Written by Dr. Reetu Verma, Transformational Life Coach Dr. Reetu Verma, founder of Healing Health and Happiness, is a heart-centred Transformational Life Coach who blends Eastern spiritual wisdom with Western modern research to guide individuals on their unique healing journeys towards achieving holistic health to radiate love and bliss. In the ancient wisdom of yoga, the human being is understood as far more than flesh and bone. Beneath our visible form lie subtle energetic layers, sheaths that together shape every aspect of our human experience. These are known as the Pancha Koshas, the five layers of being. Derived from the Sanskrit words pancha (five) and kosha (sheath or covering), this ancient framework offers a profound way to understand the multidimensional nature of our health and well-being. As the koshas remind us, true health isn’t about fixing the body or quieting the mind alone, it’s about aligning every layer of who we are. When body, breath, mind, wisdom, and spirit move in harmony, happiness becomes our natural state. “We are more than just our physical bodies and the constant mental chatter. We are multilayered beings. Our body, mind, and soul need to be in balance and in harmony for us to be truly healthy and happy.” The five koshas: Layers of our being The koshas move from the tangible to the subtle, from the outermost physical form to the innermost essence of bliss. Each sheath influences the others, creating a dynamic system of interconnection and flow. Annamaya Kosha (Physical body): The outermost layer, composed of the elements of nature and nourished by food (anna). It represents our physical health, structure, and vitality. Practices such as mindful movement, nutrition, and rest nourish this sheath. Pranamaya Kosha (Energy body): The layer of prana, or life force, flowing through channels known as nadis. Balanced breathing, pranayama, and time in nature awaken vitality and inner radiance. Manomaya Kosha (Mental body): This layer governs our thoughts, emotions, and sensory experiences. Meditation, journaling, and compassionate self-talk help purify this sheath, bringing clarity and calm. Vijnanamaya Kosha (Wisdom body): The seat of intuition, discernment, and inner knowing. When this sheath is active, we align our actions with truth and purpose. Self-inquiry, reflection, and spiritual study awaken this inner wisdom. Anandamaya Kosha (Bliss body): The innermost sheath, beyond words and intellect, is the experience of pure joy, peace, and unity with all that is. This is our true nature, revealed when all other layers are harmonized. Integration for wholeness The five koshas are not separate, they function as interconnected layers that shape every aspect of our health, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. When one sheath falls out of balance, it ripples through the entire system. Mental stress constricts the breath, stagnant energy clouds intuition, and disconnection from wisdom dims joy. Even physical pain in the body often mirrors deeper emotional tension or energetic blockages. The body speaks what the mind suppresses. When we carry unresolved stress or unexpressed emotions, it often shows up as tension, fatigue, or pain. Conversely, when we nurture one layer, by calming the mind, moving the body, or opening the heart, the entire being responds. Energy flows freely, breath deepens, and harmony is restored across all levels of our existence. Integration is the essence of healing, wholeness expressed through balance across all levels of being. The five koshas: A new lens on health The wisdom of the five koshas offers a truly holistic view of well-being, one that sees health not as the absence of illness but as harmony between all layers of our being. Each kosha vibrates at its own frequency, from the physical body to the blissful essence within, and when these layers move in rhythm, we experience vitality, clarity, and peace. This ancient framework beautifully bridges modern science and spirituality. The physical sheath aligns with cellular health, the energy body with breath and the nervous system, the mental body with thoughts and emotional balance, the wisdom body with intuitive awareness, and the bliss body with heart coherence. The koshas remind us that healing unfolds from the inside out. When energy and awareness realign, the body naturally restores itself. Ultimately, the path to health is not about fixing what is broken but about remembering our inherent wholeness, where balance, joy, and connection already reside. My journey: From breakdown to awakening I remember the moment everything changed. Diagnosed with a life-threatening illness (encephalitis), my world collapsed. I lost the ability to walk, talk, and even feed myself. Life became a slow, painstaking process of rebuilding from the ground up. Yet, in the midst of that darkness, I was surrounded by light, a radiant, unconditional love that transcended form. It felt like a warm embrace from the universe itself. Returning to the physical world was not easy. But that glimpse beyond the veil revealed something extraordinary, we are not separate beings. We are, at our core, energetic and spiritual beings having a human experience, constantly in motion and deeply connected to everything around us. Recognising this truth transformed my approach to healing and living. It taught me that genuine health is not static but a dynamic alignment of energy, awareness, and purpose. Key takeaways: The wisdom of the five koshas Health is multidimensional: True well-being extends beyond the physical body. The five koshas remind us that health arises from harmony between body, mind, breath, energy, and spirit. Every layer influences the whole: Each kosha interacts with the others. Stress in the mind can constrict breath and cause body pain, while calm breathing can restore balance across all levels. Healing begins when we nurture each layer. Integration leads to wholeness: When we align all layers of our being, we reconnect with our natural state of peace and happiness. This alignment, not perfection, is the essence of holistic health and spiritual fulfilment. The wisdom of the koshas invites us to look beyond symptoms and surfaces, to see health as harmony across every dimension of our being. When we nurture all layers, the physical, energetic, mental, intuitive, and blissful, we rediscover what has always been within us, wholeness, peace, and radiant well-being. Call to action If you are ready to move beyond stress and embrace holistic health, to restore your balance, energy, and inner harmony, I invite you to join my Heart-Centered Awakening Program. Blending timeless wisdom with modern science, you will embark on a transformative journey that harmonises your body, mind, and spirit, gently restoring balance, igniting your inner spark, and unveiling the profound peace and joy that reside naturally within you. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Dr. Reetu Verma Dr. Reetu Verma, Transformational Life Coach Unlock your potential with Dr. Reetu Verma, a Transformational Life Coach, Spiritual Teacher, and Global Speaker. Empowering individuals through holistic health coaching, mindfulness, and energy healing, Dr. Verma integrates modern research with spiritual wisdom, emphasizing yoga philosophy. She shares expert insights on chakra healing, heart-centered living, and emotional freedom at global summits. Through her radio program, Dr. Verma raises awareness on health, well-being, environmental sustainability, and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), inspiring positive change and collective action. Mission to create: Love in action: a heart-centered community united in care, kindness, and transformative change.

Written by Danijela Mrdak, Therapist, Clinical Hypnotherapist, Trauma And Fertility Therapist Danijela is an award-winning therapist, educator, public speaker, and contributor to revolutionising mental health and fertility therapy, and creator of an innovative approach to helping women overcome mental barriers to conception and pregnancy. She has developed a course that upskills professionals to achieve great results with pregnancy issues. What your grandmother experienced in her lifetime could have modified her DNA, and these changes can be passed down through generations. Your nervous system learned from your grandparents' nervous system. You were primed to carry the burdens that were not your own. In this article, we explain what the science of epigenetics means for your children and grandchildren. Even though studies show that over half of women with endometriosis have experienced some form of trauma or abuse, many patients cannot recall any. Could it be that the trauma was inherited from their mother or grandmother through the genes that were passed on, leaving no direct memory? Science now confirms that trauma from previous generations, especially on the maternal line, can leave biological imprints that affect your reproductive health today. I have worked with a client, Sara, whose grandmother, the victim of domestic abuse during her pregnancy, died a few hours after giving birth to her mother. Her mother therefore experienced prenatal trauma, birth trauma, and the grief and loss of her mother’s death. As a consequence of this traumatic experience, she resisted having children and resisted motherhood, but her husband insisted they have two. Although she had two children, she was never able to connect with them and was never emotionally present. The pain traveled through generations, and she carried sorrow, grief, and loss. She had experienced abuse during her intrauterine life. This is the inherited information that was embedded in her body, mind, and spirit. My client Sara was affected by her mother’s traumatic experiences, but also by her grandmother’s. In our therapy session, Sara was able to access her prenatal memories, feelings, and impulses in hypnosis. Babies in the womb have prenatal awareness, and the most developed sense in the womb is hearing due to the amniotic fluid. Sara remembered that her mother never wanted her and never connected with her in the womb. Broken prenatal bonds imply a detachment of the mother from her womb baby. Her mother rejected her and the role of being a mother. Sara had many subconscious mental blocks. She had a fear of death during childbirth, a fear of hospitals, and a fear of becoming like her mother. She could not conceive after 14 failed IVF procedures. I helped her remove her subconscious fears and mental blocks to pregnancy and conception, and to reconnect with her womb. Now she is expecting a baby girl, and she is 47 years old. How could your grandmother’s life change your cells? The science of epigenetics promises to deliver big changes in how we understand heredity and treat illness. Everyone has heard of the genome, that double helix DNA code that is uniquely yours, unless you have an identical twin. But there’s another layer of complexity responsible for creating you, and that’s the epigenome. Your epigenome sits in your cells with your genome. It’s a set of instructions that decides which parts of your DNA are activated or which genes are switched on or off. Every one of us has a unique DNA code. We all have many epigenomes because every different type of cell in the body, skin, fat, liver, and brain, has its own epigenome. Each person has one genome but multiple epigenomes, depending on the cell type. As we age, our epigenomes also age. We know that psychological stress, trauma, physical stress, smoking, alcohol consumption, diet, physical activity, obesity, infectious diseases, environmental pollutants, sun exposure, working night shifts, and countless other environmental factors can change our epigenomes. What we don’t know are the exact details of how and to what extent. How are epigenetic changes passed on? The concept of inheritance is one of the most controversial and fascinating aspects of epigenetics. It suggests that events in our lives can affect our children’s development and health, and possibly our grandchildren’s as well. The experiences our grandparents had before our parents were born may also impact our lives. I believe everyone is intrigued by this idea, that they are part of the experiences that occurred before them, to their ancestors. It is not just about genes or DNA, it is about being part of your family’s history. Professor Rachel Yehuda, a Professor of Neuroscience and Psychiatry at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, studies the impact of traumatic experiences on survivors of the Holocaust, war veterans, survivors of the September 11 attacks, and their children. Her studies found that children born after the war to Holocaust survivors with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were more likely to develop depression or PTSD themselves compared to other Jewish adults. These children also shared epigenetic markers with their parents on a gene that made them more reactive to stress. The understanding of how epigenetic changes could be transmitted from parent to child is still not entirely clear, but there is evidence to suggest that this happens at the time of conception and during intrauterine life. From the very beginning of development, genes exist simultaneously in two environments, the micromedium within the cell and the macromedium outside the cell, primarily the mother and then the growing fetus. DNA and these two environments (intracellular and extracellular) interact from the moment of fertilization. How can grandmothers (and mothers) pass on epigenetic changes? Everything that a mother experiences while she is pregnant can impact the epigenome of her developing baby. Did you know that a female baby's lifetime supply of eggs is created while she is growing in her mother’s womb? This means that the trauma she experiences can also impact these eggs, and eventually, the children they may become. In this way, the activity of the pregnant mother can touch the lives of her grandchildren. You were shaped inside your grandmother’s womb, and you inherited her stress, you were imprinted by her nervous system. If she was stressed, unheard, unseen, wounded, or unsafe, those signals passed into your mother’s developing body and into the egg that would one day become you. Your grandmother’s cortisol shaped your cells, her vagus nerve tone echoed forward. Her body said, This is what the world is like. Remember this blueprint. Then came your mother’s pregnancy, and you were shaped again, by her experiences, stress levels, sleep, trauma, joy, and nourishment. Your body’s ability to regulate stress was set before you were born. Like a nervous system inheritance, this is what we also refer to as intergenerational trauma. Some effects have been observed in grandchildren as well, suggesting transgenerational programming. Epigenetic inheritance of experiences in humans There’s a very famous, well-documented case during World War II and the Dutch winter where we can clearly see the impact of famine during pregnancy on a population over generations. During World War II, the Germans cut off food supplies to parts of the Netherlands, causing a famine. The Dutch Hunger Winter study is important because it provides insight into how a starvation diet during limited periods of gestation influences the subsequent health of offspring. Babies born to women during this time had a lower birth weight. When those babies grew up and had their own children, the third generation had significantly more problems with diabetes and obesity than the rest of the population. The Syrian War Survivors, Hama Siege (1982), is among the first human evidence that trauma can epigenetically affect multiple generations. Grandchildren of women pregnant during the siege showed distinct epigenetic marks, despite never directly experiencing the conflict. Can grandfathers (and fathers) transfer epigenetic changes? Professor Hannan and his team at the Florey Institute have shown that stress affects the epigenome of mouse sperm, and this can have an impact for more than one generation. The research they conducted demonstrated that increased paternal stress hormones changed the epigenome of the sperm and altered the offspring. Physical stress in the father mice has been shown to increase anxiety in offspring, Professor Hannan confirmed. However, the research also showed that increased physical activity in the father mice had positive effects. Fathers could transfer epigenetic changes to their children, and possibly grandchildren, through changes to sperm around the time of conception. The message of encouragement to heal Your body is always whispering through symptoms, hormone shifts, skin, weight, energy, sleep, cravings, and mood. If we want a different dialogue from our body, we shouldn’t silence it, we should listen, understand, and address the root cause. Your life always whispers to you, but you have most likely developed a habit of ignoring the messages your body is sending. If you’re seeking answers for infertility, endometriosis, PCOS, or any other condition, start this journey with an open mind. Let your body speak, and learn how to change the story it tells. You can book a free 30-minute consultation call with award-winning therapist Danijela Mrdak. In her therapy sessions, she focuses on identifying and eliminating the root cause of any issue. She also creates a personalized audio recording designed to help reprogram the mind. “You did not choose the blueprint. But you are allowed to change it. You are the first generation with this valuable knowledge and these tools. You can rewire what was wired in. You can give your body the safety you, your mother, and your grandmother never got to feel. You can break the trauma circle,” said Danijela Mrdak. In my therapy sessions, I have seen, for example, that tubal problems in my clients are often centered on their inner child. The root cause is that their inner child is not old enough, mature enough, or nurtured enough to feel fertile. If pain were a person, it would be very quiet at first, sitting in the body. After some time, it would grow louder and ultimately scream through certain organs. It would show up as an illness. I always tell my clients this, your mind is the womb. Whatever the mind can conceive, it can create in your reality. You can heal your life. I always teach my clients this in my therapy sessions, you are like an arrow, you can only go forward. You can never, ever go back to the past. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Danijela Mrdak Danijela Mrdak, Therapist, Clinical Hypnotherapist, Trauma And Fertility Therapist Danijela Mrdak is an award-winning therapist, clinical hypnotherapist, and trauma and fertility therapist practicing the Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT) method. She also holds a Masters in Law. She specialises in female fertility issues, including conception, IVF, pregnancy, and pre/post-natal issues. She has had enormous success in helping women all over the world to conceive. Danijela has received awards and recognition for her extraordinary contributions to mental health and fertility therapy and for her innovative approach to helping women overcome mental barriers to pregnancy. She developed a comprehensive course specifically aimed at therapists, coaches, and hypnotherapists to support them in assisting women and conception.

Written by Charlotte Cheetham, Gut Health Coach Charlotte Cheetham is an expert coach in gut health for menopausal women. She is the founder of Lifeinsights and aims to help all menopausal women one by one to heal their symptoms, which are preventing them from living a normal life. She has also written articles for Healthieyoo magazine about gut health, menopause, and psychobiotics. For many women in their 40s and 50s, sugar cravings hit harder than ever. That innocent biscuit with your tea now leaves you bloated. Afternoon chocolate gives you a rush, then a crash. And somehow, your jeans feel tighter by the end of the week, even when you’ve been “good.” It’s not your imagination. During perimenopause, the way your body handles sugar changes dramatically, and your gut feels the effects first. “If you fix your gut, your hormones will follow.” The hormonal storm: Why sugar hits harder now As oestrogen and progesterone levels fluctuate, your body becomes less sensitive to insulin, the hormone that manages blood sugar. Combine that with higher cortisol (the stress hormone) and disrupted sleep, and you’ve got the perfect storm for sugar cravings, belly fat, and energy crashes. When insulin stays high for too long, your body starts storing more fat around your middle, your gut bacteria shift, and you feel constantly drained. These changes also make your gut more reactive, meaning a muffin or a latte that used to sit fine now triggers bloating, cramps, or unpredictable IBS flare-ups. The more your gut is out of balance, the more you crave sugar because the ‘bad’ bacteria are sending signals to your brain asking for their next fix. The gut-sugar connection Your gut microbiome, the trillions of bacteria living inside your intestines, thrives on balance. Some bacteria feed on fibre and help reduce inflammation. Others feed on sugar and create gas, bloating, and fatigue. Too much refined sugar feeds the wrong crowd. It encourages the overgrowth of yeasts like Candida albicans and reduces the diversity of beneficial bacteria that help manage digestion and mood. This imbalance, called dysbiosis, can trigger IBS symptoms such as: Constant bloating Cramping or gas Alternating constipation and diarrhoea Fatigue and brain fog Over time, your gut lining becomes more permeable (“leaky”), allowing toxins and inflammatory compounds to enter the bloodstream, worsening hormone fluctuations and cravings. Did you know? Your gut bacteria can influence your food choices. When “sugar-loving” microbes dominate, they send hunger signals through the vagus nerve, literally making you crave sugar. The IBS-energy rollercoaster That post-lunch slump? It’s more than tiredness. Here’s what happens: You eat a sugary or carb-heavy meal. Your blood sugar spikes. Insulin floods in to lower it. Blood sugar drops too quickly. You feel shaky, tired, and crave another sweet hit. Cortisol rises to rescue your energy, but it also tightens the gut muscles, which can trigger IBS symptoms. Over time, this cycle leads to unstable moods, low motivation, and even worse sleep. Your blood sugar affects your gut, and your gut affects your mood. It’s all connected. How to spot when sugar is sabotaging you You might not think you eat much sugar, but it sneaks in everywhere. Here are tell-tale signs that it’s time to reset: You wake up bloated, even after light dinners. You crave something sweet after every meal. You get “hangry” between meals. You feel tired but wired at night. You rely on caffeine to get through the afternoon. If this sounds familiar, your blood sugar and gut bacteria are out of sync, and your hormones are struggling to keep up. Healthy swaps to support hormone and gut balance Recommendation: gentle changes that stabilise blood sugar, feed the gut, and naturally calm cravings. Begin the day with protein: Skip cereal and toast. Try eggs, avocado, and spinach, or a smoothie with protein powder, chia, and nut butter. Keeps blood sugar steady for hours. Choose fibre-rich carbs: Refined carbs (white bread, pasta) spike sugar and feed the wrong microbes. Swap for quinoa, brown rice, or lentils. Their fibre feeds beneficial bacteria and helps detoxify oestrogen. Pair fruit with fat or protein: Avoid fruit on its own. Pair it with yoghurt, nuts, or seeds to slow sugar release. Try berries with coconut yoghurt or apple slices with almond butter. Beat the 3 p.m. slump: Energy crashes come from blood sugar dips. Lunch on salmon, quinoa, and roasted vegetables. Snack on nuts, hummus, or edamame instead of chocolate. Crowd out, don’t cut out: Focus on adding, not restricting. Include fermented foods (sauerkraut, kefir) and prebiotic fibres (onions, leeks, asparagus). These help rebalance your microbiome and reduce cravings. Watch hidden sugars: Read labels, as sugar hides as maltose, syrup, or dextrose. Make your own dressings with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and herbs. Drink before you snack: Often, cravings signal dehydration. Sip water with lemon or herbal tea before eating. The goal isn’t to cut out sugar forever, it’s to control the spike. Healing the gut after sugar overload If you’ve been in the sugar and IBS loop for a while, your gut may need a reset. This four-step approach helps clients calm inflammation and restore energy. Remove the irritants: Reduce processed foods, alcohol, and refined sugar for 2 to 4 weeks. This gives your gut lining time to heal. Rebalance the microbiome: Add probiotic foods (kefir, kimchi, miso) and prebiotics (onions, garlic, asparagus). These support digestion and hormone metabolism. Repair the gut lining: Support with L-glutamine, zinc, and collagen. Bone broth or chia puddings help soothe and repair. Reintroduce slowly: After your reset, bring back natural sugars such as berries, apples, and dark chocolate mindfully. Notice how your body responds. The emotional side of sugar Sugar isn’t just about food, it’s emotional comfort. When oestrogen drops, serotonin dips too, making us crave sweet foods for a mood lift. Healthier ways to find balance: Movement: a 10-minute walk after meals stabilises blood sugar. Breathwork: deep breathing lowers cortisol and reduces cravings. Mindful eating: savour your food, satisfaction reduces overeating. When you replace sugar with self-care, your cravings start to fade naturally. You can’t outsmart biology, but you can work with it. The results: A happier gut, a calmer mind Within a few weeks of changing how you eat, you’ll notice: Less bloating and IBS discomfort Steadier energy Fewer cravings Better sleep Clearer thinking Your gut bacteria rebalance, your blood sugar stabilises, and your hormones follow. It’s a chain reaction that brings you back into alignment and helps you feel like yourself again. Gut-friendly sweet swaps cheat sheet If You Crave... Try This Instead Why It Works Chocolate 1 square of 85% dark chocolate + handful of almonds Magnesium supports mood & reduces cravings Ice cream Frozen banana blended with Greek yoghurt Adds probiotics & protein Fizzy drinks Sparkling water with lime & mint Refreshing & supports digestion Biscuits Oat cakes with nut butter Healthy fats + fibre = satisfaction Sugary coffee Matcha latte with almond milk Sustained energy & antioxidants Final thoughts: Progress, not perfection Midlife isn’t about restriction, it’s about rhythm. Your body is asking for balance, not punishment. By swapping quick fixes for nourishment, you create a foundation of energy and calm that ripples through every part of your life. So next time you crave sugar, pause and ask, “What is my body really asking for?” When you listen, and feed your gut with what it truly needs, you’ll find your cravings soften, your energy stabilises, and your sparkle returns. Because when your gut is in balance, your whole life is in balance.  Follow me on  Instagram , LinkedIn,  and visit my website  for more info! Read more from Charlotte Cheetham Charlotte Cheetham, Gut Health Coach Charlotte Cheetham is an expert Gut Coach for menopausal women. After suffering from an acute gut infection, she had to learn how to manage her gut health to prevent another massive flare-up. She has learnt how to manage her nutritional needs to become healthy and happy during menopause. Her mission is to help as many women as possible manage their diet and lifestyle, so they can also learn how to become healthy and happy again.

Written by Paul Corke, Leadership Innovator, Author & Speaker Paul Corke is an executive coach, author, speaker, and is considered to be a leading expert on mindset, leadership, and innovation. and is also the Managing Director of Paul Corke International, an innovative Executive Coaching business. He previously spent 25 years in the corporate world with award-winning results, specializing in organizational effectiveness, coaching, employee engagement, talent management, and leadership development with experience in the UK, Ireland, Europe, the US, and the Middle East. In a world flooded with curated lives and public-facing success, it's easy to mistake appearance for authenticity. Social media, advertising, and peer pressure all encourage us to keep up, often at the cost of our own truth. We buy the house, the car, the clothes, we holiday in the ‘right’ places and dine where everyone else is seen, not always because it aligns with who we are, but because of how it looks from the outside. But here’s the question that cuts through the noise, If no one was watching, would you still choose it? This article explores how comparison, judgment, and unrealistic expectations can block our authentic path and create what psychologists call the happiness gap, the distance between how we’re living and who we truly are. Why comparison disconnects us from ourselves We all compare. It’s human. But when comparison becomes habitual, it erodes the space for self-trust and intuitive living. Social Comparison Theory (Festinger, 1954) suggests we constantly measure ourselves against others to evaluate our worth. But upward comparison, looking at those who seem to be doing “better,” often leaves us feeling inadequate, even if our lives are objectively full. Authenticity, defined as living in accordance with our true values, is one of the strongest predictors of wellbeing. When we live by someone else’s script, we sacrifice peace for performance. The question “If no one was watching, would I still do this?” is a powerful tool. It pulls us back to intrinsic motives—what we want, not what we believe will impress others. And when we live for show, we often lose our centre, drifting from joy, purpose, and presence. Letting go of the performance Organisational example: A tech company breaks the comparison cycle A global tech firm noticed a culture of internal one-upmanship, flashy company cars, high-end offices, and constant productivity metrics. It looked successful, but beneath the surface, morale was low and burnout was high. The leadership posed a question, If no one outside the company was watching, would we still operate like this? The answer was no. They stripped back status symbols and re-centred the culture on contribution, not comparison. In 12 months, internal surveys showed a marked rise in wellbeing, authenticity, and collaboration. Lesson: When organisations encourage “keeping up,” authenticity disappears. When they support internal alignment, people thrive. National case: A country redefines success In a small European country with growing dissatisfaction despite rising incomes, a national campaign invited citizens to ask, “Would you buy it if no one else saw it?” Debt, social pressure, and burnout were rising—not because people lacked resources, but because they were trapped in the cycle of comparison-driven consumption. The public initiative, focused on values-led living and personal reflection, helped reduce household debt and increased national wellbeing scores within three years. Lesson: Cultural narratives built on comparison can fuel collective unhappiness. But when societies encourage reflection and realignment, people return to what truly matters. Choosing purpose over performance 1. Jim Carrey – Rejecting the Hollywood script At the peak of his career, Jim Carrey was a household name with fame and fortune. Yet he described feeling empty. “I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it's not the answer.” He retreated from major film roles, explored art and spirituality, and began speaking openly about ego, identity, and the illusion of success. External success doesn’t equal internal fulfilment. Authenticity may require letting go of what everyone else considers “winning.” 2. Keanu Reeves – Humility over hype Despite global fame, Reeves lives simply, often taking public transport, avoiding luxury excess, and quietly donating to causes he cares about. “Money is the last thing I think about. I could live on what I’ve already made for the next few centuries.” He rarely courts attention and is often praised not for his status, but for his grace, groundedness, and integrity. True authenticity isn't loud. Sometimes, it’s the quiet rejection of status games in favour of real alignment. 3. Adele – Reclaiming her narrative After global success with her album 25, Adele stepped away from the spotlight. Tabloids speculated endlessly, but she later shared that she needed to rediscover herself outside of public expectation. “I felt like I was doing it for myself. I wasn’t chasing anything.” Her next album 30 was raw, emotional, and real, not made for awards or algorithms, but as a reflection of her truth. Authenticity sometimes means disappointing others in order to be true to yourself. The judgement loop and the happiness gap Comparison often breeds judgement, of others and of ourselves. And judgement distances us from empathy, curiosity, and self-compassion. It also inflates the happiness gap, that space between what life is and what we think it should be, and the gap between us being our authentic selves. When that imagined version is fuelled by social media, unrealistic role models, and external validation, it’s rarely attainable. How to reclaim your truth: Practical tools Ask the “no one watching” question regularly: Would I still post this, buy this, say this, or live this way if no one else knew about it? Curate what you consume: Be mindful of how much time you spend around comparison-fuelling content such as social media, luxury advertising, or hyper-competitive environments. Celebrate invisible wins: Integrity, patience, rest, and presence don’t always show online, but they are essential indicators of an authentic life. Track triggers of comparison: Notice when comparison flares up, who or what sparks it, and what insecurity it reveals. Use it as insight, not indictment. Define “enough” for yourself: Write your own success metrics, not based on someone else’s lifestyle, but on how at peace, energised, and fulfilled you feel. Speak it out loud: Share your authenticity goals with someone you trust. Accountability helps when the world pulls you back into old habits. Final thoughts: Return to you The path to a meaningful life doesn’t run through someone else’s highlight reel. It lives in the quiet moments when you choose what aligns, not what impresses. If no one was watching, who would you be? That’s the question that closes the happiness gap. That’s where authenticity begins. Follow me on  Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website  for more info! Read more from Paul Corke Paul Corke, Leadership Innovator, Author & Speaker Paul Corke is an executive coach, author, and speaker, and is considered to be a leading expert on mindset, leadership, and innovation. and is also the Managing Director of Paul Corke International, an innovative Executive Coaching business. He previously spent 25 years in the corporate world with award-winning results, specializing in organizational effectiveness, coaching, employee engagement, talent management, and leadership development with experience in the UK, Ireland, Europe, the US, and the Middle East. With over 25 years dedicated to coaching and mentoring leaders within organisations and with his own clients. His unique blend of innovative techniques and coaching has become a hallmark of his approach to leadership development. Recognised as the No. 1 Health & Wellness Thought Leader by Thinkers 360, Paul is also an accomplished author. His latest book, “Leadership 5.0: The Future of Leadership,” offers profound insights into ground-breaking perspectives on leadership. Paul is an engaging keynote speaker, and his commitment to advancing the field of leadership is evident in his role as a thought leader. His talks and written work underscore his dedication to shaping the future of leadership by challenging norms and fostering a mindset of continuous innovation.

Written by Katelyn Mateo, Identity and Manifestation Coach Katelyn is an Identity and Manifestation Coach, Transformation Healer, and Founder of The Ripple Effect Signature Program, guiding individuals and business owners to release subconscious blocks and align with their highest potential. There are moments in life when it feels too still. We’ve prayed, acted, and waited, yet nothing seems to be moving in the direction we thought we were heading. Beneath the stillness, God is always at work. The presence of God rarely arrives as a tidal wave. More often than not, God is revealed in subtle ripples that begin in the unseen. 1. Reflect on the seeds you’ve planted Every prayer whispered with uncertainty, every act of kindness offered without reward, every time you chose integrity even when it wasn’t convenient, those were all spiritual seeds you planted. Sometimes the ripples we’re looking for are actually the harvest of seeds we long forgot we once planted. The opportunity that arises out of the blue, the calmness after the storm, all of it is fruit that grew from something small and unseen. Awareness is key  Everything begins with awareness. What you are currently experiencing today was once something you sowed in faith. Pay attention to how the life you’re currently living was once something you prayed for. God takes what we plant in faith and multiplies it, often in ways that are subtle and slow to reveal themselves, just like planting a seed in your garden. Sit in gratitude  This is why reflection is essential. It allows you to become aware, reflect on your current reality, and be grateful for what has already come to fruition. When you take the time to look back with gratitude, not judgment, you start to notice the traces of the divine thread. You realize that certain blessings, no matter how small, did not just appear. They were the result of your obedience, prayers, and surrender to God. It is in this reflection that you begin to see the ripple effect, how one small shift or one small decision set in motion a chain of alignment that brought you to where you are now. 2. Notice the divine timing in delays and detours One of the most evident ways to see the ripple effect of God within your life is through the timing of events, especially the moments that didn’t follow your plan. We often view delays and detours as signs that things are not working out, but what if they were just redirections? Rejection or protection?  When you look back on your life, you may now see that doors that didn’t open for you were not rejections but protection. The opportunities you wanted so desperately to work out were simply stepping stones to something greater, something more aligned with your purpose. God’s timing is rarely immediate. The foundation must first be set, you must be prepared for what’s to come, or you won’t be able to hold onto it. You are being refined for what lies ahead. Delays are blessings in disguise Delays create depth in your belief. They stretch our patience, build resilience, and shape the version of us that is needed to sustain the blessings coming our way. It is not waiting in vain. It is evidence of God’s divine orchestration. The job that never called you back led you to another connection or decision that launched your path to purpose. The relationship that ended helped you realize you were deserving of someone more aligned with where you were headed. That season of waiting became your foundation for clarity to propel you forward. Acknowledging divine timing is one of the most purposeful ways to see the ripple effect of God in your life. Realizing what once seemed like disappointment was actually alignment in disguise. 3. Notice the people God sends The ripple effect of God often flows through the people in your life. There are people who enter our lives with divine timing, speak truth when we need direction, or challenge us in ways that call us to grow. Every single person who crosses our path is there for a reason and carries a purpose, even if the relationship seems more like a lesson or the purpose isn’t immediately clear. No coincidences A friend who miraculously comes into your life to remind you of your worth when you’ve forgotten it is not a mere coincidence. A mentor who sees potential in you before you see it in yourself is not an accident. The stranger whose kindness restores your faith in humanity is not a mistake. These are divinely orchestrated meetings to confirm your path. Each one carries a thread of divine alignment that gently pulls you closer to where you are meant to be. A shift  Looking at people through this lens transforms how you move about in this world. Instead of asking yourself, “Why did this happen?” you begin to ask, “What is this here to teach me?” Instead of moving through life with confusion, you begin to move with clarity and see that something far greater is being orchestrated. The people God sends are either gentle guides or difficult mirrors, but they are both living proof of the ripple he is creating within your life. Through these encounters, he shapes us, aligns us, and expands us into the next level of who we are meant to become. 4. Understanding that your healing heals others One of the many extraordinary ways to witness the ripple effect of God is through the quiet influence of your own healing. Every time you choose to rise from what was meant to break you, every time you forgive when revenge would have been more favorable, every time you return to peace after pain, you send out a wave of spiritual restoration that reaches far beyond yourself. Healing through you We have believed that healing is something personal, something that only happens within us. However, healing is never isolated. When God chooses to heal you, he then heals through you. Your transformation becomes the testimony, because what else could it be if not God? This is a reflection and living proof of the power of God. Your testimony then becomes a glimmer of hope for someone else who is watching your journey, even silently. Breaking the patterns Healing is divine work, and it carries a generational impact. When you willingly break patterns of fear, shame, or self-sabotage, you are not just changing your life. You are altering the spiritual DNA of your entire bloodline. You are the evidence that God’s restoration is real and alive in this world today. The ripple effect of divine alignment continues through every healed heart because every act of restoration reveals the presence of God, his power, his faithfulness, and his ability to bring calm from chaos. 5. Recognize God’s fingerprints in the ordinary Often, we are waiting for God’s presence to appear as a life-changing miracle, an unmistakable answer to prayer, or a moment that feels cinematic. The truth is, God rarely moves with only grand gestures. His hands are in the details, in the ordinary moments of life, creating quiet ripples that shape your journey in ways you may not immediately see. Divine alignment The ripple effect of divine alignment becomes most obvious when you slow down and are completely present in the moment. It is often when we are rushing and our nervous systems are stressed that we miss these subtle clues. It could be the words of encouragement from a friend, the small act of provision just in the nick of time, or the sense of peace in the midst of the storm. These are the fingerprints of God. Recognition  Being present by journaling, visualizing, meditating, or simply reflecting can help you become more in tune with these moments. Over time, the patterns begin to emerge and become so obvious that you may wonder why you didn’t see them sooner. You may notice how a simple conversation sparked an opportunity, how a setback led to immense clarity, or how a seemingly random encounter with a stranger brought intense guidance. When you finally connect the dots, what seemed like a mere coincidence begins to reveal something deeper. The ordinary then becomes extraordinary when it is seen through the lens of God’s work. These small, often invisible ripples accumulate, shaping your life in ways that eventually become undeniable. Once you recognize them, you become more attuned to the guidance and opportunities God places in your path, empowering you to move toward your purpose. Follow me on Instagram , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Katelyn Mateo Katelyn Mateo, Identity and Manifestation Coach Katelyn is an Identity and Manifestation Coach, Transformation Healer, and Founder of The Ripple Effect Signature Program. She empowers business owners and individuals to remove subconscious barriers and self-limiting beliefs so they can live and lead from their highest potential. Having overcome a near-death experience and the loss of her home in 2022, Katelyn’s journey of resilience and rebirth fuels her mission to help others transform their pain into purpose and create lives that radiate impact and intention.

Written by Ella Thomas, Bookkeeping & Accounting Strategist Ella Thomas is a Bookkeeping and Accounting Specialist and the founder of Strategic Bookkeeping Specialists. She helps business owners gain confidence, control, and peace of mind with their finances so they can fully focus on growing the business they love. The end of the year is a natural time for reflection, planning, and preparation. For business owners, it’s also a time to ensure your finances are in order and ready for tax season. With the right approach, what can feel overwhelming can become an organized and empowering process. As a business owner in the U.S., you are required to file taxes annually, either individually or through your business entity, depending on your structure. Five essential steps to prepare your business finances 1. Hire a bookkeeper A professional bookkeeper is more than someone who enters numbers. They are your organizational ally. A skilled bookkeeper ensures your financial statements are accurate, up-to-date, and ready to be used for tax preparation. They help keep you compliant, track your income and expenses, and make certain all taxes are filed and paid on time. 2. Hire a tax accountant While a bookkeeper keeps your records organized, a tax accountant can help you strategically minimize your tax liability. The right tax professional doesn’t just file your taxes. They provide insight into planning, deductions, and strategies tailored to your business. 3. Choose the right team It’s crucial to feel a strong connection with the professionals you hire. Reach out to several bookkeepers and accountants and find the ones whose energy, approach, and communication style resonate with you. Your comfort and trust in your team will make managing your finances much easier and less stressful. 4. Utilize your bookkeeper fully Your bookkeeper is there to help you with all your annual requirements. This includes 1099 filings, W-2s, payroll taxes, sales taxes, and secure document storage. The more you leverage their expertise, the less stress you’ll face when tax season arrives. 5. Review your documents carefully Even the most experienced professionals can make mistakes. As the business owner and taxpayer, it’s your responsibility to review all documentation before filing. Carefully check the reports from both your bookkeeper and tax accountant to ensure accuracy. This step protects you and ensures your filings are correct. Preparing your finances for the end of the year doesn’t have to be stressful. By taking these steps, you’ll approach tax season with clarity, confidence, and a sense of control, allowing you to focus on growing your business and stepping into the new year fully prepared. Follow me on Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Ella Thomas Ella Thomas, Bookkeeping & Accounting Strategist Ella Thomas is the founder of Strategic Bookkeeping Specialists, dedicated to helping business owners simplify their finances and build confidence in their numbers. With years of experience in bookkeeping and accounting, she understands the challenges entrepreneurs face and provides practical strategies to bring clarity and peace of mind. Ella’s mission is to empower business owners to focus on what they love, growing their business, while she takes care of the financial details. Discover more insights and tips by visiting her profile page.

Claudette Rickett Spinelli Schwartz has built a life and career defined by purpose, compassion, and connection. Known for her leadership, philanthropy, and genuine care for others, she brings integrity to everything she does – whether she’s guiding a business initiative, supporting a local charity, or hiking a quiet trail surrounded by nature. “I’ve always believed that success means more when it lifts others too,” Claudette says. “That’s how I measure progress – not just by what I achieve, but by how much good it creates.” Her story is one of balance – blending professional achievement with a deep sense of social responsibility. It’s a balance that has earned her the respect of colleagues, community leaders, and peers alike. Early lessons that shaped her leadership Claudette’s values were shaped early in life by a strong sense of family, hard work, and gratitude. She often credits her upbringing for teaching her the importance of service and community. “I grew up understanding that no one succeeds alone,” she reflects. “You give back when you can, and you stay grounded no matter how far you go.” That philosophy would become a guiding force throughout her professional journey. It helped her build not just a career, but a reputation for empathy-driven leadership – one that values people as much as results. Building a career with integrity and intention Throughout her career, Claudette Rickett Spinelli Schwartz  has approached leadership as both a responsibility and a privilege. Colleagues describe her as someone who leads by example – steady, principled, and unafraid to make the tough calls when needed. She believes in creating spaces where people feel seen and valued. “When people feel respected, they give their best,” she explains. “That’s true in business, in teams, and in life.” Her work has earned her recognition not just for professional accomplishments, but also for how she achieves them – with integrity, compassion, and purpose. Claudette often emphasizes that the best results come from collaboration and trust. “The most successful teams aren’t the biggest,” she says. “They’re the ones that listen to each other and move forward together.” A commitment to philanthropy and community Beyond the boardroom, Claudette has dedicated herself to a range of charitable and community causes. She supports organizations that focus on improving lives – from local animal shelters to broader humanitarian efforts. Her philanthropic philosophy is hands-on. “I don’t just want to write a check,” she says. “I want to show up, understand the work, and help make it sustainable.” That mindset has led her to partnerships with nonprofit leaders and community organizers who share her drive for meaningful change. Whether she’s volunteering at an event, helping raise awareness, or mentoring young professionals, Claudette approaches every effort with the same level of care she brings to her professional work. The power of nature and balance For all her professional focus, Claudette knows the value of stepping back. She finds peace and perspective in nature – hiking, cooking outdoors, and exploring new landscapes whenever she can. “Nature keeps me centered,” she says. “It reminds me that growth takes time and that every season has a purpose.” This connection to the natural world shapes how she manages stress, makes decisions, and leads teams. She often encourages others to seek balance – to make space for reflection and renewal amid busy schedules. “Burnout doesn’t build leaders,” she adds. “Balance does. When you take care of yourself, you have more to give.” Leading with compassion in a changing world In an era where many leaders focus solely on performance metrics, Claudette stands out for her human-centered approach. Her leadership is grounded in empathy, clear communication, and long-term thinking – qualities that have become even more important in uncertain times. “People want authenticity,” she says. “They want to know the person leading them understands what they’re going through. That’s where trust begins.” Colleagues describe her as someone who listens more than she speaks – a rare quality in fast-paced industries. She believes that leadership today means fostering connection, not just driving output. A legacy of purpose and positive change Claudette’s journey reflects a blend of professional success and personal fulfillment. It’s a reminder that leadership doesn’t have to come at the cost of compassion – and that integrity can be the strongest form of influence. As she looks toward the future, her focus remains the same: to lead with purpose, serve her community, and stay grounded in what truly matters. “Titles fade,” she says. “But kindness – that’s what lasts. That’s what people remember.” Her example offers a timeless lesson: real leadership isn’t just about ambition or authority. It’s about heart, humility, and the courage to make a difference – one decision, one act of service, one moment of compassion at a time.

Written by Graham John Morgan, Performance Mentor Graham is a serial innovator with a unique, proven record in Football, Education, and Performance. Building on his extensive career experience, Graham is collaborating with a global leading neuroscientist, Dr Michael Merzenich, to create footballing brains, a programme of Mentored Brain Training to improve performance, mental strength, and resilience. Graham Morgan and John Bishop are the founders of Evolve: A Social Impact Company, a multi-award-winning social enterprise that has been pioneering innovative approaches to improve the performance of children in school. Evolve mainly works with children growing up in challenging circumstances and often living in disadvantaged areas.  However, interestingly, their Evolve programmes have proven to be of equal value to all of the school population and to adults as well as children.  Graham and John are from different generations and bring individual life experiences and skills to their work. However, they both believe our Education System could benefit from adopting more modern approaches to learning. In this article, they discuss how parents can best bring about transformational change to the performance of their children.  Graham:   Why do traditional educational models sometimes fall short, and what is a different way to think about it?   John:  While traditional education focuses heavily on academic learning outcomes, it sometimes overlooks the foundational skills of wellbeing and mindset that are necessary for success. Schools are often under immense pressure to deliver on a specific curriculum and test scores, which can leave less time to focus on a child's holistic development and emotional health.  Our approach suggests a simple logic model, improving a child's wellbeing will lead to improvements in their mindset, which will, in turn, drive better performance in all areas of their life, from academics to sports and everything in between. This is not about ignoring the importance of learning but rather recognizing that a strong foundation in wellbeing and positive mindset is the essential building block upon which all other learning is built.  Graham: How can parents and teachers help children improve their wellbeing?  John:  Our Evolve model breaks wellbeing into six key elements, sleep, nutrition, physical activity, emotional wellbeing, personal development, and self-efficacy. A highly effective strategy for improving all six is to help children find a passion or a hobby they can get good at, especially if it is physically active in nature. Better still, encourage them to meet and interact with others interested in the same pursuits – whatever their age. This is not about pushing them to be the best but rather helping them build and strengthen an interest that they can come to love, whether it is cooking, languages, sport, robotics, or hiking, any positive activity works. When a child finds joy and a sense of purpose in an activity, it naturally improves their sleep and nutrition, which are the essential foundations for health. It also boosts their emotional wellbeing, building a sense of agency and self-confidence that drives improvement across all six elements.  Graham:   How can we help our children to develop a better mindset?   John:  In our model, mindset has three main elements, control, cognition, and character. To improve self-control and emotional regulation, for example, there is a technique called "emotion coaching," which is effective but is often difficult to do in the heat of the moment when your own emotions get involved.  Another way to look at this is to treat each day as a training session where you are the coach. When your child handles a difficult situation without allowing their heightened emotions to take control, praise, celebrate, or even make a note of these moments.  For the times they miss an opportunity to regulate themselves, you can make a discreet note of it to discuss later when everyone is calm and receptive. This training helps them to respond to a situation with intention, rather than just reacting to it out of impulse. We have similar strategies for developing character and cognition in children and young people, too.  Graham: What are some important character traits to develop in a child?   John:  While it is best to focus on a child's existing strengths, some traits are strongly linked to success in life. These include perseverance, curiosity, self-control, optimism, gratitude, and enthusiasm. Perseverance is the key to pushing through a difficult math problem, while curiosity is what makes them ask "why?" and seek deeper understanding. You can subtly encourage these traits by using role models that a child admires and having conversations that prompt them to think about what made that person successful. For instance, when watching an athlete, you could ask, "I wonder how long she had to practice to be able to do that so well?" or "Do you have any idea how he managed to get so good at that?" These conversations will start developing curiosity and encourage them to join the dots for themselves.  Graham:   What about cognitive skills? How can we help with those?  John:  Cognitive skills like attention and focus, visual and auditory processing, and working memory are the building blocks of learning and thinking. You can improve these by deliberately focusing on them within a child's passions or hobbies. Using a hobby as a hook allows you to make this practice enjoyable.  For instance, if your child loves gaming, you can focus on how quickly they react and make decisions, praising their visual processing skills. Instead of saying, "You are not paying attention," try a positive, mentoring approach like, "You concentrated for longer today. Can you concentrate for even longer next time?" You can then "provoke" them in a positive way. Praise, provoke, and persevere in a supportive way, not a critical, judgmental way, and remember that cognitive skills are exactly that. They are skills, which means that they can be improved over time.  Both parents and child development professionals need to realise that children and young people have a lot of learning to do. Appreciation of this, alongside a healthy dose of patience, will certainly help. However, we should accelerate their learning and development wherever possible, and these simple strategies can be very effective in doing so. To view the work of Evolve, visit their website here . Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website  for more info! Read more from Graham John Morgan Graham John Morgan, Performance Mentor Graham Morgan's career was initially in physical education and then football coaching at a high level, before moving on to devising Project HERO (Health Engagement Real Outcomes), a multi-award-winning mentoring programme. He has taken the successful mentoring work of Evolve: A Social Impact Company, developed in partnership with John Bishop, and combined it with the brain training expertise of Dr. Michael Merzenich of Brain HQ. The result is poised to be a game-changer for football coaching.

Written by Danka Baranowska, Guest Writer In an age of constant connection yet quiet disconnection, we find ourselves surrounded by communication but starved for genuine presence. In a world where relationships are often filtered through performance, image, and routine, true intimacy is becoming a lost art. This reflection explores how presence, grounded in emotional awareness, nervous-system balance, and authentic expression, forms the foundation for meaningful relationships in every area of life. We live in an age of endless communication yet profound loneliness. Real intimacy asks not for more words but for deeper presence. Modern relationships are often built through performance, curated images, emotional masks, and habitual patterns that create the illusion of closeness. We have learned to communicate more, yet feel less. Validation has replaced vulnerability, and expression has overtaken embodiment. We perform not only online, but in our homes, playing roles we have inherited, the caretaker, the achiever, the peacekeeper. Beneath the surface, a quiet ache grows, the longing to be seen beyond the role, to be loved for our raw humanity rather than our performance. In our friendships, the same pattern continues. We gather in familiar circles, share drinks or dinners, and stay safely on the surface, connecting through activity, not presence. Somewhere between laughter and routine, the depth of real seeing, that sacred moment when one soul recognizes another, becomes a rare encounter. True connection asks more of us. It asks for stillness in a world that glorifies stimulation. It asks for honesty where habit would rather hide. It asks us to meet without masks, to listen without fixing, to look without judgment, to love without performance. It asks us, simply, to be, to rest in presence where nothing needs proving and everything is already whole. When we begin to meet each other in this way, without pretense and without urgency, something within us softens. The need to perform gives way to the desire to understand. This is where intimacy truly begins. What is true intimacy? If performance disconnects us, what reconnects us? Intimacy is the meeting of two coherent nervous systems in the presence. True intimacy is not emotional fusion, it is energetic resonance. When two people meet in presence, their nervous systems harmonize without effort. Intimacy becomes less about merging and more about mirroring coherence. Real intimacy does not entangle or consume. It creates spaciousness, the freedom to be fully yourself in the company of another. Intimacy is one of our greatest human needs. Beyond food, water, and shelter, we long for closeness, for the feeling of being met and understood. In the language of psychology, this mirrors Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Once our basic physiological and safety needs are met, we naturally reach for belonging, love, and connection. At lower frequencies, intimacy is tied to survival and safety, a way to secure attachment and stability. As we rise through what I call the frequency pyramid of human needs, love evolves. It shifts from attachment to attunement, from grasping to grace, and becomes an art, a dance of mutual awareness and refinement. Presence is the new intimacy In a world that confuses communication with connection, presence becomes the new intimacy, a silent frequency that speaks louder than words, the space where connection happens without effort. Before we can be truly present with another, we must learn to be present with ourselves. We were taught to manage perception rather than energy. We became fluent in appearing fine while quietly abandoning our truth, turning down our intuition, our emotions, and our authenticity in exchange for acceptance. True intimacy begins when we come home to ourselves, when we stop narrating and start noticing. The body never lies. It speaks through breath, tension, and heartbeat, translating emotion into energy long before we find the words. When we bring awareness to our sensations, we reclaim the language of safety that every nervous system understands. Feeling safe in someone’s energy is a different kind of intimacy, a peace that does not need words. That sense of safety and protection is profoundly underrated, yet it is the foundation of love that lasts, whether between partners, friends, family, or souls walking a shared path. It is the art of holding your own energy steady enough for another to rest in truth. When two people meet from that place, embodied, attuned, and unguarded, love becomes less of a feeling and more of a frequency. Beyond roles and the illusion of safety We spend years perfecting our roles yet lose sight of the one thing roles can never replace: real seeing. The call for authenticity has always been there, a quiet invitation to lead from the truth of who we are. In a world still ruled by shadow consciousness, we often mistake attachment for love, intensity for intimacy, and familiarity for safety. Attachment arises from fear, the fear of loss, abandonment, or emptiness, and keeps us grasping for something outside ourselves to feel whole. Attachment styles and the nervous system Our capacity for intimacy is deeply shaped by early experiences. According to attachment theory, the quality of connection we had with caregivers forms the inner templates through which we relate to others. These patterns, secure, anxious, avoidant, or disorganized, reveal how our nervous system learned to survive love. Secure attachment allows us to give and receive love freely, trusting both closeness and space. Anxious attachment seeks reassurance and fears rejection. Avoidant attachment values control and independence over emotional vulnerability. Disorganized attachment oscillates between longing and fear, often rooted in early inconsistency or trauma. Through awareness, we begin to repattern these old codes. Intimacy is not only emotional, it is developmental and energetic. The courage to stay with yourself At this very edge, the threshold of intimacy, we begin to meet ourselves. When we avoid intimacy, we hide behind roles and stories and performance, anything that keeps us safe from being seen. When we crave too much intimacy, we lose presence. We merge, chase, and overconnect in an attempt to fill the silence that only self-connection can soothe. Both patterns, avoidance and overattachment, defend against the same fear, the fear of being with what is. Real connection asks for space between souls, not distance and not collapse. It asks for the courage to stay with yourself while being with another. When we shift from attachment to resonance, our relationships become mirrors rather than cages. We begin to feel the subtle difference. Attachment contracts, connection expands. Attachment drains, connection regenerates. In presence, love no longer needs performance or proof. It simply is. A new paradigm of love Intimacy thrives in the subtle balance between surrender and sovereignty. It begins when we can witness our need to control or to cling without acting on it. Presence is what allows love to breathe, not the performance of closeness, not the avoidance of it, but the stillness in between. As we collectively evolve beyond old paradigms, a new harmony is being born. Many women are no longer choosing partners for status or stability, but for emotional depth, integrity, and presence. What is being revealed is confronting. Many men were never taught how to build love from those things. We are being asked to find balance between strength and sensitivity, freedom and devotion. In this new era, individuality and emotional intelligence lead the way. We are guided into relationships rooted not in dependency, but in resonance. The mirror principle in relationships The Gene Keys have been a profound framework in both my contemplative journey and my work as a guide. They offer a language for understanding human frequency, how our emotions, patterns, and relationships evolve from shadow to gift. When I speak of intimacy, presence, or coherence, I am drawing from this living transmission that invites us to turn inward, listen, and embody love as consciousness itself. Every relationship is a living mirror of what we experience in others, whether admiration, irritation, longing, or resistance, reveals the frequencies already moving within us. People do not create our emotions; they amplify what is waiting to be integrated. Through the lens of the Gene Keys, this mirroring becomes the mechanism of our evolution, a sacred feedback loop that moves us from reaction to reflection and from blame to awareness. The more coherence we cultivate inside, the safer others feel to be themselves. Dishonesty to Intimacy to Transparency. Gene Key 59 speaks directly to this transformation. It shows how the human heart evolves through the alchemy of connection. At the shadow level, we hide behind defenses or performance. At the gift level, we open to genuine intimacy. At the highest frequency, transparency dissolves all separation, love reveals itself as light. As Richard Rudd, poet, mystic, and founder of the Gene Keys, writes: “The experience of being in love is the prelude to our future awareness. It doesn’t generally remain, because we haven’t awakened enough for that frequency to stabilise. We carry too much wounding. As we transmute our wounds and experience our higher consciousness, these kinds of relationships become possible, even probable.” Rudd, whose work weaves together mysticism, science, and the contemplative path of human evolution, invites us to view love not as an emotion to hold but as a frequency to embody. His words remind us that what we often call love’s loss is actually love’s invitation to become whole enough to hold it. In energetic terms, intimacy is resonance. A chaotic field attracts entanglement. A coherent heart invites harmony. The Gene Keys remind us that every emotional trigger holds a hidden gift, and that intimacy begins within. To explore this contemplative path further, begin your journey through the Gene Keys Teachings . It is a living transmission that awakens your higher purpose through presence and self-reflection. Modern love redefined In an era of overstimulation and spiritual bypassing, slowing down, listening deeply, and feeling fully becomes the most radical act of love. To live as frequency is to live as love. Not the kind shaped by stories, roles, or expectation, but the quiet love that radiates through coherence. When we soften into presence, life stops being something we control and becomes something we commune with. Every moment and every relationship becomes an invitation to attune, to listen, to open, to harmonize. The more present we become, the more love reveals itself as simplicity. This is the art of resonance, meeting the world as a living field of mirrors, each one guiding us back home to our own heart. When we embody our gifts not as concepts but as living frequencies, love no longer needs a destination. It simply moves through us, refining and revealing, reminding us that intimacy begins where performance ends. In this space, peace is no longer something to seek. It is what we become when we finally allow ourselves to be fully here. Closing reflection This is the heart of my work, guiding others to translate presence into power and emotion into frequency, because when we live as coherence, love becomes our natural language. At The Art of Frequency, I guide conscious visionaries and creators who bridge spirituality and strategy, attuning their presence into refined, embodied mastery. Those drawn to this path often sense that their next level is not about doing more, but about attuning deeper, learning to lead from resonance rather than reaction. If this reflection stirs recognition within you, a quiet yes, a feeling of homecoming, you are already in the field of transformation. Enter the Field of Frequency and begin your journey of decoding and embodying your unique essence. Danka Baranowska, Guest Writer Danka Baranowska is a visionary mentor and Gene Keys Guide, and the founder of The Art of Frequency, where she guides conscious leaders and creators to embody refinement through presence, alignment, and sovereign flow. Her contemplative approach to leadership and self-mastery bridges spirituality and grounded success, inviting others to live and lead from coherence. References & sources: Maslow, Abraham H. (1943). A Theory of Human Motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370–396. Rudd, Richard. (2013). The Gene Keys: Unlocking the Higher Purpose Hidden in Your DNA. Gene Keys Publishing, UK. Maté, Gabor. (2003). When the Body Says No: Exploring the Stress-Disease Connection. Knopf Canada. van der Kolk, Bessel. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Viking. Rogers, Carl. (1961). On Becoming a Person. Houghton Mifflin. Bowlby, John. (1969, revised 1982). Attachment and Loss, Volume 1: Attachment. Basic Books. Ainsworth, Mary D. S., Blehar, M. C., Waters, E., and Wall, S. (1978). Patterns of Attachment: A Psychological Study of the Strange Situation. Lawrence Erlbaum. Hazan, Cindy, and Shaver, Phillip R. (1987). Romantic love is conceptualized as an attachment process. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 511 to 524. For more on the contemplative path of The Gene Keys, visit  genekeys.com/ref/2271 .

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Written by Ash Miner, MS, MM, Shamanic Practitioner & Teacher Ash Miner's passions for music and animals resulted in 2 bachelor's degrees and 3 master's degrees before she applied that knowledge to shamanic healing and teaching. A self-published author of the book The Answer to Everything: Earth Wisdom & Beauty, Ash hopes to one day found a healing sanctuary for people and animals who have survived trauma. Welcome, my wonderful readers, to my fourth article, part two of my articles on this ancient healing technique called soul retrieval. If you haven’t read the first article about soul retrieval, I encourage you to do that, preferably from the beginning . Each of my 11 articles builds on the previous one as teaching stories. This is the old way of sharing wisdom that my helping spirits have guided me to follow here at Brainz Magazine. Where we left off, Raven had just received a soul retrieval from Mel, the shamanic practitioner. The essence of Raven’s soul that was returned brought back the gift of loving life so that Raven could recover from the grief of losing her best friend, her dog. Along with this soul essence, a power animal had come to help. This helping spirit appeared in the form of a squirrel and had been keeping the soul of Raven’s dog company ever since she passed. Squirrel felt called to help Raven do the integration work required to live well with this returned soul part. Always when we do a soul retrieval, our first words are to welcome the soul in its newly whole state home to life, as per my training with Sandra Ingerman , who literally wrote the book and pioneered this healing modality in the West. Now that the cure had happened, the soul part that had left during trauma was returned. It was time for the healing to begin. Teaching stories, Part 3 “Welcome home, Raven,” Mel said. “How do you feel?” Raven slowly opened her eyes, the whirlwind of effects beginning to stabilise. She had felt sad, then warm and fuzzy, then absolutely calm toward the end of Mel’s lovely singing. How did she feel now? “I was feeling sad, but then warm and fuzzy, and now I feel so much lighter. And brighter. Is the sun out or something?” Raven answered. Mel chuckled under her breath before responding. “Everything seems brighter and easier when there’s more of you back home in life. Would you like help to sit up, or do you want to listen to what happened while lying down?” Raven considered briefly before replying, “Actually, I want to stay just like this for a little while, if that’s okay. It’s so relaxing and comfortable. I promise I won’t fall asleep or anything.” Mel nodded her approval. And so, Mel recounted her experience to Raven. Rather than say everything verbatim, Mel ensured this was a healing story that Raven would hear. Mel made judgment calls about what to leave out, such as the soul part saying she didn’t come here to lose life, referring to the impending grief process from the death of her dog. That was part of the wound Raven had been feeling anyway, so there was no new insight there. Mel emphasised instead the gift the soul part was returning with, the power to love life so much she couldn’t imagine living without loving it. Mel also shared about the power animal, Squirrel, who came and why, what special connections it had to Raven and her dog, and how Raven could perform a shamanic journey to Squirrel for her homework. It was important for Raven to have her own experience of this returned soul essence, the drops of this new gift and power she now held united in her oceanic body, to help make any needed changes to ensure she would now live a life where this soul part wanted to stay. Mel then offered a lesson to Raven. “So if you like, I will teach you how to journey. You can meet Squirrel and ask, ‘What changes do I need to make in my life so my newly returned soul essence and I can live well together?’ This way, the integration process will have a feeling of direct revelation, something you discover for yourself with the help of your spirits. This is the core of shamanic work. Everything is done with the spirits, not with your mind, and not with someone else telling you what is true or not. How does that sound to you?” Raven didn’t need to pause. She practically choked on her quick inbreath to say, “Sign me up.” Mel snorted unapologetically and said, “Alright then. In a couple of days, after this has had a chance to settle in, come back and we will teach you how to journey. I will guide you to get started, and then you can take it from there, and we will discuss next steps.” Raven smiled widely, excited by this opportunity and comforted to know she wasn’t losing her connection to Mel after all of this deeply healing work. “Are you ready to stand up now, or do you need a minute?” Mel asked Raven, who was still lying on the healing nest she had made on her floor. “I can stand up now. I’m actually sort of feeling like dancing. I feel so joyful and a bit silly.” Mel helped Raven up and spontaneously began to dance beside her, grabbing her drum and providing a beat for them to dance to. “When the soul’s essence returns, we often feel its zest for life in many ways,” Mel explained. “Some want to dance, some to sing, some to eat foods they haven’t had in years, speak to someone they haven’t been around in a while, or walk in a place they haven’t visited in ages. I encourage you to really listen to these cravings, these urges, and when or where appropriate, try to honour them. You may need to negotiate, and we can talk about how to do that when I see you in a couple of days. For now, just enjoy this love for life you’re feeling and let it move you.” The dancing didn’t stop for quite a while until both women, younger and older, burst into giggles and collapsed to the floor. “Here, drink this before you go,” Mel offered. She had a glass of water ready and waiting since before the soul retrieval ceremony started so that Raven could drink up the healing at the end. “I’ll see you soon.” Story teachings of the soul There are several important aftercare elements here, and they apply to more than just soul retrievals. The part of the mind that speaks and uses language shuts down during trauma. No amount of talking afterward is going to be therapeutic in the way clients hope for. What we really need when recovering from trauma is to come back into our bodies, so a healer’s first question after a healing ceremony should always be about how the client feels. We don’t launch into the story of our healing journey right away. First, we see how the client is feeling so they can pair and associate that bodily experience with the healing. Then we tell them a healing story that excludes anything they already know. We share new information that provides a healing perspective to empower the new healing rather than the old wound. Not to discredit the wound, but to not spotlight it either. We then allow time for the swirling-together process to complete, at least a couple of days, before encouraging the client to have their own experience. How I am shown things and how I explain them is guided by the spirits and can be invaluable to the client’s healing process. However, having this direct revelation, as Sandra Ingerman calls it, is incredibly healing and empowering for the client. It also creates the, often first, open line of communication between the client and their helping spirits. Soul retrievals, in particular, are active for a long time, between six months and a year. Giving the client a constant companion in spirit form during that time provides consistent support and insights no human could possibly provide. This often means a client needs to learn how to do a shamanic journey, but not always. It can also be done through journaling, meditation, or walking in nature for clients who are not interested in learning to journey, but the experience is often less potent and less visceral than a journey. We see the roller coaster of feelings that Raven went through, from sad to warm and fuzzy to calm. The sadness can mean many things, and notice Mel did not interpret. We don’t determine a client’s experience for them, we simply allow them to have it fully. We witness, we hold space, we don’t define. The sadness could be remnants of grief, or it could signal fear of an ending of life as Raven knew it, or it could be something else entirely. We don’t know, and it’s not our business to diagnose unless the client asks for help to clarify their experience. We also see the side effects of lightness and brightness, which are incredibly common physical responses to soul healing. Those side effects vary widely, including feeling tired, energised, woozy, or stable for the first time. The list goes on and changes from person to person, healing to healing. Next time, we’ll see how someone can learn how to journey and what further aftercare looks like. Stay tuned for November’s article. Follow me on Facebook and Instagram for more info! Read more from Ash Miner Ash Miner, MS, MM, Shamanic Practitioner & Teacher Ash Miner's personal journey of healing PTSD led her to shamanism. Despite being a total skeptic, she knew in 1 session this was her path, and had been since she was a very little girl. Ash has spent years studying extensively, completing US training by Sandra Ingerman, as well as with Jonathan Horwitz and Zara Waldebäck in Sweden. She has found her true calling in teaching and offering shamanic healing to human beings, animals, and the Earth. Her extensive background in music education and performance, as well as animal behavior, provides a scientific framework for her soul work. She specializes in healing song and healing story. Her mission is to demystify shamanism to make it an approachable healing modality for all of humanity.

Written by Eljin Keeling-Johnson, Personal Development Coach Eljin is a transformative personal development coach from the Midlands, England, and the visionary behind the Alignment Method programme. For over 16 years, Eljin has guided people to release what’s holding them back, rediscover their purpose, and create life-changing transformation. How NLP, EMDR, and Neurodynamic Breathwork help you finally move on by healing the emotional root, not just managing the symptom. The myth that “time heals all wounds” We’ve all heard the saying, “time heals all wounds.” It’s comforting, the idea that if we just wait long enough, our pain will fade on its own. But in truth, time doesn’t heal emotional wounds, it simply buries them. Unprocessed pain doesn’t dissolve, it becomes part of our unconscious programming. Over time, it shapes our beliefs, behaviours, and even our identity. We might stop consciously thinking about the event that hurt us, but the emotional imprint remains stored in the body and nervous system, influencing how we show up in relationships, how we respond to stress, and how safe we feel in the world. This is why someone can still react with fear, anger, or avoidance years after the original event. The nervous system remembers what the conscious mind forgets. Time alone doesn’t heal trauma, integration does. It’s also vital to recognise that within the subconscious, there is no time. You can recall a memory from yesterday in seconds, just as you can a memory from childhood. The emotional imprint doesn’t fade with the calendar, it remains frozen until it is consciously reprocessed and integrated. Why traditional counselling often isn’t enough I say this with deep respect, after all, I practised traditional counselling for over 16 years, but talking alone often isn’t enough to create lasting change. Traditional talk therapy can be valuable for awareness and insight. It helps people understand why they feel the way they do and gives language to their experiences. However, understanding isn’t the same as healing. The analytical part of the mind, the conscious, rational layer, only accounts for around 5% of our total mental activity. The remaining 95% is subconscious and unconscious, where emotional memories, beliefs, and protective patterns live. Talking about an emotional wound doesn’t necessarily release it from the body. In fact, retelling the same story repeatedly can sometimes reinforce the emotional charge, keeping the nervous system locked in the same loop of stress and meaning-making. To truly heal, we must go deeper, to the level where the wound actually lives, the nervous system, the subconscious mind, and the body. These are the modalities I’ve trained in over the years that consistently create deep transformation, and here’s why they work so effectively. Why NLP, EMDR, and Neurodynamic breathwork work so deeply These approaches go beyond cognitive awareness and access the unconscious programming that shapes emotional patterns. Each one works differently, yet all complement one another beautifully. Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) NLP works with the language of the subconscious, the imagery, sensations, and internal representations that shape our perception. Rather than analysing a problem, NLP helps rewire how the mind stores and interprets experiences. This allows the emotional charge of a memory to dissolve and be reframed at a deep neurological level. Think of your mind like a computer. When you save a Word document, it asks you to “save as.” The memory works the same way, it’s stored with a tag, a belief, an identity, and a meaning. That tag creates an emotion attached to it. The emotion will remain the same unless you “save it as” something new. By reframing the linguistic and sensory associations, the emotion can transform instantly. We can also think of this visually. The mind stores memories as internal pictures or movies. The emotion attached to that image only exists while the mind continues to replay it in the same way. By altering the sensory details, such as brightness, size, sound, or distance, the emotional charge shifts. You’ve probably experienced this naturally, hearing one particular song instantly brings back a memory and a feeling. Smelling cut grass or a certain perfume does the same. NLP uses this connection intentionally to release emotions without having to relive the pain. It’s safe, fast, and often permanent. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) EMDR helps the brain reprocess traumatic or emotionally charged memories through bilateral stimulation such as eye movements, tapping, or sound. This activates both hemispheres of the brain, allowing “stuck” memories to move from the limbic system (the emotional brain) to the prefrontal cortex (the rational brain). In essence, EMDR helps the brain finish processing what time never did. You might notice times when you go from 0 to 100 emotionally in seconds, a reaction that feels out of proportion to the moment. That’s because the present event has triggered an old memory still stored with its original emotional intensity. EMDR transforms these “stuck” memories into adapted ones, so you can remember the event without reliving the emotion. In both NLP and EMDR, we can work with two kinds of memories: Suppressed memories, those you consciously push down. Repressed memories, those your unconscious mind has buried to protect you. The latter are almost impossible to access through talk therapy alone. But through modalities that access the subconscious directly, they can be safely brought to awareness and integrated. Neurodynamic breathwork Breathwork accesses the body’s innate intelligence by using specific breathing patterns to release stored emotion, energy, and stress. It bypasses the analytical mind entirely, allowing suppressed emotions and unconscious material to surface and integrate. From both a scientific and spiritual perspective, emotions are energy in motion, vibrations stored within the body. Every thought creates an electrical charge that generates a physical response. Over time, unprocessed emotions become trapped energy. By consciously connecting with the breath, this trapped energy begins to dissolve. Through continuous circular breathing (done safely with a trained facilitator), we enter a state known as hypofrontality, a shift where the analytical mind quiets and the subconscious becomes accessible. In this altered yet deeply conscious state, repressed memories and emotions can surface to be processed and released. Some traditions call this a kundalini activation, breathing through the chakras, awakening awareness, and rebalancing energy through the pineal gland. Whether you view it scientifically or spiritually, the outcome is the same, emotional liberation and clarity. True healing is integration, not avoidance Healing doesn’t come from waiting for time to pass, it comes from giving the body, mind, and nervous system the chance to complete what was once incomplete. If you once had an argument with someone named Peter, and even years later his name still sparks a physical reaction, the emotion remains unhealed. When you eventually see him again, the unfinished energy will resurface until it’s consciously resolved. Time doesn’t heal, it hides. Suppression, repression, and dissociation are not healing, they are forms of avoidance. When we use tools like NLP, EMDR, and Neurodynamic Breathwork, we don’t just cope better. We change the emotional imprint at its source, freeing ourselves from old patterns and creating space for authentic clarity, confidence, and peace. Time may soften the edges, but only deep integrative work truly heals. And remember – if you have been triggered, it’s a gift. The implicit has simply become explicit, ready to be healed. Follow me on Facebook , LinkedIn , and visit my website  for more info! Read more from Eljin Keeling-Johnson Eljin Keeling-Johnson, Personal Development Coach In 2005, Eljin walked into therapy battling anxiety, depression, and drug addiction. What began as a search for healing became a profound journey of self-discovery. Emerging with a renewed sense of purpose, he dedicated his life to helping others find their true selves and step into their full potential. Over the past 16 years, Eljin has delivered more than 16,000 hours of transformative coaching, blending conscious, subconscious, and unconscious work to create deep, lasting change. As the visionary behind the Alignment Method programme, his mission is simple yet powerful, to help people connect, grow, and thrive.