Written by: Jennifer Maharajh, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Living with a chronic illness presents many challenges and a rollercoaster of emotions. The physical, emotional, and spiritual distress can become overwhelming. The bad days seem to be on autorepeat, the mind is oversaturated with anxiety, and before we realize it, the joy of life is depleted. The way we respond and simulate our experiences in these unprecedented situations can help us find the joy of life again. We can live and thrive joyfully with a chronic illness by just shifting our thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes. Anything becomes achievable once you gain perspective, reframe your thinking and have a desire for change. I’m sharing 5 key areas of focus that helped me to reclaim my joy, despite living with Parkinson’s Disease. Acceptance To begin the healing process, we must acknowledge those feelings associated with the disease. To fully step into embracing acceptance and acknowledgment, we must first find the middle ground to accept this is part of the journey. Thoughts are a dynamic part of everyone's journey; you don't have to bury these feelings, yet allow yourself to accept the experience of each emotion. Go through each of the emotions that come up such as anger, frustration, grief, sadness, or disgust. Recognize each mental state and what it represents for you. Let your mind and body become aware. This mental sweeping of your internal self may be repeated often. Once you've found peace with embracing the challenge, you can now focus on changing the outcome. Gratitude To wake up each day to a new life filled with opportunities and beauty is undoubtedly something to be thankful for. As we open our hearts to gratitude and allow the moments around us to give us pleasure and contentment, the joy slowly begins to reunite with our hearts. Gratitude is appreciated joy, the simplicity of a divine experience or moment that we can replace with difficulty or pain. Gratitude boosts our self-awareness, releases stress, and opens us to the actively positive flow. Cultivate gratitude with intention by allowing yourself to visualize and manifest every moment and milestone as a treasured gem that brings a smile to your face and releases joy. "Be thankful for what you have. You'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough." — Oprah Winfrey Self-Care The mind often creates barriers to self-acceptance and love once we step out of our comfort zone. The disease we are dealing with may have us latching on to limiting beliefs about ourselves, and the experiences around us. Recognize your self-worth and desire to be happy and joyful. Connect with your inner consciousness by giving yourself kindness, love, and compassion. A few minutes of meditation and solitude to embrace the awakening of your worth and value will help you to refocus on reclaiming the joy. Give yourself creativity and laughter by indulging in hobbies or experiences that encourage peace and happiness. Especially when dealing with a chronic illness, extra attention to our mind, body, and spirit allows us to recognize how important we are. Give yourself grace and indulge in the simplest of moments. Through the darkest of moments and deepest of adversities, once we love ourselves unconditionally, without judgment and guilt, the joys of life will be in every moment we capture. Creative Flow A disease may make us think we can no longer do the same things we loved doing before, but the truth is, we can continue to find enjoyment in cultivating our creative flow. Remove the limiting beliefs, self-doubt, and self-judgment. Sylvia Plath said, "The worse enemy of creativity is self-doubt." Follow your passion and intuition. Taking the time to be creative throughout your day will enhance your emotional, physical and spiritual attention to regaining balance. To rejoice in your creative flow, choose activities that have profound pleasure and dedicate time to doing them. Draw, dance, write; whatever puts you in your flow. Bring your awareness to your experience at that moment and notice all the joy and happiness. Allow yourself at least a few minutes a day to practice this. Relationships Human connection and interaction are powerful tools to unleash unlimited happiness. When we make a conscious effort to focus on building and maintaining relationships with others, including family and friends, we will notice the mental shifts that occur. Use every opportunity to enjoy the moments with loved ones and continue cultivating those relationships. Call a friend for his/her birthday, send a greeting card to your aunt or uncle, or stop in and say hello to your neighbor. Be heartfelt in your intentions to build relationships. Celebrate life with the people around you and find a supportive group where you can be honest and humble. The human touch is dynamic and healing; when you allow yourself to be immersed in building your network of support. The joys of life are attainable, despite living with a chronic illness. Treasure the little things, celebrate the small wins, and embrace the journey. The joys of life aren't always seen by the human eye yet felt by the human heart. Adapting to life with a chronic illness is never easy but doing it with a smile and joy can certainly make the journey easier. Pick up a copy of my new book "Inspirational Quotes and Affirmations," to help you affirm your joy, manifest your desired outcomes, and encourage positivity. Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Jennifer! Jennifer Maharajh, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jennifer Maharajh is the CEO/Founder of Simply Healthy Global Media, a global movement and platform that empowers and educates the community about resilience, mindset, healthy living and more. After being diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease as a young age, Jennifer was determined to change the outcome of her story and has become a published author, Podcast Host, Global Summit Producer and Health and Beauty Entrepreneur. She is the creator of the annual global healing motivational summit gathering dynamic voices to uplift and empower through their stories of tragedy to triumph. Jennifer uses her platform to build community, create global change and promote a healthy life and always make the impossible, POSSIBLE!

Written by Miss Kelly, Psychic Medium Healer and Teacher Miss Kelly is a global female spiritual leader I record the reading and send it off to the client via email to keep and listen to the reading over and Read more from Miss Kelly Miss Kelly, Psychic Medium Healer and Teacher Miss Kelly has dedicated her lost or perhaps just at crossroads in life or if one has found themselves in a deep dark place Miss Kelly

Written by: Dr. Bonita Parker, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Poor money management has been the cause of more business failures than any other single issue. And it’s no wonder. We aren’t born knowing how to manage money. And the truth of the matter is that most of us aren’t taught how to handle it or develop a positive relationship with it either. We figure it out along the way, after costly mistakes and through much trial and error. Those same mindset issues and bad habits that wreak havoc in our personal finances can plague our business finances as well if we’re not careful. Trust me, I know firsthand! Catching Shiny Object Syndrome It’s no secret that we love new things! We like to partake in what’s trending and current. I get it— some things are just hard to resist —especially when your friends and colleagues are all jumping on board! New technology, conferences, group coaching programs, and even business models can all have a strong pull, and if you aren’t careful, these shiny objects can quickly distract you from your current goals. If you find yourself catching shiny object syndrome frequently, try this two-step plan instead: For “too good to refuse” offers, make a plan for achieving a positive ROI before you purchase. If you cannot find a (realistic) way to make the purchase pay for itself, don’t buy it. Get into the habit of assessing how to monetize the investments that you make and know that it’s okay to pause and think about its benefit. For exciting new business ideas , create a “someday” list. If you are anything like me, your mind stays turned on and ideas are always coming to you. Jot down your idea and create a basic outline, then get back to the task at hand. Now that great idea won’t be lost, but it also won’t join the ranks of half-finished business plans that litter the internet. Falling for the Sunk Costs Fallacy If you’ve ever said to yourself, “I’m not using this subscription, but I can’t give it up! I’m still paying the launch price and now it’s much more expensive!” Then you’ve fallen for the sunk costs fallacy. This common mistake is famous among economists, and we all fall victim to it from time to time. Simply put, the sunk costs fallacy is what makes us justify investing more money or time in something—even though we’re not seeing results—because we’ve already spent so much. It’s what encourages us to repair the car one more time (after all, you just put new tires on it), eat a meal we don’t enjoy (simply because you’ve paid for it), and yes, continue to pay for tools and resources you’re not using. Part of my entrepreneurial success strategy was to conduct quarterly dumps that saved me from wasting tons of money on things that no longer served me well in my business. And you should too! Take time to examine your current business expenses. What are you paying for month after month that you’re not using? What can you get rid of that is no longer assisting with conversion? Either make a plan to put them to work for you, or cancel them. Stop falling for the sunk costs fallacy. Too Much Penny Pinching You thought this was all going to be about overspending, didn’t you? Here’s the kicker: Spending too little is just as bad for business as spending too much. Shocked at all? When you’re constantly on the lookout for free and low-cost tools or working 16-hour days because you “can’t afford to outsource,” you’re not doing your business any favors. Sure, it looks like you’re bootstrapping and working really hard to make something from nothing, but what you’re really doing is digging yourself a hole that will be nearly impossible to climb out of. Not only that, but you’re reinforcing a scarcity mindset that will continue to plague you for years if you let it. Rather than pinching pennies, learn to spend money strategically. Buy what you need, when you need it. Invest in top-quality products and programs rather than settling for the low-ticket, half-baked plans. Just like quality clothes, cars, and furniture, quality services and software last longer and work better. And unlike that car, good quality business tools will pay for themselves. Need a mindset reset to rebuild your relationship with money, I can help! To know more about me and my work, please visit my website and follow me on Faceb ook , Instagram , and Link edIn ! Dr. Bonita Parker, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Dr. Bonita Parker is an experienced and certified Master Life Coach, CEO Success Coach, Publisher, and 3x international bestselling author who is the driving force behind the success of Bonita Parker Enterprises, a multifaceted corporation that strategizes with new and aspiring business leaders to identify their core strengths, build out their individual success blueprint and provide resources that get excellent and proven results in their business. Dr. Bonita knows firsthand the importance that authenticity and transparency can have when building a thriving business and has dedicated her time to helping women break through emotional barriers and mental blockages that hinder their success. Under the tutelage of her Dream Achievers University (DAU), a virtual certification academy that focuses on the study of life coaching. she has helped a multitude of clients across a wide range of personal development sectors step into the light of entrepreneurship and build successful brands using her personal Radical Success Brilliance Model. Using this interactive step-by-step methodology, clients are able to break free from invisible enemies, shift their mindset and align with their optimal success path.

Written by Kellie Sheldon, Trauma and Sex Counsellor Kellie Sheldon specialises in helping clients overcome Your body has one job: To keep you safe It can be confusing to want sex intellectually, to care deeply Your nervous system keeps the score. Read more from Kellie Sheldon Kellie Sheldon, Trauma and Sex Counsellor Kellie Sheldon specilises in Her university education, as well as practice-based evidence, has led Kellie on a mission to working

Your body keeps the score. So let's have a look at three ways emotions keep you bloated. 1. Emotions as trapped energy . Repressed feelings are 'stuck' in your belly, impairing your digestion. All in one program called Bye Bye Bloated Belly. Reach out to me for more details.

’t necessary so long as it paid the bills and that you must work demanding hours to truly earn your keep Do you just keep telling yourself, “It’s fine. Everything will work out!” All of these are ways that you’re keeping yourself in the dark about your finances. Keeping yourself in the dark prevents you from planning appropriately, making informed decisions, and Do you know exactly how to attract more money, keep it, and make it work for you?

Written by Amy Kelly, Strategic Life and Business Coach Amy Kelly is a Breakthrough & Confidence Coach the mental fog is taking up all your energy and traditional goal-setting feels impossible right now, keep You're just trying to rebuild while the world keeps spinning. Read more from Amy Kelly Amy Kelly , Strategic Life and Business Coach Amy Kelly is a Life Coach and

“First, I’m going to thank myself for keeping going even though it’s been hard – I’m still here after

Actually ‒ especially when you are crazy busy with your Holiday routines, because these are the ways to keep

You could keep your “Pollyanna” attitude and your “positive thinking” rubbish. To expand the question further, why is it worth the time and effort to keep yourself happy, in the here They do not have to force themselves to be happy just to keep you happy. I can wholeheartedly tell you that taking the time and putting in the effort to keep yourself happy

Written by Kelli Binnings, Brand Expert & Entrepreneur Kelli Binnings is a multi-disciplined creative Maybe it’s with a team member who keeps missing deadlines, or perhaps it’s with a partner or client who Read more from Kelli Binnings Kelli Binnings, Brand Expert & Entrepreneur Kelli Binnings is a fearless

There are some daily healthy habits you can start doing to keep you illness-free and upgrade your health The reason journaling works to help keep illness at bay is because of what journaling is supposed to Keep in mind that a lot of the healthy habits you take on have nothing to do with eating or supplements and more to do with keeping your mind and emotions as healthy as everything else. She helps them achieve a higher level of health, allowing them to experience more energy, less belly