilitate contact improvisation classes next to my corporate training and embodied coaching sessions. I am always amazed at how transformative it is for people to bring the body into learning processes, and I keep evolving daily with my skills. What is embodiment, and how does it relate to leadership? Embodiment is a whole field where professionals from many backgrounds meet: from cognitive science, somatic psychotherapies, and mindfulness to yoga, art, dance, bodywork, and neuroscience. As the word is trending, there are misconceptions and different definitions of embodiment. For me, embodiment means integrating the body as a holistic part of how we lead ourselves and others through life. It’s directly linked to our leadership. Our body is inherently intelligent. By accessing this intelligence through awareness as a body (vs. of the body), we can make choices that will help us evolve more easefully and skillfully through every life experience. This process requires that we start feeling again. Try this: touch your body as if it were an object or something you want to keep functional. How does that feel? Now touch your body with awareness of its aliveness, recalling beloved people it has hugged, the places it has visited, the pain and the joy it has felt…How different does that feel? That’s embodiment ‒ the body as a felt living subject. Instead of just being the vessel of our mind or an object of efficacy, our bodies can be the primary means of learning, resilience, and empowerment. Only through our bodies will we be able to literally walk the talk and be authentic leaders. It’s about choosing any moment how we want to be and practicing who we want to become. That’s what I help people to achieve. In a nutshell, how do you work with embodiment? My approach is experiential and practical, with various techniques coming from embodied facilitation and the holistic UZAZU Embodied Intelligence framework. The foundation is to practice embodied awareness and then develop skills needed to change states of being and behaviors. How we stand, sit, and walk strongly impacts how we feel, think, and relate to others. That’s why I use powerful postures, movement, breath, voice, and UZAZU modes, which help my clients shift how they feel in a given situation and learn new ways of reacting. They’ll also get micro-practices that are easy to apply in daily life so that they develop organically new traits and skills in the long term. For example, instead of needing to go to a yoga class for one hour after a challenging conversation at work, they will now have a personal centering exercise that they can apply in less than one minute to handle the situation better in real time! Working with the body in coaching and training is a direct way to overcome life challenges; so much quicker than if we try to figure it out with our heads. Who can benefit from leadership embodiment? Anyone who wants to be more embodied and better influence their surroundings! My clients are open-minded people who want to increase their embodied intelligence to transform themselves and the world around them. Whether you wish to manage stress and daily difficulties, be more performant or authentic ‒ you can give your brain a pause and practice through your body new ways of feeling and behaving. The most important aspect is to be open for exploration: feeling and moving your body, trying things out that feel unfamiliar, and stepping out of your comfort zone. Leadership embodiment is for anyone ready to bring positive change to themselves, the people they're interacting with, and ultimately the world we co-create together. Specifically, if you work with people 1-on-1 or with groups as a helping professional, therapist, coach, consultant, or trainer, embodiment skills will be a massive catalyst for you and others. What is the next step people can take to be more embodied? I recommend you commit to several embodied micro-practices. Start by doing somatic check-ins and centering techniques. A straightforward practice is: Ask yourself, “How am I now?” Notice your current body sensations, the emotional quality of it, your energy level, and what thoughts come up. Stay with it without judging. Do this at least five times per day linked to other routines. Once checked in, accept your state and set an intention of how you want to be (e.g., more light-hearted, focused, relaxed, etc.). Adapt your way of gazing, breathing, walking, moving, sitting, or standing accordingly to achieve that state. Get inspired by other embodiment experts like Mark Walsh, Dylan Newcomb, Philip Shepherd, Wendy Palmer, Ginny Whitelaw, or Martha Eddy. To go further, do the UZAZU Embodied Intelligence assessment to see how balanced or dysregulated you get in different life contexts and what skills you might want to develop. What would you change in our society if you had a magic stick? Firstly, I would transform education and corporate systems so that learning is based on full-body experiences instead of being primarily a mind-focused approach. Then decision-making could be grounded in a true sense of individual purpose for collective thriving. If leaders become more embodied in their ongoing development, we might need fewer magic sticks…And everyone is a leader within their environment! How can people reach out to you, to find out more? I am always happy to exchange via LinkedIn, the Embodytopia Website, or email. Read more from Susanna!

Written by: Kathryn Orford, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. As the world grapples with the pandemic's effects, businesses have had to adapt to an ever-changing landscape. From working remotely to digital communication, companies have had to restructure and re-build their teams to meet the challenges of this new reality. In this post-pandemic climate, the Japanese art of Kintsugi offers valuable lessons for businesses looking to re-engage, re-build, and retain members of their teams. Kintsugi is a traditional Japanese art form that involves repairing broken pottery with gold, silver, or platinum. Repaired pottery is often considered more valuable and beautiful than the original. Kintsugi's philosophy is based on the idea that breakage and repair are part of an object's history and should not be hidden but celebrated. In the same way, businesses can use the principles of Kintsugi to celebrate their teams' resilience, embrace their mistakes, and create a stronger, more cohesive team. Here are some ways corporations and businesses can apply the principles of Kintsugi to re-engage, re-build, and retain their teams: Celebrate resilience The pandemic has been challenging for everyone, but it also demonstrated people's resilience and adaptability. As businesses begin to rebuild, it is essential to acknowledge and celebrate the efforts and achievements of your team. Take the time to recognise their hard work, adaptability, and creativity during this challenging time. Embrace mistakes Mistakes are a part of the learning process, and businesses can use them to their advantage. By acknowledging mistakes and learning from them, leaders can create a culture of continuous improvement. Instead of hiding mistakes, encourage your team to share them openly and work together to find solutions. Foster collaboration In the Kintsugi tradition, repaired pottery is often considered more valuable than the original because of the collaboration between the artisan and the broken pieces. Similarly, businesses can foster collaboration among their team to create something better than the original. Encourage your team to work together, share ideas, and support each other. Create a sense of purpose The pandemic has caused many people to re-evaluate their priorities and purpose. As a business leader, it is essential to lead by example and create a sense of purpose for your team. This can be done by communicating the company's newfound vision and values, providing opportunities for personal and professional development, and creating a positive work environment. Invest in your team Finally, investing in your team is crucial to retaining them. This can be done through training and development programs, providing opportunities for career advancement, and offering competitive compensation and benefits. By investing in your team, you'll be demonstrating your commitment to their success and well-being. In the article of Annemieke Hartman Jemmett refers to all of these points as “Business Kintsugi” ie: to maximise trust in uncertain and challenging times; maximising engagement to VALUES whilst minimising FEAR. And as Amanda MacKinnell from the Australian Institute of Business says: “As the Pandemic transitions to an Endemic state, it is opportune to reflect on what was broken, lessons learned, and celebrate the outcomes as the Art of Disaster. Like Kintsugi, there is value to be found in fully understanding recent events, and accepting the changes; such a revised philosophy is a golden opportunity to support our society into the future.” In conclusion, the principles of Kintsugi offer valuable lessons for businesses looking to re-engage, re-build, and retain their teams in this post-pandemic climate. By celebrating resilience, embracing mistakes, fostering collaboration, creating a sense of purpose, and investing in your team, you can create a stronger, more cohesive team that's better equipped to face future challenges. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Youtube, or visit my website for more info! Read more from Kathryn! Kathryn Orford, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Kathryn Orford is a highly regarded professional speaker, author, and expert in resilience, human performance and human potential. With over 20 years of experience in the field, she has helped individuals and organizations around the world recover from setbacks, achieve their goals and reach their full potential. As a speaker, Kathryn is known for her engaging and inspirational style. Drawing on her own experience of rebuilding her life after being suicidal, Kathryn delivers powerful messages that motivate and empower audiences to rebuild their lives and businesses in this post-pandemic climate. And she has spoken at conferences, events, and workshops across North America, Europe, and Australia and has been interviewed on every major television network across the US. Kathryn is also the author of several books, including "Become Your 1 Fan ‒ How to silence your inner critic and live the life of your dreams” and “Remember who you were…before the world told you who you should be”. In addition to her speaking and writing, Kathryn is a sought-after consultant and coach, working with individuals and organizations to improve their performance in this post-pandemic climate.

Written by: Destiny K, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Have you ever had any feelings that made you feel like something was going to happen? Or just had that pit in your stomach while on your way to do something? If so, then you have experienced what is known as a “warning” from the universe, ancestors, loved ones, spirit guides, and spirit. This can consist of gut feelings, instincts, premonitions, and something known as the “sixth sense.” Below you will find some of my experiences, which will help you understand more about these types of feelings that many of us may experience in our lifetime. Count my lucky stars I was going to a place called Watford, England. Count my lucky stars I didn’t go. So my boyfriend at the time was already in Watford waiting for me and my friends who live in a different area than Watford. So, it was easier for me to go with my friends in their car over to Watford as my friends live in the same area as me. My boyfriend at the time was from Watford. I was around seventeen-eighteen, so my boyfriend asked his friend If he could pick me up and bring me over to the fair. His friend turned up at mine. I then said, “Where is J?” He replied, “J has asked me to take you over to Watford to the fair, as it makes sense due to us all being in the same area already.” So in the car already was J’s friend who was driving, his girlfriend, and two other friends of mine that were in the back of the car. One was sitting behind the passenger seat and the other behind the driver seat. So that meant I would have had to of sat in the middle seat in the back of the car. I was the smallest as well, so that is also why I would have had to of sat in the middle. We were all ready to go and I was not really feeling it anyway. Something was telling me not to go. I didn’t listen to my gut instinct at first, and I still went to go and get into the car. I put my hand on the car door handle. I then felt a force of energy come out of nowhere and it was like my hand was being pulled straight off the car door handle. That for me was a hundred percent a sign and warning. I instantly knew and changed my mind and said “Nope I am not getting in your car. If J wants me to come to the fair so badly he can pick me up himself.” I then apologized to J's friend and said, “I am really sorry but I don’t feel right getting in your car as something is telling me not to.” He then said, “I don’t think J’s going to be happy about this if I don’t bring you over to the fair.” I then said to him again, “Well, if J wants me to come that badly then he can come to get me himself and that is that.” I was not going back or changing my mind. They then drove off from mine and they got literally five minutes down the road and they were going underneath the bridge. The car lost control and went straight into the railings underneath the bridge hitting them. Luckily everyone was okay, just had a few cuts and bruises from the airbags going off. However, If I would have gone in the car with them, I would have gone straight through the windscreen as I would have been in the middle. Count my lucky stars I didn’t go, as I truly believe that was a warning sign telling me not to go. Saving a life thousands of miles away I was asleep and it was silly o’clock in the morning my time, and my boyfriend at the time was in Australia. At the time it was mid-day his time. When I immediately woke up, I had a gut instinct and something told me to call him. I called him and he answered and the first thing he said to me was “Are you okay? I then said to him I’m okay. Are you okay?” He said, “Yes I’m fine” I then said, “No you’re not. You need to listen to me and stand still and stop right now.” I then noticed that he seemed quite panicky in his voice, and after he stood still, he then reassured me that he was okay and he said “I feel like you had a bad dream.”So I said to him, “I’m really sorry, but something told me to call you.” I then went back to sleep. However, it was only then when I went out to Australia to visit and see him this whole conversation got brought up again. He then admitted to me “Do you remember that morning when you called me and grabbed your phone at silly o’clock in the morning your time and mid-day my time.” I then replied, “Yeah, I remember this. Why?” He continued, “And I was on my way to work, but at the time I never told you this because I didn’t want to worry you. I don’t know how you knew, but you just knew that at that time you told me to stand still and stop. I needed to. Because If I hadn’t stopped and stood still as you told me to, I would have been hit by a big truck. It literally missed me by centimeters!!!! I even felt the breeze go past me as the truck passed. I didn’t want to tell you at the time and panic you as you were across the other side of the world from me.” He then admitted to me, “I was not paying attention to the road; I was texting my friend as I was about to cross the big road. I’m glad I listened to you, and I appreciate it. Thank you so much. It could have ended up a different story.” He then looked around at me and said, “I swear you must have the sixth sense or something. That is crazy how you knew.” Trance-like state, brings great sadness On the 6th of July 2005, I was staying at a friend's house. I was also talking to my boyfriend at the time on MSN in the early hours of the morning. He was in Australia and I was in England. I was happy because we were talking then all of a sudden, I had a feeling of a big sadness around me. The sadness was so sad that I had a lump in my throat, and I could not speak. All that I could do was stare in a very deep stare and I felt I went into a trance. Everything had faded but then went dark. And the next thing I saw was that I had all of these people coming up to me that were bleeding, talking in different languages, and all different nationalities coming up to me. I was walking to them, and they were running towards me. Then, I hear “Don’t go that way! Come with us” and a woman grabbed my hand and said, “Help ME!” So I turned around and said to her, “I’m really sorry, I don’t know how I can help you as I don’t understand what is going on” and she replied “Don’t go” and I said confusingly, “Don’t go this way? Don’t go where?” It was weird. I tried to understand what was going on and I couldn’t understand at the time what was going on. I then had this really different sensation that came over me in my gut and it wasn’t a good feeling. About fifteen minutes after I managed to come out of the trance, not knowing how I did or how long I was in it. My friend said to me, “K is everything okay with you? We have been trying to wake you up and we couldn’t get anything out of you.” Then I looked at her and I felt sick and my words to her were, “Something really bad is happening today. I don’t know what it is but it is going to shock everyone.” I then looked at her again and I said, “We are not going to London today! I am going home.” So my friend tried to calm me down and said, “What did you see?” I said, “I don’t want to talk about it. I just want to go home.” And I said to her, “Promise me that you will not go to London today. Even though I am not going!” Around three o’clock in the morning, I went home and my friends' dad walked me over to my parent's house. I tried to get in the door with my key but the door was locked. So I had to knock on my parents' door and wake them up to let me in. My mum came down the stairs opened the door and saw that I looked quite distressed. She asked, “Are you okay?” I said, “No, I am not okay!” She replied, “Why? What’s the matter?” And I said, “I am not quite sure what happened to me but I was talking to D fine, happy, and all of a sudden I felt a very strong feeling of sadness. I went into some kind of trance mum. I then came out of the trance and have been warned not to go to London today.” My mum looked at me and said, “Ohhhhh don’t be so silly. You will be fine.” I said, “Mum, I am telling you now I am not going to London.” So she said, “Oh, just come upstairs then and go to sleep. You’re overtired.” On the 7th of July 2005, my mum came upstairs to wake me up. I was not waking up at first so she was literally tapping me to come downstairs. I went downstairs and she showed me the TV. On the news was the headline “London Bombings.” I dropped the TV controller. I literally burst into tears and cried, feeling the same sadness I felt when I had experienced this the night before in the trance like state. My mum looked at me and said, “You knew.” I said, “I feel awful right now because I wish I could have prevented this from happening.” My mum then said, “They were warning you not to go, and don’t feel that it’s your fault.” My family was happy that I was okay, but it was very sad that people lost their lives during this tragedy. So the moral of the story is if you get a gut instinct or feeling whether it is good or bad never deter away from it or ignore it. As it is a sign from your angels, ancestors, loved ones, spirit guides, and even the universe. Letting you know to listen and take on board what they are referring you to and making you aware of. As these feelings, instincts, and premonitions that you receive could help you along your journeys by saving you and others around you. So with this information you have just read I am asking you “Have you ever had a gut feeling, instinct, premonition, or “sixth sense” that you had before something good or bad has happened?” I’d like to personally invite you to please check out, my website and share the experiences that you may have had to help you share that weight off your chest. Follow me on Facebook and visit my website for more info! Read more from Destiny K! Destiny K, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Destiny K (Katy), is a International Psychic Medium Empath Intuitive Reader, Healer, Light Worker, and Earth Angel. She has had her gifts since she was 3 years old, and after having a near death experience in 2018 she has grown and heightened her abilities to help others. She does not believe in coincidences, and believes that everything happens for a reason. Using her abilities, she helps many around the world as, Destiny K Psychic Medium bringing them positive energies, abundance, blessings, love, and closure. As a Psychic Medium she helps loved ones in spirit pass on messages to those that are needing them. Destiny K, believes in Fate and Destiny. She wishes you all a beautiful, wonderful, and joyful day.

Written by: Yemi Daramola Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. I guess you have been thinking about venturing into the business world and you must have been thinking about how viable your idea is in terms of becoming successful in the market. I must commend the courage to consider yourself as an entrepreneur in an ever-competing market in all global economies but your success in the market is not guaranteed by mere courage. You might equally be the hard worker who considers your energy more productive if used to serve in any niche market of your consideration, but such work ethic may not be productive save you consider the position of your service or product in the market and how it relates to people. Most people begin a business with wrong assumptions, and it is the reason why people fail in business. To think of enhancing your income as the dominating mindset for business, for example, would lead to business failure yet if you do not make a profit from your business then the whole business idea would be futile hence you must think of your end users benefit too. The quality of information you have when initiating your business would either become the strong foundation to build a viable business upon or to build a crumbling business upon. The question then is how do you build the appropriate foundation for a viable business? This is to design your foundation on recognising a gap in the market. Such recognition of the gap is divided between an awareness of a problem or a need. One must however be careful with such observation by taking a conscious effort to differentiate between a problem and a need in a market gap. Problems usually have a temporary nature such that when a potential businessperson builds a business on it, the life span of the benefits for both the customer and the businessperson may be limited. To take an example to explain this, one could think of the covid-19 pandemic period and consider the viability of venturing into making facemask as high. Even though such item already has providers the likelihood of its success if exploited with the corresponding marketing process is still high but then the issue of Covid-19 was managed out of pandemic status and by that fact the market of facemask was automatically expected to reduce hence your game as an entrepreneur was over except you use that same platform or skill to respond to the next incumbent trend or crisis so that the platform makes you an entrepreneur. In converse to the paragraph above, a more secured way to establish yourself as an entrepreneur would have been in your prowess for recognising an inalienable need in the life of the people. To focus on the need of the people is very strategic in business initiation as people by nature have an endless list of needs. The inalienable need of the people is borne either out of popular demands or by your understanding of its utility in enhancing the quality of life. People thrive on the consumptions of certain needs that are inseparable to their survival and sense of dignity which any provider of service/products could legitimately exploit strategically in providing. Then there are those needs the people do not think about but when you provide them and demonstrate their utility as valuable, people would embrace it as an unavoidable need in their lives. An instance of the last situation was how life used to be prior to mobile phone and the internet becoming household commodities. Albeit the fact that sustainability of relationship was rare, mobile phones and the internet were considered either non-existent or needless luxuries. Those items today had become almost another part of human existence such that business is constructed across distant borders regularly. Relationships are now sustained and more promising in such ways that the possession of them is more normal than the non-possession of them so the market for these tools remained under persistent demands. Also, when automobiles came into existence, it was a luxury for the rich, but Henry Ford changed that by conceiving an idea that he would manufacture a collection of cars that people with average income could purchase and that laid the foundation of car possession becoming as essential as we have it today. Initiate your business on responding to a public demand or introduce a valuable need and your business would thrive. However, you must measure the need before you initiate your project and if you do not have a technical skill to do this, start by considering what is called Human Rights Article in UK, which are divided into qualified and absolute rights. The absolute rights are those rights that are not restricted but must be solicited for as an essential priority of all people and then imagine and work towards a service/product that you consider to be likewise paramount to social existence and do not forget to Consider the following as summary: Be aware of the need of the people and consider the quality of service or product satisfactory if not distinctive as the only viable way to guarantee your return on investment. Find a niche market where possible and grow out of it to other groups by the proof of the customer satisfaction you obtained from your initial audience. Identify the best platform, channel, and location to sell your services or products. Do not forget to make conscious marketing efforts and enhance customer services. Remember Jason Folds Group motto: Persistent innovation and Improvement. The odds are now in your favour! Join us for a limited offer of 3 start-up business development package which includes 3 months of support of : 1) Business Analysis and Development Plan 2) Marketing and digital tools support 3) progress management Click this link to join us before the offer runs out. The offer is limited to 20 business ideas. Yemi Daramola, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine He is the Managing Director of Jason Folds Group Ltd and a multi-skilled business consultant with certifications in Business analysis and project management to the professional level. A published writer and a poet. He has been able to offer a complete package of business support to clients through his diverse expertise which saw him growing markets either through writing valuable copies or strategizing market growth as well as managing corporate change or crisis. He is enthused with the growth of his clients’ investments and managing accompanying risks. He also enjoys coaching corporate and individuals on the need for persistent innovation and improvement which is the motto of his company.

Written by: Hanlie Robbertse, Guest Writer Have you ever planted something in the soil and eagerly watched it, waiting and hoping it would grow? It’s fun to watch plants grow and bloom. We give our plants regular water and food to ensure we have healthy, flowering plants. There’s a sense of satisfaction when the day arrives and a plant produces some “harvest”. Nurturing and caring helped the plant to achieve that state, and we feel a sense of accomplishment when witnessing the reward in the “harvest”. We humans also go through growth stages like plants, and while plants’ growth is more linear, ours jump between stages, making it uncomfortable and even painful. The rewards, however, are worth it and will bring far greater rewards than not growing at all. Using plants as our measure, let’s see how it applies to our lives. Seeding There are various reasons why we change our lives. Like a plant, we also get seeded at times; This can be during a transitional phase in our journey on earth. A transitional phase is when change happens, like getting married, divorced, or retiring. Change is never easy and is often tough on our emotions and mental health; This is why you need to go deep within yourself to “seed” a new version of yourself because change also implies grief and letting go. It is also a time when you will nurture and nourish yourself with lots of practices like meditation, journaling, forgiveness, etc., to make sure that when you sprout again, you are ready for a growth spurt. Rooting Before a plant can sprout, it will grow roots because, without roots, it will wither and die. We also need a solid foundation to hold us steady in adversity. A solid foundation is through finding and forming a supportive network of people with the same vision. They can be coaches and friends, but the most important thing is that you need to be able to trust them. Some of our roots are also in the nurturing and nourishing practices we established during seeding. Then there are the spiritual roots – it doesn’t matter your belief system. You can grow a seed if you have an anchor somewhere to feed your spirituality. When establish a routine of regular maintenance, and doing away with bad habits, can bring in a lot of uncomfortable feelings. Still, when you start to see the results, it will replace all the hardship with joy. Sprouting After being “dormant” in the ground for a while, the plant suddenly bursts through the soil, pushing its tendril stalk and early leaves out into the welcoming sun. It’s a minor miracle for the plant to have come so far, and the probability for it to reach “adulthood” increases with each centimeter it grows above the ground. When we sprout, we experience the same feeling. We’ve been hidden in the dank, dark recesses of our hearts to make space for a new version of ourselves, and when we are ready, we will push out and into the light. The world around us will feel lighter, and we will also feel less constrained. The sprouting stage often feels like we’re surfing through life without much effort and things holding us back. Blooming When the time is right, a plant will produce blooms in some form. It may be an ordinary flower, fruit, or vegetable, but it will give us something we can enjoy. Nothing is as beautiful as a blooming plant, and seeing it, is a wonderful and satisfying feeling. We also will reach a stage where we will bloom after we’ve gone through our period of growth. It may be something simple like feeling happy after an intense period of depression and healing, or it may be achieving success in our personal life, or seeing our dream business take flight. Whatever it is, when it comes, we will experience a sense of accomplishment and joy that is indescribable. To bloom is to feel whole and confident in ourselves and our beauty. Growth is a constant cycle Growth is a process of seeding, rooting, sprouting and blooming. Unlike plants, our growth isn’t linear, but we experience the same stages. Plants lose their blooms after the season is over. Some even lose their leaves. Some wither and die. We can also stop blooming, and in our growth, we can also go back in stages. But to reach our potential, we need to remember to nourish and nurture ourselves to ensure we receive the nutrients to grow. Here are a few tips for optimal growth: Find and develop a daily routine that works for you. You don’t need to do precisely the same things as the top coaches do – do what works for you. Read blogs, books and inspirational stories that align with you. Listen to podcasts and videos of inspirational people that makes you come alive. Journal your feelings and emotions. Listen to soothing music that calms and relaxes you. Be creative – color, dance, paint, take photos, doodle, play an instrument, write, do anything you like doing. Connect to nature – go for a walk, a swim or a bike ride. Have a friend or a mentor you can trust. Get professional help if you feel you need it. Go for massages, acupuncture, or sound healing – anything that helps you regulate your nervous system. There are many more things you can do to help you on your journey of growth, and there will be days when you feel like raising a white flag, but on those days, it is okay to take time out and do nothing. The most important thing you can do for yourself when growing is to take care of yourself, and be compassionate and graceful when you fail. For more info follow me on Facebook for more info! Hanlie Robbertse, Brainz Magazine Guest Writer Hanlie Robbertse is an author, writer, intuitive, word alchemist and story teller that guides women to use writing to break free from anxiety, depression, guilt and shame, so they can live a life of confidence and hope. She has a desire to help change narratives around mental health and how healing words can be. You can find out more about her here.

Written by: Katie Scott, Business Reporter Brainz Magazine Virgin Orbit - the commercial space satellite company, which was spun off from Virgin Galactic, is in rescue talks with investors and planning for insolvency. Sky News reports that the company has furloughed staff and ceased operations. It is now working with two restructuring firms - Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) and Ducera - on fallback plans “in the event that it cannot secure new funding”. A&M “worked on plans for the administration of Virgin Atlantic Airways as it raced to recapitalise itself during the COVID-19 pandemic”, added the news channel. The news comes just months after one of the company’s rockets failed to deploy its payload of nine satellites. The mission took place at Spaceport Cornwall in South-West England in January. The 21-metre-long rocket was jettisoned off a converted Boeing 747 named Cosmic Girl over the Atlantic Ocean off Ireland's southern coast. However, a dislodged rocket fuel filter caused the second stage and payloads to fall back to Earth. A Virgin Orbit spokesperson said last week: "Virgin Orbit is initiating a company-wide operational pause, effective 16 March, 2023, and anticipates providing an update on go-forward operations in the coming weeks. On the ops side, our investigation [into the aborted mission] is nearly complete and our next production rocket with the needed modification incorporated is in the final stages of integration and test."

Written by: Katie Scott, Business reporter Brainz Magazine Nearly a month after its launch in Italy, Starbucks’ range of olive oil-infused coffees are set to spill across the world. The Oleato range came about after Starbucks' now interim (and soon to be ex-)CEO, Howard Schulz visited Sicily. There, he partook in the local habit of enjoying a spoonful of Partanna extra virgin olive oil as part of his daily ritual. He said in a press release: “I was absolutely stunned at the unique flavour and texture created when the Partanna extra virgin olive oil was infused into Starbucks coffee. In both hot and cold coffee beverages, what it produced was an unexpected, velvety, buttery flavour that enhanced the coffee and lingers beautifully on the palate.” The range, which includes the Oleato Caffè Latte, Oleato Iced Shaken Espresso and Oleato Golden Foam Cold Brew, started being available in Italian Starbucks late last month. The Italians will be the first to try the new range, which is apt says Schulz because it was in Italy where the Starbucks journey started. “In 1983, I took my first trip to Italy and discovered the extraordinary relationship that the Italian people have with the Italian coffee bar, and specifically espresso. I raced back to the United States with a vision and a passion to bring that to Starbucks.” However, when Starbucks opened its first venues in Italy in 2018, it faced outrage and demands for a boycott. Starbucks now has 20 stores across the country. The next country that will get to experience the olive oil coffee line is mooted to be the UK with plans to then roll out in Japan and the Middle East. A Starbucks spokesperson told Brainz News that they “..don’t currently have details on further global market launches beyond what is shared in the press release.”