Written by: Mell Balment, 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 leader is someone who inspires people to act in a particular way. In today's organisations, they are not necessarily the person at the top of the chart. Anyone who is entrusted with a responsibility can become a leader. Anyone can lead a team to success whether it’s 1 or 1000. When I say you empower people, that is exactly what you get because you are giving them the authority to do whatever it takes to achieve the job or mission. Empowerment is about empowering your team to bring out the best of their skills and talents. However you can't just expect to become the leader of a team or organisation with a promotion. The people who work with you have to accept you as a leader first. Which doesn't happen overnight but it does take an alignment of your values and your behaviors. Becoming a better leader sometimes means learning to be more humble. In the digital age, with huge amounts of disconnect we must remember that leadership is only successful if you can use it to empower others. With that in mind, here are 4 great tips you can use to become an empowered leader. 1. Learn the difference between being a human-being and being a human-doer Many people will do anything to avoid being uncomfortable. Often this results in them running away from something in our past or focussing on running towards something ‘better’ in our future. Therefore many actions and behaviours are robbing and draining team energy without even being aware of it. Team energy is very important in any environment, but if teammates are only focusing on ‘not making the same mistakes again’, it will drain energy and demotivate them. If you're in a workplace that is filled with short-term thinkers who are only concerned with the immediate results, it can be hard to think long-term. If the team isn't all working with the same expectations and understanding, it can be hard to convince them to align with your thinking let alone the other team members. Empathy is the capacity that enables you to connect with others in such a way that can bypass the masks and facades that people put on. This means you can get to the bottom of problems quickly, understand possible root causes and set up new possibilities for the future. The challenge is that we aren’t taught empathy in any of our schooling systems, therefore it’s commonly mis-believed that empathy is simply about either 1. Being empathetic to someone's struggles or 2. about ‘being sensitive or others' feelings. Neither of these are particularly helpful for goal success or productivity and in fact fall short of the actual point of empathic leadership. Albert Einstein said that an individual's ability to empathise is not only a key component of intelligence, but that it is “the only thing that allows us to experience life in a deep and meaningful way.” And if that wasn’t motivating enough, studies also show that empathy is directly linked to success in nearly every type of relationship including professional ones. That sense of meaning is a massive drive of employee satisfaction which feeds into how hard people work, i.e., their effort and engagement in their job. In the 21st century, it's become increasingly important to possess empathy due to how much technology we use and the drop of how often people interact with each other. 2. Different empathic traits are an important skill to build team cohesion It's vitally important to have a variety of people who have different thought processes and thinking patterns in a team, and that everyone's voice can be heard when making decisions. This inclusion (where appropriate) supports the sense that everyone feels like they are contributing to the bigger picture ‒ again coming back to employee engagement. It's equally important to leverage these different and unique thinking and ‘doing’ processes to get the best output of individuals which benefits the business, goal or impact. Being able to build strong connections with people is something we should all strive for in any workplace ‒ especially with today’s virtual and remote locations. In order to identify empathic traits, you have to understand what empathy is. Empathy is defined as the ability to sense other people's thoughts, feelings, and intentions. Because understanding these traits translates to measurable and tangible behaviours such as, being non-judgmental, open-minded, awareness of a room’s dynamics, compassionate and so on, you have to be able to build stronger connections between you and your team. 3. Manage stressful energy to protect yourself from being drained Positive energy is necessary for our body to function properly. Keeping an upbeat attitude and focusing on what is important will go a long way in managing your own energy levels. The most important thing to remember is to take breaks when you feel a bit drained. However this advice can raise flags of alarm for some business owners, so let me put your mind at ease, we aren’t talking about ‘less productivity’. This is about changing working expectations and environments into places for reflection and decompressing so that stressful states can be shifted quicker. Being flexible of how and when things are delivered to enable more conducive arrangements for team members can be a massive step forward in productivity. For example, I’m much better at concentrated, focused and heavy thinking after I’ve had a decent feed, so often I do the mundane tasks in the morning to clear my head and fuel my body for the more important work after I’ve warmed up for a few hours! Likewise I can be the most productive in the 2-4 hours after dinner which isn’t when most people would expect me to be available or online. A common complaint I hear from staff is the need to 'keep themselves together' when in fact something is falling apart in their life. 4. Human beings sometimes need time to ‘be’ Emotionally, mentally, and physically, we're all human beings. We need to keep that in mind and learn to recognise overwhelm and especially when a burnout is looming for others. Not only are these times not conducive to high productivity or efficiency, they also lead to mistakes, conflict and drama. Which is really more costly! One key, is to have regular ‘emotional’ check-ins which can be especially helpful when life is throwing curveballs at them. Being compassionate at their low points, will reap benefits in their high times. Build your bank deposit of reciprocity as well as basic quality humaning. 5. Access inspirational thinking, to expand critical, intuitive decision making A crucial skill for a leader is the ability to think creatively and inspire a team of employees to get behind that decision. Creative thinking requires you to think abstractly, which can be a challenge for many people. Intuitive decision making is also a skill that leaders need to develop. Because of the nature of their jobs, leaders need to make tough decisions quickly and confidently. Creative thinking is learning to look for and recognise alternative opportunities and viewpoints, it can include considering possible risks and learning from past experiences. While there are no simple ways to improve creative thinking, this is where your team can come in. By knowing what their traits and tendencies are, they could be the bridge to compliment your skillset (and therefore weaknesses). This can also support options based on additional, external insights and can reduce the tendency to be driven by your own agenda or emotions. Ultimately a team that feels empowered is more productive and that increase your success for your personal goals as well as the growth and progress of the business. If you’d like to know more about intuitiveness as a leader, check out this other article in the series. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Mell! Mell Balment, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Mell Balment is a change-maker in the space of energy, mindset, and super-conscious mastery. She’s on a mission to help EmpathPreneursTM have unwavering confidence to accomplish the ambitions they currently only dream about. Soul-driven leaders desire to be fulfilled but worry about their success being built on others suffering. In her first 4 years as a fully declared Quantum Healer, Mell B has facilitated 650 Mindweb Analysis sessions to address these limitations and more. She loves partnering with secret empaths using advanced epigenetic processes, so they can make their impact on humanity. Multi-award-winning healer, Mell B has blended spirituality and rapid results into a new accelerator system called Deep Belief HackingTM. With a reputation for her courage, grace, and empathy, Mell was honored for her Cognitive Reframe Process as one of the world’s Top 10 Healers and the Top 1% of Leadership coaches in Australia. Known for her transformational retreats and cutting-edge quantum programs including ‘EmpathPreneurShip', she is a published author and vivacious public speaker on Navigating The Chaos Of Life As An Empath.

Written by: Karuna Jain, 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. Statement of Problem: Nearly 73.6% of adults in the US aged 20 or more are overweight or Nearly 73.6% of adults in the US aged 20 or more are overweight or obese (CDC). 1.9 billion adults in the world were overweight in 2016 (WHO). In 2021, obesity accounted for approximately 2.8 million deaths from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, neurological disorders, chronic respiratory diseases, and digestive disorders. Halting the rise in obesity is essential to combat the growing burden of NCDs and improve health and well-being for all. Stopping the growing obesity epidemic is one of the 2025 Global Nutrition Targets (for children under 5) and one of the Targets for NCD reduction (for adolescents and adults). Nearly 80% of people who lose weight gain it back in 5 years (2018 Research review in Medical Clinics of North America ). US News: According to data by Marketdata Enterprises, a market research firm that specializes in tracking niche industries, Americans spend north of $60 billion annually to try to lose pounds, on everything from paying for gym memberships and joining weight-loss programs to drinking diet soda. CDC: Obesity research confirms long-term weight loss almost impossible . There's a disturbing truth that is emerging from the science of obesity. After years of study, it's becoming apparent that it's nearly impossible to permanently lose weight. As incredible as it sounds, that's what the evidence is showing. For psychologist Traci Mann, who has spent 20 years running an eating lab at the University of Minnesota, the evidence is clear. "It couldn't be easier to see," she says. "Long-term weight loss happens to only the smallest minority of people." Our biology taunts us, by making short-term weight loss fairly easy. But the weight creeps back, usually after about a year, and it keeps coming back until the original weight is regained or worse. This has been tested in randomized controlled trials where people have been separated into groups and given intense exercise and nutrition counseling. Even in those highly controlled experimental settings, the results show only minor sustained weight loss. A new approach to weight loss People are waking up looking for alternative approaches to help with wellness. Over the next six years, the health and wellness industry is expected to grow at a 6% annual rate, surpassing $6 trillion in revenue by 2025. Oct 12, 2021. Here are my thoughts to approach the weight issue: 1. Long-Term View vs Short-Term perspective: The issue according to me is not just about losing weight, the bigger issue is maintaining the weight loss. Before starting a weight loss program, think about what the program offers and whether you can sustain that after you achieved your weight goal. If you are asked to take shakes, is that something you are going to do for the rest of your life? Your program should be something you can follow easily and effortlessly for the rest of your life without compromising on the joy of living and happiness. 2. Holistic View of You: You are not just a physical body (seen part of you). You have emotions, thoughts, beliefs, values you live your life by, and experiences (unseen part of you). You are an energy body . This body consists of all that is seen and unseen about you. Your energy is vibrating at different frequencies. The densest vibration of you creates your physical vessel. The subtle vibrations are emotions, and thoughts that are closer to your conscious mind. You can recollect this fairly quickly. There is another very subtle vibration layer to you that consists of emotions, thoughts, and experiences that you have buried deep within your subconscious mind. This can be painful experiences, PTSD, or past life experiences. You cannot recall them easily. All of your unseen body is affecting your physical body . The most subtle layer of you is your divine self, the wise and intelligent self. If you want to lose weight, you have to consider making your unseen body healthier. You have to find a way to have balanced emotions, positive thoughts, and strong moral values. If you can do that, your physical body will respond by becoming healthier automatically. Losing and maintaining weight loss will become almost effortless, like being on cruise control. 3. Your Weight Loss Goal: Rethink what your goal is with weight loss. Is it really about losing weight or is it about becoming healthy and fit? You can lose weight by falling sick, losing muscle mass, and bone density. Is that going to make you, a healthier you? Let the Holistic You (seen and unseen parts of you) figure out the best weight for you. You focus on being healthy and fit. The extremely subtle part of your Holistic You is very intelligent and smart. It knows what the best weight you need to have to be healthy and fit for your life journey is. Look at the bodies of Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, and Parmahansa Yogananda. 4. Like Energy Attracts Like Energy: In the world of energy, like energy attracts like energy. If you are holding a lot of negative emotions, negative thoughts, and unresolved experiences, you are holding DENSE energy. This energy is vibrating at a low frequency. You will attract food and drinks that are vibrating at low frequencies. You will have to put in a lot of willpower to keep away from junk food and drinks. Junk food and drinks are vibrating at low frequencies. The day your willpower is low, you will fall back to eating junk food. That is why sustaining lost weight, in the long run, is so difficult. You have to get your energy cleansed and learn ways to keep your energy clean. As an experienced energy healer, I can definitely tell you that it is paramount to get your energy cleansed as frequently as you can afford it . The more negative energies you store, the more prone you are to weight issues, health issues, and feeling unfulfilled, and unhappy. If your energy is vibrating at higher frequencies, it is almost effortless to attract healthy foods and drinks. You will naturally gravitate away from eating junk food. Like Energy attracts Like Energy is a scientific truth and a spiritual truth. This to me is the secret of maintaining a long-term healthy and fit body. I offer free 30 minutes consultation if you would like to discuss your weight loss goals and learn more about our program. You can send me email at info@karuna-healing.com or contact me via my website , Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Karuna! Karuna Jain, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Karuna Jain is a certified Life Coach, Hypnotherapist, Energy Healer, Past Life Regression therapist, and Corporate speaker. She combines science and spirituality in her work. She conducts classes on various topics including teaching Reiki healing. Her clients are global. She is into metaphysics, multi-dimensional realities, consciousness expansion, reincarnation, soul integration, and meditation. She is very passionate about empowering people to take care of their own health. Teaching and sharing knowledge is her major life mission. Her emphasis is on healing the mind and body through Universal Compassion. Her Mission: To assist her clients to reach their goals in a loving, compassionate, non-judgmental environment using the best of eastern and western methods of natural mind-body healing modalities.

Written by: Mallory Meyer, 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 may be someone who keeps saying you want 5-10k income months... YET have a hard time maintaining and sustaining this level of income, without self-sabotaging. When clients come to work with me, you don’t just make an extra 5-10K one month and that’s that It’s new and your nervous system usually has a bit of a freak-out. Because here's the thing though ‒ PREPARING to leave a corporate job, on paper, can make sense. However, through personally navigating this, my internal experience with my subconscious beliefs and nervous system were deeply desiring SAFETY. As human's we're hardwired around safety, connection, and validation... EVEN if it's not serving us. So TWO things to consider if you've been unable to achieve four to five-figure income months for yourself: 1. Your nervous system likely isn't regulated to the level of wealth you want. If you don't regulate your nervous system, our brain, our body, will actually think it's unsafe to manifest more money. A few ways we regulate your nervous system in working together is thru.. Hypnotherapy Emotional Freedom Technique Time Technique Subliminals Mindset Coaching 2. You aren't clear what this money will do for you. How will you manage, spend and invest this money? What will having 5-10K do for you... do for your business, your life. What's the state it is providing... that you are seeking external of you? These are 2 ways that you are blocking yourself from manifesting more money. Check in with yourself ‒ if you desire to invite in a product suite that offers a high-ticket transformational offer ‒ do you not feel good enough OR does it not resonate, because it's not for you? Offering you the principles, identity, behaviours, accountability, and steps to integrate the mindset, skillset and toolkit to sign your first, or next, high-ticket client. Drop the affirmations, get clarity, and regulate your nervous system, to hold the level of wealth you desire. To learn more about the opportunity to work with me, follow the links below to my social media account. Follow me on Instagram, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Mallory! Mallory Meyer, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Mallory Meyer is a Reiki Master, Medium, Cosmic Channel, and certified Life and Success Coach, NLP, TIME, EFT, and Hypnotherapy Practitioner incorporating Trauma-Sensitive practices into her business. Weaving the metaphysical with the physical, the soul, and strategy, with intuitive transformational coaching and manifestation, to bring forward your reality at a quantum level. Mallory helps spiritual entrepreneurs build a profitable and aligned business that's sustainable in success in her 8-week online course and mastermind.

Written by: Laura Di Franco, 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. Ultimately, you define success. But most business owners I know include a particular number in their bank account in that definition and feel like a failure if they don’t reach it. Those of us type-A, action-taker-achievers have a little PTSD over it when we haven’t hit the numbers goal for the year. I feel you. And there’s a much better, more authentic, high-vibe way to strategize your success (and keep calm) for the long game. You’ll need a ninja-level mindset and five strategies that not only build your business but also the community around your business that will be why you enjoy success. The Necessary Mindset A quick note on the mindset: If you want to earn seven figures or beyond next year, you’ll have to train your brain for a seven-figure mindset. Earners in the seven and eight-figure brackets are not pacing their office, worried about hiring the next virtual assistant. They’re making investments that serve a bigger vision. They aren’t sweating the details and daily tasks; they’re delegating and keeping themselves the face of their business. And they certainly aren’t sitting paralyzed by how their credit card debt reflects on their worthiness. Time to hit that upper limit problem you’re creating in your own mind and bust through. Mindset is the foundation of everything you’ll create. Here are five better business strategies for authentic, long-game success. 5 Long-Game Strategies Better Networking If you’re not out there networking in new groups and creating awesome relationships that turn into partnerships and deals, you’re not in the right group yet. Challenge yourself to find groups (and disqualify current groups that aren’t working) more aligned with your vision and values this year. Virtual Community Building Events Your podcast is cool, but what about a community-building talk show that helps you build relationships, not just subscribers? How about providing events that pay forward regular value and build the know-love-trust you need with your audience? A Collaborative Book Project You know a book builds your authority, but what about a collaboration with a launch team of 100s or 1000s that helps you share your brand, business, and message in a much bigger and community-building way? This is not a typical anthology. It’s a business-building project that serves you well beyond the launch. Better Partnerships 15. It takes energy and effort to build relationships. It will take an other-level effort to create partnerships that serve both parties, but it will be so worth the effort. What would it mean to take some of your best relationships to another level this year? What collaborations or partnerships would help you and your partner grow? Genuine Caring and Compassion It seems like a no-brainer, but where is your own energy and intention in your business regarding caring? Do you feel genuine caring, compassion, and empathy for others? Is the fire of passion for other people alive in your belly? Because it’s people who make your business grow. It matters whether or not you actually care about them and show it. How will you infuse yourself and your business with that energy this year? After serving my community of over 600 authors, there’s one thing I know for sure: we’re waking the world up to what’s possible because the community is the focus. My vision is big enough that others have it, too, and want to help me achieve it. The brave, amazing human beings who’ve come into our world are the heart and soul of the business—they're the reason we exist and are excited to grow and serve every day. Here’s to that kind of success for every one of you in the New Year! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or visit my website for more info! Read more from Laura! Laura Di Franco, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Laura Di Franco, CEO of Brave Healer Productions, is an award-winning publisher and specializes in publishing and business strategy for holistic health and wellness professionals. She has 30-years of expertise in holistic physical therapy, 14 years of training in the martial arts, and her company has published over 50 Amazon bestselling books. She's a spoken-word poet, lover of dark chocolate, and has a contagious passion for helping you share brave words that build your business. BraveHealer.com

Written by: Angela Scaperlanda Bujan, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Two essentials for lifelong learning – openness, to remain teachable and opportunities to learn. In life’s classroom, there are endless possible teachers and lessons to learn. Nature itself is one of our wisest instructors, offering inspiring lessons freely to anyone who cares to learn. We must stay alert, pay attention, take the initiative, and be prepared to leverage the opportunities that come our way. Among other resources and tools offered, as a college student or young professional, you may be fortunate enough to be assigned a mentor who has experience in your field. My humble advice – take advantage of these opportunities and learn as much as you can from people willing to share their experiences! How do you make the most of your mentorship relationship? Before you meet with your mentor… 10 quick tips to help open yourself to learning and maximize this opportunity 1. Take time to dream, not just plan As the saying goes “to live it you must dream it first”. Imagine what your future might look like. Dream about your future career – what do you hope to be doing in five years. Ask questions such as, what gives meaning to your life?; what drives and/or motivates you?; what unique background, knowledge, skills, and gifts do you bring?; and what knowledge/skills do you hope to acquire/develop? 2. Write about your “wonderings” Sort through what you already know and make a list of questions you are wondering about regarding your future, including your future career. Review your list, expanding, combining, and grouping your questions into related, logical order. 3. Do research about your mentor To maximize your time together, find out what you can about your mentor’s experience, current and past work experiences, skills, and interests. Then add to your list of relevant questions things you would like to learn about your mentor, while remaining open to questions that will come up in your meeting that you do not even know yet to ask. When you meet with your mentor… 4. Be gracious and respectful Thank your mentor for taking the time to work with you. People are often willing to “go the extra mile” or go out of their way to help others, especially when they feel appreciated and get a sense that their investment of time will be put to good use. 5. Show interest in the mentor’s work and life When you are trying to figure out your own future, it is natural to want to focus on your goals and aspirations or to steer the conversation to what is directly relevant to you. Set your own agenda aside for a few minutes and take time to listen to your mentor with genuine interest. Then you can make a common connection to your own interests and target areas that are most directly relevant to you. 6. Ask your questions without worry One of the greatest things about mentor relationships is you do not always have to “be on”. While you want to be respectful and professional, you are not at a job interview. You are trying to form a trusting, safe space to seek guidance. After establishing a solid connection, it’s okay to express your doubts, uncertainties, and areas where you have the most need for growth. 7. Take notes During your conversation, ideally, new ideas will spark. Your mentor may provide suggested leads for you to follow up on or classes s/he strongly recommends you take. Write down everything during your meeting that you want to remember. Your mentor will appreciate your diligence and visibly see the impact his or her words are having. Also, take note of the best way to communicate with your mentor and how often you plan to meet. After you meet with your mentor… 8. Keep the learning momentum moving Distance runners often say the hardest mile to run is the first one, while their muscles are still warming up. Metaphorically, you’re already warmed up, so keep going so you don’t have to start all over again. Review your notes and follow up on any action steps quickly. Some leads may take time to generate, so the sooner you get started, the better. 9. Keep working toward greater clarity After asking your questions and discussing your goals, you hopefully will have a clearer picture of the future you would like to build. Mentally fill in details on goals, including potential timelines. Identify any gaps or new questions that arise. As you continue to refine your list of questions, you will move from general to more specific, leading you to greater clarity on your future study and/or career plans. 10. Keep in regular contact with your mentor Whether or not the leads pan out, your mentor will be interested in your progress. Keep him or her apprised of your plans, opportunities, classes, and even obstacles as you proceed. Your mentor may see opportunities or have suggestions you didn’t think to ask. No matter how experienced you become, you can continually seek out people, resources, and experiences that will help you grow. If you keep your heart humble, your mind open, and your senses alert, you will find endless new learning opportunities. Follow me on LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Angela! Angela Scaperlanda Bujan, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Angela Scaperlanda Bujan, MA, is a bilingual certified spiritual director, coach, facilitator, retreat leader, speaker, writer, editor, and organizational consultant. As founder of HELP Professional Services LLC, Angela sought to establish a unique organization centered around helping individuals, groups, and other organizations become who they are meant to be. Her unique background in intercultural communication, business, and spirituality has allowed her the opportunity to work with individuals and organizations across countries, sectors, and organizational levels. She brings her professional skills, fluency in Spanish, intercultural expertise, solid spiritual base, and relevant life experiences to the table. Angela has over 25 years of experience working with local, national, and international clients. This background allows her to listen for, observe, and understand the diverse needs of individuals, groups, communities, and organizations. Each presentation, retreat, workshop, and session is tailored to meet the current needs of the people with whom she has the privilege to work. Angela actively seeks and works toward establishing an integrative life that allows her to invest a substantial portion of her time and talent building her family as well as building HELP Professional Services. She is constantly amazed at the lessons she learns as a wife and mother, that she can apply to her work and those from work that benefit her family

Written by: Juan C. Olmedo, 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. Farmers Insurance Group was founded in 1928 and has since grown to be one of the largest insurance providers in the United States. The company offers a variety of insurance products, including auto, home, life, and business insurance. With a passion for helping others and a mind for business, becoming a Farmers Insurance agent may be the perfect career choice for you. As a Farmers Insurance agent, you'll have the opportunity to work with a variety of clients to help them select the insurance policies that best fit their needs. You'll also be able to build your own business while receiving support from Farmers Insurance. This is the journey of a woman of faith, mother, wife, and entrepreneur looking to breakthrough her purpose, stereotypical barriers, and leave a legacy for the history books. Rosa Olmedo has come into the Farmers Insurance Agency owner family in 2022 and has already been making a name for herself with in the company brand. After years of co-founding start-up businesses alongside legendary husband, Juan C. Olmedo, and being a full-time mother to 3 children, Nicholas, Noah, and Anissa, Rosa decided to take the leap into her own entrepreneurship journey and become a Farmers Insurance agency owner. It has been a decision that has changed her life – and the lives of her family. For Rosa, it was always about more than just developing products and selling and on-boarding clients. She was driven by a higher purpose – to help people protect what matters most to them. As a mother and wife, she knows firsthand how important it is to have peace of mind in knowing that your loved ones are taken care of financially if something happens to you. The process of becoming an insurance agent is not as complicated as one might think. There are a few steps that must be completed to obtain an insurance license, but once those are finished, an individual can begin working for an agency or even start their own business. For those looking to begin a career in insurance, the first step is to obtain an insurance license. The requirements for this vary by state, but generally include taking and passing an exam. Once the license has been obtained, the next step is finding employment with an insurance agency. Many agencies, such as Farmers Insurance, offer training programs to help new agents get started in the business. Farmers insurance agents are some of the most dedicated and hardworking people in the industry. They work long hours, often in difficult conditions, to make sure that their clients are protected. Becoming a Farmers insurance agent is not an easy task. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to succeed. However, the rewards of being a Farmers insurance agent are great. The journey hasn't been easy for Rosa, but it has been incredibly rewarding. Rosa has had to put in long hours and make sacrifices, but she wouldn't have it any other way. She's proud to be a businesswoman and an example for other women of faith who are looking to pursue their dreams. In conclusion, starting any business is an exciting and rewarding journey, but it can be overwhelming. With the right resources and support, you can make it a success. If you are interested in a career as a Farmers Agent or Agency Owner, Don’t hesitate to reach out to Rosa Olmedo, for information and advice when you’re first getting started – there are plenty of qualified professionals ready to help. With their guidance, your dream of owning a business can become a reality! Take the leap today and start your journey towards business ownership. You won’t regret it! Rosa’s agency is located in Corona, CA, and serves the Inland Empire with all of Farmers Insurance products. Rosa is dedicated to her work while her family watches with admiration. Rosa’s agency may be contacted at: Rosa Olmedo Insurance Agency Inc, 951-444-7055. https://agents.farmers.com/ca/corona/rosa-olmedo SourceID=AMPALFGMAG&utm_source=GMB&utm_medium=Local Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Juan! Juan C. Olmedo, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Juan C. Olmedo, is a Latino Tech Entrepreneur, High Performance Coach, & CEO of Nevtis Companies. Entrepreneur-minded since the age of 15, started first official business at 22 years of age and grew it to a $2 Million dollar a year company with 20 employees. Started subsequent business tech business at 25 and sold it just 5 years later. Have since started or invested in 6 other companies ranging from tech, telecom, construction, insurance, and digital marketing with a combined employment of 80 full time staff. Currently CEO at Nevtis Corp, a UCaaS Software provider. Being through virtually every stage of starting, and scaling million dollar companies, Mr. Olmedo uses his acquired knowledge of almost 20 years.

Gayle Terzis is an Executive & Career Coach and the Founder of Boost Up. After ten years in the banking sector, Gayle decided to take the leap and shift her life entirely! She found her true vocation: Career coaching! Her mission today is to offer professionals what she wishes someone would have offered her years ago: She wants to help them connect with their better-self, reach their full potential, and achieve meaningful career goals faster, while having a balanced, happy, and productive life. Gayle Terzis, Executive & Career Coach and Founder of Boost Up Introduce yourself! Please tell us about you and your life, so we can get to know you better. Hi, I’m Gayle, Executive & Career Coach and Founder of Boost up. I am an ICF certified Executive & Leadership Coach, a Firework Licensed Career Coach, and a DISC Certified Trainer with a background in Banking. I have an MBA from École Supérieure Des Sciences Économiques et Commerciales – ESSEC, Paris. After my MBA, I thought I knew exactly what I wanted my career to look like. I got into banking in Paris, London, then Beirut. I used to work long hours with the tunnel vision of maintaining the life I had designed for myself. In the meantime, I fell in love, got married and had my first beautiful child. At this time, things started to change; I started feeling that my job in banking was lacking meaning and purpose, and I became less happy at work. Wanting to make a difference, and at the same time experiencing myself a turning point, made me reconsider my career objectives. I wanted to find a job with a purpose that would be whole heartedly mine, and that I would be passionate about. Coaching, as a profession, perfectly responded to my aspirations; I found it to be my calling. As soon as I came to that realization, I resigned from my old job and enrolled to the ICF Executive & Leadership Coaching certification program! And that is how, in a matter of months, I completely shifted my career path: from Banking to Executive coaching. Soon after these big changes, my husband and I welcomed our second handsome baby boy into our happy family. Today, I live in Luxembourg – where I founded my coaching firm: Boost up. My career fits my life perfectly; I have achieved the balance that I was seeking, and I feel so grateful. My goal now is to help wonderful people do the same and take charge of their careers by redesigning it their way to achieve the success they, in turn, seek! What is your business name and how do you help your clients? My business’ name is Boost up and it specializes in executive and career coaching. My mission is to help ambitious career-minded professionals connect with their better-selves. This will help them reach their full potential and achieve meaningful goals faster, while having a balanced, healthy, happy, and productive life. I make sure my client’s personal values are aligned with the work/life balance they have always dreamed of. My coaching programs consist of one-on-one intensive coaching sessions that are 100% personalized: Through the Boost up journey, I help clients redesign their careers in a way that is absolutely right for them & that offers them a long-term sense of purpose & fulfillment. Through the Executive à la carte, I help them develop leadership & management skills, such as effectiveness as a leader, communication skills, and strategic thinking, to build their potential. Having worked for over 10 years in the banking sector, I know the corporate & the business worlds by heart. I have closely interacted with different professionals: co-workers, clients, and high management. So, when I listen to clients, I completely understand their struggles and I help them find the best journey for them based on my personal experience. What kind of audience do you target your business towards? I help mid-level professionals find clarity by identifying the exact steps they need to follow to reach their short & long-term career goals faster, without sacrificing a healthy work/life alignment. Boost up services are addressed to ambitious career-minded professionals at a turning point in their lives who are looking to redesign meaningful career goals and reach their full potential faster. My audience is defined as such: Career-minded professionals who are shifting their employment status from employed to independent or vice-versa. These professionals are stuck in their jobs and are unsatisfied at work. They feel overwhelmed or unfulfilled and are either burned-out, bored-out or brown-out. They might be in misalignment with their working environment and their co-workers. In general, they are looking for more meaning in their lives. Striving entrepreneurs looking to redesign their business and enhance their working life. They want to grow faster by working on their productivity, their teams, and their leadership skills. High-achievers looking to boost their leadership skills leading to exciting career opportunities. They want to work on their executive skills to climb the corporate ladder faster and explore new options. Aspirational mothers or fathers looking for a new work/life structure to secure a sustainable guilt-free career. They need to redesign their careers on their own terms and are searching for more balance. They want to ensure a successful career while being a super parent. What are your current goals for your business? My goals for my business are to keep on growing, and making a difference in my client’s lives. I aim to serve the biggest number of clients possible through diverse services by offering each client the best formula to help him reach his ambition. What would you like to achieve for yourself and your business in the future? I want to keep growing and developing myself and my business. Learning and sharing are part of my journey. My vision is to make coaching more accessible to everyone, anytime, anywhere. Who inspires you to be the best that you can be? My grandmother is an inspiration to me. She used to be a businesswoman and she managed the assets of her family in a patriarchal culture, at a time where it was not common for a woman to be in such a position. All the while, she was a young widow raising four children alone. She is the perfect example of resilience, for me. She had a vision that guided her through difficulties, but most importantly, she had confidence in herself and in a better future. What is your work inspired by? My early inspiration for the company came from my background as a banker, where I spent hours at the office climbing my way up the corporate ladder and struggling to fulfill the unrealistic work-life balance expectations that I experienced as a new mom. I also started realizing that a lot of people at work around me such as co-workers, stakeholders, and clients were also unsatisfied by the work/life imbalance they found themselves in. Wanting to make a difference and becoming increasingly dissatisfied myself with the situation, made me reconsider my career objectives. I wanted to find more meaning. It was then that I decided to redesign my career on my terms and started my journey in coaching. Soon after, I became an ICF Certified Executive & Leadership coach and a Career coach. In retrospect, looking back to how I felt and what I needed at that time, I realize, that Career Coaching was the solution that would have helped me find answers faster and accelerate my career transition and progression. Through Boost up, I decided to offer what I wished someone could have offered me back then. Tell us about your greatest career achievement so far. I consider that my greatest achievement so far was getting out of my comfort zone and leaving my corporate job. Undertaking this generative change in a new direction led me to set up my coaching business and become an entrepreneur. If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why? I would help build more awareness about the many benefits of coaching in general, and the importance of well-being and taking care of our mental health at work. Tell us about a pivotal moment in your life that brought you to where you are today. My oldest son turning three and the guilt of missing great moments with him was the pivotal moment in my life that brought me to where I am today. His third birthday was the turning point in my life that led me to change the direction of my career and be where I am today; a happy fulfilled mom and businesswoman who has the perfect work/life balanced, that I have always dreamed of! GET STARTED: 👉🏻 Check out my website for more info: https://www.boostupcoaching.com/en/ 👉🏻 Book your FREE Career Boost Session 👉🏻 Send me a DM on INSTAGRAM or LINKEDIN 👉🏻 contact me HERE: hello@boostupcoaching.com Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Gayle!

Written by: Jeff Altman, 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. Have you ever been in the position of having to negotiate or renegotiate your salary? Whether you’re starting a new job or asking for a raise at your current firm, the process can be intimidating and invoke fear. After all, you’re asking for a higher salary, and believe that means you need to be able to justify your request. But what happens if your salary negotiation fails? Here are five things to do if your salary negotiation fails. From taking time to reflect, to continuing to network and practice negotiation skills, these tips will help you get back on track and prepare for a successful negotiation next time. Ask for Feedback Asking for feedback can provide you with valuable insights into a company's thought process, budget constraints, or other factors that may have influenced the decision including financial problems a firm is having. Don’t you want to know about a firm’s financial problems before joining instead of after? I remember when I was still doing searches, I did a negotiation for a person I referred to a client. I made a strong case for why my client should increase their offer. “He wants to join, but you are $15000 under the market for her,” I told them. ‘These are very hot skills.’ “Jeff, we just received information from the CFO about a hiring freeze about to be implemented because of trading losses. I got the OK to keep this offer active, but they cut it back from what I recommended.” She and I agreed that this was not the time to join this firm. Take Time to Reflect First, take time to reflect on the situation. In most cases, if your salary negotiation fails, it’s not because you did something wrong. It’s because the hiring manager wasn’t able to offer you more. That doesn’t mean they don’t want you or don’t value your skills or experience. Sometimes, decisions like these are out of their control. Most importantly, taking time to reflect will help you stay calm and avoid making rash decisions that will only cause you to devolve into a spiral. Upon reflection, did you miss cues that signaled you discussed this at the wrong time or, if this was for a job offer, that you were not speaking with the real decision maker? Were they mentally present or seemed distracted? Did you lack leverage and seem like you were begging? There are many variables that can affect whether you can get the salary you believe you deserve. The more you can understand the situation, the better prepared you’ll be to move forward and use your experience to have a successful salary negotiation next time. Gather Data and Resources The next thing you should do if your salary negotiation fails is to gather data and find resources that will help you understand why this happened. Was it because you didn’t know how to properly negotiate your salary? Was it because you didn’t have enough data on the company you interviewed with or work for to understand how they operate? There are many reasons why a salary negotiation may fail. But the first step toward becoming a better negotiator is understanding where things broke down that were in your control. It is not unusual to feel like you now have too much information. Yet gathering it can help you identify ways to prepare better for future negotiations and help find levers to use the next time. One obvious example is if you gather data that shows the average salary for your work in your industry is $170,000, but you are currently being offered $145,000, you can use that information in your negotiations. Try Negotiating Non-Salary Compensation Try to negotiate other forms of compensation instead of salary because they come from different parts of a firm’s budget. Are they willing to give you a sign-on bonus? How about additional vacation time? Can you get stock options or RSUs (restricted stock units)? What about a flexible work arrangement that doesn’t require you to be in the office as much? Can you persuade them to increase the professional development budget for you if you can’t get them to increase the salary? Many of these are negotiable for you as an employee as well as for someone who is considering accepting a job offer. Network or Continue to Network Many people think that if their salary negotiation fails, it’s time to give up and stop networking. But the truth is, networking is even more important after a salary negotiation fails. Instead of networking to find a new job, focus on networking to find resources that will help you understand why your salary negotiation failed. Reach out to former colleagues and mentors and ask if they can recommend any books or other resources that can help you better understand negotiating salaries and the factors that affect them. Get introduced to a coach with whom you can debrief and do a post-mortem of what happened to see what you could have done differently. Remember if you failed to get what you wanted from your current employer, you can also network with people to find a better job. After all, people you know can introduce you to people they know whom you don’t know and who can provide introductions to people at another firm. Practice or Continue to Practice Your Negotiating Skills Continue to practice negotiating. After all, you will get into negotiating situations in the future. Read books, and articles, as well as watch videos about the topic. There are many salary negotiation books and videos that can help you better understand the process and help you succeed the next time. There are also attend seminars, workshops, and online courses about salary negotiation. Many local universities and community colleges offer these types of programs. Keep an eye out for opportunities from professional groups and associations you are members of. Stay Positive. Keep Moving Forward No matter what happens, stay positive and move forward. One of the most important things you can do after a salary negotiation fails is to keep a positive attitude. Negotiating a salary increase whether at your current firm or at a company you are thinking of joining is normal. You may feel bad that you didn’t get everything you want or anything you wanted above what you were initially offered. However, you’re not the first person to experience this and you won’t be the last. If your salary negotiation fails, don’t allow your mind to run wild with self-criticism. After all, if you are like most people, you didn’t have a lot of experience negotiating salary and they did. Look at it as a learning experience and use it to prepare for your next time. As I’ve said many times, the skills needed to find a job are different from those needed to do a job. For most people, negotiating is a skill with which they have little experience. You are often going up against people who do it frequently and have heard every story imaginable for why they should increase the offer. Like interviewing, salary and total compensation negotiations are things you do infrequently. Don’t hesitate to try to reengage in the negotiation even after they’ve said, “No,” to you. Sometimes, they’ll concede something to you because they just want this to come to an end. Sometimes, they still won’t budge. And if all else fails, try saying, “I’d really like to join. It’s a great opportunity. I like the manager and the team a lot and the team seems terrific. (Pause. Look them in the eye and say) Can you do a touch better?” I don’t know what a touch better specifically means but often it sounds so trivial that a firm concedes and increases its salary offer. That’s what you want. Follow Jeff on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or visit his website for more info! Read more from Jeff! Jeff Altman, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter, is a career and leadership coach who helps people with their careers, including job search, hiring more effectively, managing and leading, and resolving workplace-related issues while being the person they want to be in life. He has written 9 books and guides to job search and hiring, including "The Ultimate Job Interview Framework" and "The Right Answers to Tough Interview Questions." He is the host of No BS Job Search Advice Radio, the 1 podcast in Apple Podcasts for job search with more than 2100 episodes, as well as JobSearchTV.com on YouTube, Amazon, Roku, Apple TV, and 90+ smart sets. Jeff works with clients worldwide and is a popular speaker.

Diane is a Licensed Psychotherapist, Psychic Medium, Certified Feng Shui Master, and Medical Intuitive. She has been tested for accuracy. After working in the nursing field as an LPN for 13 years, she returned to college and received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa. She then went on to earn her Master's (MSW) with a Major in Clinical and a Minor in Research, both from the University of Connecticut. She is licensed by State examination as an LCSW. In 2005 she founded Elemental Empowerments, LLC. She is noted in the book “The Top 100 Psychics and Astrologers in America.” She is one of the most well-researched psychics In North America. Diane Hiller, Psychic Medium Introduce yourself! Please tell us about you and your life, so we can get to know you better. I was born on a 7th generation family farm in Fairfield County, Connecticut. . It is still there as a little piece of old Americana. I am the oldest of 3 children. I prefer to keep my private life just that, personal. Over time I had just about every kind of pet. When I was a child, I had an Irish Setter named, Coleef, later a Black Labrador called Aselin, and a Cocker Spaniel named Jethro. My hobbies include gardening, and I love plants indoors and outdoors. I love music, and I am a real film buff. I love to play chess. I like interior design and Feng Shui as both a vocation and an avocation. I used to read all the time, but now, I am more into practice. I like to meditate and can cook and bake quite well, but I only sometimes make time for it. My intense dislikes include motorcycles, most country and rap music, and instruction manuals. Just shoot me; I am not very patient with that sort of thing. What is your business name, and how do you help your clients? My business name is Elemental Empowerments, LLC. I came up with it while I was studying Feng Shui. It, in essence, refers to the cycle of the five elements: water, wind, earth, fire, and metal. This five-element cycle is also noteworthy in the I Ching (pronounced Yi-Jing), the oldest divination system in the world, Acupuncture, healing, and Chinese herbal medicine. Carl Jung translated the I Ching into English in the Wilhelm Barnes edition. I once memorized all the trigrams. I can still name their meaning by number. I liked the alliteration of the name. Now it has expanded even more into my work, which is fundamentally helping people find answers to their life path, current issues, and healing. Although I continue to hold licensure as an LCSW, I work primarily as a Psychic Medium, Psychic, Medical Intuitive, and Feng Shui Master. What would you like to achieve for yourself and your business? I am a life learner, and where I am today is the result of three career changes. I can now, in retrospect, see how they all culminated with what I do now. I want to teach more about my skills, whether through writing or some other forum. It is outside the box and poorly understood. I want to be a part of bringing more integrity to the field. What is your work inspired by? My work is a calling inspired by the spiritual realm. I see religion as a bridge to the spiritual. I do believe we are “spiritual beings having a human experience.” If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why? Credibility. Period. Tell us about a pivotal moment in your life that brought you to where you are today. There have been so many that it is hard to pin down just one. I started as a nurse. The LPN program was 52 weeks, five days a week, four months classroom, and eight months clinical rotation, which I did at Bridgeport Hospital. I later went back to obtain my Master’s in Social Work with a major in clinical and a minor in research. I was licensed by state examination as an LCSW. My interest in spirituality, metaphysics, and the world of eastern and western philosophy has been there since I was a young child. The psychic gifts run in the family on the maternal side for five generations. I will do an article on the multiple pivotal moments and Synchronicities around them. You can also listen to my radio interview. Click here. Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Diane!

Written by: Kamini Wood, 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. While a certain amount of stress may be productive because it pushes us to reach our goals, ongoing or excessive stress can hold us back and harm our health. According to the American Institute of Stress, 73 percent of people in the United States regularly experience mental and emotional symptoms caused by stress, such as moodiness, anxiety, depression, irritability, aggression, etc. At the same time, 77 percent of survey participants often experience physical symptoms of stress including low energy, insomnia, low libido, aches, pains, etc. But stress is not simply a feeling; if you neglect it, it affects every aspect of your life. However, the good news is that we have a wide variety of tools to cope with stress available today. Among the most effective methods for reducing stress are mindfulness meditation practices. What is Mindfulness Meditation? Mindfulness represents our ability to focus and be fully present in the existing moment, without interpreting end self-judging our own emotions and thoughts. Research shows that mindfulness exercises can alleviate stress-related symptoms and promote relaxation. Mindfulness has proven to be a powerful method for reducing stress because it can improve our mood, boost our resilience and improve our memory and focus. Also, practiced through meditation, mindfulness can help us become aware of our self-critical thoughts that often trigger a stress response. What is more, research indicates that regular mindfulness exercise can reduce activity in the part of the brain’s stress response center amygdala, consequently decreasing the background level of stress. 4 Mindful Ways to Reduce Stress Common mindfulness exercises are most commonly practiced through meditation. However, mindfulness ways to reduce stress may also include mindful breathing, mindful physical activity, yoga, or mindful body scan. 1. Mindful Breathing Mindful breathing is one of the simplest exercises to reduce stress. When we experience stress, our breathing patterns change. When we feel anxious, we usually take small, shallow breaths, using our shoulders rather than the diaphragm. Mindful breathing can help you relax and relieve tension. To relieve stress, you can try some deep breathing techniques such as progressive relaxation, abdominal breathing, and guided visualization. 2. Mindful Exercise and Yoga When you are engaging in any other form of physical activity, pay attention to your movements, breathing, and your surroundings. You can also practice mindfulness integrated into regular yoga practice can boost your awareness and increase mental clarity. 3. Body Scan Body scan exercises are done by comfortably sitting or lying down. You gradually focus your attention on one body part at a time, noticing sensations without interpreting or reacting to them. 4. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a flexible approach to stress reduction. MBSR is an evidence-based group program that was developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn in the 1970s to help patients struggling with mental illness and life challenges. It comprises two main components: mindfulness meditation and yoga. MBSR is an eight-week individualized approach that is often different for every person. However, the mindfulness-based stress reduction approach is always based on the same set of principles. When integrated into existing medical and/or psychological treatment, MBSR has proven to effectively increase the results of the treatment of anxiety and panic attacks, fatigue, depression, eating disorders, sleep problems, family, work, and financial stress, and many other conditions Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or visit my website for more info! Read more from Kamini! Kamini Wood, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Kamini Wood is the founder and CEO of Live Joy Your Way and the AuthenticMe® RiseUp program. An international best-selling author Kamini is driven to support people of all ages to heal their relationship with themselves and to stop outsourcing their self-worth. As a result, her clients become their own confident, resilient self-leader with healthier relationships. Kamini is a certified life coach, board-certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners, holds specialty certifications in Calling in the One®, Conscious Uncoupling®, NewMoney Story®, and teen life coaching. Also trained in conscious parenting, Kamini aims to meet her clients where they are, supporting and guiding them on their journey to where they want to be, both personally and professionally. Her mission: create space for each person to see the unique gifts they bring to this world.

Written by: Marguerite Thibodeaux, 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. No one loves annual performance management conversations. In most cases, they are an exercise in creating paper trails, wasting everyone’s time, and have absolutely no impact on performance. The reality is that continuous support of your team’s professional development may be the most important part of your team's long-term success and growth, and it doesn’t happen during the annual performance review. Like working out, you don’t get sustainable results from going once a year. Instead, working out regularly over a long period of time, even in short sessions, builds muscle. The same principle applies to professional development. It's better done incrementally, in short sessions throughout the year, rather than in one long performance management conversation annually. Here are some tried and tested systems to help you continuously support your team's professional development. 1. Recurring one-on-one meetings To provide any development support at all, you need a space to do it. Schedule a recurring one-on-one with each teammate. Ask how things are going, if anything has changed or improved from your last one-on-one meeting, and if there’s any additional support they need from you as a leader. These sessions can take different forms, from formal one-on-one meetings to a casual chat over coffee. They can be weekly, biweekly or monthly, whatever works best as long as it’s regularly scheduled and that time is honored. Don’t be tempted to cancel or reschedule indefinitely. Canceling or indefinitely rescheduling can break down trust and make professional development even harder. 2. Single source of truth To support an ongoing conversation, you need a single source of truth, a space where both you and your teammate can refer to a plan, take running notes, and make adjustments throughout the year as needed. This single source of truth for each teammate should include: Running notes for one-on-ones Living Professional Development Plan 360 feedback quotes gathered throughout the year Link to a kanban board managing the team’s work and archivingachievements No need to duplicate a separate list of completed projects when you can link to an existing one Need help in creating your single source of truth? Click here for a template to get you started. 3. Co-create a Plan Co-creating a plan with your teammate helps build trust that will be critical for providing difficult feedback and collaborative brainstorming. Rather than telling your teammate how to set out in their career growth, co-creating a path forward benefits you as a leader: Learn about your teammate's less obvious interests and strengths Increase engagement from your teammate Gain long-term staffing insights seeing where your teammates are personally interested and headed If you're not sure how to co-create a plan, start by sharing this free professional development worksheet with your teammate. Ask them to complete it on their own first and bring it to your next one-on-one to discuss and refine. 4. Leadership updates Regular update senior leadership and your leadership peers on your team’s professional development progress. This has a two-fold positive impact: 1. Regularly celebrating your team’s wins helps them stay top of mind for performance reviews and new opportunities. 2. You are building credibility as a leader who can successfully develop talent, building your own brand. 5. Create an environment that encourages learning One of the ways you can create a safe space for professional development for your teammates is by creating an environment that encourages learning. Perhaps you can set up your office space in such a way that informal learning is encouraged, like placing books and tools where people can see them as they go about their day-to-day work. Or you can provide opportunities for employees to learn from one another. This could include team meetings, workshops, or even short impromptu brainstorming in a team standup. While these are a couple of ways to go about it, you can still get creative with other systems that can be just as effective. A quick browse through this article could help you get some ideas. About the Author: Marguerite Thibodeaux is an executive coach and talent management consultant dedicated to changing our relationship with work. Work should be a place where each of us gets to enjoy the challenge of contributing to something bigger than oneself. She focuses on helping leaders at all levels create habits, skills, and environments that empower teams to thrive. Every leader deserves support. Follow her on LinkedIn for leadership tips and discussions. Check out her website for free leadership resources like a Professional Development Roadmapping Worksheet and Attrition Risk Matrix. Want one-on-one adapting these strategies to your team? Book a complimentary call with Marguerite. Every leader deserves support Follow me on LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Marguerite! Marguerite Thibodeaux, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Marguerite Thibodeaux, an leadership coach and talent management consultant, helps leaders and organizations bring the best out of people with courage, compassion, and clarity. After building development programs and leading a talent transformation at a Fortune 100, she became increasingly aware that not all leaders had access to a Fortune 100 Learning & Development team. To do something about that, she started Magnanimous Leadership, a leadership coaching and consulting firm that's on a mission to make resources and support available to every leader.

Written by: Anna Krzysztoszek, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. A Japanese author Haruki Murakami wrote in one of his books “Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.” The difference between frustration and suffering may not be always crystal clear as we tend to push ourselves to accept the discomfort to avoid risk in work-related situations out of fear of losing a job. Pain and frustration are inevitable as any emotion. But it depends on us whether they turn into suffering or sickness if we stop listening to the messages pain and frustration try to deliver to our consciousness. Here are some points helping to recognize if frustration is turning into something more dangerous. 1. Time-related questions and responses to the thread While visiting a doctor some standard questions are being asked: Since when do you feel like that? How often do you feel like that? Every day or once a week? Under which circumstance does this frustration or feeling appear? Etc. The same or similar questions help us realize how serious work-related stress is. Are you frustrated or upset every day? Is it already 6 months since you started to feel that way? The longer and more frequent a job-related frustration is present, the higher the probability it could turn into something more serious which will drain you even more in the future. Human beings tend to have a flight, fight, or freeze response to threats. It means we escape, fight or hide from danger. Have you noticed an increase in any of these responses recently? Are you currently having more often fights at work than in the past? Do you prefer to keep silent during meetings although you utterly disagree with what is being said? If the answer to those and similar questions is positive, it is worth having a closer look if you are getting closer to a point that may be health-threatening. 2. Work environment and job profile Check if your frustration or discomfort is linked to your employer or rather to the job profile. Many of us choose the safe path and decide on a job that has been recommended to us by our parents or friends. Try to be clear about the source of your frustration as the solutions to it may vary depending on the trigger. In case it is the job profile itself, maybe it is possible to switch the business unit within the company. If it is something related to your supervisor, maybe it is worth checking if the branch can be changed, etc. 3. Balanced inner voice One of the reasons why we force ourselves to stay in jobs that make us sick could be a strong inner critique, claiming our impressions and feelings are not serious enough or exaggerated. Do some online research related to the transactional analysis model as a strong inner critic is usually related to the parent’s voice we know from the past. Try to find some space for your inner child and its needs as it restores an inner balance which is characteristic of the so-called adult state from the above-mentioned model. Embracing the inner child and regaining the adult state leads to a more harmonious approach to life where there is enough space for joy, and creativity while staying grounded. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Anna! Anna Krzysztoszek, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Anna Krzysztoszek has more than 20 years of international experience in business ‒ from large corporations to start-ups. She is the owner of Green Butterfly ‒ Coaching & Recruiting. The completion of her German and Dutch studies, her pedagogical education, the certificate of a Psychological Advisor and various business degrees, such as Master of Business Administration (MBA), reflect Anna's main focus and passion: combining her economical expertise with the always present interest in people and the art of making the best of our lives. This especially applies to professional matters ‒ after all, we spend a third of our life at our workplace.