In 2014 Jacqueline was diagnosed with breast cancer. At the time, she was working in a highly stressful corporate environment, smoking 30 cigarettes a day, drinking a bottle of wine every night, and eating on the hoof. Frightened and thinking she was going to die, the cancer diagnosis was a catalyst for a complete lifestyle overhaul. A chance encounter with a hypnotherapist, led her to retrain as a Clinical Hypnotherapist herself. She then used hypnosis to quit smoking and drinking, change her diet, and stop eating sugar. Jacqueline now uses her expertise to support others around the world to use the power of their subconscious mind to get healthy and make positive changes to their lives. Jacqueline Carson, International Clinical Hypnotherapist Introduce yourself! Please tell us about you and your life, so we can get to know you better. I am a very eclectic person and I am interested in so many things. I get inspired by creative thinking but I’m also analytical and need to understand how things work. I have already packed so much into my life, I get quite exhausted looking back, and I’ve still got so much to do and experience! I’m currently single and very happy about it. I have two grown up children and my daughter and her husband have just had their first baby. This kind of makes me feel old, but I firmly believe that age is just an illusion and getting older is a privilege. Just because we get older chronologically does not mean we need to withdraw from the world, give up on our dreams or become inactive. I feel fitter and stronger in lots of ways than I did when I was younger. I live in beautiful wild countryside in the North East of the UK. It can get a bit breezy at times and we’re usually a few degrees cooler than the closest town, but the scenery is to die for. Think Heathcliffe. I’ve always been a country girl and have never lived in a town or city. I like visiting sometimes but I could never live there. I need the calm and the quiet and wouldn’t be happy with the noise of the city. I have a passion for horses and started riding when I was three. When I was younger, I worked in horse-racing for a while. This was back in the eighties and I have fantastic memories of that time in my life when freedom and experimentation was the norm. I had the big hair, the fluorescent beads and eye shadow, the rara skirts. I also remember I had some tight leopard-skin trousers with chains and safety pins attached!! The despair of my parents was never my concern. Now, I still ride occasionally, but I also take time out in the countryside with my Rottweiler Ollie. He absolutely is my main man. Don’t get me wrong, he can be a pain in the butt sometimes – Rottie’s are renowned for their stubbornness – but I love him. He is central to how I work and we fit walks in and around my business schedule. Music is a big passion in my life. I love most genres but rock and roll is my favourite go to. I love upbeat music and am not a fan of slow sad love songs. I play the drums and practice as much as I can at home (that’s another reason for living in the middle of nowhere!!). I also have a piano and a couple of guitars but have never really mastered those. Years ago during a trip to the west coast of Africa with my children, I had a jembe drum made for my son and I had some lessons over there. Occasionally I get the drum out and play to my hearts content. It has an amazing sound. I also love dancing too and go to classes and social events twice a week. Over the last couple of years I’ve learned more than 50 sequence dances, ballroom and Latin. There is no better feeling than music and dancing. Riding comes close, but the music and movement of dance combined releases all those happy hormones. Your chemical state literally changes, it’s like a euphoria. I’m not sure if I was a performer of sorts in a past life but I definitely want to be in the next. Travelling is also something I love. For someone who lives in the North East of the UK and who was born in the winter-time, I absolutely hate the cold. I’ve often said I should have been born in a hot country. I love the sunshine and the heat. It makes me feel so good and so healthy. I do like to see the change of seasons but I love the warmth of the sunshine and the light. Conversely, I also love the rain. Not the drizzly kind or the sideways stuff we get here at home sometimes, but that pouring down straight rain like you get in a thunder storm, or in the Lake District. Even in the tropics, where everything freshens up and you get that lovely smell. The southern islands of Thailand is probably my most favourite place that I’ve been, followed closely by the Caribbean – I’m going back there in June. You can’t beat Mexico for marine life though. What a fantastic place for snorkelling and diving, amazing colours. As a child I wanted to be an author. I love books and writing and I always excelled at creative writing at school. Over the years I’ve written children’s stories, screenplays, poetry and numerous short stories though I’ve not attempted to get any published. I do regard myself as a writer and now I have been published in several magazines talking about my journey and my work. I do also contribute to an online UK newspaper. At the moment I’m in the middle of writing my first self-help book and I’m scheduled to have it finished and published this year. I’m also vegan, teetotal and I gave up smoking seven years ago, all using hypnosis but more on this later. What is your business name and how do you help your clients? Jacqueline Carson Clinical Hypnotherapy and Meditation Services serves to help individuals discover the power of their subconscious mind in making positive changes to their lives. My mission is to teach as many people as I can how to take control of their subconscious to be able to improve their physical and mental well-being. The way that we behave, the habits we form come from the automated programs in our subconscious mind. Sometimes these are for good, but sometimes these habits and behaviours do not serve us well. Oftentimes, our beliefs underpin those habits and behaviours and mostly these beliefs are unchallenged. Often, they’re not even our own beliefs but rather something that someone has told us at some time or another. I help my clients to challenge those beliefs, to get rid of what they don’t want and find out what it is they do want. I then help them to re-program their subconscious mind to achieve their desires. Improving overall well-being affects how we show up in the world, our performance at work, how we manage conflict, social interaction etc. Sometimes a simple mindset shift is all that is needed to increase confidence and self-belief whereas sometimes deeper work is required to address trauma and fear. What kind of audience do you target your business towards? Most of my clients are women aged between 30 and 55. They have very often found themselves at a place in life where they are re-evaluating their lifestyle. Very often they are self-medicating with alcohol and/or self-soothing with food, sugar in particular. They find it hard to stick to a healthy diet and then suffer the consequences of brain fog, sluggishness, poor sleep etc. They may also use other illicit substances. Some of my clients have experienced a health scare or are conscious about weight gain, whilst others are struggling with confidence, low mood and anxiety issues. My clients are high achievers, successful and from the outside look like they have everything, however, their work/life balance is tipped in the wrong direction and their general well-being has been low on their list of priorities until now. What are your current goals for your business? The main goal for my business is to educate as many people as possible on how to use the most fantastic resource they have – their minds. This year I want to see the development of my one-to-one coaching program, helping individuals to overcome not just one but several problems over the course of 6-12 months. I’m also scheduled to have my first book published by the end of the year and I’m aiming to re-launch my podcast. What would you like to achieve for yourself and your business in the future? Whilst I love working one to one with clients, I would also like to develop online courses and programs. This will enable me to reach more women making the service accessible to those who are not able to undertake one-to-one work. Who inspires you to be the best that you can be? There are many people who inspire me and the work that I do. I read a lot about people who have overcome illnesses using the power of their mind, specifically individuals who have cured themselves of terminal diagnosis. Reading their stories reinforces my own beliefs and inspires me more to share my knowledge with the world. What is your work inspired by? My work is inspired by the clients I work with. Seeing their transformation is instrumental. Their amazement when they realise they have no cravings to drink alcohol, when their desire is for fruit not chocolate, when they are motivated to exercise, when their clothes feel loose, when thein skin is radiant and they sleep soundly through the night, is priceless. If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why? There is a general scepticism within the mainstream public about what hypnosis actually is and whether it works. Hypnosis is sometimes linked to trickery or being a con most likely due to T.V. and stage shows where it is used as entertainment. It is not helped by conflicting studies about whether hypnotherapy is effective or not. Some suggest that it is, however there are more that at best sit on the fence or worse argue that it is not effective at all. The problem with a lot of these studies is that it is not an exact science and as with all things that are not fully understood, they are quickly dismissed. I am passionate about dispelling the myths about hypnotherapy. I would like to see it given more kudos in the medical profession. Tell us about a pivotal moment in your life that brought you to where you are today. On 1st April 2014, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. This was also the day I started a new job as a Team Manager for a Local Authority managing a team of child protection social workers. I had to tell my employers about my diagnosis on my very first day. I had qualified as a social worker twenty years earlier and during that time experienced a tremendous amount of stress in a frequently toxic environment. I was that person who was self-medicating to cope with the stresses of my job and my life. I was smoking 30 cigarettes a day and drinking a bottle of red wine every evening. I was working extremely long hours and as a single parent, single handedly raising my children and supporting them financially. I had also recently lost my father unexpectedly. My mother died when I was young. Being diagnosed with cancer was the most scary thing in my life. I had quite a few family members die from various cancers including two who were younger than me. I was scared for my children, both of whom were still grieving the loss of their grandfather. My daughter was in university at the time studying to be a teacher and I was worried this would affect her studies. I was on my own, alone with no back-up. This diagnosis made me face up to a few things in my life. I re-evaluated my whole lifestyle, questioned what I was doing with my life and to myself. I was deeply unhappy and I believe this, grief, stress and trauma contributed to my cancer in addition to the toxins from cigarettes and alcohol. So, I made a plan. I decided things had to change and the first thing I needed to do was to get rid of the stress in my life and the biggest stress was my job. I then needed to get rid of the toxins – the smoking and drinking had to stop. Part of my cancer treatment included hypnotherapy. This was arranged to help me to cope with the diagnosis, to process what was happening and to manage my emotions. I was so impressed that I decided to re-train as a Clinical Hypnotherapist and I qualified in 2016. I then used hypnosis to quit smoking also in 2016, and then quit drinking in 2019. Following quitting drinking I discovered that I had a sweet tooth, most likely this was disguised by the sugar contained in the wine. With my knowledge that cancer cells love to consume sugar, I knew that this was an issue so once again I used self-hypnosis. Now I don’t eat any sugars or processed foods. I also do not eat any animal products and am completely plant-based eating only whole foods. This whole experience has led me to where I am today, running my own business, helping others to realise their own limitless potential. All of your power is in your subconscious mind, all you need to do is to learn how to program it. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Jacqueline!

Written by: Joe Nabrotzky, 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. Most people struggle with confidence, but it’s not because they aren’t skilled or capable, but mainly because they are thinking about confidence all wrong. And while thinking about it incorrectly, it’s nearly impossible to become more confident. Let’s start by fully understanding what confidence is, what creates it, and then we can apply three simple steps to gain more of it. The first step is to defining confidence. We like to separate “Skill Confidence” from “Self Confidence”. Skill Confidence Most of us think of skill confidence when we think of confidence. This is when we’ve proven we can do something, and that experience helps us trust we can successfully do it again. It usually shows up by saying we’re confident IN something, like a skill or talent. Michael Jordan is confident in playing basketball. I’m confident I can drive to the store. In our careers, we become more confident in what we can do as we consistently prove to be able to do it. After an accountants thousandth completed tax return, she feels confident in completing taxes. The problem comes when we’re faced with a challenge or task we haven’t yet completed. How do we gain confidence or trust our abilities in a skill we don’t yet have? That’s where self-confidence comes into play. Self Confidence Self-confidence is when we believe in our ability to figure things out and are willing to fall down and keep getting back up. Where skill confidence relies on having proven that skill through practice and repetition, self-confidence says I may not have that skill today, but that doesn’t mean I can’t work at it and excel tomorrow. Self-confidence says I’m willing to feel any emotion – like feeling doubt, fear, or rejection, and go through any obstacles since I know that’s part of the process to reach my dreams. Most people try to gain confidence by first proving they have the skill, but that’s backwards. Instead, we encourage you to focus on developing your self-confidence – to believe you have the capability to develop that skill and will keep rising each time you fall until you create that external evidence. Self-confidence fuels you to keep taking action, and eventually leads to skill confidence. For those recently laid off and looking for employement, self-confidence powers you to apply for that job, prepare for it, but to realize that if you don’t get it, the worst thing that can happen is a feeling. And since you can process any emotion, you’ll keep applying until you do find the right fit. Skill confidence comes from results and self-confidence comes from your mind; in the thoughts you choose to think. Where skill-confidence is based on the past, self-confidence is founded in the future. So, for the areas that you do have skill-confidence, since you’re proven that talent or ability, then let’s do everything to remember those wins and celebrate them. And for the areas that you haven’t yet proven, pull on your self-confidence to power you to take the actions until you’ve proven that new ability. You don’t have to have proven the ability to have self-confidence, but rather you have self-confidence in your ability to get the ability. You trust in your ability to learn it. That’s why self-confident people have either already created something amazing in the world or are about to. Here are 3 steps to help build your confidence. 1. Identify, Celebrate & Articulate Your “Wins” You are more talented and more accomplished than you think. If you are lacking confidence in your skills, now is the perfect time to identify, celebrate, and articulate your wins. Think about all the times when you achieved a success. Take some time to capture and describe those stories. A great way to do this is through write CARD stories. The CARD methodology is a simple acronym to use when you want to identify and articulate your achievements. It is a fantastic exercise for building confidence, as you will effectively quantify the actual outcomes and benefits of your actions. This is also the best process to use when crafting your resume or during a job interview. What Does CARD Stand For? C for Context ‒ What was going on What was the main performance gap or problem you were trying to solve? Keep it simple and brief. A for Action ‒ What you did to solve the problem Consider starting each bullet with an action verb This is a great opportunity for you to “blow your own horn” and articulate your personal initiative and independence in problem-solving R for Results – What was the outcome? Be crystal clear on the consequences of your actions Quantify results whenever possible When applying for a job, think in terms of why companies want to hire people. They can be summarized into three things: Help them MAKE money – i.e. increase revenue, grow new business, launch new products Help them SAVE money – i.e. decrease costs, reduce manpower requirements, re-negotiate expenses Help them INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY – i.e. improve processes or optimize competitive advantages And finally, D for Demonstrates ‒ What does this story prove about you? Think of both the hard skills and soft skills that story just showed Anytime you need a confidence boost, practice telling a future interviewer one of our cards in how you experienced the following: You lived your values or purpose You helped another person You solved a difficult problem You helped your company make money, save money, or increase productivity You took initiative to undertake a project or challenge without being asked You received positive feedback from a customer or a company stakeholder You were recognized with an award for your exceptional performance 2. Strive For Progress, Not Perfection You may have heard the saying that “perfect is the opposite of done”. Perfectionists often lack confidence because they believe that nothing is good enough. Consider that imperfection is a part of being human, and you can succeed by simply by being your wonderful, yet imperfect self. For you perfectionists out there, get used to not always perfectly succeeding. Think of it this way: there are four outcomes to any action, and here they are in order of the best to worst outcome: You take an action and immediately get the desired outcome – on your very first try. While that’s possible, let’s be honest, that is so rare and should not be your expectation. The second-best outcome is you take an action, you don’t get the outcome you desired, but you rise each time you fall, learn, pivot, and keep going until you get the desired outcome. You realize that you may have failed but you’re not a failure. The next best outcome ‒ or the second worst ‒ is you take an action, don’t get the desired outcome, so you stop trying. You stop putting yourself out there. You quit. And the worst outcome is that you never try to begin with. You fail on purpose. In essence, you deny yourself the opportunity to be denied in advance. Thus, guaranteeing failure. Recognize that failing is a key part of search success, and is part of 3 of the 4 options above! Your average success formula will look like this: no – no – no – no ‒ YES!. Celebrate that even if you don’t get the desired result yet, you’re still succeeding in that you’re still trying. Don’t forget the famous saying from Wayne Gretsky – “you miss 100% of the shots that you choose not to take”. Take a chance and start by doing something that puts you in the right direction. Does this sound familiar: You make a big goal and commit, “I’m going to work out every day”...and then you don’t wake up early enough on day 2, you’re too tired on day 3, and soon you lose the steam to try at all. Or, “I’m not going to eat any sugar today”...and then you don’t want to offend your co-worker during their birthday cake celebration, so you try a bite. And since you already broke your no-sugar rule, you might as well keep going back for more. Aiming for perfection in your goals is not going to get the results you want. It’s a myth and will crush your momentum. With any big goal, plan how you want to think and feel up front, and address what to do WHEN (not if) you miss perfection. Most of us feel the desire drop or quit the minute after the first miss, that first mistake, but it compounds the morning after we miss perfection. The good news is our only two options are NOT being perfect or giving up. Getting goals done is about progress on the path and slamming the door on the notion of perfection. Celebrate the progress, celebrate the struggle. Get back up, commit again, and realize you’re still in the game. Get good at the mindset for how you handle the morning after a miss. 3. Manage Your Mind Pay attention to the thoughts going through your mind. The thoughts you think cause the emotions you feel, which drive the actions you take, and get the results you get. It all starts in your mind with what you choose to think. Managing your mind changes everything, without having to change everything. When I talk to people, they will sometimes tell me they don’t feel confident. But have you stopped to think about what causes us to feel what we feel? Why do you feel confident, and for that matter, any other emotions like stressed, sad, happy, focused, angry or inspired? Is it because of the circumstances in your life ‒ what you have or don’t have? What you’ve done or not done? I’ve heard it all before: If only I had six pack abs, then I would feel more confident If only I had more money, then I would feel more secure. If only I moved, then I’d feel at home. If only I was around more people, then I’d feel connected. If only my partner was this or that, then I would feel love. If only my mom loved me, or my dad showed I was worthy of his approval then I would feel valued or that I matter. If only I nailed that presentation, then I’d feel more confident In all these cases, the feeling of confidence or happiness or whatever feeling you want is always an external thing or circumstance away. But it doesn’t have to be that way. No! None of these circumstances cause your feelings. They can’t. That’s not how it works. Circumstances do NOT cause your feelings. So many people think confidence, happiness, feelings of love or other emotions they want to feel occur outside of their control and that is simply not true. Many are taught that if we don’t feel good inside, we should seek immediate pleasure from something outside of us…and it’s usually presented that it will come when we do or get something we don’t yet have. The problem is this pleasure is usually short-term and then the lack remains. So, if circumstances don’t cause feelings, what does? The thoughts you choose to BELIEVE in your brain cause EMOTIONS you feel. There’s a difference between what is going on in your life, and what’s going on in your brain. Beliefs in your brain cause feelings, NOT circumstances. Beliefs in your brain cause feelings, NOT what you have or don’t have. Beliefs in your brain cause feelings, NOT what that other person did or said. What you choose to think about regarding your circumstances either makes you feel better or worse, or feel more confident or less confident, regardless of what is going on in your life. It’s not what happens to us, but what we choose to think about what happens to us that causes us to feel any emotion. When you think a thought like, “I’m terrible at this.” You may think that is the reality, the truth. But it’s not. You’re just choosing to think a thought…and in this case, a thought that is definitely not serving you. Begin by becoming more aware of the thoughts that aren’t serving you and add more thoughts that will build your confidence and get you the results you want. We created an entire on-line virtual learning experience with coaching specifically to help people learn how to better manage their mind and gain confidence. The results that you have in your life don’t just happen to you, you co-created them. Everything you do, and the results you create, are caused by the beliefs within your brain. Learn how to deliberately reprogram your brain to better reach the results and life you’ve always wanted. Call to Action To Increase Your Confidence: Identify, Celebrate & Articulate Your “Wins” Strive For Progress, Not Perfection Manage Your Mind Contact Joe@GlobalLeaderGroup.com and request free access to some of the modules in the Gaining Confidence and Manage Your Mind on-line experiences. About the Author: Joe Nabrotzky is the Co-founder and Managing Partner of Global Leader Group, a leadership firm that helps organizations FIND & BUILD leaders. His purpose is to inspire people to live and lead more deliberately from the boardroom to the family room. After struggling and then growing a profitable business of his own, he dedicated the rest of his career to becoming the Leadership Guide/HR Business Partner he wished he had as a former CEO and desperately needed as an entrepreneur, manager, and dad. Through an MBA and multiple HR/OD/Leadership certifications, combined with a decade as an HR Executive in a successful fortune 100 company, he’s proven how to build leaders internally or find and hire them externally. Mr. Nabrotzky has led people in every major region and lived all over the world, including a few years speaking only Portuguese in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon rainforest and recently returned to Utah with his wife of 18 years and four children, after five years living off lake Geneva in Switzerland. Follow Global Leader Group on LinkedIn, and visit their website for more info! Read more from Global Leader Group! Global Leader Group, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Global Leader Group is a leadership firm of proven practitioners who share a deep-rooted desire to make a difference by helping organizations FIND & BUILD leaders to deliver excellence. They do that through three main pillars: Leadership & Learning: They partner with organizations to accelerate performance and belonging by pushing the boundaries of learning. Offerings: Design and implementation of Leadership and Learning Strategy and Frameworks, World-class Learning Design & Experiences, Coaching, and Speaking (Keynotes & Appearances). Talent Search (External Retained Recruiting): In addition to helping organizations build current leaders, Global Leader Group adds world-class leaders to managements teams around the globe. Practitioner Consulting: Allow the experience of their practitioners to advise and transform your business through their expertise in Driving Digital, Retail Banking, Wealth Management, Customer Journeys, Sales Management & Incentives, and Strategic HR (Culture, People Processes, Organizational Design, and Team Effectiveness). Their clients include leaders at Citi, AstraZeneca, HSBC, Google, the Governments, Airbus, Manubhai Jewellers, ACUMA, Sensata, numerous RIAs, Banks, Credit Unions, and more.

Written by: Mike Mantic, 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. Spirituality and high performance often seem like unrelated concepts. Still, many people have found that connecting to their inner selves and a higher power can greatly enhance their ability to achieve success. One aspect of spirituality that can contribute to high performance is the idea of being present in the moment. When we are fully engaged in the task at hand, we are able to give it our full attention and perform at our best. This is why many successful people meditate or practice mindfulness – it allows them to clear their minds of distractions and focus on the task at hand. Another aspect is how we deal with stress. Under any kind of stress and mind will cast about for any ideas to resolve the tension, and where it naturally goes to look for those ideas is into the past. The mind goes there to find similar situations where stress has affected your life before and to get answers about how you resolved it last time. While it's looking to the past, your mind is not in the moment, and therefore not paying proper attention to potential out-of-the-box solutions that you've never thought of before. When fully engaged in the moment and not drawing on the past to resolve the tension, your mind will naturally be more open to observing opportunities that you've never noticed before. It is often these out-of-the-box ideas that can create radical change in a career path or business direction. Business people who are trained in intuition can ‘tune in’ and develop businesses or get answers about new directions and opportunities at will and dig into the specific details needed to take advantage of that inspiration. However, one of the biggest factors in spirituality that can contribute to high performance is a sense of purpose. When we are driven by a sense of purpose or mission, we are more likely to put in the hard work and dedication required to achieve success. From a spiritual point of view, being aligned with a true sense of purpose seems to invite help and synchronicity from unexpected sources. This is why many successful people credit their faith or spirituality as a major driving force behind their success. Finding clarity on your purpose is an evolving process that starts with learning to follow your sense of excitement and passion, but can go much much deeper by looking into what’s under the surface of your feeling of identity and seeking what inspires or calls to you once you drop under your usual thoughts. Hypnosis, past life regression or inter-life regression and expanded consciousness work can often lead to astounding results in finding a sense of purpose that may even go beyond merely succeeding in this life, but following an evolutionary direction for your soul. One effective way to incorporate spirituality into your daily routine is to set aside time each day for quiet reflection and contemplation. This could be as simple as taking a few minutes to sit in silence and focus on your breath, or it could involve a more formal practice such as meditation or prayer. Another way to incorporate spirituality into your daily routine is to make a conscious effort to live in the present moment. This could involve practicing mindfulness, which involves paying attention to your thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations in the present moment. It could also involve spending time in nature and taking in the beauty and wonder of the world around you. For those that work full-time and have busy family lives, one simple way to practice increasing awareness is to set a timer on your phone to go off once every hour. When that alarm goes off, take a minute or two to check it, and notice what’s moving through you and in you. The mind habitually thinks of the past and projects into the future, so this is a regular chance to build the habit of bringing yourself back to the now and then going about your business. Incorporating spirituality into your life can also involve serving others. Many successful people find that their greatest sense of fulfillment comes from helping others. This could involve volunteering at a local charity, mentoring a young person, or simply being there for a friend in need. Others create businesses around service and helping others achieve great things. Ultimately, spirituality is a powerful tool that can help us achieve high performance in all areas of our lives. By connecting to our inner selves and a higher power, we can gain a sense of purpose, clear our minds, and foster a positive mindset and emotional well-being. This increased level of presence will open the doors to new opportunities, new ideas and new ways of thinking about your career or business. The upshot most commonly is that new relationships and opportunities will form to synchronistically assist and support your mission. By incorporating spirituality into our daily routine, we can tap into this powerful source of inspiration and motivation and reach new heights of success. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Mike! Mike Mantic, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine After a near-death experience at 13, Mike began a 36-year journey of exploration in meditation, shamanism & altered states of consciousness, culminating in a curriculum of training to bridge each of us to our own highest self and deepest wisdom. Mike supports healers, consciousness coaches, and personal and spiritual development trainers to intuitively build successful and rewarding businesses sharing their gifts. He also guides people to explore and overcome the archaic, hardwired fear of death; To divine the truth of what their heart wants to create in the world, and finally to live the life they incarnated here to experience.

Written by: Martin Cunningham, 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 modern workplace is undergoing rapid and significant changes, driven by a combination of post-COVID societal changes and advancements in artificial intelligence. This pace of change has forced employers and employees alike to adapt their attitudes towards work pay and conditions. In this article, we will explore the importance of adaptability in the modern workplace and discuss how adaptability can be assessed, developed, and fostered in individuals and teams. “71 percent of 1,500 executives surveyed, in more than 90 countries, said that adaptability was the most important leadership quality in these times.” Curiosity, Not Coding: 6 Skills Leaders Need in the Digital Age 14 FEB 2022| by Linda A. Hill, Ann Le Cam, Sunand Menon, and Emily Tedards The Changing Attitudes of Employers and Employees Towards Work Pay and Conditions The shift towards remote work, flexible schedules, and gig-based employment has challenged traditional notions of work pay and conditions. Employers are increasingly recognising the value of providing work arrangements that better align with the needs and preferences of their employees, while employees are seeking greater work-life balance and job satisfaction. This shift has also raised concerns around job security, benefits, and fair pay. However, employers offering competitive compensation packages, flexible work arrangements, and a positive work culture are better positioned to attract and retain top talent. The Role of Adaptability in the Modern Workplace Adaptability has emerged as a top desired quality or competence for hiring managers, enabling individuals and teams to navigate change and uncertainty more quickly and effectively. Companies that can adapt to changing market conditions and customer needs are more likely to remain competitive and profitable. Moreover, adaptable individuals are better equipped to respond to new challenges and opportunities and are more resilient in the face of setbacks. AQai, a leading assessment provider, measures adaptability quotient through the dimensions of ability, character, and environment. Ability is assessed through grit, mental flexibility, mindset, resilience, and the ability to unlearn and relearn; character is measured through emotional range, extroversion, hope, motivational style, and thinking style; and environment is measured through company support, emotional health, team support, working environment, and work stress. The Downsides of Excessive Adaptability While adaptability is a critical skill in the modern workplace, it is important to recognise the potential downsides of extreme adaptability. Excessive adaptability can lead to a lack of stability and consistency and a lack of commitment to long-term goals and values. Moreover, excessive adaptability can lead to burnout and stress as individuals and teams constantly adjust to new demands and expectations. Therefore, it is essential to strike a balance between adaptability and other important values and goals, such as stability, consistency, and well-being. The risks of not adapting to a rapidly changing and uncertain world However, the risks of not adapting can be severe, as demonstrated by the fate of companies such as Kodak, Toys R Us, Blockbuster and Blackberry. These organisations failed to keep up with the pace of change and were ultimately overtaken by their more adaptable competitors. Kodak, for example, was slow to embrace digital photography and lost its dominant position in the market as a result. Similarly, Toys R Us struggled to compete with online retailers such as Amazon, which offered greater convenience and a more comprehensive selection of products. In contrast, successful companies have demonstrated their ability to stay ahead of the curve regarding innovation and customer service. These companies recognise the importance of adapting to changing customer needs and preferences, and invest in new products, services, and technologies to stay ahead of their competitors. They also prioritise customer service, recognising that providing exceptional service is a key differentiator in a world where customers have more choice than ever. One example of a company successfully adapting to changing market conditions is Netflix. The company started as a DVD rental service but quickly recognised the shift towards online streaming and invested heavily in developing its streaming platform. Today, Netflix is the world’s leading streaming service, with over 200 million subscribers worldwide. However, even they cannot afford to be complacent, sitting back for a moment allows the competition an opportunity they cannot afford. Another successful example is Amazon, which has consistently demonstrated its ability to innovate and adapt, expanding from an online bookseller to a global retail giant that offers everything from groceries to cloud computing services. The Importance of Ongoing Learning and Development Adaptability is not a static trait but a skill that can be honed and developed over time. Individuals and teams can develop adaptability through ongoing Unlearning, Re-learning and development, such as attending training sessions, reading relevant articles and books, and seeking feedback from colleagues, mentors and coaching. Developing adaptability also requires a growth mindset, a willingness to embrace change and take risks, and a commitment to continuous improvement. Unlearning – The New Superpower One of the main elements discussed, the ability to unlearn and relearn, is a critical skill in the modern workplace, and is emphasised in Barry O’Reilly’s Unlearn Matrix. O’Reilly argues that in today’s rapidly changing world, the ability to let go of old habits, beliefs, and assumptions, and to adopt new ones, is essential for success. Unlearning involves recognising and challenging our existing assumptions and biases and letting go of them when they no longer serve us. AQai’s assessment of adaptability includes a focus on the ability to unlearn and relearn, as this is seen as a critical component of adaptability. The Role of Leadership in Fostering a Culture of Adaptability Leaders play a critical role in fostering a culture of adaptability within their organisations. Leaders who prioritise adaptability are more likely to encourage experimentation, risk-taking, and innovation and are more likely to provide the necessary resources and support for individuals and teams to develop their adaptability. Moreover, leaders who model adaptability are more likely to inspire their teams to do the same. Conclusion Adaptability is an increasingly important skill for individuals and organisations in the modern workplace. It is a multi-dimensional concept, encompassing individual traits such as resilience, mental flexibility, and environmental factors, including team support and emotional health. Companies that can assess, foster, and develop adaptability across their organisation can gain a competitive advantage in the market by being better positioned to attract and retain top talent while remaining agile and responsive to changing market conditions. Furthermore, individuals with high levels of adaptability are better equipped to respond effectively to new career challenges and opportunities. The ability to unlearn and relearn is a critical skill in the modern workplace and is a crucial component of adaptability. By focusing on this skill, individuals and teams can more effectively navigate change and drive innovation. Finally, leaders play an essential role in fostering an environment of adaptability within their organisations by modelling the behaviours and providing resources and support for their teams. By developing and leveraging adaptability, You can ensure You are prepared to meet the challenges of an ever-changing workplace. The risks of not adapting in a rapidly changing and uncertain world are significant for companies and individuals. Those who fail to develop new skills, embrace change, and adapt to new technologies and working environments may struggle to compete in the job market or even become obsolete in their careers. By embracing adaptability and investing in lifelong learning, individuals can position themselves for success in the modern workplace. Follow me on LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Martin! Martin Cunningham, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine From policing roots to a 20-year Senior Management career, with over 30 years of coaching and mentoring, Martin has seen at first hand the triumph of high achievement and felt the pain and disappointment of getting it wrong and being unsuccessful. As a senior manager in security and justice sector reform in Afghanistan and the Western Balkans, he coached at General Director and Ministerial level in politically charged situations. Martin understands what it's like to want more from your challenging career in an uncertain world. He's learnt the lessons and has the skills to help you make a lasting impact in a fulfilling career while making the world a safer place. Martin knows that until we fully embrace the voices of women we will not achieve the sustainable peace and freedoms we all deserve, it is why he is on a mission to increase the meaningful participation of women and men who share this mission who are working in Security and Justice Sector Reform countries in or emerging from conflict. Additional Reading: AQai. (2022). AQai Assessment: Measuring Adaptability. AQai. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_Mku_lciF0 LIAQUAT, M. HASSAN, M. 2021 A Systematic Review of Literature on Organizational Unlearning and Forgetting: Journal of Contemporary Issues in Business and Government Vol. 27, No. 2, 2021 https://cibg.org.au/ Nancy J. Adler, Overly convenient falsehoods and inconvenient truths: Not what leaders thought they would learn, International Business Review, 2022, 102083, ISSN 0969-5931, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibusrev.2022.102083. O'Reilly, B. (2019). Unlearn: Let Go of Past Success to Achieve Extraordinary Results. Penguin. Barry O'Reilly Unlearn Matrix https://files.cdn.thinkific.com/file_uploads/390995/attachments/dd4/465/2a9/unlearn_canvas_barry_oreilly_2020.pdf Reeves, M and Deimler, M. (2021) Adaptability: The New Competitive Advantage, HBR. https://hbr.org/2011/07/adaptability-the-new-competitive-advantage Wang X, Zheng C, Mutuc EB, Su N, Hu T, Zhou H, Fan C, Hu F, Wei S. How Does Organizational Unlearning Influence Product Innovation Performance? Moderating Effect of Environmental Dynamism. Front Psychol. 2022 Aug 10;13:840775. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.840775. PMID: 36033036; PMCID: PMC9399739.

Leah Bernath, Leader/CEO of Your Best Self, LLC, is a leading Empowerment & Success Coach, helping her clients thrive amidst difficult life transitions, unleash their intrinsic power, gain confidence, and level-up in their careers and relationships to manifest the life of their dreams. With over 20 years as a multidisciplinary expert in interior design, commercial real estate, entrepreneurship, coaching, and health and fitness, her diverse professional career has provided her with wisdom, experience, and success, despite enduring many life changes. Her mission is to elevate women to embody their ‘best self’ to achieve the success and abundance they desire personally and professionally, without limitations. Leah Bernath, Mindset Coach Introduce yourself! Please tell us about you and your life, so we can get to know you better. Hi, I am Leah Bernath, a certified Intuitive Health and Life Coach and Principles of Power Coach, specializing in empowerment & success coaching and consulting for women. I am a single mother, tenured career professional, travel and adventure enthusiast, health & fitness guru, and a strong believer in growth, expansion, and elevating others. Ever since childhood, I have had a deep affinity for the creative and athletic fields. I pursued a degree and subsequent career in interior design and the fitness industry as a Pilates instructor and PT, helping others to transform their surrounding environments along with their physical health and wellbeing. . With a professional career and foundation rooted in the interior design and commercial real estate industry, I have cultivated a successful 20-year career filled with accolades and achievements. Navigating the corporate ladder climb utterly alone, without clarity on direction, guidance, or mentorship, I strategically expanded into leadership positions, leading teams for several Atlanta-based companies as Director of Sales and Business Development Manager. Despite all the success I managed to create, I felt unfulfilled and was called to a higher meaning. I invested in a coach to discover a deeper understanding into my life's purpose amidst the pandemic. It was during that time that my 'light bulb moment' occurred ‒ one common thread between various roles existed ‒ helping others feel/function their best whether from their outside environment (design), their physical body (fitness), or inner mindset (coaching). What is your business name and how do you help your clients? My Empowerment Coaching/Consulting Business is, Your Best Self, LLC. As a certified Intuitive Health, and Life Coach (BHC) and a Principles of Power Coach (TCC) I apply various modalities and techniques including, NLP, EFT, rapid trauma relief, guided imagery, breathwork, and energy healing techniques, to help women connect deeply within their core and embody their full potential. I have been featured in NY Weekly, Entrepreneurs Herald, Brainz Magazine, and HERS Muscle & Fitness Magazine. What kind of audience do you target your business towards? Women who want to level up in their careers, enhance relationships, increase wealth and financial abundance, and step into their intrinsic power, overcome barriers to success, remove limiting beliefs and fear, and create the life they crave. Balancing single motherhood with a professional career and a thriving coaching business, I understand and have lived the struggles of professional women and mothers today. I lead motivational speaking engagements, one-on-one and group coaching courses, and consulting services for executives and companies with a specialized focus on topics including overcoming barriers to success, limiting beliefs, unleashing your intrinsic power, conquering career and life burnout, developing leadership presence, and more. Tell us about a pivotal moment in your life that brought you to where you are today. My personal journey and subsequent transformation coupled with my desire for a deeper life purpose inspired me to launch my female-focused empowerment consulting business in 2020. In 2016 I got divorced, became a single parent with limited resources, re-entered the corporate workplace and navigated my career alone, began a new life, overcame anxiety and depression, and healed past emotional traumas. Though I had cultivated success, I reached a plateau personally and professionally some years later. So, I invested in coaches to propel me forward on my journey. Through these experiences, I witnessed the true power of trained professionals to help you take a deeper dive into self, uncover blocks, remove barriers, and expand in mind, body, and soul to reach new heights. The experience and subsequent transformations that occurred coupled with my passion for lifting others, led me to pursue the field of coaching and create Your Best Self, LLC. At my core, I am highly focused on the success of others and believe every woman has the power to BE, DO, and HAVE whatever they deeply desire. Follow me on Instagram and visit my website for more info! Read more from Leah!

My name is Phillipa Brown. I’m a psychologist and entrepreneur dedicating my time to improving access to mental health services by making them more available and accessible online through telehealth psychology services in an online platform. I thought up the idea of my business over eight years ago while I was undergoing my psychology studies. I was born in a small country town, which at the time had a population of around 500 people and the nearest city was a three-hour drive. When I was younger, my father became unwell where access to specialist health services were only available in the city, which meant that he was often gone for long periods of time to obtain the treatments he required. Although the health services have improved in the surrounding areas, today, there are still huge limitations for those living outside of major cities to access healthcare. This gap in the market related to mental health was the opportunity I saw to make a difference and utilise my professional qualifications and expertise to make change for the better for those living in rural and regional areas. Phillipa Brown, Psychologist & Entrepreneur What is your business name and how do you help your clients? The business is called MeHelp Psychology, yes that’s ‘Help Me,’ backwards. It is an online platform that provides mental health services through video, phone or text message to clients who may be unable to access traditional face-to-face service, for a variety of reasons, including personal preference. Clients can connect with registered psychologists through the digital channel that works best for them. This eliminates the need for clients to travel to appointments, saving them time, reducing stress and costs, provide greater accessibility and also give alternate psychology services delivery channels that clients may prefer. Additionally, the platform provides greater flexibility for clients, as they can schedule appointments at times that work best for them, including evenings and weekends. Our goal is to make mental health services accessible to everyone, regardless of their circumstances, and to provide a safe and supportive space for individuals to seek help and professional support. Our team of experienced and qualified psychologists are passionate about helping clients improve their mental health and wellbeing, and work collaboratively with clients to develop personalised treatment plans tailored to their individual needs. With the convenience and flexibility of our online platform, clients can access therapy from the comfort and privacy of their own home or wherever they may be, allowing them to prioritise their mental health even in the midst of busy schedules or travel difficulties. What are your current goals for your business? MeHelp Psychology's goal of implementing easier access to psychological services online is aimed at addressing the barriers that many people face in accessing mental health services, particularly those who live in rural and regional areas. These individuals often have limited access to mental health services due to their location and may need to travel long distances to access care, which can be expensive, time-consuming, and a significant barrier to seeking help. Even in metropolitan cities, long waitlists can make it difficult for people to receive the care they need, when they need it. In the short term, MeHelp Psychology aims to establish itself as a trusted provider of online mental health services, building a strong reputation for delivering high-quality care to clients. To achieve this, the company has invested in the development of a secure, user-friendly online platform that is accessible to clients across different devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. MeHelp Psychology has also spent time attracting a team of highly qualified and experienced psychologists who specialise in different areas of mental health, so that clients can receive the tailored support they need. In the long term, MeHelp Psychology’s goals are to expand its reach and impact, enabling more people to access mental health services regardless of their location or circumstances. We are also continuing to invest in ongoing research and development to identify new ways to improve the quality and accessibility of our services. What kind of audience do you target your business towards? MeHelp Psychology targets a diverse audience of individuals who are seeking mental health services, including those who may face barriers accessing traditional face-to-face services. This includes people who live in rural or remote areas, who may not have access to help in their local area, as well as those who face financial barriers to accessing psychology services. Our platform is also designed to help individuals who may be hesitant to seek help due to social stigma or anxiety about attending in-person therapy sessions. We cater to a wide range of clients, from stay-at-home parents to busy professionals, students, and anyone else who may find it difficult to attend appointments during traditional business hours. Our goal is to make mental health services accessible and convenient for everyone, regardless of their circumstances. If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why? One thing that could be changed in the mental health industry in Australia is the level of government funding allocated to various mental health services. The lack of funding means that many people who need mental health services are sometimes unable to access them due to financial constraints. While the Medicare rebate scheme in Australia is helpful, it does not cover the full cost of psychological services, leaving many unable to afford the gap fee. If more government funding was allocated to reducing the payment gap between the cost of services and the government rebate, this would enable more people to access the care they need, regardless of their financial circumstances. This could include increasing the availability of government funded services for those experiencing financial hardship or increasing the number of subsidised mental health services available in community health centres and hospitals. Additionally, more funding could be directed towards research and development to improve the effectiveness of mental health treatments and to develop new therapies and interventions. Who inspires you to be the best that you can be? Although my father passed away when I was younger, he inspires me to live life to its fullest and be the best I can be every day. I want to ensure that I live my life in a meaningful way just as he would have wanted to me to do and also do himself if his life wasn’t unfairly cut short. No day can be a wasted day when you think about the mortality and fragility of life. I’m also as inspired and motivated by my two children who have taught me I have more patience than I ever thought possible and my husband who is my rock and provides me with invaluable help and guidance learned through his entrepreneurial successes and experience. What is your work inspired by? The work I do is inspired by people every day, regardless of their background or profession. My work has allowed me to engage with a diverse range of individuals, including those I've encountered in community mental health care and those I've spoken with through my private practice. Their strength and resilience despite their struggles inspire me to continue advocating for better mental health care and reducing stigma around seeking help. By recognising the value in every person's story and journey, I have found inspiration and draw upon these experiences to further inform and enhance my work in the field of mental health. In addition to those I've worked with directly, I also find inspiration in public figures such as influential personalities who use their platforms to promote mental health awareness and support. Whether it's on camera or through their social media presence, seeing others advocate for better mental health care reminds me of the importance of the work I do and motivates me to continue making a difference. Overall, my experiences have taught me that inspiration can come from anyone, at any time, and that we all have something to learn from each other. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Phillipa!

Written by: Debra Whitson , 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. Deciding to separate from your spouse is never easy, and even more so if you have kids together. However, sometimes it is better for children to have two happy parents who co-parent cooperatively than parents who are modeling unhealthy behaviour for their kids, because they are unhappy. Once you have made decision to divorce and have focused on you and your kids’ best interests, how do you help them not only survive the divorce, but go on to become healthy, happy children? According to Laura Broadwell, in her article “Effects of Divorce on Children: An Age-by-Age Guide”, “Divorce represents a pivotal and often traumatic shift in a child's world—and from their perspective, a loss of family. When told about the divorce, many children feel sad, angry, and anxious, and they might have a hard time grasping how their lives will change. A child's age also impacts their response to the new family structure.” Additionally, children may feel that they are to blame for their parents’ divorce, or struggle with the changes in family dynamics. By successfully navigating your co-parenting to present a united front when dealing with your kids, you can help them by providing structure and stability. Here I explain five ways to help your children heal after the divorce and how you can minimize their stress and help them adjust to the new circumstances. 1. Listen and acknowledge their feelings Encourage your kids to talk to you about how they are feeling and if they have trouble expressing themselves, help them find words to describe the feelings they are feeling. Really listen to what they are saying and let them be honest. As they age, they may have additional questions about the divorce. Also be available to answer any doubts they may have, and to reassure them that they are secure and loved. Find ways to resolve their feelings together, and always encourage them to have a healthy relationship with your co-parent. 2. Reassure them that the divorce is not their fault Let them know that your decision to divorce from your ex has nothing to do with their behaviour, or grades or even arguments that they might have had with you. Be patient and provide guidance and reassurance as to why your marriage didn’t work out. Remind them that they are loved by both parents, and that nothing will change that or get in the way of your relationship with them. 3. Provide stability and routines Your children may need help adjusting to new circumstances, so creating some regular routines at each household may go a long way in providing them with some comfort and familiarity. Resist the temptation to spoil your kids, but make sure that they have enough clothes, toys and furniture at each parent’s house to make them feel like that is their personal space. Create new traditions around the holidays, and maintain consistent rules around discipline, bedtimes, and schoolwork. Make sure that they are always able to communicate with the other parent, and that both of you are aligned in your values and beliefs with regards to your parenting. 4. Resolve parenting conflicts with your ex Compromise with your co-parent when necessary. You and your ex may not always know how to navigate all the various factors surrounding your co-parenting, but it is important to know when to put your kids’ best interests first. If you find yourself constantly disagreeing with your ex over co-parenting issues, it may be a wise decision to consider mediation. Mediation, in which a neutral third party helps you to reach an amicable solution, might be a good option for when you don’t see eye to eye with your ex on co-parenting issues like visitation schedules, parenting plans or financial responsibilities that you may have towards your kids. At WhitsonLaw, PLLC. we offer a service package called “Our Family In Two Homes” which combines a resource package with mediation to help you avoid the warfare associated with divorce and ensure that your children do not become collateral damage. We have helped thousands of clients go on to raise healthy, happy children. 5. Limit negative comments about the other parent After your divorce, to successfully co-parent means setting aside any resentment, pain, anger, or other feelings you might have towards your ex. Never say unkind things about your co-parent to your children, make them feel like they must choose between the parents, or vent to them. Compartmentalize those emotions and think about your child’s best interests. Never use them to convey messages to the other parent, and call, text, or email your ex directly. Your child’s relationship with their parent should be special and not influenced by the previous marital relationship the two of you once had. Be sure to check out all the information and resources on our law firm website, and the website of our sister company, Mediated Online Solutions, LLC. www.whitsonlawfirm.com www.mediatedonlinesolutions.com Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Debra! Debra Whitson, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine For the first half of her career, Debra Whitson was a prosecutor, and she spent the latter half specializing in Matrimonial and Family Law. She is an experienced mediator and collaborative divorce practitioner as well as a recognized expert in working with victims of domestic violence. Debra believes that legal battles are more harmful to families than helpful, and is passionate about helping people find ways to make their own decisions for their families, rather than leaving their outcomes in the hands of a stranger in a black robe. When court is unavoidable, Debra aims to educate and support people to make the legal process less costly, scary, uncertain, and stressful.

Written by: Phillip Golding, 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. Throughout the ages, as human beings, we have suffered predominately at the hands of our own confusion, due to being in conflict with ourselves, with each other, or with nature. In various cultures throughout that time, however, there have also been those who have unlocked those chains of suffering by gaining mastery over their own minds. This has been the stuff of religion, myths, legends and philosophy. Schools of wisdom, such as in ancient Egypt, the Hindu Vedas, Buddhism, the great Greek philosophers, Gnostism, the Jewish Kabbalah, or Sufism, just to name a few, have all claimed to have found the answer. We know the paths because they have all recorded their teachings and are all still being practised. On the surface, they may all look different and complicated and simply approaching them from an academic standpoint may just reinforce this perception. This all changes however, when you use these various teachings as a guide to take charge of your own mind for the purpose of overcoming suffering. When used in this way, all the complexities and the cosmologies give way to one basic question; “Does this help me to overcome my suffering in the here and now?” Here, you enter into the path of what has been called mysticism, where you are trying to literally become the principles that scholars merely speculate and argue about. Mysticism is derived from the word ‘mystery’. In this day and age of freely available information, let’s move beyond the perception of it being a mystery and give it a modern term by calling it ‘the path of self-awareness’. The Modern Search for Wisdom Since the mid-1800s, many scholarly seekers of wisdom, from all walks of life, have been collating and studying these various wisdom traditions while also, more importantly, trying to genuinely live this wisdom. The relatively recent 12-Step Program of Alcoholic Anonymous can also be included among these schools of wisdom. A.A., with its formula for self-awareness, has helped countless people from all over the world overcome suffering enough to become exemplary members of society. Modern psychology, although weighed down by the limits of academia, has been doing its part as well to solve the mysteries of human suffering. There are also more experiential schools of psychology, such as existentialism, which is not given much focus at universities because you can’t understand it only on an academic level. Existentialism, like mysticism, must be lived to be truly understood. The problem with academic psychology is that you can do all your studies to the point of being qualified as a psychologist without actually applying what you have learnt to your own life. The field of transpersonal psychology, where I locate myself, goes further to encapsulate the ancient wisdoms as well as modern psychology and has an emphasis on the experiential path. We Have the Answer Like so many others before me, suffering, in the form of chronic depression and PTSD, was my initial driving force to master my mind. Therefore, how to overcome my own suffering was my first burning question. As I began to heal and grow, first through the 12 Step Program and then through my own studies and practice of the ancient wisdoms, a desire to also help others began to awaken. So my next question was; “How can we solve the problems of humanity, such as conflict, greed, exploitation and the disregard for the suffering of others?” I came to understand that the answer to both questions is the same. I am therefore implying that I have found that answer. You may think that I am just being pretentious here. In reply I could say that so many others down the ages and also in our present day have found the answer as well, but that may not impress you either, because after all, how do you really know. I need to find a useful way of explaining it, which may inspire some intuitive spark within you that prompts you to live these principles, this process, in your own life. But then that still may not be enough, because it is normal to at first use the Self-Awareness process as a quick fix to try to escape from your mind out of fear of the mind. This approach will likely just give yourself a shallow experience, only to have your mind pull you back into suffering, resulting in you losing faith in the knowledge and giving up. To truly place yourself in the position of actually experiencing the power of this knowledge, you have to commit to living it ongoing. This points to why the answer to suffering remains a mystery to most of us. So many have held the Holy Grail in their hands, only to put it down again. Crossing this bridge of faith and persistence to the land of personal experience is not unlike running an empirically valid science experiment that other scientists then test out by meticulously and methodically following the recorded information and coming up with the same results, therefore giving validation to the hypothesis of that experiment. Therefore, if you don’t sufficiently follow the formula, you are simply not going to get the same results. In this experiment however, you are not just the scientist, you are also the experiment and the experimental subject, which can add to the degree of difficulty, considering that your own ego is a major variable. I would suggest that this experiment has been validated by countless practitioners all through the ages on the strength of knowledge past down and then genuinely put into practice right up to now. This then further implies that there are common elements, principles, or a physics to overcoming suffering. So let’s have a look at what this physics is. The Physics of Consciousness If you have read my previous articles, you would already be familiar with the foundational principles or laws that awaken our slumbering consciousness into what we call ‘Awareness’, which are ‘Acceptance’ and ‘Personal Responsibility’. Why Acceptance? To answer that question, let’s start with the second law ‒ Personal Responsibility. The term ‘Self- Awareness’ implies that you are focusing on your own mind as the source of your own suffering. Personal Responsibility comes from the awareness that if you are blaming the world around you for your suffering, you will never have control of your own suffering and therefore your life. Trying to make the world behave itself so you don’t suffer has proven to be a futile exercise. Of course, you need to manage yourself in the world and set appropriate boundaries when needed, but you need to do this from the perspective of caring for yourself, rather than judging others for being human, because if you do that, you must also judge yourself for being human. In reality, we are all too often trying to control the world through the lens of our own suffering. This means that we are seeing the world from the standpoint of still being a child, who is still powerless over his or her own mind and environment, because children do not yet have a strong enough grasp of their potential of Awareness. Children are genuinely a victim of their environment, due to the vulnerability of their age and lack of control over their lives. As parents, as adults, we are supposed to represent Awareness for our children, training them to be Aware by the time they are reaching adulthood. This implies that adults have the capacity or potential of Awareness. Our whole system of law is based on this premise. Needless to say, as parents, we all too often lack Awareness, particularly when it comes to knowing how to give and be Unconditional Love, resulting in confusion being handed on from generation to generation. The Power is in YOU If our suffering is caused by the confusion that has accumulated in our own minds, then we are trying to control the world from the standpoint of that confusion, of thinking that we are a victim. We just need to look at all the conflicts in the world to see the consequences of that approach. It is fair to say then that this human mind and body is like a car that we are driving on the road of life. It is futile blaming the other drivers for how you drive your own car, even if they are bad drivers. It is still up to you to manage the changing conditions that you encounter on the road. “What if someone crashes into me through no fault of my own?” you may say. Let’s use getting mugged while walking through a park, as an example. You get beat up quite bad and spend some time in the hospital. In time your body heals, but you are still afraid to walk in the park. You can keep blaming the mugger for that, but the mugger is long gone. Your suffering is no longer caused by the mugger, it is caused by what your mind is now doing with that experience. The mugger can’t solve that for you. Only you can. If you choose to remain a victim, then you are giving that mugger the power that you need to heal your own mind. Your mind is totally within your conscious, which places it completely within your control. You may not know how to heal your mind yet, because consciousness is a potential that you must learn how to use in order to transform that potential into Awareness, but it’s up to you to have faith that you have that potential and get on with learning how. Therefore, the degree that you blame other people and the world in general for your suffering, is the degree that you will remain powerless over your suffering. Accepting responsibility for your mind places you in the position of being the parent of your mind. You may be a learner parent, or an apprentice master, but you have to start somewhere. This means that you, as the awakening parent, have a child, which is your mind. Just because you were brought up in a certain way, that does not mean it ends there. Your mind, with its memories and conditioning belongs to you now. It is always there within your consciousness. It is a captive audience. Even though your mind is designed to indiscriminately hang onto its habits, good or bad, your mind can be healed and reconditioned, but you have to know how. To make a real positive difference to your mind, you need to be a better parent to your mind ‒ one who is willing to learn how to love your mind, you human-self, unconditionally. That is the basis of Acceptance as a law of physics that enables you to empower your self-awareness. Accepting yourself as you are is an act of responsible self-love. You are opening the door to engaging in a loving and compassionate relationship with your wounded and confused human mind. Acceptance is the basis or any relationship. Your mind became wounded and confused because you did not receive/experience a sufficient amount of unconditional love while you were growing up. Now you are learning to be the source of that love to yourself. You are the Love that You are Searching For When you accept yourself as you are, you have set a commitment to not judge yourself when you get triggered and act irrationally. In addition, as a good parent, you are also committed to taking full responsibility for your irrational reactions. You are learning not to judge them, but instead stay present with them in order to get to know them and understand them. This is indeed opening up the Pandora’s Box of your mind, but unconditional acceptance makes this possible. We avoid ourselves and project onto others because we struggle to face our own lack of self-worth and self-judging. Now you are accepting that you couldn’t avoid being human and you are seeing your mistakes now as an opportunity to learn about your mind and how it became confused. So now you are doing something that very few people do. You are regarding your emotional reactions as your ‘inner-child’ calling out to you for help. “I am scared and stuck in my confusion and hurting and I need help,” is what your inner-child is saying underneath the acting out. Now you are learning to stay with your mind, to not run from the vulnerable feelings, but instead seeing the fearful emotions as doorways into your wounded and confused mind and your human story. Isn’t that what you wanted from your parents ‒ for them to compassionately be with you, hear you, feel you in order to understand you so they could appropriately guide you. You may not be able to stop the reaction in the moment, but you can go back to it at any time, face it, feel it and learn something from it. With this ongoing, life-long commitment to yourself, you will become increasingly conscious of the confused and habitual thought-structures that are driving your painful emotional reactions, that are being triggered, but not caused, by the world around you. You will also experience how powerful and overwhelming your painful emotional reactions can be. You will experience how your own fight-or-flight primal self, who is just still trying to protect you like you are still that child, will try to shut you out, like it does to the world around you. However, your unending commitment to yourself will mean that you will pick yourself up, dust yourself off and learn some more from that experience and have another go with a new level of Awareness. With your unending commitment, you will see how powerful and unlimited your Awareness is, as your consciousness is able to venture deeper and deeper into the labyrinth of your mind and guide your inner-child into a new world of kindness and caring that you are creating for yourself. You will observe how your new, more conscious responses to the circumstances around you changes the way the world responds back to you, and in the process you will discover that you can change your world by first changing yourself. You will discover that you are in charge of your own reality, that you are aligning to the physics of consciousness, regardless of the circumstances and conditions that you encounter in life. You will discover that you are in charge of your own peace, wellbeing and happiness. Life has Your Back As you gain more self-awareness, you gain more power to heal and recondition yourself. Instead of your mind being in a state of conflict, you are now conditioning your mind to match your potential and serve you as Awareness. You will be becoming increasingly at peace with yourself, at one with yourself. As your inner-peace grows, seemingly mysterious things start to occur. The more connected you feel with yourself, the more connected you feel with others and with life itself. You start to feel this and experience this connection with life in the form of synchronisities, where life seems to be coordinating itself with you ‒ you meat the right person who has the right information at the right time, for example, and this becomes more of a norm. You start to feel, experience and know that everything exists within the one consciousness, but this is no longer a mystery either. Maybe I’ll explain that one in my next article. The Formula So here is the formula. If you follow it, you will overcome your suffering. 1. Wholeheartedly commit your life to learning how to be the two essential laws of consciousness ‒ Unconditional Love (starting with acceptance) and Total Personal Responsibility (ie: for everything you think, therefore feel, therefore say, therefore act). These two principles are your master teacher. They represent the foundation of your ultimate potential. 2. Identify yourself as consciousness learning to be Aware of your human-self (Conscious-Awareness). Ego is consciousness that is unaware and serving your mind’s blind, habitual conditioning and primal instincts (fear), which is why the poor old ego gets a bad name. Ego is set free (at first it often feels like dying ‒ dark night of the soul) from your mind and transformed into Awareness by you doing your best to live the two essential laws of consciousness stated in step 1 (which makes the process less like ego dying and more of a meaningful awakening). This enables you to start observing your mind and engaging with your mind instead of just being your mind. 3. Make this new approach to your life your way of life for the rest of your life. Your mind is deep, multi-layered and complex and has a powerful instinctual, but limited, drive to survive. The mind, in its own dimension does not know your potential as an Aware Consciousness, even though the love and wisdom that is within your potential is what it has always been searching for in the world, but not finding it. Never take your mind for granted. It only knows its habits and primal instincts. It is up to you to keep guiding your mind into yourself endlessly. Awareness in unlimited. Despite the natural power of the mind, it has to give way to Awareness, but it will only do so if Awareness is there offering it a new reality ongoing. 4. Keep being open to learn. It is your responsibility to educate yourself in how to be your forever Aware parent and master. In this age of easily available information, all you need is within your grasp. Let the two essential laws of consciousness guide you to what is useful to learn. Also, regard every person you meet and every experience you encounter as a mirror reflecting yourself to yourself. Look intently into that mirror so that you can see into the depths of your mind with your loving and compassionate heart/Awareness. Follow me on LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Philip! Phillip Golding, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Phil has been on his own personal development journey since 1984. He overcame chronic depression and PTSD, which motivated him to continue to learn about emotional healing, psychology, and self-awareness. Phil’s qualifications and experience cover general psychology, existential/spiritual/transpersonal psychology and mindfulness and a post-graduate degree in psychology. With his personal and professional experience, Phil developed the powerful and effective mindfulness-based “Five Step Process,” which has been the foundation of his psychotherapy practice and mindfulness/self-awareness teaching. Phil is also an author and is in the process of completing the second edition of his book, “Five Steps to Freedom.”

Written by: Rose Salkova , Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. “I can’t find a fulfilling career. My parents are toxic. My spouse diminishes me. My children yell at me: “I hate you”. My children act out at the school. I try my best, to show proper behaviour, we go to therapy …” What if I told you that you were unable to change it because you were working on the symptoms and not on the root? Because it is not what it looks like? The four levels of consciousness ‒ early childhood, genetic, history and soul ‒ store our experiences, our joy and suffering. With time, they became outright hardcoded programs. How does this play out in a family? The four levels interact, they intertwine and form a strong energetic hold. All quietly behind the scenes. This invisible hold makes healing family trauma so hard. When a random stranger says something insulting, we shake it off quickly. But what the mother, father, ex, … said – we remember in excruciating detail for decades. 3 Examples OF How the Core and the Genetic Interact 1. “I hate my father.” Through the genes, I actually hate myself , because his genes are in every cell of my body. Can you imagine the level of self-loathing this generates? In every cell of the body! And through my genes I pass this parent hate and the self-hate to my children. They will hate themselves and they will hate me. One, without being aware of it, and two, without knowing why. Here is the candy: my kids were supported, respected and nurtured; they grew up in a safe and loving environment. “Ah, you just hate your parents for no reason, everybody does.” This, my friends, is a myth. If your kids hate you, they have a “reason” and it’s not what it looks like! In fact, as generations pass, the children become the innocent bystanders that get hurt. This is why when there is a problem with the child, we start with the parents. 2. “I hate my ex.” Again, through the genes, you hate your children. The children know. In spite of that you never say out loud, “I hate your mother; therefore, I hate you.” On the contrary, out loud you say: “I love you honey.” And you just started mixed messages. 3. “Mom, Dad, I’m gay.” “Get out. You are not my child.” They deny your truth, they deny you. At the same time, they deny themselves. Unfortunately, you may start denying yourself. Now remember that this hate or denial is happening on the invisible, core and genetic levels. You may say and think otherwise, but deep down this is what is playing out. Just for a second, think about it: How do we behave toward people that we hate? How do we behave around people that we know hate us? How do children act or react when they feel hate? Now ask yourself the same questions, knowing that the hate is only somewhere deep in your gut. You don’t know about it, you have no reason for it; yet somehow it is there. Exactly, there is no difference. How do we feel when things don’t make sense and the air is filled with invisible hate, grudge, resentment, anger, fear …? How do we behave? Do we avoid, judge, hurt others or ourselves …? We also fight for the family. In order to correct, we spend years trying to keep it together, arguing, working with the school, the councillors, therapy … working hard on the symptoms = the undesired behaviour. With little or no result. However, if I hate myself, how can I expect others not to hate me? We attract = create what we are. We are what we believe deep inside what we are – not what the ego says. So, it is not my toxic spouse, friends, boss, mother, … it is me, it starts with me. I am the root. Effect of the Society and Past Lives When we are born, we get a clean slate. We should focus on today. Past lives should stay in the past. However, sometimes the trauma was so strong that it manifests today. And it can be quite confusing because there’s no obvious reason for whatever is happening. Or it’s simply karma. In addition, take the image of family prevalent in the society today and compare it with what it was few hundred years ago. What family should be, how we should feel, think, act, … if not – you are either a victim or a villain. What a pressure! By all means family is sacred, however, if you do not have a conventional family, there is a reason for that. Honour your reason. The Soul Level – Soul Mission, Soul Contracts and Obligations In close relationships, the mirror effect is very strong – what triggers you, what gives you grief is exactly what your soul has chosen to learn. We come here to learn love, forgiveness, compassion, laughter, … People around us reflect back to us what we need to work on. Some do it automatically (like when sun goes in your eyes, you cover them), others do it by purpose. These are those that made a promise to each other prior to incarnation: “I can/will help you with that challenge.” These are family members and friends. So yes, we choose our family! We choose our family because we wanted to learn, to experience something specific. The more it hurts, the more important to face because our family will not give up on us , they will provide. So, if you hate yourself, and you need to learn self-love, your child will keep yelling back at you, “I hate you!” and they will not quit until you got it! Moreover, friends and colleagues will provide. Meaning, I will also keep attracting situations outside of the house – where people will show their hate toward me. Now put your early childhood, genetics, society pressure, past life and soul contracts together and voilà. This is why the family has such a strong hold over us. This is why family trauma is so hard to heal. All these invisible, yet powerful bonds keep us stuck. If one family member tries to change or pull away, they, unaware, pull the rest of the family right with them. There’s no escape: the more you try to get away, the more they are right beside you. The Change Then someone, in the family (me, you) starts working on themselves. You discover the beliefs, the programs that you have been carrying inside and how they affect you, your family, your work ... you change. I resolve, “I hate myself.” My child will stop yelling “I hate you” and instead say, “I love you; I appreciate you.” I sleep well, go out, exercise. I am happier every day. I look forward to the morning. I go back to my favourite hobby because I have the time and the energy. I smile again. I find a job where I am appreciated. Bonus question: “You can only change yourself; you cannot change others!” True or false? OK, this is a tricky question. The answer is both. Allow me to show you. If I have the program, the belief “I hate myself” my young children or teenagers, or my husband will keep yelling at me, “I hate you”. On the conscious level asking for my children to stop yelling to me is futile because it is not what it looks like! However, on the subtle level, there’s a side effect of energy work: The moment I address the root and shift: “I hate myself” to “I do not hate myself” – this trickles down through the DNA bond to the children, the grandchildren, to the generations that are still to come. We are changing others and the future. Plus, the healing will also trickle up, through the DNA bond to my ancestors. We are changing – healing them, the past. This work is out of time and space. This is the energetic work that breaks down generational karma; healing me, my ancestors and generations that come after me. Others change . Human brain is simple – it loves us more than anything else and has one objective – to protect us and thus make us happy. However, the part of brain or the consciousness that responds is also: either about 4 years old (draws on experiences during early childhood), or genetic – from our ancestors – so it doesn’t even belong to us, and given the human history it may be outdated, just think 7 generations back, or is based on our society or history and likely not ours, or outdated, or past life karma, or is driven by the soul, that is a very important part of us. But when we are disconnected, or even the soul, as wise and experienced as it is, can have an outdated view or not understand the life here and today. And so, we live the life of a 4-year-old, the life of our ancestors, past life, what society thinks, or obey at any cost soul contracts. Where is my life in here? The Unravelling of It All “It is not what it looks like, folks!? Sounds unbelievable? Nonsense? That’s what I thought until I tried.” Yet the process is simple. It is so simple that we find it hard to believe; and it only requires commitment, honesty and open mind . Since we are all here for a reason: to experience, to learn, to connect with each other, ... When I work with clients on their family relationship healing, we go through these steps: Step 1: Why did I choose to be born? What’s my mission? What did I come here to learn? Step 2: Why did I choose my mother, my father, my wife, my children …? Step 3: Muscle test for invisible beliefs Step 4: Ask questions to find the root of what’s bothering you Step 5: Shift the energy The first two steps require the work of an intuitive and are rather questions of interest. For some of us though finding the answers is an important part of the healing process. It was for me. You can contact me for a reading or ask an intuitive you know for help with these questions. But anybody can do step 3, 4 and 5. Here is an example of how you can work by yourself; just adapt it to your situation. Ex.: “I hate myself; I smoke and cannot quit.” I hate myself and as a consequence, I do not treat my body with respect – I smoke. Smoking is the symptom. Self-hate is the reaction, the coping strategy. What is the root? This is where it gets crafty because we are unique and our reason why we do something – the root – is unique too. Therefore, it is crucial to find your story. As a result, do not be surprised: different individuals will have the same symptoms, but a totally different root cause. For example, one person was told repeatedly by the mother how bad he/she was. Second was a violent person in a past life and at the end realized that was wrong. Third feels loved and connected to the parents and grandparents, who were smokers, but are long gone. Fourth, smokes to blend in because in their country, about two hundred years ago sticking out of the crowds was a death sentence. Wild, isn’t it? To the logical brain? Absolutely! But it makes a perfect sense in the subtle energy world. Now that we’ve demonstrated the difference between a symptom, a coping strategy and a root cause, we can proceed to the next step and you can start muscle testing yourself. Those who are not familiar with muscle testing can go to my we bsite ; I posted videos about it. Simply test one belief after another and note the results down. Muscle test yourself first: I accept myself. I love myself. I hate myself. I forgive myself. Say: “I accept myself.” If your body’s response is a “yes” – wonderful; proceed to the next question. If the response is a “no” – this is not a beneficial program to live by. If something bad happened, first step is to accept that it happened. Remember that accepting or forgiving it does not mean approving. It means stopping the resistance, so you can move forward . For any “no” result, ask yourself: “When do you remember feeling this in the past? Did it happen before that? When did it happen for the first time? What was going on in your life?” This is how you look for the root, not the symptom. Next, and this is a big one, ask yourself: “How does it serve you, f.e. not to accept yourself the way you are, to hate yourself, etc.?” Yes, whatever is going on inside you and around you serves you one way or another. The brain is very efficient and only keeps what serves you. “Sorry mom, I have a bad cold, I can’t come to the family gathering.” Does it ring a bell? And next: “What have you learned?” Maybe I learned that violence is wrong. Or that my mother only spoke with criticism because she loved me and wanted me to learn quickly through pointing my errors. But you have come to understand that compassion and positive support are a much better teacher. Last, shift the energy. Change from “I hate myself” to “I hate myself no more.” Again, everybody can do this. Close your eyes and – whichever way works for you – imagine how the idea of “I hate myself” leaves you and is replaced by “I hate myself no more.” Intention is what makes this work. Important: whenever you remove something from yourself, always, always replace it with something beneficial, something that you would like to have. Because the world of energy, the universe, does not like an empty space or a vacuum. It will either pull back the idea that you just removed or it will fill that void with something else, whatever is available. And so on and on. Continue at first with the four basic beliefs for yourself. When you are done, proceed and start testing for your mother: I accept my mother. I love my mother. I hate my mother. I forgive my mother. Then father, husband, wife and so on. You will not do it all in one day; you shouldn’t either. Each belief will ask for time to be fully integrated. How much time? Sometimes seconds, sometimes a day or a week. Only your body can tell, so listen to it. Conclusion I am not going to pretend that this technique will solve all your problems. This technique, simple and effective, will open the door to your well-being. In fact, it will give a strong kick to that door. But it is your choice to continue the journey. I hope you will. I hope you will find magic and joy in your life again. But, if you think that what happened to you should be kept a secret or to sack it up and burry it really deep down – guess what – you’re not burying it down, you are passing it on. Resolve it instead. Our behaviour as well as our invisible energies affect not only us. We create what is inside us, not what we think is inside us. The traumas that we inherit them from our parents – if not resolved, we live their lives. Then, we affect those that come after us, our most beloved. We are passing on our traumas and dramas down the line to our children and grandchildren. Then they live our lives or the lives of their grandparents, instead of their own. This is why I say take responsibility of your energy. It’s not only “Are you mad? Pull yourself together and act professionally!” The responsibility goes deeper and further. “It is not what it looks like, folks! “ Book a free consultation at familyhealingwithrose.com to find out more. Alternatively, you can join Dr. Pat Baccili and Rose Salkova as they discuss every second Wednesday of a month at 14:00 EST why taking responsibility and ownership of your energy matters. Learn how to do it, but most importantly, learn how it can change your life. Listen live or replay Family Healing with Rose: Take responsibility and ownership of your energy. Visit my website for more info! Read more from Rose! Rose Salkova, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Rose Salkova is a Life Coach focusing on Intuitive Family Healing. Family relationships are in the heart of her practice because she believes that they are at the bottom of our suffering as well as the base of our well-being. She offers insight into the spiritual aspect of family relationships and actionable steps how to resolve them. Her mission is to help people that are dispirited by their family life to put a smile back on their faces. To help them to resolve their past, bring colour back into their lives, get relief, be free, feel whole, get a peace of mind and to rise again.

Written by: Cindy Stibbard, 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. Are you on the fence about your marriage? If you're thinking about throwing the towel on your marriage, hold on just a sec. Before making any big moves, you must do a little self-interrogation. And as a divorce coach, let me tell you, these are the questions you need to ask yourself before making any decisions. As a certified divorce coach and relationship specialist, it's crucial that individuals considering ending their marriage take the time to thoroughly evaluate their feelings and the state of their relationship before making any decisions. The following are some key questions to ask yourself that can help you gain a deeper understanding of whether or not a divorce is a valid consideration. What is your vantage point? In times of stress, it cannot be easy to see things. Our emotions may become heightened, making us feel overwhelmed, anxious, depressed, and irritable. Let minor issues or disagreements escalate into more significant problems can be easy. However, taking a step back and considering the bigger picture is essential. Reflect on your relationship when things were going well, and think about how stress or external factors may affect your current perspective. For example, are your feelings towards your partner a result of their actions or something else? Remember that even in a difficult time, marriages have ups and downs, and it's essential to put things in perspective and consider if there is an underlying issue or if it's just a temporary setback. Are your emotional needs being met? Are my emotional needs being met by someone else? Unfortunately, casual emotional infidelity creeps into many relationships. Ask yourself if you're leaning on a co-worker, friend, or someone in your life for emotional connection. It doesn't have to be someone of the opposite sex; it simply boils down to whether or not there's a person in your life filling a need that should be served by your significant other. If so, then that's important to grapple with. How empowered and inspired are you in this relationship? As a coach, I also encourage my clients to ask themselves if they feel empowered in their relationship. Are you surrendering your own needs to please your spouse? Are you afraid to tell them "No" because of their reactions or yours? Are decisions difficult for you because you're scared of the fallout? Look back at the course of your relationship. Have most of the decisions been your spouse’s because you’ve been vetoed or you haven’t spoken up? Has your spouse often made decisions or plans without you, assuming you’d be okay with it? If you don’t feel empowered by your partner and you’ve explained this to them, then there is a problem in the marriage. If you haven’t, you should. These are essential questions to ask yourself. If your spouse is not empowering you, this can lead to resentment and anger over time. Do you share the same core values? As you contemplate the very essence of your being, do you ever wonder if your spouse truly understands and respects the values that make me who you are? Marriage is a journey of growth and evolution as we learn to live and love together, building a union based on shared beliefs and perspectives. But when your partner seeks to reshape and mould your core values to suit their desires, it feels as though they are trying to change the essence of who you are. Losing a piece of yourself to please someone else is profoundly troubling. As you look into the mirror, you must ask yourself, are you willing to sacrifice your true self for the sake of this relationship? If the answer is no, you must stand firm in your beliefs and remind your spouse that you need them to accept and love you for who you are and what you stand for at your core. Is there a healthy balance? Compromise is a vital component of any intimate relationship, but it must be a mutual exchange in which both partners are comfortable with the outcome. If one partner consistently yields to the other's desires while neglecting their wants and needs, this can lead to resentment and dissatisfaction. While making concessions in any relationship is essential, it's also crucial to ensure that both partners actively participate in the compromise process. When one partner continuously gives up a part of themselves without receiving any compromise in return, it can lead to anger and frustration. True compromise is only possible when both partners approach it with open hearts, clear intentions, and a willingness to listen and understand the other's perspective. Are you evolving together? As we go through life, we all change and evolve as people. Our interests, views and priorities can shift, and we strive to become better versions of ourselves. In healthy relationships, couples grow and change together. However, the relationship can become unhealthy when one or both partners hold on to negative habits or unproductive perspectives and are unwilling to change. This is the difference between "weak love" and "strong love." Weakness can be seen in the form of quick anger or feeling misunderstood. On the other hand, strong love empowers both partners to grow and change together. If one partner is carrying most of the load and the relationship pulls them down, it is no longer balanced. This is often why marriages fall apart, as the focus shifts or one partner is unwilling to continue growing. Ultimately, the key to understanding if a divorce is the right choice, is to be honest about your feelings and the state of your relationship. By evaluating these questions thoroughly, you can gain a deeper understanding of whether or not a divorce is even an option on the table. Cindy Stibbard, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Cindy Stibbard is the driven and compassionate entrepreneur and CEO behind Divorce ReDefined, her Vancouver-based separation and divorce coaching practice. Divorce can be a messy, stressful and particularly raw experience and few truly understand the process, know their options or how to most effectively cope with and manage this major life transition. After going through her own high-conflict divorce, this passionate and determined mother of two, became inspired to help others successfully navigate this difficult time in their lives.

Written by: Latissia "Coach T" Cobbs , 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. How many times have you immediately regretted an emotional outburst or wished you could take a decision back because it was emotionally charged? If you have not stopped counting yet, you are in great company! You are one of the humans. We are all emotionally childish, in some way. We can also improve it. Here are 5 indicators that you are emotionally childish: 1. You Experienced Childhood Trauma You experienced traumatic experiences in your childhood. To survive that level of trauma, you tucked that entire event back far away in your mind so that you could forget it forever. Only, you didn’t forget it. It lingers and filters thru every interaction, every relationship, and every reminder of that event. You realize that you never even attempted to address that trauma at all. You stopped growing emotionally at the point it happened, so now you are easily triggered when anything reminds you of it. If I am speaking to you, then It’s time to grow up. You are no longer in the situation that traumatized you all that time before. It is only the memory of that trauma that you are experiencing. Action: Assess your past trauma with TODAY’s mindset to start a new path to healing. You are not the same person that you were, then. You have grown so much beyond your past traumas. Trust in today's “you”, to lead you toward actions that move you forward. 2. You Think Its Someone Else’s Job to Fix Your Feelings When you were young and someone hurt your feelings, the adults made them apologize. Suddenly that dried up all your tears and you were miraculously better. As an adult, you still wait for an apology when someone hurts your feelings. You are responsible for your feelings. Others are responsible for theirs. Apologies are nice, but they are optional. Move forward, with or without the apology. Do it because moving forward, is the key objective. Action: Focus on the actions that you can control. Do the work to forgive them and more importantly, yourself so you can grow and evolve! 3. You Refuse to Eliminate Distractions Do you remember when we were in school, the adults would make us put all distractions away when it was time to learn? Do you remember how we used to fight that because it stopped us from having fun? This is exactly how you are today. You like fun. Distractions are fun. Instagram scrolling, Facebook, Twitter, Netflix, and drinking with your friends. It's fun! Nothing is wrong with doing these things. They are just the things you have always run to, instead of facing your feelings. Now you are emotionally childish because you chose fun as a response to your emotions, instead of learning how to navigate your emotions. Feel the pain. Experience fear and embarrassment. Sit in the shame and disappointment. Own it and grow thru it. Put the phone down. Turn the tv off. Eliminate the noise so you can hear God's voice. 4. You Still Think You Can Control Everything You have so much evidence that you will experience ups and downs in your life, because of experiencing ups and downs in your life. Yet, every time you experience “downs” of life, like a child…you kick and scream “why is this happening to me? What did I do to deserve this“? As if you could have done something to control it or prevent it. Life is not only about the experiences that make you feel good. They are about embracing all the experiences in life, including the ones that suck. Acknowledge that half of your experiences in your life will absolutely suck. And half of your experiences will be amazing. Stop trying to control the outcome. Let go and focus on the next move. The sooner you accept that you can’t control everything, the sooner you will start focusing more on what you can control you. You are not a child anymore. you are responsible for your growth. 5. Your Friends Are Still Emotionally Childish We covet our friendships! And for good reason! They make us feel like we belong. But when was the last time recently, that you assessed how you felt after you were with your friends? Do you feel energized? Tired? Empowered? Defensive? Thankful? Stressed? Your friends and family are the ones you are most vulnerable with. Are you ensuring that you’re expressing those emotions with emotionally balanced people? I just gave you 5 reasons why you are so emotionally childish. Keep in mind that... It could be the same for your friends and family. It’s time to limit how much of your energy you spend in areas of low return. Even if it's friends and family. There is certainly a place for all your friends! But should the friends that subtract from your energy get the same amount of your time as the ones that add to it? It’s time to grow up and shine a spotlight on your friendships. Thank you for reading! Which points resonated with you the most? For more follow me on Instagram , Li nkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Latissia! Latissia "Coach T" Cobbs, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Coach T is an Entrepreneur, a Disabled Army Veteran, and a High Performance Coach who is passionate about teaching success-driven Entrepreneurs & Corporate Leaders to perform at their HIGHEST levels in leadership, by creating the strategic mindset required to perform at their HIGHEST levels in life. She is the CEO of Fyt 2 Live Coaching Services, a Professional Coaching Agency that enables highly motivated leaders to learn radical self-acceptance: partnering with them to uncover their inner power, helping them step out of the box they've always thought they belonged in, and embracing new standards for their lives.

Written by: Patricia Baronowski-Schneider, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. As the cryptocurrency market continues to experience volatility, investors are considering the potential risks and benefits of trading digital assets. Cryptocurrency trading involves utilizing the blockchain, a secure, distributed ledger that records all transactions and understands the market volatility, the security measures in place, and the regulations governing investments. Investing in cryptocurrency can be a lucrative opportunity with the proper knowledge and strategies. The cryptocurrency market has declined since the beginning of 2018, with many businesses that had previously adopted cryptocurrency as a payment method now struggling to cope with the fall. The fall in cryptocurrency prices has significantly impacted businesses that accept it as payment, with some even having to close due to the losses incurred. Despite the current market conditions, businesses are still managing to cope successfully with the fall of the cryptocurrency. Those businesses that can take a more long-term view of the market and understand the potential of blockchain technology can look beyond the current market conditions and plan for the future. Businesses are adapting to the fall of cryptocurrency by diversifying their payment options. By offering customers multiple ways to pay, companies can continue accepting cryptocurrency payments while offering traditional payment methods. This method can allow customers to choose the payment method that best suits their needs. Another way businesses are coping with the fall of cryptocurrency is by taking advantage of cryptocurrency's decentralized nature. By utilizing the blockchain, companies can facilitate peer-to-peer transactions without relying on a centralized authority or traditional payment processors like credit cards. This option can provide businesses with a more cost-effective way of processing payments. Finally, businesses utilize cryptocurrency's innovative contract capabilities to automate their operations. These smart contracts can automate a business's operations, such as customer onboarding, order fulfillment, and accounting. By automating specific processes, companies can reduce overhead costs and increase efficiency. Businesses that have adopted cryptocurrency as a payment option are finding ways to cope with the current market conditions. By diversifying their payment options, taking advantage of the blockchain, and utilizing innovative contracts, businesses can continue to accept cryptocurrencies while minimizing losses. In the long run, companies adapting to the changing market conditions can benefit from the potential of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. Now ‒ what are the pros and cons of crypto trading? Cryptocurrency trading has become increasingly popular over the last few years as investors have become interested in the potential of digital assets. However, trading in cryptocurrency can be a risky venture, and there are some specific pros and cons that should be taken into consideration before entering the market. One of the significant pros of trading in cryptocurrency is that investors can benefit from the market's high volatility. This can mean that traders can make considerable, quick profits if they can accurately predict the market's direction. However, this also means traders can suffer significant losses if the market turns against them. Another pro of trading in cryptocurrency is that investors can take advantage of the increasing use of blockchain technology. By trading in digital assets, investors can benefit from the potential of blockchain technology and its many advantages, such as increased security and trust. On the other hand, one of the major cons of trading in cryptocurrency is that it is highly speculative. The prices of digital assets can be volatile, and investors can suffer significant losses if they make the wrong investments. Additionally, the lack of regulation in the cryptocurrency market means that investors may be exposed to scams and fraudulent activities. Overall, trading in cryptocurrency can be lucrative, but it also carries risks. Investors should make sure to carefully research the market and be aware of the potential risks involved before entering the market. How is crypto secure? Cryptocurrency is often touted as a secure and anonymous form of payment, but it's essential to understand how it works and what security measures are in place. Cryptocurrency leverages blockchain technology, a secure, distributed ledger that records all transactions. Each transaction is cryptographically secured and encrypted with a unique private key. The cryptographic security measures of cryptocurrency ensure that no one can double spend or counterfeit the currency. This prevents fraudulent activity and ensures that all funds are correctly accounted for. Additionally, the decentralized nature of the blockchain means that a single entity can't gain control of the network and manipulate it for its gain. In addition to these security measures, cryptocurrency exchanges also employ various security measures to protect users' funds. These include two-factor authentication, cold storage, and multi-signature wallets. These measures help ensure that users' funds remain safe and secure. A cryptocurrency is a secure form of payment that is becoming increasingly popular. By understanding the underlying security measures and utilizing the security features provided by exchanges, users can ensure that their funds are safe and secure. Whatever you choose to do, since many believe that the price fall can be a great buying opportunity (buy low/sell high), bear in mind the pros and cons. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and visit my website for more info! Read more from Patricia! Patricia Baronowski-Schneider, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Patricia Baronowski-Schneider. I’m the founder of Pristine Advisers, since 2010. I have been in the IR/PR industry for over 35 years. I am a 3 x’s international best-selling published author and have also been featured in various books about IR/PR and Business. I’m a member of the Farmingdale Chamber of Commerce, have been featured in and on the cover of multiple magazines and newspapers and won many awards for my work. I help companies around the world to be in front of the audiences that matter most to their business. Check out my YouTube Channel – Been There/Done That where I offer free advice on trending topics. You can also check out my Podcast “Successful Minds with Patty B”.