Written by: Cassandra Wiley, 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. Today, most products have an organic option. You can buy fruit, vegetables, salad dressing, and even organic bouillon cubes. People may have reservations about buying organic because they do not believe that it is necessary. They do not suffer from chronic illnesses or allergies, nor do they have a family history of them. Food products are different today than they were 50 years ago. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) did not exist. Since their introduction, there has been an increase in chronic illnesses and cancers. If a person has a family history of a chronic illness, like high blood pressure, following a low-sodium diet and healthy eating can reduce your chances of getting the disease. On the flip side, a person without a family history of high blood pressure can develop it if they are under high stress and eat high sodium foods. For example, those that cook with bouillon cubes typically use them to add flavor to foods; however, they are high in sodium. One bouillon cube has approximately 800mg of sodium! This is above the daily allowance. Organic bouillon cubes that are lower in sodium would be a better option. They may question if a product is truly organic. There are ways to tell. First, grocery stores have a separate organic section. Organic products and foods have a label. Those products will not contain artificial ingredients and preservatives. In addition, organic produce will contain a five-digit code beginning with a “9”. Those treated with chemicals and pesticides have a four-digit code. You may also see a label that states” USDA Organic.” All products that have not been genetically modified will have a “Non-GMO -Verified” label on the container. As previously mentioned, food products are different today. The quality of most foods has decreased significantly. Sometimes produce is very ripe, bruised, or rotting. Oftentimes, you may notice that fruits like apples have a shiny appearance. This is shellac or carnauba wax. Food growers use it to improve the appearance and extend shelf life. When you buy “locally grown” apples, you will notice that they have a “dusty” appearance, like they came off a tree or fallen from a tree. It will have a shorter shelf life; however, no modification in any way. The nutritional value of food is also decreasing due to rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. In conclusion, if you opt to buy organic products, there are small business owners that specialize in making their own organic products as well. Grocery stores may sell their products, and others may have their own store or website. These owners usually make their own products because they cannot eat or use other products because of an allergy to a specific ingredient. Listen to your body and your spirit. Learn more from Cassandra by visiting her website. Read more from Cassandra! Cassandra Wiley, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Cassandra Wiley is a health coach and founder of Have Faith and Live Well with Chasadah LLC. She focuses primarily on chronic illnesses such as pre-diabetes, high cholesterol, and obesity. Her mission is to empower individuals to lose weight and teach a new healthier approach to food to live better lives. She was successful in reversing her pre-diabetes and high cholesterol diagnoses naturally. The weight loss was an added benefit. She has helped clients change their diets and “have faith” in themselves to meet their health and wellness goals.

Written by: Linda Allen-Hardisty, 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. Less than 48 hours after an unexpected loss in the family, I find myself at a total loss for knowing what to do for my daily morning mindfulness practice. I actually do not know what to do with myself to start the morning without her. I find myself in unfamiliar territory. I couldn’t even leave our bedroom by myself this morning to walk downstairs, with no sweet face greeting me with that look in her eyes “Let’s go on our walk, Linda! Grab that coffee faster, I can’t wait.” So, I waited for my husband to wake up so we could reluctantly move together downstairs to rest our eyes on an empty living room. Our Irish Wolfhound, Coco, passed away unexpectedly this weekend. Her decline was fast and furious. Our morning began as usual 48 hours ago, with our morning walk together – my daily mindfulness practice for which dogs are absolutely magical for providing. Everything went as per routine, one poop bag later. We ate our breakfast together – she inhaled her dog food as I shared my banana with her. The day proceeded as normal. Mid-afternoon, my heart sank the moment I arrived home without her instantly waiting for me at the door as I walked in from the garage. It didn’t take long to decide that she needed to be examined by a vet. Once I saw that x-ray at the vet clinic, I knew exactly what lay ahead. What I didn’t expect is the overwhelming loss of knowing how to manage the next morning without her. And that feeling has not left me. The definition of mindfulness is really personal, in my opinion. Ask ten people how they define mindfulness, and you will likely hear ten different definitions. For me, the Oxford definition of mindfulness totally hits the mark for me: Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique (Oxford dictionary). Therapeutic indeed. Moments later, my Apple Watch prompted me to open my Mindfulness app. I clicked “open.” What inspired me to write this article right now is this prompt: Think of something that brings you joy. Remember how the joy feels. Be guided by that joy. Coco brought me joy. I sat with that statement for a long time because I couldn’t stop. As I remembered how the joy felt, I was immediately transported back to the day, July 4, 2015, when we met her for the first time. She was a 6-month-old who was in her third home (unreal!), and even though she didn’t have her for long, Kasia knew we would give her a wonderful home. So, just like that, we became her Forever Home. She blended in well with our Irish wolfhound, Gracie, and life with two began. At first, I would say we rescued Coco along with Kasia’s efforts; however, I soon realized that Coco actually rescued me. Her demeanor kept me present so I could calmly acknowledge my feelings and thoughts, especially in the mornings. In my morning mindfulness practices, I often thought through the challenges of running my own executive coaching business, took time to celebrate the achievements of my coaching clients, reflected on all the beautiful people in my life, and spent time learning how to be with my emotions about some tough decisions. All of this I experienced during my dog walks. When Coco became our only dog in the home, she put my mindfulness practice on steroids! I totally immersed myself in just being present at the moment with her at my side. So, here we are. We aren’t ready to have the conversation about “next” or “never” however, a dog in our future always remains a question that doesn’t require an answer right now. As her groomer, Janet, said to console me this weekend, “Dogs don’t live in the future. They don’t think about what’s next”. To me, that is exactly why dogs are truly natural at mindfulness practice. I am lucky Coco found me. She taught me how to truly strengthen my mindfulness practice. Perhaps her departure means I have everything in place now to practice solo. For a while… NOTE: To adopt a dog, contact your local animal shelter. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Linda! Linda Allen-Hardisty, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Linda Allen-Hardisty, is a leader in executive coaching, emotional intelligence, and leadership team performance. After her own corporate leadership experiences left her full of curiosity about development, Linda discovered strategies to dramatically strengthen leaders and their teams. She has since dedicated her professional practice to coaching leaders in the C-suite and on leadership teams to do the inner work of achieving tremendous results. She is President and Founder of Allen-Hardisty Leadership Group, the executive leadership development firm with clients across Canada. Her clients include industries of oil and gas, utilities, aviation, universities, crown corporations, Indigenous business, agri-value, and more. Linda is a lead facilitator in the Organizational Development Program at Queens University IRC, Professional Certified Coach with the International Coach Federation, a keynote speaker and author on emotionally effective leadership, and a national award winner. Her mission: Spark new insights in each coaching conversation

Written by: Rebecca Rosas, 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 a creative person my whole life, I’ve often been challenged in my creativity. When I was young, I was such a playful kid. So many ideas! I was always exploring and using my imagination. Along the way, my ideas were dimmed down by others. There were more rules and obstacles in my way of fully embracing myself and my ability to create. We all have times when someone may have dismissed our ideas. Maybe one of our ideas did not turn out well. We lost the belief in ourselves and our ability to create whatever we wanted. Unfortunately, those memories have a way of sticking with us because of the shame, guilt, fear, pain, sadness, disappointment, or trauma they may have caused. Any negative experiences from our past can cause a seed of doubt in our abilities—the pain of not feeling enough. Whether it is from a teacher, a parent, a friend, or a boss, this pain happens to most of us. We give away a little of our power to others whenever our ideas are cast aside, and we believe that our creations are not good enough. Here are a few tips to take your power back and believe in your ability to create. 1. Face Your Fears & Get to the Root of Your Creative Block - Reflect on what emotions are coming up for you. Journal out your thoughts. For instance, is there fear in your ability to create a new project? Is there some concern you may cause disappointment to others? Next, try to connect to the root of your block. Where else in your life did you have a similar fear? Did you experience disappointment or lack of support from others? When we bring awareness of our past experiences holding us back, we can acknowledge and release those emotions. 2. Be Intentional - Once you acknowledge your emotions and get to the root of your block, be intentional in releasing those emotions and thoughts that no longer serve you. Visualize those thoughts and emotions lifting off of you and disappearing into the air. Call your power back from all the times you gave it away to others in your past. Next, practice positive self-talk. Tell yourself, “maybe one of my past ideas or projects didn’t work as well as I had hoped, but my thoughts and ideas are limitless! I believe in myself and my ability to create.” 3. Tap Into Your Inner Child & Shift Your Perspective - Take some time to connect to your inner child. The part of you that played and had fun when you were little. Connect to that inner child and ask them what they would do. If your past ideas didn’t work, try a different approach. Look at things from a different perspective: brainstorm new ideas and ways of creating and thinking outside the box. 4. Visualize What Your Inner Power Looks Like - What does it look like to be in your power? How do you move? How do you dress? What sort of things do you say to yourself? Visualize yourself as this strong, powerful person. Give yourself the self-love and validation that you are worthy of creating and receiving all you desire. Speak your truth and embody an unwavering belief in yourself as the creator of your life. We strengthen our ability to create by releasing and acknowledging our emotions and creative blocks, connecting to our inner child, practicing self-love, and embodying our inner power. Step into your power and start creating today! All the answers are within you. You can learn more about Rebecca at @illuminatewithbecky on Instagram or Facebook or email me here. Read more from Rebecca! Rebecca Rosas, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Rebecca Rosas is a Divine Feminine Empowerment & Creativity Coach as well as an Abstract Artist, Creative Entrepreneur and Energy Healer. She empowers women to use the healing power of creativity to express their emotions, heal their heart, connect to their feminine energy, deepen their self love and raise their vibration. Her approach helps women tap into their unlimited potential and align to their true soul essence. She is certified as an Usui/Holy Fire®III World Peace Karuna Reiki® Master and Creatively Fit™ Art Coach and trained as a Soul Coach. As a creative entrepreneur she has a background in marketing & advertising.

Written by: Helena Carrizosa, 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. Whenever you think about technology's fast progress, do you get excited or overwhelmed? While everyone has a different relationship with technology, we could say that overall, we all seek to keep up with it. And for many, this means spending most of their time producing and consuming as much information as possible in frantic endless scrolling. However, are we aware that this consumption is happening the other way around? I believe we are letting ourselves become consumed by this amount of information. But, how much are we talking about? here are some astonishing data for you to get an idea. We spend an average of 6h:58 minutes daily on the internet, according to GWI. On average, every human created at least 1.7 MB of data per second in 2020. 4,500,000 videos are streamed over YouTube every 60 seconds Video traffic makes up 82% of all consumer internet traffic. 2.5 quintillion is the number of bytes of new data created every single day and only 15% of data is original. Hang on! as my mind cannot comprehend this figure, I had to find a visual equivalent, so imagine 2.5 quintillion pennies would if laid out flat, would cover the Earth five times. Wow! I don’t know about you, but as much as I found these statistics interesting, I equally felt incredibly overwhelmed at the thought of them. I can see and appreciate how technology keeps us connected, but on the flip side of the coin, we also find disconnection between ourselves and our reality! After which, I read that more than 264 million people suffer from depression worldwide, and how is the leading cause of disability in the world, according to research done by World Health Organization in 2020. I am not at all surprised when I read about these mental health crises and the fact that we spend an average of 6 hours each day browsing random information online. But, how do you feel about the idea that spending most of your time browsing is what could be contributing to your daily stress, anxiety and frustrations? If we spend most of our time with our minds busy with everything else but ourselves and our reality. Whether consciously or subconsciously, it would make us unsatisfied with our life as we would find ourselves wishing we were there, wishing we had that, wishing we were them, so if we are never really here, when do we take care of our life? Our dreams and ourselves? I understand that sometimes our reality feels burdensome, and not thinking about our state of affairs gives us a sense of relief. But allow me to ask you. If you escape from it constantly and avoid taking action to change it, how are you expecting your reality to improve? And speaking of reality, how would you know that what you want for yourself is authentically connected to your soul's path? Or has it been influenced by an algorithm? We are becoming products of algorithms that choose the information for us. It suggests what we should like, follow and purchase, keeping us inside a very tight and predictable box. What does all of this mean? It means we are not living a life, but just observing it. We are becoming a predictable response and result of what we consume, or as I have said before, that is, consuming us, giving us a sense of temporary gratification but at the cost of a long-lasting feeling of dissatisfaction with our life and confusion about what we want. But I should stop here as it is becoming very doom and gloom, and now I invite you to explore what can be done instead. So, let me ask you, How could you cut through all that noise? How could you discern what your truth is? How do you keep centred and avoid losing your path with overwhelming information and external influences? There is but one technology that can truthfully and effectively cut through all that noise to guide you towards what is TRUE FOR YOU whilst keeping you safe and in alignment with your path. And that is YOUR INTUITION! And as I call it, your inherent intuitive technology! We hear intuition is a compass, a guide, a tool, a superpower! But for what exactly? To where? Before I answer these questions, I want to make you aware of the importance of the words I will use to describe intuitions' purpose. Intuition is a TRUTH seeker! IS ALL ABOUT TRUTH, of your essence! It is about objective truth, not influenced or tampered with by anything or anyone! And from the multiple reasons I can think of, I have chosen only 5 to show you how astounding this technology is. 1. It can process an infinite amount of information. Data is everywhere, from what we can physically see and cannot see in our subconscious to the quantum realms' unperceivable and complex information. It would never overwhelm us as it knows how to deliver this information in digestible amounts and when we are ready for it! As an example to compare both, let's say technology will give you options about flights, jobs, and even on Tinder, but it cannot tell you which one is best for you, nor which flight could be cancelled or delayed. Only your intuitive technology can guide you towards what is best for you now and future based, as it can tell you, Wait, something better is coming. 2. It is ecological and sustainable for the planet! It requires no equipment, repair or monthly payment. Intuition remains permanently connected to the wifi of higher consciousness, and it has the same usage potential for each of us, and all we need to do is learn to develop it. It never gets outdated as it constantly pushes you for new experiences to get you out of your comfort zone, where big rewards manifest! 3. It is your most sophisticated safety mechanism! Intuition is hardwired to keep you safe at all times, to keep you alive and thriving. It's uncorrupted by your past or whatever fear you have from it. As you focus on your past painful experiences, your future fear takes over you, blocking intuition and driving you to attract what you fear most! Instead, intuition uses your cognitive learnings from the past, and your soul's truth, to guide you towards more secure and genuine choices. 4. It has your soul's destiny built in! All you need to do is to listen to the messages leading you towards your truth! Even though some situations won't go as you've expected, when trusting your intuition, it is essential to release your expectations and fears, as perhaps is the universe, course correcting you towards a better option. There will never be a technological algorithm capable of knowing your soul's purpose or the best steps to take towards it! 5. Its data is 100% reliable! Often, I hear people say intuition sometimes misleads them into undesirable situations. What they are unaware of, is how this only happens when they have listened to their ego, subconscious fears, past traumas, or algorithms, amongst other factors. Intuition is an objective channel that processes complex information for us coming from the universe, god, or high consciousness, whichever way you prefer to call it. How fascinating to know we have embedded within us the most powerful technology ever existed. And such a waste that we are not using it to its full potential like we used to. This technology was used by early civilizations that astonished us beyond our comprehension with their ability to build unbelievable complex structures and their knowledge of science and astrology without books or the internet. All they were using was their embedded INTUITIVE TECHNOLOGY. A technology lost and suppressed as the industrial revolution and religious dogmas developed. All we need to do is remember it again. Imagine for a moment the potential available in your hands if you would learn how to use it again. Let’s stay connected on Facebook & LinkedIn and for more information on how to connect to your intuitive technology and the right flow of your life, please visit Coaching Helena Carrizosa Helena Carrizosa, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Helena Carrizosa specializes in realigning people again to “The Flow of Life”, with the use of their intuition as a compass and superpower to help them feel empowered and thrive in all areas of their life and work. "THE FLOW OF LIFE IS A PROGRAM FOR TRANSFORMATION AND A WAY OF LIVING, WHERE WE ARE GUIDED CLOSER TO THE PATH THAT IS MEANT FOR US" Helena is a passionate life and business coach who focuses on intuition, alignment and finding harmony on all levels of human experience, the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual. Through her practice, Helena provides clients with programs and courses so they can reactivate their sixth sense, reach ultimate success, and create a conscious impact on their life.

Written by: Donna Collins, 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. Anxiety can be hugely debilitating for so many people. There is a belief that anxiety is something to learn to live with and restricts so many people in their lives. This article describes how it is possible to overcome anxiety and live with clarity instead. How can we do this? STEP 1 In the moments when anxiety strikes, it can be difficult to control the sense of overwhelm that is experienced in the body. The initial steps, therefore, describe how to be with anxiety when this happens. The first step to relieving anxiety is to recognise that you are not alone in your experience. Millions of people are, right now, while you’re reading this article, experiencing very similar bodily sensations of shallow breathing, breathlessness, raised heart rates, and cold waves of rapid, thought induced, fear and panic racing through their entire being. Realising you are not alone in your experience can be incredibly healing and help reduce anxiety symptoms, as this awareness can bring a sense of normality to what is happening in your body. Without this, many people experience further heightened fear, when they start imagining that something is wrong with them and what might happen next. STEP 2 Focus on your breath. When a person feels anxious, fear of what is happening is heightened by a sense of being out of control and the imagined notion of what else is going to happen. The body responds to this fear by activating an adrenaline-induced, fight, flight, or freeze survival function and this alters the breath to more shallow breathing. It is hugely challenging in these moments to consciously choose to breathe down into our stomachs, using diaphragmatic breathing, however, it is possible. This simply means intentionally directing your breath down into your lungs and, as your lungs and chest expand, allowing your stomach to expand also. This makes space for your diaphragm to move down so that your lungs fill with air. Focus on the exhale. Many people find exhaling difficult and breathe out in a very shallow way even if they are inhaling deeply. Continuing your focus on the out-breath and drawing your stomach inwards, allows you to exhale fully, even if you pause briefly mid-exhale, and then continue. It can be helpful to breathe out through your mouth with pursed lips while you do this. The exhale is incredibly important as it brings a sense of calm. Many people know to breathe more deeply when they are experiencing anxiety however increasing the amount of air they breathe in can also act as a stimulus and can increase anxiety levels not reduce them. STEP 3 The third step is to be clear in your belief that the anxiety ‘attack’ that you are experiencing right now will pass. High levels of fear and panic bring thoughts to many people that perpetuate the belief that anxiety symptoms will continue for a long time, if not forever. Telling yourself ‘this will pass’ is so important in the moments when anxiety seems to be taking a firmer hold over your body. This is not as simple as it sounds in these moments. Anxiety can assert its hold over a person, so much so, that any reassuring thoughts seem to be blocked out, or so quiet they become hard to hear over the voice of fear. It can take a lot of effort and repetition of the same words, to start to believe that the wave of fear is going to take its leave at some point soon. So repeating the words ‘this will pass,’ and asking those who are close to you to tell you this at times when they may witness you having this experience, can also be helpful. Having post-it notes around your house or a note on your phone that states these words can also be really helpful reminders. STEP 4 It can be very easy to look to the outer world as a way to distract from having anxiety and in some moments, when an anxiety attack occurs, it can be helpful to look at textures around you, such as rattan furniture, or furry leaves on a plant, or a pet to stroke, or simply the texture of the clothes you are wearing, as a means of taking the focus away from your body and onto things that you know and love. There will be a natural propensity to rush this. I have heard people say, after a second of touching a leaf, ‘this isn’t working!’ This practice takes time. Whilst focusing on your breath, try to notice all of the detail of the leaf; the colour; the shape; the fine lines running through the leaf; the delicate softness; and the sense of aliveness about the leaf that gives it fullness and depth of green. Sensory perception can be a huge help in a moment of intense anxiety, focusing on things that are familiar to you, by using your vision, smell, taste and hearing, as well as touch, can assist in alleviating more acute symptoms. Many people find it helpful to look at and notice colours and textures in cushions; art or ornaments as well as plants. Smelling plants such as lavender, rosemary and salvia, along with many other herbs, can help bring a sense of calm back into the body. Meditative music can also help if the anxiety symptoms allow the person to attend to this type of music in more intense moments. STEP 5 To overcome anxiety in the long term, however, there is a fundamental step that needs to be acknowledged and taken. This step is the belief and acceptance that overcoming anxiety can ultimately, in my experience, only happen if there is a will to look within at what may be the underlying cause. This can bring a lot of fear to people which prevents them from doing so. Instead, many people believe that the only way to stop experiencing anxiety is to start taking medication, which can be helpful in the short term. Or using substances, or continuously attempting to change their external world to get some relief and feel better. These distractions are purely a short-term fix and anxiety, inevitably, does not go away. The distraction usually gives a reprieve from anxiety which re-commences as soon as the distraction ends. This step is crucial in creating possible change from anxiety to clarity and some people may require the support of a therapist at this stage. STEP 6 If step five is fully surrendered to and accepted, it is possible to move to step six. As a psychotherapist, I offer a unique way of overcoming anxiety. In my experience of observing clients with anxiety, in the majority, if not all cases, symptoms seem to occur when there is a part of the Self that is not being listened to. This is an unconscious process and most people do not realise that this is happening. Instead, they experience inner conflict that occurs when trying to keep this part quiet, energetically through their body, as the sensation and symptoms of anxiety. As this is an unconscious process, it can be very difficult to access these parts of the self and in most cases, it again may require a therapist to facilitate awareness of them. However, some techniques can be used consciously to bring about change. To assist in understanding what may be happening inside the psyche, it can be helpful to imagine a flower that has grown enough to become a bud. It has an amazing amount of beauty inside and yet, as it is forming, it starts to experience words and actions from people that tell it that it is not ok to be that particular flower. The bud becomes stuck. Some of its energy trying to open and bloom and the rest desperately trying to stay closed and somehow open as a different flower. Some manage to open differently, perhaps becoming a different shape or colour, as an attempt to be acceptable to others, however, some remain closed. Imagine the amount of energy that goes into remaining in this static state. This analogy helps to understand what happens to many people as they develop throughout childhood and into their adult selves. In my experience, this is the fundamental, underlying cause of anxiety. The energy that is being used in the inner conflict manifests in adults as surging energy through the body, in the form of anxiety and panic attacks and also a constant, unrelenting dialogue, that continuously brings exhaustion, and adds to the already present fear of what might happen next. This dialogue tends to be incredibly critical and again exacerbates the anxiety and impacts on a person's self-esteem and wellbeing. Imagine that the dialogue inside your head is different aspects of yourself calling to be heard. Instead of listening to this part, out of fear, and also because we don’t know how to, we are using huge amounts of energy trying to keep this part quiet, which is why many sufferers of anxiety also report feeling exhausted and drained. STEP 7 Step 7 is to recognise that the voices that are taking part in the incessant dialogue in our heads are parts of ourselves. Fundamental to transforming anxiety, therefore, is to start noticing, listening to, and recognising your critical voice. It can be very helpful to imagine that this voice is criticising another part of you that is feeling very afraid and often very sad too! Symbolically, the adapted flower is talking to the original or authentic beautiful bud in the analogy used previously. Continued focus on our inner voices starts to change our inner conflicting dynamics. The repetitive practise of noticing when the critical voice starts talking and implementing kindness, understanding and compassion instead can feel liberating for many people. This is not easy, it takes sustained practice! However, in my experience, this step alone can bring huge transformative effects, reducing fear and importantly, bringing happiness and a sense of emerging peace. STEP 8 Start believing that sensitivity is not a weakness! This step can also be hugely challenging. However, a significant number of people who experience anxiety are incredibly sensitive souls. That is why they have integrated unaccepting voices and tried to mould themselves into whom they feel they should be, as they are afraid of experiencing conflict. This prevents them from standing in the truth of who they are. We can imagine that it is this sensitive part, the beautiful, unopened bud, that is responding to the critical voice! Unbelievably for some, it is this part that is creating the experience of anxiety in your body! So harnessing this strength by no longer criticising, no longer attempting not to be the bud that you are, for fear of being weak, is crucial to bringing an end to anxiety. STEP 9 Spend time remembering what you used to like doing before you experienced anxiety. This will help you start to connect with the sensitive parts of yourself. Who were you before you felt you needed to do things to prove yourself? It can also be helpful to remember experiencing happiness when you were young. What brought joy? What brought happiness? What did you like doing then? Allowing yourself to be creative can also help in this journey of remembering, as creativity allows more of a sense of freedom, rather than one of limitation. The experience for many when they do start remembering and become more creative, is that they start remembering their innate qualities; all the things we are by simply existing in the world. Being aware of our qualities is incredibly important to learn to trust ourselves so that when we do learn to listen to our inner wisdom, we believe it! Knowing and believing in our qualities is essential so that we are not thrown about in the wind when events happen in life that might otherwise feel de-stabilising. STEP 10 Pay more attention to your body. When anxiety has started subsiding through the previous steps, it can be helpful to start practising doing a body scan. Notice how your toes feel today! Scan your body for tension and practice breathing this out. The more you are aware of your body, the more you will start feeling a sense of wholeness. This is because so many people have spent their entire lives focused on the thoughts inside their heads. Awareness of the body brings an immediate realisation of being something greater than this. Many people are surprised to hear that intelligence is not just in the mind. Intelligence is within every cell of our entire bodies! That means that by bringing your attention to your body, you are hugely increasing the intelligent awareness of yourself! This step is crucial to help you learn to listen and become more aware of yourself in a deeper way, and as the next step to starting to experience CLARITY. There are many guided meditations that facilitate body awareness including those on Guided Visualisations STEP 11 Clarity comes from inside not outside! We can start to listen to ourselves even more deeply, by focusing our attention on our hearts, and learning to listen beyond the thoughts and words in our heads. When you are more comfortable in your body, through the previous practices; quietening the critical voice, and scanning your body; practice taking your attention to your heart. We all have a deep, inner voice of wisdom, that becomes silent when we experience fear and spend most of our time in a constant stream of thoughts. Taking your attention to your heart takes you toward your inner voice of wisdom. It is in this place that CLARITY can be found and anxiety starts to lessen. We can learn to heighten our sense of clarity by focusing on a sense of certainty within that emerges once we have taken our awareness beyond the limitations of what we have been conditioned to think about ourselves, into a deeper embodied sense of knowing, and deeper still into the heart. The connection with our hearts connects us to ourselves and enables us to connect with others, so these practices not only improve our relationship with ourselves but with others too. Ultimately, we start to operate from a place of love rather than fear. We can start to realise that although logical, intellectual thinking is useful and important, our true wisdom and clarity come from a deep sense within ourselves that is beyond this. We become aware that there are two levels of existence – the inner knowing and wisdom of the bigger picture of our entire life journey and purpose, and the day to day to behaviours and actions we need to take to get there. This knowing and wisdom fundamentally change life experience and it is this wisdom, found in the heart space, that brings the sense of certainty and clarity, as a deep, embodied experience of belief and trust in the direction of our lives, which lies in a place of peace, beyond anxiety. Donna Collins is a specialist in her field of psychotherapy in working with anxiety, proven through the transformative effects experienced by her clients. If you would like more support with anxiety you can contact me online . Living With Clarity is a 6-week online course starting in August. Click here to enrol. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Donna! Donna Collins, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Donna Collins is a unique presence in the field of psychotherapy and evolutionary consciousness. She is the author of Faith In Everyday Life; a Psychotherapist, Life Coach, and the Founder of Star Energy Healing. Bereavement was the catalyst for a significant spiritual awakening, which transformed Donna's life from a corporate environment to psychotherapy and healing. Donna has refined her work and now teaches sensitive people how to overcome their fears and create a life they love.

Written by: Mariann Sebestyen , 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 are not alone with this question when you ask yourself every time you have a bad relationship. I used to ask myself this question, and I am sure so many women and even men can resonate with this situation. What is wrong with me? Do you go into blaming yourself and feeling down? When the relationship is not working out, we often feel that we can’t find another one like that. You might feel that way at that moment. This is more complex than you think because the way we perceive the experience often doesn’t mean our interpretation or coding is right. So as the relationship ends, you are likely to feel hurt, rejected, abandoned, and worthless and just want to get ice cream or sugary food to make you feel better or reach for that bottle of alcohol. It can probably numb the pain short term, but it is not a solution for attracting good and loving relationships. The problem is that we internalize the experience and conclude that I am not lovable, no one loves me, or I don’t deserve a good relationship, and I will never try again. It Starts with Your Childhood Your Childhood has so much to do with bad relationships, especially if you grew up in a dysfunctional family or experienced any form of abuse. Then you are much more likely to attract that into your adulthood. When it is about attachment that you experienced in your childhood between the caregiver-child relationship (mother-child, father-child), it becomes the prototype of your future relationships. An internal working model of attachment is a mental representation formed through a child's early experiences with their primary caregiver. This mental representation can influence how the child interacts and builds relationships with others as they grow. So if this was not secure based, rather it was insecure, then you attract people who feed those feelings in you in the future as well. So, you attract people who make you feel bad about yourself, but often that is their projection. Remember, we do not have to internalize other people’s projections. We have to become more self-aware to change and recognize the red flags next time. Often this can become like a vicious cycle that you feel that you can never break free from. But I can assure you that you can, and it is possible to change that. Red Flags The red flags can tell the feature of your partner, which might be identical to your caregiver, who had the same feature when you grew up. The negative feelings can be familiar and link to your experience with your caregivers. This pattern can be unconscious, maybe until this moment when you recognize the signs and when you do, then you know it will not give you a pleasurable experience. You might attract someone: Who is emotionally unavailable , is not comfortable with their feeling or sharing their emotions, or is emotionally immature and just dislikes to think ahead or plan with you. Perhaps those who have narcissistic personality features who lack empathy, have a fragile self-esteem, use gaslighting or making you a scapegoat, put you down, so they can feel better and make it all about themselves. You can also attract people where the relationship is one-sided, so you only put the effort into the relationship. Please note this is very common with people who were not loved in childhood and adulthood they feel they have to work for love and do everything to be loved. An unloved child will become an adult who will do anything just to seek love and attention. The person is not into you, so just take advantage of you and literally take what they need. Abuse is not normal ! No one deserves to be abused that is not a sign of love, so please do not believe when someone loves you, it is painful. No, love is not painful! It is a myth that goes around and tells people a lie. It is a lie that comes from generations where people believe that they can change a person. Staying in abusive relationship damage and destroy you inside , isolate you from other people and possible help that could be there for you. So, when you grow up in a dysfunctional family, you only learn that pattern , and you know exactly how to attract a dysfunctional relationship and perhaps a person who had a similar experience. As mentioned above, like attract like. You have not learned in childhood how to attract a loving relationship , but you can change that in adulthood. Oh, yeah, “You have the power,” dear reader. It Continues with You You are not going into a relationship and expecting the other person to fix anything about you or you fix them. That is a huge responsibility, but also, what happens if they make you feel bad. That is the reason why it is so important to heal your inner wounds and pain points; work on yourself because you can attract a healthier and happier relationship. What you can do to attract a loving relationship. Firstly, self-awareness becomes the key in this process. You can make the difference between what is good and what is not good in the relationship. What was familiar from your childhood is not serving you anymore. The bad pattern, the bad schema, and behaviour were more familiar to you because you grew up in that and could be normalized easily. However, as you can see now, that does not mean it makes you happy or it is good for you or your future. Instead, you can have a different ending because you now recognize that these old patterns of behaviour are not working for you in the present. Rewrite limiting beliefs: The best what you can give yourself is to rewrite your limiting beliefs and implement more positive ones about yourself and your relationships. Past bad experiences happened because of that mindset, environment energy, beliefs, and learned behaviour. But now you can choose to change that. If you want a beautiful relationship, then you need a new mindset, environment, beliefs, energy, and behaviour. Heal the child and adult self: Relationship wounds, childhood wounds, the self which can be on child and adult self-level. Having a positive relationship with yourself and your past can open up new possibilities and doors for you now. Self-Love : Learn to love yourself unconditionally. When you fall in love with yourself, so others can fall in love with you as well. Accept and love who you are. Healthy Self-esteem and self-confidence : See your inner worth, and raise your self-esteem by setting healthy boundaries. You are a magnificent being. What you look for in the relationship or person : Values, emotion, communication, intimacy, openness, honesty, appreciation, love, kindness, understanding, respect, and consent. You know exactly what relationship you want and be specific about it. Everything is possible! Give yourself time : You don’t have to make decisions overnight. Spend time with yourself before you decide to spend time with someone else. Give yourself time to get to know the other person gradually. Know yourself : It is much better to know yourself and discover who you are. See what you are good at and what is your interest, skills, values, and talent. So, you come to see yourself as valuable for the right person and relationship. Let’s change it together! If you would like to have a chat or share anything with me about yourself. I am happy to listen and help you to achieve your goals. You can read my regular post on my social media platforms. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Mariann! Mariann Sebestyen, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Mariann Sebestyen is an expert in inner child wound healing, breaking free from unhealthy patterns and restoring a healthier self-concept. Adversity in early life left her with developmental challenges, childhood wounds, unmet needs, and the feeling of powerlessness and helplessness. Mariann generated strategies to extraordinarily change her relationship with herself, step into her power and create a positive self-image to become. She has since dedicated her life to helping others unleash their power, letting their true selves shine, and confidently move towards a new life. She is the founder of Inner Child Wound Healing and the Childhood Trauma Healing Journey program. Her mission: Self Restoration.

Written by: Naomi Stockman, 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 exactly is it that makes a person anxious? If you have anxiety, perhaps you have felt you were always anxious, or perhaps it began in your teens, or your twenties, often after a stressful, significant, or distressing event. Many people find the birth of a child or the end of a relationship marks the beginning of their anxiety or at least the amplification of it. The urge with anxiety is often to retreat, avoid or withdraw, and the heightened, hyper-aroused state which is typical for someone with anxiety, can also trigger bouts of aggression due to the immense overwhelm which can be experienced. So there really is fight or flee going on at a personal level. Have you heard of the Poly-vagal Theory? According to the Poly-vagal Theory introduced by behavioral neuroscientist, Stephen W. Porges , in his presidential address to the Society of Psychophysiological Research in Atlanta, Georgia on October 8, 1994, the longest nerve in the human body which runs from the base of the skull called the Vagus nerve, is involved in our social and emotional responses. This adds a third aspect to the explanation of our Autonomic Nervous system, comprising of the Sympathetic Nervous System (fight, flight, freeze) and the Parasympathetic Nervous System (rest and digest). The poly-vagal theory divides the sympathetic system into two distinct components – the Sympathetic Response – being fight or flight, and the Dorsal Vagal response, which is the shutdown and dissociation response that happens when hunted animals are caught and death are imminent. The purpose of this is to reduce suffering, and in this state awareness and sensations of pain are reduced. Can you just choose ‘not’ to be anxious? Because nervous system responses are part of our primitive survival system, and cannot be controlled by the conscious mind, anxiety feels like something that happens ‘to us’ – out of our control. This is true, just as high blood pressure or hypothyroidism cannot be controlled consciously – the physical aspects of anxiety and depression have been explored by medical professionals and thus, medications have been developed to negate some of the physical aspects, lower stress responses, increase levels of serotonin and so forth. Medications do not cure anxiety or depression, just as they do not cure high blood pressure – they do, however, have their place and save many lives. What do people who’ve never had anxiety or depression think about all this? For someone who has not experienced anxiety or depression, it may appear to be ‘all in the mind’ – some non-sensical weakness causing irrational behavior and emotional chaos. People often say their family and friends either ‘don’t understand or tell them to just realize that ‘it’s all in their head’. It can be confusing for other people to understand why someone would feel anxious or depressed. Anxiety is not an ailment of the weak, it is a reaction of the nervous system to a perceived threat, danger, or lack of physical or emotional safety, triggered by a combination of generational genetic markers, epigenetics, and past experiences. There has been revolutionary research carried out on rats to confirm trauma affects behavior up to three to four generations , and sensory trauma triggers are passed down in the DNA. Research such as these are changing the way we look at mental health conditions such as anxiety & depression. Anxiety is not an ailment of the weak, it is a reaction of the nervous system to a perceived threat, danger, or lack of physical or emotional safety. Anxiety and depression, similar to a toothache, are difficult to understand when you are not the one experiencing it and can happen to anyone. What is the new research that supports effective treatments? The revolutionary new information which will bring hope to you, the reader, if you experience anxiety or are the parent or spouse of someone who does, is: Our thoughts change our genetic expression and our DNA. Imagine your DNA had 30,000 variable options, like a complex choose your own adventure, and your thoughts were directing the outcomes. What a concept! What this means is, that while we all likely carry some degree of generational trauma, sensory fear triggers, and have experienced certain things in our own lives which may have left us with emotional baggage or ongoing traumatic stress – this can all be overwritten by utilizing thoughts in specific ways. Considering our thinking is patterned, learned, and repeated, and we seldom think anything new or different in spite of the fact that most people would argue otherwise – the act of learning and practicing deliberate new thought patterns may have unlimited potential to change not only our experience of life from anxiety to calm – but also explains how spontaneous healing of terminal illness occurs in some people who radically change their mindset. Thoughts provide information to our bodies at a cellular level. In the event of anxiety and depression, this would mean we can reset our nervous system responses by providing new information to our cells via our thoughts. This is what I do with my clients and how I cured my own anxiety . As a Clinical Hypnotherapist, Trauma trained Anxiety Specialist, and founder of My Local Hypnosis I use specific thought modification processes utilizing trance, imagination, repetition, and emotion. The power of these types of processes on our physical and mental health is only just now beginning to be understood by biologists, neuroscientists, and geneticists. What does this mean for someone with Anxiety, Depression, or even PTSD? Considering that many people have resigned themselves to ‘being anxious’ or ‘being depressed’ or ‘having C-PTSD’ as if they were incurable diseases or part of their identity – a new reality is possible. There is hope. You are not your nervous system responses, and they are not a life sentence. You just need to believe it. What would an Anxiety Free Life be like? Think about that for a moment… and as you do, perhaps wonder what part of your DNA is already beginning to change to a new way of experiencing life. If you or someone you love experiences anxiety or depression, connect with Naomi Stockman and discover how the ANXIETY FREE LIFE 6-week program has changed the lives of people worldwide. You can learn more about overcoming anxiety and depression here. Watch more at Naomi’s YouTube channel or book a free anxiety & depression assessment call here. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram , LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Naomi! Naomi Stockman, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Naomi Stockman is a Clinical Hypnotherapist, Nutritionist, and Author who transforms the lives of people living with Anxiety, Depression, and PTSD. Anxiety-Free Life, Naomi’s signature program, has helped people all over the world restore calm and happiness to their lives. Naomi’s mission is to speak to the world: No one needs to live with anxiety or depression, even if you’ve been diagnosed with the alphabet, medicated, or distressed for decades.

Written by: Laura Flanagan, 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. Chances are greater than you think! Malnutrition is not something that is exclusive to underdeveloped countries, although the impact is greater in those areas of the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO): Globally in 2020, 149 million children under 5 were estimated to be stunted (too short for age), 45 million were estimated to be wasted (too thin for height), and 38.9 million were overweight or obese. Around 45% of deaths among children under 5 years of age are linked to undernutrition. These mostly occur in low- and middle-income countries. At the same time, in these same countries, rates of childhood overweight and obesity are rising. The developmental, economic, social, and medical impacts of the global burden of malnutrition are serious and lasting, for individuals and their families, for communities and for countries. To grow, develop, and learn, children and teens need the right fuel. Kids need foods and beverages with plenty of nutrients and not too many calories, fats, or sugars to provide a strong foundation for a healthy life. The key is to serve delicious nutrient-rich foods at every meal and with every snack. Filling up on the right stuff – high-quality foods complete with essential nutrients – will allow for less ‘room’ for nutrient-poor choices such as chips, candy, and soda. With a little planning, this can be accomplished, and the benefits will quickly reveal that your time was well spent. Here are some ideas of ways to get nutrient-packed meals for your kids. Whole-Grain Foods with Carbohydrates, Fiber, B-Vitamins and More Whole grains are a great source of carbohydrate fuel for young developing bodies. They help to provide fuel to keep kids active. Today there are more new grains to choose from on grocery shelves than ever before. While gluten can be a factor, try to choose items that list whole grains as the first ingredient on the label. To avoid gluten – which can cause leaky gut, among other health issues – seek out these alternatives: Quinoa, Oats, Sorghum, Buckwheat, Amaranth, Teff, Corn, or Brown Rice. Fruits and Vegetables with Vitamins A and C, Potassium and Fiber You can't go wrong with fruits and vegetables: fresh, frozen, or dried, and 100% juice. For kids and adults alike, eating more fruits and vegetables at every meal is important for optimal health. At breakfast, enjoy fresh or frozen berries on cereal or in a smoothie. Also, consider adding slices of melon. Juice is an excellent and delicious way to get valuable nutrients from fruit. Try a serving of Sattva juice (see recipe below from the wonderful children’s book ‘Can you Play the FEAR Less Game?’ ) for your kids at breakfast, or choose it over soft drinks when your kids are asking for them throughout the day. At lunch, serve crunchy baby carrots or sliced apples. For dinner, add fresh organic, brightly colored vegetables (sliced red peppers, carrots, corn, broccoli, peas, spinach, purple cabbage, and cauliflower) at the center of every plate. Teach your kids the importance of eating the colors of the rainbow every day. Fruits and veggies with the colors red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and indigo assure healthy, balanced body systems. Note the suggested brightly colored vegetables are listed in order of the colors of the rainbow, with several options for green. Low-fat Foods with essential minerals: Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus and more Most young people are not getting enough of these essential minerals. Fortunately, it is easy to consume enough of these nutrients when you know which the best food sources are. Usually, we would think of dairy as the ‘go-to’ for many of these nutrients. However, there are plenty of other foods to turn to for those with lactose intolerance or those concerned with casein protein found in milk, cheese, and yogurt. The most nutrient-rich foods to add to your grocery list include nuts and seeds (rich in magnesium, zinc, manganese, copper, selenium, and phosphorus), shellfish (including oysters, clams, and mussels– these are concentrated sources of minerals and packed with selenium, zinc, copper, and iron), cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, swiss chard, kale, brussel sprouts which contain magnesium, potassium, manganese, and calcium), eggs (high in iron, phosphorus, zinc, and selenium, as well as many vitamins, healthy fats, antioxidants, and proteins), beans (an abundant source of calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, manganese, copper, and zinc), avocados (rich in magnesium, potassium, manganese, and copper), berries (potassium, magnesium, and manganese). Manganese is of particular importance for kids and teens as it is necessary for the growth and maintenance of healthy bone and connective tissues. It is also responsible for the production of antioxidants that help protect cells against oxidative damage. Lean Meat, Poultry, Fish, Eggs, Beans or Nuts with Protein, Iron, Zinc and B-Vitamins These nutrients are essential for children to grow muscles and develop active brains. When kids are getting enough protein at every meal, they are satiated and less prone to becoming too hungry after a meal when they might be begging for unhealthy snacks. It is not hard to get enough protein at lunch and dinner, but most kids don’t necessarily get their protein fixed with breakfast or snacks. By starting the day with eggs, and bean burritos and providing nuts, peanut butter, hummus, and bean dips with raw veggies as snacks, you can rest assured you are sneaking enough protein in for them throughout the day. Knowledge is everything. With a little planning, you can ensure your child is well nourished and will grow with optimal health! SHAREABLE SATTVA JUICE 1 banana 1⁄2 pitaya fruit or 1 package frozen ACAI (ACAI – 100 G packet) 8 large strawberries 33 blueberries 55 spinach leaves 1 cup coconut water 1 cup orange juice 1 cup water 1 cup ice The recipe is meant to teach kids how to count and practice eating the rainbow. Other ideas: Add 2 T of flaxseeds or Chia Seeds, and play with different fruits and veggies. Use Kale with or instead of spinach. Add coconut or MCT oil into the juice for added flavor and healthy fats. Most Importantly, have fun experimenting. Follow me on Instagram , YouTube and visit my website for more info! Read more from Laura! Laura Flanagan MS, RYT, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Laura Flanagan is a Molecular Biologist by education and career. She left her corporate job and moved to Costa Rica with her horse to open an Equine Therapy Center. Concurrently with her career as a scientist, she has been teaching Yoga and Meditation for over 20 years. Laura is a Yoga Instructor, Yamuna Body Rolling Instructor: Meditation Teacher, and Functional Nutrition Counselor - trained through the Functional Nutrition Alliance . She is a member of the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. She specializes in Functional Blood Chemistry Analysis to offer clients a better understanding of biomarkers and how they impact their health. She directs the Socrates Center in Perez Zeledon, Costa Rica. She has helped thousands of clients with physical pain through her certification with Yamuna who uses a form of small ball therapy. She has used her Yoga, Body Rolling, Meditation, and Functional Nutrition practices to assist in her own recovery from breast cancer.

Written by: Helen Martin , 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. During a recent three-way conversation with my client, John’s manager said that John had the potential to become the CFO of a PLC in the future. During our next coaching session, I asked John how he intended to achieve that goal and when he wished to achieve it. His answer did not surprise me. He has a young family, and his life is terribly busy, so currently, he needs flexibility and work/life balance. So, I asked him what his life may look like in five years’ time, and he agreed that he would probably be a lot less busy. But what action is he taking now to set him up for success later? Besides discussing his fears and assumptions that a bigger role would take him away from his family and his commitments, we also discussed how putting his career ‘on hold’ may not be beneficial to him when he is ready for that next big move. A few actions that he took away from our discussion were: Find a job description of a role that he would like to have in 3-5 years. Map the job description to the one that he has now, i.e., what would he need to learn to be taken into consideration for that aspirational CFO’s role? Find mentors, courses, or programmes to fill any learning gaps and plan what he will learn and when he will complete it. Create a personal development plan to hold himself accountable. If you put your career on hold because you are busy at home, you may not be ready for that dream role when your life allows you to apply for it. Get career ready! Follow me on Faceboo k , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Helen! Helen Martin, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Helen Martin became a coach and trainer to support today’s managers as they develop into tomorrow’s transformational leaders. Helen has lived and worked in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the U.K, reporting to the boards of well-known professional and financial services firms and IT & technology companies. Her 30-year career, MSc in coaching and behavioural change and, certification as a business psychologist inform how she coaches, trains and, supports her clients. Helen encourages managers to develop themselves so that they leave behind a management legacy that they can be proud of.

Written by: Allison Castle, 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 spring, I got to experience a college visit from the parent's perspective for the first time. In the opening session for the visit, the main speaker said there are 3 types of students that enter their university... They first know 100% what they want to do; they are clear on their major, emphasis, and likely even their minor. The second generally knows what department or college they are interested in. For example, they know they want to do something in business but are not sure whether it is marketing, accounting, management, etc. The third has no idea and is still exploring their passion. My first thought was as a parent that will be financially assisting my children with college expenses (which in itself could lead me on a whole other rant about the ridiculousness of the cost of higher education in the US) there is no way I would be paying college tuition for my student to just play around and find their passion! My second thought was, why do we expect teenagers to have their passion figured out and for making such a strong academic and financial commitment to turn that passion into a profession? It is a lot of pressure! There are societal norms for success, there are parental expectations to live up to, and there are peers to compare to… As an adult, we can still feel that pressure. We may be asked, “What do you do?” Have you noticed how you answer? Do you say, “I am a person who works in (this field),” or Do you say “I am a…” It is a subtle difference, but our profession and our job title become such a large part of our identity. Maybe that is why it can feel important to have our profession and passion be one and the same. It may also feel like a marker of ultimate success and achievement to have made our passion into a lucrative business endeavor. I remember a point in my life when I was very jealous of those special people who figured out how to make money doing something they loved. I was at a job where I felt intellectually stimulated, I enjoyed my co-workers, I made good money and when my work day was done, I was able to leave work at work. However, for a while, I felt less than successful because I had a job that was just “good enough” and I had no idea how to make money with any of my passions or hobbies. But that feeling didn’t last long because I discovered something...It is absolutely ok to strive for something more, bigger or better, but it is also ok to use what you have in a different way... So, here's a little perspective shift I had... What if was ok for the way I made money to be separate from my passions and hobbies? What if my job gave me peace of mind with money so that I could dedicate my free time to my hobbies and passions? What if my job helped me financially invest in my hobbies and passions? What if my job connected me to people that fuel or share my hobbies or passions? What if my passion stopped bringing me joy because it became my work? What other perspective shifts could you have around your job that could make you feel more empowered and enjoy what you have right now? As I continue to support my children in their exploration of profession and passion. I want to empower them and I believe the best message I can send is: It’s great to have a profession that provides for your needs. It’s great to have a passion you enjoy. And it is important to know that they do not have to be one and the same. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my Website for more info! Read more from Allison! Allison Castle, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Allison Castle is a Mastery Certified Transformational Coach, Meditation Teacher, and Certified Public Accountant. After years of following the "expected path", chasing the traditional standards of success, and coming up short on feeling successful or fulfilled, Allison created her Life Alignment Coaching Program to help women stop waiting until they reach that milestone (number on a scale, job title, income level, etc.) to finally find the feeling of fulfillment and success that they have been working so hard for. Her mission: Don't wait for the destination. Enjoy the Journey!

Written by: Rita Trotter , 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. Did you know that the average woman will attempt 21 different diets in her lifetime? That’s insane, considering only 10% of dieters succeed and maintain their weight loss long-term. What’s even crazier? The weight-loss industry is worth $20 billion and continues to grow every year! Why is this so concerning? Because most of these fad diets are unsustainable, unhealthy, and completely unproven. There’s a reason why there are no shortcuts or magic bullets when it comes to weight loss. It takes time, effort, willpower, and dedication to reach your goals; however, the results are worth it because once you lose weight, you keep it off forever. In the last couple of decades, there has been an explosion of diets designed to help people lose weight fast. While there have always been fad diets that promise rapid weight loss, the growth of social media and online communities has led to a proliferation of programmes that are often unproven and potentially dangerous. There are also many different fad diet protocols that involve eating as little as possible in order to trigger some kind of metabolic response. These restrictive programmes might be effective for short-term weight loss but aren’t sustainable in the long term because they don’t address why you are overeating or what triggers your desire to eat more than you need. Instead, these types of diets focus on just one aspect – the food itself – which is not the real problem. In this blog post, we’ll explore why so many diet programmes fail so miserably and why focusing solely on losing weight fast isn’t a good idea for most people who want to improve their health and well-being long-term. Why Is Weight Loss So Difficult? Weight loss is difficult. It's a lifelong battle for most people, and the only way to win is to never stop fighting. Even the smallest of weight loss goals can be incredibly difficult to achieve. There are so many variables that can affect your weight, from what you eat to how much exercise you get and many more. There are many reasons why losing weight is so hard. The first is that it can be a complicated process. There's no one diet that works for everyone — and there's certainly no one diet that will work for you if you're eating it without any will to change your lifestyle. The second reason is that we don't often know what to eat. We may be overwhelmed with information about nutrition and feel like we're eating healthy, but when we look at the calorie count, we might be surprised to find that we're not getting enough nutrients in our diet. Many people believe they're eating well because they're not eating processed foods or fast food every day, but this isn't necessarily true, especially if they aren't tracking their calories. They may think they're doing better than they actually are because they don't realise how much sugar and saturated fat they're consuming on a daily basis through things like cereal and milk. What’s more, losing weight means more than just reaching your goal weight. It also means reaching a healthy weight for your age, gender, and body type. Diets fail because they don’t take into account the fact that everyone is different. That’s why there are no shortcuts or magic bullets when it comes to weight loss. It takes time, effort, willpower, and dedication to reach your goals. What’s The Problem With Most Diets Out There? Most diets don’t teach you how to maintain your weight loss; they only show you how to lose weight quickly. Diets that promise quick results are what we like to call fad diets. Fad diets are diets that promise rapid weight loss, but they don’t teach you how to maintain it or even lose weight slowly. People who go on a fad diet will often lose a significant amount of weight at the beginning of the diet, but then they gain it all back after they finish the diet. This is because fad diets don’t teach you how to maintain your new lifestyle — they only show you how to lose weight quickly. The truth is that most of these diets don’t work in the long term. In fact, the National Institutes of Health reports that 90 percent of people who lose weight on a diet regain all their lost weight within five years. And those who do manage to keep their weight off usually have no idea how they did it. So what’s the solution? There isn’t one specific answer, but there are definitely some things you can do to help yourself succeed at losing weight and keeping it off for good! Find your WHY: Identifying a Purpose and Staying motivated The first thing to do when you want to lose weight is to find a purpose or goal. This is going to be your motivation, and without it, you will find it difficult to keep going. For example, if your reason for wanting to lose weight is so that you can look better in a bathing suit this summer, that’s great! But what happens when it rains all summer long? You might be tempted to throw in the towel on your diet because “it didn’t work anyway.” Instead of letting that happen, find another reason for wanting to lose weight: maybe it’s so that you can fit into your old jeans, or perhaps it’s because you’re hoping to get pregnant soon and want to shed some extra pounds beforehand so they don’t come back after baby arrives, or maybe it’s simply because being healthy makes you feel good about yourself — no matter what other people think about your body size. Whatever your reasons are, it’s important to keep them in mind while you’re on your journey. It can be easy to get discouraged when you don’t see instant results, especially if you’re trying a new diet or exercise routine. However, it’s important to remember why you started in the first place. It might also help to commit to a friend or family member. This way, you’ll have someone to rely on when you’re feeling down and need a little pick-me-up! Exercise – Move More, Sit Less! In order to lose weight and keep it off in the long term, you need to exercise at least 30 minutes every day (or burn an extra 500 calories per day). Walking is a great exercise because it doesn’t require any special equipment or skills — just lace up your trainers and head outside! You don’t need to spend hours at the gym or running on a treadmill either. Just move more in general and get off your butt more often. Try to find ways to incorporate more movement into your daily routine by taking the stairs instead of the lift and parking further away from where you need to go. You could even try wearing a pedometer and see if you can reach 10,000 steps each day (or whatever goal works best for you). Exercise is the key to losing weight for life. It’s not a quick fix or a magic pill. It’s hard work that you have to make a priority in your life. Eat the right food. What you eat is just as important as how much you eat. When you’re trying to lose weight, it’s important to eat a healthy diet. While certain diets, such as the Mediterranean diet, have been shown to promote weight loss, not all diets are created equal. For example, diets that are low in fibre, protein, and whole grains have been linked to weight gain. Moreover, studies suggest that fad diets are no more effective than maintaining a healthy, balanced diet. Diets that focus on one food group, such as low-carb, low-fat, or low-calorie diets, have been found to be less effective than a healthy diet. This is why it’s important to eat a balanced diet. There are many ways in which the body responds differently to different types of food. A few of them are listed below. Some foods cause more gas than others. Foods like beans, broccoli and onions are notorious for causing gas. Some foods are easier to break down than others. Raw foods are broken down much more quickly and easily than meat that has been cooked. Some foods are more likely to cause allergic reactions than others. While peanuts and eggs are the most common allergies, they are not the only ones. Many foods have the potential to cause allergies. Some foods are easier to digest than others. Some foods, like corn, are harder to digest than others because they have a harder outer covering. Some foods cause more indigestion than others. Like gas, this can happen for several reasons. You can also practice intuitive eating. Intuitive eating is a thing, and not only is it the best way to feed yourself, but it’s also the healthiest—as in, it’s healthier than not feeding yourself at all. It is a diet method that encourages you to eat only when you’re physically hungry, stop when you’re satisfied, and not pressure or judge yourself for eating. Intuitive eating is all about learning to trust your body’s signals and making eating an activity that’s enjoyable rather than feeling like a chore. Studies have found that people who follow an intuitive eating diet are more likely to stick to a diet because they’re less likely to make themselves miserable about it. Think about that! Manage your stress. Get enough sleep! If you've ever tried to lose weight, you've probably heard the advice to eat less and exercise more. But, as a recent study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism shows, there's another key to success: manage your stress. Researchers analysed data from a study that tracked 500 people who were overweight or obese but otherwise healthy for an average of 7 years. The participants kept diaries of their eating habits and submitted blood samples every 3 months. They also collected information about how stressed they felt at each point in time. The researchers found that when people reported feeling more stressed out, their bodies produced higher levels of cortisol and insulin (which makes you hungrier) than when they felt less stressed. Higher levels of both hormones make it harder to burn fat — which is bad news for anyone trying to lose weight! In other words, if you want to shed pounds for good, it's important to take steps to manage your stress levels so that your body doesn't sabotage your efforts by making you feel hungry all the time and encouraging you to eat more than you should. Find ways to relax that work for you. Whether it's meditation, yoga, or listening to music, learn how to unwind at the end of the day so you can fall asleep faster and feel rested in the morning. Find something that works for you and use it consistently to help reduce stress levels and sleep better at night. The best way to get enough sleep is by going to bed at least an hour earlier than usual each night and waking up at the same time every morning (including weekends). That way, your body will be conditioned to sleeping at the same time every night — even if it's not yet fully adjusted to doing so! Build A Support Network – Family, Friends, Coaches, Etc. It’s important to surround yourself with positive and supportive people. Whether you join an online community, join a gym, or find a therapist, it’s crucial that you have someone to lean on when you need it most. This way, you’ll have someone to rely on when you’re feeling down and need a little pick-me-up! Moreover, having a support network will help keep you accountable. If you’ve joined a gym, for example, make sure you go regularly. This way, you’ll make the most out of your investment and stay on track with your journey. Again, the diet industry is all about making money. They want you to believe that there's a secret diet out there that will make you lose weight without having to change your lifestyle. But the truth is, there is no magic pill or secret combination of foods that will help you shed fat and keep it off forever. You have to do the hard work and make the lifestyle changes necessary to lose weight and keep it off. You need to adopt habits that support a healthy lifestyle in order to lose weight permanently. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Rita! Rita Trotter, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine My passion, work, and philosophies focus on the joy factor, self-acceptance, physical and emotional cohesion, and authentic wellness and I enjoy sharing my wisdom for all that is connected to a successful and healthy life. My foundation in women’s health comes from my own struggles with weight, sleep, energy, productivity, and health and my passion to share this with the whole female collective. I am a Personal Trainer, Nutrition Coach, Behaviour Change Specialist, Long Covid Rehabilitator, Women’s Hormone, and Pre and Post Natal Specialist, Health for Business Coach, published author of three globally selling books, and the creator and facilitator of The Self-Health System Programmes.

Written by: Belinda Sue Kiser, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. A while back, I was reading a post on Facebook where one entrepreneur was asking about a business support group. When do you know to give up on your business and close it down? You can tell the person was upset. Her business was not meeting expectations and she was unsure of what to do next. She saw only one option and for her, the fear of closing her doors seemed to be all she had. Her question was a good one. But do you ever know when it is a suitable time to close a business? Do you wait until after you lose everything? Or on the edge of bankruptcy? Is there a point where you know there is no recovery? No one likes to dump their life into a failing business, and no one wants to feel like a failure. But is there any clear indication of when to admit defeat? Every new business always starts out doing well and then after a short while begins to falter. They face struggles either with sales, lack of traffic or the business reaches a point where it just stops growing. Is this a sign it is time to close the doors? Everything in life, whether it is personal or professional, will have stages of change, growth, and evolution. If you are having struggles, this is a clear indication something needs to change but is closing the doors to your dream the only answer? Life is all about hardships, whether it is personal or professional. How you get through them is 100% your attitude toward what you are facing. If you believe you have only one choice and that is to shut your doors, then this will be your answer. But If you change this perspective toward creative ways to adapt to what is a need for obvious change, you can change any outcome. You have the power to be successful. How this looks may be different than what you set off to do. But how many times have the best things that come into our lives not been expected anyway? There is a saying… “If you always do what you have always done. You will get what you always got.” Struggles in anything are a clear message something is not working. So instead of giving up, you find ways to adapt to what is currently happening for options that can change the outcome of your situation. We need to remember that success can come from the strangest paths and has many faces. “In most cases, people are just ONE STEP away from success.” “The sad truth is that whenever we pursue success in some area of our lives, we often do 99% of all things right, but we get tripped up on 1% and never achieve the results we want. “ https://www.freeyounow.com/are-you-one-step-away-from-success Learn to adapt, find creative options for change, go with the flow and be willing to shake things up a bit. That can be your one step away from success. Owning or running your own business can be a struggle and in the initial stages, most businesses will fail only because they refuse to adapt to change. When you open a new business from an idea, you want it to grow. But like raising children, you have to be able to adapt and evolve with the changes that a child will go through. This is no different with your business. Again, if something is not working, that is an indication you need to change something you are doing. Here is where your power comes from. I am sure there are times when nothing you can do will change the fact your business cannot make it. One being physical. You cannot run the business any longer. ‘Health Problems’ for example. Suppose you do not have someone to take your role. Closing your doors will have to happen if you cannot figure out a way to have your business working without you. Honestly, for me, this is the only reason to give up on a dream. When you physically cannot do it, or your heart is not in any longer. Otherwise, the options are pretty much limitless as to what you can or are willing to do to keep your business afloat. Back during the pandemic 2020, the shutdown and quarantine of major towns put extreme hurt on small businesses. Especially eateries that depended on traffic for their revenue. So, when people were forced to stay at home, many of these places shut their doors permanently. Many had been family businesses with decades of success. Now face the biggest challenge of their career. The long-term quarantine stops everyone, and without traffic, how do small businesses that depend on traffic survive? Even sadder, there were thousands of new small businesses that did not get off the ground running before the pandemic knocked them down permanently. Is there recovery after such an event? For many small businesses, there was if they were willing to make adaptations to their businesses. The media was filled with stories of people losing their livelihoods. Then I saw where one small eatery in a large city turned things around for itself. Since they could not serve the public within their walls, they adapted and did their business into a delivery food service. Delivering meals to people’s homes. That one little adaptation to their business persona kept their doors open and business afloat when everyone else choose to close their doors. A business owner has all the power to make whatever changes they need. If you are at a crossroads with your business, take a step back and look at possible avenues where you can change certain aspects of your business. These very steps can breathe new life into your business. If that does not work or stops working for you, then try a different approach. Get other people's thoughts on how you can change things. Brainstorming with others always brings in fresh perspectives and insights that you may not see. Being willing to see and adapt to events that are not working any longer has a limitless number of choices for change. Most times, this is always for the betterment of the business the owner rarely sees coming. When a person decides to be an entrepreneur, this is like giving birth to an unruly child. Like every child is different, every business is unique. Each will have its growth spurts and small successes, its roadblocks, and challenges, and not without its daily struggles. As the parent of both, you must raise your children to be strong and independent on their own. But this takes years of work and is not without mistakes. You learn from them, you grow from your mistakes, and you change accordingly and move forward in whatever way you can. Until the day both can stand on their own, you keep this mind frame in adaptability going. Never Give Up Everyone faces challenges and struggles with everyday life. Events can change in a second leaving you screaming for dear life. Take a deep breath Step back if you can It is all about how you react Nothing makes a better plan. Accept what you have to do Move forward with a strong back. Your strength comes from within. A strong will I know you do not lack. Do not dwell on what you cannot change. But focus on the good Then hold your ground. Do not ever say… I could. Do what you must You have the power to step up! To adapt and survive You just never give up. Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Belinda! Belinda Sue Kiser, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Belinda Kiser has a passion for many things in her life. Her writing and poetry bring great joy. But her most rewarding passion is the non-profit organization she created to save her hometown in Green Spring, WV. With goals to bring new commerce and economic growth to her community, she started the Green Spring Kitchen and Thrift. Part of this organization's mission is the advocacy work she does locally to help preserve the future of a local historical landmark that is a lifeline to her hometown. Her motto. Making Green Spring Better-One Step at a Time is the driving force that keeps Belinda striving to make changes that will enhance the local's lives of a dying Railroad community with a 200-year rich history. Her dream to see her community thriving is her main focus.