Written by: Jennifer Maharajh, 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. The true power to unlock contentment and happiness in life begins with purpose. We each have a unique purpose that leads to greatness. That greatness is achieved and sparked by passion, a relentless attitude of perseverance. To withstand through the adversity, through the darkest moments, is persistence. To find ultimate happiness, even through the turmoil takes purpose, passion and persistence. These are the 3 P’s to living, laughing and loving. Purpose When the unexpected happens, we question why. When our path is derailed off course, we become agitated. What we don’t see is that this season of temporary discomfort is opening the doors to a higher greatness, a bigger success, and ultimately a purpose. Everyone has a purpose to fulfill, and our deepest pain, losses, derailments and adversities can lead us to our purpose. Stepping into your purpose means embracing every moment of the path you are crossing, good or bad. As you allow your experiences to manifest your destiny, your purpose becomes clearer and your vision for life ignites. Find your purpose and ignite the flame to passion and persistence. Passion As you unlock your purpose, now we focus on driving that purpose with passion. Your want, your need and your desire should all point to your purpose. The enthusiasm and excitement capture your heart pursuing your purpose, and your smile is as bright as day as you fill with joy and contentment. Your passion is truly fulfilling, meaningful and satisfying. Each day you rise, you should pursue your purpose with passion. Your passion must fuel your belief that this temporary season of darkness, will lead to light and love. Your passion can radiate the highest and purest level of peace, harmony and solitude. Passion grounds your objectives and directs your path to stay on course. Your intense pursuit with passion makes you fall in love with your purpose every step of the way. Persistence The 3rd P is most important as it’s the true testament of determination. Unexpected paths are part of the journey we call life but crossing it with persistence makes it a road well-traveled. A body feels pain when it gets hurt, just as the heart will pain when it goes through turmoil. But the body heals and closes its wounds and just as the body heals again, so will the heart. We just must believe in that. We must believe in the heart beating so strongly that can truly carry us through the darkness, lead us to the beauty and joy and create the best life we want. That is persistence. Persist through the unexpected. Persist through the unforeseen circumstances. Persistence builds character, strengthens your mindset and sets the stage for true success. Living with purpose, passion and persistence restores and aligns all the vibrations and energies of the universe to rebalance our mind, body and soul. Find your purpose through the moments you are about to give up. Let your passion spark that need to fulfill your purpose and be persistent through this journey, The moment I walked out of the doctor’s office to know I had early onset Parkinson’s, my purpose wasn’t clear, because I wasn’t attuned and listening. Eventually, I did listen. I did take that moment to look around, and my purpose became clear. Each day, I manifest fulfilling my purpose with passion and persistence. “Parkinson’s is a horrible debilitating disease, but it’s nothing the heart can’t withstand. It’s nothing my belief can’t overcome as I embrace purpose, passion and persistence.” Know your own self-worth and value. That flaw you have, that mistake you made yesterday, that mishap you had today, it’s okay. To love and live with heart is to love yourself and live for yourself. Mindset is important, but mindset must always meet heart set to find true balance. Heart set is all about purpose, passion and persistence. Pick up a copy of my new book "Inspirational Quotes and Affirmations," to help you affirm your joy, manifest your desired outcomes, and encourage positivity. Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Jennifer! Jennifer Maharajh, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jennifer Maharajh is the CEO/Founder of Simply Healthy Global Media, a global movement and platform that empowers and educates the community about resilience, mindset, healthy living and more. After being diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease as a young age, Jennifer was determined to change the outcome of her story and has become a published author, Podcast Host, Global Summit Producer and Health and Beauty Entrepreneur. She is the creator of the annual global healing motivational summit gathering dynamic voices to uplift and empower through their stories of tragedy to triumph. Jennifer uses her platform to build community, create global change and promote a healthy life and always make the impossible, POSSIBLE!

Written by: Dr. Pamela Seraphine, 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. If you're feeling victimized and helpless, you may be experiencing a pervasive mindset known as victim mentality. This mindset can leave you feeling powerless, lacking self-esteem, and out of control in your life. It's common to perceive yourself as a victim of circumstances beyond your control, leading to a sense of disempowerment and a belief that the world is against you. But it's important to recognize that this mindset may have developed as a natural response to challenging life circumstances and adversity and that you deserve compassion and understanding. By understanding the neuroscience of victim mentality and using the right strategies, you can break free from these limitations and unleash your inner power. What is Victim Mentality Victim mentality is complex, and various psychological, cultural, and social factors that shape your beliefs and mindset can influence it. Research has shown that personality traits such as neuroticism and pessimism, early childhood experiences like abuse or neglect, and cultural messages emphasizing powerlessness and victimization can influence it. Negative self-talk, cognitive biases, and social reinforcement from others with the same mindset can also reinforce victim mentality. This state of mind arises from a deep-seated belief that your life is beyond your control, leaving you feeling powerless and at the mercy of external circumstances like other people, the economy, or the government. It can lead to a pervasive sense of hopelessness that significantly affects your mental and physical health, relationships, and quality of life. The Neuroscience of Victim Mentality The neural mechanisms that underlie victim mentality are complex and multifaceted and involve several brain regions in emotion regulation, perception, and decision-making. Some of the critical brain regions that engage in the development and maintenance of victim mentality include the amygdala, which is responsible for processing emotional stimuli; the prefrontal cortex, which is involved in executive functions, such as planning and decision-making; and the anterior cingulate cortex, which regulates emotions and monitors cognitive processes. Studies have shown that individuals with a victim mentality tend to have higher levels of stress hormones, such as cortisol, which can harm the brain and body over time. Chronic stress can cause structural changes in the brain, including a decrease in the size of the hippocampus, which is responsible for memory and learning, and an increase in the size of the amygdala, which regulates fear and anxiety. Breaking Free from Victim Mentality The good news is that victim mentality is not a fixed trait but a mindset that can be changed using the right approach. A brain-based approach to overcoming victim mentality involves understanding the neural mechanisms that underlie this mindset and developing strategies to rewire the brain and change one's patterns of thought and behavior. Here are three brain-based ways to empower yourself: 1. Reframe Negative Thoughts From a brain-based perspective, reframing negative thoughts is an effective strategy for overcoming victim mentality because it can change the structure and function of the brain. Negative thoughts can create neural pathways that strengthen the connections between brain cells, making it easier for negative thoughts to arise in the future. This is known as "neural plasticity" and is one way the brain adapts and changes in response to experiences. Keeping a thought journal can increase your awareness of negative thoughts and help you better recognize patterns and triggers. This increased self-awareness can help you to catch negative thoughts earlier and intervene with reframing strategies. Reframing negative thoughts involves consciously challenging negative self-talk and replacing it with positive self-talk. This can be a difficult process for someone who has been stuck in a negative thinking pattern for a long time. However, you can learn to identify and reframe negative thoughts more easily with practice. Here are some examples of negative self-talk and ways to reframe them in a more positive light: Negative thought: "I'm not good enough." Reframe: "I am capable and have many strengths." Negative thought: "I always fail at everything." Reframe: "I have had setbacks in the past, but I have also had successes and can learn from my mistakes." Negative thought: "I'll never be able to do this." Reframe: "This may be challenging, but I can improve and succeed with effort and practice. 2. Create Afformations An afformation is a positive statement or question framed in a way that prompts the brain to focus on a desired outcome or goal. Unlike an affirmation that typically involves stating a positive belief in the present tense, an afformation involves asking a positive question that assumes that a desired outcome is already true. Author and speaker Noah St. John developed the concept of affformations. He was right when he asserted that by asking a positive question, the brain is more likely to engage with the idea and find evidence to support it rather than rejecting it outright. For example, instead of saying, "I am healed and feeling whole again," an affirmation might be, "Why am I healed and feeling whole again?" This prompts the brain to focus on positive qualities and outcomes, which can help to shift negative thought patterns and improve self-esteem and motivation. Here are some more examples of afformations that can help with recovery from trauma, pain, or suffering: Why am I able to express my emotions in healthy ways? Why am I worthy of love and respect? Why am I capable of finding solutions to my problems? Why do I feel comfortable reaching out for help when I need it? Why do I feel confident in managing stress and overcoming challenges? Why do I trust and believe in myself and my abilities? Why do I feel a sense of purpose and fulfillment in my life? 3. Set 90-Day Sprint Goals If you want to overcome victim mentality and take control of your life, try setting 90-day sprint goals. These are specific, measurable goals that you aim to achieve within 90 days, and they can help you build momentum, track progress, and develop a sense of accomplishment. From a brain-based perspective, setting 90-day sprint goals can effectively rewire your neural pathways and develop a more empowered mindset. When you set a goal and work towards achieving it, you activate the brain's reward system, which releases dopamine and other feel-good chemicals. This can help counteract the negative thought patterns that often-accompanying victim mentality, such as feeling helpless, hopeless, or stuck. To create 90-day sprint goals, identify an area of your life in which you'd like to progress. This could be related to your career, relationships, health, or personal growth. Then, set a specific and measurable goal you'd like to achieve within 90 days. Break this goal into smaller, actionable steps that you can take daily or weekly. To create 90-day sprint goals, identify an area of your life in which you'd like to progress. This could be related to your career, relationships, health, or personal growth. Then, set a specific and measurable goal you'd like to achieve within 90 days. Break this goal into smaller, actionable steps that you can take daily or weekly. By setting and achieving 90-day sprint goals, you can begin to shift your mindset from one of victimhood to one of empowerment. Over time, this can help you break free from the limiting beliefs and negative thought patterns that may have held you back and develop a more positive and confident approach to life. In conclusion, it is not easy to overcome a victim mentality. Still, with the right approach, breaking free from this limiting mindset and developing a more empowered approach to life is possible. Understanding the brain-based strategies this article outlines allows you to take the first steps toward creating positive change in your life. Start by setting your 90-day sprint goals and practicing reframing negative thoughts using positive afformations. Remember, it's important to be patient and compassionate with yourself throughout this process. Dedication and persistence can overcome victim mentality and unleash your inner power. Act today and begin your journey towards a more empowered and fulfilling life. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Dr. Pamela! Dr. Pamela Seraphine, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Dr. Pamela Seraphine is a neuroscientist, coach, and consultant recognized for her extensive trauma, resilience, and brain health expertise. She is also the visionary behind the innovative Neuro-Rhythmic Trauma Therapy (NRTT), which is revolutionizing trauma treatment. References: Hwang, J. Y., Plante, T., & Lackey, K. (2008). The development of the Helping Others Scale. Journal of Happiness Studies, 9(1), 61-79. doi: 10.1007/s10902-006-9038-6 Neff, K. D. (2011). Self-compassion, self-esteem, and well-being. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 5(1), 1-12. doi: 10.1111/j.1751-9004.2010.00330.x Schueller, S. M., & Parks, A. C. (2014). Disseminating self-help: positive psychology exercises in an online trial. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 9(5), 426-435. doi: 10.1080/17439760.2014.888583

Written by: Natasha Zo, 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. Connection across various cultures is a critical element in fostering empathy and love on a global scale. As such, broadening your horizons and stepping out of your experience is crucial to develop an understanding of others. To achieve this goal, Freeman Fung, an international author, inspirational speaker, and certified life coach, motivates people to dive head-first into global citizenship. As a conscious globetrotter, he advocates new global citizenship at TEDx, world tourism forums, Mindvalley, and more. However, you must first understand the concept of global citizenship and what is a global citizen. Let’s look into Freeman Fung’s life journey and experiences to learn how he became a global citizen and how you can become one! What is Global Citizenship? Global citizenship is how we speak about the social, economic, and environmental actions of people and communities who understand that every individual is a citizen of this world. It shows how the decisions in one area of the planet can influence people living in a different area. Additionally, global citizenship is about how people share a common humanity and are equally worthy. It’s an effective way to engage positively with other cultures and identities and to recognize and challenge societal stereotypes. As a global citizen, you’ll know how to use and share the planet's resources fairly and sustain the human rights of every individual. What Does it Like to be a Global Citizen? New global citizenship is more than just a title; it’s a mindset. In this emerging digital world, the international communities are getting closer, yet if you choose not to act, it’s very easy to stay in the bubble. You must ask yourself, what community am I a member of? Your answers could be your home, work, school, or literal neighborhood — expanding it into the different world communities strengthens your overall global citizenship. In such small communities, you might exchange certain ideas with your friend or help your coworker with any problem. Being a conscious global citizen means showing a willingness to do these simple things with people from various nations and diverse cultural backgrounds. Freeman Fung, in his best-seller, Travel to Transform, explains how he became a global citizen and how it influenced his life that he stepped onto the path as a certified life coach. He is now helping other people transform into thriving global citizens. He further added that sometimes you think you have little to offer. It’s tempting to feel you must travel to a new country each month or fight for social justice to prove yourself a “global citizen.” That misses the mark. A new global citizen definition you must consider is more about connecting and garnering empathy for different cultures beyond your own. It would look different for different individuals since we all have a unique path. Being a global citizen could mean becoming the best version of ourselves through travelling and offering the world what we do best. Helping to solve our mutual global challenges is so crucial. Also, the drive to create a positive impact is most powerful when it stems from a feeling of new global citizenship and being a part of the conscious international community. How Do You Become a Global Citizen? How does an individual transform into a global citizen or enhance their new global citizenship skills? What does getting that kind of world mindset and diverse global education take? Freeman, in his book, explains that if you’ve decided to become a global citizen, you have already come to a step closer to the right direction towards expanding your global awareness. He further stated if anybody at any point in time asks you, “But how do I become a global citizen too?” Remember the acronym for TRAVEL: T for Transform R for Reprogramme A for Aware V for Value E for Evolve L for Love However, there are a few small and large things that you can do to develop new global citizenship in your own life. Keep reading to know! Learn About the World Before you hop into any international travel, there’re certain ways you can use to learn about this emerging world. The internet and AI are among the wonderful resources, and a massive web of data is available with only a few finger taps. If you cannot travel to specific cultures or countries, with the internet, you may still have a chance to learn about their experiences. It could be easily done through reading, but also by connecting with people across the globe and exchanging your contrasting and shared life experiences. Freeman, originally from Hong Kong, left his home alone at age 19 to settle in Romania for a Global Village project. He traveled and experienced life in over 30 countries and is still continuing to do so. He believes it’s amazing to get closer to people from diverse cultural backgrounds, understands problems that we don't regularly face, and explore things beyond our usual purview. With the latest technology available, it’s easy for people to improve their global citizenship. Learn About Yourself Being an active member of the one global community means giving and receiving. As you understand the world, you must notice certain mindsets change and may find new interests and reasons to explore. What are your true passions and ultimate goal in life? Realizing what you actually care about and what you like to offer to this world will help you live through your own new global citizenship, just like Freeman did. While enjoying exploring this world, he is a great Shaolin martial artist, a DJ/musician, a passionate photographer, an integral thinker, a Mindvalley ambassador, a biohacker, and a lucid dreamer. Like Freeman Fung, you can also find that you have something unique to offer and the potential to impact this world positively. Traveling as a Conscious Globetrotter Among the best ways to improve your global citizenship and become a conscious global citizen of the world is to get out and explore it. Throughout his book, Freeman has shared a recollection of his travel stories with everyone, along with some most valuable lessons he learned from his experiences. He believes he is designed to become a catalyst for people to spark their own insights about their lives. His thoughts about global citizenship are to provoke your reflection, mindset, reflection, and awakening. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or visit my website for more info! Read more from Natasha! Natasha Zo, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Natasha Zo is a former journalist from Siberia turned international media relations specialist. She is a founder of Cosa Famosa media – a boutique PR agency on a mission to amplify messages of conscious leaders, health, and wellness entrepreneurs through earned media. Known for her connector skills, she guided a number of authors to Amazon bestseller status, booked national TV, top-tier media, and over 400 podcast interviews.

Written by: Anaiis Salles, 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. From the moment you agree to play The Game of Loss, you can't win for losing. Yes, that old trope. What powers The Game of Loss? What tempts any one of us into playing? And to keep on playing even though we don’t feel good when we lose? Years of coaching those who struggle with an unshakeable sense of loss and that something small feels ‘off and painful, the exploration relentlessly looks at what shows up as consistent? Until what is small, painful and consistent in a life becomes obvious: avoidance of challenging, painful, or so-called negative feelings that result in being unwilling to see, hear, feel, and know what’s really going on around us. At home. At work. In relationships that matter the most. GroundHog Day! It is gratifying and I appreciate that thousands of women and men are waking up every day to realize that, over time, life on this big blue jewel has sadly morphed into not much more than a losing shell game. This can be a terrible shock. I remember how it felt when the realization reverberated through my bones while feeling my pockets being picked by an invisible hand. 2023 In the United States, we brace ourselves for daily ‘news’ bulletins covering cross-country volleys of interpersonal violence, multiple mass shootings, suicides, and murder. Added to these waves of stranger-danger loss? And? Families of previously healthy young adults around the world are reeling from inexplicable post-pandemic, sudden ‘excess’ deaths when the hearts of too young sons or daughters simply stop beating. GroundHog Day. Will Punxatawny Phill see his shadow? Will humanity? Will I? Will you? Wherever you call home, will you enjoy an early spring or grapple with six more weeks of ice, snow, sub-zero temperatures or variations in cyclical weather patterns that make daily life…harder? Living in Vermont? February meant searching for parking spaces on busy streets decorated with eight feet high plowed snow mixed with ice. While local artists transformed this raw, cold material into sculptures, fanciful figures sporting floppy hats and long scarves to make the best of the annual hassle of shortage of parking spaces, drivers and pedestrians maneuvering intersections with blind spots made life harder when accidents…happened. Simple, powerful, and chock-full of living lessons, in my humble opinion, the film GroundHog Day is an exceptional teaching film. Unfamiliar with the film, this grade B ‘rom-com’revolves around a creepy weatherman who bears the same name as a weather predicting groundhog. Phil, a resentful, disgruntled, self-centered weatherman falls into a loveless, mind-numbing, looping journey. A mystified Phil is stuck in Punxsutawney purgatory and there is no way out. Waking up to every day repeating itself with no escape, Phil eventually surrenders to the only power he has left, a choice of weather or knot (puns intended) to continue playing The Game of Loss. Stepping away from the entrapment of hellish repetition, day by day after even suicide is impossible – he can’t seem to stay dead – Phil use looping time to take piano lessons, to craft ice sculptures of angels, and to transform himself into a right time, right place hero by changing a stranger’s flat tire or saving a teenage boy too young to understand the consequences of playing the physical risk-taking shell game of loss. Weatherman Phil eventually learns to love and respect himself, and so meets the perfect woman, a woman he has known for sometime and who loathes him, a woman that his ego has pursued and failed, hundreds of times. Being neither pessimist or optimist, and grateful to be living a life of ‘feeling the full’ after having been shaped by The Game of Loss game, like many others I’m a former game piece who has endured profound personal loss. Like the protagonist Phil in GroundHog Day, I’m indescribably grateful to have discovered how to opt out of The Game of Loss. Intention. Commitment. Action. Nourishing Fulfillment (ICAN). Soul nourishing fulfillment leads to the experience of living a day without longing. When was the last time that you woke up first thing in the morning feeling wonderful, completely clear, and at peace? Maybe it's been a while. Maybe you can't remember ever waking up in this state of being. Feel into it! As a mother and former early childhood educator, I deeply appreciate young children’s intention, commitment, action and fulfillment to what grown-ups call play. All out, full-hearted, children play games they know or make up on the spot. Some games are not about who wins or loses. Completely in surrender to the present moment experience of imaginative, no-practical-purpose creative play, you also hold the key to individual fulfillment, challenged as you are, as we all are, like Phil, to learn the lesson of loving ourselves for our unique creative spark that ego can’t control. There will never be another you. Seriously? How can ego survive this enormity? Ego can’t, your brain is overwhelmed by it, but ego and brain can and will stop you from dropping into the bliss of how this truth ‒ that there will never be another you ‒ feels to your open, vulnerable body and soul. Intention. Commitment. Action. Fulfillment – Nourishing fulfillment. (ICAN). Are you willing to consider a few of my favorite personal growth questions? Lately, have you been too busy to ask empowering, important and impactful questions on a regular basis? If so, how can you play your way into a new game? If you can’t SEE a game for what it is, how can you play a game that you won't automatically lose simply by agreeing to play? Intention can be infectious. Commitment incorporates our freedom to choose. Surprisingly, action includes the extraordinary grace of utter stillness. Fulfillment is sheer joy and the intense pleasure of feeling physically spent, a gorgeous body relaxation that follows being in powerful creative or co-creative flow. Can you feel the energy of intention in your body? Your mind can’t think ‘intention'. Intention is a singular point of conscious full focus that supersedes the mind to blossom in creative flows, dancing with its life partner, imagination. Your imagination! How often do you weave your internal threads of creative imagination into the fabric of a joyful heart? Do you give your time and life force to the game of loss by focusing intention and commitment through the fractured lens of ‘work,’ as a game piece that moves you through The Game of Loss, that game where your time equals money? Do you notice when you slam on some inner brake at the precise moment you begin to feel the pleasure of intention anchoring inside your body as you make a solid commitment? Commitment leads toward joy before falling into a pit of fear by choosing again and again, dully resigned (like most good and responsible adults like Phil) to play The Game of Loss. Have you forgotten that there are other games to play? Have you forgotten yourself? Your original, playful and creative self? What internal and external energies drive your actions? Do you have the inner and outer resources to generate an emotional reset so that your actions flow from your conscious intention? How does your body feel as your energy centers support breathing into and sharing the energy that is nourishing fulfillment? What do you feel as you breathe into these questions! Grab your journal and start writing! How does a person who has been pushed into the experience of profound loss find fulfillment? Past the habitual fear and anxiety of enduring more loss in the future? How is our human collective, right now, today, last week, the first few weeks of 2023, being pushed into breathing jagged, hot breaths of grief? Turkey? Syria? New Zealand? Australia? In a state of profound grief, how did you choose, if you have to remain connected to his/her/their authentic Self? By accepting that grief offers an authentic emotional state of being one with Self in the present as one is. No avoidance. These times in my life have evolved into writing poetry that reaches in and grabs the hearts of others. His, her, their inner playful, innocent child will earnestly shovel grief into a form that either shrinks the soul and closes the heart or into a form that grows the soul into feeling fulfillment that is compassion, empathy, sympathy, expressed through action and words of love: Thank you. I love you. I'm sorry for your loss. May I hug you? How can I be a support or comfort at this time? Collective surges of grief can overtake you in The Game of Loss as you/I/we attempt to heal or regain what has been damaged through incomplete intention, distraction, unmet commitments, stalled action, and resulting lack of fulfillment with no obvious connection to personal choice. How do you embrace what we can’t control by tapping into your part of collective intention, commitment, action as you choose to trust that fulfillment must follow as a function of natural law even as you accept that your individual eyes may not see how your individual life will ever be made whole? Evolution is a collective adventure that begins the moment we take our first breath. This morning, I gained deeper insight and understanding of a recent dream. I emerged from deep within the bowels of the earth, astonished by a stunning view of a newly forming earth-like planet with raw, steaming landscates. Then this dream shifted. Now, I was in the company of a man I didn't know. I was his only passenger. As he drove on the right hand side of the road, he explained that the big white bus just passing us was conveying a group of murderers to the realm where murderers end up, whether or not they are found, arrested, charged, and regardless of jury or courtroom verdict. A few days later, I woke up in a second, seemingly related dream. This time, I was in the company of two people with whom I share important nearly lifelong emotional connections. In a fluid geometric relationship, we bobbed about in a huge, expanding body of water. In my dream language, big water equals big love. Together, we three somehow balanced a powerful emotionally creative, fluid communal space: Intention. Commitment. Action. Fulfillment. Noting this dream to my journal and asking and answering clarifying questions, a few days later I intuitively knew exactly who the deceased individual was that through unjustifiable violence, the group of men on that white bus dispatched from his life through unjustifiable violence. So, GroundHog Day 2023? Current events lead to thoughts of Trayvon Martin and George Floyd… and; Brianna Taylor. Names. Long, repetitive looping lists of loss. Each name represents one fallen pawn in The Game of Loss, the shadowy playground that is one version of planet Earth. Turkey, Syria, Ukraine, Lebanon, New Zealand. Indigenous People on every continent, I am sorry for your loss. Falling, fallen, gone. Intention? Commitment? Action? The Game of Loss was designed long, long ago and it doesn’t need you to continue to play. Is it time for you to opt-out of The Game of Loss and opt-in for welcoming nourishing fulfillment and days without longing? You can find within you the path to reset your intention, commitment, action and fulfillment so that you bring to your outer world creative play and contribution to abundance by design. You can’t lose this game. Just ask the best question ever: What’s really going on here? Let me know what you discover. Follow me on LinkedIn, Youtube, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Anaiis! Anaiis Salles, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Anaiis Salles is a mother, an ordained minister, a certified EMT, hypnotherapist, beekeeper, and author. A co-creative catalyst on the cutting edge of energy medicine since 1991, Anaiis Salles’ energy healing results involve minimal use of hardware/technology. Why? Her expertise has biohacked the proven premise that activated DNA and the 15 chakra human energy field can supply 85% of all healing technology healthy humans require. Salles’ radically effective energy healing skills/results were first medically verified in 1991. Highlights of Salles’ international collaborations are shared in the documentary "Heart to Heart" focusing on the value of hands-on healing team members in clinical settings.

Written by: Eunice Cheung, 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. It's a different game with different "rules", discipline, system, finances, taxes. Everything we have been taught in life is a lie. Well, almost everything. In school, you’re given an exam to study for, you take it then you learn what you can improve on. But in life, it’s the opposite. You’re given the exam (the experience) first then the consequences of your actions (the lesson) teaches you what not to do next time. It’s painful but a direct learning experience makes it hard for you to forget what you’ve learnt. What Schools Don’t Teach Us In school, we don’t get taught how to regulate our emotions, how to cope with failure, setbacks, how to manage our time, finances, how to know when to rest to prevent burnout, how to create an invoice, how to do taxes, how to create a business, how to create a sustainable lifestyle. There is a reason why we weren’t taught those things, because when you learn these things and you see the other side of the wall…that is when you become incredibly dangerous and unstoppable. Because it strips you of all the limiting self-beliefs you had, all the reasons why you think you can’t do something, the “shoulds”, the expectations. How do I know this? I’ve lived it. So if I can do it, so can you. It’s society’s conditioning of keeping you narrow minded. Don’t let them win. Question it. Challenge it. If your mind knows there is a better way to live your life, listen to that voice. Dream bigger. Think big. Then act small. Ask yourself, what is one small thing I can do today that will move me towards the life I want to live? Maybe it’s googling how to start a podcast, maybe it’s watching a youtube video on how to start an ecommerce business. Maybe it’s looking into someone’s who has done it or reading a book about it. Take that first step. I want you to stop talking yourself out of your dreams, your goals and your vision. Stop making excuses and go do that one small thing. What Are Your Limiting Self-Beliefs? Pay attention how being narrow minded comes from not questioning reality and blindly adopting what society tells you to do. So question! Who told you you can't build something on the side of your 9-5? (I did.) Who told you you can never help people and find meaning in your work? Who told you you can't write/draw for a living? Who told you you will never make it? Who told you you’re not experienced enough? Who told you you’re too old to start? Who told you you don’t know enough? There is a time to take on feedback and there is a time to filter it out of your brain (especially when it is advice given by people who are on the sidelines). Be selective with who you listen to, what information and media you consume. As Brene Brown said, “If the critics aren’t in the arena with you fighting the battle, their words hold no merit. Acknowledge that fear and doubt will be there and go do whatever you want that you’ve been talking yourself out of doing.” What you pay attention to is what your mind focuses on. So do a life audit on what information (media) you consume and the people you are with. What I thought was impossible slowly became possible with time. “The unknown becomes known with time” ‒ Unknown I’m still in shock as to how much those limiting beliefs and my old mentality has held me back from countless opportunities throughout my life. It wasn’t until I took small steps into building my website from the ground up and gained real life feedback of clients wanting to book me that I realized I CAN do this. Bu the thing is you won’t foster this self-belief until you take action and start. Let me break down the small steps I took at the beginning of my journey of starting Your millennial therapist: Brainstorm business name Created Logo Look up domain name & availability Compare across different platforms to buy a domain Look up different places to create a DIY website Compare different website makers and decide which one is the best for me Look up custom email name Embed scheduling Learnt about the importance of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and how it affects your website ranking on Google Read books on selling, marketing, business, entrepreneurs, mindset shift Register for Australian Business Number (ABN) Register business name Register as sole-trader/company Learn to set aside money for tax so I don’t end up spending it Learning that business expenses reduces your overall tax Learning a different tax system (PAYGI, income tax & GST, Quarterly payments) Once you get a glimpse of what it is like on the other side, you won’t want to go back. Because you know you deserve better, you self-belief grows. It has everything to do with your mindset. It is essentially a perspective shift. From a consumer to a creator. From an employee to self-employed. From a customer to a business. You start to see things differently, you understand and appreciate the beauty, the effort and the work it takes behind the scenes. You understand why people create, innovate, come up with solutions and ideas to change the world. Soon enough, just like them… you find yourself wanting to do the same. The impact you have on others will bring you fulfilment. The real life feedback you get from clients and them bursting with joy, telling you about their wins and showing up with their progress in mindset shifts. The feeling of inner joy and satisfaction is indescribable…in a way that feels different to getting a pay rise or a promotion. It’s impactful. It’s meaningful. Contributing and changing someone’s life is phenomenal. It fuels you. It’s a mark I leave behind in life. You can call it my legacy. At that point, society cannot control you anymore, because you don’t want to or need to conform anymore. I recently listened to Dan Koe’s podcast (this guys writes, creates for a living and have built so much that changed my life and many other entrepreneurs’ lives), he said, “The people who make the most money and have the greatest impact in the world are creators, strategists, visionaries, leaders and innovators of the world. Because they CREATE solutions with their mind.” ‒ Dan Koe “Earn with your mind. Not your time.” ‒ Naval Ravikant The power of being able to earn with your mind means there is uncapped and unlimited potential of what you can earn. With time, your income is capped at 5pm and it relies on your (physical or digital) presence. I might not be where I want to be right now in but I will get there. I will remain consistent with my work and one day I know I will get there. As Morgan Housel says in his book, The Psychology of Money, “Time is the highest dividends that money pays”. Time is something we can never get back. Ask Yourself the Hard Questions Think of it this way, if you are willing to give 30 years of your life to an employer, why can’t you take some of that time back for yourself to build your OWN empire? Yes, you will have to make sacrifices. But that’s what makes it worth it. You can’t get what you want without putting in the work. You can’t have it all without sacrificing some leisure time. Ultimately, you need to ask yourself “How badly do I want this? How badly do I want to have the freedom, autonomy and flexibility in my life?” Then double down on it. I know not everyone is willing to tolerate uncertainty, risk or want to fathom the thought of being self-employed or a business owner. I’m not bad mouthing employment in any way. I just want you to know what IS possible on the other side. So you can remain open-minded to the infinite possibilities outside your perception and the world you live in. “We can’t be what we can’t see” - A colleague told me about this the other day and I couldn’t agree more. The only way to start seeing possibilities is to immerse yourself in the things you are interested and curious in. Expose yourself to that world, immerse yourself completely and see what you can gain. The worst that can happen is you realize you don’t like it and it’s not for you. But the clarity you gain from it is priceless, then you won’t wonder what ifs down the road. School Teaches Us to be A Component I was listening to a podcast episode by Deep Dive with Ali Abddal on how to adopt an entrepreneur million-dollar mindset (with Daniel Priestley) talked about how school teaches us to be a component. Zooming out of this, looking at it in a macro level, it’s because school was designed to keep us as workers, a clog in the machine, a component out of a larger system, a part of someone’s solution. If you think back to what you learnt in school, it was in chunks, biology was separated from Chemistry and Physics when in reality they are interconnected. I remember feeling shocked in uni when certain subjects were all embedded into one and feeling scared that I did not take one of those subjects in high school. The reality is school does a poor job at preparing us for life. Most of us are buying into the illusion of certainty and stability that jobs offer us. Because then we wont have to be accountable for the unknown. School conditioned our perception of failure and risk. You were punished for getting a bad grade. You were taught to not question the teacher. You were taught to think in a linear way. You were taught to not work in teams on the same thing because that would be “cheating”, when in reality that is how businesses, projects and ideas are made. The essentials to succeed in life relies on your ability to handle and tolerate failure and risk. Without it, you will stay in your comfort zone and you will not grow. “Taking no risk is one of the biggest risk in life” ‒ Unknown What Is On The Other Side? The flip side is yes you will have to rely on yourself, keep yourself accountable. Yes, it’s hard, but let me tell you, I will do it again a thousand times because the self-belief, knowledge, wisdom I gained from it is priceless. I would have never become this version of myself without taking that leap of faith. In the beginning, it felt illegal to not work 8 hours a day. I had all this free time to learn to manage and experiment my way through creating a schedule that works for me. Figuring out what times I am most productive in the day, allocating specific days for being creative, handle admin work, have client work. Freedom and autonomy feels different when you taste it. It’s a fair price to pay… to sacrifice “stability”, “security” and having “direct” external accountability. Because in life, everything comes with a price…an entrance fee, whether its time or money. Yes I know not all of us have that luxury and ability to take a risk. But don’t ever let that be the only reason stopping you from creation, from building something that is truly your own. You have knowledge, experience and depth within you. You just need to access it and think of what you want or can offer. We all have a million dollar ideas in our heads, you just need the right tools and guidance to tease it out. Entrepreneurs are essentially problem solvers, we look for problems in the market and solve it by building a solution. On the other side, it is a 360 degree switch from what we have been told our entire lives. It’s a different system to play. Learn the system so you can play it rather than have it play you. Here Are 4 WAYS School And Society Has Conditioned Us: Stop waiting to be told what to do. Stop waiting for permission to act. Stop seeking for approval to start. Stop being passive in your life. Take initiative, take action, be bold, be brave, be courageous and see where that takes you. If you don’t know what you want, start looking at what you don’t want. If you know what you want, immerse yourself in that world and see what is one small thing you can do. “People who don’t know what they want struggle the most with keeping themselves accountable.” ‒ Unknown This is the perspective shift you need to get started. Thank you for reading and hope you enjoyed this Newsletter. Enjoy the rest of your day. If you enjoyed this newsletter, feel free to comment below to let me know :) How I Can Help You When You Are Ready If you are interested in understanding how your upbringing has affected you today and how it holds you back in achieving what you want in life, you can book a therapy session with me here. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Eunice! Eunice Cheung, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Eunice Cheung is a Psychotherapist. Moving between cities growing up made it difficult for her to fit in with peers which made her question her identity. Since studying Psychology in International Baccalaureate (IB) and in university, she has built her online practice to help others question their limiting self-beliefs and understand the roots of how our conditioning through culture, upbringing can hold us back in life. One of her main focus is on Asian Culture, along with Fear of Failure, Perfectionism, Imposter Syndrome, Relationships & Identity. Eunice is a passionate and ambitious therapist, her mission is to inspire the next generation of Asians to excel, innovate and rise up to their full potential.

Written by: David Paul Jacobs, 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. In my last article, Riding The Storm of Scepticism and Apathy for Innovators, Entrepreneurs and Pioneers, I covered ways to address some of the inevitable challenges those who seek to make progress will encounter. Here, I’m going to extend the theme and look at managing other challenges (and exploiting opportunities) that will likely arise along the way. Last time, I suggested that pioneers, innovators and entrepreneurs can gauge the quality of their ideas for proposed new products or services by the virulence of the comments they experience ‒ the more virulent the comments, the better the idea! Actually, that supposition may not be so mischievous; I’ve experienced it first-hand, seen it happen to others and read about many instances. As I haven’t been able to run a stratified experiment on this please feel free to let me know your experiences and whether they match my supposition. Anyway, let’s get back to business! Remember, it’s not by any means all bad news; the greater the storm, the brighter your resultant rainbow. So how will you address the doubters who try to hold back your tide of progress? The King Canute story may be apocryphal but it’s a nice image so here it is! If you are facing challenges like the depiction above then read on. Addressing Ridicule And Jealousy If the Wright Brothers had listened to the ridicule, where would we be? A leading patent official in the US said in 1899 that everything that could be invented had been invented. Thomas Watson Jnr president of IBM said in 1943 that there was a ‘worldwide market for maybe five computers’! Ken Olsen, president of the Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), said ‘nobody would want a computer in their home’, and that was in 1977 literally around the time Messrs Gates, Jobs, Wozniak and co were starting to gear up! Need I go on? You can buy books full of quotations like these. Nobody really knows how things will go or knows all the answers. Come on people, be humble, be open, be bold, tell the truth. They killed off Socrates for telling the truth. They imprisoned Galileo for similar so-called misdemeanour. They (the naysayers) thought the Earth was flat and that the Sun revolved around it. That clever man knew better… the world is full of people who think they know better; you will likely encounter pomposity in fairly substantial quantities. Stick with it if you think you can move the world on in a certain respect – you probably can. Many will try to hold you back, stemming from jealousy, naivety, protectionism or just not being willing to change, even when such a change is inevitable. Better to cooperate with progress than fight it; but some (even many) don’t get this. However, although there will be plenty of critics, there will also be some who do get it. And there will be those who sit on the fence and take years to take on board a simple message; but be patient, you will get there… Market Forces Help And Hinder Market forces play a part, of course. Technology and societal change put long-established businesses out of business (unless they adapt). For example, Blockbuster went bust! Cigarette companies have been fighting off the inevitable for decades now. Remember that in the 19th century, cigarettes were believed to be good for you, and clear out your lungs. Well, at least they were promoted that way. We live in an ever-changing kaleidoscope of technological change and there are opportunities and dead ends to deal with. Vigilant thinking and open-mindedness is the key in this day and age. Collaborate As Much As Possible Collaboration is good. 8 billion souls inhabit this planet, work with them, don’t try to get ‘one up’ as happens in the milieu most of us live and work in. For most of us democracy, capitalism and the resultant competition and adversarial behaviour can be a blessing or a curse, often both at the same time. Take this reality on board, don’t fight it, work with it. Do you really want or need a better house, car, wife, husband, etc than your peers, neighbours or colleagues?! In this so-called democratic capitalist (with a tad of avowedly desirable/justifiable inbuilt socialism) world most of us live in, there are good and bad elements to deal with. It’s a free market, which is good. But commercial players naturally try to get one up on each other to make their turnover and profits and that inevitably leads to some bad behaviour, corporately and/or by organisations who should know/behave better*. I’m not saying that democratic capitalism is bad… I’m just saying we need to be cognisant of its pros and cons. Churchill said democracy was the worst system, apart from all the others. One could say that about capitalism as well, and many do. * At this point I was about to rattle off a list of corporations and organisations that had behaved very badly in recent times, mainly in the UK and USA, but then I thought better of it. They know who they are, and you know who they are. Just be aware they do what they do. Watch out, it happens. Oh ok, here are a few examples to help you stay aware: Boeing (737 Max – a sad case study in itself in how not to use IT/software but also an example of perniciously damaging behaviour of the management in pulling the wool over the FAA’s eyes as well the eyes of the airlines and pilots; commercially overdriven underhand behaviour), the UK Post Office scandal (736 sub-postmasters were wrongly prosecuted for misappropriation of funds, all due to a fault in the Horizon computer system), Enron (false accounting), Worldcom (false accounting), Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) scandal in the UK in 2008 (poor management especially of client investments). By the way, I worked for three of the five companies mentioned above! As a freelancer/contractor. However, personally, apart from a bit of twitchy behaviour from the management I experienced at Worldcom and the Post Office in London (which I managed to turn around by sticking to my guns and politely and persistently focusing on steering them towards productivity by revealing some evident flaws in the as-was modus operandi) I was treated fairly well at those institutions. That decent treatment included a spell at Fujitsu, the providers of the Horizon IT system for the Post Office. However, in retrospect, my time at RBS in 2007/8 in Middlesex had all the hallmarks of what happened when the company was forced to take a £45.5 billion bailout from the UK government, amounting to the UK taxpayer having to take around an 80% stake in the company. I had made, as has been my habit over my career, a fair few productivity suggestions and volunteered to lead or contribute to initiatives to implement the suggested ideas. The response I got, on several occasions, amounted to astonishingly myopic and discourteous arrogance. Oh, it all adds up now in retrospect. Stay vigilant people, it will pay you; and keep credibility in yourself. Some very senior people will try to knock you off your perch, don’t let them. You are probably the progress they can’t get their heads around. Pace Your Efforts ‒ Don’t Wait For Perfection Remember, with regard to timescales, your idea, product or service does not have to be perfect from the start. Don’t wait until it is perfect, or you may be waiting forever, and so may the world. Once your product or service is significantly better than what’s already out there (if there is anything in that field), start rolling it out if you believe in it. You can then continually upgrade and improve it. Your customers will benefit earlier that way. Find Your Style Of Evangelism, Crusade With Verve With respect to getting your message over, in the days when I was frustrated that what I considered were simple and self-evident messages were not getting through, I often wondered if I should become gruffer and/or pushier, being on the milder side of personality. Well, I’m not so mild these days since I realised it was the world not understanding me and not me not understanding them! Now they live up to my expectations and not vice-versa. Ultimately, I found the approach that works for me is to be polite but truthful, firm and persistent. I don’t knock people if they don’t get it, I just keep putting information in front of them until they do. I focus on what I believe will take them to where they are trying to go … The beauty of taking this approach is that although you will have sleepless nights about paying your bills and looking after your family financially whilst developing/marketing your product/service, you at least will retain confidence in yourself and not have misgivings about your own behaviour. Leave the bad behaviours to others, there’s plenty of that around. By the way, for me, being polite and respectful to others doesn’t mean not standing up for truth, fact, reality and progress. Those who delude themselves that something is true that is not, lose out and hold us all back. You have to break eggs to make an omelette so don’t be afraid to have a few people be upset by your propositions and assertions; there will always be those who get fidgety, feigning afront or otherwise. Protect Your Idea Protect your idea as much as you can even though legally this is not a perfect science, or is that art? Protection is usually conducted on a best endeavours basis. Other players will flout the legalities and you will have to take action if you think it’s worth it. Just put the basics in place as soon as is sensible (it costs money). There are trademarks, patents, copyrights, etc. Check with a good lawyer. Harking back to my former article, James Dyson was laughed out of town by Hoover and Electrolux when he enthusiastically visited them with his excellent quantum leap idea for new vacuum cleaner technology. I know how he felt, I really do. It’s the irony, the double whammy of life, you have a great idea and a great contribution to make but those who you think would be most supportive are the opposite – and you have re-mortgaged your home to support your beliefs and ambitions! When the other manufacturers copied Sir James’s ideas (oh they will people, believe me) he sued Hoover for £4 million and won. You will have to decide whether it’s worth it, will you win, do you care? Mimicry is a compliment but is it the kind of compliment you want?! Mimicry is inevitable because once you break through and the naysayers change their tune many will want to be in on the bandwagon. The naysayers and any competitors you may have will say ‘We’ve been saying/doing that for years’. ‘Oh have you really?’ you will think. It’s a successful pioneer’s lot, you can’t escape it, I don’t think. Let me know if you know how to avoid this. Lead, drive, be proactive and you will get there. Decide What Success Means For You My next tip is to decide what success means for you. You don’t have to create a world-beating product or service to be viable and make progress for yourself and your customers. You do not have to bring about a quantum leap in a product, service, technology or an aspect of societal well-being to achieve success for yourself or others. We are all here on this planet to make our unique contribution, we can, and we will. So, when you set out to ride your storm, remember you don’t have to change the whole world to improve your world and that of those around you. The person who decides whether you’re a success … is you! Consult Mentors I believe that older and/or more successful people should (morally) encourage and help younger and/or less successful people but they do not always do so. Therefore, please seek out mentors, advisers and coaches but remain vigilant as to their motives, realities and angles. I personally try to help youngsters or any people struggling with an idea as much as I can. I don’t like the way some older people (journalists, pundits, those active on social media, etc) who should know better have rounded on Harry and Meghan instead of helping them. H & M have been rather hypocritical and rather too ‘shouty’ yes but, hey, I did that. When I was twenty/thirty-something I used to loose off when somebody else (often older) wronged me, but one learns that loosing off doesn’t help. So can I plead here please, when others do not do the best for themselves then please advise, support and guide them if you can, don’t pile in with vitriol. That’s a puerile way to proceed in my view. The younger/less mature operators may not listen to your wise guidance but at least please try to support them. The more mature members of society should be supporting those who need it not acting like kids themselves. Try/Do Everything Finally, it’s surprising how every little jigsaw piece of effort or initiative can form up into a very strong way forward/direction. So, without jumping out of a plane without a parachute (almost certain to fail), I suggest you always follow up/through every little embryonic lead that might take you forward. I have led a very polymathic and eclectic life and career and it has ultimately worked well for me (see here). Even within your chosen field, don’t talk yourself out of trying things and experimenting before you even attempt to follow up on a potential avenue (as many do). I am convinced you will see the benefit. Good luck; I think you probably won’t need it if you follow the guidelines I’ve laid out in my two Riding The Storm articles, but I wish it to you anyway. More soon… Follow me on LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from David! David Paul Jacobs, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine David Jacobs is a life/career coach/mentor and thought leading business analyst/project leader. As director of MaxVal Consultancy Ltd in the UK, he is author of Business Value Maximisation Framework (BVMF®) which arose from his 30-year research and development programme into IT business value/success maximisation designed to raise return on investment (ROI) to levels substantially above the norm. On the back of this and a number of other successful entrepreneurial projects David is authoring, coaching and mentoring in life skills, career progression and effective business management. David has a polymathic 'cv' which includes a parallel background in contemporary performing arts. David's mission is to save others time in learning key lessons he has learnt, and, to entertain!

Written by: Vince Morales, Senior Level 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. Resilience is the ability to adapt to adversity and bounce back from setbacks, and it is a crucial skill for dealing with mental and emotionally challenging times. There are many ways to develop resilience, including building a support network, setting realistic goals, and practicing self-care. Additionally, it is essential to be mindful of the dangers of being too resilient, such as becoming overly stressed or taking on too much responsibility. By understanding what helps create resilience, you can build this essential skill into your life and better deal with challenging situations. Building Mental and Emotional Resilience into Your Life Everyone experiences setbacks and challenges in life. The goal is not to avoid them but to learn how to deal with them in a healthy and constructive way. There are many ways to create resilience, both mentally and emotionally. Some helpful techniques include: Focusing on positive thinking and looking for the unseen benefit in challenging situations. Keeping things in perspective and not dwelling on negative thoughts or emotions. Developing a support network of family, friends, or professionals who can offer guidance and understanding. Accepting that change is a part of life and that there will be good and bad days. Learning from mistakes and using them as an opportunity to grow. By building resilience, you will be better equipped to handle whatever challenges come your way. Empowering Resilience in my Own Life One of my fears in 2015 was that one day soon, I would be another San Diego, CA, statistic as a homeless veteran. We would come to realize that on April 3rd, 2016. My wife and I are authoring a book about that experience. I will not go deep into our story right now, but during that time my wife and I had to function at a level of resilience we had never experienced before. We had many experiences where we had to be resilient, including the near loss of our first son in 1989, followed by the subsequent loss of our baby in 1989 through a miscarriage, a previous brief homeless time, several vehicle repossessions, having our utilities and water shut off, evictions, a foreclosure of our home, and even getting lost near a former nuclear test site in the desert of Nevada. During our homeless time, I had an emotional and mental collapse. It was everything to stir up strength while the family decided whether to commit me to a VA hospital. Within two months following that precipice of collapse, I settled in one moment that would put us on the path to our victory over homelessness. Emotions are important, but while emotions make a wonderful servant, they make a terrible master. But I also learned that seeking mental health assistance is the way of the warrior. In August 2016, we went all in with launching our coaching business. We were resolute in putting on a new mindset. While we were still homeless, we started feeding homeless folks. My wife found a job working in renewable energy. The folks at her job never had any idea when she would leave her shift in the morning; she was heading to her minivan to try to sleep before the next shift. That was a sweltering summer, and while I was writing e-books and constructing the coaching business (and reconstructing my mindset) in the local coffee shop, she was trying to get some sleep in a 100+ degree van. We were able to acquire a small battery-operated fan to provide her some relief from the heat while she slept. “Seeking mental health assistance is the way of the warrior.” ‒ Vince Morales Five Tips for Developing a More Resilient Mindset One of the most important things you can do when facing adversity is to develop a resilient mindset. A resilient mindset allows you to adapt and adjust in the face of difficult circumstances. My homeless experience inspired me to pursue a resilience coaching niche among several other niches. Resilient people can maintain their sense of hope and optimism even in the face of setbacks and adversity. They understand that setbacks are a natural part of life and that they can learn from their experiences. Here are some tips for developing a more resilient mindset: Acknowledge your feelings: It is vital to acknowledge your feelings when facing adversity. Do not try to bottle up your emotions or pretend everything is okay when it is not. Allow yourself to feel angry, sad, or scared. Acknowledging your feelings will help you process them and move on. Just do not let your emotions become master. Your emotions must always serve you, never master you. Seek support: When you are facing a challenging situation, it can be helpful to seek out support from family and friends. Just knowing that you are not alone can make a significant difference. Talking to someone who understands what you are going through can also be helpful. Remember, seeking help is the way of the warrior. Focus on what you can control: When dealing with adversity, it is essential to focus on what you can control. You cannot control the situation that you are in, but you can control how you react to it. Instead of dwelling on things out of your control, focus on what you can do to make the best of the situation. Be prepared for setbacks: It is important to remember that setbacks are a normal part of life, and no one ever achieves their goals without experiencing setbacks. When you accept this fact, it will be easier to bounce back from disappointments and keep moving forward toward your goals. Manage expectations and be fair to yourself. Embrace your failures. The way I reframed our setbacks during our homeless time was simply to view them as a new rung towards building a ladder out of our homeless circumstance. I reframed failure this way: “FAILURE” or “FAI-LURE” FAI = Chinese for new start or beginning Lure = To draw in FAILURE: Drawing in a new start or new beginning Learn from your experiences: Adversities provide an opportunity for growth and learning. Instead of seeing them as negative experiences, reframe them as lessons that will make you stronger and more resilient. Ask yourself what you can learn from the situation and how you can use what you have learned to cope with the future. The power of reframing is vital in the resilient mindset. For more info, follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and visit my website! Read more from Vince! Vince Morales, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Vince Morales is a mindset, self-image, and resilience coach. In addition, he is skilled in leadership consultation and development. From April 2016 to June 2017, Vince was a homeless veteran in San Diego, CA. While homeless, he made a powerful decision to change his thinking and mindset, launching into life coaching. He developed a niche for resilience and mindset coaching. The growth of his business ultimately led to the end of his homelessness. Vince is the Founder of Validus Coaching & Consulting, formerly Zoe Transformation. His story has been featured in online articles and online news outlets all over the U.S. He is a certified John Maxwell Team Coach, Trainer, & Speaker, as well as a motivational speaker. In 2021, Vince earned his Master's degree in Psychology of Leadership from Penn State University and is currently a doctoral student pursuing a Ph.D. in Performance Psychology. He is a 2020 inductee into The National Society of Leadership and Success.

Written by: Trinn Allen Hatch, 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. Mineral salts support your body’s structure and function. They are essential for the health of your bones, hair, nails, soft tissues, nerve transmissions, blood clotting, oxygen transport, and digestion. Most people know that minerals like calcium and magnesium are crucial. These are two of the major minerals your body needs. There is also a list of trace minerals essential in smaller amounts, such as zinc, molybdenum, and iron. Causes and Signs of Mineral Deficiency In an ideal world, your food would give you all the minerals your body needs to thrive. However, it’s increasingly common for people to be deficient in minerals or have an imbalance–too much of some and not enough of others. Common causes include a diet heavy in processed foods, low in fruits and vegetables, or problems with absorption. Extended periods on restricted or low-calorie diets can also cause mineral deficiencies. Signs of mineral deficiency include: Fatigue or weakness Brain fog or poor concentration Constipation, bloating, or abdominal pain Nausea and vomiting Loss of appetite Irregular heartbeat Diminished immune system Muscle cramping Numbness or tingling in fingers, hands, toes, feet Diarrhea What Is ORMUS? ORMUS monoatomic gold, sometimes called ORMUS minerals or atomic ORMIS, is a trace mineral complex. It’s an easy-to-absorb mineral salt. The name ORMUS (originally ORME) stands for Orbitally Rearranged Monoatomic Elements. In modern times, ORMUS m-state minerals were discovered by a farmer named David Hudson, who found unusual minerals in his soil. M-state minerals, like ORMUS, are in a high-spin state. They are found naturally in nature, including sea salt and aloe vera. David Hudson, who spent millions of dollars over several years studying ORMUS, recorded remarkable health benefits for himself and his animals using ORMUS minerals. With an ideal diet, you would absorb minerals from plants that get them directly from the soil. The plants filter out bigger particles and deliver highly absorbable minerals for your body’s optimal function. ORMUS minerals are made through an alchemical process that breaks them down into small particles readily available for your body to use. It doesn’t take much to do the trick! Atomic ORMUS Benefits Medically, gold salts have been used for over 75 years to treat rheumatoid arthritis and related conditions. Initially as injections, then orally as auranofin (Ridaura), providing better patient outcomes. Studies have yet to be done on m-state minerals or ORMUS monoatomic gold outside of that application. However, ORMUS has gained popularity based on testimonials of mental, physical, and spiritual benefits, including increased energy, improved focus, and mental clarity. Reported atomic ORMUS benefits include: Reduced brain fog Enhanced mental clarity and focus Increased, steady energy Waking up refreshed Reduced ADD symptoms Enhanced meditative states Insights into life situations Finding the Right ORMUS Supplement Jampha’s ORMUS supplement is called EtheriOm | A Charged Healing Life Force Infusion. We craft it in small batches in the US in our lab while playing high-frequency music. It is a rare ORMUS infusion designed to amplify the benefits of monoatomic gold. Monatomic gold is EtheriOm’s primary healing catalyst, but it also contains other m-state minerals. On the surface, you may assume that m-state gold is most effectively derived from gold metal, but transforming it is dangerous and potentially harmful. Claims made of ORMUS made from gold are not always backed up by third-party verification. A Source With 21 Total Minerals Instead, we start with Dead Sea salt and supercharged spring water from the Mountain Valley Spring Water Company near Mt. Ida, Arkansas. Dead Sea salt has the highest percentage of gold of quality ORMUS sources but contains 21 total minerals. We use a time-tested alchemical process to extract them into a monoatomic state. We finish EtheriOm through a proprietary process, adding select non-psychoactive cannabinoids and life-force infusing plant terpenes. The result is a balanced administration easily utilized by your body. As with all Jampha products, our goal is to ignite the healer within every person. To provide essential nutrients and ingredients to encourage the body’s biological systems to awaken to a higher level of function. How to Take ORMUS Minerals If you are not taking ORMUS minerals to support your body as you heal from a specific disease or ailment, take it for a maximum of two weeks at a time, with a week of rest before the next cycle. The effects you will feel when taking ORMUS will vary. Some people report euphoria after taking it. Some feel energized, while others feel calmer. This represents the interaction between your body’s current state and how it uses the minerals to address imbalances or ailments. Healing is a Complex and Individual Process Whether looking for spiritual upliftment and relief from the mental and emotional burdens of being human or for physical relief and recovery, healing involves your mind, body, and soul. As much promise as m-state elements show to alleviate and rebalance conditions, including AIDS, Alzheimer’s disease, bipolar disorder, cancer, diabetes, emphysema, heart disease, MS, osteoporosis, muscular dystrophy, liver disease, kidney problems, and more, we would never imply or promise a cure. Like our supercharged mineral supplement Shilajit, ORMUS is one of nature’s gifts. Modern science is just beginning to scratch the surface of the healing potential of botanicals, minerals, and terpenes. At Jampha, we’ve experienced first-hand the remarkable, sometimes miraculous, transformations available when your body gets the support it needs to follow a healing trajectory. We wish that experience for everyone who wants it. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube and visit my website for more info! Read more from Trinn! Trinn Allen Hatch, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Trinn Hatch is a pioneer of plant medicine who developed Synergy Enhanced Terpene Infusions. During his path to healing, Trinn experienced how our body's biochemistry is hardwired to the energetics of plants. Amchi Thubten Lekshe is a Lineage holding Master Tibetan Physician and Jampha's Spiritual Director & Formulator. Together, their enlightened understanding of plants and the life force energy expressed as terpenes create a new and advanced expression of Sowa Rigpa, a more than 2500-year-old Tibetan Healing Science. Trinn has devoted his life to sharing these ancient treasuries of knowledge with the world, igniting the primordial healing wisdom within all beings.

Written by: Tarah Dove, 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. We all know you need a team of people to scale a business. But what happens when your team needs to run more efficiently? A toxic company culture starts to rear its ugly head because a single member kills overall morale by lacking motivation and failing to meet performance standards. Naturally, most business owners resort to writing the employee up, which could agitate the situation further, or they outright fire the individual. Instead of creating more work that can become costly for you in the long run, we suggest addressing the issue at the root cause. Some owners use incentives like bonuses to entice employees to hit performance goals. While this may motivate some, it will only work for some employees. Not all people are created equally or motivated the same. Understanding the different dynamics of personalities, genders, and motivators is essential. Some people are motivated by money, whereas others are by fulfillment. Some lead, while others want to be led. It’s also important to note that female performance is impacted by hormones, emotions, and life stress, which is quite different from the male counterpart. When you identify and address the core issue, even for one team member, overall team culture and performance improves. Leading, motivating, and dealing with employees are among the most significant stressors we hear from female business owners. Add on sales, marketing, operations, and life responsibilities, and it’s no wonder many female business owners are at their breaking point. If you’re a female business owners who want to: Have success without sacrificing their own needs Reduce burnout for themselves and their team Become better leaders I invite you to join us Tuesday, March 14 at 11:00 AM PST/2:00 PM EST for a FREE Masterclass, “A Proprietary 4-Part Framework To Reduce Stress, Move Past Your Breaking Point and Improve Team Dynamics in 90 Days.” This Masterclass is for you if you dream of: Making yourself a priority Leaving work at work Creating better boundaries for yourself and your team AND if you love the idea of more joy, freedom, fulfillment, and success! During this Masterclass, learn how to: Create a one-year life and business success plan Improve team performance and cohesion Do it all in alignment with your life, business, and leadership goals Sign up here to reserve your spot. *The Zoom link will be provided via email on 3/13 to the email you registered with. After working with high-performance athletes for 14 years, Success Without Sacrifice co-owner Cheree became an entrepreneur and experienced burnout. She recognized a need to help female business owners, so she brought her knowledge of business, sports psychology, sports training, and team performance into the entrepreneurial world to help female business owners continue their success without sacrificing themselves. Your body, especially as a female, was not designed to be in peak performance 24/7, 365 days per year. Just like pro-sports teams have training plans designed to avoid burnout and injury and achieve peak performance, the RAMP Method gives agencies a roadmap to structure their day, week, month, and year to fully optimize specific physiologies so that they can be in peak performance at the right time, instead of all the time. There is no one size fits all, which is why the Success Without Sacrifice, LLC team works with you in a 1:1 capacity to help create your RAMP Method Roadmap specific to you, your business, and your life goals. Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Tarah! Tarah Dove, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Tarah Dove is Co-Owner of Success Without Sacrifice, LLC with Business Partner Cheree Sauer. As CMO/Marketing Success Coach, Tarah brings over 15 years of Marketing experience to the Partnership. Using the proprietary system, The RAMP Method, created by Co-Owner Cheree, the duo works with Entrepreneurs to merge the gap between business and life. Their mission and The RAMP Method of coaching help reduce burnout and improve team performance and fulfillment for female Insurance Agency Owners.

Experienced designer with years of inspired and professional achievements, constantly staying in touch with the latest developments of sustainable concepts. Currently working as an Interior Designer for her own brand Senom Design serving NYC and Tri-State Area, Hamptons and Connecticut involving clients towards sustainability from two perspectives: Inspiring people to more sustainable lives through their renovations and consulting companies for better practices towards sustainability from their operations and business relationship. Monserrat Menendez, Interior Designer What is your business name and how do you help your clients? Senom Design, we offer consulting services towards sustainable environments from a homeowner perspective to a manufacturer What kind of audience do you target your business towards? Builders, Homeowners, Manufacturers. What are your current goals for your business? In all honesty, as a business owner, I have many goals that I have set for my company but above all I would say my focus is to be able, through my work in the design industry to become an inspiring figure for those that embrace sustainable living, building, and projecting. Along the ride build strong business relationships and a worldwide network. What would you like to achieve for yourself and your business in the future? Promote mine and the companies’ services with a strong sustainability belief and ultimately deliver better environments to those that will require our services. Who inspires you to be the best that you can be? My family values and my multicultural background. I am a first-generation US born from Mexican parents and was raised between the two countries, I have always traveled around the world and thanks to all these factors in my life I have concluded that all countries and cultures have the same common denominator. We all want to leave a legacy to the next generations to come by being fair and just, even more so now that we have more and more access to sensitive and important Data. What is your work inspired by? As mentioned before, traveling, has giving me the most inspiring possibility of encountering different cultures, ways of thinking and living has played a key role in driving me to always find new solutions or alternatives to today’s problems. Tell us about your greatest career achievement so far. I came to the US after living in Mexico City for almost 5 years in 2018. Main purpose was to continue my education at the Graduate School of New York School Of Interior Design. Once I started the MS Program it completely opened my way of seen things differently. This while working full time at my first Corporate Job. Thanks to this combination I have acquired a good sense of the two different perspectives and by interacting directly with final user I realized that must understand how important it is to start consuming way more responsibly. NYC is not an easy professional ambient, however from day one I have worked to build my own network in the com to create as much awareness as possible. As part of my networking, I joined a community where I could have these conversations. With time and effort, after three months of being invited to volunteer to ASID NYC Metro Committee of Health, Wellness & Sustainability I was named Co-Chair of the Committee. The responsibility of this position also gives me an important opportunity to have a voice in educating our industry and users on how important it is to have awareness of better ways of living in today’s world. If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why? Manufacturing. The laws are still getting adjusted to what the consummation of primary goods are. The good thing not everything is black and white. There’s a lot of grey area and we should participate with information. Tell us about a pivotal moment in your life that brought you to where you are today. The Pandemic. Believe it or not after staying in a 4 by 4 room sharing common spaces with roommates under stress and contingency rules makes you realize and appreciate what you have and don’t have. It never dawned on me that political leaders would oppose policies designed to save the lives of their citizenry and mitigate the personal and economic damage an outbreak was causing — things like rules about wearing masks or getting vaccinated. Also, it showed me how Science Education in this and a number of countries is woefully inadequate. As a result, people do not understand the iterative nature of science. Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Monserrat!

Dr. La-Toya S. Gaines is a licensed psychologist and owner of Family Matters Counseling and Psychological Services. Dr. Gaines has a dedicated her career to empowering Black women to disrupt the narrative of the Strong Black Woman. She is teaching generations of Black women to give themselves permission to prioritize their needs without feeling guilty. Dr. Gaines is using her voice to reduce the stigma of mental health in the Black community. Dr. La-Toya S. Gaines, Licensed Psychologist, Speaker Introduce yourself! Please tell us about you and your life, so we can get to know you better. My name is Dr. La-Toya Gaines. I am the mother of two beautiful children, a son who is almost 22 years old and a daughter who is 16 years old. I’m married to my awesome partner, Eric, of over 20 years. I love traveling, reading, and attending sporting events, especially my daughter’s soccer games and track meets. I enjoy spending quality time with my closest friends and family, and you can typically find me anywhere near a beach or a body of water. What is your business name, and how do you help your clients? I am the founder and CEO of Family Matters Counseling and Psychological Services, Inc. It is a private group practice where I specialize in child and family therapy, the self-esteem and self-confidence of young women, and the culturally unique emotional needs of Black women. What kind of audience do you target your business towards? My audience consists of BIPOC individuals seeking culturally sensitive mental health services. What are your current goals for your business? Clinically, I am dedicated to providing culturally competent assessment and treatment. Additionally, as an advocate to empower Black women to center themselves, I am developing a 6-week intensive workshop, webinar series, and speaking platform to help shed the Strong Black Woman narrative and provide Black women the support and education to find their voice and pursue the lives they desire. What would you like to achieve for yourself and your business in the future? I am dedicated to developing tools and providing services that help Black women prioritize themselves without the pressures of the Strong Black Woman schema. Through my 6-week seminar, webinar series, and the myriad of speaking engagements, I seek to empower Black women to find their voice and define themselves free from the narrative of the self-sacrificial and invincible superwoman. What is your work inspired by? My greatest professional goal is to empower Black women to shed the weight of being a Strong Black Woman. I want to stop the generational curse of the strong Black woman from being passed down to the next generation of Black girls and women. If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why? I would remove the stigma associated with seeking and receiving mental health treatment in the Black community. Tell us about a pivotal moment in your life that brought you to where you are today. In 2018, my business partner and mother were diagnosed with breast cancer. By February 2019, my business partner, mentor, and a friend had died. I was left to do a job meant for two, alone while caring for my mother. During this time, I noticed how much being a strong Black woman weighed me down and prevented me from seeking and receiving the support I needed. This experience forced me to take a long, hard look at how I was portraying an image of invincibility and strength while feeling alone and overwhelmed. As a result, I created a whole self-care plan and began to seek the support of friends and family. I realized that many of my clients shared similar experiences, and I began exploring ways to help them. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Dr. La-Toya!

Written by: Oriel Ross McKinney, Senior Level 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. Building a great team is vital for the success of any business and creates a working environment that is not only fun but productive. For employees, knowing they have a team behind them that will support, encourage, and drive them forward can promote creativity and efficiency and pushes everyone to be the best versions of themselves possible. Having a team that works well together doesn't just happen; it takes work and commitment, but the results are worth the effort. These are the key positions needed to build a great team so your business can succeed. What Is A Great Team? Before you can do the steps to build a team that works well together, you need to define what a great team means in your business. Write down its qualities and put ideas into place that you believe could help you achieve this goal. With that goal in mind, you can begin taking steps to ensure your dream team fits the bill. The Characteristics Of A Great Team A great team works well together, encouraging each other toward a common goal. Once you've defined what a great team means for your business, it's time to establish the characteristics they will encompass. The team makeup may change over time, but these characteristics will help ensure remaining success. Shared Accountability Diversity Goal-Oriented Excitement For Learning Excellent Communication Skills Supportive Of Each Other Keys To Building A Great Team Define Team Roles Defining the team's roles increases the chance of success by clearly mapping out each member's requirements and expectations. They know if they're meeting their goals and can ask for help if needed. Set Goals And Plan For Them Goals serve as a guideline for the team, providing each member a roadmap for achieving success. Once a goal is in place, the team can begin working toward implementing measures that will help meet the needs of the business, using past efforts to determine future decisions. Embrace Team Diversity Diversity is a significant advantage allowing the team a well-rounded view of the issues the company faces. Having multiple backgrounds and mindsets enables the team to approach problems from various angles, shed light on new ideas, and develop creative solutions. Maximize Individual Skills As a leader, learning to maximize the strengths of each individual while having those strengths complement the team as a whole encourages success. Take time to review each person, weighing their weaknesses and strengths, and partner them with someone with complementary skills to promote morale and decrease frustration. Creating a successful team takes time and can often be a confusing undertaking. With the help of qualified support, you can get the guidance and insight necessary to ensure success. Connect with The Small Biz Engine – At The Small Biz Engine ® and F.U.E.L. ® Academy, we work with you to help you create your company's dream team, a group of qualified individuals with a common goal of helping drive the success of your business. Having a great team in the workplace makes all the difference, so turn to this link and see how our consulting can turn your business into a highly efficient workplace full of motivated employees! For more info, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit my website! Read more from Oriel! Oriel Ross McKinney, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Oriel Ross McKinney is a renowned Business Strategist, Author, and Speaker. Known as The Small Biz Engine®, her experience includes a successful 20-year tenure in Business Strategy and Development, Finance, Non-Profit Management, and Entrepreneurship. As the mastermind behind several success stories, brands, and businesses, she methodically assesses her projects and delivers profit-driven strategies again and again. Oriel hones in on business & socially conscious topics while unveiling success in a brilliant way. For those looking to transition from corporate workplaces to entrepreneurship, read her anchor chapter in the anthology, Soaring Beyond the 9 to 5, or tap into one of her signature F.U.E.L.® Academy courses. On a personal level, Oriel's biggest challenge and gift are being a mom to two children who were born prematurely. In her spare time, she supports preemie babies and their families in any way she can. Her motto is “You’re your greatest asset; invest in yourself.”