Written by Janice Elsley, Leadership Expert, International Author, and Podcast Host Janice Elsley is a leadership strategist, author, and keynote speaker who helps CEOs and leaders elevate their impact. As founder of Harissa Business Partners, she blends neuroscience, change management, and human design to drive success. Let me tell you what confidence isn't. It's not waking up one day and suddenly feeling ready. It's not the absence of fear. It's not a personality trait you either have or don't. It's definitely not something you find by thinking about it harder. Yet most of the women I work with are waiting for confidence to show up before they take action. They're waiting to feel ready. To feel certain. To feel like they finally have it all figured out. While they're waiting, life is passing them by. Here's what I know after years of working with high-performing women who look like they have it all together: confidence doesn't come before action. It comes because of it. The backward approach we've all been taught We've been sold a story that goes like this: first you build confidence, then you take action. Get the degree. Earn the promotion. Collect the credentials. Then, once you feel confident enough, you'll be ready to go after what you really want. Except it doesn't work that way. No matter how many qualifications you stack up, no matter how much you prepare, when it's time to step into something new, that voice in your head will still whisper, "But are you sure you're ready?" You know the voice I'm talking about. The one that sounds like doubt, like fear, like every reason why now isn't the right time. That voice isn't going away, not because you're not good enough, but because your brain is wired to keep you safe. To your brain, safe means familiar. Confidence isn't built in your comfort zone. It's built on the other side of fear. What confidence actually is Confidence is not a feeling. It's a skill. It's the ability to act despite the discomfort, to move forward even when you don't have all the answers, to trust yourself enough to figure it out as you go. Here's the part that changes everything: confidence is built through evidence. Every time you do the thing you're afraid of and survive, your brain takes note. It collects evidence that says, "Oh, that wasn't as dangerous as I thought. I can do that again." This is neuroplasticity at work. Your brain is constantly adapting based on your experiences. Every action you take creates a neural pathway. Repeat it enough times, and that pathway gets stronger, faster, more automatic. This is how confidence becomes real, not through affirmations or positive thinking, but through action that rewires your brain. The real work of building confidence So if confidence comes from action, why don't more people just act? Because action requires you to sit with discomfort. Most of us have spent our entire lives avoiding discomfort at all costs. We numb it with scrolling. We distract ourselves with busyness. We overthink, overplan, and over-prepare, all in an attempt to avoid the feeling of not knowing. But discomfort is not the enemy. It's the signal that you're growing. When you feel that tightness in your chest, that voice telling you to play it safe, that urge to retreat back into what's familiar, that's not a sign you're on the wrong path. It's a sign you're on the edge of expansion. The women who build unshakable confidence aren't the ones who never feel fear. They're the ones who've learned to move through it. How to start building real confidence today Here's the process: Identify one thing you've been avoiding because you don't feel ready. Maybe it's having a difficult conversation, applying for a role you're not 100% qualified for, or starting the project you've been thinking about for months. Ask yourself: what's the smallest version of this I can do today? You don't have to do the whole thing. Just take one small step that moves you closer. Do it before you feel ready. This is the key. Your brain will never give you the green light. You have to act first, and the confidence will follow. Notice what happens. Did you survive? Did the world end? Probably not. Your brain just collected evidence that you're more capable than you thought. Repeat. Confidence is built through repetition. The more you act despite the fear, the stronger the pathway becomes. This is how you stop waiting for confidence and start building it. The conversation that matters You don't need another course on confidence. You don't need another book that tells you to believe in yourself. What you need is to stop waiting for permission and start taking action. Because confidence isn't something you find. It's something you create, one brave decision at a time. The version of you that you're becoming? She's not waiting to feel ready. She's acting anyway. Let's build this together I'm Janice Elsley, international author, podcast host of Legacy Leaders, keynote speaker, and award-winning leadership expert. I've dedicated my career to helping women stop waiting and start leading from a place of deep self-trust and internal transformation. If you want to dive deeper into the neuroscience of confidence and learn how to rewire your brain for courage, subscribe to my podcast Legacy Leaders or follow me on YouTube @JaniceElsleyLeadership. Ready to stop overthinking and start acting? Connect with me on Instagram @JaniceElsley or explore my programs at Janice Elsley. Confidence is waiting on the other side of action. Let's go get it. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for more info! Read more from Janice Elsley Janice Elsley, Leadership Expert, International Author, and Podcast Host Janice Elsley is a leadership expert, author, and keynote speaker helping CEOs and executives future-proof their leadership with neuroscience-driven strategies. As founder of Harissa Business Partners, she drives performance, inclusivity, and talent retention. Her book Leadership Legacy and programs, Leading Edge Women, The Leading Edge, and First 100 Days of Leadership, equip leaders with the confidence and strategies to make an impact. Whether coaching executives or delivering transformational keynotes, Janice creates real results.

Written by Lana Duncan-Hartgraves, Master Psychic Medium/Lifecoach Lana Duncan-Hartgraves is an author, psychic medium, animal communicator, hypnotist, and Reiki master who integrates spirituality into daily life. Through her books, the 5D Pioneer podcast, retreats, and readings, she helps others achieve higher consciousness and healing. As summer begins and daylight stretches longer across the sky, June has long been associated with renewal, emotional growth, and transformation. Across spiritual, cultural, and seasonal traditions, the month carries themes of illumination, balance, and deeper self-awareness. For many, June represents a shift in energy, a time to reflect on personal growth, embrace new beginnings, and reconnect with both nature and inner clarity. The summer solstice: Welcoming light and abundance One of June’s most recognized seasonal events is the Summer Solstice, occurring around June 20 and 21. This marks the longest day of the year, when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky. Traditionally, the solstice symbolizes: Growth Vitality Abundance Clarity Renewal For centuries, people have honored this seasonal turning point as a time to release negativity, set intentions, and celebrate the fullness of life and light. It is often viewed as an opportunity to reflect on what is flourishing while also creating space for continued personal growth. June and the energy of connection The month of June is also historically connected to Juno, the Roman goddess associated with protection, marriage, and commitment. Because of this symbolism, June has long been viewed as a meaningful time for relationships, partnerships, and emotional connection. Themes often associated with June include: Strengthening relationships Emotional healing Nurturing family bonds Personal reflection Compassion and support This energy encourages people to focus on meaningful connections and emotional well being. The symbolism of June’s birthstones June is one of the few months with multiple birthstones, each carrying its own symbolic meaning. Moonstone is often associated with intuition, emotional balance, and new beginnings. Its soft glow has long connected it to reflection and inner guidance. Pearl symbolizes wisdom, purity, and calmness. Traditionally linked to water, pearls are often seen as reminders of emotional resilience and peace. Alexandrite, known for its rare color changing qualities, represents adaptability, transformation, and balance, making it a fitting symbol for personal growth and change. Gemini and Cancer: June’s astrological balance June is shared by two zodiac signs that bring very different but complementary energies. Gemini is associated with curiosity, communication, adaptability, and intellectual growth. It reflects movement, learning, and exploring new perspectives. Cancer brings emotional depth, intuition, nurturing energy, and reflection. Ruled by the Moon, Cancer encourages connection to home, family, and emotional wellness. Together, these signs create a balance between thought and emotion, action and reflection. Embracing the energy of June Whether viewed through seasonal traditions, symbolism, or personal reflection, June offers an invitation to slow down, reconnect, and embrace transformation. It is a month that encourages growth, emotional clarity, and renewed intention as we move into the heart of summer. Follow me on TikTok and visit my website for more info! Read more from Lana Duncan-Hartgraves Lana Duncan-Hartgraves, Master Psychic Medium/Lifecoach Lana Duncan-Hartgraves is an author, psychic medium, animal communicator, hypnotist, and Reiki master who integrates spirituality into daily life. Through her books, the 5D Pioneer podcast, retreats, and readings, she helps others achieve higher consciousness and healing. On her hobby farm in Wisconsin, she cultivates gardens, raises animals, and is developing an equine therapy and rescue center, creating a sanctuary where people and horses can heal together.

Healing is about more than managing symptoms. In this interview, nutritionist Emily Pankratz shares how a root-cause approach, functional nutrition, and BioEnergetic Intolerance Elimination (BIE) can help uncover hidden imbalances, support the body's natural healing processes, and create a path toward lasting wellness. Emily Pankratz, Clinical Nutritionist How do you help clients identify and address the root cause of their symptoms? I take a whole body approach because symptoms rarely exist in isolation. Whether someone is struggling with digestive issues, skin concerns, fatigue, hormone imbalances, food sensitivities, or seasonal allergies, I want to understand why those symptoms are happening, not just how to temporarily manage them. We start by exploring a client's health history, nutrition, lifestyle, stress levels, and symptom patterns to identify potential underlying contributors. From there, I use a combination of functional nutrition principles and BioEnergetic Intolerance Elimination (BIE) when appropriate. BIE is a non invasive modality designed to help the body recognize and adapt to substances it may be reacting to, such as foods or environmental triggers. The goal is to support the body in reducing sensitivities and restoring balance so it no longer perceives certain substances as a threat. Many people seek BIE support for food intolerances, digestive symptoms, skin concerns, seasonal allergies, and other sensitivity related challenges. What I love about combining nutrition with BIE is that we're not simply removing foods forever or chasing symptoms. Instead, we're working to uncover hidden stressors, support the body's natural healing processes, and create an environment where true healing can happen. Every client is unique, so the plan is always personalized to help them move toward long term health, not just short term symptom relief. What inspired you to become a nutritionist and focus on root cause healing? My journey into nutrition started with my own health struggles. Like many of my clients, I spent years searching for answers and trying different approaches, only to feel like I was managing symptoms instead of truly addressing what was causing them. Once I discovered the power of functional nutrition and root cause healing, everything changed, not only for my own health, but for the way I viewed healing as a whole. I became deeply passionate about the idea that food can be one of our most powerful forms of medicine. I saw firsthand how the right nutrition, combined with addressing underlying imbalances, could help the body do what it was designed to do, heal. That realization inspired me to pursue a career where I could help others uncover the root causes of their symptoms and support them on their own healing journeys. What continues to inspire me every day is seeing clients regain their energy, confidence, and quality of life. There is nothing more rewarding than watching someone move from feeling frustrated and defeated to experiencing true transformation. I believe symptoms are messages, not life sentences, and I am passionate about helping people find the missing pieces of their health puzzle so they can experience the complete healing and vibrant health they deserve. What makes your approach different from conventional health and diet culture? One of the biggest differences is that I don't believe health is about restriction, perfection, or chasing the latest diet trend. Diet culture often teaches us to ignore our bodies, count calories, and rely on willpower. My approach is the opposite. I focus on understanding the unique story behind each person's symptoms and health concerns. Rather than applying a one size fits all solution, I look at factors like nutrition, digestion, hormones, stress, lifestyle, and metabolic health to uncover what's really happening beneath the surface. Instead of simply managing symptoms, my goal is to identify and address the root causes that may be preventing someone from feeling their best. Another aspect that sets my practice apart is my integration of BioEnergetic Intolerance Elimination (BIE). While conventional approaches often rely on avoidance or symptom management for food sensitivities and environmental triggers, BIE works to support the body's ability to recognize and respond appropriately to substances that may be contributing to symptoms. When combined with functional nutrition, this allows us to take a more comprehensive and personalized approach to healing. I also believe that healing should feel supportive, not overwhelming. My goal is to help clients build a healthier relationship with food and their bodies while creating practical, sustainable habits that fit into real life. Health isn't about being perfect, it's about giving your body the tools and support it needs to thrive. By combining food as medicine, root cause investigation, and BIE, I'm able to help clients move beyond symptom management and toward lasting, meaningful healing. What would you say to someone who feels stuck and ready to reclaim their health? First, I want you to know that feeling stuck doesn't mean you've failed, and it doesn't mean your body is working against you. Often, it simply means there are pieces of the puzzle that haven't been uncovered yet. I've worked with many clients who felt frustrated after trying multiple diets, supplements, or treatment plans without seeing the results they hoped for. The good news is that your symptoms are information, and there is often a reason why you're feeling the way you do. If you're ready to reclaim your health, start by getting curious rather than discouraged. Your body has an incredible capacity to heal when it's given the right support. You don't have to figure it all out on your own, and you don't need to be perfect. Small, consistent steps can lead to meaningful change, and it's never too late to start feeling better. My role is to help guide you through that process and help you find answers that make sense for your unique health journey. Follow me on Instagram and visit my website for more info! Read more from Emily Pankratz

When people talk about innovation, they often focus on new technology, bold announcements, or rapid growth. Stephen Cheatham sees things differently. For him, some of the biggest ideas are the simplest ones. Pay attention. Ask better questions. Think beyond the immediate problem. Those principles have shaped his career from northern Florida to the world of coastal development and consulting. Along the way, Cheatham has built a reputation for helping people see risks before they become setbacks. "I've never been interested in chasing the next big thing," he says. "I've always been interested in understanding how things work and what happens when they're put to the test." How Stephen Cheatham's early life shaped his career Stephen Cheatham grew up in northern Florida, surrounded by open land, rivers, and the outdoors. His childhood was less about screens and more about hands-on learning. He spent time taking apart small engines, helping neighbors with repairs, and studying the world around him. He was especially fascinated by weather and how it affected the environment. "I was always curious about why some things lasted and some didn't," he says. Living in Florida also meant paying attention to storms. While his community was not always directly impacted, major weather events often influenced the region. Cheatham found himself wondering why some structures stood strong while others struggled. That curiosity eventually became a career path. Why Stephen Cheatham chose engineering As he moved into higher education, Cheatham focused on engineering, studying structural systems and environmental factors. He wasn't just interested in how buildings were designed. He wanted to understand how they performed over time. "It's one thing to build something," he says. "It's another thing to understand what that structure will face over the next twenty or thirty years." That perspective became one of the defining ideas of his career. While many people focus on immediate outcomes, Cheatham became interested in long-term durability and resilience. Working on Florida coastal development projects After graduating, Cheatham began working with firms involved in coastal development throughout Florida. The projects were large. The stakes were high. He worked alongside developers, contractors, planners, and engineers to help bring projects from concept to reality. The experience taught him valuable lessons about growth, development, and decision-making. "It gave me a front-row seat to how major projects come together," he says. But it also revealed something else. He noticed that many decisions were driven by short-term goals. Timelines, budgets, and immediate needs often took priority over long-term performance. "I started seeing how easy it was for people to focus on what needed to happen today without thinking enough about what might happen years from now," he says. That observation would eventually lead to a major shift in his career. The big idea that changed Stephen Cheatham's career Rather than continuing down a traditional path, Cheatham decided to focus on helping people think differently about risk. He transitioned into independent consulting. The move allowed him to work more closely with property owners, investors, and developers who wanted a deeper understanding of the challenges facing their projects. His core idea was simple. Good decisions happen before problems appear. "A lot of my work is helping people slow down long enough to see what they're missing," he says. It may sound straightforward, but that mindset has helped shape countless conversations and project decisions. Instead of reacting to problems after they happen, Cheatham encourages clients to identify vulnerabilities early. He believes preparation often creates better outcomes than last-minute solutions. How Stephen Cheatham approaches leadership and problem-solving Cheatham does not describe himself as a visionary or industry disruptor. Instead, he sees himself as a careful observer. His leadership style is built around listening, studying patterns, and asking practical questions. "I think people underestimate the value of paying attention," he says. That approach has earned him trust among clients and colleagues. Those who work with him often describe him as calm, thoughtful, and reliable. He tends to focus less on making bold statements and more on understanding the facts. "I don't think you need to be the loudest person in the room to have a valuable perspective," he says. Over the years, that mindset has helped him navigate complex projects and changing industry conditions. What success means to Stephen Cheatham Outside of work, Cheatham maintains many of the habits that shaped him early in life. He enjoys boating, fishing, and spending time near Florida's coastline. He also enjoys hands-on projects, including restoring small watercraft and improving his living space. His mornings often begin with reviewing weather patterns and local conditions. "It's something I've always enjoyed," he says. "Weather tells a story if you're paying attention." That idea reflects a broader theme throughout his career. Success, for Cheatham, is not about recognition. It is about understanding, preparation, and consistency. Today, his work continues to influence how people think about development, resilience, and long-term planning. The big ideas he has brought to life are not flashy. They are practical. Ask better questions. Look further ahead. Pay attention to what others overlook. For Stephen Cheatham, those ideas have made all the difference.

Trust is one of the few business assets that cannot be bought, accelerated, or outsourced. It takes years to build and only moments to lose. That reality becomes even more important in the family office world. Family offices often operate across multiple countries, cultures, generations, and business environments. Relationships are expected to last decades, not quarters. Decisions affect families, legacies, and future generations. Without trust, none of it works. As globalization continues to reshape how families manage opportunities and relationships, trust has become one of the defining factors separating successful family offices from the rest. YiFeng Zhang Family Office has spent years observing this dynamic through his work and exposure across the United States, Canada, Europe, and the Middle East. As a family office principal with an international perspective, he has seen firsthand how trust is built differently across cultures while still following many of the same core principles. His experience working across regions and maintaining long-term relationships makes him a valuable voice on the subject of trust, leadership, and cross-border relationship building. Why trust matters more than ever Family offices face a unique challenge. They are often responsible for maintaining relationships across multiple generations while also navigating different countries, languages, customs, and expectations. According to a 2024 Deloitte Family Office Insights report, more than 70% of family offices now have interests or relationships spanning multiple countries. At the same time, a PwC survey found that trust and governance remain among the top concerns for multi-generational family enterprises worldwide. The challenge is simple. Distance creates complexity. When people live in different countries, operate in different markets, and come from different generations, misunderstandings become easier. Expectations vary. Communication styles differ. Priorities change. Trust acts as the bridge that keeps everything connected. "Years ago, I attended meetings in three countries over the course of a week," Zhang recalls. "In one city, people wanted to discuss numbers immediately. In another, the first meeting was mostly about family, history, and personal relationships. What stood out was that neither group cared about the presentation. They cared about whether they could trust the person sitting across from them." That lesson remains relevant today. Trust looks different around the world One of the biggest mistakes leaders make is assuming trust is built the same way everywhere. In some cultures, trust develops through efficiency and reliability. In others, it grows through personal relationships and repeated interaction. Some environments prioritize direct communication. Others value patience and observation before important decisions are made. Family offices that operate internationally quickly learn that there is no universal formula. The most successful leaders adapt their approach while staying consistent in their values. This is where cultural awareness becomes a major advantage. Leaders who understand local customs, communication styles, and expectations are far more likely to build meaningful long-term relationships. "One of the best lessons I learned came from a dinner that lasted almost four hours," Zhang says. "At first, I was wondering when the business conversation would start. By the end of the evening, I realized the dinner was the business conversation. Trust was being built before anything else." That mindset continues to influence how many successful family offices operate globally. Building trust across generations Cross-border relationships are only one side of the equation. Family offices must also manage trust between generations. This challenge is becoming more important as leadership transitions take place across many family enterprises worldwide. According to research from Campden Wealth, nearly 60% of family offices expect significant generational transitions within the next decade. These transitions often bring new perspectives, new priorities, and different ways of approaching leadership. Older generations may focus heavily on preservation and stability. Younger generations may prioritize innovation, technology, and global connectivity. Neither perspective is inherently right or wrong. The strongest family offices create environments where both viewpoints can contribute. Trust becomes essential during this process because younger family members need confidence that their voices are being heard, while older generations need confidence that core values will remain intact. Successful transitions rarely happen because everyone agrees on everything. They happen because people trust one another enough to navigate disagreements productively. Consistency matters more than charisma Many people assume trust comes from personality. In reality, trust is often built through consistency. People remember whether commitments were kept. They remember whether communication was clear. They remember whether actions matched words. Family offices operate in environments where relationships often span decades. Over time, consistency becomes far more valuable than charisma. "One relationship I’ve maintained for years started with a very small commitment," Zhang says. "It wasn't a major project or transaction. It was simply following through on something when nobody would have noticed if I didn't. Years later, that person still remembers it." That example highlights an important reality. Trust compounds. Small actions repeated consistently over time create stronger relationships than occasional grand gestures. This principle applies across cultures, industries, and generations. Listening creates stronger relationships Technology has made communication faster than ever. Trust still develops at a human pace. Family offices that succeed internationally often spend more time listening than talking. Listening reveals priorities. It uncovers concerns. It helps people understand motivations that may not appear during formal discussions. This becomes especially important when multiple generations are involved. The ability to listen carefully allows leaders to identify common goals even when perspectives differ. Research from Harvard Business Review has consistently shown that organizations with high-trust cultures report stronger collaboration, better decision-making, and improved long-term performance. Family offices are no different. Strong relationships are built through understanding. Understanding begins with listening. The future of trust in family offices The next generation of family offices will likely become even more international. Families are increasingly connected across countries, industries, and cultures. Opportunities emerge from every corner of the world. That makes trust more important, not less. Technology can improve communication. It cannot replace credibility. Data can support decisions. It cannot replace relationships. The family offices that thrive over the next decade will be those that understand both sides of this equation. They will embrace global opportunities while maintaining the human connections that make long-term success possible. YiFeng Zhang believes the foundation remains surprisingly simple. "People often think trust comes from big moments," he says. "In my experience, it usually comes from a lot of small moments. Showing up when you said you would. Listening carefully. Respecting different perspectives. Those things seem simple, but they matter everywhere." That insight may explain why trust remains one of the most valuable assets any family office can build. Markets change. Industries evolve. Generations transition. Trust continues to connect them all.

Written by Robert Grover & Gary Logan, The Journeymen Collective The Journeymen Collective guides executives, professionals, and entrepreneurs through luxury psychedelic experiences at the frontier of consciousness to catalyze transformative leadership, personal mastery, and elevated organizational impact. We walk beside leaders the world looks upon as the ultimate goal in life. To the world, you are the one who has it all, the one who built the company and earned the reputation. Now that very success can feel like a perpetual weight, ossified into armour. That armour served its purpose. It carried you to the heights you reached, and the same armour is now the one barrier between you and the next level of yourself. The mind knows it. The body feels it. There is a disconnect, a quiet sense that a part of you has yet to be found, and the way to it remains unclear. The strong hum of relentless anxiety has grown into a roar you can feel in the body, and you wake in the middle of the night with a stirring within the self that is unmistakably calling you forward. You have arrived at the edge of this on your own, and the way through is hidden from view in a fog. The bridge is what calls for guidance from those who have walked these depths before, a held passage in which your own innate intelligence can unfurl into a new reality. One of the greatest inflection points of your life is upon you, and you know it viscerally. The choice point to answer the inner call, to a self you have long forgotten, is lying in wait. The gap that widens quietly We know that hum from the inside, and we know what sits beneath it. It is the gap between who you present to the world and who you truly are, and it widens so gradually that you can spend decades mistaking it for ordinary fatigue. You make decisions from strategy where you once made them from what was true, and you perform to hit metrics in rooms where genuine uncertainty lives, and each of those moves is rewarded, which is precisely what keeps the gap so quiet. The world keeps confirming the version of you that is most useful to it. The signal underneath keeps asking for the version of you that is most alive and fully you. What is that signal asking for? In our experience, it rarely asks for more. These leaders have proven that more is available whenever they reach for it, and they have arrived at the honest recognition that achieving more leaves the underlying question exactly where it stands. What the signal asks for is contact, a genuine connection with the part of themselves that has been managed and scheduled around for the sake of everything they were building. Most have already done real interior work by the time they reach us. Coaching sharpened their performance, therapy gave them language, workshops opened genuine doors, and each left the deepest question standing, because the container was built at a shallower depth than what they were carrying. The passage the culture stopped holding There is a word most modern leaders have met only at a graduation or a promotion, and it deserves its full weight returned to it. The word is initiation. In cultures that kept their connection to the sacred, initiation was the central technology of human development, the deliberately held passage through which a person crossed from one chapter of life into the next. The old self was brought to the threshold. A genuine reckoning was asked for. What had finished its work was released, what had always been true was claimed, and the community recognized the one who emerged as someone who had crossed over. This was the most serious work a culture knew how to hold. The West has largely set that down, and the culture has lost its true edge in the process. What remains of initiation lives almost entirely on the outside, in the diploma, the title, the round of congratulations. These are real achievements that deserve their honour, and they mark the transition while the inward passage waits for another kind of work to hold it. So the weight of the previous chapter is carried forward. The leader in their forties often carries the unclaimed emotional life of a teenager who was told to be practical, a young professional who learned to file vulnerability under weakness, an achiever who concluded that their worth lived entirely in their output. The outer life moved forward. The inner life has been waiting patiently for a genuine passage. Why the conversation turns toward psychedelics A genuine passage is what a growing number of leaders are now reaching for, and the conversation turns toward psychedelics. What sat at the fringe a decade ago now moves through serious clinical trials, the business press, and the private curiosity of leaders at the top of their fields, and more of them turn toward this work every year. Here is where we want to be precise, because the precision is the whole point. In the work we hold at The Journeymen Collective, the guided plant medicine experience is roughly five percent of what takes place. Five percent. The remaining ninety-five percent is expertly guided transformative leadership work that spans a month of preparation, four full days of immersive work centered around guided psychedelic ceremonies, and an integration that keeps unfolding for months and years afterward. Picture the architecture of those four months. Truly attuned advisory reaches the questions of identity and purpose that executive development leaves at the surface. Bodywork and somatic integration let the insights land in the body and stay there long after the mind has moved on. More than twelve thousand hours of work in personal and professional growth are woven into a bespoke and dynamic support structure, held by two guides who have each made their own descent and found their way back. During the psychedelic experience itself, we remain attuned and aware of every shift in the room. In the months that follow, the work turns to integration and implementation. This is where the real work begins, of carrying what was experienced back into business, relationships, the leadership team, and the ordinary routine, but with the newfound awareness living in every moment. The psychedelic medicine is one profoundly useful tool inside all of that. We create the space with centeredness while the medicine delivers what needs to be worked through. What the research actually shows The science is continually catching up to what the wisdom traditions held for millennia. Researchers at Imperial College London were among the first to map what psilocybin does inside the brain, focusing on the default mode network (DMN), the circuitry that creates our sense of who we are. It is the looping narration that says this is who I am, this is what I do, and this is the identity I must protect as I fear losing this version of me. A leader spends decades reinforcing that story until it stands around them like a fortress, and the walls that kept them safe begin to keep them from the next version of self that is calling. Holding those walls in place every hour of every day is the quiet exhaustion they have come to call normal. A release must happen before the new identity can be embodied and fully lived. Holding onto decades of life is an exhausting way to live, and it leads to depression, anxiety, and burnout. In 2024, a landmark study published in Nature showed that a single high dose of psilocybin desynchronizes the human brain, which loosens the firm hold on our identity, and the shift lasts for weeks following the psychedelic experience. (However, in our experience, awareness expands for years following a guided journey.) When the fortress grows quiet, even briefly, a leader meets themselves outside the story that has been looping on repeat, for the first time in years. A new identity emerges with clarity of what’s next, confidence in business, and deep connection in relationships, all because one is taught to access the intelligence of ever-evolving new levels of consciousness. What follows that quieting is the part that matters most. With the grooved tracks of the old self briefly softened, the brain becomes able to form new connections, and research published in Cell in late 2025 traced how psilocybin rewires communication across these networks in a way that structural neuroplasticity then holds in place. A window opens, and what a person does inside it decides everything. This is where the work earns its keep, and the science says so plainly. The Johns Hopkins studies that helped begin the modern era of this research found that the lasting changes, an increase in openness and gratitude and a settled relationship with mortality, arrived most reliably when the experience was paired with sustained practice and integration in the months that followed. The molecule opens the window. The preparation, the integration, and the implementation are what walk a leader through it and build the new reality on the other side. That reality is sustained by a close and ongoing relationship with a newly attuned awareness, the consciousness that now lives at the forefront of how a leader meets their life. The responsibility this work carries A passage of this depth asks a great deal of everyone who enters it, and the real labour lives in what surrounds it. For the leader, it asks genuine preparation, the willingness to meet what they have carried with vulnerability and reverence, and the long integration in which an insight becomes a centred mind and a calm body under pressure, and a more empowering word to the people closest to them. Slowly, the aliveness the armour had been suppressing is now center stage and fully alive. For us, it asks that we stand close to the fire and keep it steady, that we walk beside each person through every step of the passage, and that we honour the trust they place in us as the most sacred thing this work holds. Responsibility, at its oldest root, means to offer the whole self and to pour back into what you have received. We hold this work as that kind of pledge, and we ask the leaders who enter it to hold it the same way. Preparation comes first. The medicine sits inside a masterfully designed immersive experience, while integration and implementation continue long after the four days have ended. The reverence is structural. It is the very thing that lets the change take root and allows the transformative excellence to be a fully lived experience from the inside out. Because the work carries this weight, it meets each leader according to what their life is genuinely asking. For some, a single passage arrives once and reshapes the whole arc of a life, carried forward for decades. For others, the call returns after several years, when a new threshold appears at the door of a marriage, a company, or a new chapter is calling, and the work is ready to meet them there. A smaller number walk the path more closely for a season, returning as their own depth keeps opening. Each is entered with the same reverence and lived forward until it has genuinely transformed their life, their relationships, and their work. The leader is the operating system We think of the founders we have witnessed move through this modern-day psychedelic initiation. One arrives able to command any room while holding his own life at arm’s length and leaves able to sit with his wife in a silence that finally has room in it to build deeper connection. Another walks in carrying a company she has outgrown and walks out with the nerve to rebuild it around what she values. The change tends to stay quiet. It shows up as a different quality of presence in an ordinary meeting, a slower breath before a hard answer, a decision made from clarity where performance used to stand. A leader is the operating system everyone around them runs on. A team calibrates to the state of the person at the front of the room long before it calibrates to the strategy on the wall, and a board reads a founder’s presence faster than it reads the deck. When a leader meets what they have been managing and begins to lead from earned authority, the field around them reorganizes around that clarity of intent, and the people closest to them receive a silent permission to bring more of themselves to the work. The clarity a founder recovers becomes the safety a team feels. Organizations tend to take the shape of the inner life of the person at the top, which is why this interior work is among the most responsible acts a leader can undertake, and the one most often deferred. The capacity this work builds is the ability to stay open in the middle of difficulty and to ask, from genuine steadiness, “what needs to be illuminated here?”. That question, asked from clarity, becomes available in the boardroom and at the dinner table and on the long quiet drive home, and it grows stronger every time it is used. A leader who can illuminate what hides in the shadow of a hard decision, a stalled team, or a strained relationship leads from a highly refined presence that precedes strategy. One illuminated person illuminates everyone they touch. A new kind of leader is coming out the other side of this work. Held with honour, integrity, and excellence, a guided plant medicine experience restores the passage the culture set aside. It brings the old self to the threshold, asks the reckoning, and lets a leader release what has finished its work and claim what was always true. The leaders who cross that threshold carry a different quality into their companies and their homes. They lead with the centredness of someone who has met themselves completely and found a connection to self worth trusting, and they make room for the humanity of the people around them because they have made room for their own. This is the edge the culture has been missing, returning through the leaders willing to brave their own inner landscape so that greater compassion, prosperity, and purpose prevail. What you are actually being asked to illuminate The rising tide of this conversation trains a person to ask what a psychedelic retreat will do for them. The deeper question, the one this piece points toward, asks what the moment is calling for, and it moves a leader from the posture of a consumer toward the posture of someone stepping into an initiation. That shift alone changes what becomes available. It returns us to the armour where this began, to the leader who carried it to the heights and now feels the moment to lay it down. The work we hold is the held passage in which that happens, with preparation, with reverence, and with the guidance of those who have walked these depths before. The self that has been waiting under the weight was always there, ready to be restored to full brightness. So the question worth sitting with long after this ends is the one already stirring you awake in the night. What in you is ready to be remembered? Embark on a journey. Illuminate your path. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Robert Grover & Gary Logan Robert Grover & Gary Logan, The Journeymen Collective Robert Grover and Gary Logan are co-founders of The Journeymen Collective. As Executive Spiritual Advisors, they guide executives, professionals, and entrepreneurs through transformative leadership at the frontier of psychedelics and human development where excellence is the standard. Robert brings a background in entrepreneurship and high-level business strategy, while Gary’s expertise spans executive advisory, embodied human performance, and deep integration practices rooted in decades of psycho-physical awareness work. Together, they design immersive leadership experiences that expand consciousness, sharpen decision-making, and strengthen organizational impact in today’s complex business landscape.

What does it look like to turn steady effort into a working business across two provinces? For Harpinder Brar, it is not about big moments. It is about small, consistent actions done every day. From her early life in Punjab to running businesses in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, her path has been built step by step. “I didn’t follow a perfect plan,” she says. “I just kept taking responsibility and moving forward.” Early life in Punjab and lessons that last Harpinder Brar grew up in Moga, Punjab, with two younger brothers. Her mum stayed at home, and her dad worked a government job. Life was simple, but structured. “We were taught to respect work,” she says. “Nothing came easy, and that was a good thing.” As a teenager, she enjoyed fashion and took a few courses after high school. She also spent time watching films and television. “I liked observing people,” she explains. “You learn how others think and react.” Those early habits shaped how she would later approach business decisions. How Harpinder Brar became a business owner Many people ask: How do you become a business owner without a clear starting point? For Harpinder Brar, the answer was gradual progress. She did not enter business all at once. Instead, she built her role over time. Today, she owns and operates a gas station, a grocery store, and other ventures across Saskatchewan and Manitoba. “It didn’t happen overnight,” she says. “You take on more responsibility, and you grow into it.” Her approach reflects a common pattern in small business. Growth is often practical. It is shaped by daily needs, not big announcements. What it takes to run a gas station and grocery store Search trends often ask: What does it take to run a gas station or grocery business? Harpinder Brar’s experience shows that the work is constant. A typical day includes managing staff, checking inventory, handling suppliers, and ensuring the business runs smoothly. “People see the front counter,” she says. “They don’t see everything behind it.” Clean spaces. Stocked shelves. Reliable service. These are not accidents. They come from consistent attention. “You have to be present,” she says. “If you ignore things, they fall apart.” Leadership style: Firm, fair, and practical Leadership in small business is often direct. There is no large corporate structure to rely on. Harpinder Brar leads with clarity. “I believe in being firm but fair,” she says. “If people know what is expected, things run better.” She focuses on clear communication and quick decision-making. “You cannot delay decisions,” she says. “Problems get bigger if you wait.” Her style is not about motivation speeches. It is about setting standards and following through. Building stability across Saskatchewan and Manitoba Managing businesses across two provinces requires structure. Harpinder Brar relies on routine and organisation to keep things running. “You need systems,” she says. “You cannot be everywhere at once.” This is where her steady mindset becomes important. Instead of chasing rapid growth, she focuses on stability. “If the business is running properly, that is success,” she says. This approach reflects a broader truth in business. Long-term results often come from consistency, not speed. Balancing business and family life Behind the business owner is a strong focus on family. Harpinder Brar is a mother of three. She also owns two English bulldogs. Her life outside work is simple and grounded. “I am very family oriented,” she says. “That comes before everything.” Her free time is spent at home, watching films or relaxing with her children. “I don’t need anything complicated,” she says. “Home is enough.” That balance helps her stay focused. It also shapes how she defines success. Lessons from Harpinder Brar’s career journey People often search: What makes someone successful in business? Harpinder Brar’s journey points to a few clear ideas. Consistency matters more than speed. Responsibility matters more than titles. Presence matters more than planning alone. “You cannot expect quick results,” she says. “You just keep showing up.” She has built her businesses by focusing on what is in front of her each day. “I believe in doing things properly,” she says. “Even when no one is watching.” The ongoing work behind the success Harpinder Brar does not describe her career as finished. She sees it as ongoing work. “I am proud of what I’ve built,” she says. “But I always think about how to improve it.” Her story is not about sudden success. It is about bringing ideas to life through daily action. In today’s business world, that kind of steady leadership often goes unnoticed. But it remains essential. For Harpinder Brar, the formula is simple. “Take responsibility,” she says. “Then keep going.”

How one veterinarian combined structure, compassion, and constant learning to build a respected career in animal healthcare. Andrew Kaiser of Quincy spent more than 40 years working in veterinary medicine. During that time, he treated thousands of animals, built a respected veterinary hospital, and introduced ideas that helped raise standards in his region. But Kaiser never viewed success as something dramatic. For him, it came from consistency. “I always believed improvement happens little by little,” he says. “You just keep trying to do things better every day.” That mindset shaped nearly every part of his career. From wildlife rehabilitation to hospital leadership, Kaiser focused on building systems that lasted. His story is less about fast growth and more about steady development over decades. How Andrew Kaiser of Quincy started in veterinary medicine Kaiser earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Missouri in 1975. Soon after, he joined West Quincy Veterinary Clinic, where he worked from 1976 to 1984. The experience gave him broad exposure early in his career. “We handled many different situations,” he says. “That teaches you quickly that you can never stop learning.” He worked with companion animals, small mammals and other cases that required flexibility and careful observation. Those years also helped him understand something beyond medicine: trust mattered just as much as technical skill. “People need to know you are listening,” Kaiser explains. “That relationship is important.” Building Katherine Road animal hospital In July 1984, Kaiser launched Katherine Road Animal Hospital in Quincy, Illinois. Starting and running a veterinary hospital required more than clinical experience. It demanded organisation, leadership and long-term thinking. Kaiser focused heavily on structure. He developed clear systems for staff training, medication handling, diagnostics and client communication. Over time, those ideas became part of the hospital’s identity. “One thing I learned early is that consistency matters,” he says. “If your standards change every day, people lose confidence.” That approach eventually led to a major milestone. Katherine Road Animal Hospital became the first veterinary hospital in the region to earn accreditation from the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). The hospital maintained that accreditation for 20 years. For Kaiser, the achievement represented accountability more than recognition. “It meant we were holding ourselves to a higher standard,” he says. Why communication became central to his leadership style One of the biggest ideas Kaiser brought into his work was the importance of communication. He believed veterinary medicine worked best when clients fully understood what was happening with their animals. That meant taking time to explain procedures, answer questions and listen carefully. “You cannot rush conversations,” he says. “People are worried about their animals. They deserve patience.” This philosophy also influenced how he managed employees. Kaiser believed strong teams required direct communication and mutual respect. He focused on creating a workplace where staff members understood expectations while continuing to develop their skills. “You have to teach people properly,” he says. “That applies to medicine and leadership.” Andrew Kaiser of Quincy and wildlife rehabilitation While much of his work focused on household pets, Kaiser also became known for his wildlife rehabilitation efforts. He developed and directed a raptor rehabilitation programme that cared for injured birds of prey and other wildlife. The programme required specialised training, detailed observation and long recovery processes. “Wildlife medicine teaches patience,” Kaiser says. “You cannot force recovery.” He trained staff members on feeding procedures, treatment methods and rehabilitation practices. He also spent time educating the public about wildlife stewardship. The work reflected a larger pattern in his career. Kaiser often looked for ways to expand what a local veterinary hospital could contribute to the community. Supporting animal shelters and the community Kaiser’s hospital also worked closely with the City of Quincy Animal Shelter. At the time, it was the only local hospital providing certain specialised veterinary services for shelter animals. That work added another layer of responsibility to an already demanding practice. “You try to help where you can,” he says. “That has always been important to me.” Outside veterinary medicine, Kaiser remained active in community service. Over the years, he supported organisations including Kiwanis International, Meals on Wheels, the American Red Cross and local soup kitchens. He also served on the board of Chaddock. Faith has remained another consistent part of his life. He continues to participate actively in church activities, including singing and parish service. Lessons from a four-decade career Looking back, Kaiser believes one of the biggest reasons for his longevity was adaptability. Veterinary medicine changed dramatically during his career. New technologies, treatments and expectations reshaped the profession over time. Instead of resisting those changes, Kaiser focused on learning continuously. “I never wanted to become complacent,” he says. “The field keeps moving forward.” That attitude helped him remain engaged throughout decades of practice. Today, his career reflects something increasingly rare in modern business and healthcare: long-term consistency. He built systems carefully, focused on relationships and treated learning as a lifelong responsibility. For Kaiser, those ideas were never complicated. “Do your best,” he says. “Listen to people. Keep improving. That’s really what it comes down to.”

Written by Shery Saeed, Executive Coach & CEO Advisor Shery Saeed is a transformational executive coach and trusted advisor to bold CEOs, visionary founders, and culture-shaping leaders. With over 25 years of experience navigating high-stakes leadership moments, she blends strategic rigor with deep psychological insight to help clients lead with clarity, scale with conviction, and evolve with purpose. Leaders are taught to solve problems. The better they become at solving them, the more responsibility they receive. But leadership introduces a different challenge. The problem is rarely the problem. In fact, some of the most expensive mistakes leaders make come from solving the wrong problem exceptionally well. As organizations become more complex, the challenge shifts from finding solutions to understanding what actually needs to be solved. That distinction matters more than ever. Artificial intelligence is reshaping industries. Customer expectations are changing. Economic assumptions are being challenged. Business models that worked yesterday are producing diminishing returns today. In this environment, solving the wrong problem is not merely inefficient. It is expensive. Leaders are often rewarded for action. See the problem. Make the decision. Move quickly. But complex challenges require something different. Diagnosis before action. Because acting decisively on the wrong problem rarely produces the desired result. The turnover problem that wasn't A company experiences rising employee turnover. Leadership responds quickly. Compensation is increased. Benefits are enhanced. Engagement initiatives are launched. Months later, employees continue leaving. Why? because turnover was not the problem. Turnover was the symptom. Leadership assumed employees were leaving because they were dissatisfied with compensation. The real issue was a lack of career growth, inconsistent management practices, and unclear expectations. The organization invested significant time and money addressing the visible issue while the actual problem remained untouched. The AI problem that isn't Today, many organizations are asking, "How do we implement AI?" It sounds like a reasonable question. But it may be the wrong question. A more useful question might be, "What assumptions about work, value creation, decision making, and talent are changing because of AI?" One organization uses AI to automate tasks. Another uses AI to redesign workflows, decision making processes, and customer experiences. Both adopted the same technology. Only one questioned the assumptions beneath it. Technology rarely creates the biggest challenge. Thinking does. The revenue problem that was really a strategy problem A company misses its revenue targets. Leadership immediately focuses on sales. New incentives are introduced. Additional marketing dollars are invested. Sales training is expanded. Results improve temporarily. Then revenue stalls again. The issue was never sales. The issue was that the company's value proposition had become less relevant to changing customer needs. What appeared to be a sales problem was actually a strategy problem. The organization treated the symptom while the underlying cause continued to grow. The burned-out founder A founder feels overwhelmed. Every day is consumed by decisions. The obvious conclusion is. "I need better time management." But what if time management is not the problem? What if the real issue is that the organization still depends on the founder for every significant decision? This is not a productivity problem. It is a leadership design problem. No productivity system can solve a problem that originates in organizational structure. The founder was trying to manage time when the real challenge was distributing authority. Why smart leaders misdiagnose problems Most leaders are trained to focus on events. Revenue declines. Turnover increases. Costs rise. Projects miss deadlines. Events are visible. They demand attention. They create urgency. The problem is that events rarely explain themselves. They are often the final expression of a larger system operating beneath the surface. What leaders often call a problem is actually a signal. A clue. A symptom. Something deeper is creating the result they can see. The challenge is that solving symptoms creates the illusion of progress. Meetings happen. Initiatives launch. Resources are invested. Activity increases. Yet the same problem keeps returning. Not because the solution was poor. Because the diagnosis was incomplete. The questions exceptional leaders ask Most leaders ask, "How do we solve this?" Exceptional leaders ask different questions first: "What is creating this?" "What assumptions are we making?" "What has changed that we have not recognized?" "What problem might this actually represent?" These questions slow the rush toward action. But they dramatically improve the quality of decisions. Because the quality of a solution is limited by the quality of understanding that precedes it. The problem beneath the problem Every symptom has a source. Every visible problem exists within a larger system. Every challenge contains assumptions that deserve examination. Every recurring issue is an invitation to look deeper. As uncertainty increases, the temptation is to move faster. But speed is only valuable when it is directed at the right problem. The leaders who create the greatest value are not always the fastest problem solvers. They are often the most effective problem definers. They understand that solving the wrong problem exceptionally well is still failure. Because the most dangerous problems are not the ones leaders cannot solve. They are the ones leaders misunderstand. Every solution becomes expensive when applied to the wrong problem. Every breakthrough begins with understanding what problem actually needs to be solved. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for more info! Read more from Shery Saeed Shery Saeed, Executive Coach & CEO Advisor Shery Saeed works with founders and CEOs at the moment when success starts to feel heavier instead of easier. Known for her Founder Ceiling framework, she helps leaders evolve their identity, decision-making, and leadership model so their companies can scale beyond founder dependence. Drawing on decades of transformation work with executives and growth-stage companies, Shery focuses on the human side of scale, where leadership evolution and business performance rise or stall together. Her forthcoming book, The Founder Ceiling, explores why strong companies plateau and how founders can become the CEO their next stage requires.

Success stories often begin with opportunity. Crystal Lundberg’s story began with uncertainty. Today, Lundberg works as an Office Manager and Marketing Coordinator while continuing her education in Business Management and Digital Marketing. She has built a career around organization, branding, marketing, and business development. But her path to professional success looked very different from where she started. Growing up in Rockford, Illinois, Lundberg spent much of her childhood navigating instability, foster care, and circumstances beyond her control. Those early experiences shaped her perspective on leadership, resilience, and personal growth. "I define success as growth, resilience, and the ability to create a meaningful life despite adversity," Lundberg says. "Success is not only measured by accomplishments, financial stability, or career advancement, but by the person you become throughout the journey." How childhood adversity shaped Crystal Lundberg's leadership style Much of Lundberg's early life was marked by uncertainty. Her mother struggled with mental health challenges and addiction, creating an environment where stability was difficult to maintain. As a child, she moved in and out of foster care and often faced sudden changes in her living situation. But one experience became a turning point. When she was around eight years old, a family took her into their home through a family connection. They were not foster parents. They received no compensation. They simply opened their home because they cared. For the first time, Lundberg experienced consistency, structure, and unconditional love. "They showed me what love truly looked like," she says. "I witnessed what it meant for a mother to nurture her children, for a father to provide and lead with strength, and for a husband and wife to genuinely love and respect one another." The family attended Catholic church together, traveled during summers, and spent time at a cabin in Wisconsin. Those experiences gave her something she had never seen before—a clear picture of the life she wanted to build for herself. That foundation would later influence how she approaches leadership and relationships in both business and life. Why education became the foundation of her career For Lundberg, education represented more than academic achievement. It represented possibility. Coming from a childhood filled with instability, earning a degree once seemed out of reach. Instead of accepting those limitations, she committed herself to building a different future. She graduated in July 2025 with an Associate's Degree in Business Management Administration. She also completed esthetics training through Aveda and continues to pursue a bachelor's degree in Business Management with concentrations in Marketing and Digital Marketing while earning credits toward a master's degree. "Education became more than a goal for me," Lundberg says. "It became a way to transform my future." Her educational accomplishments reflect years of discipline and perseverance. "Graduating with my Associate's Degree and continuing toward my bachelor's and master's degrees became proof to myself that I could overcome difficult beginnings and create success on my own terms." Building a career in business management and marketing Today, Lundberg combines strategic thinking with creativity in her role as an Office Manager and Marketing Coordinator. Her responsibilities include helping businesses improve operations, strengthen their brands, manage websites, create organizational systems, oversee invoicing processes, and support overall business development efforts. The combination of structure and creativity is what attracted her to the field. "I naturally thrive in environments where I can combine business strategy with creativity and innovation," she says. Her experience has allowed her to develop skills in leadership, communication, digital marketing, branding, and organization. She believes adaptability is one of the most important qualities for long-term success. "Marketing is constantly evolving, especially in the digital space, so being willing to learn and grow is essential," Lundberg explains. "Creativity is equally important because strong branding and marketing require the ability to connect with people emotionally and strategically." She also points to integrity and consistency as critical factors in any career. "I believe integrity, professionalism, and strong work ethic are foundational qualities that build long-term success in any industry." How Crystal Lundberg sets goals and stays motivated Lundberg approaches success with a practical mindset. Rather than focusing only on large ambitions, she breaks goals into smaller steps and concentrates on steady progress. "I start by identifying long-term goals and then break them down into smaller, achievable short-term steps," she says. "I also believe consistency is more important than perfection." That perspective has helped her overcome moments of doubt throughout her journey. "In moments of self-doubt, I remind myself how far I have already come and everything I have overcome." Her motivation remains deeply connected to the people who helped shape her life. "The family who took me in during childhood showed me what unconditional love, discipline, and stability looked like," she says. "Their kindness gave me hope and helped shape the standards and values I carry with me today." What's next for Crystal Lundberg? As she continues advancing her education and professional experience, Lundberg remains focused on growth, leadership, and helping others. She plans to continue expanding her work in business development, branding, marketing strategy, and entrepreneurship while using her experiences to encourage others facing challenges of their own. For Lundberg, success is not a destination. It is an ongoing process. "I believe growth should never stop, regardless of how much success someone achieves," she says. "I am always striving to become a better version of myself." Her story serves as a reminder that difficult beginnings do not determine the future. Through resilience, education, and consistent effort, she has transformed adversity into opportunity – and continues building a career defined by purpose, leadership, and growth.

Written by Veronika Bubenickova, Transformational Breast Cancer Coach and Therapist Veronika Bubenickova is the founder of Lotus Journey, a breast cancer survivor, author, Lifestyle Oncology Practitioner and Transformational Breast Cancer Coach. Following her own diagnosis at 39, she now helps women navigate breast cancer and recovery by supporting the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of healing. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 39, I remember feeling as though the ground beneath my feet had disappeared. One moment I was living what appeared to be a successful life. I had a good career, a beautiful home, plans for the future and a vision for where my life was heading. The next, I found myself sitting in hospital waiting rooms, attending scans, biopsies and consultations, hearing words I never imagined would apply to me. Cancer. Like many women, I immediately wanted answers. I wanted certainty. I wanted somebody to tell me exactly what was going to happen and how everything would turn out. Instead, I entered what I now recognise as one of the most challenging periods of my entire journey, the space between suspicion and certainty. Looking back today, having completed chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy and years of personal healing and transformation, there are many things I wish someone had told me during those first few weeks. Not because they would have changed the diagnosis, but because they would have changed how I experienced it. If you have recently been diagnosed, or if you are supporting someone who has, these are the seven lessons I wish I had known from the very beginning. 1. The waiting is often harder than the treatment Most people assume the hardest part of cancer is chemotherapy, surgery or radiotherapy. For me, the hardest part was the waiting. The period between discovering a lump and receiving my final diagnosis felt endless. Every appointment seemed to generate more questions than answers. Every phone call made my heart race. Every internet search opened the door to another frightening possibility. Our minds are remarkably creative when faced with uncertainty. Left unchecked, they often fill the gaps with worst case scenarios. What I wish someone had told me is that uncertainty itself creates enormous emotional suffering. At this stage, you do not need to solve your entire cancer journey. You only need to take the next step. The next appointment. The next conversation. The next day. When I stopped trying to control the entire future and focused on the next step in front of me, everything became more manageable. 2. You have more power than you think One of the biggest misconceptions about a cancer diagnosis is that everything is suddenly out of your hands. Yes, there are things you cannot control. You cannot control scan results, pathology reports or how your body responds to every treatment. However, there are also many things that remain entirely within your influence. You can influence how you nourish your body. You can influence how you manage stress. You can influence the information you consume, the people you surround yourself with and the habits you practise every day. Very early in my journey, I made a conscious decision that I would not simply wait for treatment to happen to me. I would actively participate in my healing. That decision changed everything. I transformed my diet, introduced complementary approaches, prioritised movement, meditation and emotional healing, and became what I often call the project manager of my own health journey. The diagnosis may not have been my choice, but how I responded to it was. 3. Healing is bigger than treatment My oncology team was exceptional. I will always be grateful for the skill, dedication and care of the medical professionals who supported me. However, what surprised me was how little guidance existed around everything outside of treatment itself. Nobody sat me down and explained how to support my body through nutrition. Nobody talked in depth about stress, emotional trauma, purpose, relationships or mindset. Nobody explained how frightening fear of recurrence could become after treatment ends. Medical teams are experts in treating disease. Their role is incredibly important. But healing often extends beyond the physical treatment plan. For me, true healing involved addressing my physical health, my emotional wellbeing, my mental patterns and my spiritual connection. It involved asking difficult questions about how I had been living, what was no longer serving me and what needed to change moving forward. Cancer became much more than a medical journey. It became a life transformation. 4. Your mind is one of your greatest assets One of the most powerful lessons I learned is that there is a significant difference between focusing on illness and focusing on healing. This does not mean pretending everything is fine. It does not mean suppressing fear, sadness, anger or grief. I experienced all of those emotions, often intensely. What it means is intentionally directing your attention towards what you want rather than constantly dwelling on what you fear. I visualised myself healthy. I meditated daily. I practised gratitude. I consumed uplifting content and surrounded myself with people who believed in recovery, possibility and hope. I became very protective of my mental environment. Everything around a cancer patient tends to focus on disease. Scan results. Blood tests. Symptoms. Statistics. I decided that while my medical team focused on the illness, I would focus on healing. That shift gave me strength on some of my darkest days. 5. You do not have to be strong all the time One of the greatest gifts cancer gave me was permission to stop pretending. Before my diagnosis, I was used to being independent, capable and resilient. I often felt responsible for carrying everything myself. Cancer taught me something different. It taught me that true strength includes vulnerability. It is okay to cry. It is okay to feel frightened. It is okay to ask for help. It is okay to lean on family, friends, support groups, counsellors, coaches or anyone who genuinely wants to support you. The people who love you do not expect perfection. They simply want to walk beside you. Allow them. 6. Life after treatment can be unexpectedly difficult One of the biggest surprises of my entire journey came after treatment ended. Like many people, I imagined reaching the finish line and immediately feeling relieved, grateful and back to normal. Instead, I found myself facing a completely different challenge. The appointments became less frequent. The constant monitoring slowed down. People celebrated and assumed everything was back to normal. Yet emotionally, I was still processing everything that had happened. Many survivors experience fear of recurrence, changes in confidence, shifts in identity, body image challenges and uncertainty about the future. Nobody had prepared me for that. What I wish someone had told me is that healing continues long after treatment ends. In many ways, survivorship is its own journey, requiring just as much compassion, patience and support. 7. This diagnosis could become the beginning of something you never expected If someone had told me during those first terrifying weeks that breast cancer would eventually lead me to write a book, become a coach, support women around the world and discover a deeper sense of purpose than I had ever known before, I would not have believed them. Yet that is exactly what happened. I would never have chosen this experience. No one would. But I have learned that some of life’s greatest transformations emerge from its most difficult moments. Breast cancer stripped away many things that no longer served me. It forced me to slow down, reflect, heal old wounds and reconnect with what truly matters. Most importantly, it brought me back to myself. If you are newly diagnosed, please know this. Your story is not over. This chapter may be frightening, uncertain and painful, but it does not define your future. There is hope. There is support. There is life beyond diagnosis. One day, perhaps sooner than you think, you may discover strengths within yourself that you never knew existed. To access my free Breast Cancer Support and Healing Series, please visit this website. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Veronika Bubenickova Veronika Bubenickova, Transformational Breast Cancer Coach and Therapist Veronika Bubenickova is a breast cancer survivor, author, speaker, Lifestyle Oncology Practitioner and Transformational Breast Cancer Coach. Following her own diagnosis in 2023, she embarked on a profound healing journey that transformed every aspect of her life. Today, she helps women navigate breast cancer and recovery by addressing the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of healing. She is the founder of Lotus Journey and author of Diary of a Soul Reborn, with a mission to help women thrive beyond breast cancer, not just survive it.

Written by Bryan McColgan, Physician Journalist Dr. Bryan McColgan is an international authority on IVF and surrogacy for gay men. He is the founder of the Gay Dad Reporter, the world’s first online platform dedicated to news about surrogacy and rainbow families with a focus on gay men. Most of our lives are spent online. We work. We shop. We chat. We share. We connect. All online. However, this online world - much like our real world, does not treat everyone equally. LGBTQ+ people are one group who has recently suffered increasing backlash, hate, and discrimination online. Initially, the Internet and social media was a beacon of hope for LGBTQ+ people. Someone growing up in a conservative family or a small town could reach out and meet other like-minded individuals. They could connect and become friends, sometimes even ‘chosen family.’ Now, the vast majority of LGBTQ+ people regularly witness harmful content, feel less safe, and are less inclined to express themselves online. Most of our online world is wrapped up in social media. Meta (Instagram, Threads, Facebook), Alphabet (YouTube), X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok are the current rulers of the social media landscape. GLAAD’s Social Media Safety Index analyzes and tracks these social media titans with regard to their safety for LGBTQ+ users. In 2026, GLAAD reported significant failings and worsening online hate and protections for the queer community. These are some of the key findings: Platforms are largely failing to mitigate harmful anti-LGBTQ+ hate and disinformation that violates their own policies. Platforms disproportionately suppress LGBTQ+ content via removal, demonetization, unwarranted age-gating, and forms of shadowbanning. Social media companies continue to withhold meaningful transparency about content moderation, algorithms, and use of AI. GLAAD also does yearly report cards. With 100 points being a perfect score, in 2026 all platforms except TikTok saw a decrease in their LGBTQ+ safety score, and every platform had fairly poor scores overall. This is not good news for LGBTQ+ people, but what about an even smaller and more marginalized population, LGBTQ+ parents? The GLAAD Social Media Index report does not mention gay dads explicitly, but I think it is safe to assume the results are the same or worse compared to the general LGBTQ+ population. Two new gay dads in Los Angeles were recently targeted and physically attacked in person by a MAGA influencer trying to create hateful content. Celebrity gay dad Colton Underwood has written a memoir dedicated to his son, where he addresses the online hate he and his family receive. Despite this hostility, gay dads are still using these platforms to connect, share, and support each other. Facebook has numerous gay dad communities for surrogacy, adoption, and country-specific gay parenthood. I, myself, am a member of Gaypapporna, the gay dads group in Sweden. Instagram and TikTok have celebrity gay dads showcasing their fun-filled travel and Disney lifestyles. Reddit, although not included in the GLAAD report, also has r/gaydads with over 15,000 followers. However, these platforms and groups are at the whim of the social media giants. When reports last year came out that Meta was unilaterally removing queer Facebook groups, there was panic in the gay dad and surrogacy communities. Groups scrambled to change their names in hopes of going undetected and saving their community. Because of the fear and sensitivity surrounding these groups, the moderators have to incessantly police posting and content. Even I, an intended gay dad who has an entire brand about becoming and being a gay dad, have been blocked from posting on Reddit and Facebook groups. The guidelines and sharing cannot truly be open for fear of retribution from the increasingly restrictive social media overlords. I love following gay dads sharing their journeys and jokes about becoming and being parents. I am one of them. I think this representation is important, but if the large social media sites are full of hate, suppressing our content, and leveraging algorithms and AI that choose who and what to promote, is this the safest and best way to showcase our lives as gay dads? I think there should be another way. I think there should be another platform that is just for us as intended and current gay dads. Niche social media platforms are not completely new. Two examples of popular niche social media sites are Strava for exercise enthusiasts and Goodreads for bookworms. Both of these sites allow these communities to share, discuss, and bond over their shared interests without having to expose themselves to the policies of the gargantuan social media overlords. They say it takes a village to raise a child. What if we had our own Gay Dad Village? A place that is safe for all who want to become or are gay dads, to share advice and stories, and to support each other. I would love for such a platform to exist. If you would be interested in building it with me, please reach out here. Gay men have always been resilient. Even during the darkest times in our history, we have managed to form connections and community in the face of hate, bigotry, and suppression. Underground gay bars, secret hanky signals, and now Grindr have all allowed us to find, communicate, and connect. It’s time to evolve beyond the confines of the current social media landscape and have a fit-for-purpose, safe platform for all gay dads. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for more info! Read more from Bryan McColgan Bryan McColgan, Physician Journalist Dr. Bryan McColgan is a Stanford and Columbia University-trained physician who is currently on his first journey to fatherhood through surrogacy. Navigating IVF and surrogacy in the United States from his current home in Sweden led Bryan to start the Gay Dad Reporter, the leading online platform dedicated to assisted reproduction for gay intended fathers. His mission is ethical surrogacy for gay intended dads everywhere. Photo Sources: GLAAD Social Media Index 2026. Who is to blame for this discriminatory shift? GLAAD Social Media Index 2026