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.

Written by: Anka Grzywacz, 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. Becoming a mother is a wonderful moment in your life, but sex often suffers. Whether it’s painful intercourse or lack or desire, some couples stop being intimate for months, or even years. Learn how to go back to good sex after baby and enjoy lovemaking again. Photo by Alex Green/Pexels What You’ll Learn: Most new moms don’t magically get back to great sex after baby. Tiredness and painful intercourse are one of the common reasons for the lack of interest in lovemaking. Relationship tensions may also contribute to intimate difficulties in couples. To get your sex drive back, you need to take care of your physical and mental wellbeing first. It’s such a paradox. Sex gets us into this world, one way or another. And yet, when the child arrives, what used to be fun can feel scary. You shouldn’t push yourself to go back to having sex after baby too soon. Learn how to make the transition easier and enjoy the intimate connection again. Sexual Problems Are Common Among New Moms Social media is full of picture perfect feeds of celebrities looking stunning and managing their home and baby effortlessly. But the harsh reality of early motherhood is different. And becoming a mother will have an impact on your sex life. Here are some examples I see in my sex coaching practice: Tiredness Before I had my own kid, I was not able to imagine the level of tiredness you reach in the first months after birth. You're exhausted from pregnancy and labor and instead of resting, you're on 24/7 duty. Lack of sleep can cause real health problems and you can feel down or depressed. Your body enters a survival mode and switches off unnecessary things, such as your sex drive. Photo by Letticia Massari/Pexels Painful Sex After Childbirth When I became a mom I lost my passion for watching horror movies. Maybe that's because I've experienced real life horrors myself ‒ nothing beats the fear of making that first poop after giving birth…or having that first intercourse. Your sexual organs and your belly have been through a lot. More than 30 % of new moms experience dyspareunia (painful intercourse) at three months postpartum. And the first time making love after having a baby can be painful or uncomfortable. The hormonal changes can also mess with your lubrication so you feel dry as a desert. Relationship Tensions Let's not kid ourselves ‒ when the little one comes, the relationship changes. And the first months, years even, are challenging for the couple. In a blink of an eye you go from being two lovebirds who had all the time in the world for romantic evenings to being a small family enterprise where every second counts. And the division of labor is rarely equal. While some couples thrive on makeup sex after a fight, this style is not sustainable in the long run. Intimacy needs trust and goodwill to last. Your Way Back to Good Sex After Baby Does it all mean that hope is lost and you can't have good sex after baby? Absolutely not! With some motivation and the right approach you can build the spark back. Note the word “build” here. Reclaiming your desire and joy of lovemaking is not an overnight job. Get ready for the long, steady run. Here's how to get going: It Starts With You Before you start making plans to build your own sex room next to the nursery, make sure you’re well taken care of first. Do a medical checkup to see if you have a green light for intercourse. Ask for blood work to make sure you're not low on vitamins and minerals. Replenish your body with healthy food and supplements. Drink lots of water and get enough rest. If you're in good health, chances are higher that you're enjoying the return to sex. Your mental condition is the second big key to success. If you've been feeling down and/or anxious for more than a few weeks, talk to a therapist to make sure you're not suffering from postpartum depression. By the way, if you have zero libidos, it could also be a sign that something is wrong. Photo by Anna Tarazevich/Pexels Mend Relationship Cracks Together Young parents often grow distant and talk only about daily responsibilities or problems. And good sex is all about connection. It's hard to give with an open heart if you hold so much resentment towards your partner. When you have a small child and are constantly tired and sleep deprived, your fights can quickly escalate. That's why the most effective option to bring harmony to your partnership is finding professional help. A couples’ counselor or therapist will help you resolve conflicts and learn how to improve communication. Opening The New Chapter in Your Sexual History When you're ready to awaken your intimacy again, remember one simple rule: expect the unexpected. It will be awkward at times and some disappointments are inevitable. Keep an open mind and be ready to fall and get up again. Plan for intimate moments and make them a priority. Invest in childcare, skip your favorite TV series to just be with your lover. Touch each other, kiss, massage, see them again as not only the parent but also as someone you love and desire. When all else fails, just laugh about it. It will get better. Let’s Talk. Mother To Mother Most couples manage to bring the fun times back to the bedroom eventually. But what if you've been trying and it's still not working? What if sex lost all its appeal and you treat it like a household chore? Let's talk. Woman to woman and mother to mother. As a sexologist and mom of a young child I understand the challenges of going back to intimacy after baby. My practical, tried and tested counseling program will guide you towards pleasure in bed. Book a free call today and I’ll explain how working with me can help you feel desired (and desired) again. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Anka! Anka Grzywacz, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Anka Grzywacz is a sexologist and Certified Sex Coach. In her online practice she specialized in helping women with low desire, orgasm problems, and intimacy after baby. In 2019 she presented her "Good Enough Sex" philosophy at TEDx Zurich. Back in her home country, Poland, she hosted a nationwide radio show on sexuality and relationships at TOK FM Radio. Anka started out as sex educator, working with teenagers, and a reproductive rights activist. Today, she is based in Zurich, Switzerland.

Written by: Chelsea Haines , 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 burnout has become somewhat of a buzzword recently, it remains a problem for high performers. As the year ends, what could be worse than blinking and realizing you've missed the vacation time you worked all year for because you have burnt yourself out ‒ so you spent your hard-earned free time on autopilot? When that vacation does roll around, you get to be present for every second of it and show up for 2023: ready, intentional, peaceful, and purposeful. This article will cover what to ask yourself to see if you are “burnt out” and the steps to stop burnout. Burnout: What is it? In one word: exhaustion. As someone who has experienced burnout, it is the kind of exhaustion that feels like no amount of sleep, rest or restoration can cure. You feel like anything and everything is just too much effort. Something as simple as feeding yourself or coffee with a friend seems like a chore ‒ and doing work ‒ well, that just feels impossible. Burnout is not a diagnosed condition, but psychologists theorize that anxiety and depression often preempt, cause, or are an effect of burnout. Studies are also showing that our gut health is directly and intimately related to our adrenal health through what is known as the HPA Axis. Chronic stress and high cortisol levels eventually lead to a complete depletion of these healthy stress hormones. Measuring burnout would look like a flatline of what should be a typical spike and curve of cortisol in our bloodstream. Just like most things, it's unique to everyone. People may experience burnout a little differently. Questions to ask in uncovering whether or not you're experiencing burnout: Is your productivity, creativity, and concentration at work at an all-time low? Do you feel constantly drained? Do you feel "numb"? Like you have little energy or enthusiasm even for things you used to love? Are you suffering from insomnia, headaches, muscle tension, a compromised immune system, gastrointestinal disorders, and any of the above? Anyone who has experienced any burnout spectrum will know what I mean when I say that there's a tiredness that goes beyond just your mind and body. Soul fatigue proves that our body, mind, and spirit are highly connected and influence our success. And in a world demanding us to "grind" our way to the top, it’s easy to experience this deep level of soul fatigue. The signs and symptoms of burnout overlap those of depression, anxiety, and mood disorders. Going to see a registered counselor, psychologist or coach should be a high performers' quarterly standard at the very least. Disclaimer aside ‒ the good news is that there are ways to stop that burnout from progressing. Or, if you realize you already are in a state of burnout, the great news is that my team at the Gut Health Agency and I can help by utilizing state-of-the-art, functional GI Map testing combined with trauma-informed subconscious therapy. Fun Fact: Burnout can start in the gut Let the following sentence empower you instead of scare you: Your mood, energy levels, immune system, and even how you treat others are all influenced by your gut. So it's not surprising that burnout can cause or negatively impact your gut health. The cycle is so vicious it's often unclear which causes which, but the cycle looks like this: You're stressed at work and need to put in more hours. Your sleep quantity and quality decrease, causing you to experience brain fog and thus require more working hours and, consequently ‒ less sleep. You start craving foods high in carbohydrates, and your body knows junk food is the best place to find that quick energy. You also have less time to prepare your food, so the amount of processed food you eat doubles. Eating only processed food leads to less helpful gut bacteria and a breeding frenzy for the unhelpful gut bacteria and, of course, good ol' inflammation. Without proper nutrition, your immune system suffers, and you get sick, causing you to miss work and get even more stressed. On top of that, you're constipated, constantly breaking out, and cranky with everyone. Does any of this sound familiar? Here are some steps that have worked for my clients and me: Get a burnout buddy This tip is rather unconventional on the high performers' list, but in a dog-eat-dog world, it's often every man for himself. Luckily, we are beginning to understand the power of community. A powerful tactic is to have a burnout buddy to keep you accountable each week. An accountability buddy will be someone you have a weekly check-in with to ensure you recover and decompress from the work week, find joy in what you do, and get help when you are not. Of course, when you sign up for our signature program , you now have access to a shortcut to these benefits. You also gain a community of like-minded women AND a Care Team of specialists checking in with you to keep you accountable. Rest Rituals: Having set habits and rituals feel intrinsically comforting. They remind us of a time when we had so many routines and rituals that we felt completely safe. This stability might not be everyone's reality, but many of us can think back to a time we felt truly safe and secure. Safe and secure is the opposite of burnout. We may feel overwhelmed like we're running to a goalpost we can't see and with an unknown end date. We can create that sense of safety and security. Best of all, you get to decide what rest rituals work for you and your lifestyle: Having a night routine. Having a weekly solo date to practice the self-care rituals that make the most significant difference to you. (Small hinges swing big doors.) Create a morning and nighttime skincare routine "Useless" Joy: Of course, joy is not useless. Happiness, like all emotions, brings meaning and fulfillment to our lives. So what I mean when I say ‘useless joy’ is finding and doing things for no purpose other than your joy. What a concept, I know! As adults, how often do you do something because "it's fun"? You can probably recall asking a child, "why are you doing that?" and they reply with a variation of "just 'cause," "because I like it," or "because it's fun." You probably looked at them like they lost their marbles when in reality, YOU could afford to let go of some of yours and do something 'just cause you feel like it.’ If you can't think of what to do - here's an idea: Pick a song you LOVE and dance or sing along to the whole song. I can't belt out "Walking on Sunshine" and not smile. Do yourself a favor, sneak to a private spot and sing along! Here is a lyric video so you have no excuses. Once the song ends, notice how your mood shifts. Practice your “No”: Start small with polite “no, thank yous” to less important things, then start challenging yourself to train that ‘no’ muscle every week. As a high performer, you need to know that most successful people in the world say “no” to almost everything. Read that again: Most successful people say no to almost everything. By saying “no” to those things that are not worth your precious time, you are saying YES to what matters and what moves the needle forward to progress in the area most important to you. Give your body a fighting chance: If you answered “Yes” to question 2 of the simple "Am I burnt out?" questionnaire, it’s abundantly clear that burnout shows up as much physically as it does mentally and emotionally. It's essential to prioritize gut health to stop that spiral. The Gut Health Agency's mission is to help high performers learn how to protect and nourish their gut through a holistic approach to gut health. Or, if you need some things you can do right now, the tips I highlighted in this blog will help. Even if you are not experiencing burnout yourself, chances are you know of someone who is. Pass this blog to your teams to ensure you all perform at your best. And, of course, because you deserve to have that well-earned vacation time and be present for every second of it. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Chelsea! Chelsea Haines, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Recently featured "The Gut Health Coach" by Yahoo!, Chelsea Haines has a unique way of helping high-performers heal. She doesn't claim to know best. Her mission: to remind you that YOU are the expert on your body, only you know precisely what you need, and you are not "crazy" for feeling how you feel. Her expertise stems from personally healing autoimmune disease paired with formal degrees in psychology, gut health, and mindfulness. She’s the Founder of The Gut Health Agency, where a team of health coaches & Registered Dietitians merge health coaching with clinical testing for increased patient compliance and lasting habit change ‒ a needle-moving combination not otherwise seen in the gut health space.

Written by: Nina Szewczak, 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. Over 80% of New Year’s resolutions are long forgotten about within the first few weeks of the clock striking midnight on NYE. Here is how you make yours successful and stop yourself from joining the poor statistics: 1. Create a clear vision of what you want to achieve. You don’t need all the steps or 'the how' when you start ‒ you need the direction of travel though so you know where you are heading (like putting your destination into a sat-nav. You don’t know all the turns and roundabouts when you begin your journey, but you trust that you will get to your destination). 2. Establish who you need to become in order to execute your vision. Your current self, with your existing habits, routines and autopilots won’t take you there. E.g. If your goal is to become healthier, you need to ask yourself what a healthier version of you looks like? What are their thoughts? What are their beliefs? How do they feel? How do they behave? What actions do they take? etc. 3. Identify your existing beliefs, behaviors, habits, routines and autopilots that will need changing in order for you to become who you need to be in order to deliver your vision and achieve your goal. E.g. If you want to get healthier but you have been starting your days with a coffee and a doughnut for a while ‒ your mind and body won’t suddenly get super excited at the thought of a green smoothie instead. And even if within the first few days, with your initial New Year’s motivation, they are excited by it ‒ once your initial enthusiasm and motivation wear off (and they will), your mind and body will do their best to drag you back to your old routine. This is not only because by now you are addicted to sugar and caffeine, but our minds and bodies always seek safety and comfort and this exists in what’s familiar to them. 4. Change your thoughts and beliefs. Beliefs are just thoughts that we think over and over again. We don’t often make time to review them and over time we just take them as ‘the truth’. They are not, they are just repetitive thoughts hardwired into our minds. If you want to change them, you need to remove them from your mind and install new thoughts that will serve you better, and in time will become your new beliefs. E.g., If your current beliefs are in the realm of ‘being healthy is hard work/I couldn't start my day without a coffee’ etc. every time these thoughts come to your mind, you change them for more useful thoughts, this could be e.g. ‘I choose to think that being healthy is easy/ starting my day without a coffee makes me feel great’ etc. This process is a little laborious at the start as you have to help your mind by doing the ‘manual work’ of consciously changing your thoughts, but just like your existing beliefs took time to be installed in your mind in the first place, the new ones will take some time too. The work is totally worth it though as over time and with consistent efforts, they will become your new autopilot and help you become the person you want to become. 5. Hold yourself accountable and become the master of your mind drive to succeed ‒ otherwise you will always be the servant of your mind’s autopilots and comfort zones. Whenever your mind tries to pull you back into the old self (you know the familiar ‘start from tomorrow/ might as well begin from Monday’ whispers), you take the reins, remember your vision and why it’s important for you to go in its direction and you do what the person you are becoming would do. You put the old self where it belongs ‒ in the past, and you drive to succeed as the new version of yourself. What New Year Revolution will you be making?? Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Nina! Nina Szewczak, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Nina Szewczak, MSc, CMgr, FCMI, (She/Her) ‒ The Midlife Revolution Specialist Nina’s experience and expertise combine over 17 years of work & study in the realm of transformation and change, leadership and management, coaching, mentoring and HR and revolutionizing lives. Nina completely transformed her own life twice and is helping people to overcome adversities, turn situations from tragic to magic, get better ‒ not bitter, and make life great again.

Written by: Vivien Roggero, 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 happy family, a fulfilling career, and a robust social network may seem like the formula for the ideal life. Even individuals who can tick each of those criteria, though, could feel something is still lacking—and that something is their reason for existing. Finding your meaning is more than just a platitude or an unattainable goal. In reality, it's a tool for living a better, happier, and healthier life that few people try to utilize. In this article, we will discuss the purpose of life and how to find it! What is a Life Purpose? Discovering your life's purpose enhances your emotional and psychological well-being and increases your fulfilment. More freshness, depth, and richness are things you desire. You aspire to improve yourself on a fundamental level. Consider your life's purpose as a golden thread– for some people, that thread takes the form of a particular career or profession, but for others, it may appear as a manner of living or manifestation. Your objective may serve as the impetus for this. When you're feeling lost, your sense of purpose helps you feel like you're a part of something bigger and can actually change the world. However, the meaning of your mission and finding your "why" may differ from others. Why finding purpose in life is important According to a 2010 study in the journal Applied Psychology, people who experience high levels of eudemonic well-being—are defined as having a feeling of control, purpose, and a sensation that what they do is valuable to live a long life. Other scientists found that happiness may be advantageous for maintaining health. One of those studies suggested that those with the highest levels of well-being had a 30% lower chance of passing away, throughout the study's 8.5-year follow-up period. Additionally, studies show a connection between having a sense of purpose and having good health, including fewer strokes and heart attacks, improved sleep, and a lower incidence of dementia and impairments. The moral part is that you are not forced to choose between a wealthy lifestyle and a fulfillingexistence. You might discover that the greater your sense of purpose, the more wealth you'll make. Given all of these advantages, it is evident that finding meaning and purpose in your life is crucial. However, determining a person's drive and significance takes time. Different ways to find your purpose in life Understanding your purpose has a lot of advantages, but how can you do that? The path to pleasure and meaningful existence is created by combining the science of success and the art of satisfaction. It would help if you learned to strike this equilibrium to find your purpose. 1. Look Towards the inside By listening to other people's ideas and looking for outside acceptance, you can never truly comprehend how to establish your purpose. You already possess all you require. Your own limiting thoughts are the only things holding you back. Additionally, you are in charge when you have control over your emotions. 2. Prioritize the purpose above goals. You won't ever discover your real passion or figure out how to find your purpose if all your attention is focused on accomplishing short-term goals. It would be best if you turn your focus on discovering your mission. If you are not, you'll get a momentary sense of satisfaction and soon start looking for something else. 3. Pay attention to what you possess Having an affluent mindset is similar to lifting your senses to life; you will notice happiness and beauty everywhere you look. Your life's purpose becomes much more straightforward with this new outlook. You believe as if you have more explanations and are closer to achieving important goals, so you start to wonder so little about how to discover your purpose. 4. Take Responsibility For Your Life You can only find true satisfaction by creating your own life. You can achieve something remarkable by doing this. You must choose what is correct and be aware of it in your heart and mind if you want to discover your destiny. It would help if you resisted letting fear or worry control you. A choice chosen out of fear is never the right choice. It won't clarify the question "What is my purpose?" but will complicate things. 5. Consider What Makes You Happy Consider your life's history and note the moments that brought you happiness. You typically find your interests when you learn what makes you happy. Examine your skills because they are related to that feeling of joy. You'll probably discover interests that you may turn into successful jobs when you pay close attention to the hobbies or abilities that come naturally to you and make you happy. 6. Create a personal life vision statement. To answer the question "What is my purpose?", you must first understand the perfect situation and your place. Finding out what life would be like if everybody was achieving their total capacity is necessary for developing a life vision statement. This will assist you in creating a blueprint that will lead you in the right way. 7. Identify Your Real Needs Some people aren't even sure where to begin when they question themselves, "What is my mission in life?" If this describes you, looking at the Basic Needs Theory can be helpful. Every choice you make is influenced by your primary desire: participation, love/connection, diversity, love/significance, or assurance. A lack of self-awareness can cause you to have a false feeling of purpose based on other people's expectations. 8. Formalize Your Story Writing aids in the organization of your ideas as well as the discovery of fresh ones. It has been demonstrated to aid in goal achievement, memory enhancement, and stress reduction, which are crucial while learning to discover your purpose. Writing about your life might uncover deeper meanings you might not otherwise notice. 9. Give Yourself Time Answering the profound question, "What is my purpose?" necessitates thought and reflection. You never seem to have the opportunity to sit quietly and re-establish contact with yourself when you're constantly rushing from one engagement to another. Make sure to plan adequate personal time so you can tune out the distractions and expectations of the outside world and concentrate on what you desire. Take a moment to relax and find your equilibrium if you're feeling worn out by your search for purpose in life. Without initially taking a break and unwinding, you won't know how to discover your mission. 10. Acknowledge Acceptance Recognizing your boundaries is a necessary step in discovering your mission. Give yourself a rest rather than getting upset with yourself. Learn more about yourself gradually by acting as an observer. You can find the sign you're looking for as you develop self-compassion and self-awareness. 11. Search Your Community A big part of figuring out your life's mission is your place in the world. You feel at home, at ease, and free to be who you are after you are around your "people." Your group can frequently assist you in learning how to locate your mission or, once you've discovered it, how to fulfill it. Follow your interests to discover your community. Engage in voluntary work, enroll in a class to learn a skill you like, and look for the assistance online. Find people who share your taste in shows, literature, or music. 12. Be Adaptable Getting rid of previous beliefs and activities that have no more extended function is one of the most stimulating aspects of finding your purpose. However, it still needs to be done. As you develop and change, your life's purpose is apt to do the same. You must be prepared to be adaptable and to pay attention to your deepest needs and desires. Benefit finding purpose in life Finding your purpose is associated with longer lifespans, according to research. Nearly 7,000 senior citizens were polled about death and discovering your purpose in life. Those who did not have a powerful sense of purpose in life were more than double as inclined to pass away before their time than those who had. The frequency of cardiac disease, including heart attacks and stroke, was also decreased by having a feeling of purpose. Even when wealth, race, gender, and level of education were taken into account, these outcomes persisted. Finding your purpose extends your life, according to research. Additionally, it is necessary for fulfillment and happiness. While knowing your purpose can assist you in accomplishing goals, it may not assist you in discovering the meaning of life. You'll have a sense of clarity when you correctly understand your purpose because you'll be able to link your goals with your final satisfaction. You'll experience enthusiasm, motivation, and laser-like focus. The best gift you can stretch yourself is to quit fighting with the past and the future and to begin living in the now. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Vivien! Vivien Roggero, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Vivien Roggero is a certified Executive & Empowerment Coach and Entrepreneur. After 15 years of professional journey, expanding from Sales to IT Executive in some world-class startups’, losing his father to COVID, and going through a high-conflict divorce, he decided to dedicate his life to empowering people so they can live a fulfilling life. Those experiences also inspired him to create the One Freedom™ Framework, freedom and purpose-centric approach to life that helps his clients to accelerate their life design process and sculpt growth. His focus is to help clients who feel stuck in their professional or personal journeys or find struggles to re-navigate life after major life-changing events.

Written by: Maryann Lombardi, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. We are deep into the holiday season. Maybe this time of year fills you with excitement, maybe it makes you nauseous. It's possible you feel a combination of the two. There are so many expectations attached to this season and the start of a new year. Expectations from family, the media, and the vomit of merchandise everywhere you turn – can be overwhelming. Then add our own expectations that this new year will be different. That we will finally reach our goals. We will eat healthier, ditch that toxic workplace, be nicer, and drink less alcohol. There is no way to make it over the new year threshold without the pressure to set new year's resolutions. In theory, new year's resolutions are not a bad thing. They are a goal-setting process intended to help you make changes in the new year. In practice, they are evil demons sent to make you feel crappy about yourself. If there is one goal you should set this year, it is to stop setting new year's resolutions. Here are 3 reasons why you should stop setting new year's resolutions and start making 2023 your best year yet. Reason 1: Failure Sucks The data is clear. "Research shows that 80% of New Year's resolutions fail by the beginning of February," reports Forbes Magazine. Can we all agree that failure feels awful? No matter how many articles tell you that failure is good for you, that you should fail fast and jump right back up ‒ it's not that easy. Yes, you learn from failure. But there is a compounding negative effect from setting goals and repeatedly failing to achieve them. Why set yourself up for that failure? There are too many factors working against your goal-setting during the holidays. So stop setting those new year's resolutions and skip the feeling of failure that comes with them. Reason 2: Do it now, not later The best way to make sure you achieve your goals is to not wait for the new year to start working toward them. If you wait, you will most likely become one of the many who abandon their goals within the first month of the year. If you really want to achieve your short-term or long-term goals – NOW is the time to do it. There is no better time than now to learn new skills, make more money, or kick a bad habit. And if not now, when? Postponing your goals for a 'better' time or the 'right' time only gives you permission not to do the work to actually achieve your goal. It slows down any momentum and makes it harder to ramp back up when you are finally ready to work toward that goal. Don't wait, dump the new year's resolutions and start working on what you want to change now. Reason 3: Actions are more important than Goals. We confirm our priorities through the actions we take to achieve them. We will take action toward the goals we are committed to, and do nothing for the goal we don’t really care about. We may set a goal to reduce stress, learn a new language, or read more books. But if we keep hanging out with people who stress us out, never download Duolingo, or don't make time to read ‒ we won't reach our goals. Our actions determine our success. Goal setting is important. It helps us focus on the present state that isn't serving us, and plan for a better future. Done well it includes measurable goals, and a plan to accomplish them. But a plan without action is just a piece of paper. As best-selling author and habit master James Clear says, planning is good but it doesn't "... produce a result. Action, on the other hand, is the type of behavior that will deliver an outcome." So your new year's resolutions themselves won't deliver you results. It's the actions you take, with or without the resolution, that will. Time to make 2023 your Best Year Yet. Now that you ditched your new year's resolutions because failure sucks, waiting to start your goals doesn't work, and goals without action are useless ‒ it is time to make 2023 your best year yet! Any change you are trying to make requires you to understand where you are, imagine where you want to be, and take action to close the gap between the two. This process includes reflection, vision, and action. Download my free workbook to start developing your 2023 action plan now! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Maryann! Maryann Lombardi, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Maryann Lombardi is a business launch coach and author. She has spent the past 20+ years working with cities, organizations, and communities, building policies, programs and resources to grow the creative workforce and help entrepreneurs thrive. She now channels that expertise and insight into helping women and non-binary individuals build wealth and independence by turning their expertise or personal experience into a profitable business.

Written by: Kathryn Sauser, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Are you sober curious? Are you considering participating in Dry January and abstaining from alcohol for a month? Dry January, or Sobriety January as it’s sometimes referred to, is the annual practice of abstaining from alcohol during January. It has become increasingly popular in recent years, with many people embracing the challenge as a way to start the year on the right foot. But Dry January is more than just abstaining from drinking; it’s a chance to take stock of your relationship with alcohol and reset your habits for healthier, more sustainable sobriety throughout the year. So what does Dry January involve? Here are five tips for making the most out of this sober-curious experience: 1. Ask yourself the tough questions and understand your relationship with alcohol. Are you in the vicious cycle of binge drinking, guilt, and shame? Are you relying on alcohol or food to cope with stress and anxiety? Is it affecting your bank account, your relationships, physical health, mental health, and overall well-being? The feelings of guilt and shame preventing you from enjoying life to the fullest and reaching your goals? Maybe it’s time to take a break and discover your relationship with alcohol. When it comes to achieving a better relationship with alcohol, it’s important to understand your relationship with alcohol. Whether you’re actively abstaining from alcohol or simply considering a dry January, it’s important to think about how alcohol has impacted your life and your relationships. If you’ve found yourself wondering if you have a drinking problem, chances are that you do. Some common signs of a drinking problem include blacking out, intense anxiety, and feeling ashamed of your behavior after drinking. If you're ready to break free from the vicious cycle of binge drinking, guilt, and shame, consider giving Dry January a try or exploring the Sober Curious movement. You may find that these approaches allow you to reset your relationship with alcohol, break unhealthy habits, and ultimately help you live a happier and healthier life. 2. Set Some Sober Goals As you start your journey of Sobriety, Dry January, or any other sober journey, it is important to set some goals. Goals provide a clear and tangible way to measure progress in your sobriety journey and will help to keep you motivated and on track. Here are some sober goals that you might want to consider: Create a daily routine – One of the most important things you can do when you’re getting sober is to create a daily healthy routine. Sober Community ‒ It’s also important to surround yourself with others who are on a similar journey, as this can provide much-needed support and encouragement. Start a gratitude journal – Writing down what you’re grateful for each day can help remind you of all the positive aspects of your life, even if it’s just for a few minutes each day. This practice can be especially helpful when facing cravings or feeling tempted to drink. Looking for a gratitude journal? Shop my Guided Progress over Perfection Sober CuriousJournal at kathrynsauser.com Take up a new hobby – Getting sober doesn’t mean you have to give up all of your hobbies and pastimes. Now might be the perfect time to pick up a new hobby that keeps you busy and away from alcohol. Setting achievable goals can be a great way to stay motivated and inspired throughout your sobriety journey. You’ll feel proud of yourself for achieving those goals and motivated to keep going. By setting these simple goals, you can make sure that your sober journey is successful and that you reach your long-term goals of sobriety. Take it one day at a time, celebrate your small victories, and don’t forget to reach out for help when needed! 3. Educate Yourself on the Benefits of Sobriety It’s no secret that the trend of Dry January has been gaining popularity in recent years. With more people seeking out sober lifestyle options, it’s clear that the Sober Curious movement is growing. So who do you think can benefit from leading a more sober lifestyle? I believe that anyone can benefit from leading a sober lifestyle, whether you choose to participate in Dry January or not. A sober lifestyle can bring greater clarity and focus, reduce stress, promote weight loss, improve sleep quality, and create better relationships with yourself and those around you. The benefits of leading a sober lifestyle are especially noticeable for individuals suffering from alcohol addiction or substance abuse problems. Even if you’re not in recovery or struggling with an addiction, many people report feeling more energized, productive, and focused when they abstain from drinking or drug use. Furthermore, living a sober lifestyle can provide people with valuable skills in dealing with difficult situations without relying on substances. I want to encourage anyone considering embarking on a dry January or looking to incorporate more sober living practices into their lives to take the leap. The health benefits, mental clarity, and increased self-awareness that comes along with a sober lifestyle are undeniable and can be life-changing for many. I hope this inspires you to explore your reasons for a sober lifestyle and make the decision that is best for you. 4. Set yourself up for success in social situations If you're looking to take on Dry January, setting yourself up for success is the key. It can be difficult to give up something that has become so embedded in your social life. But it’s important to remember that you don’t need alcohol to have fun and enjoy life. By taking the time to assess your relationship with alcohol and develop healthier habits, you can make the most of your sober journey. It's important to establish a strong support system that can provide you with encouragement and guidance throughout the month. Consider joining a support group of like-minded individuals or hiring a professional coach who can help keep you on track. It's also important to remove people, places, and things that could potentially hold you back from reaching your goal. This could be anything from a drinking buddy, to a specific bar, or even a certain type of alcohol. To set yourself up for success, it's important to make small changes daily. This could mean taking an extra walk around the block each day, drinking an extra glass of water, or engaging in a new hobby or activity that replaces alcohol. Emotions when sober can be heightened. Be ready for any feelings that come up when you remove alcohol from your life. For many people, alcohol can be a symptom or a tool they use to cover up or ease social anxiety. When you remove it, it isn't always pure freedom. From my experience, it can be helpful to embrace any emotion that comes up and look at it as an opportunity for growth. Negative emotions such as anger, sadness, or resentment often indicate that something needs to change in your life. This is why it's really crucial to have a sober coach or support group. Finally, I can’t say this enough. It is extremely important to remember that if you do have a drink, don't just throw in the towel and give up! Aim for progress not perfection, where you recognize each slip-up as an opportunity to learn and come back stronger. 5. Self Compassion and Ask for Help! Making the commitment to go alcohol-free for the entire month of January, or any length of time for that matter can be a difficult challenge to undertake. That's why it's so important to practice self-compassion during the journey and please don't be afraid to ask for help. It's understandable to feel overwhelmed and even scared of entering into sobriety, so take it one step at a time and remember that you are not alone. There are many resources available to help support you on your journey, including sober coaches, support groups, and online forums. Reaching out and connecting with friends and family who understand your goals can be an incredibly powerful way to stay motivated and accountable. It's ok to not be perfect—in fact, it's essential to practice self-compassion when it comes to sobriety. Celebrate every small victory and don't be too hard on yourself if you experience a slip-up. Taking part in Dry January or the Sober Curious Movement is an opportunity for self-reflection and introspection. It’s an opportunity to tune into your body and mind so that you can make healthier decisions in the long run. Checking in with yourself, taking the time to reflect and listening to your body, you can create healthier habits that will help you lead a healthier and happier life. Deciding to abstain from alcohol during Dry January can be a great way to kickstart your year with a healthier lifestyle. As with anything, it's important to remember to take it slow, one day at a time, ask for help when needed, and practice self-compassion. Good luck and happy sobering! Kathryn Sauser, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Kathryn Sauser Sober Curious Lifestyle Coach. Certified NLP, Fitness & Nutritionist. WBFF Pro Athlete. Founder of the Progress over Perfection Guided Journal. Shares Her Powerful Fitness & Sober Conscious Fitness Method guided women on end the guilty cycle of dieting, restricting, and weekend binging with a FUN & Sustainable Lifestyle Routine! Many programs only focus on physical goals without addressing the subconscious thoughts that rule our eating and drinking habits. As someone who started from nothing and has gone on to have massive success and impact thousands, she is obsessed with sharing the powerful tools she used to carry her out of depression and addiction into a life of freedom and joy.

Written by: Vance Twins, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Many of us were taught to assume that meditation is a weird practice limited to monks, new agers, or yogis. Thankfully, times have changed, and the ancient wisdom of unfamiliar philosophies is now being studied and understood. Because of scientific research and technology, it is considered normal to reap the benefits of stillness, an ancient practice. Eastern philosophers have often said prayer is talking to God, while meditation is listening to God. The perspective of "God" in the East is seen as an energy field that brings life to all that is. The Tao is referred to as the Mother of the Universe, where all of nature is valued and sacred. Stay Connected with Yourself. All of us are connected to this Sacred Energy Life Force (S.E.L.F), which runs through all living things. Meditating on self or others gives access to this pure, clean energy. (I think of God as G.O.D., a.k.a. Goodness Over Dogma or the Way OF Nature). It speaks through inspiration, a hunch, instinct, intuition, a calling, or motivation from life's highest and most divine sources. Some Taoist philosophers refer to his source as chi (like energy), an unmanifested force, the Mother of the Universe (or Universal Mother). It doesn't matter what it is called; it is in nature and all of life. Go Easy on Yourself. Doctors are now prescribing meditation (instead of medication), scientists all over the world have examined the advantages on the body and mind, and hundreds of studies at universities have proven the improvement in overall health. Anyone, from children to elders, can benefit. It has helped humanity manage the challenges and difficulties during life's various phases. Not only does care and concern for ourselves and others found from meditating improve our mood, but it enables us to manage emotions in a noninvasive and gentle way, improving overall mental and physical health. Meditation is a journey of self-awareness that can contribute to making every moment easier. Regardless of our age, place in life, profession, or the way we choose to spend time, our perception of ourselves is one of the most important deal-makers and breakers determining our mood and the ease of everyday activities. When we give ourselves a few moments of quietude, we permit the everlasting guide to provide insight belonging to the authentic self. Eventually, this insight leads to answers that are not found elsewhere. Remember to Like Yourself. To believe in your capabilities (and your potential) should be considered normal, and it is one of the few things humans can control. It is easy for us to tend to blame and hold guilt and shame against the self, but this inclination blocks our ability to see the self with clarity. Stress is sometimes caused by disliking self or the situation. Accepting, trusting, and believing in one's ability to manage each issue can change all that. Quiet compassion can be one of many ways to remedy the situation. When we see the value connected to our true selves, we feel no need to flaunt or convince people to see our worth or particular stance. Rather, we trust in ourselves, others, and the bigger picture. We find value in nature, including our natural self. When I think about a time in my life when I worried and blamed myself for something which may or may not be my fault, empathy for myself can release the unnecessary thoughts that do not belong to me–the mind chatter–which can arise. The ability to see beyond a limited perspective will flip the script and change one's life; seeing from a bird's-eye view allows us to see the future and thus make effective decisions during the most challenging times. Give Yourself Empathy. A journal can be a useful place to express feelings without judgment. While jotting down notes, you can better understand the situation; see it from a balanced perspective that includes others. (You might find that you are imbalanced, giving someone else more or less empathy than yourself.) Releasing pent-up feelings through writing scripts from different points of view can unravel life's most difficult problems. Once expressed, we can keep our notes private, refer back to them whenever need be, scrap them altogether, or publish them into a book. It's totally up to you! Believe in Yourself. (It’s a Really Big Deal) We all have been programmed to believe certain things about ourselves by authoritative influences and sometimes a superficial society, but just because someone else might think something about who we are, does not mean it is true. One of the most empowering concepts I have learned is that my thoughts control my mood. When I am feeling down, I can examine the dominant thoughts that may be causing disturbing feelings and change them from sabotaging me to empowering me by seeing from a different angle. Some of us have been programmed to believe certain things about ourselves as children, and sometimes this sentiment follows us from our teen years to adulthood. Especially into adulthood, stigmas and stereotypes are tossed around or thrown at us by others, impacting our ability to connect with the people around us. However, we can transform these hurtful and habitual thoughts with empathy and kindness. A convenient time to make this effort can be through compassionate meditation. We can then look at ourselves from a noncritical lens to finally see the self for who the essence truly is beneath the surface–from the composed and collected inside-out. Rev. Dr. Janine Vance, Philosophy Author of The Search for Mother Missing and The Power of Isolation Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest and visit my website for more info! Read more from Vance Twins! Vance Twins, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Rev. Dr. Janine, Philosophy, is a book doctor, feature-length screenwriter, and international award-winning author of many books, including Twins Found in a Box, Search for Mother Missing, Going Back to Zen, and Power of Isolation. She also consults entrepreneurs on story development and guides clients through the process of publishing their books worldwide. Jenette, a Certified and Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant and Life Coach, was trained in Integrated Psychology and Applied Neuroscience. Jenette became a Reiki Master under the direct lineage of Master Mikao Usui, the founder of Reiki. She enjoys helping people learn about Reiki and develop personalized meditations catered to their needs. The Vance twins have each worked in their field of expertise for more than twenty-five years. They recently joined forces to provide personalized guided meditations and host write-for-your-life retreats for busy people.

Written by: Tanja Bogataj, M.Sc., 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. Which word, starting with ‘F’, is the most impactful for you? Freedom, Focus, Fly, Food, Fear, Failure, Face, Flower, Fun, Friend, Free, Fearful, Fearless, Fast, Full, Fool, Forward, Forgive, Forget, Foresee, Fight, or maybe some other “F” word? And what’s the impact of this chosen word, if you’d hear it from a ‘friend’ or ‘frenemy’? And if this ‘friend’ or ‘frenemy’ is actually YOU, what’s the impact of this word on you/your life? In this article I invite you to a ‘F’ dance party ‒ Dancing with Life, with its endings, beginnings, and all the life and living in between, and with an empowerment opportunity using a powerful ‘F’ word ‒ ‘forgive’/‘forgiveness’. So, shall we? Let’s do the ‘F’ dance. I. Dancing with Life As they say, every ending is a new beginning. Our lives are a series of moments we spend in these ongoing ending-beginning cycles, and processes in between. It’s important to take the time here and then to reflect, and to celebrate our lives with all our choices, courage, scars, laughs, tears, wins, loses, ups and downs, and everything in between. There are so many opportunities that we can learn and grow from. It can be very empowering and inspiring to reflect back on all these for us differently important, some bigger, some smaller shifts, crossroads, decisions and choices, and ‘detours’ on our pathways. What’s called from us when reflecting is to acknowledge who’s become, our learned lessons, and what needs to be released while we continue our journey. There might be a sense of insecurity and uncertainty in these transitions. In any way, we are each time given the opportunity to question and answer again and again what’s our why, what, how, where, with whom. We can find our security and certainty by being in learners’ mindset, and by being curious seekers of our truth. We are students of life during all lifetime anyway, and we might be also teachers to people who are in our life and to those we cross paths with for a shorter period of time for whatever reason. It’s about dancing with life. It’s an ongoing dance. We are the creators of the dance, dancers, and dancing partners. We are the masterpiece, and work in progress at the same time. It’s so empowering and liberating when we are dancing with our life, and with each other. Our dance and dancing might not be perfect, and yet we might get really close to the ‘life’s perfection as it is’ when we are fully into our life, living it as best as we know how to, and allowing others to have this freedom as well. Being here and now, can you acknowledge what’s your end and a new beginning today? Who do you need to be to manifest your today’s hearts’ desires? Who do you need to be to create the impact that you desire to create? Are you up for some dance party? Let’s do the ‘F’ dance today, and create a magic in/from our life and its experience/-s. II. Empowerment Opportunity ‒ The ‘F’ Dance Which word, starting with ‘F’, is the most impactful for you? Freedom, Focus, Fly, Food, Fear, Failure, Face, Flower, Fun, Friend, Free, Fearful, Fearless, Frighten, Fast, Full, Fool, Forward, Forgive, Forget, Foresee, Fight, or maybe some other “F” word? Let’s explore further. What would be an impact of this chosen word, if you’d hear it from a ‘friend’ or ‘frenemy’? And if this ‘friend’ or ‘frenemy’ is actually YOU, what’s the impact on you/your life in this situation? You might hear people say ‘I can’t forgive’, ‘this is too…for me to forgive’, ‘I’m … at myself, don’t know how I’ll forgive myself for this…’, and even ‘I won’t forgive’, or ‘I don’t forgive..’. Are you among them? Do you know how much freedom and power you give away if you are? One of the biggest blockages to our inner power and freedom, and the impact we desire to create, is the block that we create when we choose 'I don’t / can’t / won’t forgive’. I’ve created an online program ‘Get empowered for the desired impact in any chosen situation’ to help people who are struggling with forgiveness, and/or suffering because they’ve experiences some kind of unfairness, injustice, or even betrayal, to free and empower themselves through ‘forgive/-ness’. In the following I share with you an easy applicable and effective (if you do it) exercise on how to get empowered by working with the power of ‘forgive’ and ‘forgiveness’. If you’re among those struggling with ‘forgiving’, and ‘forgiveness’, there are two proven ways how you can make it easier for yourself, at least to start with. One way is to see the ‘forgiving’ and ‘forgiveness’ as a part of the ‘gratitude’ practice, and the other is to add some humour into your human experience. Exercise: be powerful and free® The ‘F’ dance A to Z and then some empowerment Listen to the recordings of the Mind-stretching be powerful and free® session on “The ‘F’ word ‒ From A to Z empowerment and then some” (here's the video, duration 32:29, exercise starts at 10:55, and completes around 30:00). What’s the empowering wisdom from your Human (Sloveneword ‘Človek’) School (Slovene word ‘Šola’) of Life (Slovene word ‘Življenje’) experience? Do the LIFT UP: Love the part of you that needed/needs forgiveness. “I am forgiving myself …” Forgive yourself some more. Choose a new empowerment ‘F’ word for yourself. “True gift in my forgiveness is …” “Universal truth in my experience is …” Pause for a moment, and notice what’s now available for you? III. And then some: Celebrating Life an Living Excerpt from blog post Celebrating Life and Living “December is a time when we might notice and appreciate endings and beginnings more than usual. It’s time when we might express our gratitude for what was and is, and share our hope and best wishes for what’s coming. For me, December is a month of celebration, a celebration of life and living. Endings are a great mirror, reminder, indicator, and multiplier of/for the new – how we can appreciate our life and lives of others more, and how we can bring more life into our living already now. Being inspired by Osho’s quote, ‘Life should not only be lived, it should be celebrated’, I encourage us to add ‘Celebration of life and living’ on our daily schedule.’ One speaker at my dad's funeral said that pain is the experience of being alive and those who stay. It's us thinking about what we’ve lost, are losing, or will lose that makes it difficult, and painful. We experience many endings and beginnings on our path, and both have its challenges. Saying goodbye to people, relationships, age, abilities, possibilities, opportunities, expectations, beliefs, even feelings might be as challenging as it is to open up to the new, uncertain, and not yet experienced. To stay open and in a learners’ mindset for endings and new beginnings in different shapes and forms along our journey, I often revisit the exercise ‘I live today as it was my last day’.(paraphrased from my blog post Saying Goodbyes, 2018). “Life happens when we make plans for something else.” ‒ John Lennon I share this article as on the one hand an empowerment opportunity, and on the other as a gentle reminder to all of us to be more aware that we are a drop, an ocean, and also waves co-creating waves in between. We are powerful as we are in our truth, and we make an impact, whatever we choose to do with our power and freedom. There’s so much power and freedom in ‘forgive’ and ‘forgiveness’. Why not explore it? Why not release it? Why not live it, give it, share it? Let’s meet for another ‘F’ dance party in a year from now. I wish you Feel Free on your be powerful and free journey till we meet again! ‘Your are not the drop in an ocean, You Are The Entire Ocean In The Drop. Don’t grieve, Everything you lose Comes Around in another form. Don’t sit and wait, Go Feel Life. Shine like the Whole Universe Is Yours.’ ‒ Rumi Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Tanja! Tanja Bogataj, M.Sc., Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Tanja Bogataj, M.Sc. (www.tanjabogataj.com | tanjabogatajcoaching@gmail.com) is a Leadership Coach and Consultant, Founder of the be powerful and free® approach, Host of be powerful and free Platform, Founder and CEO of the Power for Change Institute. Tanja’s motto “In the world where you can be anything, choose to be powerful and free while making a difference”. Sources and References: Tanja Bogataj, Celebrating Life and Living, be powerful and free® Platform, blog post https:// bepowerfulandfree.com/celebrating-life-and-living/, 2018; Tanja Bogataj, Saying Goodbyes,be powerful and free® Platform, blog post https://bepowerfulandfree.com/saying-goodbyes/,2018; Tanja Bogataj, “The ‘F’ Word - From A to Z empowerment and then some”, Mind-stretching be powerful and free® Session, TBC YouTube Channel, https://youtu.be/JbAOhEUJZFI, December 2022;

Written by: Silvana Avram, 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 been good this year? Have you been kind to yourself and others? If so, I hope Santa brings you everything you want. And if you think you can do better, I’d like to help with some suggestions. Let this be my Christmas gift to you! Being kind is generally defined as being nice: friendly, generous, and considerate. We all appreciate kindness and most of us do try our best. But very often in our society we tend to associate kindness with acts of kindness like helping someone in need, volunteering or donating to charity. Don’t get me wrong, doing your best to help is wonderful, and I encourage you to continue. Yet, I believe that to affect real change, and to create a better reality, we must move from the level of doing acts of kindness to the level of being kind to ourselves and others. Here are 3 steps, 3 practices you can start to implement daily, so you can Be kinder, experience a more permanent state of kindness, and allow it to permeate all our decisions and, ultimately, your life. 3 Steps towards being kinder to ourselves and to humanity 1. Becoming more aware of the power of our thoughts, our gestures, and our actions Let’s face it, it is not easy to cultivate kind thoughts all the time. Our mind is so busy, thoughts come and go, emotions go up and down and, more often than not, we get caught into responding to stimuli without much time for reflection. That’s why taking the time to reflect on this can help. We can become more aware of the power of our thoughts, understand that our thoughts are energy, that they shape reality. We are not kind when we judge ourselves or others – even superficially. We are not kind when we discriminate against others, consciously or unconsciously. We are not kind when we put our interests first and behave selfishly. We are not kind when we close our eyes and allow others to be treated unfairly. We are not kind when we allow our planet to suffer. We are not kind when we don’t show solidarity. So what is the remedy? The first step towards becoming kinder is simply understanding how our mind works – accepting that our thoughts inform our words and our gestures, and that, to be truly kind, we must try, honestly and bravely, to change the way we see the world and contribute to creating our reality. It is enough to look at our world to understand that there is a lot of work to do. Ultimately, we can start to cultivate genuine, lasting kindness by taking responsibility for our thoughts, words, and gestures. By constantly expanding our minds and our heart. It is extremely important to be kind to ourselves too. Simply staying alert and making a mental note to do better next time will help us more than judging ourselves harshly and feeling despondent. Why is it important to do this self-work? Because cultivating kindness will help us create a better life for ourselves and a better world for humanity. The world we all dream of is a world of peace, mutual understanding, and solidarity. That world can only be manifested if each one of us takes responsibility. If we decide to be at our best. At our kindest. 2. Developing forgiveness and compassion Once we become more and more aware of our emotional reactions and our ability to actively cultivate kindness just by paying attention to what we think, say, and do, we can learn to let go of those emotions that are not helpful. Forgiveness is the kindest form of letting go. We must learn to forgive ourselves for our short comings and simply promise to do better next time. And we must learn to apply the same principle to others. So many conflicts and difficult situations in our lives and in our world would simply disappear if we applied forgiveness in every circumstance! Judging people for what their ancestors did, for what their family did or even for what they themselves did in the past…judging in itself is – as you remember – the very opposite of kindness. It only helps to reinforce negativity. It does not help us to be better. It does not help us to empower others. It keeps us stuck in a vicious circle of attributing blame and refusing to take responsibility. We can learn to forgive by cultivating compassion. By seeing the humanity in the other. By accepting that they too, are trying their best, and by being patient and supportive. There are many examples of people who have reached out to those who had inflicted terrible pain on them or their family. They all describe forgiveness as being deeply liberating and empowering. When we learn to forgive, we embody the best in humanity. We cannot be kind without learning to forgive. Forgiveness is a form of kindness in action. Compassion takes us one step further. We feel for the other, share their pain, share their aspirations too - and offer them our love in solidarity. 3. Understanding that we are all one From forgiveness and compassion to understanding that we are all one there is only one step. When we forgive the other, we forgive ourselves. When we offer someone our compassion, we offer compassion to our own humanity. As humans, we all experience the same emotions, we face the same challenges and have the same aspirations. Accusing others or being anti – anything is, sadly, a waste of energy. The outer conflict is a mere reflection of the inner conflict we all carry. Our world would be so much happier if we accepted the simple truth that, despite our wonderful individuality…we are all one. Separation is an illusion. We are energy. Our paths are intertwined – we have a common destiny. This Christmas – give yourself the gift of kindness. Be kind to yourself – to everyone around, and to humanity. Start by paying more attention to your thoughts, to your words and to your actions. Let go. Refrain from judging. Learn to be patient. Replace judgement with forgiveness. Open your heart to compassion. Compassion for yourself – you are trying your best. Compassion for everyone else. We are all trying our best. Really. The most important insight to help us create a better world is realising that we have a common destiny as humanity. If we accept that every human being on this planet is acting from their level of awareness, we understand that everyone is doing their best. Blaming others, fuelling anger and division is tragically counterproductive. Division, indeed, is our worst, most powerful enemy. But how to turn our old habits and assumptions upside down and reach for unity? Let us start by being kind. Let us take a deep breath. We are where we are. There is a lot of work to do. But we can do it. Together. After all, we are humanity! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Silvana! Silvana Avram, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Silvana Avram is a successful, Inspirational Life Coach, philosopher, author, teacher, and founder of Life Coaching with Silvana – whose mission is to empower us to embrace our uniqueness, fall in love with life, fulfill our potential and create a beautiful legacy. Fascinated from a young age by the mystery of life and our place in the universe, Silvana has been on a quest to find her own answers to the big existential questions facing humanity. Now an acclaimed Coach and Author, she draws on her extensive study of Philosophy, Psychology, Meditation, Holistic Healing, and Spirituality to create a uniquely inspirational and empowering style of Coaching – also reflected in her Book “Being You and Loving You” in which she guides us through an unforgettable, transformative journey of self-discovery and self-love. Convinced that we can overcome the prevalent paradigms of fear and division, Silvana has recently focussed her attention on developing a radically innovative approach, outlined in her upcoming book, “Living in Eternity” – and which has earned her an unexpected nickname: “Miss Eternity”! She argues passionately that, rather than chasing goal after goal and living for tomorrow, we should, instead, live every day, every moment, with the joy, awe, and serenity we experience when we see our lives from the perspective of Eternity. When we choose to live in Eternity, everything falls into place, everything we do takes on a different meaning, and we become aware that, as humanity, we are, in fact, constantly creating our common legacy. Silvana’s ambition: is to inspire us to write a better story for ourselves – and for humanity – in Eternity!