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. One of the recurring topics in career, job, or business coaching is how to get back to the labor market and how to rediscover our confidence after a break. Giving birth, or coping with illness or loss are parts of the human experience. We are not immune to certain life events, but how we react to them is up to us. Many of us feel less confident or even less worthy because of a break from work. We forget our worth is not equal to our productivity and the continuous ability to earn money and achieve so-called successes such as continuous promotions, raises, or C-level titles. The 3 tips below help to recognize how far you have come and to reframe experiences collected so far. 1. New soft skills No matter what you have been through – combating an illness, the loss of a loved one, etc. – most probably you experienced something profound and recognized or developed soft skills you were previously not aware of. Are you now more resilient, patient, communicative, forgiving, assertive, empathetic, or motivated than before? How did the life event which led to a break in your career have changed you? Try to find a newly recognized or developed skill. Ask a friend in case it is difficult to recognize how much you have achieved as far as personal growth is concerned. Which of these skills could be relevant for your future job? We are all humans and personal skills are at least as important as technical skills. Add some of the newly discovered or developed skills to your updated resume – be proud of it, and be proud of yourself. 2. Priorities & what matters Tough life events often lead to a change of priorities. Suddenly things that used to be important are irrelevant and we see things from a different perspective. Most leaders or company owners have a mission, a vision, set of values that are important for the company and its employees. Simon Sinek – the author of “Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action” – describes the right “why” as a kind of engine and soul of a company that leads to success on many levels. What kind of values are you sharing with the company you would like to apply to? The times of cold, bureaucratic company structures are gone and company owners know that. From that perspective, do you see any common values and priorities which helped you to go through times when you did not have a job? Was it your innovative, creative attitude and drive to make the best of a difficult situation, despite all odds, or something else? What matters to you now? Hope and faith, community and supporting each other? Which of your values are closest to the company’s “why”? Emphasize it in the application letter or during a job interview. No company wants one-dimensional robots as employees – they look for candidates with drive, values, with an ability to learn from all life circumstances which leads to new growth experiences. 3. Connecting the dots – storytelling & the hero’s journey After all that has been mentioned in the above point 1 and 2 – recognize you are on a journey, even though it can be a stressful and tiring one. Look at your life from a distance – it helps to recognize patterns and learning experiences, so in the end, it will be easier to talk about them in case you will be asked about some gaps or breaks in your resume. According to Joseph Campbell – a mythologist and author – life is a journey, a hero’s journey. It is a concept that helps to see a new project or any life experience from a distance, as a life adventure, something repeatedly occurring in old stories, myths, and legends and characteristic of human beings. Share your story to the degree that feels comfortable for you and be proud of your journey and what you have accomplished so far. 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: Karen Jaroudi, 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. We are multilayered, and to change, we must work on a multilayered approach. We can’t work on one area of who we are and not consider the rest if we are to have a complete, balanced, and long-lasting change. Balance comes not from dividing our time equally among the distinct roles we play but from defining and becoming who we are in every area of our life. From knowing who we are at our CORE, to understanding our SELF-concept, to defining how to express our STYLE, to choosing the SPACE we want to surround ourselves in, and finally, to the vision and OUTLOOK we see towards the future, these are the five components of who we are. We should consider and reflect upon each one authentically so we can become our true selves. It’s not a quick and effortless process, but once it’s complete, the reward is a long-lasting transformation toward a more focused self. Being focused and centered will bring you the strength to always choose what’s right for you. So, let’s go deeper into each of the five layers of transformation: 1. Core: This is where you need to commit the most time. You must set aside the time to reflect and be honest with yourself. Discover the inner you! Be true to yourself and start with a list of your values. Values are the starting point of any actions you'll take in the future. If you know your values, you'll learn how to choose among the different situations you face. Values will also help you define the boundaries you want in your life, the standards you accept to live by, and the priorities that will shape your goals. So, take your time and be honest with yourself. Think of moments when you were most proud of your actions, most fulfilled, and had the most inner peace, then ask yourself, what was I doing, what were my actions, what did I stand for, and why did I feel this way? This type of self-reflection will give you the answers to what you value. 2. Self: A healthy and well-defined self-concept is essential. After you discover your values, you need to empower yourself; to do that, you must learn to act the way you define yourself. There should be no conflict between your actions and your self-concept. You must work on self-confidence and keep a positive self-image. Self-confidence comes from building self-awareness; It’s a process worth pursuing. Remember that no one is like you, and no one will ever be you. You are the only one who should define who you are and act accordingly. Nothing else matters. This type of self-confidence will help you get resiliency that will help in keeping you focused and walking towards achieving your goals with nothing stopping you along the way. Take time to define who you want to be, visualize that person in different situations, and act accordingly daily. 3. Style: When you look great from the outside, you'll also feel fabulous from the inside. Looking great from the outside is not just about beauty and vanity. It's about creating habits that will enforce a positive self-image about yourself. It's a quick and easy way to connect positively between your body and self-image. You can achieve that by learning to create the style personality that expresses your creativity and taking care of your body, this beautiful outside layer of your being. It's essential to find the items that suit your body shape. There's no right or wrong body shape; you must learn to choose what works best for you to get your own shape’s full potential. Then think about the colors that suit you most, think about each color, and ask yourself, how do I feel when I wear this color? Color plays a crucial role in our mood and how it reflects on our faces. Take your time and test different colors until you find your "wow" colors. 4. Space: Our environment affects us emotionally, so it's important to create a space around us that reflects who we are and will bring us this serenity and peace from the inside. Define your style and design the surrounding that reflects your personality. Whether you like a maximalist space, a minimalist space, or something in between, try to keep your space a place that defines you. Find inspiration that speaks to you and implement it in your home. Prepare a mood board that reflects what you want to surround yourself with; Think about the colors that attract you, the type of lighting, the shape of the objects, and the artwork. Take your time with this creative process, and you’ll be rewarded by creating your unique, authentic style statement to live by it. 5. Outlook: Now that you know who you are and your "WHY," by knowing your values, you can create a vision for yourself for the future and make a list of goals. Write your “HOW” for your goals, and think about how you will achieve those goals. We should live in the moment but plan for the future. Goals are ways to keep us hopeful. Even when we achieve one, we should set another one. It’s not just about achieving them, as much as taking the journey and the steps that give us the fulfillment that we are on the right path. We don’t have to work on everything all at once; take it step by step and focus on one area at a time. The most important part of this journey is to love ourselves while reflecting on who we are and want to become. Remember, self-love is different from being selfish. Self-love will help us learn to love others. Love yourself and take this journey of transformation. Follow Refine By Design on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and visit my website for more info! Read more from Karen! Karen Jaroudi, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Karen Jaroudi, A Style and Life Coach has combined the skills that can help people learn how to transform their style, their space, and their outlook on life, all by intent, all by design. Ever since she’s completed her design education, she realized that space is only one aspect that can make a difference in someone’s life. So, she explored every layer of change and obtained her Style Coaching™, Life Coaching and NLP certification. She’s the owner of Refine By Design, a transformation hub. She believes that our style and homes are an extension of who we are and should stem from our inner values. Her goal is to help people align the two and give them the right tools to make an in-depth change.

Written by: Kris Keppeler, 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. Audiobooks are over a one-billion-dollar industry. Have you thought about turning your book into an audiobook? Audiobook sales continue to climb year over year. You may miss out on fans and revenue without one. To self-narrate or not Have your friends told you they'd prefer to listen to your voice narrating your book? Are you a speaker and tired of lugging books around to engagements? Is your Kindle book selling like hotcakes? These are great reasons to narrate your book. Anyone who's a speaker or teacher is usually ready for self-narration as they understand pacing and inflection. If your Kindle edition sells well, you're missing out on revenue if it's not in audiobook format. It would help if you answered other questions before you embark on the audiobook self-narration journey. Do you enjoy reading aloud and not for minutes but for hours? Experienced narrators read about 9300 words per hour. That means a slim 12,000-word book takes over 1 hour to narrate if you have experience. That hour gets stretched to two or even three if you don't. Imagine if your book is 30,000 or 60,000 words. That's hours and hours of narration. It's a marathon Audiobook narration is a marathon. Are you ready for it? Consider sitting in a chair, putting your book on a stand in front of you, and reading aloud. Read aloud for at least fifteen minutes or even thirty minutes. Every time you make an error in a sentence, go back to the beginning of the sentence and reread it. Notice how far you've gotten in the section or chapter at the end of that fifteen or thirty minutes. That gives you an idea of your narrating speed. Did you enjoy the experience? Are you ready to scream in frustration? If you loved the experience, congratulations, you're prepared to begin your self-narration journey. Do you hate it or find it boring, stop. Hire a narrator to turn your book into an audiobook. If you're bored or hate reading aloud, your listeners will hear that in the audiobook. It's most important to produce a quality audiobook. There are many audiobooks to choose from, many completed by professional narrators and actors. That's lots of competition for the listener's ears. Those ears are attuned beautifully narrated and produced audio. They will notice anything subpar. There are many ways to hire a narrator. Ask for recommendations from authors with audiobooks. Distribution sites ACX (Audible) and Findaway Voices offer options to help you find the perfect narrator and produce an excellent audiobook. I've narrated and produced over 50 audiobooks, most published by Audible, and coached several authors on self-narrating their books. I'm also an actor with an IMDB page. You will find my course on narrating your book into an audiobook on Listenable. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn visit my website for more info! Kris Keppeler, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Kris Keppeler is a narrator, actor, voice actor, podcaster, and writer. After discovering her singing voice in Jr. High Choir, she’s never quit using her voice to amuse and instigate. She’s impersonated a cat, a prince, a princess, an anteater, a dragon, and a president with her voice and narrated/produced over 50 audiobooks. She narrates and produces an award winning weekly storytelling podcast about life and befuddlement. She’s crafted blogs and articles using humor and valuable information to delight readers. Visit her IMDB page for stage and screen credits.

Written by: Vance Twins, 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. We live in a world that glorifies and glamorizes whoever has the most money and shines the brightest. But is being a top dog synonymous with happiness? The evidence suggests no. If so, the richest among us would be immune to humiliation, grief, depression, anxiousness, and anger. These emotions are significant parts of the human condition regardless of age, economic status, religion, and ethnic background. Sometimes, the higher we climb that corporate ladder, the more we fear the potential fall. When we are on the bottom rung, we can appreciate the ground below, which houses our roots. The cause of suffering is the wanting, reaching, grasping, clinging and clasping for the higher rungs of that ladder—a ladder that could tip over at any moment and leave us all plunging to uncertainty. The most valuable assets are sometimes closest to the ground—like our roots. If you are at the bottom rung, take pride in your ability to see yourself from another angle. Sometimes that's all it takes. Sure, we can try as many get-rich-quick schemes as we can, but there comes a time when trying to catch up with the Joneses (and everyone else on social media) will eventually leave us stressed and wound up. Suppose you cannot keep up with neighbors, friends, or foes. No worries. None of us can. Even the super-rich among us are wrought with fears of losing "everything." Every individual belongs to a priceless culture. When you see yourself from a higher, wider, deeper lens, you'll know that you are the offspring of ancient wisdom, thousands of years old, and that’s priceless. When we acknowledge the life hidden beneath the surface, somehow, we manage to find the resources or develop the innovative ideas needed to survive, thrive, and push through the barriers (or the cement paths) to get up and rise to the surface for the benefit of our own survival and for all of humanity. What to do when shift happens. When you are triggered by pain, upset, turmoil, heavy emotions, grief, anxiety, resentment, and even rage, you might not be seeing the entire picture—that universal perspective: you are bigger than you might already realize. This point of view is useful because it means that whenever you are feeling down and out, your feelings can be used to alarm you to use a wider lens, to rise above, and see the view from afar. From this place of detachment, you will see that there is more to life than what typically meets the eye—the physical limitations of the situation. The aftermath of riches or heaven (or whatever we want whenever we want it) is boredom, and we eventually look for something more meaningful to do. When we look from a higher perspective, me might see that we tend to pick a project on the earth plane to utilize our fullest capacity, learn new skills, and evolve. Meditation and reflection can provide insight. When we are willing to see from a wider lens, we are exposed to the truth of who we are: Sacred. Energy. Life. Force. (SELF). This essential truth opens the door to innovative ideas—the way of our ancestors. They believed in the power of the human will—inner Chi—and they used their collective imagination and instincts to guide us to where we are today. If you fear going from riches to rags. If you fear going from riches to rags, why not prepare for it? Make peace with it. Then, should the "worse case scenario" happen, you'll be okay. You’ll be ready to master it. How do you plan for it? See yourself from three angles, and you'll notice your strength. You'll notice the strength of your ancestors. And the strength of your nature. This is a holistic point of view, which includes all of who you are. A vital part of the human family. Life is not a ladder but a wheel. No one is higher or lower than you; we're all just at different places, equally valuable and equally exceptional. From this stance, we can easily follow. And we can easily lead. The three perspectives: Go Up: See yourself from a higher lens (A nonjudgmental noncritical point of view.) Go Wide: See yourself from a wider lens (You're human, just like the rest of us. All humans make mistakes. No human is perfect and that’s okay.) Go Deep: See yourself from a deeper lens (You are connected to a long line of ascendents and descendants. Your family matters. Therefore, your life matters. Next time you look in the mirror, don’t just look at your physical reflection. Instead, look for your inner strength. What will you see? Your beautiful S.E.L.F. (Sacred Energy Life Force). Rev. Dr. Janine Vance, Philosophy Author of Rise from the Dread: A Beginner’s Guide to Escape Stress, Worry, and Anxiety. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Vance Twins! Vance Twins, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Rev. Dr. Janine, Philosophy, is a book doctor, feature-length screenwriter, and international award-winning author of many books, including Twins Found in a Box, The Search for Mother Missing, and Rise from the Dread. She also consults entrepreneurs on story development and guides clients through the process of publishing their books worldwide. Jenette, a Certified and Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant and Life Coach, was trained in Integrated Psychology and Applied Neuroscience. Jenette became a Reiki Master under the direct lineage of Master Mikao Usui, the founder of Reiki. She enjoys helping people learn about Reiki and develop personalized meditations catered to their needs. The Vance twins have each worked in their field of expertise for more than twenty-five years. They recently joined forces to provide personalized guided meditations and host write-for-your-life retreats for busy people.

Written by: Jennifer Rovet, CPRC, 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. Recently, I learned about a Japanese concept called Ikigai which translates to your “reason for being”. It refers to the mental and spiritual circumstances in which people feel their lives are valuable. I also learned that a small village in Japan called Okinawa has the largest number of centenarians, that is, people over 100 years old. These people are happy and continue to have a deep and purposeful life. This got me thinking…isn’t finding your purpose what we always talk about and strive for in retirement? What is it about the people in Okinawa that enable them to live such long and meaningful lives? What do they do differently than others? Maybe these people are happy and live longer than others because they have found their Ikigai. Let’s dive into this concept a little further and break it down so you and I can find our Ikigai. Ikigai is divided into four distinct components of your life that overlap and lead you to the sweet spot at the center – your Ikigai. To help find your Ikigai, ask yourself these four precise questions: What do you love and what are you good at? This is your PASSION. What do you love and what is something that the world needs? This is your MISSION. What is something you are good at and can get paid for? This is your PROFESSION. What is something you can get paid for and is it something the world needs? This is your VOCATION. Let’s explore each question and how they can be applied to retirement. What do you love? This is the gut feeling you have about the things that you truly enjoy doing and puts you into a state of flow. For many people, this can be artistic and creative endeavors such as reading, writing, filmmaking, but it is certainly not limited to this. What you are good at? This is not simply a natural gift or talent. These are the things that you are curious about, things you can work at and develop your skills so eventually you become great at them. What the world needs? This means that through your talents or services, you can provide value to others. Leaning into this will allow you to make a difference in some way and have an impact. What can you get paid for? If there is something you are good at and want to continue, you must find a way to make it financially sustainable. By doing that, you check off a major component to your happiness: the freedom to do what you want without worrying about how you are going to make ends meet. All four of these questions can be applied to one’s retirement planning. Without a job to go to each day, people find themselves with lots of time. They can now fill that time with things they truly love to do, are good at, and what the world might need. For example, you might love writing fiction and know you are good at it. Retirement could be the right time to embrace this “passion” and write that book you have always wanted to write but never had the time to. Not all retirees want or need to earn money, and are not necessarily looking for a new “profession”. But if this is something you are interested in, you could turn your passion into a source of income. Let’s go back to the writing example. Again, if writing is your passion and you love to write about fiction, you could publish your book. You never know, it just might be the next 1 bestseller on Amazon! This is just one example, but the possibilities are endless. It takes some time and deep soul-searching to figure out and answer these four questions to bring you to your sweet spot, your Ikigai. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Jennifer! Jennifer Rovet, CPRC, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jennifer Rovet is a Certified Professional Retirement Coach and owner of Retire Ready Canada. She started her coaching business in 2019 when she saw a need to help people as they started to plan and transition into retirement. While retirement can be an exciting time, people choose to work with a Retirement Coach when they are struggling, maybe feeling overwhelmed and not sure what to do once they leave the traditional 9-5 working world. Jennifer is passionate about helping people find purpose, meaning, and happiness in their retirement years. She empowers her clients to find ways to keep active and connected in this next stage of life.

Written by: Michael Hetherington , 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 Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a psychological and holistic self-help method that works by combining acupressure, neuroscience and modern psychology to reduce stress, tension and negative emotions in the body and mind. EFT can help you manage old stress and negative emotions while also helping you tackle more recent psychological challenges. In the last few years, a combination of scientific research and modern techniques has turned EFT into a recognized psychological tool with proven effectiveness against stress and other emotional challenges. What Is EFT? EFT is a psychological self-help method based on the principles of acupressure and modern psychology. Practitioners use their fingertips to apply gentle tapping and pressure on certain areas of the body, combined with specific verbal phrasing, to activate and re-calibrate the brain's response to stress. By stimulating the energy pathways in the body and helping the brain to switch out of a stressful state, EFT helps you manage your stress and negative emotions, as well as tackle psychological challenges more effectively. How Does EFT Work? EFT uses a variety of psychological and physiological methods to address various emotional challenges. These include addressing negative emotions such as anger, guilt, or sadness, as well as psychological issues like anxiety, phobias, or relationship problems. EFT works by helping the brain to re-calibrate itself and essentially come out of the stress response, which is mostly activated by the amygdala. When the amygdala is calmed and “switched off”, the other parts of the brain that are responsible for other functions such as emotional processing and creative thinking, become more available to the EFT practitioner. Also, positive thoughts, images and emotions can be generated and “installed” into the neural pathways of the brain making it easier for the practitioner to access and maintain those thoughts, images and feelings in the future. The basic process of EFT includes the following steps: Identify a problem you want to feel better or freer about Then, take a moment to “tune into” the image, feeling or thought when you bring the problem to mind Give this feeling a stress number from 1-10 (with 10 being the most stressful) Begin tapping on the acupuncture points on the head and chest in a specific sequence (9 main points) while breathing Verbalise some words and repetitive phrases to help you remain focused on the original feeling and issue you are addressing (eg. “All this anger and frustration”) After a few minutes, stop the process and assess the work Give the feeling a new stress number from 1-10 (10 being the most stressful) Repeat the process until the stress number is reduced significantly or you don’t feel overwhelmed by the subject anymore To conclude, tap on the acupuncture points again while adding some positive phrasing and images to help you to create new pathways in the brain For more information, please visit my website, visit my YouTube or seek assistance from an experienced EFT practitioner. Benefits of Using EFT to Deal With Stress and Tension There are many benefits of using EFT to manage your stress, including: Increased awareness of your stress and emotions: One of the main benefits of EFT is that it helps you become more aware of the type of stress and emotions you’re experiencing. Release of negative emotions: When you learn how to use EFT to clear your energy pathways and address specific issues, you can release negative emotions more efficiently. Release of physical symptoms: In addition to the psychological benefits, EFT can also help you relieve physical symptoms related to stress, such as headaches and muscle pain. Strengthening of positive emotions: Over time, using EFT can make you more aware of your positive emotions and feelings. Better decision-making: Increased awareness and release of negative emotions can help you make better decisions, both in your professional and personal life. 3 Things You Can Use EFT on: Physical pain symptoms (e.g., Neck Pain) EFT works remarkably well on physical aches and pains, especially on pains that modern medicine has been unable to assist with. This is because EFT looks at the potential psycho-emotional aspects that may be involved. Digestive issues When a change in diet doesn't seem to help, it's likely EFT could help with digestion because it looks into and clears out any potential emotions that may be stuck or trapped in the digestive system. Anger, Stress & Overwhelm EFT works well at reducing intense feelings like stress and overwhelm because these emotional states are always linked to the amygdala being on and in overdrive. EFT will not only help turn off the amygdala, it will also reduce the feelings of tension and tightness that may have built up inside the body. Conclusion EFT is an effective self-help method for managing your stress and negative emotions, as well as tackling psychological challenges. Using the EFT method, you can clear the energy pathways in your body, access your body’s natural ability to heal, and address any emotional obstacles that may be holding you back. If you’re struggling with stress or other emotional challenges, EFT can be a powerful tool to help you reach your goals and feel better. To learn more about this technique, and how you can use it on yourself and others, you can visit my website or check out my YouTube channel for free videos and resources. Follow me on Facebook , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Michael! Michael Hetherington, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Michael Hetherington is an anxiety-release expert with over 13 years of experience in the health and wellness industry. He holds a bachelor of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), a brown belt in Taekwondo, and postgraduate qualifications in education and counseling. Michael has been teaching and giving talks on energy medicine and traditional Chinese medicine around the world since 2012. Most people describe him as calm, knowledgeable, and playful.

Written by: Sallie Wagner, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Are you plagued by presentism? Judging your past self harshly in relation to who you are now? If that’s you, it’s time to give yourself a break. Judging your yesterdays by the same standards of today keeps you living in the past. It holds you back from moving into a better tomorrow. Presentism Presentism is when we interpret past events, behaviors, etc. in light of our current beliefs and knowledge. It’s when we view our yesterdays through the lenses of our attitudes and experiences of today. Despite the fact that some people intentionally bring presentism to their view of the past, it’s best seen as a fallacy. It’s a form of cultural bias that distorts our understanding of the matter being considered. Certainly, including the anachronistic characteristics of presentism in fiction can be entertaining. For example, in the movie, A Knight’s Tale, I love the juxtaposition of more modern music with medieval jousting tournaments. However, because presentism is a form of cognitive bias, when we apply it to the real world, it becomes a mental trap that prevents us from thinking critically. This is equally true whether we take this approach with history, or whether we take the approach in our own lives. The Bias of Presentism First, let’s clarify that some comparisons between our past selves and our current selves may be helpful and motivating. When you contemplate how much you’ve changed and developed as an individual, or in your job, profession, career, or business... that can serve to reinforce your goals and objectives for life. For example, you may find it motivating to contemplate: your upward career trajectory your improved fitness your financial security The observation of those types of facts can be a good thing. But, when we then apply moral judgment to the past using the same standard that we apply today, we risk inflicting harm more than doing good. That’s because when you examine your own life through the lens of presentism, you fail to think critically. You become biased against yourself. Consider it – when you view your life in light of presentism, you’re holding your past self to the same standard you have today. Yet, your past self didn’t have the benefit of the knowledge and experience you have now. So holding past you to the same standards as present you isn’t really an apt comparison. Would you think badly of an infant for not being able to walk and talk soon after birth? Of course not, because the baby lacks developmental capacity and knowledge. Would you criticize a child for not yet knowing calculus and physics when they’re first learning simple addition and subtraction? Again, no. Would your future self judge your present self harshly for what you’ll know at some point in the future? One would hope not! Yet, we tend to hold ourselves to these types of unrealistic standards, as if it would even be possible to imbue our past self with the knowledge, experience, and wisdom of our current self. Or to imbue our present self with the knowledge, experience, and wisdom of our future self. When we do that, we condemn ourselves to embarrassment, guilt, and shame. Paradoxically, by applying presentism, we condemn ourselves to live in the past. We’re unable to move forward into the future in a meaningful way. Overcoming Presentism There are many ways we can overcome the bias of presentism – here are three easy ones: First, develop an awareness of when and how it happens. You can make changes only when you bring your awareness to the issue. Next, recognize that your past self was doing the best you could with the resources you had at the time. Give your past self a break – reject that bias against yourself. Third, separate your previous self from who you are now – recognize that your previous self is a part of who you are, not your entire self. Apply your critical thinking skills to your previous self. Recall not only what you were thinking at the time – recall how you were thinking. Was your thought process distorted by confirmation bias, cognitive dissonance, mind reading, or group thinking? As you follow these three steps – awareness, recognition, and critical thinking – you can overcome the plague of presentism. You’ll understand that, although your past self may not have been the person you choose to be now, that past self was the best self you could be at that time. And you are now the person you are in the present because of that past self. So you may consider expressing gratitude instead of passing judgment. Leaving Presentism in the Past for a New Future When you follow these three simple steps, you’ll build a practice of critical thinking that will equip you to avoid falling into the mental trap of presentism. And, as you get rid of presentism and see your past from the perspective of the knowledge, experience, and wisdom you had at that time in your past, you can really give yourself a break that your past self deserves. As you leave presentism in the past, you will find yourself more present in the present. You can allow yourself the grace of being the person you were then, which led to the person you are now, which means that you’ll be free to create a new and better future. Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Sallie! Sallie Wagner, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Sallie Wagner – speaker, author, lawyer, real estate broker, What’s Next Strategist, and Life Alchemist! Sallie employs Emotional Freedom Techniques, evolved Neurolinguistic Programming, and trauma-aware modalities, so clients launch into action for rapid, concrete results, as they ditch unwanted habits, behaviors, fears, phobias, limiting beliefs, and decisions. Sallie spent the majority of her law career in the corporate world. In addition to her other business initiatives, she currently provides broker and contracts compliance services to real estate brokerages throughout Florida. She also owns and operates a real estate school.

Written by: Erin Ekman, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. How will you create certainty for yourself and the people around you during times of change? Remember, change is inevitable. You get to choose whether you embrace it or resist it. Learning what you have control over, and what you do not, will lessen the discomfort (and even suffering) associated with change. If you haven’t done so already, please read our article on Two Mindsets To Help You Embrace Change before continuing on reading this article to learn more about the power of embracing a Change Mindset. 4 Ways to Develop a Change Mindset Now that you know what a change mindset is and the benefits of embracing change, here are four ways you can learn how to build a Change Mindset. Practice No1. Connect to memories of positive change Our brains are built to avoid experiences that are uncertain and reinforce our desire to have experiences that are predictable ‒ all in the name of energy conservation. A brain that is built on repetitive, predictable experiences is more efficient as it utilizes less energy (glucose) to keep following the existing neural pathways than to build new ones. Our brain will even go as far as ignoring the evidence that new experiences, spontaneous events and change can be energizing, fun and downright good for us. It is with an intentional reflection that we can remind that primal part of us that seeks safety, that everything is going to be ok, and potentially even great. Reflective Practice: Take a few moments to reflect (and journal) on the following questions: Where has change been a positive force in your life? What perspective did you have at the time that allowed you to embrace change/trust in the change that was happening? What did you learn about you, others because of this unexpected/expected change in your life? Practice No 2. Reduce uncertainty and recognize where you have control What I've learnt from 13 years of working as an executive and leadership coach, is that the most painful part of change is accepting uncertainty; how long will this last, can I make it through, what will happen to my job, my income, my family, my health, etc etc. Uncertainty can cause us to spin and grasp for control ‒ we seek for an anchoring point to feel secure amidst the storm. While it is natural to seek this anchor, we often seek it in unhealthy and destructive ways. Ever notice yourself micromanaging others at work because your home life feels out of control? Are you guilty of obsessing that the front hall closet isn’t perfectly in order when you are not sure if your organization is going to downsize your department? We all want to feel a sense of control over our lives, but if left unchecked, we may overcompensate in places where it is unnecessary to control the outcome, and sometimes detrimental to our health or the relationships around us. What if we could create certainty internally? Reflective Practice: Take a few moments to reflect (and journal) on the following questions: What can you control in your life right now? Is this really true? Is this compensating for a lack of control in other areas of your life? Where can you create certainty (internally)? What do you know about who you are and what you can count on yourself for no matter what? Practice No 3. Keep it simple and don't overload We all have what is called “change capacity”, the ability to manage a maximum number of changes at once- before diminishing returns and negative consequences kick in. It is vital that you know and respects your limits ‒ notice how you are feeling and the quality of your thoughts while you are in a phase of change. How are you sleeping? How quickly are you reacting to situations you wouldn’t otherwise react to? This is a time for boundary setting. Reflective Practice: Take a few moments to reflect (and journal) on the following questions: What can you reduce in your life right now to simplify and create space for transition? What will you say yes to? (What is most important, what will keep you healthy, grounded and at your best? What will “move the needle” on actions you need to take?) What will you say no to? Remember, these don’t have to be no/yes forever. Just for now. Practice No 4. Build Hope Challenging and uncertain times call for vision. We can endure, navigate and overcome anything when we have a clear and compelling vision for the future ‒ something that pulls us forward even when the next steps are uncertain. Reflective Practice: Take a few moments to reflect (and journal) on the following questions: What inspiring vision of the future will be worth the uncertainty and change you are navigating now? How would you describe yourself in this future vision? What do you have? What do you know? How do you feel? When we practice a mindset that embraces change as an opportunity for growth and renewal we reduce our suffering and need for control and certainty. You can build a mindset that strengthens your resiliency and build hope for a bright and joy-filled future. Are you navigating change or a transition in your life? We are here to support you on your journey to finding confidence and clarity. Connect with us at info@centrivity.ca, visit our website or connect with me on LinkedIn. Read more from Erin! Erin Ekman, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Erin is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coach Federation (ICF), and the principal facilitator and leadership consultant with Centrivity Inc. She has worked in coaching and leadership development since 2009 and holds a Professional Co-Active Coach Certification (CPCC) from the Coaches Training Institute. Erin is passionate about developing people and teams as they actively move towards their personal and professional goals, and partnering with organizations that recognize that their people are their greatest asset and pathway to long-term success.

Written by: Dr. Petra Frese , 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. Post-traumatic stress disorder is an ever-present issue in our society. Roughly 6% of Americans have PTSD. You can suffer from it, whether you are a veteran or not. PTSD can affect everyone, and an alarmingly high number of C-suite executives are challenged by it. If you experience panic attacks or anxiety, PTSD could be at the root of it. Many techniques exist to help you handle your anxiety. Here are five practical, body-centered tools to calm your mind in these situations. John felt the unbearable urge to flee the conference room. He was utterly stressed out. He was sweating profusely. His hair was already wet at the temples, and his fresh haircut started looking weird. It seemed as if he could not control his breath; the harder he tried, the faster his breathing became. He was presenting his favorite topic and was about to share his groundbreaking new ideas when he first felt this heatwave running through his body. The large conference room was perfectly cool and air-conditioned, yet John felt like walking through the desert. He did not know what this all was about. He had no idea why this was happening to him. John had prepared his presentation in the usual manner. He was familiar with the content and confident about the new insights he wanted to present to the company's owners as the head of finances. But there he was, experiencing something unexpected and widely scary. He was experiencing something that felt entirely out of his control. As if his body just decided to disobey his internal orders. No matter what he tried. And he tried a lot. John tried to recall positive feelings and situations while continuing with the presentation. He did not want anyone on the executive board to recognize his current devastating situation. Unfortunately, the opposite happened! His mouth and throat were getting drier and drier. John took a huge sip of water, but it didn't help. His voice sounded weak and crackling. His mouth was completely dry . So, finally, John had to pause the presentation . Politely, he asked for a short break and felt another heat wave flushing through his body up into his head. Now even his cheeks were blushing because he felt so embarrassed and weak in front of the executive committee. His heart was pounding heavily in his chest. He felt every heartbeat like a huge drum beating inside of his body. Panic Attacks are unfortunately very common among C-suite executives Why should this story be relevant to you as a successful and experienced business person? The situation that John was experiencing that particular morning is not unique. Unfortunately, situations like these happen all too often. John experienced a panic attack. An alarmingly high number of C-suite executives suffer from anxiety and panic attacks. Later he went to see a doctor, and after a long road of tests and trials and more tests, including a spect scan of his brain, he was diagnosed with PTSD . Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder does not only happen to people who served in the military or as a firefighter or police officers, or others. PTSD can manifest in everyone's brain after experiencing traumatic events. About 6% of Americans suffer from PTSD at one point in their lives. PTSD can happen to you, whether you are one of the roughly 18 million American veterans or not. Oftentimes, we do not think that we suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Oftentimes, we believe we have processed traumatic events that have happened to us properly, and we do not connect the dots. PTSD can cause not only major health issues, but it can also cause enormous problems in your relationships and your career. It may lead to underperformance at work; it can also be why your promotion or salary raise does not happen even though you give your very best. The list of PTSD symptoms is long Some signs of PTSD are: sleep problems anxiety panic attacks digestive issues mood instability abnormal temperature regulation changes in appetite relationship issues sexual dysfunction These are just some symptoms that might indicate PTSD. It is not a complete list, nor does it diagnose PTSD when you experience some of these symptoms . Please see your doctor if you suffer from one or more of these signs. Causes for PTSD symptoms can be any type of trauma like losing a loved one, e.g., losing a child, going through a divorce, verbal and/or physical abuse, accidents, natural catastrophes, constant high pressure at the workplace, or addiction, just to name a few. Practical tools to ease a panic attack How can you cope with feelings like anxiety or overwhelm? Here are 5 practical tools to ease some of the symptoms: 1. Pause! Remind yourself to pause for a moment. Hit that imaginary pause button and slow down the rat race in your head so you can shift from feeling overwhelmed to analytical thinking. Take back control of your thoughts. 2. Breathe! Inhale and exhale consciously. Count while you are inhaling and exhale twice as long. That ratio is important. When you breathe out twice as long as you breathe in, you are calming your limbic system. You support your nervous system to activate the para-sympathetic circuit. 3. Stimulate both sides of your brain! Take something in your hand that you can toss between your hands, for example, a pack of tissues, a small water bottle, a pen, or even an apple. Toss the thing back and forth from one hand to the other at least 30 times at the center of your body while keeping your elbows pressed to your sides. This balances your brain's hemispheres, and you can better access your analytical thinking. Ideally, stand up straight for this exercise and put your feet flat on the ground, shoulder-width apart. 4. Move your body! Whatever is possible in that particular situation, move your body. Get the energy flowing. Dance. Shake the energy off. Walk. Simply, just move. 5. Suck on an ice cube! The coolness of the ice calms your sympathetic nervous system and shifts to para-sympathetic activity. Healing from PTSD Long-term effects after trauma can show up in many different forms and may occur when you least expect them. The symptoms can heavily overrun you and surprise you so suddenly that you cannot even see the possible connection to trauma from your past. Your brain forces you to face the ugly reality and to deal with, treat and finally heal from long-suppressed emotions that are not serving you anymore. Be gentle with yourself. Give yourself grace and take some time to rest. Restoring your energy is essential. With restored energy and proper trauma work, you can tackle so much more, and climbing up the career ladder will be much easier and faster. Get the help you need and apply the tools that you have at hand to take back and remain in control. Please reach out to me . I see people struggling with this all the time in my practice, and I am happy to help you overcome this struggle. It is so beautiful to see this happen. You can make a bigger impact and lead the meaningful, successful, and fulfilled life that you desire. You deserve it, and the people around you do too. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , Linkedin or visit my website for more info! Dr. Petra Frese, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Dr. Petra Frese, a scientist turned success coach and spiritual healer, is an expert in brain health science and peak mental performance. After her multiple Near-Death Experiences, which dramatically widened her horizon and views on life, she integrated her spiritual insights into her science-based coaching practice. She became a healer and dedicates her life to assisting others to heal from trauma, accessing their full brainpower, and living in alignment with their soul’s purpose. Petra is a double-board certified hypnotherapist and neuroencoding specialist. She is the founder of Peak Mind Academy and Lehigh Valley Hypnosis LLC, serving clients around the globe. She is also the award-winning author of two bestselling books and among her most recent accolades are the Crea Global Award 2022, the Quality Business Award 2022, the 2022 Best of Allentown Award, the Brainz500 Award 2021 and the Excellence in Hypnosis Award 2020. Petra was born in Germany, then lived in Switzerland where she founded her first company and served as a firefighter before she moved to the USA. Her motto: “Science plus Wisdom is LOVE.”

Written by: Sam Rehan, 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. Let me introduce you to an organisation that prioritises wellness for its employees. This organisation understands that business success can often be attributed to staff members’ well-being and motivation: a relationship referred to as 'employee engagement. However, one particular department in the company measures higher employee engagement when compared to a similar department. There is also a noticeable contrast in staff turnover and employee sickness, and the marked difference has come to the attention of the senior leadership... When it comes to employee wellness, we often think of keeping a good work/life balance, exercising and getting enough sleep. But as social animals, humans also thrive on their connections with one another. The human brain is wired to relate to those around it, so much so that we physically reflect back on their expressions and movements. We may feel an urge to yawn when we observe someone yawning or want to smile and chuckle when someone laughs for a long time. The urge to reflect back is triggered by specialised brain cells (mirror neurons) that mimic the actions and emotions of others. While these instincts help us to learn, understand, and bond (for example, by laughing with each other), they can also be our undoing when the witnessed behaviour is stress-related. In short—you can catch stress. Imagine a scenario where a department head fails to take regular breaks and only pays lip service to workplace well-being initiatives rather than taking part. This leader is restless, easily distracted and unable to focus. They have trouble being present in the moment, and they appear nervous and irritable. When this leader is demanding an update, their unrelaxed behaviour can quickly be contagious to employees, who can then mimic these behaviours. Now the stress is spreading. This second-hand stress can be very harmful to employee health and the productivity of the workplace. Researchers have long known about the infectious nature of stress. The stress contagion effect, as it’s known, can run rampant in work settings. Mirror neurons enable us to experience other people's emotional moods and absorb others' mental strain, anxiety and tension. It gets worse... The more empathetic workers are, the more susceptible they may be. Research has even suggested that when people watched nervous speakers talk, their heart rates went up—part of the body’s stress-induced fight-or-flight response. Employees are hugely impacted by how their leaders behave. Successful leaders cultivate a healthier workplace by making sure that they are constantly caring for themselves. Regular breaks allow them to step back and evaluate and identify the details. Thriving leaders have and use a toolkit of well-being techniques and relaxation methods to calm and turn off the false danger signal associated with stress. As a leader, be aware of your own triggers; work smart to ease stress in ways that suit you. Perhaps due to the perceived pressures of ‘setting a positive example, some leaders do not talk openly about their struggles. But this can perpetuate the problem. Consider speaking to your teams about your stress and your personal strategies for handling it. When a leader speaks out about their personal challenges, it can cause a huge shift in their followers’ understanding. Leaders who are vulnerable adopt a mindset that can help them see things from other people's perspectives. This can start a ripple effect to bring about a much happier, healthier workplace. One immediate step that leaders can take to reduce their own stress... Move your muscles. Under stress, your heartbeat speeds up and you breathe faster in order to get more oxygen. The body is designed in this way to equip itself for emergency action—for example, to either fight or flee. To help combat your stress, you can do something that uses this extra boost of energy supplies. Any physical activity, like a quick stroll, helps your body burn that stress energy. One executive shared with me that she locks her office door and does a short burst of fast dancing to one song. Another manager I worked with chose to expel stress energy by using boxing moves while seated in his parked car. One immediate step that leaders can take is to support others with stress (as well as themselves)... Use a genuine smile. Smiling with your eyes as well as your mouth (called a Duchenne smile) can help lift your mood, calm you down, and strengthen your connections with other people. Do you flash a fake smile at work? Research suggests that it may have unexpected consequences, such as worsening your mood. Smiling just for the sake of looking polite can lead to emotional exhaustion and withdrawal and is not great for organisations. When people are shown photographs of subjects with fake vs. genuine smiles and asked to spot the false and the true, they normally get around 60% right. Research has shown that when workers smile through deeper efforts, by cultivating pleasant thoughts and memories, their moods improve, and their productivity increases. With a genuine smile, your brain starts to feel more positive emotions. It shows you’re relaxed and comfortable, which aids relationships and communication. You radiate confidence and warmth, and others are more comfortable approaching and engaging with you. In addition, when you smile at someone, they tend to smile back—as we mentioned earlier, our brain cells (neurons) pick up and mimic the body language and facial expressions of those around us. By smiling, you can activate the neurons of others and get them smiling too, and they will start feeling more positive and receptive around you. The more this happens, the more positive experiences you’ll have with your co-workers and peers. As a leader, make your own well-being a genuine daily concern and prioritise your self-care habits. Watch how this tangibly supports your employees' health—or instead, watch them leave. My productivity tip: Surround yourself with images of people smiling and laughing as a reminder of the power of mirror neurons. Be aware of your behaviour and let your team catch the contagion of smiling instead of stress. Some extracts are taken from the author's book, Laugh More: Soar in Your Health, Career and Relationships (Sam Rehan, 2020). Sam is a Wellness Professional and a highly experienced workplace trainer. Sam has shared her smile and supportive strengthening techniques with humans in over 44 locations worldwide. Sam works with individuals, employees and leaders to access more well-being easily, FAST with sustainable results. Her aim is for everyone to have a positive experience. She teaches you to Be well. Work Well. Lead Well SamRehan.com Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Sam! Sam Rehan, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Sam Rehan is a high-impact well-being motivator, wellness professional, author and speaker with an exceptional track record. Sam has been a corporate trainer for 21 years and has over 30+ years of expertise working in everything from corporate training and management to health, science, and scientific research, to holistic therapies and cognitive coaching. Sam’s motto is: Be Well. Work Well. Lead Well. She currently helps teams and individuals in high-pressure environments to reduce anxiety, accelerate thinking, and integrate sustainable self-care techniques into their lives. Sam’s gentle, nurturing, yet highly transformative methods are all backed by real science with a focus on long-term success. She not only teaches these methods to her clients but lives and models them in her own life as well. At age 50, Sam continues to teach happy aging and improved wellness with her trademark approach, utilising the lightness of laughter, powerful relaxation techniques, and her magnetic energy and enthusiasm – all of which are on clear display in her breakthrough book, Laugh More: Soar In Your Health, Career and Relationships. References: DimitroffSJ,Kardan O,Necka EA,DecetyJ,Berman MG,Norman GJ.Physiologicaldynamicsofstresscontagion.SciRep.2017;7(1):6168.Published2017Jul2

Written by: JL Keez , 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. Eating disorders… mental illnesses steeped in misery and mystery; born from individual stories. High school for me was a confusion, a ‘longing to be included’ and, ultimately a time where sensibility was completely over ruled by the many fears I had learnt regarding this thing called life. Desperate to find belonging and experience friendship, somewhere deep inside I must have decided that re-defining the self was the only path to choose. At 15 years of age I took myself from being a top athlete to a barely there rendition over a short space of a few months. No one asked “Why?” At twenty-four, anorexia nervosa described my position. Chronic fatigue, migraines, OCD, depersonalisation and suicidal depression joined me on my fated quest. With friendship still a longing guide, I asked myself, “Why?” Unbeknown to me, this answer was still fourteen years away. Eating disorder numbers have risen a staggering 4.4%, from 3.4% to 7.8% in recent times. 5-10% of those experiencing anorexia nervosa will die within 10 years of developing the illness; 18-20% will die after 20 years. The highest rate of deaths due to a mental illness is that of anorexia nervosa. However, it appears little is still understood as to their development. Hence, solutions for recovery, remain somewhat elusive. Where then do we turn when we ask, “How do I heal from this?” My lived experience tells me that turning to someone who has suffered and conquered this life before us is indeed the gift we must give ourselves for recovery to be achieved and maintained. Being one of those valuable resources, may I suggest 3 crucial areas be undertaken in conjunction with each other. I sincerely wish I had the following information available to me at twenty-four ‒ so many wasted years would have been saved. Area 1: Psychology Behind all illnesses lies the psychology supporting the development. Psychology is divided into the following components: Thoughts Behaviours Emotions Physical symptoms Each of these critical areas requires exploration. We need to acknowledge the thoughts running the script of the eating disorder, evaluating each for truth/validity. Examining particular behaviours adopted and attached to the eating disorder require assessing; what are each telling us about why we are doing this action. Emotions are an eye-opener. Dialoguing with each to hear what they wish for us to understand about why this life has emerged is recovery real estate! The physical symptoms demonstrate how you are carrying this illness. Each symptom will have information to share. Additionally, psychology asks us to explore our wants and needs; are they being met? Wants are those aspects of life that bring joy; are they missing? Needs are those basic requirements for human life that support us – love and belonging, shelter, freedom, survival and power. (By power I mean empowerment, not stand over tactics power.) Beliefs and values held are further sources of discovery. Are you living according to someone else’s beliefs and values? Where incongruence to the soul exists, there is bound to be a disturbance within. The body is trying to communicate this discord; listen. In combination, each of the above will provide the clues, they answer the ‘why’ AND from here solutions are born. Then there is the big psychological one! RELATIONSHIP(S)… The relationship(s) we encounter throughout life have the opportunity to enhance or impact our growth and development. Where relationship(s) have delivered fear into your life, and you have taken that fear on as real, this will definitely be contributing to the eating disorder outcome. Exploring all relationships, past, present and with the self must be integrated into the recovery program. Healing some, releasing some, redefining some may be compulsory. From my experience, this was the area of psychology that required a hammer and chisel to extricate holds that weighed heavily upon the illnesses I manifested as a result. Area 2: Understanding This Is Not About Food Food, of course, becomes a central focus when experiencing an eating disorder. But this is a symptom only. This is a reflection of how the psychology is being played out. The pattern of food intake reflects the inner dialogue influencing our decisions. In recovery, establishing a healthy connection to food is important. Understanding that food is the very ‘thing’ that will actually heal our ailing body must be addressed with healthy eating patterns being introduced. Do understand, that as this area becomes a healing focus, the re-introduction of food will trigger the psychological component. This is in fact a great outcome! We learn a lot about what is driving the eating disorder in this way – YAY! There are different methods undertaken to assist the establishment of normal eating patterns. This area of recovery deserves our full attention. I outline this in my online program Anorexia Unlocked Nutrition. My program is comprehensive and highlights the method called ‘The Rule of 3’s’. I discovered this idea in the book, “Nutrition Counselling in the Treatment of Eating Disorders” by Marcia Herrin and Maria Larkin, and found it to be the most beneficial guide for clients. This approach: outlines the suggestion of consuming 3 meals and 3 snacks at designated times throughout the day. The size of each will vary over time. At first, the quantities may be smaller than what is considered a normal sized meal with small snacks. As you heal, the meal sizes will normalise and snacks be in proportion to your day’s intake. Eventually, snacks may be a thing of the past! assists in normalising food intake, not only for recovery, but as a basis for ongoing eating practices for life. assists in re-establishing the recognition and appropriate response to appetite and fullness signals. is an effective method for long-term weight restoration and management. provides opportunity for your bodies metabolism to start to function as it was designed to so you will experience continued energy without the need to binge. encourages variety, maximising the range of nutrients supplied. As the psychology heals, food will become our friend again, to be embraced, indulged in and simply enjoyed! Area 3: Exercise This area of recovery can be tricky. Eating disorders are often characterised by excessive exercise. Where adopted in this manner, it is a symptom of the psychology carried. Exercise is tremendously important for health. In recovery this needs to be tempered to an appropriate level – just the right amount to support the evolving healthy life, but not to the ‘over-doing it’ extent that it mitigates progress. The type of exercise is crucial. Depending upon the severity of the eating disorder, all exercise may need to cease as the psychological process begins. Understanding and healing the ‘why’s’ behind what is happening may initially take precedence. This of course, will challenge, which is good as it quickly highlights what is driving the condition. Where weight is so low that exercise is not advised, ceasing must take priority. As recovery unfolds exercise is appropriately incorporated. Meditation and yoga are wonderful early additions. Meditation calms the mind. The gentle practise of yoga keeps the body flexible, encouraging healthy exercise practices. Pilates is another fabulous form of exercise to be considered. When the body strengthens, where food intake is normalising, and the psychological is finding peace, alternate exercise can be introduced. The type will depend upon the individual. Walking, gym routines, sports, dance ‒ the list goes on. The priority of recovery is to return the body to optimum health, to a normal life where excess or deprivation no longer rule. Exercise requires monitoring. The process of recovery is about rediscovering the wonder of the self which became buried beneath the rubble we allowed to swallow us up due to the fears lining the rubble. In believing the untruths told to me regarding life and how it works, I completely null and voided me! In recovery I gradually understood what I had done, and why. Exploring the script of my thoughts, acknowledging the behaviours chosen, understanding the messages of the emotions carried and through communing with the physical symptoms, I was able to reclaim the self I left behind at age 15. Wants and needs, beliefs and values received a long awaited overhaul! Relationship(s) were my greatest challenge. Identifying those which damaged meant painfully realising truths I wish did not exist. However, exploring and healing this area was to be the turning point required that eventually found me release the many illnesses I endured. Food became a nurturing and nourishing friend, the once top athlete and trophy winning netball player attended the gym once more. Walking was fun again. Meditation and yoga fitted in there somewhere! Eating disorder recovery is an individual undertaking. The story behind the development must first be acknowledged, allowing the psychology, the why, to be known and understood. As the psychology is explored, food patterns are normalised. When the body is able to sustain appropriate exercise, this crucial element may be added. This article is not prescriptive. The purpose is to open the discussion for consideration. To understand this complicated area of mental illness may I encourage visiting my website where my story lines the programs, insights are genuine, and guides comprehensive. Recovery is possible… our story holds the clues, and solutions… understanding forms the basis to know how to explore, assess and design individualised pathways toward this deserved outcome. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from JL! JL Keez, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine J.L Keez survived a nine-year struggle with anorexia nervosa. She endured years of mental illness, including suicidal depression, OCD and depersonalisation. Today, she is the Director of JL Keez Anorexia Unlocked, a passionate speaker, author and Thought Leader in her field. In her role as a Reality Therapy Coach and influential teacher she empowers others to heal their lives through delivering the understanding required to do so.

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. What does inner peace look like to you? You might visualize yourself standing on a beach with the waves washing over your toes, or cross-legged on a mountaintop. But while the outer conditions can create the inner state, we know that life is unpredictable, and in my experience rarely offers such opportunities to be serenely surrounded in a peaceful place, so I’ve had to learn to create it—even amongst chaos. I know chaos all too well. I choose it—not consciously of course, but I’ve struggled with taking on too much and people-pleasing, and I recently uncovered an unconscious and insidious belief that I need to “struggle” to feel worthy of my accomplishments. All my beliefs aside, my reality is: I am a highly sensitive parent to a strong-willed and neurodivergent 5-year-old daughter, and a 13-month-old son who has never slept through the night, never stops moving and grabs everything in sight that is not a toy—that is when he isn’t stuck to me like Velcro. Oh, and did I mention we had an anxious, high-energy Australian shepherd puppy that just turned a year old? I’m painfully familiar with constantly competing needs, volatile energy, incessantly loud noise, and never-ending mess. Underslept, overwhelmed and overstimulated was my near-constant state for the better part of a year. Add to that the stresses of COVID, rising prices, lower wages (thanks to maternity leave) and all of the everyday stressors, and you might understand why I joke that I lived in a constant state of chaos. But here’s the thing, it wasn’t just a “joke” because beneath that there was a belief that this was true. And every time I joked that I lived in constant chaos I was reinforcing not only that belief but that reality. Not only had I chosen these circumstances based on the decisions I’d made, but I kept choosing to see life as chaos. So how do you create peace when you feel like that? We live in a world that’s always on, meaning we’re always connected, yet paradoxically disconnected—disconnected from ourselves, from each other and nature. And it’s no wonder when there are so many demands, options, and opinions to keep us distracted. The mental health crisis has been at an all-time high since COVID, and many of us were already overworked, overburdened, overwhelmed, stressed out and burnt out, then we turn on the news and more often than not we see and hear all the other bad things happening in the world—wars erupting, people dying, prices rising, and it can get hard not to get sucked into the fear and negativity vortex. Heck, I feel myself becoming activated just writing about it. As a coach, one of the things I hear most often is people searching for inner peace. It’s easy to understand as I have found myself needing and prioritizing this more and more in my life. We may find ourselves pressured for time, with a list of things “to do” longer than the number of hours in a day. It's no wonder when so many of us have found ourselves mentally overstimulated, energetically drained, emotionally overloaded, and/or financially stretched—and for many of us, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. So how do you create peace when your outer conditions don’t line up? I’ll admit, at times I felt like the deck was stacked against me and it did not feel possible. I know I need to breathe and meditate. I know that stress wreaks havoc on the body. I know that I need to eat well, exercise and do all I can to lower my stress and protect my mental health…but knowing all that does little to help sometimes. There were times when knowing what to do and struggling to do it just created more stress. There were just more items on the “to-do” list I needed to find time for; more expectations were placed on me, and it all felt too much. I thought I needed to take control, put all the things in order and then I would feel better but trying to control only made everything worse. So often we mistakenly believe that inner peace comes from outer peace, so we try to create inner peace through outer order and control…and then are surprised when we’re stressed and anxious by the whole process because it feels more like trying to zip up an overstuffed suitcase while you’re running late for a flight. Stress activates the fear center of the brain known as the amygdala which signals to the body, "I’m not safe”. When we don’t feel safe or secure, we certainly act in ways that are unlike us. One of the natural tendencies in feeling unsafe in response to everyday stressors is to try to control the things around us. We mistakenly think that if we do, we’ll feel okay again—that our inner sense of “balance” and “okayness” will be restored—but we inevitably just end up creating more stress in ourselves because what we don’t recognize is that instead of trying to control ourselves, we’re trying to control the world around us, and we all know how well that turns out right? We can’t. One of two things happens, you either create the illusion of control which is nothing more than a Band-Aid and serves to conceal the vulnerability, rather than heal it. The other outcome is that things inevitably go wrong, and our cycle of stress continues, or worse heightens. In turbulent or chaotic times in our life or the world, it’s easy to fall into a constant state of stress. We may not even notice that our bodies and our brains are always on high alert, unconsciously looking out for the “danger”. We might not notice how tense our bodies become, we might not notice how disconnected we become from our present moment or the people around us because all our internal resources are being refocused on maintaining our sense of safety. We’re more easily overwhelmed by noise, choices, and competing demands for our time and attention. If you’re a highly sensitive person this experience is even MORE heightened. Before we know it, we find ourselves yelling and lashing out at our children and those we love and then falling into a shame spiral from the guilt. We don’t mean to take it out on those we love. We’re not mad at them, we’re yelling because we were triggered by something unhealed in our childhood, we’re yelling because we’re burnt out, or because this situation is wearing on us…or because life is wearing on us…because we’re stretched and stressed financially…because the world is unpredictable and scary, and people are always divided and we’re always connected yet SO disconnected from ourselves and everyone else because we’ve gotten into a habit of closing our hearts and our minds to keep ourselves feeling “safe”. When I’m stressed, everything seems to happen so fast, so the best approach is to try to slow things down. If we can slow things down, we have a better chance of bringing awareness to how we’re feeling and what’s going on. Here are 5 Steps for Cultivating Daily Inner Peace Generate Presence If we don’t take the time to pull ourselves back to the present moment, it becomes very easy for things to begin to spiral out of control. I find that when things seem to speed up it’s because my brain is either going to the past and or the future. I’m starting to spin out about how this one thing that went wrong turned out in the past or is going to turn out again. At this moment you might realize that you’re triggered. Daily check-ins are my go-to daily practice for generating presence. I set reminders on my phone and when they go off use them to do a quick check-in, like a body scan, or a needs assessment. Check-in with the sensations within your body which often can give us an indication of how we’re doing. Check-in with your stress level and your emotional state — How am I feeling? What do I need? Also, a tried-and-true daily breath and/or meditation practice is another great way to generate awareness, manage emotions and practice presence. Meditation helps us learn to step back and simply witness our egoic inner voice—as some like to call it the monkey mind, as well as learn how to focus the mind. It helps us notice our thoughts and stories. I always say clarity is the catalyst for change — as in first we need awareness, we need to see things and ourselves clearly to know what is working, and what is not and discern our next best option at THIS moment. Ruminating about the past or worrying about the future does nothing to change or help any situation. All it does is create anxiety and spiral into negativity. Don’t resist what’s here it will only keep you trapped in unhelpful patterns. Acceptance and Choice As I said, resistance to what keeps us stuck, so the way out of our stickiness is radical total acceptance— notice what’s going on and then discern: “At this point in my time, what are my choices?”. When you accept that you have no control over your outer world including the people and circumstances in it, it can feel unsettling and might even make us feel unsafe, after all, if we feel like we have no control over what’s happening around us, doesn’t that make us feel powerless or helpless? People often see acceptance as synonymous with “giving up” or surrendering, but the only thing you’re giving up is the illusion of your control. Yes, you are surrendering to what is, but it does not mean that you’re allowing yourself to become powerless or a victim. You take back your power when you realize that you do have control over something—you! As soon as you notice what’s going on around you and accept it as it is, you now have the power to decide at this moment how you will then feel and how you react to it. Move into the next right step for you OR if you need help navigating the next steps, ask your higher power for guidance and/or reach out to a friend, therapist, or life coach. Take Action to Calm Your Nervous System Breathing is one of the best ways to slow things down and begin to regulate your nervous systems—slow breathing (4-7 breaths per minute) can activate the parasympathetic nervous system which creates a relaxation response. Mindful breath can also bring a more calming presence to any moment. Many different breathing techniques can help here. Being out in nature can calm your nervous system. Stress and trauma can get trapped in the body so somatic techniques can also be extremely useful. Many are quick and simple ways to care for ourselves in these moments—some examples might be the butterfly breathing technique or gentle body movement like swaying side to side—imagining stroking water with your hands. Other ways to regulate your nervous system include calming music, yoga, getting out in the sunshine and nature and one of my favourites, “tapping” also known as the Emotional Freedom Technique which has proven to be effective in reducing stress and anxiety. Release Judgement, of Ourselves and Others Maya Angelou famously said, “We do the best with what we know and when we know better, we do better”. Consider that we’re all just doing our best, even when it doesn’t seem that way. Even when you think you know a person and that they’re not being their best…maybe that’s the best they can give or do on this particular day, in this particular circumstance. Give ourselves compassionate self-forgiveness when we mess up. Louise Hay said, “we’re all victims of victims” and I believe this is true, with one caveat—we’re all victims of victims until we realize we develop awareness and realize that we have the power of choice. in stress, we often look for a bad guy, someone to blame. We get offensive, go on the attack, or defensive, feeling the need to defend ourselves. Finding someone to blame won’t change what is now. It will just start a barrage of new inner dialogue/thoughts focused on anger or helplessness, none of which is helpful. For me, cultivating inner peace is about being watchful of the stories I tell myself, not seeing others as villains and myself as a victim. Finding peace and calm in chaotic times is not easy. Remember there is no one size fits all approach, so experiment until you find the techniques that work for you. Just remember the best thing you can do for yourself is to tune in to your needs—mentally, physically, and emotionally and meet those needs and yourself with care and compassion. Bookmark this article and come back to these ideas next time you’re feeling stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed and reach out and get support from friends, family and/or professionals. If you are interested in further guidance and instructional practice in some of these techniques, follow me on socials, sign up for my newsletter or book a complimentary consultation. 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.