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. Your life is a work of heart and you’re creating everyday. With every thought, every belief, every word, every choice, every interaction—you’re creating. What have you created so far? If you take a step back and look at the canvas of your life, do you like what you see? Have you been creating consciously? Or have you been creating half asleep? Have you put your heart into all the pieces of your life—can you see it painted across the canvas of your life? You may think: I’m not an artist, I’m not creative, but the truth is we’re all naturally creative in some way—we all have gifts. Inside each of us lies something we want to share with the world, some way that we want to contribute to this world—no matter how big or how small. And we ARE all gifts, inside each of us is a heart that longs to be open to life, and to be open to and shared with others, and the world. Whether you realize it or not, your life is a masterpiece in progress and you are the artist—every thought, belief, choice, action, reaction is a colour and stroke brushed across the canvas, but what gives it shape is the intention of each stroke. The way you choose to see life will give shape and colour to what you create. Perhaps that’s some incentive to start going inward and start questioning from where we’re creating. What do I believe? What do I see? What do I think about on the daily? And why? Where did this come from? What are my choices? What am I choosing? The more we work on ourselves, the more we heal, the more vibrant the colours, the more precise the strokes—but like learning any new skill, it’s not easy, It’s hard. It takes perseverance. Sometimes you work at it for what feels like ages and make no progress, sometimes we feel uninspired and we lose our vision, the creative process ebbs and flows. It takes time. Perhaps a lifetime. Occasionally we may need to step back to get a different perspective, or step away, to rest and recharge, but we can always come back to it realigned and reinvigorated. There may be times throughout the creative process that you don’t see how it’s coming together, that you doubt the end result but you also need to trust in the creative process and listen to your intuition as it guides you. Creation demands passion, love, consistency and dedication to make it beautiful and admirable. When I say beautiful and admirable, I’m not talking about in the way you see someone’s perfectly curated Instagram life. When I say beautiful and admirable I’m talking about living a life that is authentic and in alignment with you—with your truth, your values, your desires. I’m talking about living life with our heart wide open—open to all experiences and emotions—do you dare to be vulnerable? To pour it all out onto the canvas for the world to see? To be open to experiencing life from a place of wonder, and seeing the infinite possibilities for canvas? Do you dare to paint your life boldly and unapologetically in every colour of you? The light…the shadow? The green…the blue? Sometimes in spite of your best efforts, you make a mistake, or even several, but perhaps when you step back you see that the mistake gives it character. Or maybe in the big picture, it’s unnoticeable. Or perhaps when you step back you realize you’re not happy with your work at all, but remember —you are always your own worst critic. Are you unhappy because you think there is something else you “should” have painted, or because you admire Sally down the hall’s creation more than yours? Go back and look at your canvas and ask yourself — is this MY heart, MY vision, MY truth? Or were you more influenced by someone else? If you find you’ve left out the heart in some of your strokes, then know you’re working with acrylic paint, which is a very forgiving medium—just wait for it to dry and you can paint over it anew, and this time, make it more YOU. As I said, this is a masterpiece of a lifetime—your lifetime and you have exactly that long to re-envision it, restart it, to fix mistakes, refine techniques, mix mediums, and fall in love with the process—to marvel with awe and gratitude at what you’ve created and how it’s coming together, and to create something you are absolutely unequivocally in love with. I hope this piece inspires you to go and paint anew, and to create a heart-centred life that is apologetically you. 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: Jeremy Stegall, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. As we approach the end of this year, the journey to empower our choice does not end after just one year of dedicated focus and attention to empowering choices. Life is continuous, and so is the opportunity for our development over our lifetime. Some of us may come from healthy backgrounds with secure attachment styles, and others may come from controlling environments in which choices do not feel like our own. Sitting down with the book, There's Nothing Wrong With You by Cheri Huber, I resonated with the quote, "you have been taught that there is something wrong with you and that you are imperfect, but there isn't, and you're not." I've been thinking about the theme of self-trust and leaning into the next level of opening up to my experience and finding completion around previous experiences that trigger me to respond with behavior that no longer serves me; areas that once supported and protected my development. It's interesting to reflect on my experience, particular environments' impact over time, and the parts of myself that I claimed as my identity and part of who I was. What if we could recognize our patterns and intentionally choose our behavior more often? It's just the way I am, we often say. Feelings that I'm not trusting that I know what I want and that people outside of myself know better than I do what is best for me triggers a response pattern that takes time to recognize and move past. Repeating thoughts, doubting my choices, and second-guessing what I desire is also a response to being with other humans on their journey. Plain and simple, it's time for me to take ownership of my life and what I create while I have the time and opportunity to be here. Being in Practice Demonstration reflects how I trust myself and develop areas around my being. What opportunities are there for you and your life at work and in the community? For me, the journey of reaching the next level of self-trust initially triggers thoughts of fear and survival. Continuing to lean into what I do want and intend to create so far continues to lead to the most incredibly fulfilling life experience. What is it that I'm bringing to the room, and how does that impact my results? How does that reflect how I trust myself, my community, and my relationships? The purpose of this opportunity is to demonstrate new learning and awareness around how I am in relationships and trust myself. I am demonstrating trust and showing how I give confidence in my relationships. How am I when I'm insecure and not trusting myself? Noticing how I was before and what patterns I carried from back when it wasn't the same scenario. The insecure version of myself at sixteen or twenty-something isn't me. That's not even close to me here now. How can you demonstrate trust, and how can you develop confidence in a new relationship? How would you be if you were in integrity and trusting yourself? A Recommendation I recommend considering these books worth reading to support you on your journey: There is Nothing Wrong with You, by Cheri Huber Ego is the Enemy, by Ryan Holiday It Didn't Start With You, by Mark Wolynn Taming Your Gremlin, by Rick Carson The Four Agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz We all have a creative internal dialogue that is imagining what will happen. Imagine implementing new action, starting a project you can engage with without being overwhelmed, opening up in your relationships, and deepening connections. Practice being out of the world, being present as it's connected to you now, and moving past internal dialogue. There is nothing wrong with you, and you can trust yourself. Follow me on LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Jeremy! Jeremy Stegall, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jeremy Stegall has been fascinated by people and what motivates them since he was a child. His curiosity into why we do what we do lead him to Iowa State University in 2004, earning his B.A. degree in Psychology in 2008. Beginning his blog, Where the Change Happens, in 2018, Stegall’s writing provides readers in over 30 countries the tools to process questions we all have about making personal development growth a consistent habit. Jeremy is a life coach and business success coach with Where the Change Happens Coaching, LLC. As an author, coach, and speaker, Jeremy has used his education and professional experience to bring new creative energy to the workplace, encouraging entrepreneurs on their journey to improve client relationships in their businesses. In 2020, Jeremy self-published his first book, Where the Change Happens, which has found international success.

Written by: Gary B. Doherty, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. I have coached many ambitious individuals from all over the world for TEDx Talks. From my experience, I have gained valuable insights into the common ingredients of great TEDx Talks. I have selected one talk I personally enjoyed and have analyzed it in this article. It is the TEDx Talk of US author, speaker, and successful branding expert Ramon Peralta. You are about to find out what the golden secrets are within this talk. Secret 1. The Click Firstly the title. This is crucial and even if your talk is live remember it lives forever online. The title must invite the audience to click! Ramon uses buzz words and phrases such as ‘How To’ ‘Succeed’ ‘Being Yourself. ‘ A lot of people want ‘how to ‘information, they want to 'succeed', and what is more liberating than 'being yourself ‘? Ramon’s title of ‘How To Succeed By Being Yourself ‘is inviting to click. The first and most important success milestone was achieved. Secret 2: The Hook Ramon opens with a ‘hook ‘with the first 30-60 seconds being crucial. Ramon mentions the highly relevant term 'social media. Asking the listener, a question about their use of social media then gives a startling statistic on the number of people using social media. He has the audience hooked. Success milestone number two for Ramon Peralta. Secret 3: The Gifts Ramon has a true serving mentality, and his talk is full of gifts and takeaways. He is consciously aware of the fact that the listener is listening to his talk for them and not for him. Give the listener something to take away. The next example is the gold in the talk, the gifts. Some of them are as follows: Ramon encourages the listener to: to write down their top 5 strengths, address what they are good at fire yourself, become less important in your business, remove your ego think we over I, collaboration invest in yourself and he gives examples that include more sleep, rest, gym membership, proper diet, and nutrition. Success milestone number three was achieved. Secret 4: The Feeling Like all good TEDx Talks, a call to action almost always works. Ramon does this while summarising concisely and precisely the gifts he's just given away. He connects and strikes emotion within. The listener leaves this talk feeling motivated, inspired, and empowered, with the following and final message. Be Yourself, Fire Yourself, Invest in Yourself. Success and final milestone number four achieved. All in all, a great TEDx Talk but not one by accident as you can see, one by choice and strategy. Ramon succeeded by being himself. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin or visit my website. Read more from Gary! Gary B. Doherty, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Gary B. Doherty is an award-winning entrepreneur and philanthropist. Founder of personal development platform Think Network and pr agency BE SEEN Gary is most well known for being a 2 x TEDx Speaker and word-leading coach. Gary's mission is to support ambitious individuals to be the very best versions of themselves ensuring they are seen, heard, and very visible... In September 2022 Gary was awarded Businessman of the year in his home country of N Ireland.

Written by: Moira Hutchison, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. It used to be that business was all about competition, prestige, and presence. Business owners kept a close eye on their competitors and invested their money in looking more profitable, prominent, and successful than similar businesses in the area. The larger they looked the better they liked it, even though the numbers might not have reflected their superiority. Being seen to be a significant business in any given field depended largely on image, on peoples’ perception of you in the local community. The internet has changed ALL of that!! These days, more than anything else, cooperation and collaboration are the keys to lasting success. It is now possible to cooperate and collaborate with people on the other side of the world and, thanks to Google Translate, even language is no longer a barrier! It Makes Perfect Sense! Cooperation and collaboration have become the ace in the pocket for growing a business. Look at how many automobile manufacturers are using the same components, engines, and running gear. Look how many Real Estate companies are listing for sale other agents’ properties with an agreement to share the profits. And it is happening at every level. Why? Because it just makes sense to do so, that’s why. It is more important than ever to seek out others who can support, promote, endorse, and recommend you. The better you get at it, the more often your phone will ring. And it doesn’t cost anything! Advertising versus Personal Recommendation These days it tends to be very difficult to make business advertising work effectively AND within a reasonable budget. We are bombarded with advertising 24/7. Just getting anyone to read an ad is an accomplishment, let alone respond to it. It has been said that you only have 2 seconds to get someone’s attention in an advertisement, and after 7 seconds, if you are not speaking their language, they are gone. Advertising is both a science and an art, for those who understand it. For the rest of us, it remains a mystery! But personal recommendation never gets old, tired, or ineffective! Just look at how social media has boosted recommendations and endorsements for all kinds of business. General Electric uses it. So does the local tattoo artist. Plus, many people have become jaded regarding advertising. They often look at it with a grain of salt, not quite believing anything that is said in the advertisement. Instead, they look to recommendations and reviews. Personal experience - even the experience of strangers ‒ is more credible and works better than advertising! Connecting With Others Savvy, internet-aware entrepreneurs have adapted tried and tested strategies to work on the world-wide web. They have made businesses hugely profitable using cutting edge technology. But at some level, sooner or later, being personable still becomes important. All entrepreneurs are personable at some level. That doesn’t necessarily mean they all have the outgoing personality of a Richard Branson. Many business owners are quite introverted, but when they connect, they connect very well with others. The common trait is that they are all great listeners. They pay attention when someone is talking. They are also good at reading people. These are all business skills that can be learned over time, but faster is usually better for most entrepreneurs! Seize Every Opportunity Seize every opportunity you can to engage with those who already know what you need to learn. Everything that is reciprocal is good for everyone. Both paying it forward AND paying it back become very useful strategies. Building, nurturing, and engaging with useful individuals to promote you and your business is a whole lot of fun. If you seek out others with common interests, similar values, and perspectives in alignment with yours, you can also find friends for life. No Limits There are no limits to where you can go and what you can do with your personal contacts. Bear in mind that not everyone will be ready RIGHT NOW to work with you. But if you nurture the relationship in an effective way, when the time IS right, everything will fall into place. Growing a business both nationally and internationally is dependent upon both the quantity and quality of your contacts and how well you nurture them. But what is even more exciting is not just about who YOU know, it is about who THEY know, and then who THEY know! With the advent of social media, it’s possible to create strong connections with people in 100 countries or more around the world if you put your mind to it. ALL these connections can be created, nurtured, and developed on a one-to-one basis: Friends recommending friends, colleagues recommending colleagues, enthusiasts recommending fellow enthusiasts and so on, from every conceivable walk of life, from every culture, in every age group. Even if you are working from home from your modest set-up on your kitchen table, you can have customers, business partners, promoters, and endorsers in Peru, Australia, Singapore, Norway, and Tahiti, and you can connect with all of them in the same day! And because of the time zone differences, you can even make money from your business while you sleep. How auspicious is that? Bottom line is this. People skills are paramount for growing a successful business with Cooperation and Collaboration. Do You Have What It Takes? The good news is that EVERYONE already has an abundance of people skills. They may just need to be polished a little and put into practice in a way that works for you. Polishing these skills occurs with practice. The more opportunities you seize to engage with others, the more you learn, the more you grow, and the more your capabilities expand. And so does your business. Make it part of who you ARE, not just what you do, and you and your business will thrive. For more information and tips on accessing your inner guidance to align with YOUR best success, follow Moira on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn, join her Facebook Community, or visit her website! Read more from Moira! Moira Hutchison, Executive Contributor, Brainz Magazine As an Intuitive Coach, Mindset Mentor, Energy Healer, Meditation Teacher & Tarot Card Reader, Moira Hutchison guides her clients to access the innate power they have available when they ignite their personal trinity of trust, inner awareness, and self-confidence. Moira works with professionals who feel that there is something better in life for them, but they have no idea how to access it. However, they have a yearning to be guided by their intuition and align with their unique calling. What makes her distinctive and different in this work is that she has developed the ability to take complex, energetic, and spiritual ideas and interpret them in ways that people find easy to understand, integrate and implement.

- Written by: Louise Parker, 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. Leadership theory has for decades been researched and continually strived to keep improving our approach to leadership to enable a leadership that truly values people to produce the best outcomes for the organisation, business, and teams. Authentic leadership remains a relatively new concept and places the importance of a leader having a true understanding of their personal core values and remaining true to these values in order to develop open and honest relationships with their teams and colleagues. The longstanding leader will know that having a toolbox of leadership styles is important to lead staff across a myriad of situations to fully enable the team to achieve its best outcomes, but how do we remain authentic as part of this process? In the face of challenge, it can be all too easy for you as a leader to loose sight of yourself as you strive forwards to achieve targets and outcomes of the organisation you work for, even when the approach dictated is not in line with your core values. But what about the dictated change/approach that moves you away from your values, but you know you have no choice but to lead the team or risk adverse impact with your boss or even losing your job! Understanding and following the fundamentals of authenticity will support you across the implementation of all leadership styles and support you in leading authentically even in the face of adversity! 1. Self-Awareness Authentic leadership starts with heightened self-awareness. This is not only a deep understanding of our strengths, weaknesses, and values, but also an accurate understanding of how they influence and are perceived by others. Being connected to ourselves is essential for us to truly develop our sense of purpose within our professional roles, and often is least supported in traditional leadership theory training. Take time to understand who you are as a person, what values you hold and determine your 6 top values that you lead your life by. Understand your purpose by connecting your values to your vision of your life and direction From this purpose, you can find clarity on your boundaries. What is acceptable in your role as a leader and what is not? Get clear on your EQ, understand from your values and purpose, how your behaviour is affected when they are challenged and what impact does that have on others? 2. Internalised moral perspective Ensuring that your actions are grounded in your positive moral and ethical values is a vital aspect of authentic leadership. In the face of pressure to act in line with the corporate traditions, you have the ability to act in congruence with your positive and ethical values. Recognise that as a member of the team, you have a unique experience and skillset that supports the growth of the organisation. You bring value! Build your confidence to challenge the status quo and offer in a positive manner an alternative approach. Challenging the old way of doing things does not make you disruptive, or difficult! Check in with your values when faced with challenge and understand when to compromise. You will no doubt have to make a decision at times to continue to challenge or recognise that this boundary will need to be crossed in order to keep your job! This doesn’t mean, however that you cannot make the best of this situation. Maintain a positive approach, finding the best path forwards with your team to gain the best outcomes regardless of the challenge on your values. This will require your transparency with your team! 3. Relational Transparency Communicating openly and honestly with staff members and colleagues alike, and in turn encouraging the reciprocation of this communication style marks the authentic leader. Transparency truly enables our teams and colleagues to understand our values, our ethos and develops an understanding of our purpose. This understanding is essential for enabling respect and followership in the shared journey as a team/organisation. Develop personal identification of you as a leader, and the social identification within the group Be vulnerable! You do not need to share every minute detail with your colleagues and team; however, vulnerability will deepen your relationship and further bolster your trust and respect of your team. Be open in the face of adversity! No-one likes the leader that blindly follows the dictatorship that does not make sense! Even when there is the choice between ‘towing the line’ or loose your job, allow yourself to be honest with your team, and encourage a ‘growth mindset’ approach to making a situation work the best way you can together! 4. Balanced Processing Listening and considering the diversity of opinion has been cited in many leadership styles over the last 10 years and again is a vital component of the authentic leader. This even extends to the consideration of opinions that are incongruent with your own personal values, in a plight to make all decisions fair and objective. Ensure you adopt a curious approach to all major decision-making, exploring the experience, knowledge, and values of others within your team. Understanding in situations of change/approach that fall out of line with your values, how you feel. Appreciating the reasons for the approach and finding a way to move forward that makes a positive impact for the organisation, the team and for you. Remaining transparent and vulnerable is key to ensuring that you work in times of adversity with your team to ensure that any change or approach (even when misaligned with your values) makes the best impact it can Round up Whilst formal leadership training often supports development of the theory of emotional intelligence, it often lacks the focus on supporting the mindset of a leader. Authentic leadership as you have read, requires you to be completely aware of yourself. The first and foremost important action for you as a leader is to understand your true self. Your values and purpose need to be fully understood to enable you to be connected to them, and then therefore act in line with them across your personal and professional life. This is your compass, that enables you to drive forward through change, and remain committed to your work and your team. Your behaviours are grounded in your psychological resources of hope, optimism, trust, and positive emotions to model and promote these qualities in others. When you role model these behaviours, you will enhance staff attitudes such as motivation and satisfaction with work and, in turn, these positive attitudes may lead to important staff behaviours such as improved performance outcomes. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and visit my website for more info! Louise Parker, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Louise Parker, is an Internationally Accredited Transformational Leadership coach, NLP Practitioner and Practitioner in TimeLine Therapy. She provides coaching on a 1-1 and group basis following her Leaders Ignited process with a focus on leader mindset, alongside the provision of training across online platforms. Louise has always had a deep desire to help others, and this led her to an 18 year career as a registered nurse, clinical leader and Director in the NHS. Following her own transformation journey, Louise added to her First Class Honours Degree in Nursing, to become an Internationally accredited coach to fully understand the transformation journey in order to empower her clients to level up their leadership and master their leader mindset.

Written by: Fraser Duncumb, 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. Remote working has spiked in both necessity and popularity, with over half the global workforce working remotely in some capacity. Companies that know how to support their employees from afar are sure to increase job satisfaction and productivity, helping them to break ahead of the competition. It’s one thing managing your teams in person, but when people are in the office less and less, it can be difficult to tell when they need a bit of extra support – and what they need support with. To get some advice from the best, I spoke to Emily Christmas, HR Manager of Carrington West. Carrington West are one of the most sought-after recruitment companies to work for in the UK, and they are the proud holder of a Platinum IIP award. Having overseen hybrid working at her company for years, Emily had some great tips about supporting employees whilst they work from home. Here’s what she had to say: Look for changes in the behaviour of your more remote employees. If your team member has their camera turned off out of the blue, or their output of work has gone down, it could be a sign that something’s wrong. Note that you’re only looking for how their behaviour/output compares to what’s usual for them, not how the rest of your team functions. Take a coaching approach. Ask people what they need, rather than asking why something hasn’t been done. (The Harvard Business Review call this the difference between checking in (collaborative) and checking up (suffocating). People will feel more comfortable telling you what’s going on and what obstacles they ran into when any implication of blame is removed from the question. (Coaching approaches are shown to increase communication levels by 42%.) Do weekly check-ins and GET SPECIFIC. Ask employees to rate how they feel about their work, personal life, and overall well-being for the week out of 10. Oh, and 7 is not an option– it’s too neutral. Ask people to describe why they gave the score they did. You can also ask team members to give you a DIO – a Decision, Idea or Opportunity that they’d like others’ thoughts or advice on – these can be things that have been weighing on your team members recently. Ask for a priority rating on each thing. A would be right now, B would be soon, and C is not an immediate issue. Make sure people are supported from all angles. Ensuring your team members are in conversation with their manager, their team leader, their HR person, and the rest of their team/colleagues is really important. This way, when somebody’s struggling, everybody can band together to support them, which takes a bit of pressure off the manager so they can continue supporting everybody in the team. If you want to read about how to stay connected with your remote workers, check out my last article. Or, if you want to see how engaged your employees are, go to https://wotter.me/. Follow me on LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Fraser! Fraser Duncumb, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Fraser Duncumb is an expert in the employee engagement field. He believes that every person has the ability, enthusiasm, and creativity to excel in their work if only given the right conditions. Fraser is the CEO of Wotter, a platform that empowers companies to make work even better for their team, by tracking the effectiveness of employee engagement initiatives in order to continuously improve them. It’s Fraser’s conviction that the success of individuals is what propels a company, and he is committed to promoting a focus on engagement at this personal level.

Brainz Magazine Exclusive Interview International, Multi-Award-Winning Business Strategist & Coach, Lori McNeil helps entrepreneurs and organizations focus on the foundational tools needed for sustained success in life and business, greater than they ever thought possible. Lori was selected as an official speaker for the Think & Grow Rich World Legacy Tour. As a retired Business Professor and expert in curriculum design and educational technology, Lori has helped grow hundreds of organizations organically (including her own company that includes Legacy Builders, Media Secrets, and Driven Mastery) brands that help Entrepreneurs build a true, long-lasting purpose. Lori has been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, & over 500 media platforms per year. She has authored several books and was awarded the Lifetime Presidential Service Award for her work. Most recently, she was awarded the Global Visionary Leader Award. First of all, who is the woman behind this empire? Please introduce yourself to our audience! As a passionate, hardworking International Business Strategist and Branding Expert I consider myself to be goal oriented and a lover of life! I am driven to help others unlock their talents and cultivate what they need to reach higher levels of success and serve more people in the process! I feel fortunate that I get to jump out of bed every morning and do what I love; helping people accomplish their goals to create the life and business they want! I am the outdoorsy type. Primarily hiking, and camping, however, you can often catch me doing most outdoor activities. I also love to travel, enjoy fine dining, and play Battleship! I will try almost anything once and I really enjoy meeting new people and learning new things. I truly believe that the world is my classroom and I encourage my son and all those around me to experience as much as possible with what life has to offer. I am a linear and lateral thinker. I can solve many problems at once, with ease, and in a short period of time. I have been playfully teased by many colleagues over the years about this being my superpower. I am grateful for the unique gifts I have been giving to help other people. Everyone has a unique skill set. Inside business, I thoroughly enjoy helping entrepreneurs discover their unique skill sets, while simultaneously unlocking new ideas that help them live a better life and build stronger businesses. As a business coach and consultant, what are the best tips for someone who is about to build and grow their business? Start where you are and with what you have. Take steps every single day that move you close to your goals. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the long list of things that need to be done. The truth is that taking the time to devise a plan, then following that plan will lead to faster results. Why? Because most entrepreneurs do not take the time to build the strong foundation needed for long-term success. They tend to make a myriad of decisions that are not aligned with the right messaging, the right strategies, or even their ideal client. I use the analogy of the tortoise and the hare a lot when explaining how business growth works. When an entrepreneur is focused and consistent, they will often reach higher levels of success that an entrepreneur who is not focused and not consistent. Even when someone seems successful on the outside, many times they are not as successful as they appear to be, often trying to convince everyone they are. Don’t be fooled by perceived success. Don’t compare yourself to others. Stay focused. Consistency is the key to getting people to buy from you. People buy from those whom they like, know, and trust. In your book "Media Secrets Revealed", anyone who is interested can learn more about how to navigate in a world full of media opportunities. Can you share a media secret that is covered in the book? Being a retired business professor and curriculum designer has given me a unique perspective and skill set when it comes to teaching how the world of media works. I wrote and designed this book to offer very practical steps that yield immediate results. The book also offers specific Action Sheets to use to create your own Media Plan for ongoing success. Although the booked is packed with many great ideas that have been proven successful, there is one that I use with my clients on a regular basis. That strategy is to align your business goals with a National Campaign Calendar. There are always national campaigns taking place every single day throughout the year. When you attach your business and your mission to a larger cause or awareness campaign that already exists, you will increase your reach all over the world. You position yourself for better traction and alert those to the synergy existing between your mission and those larger causes and efforts throughout the world. This automatically gives you credibility and helps attract the right client in alignment with who you are and what you do. How does a business owner use media to increase their credibility and impact more people? Media can be used in so many ways when building a business. Understanding how the media works are vital to the success of your business. When I hear people say "I have been successful for years, without using media", I say to them, “how much more successful could you be if you used it?” Understanding and implementing the right media strategies that support your overall brand and business goals can literally catapult your business faster. The problem is when people do not understand the importance of using media or the strategies specifically needed. A media plan is not something that you do when you have extra time and money, it is something that is created and implemented very strategically as an integral part of your overall business plan. You are not throwing spaghetti at a wall hoping something will stick! I see so many entrepreneurs wasting time and money because they either do not know what to do or think they are doing it right and are not. Most business leaders do not understand that your Media Plan, Branding, and your Business Plan, are not three separate components. They must be crafted and utilized as one cohesive plan. The sooner you learn how to do this, the stronger you will be in building the foundation for your business which will lead to unbelievable business growth and success. You talk a lot about "How to Build a Brand" and why it’s so important, for those in our audience who are unfamiliar with this, can you tell us briefly about it? Building a brand is more than just having a logo. It is understanding the power of Brand Essence and how to maximize its uniqueness. We all have unique tools in our toolbox. We use those unique tools in business and in life every single day. Nobody can be you no matter how hard they try to. Understanding this and believing it will help combat any thoughts and feelings of fear and competition. The only person you should be in competition with is the person you were yesterday. Stay focused on what you want and go after it! Part of building a strong brand identity is understanding the psychology of color in branding and marketing. Identity involves a combination of research, understanding, and important branding elements such as typography, color palette, forms & shapes, and composition. The principles of marketing psychology influence the choices you should make when building your brand identity. Your brand colors are one of the most influential choices you’ll make. Let’s take the three basic colors to demonstrate this: red, blue, and yellow: Red – Bold, strong emotional connection, increases intensity and passion. Blue – Cool, peaceful emotions, consistency, increases security and trust. Yellow – Warm, cheerful emotions, nurtures cognitive thought, and increases communication. Remember, people buy from people they like, know, and trust. When building a brand, it is important that everything you do, creates a space for your ideal client to get to know you and who you are as a person so that they can create a relationship that allows for them to like you and ultimately trust you. Putting color to work for us is two-fold. First, the colors we chose must also represent how we see ourselves and our businesses. When we chose a color that best represents that, we will stand stronger, bolder, and more confident in our approach; all which builds that ‘know, like, trust’ factor and draws others to us. Secondly, the colors we chose should represent our ideal client, customer, and advocate. When we position our business in that manner it stimulates the subliminal thought in others that “this person gets me” and because of that, people will be drawn to you. Launching your business forward requires a dedication to understanding how your clients and customers see you, and ultimately how they see themselves. Armed with this knowledge you have the ultimate tool to understand and implement effective marketing techniques and cultivate your brand to position you for greater growth and sustainable success. What is the difference between Branding and Marketing? Branding is about defining who you are as a company. It’s your mission, your values, and what makes you special and unique. It’s your key brand elements, like your logo, website, and your brand style guidelines. Marketing is what gets people to engage with your company for the first time, branding is what keeps them coming back for years to come. Marketing is a set of tools, processes, and strategies you use to actively promote your product, service, and company. Think of marketing as the actions you take to connect with your customers and get them to buy your products or services. While marketing is used to promote your product or service, branding is used to shape your brand and who you are. You need strategies for both, and they have different goals and different results. It is vital to understand the differences and how they fit together to maximize implementation efforts, resources, and results. What are the biggest mistakes you see entrepreneurs make in their businesses? In my 25-plus years of helping businesses, I have seen a lot of mistakes that entrepreneurs make. One of the top mistakes I see is not understanding who your client or customer really is. I know that may sound trite; however, most entrepreneurs don’t really know who their client is, let alone how to attract them. I hear many entrepreneurs frustrated because they are putting so much effort into their businesses and not making the money or seeing the results they want. Many times, it is because they do not fully understand the connection and alignment needed with understanding who they are attracting and how to make cages to attract their ideal client or customer. Messaging is part of solving this equation. When understanding your ideal client or customer, you must know what problems they need solving. It is not what you think their problem is, but what they think their problem is. You need to reach them on an emotional level. Once you get them to like, know, and trust you, and ultimately buy from you, then you can delve deeper into the nuances of how to solve their problem whether it is real or perceived. You can guide them to the correct process of solving the actual issues. Until then, it’s what they think their problem is. What do they think they need? Focus on the right messaging that will attract the right clients. What does the future look like for you, do you have any big plans or goals going forward? And how can someone get in contact with you? I like to keep busy, so with that said, I have so many projects I am creating and implementing at any given time. I am in the final stages of co-authoring a book with my business partner on the proven C4 Sales Strategy process that we use to help our clients all over the world. For the past year, we have been traveling and teaching this process internationally and we are getting ready to launch an amazing book that will drive home these strategies. On the Humanitarian side, I created five specific Literacy Strategies that I have used to help increase reading and literacy skills among those of all ages. I have used these strategies all over the world and have been featured in media as a Literacy Expert using my book series designed to focus on these strategies. I will be releasing my third book in my 10-book series supporting these strategies in the coming year. When this book is released, I plan on traveling to schools and teaching students (and teachers) how to implement them as part of their curricula. I was honored to be invited by the Bush family a few years to help raise over 3 Millon dollars for Literacy efforts Nationwide. As a lifelong learner and educator, my passion for building and supporting Literacy skills globally hails as one of my top priorities. The best way to get a hold of me is simply through my email, lori@lorimcneil.com. Also, check out my website and connect with me on social media: such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Twitter.

Written by: Dr. Heather Browne Let’s rip the glasses right off of Imposter Syndrome! And how about we stop buying the Kool-Aid too. Why are we creating syndromes and labels that encourage us to disempower ourselves and others? I know, I know, I sipped a little of the fruit punch too. It’s hard not to with the fact that we are drinking this in just about everywhere. I think it’s been in dozens of magazines and many influencers have also talked about it. But let’s think about this a little bit. Why? Why are we eagerly swallowing this? Because imposter syndrome let’s us come up with a new way to blame. Hold on. Hear me out because I am going to help you bring it all back and reclaim YOU! Instead of blaming the government, our parents, or even our boss, with imposter syndrome we have now come up with a doozy. Are you ready? Now, we get to blame ourselves. But not for who we truly are. Nope that wasn’t disempowering enough. Now, we get to blame ourselves for who we aren’t. Wait, what? I know. It sounds a little crazy, doesn’t it? But that is what we are saying, “Poor me. I can’t feel strong and brave as I grow and come into my “soon to be” future self. I can’t be patient and excited as I figure this next step out. No, I need to tell myself that it’s normal to feel like I’m a fake or a fraud. I should feel like a fake.” And we have bought it. But you know this, your mind and your spirit hate this. It goes against your entrepreneurial drive. And your brain absolutely swirls around confused unable to mix this all together. And so what do you do? You beat yourself up for not being good at being you. But now, get this, you aren’t even good at being a fake you. What? Thi is crazy! I am ripping off these glasses of imposter syndrome and I am pouring out this crazy juice. I have decided that I'm going to own all of me. Not diluted, not sugared down but just me. At times I am confident and strong. That’s me. At times I am insecure and unsure, that’s me too. Sometimes I am confused. Yep, that’s me. And that’s you too. We all are. All these parts or flavors are part of who you are. You don’t need labels or excuses. You just need to let yourself learn, grow, succeed, fail, and overcome. How about you embrace every aspect of you and every opportunity that you have the guts to take! Let’s de-bunk, de-drunk imposter syndrome. But, how do we do this? Look at this each situation and instead of disempowering yourself, use it to clarify and grow. Here’s a truth. You are changing all the time. You are growing all the time. There is no stagnant you. And this feeling of “I don’t know if I can be all that I want to be” makes sense. You aren’t there yet. You are looking toward your future self, but from today’s you. You aren’t able to see exactly how you will grow. But the key isn’t seeing you perfectly, the key is you showing up and changing as you learn. Think of a surgeon. He knows the body, his skill, the procedure, the crisis potential, the desired result, BUT he can’t promise any outcome. So why do we think we “should” know how our next experience will feel? The better question is: What do I need to learn in this moment? Fear reaches up too, when you are stepping into a situation where you must “sell” yourself or come through. You don’t have complete control. There are other powers involved: the customer who has the power of saying yes or no, a situation where things don’t come together as desired, there is the uncertainty in the moment. And that makes you feel a little insecure. And that is natural. So how do you get out of the fearful “are they going to see me as I want them to see me” loop? First, by recognizing that this is the challenge. You are trying to win the other over or the situation. You need to rise above the competition and bring something unique or special that helps you stand out, you need to be adaptable, and then you need to fully drink this truth in. There are very few absolutes. You are a creature of change and possibility. So, have you done your work? Uh oh. Insecurities and doubts will creep in if you are fudging. Have you mastered everything that you say you have mastered? Or are you trying to get away with less? If you’re fudging it, that's not imposter syndrome, that’s “I'm not prepared and I’m scared.” Help yourself out and make sure you have truly done the work. And then you can speak into, “This is what I have. This is what I know. This is what I can do. I want the contract.” You are asking someone else to put their trust in you. How scary is it to trust a surgeon? Or an investment banker? Or a coach for an expensive contract? And they are in a tougher place in deciding if they can trust you. You know what you know. They are hoping you are true. Are you the real deal or are you a scam? You are picking up on their fear. This is important. Don’t ignore it. Don’t pretend it isn’t there. Talk to them. What do they need to know? What do you need to show them about you? Otherwise, it’s like those trusting people who drank the Kool-Aid. And we all know how that went. You are telling them that you are going to come through for them. Part of the reason that it can feel like you are being an imposter is because you are not there yet. So, let's change the phraseology. You are not an imposter. You are just not yet in the action part of your role. You are in a place of offering hope. And what happens with hope? More fear creeps in. You have to back it up with proof. So ask, “What is it specifically that you are needing of me? How can I come through amazingly for you? What is the thing that you really want as your outcome?” Find out in specific detail so you can structure what you give them to fulfill their need. And if you can’t, be honest. Get all the information that you need to be confident. How can I best serve you? How can I make this a total win win? Because that is what you both want. You are not a fake. You are not a phony. You have done your work. You found out what they need. And now you get to step in and come through. And this is where the biggest empowerment comes, you get to bring your mastery, your creativity, and your individual juice. No one else’s but yours. Keep tweaking, keep changing, keep growing, keep stirring, whatever is needed for you to be the success that you want in this moment. And whether you wear glasses or not, lift up that glass proudly and give yourself a toast. You are the only you in this whole big world of 8 billion people. Isn’t that mind blowing? Be you. Just as you currently are, and just as you are about to taste. You keep improving. You are one flavor out of 8 billion. That’s no accident. And that is one hundred percent valid and absolutely, irrefutably true.

Written by: Katja Schleicher, 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 classic "I'm going to talk for 45 minutes and you're going to hang on my every word" all hands meeting, Keynote or demo has -luckily- not made it into the post-pandemic age. Much more appreciated and effective: start a conversation at eye level with your audience. This way, the speakers personality and what is said are remembered equally well. To achieve this, it is worth taking a closer look at a hitherto little-used resource: unconscious communication effects: Used skillfully, they give our words more impact. Not paying attention, they can have a backfiring effect and will cost you more time and energy to put things right. Communication expert & international renowned Public Speaking trainer Katja Schleicher shows the strengthening or weakening influence of some of these effects. Prevailing (audience) opinion This communication effect looks at the influence of the recipient's attitude on the message content. For example, if a sports mental coach is speaking to a completely movement-averse audience, her messages may land hard. Being able to roughly gauge these prevailing opinions in advance helps in the decision to either "brush against the grain" ("yes, I am aware, many here in this auditorium think differently") or reinforce prevailing opinions ("you know how important exercise is."). Wear-and-tear appearances "Boah, them again" or "Is there really no other topic?": typical audience reactions when a topic has been overused in public. The same face or topic too often leads to those signs of wear and tear: whether it's Helene Fischer or the 150th lecture on mindfulness. A preliminary check provides clarity: How big is the novelty value in my KeyNote? How strong is the promise behind the topic? How new your perspective on an evergreen topic? These aspects also help the pre-marketing of the KeyNote: it should be right AND attractive at the same time. "Spill in - carry over" "See, that's what the CEO said in the meeting last week, cool"... A communication effect that describes the temporal or spatial transfer of effects from one period/place to the next. Often by chance (because the staff meeting was just a week before the conference), but more often it is a "thematic wave" that is rolling through the industry or society anyway. This thematic wave can be ridden wonderfully and the message can be anchored more deeply. Important: Cite sources and clarify your own point of view. This increases credibility and enables the audience to better understand the speaker. Also check with yourself: what prevailing opinions manifest themselves in your communicative offer? How sustainable the keynote topic can be anchored also depends on the corresponding news and the prevailing social opinion: If there is a fundamentally open attitude towards NFTs, for example, which is supported by the media, the corresponding keynote will land better. Particularly helpful: scan the industry's own trade media. Broadcasting and piggybacking On a small scale as well as on a large scale: What is being discussed at similar conferences in other sectors? What of it is useful/obstructive? What comparisons to what products/companies do I use (Am I like Apple, only cheap? Disruptive for an industry like Tesla was for the car industry? When speaking we often leave this effect unused, out of fear of being compared (uniqueness!) and/or fear of negative spill-over effects. Boomerang The more vehemently someone insists on an opinion, the less convinced the audience is - they have a strong rejection of promotional paternalism. This is an important point, especially in panel discussions. If you present your own opinion as one of several options, you give the audience leeway and are perceived more positively. Katja Schleicher supports people in entrepreneurial contexts so that the heart puts the right words into the head's mouth. As a trainer for public speaking and media coach, the language enthusiast gets people talking well and with pleasure. She builds bridges between generations, paradigms, leadership styles and cultural clusters. katjaschleicher.com Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or visit my website for more info! Katja Schleicher, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine “TALKING IS GOLD AND SILENCE THE BEGINNING OF ALL TROUBLES”. Katja is a sought after Communications Trainer and Coach. She heads IMPACT! Communication Coaching, a pan-European training office focusing on communication coaching, media & public speaking training & business storytelling. She gets managers, teams, women and men to talk ‒ and improves their communicative impact in Public Speeches, conversations and media interviews. Words, what they mean and how they “come across" to the audience are her passion and business model. In this order. That's why she studied linguistics and psychology. After a long career in PR, advertising, TV and corporate communications for high-tech companies, she has been on the road for over a decade as a trainer, consultant & coach to the (intercultural) communication shallows and misunderstandings throughout Europe.

Written by: Cori Wamsley, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. I’ve seen how some books act as lead gen, and they’ve got it all wrong. Half-giving information so people have to buy a program to actually get results is no way to build know, like, and trust with the reader. If anything, it’s probably a turnoff. Who wants to buy a book that is actually a long sales page? For heart-centered entrepreneurs, that feels incredibly icky. Who wants to buy a book that is actually a long sales page? For heart-centered entrepreneurs, that feels incredibly icky. They don’t want to put all that time into something that is actually not going to attract the right people because the people who move on to work with them from that sort of book are probably at the end of their rope. Desperate to throw money at their problem, even when it seems like the person writing the book is only laying out bait. Which means that they are probably looking for a savior. And you don’t want to be anyone’s savior because then they are relying on you solely for their transformation, often letting go of their own responsibility in the matter. Instead, what you want is an easy way to lead gen that empowers your readers and helps them move down the pipeline if it feels aligned for them to do so because they got so much out of your book that, YES!, they know they need to work with you for more. How do you write a book that aligns perfectly for lead gen? First, look at the reason why you’re writing a book. Do you want to? Or do you feel like you have to? Many leaders look around and feel like they are the only ones without a book, so they get that “should” in their system. Or they are told by their coaches that they have to write a book to get noticed in their niche. It makes sense really. According to ReadWrite.com, “Authors have a special place in our society. […] As a collective group, we tend to elevate authors as titans of thought who have done what few others can do and write a book.” Who doesn’t want to be a “titan of thought”? The problem, though, is that you don’t want to “should” a book into existence. That’s just checking the box and checking out. Like visiting the dentist or OBGYN for a checkup. The best way to look at writing a book is that it’s a connector tool: an important way for people to get to know you, how you tick, what’s at your core, what your deepest beliefs and truths are. Books become a deep dive into how you got where you are and how someone else can too. Because of that, your book shouldn’t be written like you’re keeping a wall between you and the reader. You want to give them a little of the journey that was actually bumpy. Show them your failures. Your semi-successes. Where you questioned yourself, your path, your worth. Be a real person! Readers love that! Next, consider how you’re positioning your book in your funnel. I know that sounds super salesy, but hear me out. When you write the book, you have to consider who you’re writing for and what your purpose is before you pen a single chapter, so as you’re doing that, look at who you most want to attract to your brand. Who do you love working with? How can you get them a win so they will then be ready to work with you? If you’re aiming too low or high on the mountain, then those who are at just the right spot in their journey won’t pick up the book, or won’t finish reading it. Meet the reader where they are on their path, and they will be ready for your offering. Then it will be a no-brainer when they see the mention at the end of the book. Make sure you actually go deep when you’re working on your book. Don’t hold the reader at arm’s length, and expect them to connect with you or you will definitely be disappointed. Have you ever written about something or talked about something that you were super uncomfortable with? Think about it. You probably didn’t give details. You gave short, choppy sentences. You were likely looking anywhere but at the person listening (if you were talking), just hoping the topic would go away. Uncomfortable topics like admitting when we failed, went through a major rough patch, or saying that we were wrong need to be shared in your book, so it’s best to consider how you want to share them, make sure you’re ready, and then be real with your readers. Yes, I failed, but here’s what I learned so I could bounce back even better. Yes, I made a major mistake, but it led me to where I am today. Positioning the difficult conversations so you can be empowered in the discussion means that your readers will be able to look at their rock bottom a little differently. They will understand your wavering because they have been there (and possibly are there) too! Going deep doesn’t make you look bad or rip open old wounds. It’s that good kind of vulnerability where two humans can connect because of our shared bruises. And we are all better for it! The lessons from your stories can help others and then bring them back to you for more. Always remember that the ability to go deep means that you are improving the quality of the book’s content. It’s not bare bones. It’s not just a list of things to do or lessons. Anyone can Google that! It’s a deep dive into an important share from someone trying to make a difference in the world. You. And that’s something worthy of putting your name on the cover. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Cori! Cori Wamsley, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Cori Wamsley, CEO of Aurora Corialis Publishing, works with business owners who have a transformational story to share. She helps them quickly and easily write and publish a book for their brand that helps them create a legacy and be seen as an expert while building a relationship with the reader. Cori has 17 years of experience as a professional writer and editor, including 10 years with the Departments of Energy and Justice and 4 years as the executive editor of Inspiring Lives Magazine. She also wrote eight fiction books and one nonfiction book, The SPARK Method: How to Write a Book for Your Business Fast, and contributed to two anthologies. Her newest book, Braving the Shore, was released in June 2022.

Written by: Angela Scaperlanda Bujan, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. When I arrived at the airport to take my first international trip since the pandemic began, a floodgate of memories opened immediately along with the automatic doors. We had only recently emerged from the quiet cocoon of our home and were venturing out into a world slowly reawakening. Stepping into the lobby, the doors automatically closed behind me, but the floodgates remained wide open. I braced myself and wondered, am I really ready for the noisiness of life to begin again? In my mind, the departures lobby and all its familiar sights and sounds of travel, became “Langolier” like – the past, present, and future merging. A steady stream of memories flowed freely, returning me to a time of constant movement. My passport was my lifeline for years. I even had to go to the US Embassy to add extra pages to make room for all the visas and stamps. I was young and my schedule was full, but somehow, in those early years, I immersed fully wherever I found myself. I remember after saying goodbye to my dad at the gate (yes, pre-911 travel) to fly back to Costa Rica where I was living at the time, I would spend half the flight crying for those I left behind and the other half, excited for what awaited me. The flight was not only my transportation but my transition as well. Silent contemplation and self-awareness came easily. This was the pre-voicemail, pre-email, pre-cell phone era. For better or worse, you were where you were and there was no need to be in constant communication. Years later, moving back to the States and a new corporate job, voicemail and email were introduced to my world almost simultaneously, and although I was a hold out, it was soon followed by the cell phone. My international travel still consisted of meetings, dinners, and a bit of interesting sightseeing, but new and constant distractions began to compete for my attention. Staying connected to the office, checking voicemail, email, and scheduling late-night conference calls to include people from all time zones took the place of deep conversations with colleagues, playful downtime, and a good night sleep. This was a turning point not only in my world, but really, the world as we knew it. The future generations would not know what it was like to be somewhere without being in constant communication. Instead of a calm stream, I was suddenly swimming in a sea of activity and noise, and if I weren’t careful, I would drown. I had to take steps to intentionally cultivate silence. My Catholic Christian faith provided me with a rich foundation and countless resources to allow silence to grow even amid activity and noise. Daily prayer and regular retreats helped cultivate the essential silence, while my external world continued to grow increasingly louder. One trip, I remember arriving to a jam-packed O’Hare airport, getting in line to check in only to find the flight to London had been overbooked by 20%. Angry passengers swarmed about everywhere. The noise was deafening. The person in front of me in line, face growing redder along with the volume in his voice, vehemently shot outraged insults like darts, targeting the woman behind the counter. For one brief second, I intentionally blocked out the noise, looked inside to see what I was experiencing, then looked at the woman behind the counter being treated like a human dart board. Gratefully, that one moment was enough to calm my own mind and heart and make a human connection. I avoided catching the contagious anger that spreads easier than the latest Omicron variant. Clarity clicked on like a spotlight and shined directly onto the hurt and misery this woman was desperately trying to shield. I moved quickly to the counter as the angry guy stormed off and greeted the other human being in front of me. I asked the obvious, “So, how is your day going?” Our eyes locked and tears brimmed on her lashes as she said, “Don’t they realize I had nothing to do with the decision to overbook the flight?” Our exchange was brief, but somehow, I communicated compassion for her circumstance, and I saw her let out the tight breath she had been holding and fully breathe, probably for the first time in hours. The external circumstances remained the same chaotic mess, but internally, her own mind and heart had calmed. Intentionally taking a moment to calm myself, allowed me to extend a kind, calm presence and altered ever so slightly the world around me. The slight alternation, however, can mean the world to someone else. As she was graciously writing a check for the inconvenience of downgrading my ticket, a business class seat became available, and she leapt across the counter to snatch it up and offer it to me. Surprised, I extended my hand to return the check she had just given me, and she just finished assigning me the seat and gently placed the boarding pass in my free hand. She said to keep them both and thanked me again for my kindness. I was not looking for compensation, but it turned out that calm kindness literally did pay that day. I came to understand that silence is a resource almost as essential to life as oxygen and water, yet like many of our resources, scarcity is far too frequently the norm. Although I was aware of its importance, I did not fully appreciate the life that emerges in silence until I was forced to fully immerse in it. Like the sudden start of quarantine, I experienced another time when my world shut down almost immediately. My busy travel schedule instantly came to an abrupt halt during my first pregnancy when I ended up spending nine weeks on bed rest. The planned business trips, endless conference calls and meetings all canceled. Surprisingly, those weeks, to this day, are still the most sacred time I have ever experienced in my entire life. A quote from my journal on bedrest, “As I sit here, glancing out the window, looking at the rays of sunshine, I am struck by the peacefulness of this moment – of this time…There is freedom in this peaceful time…we make things so complicated sometimes with our worry and anxiety; how lost we can become, forgetting what really matters…By letting go of my worries and anxiety, to place in God’s care, I am free to feel, to express, to be. I am able to be present to the present…just be still…I thank God for His wisdom, for I am sure He knew my mind and my heart needed this time to be silent and open my mind, my heart and soul to His presence… I feel a certainty now and a clarity that will get “mucky” no doubt, but…there is a part of me that will always remember, and remind me, calling me back when I wonder off… Thank you, Lord, for this unique gift of time.” Though my bedrest ended with the birth, short life, and tragically, the death of our first-born son, in the still silence, I woke up to the precious gift of life. Every breath mattered and each moment a gift. Life is fleeting. Silence helped me discover how to live life and love fully no matter how much time we are given. During our COVID quarantine, always the realistic optimist, looking for the light in dark places, I found a lot of reasons to be grateful. In addition to bonus family time with my husband and our beloved other three children, my reencounter with silence was one of the brightest beams of light around. More fortunate than many, amid remote work, family theme dinners, and too many Netflix binge nights, I also slowed my mind, enhanced my prayer life, took long hikes in the woods, and short strolls around the yard. In a world saturated with constant noise, I somehow again had forgotten what silence sounds like. I did not realize how deprived I had once again become until the world took a collective pause. Like our clean air and water supplies, I was again reminded ‒ silence needs to be intentionally protected and preserved. When everything started reopening, like my return to work after bedrest and losing our son, I was grateful to reengage with the world, but not anxious to lose this priceless resource and the awareness I found with it. The exterior noise is again growing louder, and our attention spans shorter – 24/7 news, on-demand streaming, and the latest social media platforms taking even more of our precious time and attention. My experience tells me I need to ensure my interior silence grows along with it. I have renewed my daily quiet time and just completed a weekend silent retreat. In addition to my personal prayer practices, I started my own self-study in silence and found many brilliant minds are conducting research through diverse professional lenses. One article summed up the major findings: “Across disciplines—from neuroscience to psychology to cardiology—there’s growing consensus that noise is a serious threat to our health and cognition. And that silence is something truly vital—particularly for the brain.” While most studies I reviewed cite the impact of noise and the helpful effects of silence on the mind and body, mystics and saints have known for centuries, the great importance of silence on the soul. Based on these findings, it is clear, learning to cultivate silence is critical for our health of mind, body, and spirit. The bonus check we all can receive along with a business class seat ‒ silence also fosters professional, personal, and spiritual growth. Here are a few highlights from my findings. Professional Growth Leonardo da Vinci, renowned inventor and artist said, “Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence.” Studies show that cultivating silence in professional contexts can have many positive outcomes. Encouraging mindfulness, meditation or other practices develops one’s concentration, attention, executive function (planning, decision-making and impulse control), emotional balance, social behavior, and compassionate action. It also promotes all aspects of well-being. Personal Growth Charles Alexander Eastman, a Native American physician, writer, and social reformer, was quoted as saying, "If you ask: "What are the fruits of silence?" he will say: "They are self-control, true courage or endurance, patience, dignity, and reverence. Silence is the cornerstone of character." Cultivating silence can also help you become more present and aware in everything you do. You no longer “go through the motions” of the day on automatic, mechanically saying, doing, acting, but you can truly engage in the day, working, reading, talking, exercising, or whatever your day includes. Awareness and attentiveness also foster positive interpersonal communication and relationships. Spiritual Growth Mother Teresa, renowned Indian-Albanian Catholic nun, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, foundress of the Missionaries of Charity, and canonized saint, said, “We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature — trees, flowers, grass — grows in silence; see the stars, the moon, and the sun, how they move in silence. We need silence to be able to touch souls.” Elijah, the powerful Biblical prophet when listening for the voice of God, heard Him, not in the strong wind, nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire, but as a still, small voice. Like Elijah, we can turn from the noise and struggle of our world and begin to listen for the still small voice trying to speak directly to our hearts. As the psalmist proclaimed, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10) How to begin cultivating silence? Although there are many practices, techniques, meditations, and tools available to begin cultivating silence, the simplest initial step to begin listening in silence is to just momentarily pause and check in – be aware of what is going on within and around you? Since we live in a highly technical world, in information technology terms, you might ask, “What “input” am I receiving? What “threats” or “interference” am I detecting? Check your “software” – emotions – ask how they are influencing my actions and decisions?” Substitute jargon from your own profession and you get the idea. Mindfulness, a practice with origins in the Buddhist tradition and now a mainstream buzz word in companies and organizations worldwide, really at its most basic level is just silencing yourself enough to become aware of the present moment, tending to what is going on both within you and around you, and being able to effectively move forward out of this awareness. Samples of the fruits grown in silence You can respond instead of reacting. You can figure out what is the most urgent or pressing, what needs to be parked until later, and what is simply not important. By calming your mind, you can not only manage a stressful situation better yourself, but you can make a human connection and help others navigate through the situation as well. No longer does the noise of the world interfere with your ability to ponder and reason. You can begin to be guided by wisdom instead of mere impulse. The “next right step” becomes clearer, especially in challenging circumstances. You begin to engage with the world around you and connect in more meaningful ways. Ultimately, you become more agile and resilient. Silence is Worth the Effort Inner work is work. It is life giving work, gratifying work, often fun work, but still work. We know, anything worthwhile, takes effort. Like new shoes, silence and internal listening can feel uncomfortable at first. I often must remind myself to stay with it and be patient! Just like seeds planted underground, when we plant and cultivate silence, growth begins to happen unseen. It may take a while for that growth to visibly surface. Also, each person’s circumstances are so different, so I try to remember, work on myself ‒ no comparisons! A monk, praying quietly in a cave like chapel most likely cultivates silence more quickly than an ER doctor alone in a break room. Likewise, a person alone in a room may find the silence disquieting at first, while allowing a silent pause in a room full of people may feel awkward and require more intentional effort. Who knows what vast new discoveries await those willing to wade in the stream of silence. I am encouraged by one of the greatest minds of all time who said, “I think 99 times and find nothing. I stop thinking, swim in silence, and the truth comes to me.” (Albert Einstein) Follow me on LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Angela! Angela Scaperlanda Bujan, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Angela Scaperlanda Bujan, MA, is a bilingual certified spiritual director, coach, facilitator, retreat leader, speaker, writer, editor, and organizational consultant. As founder of HELP Professional Services LLC, Angela sought to establish a unique organization centered around helping individuals, groups, and other organizations become who they are meant to be. Her unique background in intercultural communication, business, and spirituality has allowed her the opportunity to work with individuals and organizations across countries, sectors, and organizational levels. She brings her professional skills, fluency in Spanish, intercultural expertise, solid spiritual base, and relevant life experiences to the table. Angela has over 25 years of experience working with local, national, and international clients. This background allows her to listen for, observe, and understand the diverse needs of individuals, groups, communities, and organizations. Each presentation, retreat, workshop, and session is tailored to meet the current needs of the people with whom she has the privilege to work. Angela actively seeks and works toward establishing an integrative life that allows her to invest a substantial portion of her time and talent building her family as well as building HELP Professional Services. She is constantly amazed at the lessons she learns as a wife and mother, that she can apply to her work and those from work that benefit her family

Written by: Debbie Gill, Senior Level Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Becoming aware of your inner guidance, or what I refer to as your internal GPS, can be challenging. In this world of always doing and never-being, we often focus entirely on the physical world we live in, not the world within us. “When your inner wisdom tells you to counter what the world is saying, choose to listen, believe, trust, and celebrate because this is about you remembering You – and your Divinity.” ‒ Susan Barbara Apollon Too much noise is the problem; we listen too much to the people, places, and things we surround ourselves with and not to the voice that says otherwise. How Can You Tune in to Your Inner Guidance System? Here are five ways you can begin to make the connection: 1. Come into the Present Moment. When you are living in the present, you aren’t creating fantasies that haven’t happened yet, or remembering past things; your mind is calm and clear. Focus on your breath as you take a few deep inhalations and exhalations. Spending time in nature is another beautiful way to be present; you are more aware of your senses and less living in your head. 2. Let Go and All Life to Happen. Connecting to your inner wisdom cannot be forced, and the harder you try to get in touch with it, the more elusive it can be. Let go of any need or want to receive an answer or how it will surface. The answer is always there; when we stop struggling, we begin to allow our true selves to emerge. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to let go. However, the result always allows more abundance to flow into your life. 3. Have the Willingness to Listen and be Open. Guidance is always there, but we may not always be aware of it. When we don’t do what we know we should do because we fear empowering ourselves, it’s the same as closing and barricading a steel door leading to our freedom. Remember when you felt a sense of accomplishment when you found the truth because you were open and took the right action even though it was difficult? Your action was based on your inner wisdom. 4. Patience is a Virtue. With instant communication, fast food, and every other quick fix, we are programmed for instant gratification. Our inner guidance and intuition do not work this way. Sometimes it may take a little longer for you to notice. It’s because you need to learn a lesson or uncover a truth you’ve been hiding. Be patient. It is always within you. You will know soon enough. 5. Learn to be discerning. When a situation arises, notice how the mind is rational and logical and compare it to what you feel about it. One day you felt you should take a different way to work, but you didn’t, and now you’re stuck in traffic because an accident happened. Or something told you to cross the street when walking your dog, and you did. Within several steps is that shiny penny that your mother sent from Heaven. We’ve all done it! The point is to begin to listen to the feeling you have within you: the gentle nudges, the soft pushes. You have everything within you that you need to be happy and live a healthy, balanced, and prosperous life. Start connecting with your inner GPS today. You won’t have any wrong turns or mishaps when you do. I can promise you that. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or visit my website for more info! Read more from Debbie! Debbie Gill, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Debbie Gill is the founder of Go Within Spiritual Coaching and Go Within Yoga. She integrates her knowledge and experience as a spiritual coach and yoga teacher with the wisdom of Caroline Myss, a Medical Intuitive and five-time New York Times bestselling author, Anodea Judith, an expert on the Chakra System, somatic therapy, and yoga, and Lion Goodman, creator of the Clear Beliefs® Process. As a Certified Clear Beliefs® Coach, Debbie can assist you with clearing core beliefs that hold you back from becoming your true self and living your true purpose through the Clear Beliefs Process® (CBP). The CBP is a set of tools and techniques that frees you from past limitations so you can freely choose your beliefs and live an empowered and more fulfilling life. Debbie is the author of, Struck by Lightning: My Journey from the Shadow to the Light, where she chronicles her life’s struggles with her shadow aspects and addictions. The spiritual memoir reflects her emergence from the shadow caused by traumatic wounds to the light where truth brings awareness and healing. A grateful recovering alcoholic since June 6, 2000, she lives the 12-Steps of AA and practices its principles in her daily life and continues her study at CMED with Myss and Judith and Goodman.