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. We tend to think frustration, unpleasant events, and challenging feelings are something mainly undesirable and difficult. However, our mind gives us more than one way to create a learning experience. We can learn by analyzing options and scenarios in our headspace and by having a closer look at frustrating, challenging experiences we face. The work environment is usually one of the most common sources of frustration we face. Here are some inspirations on how we can start to make a change in how we manage unpleasant situations and feelings. 1. Capture the exact source of frustration Our 3 basic reactions to stressful events are fight, flight, and freeze. After the first unpleasant feeling is weakened, it is worth having a closer look a the exact source of our discomfort. During a coaching session work-related stress tends to cumulate into one big, black ball and it can take a while to unwind it and analyze all the pieces of the puzzle. Try to identify as precisely as possible who and what is the biggest source of discomfort. Is it just the supervisor or also the work you are doing and the tight deadlines? Be as specific as possible in realizing the details standing behind the discomfort and write them down on a piece of paper if it helps to make it even more clear. 2. Make a deep dive into the source of frustration After the above-mentioned first point, it is now time for even more specific questions. If the main source of your frustration is the tight deadlines, how in which phase of the project or business process do the deadlines become unrealistic and tight? How the correct process should like? If the main source of frustration is your supervisor, what exactly is unbearable in his or her behavior? Make it as specific as possible. 3. Turn your findings into the opposite In this last stage of creating a learning and growth-triggering experience, define the opposite of whatever was upsetting you in the past. Give it a name. Were some processes in the past not working properly so it led to too tight, stressful deadlines? How about asking in the next job interview about how many sprints exactly are planned in each phase of the project? Was your supervisor disrespectful? How about paying extra attention to signs and expressions of friendliness and empathy in the next job interview? And so on. Unpleasant feelings like frustration carry an important message. To decode it is a skill that can be trained, so the experience is not wasted and does not have to be repeated. Find a healthy balance between accepting frustration or mistakes as a part of life and avoiding repeating the same once too often. As Albert Einstein said: “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new” but on the other hand “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results”. 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: Michelle Schafer, 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. This year, I'm committing myself to embrace "slow" more in my life – part of this is more consistently engaging in a short meditation each day (I'm a fan of Jeff Warren's "Daily Trip" on the Calm app). "Shame is a psychological autoimmune disease – the mind trying to eat itself." ‒ Jeff Warren The quote above popped up in yesterday’s meditation. It made me think of my clients who are currently looking for work – especially those clients looking for work because of business decisions made for them – not made by them. I have worked with some clients who have felt such deep shame about the fact they were looking for work – so much so, they wouldn't tell supportive people in their circle. Finding their next job took a long time as a result – the feelings of disappointment and embarrassment were barriers to a large number of job search activities. And the shame ran deep. Shame over having been let go from a job they enjoyed and a company they were loyal to. Shame over applying for jobs and not getting interviews – or getting interviews and not getting the job. Shame over needing to ask for help – from anyone. Shame over not being able to provide for themselves (or their families) in the way they have been accustomed to. If you are looking for work and feeling shame over your job loss, know you are not alone. And now there are lots of supportive resources out there to help. I've experienced two significant career transitions (both due to restructuring) – I remember feeling that same shame myself. You are likely looking for a new job because of a business decision – the harsh reality is business decisions affect humans, sometimes in profound ways. And it sucks. So what can you do? Be kind to yourself – remind yourself you are not alone, and this is not your "forever place". Remind yourself of the things you are doing to find your next job – every step counts. ·Engage with free resources in your community – in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada the Pinecrest-Queensway Employment Services, JHS Community Employment Resource Centre and the Ottawa Employment Hub have excellent resources to consult. You can also meet others who are experiencing a similar situation and can be supportive as they know what it’s like to look for work. Share your struggles with others in your circle – if your friend experienced a job loss, would you hope they would reach out to you and let you know? Chances are the answer to that is "yes". To apply the same thinking to yourself – people want to help. Reach out to professional resources – if you find it consistently hard to get motivated for your job search or take any steps to move forward, seeking professional support can help. Do something each day to feed your soul – something that has nothing to do with your job search. What else would you add to this list? If you are reading this and see yourself, remember you are not alone and there is lots of support around you. And if you know someone who is looking for work and struggling, then please feel free to share this post. Follow me on Facebook, Linkedin, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Michelle! Michelle Schafer, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Michelle Schafer is an International Coaching Federation Certified Coach and Facilitator specializing in career transition and leadership. She is the owner and founder of Michelle Schafer Coaching, empowering people to achieve career fulfillment. Michelle has personally experienced two significant career transitions through restructuring and has reinvented herself for new careers both times. She deeply understands the physical, emotional and mental impact associated with a job search. Michelle is passionate about people and inspired by their progress, working with clients at all levels of an organization and across sectors including federal and municipal government, high tech, not-for-profit and financial services. Michelle offers coaching 1:1 in groups and recently was certified in the foundations of team coaching with the Global Team Coaching Institute.

Written by: Mindy Schrager , 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. At the end of the year, I have a tradition of going through our pantry and closets to find items to donate. While I do this at other times throughout the year, for some reason the year-end clearing feels different. Like I am closing a chapter, letting go of what no longer serves me, and creating space for something new or better to arrive in the new year. What are some ways that you can close the door on what no longer serves you and create the space for something new or better? Habits Are there unhealthy habits that detract from your health and well-being? Examples might include: unhealthy eating avoiding exercise not getting sufficient sleep spending too much time on social media What unhealthy habit can you end, shift, release, or work through? What would be the healthy habits you could start, expand, or allow to flourish? Relationships Are there relationships in your life that drain your energy, joy, and peace of mind? For instance, People who devalue you A person who betrayed you An individual you hold a grudge against Someone who gaslights you or is a narcissist What relationships would you benefit from ending, shifting, releasing, or working through? What new relationships do you want to start and what type of people do you want in your life? Patterns What patterns in your life make you feel like you are going in circles? Behaviors patterns that undermine your success such as self-sabotage Family patterns passed down through the generations Thought patterns and beliefs that have you doubt yourself How might transformational work support you to uncover and shift patterns that no longer serve you? What might open up once you understand and shift those patterns? Depleters What dangling threads seem to hang on and deplete your energy? Projects that have been on your to-do list for years Clutter that fills parts of your house Classes you signed up for but never finished Do all of these depleters need to stay on your list in the new year or are there certain ones that you can release and open up space for higher priorities? After you let go, consider different tools such as vision boards, goal setting, and your one word, among others to support you in clarifying what you want to open the door to. What new hobbies, healthy relationships, habits for well-being, and positive patterns will allow you to feel happier, more balanced, and fulfilled? One such opportunity is a guided exercise I am offering on January 17th called Journey thru the Life Wheel . It includes an introduction to Future-Focused coaching , a 6-week program that will support you to open to a new perspective in moving towards the future you want to create. © 2023, Systems of Change, LLC Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Mindy! Mindy Schrager, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Mindy Schrager is an ICF PCC credentialed coach, Systemic Facilitator, Aura-Soma practitioner and founder of Systems of Change, LLC. Mindy’s focus on and passion for transformational work is built on years of experience creating strong, well-balanced teams, combined with a powerful personal discovery journey. Her experience and training have been focused on creating positive change in life and business experiences working with individuals and groups. Mindy loves to shine a light on hidden patterns and the root cause of dysfunction and then help create new pathways to growth.

Written by: Brigitte Kaps, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. In an uncertain world where rules keep changing and ground reality is constantly shifting, it has become imperative for businesses to evolve, so they can keep up, survive and flourish. This doesn’t mean that the role of PR and its value can be negated or side-lined. Especially during these difficult times, PR can go a long way in quelling uneasiness inside the company, with employees and managers, and outside the company, with investors and stakeholders. However, a flexible PR agency can be a better option for your company. Let’s take a look at how this is possible. 1. Increased focus Companies have to be tuned in to what’s happening around the world so they can respond rapidly to circumstances as they evolve. With flexible PR, companies can shift the onus on responding effectively and swiftly to the PR agency while they continue to focus on their core competencies. An external PR consultant is also free from internal politics, which can be debilitating and affect the company adversely. They can offer objective solutions which can go on to create good PR for your company. 2. Competitive Pricing Flexible PR doesn’t cost as much as having an in-house PR division because you do away with hiring, training, and retaining costs. A boutique PR company hired for a specific period can be more cost-effective because they work on a project-to-project basis instead of expensive retainers. They can also quickly grasp the various factors involved in building the correct narrative about your company, in good times and bad. The most significant advantage here is that they can begin immediately, and there is no need for HR to intervene so that your company gets the best possible PR solutions without any delays. 3. Unpredictability of business With the shadow of the energy crisis, Ukrainian war, etc. still looming over us, businesses have to be prepared for unpredictable times ahead. It’s impossible to foresee some of the business developments that might take place, and responding to them swiftly is better handled by PR consultants who can work according to the needs of the company. Also, a flexible PR agency is better to spread out, and they know the market more closely, giving them a good idea of the competition so there’s little chance of stagnation. 4. Wider Reach A PR agency will have more contacts with journalists and media as they work with them for multiple companies and clients. You can leverage these established relationships to give you a wider reach and better exposure. You can also benefit from the energy and fresh ideas that an external agency can bring. With their expanded network of contacts, you can also maximize opportunities for your own organization. PR agencies bring much-needed flexibility to the system, especially as they are not a cog in the company’s wheel but an external entity that brings top-notch results for all the reasons outlined above. If you have been debating the need for an in-house PR team and justifying the additional expenses to the organization, a PR agency is undoubtedly a better option. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Brigitte! Brigitte Kaps, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Brigitte Kaps is the founder and CEO of Executive PR.ch & Rent a PR.ch. She holds a Master of Advanced Studies in Business Communications and a degree in communications science She has almost 20 years of international experience in management positions with leading foreign banks (ABN Amro, GE, RBS). Before becoming self-employed in 2015, she was responsible for corporate communications at Cembra Money Bank (formerly GE Money Bank) in her capacity as a member of the Executive Board.

Regarding their professional lives, as many as sixty percent of U.S. citizens suffer from job dissatisfaction for many reasons. From not being rewarded enough and poor management in the workplace to limited career growth and feeling like the job doesn’t suit you or your lifestyle – there are many reasons why job dissatisfaction is so high in the United States. The latter reason is becoming ever more popular in the U.S. due to individuals' priorities shifting as they grow older. While previously they might’ve cared about money and simply securing a job, nowadays they might prioritize factors like remote working, not having to work weekends anymore, late starts, and much more. While having a job that ensures you can live comfortably is vital, putting your mental/physical health, personal/social relationships, and professional/personal goals first are also essential. So, if your current job role isn’t allowing all the above to thrive, it might be time to find a career that works around your lifestyle. However, how do you go about finding a job that works around your lifestyle? From considering looking for remote jobs rather than in-person roles to figuring out what makes you unhappy in your professional life, there are many tips for job seekers to help them find their ideal position. We list several of the best below: Don’t Wait For A Job To Fall Into Your Lap; Go And Search For It No matter how hard you wish for it, the chances are that a job that works around your lifestyle isn’t going to fall into your lap. For instance, if your idea of an ideal job is being able to choose your own shift patterns, being able to work from the comfort of your own home office and having your weekends to yourself – it’s probably best to search for it. Now, you might be thinking, how on earth do I search for something that specific? Well, one of the best ways to find all kinds of jobs is with the help of a job search engine like Adzuna, which can help users find a range of remote jobs and in-person jobs. With the help of search engines like these, you can effectively weed out any unsuitable job adverts and focus on the ones that are relevant to you and your skill set. Utilising all resources available the next time you are job searching. Rethink Your Personal Goals Before you start signing up for job search engines and scrolling through listing after listing of remote jobs, desperately trying to find one that you can interweave with your lifestyle, put down your laptop and ask yourself what you want out of life. Look at your personal goals and see if they align with your beliefs and are still vital to you; if not, change them! For instance, suppose your partner has every Wednesday off work. Would finding a remote job that allowed you to choose your shift patterns be essential to you? So that you can spend every Wednesday having quality time with your partner? Or, are you tired of giving up your weekends after spending a decade working in hospitality and thinking that a job that gives you your weekends off would be necessary? Regardless of where your priorities lie, it is essential that you rethink what you’d like out of your professional and personal life so that the two can meet in the middle. Otherwise, you will continuously find aspects of your professional life that interfere with your personal life, which will cause further job dissatisfaction. Don’t Be Scared To Approach Your Current Employer Suppose you enjoy your current job role, but it doesn’t consider your lifestyle. In that case, you shouldn’t be scared to approach your current employer or someone in management and bring up your lifestyle wishes. Worst case scenario, all they can say is no, and if this is the case, you can always start the search for a job that will consider your lifestyle wishes. According to research, around 54% of American workers are afraid to approach a higher authority about a workplace issue, whether they have previous bad experiences, feel they will be turned away, lack the confidence to speak up, and much more. However, it's vital to remember that if you don’t ask, you won't receive. In most cases, most employers would rather have you speak up about workplace issues than run the risk of losing a valuable employee to another competitor. You may find that your supervisor is more lenient than you thought, and they could grant you the changes you desire. On the other hand, you might find that they give you some wishes and negotiate with you on others, like instead of letting you work entirely remotely, they might ask you to come into the office one day a week, etc. Conduct Research Before Applying Once you know what factors are non-negotiable when searching for a job that fits your lifestyle, you can speak to firms, agencies, or employers with similar interests to yourself to ensure they are the right fit for you and your lifestyle. On the other hand, it is also wise to speak to past employees (if you can!) and ask them about their experience while working there, why they left, what could be different, and so on. This allows you to get an unfiltered review of what it is like behind the scenes so that you can be sure the company’s vision aligns with yours and that you don’t waste your time applying for something that isn’t suitable. Understand How You Work Another tip for job seekers looking for a role that works around their lifestyle is understanding how you work and in what environment you produce your best work. For instance, if you’re an introvert and work best being separated from the noise and the distractions that an office-based climate presents, you might be better off searching for remote job opportunities, like personal assistant roles, graphic design roles, writing roles, etc. In contrast, there is no point apply for remote jobs if you’re a social butterfly, as you may find that being separated from work colleagues and the daily chit-chat they promise is depressing, which could make your work suffer as a result. Either way, ask yourself where you’re the happiest and motivated to produce your best quality work to discover what kind of career works best for your lifestyle. Figure Out What Makes You Unhappy At Work Before you can determine the non-negotiables, you must figure out what makes you unhappy to ensure that you don’t end up in a similar position. Start by grabbing a piece of paper and a pen or opening up the notes application on your smartphone, and make a list of what makes you happy and unhappy in the workplace. Seeing all your hang-ups about your current role in front of you can help you zero in on what you’d like out of your next position and what you’d rather avoid. Which can help you weed out the bad from the good job adverts while you're searching and save you time going for dead-end interviews.

The digital revolution is in full swing. Just as machinery revolutionized industries in the 1800s, digitization and data are changing the way we do business in the 21st Century. No matter what sector you work in, or who your business serves, there are technological advances in software and data analysis that can help you maximize productivity while cutting costs. Doing more with less is possible. Here are some of the reasons you should be harnessing tech and software to empower your business and take it to the next level. With the right software applications, you can cut costs while boosting productivity, and giving your employees a better work-life balance. Remote Work Is Cost-Effective The remote work revolution is creating cost-saving opportunities for businesses of all shapes and sizes. No matter what sector your business operates in, there is a huge range of ways your company can utilize remote working software to improve customer service, streamline business processes, and save money. With the right tools for the job, your can get more done with the same resources for less expenditure. Remote desktop access can revolutionize any office space. Giving employees the option to work remotely or in a hybrid setup can reduce office overheads and create a spike in productivity. It is popular with both staff and management, and often gives your customers a higher level of service. TSplus offers a remote desktop infrastructure that any business can use to deliver their products and service while utilizing remote working opportunities. You can learn more about TSplus Remote Access here, and find out how your business can benefit from the remote working revolution. Their software is cost-effective, secure, and works from anywhere. You can use it in the office space as well as from home. Remote working empowers workers, and multiple studies have shown it increases productivity while also giving your employees a better quality of life. This helps you to retain staff, reducing the costs of recruitment and training. Software Streamlines Communication The biggest bottlenecks in any business are created when the different departments fail to share data and information gets stuck in one person’s in-tray when it needs to be shared across the company. By sharing resources across servers and giving equal access to departments within your business, you can ensure that everyone has what they need when they need it. Every business loses money to admin apathy, where people sit waiting for documents instead of being proactive and going and getting them. With digital resource sharing, the information people need is at their fingertips and they do not have to wait for paperwork to pass between departments. This can be incredibly beneficial to the accounting process, speeding up the time it takes to move from delivering goods and services to invoicing to collecting payments. This gives your customers better value for money as well as your company. When you give your employees the infrastructure they need to work more efficiently, they become more productive. Streamlining communication and pooling data through cloud-sharing services has the potential to revolutionize your business processes and get more done with less. Data-Driven Decision Making One of the biggest challenges in business is decision-making. Every small decision you make can have huge repercussions on your company, some positive and some negative. The wrong choice can be detrimental to the productivity and profitability of your business. By using customer relationship management software you can turn your data into an asset, and use analytical techniques to empower your decision-making, leading to more positive and profitable outcomes. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software tracks your communications with your customer base and monitors their purchasing patterns. The data their actions create can yield vital insights into how they interact with your company and their expectations. By data mining this information you can identify opportunities to increase sales, as well as weaknesses in your processes that need to be addressed. You can find ways to convert inquiries into sales, offer customers more value, tailor your services to suit your biggest clients, and turn smaller customers into bigger ones. It also helps you to provide better customer service, as all your employees can see the chain of communication and interaction between the business and the client. This reduces duplicate correspondence and keeps all your employees ‘in the loop’ when handling customer inquiries and sales. Use Data To Anticipate Change In the past few years, there have been enormous changes to the marketplace and the ways that companies do business. Customer expectations have also changed, with many clients demanding more than just a product or service, they want an experience. By analyzing your own data, and inputs from the market, you can stay one step ahead of changes and position your business to take advantage of them while your competitors struggle to pivot. Both hardware and software can be used to make a business more agile, and adaptable to changes in market conditions. Data analytics software can help you analyze the performance of products, departments, and even individual employees so you can address problems and make changes. This gives you an edge over your competitors and creates the opportunity to grow while they try to adapt to new challenges. Research, development, and project management can all be made more effective and efficient when they are informed by client-created data. You have a gold mine in your company’s hard drives waiting to be mined. Harness the power of data analytics to drive your business forward, regardless of market conditions. No matter what happens outside of your company, you have the tools and resources you need to weather any storm and expand. Training And Development Tech Employees are an asset to any business, but you have to invest in them to yield the biggest returns. Training and developing staff can be time-consuming and costly, without the help of technology. Now, you can use high-quality online training and staff development tools to empower your workers and help them achieve industry-recognized qualifications. You can craft the staff you need with the employees you have, cutting down on recruitment which is also a drain on the finances of your business and takes up time. Digital training and development platforms are an opportunity to tailor your induction and training processes to each department and personalize training to each individual. This makes staff development more cost-effective and saves time. You can onboard new employees quicker and start utilizing them from day one. Employees also have resources available to them outside of their working hours, allowing them to develop their skills on their own time. This can be incredibly cost-effective and reduces the number of productive working hours lost to training. Studies have shown that employees are eager to develop themselves and learn more skills. By giving them the resources they need, they can develop their skillset on their own time, and you can reap the rewards without the excessive expense of group training sessions. Businesses must embrace data, software, and technology to help grow and develop in the next decade. Some huge opportunities are waiting for you, and if you do not take them your competitors will. Do not get left behind in the digital revolution and start looking for ways to empower your business through technology.

Written by: Dr. Sydney Ceruto, 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. Being able to observe the non-verbal signals people give that indicate how they are feeling. These may include voice tone, facial expression, eye movement, head position, postural changes, speech characteristics, breathing characteristics, and more. Understanding accurately what these signals mean concerning their underlying emotions. This is different from misreading a person. Some people take things personally, even when the emotional signals are nothing to do with them. This is a low level of emotional intelligence in this dimension. Being accurate is. Being able to perceive the impact that you are having on someone else. Being able to read the play in meetings. Hearing people expressing their emotions without belittling, ridiculing, or dismissing them, e.g., not telling them they are “being too emotional.” Being able to ask people how they feel. Understanding why certain emotions may have arisen in specific contexts. Paying attention to the emotions of others in meetings, negotiations, performance reviews, and other situations in which they emerge at work. Perceiving emotional overtones in an organization, team, or interaction, even when these remain unspoken. Advantages of high-level emotional awareness of others You will have more chances to respond appropriately to others when you know how they feel. You will be better able to read the play in a meeting, negotiation, or discussion and thus have the option to respond in a meaningful and influential way. You can engage, respond, motivate and connect with other people. You can choose the best communication method when talking to employees, colleagues, or stakeholders. Your relationships can develop to a deeper level, and trust can grow when people feel understood by you. You are more likely to be able to show empathy and be regarded as empathic once you have understood how someone is feeling. You will have fewer surprises. When you know how someone feels, their reactions will be less surprising. It will be easier to motivate people as you will have high emotional intelligence and a greater understanding of the emotional drivers of their behavior. You will have a better chance of getting the timing right in your communications. You will know when the best time is to approach someone and when it is best to wait. This could significantly affect your influence and ability to persuade others. As a doctor of neuroscience, my job is to read people, not just what they say, but who they are. Interpreting verbal and nonverbal cues, I want to see past their masks into the natural person. Logic alone won’t tell you the whole story about anybody. You must surrender to other vital forms of information to learn to read the essential non-verbal, intuitive cues people give off. To do this, you must also be willing to surrender any preconceptions, or emotional baggage, such as old resentments or ego clashes, that stop you from seeing someone clearly. The key is to remain objective and receive information neutrally without distorting it. Whether you’re reading your boss, co-worker, or partner, to understand people accurately, you must surrender biases, and some walls must come down. As brilliant as the intellect is, you must be willing to let go of old, limiting ideas. People who read others well are trained to read the invisible. They’ve learned to utilize their “super-senses” to look further than where you usually focus on accessing life-changing intuitive insights. Let’s explore some of the different methods of reading people I found most compelling. They all require surrendering pure logic in favor of also receiving alternative, non-linear forms of input. Three techniques in the art of reading people The First Technique is: Observe Body Language Cues Research has shown that words account for only 7 percent of our communication, whereas our body language (55 percent) and voice tone (30 percent) represent the rest. Here, the surrender to focus on is letting go of trying too hard to read body language cues. Don’t get overly intense or analytical. Stay relaxed and fluid. Be comfortable, sit back, and observe. 1. Pay Attention to Appearance When reading, others notice: Are they wearing a power suit and well-shined shoes, dressed for success, indicating ambition? Jeans and a T-shirt, indicating comfort with being casual? A tight top with cleavage, a seductive choice? A pendant such as a cross or Buddha indicating spiritual values? 2. Notice Posture When reading people’s postures, ask yourself: Do they hold their heads high and confident? Or do they walk indecisively or cower, a sign of low self-esteem? Do they swagger with a puffed-out chest, a sign of a big ego? 3. Watch for Physical Movements Leaning and distance—Observe where people lean. Generally, we lean toward those we like and away from those we don’t. Crossed arms and legs—This pose suggests defensiveness, anger, or self-protection. When people cross their legs, they tend to point the toes of the top leg towards the person they are most at ease with. Hiding one’s hands—When people place their hands in their laps or pockets or put them behind their backs, it suggests they are hiding something. Lip biting or cuticle picking—When people bite or lick their lips or pick their cuticles, they try to soothe themselves under pressure or in an awkward situation. 4. Interpret Facial Expression Emotions can become etched on our faces. Deep frown lines suggest worrying or overthinking. Crow’s feet are the smile lines of joy. Pursed lips signal anger, contempt, or bitterness. A clenched jaw and teeth grinding are signs of tension. The Second Technique is: Listen to Your Intuition You can tune into someone beyond their body language and words. Intuition is what your gut feels, not what your head says. You perceive nonverbal information via images and ah-has rather than logic. If you want to understand someone, what counts the most is who the person is, not their outer trappings. Intuition lets you see further than the obvious to reveal a richer story. Checklist of Intuitive Cues 1. Honor your gut feelings Listen to what your gut says, especially during first meetings, a visceral reaction that occurs before you can think. It relays whether you’re at ease or not. Gut feelings occur quickly, a primal response. They’re your internal truth meter, relaying if you can trust people. 2. Feel the goosebumps Goosebumps are marvelous intuitive tingles that convey that we resonate with people who move or inspire us or are saying something that strikes a chord. Goosebumps also happen when you experience deja-vu, a recognition that you’ve known someone before, though you’ve actually never met. 3. Pay attention to flashes of insight In conversations, you may get an “ah-ha” about people who come in a flash. Stay alert. Otherwise, you might miss it. We tend to go on to the next thought so rapidly that these critical insights are lost. 4. Watch for intuitive empathy Sometimes you can feel people’s physical symptoms and emotions in your body which is an intense form of empathy. So, when reading people, notice: “Does my back hurt when it didn’t before? Am I depressed or upset after an uneventful meeting?” To determine if this is empathy, get feedback. The Third Technique: Sense Emotional Energy Emotions are a stunning expression of our energy, the “vibe” we give off. We register these with intuition. Some people feel good to be around; they improve your mood and vitality. Others are draining; you instinctively want to get away. Though invisible, this “subtle energy” can be felt inches or feet from the body. In Chinese medicine, it’s called chi, a vitality essential to health. Strategies to Read Emotional Energy 1. Sense People’s Presence This is the energy we emit, which is not necessarily congruent with words or behavior. The emotional atmosphere surrounds us like a rain cloud or the sun. As you read, people notice: Do they have a friendly presence that attracts you? Or are you getting the willies, making you back off? 2. Watch People’s Eyes Our eyes transmit powerful energy. Just as the brain has an electromagnetic signal extending beyond the body, studies indicate that the eyes project this too. Take time to observe people’s eyes. Are they caring? Sexy? Tranquil? Mean? Angry? Also, determine: Is someone at home in their eyes, indicating a capacity for intimacy? Or do they seem to be guarded or hiding? 3. Notice the Feel of a Handshake, Hug, and Touch We share emotional energy through physical contact, much like an electrical current. Ask yourself whether a handshake or hug feels warm, comfortable, and confident. Or is it off-putting, so you want to withdraw? Are people’s hands clammy, signaling anxiety? Or limp, suggesting being non-committal and timid? 4. Listen for the Tone of Voice and Laugh The tone and volume of our voice can tell much about our emotions. Sound frequencies create vibrations. When reading people, notice how their tone of voice affects you. Ask yourself: Does their tone feel soothing? Or is it abrasive, snippy, or whiny? Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Dr. Sydney! Dr. Sydney Ceruto, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Dr. Sydney Ceruto has completed her doctoral education in the field of Cognitive & Behavioral Neuroscience & is a leading specialist in using your brains natural ability to change neuroplasticity to ensure you reach your desired goals. Her specialty is in helping clients recognize their faulty thinking patterns, change undesirable behaviors, developmental & emotional resiliency, & gain mental clarity. When Dr. Ceruto was a teenager, she tragically lost both parents. As an only child, the loss of family completely broke her. She became profoundly depressed & began suffering from chronic anxiety. Sydney felt lost, & any form of happiness, confidence, or clarity seemed a long way off. Soon after, she began to pursue her education in medicine at Yale & obtained three masters in psychology & two Ph.D.’s in both cognitive & behavioral neuroscience at NYU. Studying the mind-brain connection was indeed the paradigm for her healing & growth. Dr. Sydney Ceruto created MindLAB Neuroscience over two decades ago. She pioneered an integrative approach based on hard science that has genuinely changed the way people make positive &, more importantly, permanent changes in all areas of their lives. Her program is highly venerated & has debunked all the myths regarding the efficacy of “traditional therapy” & the sad misnomer that you need to be on a counselor’s couch for years or even decades. Several publications have Dr. Sydney Ceruto on staff as a senior writer. She is a proud member of the Forbes Executive Council, Positive Performance Alliance, Wharton Executive Education Program, and Executive Writer for Alternatives Watch and Brainz Magazine. She has an avid intellect, a keen understanding of human nature, & an uncanny ability to connect deeply with clients. Dr. Ceruto is hands-on, accessible, highly intuitive, compassionate & is told … pretty funny! One of her passions is traveling, which she has done extensively. Dr. Ceruto is an avid sports enthusiast and watches everything from football to Formula 1 racing. She plays golf whenever she can and enjoys exploring other cultures. Dr. Ceruto has one son who graduated from Princeton University and is studying to become a corporate attorney. She also has an affinity for animals and is an adoring mom to her 1.5-pound Micro Cuban Chihuahua, Lolita.

Written by: Nigel Beckles, 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 an era where a committed relationship can often be very difficult to find and even harder to keep. As a result, many people opt for a casual relationship or ‘Friends With Benefits’ (FWB) arrangement where they have recreational sex but little else. The FWB concept has been around for a very long time, but the term has become very popular over the last few decades. "What exactly does that expression mean, 'Friends With Benefits'? "Does he provide her with health insurance?" ‒ Chuck Lorre American TV Writer, Director & Producer The idea is that two adults can agree to ‘no strings attached’ consenting sex without any problems, provided both parties are clear about what they are doing and no one is being misled. The general rules are that both parties agree to have sex without either person becoming emotionally involved or having any expectations for the future. There is a mutual understanding that it’s a sexual agreement for a limited period of time without any consequences, and some people believe this arrangement can even help prepare you for your next serious relationship. FWB arrangements can be mutually enjoyable, suit your needs for a period of time, and not necessarily be motivated by trying to avoid commitment. Having sex without any emotional attachments can be a very tempting idea, especially when it’s widely accepted that a good sex session is a great way to relieve stress! In a nutshell, FWB suggests a person can have sex with someone at their convenience with no strings attached, have a lot of fun sexually, and no one gets hurt, so it appears to be a win-win deal! Enjoying sex is nothing to be ashamed of, and sex clearly does not have to be confined within a marriage or committed relationship. Casual Sex - Benefits can include: Having someone available for sex at your mutual convenience The chance to experiment sexually Having sex with a known person rather than a series of one-night stands Enjoying sex without commitment In theory, when the arrangement no longer suits you, it can be quite easy to move on, provided your emotions have not become too involved In terms of heterosexual relationships, men can often have sex without any emotional content. Generally, a woman who has regular sex with a man who isn’t her ‘official’ partner usually develops feelings for him at some point and begins hoping for something more. Having sex with a man in the hopes that this will persuade him to commit to a relationship is usually futile and often causes a woman to feel used, bitter, resentful, or even angry. Casual sex can be great fun, provided you protect your emotional and physical health and are confident you are not motivated by any underlying issues. A Friends With Benefits agreement usually means your ‘partner’ considers you great fun for their sexual convenience but not good enough for a genuine committed relationship. The Risks of Casual Sex Before you decide to enter into a ‘sex with no strings’ agreement, there are a few important points to consider: If you tend to be jealous, strongly associate sex with love, or get emotionally attached to partners after having great sex, FWB is probably not for you Friendships with Benefits are not always exclusive. Even if exclusivity has been agreed upon, there are no guarantees the agreement will be honoured FWB sex often confuses the boundaries of friendships; many do not survive after the sexual arrangement comes to an end FWB becomes a serious risk if one party develops romantic feelings A person can become unhappy and develop feelings of being used because of a lack of commitment Feeling guilty about having sex outside of an official relationship Casual sex agreements usually work out much better for men who tend to adhere to the arrangement and are far less likely to become emotionally involved. Men tend to compartmentalise their lives, so sex can be an expression of love, strictly for pleasure, or even used as a stress reliever. I've been in several "Friends With Benefits" situations and always made it clear that it was all about the sex. Most of the women I was involved with tried to persuade me to commit to a relationship, but that was not what I had ‘signed up’ for. The reality is that for the majority of women, having sex is usually a physical and emotional act. I have spoken to many women about their Friend With Benefits experiences, and the vast majority have told me that agreeing to this type of arrangement has often been the most disappointing and unfulfilling choice they have ever made. Reviewing Your Expectations If you’re serious about finding a committed relationship, you should expect: To be treated with respect A potential partner who is available (not dating or physically/emotionally involved with another woman) If single, there is the hope of meeting a potential partner who wants a stable, long-term relationship When dating, this stage is not going to continue indefinitely and will lead to a serious or committed relationship To have confidence a potential partner will be faithful and honest It is critical to be completely honest with yourself about the type of relationship you desire and to stick to your plan. For heterosexual women involved in a FWB, it’s not unusual for them to want more, but according to the available research, trying to elevate this type of sexual arrangement to full relationship status is very unlikely to succeed. Females are generally much more emotional than men, but some women may deceive themselves into thinking they can handle this type of situation. The reality is that a man who is getting convenient, no-questions-asked sex is going to continue the arrangement for as long as possible! The anecdotal evidence strongly suggests that while many women make sexual agreements in good faith, they can often struggle to play by the agreed ‘rules.' If a woman decides to end a FWB relationship because she wants more than just sex but the man refuses to consider a committed relationship, she is asserting control. Being truly single means regaining emotional independence, which provides opportunities to explore genuine relationship options instead of wasting time with a 'sex buddy'. The majority of women usually prefer sexual activity within a committed, stable relationship. "Commitment is inherent in any genuinely loving relationship." ‒ M. Scott Peck (1936-2005), Psychiatrist and Author In the movie ‘Friends With Benefits’ (2011) a young man and woman who are platonic friends decide to have sex without becoming an official couple, but soon discover that becoming sexually involved leads to serious complications. If you decide to enter into a FWB arrangement, set very clear boundaries from the start and stick to them. Decide to indulge yourself for a limited period of time, and make sure you end the arrangement within a couple of months. Whether it’s casual sex or a FWB deal, practising safe sex is absolutely essential. The motivation for agreeing to some sexual fun makes the concept and activity very popular, but the reality can be very harsh if it results in an unplanned pregnancy or a serious sexual infection. Falling in love with someone after having regular casual sex with them can be a very painful experience when it becomes clear they are not prepared to provide genuine love and emotional fulfilment. Many men will take whatever is on offer sexually and then leave the arrangement at their convenience. A FWB arrangement often leaves many women feeling unfulfilled, uncomfortable, or emotionally conflicted. Regardless of gender, when a person begins to deny their true relationship expectations and desires, they eventually end up compromising themselves. Generally, everyone deserves so much more than just being available for mutually convenient sex. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Nigel! Nigel Beckles, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Nigel Beckles is an Author, Certified Relationship Specialist & Coach, holds a Dealing With Narcissism Diploma and Psychology of Relationships Diploma. He is an Educator, Online Adviser and Workshop Facilitator. Nigel is a contributor to the award-winning documentary ‘Looking for Love’ available on DVD and online. He is also the creator of the podcast 'Interesting Conversations with Interesting People' featuring Interviews with Award-Winning Authors, Therapists & Relationship Life Coaches. All Podcasts Available @ Website: www.authornigelbecklespodcasts.com his work involves guiding men and women through difficult relationship issues. Sources: Book Extract: ‘How to Avoid Making the BIG Relationship Mistakes!’ Available @ Amazon https://amzn.to/2KqM0A0 Friends With Benefits: What Does It Mean and Is It Right for You? "FWB" are non-committal and non-monogamous. Stacey Laura Lloyd 09/26/22 Reviewed By Landis Bejar Licensed Mental Health Counsellor https://www.brides.com/what-does-friends-with-benefits-mean-1021859 8 Friends With Benefits Rules to Make Things Work Real women give tips on navigating the pleasures and pains of hooking up with a buddy. Joni Sweet Can ‘Friends With Benefits’ Really Work? 15 Rules for Mess-Free Arrangement https://hellorelish.com/articles/friends-with-benefits-rules.html

Written by: Jamie Caroccio, 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. You hit a certain level of success in your business. Sales are good. You've got more client work to focus on, and you're ready to start delegating to free up your time to focus on high-level business vision and strategy and coaching clients. Your first hire is likely a part-time copywriter You sign the contract and pay the invoice, eager to get started. You have your kickoff call, and about a week later, the copywriter sends you an initial draft of your sales page. You read the first few paragraphs, and your heart sinks. The copy sounds nothing like you. The amount of feedback you have is so overwhelming you think, "I'd be faster if I just rewrote this myself." Or, maybe you decide that, even though the copy doesn't sound like you, this must be what works. You did hire a professional after all, so you choose to trust the process and shoot it over to your web guy and go about your launch, but… no calls get books, no sales, no new clients. Or, best case scenario, you find a copywriter who writes compelling copy that converts, but they're unreliable – they miss deadlines and disappear when you need them most. In all scenarios, it's thousands of dollars wasted and dozens of hours of your time you'll never get back. If this has happened to you, you're not alone. Let’s dive into why this happens, the common mistakes to avoid, and how to find the perfect copywriter who writes copy that converts that actually sounds like you. 5 mistakes coaches make when hiring a copywriter 1. You don't understand basic copy principles You may be an expert in your industry, but marketing isn't your specialty. And that's okay. That's why you hire support. Keep this in mind when you provide feedback on a copy draft. While feedback on common words and phrases you always use or would never use is helpful to weave your voice into the copy, too many rewrites can weaken it, especially if you request the removal of the persuasive writing techniques required to sell successfully online. The right copywriter knows the delicate dance between writing copy that converts without sacrificing your voice and personality. But even the best copywriters will struggle if they don't have a solid foundation to work from. This brings us to the next common mistake… 2. You haven't dialed in your messaging Messaging refers to three main areas of your marketing: Positioning ‒ what differentiates you from your competitors. Ideal client ‒ understanding their biggest problems & deepest desires. Offer ‒ your proven solution to their biggest problem. If you don't have these three items dialed in before you hire a copywriter, their job, and consequently your job as the person providing them with feedback, will be infinitely more challenging. If you need clarity about your positioning, audience, or offer, your copywriter won't be either. And that will show up in your copy and create confusion, resulting in fewer conversions. The best copywriters will ensure you have strong messaging or support you in dialing it in before they write a word of copy for you. 3. You don't have a system for content creation You may hire a copywriter for a one-off project, like a sales page or an email launch sequence, but you'll likely eventually want to offload ongoing projects ‒ like your weekly LinkedIn posts or monthly nurture emails. Without a smart system, it's easy to fall behind quickly. A client who used to write her own Linkedin content shared with me recently, "I'd wake up and try to write a post. Sometimes it would flow, but more often than not, I didn't know what to say or how to focus my thoughts." Whether you write your own copy or delegate it, you need a system to stay on track. My content batch system After 8+ years of supporting coaches and consultants with their copy, I've created my signature system. Instead of trying to create a daily LinkedIn post or weekly email, I batch the entire month. Here's what it looks like for monthly: Each month I meet with my client to have a 1-hour batch call. Before the call, I share an outline with content ideas. The client provides high-level feedback. Then we meet on the batch call to dive deeper into the posts. This is also an opportunity to download future post ideas and stories. I write the draft. The client provides feedback. I finalize the copy. The client or their team schedules the posts and tracks stats. I review stats from the past month to gather insights about what's working, what's not, and critical areas to optimize. Then I create the next month's outline based on those stats. And we rinse and repeat. The best part about this system? I do most of the work. So all my client has to do? Show up for the batch call and review a draft for feedback. That's it. A solid system is key to a successful content strategy and saves time and money. 4. You're not tracking stats I can't tell you how many times I've spoken with coaches who weren't thrilled with their copywriters and heard them say, "My copy isn't converting," yet when I ask them to see the stats, they don't have them. You may not be getting sales calls booked or closing deals, which you'll notice without official tracking of any stats. One small change, like updating a headline, could completely change how a post performs. But, without data, you can't know: What's not working Relevant feedback to give your copywriter How to optimize your copy 5. You haven't found the right copywriter I am a copywriter. I love copywriters. But like any profession, there's a whole mix out there. Some are excellent, some will leave you hanging, and some simply don't know what they're doing. How do you find the right one? The perfect copywriter for you who knows how to write copy that converts in your voice? The right copywriter will understand that writing copy is about more than using proven templates or headline formulas. We use these and love them, but they alone are not enough. Writing compelling copy is about taking the time to understand your business, your voice, and your personality. It's about helping you fine-tune your messaging if it still needs to be dialed in. Following a reiterative process to help you track stats, pull insights, make data-driven decisions, and continuously optimize your copy. For the past 8+ years, I've had the pleasure of working with hundreds of coaches (business, executive, leadership, life, and more.) I've helped write copy for six and seven-figure campaigns at one of the top marketing agencies in the personal and professional development space. My job? To help coaches attract more high-end clients online with copywriting that's simple, fun, and profitable. To learn more of my best tips to transform boring, bland copy into tasty treats customers crave in just 5 minutes a day, sign up for my free Coffee & Copy Tips Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Jamie! Jamie Caroccio, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jamie Caroccio is a Copy Coach & Copywriter. She helps coaches attract more high-end clients online with copywriting that is simple, fun, and profitable. Over the past 7+ years, she’s worked with hundreds of coaches across industries (business, executive, health, leadership, and more.) She’s helped write copy for six and seven-figure campaigns at one of the top marketing agencies in the personal and professional development space. She was a guest speaker for the Be Social Change Future of Social Impact Marketing panel. She’s also the Founder of “Coffee & Copy Tips,” a free newsletter that teaches you how to write better copy in just 5 minutes a day.

Written by: Antony Bream, 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. 2022 broke all records across the world as the climate heats up amidst desperate efforts at UN climate change conferences to find ways to reduce carbon emissions. Corporations face a huge responsibility to play a part in achieving the target of limiting a 1.5 degC temperature rise by reducing global emissions 45% by 2030. The Net-Zero Asset Owners Alliance, the gold standard for credible commitments and transparent targets, is managing $10 trillion in assets and catalysing change across industries but more needs to be done. Another such initiative aimed at corporations to make them achieve this target is driven by ESG, a framework to help stakeholders understand how an organisation is managing risks and opportunities related to environmental, social, and governance criteria (sometimes called ESG factors). ESG takes the holistic view that sustainability extends beyond just environmental issues. While the term ESG is often used in the context of investing, stakeholders include not just the investment community but also customers, suppliers, and employees, all of whom are increasingly interested in how sustainable an organisation’s operations are. The Capital Markets can be a powerful tool to create change. By restricting access to capital (or making the terms under which it’s available less favourable), bad actors may be incentivised to improve performance across E, S, or G measures. Conversely, rewarding companies and their management teams that are performing well against ESG factors encourage continued progress and improvements. Many ESG investment vehicles have emerged, including green bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, and index funds (among others). These publicly traded instruments make it easier for investors to align their investment decisions more closely with their own beliefs and values around E, S, or G factors. But Can ESG data be used to generate alpha? Finally, the data and evidence to answer this question follows: Asset Managers are facing a predicament. We’re not talking about dealing with all the confusing ESG rules and regulations (although that’s high on the list). We’re talking about whether ESG data can be used to generate alpha. We know the importance of ESG in making the world a better and fairer place, but there’s also a great deal of empathy for Asset Managers who need to generate a healthy financial return during our economic uncertainty ‒ one that’s presented itself so shortly after the pandemic. The good news is the correlation between ESG factors and alpha may be stronger than you think. Let’s clarify, what do we mean by alpha when it comes to ESG? Alpha is the excess return of an investment relative to the return of a benchmark, such as the S&P 500 index. In the context of ESG, many investors are now attempting to carry out ESG performance attribution and assess the importance of ESG factors on performance. This involves breaking down any alpha generated from a fund so that investors can determine the impact of ESG integration on their fund’s returns... Why has the relationship between ESG and alpha been hard to prove historically? A large part of it comes down to the quality of data. Asset Managers have largely had to go by on inconsistent data, varying standards, data gaps and inauthentic data disclosures. With the data being unreliable and/or not indicative of the full picture, it skews any workaround attributing performance to ESG factors. This is still a challenge today with the S in ESG being particularly challenging as a lot of social data points are inherently more subjective than Environmental or Governance data points. On that note, things have got, and are getting, a lot better. Bringing us on to the next question. How is ESG data improving? Leading ESG measurement frameworks are starting to converge, creating the possibility of a more standardised landscape for tracking and measuring ESG performance. There’s increasing pressure now on corporations to disclose more and there’s initiatives to make it easier to do so, such as the CDP and TCFD. This means Asset Managers will get more disclosed data from businesses. Now that’s great but Asset Managers then need to make sense of the data, and this only becomes faster, easier and more reliable with the use of advanced technology. Fortunately, this is now more readily available for Asset Managers to use within a few clicks (watch out for platforms claiming to be advanced but only deliver a basic view). One of the features of advanced ESG analytics should be that it collects a lot of data from a variety of different sources (such as NGOs) so that you’re not just relying on company disclosures alone ‒ particularly at a time where greenwashing is so prevalent. What does some of the most advanced data show when it comes to a correlation between ESG performance and returns? One company providing the data and analytics to address these challenges is GaiaLens with an advanced ESG analytics platform who did a little data digging. They carried out research investigating the relationship between their S & G scores and company valuations for companies by country. For the US, when they ran the top-scoring companies and the bottom-scoring companies through the valuation model, they found that on an EV/IC basis, the top-scoring companies trade on 1.4x vs. 0.9x for the bottom-scoring companies representing a significant difference. It’s not too dissimilar for the UK. On an EV/IC basis, the top-scoring companies trade on 1.3x vs. 0.8x for the bottom-scoring companies. The data highlights a strong positive correlation between their S & G scores and company valuation, and this was the case for many other countries as well. A trading idea off the back of this would be to look at those companies that score highly but are trading at a discount relative to peers. How can you do the analysis yourself and tell if your ESG funds will generate alpha? As mentioned, you need access to comprehensive, reliable and transparent data that also scores individual companies. Crucially, when it comes to ESG scores, you need daily scores with a history of at least 2 years and if you want to carry out analysis over a longer time period, you need historical ESG scores going back at least 10 years. This allows you to identify companies that are well-managed, have strong governance practices, and are committed to sustainability, so that you can see if they are outperforming companies with lower ESG scores. Don’t underestimate how important the right technology is here. You need a platform that can collect, store, and analyse large amounts of ESG data from various sources, allowing investors to quickly and easily access the information they need. GaiaLens’ platform used for the analysis above, combines both structured data (e.g., carbon emissions) and unstructured data (e.g., processing the news for 17,500 companies that we cover and highlighting the latest ESG scandals in real-time) to provide Asset Managers with the full picture. What should Asset Managers do going forward? Going into a recession, Asset Managers are struggling to get the balance between focussing on ESG as well as focussing on their returns target. Knowing that there’s a relationship between the two is reassuring, but you can easily do this analysis (and a lot more) if you have access to the right ESG data and scores. You’ll be able to see how individual companies are performing on the ESG front and you’ll also mitigate risk by avoiding companies with poor ESG practices, which can lead to negative impacts on financial performance. So, step 1 is to get yourself access to the data. Step 2 is to ensure you’re not letting the looming recession, budget cuts, and a skills shortage deter you from your ESG efforts. When taking ESG factors into account, it can lead to outperformance compared to the broader market. To find out more about how our ESG analytics platform can support you through the whole ESG investment lifecycle and save you a significant amount of time and money, visit www.gaia-lens.com and book a demo. Gordon Tveito-Duncan, Co-Founder of GaiaLens Gordon is Co-Founder of GaiaLens, a comprehensive ESG analytics platform for asset managers and investors. He’s also an experienced financial analyst having worked as an Equity Research Analyst at an investment bank covering the Technology sector. Connect with him on LinkedIn. Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Antony! Antony Bream, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Antony Bream, is a business advisor and executive coach working closely alongside founders, boards and their teams to help them and their businesses take the leap to their next level. With a passion for understanding the processes and psychology behind how companies sell their products and customers buy them, he formed Ribbit Consulting to bring that experience and knowledge to his customers to empower them to reach their full potential.

Written by: McKing Lee, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. We’ve previously gone through a mini-series of 3 parts, introducing hypnosis, what goes on in a hypnotherapy session, and even what types of regression are there. So one of the biggest questions people have on their minds, is “will it work for me?” What if the hypnosis fails?! Can it even fail? So today I thought to share what might hinder or create resistance for the hypnosis to occur If you know someone who tried hypnosis and it didn’t work, share this article with them Once you are ready, let’s get into it! How To Resist General Hypnosis Sounds weird right? What is general hypnosis? Once you read and understand the first 3 parts (go read them if you haven’t!) you can understand that hypnotic trances occur multiple times a day And that anyone can hypnotize anyone, even if they don’t really know the context of actual hypnosis So one of the ways you could be “hypnotized” is when someone gives a suggestion and your mind tweaks to follow that suggestion It’s like when you have a great idea and you share it with your friends but your friends reject the idea Their rejection can potentially influence you to feel bad or negative about that great idea, which you felt great about earlier! Of course, if you reject their suggestions, you won’t be influenced as much Yes, you can reject hypnosis! And this is a very conscious thing you can do So when we get into actual hypnosis, mainly for entertainment in this example You can choose to reject the hypnotic suggestions that the hypnotist is suggesting Maybe because you don’t want to be hypnotized in that moment in time, or perhaps you are surrounded by people in public and you don’t want to be embarrassed in front of them These reasons can hinder or resist the hypnosis How To Resist Hypnosis For Therapy Now why will people want to resist the hypnosis when it can help them to resolve their issues? There are also a variety of possible reasons why one might not agree to be hypnotized for therapy One of the possible reasons is that they are not ready to face their issues Something similar is if they are conflict avoidant Being ready to resolve their issues might take time, having the guts to face the issues in order to resolve them is also something for consideration This is especially when the issue relates to a particular trauma, and the fear of being emotionally hurt again is real This is completely understandable and that is why we give them time, if they need it In another case, if the issue was caused by someone, then forgiveness of that person will assist to resolve the issue However, are you ready to forgive said person? Sometimes, the person that caused the issue broke the trust of the client, and to forgive this person will take a lot of time, strong will, and big heart We can’t force such a forgiveness to occur, we can’t force a release either Forced hypnosis is false hypnosis, that’s why I tell my clients I have some parents who bring their children to see me and want me to hypnotize their children to improve a trait or become a better or good child Yea it doesn’t work that way Of course, there is one more unknown factor which is the unconscious mind You see, if a child were to experience a trauma to the point where the unconscious mind will want to protect the child’s mind A defense mechanism might come into play and this can block out the memories of that particular trauma The issue is that years later as an adult, they might not be able to remember a bunch of things, besides that trauma If the unconscious mind deems the self as not ready to face the truth or resolve the trauma from the past, due to fear of being hurt again Then the hypnosis might not work either And in cases like this, if I suspect something did happen, I will inform the client to be prepared to face the truth of their childhood Or to be ok to revisit those traumatic childhood moments in order to resolve that properly How To Have An Effective Hypnosis Experience Once you understand the above in how to resist hypnosis, then we can look at effectively resolving your issues Of course, if you do find there is something that you do not want to resolve at this point in time, its ok to leave it for now Recognizing that issue that you do not want to resolve (or that person you do not want to forgive) for whatever reason is a good step for awareness Being aware of your issues and how you feel about them allows for a better understanding of yourself From there, we can lead into acceptance, accepting that the issue exists, or that there are specific reasons you are unable to let it go Rather than the opposite of acceptance, which is denial If you deny the issue exists, or lie that you resolve it but it still exists inside you, then naturally you will continue to have the issue After acceptance, it leads into action Knowing the right steps and taking the right action will allow you to resolve your issues much more effectively Whatever modality you want to consider, this is the flow of how to resolve your issues Awareness – Acceptance – Action If you do decide to do hypnosis to resolve your issues, then following the instructions of the hypnotist is key Well, being honest and truthful with the hypnotist will help a lot too If I tell you to close your eyes, don’t keep your eyes open and look at me Or if we encounter a symbol and I ask you to ask the symbol a specific question, don’t paraphrase the question either! Resisting or rejecting the instructions will hinder the hypnosis experience for you Of course, there is some basic protection! If someone were to give an instruction which you can’t agree with, such as to forgive your dad when you aren’t ready, you can still resist this Depending on the circumstances and context, this is perfectly fine Hopefully you understand how the mind works a little better so you can not only protect yourself from unwanted suggestions, you can also enhance your own therapy sessions! If you want to read more weird things about the mind, be sure to share this article so you will be reminded about coming back to read more! Or you can just check out my blog. Watch my Tiktok videos too. Thank you for reading and I’ll see you next time! :D Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Mcking! McKing Lee, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine McKing Lee is a conversational hypnotist, NLP Practitioner, and a student of life. After nearly dying in his sleep when his lung burst for no reason, McKing develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and fell into depression. He subsequently sought his own recovery through learning NLP and hypnosis. Having a unique understanding of how the mind works, he has helped many people with mental and psychological issues, relationship and emotional issues, and interestingly enough, sometimes physical ailments too. McKing was recognized and won APAC SEA Business Awards Hypnotist of the Year 2020, and has been featured in local and overseas media over the years. He aims to help people as effectively as possible, through sharing of knowledge and with the right application of skills.

Written by: Vince Morales, 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. Success is the objective of our lives. Nobody lives just to fail at everything. The goals and objectives we put in place are meant to be achieved; otherwise, why would we even bother? We all want to succeed in business, relationships, academics, or careers. The goals and objectives measure the level of success we set throughout life. Some people are better at achieving goals than others, and this is attributed to their attitude and way of life. Yes, all people are created equal; however, individual attitudes separate us. We all can achieve remarkable success if we adopt the right attitude. If you have been struggling with meeting goals and objectives, chances are high it’s because of how you think. Thoughts are extremely powerful; they turn into your life. Success begins in the mind. Goal getting is an attitude. Victory is formed in the mind and transformed into reality; it is all in the mind. If what goes on in your mind is not aligned with what you are working towards, you will never get there. Anyone can become successful; you just need to learn how to succeed. Success can be taught. Here are some simple but strategic ways to achieve success: 1. You must think right to live right As mentioned earlier, thoughts are extremely powerful. The things you think about translate into your actions. You can think yourself into a huge mess, and you can think yourself into victory. If you wake up in the morning and think, “it is going to be a hard day,” – for sure, you will have a grueling day. Just by thinking like that, you have set your attitude to perceive anything during that day to be challenging. If you wake up and think, “I feel depressed,” – best believe it, you will be depressed all day. You must have the right thoughts to live an exemplary life. You will not find success until you start thinking in the direction of your goals. 2. You can never be more significant than what you think of yourself Your mind is the only limit to what you can become and achieve. You become what you think. You cannot limit your goals and then expect to be given the world. Your mind is the key to your success. If you think big and positively, your attitude and drive will follow; you will find it easier to meet all your objectives and enjoy an extraordinary success-filled life. Maxwell Maltz writes, “You can never outperform your own self-image.” You need to chew on that one for a while. That is a powerful and thought-provoking quote. 3. Think of things that benefit you Make your mind work for you and your objectives. You must develop a habit of focusing on thoughts that benefit you. Thinking power thoughts will help you unlock even the heaviest doors. 4. Prepare yourself for action by managing your thoughts When you wake up each day, your mind prepares the rest of you for the day. By managing your thoughts, you can prepare yourself to take action and do things. If you have many tasks to do, start thinking about the best ways of attacking your tasks when you wake up. When you get to work, your whole body and attitude are ready for action. The more you do this, the more you will get accustomed to acting, and you will notice a positive change in your life. Your goals will be reachable, and success will become an everyday event. 5. Win the battle in your mind first The mind is a battlefield. There is constant fighting between thoughts of doom and thoughts of hope, pessimism versus optimism. It is difficult to control and keep under control. But once you do, once you win those battles, you win in everything else you do. If you defeat pessimism, you will approach life with a positive attitude. Each opportunity that comes your way will be converted into fortunes. “You can never outperform your own self-image.” – Maxwell Maltz, Psycho-Cybernetics 6. Talk to yourself Self-talk is an essential tool for those who want to be successful. How you talk to yourself translates into what you do in real life. The subconscious always waits, transcribing your thoughts and words into attitude, personality, and action. If you want to condition yourself for success, you must retrain your mind. You can train the mind by repeating specific thoughts until they become part of your subconscious. 7. Make the decision to be successful Where the mind goes, the man follows. If you wake up and choose to be successful, you will find success. Whatever you choose to believe will be your reality. When you decide to be successful, you are refusing to be the kind of person that fails, and that is precisely the kind of attitude that you need to achieve success. 8. Set up your mind to be content In your quest for success, you must also learn to be content. Train your mind to face any situation, be it favorable or unfavorable. It is the only way you can handle disappointments and achievements. A well-trained mind will turn disappointment into a lesson and use it to improve things within your metron of influence. 9. Go through your day before going to bed Athletes compete; after the game, they re-watch the match. When they watch a game they won, they are looking for mistakes they made that could have cost them the game just as much as they are watching the good moves to retain in the next match. When they watch a losing game, they are looking to identify the things that made them lose so they can correct them in the next match. This is precisely how you should approach life. Playback your day before going to bed and take note of the things to improve on and reinforce. 10. Think about what you can do for other people and do it Success is not all about you. Learn to look out for other people as well. When you look out for other people, you can also receive the same courtesy. This can be immensely helpful in business, academics, relationships, etc. Take time to think about what you can do for the people in your life. Do not stop there; go ahead and do those things. For more info, follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and visit my website! Read more from Vince! Vince Morales, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Vince Morales is a mindset, self-image, and resilience coach. In addition, he is skilled in leadership consultation and development. From April 2016 to June 2017, Vince was a homeless veteran in San Diego, CA. While homeless, he made a powerful decision to change his thinking and mindset, launching into life coaching. He developed a niche for resilience and mindset coaching. The growth of his business ultimately led to the end of his homelessness. Vince is the Founder of Validus Coaching & Consulting, formerly Zoe Transformation. His story has been featured in online articles and online news outlets all over the U.S. He is a certified John Maxwell Team Coach, Trainer, & Speaker, as well as a motivational speaker. In 2021, Vince earned his Master's degree in Psychology of Leadership from Penn State University and is currently a doctoral student pursuing a Ph.D. in Performance Psychology. He is a 2020 inductee into The National Society of Leadership and Success.