Written by: Kathy Grassett, 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. Attention new and aspiring coaches, consultants, and expert online service providers who feel like they were totally winging their business plan this year and are now freaking out because they made little to no progress on their goals this year! Give me five minutes and I will share the five simple strategies you should include in your plan for your business next year, so you will head into the new year focused, clear, and confident that you know exactly what to do to start or grow your business and your income exponentially and not find yourself one year from now looking back wondering what the hell went wrong. Plus, I will tell you one of the biggest mistakes I see people encounter when trying to plan out future business activities and the battle-tested approach I use when developing a business plan that will forever change the way you look at yours. I’m Kathy Grassett and I have spent over 25 years planning and executing multi-year, multi-million-dollar strategies and projects first in my corporate career, and now as a business coach for women coming out of long corporate careers who are ready to monetize their expertise but are frustrated and struggling to create a lucrative online service business. But what I’m about to share applies to all online service business owners. When you’re just starting out and even if you’ve been doing this for a while, planning your business activities can be a daunting task. I mean, planning isn’t a sexy activity to start with so it can be difficult to get motivated to do it. Then, some people just aren’t planners. And, if you’re like many emerging entrepreneurs, you just don’t know what to plan for. What you end up with is one of the most often neglected, but critical, activities in your business. So, if you fall into any of these categories and want to make next year THE year you break through, I’m going to help kickstart your plan for next year. Here are five areas I want you to plan for to make next year the most productive and profitable yet. Attraction First, identify your ATTRACTION activities. This is all about how you intend to bring people into your world. Because if people don’t know about you, they can’t fall in love with you and become your client. So, plan for things like lead magnets, speaking engagements, podcast guesting, joint ventures, advertising, networking, and webinars. Engagement Second, identify your ENGAGEMENT activities. Once your potential clients come into your world, if they’re not immediate buyers, you must keep engaging with them and let them get to know you, to turn them into paying clients. This is also called nurturing. There is likely some overlap between the attraction plan and the engagement plan because the things you do to engage with potential clients may also attract new ones, and that’s okay. So, plan for things like community, free training, workshops, blogging, promotions, and direct outreach. Enrollment Third, identify your ENROLLMENT activities. This is all about converting potential clients into paying clients and the programs you’re enrolling them into. So, plan for things like creating new programs, packaging up new offers, launches, and marketing campaigns. These first three areas align with what I tell my clients are the only three systems you really need to run a 6-figure business. They represent the client journey ‒ attraction, engagement, and enrollment. Plan for how you’re going to execute that journey for your clients. Revenue Fourth, identify your REVENUE plan. How much money do you want to bring in for the year? Identify the mix of offers that can achieve that amount. For example, if you only sell one thing ‒ say a 6-month program for $5,000, how many of those would you need to sell to get to the revenue number you want? If you have multiple offers, play around with the math, and determine how many of each you’d need to sell to make your revenue number. Then break it out by month. Seeing it broken out at this level of detail makes it feel a lot less intimidating than blindly trying to achieve a yearly total. Operations Lastly, identify your OPERATIONS activities. These are the back-of-house activities that are needed to support everything else, whether to create new assets or strengthen what you already have in place. These are generally not revenue-producing activities but are important to plan, nonetheless. So, plan for things related to startup, your website, technology (email and scheduling functionality for example), hiring a VA, documenting procedures and processes, and upgrading your office. Now, picture yourself sitting at your computer or with a big notebook in front of you to focus on planning your future business activities. Your launches, new programs, marketing campaigns, business improvements, the whole works. It’s so exciting. There’s so much possibility. You have something you know you need to get done or have a great idea for something new you’d like to try and then, suddenly, you think to yourself, “But how in the hell would I even do that?!” And then what happens? The must-have thing and the exciting new thing become these big black holes and you push them far out if you even put them in your plan at all. One of the biggest mistakes many people make when putting together big, bold business plans is that they start thinking of all the things they don’t yet have in place to pull off the things they want to include in their plan, so they shy away from including them. They’ll think, “I’ll include that next year after I have some testimonials.” Or “Maybe I can pull that off once I’m further along.” And big, bold business plans become small, wimpy business plans that cause you to play it safe and repeat the same activities over and over. And you’ve heard the saying, “Current actions only get you current results.” So, the best strategy is to tell yourself, “I do not need to know how to do what I’m planning to do.” Want to put a new webinar into rotation but don’t have a clue about the topic? Plan it anyway. Want to try a Black Friday promotion but haven’t the faintest idea about where or what to promote? Plan it anyway. Need to create and launch a signature system but don’t know where to start? Plan it anyway. Include the big, exciting things you need and want to do in your plan even if you’re not quite sure how you’re going to pull it all off yet. You need to see these things all laid out in front of you to motivate you, energize you, to guide you. And the things you’re resisting putting in your plan are probably the things that are going to propel you to your next level. You are resourceful and you can figure hard things out, you just don’t have to figure it all out right now. Because one of the most powerful and profitable things you can do to close out the year is to plan for the next year, I don’t want the year to end without you getting fully organized, prepared, and confident to hit the ground running in January, so you can finally reach those goals and achieve your most productive and profitable year in business. So, stop winging it and missing the mark. Allow me to customize this strategy for your business and co-create your business plan with you, so you can confidently ring in the new year knowing you are ready to make a lot more money with a lot less effort, in a way that is powerfully authentic to you. Contact me via my website, the link to which is below. I assure you, waking up on New Year’s Day bursting with clarity and confidence about the year ahead is just too good to pass up! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Kathy! Kathy Grassett, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Kathy Grassett is a business coach, speaker, and leader specializing in career reinvention, business growth, and money mastery after a life in corporate. After a successful 20-year corporate career in IT, she had trouble adjusting to life as an entrepreneur and realized her lingering corporate identity was limiting her potential. Kathy now teaches clients her strategies for shedding the corporate layers that are holding them back and creating a simple but lucrative business model that will power them into exciting new levels of impact & income. Kathy’s mission is to help her clients surpass their corporate success by making a lot more money with a lot less effort in a way that is powerfully authentic to them.

Written by: Mariann Bobály-Dienes, 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. Now more than ever understanding each other is key. In the era of a global pandemic, travel disruption, and work from home, communicating with intercultural remote teams has become a fundamental business need. So how do you reach everyone and make sure each team member is more or less on the same page? Here are a few tips if you are new to this game and want to have an effective intercultural communication strategy from the start, but they can also help if you are already experienced and need a bit of pick me up. Forget all your assumptions about effective communication of your native culture (hit the reset button) The culture we grow up in influences us. We get conditioned to behave according to societal norms that we consider right and when we encounter a new culture, we mostly try to use our skills from our own culture. This happens to most of us, but it prevents us from effectively communicating with other cultures. It might create resentment, frustration, and misunderstanding. In order to get your message across effectively, you need to let go of your pre-set communication skills and understand that what works in your culture will not necessarily work in your interactions with other cultures. Examine the culture you are dealing with and assess yourself in view of the target culture (use intercultural tools) Getting an overview of the cultural dimensions of the cultures you interact with is the first step. You can use tools that are available online to get information about the specific cultures you need to understand. One of the greatest ones is Erin Meyer’s tool, available online here. But this will not be enough ‒ understanding is only one part of the equation, you need to assess and change your communication style according to the respective culture and you need to be willing to adapt your behaviour. Select a means of communication that works in all cases (it will most probably not be email) You probably use several channels for communication ‒ including email, a chat application, mobile phones, and other software. Take a look at the culture in question and see what works best. Have a discussion with the team members to decide which would be the best and start using that one. Select one that would be suitable for emergencies and that can reach all your team members, even if resources are scarce. Do not assume that having a common (English) language will solve all your problems Even if you have excellent associates with nice business English, sometimes there is misunderstanding and things don’t always work out the way you planned. The assumption that we speak the same language is only true so far as we technically speak English, but with intercultural teams the variety of English as a first and second language is huge. This can affect even the most mundane of situations, such as what time you need to show up at a meeting to the most important ones, whether you get a deal, a contract, or a new hire. Be sure to clarify, specify and signpost in your interactions as much as you can. Second languages are learned in all sorts of places in all sorts of ways, and we all know for a fact how much gets lost in translation English as a second language is taught in various manners with all kinds of resources and results vary. Students learn in search of a career and a better life, but there is often anxiety attached to using it, and mother tongue interference and accents will also produce issues. Implicit and explicit meaning can be attached to certain things and concepts. What is acceptable in one culture might be completely inappropriate in another with all kinds of different connotations that we are not always aware of. Heather Hansen’s work in this area is outstanding. Acknowledge the time zone difference and the transition time from one culture to another ‒ offer psychological safety Remote teams are usually not situated in the same time zone and often not in a similar culture. Time zone differences will have an effect on the team members ‒ one time zone in the morning ‒ full of energy, another in the afternoon or evening ‒ winding down with a lower attention span. This is just one example worth considering when adjusting your communication style. Also, the process of living in one culture and switching to another when working is often overlooked. This is not an easy thing to do, it can become a skill and become easier with time ‒ but both team members and managers need to understand that sometimes they need to put on a different culture hat when they are at work and that the actual switch takes considerable emotional energy. On Screen and Off Screen Conversations Will Differ Each culture brings a set of nonverbal communication characteristics. They will show up in a different way and will influence telephone conversations and video calls. Also bear in mind that telephone conversations will not be suitable for certain discussions in certain countries. Video calls can also create stress and tension because of different rules in a given culture and can be out of the comfort zone of a lot of people. Recognize the Individuals Behind the Culture As much as intercultural models are helpful, overgeneralization can be rather misleading when it comes to personal interactions. We often live in cultures and learn to act according to a culture, but we also have our own personality and identity, which is shaped by several factors, and it is not simply the culture of the country we live in. Here again, excellent tools exist for analyzing a team and its members to foster understanding. Using them can generate understanding at a much deeper level. Csaba Toth has developed an excellent model, Global Disc. Ask for help from an intercultural expert You can do a lot to improve communication and increase synergies, but there are cases when a third eye can work wonders. An intercultural expert can throw light on issues and save you time, energy and headaches by pointing out blind spots that you yourself are not aware of. The mere fact that somebody understands your perception issues and makes you understand that you are not alone with your views, you are not doing anything wrong, just trying to deal with a different culture, is huge. A lot of organizations miss out on the opportunity of understanding intercultural differences because they do not appreciate the value of such insights. I can only close with one sentence at the end of a rather successful intercultural workshop. “I wish we had known this when we started working here ‒ it would have saved us so much energy and time.” Go on and explore other cultures and you will see you will find out so much about yours and will only benefit from the learning process. For further research: https://www.erinmeyer.com/ https://icq.global/intercultural-disc/ Follow me on LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Mariann! Mariann Bobály-Dienes, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Mariann Dienes is an intercultural consultant and applied linguist with a background in both business and Applied Linguistics. Having worked for multinational organizations for more than 10 years, she brings a wealth of experience to intercultural consulting. Her qualifications in Applied Linguistics, Neurolanguage Coaching and English Teaching provide an excellent skill set that facilitates intercultural understanding at its best. Her primary aim is to assist clients in achieving an increased awareness of cultural dimensions, and foster understanding and cooperation in organizations.

Nad is an adult learning and development, global consultant. He specializes in helping teams design prosocial relationships and become future fit. Prior to coaching Nad served as European VP and MD France for a Fortune 500 company. He was an honorary professor with ESSEC Business school. Nad also launched several startups in Europe. He is an Amazon best-selling author and lives in Paris, France. Nad Philips, Prosocial Relationship Coach Please tell us about you and your life, so we can get to know you better. I am a French-speaking Flemish/ Copt who attended a La Salle school in Alexandria, a European university in Antwerp, and an American college in Boston. I lived in some 10 cities on 3 continents, still have some remains of 6 languages, and hold 5 master’s degrees and 10 certifications. Obviously, I am multicultural and love learning and transmitting that knowledge. I am keen on developing myself and helping others who chose a similar route. However, I identify best with being a practitioner, every day I am in the trenches either learning or training others or developing L & D programs. I train and coach one to one hundred professionals each year. Over the past decades, thousands of managers followed my training globally in Europe, Asia, Africa, the middle east, and the US. I developed management programs for large multinationals that have been deployed globally. I am a dialectical and systemic thinker; I hold a constructivist mental model. I consider myself a humanist, my view is that we humans are socially and intricately related to others and the environment making it a necessity to create a culture that will enable us to show the best of ourselves rather than our shadows. In terms of mood or tempo, I am best described as Allegro ma non troppo! I feel as an artist in my craft, I love innovating as well as adapting and implementing evidence-based state-of-the-art research findings. I am so grateful for all the researchers out there making the world more intelligible (my daughter being one of them). As a multicultural citizen of the world, I see myself as a bridge maker, closing the knowledge gap or the widening relational chasm. Something important to me is to link the mind and the heart with the guts. We all need to strike a balance between those 3 brains. Above all, I am a family man, I have a supporting wife and together we marvel at our two wonderful children. I have a brother and a sister which delights me to be an uncle to a bunch of outstanding nieces and nephews. Tell us about a pivotal moment in your life that brought you to where you are today. The subtitle of my book the Work-Life Project was: “Defining moments” when it is time to move on you need a destination and a pathway. This defining moment for me was when I turned 40 and realized that if I wanted to spend time developing cognitively, socioemotionally, and spiritually I had to leave my executive position. And I did it, not because I was not developing myself and my direct reports at the time, but because I wanted to devote myself entirely to this calling, I also felt legitimate since I climbed the corporate ladder to the very top. If you want to attempt Mount Everest or any other peak, preferably you choose a sherpa who has done it before. I have coached many of the world’s Olympic champions and top athletes and appreciate what it takes to develop and grow. What is your work inspired by? The zeitgeist: our current era is subject to high levels of complexity and uncertainty causing stress and anxiety in the workplace. The professionals I meet daily seem at a loss as if their current solutions and maps became obsolete. My work is helping draw new maps and charter a new course. Some of it is experiential through experimentation and learning. Some of it is making available the excellent work done by researchers at the forefront of their field. But to do that one need to go back to basics, to hold on to something that can act as an anchor a safe haven, a launching pad and a refuge to come back to gain strength and be nurtured, and that are RELATIONSHIPS, more accurately secure, prosocial relationships. It is no surprise that coaching has become a staple of leadership development at this moment in time. A good coaching relationship is one based on secured attachment and psychological safety a doc to harbor the coachee to allow him to build confidence and grit to get out in the world and thrive. I am always in awe of the beauty and complexity of life and human beings, a never-ending subject of subtle realizations and inspiration (I recommend reading the wonderful book of biologist Robert Sapolsky “Behave”). What Prompted the decision to Specialize in prosocial relationships? The deplorable state of professional relationships that’s prevalent in many big organizations. To professionalize interactions among coworkers, companies and their consultants came up with this dreadful idea of treating your co-work as internal customers/suppliers. This resulted in rendering the communications transactional. From role to role and not from person to person, it quickly became generic, and non-embodied. Year after year Gallup poll results warns us about the dwindling scores of engagements at work and the ever-rise of actively disengaged employees. The solution in my opinion is relational. Relations precede communication and the quality of the relationships determines the social script used and how we treat each other, interact with one another, and talk among ourselves. If we want engagement, that means we start with building strong bonds. If we want performance and well-being in the workplace, we need to work on a prosocial relationship based on trust and cooperation. This is not an easy task. How do you help your clients? My ideal clients are those who have already reached a certain level of team maturity and want to take it to the next level. The framework I developed is called: Designing Prosocial Relationship TM The system has two parts: 1) training and 2) coaching The training part gives a foundation in evidence-based research findings in the field of psychology (attachment theory) and sociology (group dynamics) as well as system thinking and the science of relationships (love and respect). We cover 21st-century management, organization, and leadership. The work is grounded in interpersonal neurobiology framework and systemic and dialectic adult developmental theory. Coaching is the pathway to implementation and success. The framework is taking the team and the team leader on gradually guided self-disclosure milestones. We go at the speed of the team. At each milestone, the team DESIGNS their modus operandi. These values and rule-based system governs the relationships and regulates behavior. The idea is building on complementarity and improving the game plan of the team leader to go from individual competencies and capabilities to collective performance and well-being. Why do they call you “coach oxytocin”? Because I strive to help, the team creates strong bonds and a secure prosocial relationship. Oxytocin is the bonding hormone or neurotransmitter; it seems that the people I coach produce more of it; the good news is it becomes addictive, and it can potentially change the quality of our relationships for the better! What makes you different than other L & D providers? The challenge for me was rather to show resemblance because others could quickly identify the uniqueness or singularity of my approach. I believe what makes this framework special is its multidisciplinary approach as well as the breadth of the evidence-based research results that the teams can draw from to find their unique way. What would you like to achieve for yourself and your business in the future? More oxytocin! Enable more and more teams to build prosocial relationships to thrive and flourish. Continue to enjoy being in resonance with my clients, building authentic relationships that exude love and respect, and individualized consideration. Follow me on LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Nad!

Written by: Shamala Tan, 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. A big mistake that we all make is we try to do them all or don’t do them at all! Have you ever experienced this? I have. I used to be I WANT TO FINISH EVERYTHING TODAY. Or I’m so tired, I don’t want to do anything, and a procrastination monster I became. All that changed when getting my life organized was a matter of survival. It became such a valuable life skill that even when my life doesn’t depend on it, I am still a to-do list person! I read an article recently that people who live by to-do lists are decisive and they value their time. This is so true for me. I do this in my life and I also make sure that my clients follow this ‘rule’ in order to live their lives much more purposefully. This does not mean that I am a super-organized person or that I am rigid in how I do things. One reason why I value my time is that I have realised that there is so much I want to do in my life and that 24 hours a day is barely any time. And if I do not get organised in how I use my time, I may just end up in the last hours of my life full of regrets. I do not want to end up way, so the next best thing is to take charge of what I can! Over the years, I have developed different systems to take charge of my time. NOW, I have a list of to-dos on a daily basis. It doesn’t matter if it is the workday or a rest day. (I work on weekends because they are the best days for my coaching clients)The list helps me to stay on track to finish the tasks at hand. What I really like about lists is that it helps me to also filter out: urgent vs. important vs. needs to get done. By putting my to-dos into three categories, I have a broad overview of what I need to do. The list includes my personal to-dos, chores, work-related stuff, coaching sessions with clients, and so on. I have set days where I only do certain things, and the rest will be left to other assigned days. This way, I do not have to keep adjusting my mind space several times a day in order to get things done. I only have to focus on a few things and get one thing done at a stretch with no interruption whatsoever. For e.g., writing this article is done at an assigned time, and day. I am geared up to write every week at this particular time and at this particular desktop! The writing flows as my mind is prepared to do its thing. During my rest days, my list becomes somewhat loose. I may choose to take the dog out for an hour in the open field but I do not have a set time for that. I go more with the flow of my body and mind. I may choose to cook or just read, and again with no fixed time or agenda. So it is pretty restful with no stress whatsoever. So not everything needs to get done NOW or TODAY! It all comes down to planning your time, and the trick is not to fill your time with too much or too little. If you are starting to take charge of your time – adjustments are needed. In my experience working with clients, I have witnessed that there are two extremes here: there are people who will realise that they actually cannot squeeze that much in, in 24 hours. And there are those who realise that they can add a whole lot more to their 24 hours! It has been too much or too little. Isn’t this interesting? Sometimes people can nag us for not getting things done. I had a partner once who nagged at me for not immediately wanting to train my dog to be more consistent in a new behaviour. I told him, I am not choosing that battle today. Simply because I have had a full day of work, and this thing with the dog is going to take more work than I can put in during that short time and it was not something I wanted to address immediately. Plus it was not life-threatening or detrimental to anyone. So choose how you use your time wisely. Most importantly, remember it is not just about the time you use. It is all about energy management as well as the mental and emotional effort that plays a major role in how we use our time. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Shamala! Shamala Tan, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Shamala Tan is an author, spiritual entrepreneur, and healer. Her work focuses on transforming the lives of others on the spiritual, emotional, mental, and earthly levels. Shamala’s clients include small business owners, holistic practitioners as well as those seeking to find more significant meaning and value in life. Shamala offers laser coaching to her clients on a one-to-one basis or in a group environment, offline as well as online.

Written by: Luca Berni, 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. Organizations don't have to cut costs. A growing organization must see its costs rise. What must be reduced is waste! Today, one of the most common wastes of time and money is meetings. A few years ago, in the United States, some surveys relating to the effectiveness of the meetings were released and commissioned by the public administration and private telecommunications companies. In the pre-covid period, just in the United States, there were about 25 million meetings per day. It was estimated that a middle manager spent about 30% of his time in a meeting, while a top manager spent about 50% of his time in a meeting. 92% of respondents said they did "other things" while listening to others in a meeting, 69% said they checked their emails and 49% admitted doing things not related to the topic of the meeting. Crossing the data, it was deduced that 67% of the time spent in a meeting was wasted. All this was estimated to generate a waste of money in the order of 37 billion dollars a year! (*) These figures refer only to the USA, but I believe that, given due proportions, the situation in other countries is similar or even worse. There are no data collected in the post-covid era, but the widespread feeling is that the waste of time in meetings has not decreased and that, thanks to the spread of group video calls, the situation has worsened. So how to reduce the waste of time in meetings? First, it must be considered that a meeting has a before, a during, and an after. Here are some simple, but effective, rules for managing the three moments. Before the meeting Define the result. Every meeting must be called to get a result. The first question to ask is: do we really need a meeting, or can we resolve it some other way? The second question, and the most important, is: what result do we want to achieve with this meeting? It sounds strange, but many don't ask themselves this question. Define the total time. The more time you have, the longer it will take (Parkinson's law). To calculate the duration of a meeting, you can use the formula: Duration = no. Participants x 5 min + 10 min. Therefore, a meeting with 4 people shouldn't last more than half an hour. Invitation to participants. Participants must receive the invitation with the agenda in advance which allows them to arrive prepared. During the meeting Respect for the time. Always respect the starting time, according to the old rule: if you are on time, then you are 5 minutes late. Always respect the time planned for each topic. This may take extra effort. Good, that's efficiency! Orientation to the results. Efficiency in timing and effectiveness of results. Each intervention must be aimed at approaching or achieving the desired result. If not, it is much better to keep quiet. If you criticize a proposal from a colleague, you must always propose an alternative, otherwise, again, it is much better to remain silent. Everyone must always be ready to give up something to achieve a common result. Check the result. Always check the result achieved, compared to the desired one. The result must always be achieved on time. It can be done, it's just a matter of training. If people know that the result will be verified, they will be more effective and efficient. Create an action plan. Each meeting should end with an action plan, which includes who should do what, when, for what purpose, and how it will be verified. After the meeting Send a summary. Send a few lines summarizing the decisions made and the action plan. Everyone must receive the same document. Check the results of the actions. This is the part that we tend to forget: the verification of what has been achieved with respect to what is expected. This is a crucial step so that the meeting leads to concrete results and is not another waste of time. All these steps can seem labour-intensive and time-consuming. But many of them can be done in minutes if not second, while the advantage that is obtained is in the order of hours or whole days. Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Luca! Luca Berni, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Luca Berni is an Executive & Team Coach that works with Leaders, Top Managers, Entrepreneurs, Boards of Directors, and Leadership Teams. Before becoming a Coach in 2009, he worked as a Manager in different Multinational companies in different Countries for almost twenty years. Luca also works as a management consultant, he co-founded and runs TheNCS The Neuroscience Coaching School, and he writes articles and books about Coaching and Management. Source: National Statistics Council USA and Infocom for Verizon Business

Written by: Nicki Brown, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. The most radical thing you can do in this life is to allow yourself to feel. In a world where it’s so easy to distract, avoid and dissociate from our emotions, it’s radical to allow ourselves to just feel. To be honest, even when I began to really start doing “the work” on myself and exploring personal development, I think there was part of me that desired and even expected that eventually, I’d become immune to experiencing pain, negativity, doubt, fear etc... like I would reach this end point where it would just be unaffected by. I think maybe that’s the dark side of this industry, some of us pursue it thinking there is an endpoint to this journey or it will bring about some form of human perfection or superhuman abilities we’ve been aspiring for. We begin the journey trying to escape the very things that make us human…but after some time, we might come to realize that the whole point of the journey is learning how to embrace the very things we’ve been running from—how to be imperfectly human and still love all of yourself—we call that the paradox of transformation. Truthfully, the goal of doing the work is not to avoid feeling these things but to allow ourselves to feel them and know that they won’t break us or hold us back. To allow ourselves to experience pain, failure, letdown, disappointment, and hardships without taking them personally and without making them mean something about ourselves. Stripping away the stories frees us from staying locked in our emotions and our minds with negative and ruminating thoughts. Recognizing that feeling doesn’t make us weak or less likely to be successful and that being able to feel pain, loss and disappointment and still live life with your heart and mind wide open is one of the strongest and bravest things you can do. Feeling is something I do very well…maybe too well. I’ve always said that I’m like an open book, unable to hide anything. As an empath and a highly sensitive soul, I have often joked that I feel for others, the things they won’t allow themselves to feel. The truth is that I spent most of my life believing that I felt “too much.” That I was “too sensitive” and “too emotional”—at least that’s what other people told me. I saw “feeling” as a burden and lived most of my life thinking that it my biggest weakness as a human being, that I felt too much. I carried a lot of shame around this. I thought that feeling too much somehow held me back from living a whole life…my parents even tried to deter me from a career in psychology by saying I was “too sensitive” and would burn out if I pursued jobs like that. Instead of teaching me how to get grounded, how to hold boundaries, and how to move through my emotions, I was told to try to keep a lid on my emotions, avoid vulnerable situations and that there were certain places or situations where I shouldn’t allow myself to feel my emotions, and especially for them to be seen. What ended up happening is that I felt that there was something wrong with me…like I was wrong. Society only added to these feelings, playing on my emotions through media and marketing. And therein lies the problem…there has often been a lack of awareness and understanding of how to process and manage emotions in a healthy way. Too often they’ve been seen as uncomfortable and inconvenient, something to be put away, hidden, and kept at bay, lest they interfere with our life. But what if that is wrong, what if allowing yourself to feel a full spectrum of emotions is what it’s like to live a whole life. What if we stopped looking at emotions as the problem and started looking at them more curiously as a symptom of a problem? —a piece of information that carries with it an important message of how we need to care for ourselves in a moment. There isn’t a person in this world who can say that they fully lived and didn’t experience the full range of their human emotions. We can’t control the ups and downs and ebbs and flows of life, and so we can’t avoid the myriad of emotions that accompany them—and that’s not the goal. Mastering your emotions isn’t about controlling whether and how you allow yourself to feel your emotions but learning how to sit with those emotions when they come up without shame, judgement or resistance. 5 Tips for Working Through Your Emotions: Stop Trying to Avoid or Change Them You can’t logic your way out of your feelings or try to change them with a “fake it til you make it” attitude. You feel how you feel, and you’re entitled to feel however you do—anytime, anywhere. As I’ve said, one of the biggest problems in society is that many of us have been taught to hide, cap, squash, distract, and dissociate from our feelings, especially when they might be inconvenient or cause others discomfort: Heaven forbids you display your feelings in public, bottle that up and take it home to feel alone, right? That’s the message many of us received. And then, to add insult to injury, we were taught that we could buy or consume our way into feeling better. That something “out there” could make us feel better. But that’s not true. Feeling better requires just that—feeling. Emotions are two things: Energy and information. Energy needs to flow, just like water. Imagine for a moment that our bodies are like intricate pipe systems…when we’re triggered by something, it’s like our brain pouring water (emotion) and a message in a bottle into the pipes. If we’ve spent our whole lives blocking all the pipe’s exits, the emotions and the messages are unable to flow, and they get stuck in the body and either stored, sometimes creating dis-ease, and/or build up until the pressure causes the pipes to burst. We humans try not to feel our emotions — one of the most common ways is through avoidance. Some of us learn to find distractions in things like watching TV, scrolling on our phones, being around other people, obsessively exercising, working too much, and other addictive behaviors. If we find ourselves in one of these patterns, then one of the most powerful questions we can ask ourselves is: What are you distracting yourself from? What are you avoiding feeling? Maybe you’re avoiding feeling bored or lonely or sad? Why do we avoid our emotions? Because feeling them is hard and uncomfortable and sometimes even painful so we’d rather just delay, avoid, resist, or otherwise try to bypass the feelings altogether, but the effort is futile and better spent dealing with it. It can be difficult to acknowledge negative feelings. One of the most common fears is: If I allow myself to feel this, the feeling will stay—it’ll swallow me up, and I won’t be able to escape it, but this is not true. Actually, in my experience, the opposite is true. One of the most powerful things I learned in my coaching mastery certification is: "What we resist persists”, and that if we allow ourselves to experience the emotion and allow it to be present without resistance, it often only lasts 60-90 seconds. Nothing truly last forever and emotions are also impermanent, so they will pass through if we allow them to. Most often, our emotions serve as a sign calling for our attention, they carry important messages that need to be acknowledged. Most of the time, these emotions are just looking to be validated—to be seen and heard and to receive care and support. When the need is met, the feeling moves through naturally. Re-parent Yourself Many of us have been taught in our life that we can’t trust our emotions, that it’s unsafe for us to feel our feelings, or we were made to feel judgement and shame about our emotions. We were raised with beliefs about which emotions were acceptable and unacceptable, when and where it was allowed to have them and to what degree. We may also have certain associations with emotions — that anger equates to violence or crying equates to weakness or helplessness. These labels and meanings that we’ve applied to these emotions were the way our young minds might have learned to make sense out of our experiences with emotions while we were growing up and may still consciously or unconsciously play out in our lives today, particularly if we have our own intimate relationships and/or children. We often find that our relationships are mirrors—like windows to what needs to be healed within us. Often what triggers us is closely related to how we witnessed and/or experienced emotional situations while growing up. Regardless one of the most important pathways to healing and mastering your emotions is releasing judgement and shame and instead giving ourselves the kindness and compassion that we would like to have witnessed or felt from a caregiver in those experiences. Remember that our emotions are like involuntary knee -jerk reactions, there is no particular way “should” or “shouldn’t” feel in a situation, it’s all very subjective based on our own unique experience. Another way we may feel shame, guilt or judgement around our emotions is when we find ourselves identifying with them, you might say something like: “I’m sad” but YOU are not sad; it’s just an emotion you’re experiencing at a moment in time. Instead, you could say: “I’m feeling sad”. Conversely, you might be able to identify that there is only part of you that is sad, and maybe another part that feels - relieved feeling one emotion does not negate the other. Both emotions can be present at the same time, and both should be felt as they are both important and they both carry messages. Cultivate awareness + presence Awareness is one of the most fundamental tools; without awareness, we’re just walking through life on autopilot with no control over our thoughts and reactions. Instead, try to ask yourself: What situation triggered this emotion, or when did it start? Sometimes the answer is obvious, but sometimes it’s not so obvious. Next: What must I believe or what story must I be telling myself to feel this way? The answer might surprise you. The story is the meaning we unconsciously make of a situation, often based in assumptions, generalizations, faulty conclusions that lack evidence, or past experiences colouring present ones. For example: If you’re alone in a moment you might say you feel lonely, and perhaps you feel that way because you believe that “nobody wants to spend time with you”—when we uncover a story it’s an opportunity to form some inquiry around it and most often we will find we have no evidence to support our story but rather just a fear or insecurity that has highjacked our brain While we should not judge ourselves for having emotions or judge the emotions themselves, we can choose to view them as either helpful or unhelpful. For example: Yes, I made a huge mistake but “feeling like a failure” is not a helpful or empowering feeling. Instead, what’s more helpful would be a “Yes, and” statement, you could say: “Yes, I really messed up AND, it doesn’t mean anything about me. I’m human. Sometimes I’ll mess up, sometimes I’ll make mistakes but it’s part of learning and growing”. Give yourself permission to feel bummed about it for the day or night and just be in your feels and then vow that tomorrow you’ll persevere—you’ll give it another shot or try to fix it. We always want to work to separate truth and fact from stories. Another example: Believing that “Nobody ever listens to me and nobody cares what I have to say” is neither accurate nor helpful. Some people do. Maybe not these people in these particular circumstances, but not “nobody.” When you can paint a more objective and accurate picture of the situation, then you can choose a more compassionate and empowering belief. It’s okay to feel upset; you deserve to be heard and cared for just as much as anyone else. Now here is where the empowerment comes in: you can choose how you decide to handle it from here. You currently have a choice to say: A) I am worthy of being heard or cared for, and I need to let them know (share your feelings, create a boundary etc.) or choose to truly let it go. Sometimes, the story hurts us more than the situation itself, and once we speak or acknowledge the story, we can just let it go with greater ease. Other times, we might find that this is a situation that repeatedly occurs or a boundary that is repeatedly crossed which certain people, and we can choose to take a more self-supportive action. One of the best ways to learn to manage our emotions is by checking in with ourselves regularly. Do several check-ins with yourself in a day. Question the truth of them. Look for exaggerations or overgeneralization in your statements. Notice any automatic negative thoughts. Notice it all, without judgement. Ask yourself what you need at this moment and be mindful of things like hunger and tiredness, which can impact your mood. I know this one is obvious, and it’s also easier said than done but there are several ways to do this but focusing on breath and presence is the most important thing. Meditation can help us train our mind and our focus so this can be very helpful for awareness. The more we can stretch the muscles of our focus and awareness, the more naturally we can build consciousness and be able to witness our inner dialogue. Use Your Body to Move It Through Once you do the inner work, it’s great to move the energy of the emotions through your body and change your energy—some of the best ways to do this are through movement. Go for a walk, dance, exercise, and physically shake it off. But even if you can’t do something physically active because you don’t have the time, space, or energy there are still ways you can use your body to move the energy through. A body scan meditation can be a great tool to check in with yourself about how you’re feeling emotionally. Take a few minutes to breathe and feel into your body. Imagine shining a flashlight on each part of your body, one piece at a time and noticing how that part of your body feels. Our body often provides subtle and not so subtle clues to how we’re feeling since, as I mentioned, emotions can get stored in the body. If you notice clenching, tightness, contraction, pain, swirlies or jitteriness, that’s a good indication that you may need to investigate what you’re feeling. Accept the sensations—breathe into them. Ask yourself if I could give a voice to this part of my body, what would it say? Speak from that place and trust what comes up. Perhaps a pain in the back or shoulders might say, “I’m tired of carrying all this pressure, or I feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders.” If you have a tightness in your throat, perhaps it would say, “Nobody ever listens to me, nobody cares what I have to say.” Notice the story in these statements. Alternatively, you can use breath and nervous system regulation techniques to soothe yourself—you might try butterfly breathing, putting a hand on your chest, singing and/or humming, giving yourself facial massage and/or earlobe massage, Find a supportive environment Some environments can be supportive of working through emotions. It’s great to find someone, like a coach or a friend, who can hold space for you. It can help to vent, cry, be hugged, or connect and socialize with others in a safe and supportive environment, but being around people who have invalidated, mocked, suppressed, or neglected your feelings in the past may make it hard to fully allow and process those feelings. What environment is best and most nourishing to you as you work through the feeling? Trust your instincts in finding the strategy that works best for you. Some people need to power down, sleep and recharge before they process while others need to take a more active approach. Many people find it supportive to be out in nature—this can also help regulate the nervous system. Use nature and the elements as much as you can; there have been numerous studies on the positive benefits of nature and how it contributes to better overall health, including your emotional health. You can get physically grounded in nature through touch, or if you can’t physically get out in nature you can listen to nature sounds on headphones and visualize being out in nature, perhaps in your favourite spot. Imagine laying your troubles at your feet and the waves washing up over them and carrying them away. You can also try moving processed feelings and energy through with water, take a bath or shower, drink lots of water afterward. The above is my no means a comprehensive step-by-step process or list, but rather a guide to help you get started. First and foremost, I hope that it helped you view your emotions and your past experiences with a different lens and helped you learn another way to manage your emotions. I now know that I don’t feel “too much” I feel exactly as meant to, and I embrace it. Maybe you should too. Your feelings aren’t holding you back; they’re a sign that you’re living a FULL life. All those emotions that you’re moving through are part of the human experience, they’re part of life. Now I see my feelings as an invitation to investigate what’s happening—an invitation to empower me with a different story. And I’m now able to look for the information within the emotions to guide me through, since all parts of ourselves are deeply intertwined, your emotional health can play a big part in your overall health and sense of wellness. I think we all desire to live a full and healthy life—and part of doing that means embracing our humanness…accepting that as life naturally ebbs and flows, our emotions will too, and that it is both normal and natural. While allowing and processing your emotions is not an easy task, it can drastically improve your emotional health and your overall health by extension. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Nicki! Nicki Brown, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Nicki is a women’s empowerment coach and the owner of Sunflowers In Sunshowers, a company that focuses on helping women flourish through holistic and transformational life coaching. She is passionate about the work she is doing to help women love themselves wholly and live their life more fully. After experiencing a “quarter life crisis”—she struggled with her identity, life direction and overall life satisfaction—this was her awakening. She began a healing journey of self-discovery and uncovering which led to dismantle her pre-conceived beliefs and re-define not only herself but her vision of “the good life”. This journey eventually led her to realize her calling as a life coach and pursue a certification as a life and health coach. Her mission is to help women heal from their past conditioning and misunderstandings so that they can uncover their authentic selves, step into their power and create their vision of “the good life” too. To date, she has had the privilege of helping women all over the world from London, England to Portland Oregon.

Written by: Ciara Jean Roberts, 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 idea of a wellbeing fund came to me after working for a long time in private banking. How we invest our money, or ‘wealth management’ as it is often referred to in a private banking sense, is important. Well, actually... how we are investing in our health is also crucial. How about our ‘health management’? What credits have been building up to create a meaningful wellbeing fund? If the investment has been little, or even zero, when a crisis comes along there are no meaningful reserves to draw upon. And so we develop a negative value in our wellbeing fund, which is much harder to recover from – especially if we have the expectation that the solutions lie solely in pharmaceuticals. A bit like starting the day with a strong cup of coffee – you are immediately putting your body in a hydration deficit. From that place, it will have to work much harder and already be in stimulation mode. If we instead, say, start the day with hot water and lemon, and then have the coffee with a small bit of food, so it doesn’t spike a potential adrenaline surge, this is much better. What feels kinder? It’s all about understanding how our patterns grow or deplete the wellbeing fund. The one rule is – there are no rules. Only ways of diving in and exploring the kaleidoscope of being human. The wellbeing fund will vary depending on your life stage and individual circumstances. It is not a linear situation, as life is always changing. It is dynamic and fluid, not rigid. How might your Wellbeing Fund be at the moment? Nutrition Food is information for our cells. So it matters significantly what information goes in. My one tip is to eat real food, ditch the ultra processed. This matters too for our relationship with our living planet. We cannot be so divorced from how food arrives to our doors and in turn onto our plates. Let it be simple. Because it is. Sleep We download our day when we sleep. Allowing the mist of sleep to descend. Sleep deprivation poses serious consequences to our whole health. It’s crazy we live in a world that sells sleep technology when it is the most basic of needs. Allow yourself to sleep and know you are worthy of a good night’s rest. What we focus on amplifies so if you do have sleep issues, and yes this is unfortunately very common, the first step is to notice tension in your body. Let your way in, be the body. If you could figure this out in a thought based way, you would have long ago. In essence, we need to remind ourselves of the relaxation response. It may have been long over-ridden. It’s all about integrity, harmony and accessing that inner equilibrium. Finances Financial security. Money is one of the biggest causes of dispute, ill feeling and worry. It’s important to highlight that money is a requirement for basic needs, beyond that it can actually create so many more problems. I love the French translation ‘L’argent ne faisait pas le bonheur’. In English we tend to say ‘Money can’t buy you love, or ‘Money can’t buy happiness’. In the French translation, it uses the verb faire – to make/to do – so in essence alludes to money not making you happiness. Money doesn’t make happiness. It’s a difference. Words matter. How might this be in your native language? We enrich one another by such sharing. Movement As a yoga teacher with a burgeoning love of somatic embodiment – movement is what we are made for ‒ by intricate and highly efficient design. How much movement do you have in your day? It can be easy to get caught in the ‘exercise’ trap. e.g must do one hour of intense cardio-vascular activity a day. That’s great to have dedication and commitment – it’s also key to remember we create health in all the ways we move (and don’t), including how aware we are of our breathing and our postural changes in anything we do – whether it’s nestling down for some great sex, slithering into a hot bath or putting on our clothes. Movement is freedom. In this way – we become far more gracious and appreciative for the innate and incredible wisdom of our bodies. Movement is indeed medicine. Support Just as our ropey muscles and their relationship with our living bone tissue, creates support ‒ we as humans, yearn for connection and need to feel supported. Safe. Loved. Warm. We know the impact when we are lonely, feel misunderstood, unloved or isolated. We might call this our social nervous system. Or being a drop in the ocean of the all as is often referenced in the non-dualistic tantric teachings. Support also very much includes nature – the wisdom of a thousand year oak tree, the solace of a calm lake and the moon mirroring her luminescence, wrapped up in blankets with a lover gazing up at the stars on a wintry night. These reminders connect us back into the hum of the hive. Like bees we love to cross-pollinate, share ideas, sing and dance together. Do we have a dear friend who cares to ask us ‘What ails thee’? And is there to truly listen to the response. Purpose In the many years of working one to one and in groups with people – with their bodies breathing, moving, talking about patterns in their lives, one of the most compelling things that stands out for me ‒ is those that have a sense of purpose, fuels a life well lived more than anything. Known as dharma in yoga. Purpose. This certainly resonates in my own life, stepping away from banking ten years ago after my first kidney transplant was failing ‒ to tread the path I know I was meant to. I had to feel the depths of despair and difficulty in order to discover all the many ways to heal and then share this with others. This fuels me profoundly and is always an ongoing enquiry with myself and how that then percolates out into the world though my work. And provides ballast in the times that feel sad, anxious or wildly irritating. Because we are human after all. It’s a process. Know that it’s messy, awkward and crazy making along the way – and that’s all part of the fun and depth. It’s also incredibly rewarding, evolving and can spark so many new friendships and encounters. I remember meeting my first kidney transplant surgeon a few years ago to talk about my first book – over 20 years on from when he had been the skilled holder of the scalpel back in 1997. Him now a senior member of the surgical team, performing thousands of surgeries to date, often on call, decades of compromised sleep, little time felt to be had for exercise – yet his sense of fulfilment and purpose, did not even need to be voiced. It was present and palpable in his very being. We are each here for the fleeting moment. A blink in the cosmic eye. A flight of delight in this human skin. What might you feel needs attending to – for the sake of your unique Wellbeing Fund. What needs replenishing. What needs remembering? I’m cheering you on. Follow me on LinkedIn, Twitter and visit my website for more info! Read more from Ciara! Ciara Jean Roberts, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Ciara Roberts is a writer, yoga facilitator and nutritional therapist, with a pioneering spirit to create true and lasting change across the landscapes of holistic healthcare and medicine. Founder of Wholly Aligned, an innovator, quester and cross-pollinator, borne from the lessons and adventures with her kidneys, which failed at age 14. Charting several years at a young age on dialysis, two kidney transplants and a treasure chest of tools, she is uniquely placed as an insider/outsider to effect change in the current embedded systems. Stepping away from banking in 2012, she has dedicated her life to helping others awaken their inner physician and reclaim their innate sense of wholeness.

Written by: Shawnesse Nicole Herbert, 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. Therapy. You finally listened and decided to try mental health treatment. It has been a couple of weeks, yet you realize you love your therapy sessions. Waiting for your next therapy appointment is like sitting on pins and needles. Family, friends, and even co-workers notice a change in your behavior. Life is starting to feel fulfilled again. You know it is due to your dope therapist. Your therapist is the best friend you always wanted but never had until now. While in the waiting room, you scroll across a TikTok video referencing an article called, Your Therapist Is Not Your Friend, Take It from a Psychiatrist, your face plummets. All your thought-stopping anxiety skills are out the window. You start to ponder, is this true? Does my therapist know this? Wait, does this mean I have been bamboozled by my new therapist-bestie? Don't fret! Your answer lies in these eight reasons why your therapist was never your best friend. One-Way Relationship Friendships are partnerships; an underlying give-and-receive component allows the two-way relationship to grow and flourish. Counseling, on the other hand, is entirely one-sided. Therapy sessions are all about you and your mental struggles. Think about the questions your therapist asks during your sessions. Better yet, consider who is doing all the heavy lifting during a session. A healthy client-therapist relationship requires clients to process their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. You are the only one being vulnerable by processing your past and present self, and rightfully so. The focus is on you and no one else. The relationship is a safe place to let go and be free from all judgment. Learn to drop all your struggles and let your therapist teach you how to manage your emotions and relationships. There is no need to help or support the therapist. You finally have a relationship where you do not need to know anything about the other person on the other side of the couch. They got you, so let them! Limited Self-Disclosure By design, your therapist will only disclose personal information about themselves when it will help you move further in therapy and if it will be practical and beneficial for your progress. Your therapist's life struggles are not burdens to hold. Remember, this is not a two-way relationship. You should only know some things about them. Healthy therapists go to therapy to process their mental health needs. You are not in the room to help your therapist with their problems, nor should you; this is your session. Use all your time for yourself. It's "Area 51" Let's be honest; most people enter therapy in secrecy. Like the highly classified United States air-force military base, no one enters without an appointment, and many shield the knowledge that they are attending therapy. Individuals fear judgment for attending therapy sessions due to the many stigmas about needing counseling. Regardless of your vulnerabilities in letting others know you are in treatment, appointments happen in a therapeutic setting and nowhere else. You meet at a set time, on a selected day, for a limited time, and then you leave. There are no social met-ups, spontaneous get-togethers, or private party invitations your therapist sends you throughout the year or vice versa. The relationship is strictly set to the privacy of the therapy environment and confined to those areas only. Your relationship will eventually end with your therapist; it is inevitable. So, scratch them off the holiday list; they will be a no-show. You Pay to Play While you may feel like you are always paying for your friends every time you get together, this is not the same situation. The therapy relationship is transactional; regardless if you go through insurance or utilize private pay, you are paying for a service. You are paying for your therapist's time and support. You signed a contract and committed to the terms of the relationship. You have the right to end the relationship whenever you are ready, and the therapist agrees to let you go, no questions asked. Forgetting to attend a session or having a late cancelation will cost you. Your therapist will charge you for that session. Additionally, they will address your attendance and inquire with you about your reasoning for missing sessions the next time your meet. You are paying for them to hold you accountable and challenge your behaviors. Your therapist provides excellent service, so take advantage of your therapist skillsets. Also, remember to let them know you are paying for your friend on outings. That session should be fun! Limits To Confidentiality Remember how I mentioned the contract? Yes. In the consent of service, your therapist reviewed conditions when they must break your privacy and informed others when additional support or help is needed. Outside the limits of confidentiality, your therapist keeps all your secrets—the good, the bad, and the ugly, as you may think. Your therapist is someone you can trust, bound to secrecy. So, you never have to worry about a therapist sharing your business or gossiping about you when they meet with their friends. They do not even know you once you leave their office. On the other hand, your friends can willingly or unwillingly share information, and nothing legally can be done about it. Yes, the circle of trust may break, or a wounded relationship transpires; but if your therapist breaks the silence, you can report them to their state licensing board. You probably wish you could appoint authorities to govern your friends. Bring that up in therapy too. Mutual Exclusivity is Non-Existent Sorry to inform you, but you are probably not the only one calling your therapist their best friend. Unfortunately, your therapist has other clients, and when you leave, someone else will sit on the same couch as you after your session. You only have one therapist, yet your therapist has many clients. They present that same warmth, empathy, understanding, and kindness to all their clients, not just you. The warm, authentic, and empathic relationship you receive with your therapist creates a therapeutic alliance, which is the keystone to a positive psychotherapeutic experience. While the therapist personalizes each session for the client, the therapeutic alliance is present. Your genuine, authentic relationship with your current therapist may be your first encounter, which is excellent. Just remember, it is by design. Take advantage of your therapeutic support and let your therapist guide you as you learn how to manage your mental health. Boundaries, Boundaries, Boundaries Boundaries are a must in a therapeutic relationship. Technically, limits are necessary for all relationships; however, they are non-negotiable in therapy. Therefore, you sign a contract, and there are governing parties over licensed mental health providers. Boundaries ensure counseling is healthy, safe, and productive. Limits provide accountability and are typically missing in most relationships outside of therapy. The therapist writes goals, objectives, and treatment plans to keep therapy on track in reaching your endeavors. Therapy is work, and your therapist wants to ensure you achieve your goals as soon as possible. They want to see you win, so they will continue to enforce boundaries to support your needs. Real friendships do not have agendas, progression markers, or assign life work for you to complete before your next get-together. Learn ways to set boundaries in your personal life too. Ask your therapist for help; they will love to add it to your treatment plan. Unethical If I had to level importance, then this reason is number one. It is unethical for your therapist to be your friend. That is right, there are guidelines and ethics therapists must follow when seeing their clientele. Being your friend is not on the list of acceptable expectations. Ethical standards benefit you, the client, because for once in your life, you have access to someone who can listen to you. They get to learn about you and be your cheerleader on the side. They are not trying to steal your shine or derail your plans. Admit it, do you need another person you must give to or support? That is the magic of therapy, you have little ties to them, and your counselor does not have any other connections to you. Your therapist is judgment free! Ethics allows your therapist to be a healthy support system for you. You need your therapist to be a professional guide separate from a friend. Let your therapist witness your current mental state and allow them to help you grow into the person you truly want to be in the long run. Your therapist is better than a best friend. Therapists are grounded in supporting you in doing "the work" to accomplish your goals in treatment. Your therapist is in the room as a supporting cast to your life journey. They are trained professionals who want to see you succeed and live your best life. Release the temptation of being upset because you believe you lost a bestie. Instead, walk into your next session and high-five your therapist. Be proud that you found a great one and that they are doing their job correctly. Not ready to accept and admit defeat just yet. Share this article with your therapist. It will be a perfect conversation starter for your next session! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Shawnesse Nicole! Shawnesse Nicole Herbert, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Shawnesse Herbert is a licensed psychotherapist who empowers individuals to survive their struggles, evolve in their relationships, love their lives, and fulfill their purpose. With her passion for educating individuals on the importance of mental health and the need for more BIPOC mental health professionals, she opened DISCOVER S.E.L.F. PLLC. As a privately owned premier counseling studio, Shawnesse supports individuals who thrive in seeking self-love and self-care. She supports teens and adults experiencing anxiety, depression, life transitions, and other mental health struggles interrupting their daily lives. Shawnesse has worked in the education and mental health fields over the last 15 years to obtain a dynamic understanding of human interaction and behavior development. She holds a Bachelor of Psychology from Texas Christian University (TCU) and a Master's in Counseling from Prairie View A & M.

Written by: Anna Krzysztoszek , 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. First and foremost, it is completely understandable we feel awkward and uncomfortable while leaving our comfort zone. Recruiting processes and job interviews are one of these situations where we need to be in the spotlight again. For the majority, such moments are challenging, especially after a difficult life situation like sickness, being without a job for a longer time, or after our contract has been terminated. Here are some thoughts and ideas which usually trigger positive mind shifts. 1. Rejection A negative reply from a potential employer is nothing personal. There might be many different reasons standing behind a negative response. The company might have already found some interesting candidates. Or maybe the best candidate has been chosen but the job advertisement is still visible online and has not been deactivated yet. Taking a negative response personally might be a wrong assumption. If you are very curious about why you received a negative response, simply ask for feedback. By asking for it, we put ourselves in the shoes of the recruiter or potential supervisor, which is a helpful, inspiring shift. It also weakens our negative self-talk because we focus on external feedback and real opinions, not on our subjective feeling of self-worth. One of the most effective ways of asking for feedback is a sentence similar to the following one: “Thank you for your reply. I am continuously working on improving my personal and technical skills, so your feedback related to what you missed in my resume would be of great help to me.” Such sentences express full acceptance of the company’s decision and show you as someone who just would like to know what skills are currently still missing, so you can work on them in the future. 2. General Application Letter Many of my coaches invest a lot of time in researching and writing detailed, customized application letters for each of the companies they apply for. Make it simple. Do not invest too much time in such activities, if it is generally difficult to overcome procrastination, as it might slow the process even more. Better choose 4 to 6 job descriptions that are close to the position you are looking for and mark the most typical and characteristic keywords. Repeat these keywords in your future application letters so there is no need to invest a lot of time in writing a new application letter every time you apply for a job. In this stage, it is worth keeping the quote of Albert Einstein in the back of our minds: “Make it as simple as possible, but not simpler” . Once you are invited for an interview, you can invest hours and days in researching the company but in the initial stage of the recruiting process too much detail-oriented customization and time-consuming research often lead to an unnecessary waste of time, and an increase in frustration, in case the company’s response is negative. 3. Long Online Forms In case you observed signs of procrastination , skip recruiting processes that require filling in long online forms. Focus on those that provide the best and fastest experience to their candidates. The vast majority of candidates have the impression such long forms are irritating and time-wasting – this could increase procrastination. Unfortunately, there are still companies that are not using OCR software (Optical Character Recognition software) in their recruiting processes. In the first place, focus on those who are focused on you having the best possible user experience. Last but not least, be kind to yourself. It is generally helpful to reflect on which steps of the recruiting process are linked to the strongest procrastination response. Organize those bottlenecks in a way that is supportive to you, not discouraging or upsetting. It is an effort that will pay off. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Anna! Anna Krzysztoszek, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Anna Krzysztoszek has more than 20 years of international experience in business ‒ from large corporations to start-ups. She is the owner of Green Butterfly ‒ Coaching & Recruiting. The completion of her German and Dutch studies, her pedagogical education, the certificate of a Psychological Advisor and various business degrees, such as Master of Business Administration (MBA), reflect Anna's main focus and passion: combining her economical expertise with the always present interest in people and the art of making the best of our lives. This especially applies to professional matters ‒ after all, we spend a third of our life at our workplace.

Written by: Mari Grande, 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. ‘Tis the season for special traditions, twinkling lights, and navigating family dynamics. Whether you're heading home for the holidays, or simply staying in town, the most wonderful time of the year can become the most stressful time of the year when personalities and preferences collide. By intentionally setting boundaries ahead of time, we can lessen the impact of challenging family dynamics over the holiday season. Boundaries Are Values In Action The holiday season is a time when we celebrate our families, our traditions, and most importantly, our love for each other. But those celebrations can get overwhelming fast—especially if you're not prepared with boundaries around your needs and values. Whether you have a loving and supportive family or one that's been deeply hurtful to you, the holidays are often a time when we struggle to stay true to ourselves. This season can be a time when we feel pressured to compromise our needs in order to please others. We may even want to do things for others that we don't really want for ourselves, or take on responsibilities that aren't ours by nature of blood ties alone. Being firm in your values is the first step in understanding how, and when, to set boundaries. Before diving into the holiday mayhem, identify what you value in this season of celebration. What traditions are important to you? What do you value as your role in the family? With whom do you value spending time with? In short, get clear on what you need to enjoy a healthy holiday season. Whether it’s practicing self-care, prioritizing family, or participating in traditions that align with your beliefs, being firm in what is most important to you can help keep you balanced and grounded during this busy time of year. Setting Boundaries Ahead Of Time We all have family dynamics that are hard to navigate during the holidays: whether it's your overbearing dad who always dictates the plans, your sibling who insists on arguing about politics, or your mom who likes to sneak in criticism any chance she gets. Without proper planning, the anticipation of quality family time can be filled with dread, frustration, and disappointment. Whatever the case may be, having boundaries around your needs and values is necessary in order to enjoy your time despite challenging family dynamics. The less obvious your values are, the more likely you are to give in to unspoken demands and expectations. While it might feel selfish at first, establishing your boundaries ahead of time will likely lead to a more fulfilling and connective gathering for all. With your values in mind, set clear expectations around how, when, and with whom you plan to spend your holiday season. Let people know what you need from them in order to spend time together. The more communicative we are with each other about what we need from our relationships, the better off everyone will be. Setting (And Sticking To) Boundaries During the Holidays If you're feeling anxious about spending time with loved ones, here are some tips for setting boundaries that align with your values: Set limits on how much time you can spend. This might mean only having one meal per day with them rather than attending every event, or clearly communicating the time you need to leave. Say no to conversations or activities that aren’t aligned with your values. Be clear about what you’re comfortable doing and discussing. If a certain task or topic won’t allow you to stick to your values, let your loved ones know ahead of time that you won’t be participating. Take inventory and know when you’ve had enough. Be clear about what signals to you that your boundaries have been violated. You might feel exhausted, your body might be stiff, or your mind might be racing. Check-in throughout the day and be ready to practice self-care. Take time for yourself. If you notice your boundaries have been violated, take a walk in nature or go out to the store to get some space. While you’re out, step back and reflect on the mental and physical space that is safe for you around the holidays. Conclusion If you are grounded in your values and communicate your needs ahead of time, this season can be full of wonder and joy. In fact, having good boundaries doesn't mean you can't enjoy the holidays. By setting, communicating, and keeping your boundaries firm, you’re cultivating a family dynamic that is rooted in love, respect, and ultimately, the spirit of the season. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Mari! Mari Grande, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Mari Grande is a New York City-based licensed Creative Arts Therapist, Clinical Social Worker, Thought Leader, Educator, and Coach with more than 20 years of experience in trauma healing and recovery. By working closely with the mind/body connection, attachment theory, and the power of creativity, she draws upon her integrative background to alleviate the impacts of relational and generational trauma. Mari is passionate about working with women who have experienced a Mother Wound and offers various online courses that provide guidance, support, and insight through the Overcoming the Mother Wound program.

Written by: Christy Roberts , 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. Poor sleep is a massive problem in our society today. It affects millions of people across the world. Getting a good night's sleep is not just about how many hours you're getting, it's also about the quality of that sleep. How restorative it is and how rested you are during your sleep. A study by ABC Life, indicates that the average adult gets 7 hours of sleep per day. 12% of us are getting fewer than 5 ½ hours, while about 8% of us are getting over 9 hours. Where do you sit with this? In addition, it showed that not many of us are getting the ‘right sleep’. Between 33% and 45% of people say their sleep is inadequate. Inadequate means their sleep is lacking in either duration or quality, resulting in daytime consequences. That’s ⅓ to ½ of us. That’s a big deal! Why is getting a good night's sleep important? As a Coach and Healer, I work primarily with leaders. I’ve noticed that poor sleep patterns and sleep disorders affect the majority of my clients. Sleep patterns contribute significantly to our moods, energy, relationships, and our physical, mental, and emotional health & well-being. When we are more rested and get good quality sleep, it makes sense that we are a lot more productive, effective, engaged, and focused. In addition, it: Reduces stress Improves your mood Increases energy levels Strengthens relationships (because we get along better with people) Helps to control weight Improves motor memory Lowers your risk for serious health problems, like diabetes and heart disease Strengthens the immune system Means we get sick less often Decreases inflammation in the body Keeps your heart healthy Keeps blood sugar consistent Helps with hormonal balance Helps you think more clearly and do better at work or school Improves brain performance As you can see, having a great night's sleep has the potential to dramatically improve the all-around quality of your life. How do you sleep? I strongly encourage you to take some time to explore your own sleep habits and cycles. Even if you’re already a good sleeper, there’s typically room for more improvement. Firstly, look at your sleep patterns: Are you getting enough adequate sleep? Yes or No? What are your thoughts about your sleep quality or duration? Does your sleep have daytime consequences? What are they? It’s my intent as you read this article that you will actively engage with it. Get out your pen and paper, and take notes. Highlight the tips and ideas that resonate with you. The ones that you would like to implement or explore further. If you’re taking the time to read this, it’s obviously important to you, so make the most of it. 20 Sleeping Tips for a better night’s sleep Since researching this topic, I’m pleased to confirm that my own sleep quality has definitely improved. A quick shout-out to Jim Kwik, as several of these tips are from his course Accessing your SuperBrain, which I completed with MindValley (highly recommend). Here is what I’ve discovered: 1. Remove all light Even the ambient light on the clock radio or the dot on a TV can affect your sleep. Make sure the lights are out. If your curtains do not eliminate daylight fully, you can purchase an eye mask and keep it within reach. They are a few dollars online and work well in the morning when the sun is rising and you’re not ready to wake up. My mask is a lovely black velvet and has a nice thick elastic that is not tight and sits very comfortably. 2. Moderate room temperature The optimal room temperature for sleep should be between 18 to 20 degrees Celsius (64.4-68 Fahrenheit). Either side of this temperature can disturb your sleep rhythms and wake you up more often. Remember ‒ not too hot, not too cold. The weight of your bedcovers can be used to moderate the temperature you sleep at. Many blankets and doonas these days have warmth ratings on the packaging. If you are waking up too hot or too cold, consider having a winter doona and a lighter weight summer doona, with an optional extra blanket as the weather changes seasons. 3. Do not work in your bedroom The bedroom is for sleep and play. Your bedroom is a place to relax, it’s for sleep and for enjoyment. It's not a place for work. Your mind needs to be able to switch off from work mode when you're in your bedroom. This is especially challenging for many teens and young adults who have desks in their bedrooms. 4. Learn healthy ways to process emotional pain and turmoil Research indicates that 75-90% of disease is caused by stress. The body stores trapped emotions. They build up in the body and affect us psychosomatically and physically. Generally, we have been raised to bury our emotions, avoid them, and shut them down. We are not taught to feel. When we sleep our mind continues to process this built-up energy and emotional stress. When you do emotional healing work, like Self Directed Healing, it processes and releases this trapped energy so it leaves your body. The result is that your mind and body calm down, relax more, enabling a better night's sleep. I have worked with a number of clients who have sleep apnea. From an emotional healing perspective, we focus on the trapped emotions, limiting beliefs, and old wounds. 5. Work towards healing your trauma and grief Sometimes disruptive sleep patterns are caused by unprocessed trauma and grief cycles that have not been healed. If you are waking with panic attacks, anxiety, nightmares, etc., explore Self Directed Healing, it is very effective for this. 6. Get off all electrical devices No technology before bedtime or when you first wake. 2 hours before bed, and 1 hour when you wake up. Technology is proven to affect the brain, stimulating your mind and making it harder to fall asleep. Electronic media use has been consistently linked with delayed bedtime and shortened sleep, as well as increased night waking. Sounds and blinking lights can also cause unwanted awakenings when sleeping next to electronics. 7. Put your mobile phone out of reach Having your phone right next to the bed is not ideal. Where else can it go? Electronic back-lit devices like cell phones, tablets, readers, and computers emit short-wavelength enriched light, also known as blue light. The blue light emitted by your cell phone screen restrains the production of melatonin, the hormone that controls your sleep-wake cycle (aka circadian rhythm). This makes it even more difficult to fall asleep and wake up the next day. At night, the light throws the body's biological clock—the circadian rhythm —out of whack and our sleep suffers (Harvard Medical School). 8. Install light filters on your devices and consider looking at glasses Many mobiles and devices now have apps you can install with light filters. Blue-blocking glasses, also known as amber glasses, are plastic glasses that primarily block blue light. These glasses have been studied and proven as a successful intervention for reducing sleep onset latency in people with sleep disorders, jet lag, insomnia, delayed sleep phase, and variable shift work schedules. National Library of Medicine ‒ May 2 021 9. Take regular breaks from your devices Come up with a plan, don’t just read on. Write down some times that would work well in your schedule to take a rest break or change the pace. Stretching or a quick walk is very beneficial. If needed, set yourself up for success by adding reminders to your phone, or diary, especially in the beginning when you are creating a new habit, you need to remind yourself. 10. Exercise Studies show that exercise improves how you sleep at night. Research also indicates that the optimal time to exercise for improved sleep is 7.30 am. However, we are all different and work to different schedules. Any exercise is going to be beneficial. 11. Learn to understand your sleep patterns There are many apps and devices available that monitor sleep. My Fitbit watch is fabulous. One of the functions it offers is a sleep tracker. It clearly tells me how long I’ve actually slept, not just how long you are in bed. Plus, it measures the amount of time I have in each of the 4 different sleep cycles ‒ Deep, REM, Light, and Awake. It gives me an overall score based on the quality of sleep I’ve had, out of 100. You can look at oxygen variations, sleeping heart rates, and restlessness. It’s priceless information. Once you have an average sleep score to work with, your goal can be to consistently improve it until you are fully optimised and then work to keep it stable. Currently, my personal goal is to consistently be above a score of 82 and ideally above 85. I can totally feel the difference when I’ve rated below 80 for a couple of nights in a row. It affects my productivity, focus, and energy levels and is my ‘warning bell’ to make some changes. 12. Drink plenty of water Hydration is fundamental to our wellbeing. Our bodies transmute a lot of energy. When our bodies are hydrated it responds much better to the messages it carries. Water quality also plays a role, I’d recommend filtered still water. Interestingly and paradoxically, when your body is dehydrated it is more likely to give you a wake-up call for the bathroom during the night. Plus our brains are made up of 80% water and they will dehydrate overnight. When you first wake up in the morning, drink lots of water, and continue to keep your water intake up throughout the day, your body needs it. 13. Breathwork … 4-7-8 If you struggle to get to sleep or find yourself wide awake during the night, the 4-7-8 is a great breathing technique. It’s used by the navy seals. You breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 7, and breathe out for 8 counts. Studies indicate it can reduce depression and anxiety, improve sleep quality, reduce stress levels, improve motor memory and improve pain processing. Pretty cool! Close your mouth and quietly inhale through your nose to a mental count of 4 . Hold your breath for a count of 7 . Exhale through your mouth, making a whoosh sound for a count of 8 . Repeat the process three more times for a total of 4 breath cycles. I use this when I find myself restless and awake during the night. I’ve found it takes focus and practice. The focus is effective because it shifts your mind from the many thoughts whirling in your head to your breathing and slows everything down. Usually, I fall asleep doing this, so for me, it works. 14. Meditation There are many calming, restorative, sleep meditations available online. Look them up and create a favorites list that you can quickly and easily access when you’re tired. 15. Natural products There are many natural and healthy products on the market. Vitamins, magnesium, teas, etc. Do your homework, and look at the research ‒ don’t just go by what the label says, as marketing can be deceptive. 16. Avoid sleeping tablets Sleeping tablets are not a long-term solution because they don’t address the causes of your sleeping problems or insomnia. It’s a temporary bandaid, not a solution. 17. Limit caffeine Too much caffeine, particularly in the evening, can cause insomnia. Limit caffeinated drinks to four or less per day, and avoid these types of drinks after dinner. 18. Go online, get curious and look We are in the digital age, so use this to your advantage. My list is not exhaustive so hop online and find resources you like, try them out. See what works for you. Save them and keep at it. Check out https://thesleepdoctor.com/ 19. Create better routines and habits What do you typically do right before bedtime? Is it restful and does it help you unwind and get ready for a good night's sleep? Would it work better to change around some of these routines? Are you staying up too late? I find if I go to bed at a certain time I sleep better. Once I stay up beyond this time, it’s more likely to affect my sleep quality. I’ve learned to pay attention and listen more to my body and go to bed when it tells me to, instead of staying up that bit later. 20. Create goals for improving your sleep and take consistent action Make a plan. Pick a couple of tips that resonate with you and start there. What would you like to improve, by when, and how? Include action steps and methods of measuring. How will you know if you’ve succeeded? Consistent action will get results. Small consistent changes and tweaks gather momentum over time. Keep at it and don’t give up. If something doesn’t work, it doesn’t matter, it’s all feedback. Keep going. As you can see there are so many different things you can do to enhance your sleep. This information is not exhaustive. You will easily find more online. Do it differently. Just because you've always had trouble sleeping doesn't mean it can't change. It means the chemicals and neurons in your brain need to shift. The trapped emotions in your body need to release. You need to create a new healthier pattern/cycle in your body. Listen to your inner dialogue. Is the record you’re playing telling you: “I’m a terrible sleeper” “I can’t sleep” or something along those lines. Perhaps try: “I’m working to improve my sleeping all the time” “It’s possible to improve my sleep” “I can do it” “I’m learning to be a better sleeper”. It isn’t about trying everything all at once. It’s about selecting a few tips that you relate to and having a go. Small consistent action in the right direction gets momentum. Then come back, revisit this list, and try something else. Keep going, keep improving. What you focus on is what you get. Would you prefer to focus on how terribly you sleep, or how you are working to improve your sleep habits and patterns? Always remember to celebrate your successes, no matter how small. It helps us to feel good about ourselves. Just know, it’s totally possible to improve your sleep patterns, no matter how ingrained they are. Creating Change’s work is focused on tapping into our full potential and living our best life. Getting a good night's sleep is a crucial element in this. I trust you’ve gained value from this article. To see more of our content check out our website ChristyRobertsCoaching.c om . There are a number of free resources, blogs, and events available. You can also view our videos on the ChristyRobertsCreatingChange YouTube C hannel . Please remember to like and subscribe. I’m curious, which tip are you going to implement first? Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Christy! Christy Roberts, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Christy is the Global Self Directed Healing Practitioner Trainer, an award-winning Coach, and Grief Educator with over 20+ years of Human Resources and Organisational Development experience. She helps people journey through the toughest of life’s challenges, like grief, trauma, anger, anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, fear, overwhelm, stress, and burnout. Christy is passionate about unlocking our human potential, transforming mindsets, and supporting people to get out of their own way and live their ultimate lives by achieving the success and results they desire. She provides Coaching, Self Directed Healing, Workshops, and Educational Resources that positively impact people, leaders, and workplaces. As Founder of Creating Change, she is driven to make a change in our society and culture, so that we are more authentically connected to ourselves and living with passion and purpose.

Written by: Dipal Shah , 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 observed small children playing? The endless giggles and laughs as they roll cars across the floor or swing at full velocity. We all can agree that children encompass joy in every sense of the word. Yet, over time, that joyful spirit and excitement gradually drain out of us. It’s replaced with anxiety, fear of failure, and frustration as the beautiful memories of the past fade to just that: memories. Children absorb everything in the world around them. From criticism to harsh yelling, children are sensitive. So many wounded adults are walking around with an inner child begging to be heard. In the name of productivity and focus, we become exceptionally good at tuning out the voice and ignoring that child. What could they possibly teach us? In my work with clients, I’ve found there is a small piece left behind in so many of us. Our inner child was neglected, unable to do the things he or she deeply wanted to do. Over time, that built resistance and distrust within ourselves… because if we cannot trust ourselves, who can we truly trust? Never getting to speak up. Never being heard. Never being listened to. Scolded and afraid, that child learned to retreat within itself to avoid criticism or ridicule. It’s easy to shove our childhood experiences under the bed and decide not to deal with them. Just like the tale of monsters under the bed, it’s much easier to write our fears off as fantasy. Pushing them to the back of our consciousness seems easy, but causes profound problems for the adult who is left to pick up the pieces. Essentially, your inner child is hiding in the closet. Because we still deeply connected to our inner child, you may find the adult version of yourself fearing transparency and vulnerability or self-sabotaging in situations that require visibility. Feeling lost, the adult suffers with passivity and feelings of overwhelm. How do we help our inner child retreat from the darkness and boldly step into the light of their purpose? Read along for a few tips. Spend time joyfully reconnecting with your inner child Be curious about what he or she would like to eat or what they’d like to do. The childlike pleasures we’ve placed on the backburner are instrumental in revealing the state of our inner child. Eat that grilled cheese sandwich and head to a playground. Sink into the spirit of playfulness and challenge yourself to be deeply present in the experience. Meditation and Mindfulness Spend time in silence, deep-breaking, and visualizing the youngest versions of yourself. Understand the fears and frustrations they may have held onto. Reassure and reaffirm to your inner child that their feelings are welcomed and valid. When it feels safe, release those feelings and emotions in whatever way feels natural to you, from journaling to exercise. Heal your relationship with your inner child Like all relationships, your relationship with your inner child is crucial for a harmonious and purpose-filled life. Consult an Energy Healer to help you clear blocks that you may not realize or spend time journaling. Ask yourself the difficult questions with the intent to mend the relationship and confirm to your inner child they are finally safe and respected. Our inner child is responsible for so much of our adult behaviors. If you want to heal, focus on your relationship with your inner child and watch your internal and external worlds slowly begin to shift. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Dipal Shah, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine A recognized expert in the field of Energy Medicine, Dipal created the Quantum Body Awakening Technique: leading thousands of women in over 92 countries to escape painful, chronic health conditions where western medicine failed. Dipal's unique gifts created profound shifts for her clients; from finding boundless energy to experiencing life with increased purpose and inspiration. Through her company, Ananda 4 Life, Dipal has served celebrities, thought leaders, and health-care practitioners, leading them to find joy and decrease suffering through her blend of practices.