Written by: Jane Morales, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. In today’s day and age, when immense importance is given to mental health and well-being, we have witnessed people getting more self-aware and conscious about their surroundings while indulging in positive thoughts. Hence, it is only natural for people to question the purpose of their existence, their goals, their ability to achieve those goals, so on and so forth. However, when people are mentally strong, they are able to reframe their negative thoughts into affirmations and focus on optimism. Mental strength helps you tune out unhealthy criticism and stay true to your values by focusing on your inner potential. Mental strength advocate, Jane Morales is a writer, public speaker and leadership & development coach. “I work with individuals seeking to make a serious change in life and fulfill goals, whether it’s career-oriented, personal, or physical. I specialize in goal setting, developing assertiveness, mental strength, improving relations and personal or professional goal achievement,” Jane Morales revealed. Jane is the founder of her assertiveness, empowerment, and mental strength coaching method. Through her work, she teaches techniques to develop mental strength, assertiveness in decision-making, harmony, and happiness. Most of her work is based on simple principles of understanding the energy of thought, organizing goals and creating a plan of action. Moreover, it is about connecting with your true intelligence, taking control of life, developing self-esteem, finding meaning in life, as well as healthy living and relationships while making positive decisions for yourself. Since people have different needs and unique personalities, Jane offers a variety of programs tailored to strengthen and develop the necessary skills for each individual, allowing them to grow not only as a person but also as a professional. Jane Morales shares a few tips on how to strengthen your mental health. Work on your inner strengths It is human nature to doubt yourself and pay too much attention to the outside noise, such as opinions from others or seeking affirmations from external forces. However, it is important for people to work on their inner strengths to either achieve their goals or live with happiness and peace. You will never find these things outside, as it all lies within you. Hence, mental strength, according to Jane, is the actual key to achieving your goals. Mental strength plays a huge part in achieving goals We all have the power to connect with our higher self, respect our instincts, and develop the ability to listen to what the universe wants to provide and follow its guidance to where we need to go to turn our dreams into reality. She asserts that she can take the person to the shore, but in order to do that, they have to swim themselves, and this is where mental strength plays a huge part. “People need to do the work themselves. I provide them with the right technique in the process of succeeding towards their own goals. Yet, if they don’t do the work, don’t complete their ‘homework’ or simply don’t trust the process, they will never make their dreams a reality,” she informed. Take out time to gather your thoughts Touching the tip of the iceberg, Jane Morales shared that people should take out time to gather their thoughts. Jot down the things that you would change or want to accomplish. Make a list of what you don’t like about yourself and see how you can change those things. Also, prepare a list of what you love about yourself and expand on those things. Be grateful for the good stuff. These small steps are just a means to kickstart the process of your mental strength. In fact, through her techniques and distinctive methods, Jane assists people in actually implementing these in their lives. As far as mental well-being is concerned, it is about the changes you can make in order to work towards a specific target or goal. Sometimes, all one needs is a nudge in the right direction to improve their mental well-being and get back on track. This is where Jane Morales saves the day and helps people improve their mental strength, and boost confidence and faith in themselves, which can lead to a better and prosperous life ahead. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Jane Morales is a human development, leadership, potential, and assertiveness coach and meditation master. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Bentley University, Boston, and a Master of Science in Communications from Boston University. She is also trained in The Power of Intention, Positive Affirmations, and Living your own Success. There is more to Jane than meets the eye. She has completed a higher degree in Psychosynthesis – psychology that expands the boundaries of human potential while exploring values and purpose in life. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Jane! Jane Morales, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jane Morales is a Human Development, Leadership, and Assertiveness Coach, Meditation Master, Writer, and Public Speaker. She holds a BS in Marketing from Bentley University in Boston and a Master of Science in Communications from Boston University. In addition to her higher education, she is trained in The Power of Intention, Positive Affirmations, and Living your own Success. She completed a higher degree in Psychosynthesis Psychology which expands the boundaries of human potential exploring values and purpose in life.

Written by: Jen Barnes, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. In my work with women, I have noticed an interesting but not surprising phenomenon, even among independent-minded women. In fact, this is so pervasive and hidden, I didn’t even see it in myself until I really started to pay attention to what was beneath a common problem so many of us women face. I call this phenomenon The Other-Led Woman. You may be an Other-Led Woman if: Your work spills over into the rest of your life (checking email at home, working late, working through lunch) You often people-please You rarely speak up about your needs, wants, and/or things that are bothering you You are unclear about your core values and your priorities You feel like you will never get it all done You live life from your “to-do" list which was made by others, societal norms, just trying to keep up with it all Sound familiar? The thing is, you likely come by this honestly.If you are over 30, there has been so much covert messaging from Disney movies to the beauty industry to the dreams we were truly allowed to have to how adults talked to us as young girls versus how they talked to the boys ‒ it is a long list. These messages have been inherent in all we have done in our lives and have been endorsed publicly, in our school settings, in our homes growing up, and now in our workplaces. Not taking in these messages would be like a fish not feeling the water touch it. And the problem is, when we live being Other-led, we end up overworked and with lives that look like this: You are so tired from work that when you get home, you know what you need to do to feel better like exercise, eat well, and sleep well but you can’t get yourself to do it consistently when all you want to do is feel better. You have so many people to help at work, that at least three days per week when you get home you have no more compassion or energy left to connect with your family or friends. You have so much on your plate at work that you rarely have time or energy to put away the clean dishes in your dishwasher, clean your bathroom, or fold your laundry such that you end up feeling bad that your house is such a mess and wasting time digging through your laundry basket for clean clothes to wear while the dirty dishes stack up in the sink. You feel so undervalued and overworked in your job that you feel angry at or about work at least three days per week, are snapping at people daily, and may even be having angry outbursts when all you want is to help the people you serve at a manageable pace and be well compensated for what you do. Work is so busy that you're not having fun or doing things you enjoy more than one to two times per month when all you want is to enjoy your life. Essentially, you are living out of alignment with who you are, with your core values, and not meeting your needs let alone creating space for what you want. You start to lose yourself. So now what? The good news is, we can shift out of this. We can be Self-Led. The Self-LedWoman: Has time and energy for life outside of work – family, friends, fun, favorite activities Is resilient and able to handle the stress of work and life Advocates for herself Clear on who she is and what she wants Lives in alignment with her core values Notices when she is out of alignment with her values, leans in, and gets curious about what's going on. She seeks to grow If you are interested in working towards this shift, I have an exciting announcement. I will be shifting my podcast from only focusing on recovering from chronic stress and building resilience to this deeper work of women being Self-Led. We will still explore wellness topics and ways to recover from chronic stress and build resilience, but with an eye on the bigger picture of Self- leadership for women. When we women are Self-led we uplift our communities, our nations, and the world. Join the movement and tune in here: https://www.pathwaysuniversitymn.com/podcasts/the-self-led-woman-podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/7lOta0zk9MvO4nCmnARvtu https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJTv1nROlRd2Li7vugYN_GA Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Jen! Jen Barnes, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jen Barnes is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in private practice in Minneapolis, MN. She specializes in complex trauma, PTSD, stress, and grief. The daughter and sister of nurses, she has a passion for empowering nurses to build resilience. She has worked with nurses 1:1 hoping to expand her reaching to a broader audience. In 2021 she completed the Dare to Lead certificate program in order to more effectively address organizational challenges in healthcare. Most recently, she spoke at the American Association of Critical Care Nurses’s 2022 NTI conference on Building Resilience in Nursing.

Written by: Zach Bailey, 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. Changing your environment is single-handedly one of the most potent initiatives you can take to level up the results in your life. Specifically, changing your environment to reflect the version of yourself you want to become and the life you want to create. People ask me all the time, what to do about those lazy friends, those negative family members, naysayers, and people that are simply not thinking on the same playing field. It’s simple, reduce or eliminate exposure to those types of people, and introduce or increase exposure to people who reflect who you want to become, and what you want to create. You aren’t handcuffed to hanging out with your same old friends at the same old frequency. I’m not suggesting you cut them off, although if they are a negative influence in your life I would consider that. I’m suggesting you just start to set some boundaries with the people whose energy and thoughts bring you down or keep you stuck. You may face some awkward backlash or digs when you start saying “no” more often, but if you evaluate the alternative, you’ll find it’s well worth it to set the boundary. Start to get in rooms with higher-level people. Join Clubs. Attend Seminars. Reach out on social media. Hop on a zoom call. Introduce yourself. Ask questions. Join communities. Join a mastermind. Hire a mentor. Start reconfiguring your network to reflect who you want to become, and what you want to create. You’ve heard it a thousand times “you are the product of your environment” or “you’re the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with”. The punchline is, who you surround yourself with is who you become, and who you become determines what you create. I suggest you immediately start to reconfigure your network and inner circle in ways that will serve you the most. This is a bridge that is imperative to cross if you want to reach your full potential. In the meantime, “who you surround yourself with” isn’t exclusive to living, breathing human beings. The people you consistently and directly expose yourself to carry the most power, but they aren’t the only factors of your environment. Just like you’re going to reduce or eliminate exposure to negative people in your life and introduce or increase exposure to higher-level people... Start to do the same with your INPUTS. An input is anything that enters your brain. Again, people are a form of input, but what are your other dominating inputs currently? Do you currently watch the news? Consume endless amounts of BS on social? Do you watch expensive porn or Netflix? These things can drain your energy just like negative people do. Start to reduce or eliminate those inputs, and start to introduce or increase positive inputs from higher-level people. Start to BRAINWASH yourself with books, audiobooks, podcasts & YouTube videos of people who you want to become more like and people who have created similar things to what you want to create. The world’s most successful people, dead and alive, have compressed decades of vital wisdom, mindset, strategies, and insights into hours of digestible content for us to consume. Brainwash yourself with these positive inputs daily. Over time this will begin to level up your thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and identity. You will start to think and act in alignment with the people you’re listening to. Leveling up your network in addition to your inputs is like a legal performance-enhancing drug for success in your life. Take advantage of it. Author's Note: There are thousands of positive inputs you could choose. I encourage you to find the people and inputs that resonate with you the most. To get started, here are a few people that I look up to and consume content from regularly. Ed Mylett: https://www.youtube.com/@EdMylettShow Tony Robbins: https://www.youtube.com/@TonyRobbinsLive Andy Frisella: https://www.youtube.com/@AndyFrisella Tom Bilyeu: https://www.youtube.com/c/TomBilyeu/videos Evan Carmichael: https://www.youtube.com/@Evancarmichael Bob Proctor: https://www.youtube.com/@BobProctorTV VYBO: https://www.youtube.com/@vybo I also have a public playlist on my YouTube channel that houses videos I’ve watched over the years that I have found particularly valuable and inspirational. My Personal Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@zachbailey Mentor Teachings Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqtK_6dbbp-UiBTaLeicZmSg2rVGyiSXI Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or visit my website for more info! Read more from Zach! Zach Bailey, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Zach is an established Fitness & Mindset Mentor focused on helping the world's most ambitious entrepreneurs develop into what they define to be the max-potential versions of themselves mentally & physically (Their “EliteSelf”). Zach helps his entrepreneurs get in a movie star shape, become disciplined with their routines, create sustainable health, revitalize their energy, and 10X their confidence so they can take their business, life, and impact to new heights. Zach is the Founder and CEO of EliteSelf Coaching, whose mission is to help solve every single world problem within this century by helping 1 Billion entrepreneurs develop into their EliteSelves. This mission will effectively create an army of the world's most ambitious, impact-oriented people who are becoming their max-potential selves, creating their dream lives, and impacting the world to the extent they know they’re truly capable of.

Written by: Marguerite Thibodeaux, 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’ve been to every continent, traveled all over the world on extended vacations, all while leading teams. The anticipation of a trip is almost like a trip in itself. We spend days, weeks, months, and sometimes even years planning our dream getaway. But then we have to actually take the time off work! One thing we all want to avoid: working on vacation. It's no fun sitting in front of your laptop reading emails while you're at the beach supposedly enjoying a relaxing moment. Here’s how I prepare my team, so I can take real vacations that allow us to actually explore where we are, recharge and come back ready for the next challenge at work. Plan Ahead With Your Team This is one of the most important steps. Let your team and collaborators know that you'll be out of the office at least three weeks in advance. Also, check with your team if there’s anyone who would be taking the same time off as you. This would help you in properly designating tasks. If there are projects that require collaboration between members of the team or different departments, three weeks gives both you and them plenty of time to set expectations, ask questions or request any additional support they'll need to succeed while you’re out. Provide a Clear Backlog of Work Giving your teammates a backlog, or clear instructions and their own “to-do list”, will help them know exactly what they should be working on while you’re away. A backlog can be as simple as a document or visual board that lists all of the projects your team needs to complete while you're away, including any specific deadlines or criteria they need to meet. Then, make sure everyone has access to it so that each of your teammates knows what needs to happen. A low tech kanban board can make expectations clear and simple. The simplest and most effective backlogs include: Acceptance criteria, or what needs to be true for the project to be considered done Deadlines Owners Approvers Have an Accountability/Approval Process in Place In order to make sure you have everything covered, it’s important to have an accountability/approval process in place. First, make sure you have backup approvers who know what and whom they're responsible for. Make sure your team knows who they are and that they trust your backups. Also, tell one, and only one person, how to get a hold of you if there’s an emergency. Often, this is your manager. A peer that you regularly work closely with could also serve as a good gatekeeper for emergency contact. Let your team know who this person is. If there is an issue that requires immediate attention, your team knows whom to reach and where to get help to resolve the situation quickly and efficiently. No one is perfect. Even I check my email or Slack messages a couple of times at the beginning of each vacation. Thankfully, preparing for each vacation like this means that each email or Slack message immediately gets a “We’ve got this. Go enjoy your vacation!” response from my team. After a day or two of detox, I’m able to really let go and enjoy my vacation. By the way, in all the years I’ve had one designated person with my personal phone number, I’ve never gotten a single call on any continent. Every leader deserves support. Follow her on LinkedIn for leadership tips and discussions. Check out her website for free leadership resources like a Professional Development Roadmapping Worksheet and Attrition Risk Management Matrix. Want one-on-one help adapting these strategies to your team? Book a complimentary call with Marguerite. Every leader deserves support. Follow me on LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Marguerite! Marguerite Thibodeaux, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Marguerite Thibodeaux, a leadership coach and talent management consultant, helps leaders and organizations bring the best out of people with courage, compassion, and clarity. After building development programs and leading a talent transformation at a Fortune 100, she became increasingly aware that not all leaders had access to a Fortune 100 Learning & Development team. To do something about that, she started Magnanimous Leadership, a leadership coaching and consulting firm that's on a mission to make resources and support available to every leader.

Written by: Maureen Chiana, 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. This year's Anti-Bullying Week theme is ‘Reach Out’. This is to encourage children to speak out about bullying to a trusted adult or a peer because challenging bullying is a great way to change it. It is equally essential for organisations to nurture a ‘Speak Up’ culture now more than ever before. Recent studies show that over 75% of employees have been affected by workplace bullying, and it receives little attention or effective action, which can negatively impact an organisation’s culture. What is bullying? Bullying is the persistent exposure to negative and aggressive behaviours, which could be psychological, verbal, or emotional. Bullying involves a power imbalance where a child or adult is persistently devalued and demeaned. They tend to be insidious incidences, where it’s not always evident to others, such as microaggressions, a rude comment, or being laughed at. Other instances of bullying can be work-related, such as setting unachievable goals, difficult to achieve deadlines and unmanageable workloads. Impact of Bullying Bullying can impact mental health and wellbeing, where you constantly second guess yourself and question your capabilities. The culture of the organisation or institution will determine whether people that observe or notice bullying stand up to the bullies, support the person being bullied or even join in and whether they feel confident to report it. The unwanted, deliberately or unconsciously repeated actions and practices that are directed at individuals cause mental health distress, may interfere with job performance, and can cause an unpleasant working environment. Organisations are faced with ever-changing pressures, such as adapting to and managing hybrid working, global competition, technological change and economic recession. This creates a need to increase and sustain high performance and growth by maximising its utilisation of human resources, causing many leaders to use bullying techniques to reach their goal. The personal consequences of bullying include low self-esteem and negative emotions such as anxiety, stress, fatigue, burnout and depression. Bullying, especially by leaders or managers, negatively affects organisations. For example, employees take days off work, have reduced job satisfaction, decreased performance and commitment to the organisation, and low work motivation resulting in poor retention. Luckily, science can offer insights that companies can use to become highly resilient to unwanted behaviour in the workplace. Emotional Intelligence Emotional Intelligence can successfully mitigate the adverse effects of stressful situations such as workplace bullying. Leaders with high emotional intelligence are equipped to work effectively under pressure by adapting their leadership style to different situations, lead people differently, regulate their emotions, enabling them to respond intentionally to challenges rather than being reactive. Workplace bullying affects people differently and it is not just a cognitive process but also an emotional one, because the impact on performance varies according to how an individual perceives the bullying event. Peoples’ emotional intelligence influences how they deal with stressful situations and the impact of the bullying incident may vary according to the level of emotional intelligence that an individual possesses. for example, people with high emotional intelligence cope better with workplace bullying and harassment, while those with low emotional intelligence are impacted more negatively, especially their mental health. Emotional Intelligence is the ability to identify, assess and manage one’s own emotions and the emotions of others. It is about recognising how your own behavioural pattern is affected by different emotions, and recognising the emotional states of others. Emotional Intelligent leaders and individuals can process information efficiently to make informed decisions and manage themselves because they have learnt how to communicate effectively and manage interpersonal relationships as well as decision-making and behaviour adaptations. Bullying is deeply rooted in a lack of emotional intelligence skills. These skills can and should be taught to leaders and even children at school. Emotional Intelligence enables leaders and individuals to understand the causes of emotions and their consequences on thoughts and behaviours. It helps people express emotions in socially appropriate ways and regulate emotions effectively. Emotionally intelligent people have an insight that helps them to form stable, supportive relationships and enjoy greater wellbeing and academic or job performance. Emotional Intelligence helps to shield people from depression, anxiety, and aggression. In addition, it equips them to overcome bullying by managing their emotions, and building the confidence to reach out for help. Emotional Intelligence empowers leaders to increase their self-esteem, which ultimately helps build resilience against life challenges. Understanding yourself and taking time to work on yourself is crucial. Developing leaders with emotional intelligence has to be a whole organisational approach to ensure a culture transformation occurs. Learn More About Our Training on - Leading With Emotional Intelligence. Follow me on LinkedIn, Instagram, and visit my website and Academy for more info! Read more from Maureen! Maureen Chiana, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Maureen is the CEO and founder of The Mindsight Academy and host of Lead To Excel Podcast. She is a NeuroCoach, delivering Performance Enhancement Treatment [PET] by rewiring the brains of leaders to perform at their optimum. She is a High Performance Coach, Corporate Consultant, Neuro-Leadership and Emotional Intelligence Specialist, an Award Winning Speaker, that leverages on Neuroscience insights of how the brain works, to empower leaders, executives, female founders and business owners to perform optimally and transform how they lead, work and live. Maureen is passionate about helping people mitigate the biases that negatively affects them and their decisions, and her framework focuses on the Human Central Processing Unit – THE BRAIN, which helps leaders make better decisions ‒ especially under pressure ‒ thereby improving their overall or targeted performance.

Written by: Mike Greene, 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. Often we get so busy building a business and that we forget to live. Having mentored and advised hundreds of people from celebrities, to SME’s and huge global and/or fortune 500 businesses, many if not most of the people I have worked with at senior levels find themselves in the trap of missing out on life because they are busy at work or building a business in order to ‘have a better life,’ but they are so busy doing it that they don’t really have a life at all… …sure, it looks great from the outside, but it's often more like they are a blind passenger on their life’s journey rather than the driver of it. …I see people at functions on phones, and on holiday desperate for a telephone or wifi connection. In fact, I told myself the same lies and lived the same manic life for many years until one of my great mentors ‘opened my eyes’ to a different perspective When starting out or building a business (or career) we tend to see our business or career as somehow separate from home or personal life, but the irony is that it’s in ‘living’ that many of our best ‘teachings/lessons’ on how to build a great business exist!. And, when I started MAKING the time to actually be with my family and community, and experience life fully ‘in the moment’ that I realised that I found many metaphors and answers for my business/career problems and saw quicker, simpler clearer solutions to my problems My mentors told me to spend time in simple pleasure with my kids and to do things that were so far from my business that I saw it with greater perspective and enough distance to see it more logically and dispassionately… …in doing that I will share 2 short lessons I learned about fear: My first lesson was whilst in training for a 6000mile boat race across the Atlantic Ocean from London to Rio… I had never sailed before and my mentor thought that the best way to overcome a fear of deep water was to face it head on in my second week of training we were out overnight in a force 9 gale/storm. Our rudder got caught in a lobster pot and we lost all ability to steer the boat, many members of our novice crew (myself included) were learning whilst suffering severe sea sickness. With no ability to steer or control the boat our skipper called in the RNLI to rescue us as we were unable to control the boat back into shore (we made local headlines of ‘Stricken yacht rescued off Weymouth coast’… …during the storm, with huge waves crashing and smashing around us, with spray minimising our visibility and a boat that, whilst still very buoyant and safe, was unable to steer, I remember being terrified The second, whilst less dramatic was in learning to ride a horse with my daughters, not just dropping them off and then running around to make more calls and do more business, but learning to ride with them… I could share their fear when climbing on top of a huge animal and trying to connect with it in order to master riding. One of the lessons our teacher taught us was that horses are incredibly sensitive and they can literally ‘sense’ your fears so if you suddenly panic they sense it and are far more likely to rear up or panic and bolt, so our teacher told us “if you are scared ‘calm down’, if you are scared just breathe because you don’t want to spook the horse” …as I thought about this I connected with the way that teams of people in business would look to the leader for calm confidence and signs that all was good, Equally I have seen that people can ‘sense’ when things are not right and/or when the leadership are ‘scared’ and even without knowing the reason behind the fear, they panic and before long the whole business is in panic mode, from which its hard to find positive motivation for growth & success How many cliché’s (meaning) have you heard like: Wake up and smell the coffee We are always getting ready to live but never living. Ralph Waldo Emerson Just go with the flow Take the time to smell the roses Acres of diamonds book …But Clichés as frustrating as they are have become cliché’s because they have been ‘said a million times before’ and the reason they have been said a million times before is because they communicate and frustrating, dull or overused as they may be they mostly summarise or encapsulate an ‘obvious truth’ or universal law lesson… So maybe you should ponder on clichés rather than just discard them as ‘frustrating’… in fact I would strongly recommend that a 30min meditation once a day on a cliché will make you a wiser, calmer and more enlightened entrepreneur or leader Russel Conwell’s book ‘Acres of Diamonds’ – a really short book/story but with a very big and powerful message – in my view a must read (and it doesn’t hurt to read it several times): The central idea of the book being that all the wealth (whether physical, experiential or metaphorical is present already in one’s own life or community (you just need to look for and ‘see’ it This theme is developed by an introductory anecdote, credited by Conwell to an Arab guide, about a man who wanted to find diamonds so badly that he sold his property and went off in a futile search for them. The new owner of his home discovered that a rich diamond mine was located right there on the property. Conwell elaborates on the theme through examples of success, genius, service, or other virtues involving ordinary Americans contemporary to his audience: "dig in your own backyard!". And a quote to finish on: “Those who are wise won't be busy, and those who are too busy can't be wise.” ― Lin Yutang Mike Greene, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Mike is a passionate Leader, Experienced Chairman, CEO & Director. He has been a consultant for over 100 global brands and FTSE Co’s. He has Invested in over 30 start-up & growth businesses and mentored thousands of businesses/Individuals. He Bought, built, and sold a consulting business in UK, USA, Australia, NZ and Europe. He starred in Channel 4's Secret Millionaire (season 9 episode 6), Author 'Failure breeds Success'. He is Chair of Peterborough & Stamford Chamber of Commerce. An Endurance adventurer who’s climbed many mountains, sailed in Clipper 2013/14 round the world yacht race and run 4 marathons to name a few in 2013, he was awarded Anglia Ruskin Uni – Honorary Doctorate – Dr of Education.

Written by: Morgan Williams, 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 a former educator, I have not said much about the field of education since I resigned in August of 2021. Admittedly, I may have been keeping myself small, so that no one would question my decision. I worked through so much fear, leaving the stability of my teaching salary as a single parent. I had a lot to sort out about who I was now, as I no longer held the identity of “teacher.” If I’m honest, I have so many friends who are still educators and are seriously struggling, that I think I held some guilt for leaving, knowing that they were still deep in the trenches. Over the last several weeks, so many of my people, who are still teachers, have reached out to me. They are at their breaking point. They are struggling. They are in crisis. They are experiencing both physical and mental health issues, along with physical and verbal abuse from students and parents, and having their integrity questioned by the administration. They are leaving the profession in droves, and not just in the world news; right here, where our kids are being educated. It’s a local issue, pretty much everywhere. I was brought to tears today, listening to a friend who shared an experience that she had at work. Tears of activation, tears of memories, and tears of deep-seated compassion. Mostly, I felt tears because I know how passionate she is about the work that she does and the children that she serves. It breaks my heart to think that she is so deeply unhappy and had a full-on panic attack on the job for the first time in 40 years of her life, that now she is looking into leaving the field altogether. Based on what I experienced as an educator and am hearing from those currently still in the field, here are just a few of the reasons they have the desire to and are making the decision to leave. being stabbed with pencils, kicked, hit, and sworn at by students having their integrity questioned by the administration and parents being harassed by parents, including, but not limited to, sexual harassment losing their planning and preparation time due to a sub shortage (which certainly impacts the quality of instruction for our children, but also impacts the teacher’s need for a break to recenter and recharge to be most effective in the classroom) dealing with countless disruptive behaviors that are not being addressed and disrupting the entire learning process/environment having more and more put on their plates than anyone can manage constant curricular changes and additions without enough time or training to implement them well taking on vicarious trauma from their students and colleagues and bringing it home to their families, and suffering from health problems as a result If you are a parent, these human beings NEED your support. They love your children and have their own families that get the worst of what’s left of them when they get home. If you need ideas on how to support them, I’m happy to help. It goes beyond gift cards, cookies, and thank-you notes. If you are an administrator, your teachers NEED your support, REAL support. If you’re not sure what that looks like, ask them or chat with me. I can tell you from personal experience what would be supportive. If you are an educator right now (in any way, shape, or form), I encourage you to take serious care of yourself. If you are not sure where to start or what this looks like, I can help you. I am talking about deep self-care practices. I see you. I witness what you are going through. I know how hard this is, and I know where your hearts are. I am sorry that you are suffering. I send you more than love and light; let me know how I can support you during this time. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Morgan! Morgan Williams, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Morgan Williams wear many hats and titles; however, it is the work with her own personal healing journey, which led her to the path of coaching and energy work. Morgan was a professional educator for 16 years, while running a small business for the last five. She is a single mom, to the BEST kid around, and she found herself totally burnt out. Something had to change, and it started with coming back to herself. She found yoga and coaching during this time. She remembers vividly, sitting there, paralyzed with a broken heart, and realizing that if her relationship with herself was better, no one person, could hurt her that deeply. It was her wake-up call and self-love, and true self-care was the first step and a total game-changer in her journey.

Written by: Marc de Bruin, 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. Time and time again, I hear clients ask themselves why “things” (events; situations, etc) happened in their life. They want answers to their “why-question”. Especially when their question pertains to events they perceive as negative. Clients then also often state that they are not able to move forward in their life/with their business/career, etc. UNTIL they find that answer. A client of mine did this the other day. She claimed to have confidence issues when it came to defining and creating her future career. Her statement was along the lines of: "if only I knew why I developed this lack of confidence, I would feel motivated to actually apply for jobs and go for interviews". Now, this statement is not totally off the mark. Often, finding out “why” something unwanted has happened (or is happening) in your life can have a healing effect, and can definitely make it easier to move on. IF -and that’s a big if- you can find that “reason why”; take learning from it; see how the events were beneficial for you in some way; how they actually helped you shape yourself; THEN some research into the “why” of unwanted events can indeed be wholesome and helpful. This "positive asset" search can assist you in transforming your future positively. For instance: if you find out that your fear of having a tricky conversation with someone was based on past events where you didn't come prepared and therefore "lost" an argument, then you can learn to properly deal with that fear by properly preparing, next time a tough conversation needs to be had. In that case, the fear might still rear its ugly head, but you then transform that fear into something useful (i.e. being prepared). Many people actually don’t work this way, with often detrimental effects. This is what happens way more frequently: You start retracing your steps to find out why things are currently bothering you. Your focus on the past becomes a negative one (why am I feeling bad? Why did this happen? Why me?), so your search for answers is already tainted. You don't feel good while questioning yourself. Often, you are not able to find a satisfying answer. Many a time, there is no answer at all; just more questions. That makes you feel worse. In having a negative focus, you find more "Stuff" to feel bad about (or: because the answer doesn't show, you start to feel worse as you now become desperate to find that answer, for fear that this will haunt you forever). In not being able to find an answer at all; not being able to find just one “right” answer; in realising more nasty questions are now popping up; you become quite overwhelmed and sad. This feeds into your present (already fairly negative) state, which exacerbates the situation, and makes you feel worse, still. Your brain and body translate the negative thoughts and mental images into body sensations (e-motions; energies-in-motion), and you feel a "pit in my stomach", or a "vice around my head", the “pain in my neck”, a “heartache”, tears, shivers or similar. The end result: you run the risk of becoming even more resistant to “the future”, stating that you will "never be able to do this", as the thoughts, mental images, body sensations and feelings are so overwhelming. In short: searching for answers in the past with a negative mindset (why am I feeling so bad/why am I fearing this?) can often open up a bottomless pit of more questions without any (or any satisfying) answers, and more bad feelings. Searching for answers in the past with a positive mindset (what can I learn from the past?) can allow you to learn your lesson and move on from there. Generally, I advise people who are feeling somewhat down and out not to delve into the past at all, until they are ready to see their life events in a more optimistic or useful light. My main aim is often to leave the past out altogether. You don't need to resolve your past in order to forge your future! There is -in my humble opinion- no need at all to know "the reasons why" before we can move ahead and create our desired future. Just start by moving forward! If anything pops up, you can deal with it THEN. I realise that this may seem contrary to what many counselling modalities propose; I am convinced, though, that digging up the past is often more detrimental than beneficial! There is lots to say about this topic from a mindfulness and Cognitive Behaviour or cognitive restructuring point of view -which I will, in articles to come. The main message today is: be aware of a felt need to "resolve" issues from the past when thinking about taking steps towards a better future. If you find, like my client earlier, that the road to the future cannot be taken unless the road from the past has been cleared of rubbish, then you are holding yourself back unnecessarily. Start walking. The only time you want to deal with things from the past is when you actually encounter them while on your way to the future! Simple. The past is history; the future is a mystery; today is the gift; that is why we call it the present. Simplify your life. Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Marc! Marc de Bruin, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Marc is a Registered International Counsellor, Supervisor and Educator "with a twist". If you're looking for a run-of-the-mill mental health professional, feel free to contact one of his very capable colleagues. Marc looks at life through a different lens, with a transpersonal, even "spiritual" filter. Expect to discuss your life from a bigger perspective, while still being very practical (Marc is an ex-litigation lawyer, too, so very solution-focused); and expect to work from the inside out: YOU will change before your circumstances will. In order for things to change, you'll be the one to change some things. If that sounds like something you are up for, Marc is ready for you.

Written by: Scott Robinson , 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. Mental health is the foundation for all your relationships, thoughts and feelings. Prioritizing your mental health is extremely important for your overall well-being. Mental health awareness can significantly impact how you act, think and feel daily. Therefore, it is essential to prioritize your mental health just like your physical health. When your daily routine becomes too chaotic, you may be tempted to put your mental and emotional health on the back burner. However, mental health can significantly impact every aspect of our lives. To reconnect with the best version of yourself, you must consistently find time to boost your mental health. Mental health awareness can help you improve your well-being and help you avoid physical health issues. However, if left unacknowledged or neglected, mental health issues like anxiety and depression can worsen and disturb your daily functioning. While mental health issues may be challenging to recognize or avoid, small changes in behavioural patterns and new habits can help you prioritize your mental health. How You Can Prioritize Your Mental Health: 1. Make Time for Rest and Self-Care Making time for rest and self-care can be one of the most effective ways to balance out your mental health. Sleep deprivation has been linked to many adverse effects, such as irritability, anger and depression. Therefore, relaxing and practising self-care can help you avoid mental burnout, stress and fatigue. Self-care may look different for everyone. Finding a hobby, sport or activity that you enjoy that can help you mitigate the pressures of your daily routine can help improve decision-making and may even increase motivation. Even a few minutes of relaxation a day can be cathartic. 2. Set Realistic Goals and Expectations Setting realistic goals and expectations and fulfilling them as anticipated can be cumbersome. However, unrealistic goals and expectations can often be highly demotivating and mentally debilitating. While many may view lofty goals and expectations as ambitious, they can often be emotionally draining and add unnecessary pressure to your psyche. Instead, setting SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound) goals can help you improve your mental health without compromising on a need for achievement. SMART goals can help consciously identify, acknowledge and work towards goals and expectations in a more focused, controlled and satisfying manner. This can help you prioritize your mental health by setting yourself up for long-term, attainable success. 3. Integrate Physical Activity Into Your Daily Routine Our current global landscape is increasingly moving towards digitalization and technology. Therefore, you may find yourself in front of your phones and computer screens for a significant portion of your day. You may even try to relax by watching television or browsing the internet. However, high screen time has been linked to poor mental health and may even contribute to depression, anxiety and brain fog. Watching television and browsing the internet can often further hinder our ability to relax, especially if the content is violent or contains graphic content. Therefore, spending time away from your desk and digital screens and integrating physical activity into your daily routine can benefit your mental health. Physical activity can also help increase serotonin levels and produce endorphins that can reduce stress, improve mood and alleviate pain. Low-impact exercises like yoga can also help lower stress hormone levels in the body, reduce anxiety and encourage mindfulness. A recent study conducted by the American Psychological Association has shown that 62% of adults feel that exercise is a highly effective stress management technique. 4. Eat More Nutritious and Balanced Meals Research has indicated a significant link between the food you eat and its effects on our mental health. An unbalanced diet could lead to mood fluctuations and an inability to focus. Furthermore, nutritional deficiencies could also lead to depression, irritability and cognitive decline. Therefore, ensuring that you eat nutritious and balanced meals daily is crucial. A healthy meal typically involves a wide variety of nutrients, vitamins and minerals, and ingredients from numerous food groups. Staying hydrated, eating at regular intervals, and including protein with every meal are straightforward yet highly effective steps to improving mental health. 5. Spend Time In Nature Spending time in nature can have various benefits for mental and physical well-being. Activities such as gardening, exercising outdoors or spending time around wildlife have been shown to improve confidence, self-esteem and overall mood and potentially reduce stress, anger and loneliness. Ecotherapy has also been linked to increased mindfulness, motivation to exercise and opportunities for social inclusion and connection. Research has shown that people with the least exposure to nature in their childhood were up to 55% more likely to develop a mental illness than those with a large amount of exposure to nature. Therefore, spending more time in nature is extremely important and can be beneficial for helping you improve your emotional, psychological and physical well-being. Mental health awareness can be highly transformative for helping you avoid various mental health issues such as anxiety. Furthermore, increased awareness and prioritization of your mental health can help improve almost every aspect of your life. Therefore, the abovementioned list of tips can help you understand why and how to prioritize your mental health. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter , and Linkedin , and visit my website for more information. To receive a complimentary copy of my e-guide, ‘5 Things You Need to Start Your Yoga Practice’, subscribe here. Read more from Scott! Scott Robinson, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Scott Robinson is a Finance Professional and Yoga Teacher. He is also the founder of Yogibanker ‒ a specialised yoga & wellbeing service for the financial services industry. He helped found 'dbYoga' at Deutsche Bank, one of the world's leading financial services companies as well as leading regular mindfulness sessions under the brand of 'Mindfulness Mondays'. Over the years, Scott has helped hundreds of finance professionals become stronger, more flexible and less stressed through yoga & mindfulness. Scott's passion is to bring yoga & wellbeing to the financial services industry ‒ one that is kinder, more sustainable with wellbeing at its core. Reference: https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/young-woman-yoga-mat-relaxing-outdoors_21132360.htm

Brainz Magazine Exclusive Interview Magnus Carl Hedman is a Swedish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Beginning his career with AIK in 1990, he went on play in the English Premier League, Scottish Premier League, and Italian Serie A before retiring in 2007. Magnus now works as a football agent and advisor and is the founder of “ Hedman Sports management “. Away from sports, you can find Magnus speaking at events and coaching professionals to life and business success. You were once a professional Goalkeeper and retired in 2007, how was the transition from football to your new way of living? It was difficult for me. I struggled with a very important question and that was “who am I as a human being?” That led to uncertainty inside myself and I lost my way and needed to find meaning in my life. It took me almost ten years before I started to feel alive and grounded and create a life that I was happy with. Who is Magnus Hedman today? I am a person that loves to help others. A person who wants to live life to the fullest and enjoy each moment, I don’t just want to survive, I want to thrive. "I am a sensitive guy who would rather be out in nature exploring the natural beauty than heading to a nightclub for a night out." Why has helping people “change and evolve“ become an obsession for you? I wouldn’t call it an obsession but a great passion and my highest purpose in life. I love helping other people with my experiences and knowledge. One part of me has a “nothing is impossible” attitude and I find it so interesting to meet a person who is stuck and 45 minutes after is flying out from the room with clarity and direction. I know that change is possible for every single person, the main thing is to know where and how to start and have a strong and clear “ Why “ and follow your heart. What can we do every day to give ourselves the greatest opportunity to keep growing in our personal development? Do things for yourself! If you’re there for everyone else and don’t fill yourself first you will lose the most important person and that is you… It can be things like meditation, a walk in the forest, training, and so on. Things you know make you feel good but for some reason, at times you don’t do them, that then becomes the easiest way to lose yourself. Allow yourself to live to your fullest! If that means getting up an hour earlier every day, so be it. Be honest with yourself and if you succeed with something, don’t give all the credit to others. Allow yourself to appreciate what you do and who you are. If someone is at rock bottom right now, what is your message to them? Ask for help! There is nothing stronger than getting help from people who might have been through the same things as you or that might be professionals in the area of your struggle or need. One thing is clear; if you think and feel that you’re at rock bottom, don’t try to fight on your own to get up. The bravest thing you can do is reach out for help. I was laying on my sofa feeling sorry for myself and couldn’t see any light. One friend said to me: don’t try to solve it on your own. The only thing you have to do is get off the sofa. Get help with the rest. How do we get out of our way and stop limiting ourselves? It’s a mindset. The day I realize that I’m not the center of the world and start to accept new ideas and methods, that is the day I start evolving. It can also be the opposite, I say to myself that “I’m not good enough.” Says who? What do you need to grow? What’s stopping you? The way you filter yourself and the world is up to you. Most of the time there is a bit more to add to that reality… For more info, follow Magnus on Instagram!

Written by: Paulette Chaffee Skilled public speakers can move and influence thousands when speeches are executed with confidence. Paulette Chaffee, an educator and speech therapist, says that with the proper strategies and practice, anyone can become a more self-assured public speaker using these tips: Tip No1. Face the fear According to Forbes Magazine, the average person’s number one fear is public speaking. In fact, 76% of people have some type of fear or anxiety revolving around speaking or presenting in public. The fear of public speaking does not primarily have to do with the quality of a speech as much as it has to do with the feelings, thoughts, and actions a speaker faces when public speaking. Theories and research behind why so many people fear public speaking boil the reasoning down to four key contributing factors: physiology, thoughts, situations, and skills. Rather than just being aware of a fear existing around public speaking, it is crucial for a person to define what factors fuel that fear so they can face it and grow from it. Tip No2. Get comfortable with a talk When trying to shake any nervousness about an upcoming speech, practice is vital. The more comfortable speakers become with the words they plan to say, the less anxiety they are likely to have onstage. To get comfortable, consider recording a talk ten times and critiquing each take before filming the next try, working on any parts of the talk where critiques are made. This routine will allow a speaker to enhance their speech while becoming more familiar with the words and delivery desired. Tip No3. Practice making eye contact Public speakers want to build trust with their audience to help listeners have confidence in what the speaker is saying. Making eye contact is considered the first step to building audience members' trust. Therefore, speakers can practice their speech in front of trustworthy friends or family members to incorporate making eye contact with various people in the audience. Tip No4. Stop thinking about you Harvard Business Review released an article stating that people can overcome the fear of public speaking if they shift their focus and stop thinking about themselves. During a public speaking engagement, speakers can experience shaking, shortness of breath, and a flushed face, as another human’s watchful eyes can feel like an existential threat. Turning the focus away from oneself helps shift one’s mindset towards human generosity, reframing the mind to want to help the audience rather than feeling threatened by them. In addition, studies have revealed that increasing generosity decreases amygdala activity. The amygdala is set within the limbic system and sparks the fight-or-flight response. Tip No5. Trade filler words for pauses Reciting a talk multiple times can help eliminate filler words such as “um” or “like,” which can distract the audience from hearing the important message. Speakers should not be afraid of silence, which is often why people use filler words. Replacing filler words with pauses helps to give listeners a break between thoughts, acting like a verbal period in a sentence. About Paulette Chaffee Paulette Chaffee is a teacher, speech therapist, and attorney deeply involved in the Fullerton community. As an educator and member of various non-profit boards, her focus has always been on providing children with the highest quality education. Ms. Chaffee holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Redlands, a California Lifetime Teaching Credential, and is admitted to the California Bar.

Written by: Dr. Loren Michaels Harris, 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. Comment: “I love your outfit” Response: “What…this old thing?” Comment: “Your hair looks phenomenal” Response: “I couldn’t do a thing with it today!” Why is it that we as a people find it so terribly difficult to accept a compliment or receive something offered that speaks highly of us? For nearly 50 years of the 56 years I have been alive, I have at some point or another dealt with this very issue…low self-esteem. So much so, that up until just around five years ago I had no photos of myself (and if I did my hands were shielding my face in the pic), I brushed my teeth and shaved in the shower in order to avoid having to look at myself in the mirror. Yes…it was that bad! So how is it that I am currently able to participate in professional photo shoots, one of which I had just this morning. How is it that I am comfortable seeing my face on the covers of magazines and on giant screens when I grace stages around the world to share my story? The answer is simple; I was finally in mid-life able to process the truth that my perfection is found within my imperfections. You see, for decades I allowed my mindset to be controlled by what I today am aware was more of a dictator/commentator than that voice I now adhere to, “The Narrator of my story”. That dictator, commonly referred to as “Stinkin’ Thinkin’ was allowed to broadcast one tragedy after another for as long as I allowed him to, thereby conditioning me to see myself as less than, not good enough, ugly, inadequate, and many times…cursed and not worthy of even living. As a product of the Foster System, having endured being shuttled between 22 different foster homes over a five-year period, is it no surprise that I lost most of the confidence and self-awareness of my own worth over that period? Today I am acutely aware that much of the pain and suffering I experienced well into my fifties, was a direct result of my feeling shamed and damaged from many of the experiences within my youthful journey, none of which were of my own choosing. So back to why it is that we as a people are so dead set on not feeling comfortable accepting praise and encouragement from others. It’s fairly simple when we truly look at it… we love recognition, but we suck at accepting it! As the Harvard Business Review reported, 88% of people associate recognition with a feeling of being valued, yet 70% also associate it with embarrassment. In my personal situation, for nearly all my adult life I had carried undue shame and embarrassment over having had 22 mothers, slept over the years in more temporary bedrooms than some people experience in an entire lifetime. I had carried with me a scarlet letter of shame for having been seen time and time again by neighboring children who resided on those streets that housed the foster homes I moved between, simply because many of them had witnessed me arriving with my state issued trash bag containing everything I was allowed to call “my life”. This mindset which was being cultivated for my by outside sources was to haunt me, control me, and discourage me for decades…all without me even knowing of its’ existence within me. Then one day I was flipping through a paperback dictionary, not really looking for anything in particular, not even searching for the meaning or spelling of any certain word…just ‘mindlessly turning pages’, when my eyes landed on the word ‘IMPERFECTION’. I shall never forget how instantly my focus was directed to the space between the “M” and the “P” in that word. I saw that by simply dividing that word into two words…I saw the truth that would change the way in which I viewed myself and others, for the rest of my life. I saw that “I’m Perfection” was the truth, and not those lies and deceptions that the broadcaster of tragedy had always attempted to convince me of. I saw once and for all that there was absolutely nothing for me to be ashamed about wherein it came to my having had 22 mothers, for each of those women had played the role within my life that they had been chosen to play. I realized that it is within my imperfections that I find and embrace all that is perfectly perfect about me and within me! Imperfections provide us with our core unique qualities and gifts. Imperfections are proof that perfection is nothing more than an empty and valueless quest. Imperfections are those qualities that provide us stories that not only can change the world but allow us the ability to live on beyond our deaths within this very world. So, remember the next time you feel less than, lower than, unattractive, unloved, or un… anything, you are perfect just the way you are! Remind yourself that the next time someone pays you a compliment, to not strike it down as if it were an enemy or foe, but to embrace it and receive it as the gift of truth it is. We each are unique in our own ways, and it is because of our imperfections that we are simply put…PERFECT! Until next time, Xoxo Loren Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Dr. Loren! Dr. Loren Michaels Harris, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Dr. Loren Michaels Harris strives to motivate, inspire, and uplift every person that crosses his path. Loren is the host of the daily interview talk show, Bathrobe Moments, and is featured on the e360tv Network, where Loren is also an Executive Producer. Loren has been heard on Larry King Live and NPR Radio, seen on ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, and FOX. Loren has been featured on the covers of multiple magazines and has been featured within PEOPLE Magazine.