Written by: Tara Antler & King Gabriel, 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. Like playing the guitar, sometimes you hit a chord on well-tuned strings, and the sound produced is pure perfection. It has you feeling fantastic and in resonance with the beauty of the sound produced. However, if the strings get out of tune, the sound can be unpleasant and create discord. Life can be like that too. Everything feels beautiful and in sync when we're in harmony with ourselves, others, and the world around us. But when we're out of tune, life can feel chaotic, unfulfilling, and challenging. That's why we believe in the power of retuning as often as needed, so life can be a harmonious and wondrous song. In today's fast-paced and often stressful world, losing sight of what's truly important is easy. We get caught up in the daily grind, the constant demands on our time and energy, and the never-ending stream of distractions that keep us from connecting with ourselves and others. It's no wonder many of us feel lost, alone and disconnected. But there's another way. By taking the time to retune ourselves and our lives, we can experience a sense of harmony, fulfillment, and joy that's often missing in our modern world. And that's precisely what we aim to do with our upcoming Harmonize Event. From March 20th to March 28th, we're bringing together 11 incredible, world-renowned experts to guide you on a 9-day journey of self-care, self-love, energy healing, conscious relationships, releasing the past, bringing thoughts to heart, worthiness, and much more. The Harmonize Event is designed to help you realign and harmonize your life, mind, body, emotions, and relationships, so you can move up and experience a radical transformation. Our event is unlike any online event you've ever experienced. We've created a space filled with positive energy, inspiration, and support, so you can dive deep into your life, health, and relationships and learn how to elevate and transform them. You'll have access to five live sessions, empowering gifts, and giveaways over nine powerful days! The event is entirely complimentary! Here are some of the ways you can start retuning your life right now: 1. Start with self-care Self-care is essential for staying in tune with your body, mind, and soul. This means making time for nourishing activities, such as exercise, meditation, journaling, and spending time in nature. 2. Cultivate self-love Learning to love and accept yourself is vital to being in harmony with the world around you. This means being kind to yourself, practicing forgiveness, and letting go of negative self-talk. 3. Practice energy healing Energy healing is a powerful way to retune your body and mind. This can include practices like Reiki, acupuncture, and sound healing, which balance your energy centers and promote healing. 4. Build conscious relationships The quality of your connections dramatically impacts your overall sense of harmony and fulfillment. Building conscious relationships means being present with others, listening deeply, and showing compassion and empathy. 5. Release the past Letting go of past traumas, negative beliefs, and old patterns are essential for retuning your life. This can include practices like therapy, EFT tapping, and journaling, which help you process and release old emotions and beliefs. 6. Bring thoughts to heart Our thoughts have a powerful impact on our lives. Learning to bring your ideas to your heart and focus on positive emotions like gratitude and joy can help you stay in harmony with yourself and the world around you. The experts involved in the Harmonize, Healing, and Relationship event. The Harmonize, Healing, and Relationship event brings together 11 world-renowned experts with unique skills and knowledge. Some of the experts include: Dr. Sue Morter: A best-selling author, international speaker, and quantum field visionary. Jennifer Lonnberg: A spiritual mentor and energy healer who helps individuals connect with their higher selves. Christy Whitman: A New York Times best-selling author and transformational leader who teaches individuals how to manifest their desires. Kari Samuels: A renowned intuitive counselor who helps individuals tap into their intuition and unleash their inner wisdom. Jessica Valor: A spiritual teacher, mentor, and energy healer who helps individuals overcome their limiting beliefs and tap into their power How to participate in the Harmonize, Healing, and Relationship event. To participate in the Harmonize, Healing, and Relationship event, individuals can register here. Once registered, participants will have access to the live sessions, empowering gifts, and giveaways over the nine days. The event is entirely complimentary, and participants are encouraged to invite their friends and family. Tara Antler and King Gabriel are remarkable individuals specializing in Intuitive Healing, Soul Coaching, and Spiritual Life Mentoring. Their journey towards spiritual awakening started at a very young age when they discovered yoga and meditation. As Co-Founders of the Ascension Academy of Light, they have dedicated their lives to helping others remember their true selves and activate their soul's purpose. Tara and King Gabriel are passionate about assisting individuals to become masterful manifestors, empowering families, light workers, and leaders worldwide to create purpose-led and extraordinary lives. With their expertise and guidance, Tara and King Gabriel have helped countless individuals transform their lives and experience harmonious relationships. They are dedicated to elevating humanity and have worked alongside some of the most influential spiritual leaders. Follow Tara and King on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, or visit their website. Read more from Tara and King! Tara Antler & King Gabriel, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Tara Antler & King Gabriel specialize in Intuitive Healing, Soul Coaching & Spiritual Life Mentoring. They both discovered yoga and meditation, and were guided to walk an awakened path when they were very young. They have dedicated their lives to helping others remember who and what they truly are, become masterful manifestors, activate their Soul's purpose, and experience happy-harmonious relationships! Co-Founders of the Ascension Academy of Light ‒ they empower Families, Light-Workers, and Leaders around the world to consciously create thriving, extraordinary, purpose-led lives!

Written by: Meghan Jarvis, 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. Arthritis is a condition that can cause a plethora of symptoms, including deterioration of muscles and joints, a reduction of use in your main joints, and of course, severe pain. Some cases of arthritis, like rheumatoid, can also affect the immune system. There are ongoing and active studies on the conditions, and your doctor knows the best treatment options for your specific situation. Fortunately, on top of the modern medical treatment of arthritis, you can do a few different things daily to reduce and relieve the symptoms. Some studies have even shown that some of these all-natural treatments can diminish symptoms of arthritis! In the following report, we will discuss 10 of the most widely used, all-natural forms of treatment for your arthritis symptoms. Most of the following treatments can even be done in the comfort of your home and can be combined with current medical treatments you may receive. Hopefully, with the implementation, you can live a healthier and more pain-free life with arthritis. Let's begin! Important Note: You need essential advice and approval from your healthcare provider before drastically changing your diet, exercise, or supplement intake. Tip No.1 Regular Exercise Exercise is vital to keeping those joints and muscles elongated, warmed, and moving. Make Alwaysuss your weight and exercise routine with your physician before following any workout plan. Remember that it doesn't have to mean seven days at the gym pumping iron and running on treadmills. Regular movement, whether walking around your home or participating in aerobic classes at your gym, does wonders for arthritic pain. In the past, it was thought that exercise made arthritis pain worse, but this has been shown to be untrue and quite the opposite. Daily workouts help to build and maintain a strong and healthy cardiovascular and muscular system. Beyond the strengthening and stretching you get from exercise, maintaining a healthy weight contributes in many other ways, such as reducing the strain on muscles and joints. If you are overweight, it is essential that you set goals with your physician to reach your optimal healthy weight and that you set yourself up for long-term success rather than short-term results. Laura Robbins, Senior Vice President of Education and Academic Affairs at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, says that for every pound you lose, you reduce the pressure on your knees by four pounds. Roy Altman, MD, Professor of Medicine at the University of California, has seen symptoms of arthritis completely disappear from patients that have lost ten to twenty pounds of excess weight. Along with the symptoms of arthritis, you will improve your overall mental and physical well-being, helping to control other ailments your body may face as you age. A strong heart and a strong mind can do wonders for pain management! Tip No.2 Hot & Cold Treatments One of the leading natural treatments for arthritis includes hot and cold treatments. There are several different types of arthritis, so ask your doctor which will be better for your specific symptoms. Cold Therapy helps to reduce joint swelling and inflammation. This treatment is often recommended to people with rheumatoid arthritis but can also help others. You can alternate hot and cold treatments as needed, but constantly monitor how your skin reacts and adjust or discontinue as needed. Cold treatments should be limited to 20-minute sessions. Here are several cold treatments used: Use a cloth-covered bag of ice applied to the painful area. Submerge the joint in an ice bath. NOTE: Check with a physician before submerging, especially if it is a large body area. Simple cold packs kept in fridge or freezer, applied when needed. Heat therapy is often suitable for all other types of arthritis and in conjunction with cold treatments. The heat relaxes your muscles and helps blood flow to the affected area. Heat treatments should be monitored and adjusted depending on your body's reaction. Here are several heat treatments widely used by people living with arthritis: Start your day with a hot bath or shower to get your blood flowing and your joints relaxed. Warm paraffin wax to affected joints. (This can often be done by a professional to monitor the wax temperature.) Apply a heating pad, heat pack, or warm heat source to the affected joints. Always make sure, when using heat therapy, to maintain a comfortable level of heat. Hot tubs are also excellent ways to cover larger areas of the body, but always check with your physician first, as they can be dangerous for those with certain health conditions. Tip No.3 Acupuncture Acupuncture has been around for centuries and is an ancient Chinese Medicine. This process involves a medical professional trained in the art, inserting thin needles into specific pressure points on your body. The focus of acupuncture is to reroute the energy stored behind your pain and balance it throughout the body. It may sound gimmicky, but acupuncture is one of the most researched alternative therapies in the world. The World Health Organization even recommends it for many ailments. Acupuncture is also one of the oldest pain remedies and is entirely natural. These tiny needles stimulate the energy in pathways across your body called meridians. Studies have shown that acupuncture lowers the levels of inflammation-inducing chemicals in the body. Remember that no one can safely administer acupuncture except a trained and certified acupuncturist. The needles not only need to be placed in particular spots connected to your specific ailments but there is a rigorous hygienic process as well. Make sure to speak to your doctor, and get a referral, if necessary, to find the right practitioner. And don't worry; it may sound painful, but the needles are barely inserted into the skin, keeping the process relaxing and rejuvenating. Tip No.4 Omega-3 Fatty Acids Omega-3 Fatty Acids have made the headlines in natural health for some time now, and for a good reason. They are essential to a healthy and robust body. Omega-3 are good fats, primarily found in plants and marine life. Two main types of Omega-3s are most commonly found in oily fish. EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) EPA is the most well-known of the Omega-3's. It is a name arthritis sufferers want to remember. EPA helps break down and synthesize those chemicals responsible for blood clotting and helps dramatically with inflammation. But where does EPA come from? The simple answer to this is fish. Fish oil contains an abundance of EPA. The fish get this important Omega-3 from the algae that they eat. EPA fish oil is available in various ways but is easiest consumed through capsules sold at your local grocer or health food store. DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) DHA is another critical Omega-3. DHA is a natural fatty acid abundant in the human body. It makes up the critical parts of the retina in the eye, and part of the brain, the cerebral Cortex. The Cerebral Cortex, or grey matter, is responsible for intelligence, personality, motor function, organization, touch, sensory information processing, and language. These things are vital to your everyday existence and can significantly affect pain management. You can find Omega-3's in various food, not just fish oil. These foods include nuts, cold-water fish like salmon and tuna, seeds, and other supplements. In a 2015 study on the role of Omega-3's on inflammatory diseases, it is found that they can reduce symptoms of Rheumatoid and other arthritis symptoms. Regardless of their pain management abilities, Omega-3 fatty acids should be a regular addition to your healthy and active lifestyle. Check with your physician to see which form of Omega-3 best fits your lifestyle. Tip No.5 Turmeric Turmeric is nicknamed the Golden Spice and not just for its rich golden colour. Turmeric studies are ongoing, but its health benefits seem to grow daily. This spice is found in many different curries and is harvested in India and Indonesia. It's nothing new. Turmeric has been part of traditional medicine for centuries! At the base of the healing properties of turmeric, it has been found to block the protein that causes inflammation. Because of these blocking abilities, turmeric has been found to ease the pain of inflammation just as well as some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs. And it's all-natural, which makes it even better. The chemical in turmeric that does all the heavy lifting is called curcumin and is the secret to its anti-inflammatory abilities. While inflammation plays an essential role in our bodies, blocking pathogens that could quickly kill us, long-term chronic inflammation like that observed in people with arthritis can be debilitating. Inflammation is a complex process, but the curcumin in turmeric is an inflammation-fighting bioactive substance that attacks chronic inflammation on a molecular level. On top of helping with your arthritic pain, curcumin has been shown to fight inflammation that also plays a significant role in heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's and many other conditions. Turmeric can be taken in many ways, from pills to the root. Why not add it to your favourite dish? On its own, turmeric has a very mild taste and can complement almost any meal. Tip No.6 Massage Therapy Massage therapy has long-term, lasting effects on pain management. The Arthritis Foundation has indicated that a regular massage of the muscles and joints helps to soothe the pain from arthritis. If you've ever gotten a massage, it can significantly increase your mood. This effect is because massages boost serotonin levels in your body, a chemical that contributes to happiness and well-being. You might not know that massage therapy can lower the body's production of cortisol. This stress-inducing hormone also helps the production of a neurotransmitter, Substance P. Substance P has a solid link to pain. Several studies have been performed, most notably in 2013 by researchers at the Touch Research Institute and in 2015 by the University of Miami School of Medicine. Both studies show that moderate touch massage therapy can reduce pain and improve grip, range of motion, and pressure. Massages should be done by a licensed professional and are best performed by those with arthritis specialties. You can always let your therapist know of any sore areas to be avoided and work with them to find the best pressure for your body. Stiff muscles and joints are often exacerbated by stress and tension, which we struggle to avoid when in pain, so regular massages will help alleviate these issues. So, lay back, relax, and let a professional massage therapist massage those aching joints and muscles! And don't be afraid to ask your specialist for at-home massage techniques you can do yourself between sessions. Tip No.7 Aquatic Therapy For years, it's been said that aquatic activity is one of the healthiest forms of exercise in which a person can participate. It benefits all types of people, especially those with arthritis. What makes aquatic activity so worthwhile when managing pain associated with arthritis? Water provides natural resistance, which in turn intensifies the exercises you are performing. At the same time, water has something that regular exercise does not, buoyancy. That tendency for your body to float in water helps to support your body weight, thus reducing the pressure on your joints. Less pressure means less inflammation, and less inflammation leads to less pain. Pain isn't the only thing that aquatic Therapy helps, though. The raw intensity of your movements helps reduce body fat, improves your coordination and range of motion, and has a positive effect on serotonin levels in the brain. Again, a less stressed body leads to less stress on joints and bones. A 2015 study by the University of Utah showed that aquatic exercise for pain management in adults, especially those over 65, can vastly improve mobility and pain. While the pain reduction was short-term, aquatic Therapy has shown to be an excellent alternative to pain medication for quick relief. You can find ongoing relief with aquatic Therapy by performing up to an hour of aquatic exercise three times a week. So, not only will you reduce or maintain your weight, but you will find a mood-stimulating and pain-reducing activity to help with your symptoms of arthritis. Tip No.8 Tai Chi Tai Chi can be incorporated into your daily exercise routine. The perfect type of exercise for people with arthritis is that which improves muscular strength, improves fitness, and builds flexibility. Tai Chi does all these things through a low-impact exercise routine. Tai Chi is a slow-moving, low-impact, accessible form of martial arts. It's appropriate for anyone that can move freely. The art is composed of a series of slow and gentle movements, all easily modified for those with sore and stiff joints. Tai Chi has also been shown to help with muscle strength, flexibility, and balance. In 2013, researchers in China reviewed seven studies on Tai Chi about arthritis. They performed a meta-analysis to assess the effectiveness of Tai Chi exercise for pain, stiffness, and physical function. In conclusion, they stated that a 12-week course could benefit people living with arthritis by reducing pain, reducing the stiffness of joints and muscles, and increasing their physical functionality. When muscles are strong, they help to protect the joints, reducing pain. Flexibility keeps those joints loose and reduces stiffness. And an increase in balance can help to reduce the number of falls arthritis sufferers face. All of these things are the results of a regular Tai Chi workout. Tai Chi classes can be found privately through martial arts institutions and public programs. Many senior facilities also offer Tai Chi several times a week. Even those who use wheelchairs can find benefits from modified movements. Tip No.9 Yoga Yoga is a 5,000-year-old practice that originated in ancient India and spread worldwide. Many different forms of Yoga include poses, breathing techniques, and meditation. It can boost both the mental and physical health of its practitioners. Yoga is a very gentle exercise that reduces the tension in joints and muscles, builds muscle tone, and increases flexibility. Muscle strength can also help to improve balance, which is especially important for those with arthritis. Yoga is low-impact and enjoyable, making it easy to practice regularly. Some of Yoga's many benefits include: Adds variety to your exercise routine. Strengthening to improve physical function. Improvement in flexibility which reduces inflammation and stiffness. Weight loss can be a benefit of Yoga done correctly and in conjunction with a healthy diet. Strengthening the mind-body connection allows for better balance and understanding of the pains and stiffness you feel regularly. As with all exercise routines, make sure you speak to your physician before starting any regimen. If you are new to Yoga, it is best to seek instruction. Yoga facilities have grown widely worldwide, and you can do private and group classes. Tip No.10 Meditation Meditation is a practice you can do anytime, anywhere. One of the most significant parts of meditation is practising mindfulness. When you practice mindfulness meditation, you focus all of your attention on the feelings and sensations your body is experiencing in that present moment. A program is available to you that focuses solely on this form of meditation. It is called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, or MBSR. MBSR is used to help you manage both pain and stress. These two negative attributes of arthritis are hard to deal with and contribute to a diminished immune system. A healthy immune system is vital to fighting disease and keeping your body as pain-free and relaxed as possible. In 2014, researchers performed a study on the effectiveness of MBSR with people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. It was found that those that completed the eight-week sessions reported a reduction in pain, stiffness, and tender and swollen joints. It is incredible what the mind can do, and this program can be easily incorporated into your daily routine without putting aside a ton of extra time or effort. Final Words Arthritis is something that takes a toll on not just the body but the mind as well. Luckily, as you've seen in this report, there is a multitude of all-natural and homeopathic routines that you can incorporate into your daily life to help reduce your pain and improve the quality of your life. Regular exercise and weight management can help your body deal with the degenerative effects of arthritis while also improving your health and wellness. Adding to that, by increasing your Omega-3, adding a little turmeric into your weekly routine, and engaging in one or more of the low-impact therapies and exercises available, you could finally find a natural relief to your aches and pains! This report in no way states that you should forgo the treatment regimen set up between you and your doctor, but adding these to your day-to-day life will help to relieve that which medications do not. And you never know; you may be able to reduce the number of pain medications you take and replace them with natural and effective pain management methods. We wish you the best on your new journey toward a stronger, more flexible, and pain-free future! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Meghan! Meghan Jarvis, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine A former World Class BMX bicycle racer, Meghan came to Australia to play professional basketball and stayed as a lead lecturer at the Australian Institute of Fitness. Meghan's passion for fitness and entrepreneurialism led her to found WellCorp Health and Wellness and Buzvil, a global health and fitness app. She most recently appeared as an actor and stunt woman in the new Blockbuster 'Elvis', the Portable Door, Aqua Man and has been a 'Ninja' on Channel Nine's Australian Ninja Warrior. She is also the head of Total Gym Fitness Equipment Australia, Suspension Training and Altitude Training International Master Coach, making her an authority on peak performance and an international speaker. Her experiences as an athlete, educational portfolio (Masters of Education and Coaching Science, Kinesiologist, Sports Scientist), entrepreneurial ventures, and enthusiastic character have shaped her as a formidable leader in health and fitness. She believes strongly in the importance of redefining and bridging the gap between physical and mental health. Meghan has guided many people to achieve complete personal breakthroughs and phenomenal mind, body, and business growth. Resources: Here are links to a few resources that I believe will help you: Fish Oils and Omega-3: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/40253what_are_omega_3_fatty_acids Skincare Benefits: 13 Natural Remedies for Arthritis https://www.health.com/condition/osteoarthritis/13-natural-remedies-for-arthritis Relief from Arthritis: Natural Relief Strategies https://www.healthline.com/health/osteoarthritis/arthritis-natural-relief Home Remedies: The Best Home Remedies for Arthritis https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324446 Tai Chi and Arthritis: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0061672 Yoga Benefits: https://www.arthritis.org/health-wellness/healthy-living/physical-activity/yoga/yoga-benefits-for-arthritis

Written by: Dr. Allen Lycka, 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 one of the most renowned motivational speakers and authors in the world, and the host and executive producer of the "How to Live a Fantastic Life," "Doc Fix That," and "Driving Biz" syndicated radio shows, I have had the opportunity to teach millions of people about the power of optimism. And I can tell you from firsthand experience that learning to think optimistically can profoundly impact your life. First, it's essential to understand what optimism is. Simply put, optimism is the belief that things will work out for the best. It's the mindset that no matter what challenges or obstacles you may face, you will find a way to overcome them and achieve your goals. The benefits of optimism are numerous. For one, it can help you to maintain a positive attitude, even in the face of adversity. When you believe that things will work out for the best, you are less likely to get discouraged or give up when faced with difficult situations. Additionally, optimism can lead to better physical and mental health. Studies have shown that optimistic individuals are less likely to develop chronic health conditions and have a lower risk of depression and anxiety. One of the keys to learning optimism is to focus on the things you can control rather than dwelling on the things you can't. Instead of worrying about something that you have no power over, focus on taking action on the things you can control. This will not only help you to feel more in control of your life, but it will also help you to build the skills and resources you need to overcome any challenges that come your way. Another critical aspect of learning optimism is to surround yourself with positive people. The people you spend the most time with significantly impact your mindset and attitude. If you surround yourself with pessimistic people, it will be much harder for you to maintain an optimistic outlook. On the other hand, if you surround yourself with positive and optimistic people, it will be much easier for you to adopt a similar mindset. Another way to learn optimism is by practicing gratitude. When we focus on what we're grateful for, it's harder to focus on the negative things in our lives. So keep a gratitude journal, and write down at least three things you're grateful for each day. This practice can help shift your mindset to a more positive one. Finally, it's essential to recognize that learning optimism is a process, not a destination. Changing the way you think takes time and effort, and it will take time. So be patient with yourself, and remember that every small step you take in the direction of optimism is a step in the right direction. In conclusion, learning optimism is not only a valuable skill but can have a tremendous impact on your life. By focusing on the things you can control, surrounding yourself with positive people, practicing gratitude, and being patient with yourself, you can learn to think optimistically and open yourself up to a world of possibilities. Remember, as I always say, "Every problem has a solution, every obstacle can be overcome, and every setback is an opportunity to learn and grow." So, start today to learn optimism, and you'll see the difference it can make in your life. For more wisdom that will change your life, join my FantasticLiving.ca community for special offers and early release of groundbreaking news. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Youtube, or visit my website for more info! Read more from Dr. Allen! Dr. Allen Lycka, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Dr. Allen Lycka is acknowledged as one of the leading cosmetic dermatologists in the world. In 2003, Dr. Lycka was diagnosed with ALS and given six months to live. After fighting the diagnosis, he is here today as a result of his courage and tenacity. Having been given a “golden ticket” Dr. Lycka used his experience to co-author the books The Secrets To Living A Fantastic Life with Harriet Tinka, Pillars of Success with 1 New York Times Best Selling Author Jack Canfield and bLU volume 1 with Corey Poirier. He is the host and executive director of How To Live a Fantastic Life show with 4 million listeners per episode. He is a sought-after speaker.

Written by: Mei Flynn, 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. Exercise is something we often feel we ‘should’ be doing but often lack the motivation to start, does that sound familiar? Maybe we hate exercise and think it involves joining a gym or doing an activity that we find boring. We can often start doing something because we ‘should’ ourselves and then it ends up feeling like a chore, so we stop and do nothing. This attitude is a recipe for disaster as the intention to start comes from the wrong energy and can end up making you more miserable than before you started. Those of you who do exercise understand the benefits and how it can improve our mood and get those endorphins flowing. There is a strong link to mental health and exercise and even 20-30 mins a day can significantly improve depression or anxiety symptoms. The key is to find something that you enjoy that can be integrated into your life, that way you are more likely to be consistent with whatever activity you choose. There is no one way that suits everyone 1: What is your ‘Why?’ We often think we ‘should’ move our bodies more which can create resistance and we will become resentful and feel blocked before we start. Maybe you would like to lose weight, feel fitter and stronger or overall general health. It makes it easier to start when we connect with the reason why and keep that in our minds when we do not feel like doing anything. When we take the pressure off we start to find a natural flow of moving our body. We can change the word ‘should’ to ‘I choose’ and then we are starting from a different energy with a positive intention. 2: Embrace nature Being in nature is a powerful mood booster especially when we are mindful of the environment. I love walking on the beach and listening to the waves especially when the sea is rough. When we enjoy our surroundings whether it is the beach, mountains or forest we start to appreciate life and feel the benefits of getting out of the house and forget we are even doing exercise!! You can also listen to some nice music and try and focus on being in the present moment. This is a good way to meditate and be mindful, check out my previous article about the law of attraction. 3: Be consistent Find a way that works for you and the key is to enjoy what you do and be consistent so you become addicted like me! It takes 21 days to form a habit and it can be hard to start but start with 10-15 minutes and gradually build up. What we often do is set a goal that is too big in the beginning e.g. walking for 2 hours and end up doing nothing on the days we are busy. I always say any minute is better than no minutes so keep it realistic and manageable as there is more chance you will be consistent. 4: Set mini goals If you have a Fitbit watch you can track your steps and set yourself mini goals such as 2000 steps a day and gradually build up naturally. You can also set goals by time if you prefer e.g. 15 minutes. Do not forget to give yourself self-praise for what you do achieve rather than focus on what you have not done. Maybe give yourself a treat or reward at the end of the week to keep you motivated as a way to track your progress and results. Maybe get a friend on board and set up a mini challenge as it is good to have someone to be accountable to. 5: Be social Research walking groups in your area as sometimes the commitment of a regular day and time can help keep you motivated as well as the added benefit of socialization and making new friends. This also means you explore new places as we can often get bored with the same route, as they say variety is the spice of life!! When you are talking and walking the same time the time flies and it does not feel like exercise. Usually, walking groups might have a drink and lunch after the walk so has the added benefit of improving your social life too. I hope this article has been helpful to help to get you moving and look at creative ways to exercise rather than thinking we need to join a gym or do something we hate. You need to find a way that works for you and I would love to hear about your favourite ways to exercise and what motivates you to stick to your goals. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Mei! Mei Flynn, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Mei Flynn is a Holistic Confidence Coach who inspires and empowers women 40+ to tap into their inner confidence to live the life they really want. She's suffered from low self-esteem most of her life and using a range of different psycho-spiritual techniques she has transformed her life and is now passionate about helping clients to do the same. The key is to help others to let go of limiting beliefs and blocks that's stopping them from living a happy and fulfilled life. Her mission is to help women thrive and not just survive.

Written by: Alana Kitari , 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. Every year, millions of men and women find themselves in an abusive relationship with an intimate partner, often repeating a cycle from early childhood. ¹ This article addresses how to break these unconscious loops and heal your trauma through the power of mindfulness. “ The paradox of trauma is that it has both the power to destroy and the power to transform and resurrect. ” ‒ Peter A. Levine There are numerous benefits to the practice of mindfulness ; however, you may not have realized how important this simple modality is for healing deeply embedded trauma after surviving prolonged, chronic abuse and violence. As a domestic abuse survivor who was diagnosed with cPTSD , ² I know firsthand how impossible it feels to stop the mental torture that binds you in chains of fear, despair, anxiety, and chaos after breaking away from your abusive environment. Just because you are physically safe does not mean that you feel physically safe, emotionally safe, mentally safe, or spiritually safe. Your body will continue to stay on high alert, in a perpetual state of the 4F ³ trauma responses (fight, flight, freeze, fawn) until you learn how to process the trauma that has been imprinted ⁴ onto your cellular structure and regulate your Autonomic Nervous System. ⁵ The road to healing is often obscured by our traumas, as we follow an unconscious pattern of attracting the same type of experiences into our lives (different faces, but same types of abuse) until we learn how to break free from our loops of suffering. And the way you break free is through the power of mindfulness. This one tool can dramatically improve the length of time it takes to heal from your past pain and torment and stop the unconscious cycles for good. Can you relate to any of these experiences? You can’t trust your thoughts as they echo the abuser’s voice You have emotionally charged flashbacks that intrude on your mind You are having nightmares, sleep paralysis or night terrors You are in a constant reactionary state, being triggered often Your mind feels like a prison, so you try never to be alone with your thoughts You choose avoidance & escapism to cope (abusing substances, overeating, gambling, gaming, shopping, casual sex, etc.) You’re too afraid to look at and feel all of your pain You have panic attacks and are filled with anxiety and worry, often You feel you are damaged, broken, and beyond repair You feel unworthy of love, happiness, and joy Whether you’re experiencing one or all of the above, mindfulness is your direct path to freedom. Through my own healing journey, I have found three specific ways to incorporate mindfulness into my life that actively helped me heal from my cPTSD. The best part? It doesn’t take any fancy equipment, and you don’t need money for a therapist, counselor, or coach; you don’t need to buy expensive courses or go to live events to be trained on any secret method, and you can use these methods anytime and anywhere, as often as is necessary. Try these techniques, be consistent in their implementation, and watch as your healing journey progresses, bit by bit, until one day you realize that you have been liberated from your past pain. 1. Making the Choice to Heal Healing is messy, chaotic, intense, and arduous, which is why we see so many messed-up adults wreaking havoc on their environments instead of putting in the work to heal. The path of healing takes grit, it takes courage, and it takes determination, but most of all, it takes a specific and deliberate choice on your part. You must CHOOSE to heal and keep moving forward at all costs. I mistakenly thought I had already healed from the wounds my father had inflicted on me when I met my ex-husband. I believed that because I had genuinely forgiven my dad for my abusive childhood, it was the same thing as actually healing from the residual effects of what I endured. I was unaware that I continued to trauma bond with romantic partners and friends, unconsciously trying to heal my childhood pain until the severity of the living nightmare I was in came crashing down into my awareness one day. I suddenly realized that I had repeated another loop of suffering as I found myself in the same type of toxic relationship I had already experienced before. Except for this time, it was much worse! That experience was so traumatic, so egregious, and so offensive to my very soul, that I vowed to myself that I would do whatever it took to finally heal my pain, and NEVER attract the same type of partner into my life again. I knew that if I didn’t heal, I would one day find myself in the same situation again, and that thought was so horrifying that I committed fully to my healing path. There will be times when it feels too hard to keep going. When life is simply too much to bear, and when the shadows pull you back down into those familiar feelings of fear, doubt, and disbelief, you will have to choose again to seek out the path of healing. Make the choice to heal as often as is necessary ‒ over and over again ‒ recommitting to your healing because you deserve to be liberated from your trauma and to live a life that brings you happiness and fulfillment. 2. Becoming the Observer This approach to mindfulness is all about observing your thoughts, feelings, and emotions in the present moment – but without judging them as good or bad. The act of observing without judgment allows you to watch your thoughts & behaviors as they unfold without vilifying yourself in the process. For example, if you are in a highly reactionary state, you may explode in anger at someone who triggers you and then feel really bad about it afterward. At the moment, you are watching your reaction, observing how your body feels, hearing the words that are raging out of your mouth, and feeling the intense emotions gripping you; but you can do nothing to stop it from happening! All you can do is observe the meltdown as it happens in real-time. Even if you can do nothing to stop your triggered behavior as it is happening, you can observe yourself in this reactionary state and then contemplate your reaction after you have had a chance to cool down. By realizing that these types of automatic reactions are a by-product of trauma, you can show yourself compassion and love instead of spiraling out in shame and guilt. When you choose to start actively observing yourself, you will often receive swift backlash from the wounded parts of you. Your pain will attack you in the form of mental criticism and harsh judgment, and if you do not observe yourself with compassion and love, you can make the trauma deepen and prolong your healing process. Learning how to witness without judgment is not going to come easy. It will take dedication on your part to keep practicing how to observe yourself and not listen to your wounded self. Over time, this process will get easier until you are able to be mindful even when you are triggered and choose a better response as it unfolds before you. I have some great free CBT ⁶ resources that will help you introduce mindfulness into your healing journey. It allows you to track your triggers and analyze your intrusive thoughts and avoidance patterns in order to help you choose a better response the next time. Using these resources consistently will help you take back control of your mental health and systematically eliminate the echoes of your former trauma. 3. Reclaiming Your Worthiness This last method of mindfulness is incredibly important and will help solidify your efforts along your path of healing from cPTSD. When you were still a victim, the abuser fed lies and fears into your mind, heart, and soul, which stripped away any feelings of worthiness you had that you deserved something better. You may have resisted them at first, but over time the continual mental assault began to affect you deeply, and you started to really believe those lies and fears. Every traumatic experience with your abuser deepened your feelings of unworthiness, pulling you further down into despair and playing an internal narrative that this torment is what you deserve in a seemingly endless loop. This lie ‒ that you deserved your mistreatment ‒ is a pervasive one. As an adult, we make poor decisions that are fueled by our unconscious patterns of childhood trauma, which leads us to these abusive environments. It can be really easy to get lost in shame and guilt for past mistakes and failures, especially if they actively harmed yourself or other people in your care (like your children). As survivors, we can drown in these emotions if we don’t know how to reclaim our worthiness. The best method I have found to do this is to process the grief of our poor decisions. This method piggybacks off the second one, as it is imperative to stay in the observer mentality when uncovering our internal unconscious fear-based patterns of thoughts that directly fueled our poor decision-making. Allowing grief to come to the surface and be expressed in a safe environment loosens its grip on our hearts and releases our feelings of shame and guilt. Grieve for the younger version of you that was mistreated in early childhood, grieve for the loss of what could have been if you had not experienced that trauma, and grieve for the former versions of yourself that did not have the right tools to make good decisions, grieve for the choices you made that led you into a harmful environment, and grieve for the effects it had on you and your loved ones. Feeling ALL the grief of your past suffering through the awareness of self-compassion and self-love is the most liberating tool of all. By allowing yourself to grieve fully, you will open up new awareness that leads to reclaiming your worthiness. You will believe you are worthy of healing. You will believe that you are worthy of compassion. You will believe you are worthy of being loved. Pursuing these three methods of mindfulness will allow you to reclaim what was once lost and rebuild your mental narratives to serve you instead of enslaving you. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram and visit my website for more info! Read more from Alana! Alana Kitari, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Alana Kitari is an Empowerment Coach, Mystic, Interfaith Minister, Speaker, Author, & Guide that assists others in healing deeply-ingrained trauma through a variety of modalities in order to live an empowered and authentic life. She specializes in helping her clients achieve deep internal transformation through ancestral shadow work, mindfulness, trauma recovery, & a variety of energy healing modalities operated through the lens of Divine Love & scientific understanding. Through her courses, masterclasses, and 1:1 coaching, Alana helps you turn your trauma into triumph. Resources: [1] https://ncadv.org/STATISTICS [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complex_post-traumatic_stress_disorder [3] https://www.simplypsychology.org/fight-flight-freeze-fawn.html [4] https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2470547017710764 [5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonomic_nervous_system [6] https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/cognitive-behavioral-therapy

Written by: Chelsea Haines , 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. Intermittent fasting has taken the world (and the diet industry) by storm. But what exactly is intermittent fasting, and are there any risks involved? How much do we know about intermittent fasting and women? Let’s dive in together and find out: What is Intermittent Fast ing Intermittent fasting (IF), or Time Restricted eating (TRE): is restricting the time you eat and alternating it with times that you don't eat anything at all. Numbers like 16:8 are indications of the hours of fasting (16 hours) and the hours of eating (8 hours). While there are many different ideas on the best intermittent fasting practices. Most agree that fasting is consuming nothing with calories in it. Water, tea, and sneakily black coffee tend to fit the bill on most fasting websites as "safe." Lack of research on intermittent fasting in women: It's not uncommon for women to be underrepresented in research studies. This has led to a lack of understanding of how certain interventions, like intermittent fasting, may impact women’s health specifically. It is always recommended that you make these changes with help from a professional. Or at least consult one before making any lifestyle changes. Benefits o f intermittent fasting Weight Lo ss Intermittent fasting can help women lose weight. This, like most weight loss approaches ‒ is through calorie restriction. Studies done on women have shown that intermittent fasting can be an effective way to lose weight and that women may benefit from allowing their gut to “rest and digest.” The most important part of any lifestyle shift is how it works for you and whether it is sustainable for your busy life. So please keep that in mind if you’re considering trying this out. Improved Insulin Sensitivity Intermittent fasting has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, which can help regulate blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Reduced Inflammation Some research has shown that intermittent fasting may help reduce inflammation in the body, reducing the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer. This is another exciting possibility for most women, as inflammation is the largest cause of most dis-ease within our bodies. Again this is an aspect that needs to be assessed and approved by a health professional as if the body is already in a stressed state . Intermittent Fasting could add fire to the flame ‒ making inflammation worse. Potential Dangers of intermittent fasting Hormonal Imbalan ces Intermittent fasting can cause hormonal imbalances in some women, especially those who are premenopausal or have a history of hormonal imbalances. Estrogen dominance in the body can result from dysbiosis in the gut microbiome and can lead to a cascade of further issues down the line. Fasting can cause a drop in estrogen levels. Estrogen is our female-dominated hormone and, when balanced correctly, helps us have regular periods and become pregnant. So it’s unsurprising that in some women fasting can cause irregular periods or even amenorrhea (absence of periods). Which can, as a result, affect your fertility. Nutrient Deficiencies Intermittent fasting means you have less time and, thus, fewer meals to get your nutrients in. This means you risk developing many nutritional deficiencies if your nutrition during your "eating window" is poorly balanced. This, of course, is not as much of a concern when working with a professional. But due to the general lack of nutritional information taught in schools, universities, and even to doctors, it is an unsurprising and very common risk. Pregnant and/or breastfeeding? It is not recommended to fast at all if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. This is the most important time for your baby to get all the essential nutrients it needs to grow healthy and strong. Restriction should be replaced with a rainbow of wholesome foods at every meal . Disordered E ating Intermittent fasting can trigger disordered eating behaviors in some women, particularly those with a history of disordered eating. Fasting can cause feelings of deprivation and lead to binge eating during eating windows. Other Potential Dangers Studies have highlighted symptoms like dizziness, fatigue, and headaches in some women trying out regular intermittent fasting. Highlighting these serves as a chance to be aware that if you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it might be a good idea to skip fasting for a week and note the changes. Conclusion The overarching conclusion is that more research is needed to be sure. If you want to try intermittent fasting, my suggestion is to do it with a professional at hand. If you'd like me or my team to hold your hand, we're excited to hold yours back. Please never undermine the power of paying attention to your own body. Now that you know some of the benefits and potential dangers of Intermittent Fasting, I will trust that you'll reach out if you need help and that you can make the best decision for yourself and your body on this next stage of your journey. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Chelsea! Chelsea Haines, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Recently featured "The Gut Health Coach" by Yahoo!, Chelsea Haines has a unique way of helping high-performers heal. She doesn't claim to know best. Her mission: to remind you that YOU are the expert on your body, only you know precisely what you need, and you are not "crazy" for feeling how you feel. Her expertise stems from personally healing autoimmune disease paired with formal degrees in psychology, gut health, and mindfulness. She’s the Founder of The Gut Health Agency, where a team of health coaches & Registered Dietitians merge health coaching with clinical testing for increased patient compliance and lasting habit change ‒ a needle-moving combination not otherwise seen in the gut health space.

Alex Bravo, Sr Director with strong business acumen, HBS Grad, and Certified Mindfulness Teacher who is disrupting the way Mindfulness programs are delivered in the Corporate Arena during these stressful times of economic uncertainties. Alex Bravo is disrupting the way Mindfulness Programs are delivered within the corporate arena. He is a Harvard Business School grad who combines + 22 years of experience as General Manager in the IT arena and Senior Director leading Innovation, Customer Experience, Transformation and large Operations teams for Fortune500 companies with +16 years of experience as Sr Executive Coach and Mindfulness Teacher. His background enables him to deliver a unique, pragmatical and very effective approach to deploying Mindfulness Programs. He has mastered to show the corporate arena what Mindfulness really looks like at the workplace with practical examples of traits, behaviors and results of leaders operating on an “auto-pilot mode” vs. operating on a “mindful mode.” Alex Bravo, Sr Executive Coach and Mindfulness Teacher Alex, the individuals and organizations that have participated on your Mindfulness programs normally highlight 3 facts: Your passion for Mindfulness at the workplace How powerful your personal story is How effective your programs are? Can you elaborate on these 3 topics? Absolutely. I can not be more grateful with the individuals and organizations that have participated on our programs. Their stories, authenticity, vulnerability and trust are an extraordinary source of inspiration to me. It is true that every time I meet someone to explain the content and benefits of our Mindfulness programs I receive a great compliment on the passion that I show doing so. I believe that it has to do with different variables: the conviction that I have on Mindfulness benefits, my mission on spreading the message to the corporate arena that is ok not to be ok, and my personal story that took me to the Mindfulness path. Since I finished college, I was very determined to have a successful and thriving career. At the very beginning, I struggled with the fact that I was perceived as a very introverted professional and I had some issues accelerating my growth. That propelled me to search for an Executive Coach. One of my key lessons learned was that I didn’t have to change my essence to thrive. I just needed to explore some non-preferred traits in key moments. I mastered how to do it until I actually enjoyed exploring extroversion in very specific contexts and in addition, I became a Certified Executive Coach. My career was growing, and I kept receiving more responsibilities, lows and highs but in general, I was growing. I was not really aware about how stress was companioning me on the journey. I was getting things done, making them happen and hitting targets in my different roles, having influence beyond my team but the effort was more and more incremental. It was like having two jobs at the same time: the one outlined in my job description and the other trying to manage stress. The compliments, job titles and money were not enough anymore. I was not enjoying my career path. I was getting up from bed exhausted, gaining weight, started having health issues, striving to have a restful sleep and with a lot of concerns throughout the day. This was day after day. There was this night when I woke up around 3:00 am to start crying without knowing the exact reason. I just couldn’t stop crying and had issues to breath. Some weeks after I learned that it was a panic attack. That was the first time in my life that I had the courage to visit a psychiatrist. I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression and I was prescribed medication together with therapy. It was my psychiatrist who recommended me to get started with Mindfulness. I was not sure at the beginning but since the very first session I promised myself two things: Mindfulness would be part of my life forever and I would relentlessly disseminate its benefits specifically in the corporate arena to support leaders that may experience the same stress I did at some point. Today is just astonishing and tremendously exhilarating to be able to witness the personal transformation of so many leaders that have participated on our programs. The 85% Net Promoter Score we have in our programs is just fascinating and inspiring. One of the features that my clients really value is the fact that they can measure the progress and the effectiveness of the programs thanks to the tests that our participants complete before and after the program: Mindfulness questionnaire, The Wheel of life, a 360º assessment and customized KPI dashboard. The participants can expect an enhanced engagement, focus, communication, emotional intelligence, creativity, problem resolution, and reduction of stress and burnout. These benefits of individuals, also drive expectations to their organizations: an increase on the voice of employees (VOE), collective productivity, a decrease in absenteeism due to stress and also a decrease on other costs related to health care. What is the definition of Mindfulness that you disseminate in your programs? I share that is the practice of maintaining a nonjudgemental state of heightened or complete awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, stories and sensations on a moment-to-moment basis. Braking down this definition we can note: Like any other practice it requires discipline. Our mind tends to judge everything too soon: “I like it,” “I don’t like it,” “this is good”, or “this is bad.” Adopting a nonjudgemental state of mind is critical within mindfulness practice. During our mindfulness programs I have asked the participants “when was the last time you truly paid attention to your thoughts, emotions, stories or body sensations?”. 50% of the participants have responded “I have never paid attention to them”; 40% of that population has added “I have always tried to block them or neglect them” It is very important to note that disciplined meditation is the path to mindfulness. Why is it important to be a Mindful leader? I like to think about Mindfulness as a superpower that enables mental hygiene. I truly believe that the way we deal with our internal world defines everything: it defines how we show to ourselves, how we show to others, how we deal with stressors, how we solve problems, how we make decisions, how we lead, how we show care and how we love. We’ll always have two options: to operate on an “auto-pilot” mode or being able to operate on a “mindful mode” given the discipline of having mental hygiene. My experience has shown me that Mindful leaders are the ones with greater ability to have emotional intelligence, deliver psychological safety, and communicate, lead change, build relationships, create accountability, inspire others, develop talent and think critically effectively. At the same time, they are very successful in exploring self-awareness, self-regulation and self-compassion. What other programs are you currently offering to individuals and organizations? I have delivered executive coaching programs to individuals and groups for 16 years through Revelation 360 (my own coaching firm) incorporating different tools as part of the journey: 360º assessment, Myers Briggs Type Indicator, Harvard Career Leader Test, Find your Why methodology, and Fingerprint for Success. After becoming a Certified Mindfulness teacher I started offering “The 8 Week Mindfulness Program”, then I started also delivering “The Mindfulness at work program” and nowadays I’m integrating both disciplines (executive coaching & mindfulness) with very good results. In addition, I have recently become part of the extraordinary roster of HumanQ leadership coaches a Coaching Firm based in San Francisco, CA. After being a while in the executive coaching industry, I can tell that the 6 steps-proven framework that we use within the Group Coaching Tracks is truly unique and extremely effective. Are you currently 100% dedicated to deliver Mindfulness and Executive Coaching programs? Even when I’m very active in delivering Mindfulness and Executive Coaching programs, I’m still also active within the Corporate Arena. I’ve recently been appointed as Mexico Country Manager of Talan ‒ a French IT Consulting firm with a presence in 16 countries, 4,500 associates and certified as a Great Place to Work. I really like this combination since it allows me to be effective at both worlds and have a broader impact. From an Executive Coach perspective, it really helps me to show rapport with my coachees. I can understand them because I face every single day the same challenges they do. And finally, what are your next relevant events or projects? There are exhilarating events and projects coming soon: I’m thrilled for having been invited to join as a speaker at the Alumni Society’s ninth annual Leadership Summit in New York on June 22nd to talk about Mindfulness at the workplace. In addition, I’m launching a new Mindfulness Program to support participants during these stressful times we’re living in the economic uncertainties, the job losses, the high achievers who are burning out, etc. My objective is to build the most active and vibrant community of leaders who practice Mindfulness. Last but not least, continue partnering with Wellness Companies around the Globe to strengthen their Mindfulness value proposition. My mantra is Mindfulness delivered by business leaders. Follow me on LinkedIn for more info! Read more from Alex!

David Bintsene is an accomplished film and commercial director, the head of Post Tribe video production, and the art director based between Dubai and Paris. He specializes in shooting content and creating spectacular commercials, music videos, and animations for brands such as Adidas, GQ, Vogue, Youtube Shorts, H&M, etc. David has worked with elite clients including Azuki, Willow Smith, Reebok, Adidas, Coachella, Nas, Ellie Goulding, Big Sean, SZA, Future, and more. During his work years, David has formed a well-rounded portfolio that includes projects in design, motion graphics, photo/video shoots, stage builds, and fashion. You're an accomplished art director, with collaborations with top brands and celebrities under your belt. Let's go back to where it all started: when did you first feel the pull to pursue this path? It all began in 2012 with me shooting content just for myself. As my skills grew and I did more and more production for friends and friends of friends, I suddenly discovered myself running a studio. At one point, we shot 3,000 videos for social networks in a month and everything went like clockwork. That’s when I realized we’re’ heading in the right direction: we are fast, we are fresh, and we create powerful visuals — and that’s exactly what the market needs. After that, things escalated quickly to where we are now. Along the way, we have worked with stars and stellar brands: Conde Nast, Adidas, H&M... And there’s more to come. What's the story of Post Tribe? How was it created? What was the biggest achievement — and the biggest challenge — for you as a production company to date? Post Tribe, the current incarnation of my agency, was created in 2018. Our main specialty is social media videos, production, and post-production for brands, bloggers, and musical artists. That latter part is what I’m especially proud of: among others, we did videos for Travis Scott, A$ap Rocky, and Willow Smith. However, I feel that challenges still lie ahead. In 2023, we see the steady rise of generative tools for image, text, and video creation, and the market for content creation crumbles visibly. That’s why ideally we’d like to transform our services into some sort of IT product. I can't tell you more right now, but we’re working on it. Why did you choose Dubai as the home base for the Post Tribe? Can you tell us more about your recent — and upcoming — projects in this region? I think Dubai is simply one of the best places in the world for business. It has an excellent tax system. All important world brands are represented here, which is very important for us, as we prefer to collaborate with major fashion and finance companies. We are now working with a Dubai branch of La Vie En Rose, and for the local marathon collaborating with Adidas. Dubai is also extremely visually inspiring and thus great for content creation. It has many cinematic spots, and there are so many different people from all over the world! It is sometimes said that Dubai is the new America, the USA of the 1930s: the tallest building in the world (Burj Khalifa / Empire State Building) is there, and the overall feeling of the ad frontier is quite similar. You've done a wide range of projects: from commercials to series teasers, from art fashion films to NFT exhibitions. Can you tell us more about these collaborations? Is there a project that particularly resonated with you? Yes, we have done two major NFT collaborations: one project with Azuki and another one with Electronic Arts. For Azuki, we created an advertising campaign for their ‘figital’ collection connected with an NFT drop. For EA, our designer colleagues created a uniform for a football club, and EA ported it to the FIFA game series, so you could choose to play in a uniform from local artists. We supervised the whole process, and it was a success. Music video production is one of your specializations. Why music — and who have you collaborated with in this space? I love working with musical artists, it is always so inspiring. We are currently working with artists from all over the world: the Spanish music scene, Israel, America… Recently we did post-production on a music video for Travis Scott. It was directed by Gibson Hazard, one of the best in this business. I loved this project, and I have learned a lot. Eldzhey's 'Lollipop' video featuring Morgenstern hit 50M views on Youtube. What was the inspiration behind it - and do you have a recipe for creating viral content? I don’t have a single recipe, but the key is to find unusual visual inspiration that will ‘click’ with the audience. As for the ‘Lollipop’ video, it was inspired by the ‘Soul Train’ TV show. Everyone kinda forgot about the 1980 vibes recently, and we thought it was a good idea to bring back these memories in a comical style. What are your goals for the next five years? I have a lot of ideas and there’s so much to do! First of all, I would like to move away from making content myself and build a digital service from scratch. In the wake of generative tools, it should be both on time and fun. And speaking of other sides of life, I would LOVE to shoot a movie! And I would continue to look for a spiritual balance. Work is important, but you should always care about yourself and the ones surrounding you. That’s probably the most important lesson I’ve learned along the way.

Written by: Toomaj Freydouny How did CoLiving emerge? Contrary to popular belief, CoLiving is much older than a decade. CoLiving in the modern form actually started in the late 19th century with Tenement and Boarding houses. The industrial revolution can be seen as the main reason for the emergence of new professions and specializations. Competitive markets emerged in large cities and the rise of specialization led to rapid urbanization. Industries and markets have a direct and profound effect on the lifestyle of a society. As the markets get bigger, the competition gets more intense. To be present and survive in the competition, industries and economic enterprises have no choice except to focus on one or more limited areas, and as a result, the demand for expert personnel is increasing every day. With the change in lifestyle and the expansion of the desire to being comfortable and accordingly the centralization of the economy, the education and health system in the metropolises and industrial and commercial cities, the rate of urbanization is expanding every day more than ever. The direct relationship between industrialization and the reduction of purchasing power is undeniable, and this relationship is reflected in the fact that the poor are getting poorer and the rich are getting richer every day! On the other hand, the ineffectiveness of policymakers and politicians, wars, epidemics, population aging and natural disasters also have a direct and negative impact on people’s purchasing power. That is why the demand in the market of CoLiving and shared apartments has been growing significantly since after the financial crisis of 2008 until today. Why do so many property owners lease their properties to CoLiving companies? I am the CEO of KUMMUNI. Our company is a real estate startup that rents fully furnished shared apartments to students and young professionals. KUMMUNI, like other companies active in this field, does not own the apartments, but leases these apartments from private owners or companies for a certain period of time and rents them to applicants after renovating and furnishing them. What I know for sure as an activist in this field is that the owners of our company's contract are very interested in working with our company or any other company that operates in this field for the following reasons: The need for direct communication between the resident and the owner is completely eliminated The owner always collects his monthly rent in full and at the agreed time. The owner does not need to deal with legal problems such as sublet without an agreement, excessive energy consumption, not emptying the property, etc. The party to the contract is the owner of a company and not an individual, and in this way, many tenant laws that are sometimes abused by the tenant do not include the lease contract. At the same time, our company is composed of other companies and different departments. For example, KUMMUNI provides facility services to its tenants directly and free of charge. This greatly reduces the costs of the owners. In a country like Germany, if an apartment is uninhabited for a certain period of time, the owner is required to pay heavy fines. Our company rents its apartments for a period of at least 6 months. However, not only sometimes some laws do not allow the owners to enter this area, the owners usually want to rent their apartments unfurnished. For this reason, they have no choice but to enter into a long-term or unlimited lease agreement with the tenant. Who are more inclined to rent shared apartments and CoLiving spaces? Since I have a better understanding of the German market, I would like this debate be focused on the German furnished apartment market. The existence of discrimination in the German rental apartment market is not a secret, and many academic and media studies have been conducted in this area, which indicates the existence of discrimination against potential tenants who do not have a German name. Let's not forget that the word "foreigner" is often used in Germany to refer to immigrants and those who were even born in Germany to an immigrant family. From the point of view of the common people, what makes someone a foreigner in Germany is their appearance (skin color), religion, mother tongue and surname. On the other hand, although many owners are not discriminating, they often fear that the language barrier is a problem, and contrary to public belief, thinking that the vast majority of the German population is fluent in English, the reality is otherwise. All these issues go hand in hand so that a, quote on quote, foreign expert, who is considered to be foreign based on the definition of the majority of the society, would have less income than a native person and in some respects, face higher expenses at the same time. In general, the vast majority of KUMMUNI tenants are similar to the majority of tenants of similar companies in these few cases: The majority do not speak German hey have chosen Germany as a new destination for continuing education or employment as a professional workforce Their names are unusual for German society They often have a darker skin color than the German natives Their origin does not go back to North America, Central and Northern Europe The common people refer to their country of origin as the third world Foreign students usually have a very limited monthly budget, and therefore it is not possible for them to provide for their well-being and to cover their education and living expenses at the same time. This group always has much less financial capacity for housing. The other group is the workforce, which is divided into two categories: Those whose family is in their country of origin Those who come to Germany with their spouses and children Those whose families are in the country of origin send a significant amount of their monthly income to the family in most scenarios. Those who migrate with their families will be the sole breadwinner for a significant period of time since only one person is permitted to work. Family traditions, the spouse's mastery of another language, as well as work expertise also play a significant role in this respect. It may not be in vain if we say that a significant number of those who go to CoLiving is not because of their desire to experience new things and meet different people, but desperation plays an important role in this. Of course, let's not forget that population growth plays an important role in this, but population growth has not yet become a key influencing factor in the German shared apartments market. How can CoLiving impact the real estate market? My experience in real estate started in 2021. Everything I had experienced before was mostly in the IT, automotive and mining industries. This is how I see the difference between real estate and any other industry: Although real estate and any other industry is ultimately looking for profit, in other industries everything revolves around the amount of revenue, while in real estate asset value plays the main role. This is why cash flow is the main concern of those working in the real estate! For a significant number of people in the field of real estate, the payback period is important in investments, while in other industries Net Present Value is the determining factor for investment. In real estate, the term “bubble” has been used many times, but few people have asked themselves what causes real estate bubbles. What many have forgotten in real estate is that the purchasing power of money today is greater than the purchasing power of the same amount of money in the future. Regardless of which currency we are talking about, all units will lose their value in the future. The rise in inflation and prices always go a few steps beyond the consumer's pocket. Although our calculations may show that a certain property becomes n times more valuable on a certain date, the question is how many percent of the society will be able to buy the property? The importance of location in real estate investment is undeniable. In fact, location is everything in this sector. Now, what if you invest in a place today that is considered a smart investment, whether by payback period or net present value criteria, but in the near future, exactly when you plan to sell your property, the conditions and quality of the location will change?! In the previous section (Who are more inclined to rent shared apartments and CoLiving spaces?), we mentioned recognizing the tenants who are interested in shared apartments. It was also said that discrimination marginalizes them, not only in the rental apartments market, but also in the labor market. A country like Germany, which is one of the top 5 super-aged countries, has no choice but to open its doors to foreigners in order to keep its industries and economy alive. This is at a time when it has been significantly opened to both immigrants who are considered refugees and students and working professionals. In contrast to the fact that the import of young potential labor force has greatly accelerated, the compatibility and co-existence between natives and non-natives in Germany has not changed significantly, and the isolation rate of the foreign population in Germany is still at a high level. Social isolates, who emerge due to differences in their appearances, religions and languages, are the main factor in the formation of communities. Arab community, Indian community, Turkish community, and African and Asian communities are the largest communities in Germany. What CoLiving companies and those who rent shared apartments do is that they try to rent their apartments to them by delivering their marketing messages among these communities. In order to reduce costs, ease of work, and also disconnect foreign and local tenants in order to avoid any potential stress, these companies lease the buildings all together and rent them to their target market. With the increasing expansion of CoLiving companies and their impressive reception by those communities, although these companies have helped the most vulnerable group in society, they are creating what the common people refer to as ghettos. The difference between such ghettos and what I had seen formerly is that it is not just an area and neighborhood which people call a ghetto, but they may even call an alley a ghetto. In areas that have been assigned to the minority group either by force or under social conditions, poverty will appear and spread over time, and crime will increase in the same proportion. Prestigious businesses are known to avoid such places, restaurants often serve food from one or a limited number of specific cultures, the possibility of such areas being touristic is greatly reduced. Moreover, in the long run, those who take the name of an area into account as a decision-making factor in renting and purchasing a property, will not want to be in such areas. We all know that health, public transport, education and urban furniture play a key role in increasing the value of a property. Assigning a specific area to a specific group will not result in anything other than reducing the value of the property or slowing down the process of the rise of the property value. In a country like Germany, where a person is called a “foreigner” only because of their differences, or is not called a compatriot, the location where these foreigners or non-compatriots live is not as financially valuable as the native-dwelling neighborhoods. Besides, the value and the Intrinsic value of the property in those areas do not grow at the speed or extent of the native-dwelling neighborhoods. This was exactly the point that I noticed as a foreigner in Germany from the very first day at KUMMUNI. I neither like marginalizing the minority, nor making money by further marginalizing them is moral for me. On the other hand, we should not forget that business leaders and every business should feel responsible not only for their industry but also for society. At KUMMUNI, we follow a principle which we call “trusting others”. In our CoLivings, we have placed different tenants with different tendencies next to each other, and they all live well together. KUMMUNI manages a little fewer than 500 apartments, but there are other Coliving companies that manage far more properties than we have. The total number of properties managed by all of the CoLiving companies is much more than you think. Now the question is, do other companies pay attention to these small but important points or are they reducing the value of your property in the not-too-distant future? Property owners should ask themselves if all the reasons they have to lease their properties to CoLiving companies are worth it or not! The Last Word The way to deal with this impending challenge is not as difficult as it seems. My advice to both owners and leaders of CoLiving companies is to do the same as my company: Avoid leasing a building altogether. Give this opportunity to natives and non-natives to be neighbors with each other. Although you respect the culture of the tenants' origin country, act according to the culture of the current country. Don't profile the tenants because of their religious, sexual, and different cultures, and let them live together. Give enough training to your tenants so that they are well aware of the differences and different routines of the present country. Definitely, cultural differences between your tenants and other neighbors will cause challenges at the beginning. Every time you encounter an objection, check the facts without bias or favoritism. If you work in a non-English-speaking country, try to attach a translated version to English for them every time you correspond with non-native tenants, even if you write the original letter in the official language of the present country, so that they can communicate more with the current culture. Since one of your colleagues is fluent in another language such as Arabic, you are not supposed to correspond in Arabic for your Arab-speaking tenants. Because it is unlikely that other people in your company are fluent in that language. Communicating in more than two different languages can cause confusion and misunderstandings for your tenants, apart from the fact that this causes different communities to be formed again based on language, culture, religions and such other factors. Remember that unlike the media, which makes more money by highlighting differences and problems, a CoLiving company will both spend less and make more money by celebrating and respecting differences. Do not base your predictions on media stereotypes. In KUMMUNI CoLivings, Jews and Muslims, Indians and Pakistanis, homosexuals and Catholics live together, and our community manager has not received any complaints for these reasons. Promote your company culture in the community. If we don't have a problem with the point in 9, it's because that's exactly how things work in our company. Although maintaining a balance is always challenging, it is possible. Not only are the leaders and managers of our company both native and non-native, but these positions are not appointed based on gender. More importantly, nationality and gender do not affect the basis of rights and benefits. In our company, atheists work side by side with Muslims and Muslims with Christians and Hindus for the development of the company and a common philosophy. Experience has proven to us that your tenants always look at your methods and make decisions based on them. The last point, which is certainly not the least important, is that most of the properties you manage are not your property. You have leased them from an owner. Consider their property as an asset for your company in every respect. By not following the above 10 points, you will not only purposefully damage the value of their property, but they will also show the least desire to extend the lease or lease new properties to you. More importantly, soon they will talk to others about the damage that has been done to them, and soon fewer people will come to your company. Follow me on LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! About the author: Toomaj Freydouny is an originally Iranian marketing consultant and scholar and serial entrepreneur from Berlin who has been encouraged by many other experts & academics on four continents. Tom is an ex-corporate consultant and served more than 60 well-known brands such as NICO, Toyota, Hyundai, Silicon Power, and Irancell MTN. In 2013, Trade World Magazine- Iran titled Tom “the most capable marketing person in the Middle East.” In 2014, Al Ries addressed him as “one of the few marketing people who have a complete understanding of marketing.” Currently, Toomaj is the CEO of KUMMUNI. KUMMUNI is a Berlin-based real estate Tech startup. The company with the help of technology, not only have overcome discrimination.

MotionGrey, a leading provider of ergonomic office furniture, has announced the expansion of its warehouse in British Columbia. The expansion is set to double the company's capacity, enabling them to better serve the growing demand for their products in the region. As part of the expansion, MotionGrey is introducing a range of new products, including new models of standing desks, which have become increasingly popular among health-conscious professionals in Vancouver and the surrounding areas. The new standing desks are designed to promote better posture, reduce back pain, and improve overall productivity. "We are excited to be doubling our warehouse capacity in this market with another dock loading facility. With our healthy balance sheet, we are proud to be able to acquire this new facility on an all-cash basis, without the need to access debt or equity markets at a time when interest rates are at a multi-year high. This gives us a very competitive position in the market to continue offering products at the lowest cost to our customers." said Alex Chan, founder and CEO of MotionGrey. "Our standing desks are a perfect fit for this market, where health and wellness are a top priority for many professionals." The expansion of the warehouse now brings MotionGrey’s investment in Vancouver’s industrial sector to just shy of $4 million dollars. It will allow MotionGrey to streamline their logistics and provide faster shipping times to their customers in British Columbia. With the company's commitment to quality and customer service, customers can expect a seamless buying experience when they purchase from MotionGrey. MotionGrey's new warehouse expansion and introduction of standing desks are a testament to the company's dedication to providing innovative, high-quality office furniture solutions that promote health and wellness. For more information about MotionGrey's products and services, please visit their website.

Written by: Erwin Wils Starting your own business can be challenging. And even when you’re already in business awhile, it might feel like you’ve hit a ceiling and can’t get to the next level. The following six steps will help you to get to the next level, no matter where you are currently on your entrepreneurial journey. Step 1 - Know your vision and start planning When you want to achieve your dreams and goals, you’ll first want to turn your dreams into a vision. When you know your vision, you can start planning. For instance, what do you want to achieve 5 years from now? The moment you know what you want to achieve, you can start to create a strategy to get there, along with the milestones to check you’re on track. Where do you need to be in two years? Where do you need to be in one year? Six months? Three months? What do you need to accomplish next month? Those milestones are (sub) goals to check whether you’re on track and if the strategy is still working or needs some adjustments. Goals help you to check your strategy. Strategy has to be there first. At this moment, I would like to quote the conversation from “Alice in Wonderland” between Alice and the Cheshire Cat: Alice: "Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?" "That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat. "I don't much care where ‒ " said Alice. "Then it doesn't matter which way you go," said the Cat. "so long as I get somewhere," Alice added as an explanation. "Oh, you're sure to do that," said the Cat, "if you only walk long enough." A strategy gives you direction, just like Alice is asking for. The cat replies that without a goal, any direction is okay. That said, when you want to run an effective business, goals come first. And the strategy is your roadmap to achieve your goals. Step 2 ‒ Challenge (and invest in) yourself When you want to grow and achieve your goals, you have to challenge yourself. I like to use a quote from one of my own coaches: “Set goals so high you cannot achieve them until you become the person that can.” If you don’t challenge yourself, you’ll probably stay in your comfort zone, thus repeating things you already know, resulting in a known outcome. When you want different results, you need to start doing things differently. A lot of entrepreneurs don’t recognize that they need to change in order to achieve the results they’re looking for. In fact, they are their biggest obstacle to success. That’s why I advise investing in yourself. It took me two years as an entrepreneur to realize I was my biggest obstacle. I had to decide to invest in myself. We don’t see our own blind spots; we need someone else to make us aware. From the very first moment I decided to invest in myself by means of training, mentoring, and coaching, I started to grow both my business as well as personally. The best investment I’ve ever made. Step 3 – Define your niche and start selling I still remember when I finished my first hypnotherapy training, I started my entrepreneurial journey. It was hard. Because I had the tools and skills to help everybody, and I didn’t want to exclude anybody, because each client would bring me income. Yet, when you want to help everybody, you’re not helping anybody, because why would people come to you, when there are others who specialize in the issue your potential client is facing? It was one of my coaches that opened my eyes: “when you go fishing, do you want to fish in a small pond and catch every fish in it, or do you want to fish in the ocean, hoping that one will bite?” Adding to the latter, wish that the one that bites is your ideal client. What are the odds…… That’s why I advise you to define your niche. Don’t keep it too general, make your niche as detailed as possible, become an expert in your line of field and start selling to your ideal clients in your niche that is more than willing to pay for your expertise. Now you might think you’re no good at sales. I dare to challenge you on that. I know that everybody can sell, you just have to redefine your definition of selling. My definition of sales is as follows: “Helping someone make a decision that provides more than enough value for him/her and for me and gives a great feeling for all parties.” Just read it a few times and let it settle. How does this make you feel? Does that change your perspective? In case you’re still in doubt, contact me and I’ll prove that you have been selling all your life, you just didn’t recognize it! The reason I state that selling is a crucial skill is that, without sales, you don’t have a business. Best case, you have a hobby. The first thing you have to do is to start selling your products/services. Don’t wait until you have a perfect product or have crystallized your perfect service. Because, when you wait for the ideal product or service and have spent money and (precious) time on it, you run the risk that your potential clients don’t need or want it. When you sell first, you can already test the market. If there is indeed a need for your product or service, and after the first sale, you have a driver to deliver on your promise. Worst case scenario, you have to return the money, best case scenario you hit the road running and made your first profit! Step 4 ‒ Surround yourself with people that will elevate you A commonly known quote in the coaching world is “Show me your 5 best friends and I’ll tell you who you are.” Or more generally “birds of a feather flock together.” When you start your entrepreneurial journey, you’re entering a whole new world. So it makes sense that you will start to meet new people. I would advise you to surround yourself with people that will elevate you. Would you like to grow your business? Surround yourself with ambitious entrepreneurs. Are you new to entrepreneurship? Surround yourself with other startups, or experienced entrepreneurs so you can learn from each other. Remember that when you start your entrepreneurial journey, you will leave your old life. That implies that you might alienate a little from your former circle of friends and acquaintances. Don’t let them pull you down. And don’t blame them. It makes perfect sense. You are leaving their comfort zone and they want the old you back because that is familiar to them (and part of their comfort zone). Accept that you might lose a few acquaintances and even friends and know you will build new relationships and meet new friends. And the ones that stick with you, are your true friends. Step 5 ‒ Have an accountability partner Without Progress, there is no achievement. You just stay where you are. You can have the greatest goals (remember your New Year’s Resolutions?), but when it’s up to you to keep them, it requires a high sense of responsibility and willpower to stay on track. Even though you might have a high intrinsic motivation, life happens and before you know it, you’re following the facts and can’t keep up. If that’s you, I recommend getting an accountability partner. When you decide to go to the gym to work on your physical health and body, it’s harder to skip training when you have an accountability partner. The both of you will keep each other accountable and motivate each other to keep going, even though that couch looks irresistible. This accountability partner can be a fellow student from your training or education, a fellow entrepreneur from your network, or a coach or mentor. In my experience, the latter ones (coach/mentor) are the best, because you pay them to be your accountability partner and they will definitely challenge you! Step 6 ‒ Start implementing It sounds obvious, yet in my experience, only a few take this final step. I want you to be honest to yourself and answer the following two questions: How many trainings, webinars, seminars, workshops, (e-)books, podcasts, and YouTube videos have you attended, read, listened to, and watched? And what percentage of the learnings have you actually implemented? I know the first five steps you’ve read above will make a huge difference in your business, assuming you implement step six! And that’s where a lot of entrepreneurs get stuck. I’ll bet you have read this article and thought “great tips” and the very next day, it’s business as usual again. True or true? I truly hope this time it’s different and you actually start applying my tips. Remember, when you want different results, you have to start doing things differently! Einstein said exactly the same thing with his definition of insanity: “Keep doing the same things, expecting different results” – Albert Einstein What’s next Hopefully, you will follow and implement these six steps to become a better entrepreneur and grow your business. I know it will make a huge difference. That’s why I implemented each step into my signature coaching program “Profitable Passion Program™.” I must confess, it’s not for everybody. It requires a decent investment in and commitment to yourself. But rest assured, you can always start by joining my “Profitable Passion Inner Circle,” a subscription-based community of like-minded people that will elevate you and where you can experience my coaching service for a fraction of the price. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! About the author: Erwin Wils is a mindset and business strategist. As a Master of Science in Electrical engineering by education and a Certified Professional Hypnotherapist, Master Soulkey Therapist, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing) and IEMT (Integral Eye Movement Therapy) practitioner by training, Wils brings 25+ years of experience to show his clients how they can use their talents and expertise to make a positive impact in the world and make a good living doing so. He is all about being authentic and loves to inspire people. His motto: "Where there's a Wils, a better way will be."

Written by: Wael Farah, 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. For decades the differentiation war was fought on the product/services front, with companies looking to achieve functional superiority, specialization, and/or pricing advantages over the competition. However, over the past few years collapsing product life cycles have significantly shortened the time period where you can have a competitive edge based on what you sell. And solid customer experience is now the base requirement for doing business. This is where companies started to shift their focus from “What to Sell” to “How to Sell” in order to create a competitive advantage in their marketplace. Surveying more than 1000 companies across the globe as part of CSO Insights now under the Miller Heiman Group, sales organizations that invested heavily in their people, processes, and commercial excellence showed a significant edge among their competitors: 17% improvement in revenue attainment 21% more salespeople are achieving their targets. 31% increase in their closing ratios 43% reduction in salesforce turnover Challenges in today’s world and their best-fit solutions Challenge 1: The sophistication of the customer expectations Customer-Centricity: A customer-centric approach to sales can drive long-term growth and success for sales organizations by enhancing customer satisfaction, increasing sales revenue, improving sales productivity, and reducing customer churn. This means understanding the customer's needs and preferences, providing personalized solutions and experience, as well as delivering a high level of support and service. To build a customer-centric sales process, you need to evolve the way your sales team relates to customers and consistently put your sales team in the shoes of customers every day and work to integrate the customer experience across pre-and post-sales. Thus organizations are restructuring their sales & marketing teams to create less independent silos across departments and move into a Pod structure putting all the roles & focus on their customers. Organizations are adopting a formal or in the best case scenario a dynamic client-centric sales process, where clients see their salespeople as long-term and trusted partners whose contributions – products, insights, processes, etc. – are viewed as key to their client’s long-term success. Challenge 2: The new sales channels and innovations in the business landscape Customer Digital Transformation: Successful sales organizations are leveraging digital tools and platforms to reach their customers and prospects. This includes utilizing CRM systems, social media, virtual events, and AI-powered analytics to optimize their sales process and gain insights into customer behavior. Successful sales organizations are using data and analytics to make informed decisions and drive performance. This includes analyzing customer data to identify trends and opportunities, tracking sales performance metrics, and using predictive analytics to forecast future sales. B2B Leaders have diversified their business model into an omnichannel one; this transition embraces the inclusion of a digital service and a new sales approach to boost customer-centricity. Buyers have shown a clear preference for cross-channel offerings, that is choosing between in-person, remote, and digital self-serve interactions in equal measure. Overall, the self-serve option of e-commerce has significantly grown since last year; hence the need to be Omnichannel is imperative. Two-thirds of customers tend to lean towards remote human interactions or digital self-service. Challenge 3: Retaining good sales talent Adopting a Common Vision & Culture: Creating and adopting a common vision and culture across sales teams can help align everyone towards the same goals and values, resulting in increased collaboration, higher morale, and improved performance. Thus, reducing salespeople and leaders turnover. This is where leaders in the market truly believe in the importance of setting the right roles & responsibilities mapping them to the customer buying journey to create a frictionless customer experience through their pre and post-sales activities. What is crucial is aligning everyone’s role with their productivity metrics, and KPIs and driving their morale high through an incentivized commission scheme where good performers are rewarded and low performers are objectively evaluated. How we can help The size of the prize for optimizing sales performance is compelling enough that some firms will do it. Yet, this transformation is not easy, is not quick, and is not cheap. But there is another thing to consider: It is no longer optional. HEED comes in to help you study your readiness for this disruption, planning and executing a balanced transformation; while putting your customers, your people, our sales expertise, and technology at the heart. This includes but is not limited to redefining your right sales strategy, re-engineering an end-end customer journey, identifying and integrating the right digital initiatives, and restructuring the sales and marketing organization to be equipped to orchestrate the new approach and processes. Since its establishment in 2011, HEED has built an enviable reputation and profound practical experience in driving revenue growth. Being a boutique allows us to work closely with you and deliver practical, tailored, and pragmatic solutions. Our culture comes from our 3 main core values: Process Consultants, Disciplined Actions, and Scientific Approach. You can always discover more from our website. To learn more about our revenue growth framework and how we can help you overcome your specific challenges, contact our Partner: To learn more about our revenue growth framework and how we can help you overcome your specific challenges, contact our Partner: WAEL FARAH Partner at HEED or schedule a quick call to map HEED solutions to your sales challenges. Follow me on LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Wael! Wael Farah, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Wael FARAH is an experienced management consultant, specializing in revenue growth strategies. Driven by science and industry best practices he takes pride in developing the most pragmatic and effective solutions. In addition to being a Partner at HEED, Wael has been recognized by several clients as a trusted advisor for his extraordinary commitment to bringing client success.