Joseph Drolshagen is a leading force in mental conditioning, perception shifting and reprogramming the subconscious mind. After 3 decades of study on how our subconscious conditioning affects the way we navigate our life, Joey has created the innovative Subconscious Mindset Training™ Method. He is CEO of IFGT Life Coaching, and Founder of the SMT™ Method, and continues to be a premier coach for entrepreneurs, business owners, and individuals looking to gain massive transformation in their business and their life. Joseph Drolshagen, Master Mindset Coach Introduce yourself! Please tell us about you and your life, so we can get to know you better. I was born into struggle… I was raised in a very low income blue collar family in Detroit Michigan, and I saw my parents struggle my entire youth. I saw how they exhausted themselves, working extensive hours just to try to keep a roof over us 5 kids and food on the table. I remember at 9 years old, thinking “something’s not right here”. I vowed at that young age not to live like my parents did. Then, in my early 20’s I found myself repeating those same patterns my parents lived with, in my own life. I struggled financially, regardless of my income. In fact, if something came easy to me, I felt like I cheated, or did something wrong. At 22 years old, this realization hit me that the purpose of my life was to inspire, motivate and lead millions of people to living better lives, and have been a student of the work I do today since. I am Joseph Drolshagen, founder of IFGT Life Coaching, and the SMT Method, which is Responsible for assisting HUNDREDS of Realtors, and Small Business Owners to TRANSFORM their results. I have spent over a decade traveling the world, as a full-time speaker, coach, and author, helping Realtors and Business Owners across the nation easily achieve growth, while maintaining a healthy life balance. Reprogramming the Subconscious has become my life works in helping entrepreneurs to identify & shift that underlying conditioning that’s causing limitation. When not sharing my passion through coaching, and speaking, I can be found trout fishing, motorcycling, and spending time in nature. One of my personal challenges is to step through my fears. In doing so, I recently ran off a perfectly good mountain top, strapped to a hang glider! I have the best dog in the world, Bella. She is amazing and has literally trained herself from the time I adopted her. Aside from my speaking and coaching, I am an ordained minister and love delivering empowering services that assist people in Aligning, Manifesting and Transforming their lives. What is your business name and how do you help your clients? IFGT Coaching/Consulting (the IFGT stands for It’s Freakin Go Time). I assist Business Owners, Entrepreneurs and Real Estate Agents to quickly and easily scale their businesses, while maintaining a healthy balance in all areas of their life, through developing unique systems of accelerating habits, in place of following someone else’s pathway. What are your current goals for your business? Aside from continuing speaking, authoring best-seller books, and coaching, to help more people understand the power of the subconscious mind and how it determines how far we can go in life, as well as how to shift it to open up worlds of potential, I started an organization Life Ignited Institute, to certify coaches in the SMT™ programs, in order to spread the footprint of my life works. What would you like to achieve for yourself and your business in the future? I would have to answer this in a 3-fold manner… To help people develop systems of accelerating habits that quickly bring about greater results. To help them realize massive action and exhaustive effort produce minimal results, so people don’t have to miss the real important life events with their family and friends. Just as personal, to ensure nobody has to live the way I experienced my parents life, of constant struggle just trying to keep it all together... My goal of impacting millions of people’s lives, as a result of my life works. What is your work inspired by? I laugh when I’m asked this because my works are based on my own personal desire to stop living my life so hard. To stop struggling in everything I try to achieve and to stop missing the important things in life, in the name of having a successful business. To assist as many people as I possibly can to not repeat what I saw in my parents’ lives. Tell us about your greatest career achievement so far. While a VP of Sales in Corporate America, I was able to increase revenue by adding $25M to a $50M organization, in one contract. Also leading multiple organizations from bankruptcy, back into profitability, within months. Although, I would not consider these my true greatest achievements. My deepest achievements are surrounding the almost 1000 clients that I’ve had the honor of being a part of their transformation and breakthroughs in their business, as well as their personal lives. Seeing people easily increase their business revenue, while developing healthy balance throughout their life is so rewarding to me. If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why? To stop teaching the necessity to take massive actions, or live underneath constant, non-ending to-do’s and extensive hours in order to be successful. Tell us about a pivotal moment in your life that brought you to where you are today. One of many… little background… when I have married my wife and I was pregnant 5 times. The first two, we experienced births and 24-25 weeks and experienced this helpless new born’s hooked to machines and living for hours. Then came to my son, born healthy at 32 weeks. Then experiencing two more births very similar to the first two. I tell you that because when I say my son is a miracle in my life and that I adore him, I mean it! In saying that, on his 1st birthday, instead of being there to celebrate with him, I was in Indiana building a sales territory. I remember how much it hurt me to not be at home and how I spend the entire day unproductive and overwhelmed with sadness for not being there with him. But what I later realized is it was my subconscious conditioning that made that decision to be in Indiana. The conditioning that a man’s job is to support first and foremost. I’d give anything to get a redo on that day, but we never get to repeat a single day of our life… Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Joseph!

Written by: Annette Densham, 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. Anyone who’s worked in the marketing space for long enough knows that when things go sideways, spending on promotion and marketing are the first to go. The fallout the past year is no different. As businesses went into hibernation or pulled in tight, clients pulled in their marketing spend like a turtle withdrawing into its shell. This restraint to market and promote was not limited to a single industry; it was all encompassing, across multiple industries. COVID was an equal opportunity disruptor of business. Yet, there’s no better time to ramp up brand awareness than now. Businesses are slowly emerging from the fallout, licking their wounds, and assessing the best way forward … and investing in public relations (PR) is a great use of time and energy, especially if strategies you can learn to DIY inhouse. By investing in brand awareness, your agency can use PR to position itself as the go-to amidst all this craziness as a voice of insight, great information and rock-solid messaging. While mainstream media has also taken a hit over the past few months, with regional and suburban mastheads ceasing print publication and moving online, there are a plethora of PR opportunities out there, ready to be taken advantage of by savvy agencies. There’s such power in PR because it’s the ultimate in third party credibility and an impactful way to build know, like and trust. You cannot discount the value of someone else giving your kudos through the gamut of PR tools there to tap into. Businesses are going to be searching for a way forward, to recover lost business. Tapping into PR, sharing your stories across multiple platforms, will put you in front of them. With businesses feeling a little bruised and battered, the more stories you have out there, the more people can engage with your agency, the more you can earn their trust, the more clients you’ll attract. PR starting point The first place to start is spending time on reassessing who your ideal client is. Having a better understanding who your ideal client is means you can be laser focused on investing in targeting the right PR platforms. Knowing what industry, they are in, their job role, the size of the organisation, who their target audience is and what they are looking for will help you reach them quickly. Don’t forget those around your ideal client – the PAs and other staff who have influence within an organisation. When you understand your audience, content has cut through; it speaks in the language of the audience, the tone hits the mark, and it understands the pain points. Defining your audience correctly and precisely, means you can target those most likely to buy from you with information that adds value, solves problems, showcases the agency’s expertise and talents, and builds a connection. Targeting industry verticals Understanding your ideal client means you have a deeper insight into the media to use to reach them. With so many ways to communicate, it is never a good idea to go the scattergun approach; taking aim across too many platforms diminishes messages and waters down the impact you can make. By understanding what media clients tap into to stay informed and updated, an agency can hone in on them, like a heat seeking missile packed with information that resonates with their audience. Getting featured in mainstream media like Sunrise or ABC Radio is a great achievement but the challenge with this approach is if your audience are businesses, the likelihood of them tuning in is limited. That is why including a vertical media approach can elicit better results. Verticals media are specific outlets or platforms under an overarching industry. If your ideal client is in education, you could target break down your verticals into tertiary, secondary or private and public. Information can be tailored and speak directly to your ideal audience instead of a broader approach needed when targeting mainstream media. When you pitch to vertically, you can speak their language. When mapping out a PR plan, also consider vertical industry associations, trade shows and other events; they have newsletters, social media, and host industry events. PR is all about third party credibility, by tapping into industry verticals, already trusted by your shared audience, the battle for their business is half won. Cast a wider net There’s comfort and safety in sticking within an industry; like a comfy pair of shoes, well-worn and loved, many agencies focus on their own industry’s media. The problem with this is that is not where your target audience is; you’re talking to the converted. The only time to go to your industry’s media is for announcements. Spread your PR wings to include other types of media. Spoilt for choice Gone are the days when businesses only had Yellow Pages and mainstream media to rely on to get content out into the marketplace. There are so many platforms, to reach your ideal client. Since you have done that work, you can spread your stories far and wide. Consider: blogs – on your site and others. Blogging for aligned businesses/industries means being able to reach a wider audience industry newsletters websites social media – any of the platforms are a great way to reach potential clients online news – there are thousands of online magazine and new sites that are hungry for great content. Podcasts – give your agency personality and be accessible. With so many time-poor, these PR platforms are ideal for reaching an audience as they go about their day TV/radio – there’s enormous value in appearing on mainstream programs but do not overlook Facebook live, ads on social media, and live radio and TV created by those within the industries being targeted. Be generous with your content If defining your ideal client is your PR anchor, then the content is the sail. Gone are the days when businesses can just sell, sell, sell. People want to know the businesses they work with care about them. You can do this by creating content that not only showcases your expertise and skills but also generously provides content that educates, informs, inspires, and gives. The key is to not talk about the agency but to create content that shows how you help clients and showcases knowledge and expertise. An integral aspect of a PR strategy is the editorial calendar; content that provides tips, advice, latest industry research, stats and figures, case studies of those helped within a sector and how tos. There’s a reticence to give away too much information; the thinking being that by being too generous with industry knowledge, the client will not need you, but the opposite is true. By being generous, an agency can build awareness and a reputation for their brand as the go-to and as a trusted partner in business. When businesses need an agency to work with, where do they go looking? They Google it. Sharing content across a range of platforms, builds brand visibility; writing articles for online industry verticals, appearing on podcasts, writing blogs for the agency’s site and others, and being quoted in industry magazines helps with Google searches, pushing the agency to the front page ‒ organically. This is also useful because many journalists let their fingers do the searching, looking for great talent and stories using Google. If your agency is not prolifically creating content for PR purposes, you will be missed. All of this can be done inhouse – learning how to do PR adds another tool to your marketing toolbelt. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Annette! Annette Densham, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Multi-award-winning PR specialist Annette Densham is considered the go-to for all things business storytelling, award submission writing, and assisting business leaders in establishing themselves as authorities in their field. She has shared her insights into storytelling, media, and business across Australia, UK, and the US speaking for Professional Speakers Association, Stevie Awards, Queensland Government, and many more. Three times winner of the Grand Stevie Award for Women in Business, gold Stevie International Business Award, and a finalist in Australian Small Business Champion awards, Annette audaciously challenges anyone in small business to cast aside modesty, embrace their genius and share their stories.

Written by: Crystal Harrell, 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. With the rise of technology and the shift to a global society, many people constantly check their phones and other gadgets for updates and scroll through their social media feeds. Although some people have deleted their social media accounts altogether, many use these tools to grow their online brand or company. You can even use social media to make money online! Social media can indeed be used for both good and bad. However, there is a difference between using social media to create vs. consume. And most of us have spent countless hours consuming miscellaneous information. Taking a break from social media can be rejuvenating and good for the mind. Limiting social media use could be just what you were missing in your self-care routine. The current article lists several key benefits of taking a social media break. Some benefits of a social media detox may surprise you! Here Are 7 Key Benefits Of A Social Media Break: 1. You will enjoy better sleep. Like most people, you probably spend a good chunk of your day scrolling through social media. But have you ever noticed that you tend to sleep better when you take a break from it? There's a reason for that. Social media is full of bright lights and stimulating content, making it difficult to wind down at night. While trying to sleep, your brain is still in "awake" mode and dopamine levels are high, making it harder to drift off. So, if you're having trouble sleeping, it might be time to disconnect from social media and give yourself a break. Moreover, you might be surprised at how much better you sleep when you're not constantly checking your phone. We all know that getting a good night's sleep is essential, but sometimes it can be hard to catch those Zs. If you're having trouble sleeping, you can do a few things to improve your situation. Start by keeping your phone away from the sleeping area So, you may also want to try to set a standard sleep schedule. Going to bed and waking up at the exact time every day can help to regulate your body's internal clock and make it easier to fall asleep. Finally, create a relaxing bedtime routine. This can include taking a warm bath or reading for a few minutes before getting out of bed. 2. Spend more time focusing on creating more inner peace Social media can be a great way to stay connected with friends and family, but it can also be a significant source of stress. So, constantly checking for new updates can lead to anxiety and frustration ‒ Especially if you're not receiving the same level of engagement from your followers. Furthermore, photos of other people's perfect lives can trigger envy and inadequacy. Never compare your reality to someone's highlight reel So, taking a break from social media is a good start if you want to reduce your stress levels. You may find that you have more time for activities you enjoy and can focus more on the present moment without being distracted by your online connections. Lastly, whether it's a temporary break or a permanent one, disconnecting from social media can help you to lead a less stressful life. And it is highly recommended not to use social media for more than 20 minutes daily. 3. Your mental health will improve over time. Despite its many benefits for business owners and content creators, it's no secret that social media can be a significant source of stress, anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Constantly comparing your life to other people's "highlight reel" can leave you feeling inadequate, and the constant flow of bad news can be overwhelming. Similarly, taking a break from social media is a good start if you want to improve your mental health. Also, stepping away from the endless scroll of Instagram can help you to focus on the present moment. And taking a break from Twitter can help to reduce your anxiety levels. Of course, using social media in moderation is essential, but if you want to improve your mental health, taking a break from time to time is necessary. 4. You'll be more productive. Social media can be a huge time suck. Whether scrolling through your feed for hours or getting lost in a Twitter rabbit hole, it's easy to waste hours of your day on these platforms. The average person spends about two hours and 27 minutes daily scrolling through social media. That's enough time to get a second job! Better yet, you could invest that time in building your own company. This doesn't mean you have to give up social media entirely but taking time away from it daily can help you focus on other tasks and get more done. So, if you're looking to boost your productivity, consider taking a break from social media. You might just be surprised at how much you can get done without it. 5. You'll not compare yourself with others. Social media can bring out your competitive side, even if you aren't conscious. This is because gaining exposure through social media platforms like Facebook is fundamental to their existence. Also, the number of likes, shares, and comments a post receives is a good indicator of its overall popularity. Which might motivate you to try to top the performance of your peers and even yourself. Finally, this level of rivalry is unhealthy and has been linked to psychological issues, including anxiety and despair. So, taking a break from social media will refresh your mind and improve your focus. 6. You'll get more free time. We all know the feeling: you're scrolling through your feed, mindlessly scrolling through an endless stream of updates, photos, and videos. You're wasting time, and you know it. But you just can't seem to stop yourself. If this sounds familiar, then taking a break from social media is in order! So, disconnecting from social media can be challenging, but it's worth it. In addition, taking a break from social media will give you more free time to do the things you love ‒ Spend time with the people you care about and simply relax. And who doesn't need more of that? So go ahead and disconnect for a while. Enjoy the real world, take a walk, and live in the moment. Your friends will still be there when you come back. It is a Promise! 7. No more headaches ‒ Improve your physical health and wellness If you're feeling neck pain, headaches, or eye strain, it might be time to take a break from social media. And these symptoms are much more dangerous and alarming than they seem. That's right - taking some time off from checking Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media apps can actually help improve your physical health. Similarly, constantly looking down at your phone or computer screen puts a lot of strain on your neck and shoulders. And staring at bright screens for long periods can lead to headaches and eye strain. So if you're feeling any of these symptoms, it's worth taking a break from social media. Even a few days without scrolling through your feed can make a big difference. So go ahead and power down your phone and log off your computer ‒ your body will thank you. Conclusion Most of us can't imagine life without social media, for better or worse. However, we may employ it in a way that highlights its beneficial aspects, both for ourselves and others if we are more mindful of the time we spend on social media. So, avoid getting lost in the rabbit hole of algorithms, viral articles, and information overload by learning how to manage your time on social media. Finally, if used mindfully, with breaks, and in moderation with other pursuits, social media can be a positive outlet for communication and connection. So, after reading this blog post, we hope that taking a break from social media seems like an easy task. Thanks for the Read! Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Crystal! Crystal Harrell, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Crystal Harrell, MS, MPH is a Yale Ph.D. student, certified Academic Success Coach, motivational speaker, and bestselling author of Crystal Clear: A Journey of Self-Discovery (From Public Housing to Ivy League). As a high school senior, Crystal secured over $670,000 in scholarship awards, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Millennium Scholarship. She has dedicated her work to helping others achieve their academic goals. Through her books and education blog, Crystal’s story has impacted thousands of individuals worldwide and created a push for personal growth in academia. Crystal’s ultimate goal is to raise awareness of our human potential and show that it is possible to rise against all odds and live out your wildest dreams. Learn more about Crystal and her work at www.crystaltharrell.com

Written by: Deanna Goodson, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. The holidays are upon us, and, for many, they bring challenges surrounding food and beverages. The average American gains about seven pounds from Halloween to New Year’s Eve. Many of my clients express frustration at this time of year and are looking for tips, tricks and strategies to keep from gaining weight. I often recommend that a client strive to remain the same during the holidays. We have to be realistic. There are foods that are special to us, and holiday celebrations revolve around food and drink. Many of our best holiday memories are related to food. It’s okay to indulge a little bit, but you don’t have to go overboard during the holidays in order to enjoy them fully. What can you do instead? There are plenty of options. Opt for experiences, not indulgences. When planning holiday events, try to think about the experience and not what you’ll serve for lunch or dinner. Create opportunities to celebrate the moments of the season without eating through them. For example, perhaps you could invite a friend over to chat or visit a family member just to have a conversation. Memories are made in many ways and food doesn’t have to be at the center of ours. Build in exercise into your holiday plans. Why not go skiing with the family or skating if you’d prefer? Maybe you could take a holiday walk or indulge in a friendly family game of football or soccer. Cater the event to your interests and budget. Offer to bring a healthy dish to a holiday party. Hosts and hostesses love it when you offer to make their workload a little lighter. You can bring a crudité platter or a healthy side dish to go along with a heavy meal. If you have a special diet such as being gluten or dairy free this can help keep you on track while still enjoying yourself at a holiday party. If you bring something healthy and eat it, you will probably knock out something a little less health-promoting in the process. It’s a concept referred to as crowding out. Crowding out holds that you can only eat or drink so much in a given day. If you swap at least one unhealthy indulgence with a more health-promoting one, then you will save yourself some stress and calories by the end of the day. Eat your fruits and vegetables. Most holiday platters have veggie trays or fruits on them. You can even opt for some nuts – just make sure you practice moderation. Fill up on the veggies or fruits and there will be less room for the cakes and cookies that abound during the holiday season. Practice balance. If you are going to a holiday party and know that you want to indulge in some sweet treats, for example, then try to eat a light breakfast or lunch. Don’t skip meals as that leads to overeating later. However, if you make the meals lighter, then you have room for an indulgence or two. This also goes for alcohol. Alcohol is basically liquid sugar. I’m not saying you have to avoid it, but you should plan for it. Try to drink a glass of water along with the alcohol to reduce the dehydrating benefits of it. You have choices, remember that. Every eating event is a choice point, and you can choose to minimize the caloric damage of a holiday event with a little adjustment in your strategy. How each of these tips relates to you is up to you. You get to decide how you enjoy the holidays. If food memories are important to your celebration of the season, then, by all means, indulge. Just be smart about it and remember that you can choose what you want to eat – and what you don’t want to even if Aunt Sally is pushing her sweet potato casserole or mom is begging you to try her cheesecake. You are the captain of your health and well-being. Decide on your holiday strategies before you hit the festivities and you’ll find that – perhaps – you will enjoy the holidays without over-indulging after all, creating new and lasting memories that don’t relate to food alone. Follow me on Facebook , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Deanna! Deanna Goodson, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Deanna Goodson is a professional life and mental health coach, nutritional counselor, and writer. She received her coach training at Rhodes Wellness College in Canada and received an ACC credential from the International Coaching Federation in May of 2019, which was recently renewed. As a mental health coach, Deanna is well-versed in Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Emotional Freedom Technique, aka Tapping. Deanna is also a graduate of the Institute of Integrative Nutrition (IIN) and has a certificate in Emotional Eating Psychology (EEP). She follows an intuitive eating approach for her clients and helps them repair their relationship with food.

Written by: Anton Broers, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. The end of the year 2022 is here. December brings festivities all around the world. It is a time of reflection, a time of connection, a time of celebration, a time of giving and a time of looking forward. In the spirit of December, I would like to gift you this article about the GREATEST GIFT: Wisdom. Wisdom empowers and elevates and it improves and transforms your experience of life. This article is my Festive Season gift to you. Be inspired and learn why bringing wisdom into your life in 2023 is the best New Year’s resolution you can make! The Story of the Three Gods The doorbell rings at the home of a middle-aged couple. When the man of the house opens the door, he finds three people at his doorstep. He is surprised. He does not know who these people are. One of them greets the man and says: ‘’You and your wife are living an exemplary life. You are loving, you are kind, you are positive, you are caring, you are contributing. We have come to reward you.’’ The man is intrigued but also confused. “Who are you?’’ Another one of the three speaks: “Apologies for not introducing ourselves. We are the god of happiness, the god of wealth and the god of wisdom. As a reward, you can choose either one of us and the god you choose will be with you the rest of your life. The god of happiness will bring everlasting happiness. The god of wealth will bring never ending wealth. And the god of wisdom will bring timeless wisdom into your life. Which one do you choose?” The man calls for his wife, explains the wonderful opportunity and together they discuss their choice. The man says: “Let’s choose wealth. We are not rich. Wealth for the rest of our life will give us the comforts that we need and enjoy.” The wife thinks about it. ‘’I don’t know.’’ she responds, ‘’Wealth is nice but isn’t happiness more important?’’ The man agrees. “Yes, that is true. Let’s choose happiness.” The wife is still considering. ‘’Hang on,’’ she says, ‘’I once heard that wisdom is the greatest treasure. We can therefore also choose the god of wisdom to join us.’’ The man doesn’t know. “You choose,” he says. The wife takes her time and then she speaks: “We choose the god of wisdom!” The three gods look at the couple. “You sure?” The wife and her husband confirm. “Ok,” is the response of the three gods and the god of wisdom walks into their home. When the man wants to close the door, the other two gods block the door. “Wait,” they say, ‘’we are coming in also!” The couple is confused. “Why? We chose the god of wisdom.” And the gods explain: “When you bring wisdom into your life, all the rest will follow!” What is Wisdom? Wisdom is the greatest treasure. Bring wisdom into your life and everything else will follow. But what is it? What is wisdom? Let me explain. Think of a car. A car needs an engine to move. And the engine needs fuel to operate. So without fuel, the car will not perform. We can use this car metaphor for your life. Your life needs your mind to move. In fact, your mind is the master of your life. Your mind uses fuel to perform. The fuel for your mind is your thoughts. Your thoughts drive your performance in life. You with me? One more step! Where do your thoughts come from? Your thoughts arise from your mindset. We are all born with a mind but we are not born with a mindset. As we grow up and as we are influenced by the people around us and by our micro and macro surroundings, we unconsciously develop a certain mindset. We develop a way of thinking. About ourselves, about life, about what is possible, about what is important, about anything. These thoughts drive your life. It is good to realise that some of your thoughts support you but other thoughts are to your detriment. To live your best life, you want the best possible mindset. Now what does this have to do with wisdom? Here is your answer: a mind fuelled with wisdom is the OPTIMAL MINDSET. A mind fuelled with wisdom is the mindset that helps you to maximise your experience of life. It is the thoughts and ideas and perspectives that set you up to live your best life, to live a life full of happiness, success, fulfilment and freedom. Why Wisdom is the Greatest Treasure Congratulations! You have read till here which probably means you want to learn more. Very good. Let me now explain why a mindset based on wisdom is the best possible mindset. Vikas Malkani, the wisdom coach, has been instrumental in shaping my wisdom mindset since 2008. I am most grateful to Vikas and I am still continuing my learning and growth with him. Recently, in a webinar, Vikas gave three reasons why wisdom is the ultimate gift for your life. I would like to share his powerful guidance with you. We all know that life will test us and challenge us. At times in our lives, we will be hit by a storm and many times, these storms come unexpectedly. The first reason why wisdom wins is that it allows us to go through the storms of life in the best way possible. Wisdom is like an anchor that provides us with the stability to handle the storms. A wisdom mindset serves as a stabiliser for your life. We all have things in our life that we don’t like and/or that we want to change. It is wise to realise that you have been a participant in the creation of these situations because your life is created by the (active or passive) actions you take. It is good to understand why we take action. We take our actions because we feel to do so. And why do we feel what we feel? We feel based on what we think. And our thoughts are based on our mindset. The root cause for my life lies in your mind. It is also where your power is. The second reason why wisdom is the greatest treasure is this: when you grow a wisdom mindset, your thinking gets elevated, hence your feelings are elevated, hence your actions are elevated, and hence your life gets elevated. On to reason number three. We are creators! But not consciously… We are creating our life unconsciously because we do not learn and we do not know how life works. We don’t understand life and we don’t understand where our power is. The third reason why wisdom is the most powerful fuel for your mind: it makes you understand the blueprint of life and, when you leverage that understanding, you can become a conscious creator. So here are the three reasons why you want wisdom: Wisdom is the stabiliser of life. Wisdom elevates your life. Wisdom makes you the conscious creator of your life. How to find Wisdom and how to integrate it into your life If you are still with me, your mind is now probably asking: please, where can I find wisdom? Well here you go: you can find wisdom inspiration everywhere. In books, online, on tapes, in training programs, in courses. That is good to know but it is not enough. There is so much information that you are at risk of drowning. Whilst you are thirsting for the right wisdom inspiration, you might drown in information overload, unable to see what guidance is right for your life and what guidance is wrong. So how can you find the right wisdom inspiration in all that information? The answer is simple: find yourself a wisdom coach. I will define the right coach for you. The right wisdom coach provides you with key lessons relevant for your life, gives you proper understanding, teaches you simple tools and techniques and encourages and empowers you toward making wisdom an integral part of your daily life. And now you might wonder how to find the right wisdom coach? I will also help you on this one. When you want to find the right coach, look for the following three characteristics: (1) the coach has learned from a real wisdom coach; (2) the coach has grown and developed a wisdom mindset and is living with wisdom as the basis for life; and (3) the coach’s life serves as an example, i.e. the coach’s life is a life full of happiness, success, fulfilment and freedom. The greatest gift When the three gods are standing at your doorstop, choose the god of wisdom. But you don’t need to wait for the gods to arrive. You can start your wisdom training now. As a 2023 New Year’s resolution, gift yourself the greatest gift and find a proven wisdom teacher who will train and coach you in wisdom and how to integrate it in your life to bring huge value and benefit. It is what I do with my clients every day. Wisdom is the greatest treasure. Choose wisdom and everything else will follow! Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Anton! Anton Broers, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Anton Broers is a leading mindset coach and trainer based in Europe. He is a former senior business leader at a global brand who spent time in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Anton is a keen student of ancient spiritual wisdom made simple for modern-day application. As the CEO of Mind ur Life in the Netherlands, he helps children, adults, and businesses toward happiness, success, fulfilment, and freedom. Anton’s mission is to introduce the world to the power of the mind to create the life and results we desire.

Written by: Christina Marlett, 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. Check out this article to learn 3 ways to have more connection, harmony and love this holiday season. A client recently asked me if I had any ideas on how to create better holiday gatherings. She said, “Of all the people I know, I figured you would have some ideas for me.” I said, “Of course I do!” “I knew you would!” she replied. And I proceeded to give her at least 7 things that our family does when we gather that makes for a much deeper connection, which is essentially what we want from each other. Deeper connection results in more love and understanding, and to me, that’s the most fun one could possibly have. The best place to start is to ask better questions. If you ask mediocre questions, you’ll get blah blah blah results. Usually, that means complaining or boring, uninspired conversations. For example, if you ask, “How are you?”, you’ll generally get “Good,” “Busy,” or something equally low vibe and humdrum. If you ask, “What was one of your top experiences this year?”, you’ll obviously get something much more interesting. So that’s the preface. Ask better questions = get more connection, harmony, love, and fun. Here are 3 great activities for the dinner/brunch table that will help you get to know each other on a deeper level, have better conversations, and prevent things from descending into a complain-a-thon. Fun Activity Number 1: Something I Love About You This activity is one of my favourites. It’s so powerful, it works for every age, and it will leave everyone feeling all warm and glowy. Instructions: Preface the activity by saying something like, “Hey everyone, I found out about this great activity I would love to try today. It might feel a little weird, but I think it will be really fun.” When you give a head’s up and introduce it that way, it will help with the discomfort factor, because sometimes asking great questions is uncomfortable since you’re asking people to uplevel. It’s fairly simple. One by one, going around the circle, each person turns to the person on the right and completes this sentence: Something I love about you is… The receiver offers some form of thanks and then turns to the person on their right, saying the same thing and so on until everyone has had a turn. Then you switch it up and go in the other direction, saying “Something I love about you is…” to the person on the left. If you’re the one introducing the activity, you can go first and model what kind of answer will be the most impactful. (It’s good to explain that the best kinds of answers are something about the person on the inside rather than the outside… “Something I love about you is your socks would not be the best kind of answer”. For example: Something I love about you is how much you care for others and you’re always trying to make the world a better place by doing little but impactful things. You’ll be amazed at what kids say (if you have any in your gathering) and you might be surprised to hear what people love about you. Often it’s things that seem to go unnoticed. One of my favourite moments from this activity is when my husband told my dad what he loved about him. It was so heartfelt that my dad was in tears. And then everyone else teared up, and that my friends, is what I call FUN! Fun Activity Number 2: Storybowl I learned about his activity from Andrea Scher who has a lovely blog. Our family absolutely loves the Storybowl and I’ve also offered it up to groups of strangers and to participants in my retreats. It has always exceeded my expectations. You will find out things about each other that you never knew, no matter how long you’ve known each other. Instructions: Everyone gets a small piece of paper. On the said paper piece, write one word, generally a noun, such as fish (always my go-to example), bed, airplane, statue, dress, flowers, etc. Fold the piece of paper and put it in a bowl. Everyone else does the same so the bowl is full of paper pieces. Give the bowl to whoever is going to start. They pull out one piece of paper and then tell a story from their life about the word. The story doesn’t have to be long, funny, or good. It just has to be a story. You can assure your group that there’s no performance pressure. Again, you might want to demonstrate to give people an idea of what constitutes a story. Everyone takes a turn and you get to hear all sorts of stories. I’m telling you… this activity is SO. MUCH. FUN! It works well for all ages (except maybe infants, but they wouldn’t be writing on the paper anyways). Some stories will be hilarious, some will knock your socks off, some will be poignant, and some will make you shake your head because you thought you knew someone and then they go and blow your mind by revealing a whole new side to themselves. Amazing. So much thanks to Andrea Scher for sharing this activity that has enriched my life over and over. Fun Activity Number 3: Previously Known as Stupid Human Tricks but upgraded by me to Fantastical Human Tricks since I don’t like the word ‘stupid’ This is another activity that will reveal things you never knew about each other. It provides many laughs as well. The premise is that everyone has either something physical or a skill that is unusual, so why not share them?!? When you introduce this activity, you’ll want to give a few examples. Here are some tricks you can share that I’ve seen. My daughter can do weird things with her eyes like move them independently (super creepy, but most impressive). When my son was little, he did an exceptional air guitar and also a very entertaining robot dance. When he got a little older, he liked to demonstrate exceptional armpit noises to the rhythm of a song. My go-to is that I can recite most of Robin Williams’ monologues verbatim from the Good Morning Vietnam CD, so I like to perform a little sampler of that. (When CDs first came out, we got two total, and that was one of them, so I listened to it a lot.) Instructions: Share those examples or something from your own bag of tricks. Each person gets a turn. Enjoy. I anticipate that you will be wowed. And hopefully crying tears of joy. I really hope that you try at least one of these activities with your loved ones at your gatherings this holiday season. Yes, it takes a little courage to do something different, but it will go down in your family history books as one of the most special and memorable gatherings you’ve ever had. May there be many smiles, sparkling eyes and deep love for you and your loved ones as the year draws to a close and we begin all fresh and new. In the spirit of the holidays, here’s a little gift for you. The image you put on your desktop is prime space for brainwashing yourself in the best way possible. Get the free Courageous Self-Care Desktop Manifesto and start reprogramming your subconscious with big ideas like “I am Courageous” and “I deeply care for myself”. It’s a simple selfcare hack that takes zero time but impacts your life every time you’re on your computer. Visit my website for more info! Read more from Christina! Christina Marlett, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine As the creator of Courageous Self-Care, Christina is passionate about helping stressed out high achievers learn to lead their communities, families and themselves from a place of wholeness, overflowing energy and deep self-respect. She excels at helping overwhelmed leaders revitalize their energy from the inside out so that they can be productive and peaceful at the same time. Christina is a certified Embodiment Coach, Body Awake Yoga teacher, Happy for No Reason Trainer, Energy Codes Facilitator and BEST Practitioner who helps you take inspired action so that you have epic relationships, vibrant health and so much energy that people will ask you what you’ve been doing differently.

Written by: Myles Morgan, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. It’s not always easy to see what’s getting in the way of our personal growth and fulfillment. This list may help you better identify your blocks so that you can prioritize them in your inner healing work. When You Can’t See What’s Getting In the Way Let’s face it. We all have blocks in one or more areas of life at one point or another. Some are easy to identify, like the performance anxiety that turns you into a frozen stuttering sweat machine every time you have to deliver a pitch or presentation. Other blocks are more subtle or difficult to spot, like the block that makes you repeatedly stretch yourself too thin at the expense of their well-being. If problems like these persist over time despite efforts to change; if they show up again and again in different forms; or if they prevent you from creating or experiencing what you want in life, that may be a sign that you have a block. A “block” is some mental or emotional dynamic that is getting in the way of creating, achieving, or experiencing what you want in life. Blocks come in three basic forms: limiting beliefs, fears, and unresolved painful memories. These things often come bundled together and tend to require deep inner healing work to clear from your system. It may be difficult to admit that you have a block in some areas of life. But having a block doesn’t mean you suck at life. It means you’re human. And it turns out that the more swiftly you can identify and resolve a block, the more successful you are likely to be. Just ask Ray Dalio. One of the fastest ways to accelerate personal growth, shift your paradigm, and find innovative solutions to sticky problems is through developing the ability to name your blocks and learning how to skillfully deal with them. This article aims to help you begin to put words to what might be “in the way” so that you can attack whatever it is head-on through inner healing work. Here is a list of 7 subtle blocks and how you might begin to spot them. 1. Blocks to Feeling “Even when things are going well, I still don’t feel truly happy or satisfied.” “I feel this lump in my throat like I need to cry, but I can’t.” Statements like these indicate that you may have a block to feeling, where you aren’t able to experience the full range or intensity of one or more emotions that are important for well-being. Whether you struggle with positive or negative emotions, this can feel like your emotional sink is clogged, or like your emotional soundtrack is muted. Some people with blocks to feeling report that they have a general sense of flat or dull emotion — an experience that can correspond to depression. But we can also have blocks around specific emotions. For instance, I might have learned that feeling and expressing anger will end poorly, so I just pretend like I never get angry. Although this may save me from harmful expressions of anger, it also prevents me from experiencing healthy protective anger. All emotions have a purpose. And getting unblocked in this area can lead to a more vibrant day-to-day experience. 2. Blocks to Knowing, Trusting, or Loving Yourself “I have spent all this time doing what other people said I should do. And through it all, I still don’t know who I really am.” “When I try to reflect on what I really want, instead of getting more clarity I feel more confused, lost, and frustrated.” How’s your relationship with your intuition? How about your relationship with your body? If someone asked who you truly are at your core, would you have an answer that’s not sourced in how others define you? What about your ability to clarify your life purpose, deepest-held values, or highest strengths? If you experience significant friction or difficulty in any of these areas, you may have a block to knowing and trusting yourself. Blocks in this area could take the form of disconnection from your inner voice, intuition, and needs. It could also take the form of negative beliefs or views of oneself. All of these prevent you from feeling a sense of wholeness in yourself. And without a feeling of wholeness, you can’t live a fulfilled life. The relationship we have with ourselves is sacred, and it serves as the foundation for the relationships we have with all others. Thus, removing blocks in this area could be one of the most important gifts you give to yourself in this lifetime. 3. Blocks to Connection The above clip is funny because it’s true. It’s a dramatized version of the types of toxic patterns that can run amok in all of our relationships. In real life, these patterns can be much more subtle and insidious. But these toxic “traits” are often signs that we have blocks to connecting and forming whole, healthy, and happy relationships. “Why do all of my relationships keep turning out this way?” Blocks to connection can come in many forms: recurring painful experiences that keep showing up with every person you date, feeling lonely even when surrounded by people, difficulty communicating, difficulty being vulnerable or trusting others, and complete avoidance of relationships altogether. What’s at the root of these types of patterns? Three words: Unhealed relational trauma. Yes, unresolved painful experiences are at the root of most blocks. But relationships tend to be the place where we reenact or relive these wounds most intensely. A lesson I learned years ago is that the true substance and meaning of life reside in the quality of our relationships. Therefore, removing blocks in this area is one of the 1 levers you can pull to increase your overall happiness and fulfillment. 4. Blocks to Presence “I have so much to do that I can never just be. Even when I’m sitting still, I can’t seem to turn my brain off. I just keep thinking about what still needs to get done.” “I’m afraid that if I let myself truly rest — to just be here and enjoy the moment — then I might miss something important that I need to get where I want to be.” Blocks to presence might show up as being so focused on what we don’t have that we miss what we already have. They are rooted in attachment to outcomes, comparison, and the body’s survival system getting stuck in high gear. Mindfulness practices are aimed directly at increasing our capacity for presence. But when you have a block, no matter how much you meditate, you still struggle to let go and simply be here. Ironically, we also need presence — the ability to become completely absorbed in the present moment — to enjoy the peak experience and performance of flow. So removing blocks to doing less could paradoxically be a major key to doing, having, or enjoying more. 5. Blocks to Consistency Whether you are struggling with maintaining routines, completing personal projects, or achieving major life goals, I have found that most blocks to consistency and discipline tend to be rooted in a fear of failure, a fear of things not working out the way you want, or a belief that you don’t actually have what it takes. Interestingly, when people clear blocks around consistency, they tend to shift from trying to muster superhuman amounts of discipline to focusing on simply spending more time engaging in intrinsically enjoyable activities that they are naturally good at. This way, instead of it feeling like pushing a boulder up a mountain, it’s like being pulled by some gravitational force toward your goals. This is a much more fulfilling approach to increasing consistency. 6. Blocks to “Going For It” “I have been working on my business idea for years, but something keeps stopping me from actually launching.” It’s one thing to know that you have to be bold and take risks, to know that you have to “make the leap”, to know that you need to try and be willing to fail if you ever want to win. It’s one thing to subscribe to these ideas. But when it’s time for you to actually put them into practice, fear of failure and rejection stops many people in their tracks. Sometimes we are keenly aware that fear is the thing that’s stopping us. Other times, this fear can masquerade as excuses, procrastination, or seemingly valid reasons why we actually can’t “go for it.” The good news is that inner healing work has been proven to clear fear from the brain and body, even in the most extreme cases. The magic of doing this is not that it will protect you from ever failing or facing rejection, but that it will allow you to remain fully resourced, creative, and able to quickly learn and adapt in the face of failure. And this is all any of us can ask for. 7. Blocks to Healing “I’m scared of what I might find out about myself.” “What if I open up a can of worms that I can’t close back up?” “What if I try all this stuff, put in all this effort, and it still doesn’t work?” Dealing with our blocks tends to require healing. And healing requires looking at and dealing with many of the things that we have spent a lifetime avoiding, ignoring, or suppressing. So it’s no wonder that embarking on an inner healing journey can feel so daunting for so many people — like approaching a looming forbidden forest full of who knows what. Fears that get in the way of exploring our darkest corners and oldest can be the most insidious blocks of all because these are the types of blocks that prevent us from dealing with all other blocks. Because of this, examining your relationship to healing and inner work and dealing with any blocks around this may be the highest priority for your personal growth journey. Honorable Mention This list of blocks is not exhaustive. Other subtle blocks can be just as important to name and deal with, such as blocks to self-expression, blocks to learning and creative problem-solving, and blocks to managing (time, money, people, tasks, etc.) effectively. The goal of this article was just to contribute to your self-awareness, to give you some ideas for how to think about what might be getting in the way, and to provide some places for you to look. Hopefully, this list gets the juices flowing. Practice Take a moment, if you haven’t already, to check in with yourself about whether you might have any of the blocks mentioned above. Which of the above subtle blocks might I have? For each one, how would I describe it for myself? What area(s) of life could this block be impacting? Relationships, career, health & fitness, leisure, spirituality, etc.? What desired outcome or experience could this block be getting in the way of? What might it look or sound like to set a goal to remove this block in the upcoming year? The good news is you can do something about these blocks through inner healing work. You don’t have to stay stuck with them. But the first step is acknowledging that they’re there. If you want to learn more about how to do the inner healing work needed to clear these blocks, then check out my website and book a free exploratory call, where I can share the ins-and-outs of inner healing work with you. Cheers to a season of obliterating blocks! Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Myles! Myles Morgan, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Myles Morgan is a trained therapist who chose a path of leadership and entrepreneurship rather than working in a clinical setting. Over the last seven years, he has co-founded and managed three education-based startups while slowly building his own life coaching practice. Now in his fifth year of practice, his signature coaching program, The Fulfillment Accelerator, specializes in helping founders, leaders, and creatives clear the deepest mental and emotional blocks that are preventing them from enjoying fulfillment as they actualize their dreams. As a writer, speaker, and teacher, much of the perspective he has to offer lives at the intersection between positive psychology, deep healing, and creative practice.

Written by: Megan McCann and Jennifer Ludington, 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 you have the potential to get a serious ROI when you attend business events? Attending events will likely help you scale your business not only because of what you glean from the experience but also from who you connect with. After being in business for a combined 30+ years, our experience is that the most successful people in the room are almost always master connectors. In other words, they understand how to genuinely connect with other people in the room and build lasting relationships that mutually benefit both parties. As Tony Robbins says, “It’s not your lack of resources, it’s your lack of resourcefulness that stops you.” When you learn to be resourceful, you can better find solutions to problems you wouldn’t be able to solve on your own. Attending live events allows us the opportunity to connect and get resourceful in our businesses. Here are 5 probable results from attending in-person business events: 1. Confidence through Connection: We are all designed to connect with others. Lone-wolfing can lead to depression, anxiety, lack of inspiration and creativity, and loss of opportunity. Finding opportunities to connect with others in person can likely lead to increased confidence, resourcefulness, opportunities, and inspiration. As Brene Brown said, "Connection is why we are here. It is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives." 2. Ideas and Stimulation: When you have conversations with others who are also motivated and aligned in values, you can bounce ideas off of one another. Your brain gets activated by others who think as you do! 3. Positive attitude and increased energy: If you've attended a business event before (if it's a good one), you will likely leave feeling an increase in energy and a more positive outlook on your business. Being in space with others motivated to improve their businesses will likely positively influence you and your attitude toward your business. 4. Understand your industry: Staying up to date with the latest industry trends will not only help you stay ahead in the game but also give you new ideas. 5. Grow your network: Expanding your reach is essential when running a business. Attending live events gets you in front of new people who can become potential clients, customers, and joint venture partners. Imagine collaborating with others you meet at a business event and getting in front of their audience. This organic method of getting visible is cheaper and in our experience, converts better than paid advertising. Long story short, the ROI of attending events is HUGE which is why you want to make sure you attend them regularly. Attending events has helped us go from having virtually zero profit to multi-six and seven-figure businesses. Getting out of the lone-wolf mentality as an entrepreneur can be tough for some, but worth it. Follow me on Instagram, and LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Megan and Jennifer! Megan McCann and Jennifer Ludington, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Megan McCann and Jennifer Ludington are experts in strategic leadership and business systems. As 1 amazon best-selling authors, in-demand speakers, and media personalities, they are on a mission to help over 1 million women scale their businesses. With a combined 30 years of experience bootstrapping multiple six and seven-figure businesses, they want to show others how to do it too.

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. With the rising prices of goods and food shortages, some are worried about making ends meet. Others have second jobs to have enough money for the basics. There are small businesses that are doing well and others that are suffering. If you’re a coach, whether you’re a life coach, health coach, or even a financial coach, you may be at the point in your business in which you are not accepting new clients. Other coaches may be looking for new clients; however, they fear rejection due to the economy. The thought is that potential clients don't want to spend money on your program because: They find another coach that is a better fit They cannot afford it They do not want to waste your time They do not want to take advice from anyone People will buy a product regardless of the cost if it's a great product. If someone is in a great deal of pain and is sick and tired of being sick and tired (literally), they will pay for the help. Ways to Attract Clients Sales and specials. The month of December is difficult for many people emotionally. They live with grief, depression, food addiction, and the like. The new year is an opportunity to start anew and make goals, and resolutions, if you will. A sale on your products and services can attract those dealing with a lot of pain and need your help. Social media. Make posts on a social media platform where you have a huge following, whether Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Tik Tok. Posting daily and purposely will get the attention of potential clients. Your posts do not always have to be business related.. Your followers want to get to know you as a person. Start your own Facebook group. If you do not already manage your own Facebook group, it may be advisable to start one. Your group would cater to your ideal clients. You can create posts that are informative and helpful to your members. Add membership questions to ensure that people are interested in your offerings. Collaborations. A collaboration in a partnership is also a great way to meet potential clients. You can get referrals from one another. One example would be a spa owner's client looking for a health coach. Tell your stories. As mentioned previously, readers want to hear your stories. Readers want to hear about your background, struggles, and overcoming obstacles. Those stories will resonate with someone or many people. 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: Ginger Carlson, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. It is perhaps the most wonderfully busy time of year. It can also be the most stressful. Let’s begin it with an invitation to pause… This arrival into quiet sitting is merely a suggestion A gift of grace Until the ground begs for our bones. Some thirst for silence here. What if this discovering tranquility In midst of mayhem Is the real journey? I think I’ll choose the pain the practice the payoff In that order A warm invitation To hover Make the 2-millimeter shift And knit ourselves back into being That’s right, the simple gift of grace that brings us back to our being. The things that can invite an arrival into quiet sitting for us. Consider this: In all your rushing and merry-making, do you ever suddenly find yourself stuck at an unexpected “red light?” Either literally or figuratively, they sometimes tend to pop up on the road of life when we are most intent on arriving somewhere quickly. They can feel like poor timing, an obstacle to your destination, a stress inducer, or plain bad luck. They can also be the best gifts of the season if we are open to receiving them. Here is your invitation. The thing is, I’ve had more “red lights” than usual lately… all things I didn’t expect but made me stop, contemplate, wonder, and wake up to something new. There have been lots of little moments that caused me to forcibly pause my plans, such as my dog who wouldn’t come when called at the dog park, a pipe that burst and a resulting closed highway leading to where I needed to go, and longer than usual lines at the grocery store check out. I’ve also had some crazily big moments of “pause” lately. Most notably, my partner’s sudden need for open heart surgery and the care and love it takes to recover (and thrive) from one. Sometimes the universe is telling us to slow down a bit. What a gift when we can actually listen. What if the red lights in our lives were opportunities to think with greater intentionality, to savor with more openness, and to love with a depth we didn’t realize we could? What if we could see these moments as unique, gifted times? We often wait for large chunks of time. Perhaps it is the little moments when stacked, that will prepare us the best. This is your invitation to embrace the “red lights,” anything in your daily life that reminds you to pause and be keenly aware. Maybe it is actually a red light, a 30-second moment of pause. Perhaps it is your phone ringing that triggers you to slow your breathing a bit. Maybe you slow your gait while moving to answer it and feel the ground more softly. Perhaps you take it as a time to contemplate, to dream, to let your mind release the things that can hold it back from making magic happen. Perhaps there is a moment of pause at the start of one of your busiest seasons. How can you incorporate a Red Light Practice into your day? It’s easier than we make it out to be. Here are a few tips: Pick an environmental sound or event that might usually be annoying (such as actually getting stopped at the red light, the sound of the train going past, or the voice of the colleague or neighbor who gets on your nerves.) Choose for that to be your “red light” and remember that your happiness is always a choice. When that event happens, stop what you are doing and make a conscious choice to put your body in “state” – however that looks for you – stand straighter, shoulders back, hand on your heart, lungs full of fresh air, a gentle smile on your face. Bonus: when this becomes one of your habits, some real magic can happen. Say to yourself, "Thank you. What a perfect moment I have to pause and contemplate and find a gift." You may find that those “red lights” become your everyday gratitude. How can you spread this thinking? Albert Einstein said, “Setting an example is not the main means of influencing others, it is the only means.” If you want to spread this idea of taking intentional pauses, just practice it. Do it yourself, and it will spread. The more you practice it, the more it will begin to show up in your life and the lives of those around you. You can also jump-start it by actually spreading it around this holiday season. If you are thinking of giving a gift in the coming holidays (to your employees or other people you are in a relationship with) why not consider the gift of time? A day off of their choosing. Time away from the bustle, where their duties are taken care of for them. We humans rush. Let’s encourage each other to take the moments we need for true reflection, rejuvenation, and re-connection. In these times, it seems we are going to need it. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Ginger! Ginger Carlson, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Dr. Ginger Carlson is an international keynote and TEDx speaker, leader, and award-winning author. She has presented and written widely on the topics of creativity, communication, growth, and transformation, and how to uniquely and positively nurture each of them in our personal lives and organizations. Dr. Carlson is the co-founder of Möbius Dynamics and CEO of The Multarity Project™. She can be contacted through her websites https://www.gingercarlson.com/ and https://www.multarityproject.com/

Written by: Karen Peddie, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. The Blue Tin, I would be about 9-10 years old when my Dad told me he and my Mum had been to make a Will. He gently explained that if anything happened to them, everything I needed to know was in the blue tin. He showed me where the blue tin was and what was inside it. I remember being really scared, I thought they were going to die very soon, and I would be alone. Again, he explained that if the worst did happen and he didn’t expect it to, my Godparents would take care of me. They knew about the blue tin and I had nothing to worry about. We ‘had the conversation’, albeit briefly. Only now, all these years later, can I understand how difficult that must have been for him. I never looked in the blue tin again until he died aged 78 and as promised, everything Mum and I needed was in there. This, in turn, led to further conversations with my Mum and my daughter and helped me in this work. So, if you can be brave enough to take the first step, to have the first conversation, you can help make this the norm for future generations! I appreciate not everyone is able to talk about death and dying, so, before we talk about how to have ‘the conversation’, let’s discuss the benefits of doing so? If you do have a fear or phobia about this, Emotional Freedom Techniques can help 5 Benefits of talking about death and dying. You decide what YOU want to happen. Firstly, some of the documents you may wish to consider looking into are – Last Will and Testament, Power of Attorney and an Advanced Care Directive. Your wishes are more likely to respected. The written information you put in the above documents will make it easier for your wishes to be followed correctly. Reduces stress for grieving family and friends. Your loved ones will be able to grieve for you without unnecessary stress and worry. Your wishes will be clear and easily understood. It can save you money and time. With all the legal documents already in place, your wishes can be carried quickly and easily. It gives you peace of mind. You are able to live your best life, free in the knowledge that everything is taken care of. Now you just need to keep it updated! How do I start the conversation? Prepare – What do you want to say and who do you want to say it to? Jot down your thoughts so you don’t forget anything. Choose the setting – Would you be more comfortable at home, out for a walk or sat in a café? Be aware the conversation may be emotional and you may want somewhere private. Go for it – Start the conversation with something like…, “I need your help”, “Can you help me with something?”, “I’ve been thinking about the future and would appreciate your thoughts”. Listen – Be openminded, they may have ideas you would never have thought of alone! Remember – you are in control and this is the time to make your wishes known. The most important thing is that you have started the conversation. Be proud of yourself! Now you are ready to document everything and this is the important bit. No matter how many times you tell people what your wishes are, if it is not written down there is no proof. All that time and effort wasted. If you would like my outline plan to get you started, send me an email to karen@karenpeddieholistics.co.uk and I will send you one completely FREE. This is just to get you thinking so when you are ready, I will be happy to facilitate a plan with you. Follow me on Facebook too! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Karen! Karen Peddie, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Karen is a natural, intuitive Energy Healer who uses Reiki, Emotional Freedom Techniques, and Meditation to help her clients improve their health and well-being. She works with them to identify and heal the root cause of any dis-ease which could be blocking the flow of energy either physically, mentally, or emotionally. As someone who suffered from anxiety, stress, and depression for many years, Karen's experience makes her a genuine, empathetic therapist who creates a safe, calm space in which to start the healing process

Written by: Dr. Erika Montgomery, 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. “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” (John 8:7) Why is forgiveness so difficult? When we speak about forgiveness, we often focus on the person who harmed us, betrayed us, abused us, abandoned us, or wronged us in some way. We tend to focus our attention and energy outward to the people, circumstances, and situations that have caused us pain and suffering. We are so focused on what happened to us that we play the narrative of the story or we see the pictures of the story play over and over in our minds fueling emotions of anger, pain, fear, regret, shame, guilt, resentment, sadness, and so on. This toxic pattern brings us right back to the past and the moment of impact digging us deeper into a dark hole oftentimes causing despair. This replaying of our past experiences and recreating our memories, only serves to keep us stuck in the emotional stronghold of the trauma. This cycle reinforces the pain and suffering that we have already lived through and survived. This cycle of suffering also becomes self-inflicted when we have made a mistake or caused hurt feelings or harm to another. So ask yourself, “When does the pain end if you keep replaying the past in your mind and body? How does this pattern of self-inflicted trauma stop?” Healing begins with forgiveness of yourself. Forgiving yourself is vital to releasing the emotional, mental, and physical stronghold of the trauma. The key to forgiving yourself is not focusing outward, but bringing all your energy and attention inward to the innermost place in your heart’s center. Your heart's center is the soul's healing place. Pouring love, compassion, understanding, grace, mercy, and forgiveness for yourself into his space is the most transformational healing you can give to yourself. Here are 9 steps to healing through forgiveness of yourself and ending the cycle of suffering. This 9 step process will support your emotional release, mindset change, and begin your healing. Make a decision to disrupt the unhealthy cycle of self-inflicted trauma and suffering. Speak aloud and write down that you have made a decision to begin the healing process. Accept responsibility for your past mistake and accept that you are NOT responsible for the mistake of another. Write down all the reasons why you are holding on to this hurt or feeling the way you do about yourself or another, so that you release the emotions suffocating your heart. Affirm that holding on to low vibrational emotions such as anger, regret, guilt, shame, blame, sadness, fear, worry, resentment, etc. does not serve you in a healthy way and keeps you stuck in the cycle of suffering. Surrender the judgment of your ego. Being human means we are fallible, we make mistakes. From a place of compassion and non-judgment, seek new understanding or new meaning about your past experience that will support your healing. Remember ‒ people who are hurting, tend to hurt others. It’s ok if nothing makes sense. Understand that you did the best you could at that moment, place and space in time with what you knew. Write or speak aloud an apology to yourself or another. Affirm that you are a survivor, you are an overcomer, you are human, you are here at this moment, place and space in time because you have lived, learned and grown through and despite your past experience. Only you can determine how your past will affect your present. The past can not and will not ever hurt you again, as long as you let go and release the emotions, memory, and meaning you attached to the past experience forever. Give yourself permission to forget, let go, learn, move forward, and heal. Write down all the ways you have grown, changed, and learned from your past in a healthy way. Be your own best friend and celebrate each lesson learned as a win. Step into your experience of freedom by allocating 5 minutes every day to feel the unconditional love, acceptance, and compassion your heart holds for you. Celebrate your freedom by Affirming ‒ I am free from the past experience! I am free from the emotional stronghold! I am free from the cycle of suffering! I am free from judgment! I am free to heal and move forward! I am free to be! I am becoming the person I can feel good about and I feel free! I am moving forward with my life knowing that I am infinitely loved by my creator! I am free to choose now to heal myself and it feels so good! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Dr. Erika! Dr. Erika Montgomery, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Dr. Erika Montgomery is a Clinical Psychologist and Life Coach with 25 years of experience providing mental health treatment. Dr. Montgomery owns an online CBD dispensary with Wakanna, a Female Black-Owned CBD Company, and advocates for the daily use of CBD for mental and physical health. Dr. Montgomery is a Mental Health consultant with the Social Security Administration for the past 11 years. Dr. Montgomery hosts a weekly podcast called, "Master Your Mind with Dr. Erika," on the Law of Attraction Radio Network. Dr. Montgomery believes every human is worthy of unconditional love and has the power within to change. My motto: "Mental Health Is Human Health."