Written by: Canse Karatas , 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 Trusting someone with your deepest darkest can be extremely scary. No one likes putting a magnifying glass up to their thoughts, feelings and behaviours. Furthermore, when abuse comes up it is quite often that clients can not even say the word out loud. This can be for many reasons, but some could be there is so much turmoil attached, when it is said aloud it feels more real and may be painful. Guilt and shame play a significant role too. There are times it has been suppressed. In some cases, clients can question was it really that bad? Did I imagine it? Childhood abuse comes in many forms at different extremes that can be physical, emotional, sexual and also neglect. When we are children, we are naturally taking in the world around us, being conditioned from experiences and our brain developing with each day. Where there is abuse, this can disrupt those amongst other things and can then show up in adulthood from a variety of ways. This can look like self-harm, not always cutting as people mostly assume it can be anything that you know is bad for you, yet you consistently still engage to do so. Eating issues, again not always under/overeating or purging there are struggles like purposely eating spoilt foods or not feeling deserving of nutrition. Many forms of addiction can come into play to suppress emotion, take thoughts briefly away or fill a void. When emotion is suppressed, it may come out in nightmares and flashbacks. Not always directly linked to the memories but the same feelings or something that has triggered it can be our brains way of trying to process. This might be confusing as it is not always clear especially when there are blank spots in memory. Living in a state of fear with anxiety, depression as well as at times suicidal thoughts can be completely exhausting. Consistent migraines or physical pain making it hard to function. As a response the brain might shut down and dissociate at times, then potentially begin functioning from a place of hypervigilance whilst developing further survival techniques. To explain this in more detail, when we experience something so damaging our mind wants to protect us and will flood our body with hormones. This puts us in the fight/flight/freeze position preparing us to react to the perceived danger. After the event(s) when we are triggered by something usually sensory or emotion-related it can bring up the same response. Even when there is no longer danger present. If we did not grow up and develop from a place of stability and love that secure base is not giving us the foundations we need. So, we learn these cycles of negative coping versions instead and there may be emotional dysregulation. It is quite obvious then that relationships can be affected from people pleasing, repeating relationship patterns to attachment styles. Particularly the relationship and connection with yourself may be distorted but also an unhealthy view of what love is. Not surprisingly trust and intimacy issues thrown in the already mountain of things to deal with. Fear of abandonment but equally isolating too. Sometimes the link can be made of under or overachieving, especially for neglect in childhood. It is evident that there are so many complexities when abuse comes up in therapy and it is such a delicate topic. The approach is very tailored to the client’s needs but there are some generic steps in the process. Initially it is about establishing the relationship and creating a safe space. Building up coping strategies and self-care as this will facilitate being able to revisit some of the difficult parts as well as stay present when needed too. How does dragging all that pain up help I hear? Well, when we experience something like this it is important to feel the emotion and it not be trapped in our bodies. At the time it was not safe to do so and in one way or another having to survive took priority. Another element can be that we make sense of things in our own way and learn how to build ourselves back up. Regulating our body is also extremely important. Relearning behaviours and even what a relationship should look like when navigating from a healthier place. A huge challenge is dealing with the shame and guilt but at a deeper level those core beliefs. Some things that happen to us are NEVER okay, they are not deserved, nor can we just forget. There are so many more aspects that I have not covered in this article but ultimately my main message is that if you know someone effected with any of these issues be extremely gentle. It is impossible to know what someone is going through just even as little as a smile can give someone hope when they are battling demons like this. If you have experienced any of these struggles my heart goes out to you and I hope one day you find some peace from within. Hopefully, this blog has got you thinking and made you question things. If you feel you would like to explore in more depth, please get in touch for a free initial call to help put you at ease and discuss what you would like to get from therapy. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Canse! Canse Karatas, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Canse Karatas, has her own Counselling & Psychotherapy Private Practice. Has 10 years experience working for a range of services with a variety of issues like abuse, anxiety, depression, loneliness, low confidence, schizophrenia, self-harm, suicide and much more. She also worked in a Therapeutic Community which was DBT focused with ladies who have a personality disorder. Canse is Passionate about mental health awareness and actively seeks ways to help people. Her therapeutic influence is from an Integrative Approach mostly linked to Humanistic, Relational & Creative ways of working. Being mixed race she really values diversity and open-mindedness. Canse believes that we all have the resources within us to be the best version of ourselves for the future we deserve.

Written by: Brooke Kekos , 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. So you get out of an abusive relationship and eventually find yourself easing into another one. Even though your new partner couldn’t be any more different, you find yourself thinking “why do I still feel like I am constantly on edge and waiting for the next shoe to drop?” You notice that you are questioning the fabric of your relationship and you are finding yourself triggered by the smallest and most inconsequential of things. These feelings bring conflict within yourself and your new relationship increasingly suffers. You struggle to differentiate between your intuition (gut feeling) and the real red flags that may be present in your current relationship because you fear that what happened in the past is going to repeat; after all, you didn’t see the red flags back then. This creates a constant internal battle between your actual reality, and the traumatic imprints from your past. As a result, you live with constant anxiety, waiting for the next thing to happen to show you the evidence that this new partner is going to disappoint you like all the rest. Does any of that sound familiar? If so, you are not alone. This is because you have trauma from the previous relationship(s) that has caused you to be on edge. Living with unresolved wounds and bringing all the resulting behaviors to your relationships is clearly not conducive to healthy, happy intimacy. It actually causes the same repetitive things to happen because you continue to choose partners that will give you the proof of the evidence you are seeking. OR you will choose a healthy partner, but will be unable to see that because you are still seeing them through the filter of your trauma, and possibly self-sabotage a perfectly good relationship. When the trauma remains unresolved, there will likely be frequent triggers that cause an emotional response—behaviors on the part of others that unintentionally act as cues or reminders of the original trauma. For example, if you had parents who were emotionally distant or physically absent when you were a child and you felt abandoned, when your spouse comes home late from work you may feel powerless and rejected. Your spouse (or your friend, relative, partner or colleague) may have only your highest good in mind, but when you see life through your scars, you experience attacks where none are intended. Likewise, when you see yourself as unworthy, you may not effectively express and preserve your worth in relationships. The unresolved trauma is the filter through which you see the world and all your relationships. It is important to address this, or it can cause unhappiness in all your relationships. Here are some ways to begin to address and heal the trauma and change the effect it has upon your life and relationships: Understand trauma and its effects . Read books about recovering from trauma. Listen to podcasts about trauma, and how it can affect you. Trauma can be big and small. It is all in perception. Talk with a therapist/ coach that understands and can give you tools to see what behaviors in your life may be related to an early traumatic event, whether you remember the specifics of an event or not. Share your story. Write about your experiences, from the past and present, in a journal. Share with a trusted friend. Share in community so you don’t feel alone. From telling your story, you may discover the connections between what’s happening now in your life and what you carry with you from the past. Share the trigger. When you begin to notice that you are triggered, and what you are feeling may not be the truth of the present moment, say “I feel triggered (by what you said or did).” This can be a great way of stepping outside of the emotional response, naming it, and talking about what happened without any blame. Turn pain into purpose. When we can turn our pain into healing, resilience, and purpose this is where our true power lies. We begin to see life as a bigger picture event, or as a journey to a higher path. You can begin to see your story from the perspective of all the things that you gained, rather than lost. Every step of the way was a learning experience, and made you into the person you are today. Can you find the hidden gifts in your experiences? Develop emotional resilience. As Emily Dickinson wrote: “The best way out is through.” Experience your feelings, rather than pushing them away—notice them and name them. Emotions are there to show you what needs to heal within you. Feel all of the emotions, don’t be afraid to show your vulnerability. This is the true path to healing. The healing of our past is essential to a healthy, joyful life. Otherwise we live life in a limited way, that can only continue to take you back to the ghosts of your suffering. Healing creates freedom, connection, and a wholeness within yourself that will spill into all other areas of your life, including relationships. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Brooke! Brooke Kekos, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Brooke Kekos, is a Magnetic Mindset Coach, RTT Practitioner, and Clinical Hypnotherapist. A traumatic childhood raised in a controlling religious sect, and an abusive father led her to stay stuck in an abusive marriage for 17 years. Once she broke free she transformed her life and career to dedicate her life to helping others heal from their own trauma and suffering to raise their own states of higher consciousness. She is now CEO of Life Coaching Goddess, an international speaker, and soon to be an author of her own memoir.

Written by: Misty Lucas, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Have you ever said or felt like I’m not creative? I know I have in fact, I lived most of my life believing I was not creative. It wasn’t until I was in my thirties did I realize how much I held myself back by believing the story. The truth is creativity is a quality that we all have buried inside of us, one way or the other. It involves the invention of something new or the re-invention of something already existing to make it useful or interesting. Some people’s creative abilities are closer to the surface and one can easily see their manifestations of them. People say that their creativity is “inborn”. For others, expressing creativity takes more time and cultivation. The important thing to note is that we can all be creative. You just have to take steps to extract it from within you. Try the following: 1. Change your perspective You might have heard the phrase ‘Think outside the box’. You should try looking at the situation from a different point of view. Change your perspective. Consider all factors that are affected by your problem or your concern. Try to break down the problem into several elements then shuffle them. Think of what would happen if an idea is replaced. This aspect is important in enhancing creativity because it helps you remove possible fixations that may hinder creativity. Sometimes changing your physical location can change your perspective. If you’re sitting at your desk trying to create a solution maybe move to the other side of the desk or to another room. 2. Mentally move away from your current location Imagine how another person would react if subjected in the same situation. Picture how different situations would continue when dealing with the same problem. Application in different settings can also be done; and then from there, adapt a solution to the current setting. Allowing yourself to come into a state of relaxation will also help you come out of the mind and tap into the higher consciousness. Restorative yoga is a beautiful way to slow everything down, tap into your parasympathetic nervous system and your creativity. 3. Let your imagination run wild Exercise your imagination. Modification can trigger creativity because you see things in a different light. You can also try to exaggerate or think of the extremes, be it magnification or minimization of something. Thinking of the possible differences between these two situations could produce ideas. This is the ultimate brain exercise. 4. Your comfort spot The environment has to be right. You should have somewhere you can focus without being unnecessarily disturbed so you can give a problem your full attention. This should extend to the people you are with. You tend to do better at something when you are with like-minded people. To put it simply, hang out with creative people to help enhance your creative abilities. Most of the time, people tend to be more creative when they are with people who are doing the same thing. It was also found that if you wish to be more creative, you should try hanging out with creative people. 5. Time, time, time You can’t rush creativity. Hurrying does not help in the outflow of ideas. Your mind tends to go into a state of slight disarray when you are trying to force things. Studies show that results produced in this state are generally lacking. If you are low on time, then keep a list of activities like this one close to you. Go over each of the activities and exercise each one. Give it time. 6. Get help…communicate your ideas to others A different view of the problem could help. Better yet, many different views! Never be shy to ask. Diversity is very helpful in relation to creativity. Organize a brainstorming session. The spontaneous generation of new ideas helps in the formulation of more ideas. The products of brainstorming can be the raw material in the construction of the idea. Remember that in brainstorming, 4 rules are followed for it to be successful: There should be no criticisms. Criticismhinders the free flow of ideas. This can be postponed until the session has ended. Combining and/or modifying ideas are encouraged. Quantity is preferred over quality in brainstorming. Weird or strange ideas are encouraged. These are just some ideas to get your creative juices going. They can be adapted to suit each individual. A large amount of it is down to you. How inventive can you be? How open are you? Remove the boundaries from your mind and you will find your creativity will increase. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more information. Read more from Misty! Misty Lucas, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Misty Lucas is a Women's Life Coach and Restorative Yoga Educator. After a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis that left her depleted physically, emotionally, and spiritually she had to find a new path. She left her career in law and dedicated her life to supporting women navigating complicated health crises from chronic stress and autoimmune illnesses by blending her coaching skills and restorative yoga techniques. From this knowledge, she has created her signature coaching program to support her clients and work with them, releasing old patterns and holding them back from creating a life they want to live.

Written by: Terrie Nathan, 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. With November being National Gratitude Month it’s a perfect time to remind ourselves of how we can get in the habit of daily gratitude practice. We have read it over and over again in positive psychology research, from Martin Seligman to Shawn Achor: If there is a one-word answer to the secret of happiness, it is gratitude. Gratitude may just be the strongest tool when it comes to pulling ourselves and others out of a funk or rebooting a blue mood. Practicing daily gratitude gives us a deeper connection to ourselves and the world around us. Research has shown that exercising gratitude regularly can enhance our moods, strengthen social bonds, lower stress, lower anxiety, and improve overall wellness. Gratitude is a virtue that can help you get through even the toughest of times. It's not just on Thanksgiving, at Christmas, or when you pass your exams. It's a mindset—a way of being that you can practice every single day, no matter what life throws at you. At times it feels like more of a New Year’s resolution than an actual practice. Why? Because you can't just turn on and off being grateful—it's not like gratitude is something you can just flip on for the holidays and then forget about until next year. It’s part of how you show up, how you move…it’s a daily practice. There will be times when everything seems to be going wrong. You're getting a cold, your kid is sick, you didn't get the promotion you were hoping for, and you have a pile of bills that's threatening to take over your kitchen table. It can be easy to get into a rut and get in the habit of focusing on what's wrong vs what’s strong in our lives. But being thankful all year long means remembering when things are going well and being grateful for those moments. You just need to change your perspective. The world is full of good things: friends and family who love you, sunshine on your face when you go outside, the smell of freshly baked bread, or even just a cup of coffee in the morning. And those things give us strength and courage to keep going even when things aren't perfect. So how do I practice gratitude every day, even if my life isn't always easy? Here are some ideas to get started: Start with the small stuff. It's easy to be grateful when someone does something nice for you or gives you something nice, but what about the little things that happen every day? When you wake up in the morning, think about how grateful you are for having a roof over your head. When you get ready for work, think about how grateful you are that there's work available in your field and that people are willing to pay money for your services. Think about everything around you—not just material things but also experiences like eating delicious food or going on vacation, or even spending time with friends—and count your blessings! Think about what you're grateful for right now. Make a list of things you're grateful for each day. It can be something as simple as having enough food to eat or something as important as having someone who loves you unconditionally. The point is that no matter how bad things are going at any given moment in time, there are always things to be grateful for—and if we don't remind ourselves of that fact every day, then we'll forget! Keep an "I'm thankful for…" journal handy at all times so that whenever you feel like beating yourself up about something, just take out your journal and write down one thing that you can be grateful for and it will help get you back on track again! Being mindful of the things we have in common with others, and focusing on those instead of our differences. This is a powerful way to connect with someone different from you, but also strengthens your relationships with people who share your interests, backgrounds, or beliefs. Gratitude is about looking for things you already have in common with someone else and being grateful for them. You might be thinking "I'm just not a grateful person." But the truth is, we all have reasons to be thankful. It’s a daily practice that over time becomes a positive habit. Remember that everything changes. When things get tough, remember that they won't always be this way—and they won't always stay this way either! Perspective! Gratitude is an essential element to staying happy and Healthy. Give it a try! What are you grateful for right now in this moment? Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Terrie! Terrie Nathan, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Terrie Nathan is an International Best-selling Author, Coach, Speaker, and CEO/Founder of Strong Girl Enterprises. She coaches clients to improve their lives, relationships, and ability to perform in business by setting & achieving goals and building positive routines. She also coaches youth to build their confidence by teaching them strategies on positive self-talk, self-worth, and body image. Her practice is grounded in Positive Psychology, a research-based branch of psychology that studies what really causes people to thrive and flourish in their lives and work and how we can apply those findings in practical and positive ways. Terrie has now made it her life's mission to coach these transformational strategies of empowerment by partnering with clients and organizations worldwide.

Written by: Tony Martignetti, 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 do you know when “good enough” is good enough? Many people don’t know when to stop working on a project. We spend inordinate amounts of time getting things just right instead of getting them good enough and then moving on. The challenge is understanding why you are doing it in the first place. Each task or project you work on is just one short step on a much longer upward staircase. If you focus on perfectly designing every step, you will find yourself way behind where you could have been over time. The more efficiently you can keep moving forward, the further you go in a shorter period of time, and the more opportunities you take advantage of. This sets you up to be in the right place at the right time for even bigger opportunities instead of having dust collect on your shoulders as you invest time, energy, and resources in details that are unimportant in the big picture. What is more important than having everything be perfect is your ability to produce and take great strides forward in your work. It’s ok if you don’t perfectly cross every “t” and dot every “i.” What is important is that you are completing things, moving forward, and learning to get better and better at what you do as you go. So, the simple answer is that good enough is good enough when it’s good enough! Let NASA worry about scientific perfection. Let yourself be a perfectly imperfect human, get it good enough, and keep going. As the famous quote from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe says, “Whatever you think you can do or believe you can do, begin it. Action has magic, grace, and power in it.” Not perfection, but action. Keep taking action and watch how you learn, grow, and everything you need falls into place on its own. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Tony! Tony Martignetti, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Tony Martignetti is a trusted leadership advisor, experience creator, author, podcast host, and speaker. He brings together over 25 years of business and management experience, formal training, and extreme curiosity to elevate leaders and equip them with the tools to navigate through change and unlock their true potential. He loves guiding people to find clarity in their lives so they are energized, fully present, and unstoppable. When leaders unlock their potential and lead from a place of inspired purpose, they impact and inspire everyone around them. He has dedicated himself to helping people live inspired lives. Before becoming the founder and Chief Inspiration Officer of Inspired Purpose Coaching, he was a finance and strategy executive with experience working with some of the world’s leading life sciences companies. Along his journey, he also managed small businesses and ran a financial consulting company. Tony is the host of The Virtual Campfire podcast and the author of "Climbing the Right Mountain: Navigating the journey to An Inspired Life."

Written by: Susie Briscoe , 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 am often asked about mindfulness, and this made me remember Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs, which I detail below… and this is a good place to start on our journey into mindfulness. As you can see Maslow really covers everything right up to the apex of his pyramid when self-actualization is lumped into the top and is not explored further. I believe this is exactly where to start – at the very top of the pyramid and really understand more about what makes each of us tick. You have probably been told that embarking on a journey to become more mindful in your life will be very beneficial to you. But you may be wondering just what are the benefits of being more mindful? There are so many benefits to being more mindful in your life, some of which are explained below. Stress Reduction If you are like most people in this world, you live a busy life that is often full of stress. And stress has proven to be both bad for the body and the mind. When you work on becoming more mindful in your life, this will help reduce your stress. It will also help improve other mental aspects, such as focus and efficiency, which are often impeded by the effects of stress. Better Sleep Do you have trouble sleeping at night? Well, becoming more mindful can help you with that as well. Being more mindful helps reduce the number of the ailments which cause problems sleeping, such as anxiety and stress. So, once you become more mindful, you’ll sleep more deeply and wake feeling more rested. Improved Relationships It can be hard to maintain relationships in your life if you lack empathy or are prone to emotional outbursts. Improving your mindfulness can help with both of these, as in one study performed by the California State University San Marcos, it was discovered that instruction in mindfulness both increases empathy and emotional control—meaning participants were less likely to have emotional outbursts in the future. More Fulfillment Mindfulness can help you feel happier and more fulfilled. This is because part of mindfulness is learning who you are and how to accept yourself and your life as it is. It will also help you set more effective goals for yourself and handle any demanding situations that may come your way confidently. This means you will be less likely to be thrown off when something in your life doesn’t go as planned, and you will be able to move forward with your life with ease. Of course, these aren’t all the benefits of mindfulness, as the list goes on and on. But when you take steps to become more mindful, the benefits you will experience will transform your life in several ways, which will lead you to become a happier person who maintains excellent relationships with others. You're Not Guaranteed Another Minute, and That's Beautiful No one is guaranteed a certain amount of time on this planet. There are 24 hours in a day, but not one of them is promised to you. You aren't guaranteed to see the ending of a movie just because you've made it up to the climax. Truth be told, you can't be sure you'll be existing 60 seconds from now. You're probably thinking that this is a dismal and negative picture we're painting. Please don't believe that. There is incredible beauty found in this idea if you let it come to light. It's something that we often learn later in life. We suffer a devastating loss, and we look back on our past. Perhaps a friend or family member passes away. We think about all the things we wish we would've told that person. Regret often accompanies the loss of a loved one. The wise person will let that regret pass. They begin to think of all the wonderful memories created with the person that's no longer in their life. They smile and get good feelings reminiscing that way. Eventually, our own mortality comes to mind. We realize that the world can change in the blink of an eye. When this happens to you, hopefully you never forget that lesson. Embrace All the Beauty and Positivity in the Present Moment The things you've done in your past, even the past few seconds, cannot be changed. For all intents and purposes, which means it doesn't exist. You can reminisce about wonderful times in the past and that's a good thing. But you have no control over your past. The future doesn't exist. You can't guarantee the future, even a few seconds or minutes or an hour from now. Embrace that. Understand what it means. This natural fact means that you owe it to yourself to live in the present moment right now. Own it. Experience it fully with all of your senses. With the knowledge that we're guaranteed no amount of time on earth, you'll start to see beauty everywhere. You understand how your entire existence is only one present moment at a time. Think about it this way and you'll make better plans. While your future isn't guaranteed, embracing this mindset will have you making smarter plans for your future. You'll take your relationships much more seriously. Embrace the present moment without guarantees of anything in the future and you'll start calling the people that you love and telling them how much they mean to you. No matter what you do, you can't alter the fact that nothing is guaranteed in life. This may seem like a heavy conversation to have with young people, but it needs to happen. It can produce an appreciation for relationships, beauty, and positivity that otherwise might not exist. You owe it to yourself to plan for a wonderful future. You should also give yourself the gift of being totally alive and present in the now. What Does Contentment Mean? People may have told you at some point in your life that you need to have more contentment. But what does this mean exactly? Unsurprisingly, being content is something that will look different for every individual. There are a few similar attributes that content people share, though. Contentment Is Being Grateful When you have contentment, you are grateful for all the things you have in life. And this doesn't just mean physical possessions. It also means being content with the people you have in life and less tangible things like your abilities and skills. If you struggle with being grateful for the things you have, it may help if you make a list of all the things you are grateful for in life. It would be best if you did this regularly. This way, you will have a visual of all the amazing aspects of your life, and it will help keep these things at the forefront of your mind. Contentment Is Living in the Moment Living a life filled with contentment means you spend your time living in the moment rather than dwelling in the past. When you find yourself thinking too much about the past, it's time to try to let these regrets go. So, when you find yourself surrounded by friends at an event, instead of looking in your phone at social media and other things that happened in the past, you need to put your phone down and resolve to enjoy the moment, and whatever may come your way. Being Content Is Being Happy Above all else, being content in life means you are happy with things just like they are. Contentment means you don't need to worry about physical possessions because you know that you have everything you need to be successful and happy. If acquiring physical possessions is something you frequently do, the next time you find yourself wanting to buy something, ask yourself if you need it or if you want it. Chances are you probably don’t need whatever it is you are about to buy. In conclusion, contentment means many different things to people, but in general, being content means that you are grateful for what you have, that you live in the moment, and that you are overall happy with the way your life is going. The road to achieving contentment won’t always be easy, but you can guarantee you will be happy when you get there. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Susie! Susie Briscoe, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Susie Briscoe, Global Business & Executive Lifestyle Legacy Coach Mentor founded Acer Coaching Associates in 2003, and has guest appeared on various podcasts and radio stations, including Voice of America. Susie has written two no.1 International best selling books ‒ “Colour Your Legacy” & “Ascension to Legacy”, also contributing to numerous collaborative books. She works via Zoom thus travels the world several times in a day! Susie has dedicated her life to supporting charities, so it is natural that her work includes helping others to see how each of us are creating our legacy each day of our life. Her mission is to ‘’help you find the rainbows of happiness in your life” to help us understand our blessing.

Written by: Briana Ross, 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. When it comes to starting or growing your business, there are three key areas you need to be clear on, no matter what level you’re at. These areas are your brand purpose, brand vision, and brand mission. These three areas give direction and meaning to the brand you are building, and they actually create a blueprint that allows you to do all things in your business intentionally. I’ve noticed that many times we’ll define these three areas as we are starting our businesses, but we don’t revisit them often enough. Because of this, we lose direction, end up on the hamster wheel of never-ending busyness, and find ourselves ready to throw in the towel when things get rough. Before we dive into each area specifically, I want to share something with you. Your brand values help build a solid foundation for your business. When the going gets tough, it’s your values that will give you the fuel to keep going even if you want to quit. When you start building your team, it’s your values that will help mold your company culture. When determining which direction you’d like to go in, it’s your brand values that will help paint the picture of where you’d like things to go. Don’t skip defining and revisiting your brand values because they help recenter us with the meaning of our business, allowing us to be intentional and maximize impact. Now, let’s dive into what makes each area unique. 1. A Magnetic Brand Purpose Your brand purpose is, just like it sounds, the purpose of your brand. Your brand purpose is all about the why of your business. Why did you start your business? Why is this important to you? What impact do you hope it will have? What problem did you see in the market? What gap are you trying to fill? Your brand purpose helps create meaningful messaging that speaks from your core, and it allows you to connect with your audience on a personal level. I’ve also noticed that when the going gets tough, it’s my why, my brand purpose, that reminds me of every reason I can’t give up. 2. A Clear Brand Vision Brand vision amplifies your brand purpose by highlighting where you want that purpose to take you. Your brand vision is about where you want your brand to go. Whether it’s in the next five years or the next 10 years. Don’t be afraid to dream big, and really think about where you want your business to go. What type of impact do you want to have? How do you see your company servicing your audience throughout the years? Understanding where you’d like your business to be will allow you to be intentional about the outreach you do and collaborations you take on and even give direction on the types of opportunities that will best suite your brand. 3. An Impactful Brand Mission Your brand mission clarifies how you plan to achieve your brand vision. How do you want to impact your audience’s lives? How will you start embodying that right now? How can you serve them and set your brand apart from others? Answering these questions will give you immense clarity around creating a brand mission statement that allows you to communicate your messaging the right way. In simple terms, think of your brand purpose as the why, your brand vision as the what, and your brand mission as the how. Why are you in business? What do you hope to accomplish? How will you reach those accomplishments? Once you have defined these three areas be sure to revisit them at least every three to six months as your planning for business, doing outreach, securing partnerships, connect with potential clients, and build your team. Allow your brand values to give direction to what you’re doing and allow you to move forward intentionally, so you have maximum impact. Briana Ross helps business owners, like you, realign with their business after ditching the hamster wheel of hustle. She is a Business Coach specializing in Branding & Marketing, Speaker, Author, Wife, and Mom. You don't need all the techy funnels to grow your business. You also can start where you are, and see results sooner than you think. What you need are simple systems, structure, and support to see things through. Briana Ross, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Briana Ross is a Business Coach specializing in branding and marketing. She teaches entrepreneurs how to grow their businesses online by sharing intentional content that converts, building systems that save time and creating a unique brand experience. As a wife, mom of two, full-time business owner, among many other roles, Briana has made it her mission to help women obtain the financial and time freedom they dream of regardless of the many roles they juggle. With almost ten years of experience in customer service, sales, and tech, Briana learned very early how important it is to create a unique experience for your customers and clients.

Written by: Melissa Stonard, 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. Self-love is the source of all love, radiating from the inside. The more we open our hearts the easier it becomes to stay in a place of love. When we allow fear, shame, guilt, anger and other lower emotions to take over, our heart chakras automatically close in protection. How would it feel if we were able to truly love ourselves all of the time? Read my 7 tips to find out how different your life could be… “If I love myself, I love you. If I love you, I love myself.” ‒ Rumi (Sufi Persian poet 1262) 1. Setting healthy boundaries Many of us find it hard to stop others crossing our boundaries whether it’s physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, or financially. Equally, we should check that we are not crossing another’s boundaries. Don’t be afraid to openly communicate your boundaries with others, be firm but kind. Learn to say no, when you don’t want to do something. This can also be explained in a kind way for example, “I’m flattered by your offer, but no thank you”, “I’m not comfortable doing that task” or “Sorry, I’ve already committed to something else”. If we continually allow others to cross our boundaries, we become increasingly frustrated with ourselves, this can be a slippery slope as we enable resentment to build within us. 2. Opening your heart chakra There are a multitude of ways to open your heart chakra and experience self-love. One of the simplest ways is through heart breath. Find a quiet spot and bring your focus to the middle of your chest, this is where your heart chakra is located. Now imagine that your breath is moving in out and of the chakra, each time you inhale, imagine love filling this space and every time you exhale, imagine the love coming back into you and that it is growing each time. Do this for a few minutes and feel the serenity and love in your heart. 3. Balancing giving and receiving Are you someone that loves to give, taking pleasure in making someone else happy – but is this a detriment to your wellbeing, or can you honestly say that you are open to receiving as much as you are to giving. For example, if someone gives you a compliment “you look nice” do you accept it, or try to reject it. Or, if a friend offers to buy you lunch, do you accept or reject. When we are not open to receiving we block the flow of energy, this demonstrates a conscious or sometimes unconscious pattern of not feeling worthy to receive, and prevents more good things from coming our way. 4. Raising your frequency There are many ways to do this, when we reside in lower emotions the frequency of energy that is passing through our body is low, we may feel lethargic, lifeless and lack energy. This can become a vicious circle, as the more we sink into this, the harder it is to pull ourselves out. Singing is a perfect way to raise your vibration; the frequency opens your heart, and connects you to love (whether you are in tune or not!). Dancing is another way, as the movement enables the energy to circulate through your entire system (dancing around the house is perfect), also listening to your favourite music can have the same effect. ERB is a therapy that I channelled that works with frequencies to remove lower emotions, that can so often lead to physical ailments. Once these emotions and repetitive patterns are removed, the physical body is more likely to be able to function at full capacity. 5. Use affirmations These really work! Particularly when spoken aloud. Remember our voice carries vibration, and the intent from the spoken word is super powerful. Spoken regularly as part of a daily practice, can alter negative thought patterns and beliefs. You may find that some are harder to say than others, and these are the ones that you should focus on more, as these are the ones you really don’t believe to be true about yourself. Stick them on a wall where you will see them regularly, make a habit of saying them, and notice how your life improves. “I am worthy of love” “I love and accept myself” “I am capable of receiving my needs” “I can forgive others and I’m able to forgive myself” “I am open to new experiences and I won’t let fear close my heart” 6. Remember what brings you passion and joy Think about what you used to love to do as a child, before any emotions, judgements, or criticism were involved. When your imagination was able to run free and wild. These are your true passions, and most likely the key to your soul’s true path. How many of you chose to incorporate these childhood passions into your current life or career path. Get out a notebook and pen and reminisce. Then get re-involved with that passion, it’s never too late, and you are never too old! This will open your heart chakra and bring you back to pure love. 7. Self forgiveness How does it feel to truly forgive yourself. Forgiveness is one of the key components for self-love. The majority of us punish ourselves over and over for one tiny mistake. Why not treat yourself with kindness and compassion, acknowledge that we learn from mistakes, and look in the mirror and forgive yourself. Could it really be as simple as that? When we enable ourselves to feel negative emotions, understand where they come from, not store them and simply let them flow out – we are then free from the constricts of repressing our innermost feelings, thus enabling our beautiful hearts to remain open always, never judging ourselves, nor criticising, not punishing ourselves and always forgiving. As we change our inner world you will see your outer world begin to replicate the changes, and you start to live the life you deserve. We each hold divinity within us, but so many of us are programmed by fear. When we free our hearts from trauma, we can experience who we truly are. What if we were led by love; and were shown how to tenderly reset this patterning – we would remember the joy of life, our full expression, and be able to live in our complete authenticity and power. Melissa Stonard of Love Light Healing runs workshops and courses showing us how to connect back to love, both in person and online. She runs beautiful heart opening cacao ceremonies both in person and online. She recently channelled a new modality called Etheric Regeneration and Bioresonance (ERB), which is a method of healing using frequency to rebalance and regenerate the body, she has seen fantastic results from a physical, mental and emotional aspect, and has shown many how to remove existing negative patterns, conditioning, beliefs and emotions. She teaches this therapy in person and online, as well as offering one to one healing sessions and bespoke events. For more information go to www.lovelighthealing.info or contact her on Melissa@lovelighthealing.info Follow me on LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Melissa! Melissa Stonard, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Melissa Stonard, is a leading energy and empowerment mentor. A type 1 diabetic since the age of 4 , she has made it her life long mission to improve the condition through energy work and empowerment. She has now reached the pinnacle of understanding the emotions behind the disease, and how to improve or eradicate many other conditions. This has been made possible by channelling her own therapy, Etheric Regeneration and Bioresonance (ERB for short). She runs transformational workshops and courses, trauma, physical, mental and emotional healing programs, as well as one to one sessions, both online and in person. Her mission: Reclaim your divinity.

Written by: Prakash Rao, 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. When do you “get” something? When someone explains a concept to you, at what point does it “click”? In his landmark work “Lateral Thinking”, Edward de Bono explained that the mind is a pattern-making, pattern-matching machine. This is why we see patterns in clouds, ink blots, and tea leaves. We see patterns in everything everywhere. This is the insight that we have, the fundamental block of knowledge that everything is built upon. When we encounter new information, we try to fit it into the existing pattern. If it does not fit the pattern, the mind is supposed to restructure the inner pattern in order to accommodate the new information. This is the process of “broadening the mind”. Some people reject new information that does not fit the pattern already in their minds. They are the “narrow-minded” ones, those who ultimately become bigots and fanatics. Those who accommodate the new information learn and grow. Back to the original question: The “Aha” moment happens when the brain expands its inner pattern to fit the new information and the new information literally “clicks” into place. The analogy of a lightbulb going on in the brain is more apt than you can imagine. The creation of a new pattern is almost always accompanied by a burst of mental energy which is why you feel elated when you “get” it. It is a positive feeling, an uplifting experience. The trick to understanding, therefore, is to be willing to broaden your mind. When you encounter new information, try to fit it within your mental pattern. If you find a natural fit, see how you can expand your pattern to fit in the new information. The best analogy I have is the same as Edward de Bono used: If I present you with a set of tangrams one at a time, you must constantly disrupt the neat arrangement you have created in order to accommodate the new piece. Imagine that the world is a large tangram set and that you are indeed being fed the pieces one at a time. Visualize that large, expanding tangram arrangement. This is your mind at its best. Pattern-making and pattern-matching come naturally to children. As we grow older, we impose restrictions on the patterns. These restrictions are artificial. In truth, there are no restrictions, and thus no limit to what we can learn and when. The world belongs to lifelong learners. As Eric Hoffer said, “In times of change, the learners will inherit the earth while the learned will be beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.” Here's to lifelong learners. Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Prakash! Prakash Rao, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Prakash Rao is learning skills guru. He transforms middle school and high school students into super learners. After a career in software development and consulting, Prakash pursued his interest in self development and helping children learn to learn. In this, he is following in his mother's footsteps - Dr. Indira S. Rao developed this methodology as part of her Ph.D. program with Prakash as the subject. Prakash is now the preeminent expert in Dr. Rao's methodology and has made it his mission to unlock children's learning potential and unleash the inner genius.

Written by: McKing Lee , 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. Welcome back and this is Part 3 of How Our Mind Works (according to a hypnotist). Now if you haven’t already, please go on ahead to read Part 1 and Part 2. Because if you continue, I’m going to assume you already have basic concepts laid out in both parts. I can wait you know… Alright, I assume you have read it 😊 And today we will be looking at how our problems came about The truth is… and it shouldn’t be a surprise… Everyone has issues! The difference is the intensity or severity, the different types of issues, whether we learn how to manage or resolve them, whether we seek help or not, and so on Yet, why does everyone get issues in one form or another? Is it just life? As luck will have it… yes, it is because of life The Unusual Seeding of Issues Let’s go back to a baby The baby while growing up, will experience different emotions Anger, sadness, happiness, love, etc And in fact, the first time it experiences an emotion, it is like planting a seed of that particular emotion in the fertile ground of the unconscious mind What will happen is that as the child grows up, any event or circumstances that add to a particular emotion will water or fertilize that same seed of emotion And that seed will grow, into a sapling, and it might even grow into a tree And thereby lies the problem You see, if the child grows up in an abusive or hurtful family environment, the seeds of… say sadness will grow over time And once it grows into a tree of sadness, each branch relates to a different aspect of life Let’s say there are 2 long branches and some short ones for now One long branch might be work and the other might be family, which means this person will experience a great deal of sadness in work and family The short branches might be their lover, their friends, themselves, hobbies, etc And because they do not feel sad with those aspects (for now) they will want to find them and feel relief Now remember, I’m using a tree as a metaphor, and a tree can grow Without treatment or resolving the original source, the tree of sadness might grow into aspects of the lover, friends, hobbies, etc Worse, the tree might bear fruit! For the fruit, I will say it’s like a drastic manifestation of the original emotion of the tree Meaning, for the tree of sadness, it might bear the fruit of depression For the tree of anxiety, it might bear the fruit of panic attack And so, if the family creates a lot of sadness or anger or anxiety, it is very possible for the tree to grow really fast and the fruits for such severe mental health issues At the same time, even if the family is positive and supportive, the child is not exempted from mental health issues It’s just that the seed of sadness (for example) grow really slow and perhaps when they are 40 years old, it’s just a sapling It’s manageable! However, we cannot deny that sometimes odd things might occur, and if the person is unable to handle the grief of say… an accident, the passing of a loved one, the diagnosis of cancer etc That person might have a ton of water and fertilizer added to the sapling of sadness and it grows immediately and bears the fruits of depression This is what I share about how and why mental health issues can affect anyone, anytime, any age… Now What About Other Types Of Issues? It is pretty similar While I described the above through the context of emotion, we can replace it with behavioral issues or patterns too Essentially this usually means the baby or child might have observed one of both parents displaying a particular behavior or pattern, and the child absorbs and learns that behavior Here’s a brief case study to illustrate this A lady contacted me and she shared how her husband was verbally abusive and manipulative, he will scold her and blame her for things that go wrong even though it isn’t her fault, and she wanted me to hypnotize her to be stronger to be able to endure this I told her honestly that it doesn’t make sense, because it sounds like hypnosis will just be a plaster and her husband will continue to hurt her… I will rather find a way to stop the hurt One way is for the husband to get the hypnosis instead, which she denies as he won't see himself as having an issue, the other way was to divorce, but she also denies because she has a young boy, age 3 and she feels she need the guy around After sharing about how the mind works, I caution her that her son might learn from her husband, and whether or not the son will scold her like how her husband does it, the son will likely grow up to treat his future girlfriend or wife the same… My client stared back at me and said… my son… he is already doing it… when my husband isn’t around, my son will scold me using the same words and tone like how my husband scolds me… This is an extreme case, and yet more common than you think And such things usually worsen over time because the tree gets bigger and larger… spreading its branches further and wider… How Can Hypnosis Help? There is a technique in hypnosis called a regression and while you might know of past life regression, this is mainly just the normal or current regression Some people might call it timeline therapy They are all the same to me :P Now what a regression does is to follow the fruit or branch, down the trunk, to find the original source, the seed that start this whole tree And upon finding it, we resolve it How we resolve this depends on how the seed got planted so I won’t be going into the different variations at this point And yes, some people do return to as a baby barely a few months old, because their parents had an argument in front of them and the baby was frightened Others might return to time as a fetus because something happen then that started the entire issue! The main is this, once we find the seed and resolve it, the entire tree is cleared once and for all! You might be thinking, maybe you are 30 years old and still get yelled at by your mom, even if you resolve the original hurt from a child, isn’t she still hurting you? That’s the funny thing When the entire tree of emotion is cleared, even if she does hurt you again, it will be a new hurt, a small hurt, a manageable hurt You as an adult know how to deal with new hurt! The baby or child you had absolutely no idea at all! However, more often than not, you might find the “abuser” stop abusing for whatever strange reason, which I might discuss in subsequent articles Stay tuned, check out my blog here. Thank you for reading and I’ll see you next time! :D Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Mcking! McKing Lee, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine McKing Lee is a conversational hypnotist, NLP Practitioner, and a student of life. After nearly dying in his sleep when his lung burst for no reason, McKing develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and fell into depression. He subsequently sought his own recovery through learning NLP and hypnosis. Having a unique understanding of how the mind works, he has helped many people with mental and psychological issues, relationship and emotional issues, and interestingly enough, sometimes physical ailments too. McKing was recognized and won APAC SEA Business Awards Hypnotist of the Year 2020, and has been featured in local and overseas media over the years. He aims to help people as effectively as possible, through sharing of knowledge and with the right application of skills.

As an intuitive coach and EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) practitioner, I have a knack for quickly finding and releasing a client’s internal blocks. Additionally, I trained in neuroscience, with Dr. Joe Dispenza and others, in learning to rewire the brain for optimal outcomes. What distinguishes my decades of work from more traditional coaches is the way I also use 40-plus years as a writer to help the client instill the “right” words to create rapid shifts. These words often arrive as “divine downloads” to me, and they are customized for each client. Going one step deeper, I guide clients in building a strong sense of worthiness, from which they more easily and impactfully create a new life story and manifest prosperity in ALL areas of their lives. Gail Kauranen Jones, Transition/Worthiness Coach, Author and Teacher The pivotal moment: This “worthiness” calling came to me after I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012. Three different healers/health professionals told me that claiming my worthiness to live could extend my longevity. Hence, I dug deep for 10 years in learning all I could about worthiness, not just to stay alive longer, but to thrive in all areas of life. I was so impacted by what I discovered, that two years ago, I rebranded my 20 year-coaching business, originally called Support Matters, to ClaimYourWorthiness.com. Shortly thereafter, I appeared as the guest “worthiness coach” on national TV (the Emmy award-winning talk show, The Doctors), national radio, and in some major magazines ‒ including yours (and I later became an honoree for your prestigious CREA award for my writing on mental health issues, particularly about worthiness and high, self-esteem). The key message I want everyone to know about worthiness is this: “WORTHINESS IS AN INSIDE JOB: It is not based on external circumstances. Nothing outside of you can give you the worthiness you must find within. Worthiness isn’t about what you have; it’s about WHO you are. We are all born worthy.” ‒ Gail Kauranen Jones To become more prosperous—with money, relationships, health, or whatever your desired outcome—commit to building that inner foundation. The missing piece in most abundance and Law of Attraction (LOA) approaches is that they fail to address the need to reparent ourselves, which requires doing “the inner child work” that reacquaints us with our innate worthiness. That inner child must first feel safe in the new story to fully engage with it, and move beyond the familiar, limiting ways of being. This is courageous work, and you must be witnessed by a competent professional or loving adult. For, the reason you don’t feel worthy, is you were not seen, heard, validated, and acknowledged in the nurturing ways you needed during the first six or seven years of life (or through a life curveball later in life). Reading self-help books or attending seminars is rarely enough to instill a sense of worthiness. Learn more about the impact of that early life conditioning in this short, 3-minute video. MY PASSION IS TWO:FOLD: Extending my worthiness platform to youth and helping others instill a new love-based model for success. My first passion is to teach worthiness on multiple platforms for both adults and children. I am working on a dream of bringing forth an online program that can be delivered worldwide, trusting the right resources to make that mission a reality will arrive. I know I’m doing “my part.” Adults who do their own work of creating a stronger sense of worthiness attract and become better partners. Then, if they become parents, they are their children’s first teachers, with an opportunity to guide their offspring in growing up feeling valued for WHO THEY ARE. I am certified as a high self-esteem coach for parents, educators, and children—in addition to all the other transformational work I do with clients based on my trainings in neuroscience and energy psychology. We have a mental health crisis now, with one of out of four teenagers having contemplated suicide, according to the CDC. Every child has an innate, unique greatness. Let’s stop the pain with many of our youth “not feeling enough” and help them know they were born worthy. My second passion, based on the foundation of worthiness, is helping clients create a love-based model for success. The old paradigm of hustle until you drop just doesn’t work in living a fulfilling, balanced life as we’ve seen with “The Great Resignation” in the workforce. And often that paradigm, which leads to burnout and exhaustion, doesn’t even produce the monetary rewards of prosperity for which we hoped. In the prosperity classes I teach, I extend the focus to include building a loving relationship with money, aligned with our authenticity and “knowing our why.” Again, these teachings involve a lot of letting go of past conditioning to open to new breakthroughs in upgrading your finances. By using EFT, which I consider the best energy psychology tool, I help clients more rapidly release the past stories, trauma, and blocks around money. I am particularly fond of teaching (and seeing results from) reframing money as a loving source of connection to others, which allows us to both give and receive more abundantly. Without learning to receive, we block prosperity. Receiving, and taking in, requires vulnerability and letting go of being in control. For many with trauma in their backgrounds, control became a protective mechanism, which unfortunately can block abundance subconsciously. “STRESS, EXCESSIVE BUSYNESS, and BEING IN SURVIVAL MODE BLOCK PROSPERITY: Living from the higher, energetic vibration of prosperity benefits us all, yet contrary to what we’ve been taught about all the ‘productive ways of DOING,’ we manifest money (and health and other desired outcomes) best from creating a restful state first. I use tools that help you relax into greater abundance and well-being, that go beyond meditating.” ‒ Gail Kauranen Jones My source of replenishment: As a both a coach and writer, I spend significant time in solitude and reflection, especially in nature walking the lake outside my home. Often, I meditate on my clients before a session. Other times, just by becoming quiet, I get sentences or chapter themes whispered to me for whatever I am writing. Increasingly, I have come to believe that my “alone time” has given me far more wisdom than all my trainings and certifications. I see it as a purification process, creating a clean slate or “Space for Grace” as I call it (which is the name of my next book in the works). Adding play, which I do through hiking, kayaking, pickleball or even dancing of late, balances my life and further ignites my creativity. I have many stories around, “The more I play, the more money I make,” when the best opportunities came forth during the times I chose to disconnect from the world and indulge in downtime. We need to listen and trust the guidance that arrives in unexpected moments. The title for my second book, “Cancer as a Love Story: Developing the Mindset for Living,” came to me in the middle of the night after I initially vowed I would keep my healing journey private. I accepted then that there was another spiritual plan for me to share publicly how I brought love into the healing equation by clearing emotional stressors that contribute to disease. I believe my love-based approach saved my life, and later helped me (and many of my clients) rebuild finances as well. (Grievances, for example, block prosperity.) My daily spiritual practice also connects me to wisdom far greater than my own and keeps me centered in living from love, which I believe is the ultimate purpose for all of us to be here. Our job is to find and use our own unique expression of love to serve. It’s in service that we find our greatest happiness. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter, or visit my website for more information. Check out my free, guided meditation on worthiness on the home page. I also offer a complimentary 30-minute consult to explore guiding you forward on your path. Read more from Gail!

Written by: Melanie White, Virgin Experience Gifts Holiday shopping is bound to look different for the 2022 season, with inflation on the rise, some items being in short supply and Americans looking for ways to avoid blowing their budgets. One trend, however, is expected to continue – experiences as gifts instead of material things. Inflation to have a major impact on holiday buying Nearly 9 out of 10 consumers expect inflation to have an impact on their holiday spending. The National Retail Federation announced in early October it expects holiday sales to rise between 6% and 8% from last year — but that rise doesn’t keep up with inflation, which has raised prices for goods and services by 8.2% in the past year, according to the latest numbers from the government. Consumers say they’re still going to shop for the holidays, but they are splurging less on tangible items like clothing, houseware and electronics as they pay more for groceries and gas. Instead, gift givers are expected to stuff stockings with tickets, vouchers and gift cards for experiences, adventures and travel opportunities. Americans want to experience more A recent report from CNBC confirms the trend toward spending on experiences continues. Travel companies are seeing earnings increases, as well as activity-driven companies like ticket providers, theaters, dining and sporting events. A 2021 Sitecore Holiday Trends Report showed 71% of people say they don’t need more stuff and would prefer experience-based gifts. After two years of being cooped up due to COVID precautions and restrictions, Americans are focusing more than ever on experiencing the world with friends and loved ones. According to Destination Analyst’s April 2022 report, 55.7% of American travelers want to visit places they have not been to before. Furthermore, 64.9% of Americans said that they would be “happy” or “very happy” to receive a travel-related gift for the holidays. And a GetYourGuide.com study revealed 62% of respondents prefer experiences over physical items when it comes to gifting. Gas and travel prices fueling experiences closer to home Couple that wanderlust with high gas prices and soaring flight fares, and experiences closer to home are topping many gift lists this season. Americans are purchasing concert or comedy seats, tickets for a big game, movie passes, dinner on the town, site seeing vouchers or one-of-a-kind adventures for the people on their list. Blake Morgan, a customer experience futurist said in a recent Forbes article “If we thought the experience economy was here before, COVID expedited it even more so. Customers experienced that life is short, we don’t know what’s coming next. When faced with a decision to have an experience versus purchase a product, the customer will choose the experience.” Experiences as gifts help to avoid supply-chain concerns To add to the thirst for exploration, there are also lingering concerns about supply chain issues. According to Inmar’s 2022 Holiday Guide, 69% of consumers expect supply chain issues to continue into winter, making the products they need or want hard to find. With tickets and experiences, there’s no concern of whether there will be inventory close to the holidays. The Square and Afterpay Festive Forecast reports gift cards will be the most popular gift to give for 2022. As Americans watch their wallets, they can choose a specific limit when selecting a gift card. The diversity in choices has also increased over the years, allowing gift cards to be a more customizable, thoughtful option than cash. A new holiday forecast from Blackhawk Network, a leader in global branded payments, found consumers plan to spend nearly half (46%) of their holiday budget on gift cards. Between inflation, supply-chain concerns and overall shifts in American priorities, expect more experiences under holiday trees this year. About Melanie White Melanie White is the Executive Vice President of Virgin Experience Gifts. Melanie joined the team in 2015 and has held several positions within the business, contributing to rapid growth over the past seven years. Prior to her role at Virgin Experience Gifts, Melanie was a successful sales professional for BCBG Max Azria Group. Melanie graduated from Fordham University with a degree in business administration and holds a degree in fashion merchandising management from the Fashion Institute of Technology. About Virgin Experience Gifts Virgin Experience Gifts offers a wide range of fully vetted experiences to ensure thoughtful, creative gifts the recipient will love. Formerly Cloud 9 Living, the company was acquired in March 2021 and is now part of the Virgin family. Virgin has been a pioneer in the experience gifts category since 1988 and is currently the number one experience gift provider in the UK. The company joins a world-renowned family of brands including Virgin Hotels, Virgin Voyages, Virgin Hyperloop, Virgin Galactic, and Virgin Orbit. Visit Virgin Experience Gifts to find out more.