Written by Ariel Griglin, Health & Fitness Coach Ariel Griglin’s expertise lies in helping women journey toward Becoming Lighter in all ways. She uses protocols like The Metabolic Reboot to support them in overcoming weight loss resistance, hormone imbalances, and autoimmunity. Ariel is the founder of Becoming Lighter Retreats, where women gather for deeper spiritual immersion. Technology is incredible. Many of us describe artificial intelligence as amazing, terrifying, superhuman, or even the beginning of the end. We call it inconceivable, yet the truth is something much more profound. We conceived it. Human beings imagined it, engineered it, and brought it into existence. For those familiar with Scripture, you may think of Genesis 1:27: “God created mankind in His own image.” I have often imagined that verse as God looking into a still pond and seeing His own reflection through humanity. If that is true, and humanity begets technology, what might our technology reveal about us? I want to be clear. While I may explore the limits of artificial intelligence, this very article was edited by my lovely co creator, ChatGPT. Let us begin this adventure with my own personal experience. About a month ago, I went through an upgrade, if you will. It was time for a new computer. My AirPods were not holding a charge, my iPhone was glitching, and I was ready to invest in some new recording gear for my business. There was so much learning and organizing happening at such a rapid pace that I could literally feel my brain operating at an entirely new processing speed as I set up my new equipment. As I noticed myself processing all of this new information so quickly, I considered: What if this computer is not just a tool? What if it is a reflection? Here I was, feeling like I was operating at the speed of my M4 chip, this remarkable technology that allows today’s computers to process extraordinary amounts of information at incredible speeds. I wanted to understand it better. So, with absolutely no experience in information technology or engineering, I travelled down the proverbial rabbit hole. What I discovered surprised me. These sophisticated computer chips can be thought of as tiny cities, with roads, shipments, deliveries, routes, and teams all working together. As the technology has advanced, every one of those systems has been optimized for speed, shorter routes, and greater interconnectivity. As I learned that these microscopic chips continue to be built with their components in ever closer proximity to achieve greater efficiency, it led me to a series of questions. What if there were full integration? What if these microscopic pieces merged toward unity? If all of this is our reflection in the pond, what does it reveal about humanity? Some of you may be reading this with scepticism, wondering whether any of this can truly reveal humanity’s reflection. I know you. Before you run off too quickly, consider this. The human body, I would argue, is the oldest and smartest technology on the face of the Earth. Not only can we walk, speak, breathe, and chew without conscious thought, but we are also a species capable of transforming complex thoughts, ideas, and emotions into words and actions so that we may connect with one another. The same intelligence that builds cities, writes poetry and symphonies, creates the means to fly across oceans, and now builds artificial intelligence already lives within us. As a personal trainer and health coach guiding people through physical, mental, and spiritual transformation every day, I wholeheartedly believe our innate genetic makeup holds remarkable potential. Our creation of artificial intelligence merely scratches the surface of what we are capable of. Within this field of possibility lies the ability to see aspects of ourselves reflected in the world around us. Yes, every person, every machine, every thing and no thing, in varying degrees, of course, can offer us this reflection, if we choose to look for it. There is a sameness within us all. It is what allows me to teach my clients ways to improve their oxygen capacity and physical mobility while supporting healthier neural patterns. I make the case that human beings possess greater potential than any technology we have created, and that these technologies reflect the power and capabilities that already exist within us. Carrying on with our series of questions. Can this advanced technology move toward zero point? In some spiritual circles, zero point is described as a state of absolute neutrality, stillness, and limitless potential, a symbol of divinity, pure consciousness, and freedom from attachment. As I write this article, governments are investing heavily in the next frontier of computing: quantum computing. We have spent decades making technology smaller, faster, and more integrated. From room sized computers to devices that fit in our pockets, and now to processors operating at the quantum scale, we seem to be moving ever closer to the fundamental building blocks of reality. If this new computer of mine, so fast, so intelligent, and so intricately connected, can sit on the cusp of such remarkable integration, well, my friends, that is an interesting reflection to see in the pond. Shall we keep going? If we travel a bit further down the rabbit hole, we will find that healing crystals have become all the rage. It took me a while to realize this. I walked into a crystal shop for the first time in 2018, and whether you call it fate, the power of crystal energy, or pure coincidence, I met the love of my life there. At the time, I knew virtually nothing about crystals. What I did know was that my understanding of true and lasting healing was expanding, and somehow, I found myself walking through that door. Just a few short years later, crystals had become one of the biggest wellness trends and perhaps one of the wellness world’s favorite gifts. Coincidence? Hmm... In many healing traditions, crystals are understood to be naturally occurring minerals, each possessing unique colors, structures, and properties. Some believe these characteristics, including their vibrational qualities, may be therapeutic when paired with particular emotional or physical ailments. Another belief found within some spiritual communities is that, during this time of profound transformation, humanity is becoming more crystalline in nature as we ascend toward our highest nature. But does that biologically make sense? I love those rose quartz bathtubs I have seen, but I will keep my skin, eyes, and hands, thank you very much. Here is what does make biological sense: Your bones and teeth naturally contain microscopic crystals made from calcium phosphate minerals. In addition, some proteins, cell membranes, and other cellular structures exhibit forms of liquid crystalline organization that help support biological function, while your inner ear contains tiny calcium carbonate crystals that are essential for balance. Crystals are defined as solid materials whose atoms, molecules, or ions are arranged in a highly ordered, repeating three dimensional pattern. Okay, so, an orderly body? Well, that sounds a lot like my definition of health. When our emotional patterns, biological systems, and organs function cohesively, we become vibrant, healthy, and holistic three dimensional human beings. Perhaps the aspiration to arrive in a crystalline state is really an aspiration toward wholeness, a state of organized harmony. Now, you are probably wondering how we got from M4 chips and quantum computing to meeting my soulmate in a crystal shop. It will not take long, I promise. Rather, I will pose it as a question. Where is the company behind the M4 chip based? Ding. Ding. Ding. If your brain, yes, that beautiful, intelligent, highly organized processing equipment you have, just told you Silicon Valley, you, my friend, are correct. And if you do not already know, the silicon used in computer chips has a crystalline structure. The reflection in the pond is getting more sparkly the further we go. Wonderful. That is exactly my point. As the founder of Becoming Lighter, my hope is that you begin to notice that light everywhere and perhaps recognize it within yourself as well. Modern technology is the offspring of human intelligence. If you choose, it can offer a reflection of our ability to store, process, and organize information with remarkable speed and efficiency. If you choose, it can offer a glimpse of the magnificence we have only just begun to uncover within ourselves. Perhaps that journey begins by supporting your own biological technology, caring for your wellbeing while navigating chronic symptoms, and moving through life with greater mobility, vibrancy, and joy. Perhaps that is what Genesis was inviting us to see all along. If we were created in the image of the Creator, then perhaps every act of human creation carries a reflection of that same intelligence. Artificial intelligence is not proof that machines have become superior to us. Perhaps it is a reminder of how extraordinary we have been all along. That, my friends, is a beautiful reflection to see in the pond. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Ariel Griglin Ariel Griglin, Health & Fitness Coach Ariel’s youth as an athlete, alongside parents with terminal diagnoses, primed her for the depths of healing. She became a NASM-certified personal trainer and developed expertise in reshaping the body. It wasn’t until she experienced death and divorce in her adult life that her work evolved beyond the physical, refining her true capacity to heal. Through that season, she was gifted what she now holds as the core truth of healing: Light. Today, Ariel is one of a select group of elite coaches trained in The Metabolic Reboot, a program that has helped tens of thousands eradicate disease and overcome weight loss struggles. She is also the founder of Becoming Lighter Retreats, an immersive spiritual experience for women

Written by Abi Hill, Entrepreneur, Mentor & Coach Abi Hill is a UK entrepreneur, mentor & coach, and the founder of Just Starting Out. Widely recognised for championing underserved communities and cost-of-living resilience, she’s on a mission to cut first-year failure rates. “If you want to make waves, pack a swimsuit!” From the moment we are old enough to understand the world around us, we are encouraged to dream big. We tell children they can become anything they want to be. We applaud imagination, celebrate ambition, and remind them that the sky is the limit. Yes, you be that astronaut who reaches Mars, kiddo! Then, somewhere along the way, the narrative quietly changes. “Isn’t it better to play it safe?” “Why don’t you get a secure job?” “I wouldn’t take unnecessary risks if it were me.” My all-time favorite, “What if it doesn’t work?” It seems we have created a society that encourages courage in theory but questions it in practice. We celebrate entrepreneurs, inventors, and athletes once they have reached the finish line, yet often doubt them while they are still standing at the starting blocks. This contradiction has fascinated me for years, not simply because I have witnessed it firsthand, but because it raises a much bigger question. Why are we so frightened of taking risks in the first place? The answer lies somewhere between evolutionary biology, modern psychology, and the uncomfortable way we judge success. We tell people to dream big until they actually do This is something that almost everybody understands, but very few people articulate. Society celebrates risks in hindsight, yet criticises them in real time. Wait! What? The hypocrisy bowls me over! Why is it that we treat failure as evidence that the risk was foolish, yet treat success as evidence that the risk was visionary? Consider two men standing on a rock. One jumps and lands safely, while the other is frightened and decides not to. The man who jumped is hailed as a brave hero, right? Right! Until he is gobbled up by a crocodile and is then forever deemed the stupid man who jumped. However much luck is involved, we do tend to encourage people to take the leap in business as if they know exactly where they will land. Success rewrites history History has an amusing habit of editing itself. The entrepreneur who was once considered unrealistic becomes visionary. The inventor who was dismissed becomes a genius. The athlete who sacrificed everything suddenly becomes inspirational. But nothing about their original decision has changed. Only the ending has. This is the contradiction that we rarely notice. Perhaps we do not admire courage quite as much as we think we do. Perhaps we actually admire successful courage. Because if the exact same decision ended differently, we would likely call it irresponsible. 5,217 prototypes History is littered with people whose greatest achievements were almost never realised because, at one point, they looked like failures. James Dyson famously created 5,126 prototypes before developing the vacuum cleaner that would revolutionise an entire industry. Had he stopped at prototype number 5,125, history would almost certainly have remembered him as a man with an expensive hobby rather than a visionary inventor. Before Spanx became a billion-dollar global brand, Sara Blakely spent years selling fax machines door to door while repeatedly hearing “no.” She invested her life savings in an idea that many manufacturers initially dismissed, yet her persistence ultimately transformed an overlooked gap in the market into one of the world’s most recognisable brands. Colonel Harland Sanders, the founder of KFC, was in his sixties when he began travelling across America, trying to persuade restaurant owners to use his fried chicken recipe. Legend has it that he was rejected more than a thousand times before somebody finally said yes. Most people would have interpreted those rejections as evidence that they should stop. Instead, he viewed them as part of the journey. Even Walt Disney, now synonymous with imagination and creativity, was reportedly once told that he “lacked imagination” and had no good ideas. Today, his name has become one of the most influential brands in entertainment history. Just imagine meeting any one of these people halfway through their journey. Would you have described them as courageous or verging on crazy? Related: 7 Lessons From Iconic Businesses That Almost Didn’t Make It Your brain wasn’t designed to build businesses Before criticising yourself for feeling anxious, it is worth remembering one important fact. Your brain did not evolve to help you build a business. It evolved to help keep you alive. For hundreds of thousands of years, uncertainty represented genuine danger. Exploring unfamiliar territory could expose our ancestors to predators, hostile environments, or food shortages. Playing it safe dramatically increased the chances of survival. Although our lives have changed beyond recognition, many of the neurological systems involved in responding to danger and uncertainty remain active. Your survival system can still sound the alarm Today, uncertainty rarely involves wild animals, thankfully. Instead, uncertainty looks like handing in your resignation, launching a website, making your first sales call, investing your savings, or posting that announcement. Yet your brain can respond in surprisingly similar ways. The amygdala, often described as part of the brain’s alarm system, helps process potential threats. When uncertainty is perceived as threatening, it can contribute to a stress response involving hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. Your heart beats faster. Your breathing changes. Your palms become sweaty, and your thoughts accelerate. To your nervous system, uncertainty can still resemble danger. The chemistry of courage One of the most fascinating aspects of human psychology is that fear and excitement can sometimes feel almost identical. Think about the last time you experienced either emotion. Your heart probably raced, your stomach probably churned, and you may even have felt slightly sick. Fear and excitement can involve similar forms of physiological arousal. The difference often lies in the story we tell ourselves about the experience. “I can’t do this” versus “This matters.” That subtle shift in interpretation can change everything. In business, it’s who you don’t know For a long time, I believed one of the oldest clichés in business, “It’s all about who you know.” Then I started mapping out Just Starting Out, try saying that fast five times, and found that some of the people closest to me at the time doubted the vision. They were not convinced that the platform would succeed and, more than that, slated it in front of other people, making a mockery of it, yet interestingly, never saying it to my face. Initially, that was difficult to hear. After all, we naturally assume that the people who know us best will become our biggest supporters, but life does not always work that way. My old neighbour built my future Whether you have heard the story of how my cofounder Richard and I began Just Starting Out or not, it is a wholesome tale, so I will briefly tell it again. At a time when I had an epic idea, a limited budget, and a severe lack of confidence because of family reactions of “What is she doing?”, I bumped into my old neighbour. After the pleasantries, I asked him how his work was going, knowing it was something to do with computers, and I famously, and thankfully, spat out what would become five words that shaped my life: “What do you do again?” Richard replied, “I’m a backend software developer,” and, as you can imagine, my ears pricked up. I spent the best part of half an hour convincing him to listen to the idea I had, which he did, and after a lot of thought, we decided to go into partnership. One of my earliest memories of our journey was thinking, “I hope I’ve made the right decision, as I barely know Richard and this is a biggie.” Within 15 minutes of having that niggling thought, Richard sent me an invitation to Jira, a system we have used since the very beginning to log the thousands of tasks that need to be completed. It was at that point that I had an overwhelming feeling of confidence in both Richard and Just Starting Out. Had I not bumped into Richard, where would Just Starting Out be today? Would it even exist? Complete strangers may become some of your closest advocates Almost every significant milestone in Just Starting Out has come through people I had never met before, and this is exactly what can happen with your business too. You will have LinkedIn connections who believe in the vision, form partnerships with people who want to be involved, and meet customers and other professionals who offer advice, introductions, and encouragement. Your perspective will completely shift as you realise that success is not about who you know. It is about who you have not met yet. The hidden cost of playing it safe I recently came across a quote that has stuck in my brain. It appeared alongside an image of a man beside a ledge and said, “The problem wasn’t that you aimed too high and missed. It was that you aimed too low and hit it.” This got me thinking. Are we measuring success incorrectly? How many careers have been built around goals that felt achievable rather than meaningful? How many businesses never started because certainty felt more comfortable than possibility? Perhaps the greatest tragedy is actually never knowing what we are capable of. Related: How to Measure Your Personal Success in a Turbulent World Anxiety isn’t weakness At Just Starting Out, we have surveyed more than 1,800 aspiring and new business owners across the UK, and the findings were both revealing and reassuring. In short, the findings spoke volumes, as around one in four respondents reported feeling anxious about starting their business. Many also admitted that there had been moments when they questioned whether they should continue. Those statistics do not suggest weakness. They remind us that every significant achievement begins before confidence arrives. So perhaps, after all of this, we have misunderstood courage. The greatest gamble of all Life rarely provides guarantees before asking us to make important decisions, and I appreciate that there are many ways to look at this. I would certainly agree, however, that one of the greatest gambles could be constructing an entire life around decisions that attracted the least criticism rather than the greatest fulfilment. The decisions were logical and safe, but were they really yours? If we were guaranteed to win, we would all go for it. Likewise, if we were guaranteed to lose, nobody would bother. Entrepreneurs are the perfect example of people who do not know but try anyway. If you are ready to roll the dice but could use a little advice and encouragement along the way, we would love to hear from you. At Just Starting Out, we are passionate about helping new business owners take those first steps with confidence. Whether you have a question about starting your business, need pointing in the right direction, or simply want a little reassurance, there really is no such thing as a silly question. Drop us an email, and we will do our very best to help. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Abi Hill Abi Hill, Entrepreneur, Mentor & Coach Drawing from a Senior Management background and 20+ years working alongside minority and underserved communities, Abi is best known for advocating within the start-up community, her mission being to reduce the 20% of small businesses that don’t make it through year one by giving them the tools, training, and trust they deserve. Because why should starting out mean forking out?

Written by Eszter Noble, Clinical Hypnotherapist & Coach Eszter Noble is an RTT® practitioner, Clinical Hypnotherapist, and Coach, specializing in anxiety, fears, and depression. Her method utilizes the most effective techniques from CBT, NLP, psychotherapy, and hypnotherapy, with the ability to provide freedom from any issues and deliver permanent, lasting solutions. One of the most vulnerable and honest questions we can ever ask ourselves is, “Why should I keep going?” Admittedly, life can be hard, even cruel at times, and finding the strength, self-belief, and confidence to carry on despite all odds can be challenging, to say the least. The important thing to understand is that setbacks will shape the version of you that can actually handle the life you want. Having confidence will not stop hard things from happening. It gives you a stronger inner base, so each knock does less damage and you recover faster. In that sense, confidence is not about pretending you are unbreakable. It is about knowing you can bend, regroup, and keep going when you need to. Seeing setbacks differently When life keeps testing you, it is easy to start reading every difficult moment as evidence that something is wrong with you. But a setback is simply an experience, not a verdict. It is a lot like encountering speed bumps on the road. When that happens, you would never think to turn around and go home or just stop your engine and sit there, right? So why should we not keep going in other situations? Speed bumps come in many forms, shapes, and sizes. A setback may be frustrating, painful, or deeply unfair, but it is not the final word on who you are, so do not be so quick to ‘turn around’. Confidence begins to return when you stop turning every obstacle into a personal flaw. Sometimes things do not work out because the timing is wrong, the situation is not right, or life is asking you to take a different route. That does not make you less capable. It just makes you human. By far, one of the most transformative insights I have ever encountered was the distinction between how resilient people and the average person respond to life’s challenges. Resilient people tend to recognise that adversity is inevitable and universal rather than a personal indictment. They often expect stress and disappointment as natural aspects of being human and respond by asking, “What can I do now?” instead of remaining stuck asking, “Why is this happening to me?” Perspective changes so much! Clear out what you are still carrying Understanding that life can be hard is crucial, but it will not always be enough. Many people try to push through daily difficulties without realising that they are also carrying old stress, pain, disappointment, and hurt, all of which quietly weigh on every decision they make. It is not just the challenges of the present we need to navigate. We also have to recognise and process the burdens we may still be carrying from the past. These old wounds, unresolved experiences, and inherited narratives about who we are and what we deserve quietly dictate our current reality. These experiences act like filters on our perception, shaping how we interpret what happens to us now, colouring our reactions and expectations, and often triggering excessive emotional responses to relatively small events. In other words, our beliefs about life and ourselves are far more influential than we often realise. If we hold deep assumptions such as “Life is always against me” or “I’m not the kind of person who copes well,” we will unconsciously reinforce those stories, even when other possibilities exist. Conversely, when we begin to update those beliefs and see ourselves as resourceful, worthy, and capable of change, we start to respond differently to adversity, and our inner narrative becomes a source of strength rather than a constant threat. This is why inner work matters. By bringing those old, outdated beliefs into awareness, then questioning and transforming them, we do not just feel better. We change the way we handle the hurdles of life, both in the present and in the future. Watch your words The decision to stand up in the face of adversity and carry on is really just the first step. The fuel for the fight will be your inner dialogue, and it matters so much because the way you speak to yourself can train your mind to either support you or sabotage you when things get hard. When you are facing adversity, your inner dialogue becomes the lens through which you interpret what is happening and what you are capable of doing about it. If that lens says, “I never cope well” or “This is pointless,” your confidence drops, your options feel narrower, and you are less likely to try, persist, or ask for help. In contrast, self-talk such as, “This is hard, but I can handle the next step,” reinforces a belief in your own resourcefulness and keeps your confidence alive enough to act. It sounds simple, but unfortunately, it is not the default setting for most of us. The criticism needs to stop. Supportive inner language can help calm your nervous system, regulate your emotions, and keep your thinking clearer under stress, which is essential for confident decision-making. Harsh, catastrophic self-talk can ramp up anxiety and fear, making it harder to focus, remember your skills, or see solutions, so you feel less competent than you actually are. In other words, how you speak to yourself can either move you toward the internal conditions where confidence is possible or lock you into survival mode. You choose! Why confidence and standards are inseparable Confidence depends on evidence, and standards are what create that evidence. If you have no standards, then your actions become optional, your self-trust weakens, and confidence starts to feel like a mood instead of a reliable state. Standards give you a certain level to rise to. They quietly answer the question, “What does it mean for me to show up well here?” Without that line, it becomes easy to drift, lower expectations, and excuse inconsistency, all of which chip away at your confidence. Confidence and self-trust are built when you repeatedly keep promises to yourself, and standards are what make those promises concrete. When you decide, for example, that you will always prepare properly, speak truthfully, or finish what you start, you create a pattern your mind can trust. Focus on progress, never perfection One of the hardest truths to accept is that healing and rebuilding are not straightforward processes. You may have days when you feel strong and optimistic, followed by days when everything feels heavy again. That does not mean nothing is changing. It means you are in the middle of becoming steadier, even if the process feels messy from the inside. The inner work you are doing does not erase all difficult feelings at once. It changes the way you move through them, the way you talk to yourself, and the way you come back to your centre and gather the necessary strength to carry on. In fact, progress after repeated setbacks often shows up in subtle ways: recovering a little faster, spiralling a little less, or returning to yourself more quickly than before. You might notice you are less harsh with yourself after a bad day or that you now reach for a healthier coping strategy instead of the old, automatic one. Those moments may not look dramatic, but they matter because they are evidence that your responses and beliefs about yourself are gradually changing. Over time, these small, almost invisible shifts accumulate into a new baseline, one where challenges still exist, but you are no longer defined by them. Confidence is often built in the quiet spaces between crisis and calm. It grows when you show up for yourself on ordinary days, when no one is watching, and choose a kinder thought, a more supportive action, or a braver conversation. It is the quiet decision to try again, to stay curious instead of collapsing into “I can’t,” and to trust that you are becoming someone who can hold more of life without breaking. That is what real rebuilding looks like: not perfection, but a deepening trust in your capacity to meet whatever comes next. The secret sauce to being unshakeable In the moments when life keeps knocking you down, it is easy to assume that confidence belongs to people who have never struggled or who were somehow born with it. But real confidence is often forged in exactly these moments, in the messy, imperfect business of getting back up again. You do not need to become unshakeable overnight. You only need to keep choosing yourself in small, steady ways. With each step, confidence begins to return, not as a performance, but as something quieter, wiser, and far more lasting. If you prefer more structure, though, and more precise, actionable advice, you can refer to the four fundamental pillars of becoming unshakeable: You need to feel worthy of the life and success you are pursuing: A person is far more likely to move toward success when they genuinely believe they deserve it. Without that inner sense of worth, self-sabotage and hesitation inevitably take over. Having a sense of agency is crucial, as is cultivating a degree of discipline: Feeling in control of your choices empowers action, but it is discipline that turns intention into consistent behaviour and real progress. Building confidence has absolutely no space for a victim mentality: Confidence grows when you take responsibility for your actions and outcomes. Seeing yourself as powerless keeps you stuck and undermines growth. True strength requires adaptability when things do not go to plan: Resilience is not about rigidly sticking to one path but about adjusting, learning, and continuing forward when circumstances change. I have shared a range of ideas and strategies for how to keep going and cultivate strength in the face of adversity, but if I had to distill the essence into one sentence, it would be this: You have to learn to embrace the uncertainty of the future. So much of resilience is not about having all the answers or knowing exactly how things will unfold. It is about developing the capacity to stay steady when life feels unclear, to keep moving forward without a guarantee, and to trust that you can handle what comes, even when you cannot yet see the outcome. I truly believe that if you act with good intentions and integrity, and focus on what you can control, things will eventually turn out well. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Eszter Noble Eszter Noble, Clinical Hypnotherapist & Coach Eszter Noble is an established Clinical Hypnotherapist using the RTT® (Rapid Transformational Therapy) method, trained by world-renowned hypnotherapist Marisa Peer. She is known for handling extremely difficult cases and clients who have been stuck for years and have tried it all. Specializing in anxiety, fears, and depression, she is extremely intuitive and honest, dedicated to empowering her clients to become the best possible versions of themselves. Offering her expertise in English, German, and Hungarian, Eszter’s mission is to take the taboo out of therapy.

Written by Elliot Ross Surgenor, Visionary Entrepreneur and Founder Elliot Ross Surgenor is the founder and CEO of Fly Business Aviation, with operational bases in Miami, Scottsdale, and Cabo. With a background in media, entrepreneurship, and luxury aviation, he specializes in elevating private travel through innovation and exceptional client service. At a certain point, many frequent private flyers begin hearing the same advice: You are chartering enough that it is time to buy an aircraft. The suggestion feels logical. For decades, private aviation has been presented as a progression. First, you leave commercial travel behind and begin chartering. As your travel increases, you move toward jet cards or fractional ownership. Eventually, once your company, wealth, or schedule reaches a certain level, you acquire an aircraft of your own. Ownership becomes more than a transportation decision. It represents permanence, control, and the sense that you have reached the final stage of private travel. The problem is that status can make a poor aviation strategy look like an inevitable one. Aircraft ownership can create extraordinary value when the aircraft, passenger profile, travel pattern, and operating structure align. It can provide consistency, customization, privacy, and control that no other access model reproduces in quite the same way. When those elements do not align, however, ownership can become an expensive form of rigidity. The market itself reflects this more nuanced reality. During the first five months of 2026, flights operated through shared ownership programs increased by 11.8% globally, while flights operated by private jet owners rose by 13.4%, according to Jetnet data cited by Reuters. The significance is not that one model is replacing another. Ownership and shared access are growing at the same time because private flyers are becoming more deliberate about how they use aviation. The smartest private aviation decision is therefore not always to buy the aircraft. It is to understand the mission before selecting the model. The seductive simplicity of the flight hour rule The private aviation industry often begins the ownership conversation with annual flight hours. That makes sense. Utilization affects economics, crew requirements, maintenance planning, and the ability to spread fixed costs across more missions. Industry rules of thumb have traditionally placed charter at the lower end of annual utilization and suggested that whole ownership may become financially attractive at approximately 150 to 175 hours per year, depending on the aircraft, region, operating structure, and assumptions used. NBAA materials present flight hour thresholds as general guidance rather than universal answers and emphasize that every ownership and access model carries different advantages and limitations. The distinction matters because two travelers can each fly 220 hours a year and require completely different strategies. Consider a founder whose annual travel initially appears to justify ownership. Half of those missions involve two or three passengers traveling between regional business centers. The remaining trips alternate among larger executive groups, family travel, remote destinations, and occasional international flights. Buying an aircraft capable of completing the most demanding missions could mean operating a much larger aircraft than necessary for most of the year. Buying for the average mission could require sourcing a larger or longer-range aircraft whenever the schedule is most complex, or the trip is most important. Now consider another company flying the same number of hours. It routinely moves six executives between the same group of cities, follows a relatively predictable schedule, and can complete the majority of its travel with one midsize aircraft. For that organization, ownership may provide an ideal combination of availability, consistency, and control. The annual utilization is identical. The operational reality is not. A serious analysis must therefore go beyond the number of hours flown. It must examine where passengers travel, how many people normally fly, how frequently schedules change, how often simultaneous trips occur, and whether one aircraft category can efficiently complete most missions. It must also account for baggage, equipment, pets, runway requirements, cabin expectations, privacy, and the importance of using a consistent crew. A flight hour calculation can produce an impressively precise answer to the wrong question. The objective is not simply to determine whether someone flies enough to own an aircraft. It is to determine whether one aircraft can support the way that person or company actually moves. The right aircraft can still be the wrong strategy Aircraft purchases naturally focus on the machine. Buyers compare range, cabin size, speed, baggage capacity, connectivity, runway performance, and interior design. These considerations are essential, but selecting the aircraft is only the beginning of an ownership strategy. The owner must also decide where the aircraft will be based, how it will be managed, and how pilots will be recruited, trained, scheduled, and retained. Maintenance, insurance, regulatory compliance, hangar availability, operational control, and positioning all become part of the equation. There must also be a credible recovery plan for the moments when the aircraft is unavailable. Scheduled maintenance can be anticipated, but an unexpected mechanical issue can occur hours before an important departure. One aircraft also cannot perform simultaneous missions, regardless of how efficiently it is managed. These responsibilities do not make ownership unattractive. They simply mean that the acquisition price and projected annual hours do not tell the whole story. A long-range aircraft may offer exceptional global capability but become an unnecessarily expensive solution if most trips are short regional sectors with only a few passengers. A light jet may perform frequent domestic missions efficiently, yet force the owner to arrange another aircraft whenever more range, cabin space, or baggage capacity is required. In both cases, the aircraft may perform exactly as designed. The problem is not the aircraft. It is the assumption that a single asset must accommodate an entire travel profile. Ownership creates control by connecting the traveler to a specific aircraft category. For some owners, that is precisely the advantage. For others, it can limit the flexibility that originally made private aviation attractive. Access is not a hierarchy Charter, jet cards, fractional programs, and whole ownership are often discussed as if they were stages on a ladder. Under that model, charter is the entry point, and aircraft ownership is the final indication that the traveler has reached the top. That hierarchy is increasingly outdated. Each model solves a different problem. On-demand charter allows a traveler to select the aircraft according to the individual mission. A light jet can serve a short regional flight, while a larger aircraft can be arranged for more passengers or greater range. This flexibility is particularly valuable when routes and passenger requirements vary significantly. Jet cards can create greater consistency in pricing, service expectations, and access without requiring the traveler to acquire an aircraft interest. Their value depends on the details of the program, including peak day restrictions, availability, geographic coverage, and aircraft categories. Fractional ownership may offer more standardized fleet access while transferring much of the crewing, maintenance, and operational responsibility to a program manager. Whole ownership provides the greatest control over the aircraft, crew, configuration, and schedule. None of these models is an incomplete version of another. Charter is not failed ownership, just as ownership is not automatically a more sophisticated form of charter. The correct model is the one that provides the appropriate balance of availability, flexibility, consistency, control, and cost for the missions being flown. For many travelers, the strongest strategy may combine several models. An owner might use a midsize aircraft for recurring regional travel and charter a long-range jet for occasional international missions. A family office may combine fractional ownership with on-demand charter when a larger cabin or additional aircraft is required. A company might use a jet card for frequently traveled corridors while maintaining charter access for less predictable destinations. An aircraft owner may also retain a strong charter relationship as a recovery option during maintenance, simultaneous trips, or periods of unusually high demand. That does not reduce the value of ownership. It protects the travel program from the limitations of relying on one asset. These combinations are not compromises. They are often evidence of a more mature aviation strategy. Companies rarely expect one office, vehicle, technology platform, or financial product to solve every operational need. Aircraft should not be expected to do so either. The value of private aviation comes from accessing the right capability at the right moment, not simply from possessing the largest or most prestigious asset. When ownership is exactly the right decision Questioning the assumption that every frequent flyer should own an aircraft is not an argument against ownership. For the correct mission profile, an aircraft can be one of the most powerful productivity tools available to a company, family, or individual. Ownership can be particularly effective when travel is frequent, relatively predictable, and concentrated around missions that can be completed efficiently by one aircraft category. It can support companies that regularly move executives, clients, technical teams, or equipment between locations poorly served by commercial aviation. The advantages extend beyond transportation efficiency. Ownership can provide control over scheduling, cabin configuration, service standards, security protocols, and sensitive business conversations. The aircraft can be equipped around the owner’s needs, while the crew develops a detailed understanding of the traveler’s expectations and routines. Equipment can remain onboard. Internal travel and security procedures can be applied consistently. The owner can also make decisions about maintenance standards, connectivity, cabin experience, and aircraft availability that would not be possible under other access models. For some organizations, that continuity is not a symbol of luxury. It is an operational requirement. Ownership becomes especially compelling when the aircraft can support the majority of recurring missions without being consistently oversized or insufficiently capable, and when the owner is prepared for the fixed costs, management responsibilities, maintenance requirements, and occasional disruptions that accompany the asset. There is also a legitimate emotional dimension to ownership. Aircraft are extraordinary machines, and some buyers value the familiarity, freedom, and personal connection that come with owning one. That value should not be dismissed simply because it cannot be captured fully in a spreadsheet. The important distinction is honesty. Wanting to own an aircraft is a valid reason to include ownership in the discussion. It should not, however, be presented as an operational necessity when the underlying travel profile suggests otherwise. The advisor’s real test Every private aviation provider operates within a commercial model. A charter broker benefits when a client charters. A fractional provider benefits when a client acquires a share. A sales organization benefits when an aircraft is purchased, while a management company benefits when an owner places an aircraft under management. The existence of those incentives does not make the advice unreliable. Every part of the industry includes experienced professionals who build long-term relationships by placing the client’s interests ahead of an individual transaction. The real test is whether the recommendation remains centered on the mission. A trusted aviation advisor must be prepared to recommend ownership when ownership is the strongest answer. The same advisor should also be willing to suggest that a client wait, select a smaller aircraft, combine several access models, or avoid purchasing an aircraft altogether. Recommending less is not necessarily a failure to close a transaction. In some circumstances, it is the clearest evidence that the relationship is more valuable than the immediate sale. That standard is particularly important because the consequences of a poor aircraft decision extend beyond acquisition cost. The wrong structure can create years of unnecessary positioning, inefficient utilization, operational frustration, and repeated dependence on supplemental lift. An aircraft purchased as a symbol of freedom can become an asset around which every trip must be compromised. The most disciplined private flyers are therefore not necessarily those who own the largest aircraft. They are those whose aviation strategy continues to make sense after the excitement of the acquisition has passed. Sometimes the smartest decision will be to buy. Sometimes it will be to charter, acquire a fractional share, use a jet card program, or combine several forms of access. Success in private aviation should not be measured by whether the journey ends in ownership. It should be measured by whether the solution continues to fit the mission. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Elliot Ross Surgenor Elliot Ross Surgenor, Visionary Entrepreneur and Founder Elliot Ross Surgenor is a leading entrepreneur in private aviation and the founder of Fly Business Aviation, based in Miami, Scottsdale, and Cabo. With a background in media and international business development, he has built a company known for its innovation, personalized service, and refined operational standards. Elliot also leads Lusso Jet Design and Air Dining Cabo, subsidiaries focused on luxury jet interiors and in-flight catering. His expertise spans brand strategy, client experience, and aviation operations. He is also the host of a podcast exploring leadership and the future of the industry. Passionate about giving back, Elliot supports philanthropic efforts, including initiatives for children in need.

Brainz Magazine Exclusive Interview Andrea Hurst has spent more than three decades working at the intersection of physical health, emotional resilience, and holistic care. Her career began in bereavement support and the funeral profession; today, she maintains a 30 + year international practice as a reflexology master and wellbeing visionary for clients ranging from everyday families to public figures and business leaders. In this interview, she reflects on the experiences that shaped her practice, the misconceptions that still surround complementary therapy, and the philosophy that guides her work with clients navigating major life transitions, illness and stress. Andrea Hurst For readers who are meeting you for the first time, can you take us back to the beginning of your journey and share what first inspired your path into reflexology and holistic wellbeing? I came into reflexology following a career in bereavement support and counselling. During those years, I witnessed the extraordinary difference that genuine compassion, empathy and simply being fully present for another person can make. I then spent more than three years in the funeral profession, where I developed a deep understanding of professional care standards while helping people through some of the most difficult moments of their lives. Looking back, I can see that every step prepared me for the work I do today. When reflexology entered my life, I immediately felt I had found the path I was meant to follow. My studies confirmed that feeling, and I have continued to develop my practice ever since. Over the past three decades, I have refined my techniques, continually studying the connections between body, mind and wellbeing, and dedicated myself to helping people achieve greater balance, wellbeing and self-understanding. What experiences and lessons have shaped your approach over the past three decades, and what do you believe sets your work apart today? The greatest lesson I have learned is that every client is unique. Rather than treating people as a diagnosis or collection of symptoms, I see the whole person. During every treatment, I make my own assessment through the reflexes and then provide clear, honest and personalised feedback. Over more than 30 years, I have refined not only my treatment sequences but also my ability to recognise patterns relating to physical wellbeing, emotional health and lifestyle. Clients often tell me that what makes my treatments different is that nothing feels generic. Every session is individual, compassionate and deeply personal. My intention is always to help people understand themselves more clearly and to make informed decisions about their wellbeing, enabling positive and lasting change. “Rather than treating people as a diagnosis or collection of symptoms, I see the whole person.” Many people are familiar with reflexology by name but may not fully understand it. How would you explain its benefits on mental well-being? Reflexology involves applying gentle pressure to specific reflex points on the feet to encourage the body's natural balance. One of its greatest strengths is the deep relaxation it can promote. Many people spend much of their lives under constant pressure, leaving the nervous system in a prolonged state of alertness. During treatment, clients frequently describe experiencing a profound sense of calm, mental clarity and emotional release. These feelings often continue after the session. While reflexology is not a substitute for medical or psychological care, it can be an excellent complementary therapy that supports relaxation, stress management and overall well-being. What have your clients taught you about health, stress and success? Working with clients from all walks of life—including business leaders, public figures and everyday families—has taught me that status and success do not protect anyone from stress or emotional challenges. What everyone shares is the need to feel heard, understood and treated with honesty and compassion. Sometimes the most valuable part of a treatment is helping someone recognise patterns in their life that they may never have noticed themselves. That self-awareness often becomes the starting point for meaningful change. What are the most common issues you see today? Modern life rarely allows people time simply to pause. I regularly see clients experiencing poor sleep, chronic stress, dehydration, rushed eating habits, digital overload and exhaustion. My treatments encourage people to slow down, reconnect with themselves and become more aware of the habits influencing their wellbeing. Often, it is not dramatic changes that create lasting health, but small daily habits practised consistently. How important is intuition in healing and personal growth? I believe intuition can play an important role in healing and personal development. Many of us instinctively know what feels right, yet we often ignore those feelings because of external pressures or information overload. Learning to trust our intuition—alongside sound judgement and appropriate professional advice—can help us make healthier decisions and remain true to ourselves. What misconceptions still exist around reflexology and complementary therapies? The biggest misconception is that complementary therapies either replace conventional medicine or have no real value. My experience has shown neither is true. Reflexology works best alongside conventional healthcare. It is also far more than a simple foot massage. Becoming a skilled reflexologist requires years of study, practical experience, continual learning and genuine dedication to understanding people as whole individuals. Looking ahead, what message would you most like readers to take away? I would like people to understand that true wellbeing involves caring for body, mind and spirit together. Health is influenced by our thoughts, nutrition, relationships, environment and lifestyle and the way we care for ourselves every day. My philosophy is simple: live truthfully, continue learning, show kindness to yourself and others, and always strive to become the healthiest, happiest and most authentic version of yourself. I believe that when we do that, we not only improve our own lives but also positively influence the lives of those around us. “My philosophy is simple: live truthfully, continue learning, show kindness to yourself and others, and always strive to become the healthiest, happiest and most authentic version of yourself.” Across three decades of practice, Andrea Hurst's message remains consistent: real wellbeing comes from treating people as individuals, not diagnoses. Whether guiding clients through stress, major health transitions, or the search for greater self-understanding, her approach blends clinical rigour with genuine compassion—encouraging people to slow down, trust their instincts, and build health through small, sustainable changes rather than dramatic overhauls. Connect with Andrea Hurst: Website: www.reflexology.guru Pool of Purity: www.poolofpurity.com Instagram: @reflexologyguru Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reflexologyguru/ Threads: @reflexologyguru

Written by Kirsten Welsch, Founder & Master-Trained Color Analyst Kirsten Welsch is a certified 23-season color analyst and founder of ATX Color Studio near Austin, Texas. She also runs Business of Color Analysis, where she helps new color analysts build and market their businesses with confidence. Black has a reputation as the one color everyone can wear, but color analysis tells a different story. Depending on your undertone, depth, and contrast, black can either sharpen your features or quietly work against them. Here is how to tell which one is happening to you and five alternative neutrals worth trying if black isn't doing you any favors. What makes a color "flattering" in the first place? Black is probably the closest thing fashion has to a universal default. When people do not know what to wear, they often reach for it automatically. It coordinates easily, is widely available, and works for almost any occasion. However, a color being practical does not necessarily make it flattering. In professional color analysis, we look at how a color interacts with a person's natural features across four characteristics: undertone, intensity, depth, and contrast. Black sits at the deepest end of the value scale and typically functions as a cool, high-contrast neutral. Those qualities can look beautiful on someone whose natural coloring is equally deep, cool, bright, or high in contrast. On someone with lighter, warmer, or more muted coloring, black can become the first thing you notice about an outfit instead of the last. That does not mean the person looks bad. It simply means black may not be doing as much for them as another neutral could. Ideally, you want people to notice your face first, with your clothing framing you rather than competing with you. Why black washes some people out When people say black makes them look tired, washed out, or older, they are usually noticing the contrast between the clothing and their natural coloring. Black absorbs light, creating a strong visual boundary beneath the face. If someone does not naturally have enough depth or contrast to balance that boundary, the difference can make shadows, unevenness, and redness in the complexion more noticeable. It can also make the lips and eyes appear less defined. People with soft coloring often find that black feels too sharp. People with warm coloring may notice that it makes their skin look grayer. People with very light coloring can feel completely overwhelmed by it. This is one reason someone can love the style of a black dress and still feel that something is off once they put it on. The dress may fit beautifully. The problem is usually the relationship between the color and the person wearing it, not the garment itself. Who actually looks best in black? Black is most naturally harmonious on people who have enough visual strength to support it, which often means deep overall coloring, cool undertones, bright or clear coloring, and high natural contrast. Someone with dark hair, light skin, defined eyes, and cool undertones may look striking in black because the depth of the clothing is repeated within their natural features. These characteristics are commonly associated with Winter palettes. True Winters, Bright Winters, and Deep Winters are often able to wear black particularly well, though the best result still depends on the individual. It is also worth being careful not to judge a season based on a single feature. Having dark hair does not automatically mean someone looks good in black. A person can have dark hair while still having warm, soft, or low contrast coloring, in which case espresso brown, deep olive, or a warmer navy may create a more balanced result. Fair skin does not automatically mean black is too harsh, either. If someone has naturally high contrast and clear, cool coloring, black may be one of their strongest colors. Color and personal styling work together through the relationship between all of your features, not just one isolated characteristic. Is black actually slimming? Black has a longstanding reputation for being slimming, but color is only one small part of how clothing affects the appearance of the body. It can sometimes make an outfit feel streamlined because it creates one continuous, uninterrupted area of color. Silhouette, proportion, fabric, tailoring, neckline, hemline, and the placement of details usually affect how an outfit looks far more than whether the clothing is black. A beautifully fitted dress in navy, chocolate brown, olive, or burgundy can be more flattering than a poorly fitting black one. It is also worth asking what "flattering" actually means. Looking slimmer is not the only goal when getting dressed, and a color can create a streamlined silhouette while simultaneously making the face look tired or disconnected. The best outfit considers the whole person, not just the body. Can warm color seasons still wear black? Anyone can wear black. A seasonal color palette is not a dress code, and discovering your best colors does not forbid you from wearing everything else. Color analysis gives you information, not rules. As a True Spring myself, black is not one of my most naturally harmonious colors. My coloring is warm, bright, and light, while black is extremely deep and visually heavy. I can still wear it, but I know I may need to make a few adjustments to help the outfit feel connected to me rather than separate from me. Some people genuinely love black. Others need it for work, events, performances, uniforms, or formal dress codes, and many people already own a significant number of black pieces they have no interest in replacing. You do not need to get rid of them. You can learn to wear black more intentionally and identify which alternatives give you the same versatility with a more flattering result. Five flattering alternatives to black If black feels too harsh, you do not need to replace it with bright colors. There are several versatile neutrals that still feel polished and easy to coordinate, and the right one for you depends on your undertone, intensity, depth, and contrast. Interestingly, the fashion industry itself is starting to notice this shift. Marie Claire reported that navy blue is emerging as a refreshing alternative to black on runways such as Khaite and Chanel this season, which aligns with what I see in the studio every week. Deep navy. This is one of the easiest alternatives to black because it offers similar versatility without appearing quite as severe. Cooler coloring pairs well with an inky, blue-based navy, while warmer coloring often looks better in a slightly clearer navy that does not appear almost black. Charcoal gray. This provides depth and polish with less contrast than true black, which makes it especially helpful for cool but softer coloring, such as that found in many Summer palettes. A deep graphite gray works for someone who needs more depth, while a softer charcoal suits lower contrast coloring. Espresso brown. This is an excellent option for warm or rich coloring. It offers much of the depth of black while adding warmth that connects to golden, peachy, or earthy features. Dark olive. This is one of the most overlooked wardrobe neutrals. It coordinates surprisingly easily and works particularly well for warm, rich, earthy, or softened coloring. Olive pairs with cream, camel, denim, brown, rust, peach, and burgundy. It gives the same grounded feeling as black without creating the same coolness near the face. Deep teal or aubergine. A neutral does not have to be gray, brown, or navy. Both colors are dark enough to anchor an outfit while adding dimension. Deep teal suits people who want something richer than navy but more colorful than black, and it works for warm or cool palettes depending on the shade. Aubergine ranges from a cool, deep purple to a warmer plum. How to wear black more intentionally if you still love it If you love black or need to wear it, there are several ways to soften its impact on your complexion. Keep it away from your face. The closer a color sits to your face, the more influence it has on your appearance. Black pants, skirts, shoes, and handbags are far less likely to affect your complexion than a black turtleneck or blouse. Open up the neckline. A V neckline or scoop neckline creates space between the black fabric and your face, making the contrast feel less abrupt than a high black neckline. Add one of your best colors near your face. A jacket, scarf, necklace, or blouse creates a buffer between you and the black garment. Spring coloring might benefit from coral, ivory, or a warm green, while Summer coloring might benefit from dusty blue, soft rose, or lavender. The goal is not to hide the black but to reconnect the outfit to your natural features. Wear your best metal. People with warm coloring often find that gold jewelry makes a black outfit feel more harmonious, while those with cool coloring often look better in silver or platinum Adjust your makeup, not your effort. A flattering lipstick, blush, or eye color can help restore definition without piling on more makeup. If you repeatedly feel washed out in black, the issue is usually the color itself rather than how much makeup you are wearing. Choose texture over solid black. Washed black, faded black, or a black and cream print can feel considerably softer than a solid, saturated black. How can you tell if black is flattering on you? Start by comparing black with other neutrals in consistent natural lighting. Stand near a window during the day without direct sunlight on your face and hold a black garment underneath your chin, followed by navy, charcoal, espresso, and olive. Try to look at your face rather than deciding which fabric color you personally prefer. Notice whether you see your face or the garment first, whether your complexion looks even, whether the shadows underneath your eyes become more noticeable, whether your lips and eyes stay defined, and whether the color feels connected to you or separate from you. You may find that black is genuinely one of your strongest colors, or you may discover that another neutral gives you the same polished feeling while allowing your natural features to come forward more easily. At-home comparisons can be a helpful starting point, but lighting, makeup, hair color, and personal bias can all affect what you see. This is why a professional color analysis can help you know for sure. Find the neutral that works for you Black is not a bad color. It simply is not as universal as we have been taught to believe. For some people, it creates a striking, harmonious result, while for others, it looks heavy or disconnected from their natural coloring. Your best neutral should fit your lifestyle, coordinate with your existing pieces, and support your features, whether that turns out to be black, navy, charcoal, espresso, olive, teal, or something you never considered a neutral before. This is really the same idea behind building any capsule wardrobe around versatile, intentional pieces. The goal is not to limit your choices but to understand which colors make you look and feel more vibrant so you can use that information in a practical way. Ready to discover your most flattering colors, neutrals, makeup, and hair recommendations? Explore professional color analysis with ATX Color Studio in Bee Cave, Texas, or virtually from anywhere by clicking here. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for more info! Read more from Kirsten Welsch Kirsten Welsch, Founder & Master-Trained Color Analyst Kirsten Welsch is a certified 23-season color analyst and the founder of ATX Color Studio in Bee Cave, Texas. After years of designing luxury weddings in Costa Rica, she discovered color analysis and realized the power of wearing the right colors firsthand. That experience inspired her to help other women feel that same confidence. She now offers in-person and virtual color analysis sessions and runs Business of Color Analysis, where she mentors aspiring color analysts on marketing, social media, and building a successful business. Her mission: helping women stop guessing and start glowing.

Written by Norm Leo, Climate Scientist, Keynote Speaker, Climate Communication Specialist Norm Leo is a climate scientist, speaker, and consultant who makes climate science easy to grasp and inspires confident action by highlighting the tangible benefits of climate solutions. He is also the author of "Look At It This Way," helping readers see climate challenges as opportunities for growth and impact. Forget climate solutions as sacrifices, like something you must do, whatever the cost. After giving hundreds of presentations on this topic, I’ve learned that an opportunity awaits you: the same choices that help stabilize the climate also drastically improve your financial well-being. From lower energy bills to cheaper transportation to smarter food habits, climate-friendly decisions can help you save hundreds of dollars every month and thousands of dollars every year. All changes, or, as I like to call them, upgrades, big or small, add up quickly in your life. This article shows you how climate solutions become a wealth-building strategy that supports your lifestyle, your health, and your long-term financial security. Why are climate solutions also money-saving? Climate solutions reduce carbon emissions, but they also reduce expenses. When you use less energy, drive more efficiently, waste less food, or protect your home from extreme weather, you’re not just helping the planet. You’re creating financial breathing room. The biggest savings come from three areas: Lower home energy use. Cheaper transportation. Smarter food choices. These aren’t abstract ideas. They’re practical, measurable, and accessible to anyone who wants to save money. The biggest ways you can save thousands each year 1. Cutting home energy costs: Your home is one of the easiest places to unlock immediate savings. Even small improvements can significantly reduce your monthly bills, including energy-efficiency upgrades like insulation and air sealing, smart thermostats that optimize your energy use, solar panels on the roof to increase autonomy, batteries to use that energy when the sun isn’t shining, and heat pumps that replace oil or gas heating. Typical savings: $500 to $2,000 per year on an average-sized home. Heat pumps: One of the smartest upgrades you can make. Modern air-source heat pumps don’t burn fuel. They move heat, making them two to five times more efficient than gas or oil systems. That efficiency translates directly into savings. Recent Canadian modeling shows heat pumps are already the lowest-cost heating option in most major cities, even before incentives. Households switching from oil or electric baseboards often save $800 to $2,000 per year, while also gaining efficient air conditioning.[1] 2. Reducing transportation costs: Transportation is often a household’s second-largest expense and one of the easiest to shrink. Electric vehicles cost far less to fuel and maintain, public transit can replace expensive commutes, and active mobility, like biking, eliminates fuel costs entirely. Typical savings: $1,000 to $10,000 per year. EVs: A major long-term cost saver. Electric vehicles have fewer moving parts, no oil changes, and dramatically lower fuel costs. A 2024 analysis by Consumer Reports found that EV drivers save $1,000 to $2,000 per year compared with gas-powered vehicles, depending on local electricity prices and driving habits. Over the lifetime of the car, that adds up to tens of thousands of dollars in avoided fuel and maintenance costs.[2] 3. Saving money through smarter food choices: Food is another area where climate-friendly habits translate into real savings. Plant-based meals cost roughly 30% less than meat-based meals, and reducing food waste can save the average household a significant amount each year. Typical savings: $1,000 to $2,000 per year. Reducing food waste: A simple way to save $1,000 a year. Households throw out an estimated $1,300 worth of edible food every year, according to a 2022 report from Second Harvest. Planning meals, freezing leftovers, and buying only what you need can dramatically cut grocery bills while reducing emissions from food production and landfill waste. What about the restaurant? More and more people bring their own containers so they can continue tasting that delicious food at home.[3] The hidden financial benefits most people overlook Climate solutions don’t just lower monthly bills, they protect your long-term financial stability. Higher home value from energy-efficiency upgrades, lower insurance premiums for climate-resilient homes, fewer costly repairs from flooding, heat damage, or storms, and more stable jobs in fast-growing clean-energy industries are all part of the bigger financial picture. Investments in clean energy, like solar panels, also have high growth potential, as do investments in plant-based processed foods, like vegan burgers, where there is consumer demand. These benefits compound over time, making climate choices some of the most reliable long-term investments you can make. What about upfront costs? It’s true, some climate solutions require an initial investment. But here’s what most people don’t realize: many upgrades come with rebates, tax credits, and low-interest financing. Payback periods are often shorter than expected, and some solutions, like reducing food waste or using transit, save money immediately. Energy-efficient homes also often sell for more, offering a great return on investment. Climate solutions aren’t expenses. They’re assets that pay you back. 10 practical tips to save you money Get a home energy audit. Switch to LED lighting. Seal air leaks. Install smart thermostats. Try one plant-based meal a week. Reduce food waste. Use public transit. Explore electric vehicle rebates. Consider a heat pump. Review your insurance for climate-risk savings. Each of these tips is simple and proven to save money. Turn climate solutions into a wealth-building strategy Climate solutions aren’t about deprivation. They’re about living better. Lower bills, fewer surprises, healthier homes, and more financial stability: these are the real benefits of climate-smart choices. You don’t need to do everything at once. Start small and build momentum. Every step you take compounds into long-term savings. Ready to save thousands each year? If you enjoyed discovering how climate solutions can save you money, you will absolutely love my new book, "Look At It This Way: Climate Change Solutions Will Benefit Your Health and Wealth," available on Amazon and in many other bookstores. Its unique reversible design makes learning about climate change more engaging, more visual, and a lot more fun. If you are a professional who is trying to craft messaging that truly resonates, whether you are a sustainability officer in a city, a project manager in a museum, or someone responsible for public engagement, my expertise is at your service. I help organizations communicate climate solutions in ways that inspire action, build trust, and connect with real people. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for more info! Read more from Norm Leo Norm Leo, Climate Scientist, Keynote Speaker, Climate Communication Specialist Norm Leo is a climate scientist and leading voice in climate communication, known for making complex environmental issues clear, relatable, and actionable. With over 2,000 presentations delivered worldwide, including TEDx, he helps audiences understand climate change without overwhelm or eco anxiety. As the author of "Look At It This Way" and former Head of Science Education at the Biosphere, Environment Museum, he blends scientific expertise with innovative messaging techniques. Norm's talks empower entrepreneurs, executives, and organizations to navigate sustainability with confidence and clarity. His solution-oriented approach leaves audiences inspired to contribute to a more resilient future. References: [1] Canadian Climate Institute, 2023, Heat Pumps Pay Off: Unlocking Lower-Cost Heating and Cooling in Canada [2] Consumer Reports, 2023, Electric Vehicles Save Consumers Money [3] Second Harvest, 2022, Wasted Opportunity Report

Written by David W. Carr, Mental Health Coach David Carr is an author, chaplain, certified mental health coach, and suicide prevention trainer. He writes on mental health, faith, leadership, and human connection, helping people move from awareness to practical care. Artificial intelligence is rapidly augmenting or replacing many tasks. Its ability to develop strategies, analyze data, and even make decisions signals the dawn of a new era for leadership. We now live in a world that is accelerating toward automation, and the differentiator we are searching for may be far less technical than we assume and far more human than we imagine. Consider two leadership meetings. In the first, the leader multitasks during a one-on-one. He glances at his screens and offers a quick solution. The situation is addressed, the box is checked, and efficiency scores a point, but our teammate leaves feeling overlooked. In the second, the leader closes her laptop, maintains eye contact, and listens without interruption. She asks thoughtful questions and allows space for reflection. The outcome is not simply a better conversation. It is stronger trust, clearer team alignment, and a more resilient culture. The difference is presence. Modern life is saturated with distraction. Back-to-back meetings, constant notifications, and the pressure to perform have created an environment where our attention is fragmented. While part of your role as a leader is to manage the ebbs and flows of teamwork, if the cost of our productivity erodes the trust of our team, then the cost is too high. Team engagement drops, and the team falls out of alignment when our people feel unheard. When the leader’s attention is divided and their conversations lack depth, it is the culture around them that suffers. Many of our strategic challenges are, at their core, relational, and our ability to remain present is what strengthens those relationships. This skill of presence cannot be automated. AI may generate insights, summarize conversations, or emulate empathy, but it will never offer genuine human presence. This is because presence is more than information and communication. Presence is the act of giving someone your full attention without distraction, agenda, or interruption. It is the ability to sit with the complexity of life, listen beyond the words spoken, and intentionally respond to the whole person in the moment. This creates psychological safety and signals respect. This is the key to making those around you feel seen and valued. This so-called “soft skill” is foundational to high-performing teams. In our search to increase efficiency and impact, the multiplier we most often overlook is the quality of attention and presence we bring to each interaction. This does not require more of your time. It requires more of your intention. You can accomplish more in a ten-minute, fully present conversation than you can in an hour of distracted interaction. As our technology evolves, good leadership will become more human. We cannot compete with machines on efficiency, so our advantage lies within our humanity. The ability to connect, understand, and remain fully present is the life and leadership skill that builds trust, drives performance, and will ultimately define results. The question is no longer whether you have time to be present and fully engaged, but whether you can afford not to be. This way of leading your life will cost you. It requires you to intentionally put away distractions. It forces you to listen without formulating a response. It demands that you slow down and notice this moment. It asks you to allow silence to exist, not fill it. This feels uncomfortable at first because it goes against our conditioning to move quickly, produce constantly, and optimize every moment. Presence is a skill developed in the forge of life. It is built through repeated, intentional choices: where you place your attention, how you regulate yourself, and how you show up for others. The more consistently you practice it, the more natural it becomes. Self-awareness is where presence begins. Notice what is happening inside you when you are distracted, stressed, or impatient. These moments reveal what is draining you. When you can observe your own patterns clearly, you can maintain control rather than allowing your emotions to make decisions. When you lack self-awareness, you may walk into a conversation carrying a frustrated inner state that shapes your words and tone without you realizing it. By contrast, being self-aware gives you control of your space and the ability to respond with clarity rather than simply reacting to emotion. In life and leadership, people do not need your immediate response as much as they need your full attention. Set aside distractions, stop rehearsing your response, and listen deeply to what is being said beneath the words. Live in this moment. This kind of presence builds trust because it tells the other person that they matter. You probably already know you need to slow down. Finding your pace is the physical expression of presence. When you move too quickly, your attention tends to scatter, and other people feel that rush before you ever say a word. Slow your breathing, ground your posture, and give yourself a moment before responding. That creates your space. When you own your space physically and mentally, you become intentional in your actions, and your calm presence is contagious. This is not a personality trait divinely offered to certain leaders. It is a practice that compounds over time. Start small. Choose one conversation today and give it your complete attention. Close your laptop. Silence your phone. Listen all the way to the end of their sentence. Then count to three. Do this consistently, and you will notice a shift. People will bring you their problems earlier, tell you the truth faster, and follow you further. This is how we deepen trust, strengthen alignment, and grow a resilient team. In an era when machines can accomplish almost anything, we must sharpen the skills they can never master. The distinctly human ability to remain fully present, to be genuinely here, is what will set future leaders apart. This skill can move you forward, and it is available now in your very next conversation. Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from David W. Carr David W. Carr, Mental Health Coach David Carr is an author, chaplain, certified mental health coach, and suicide prevention trainer. His work focuses on the intersection of mental health, faith, leadership, and human connection. With over a decade of chaplaincy experience, David helps leaders, caregivers, churches, and communities respond to struggle with clarity, courage, and compassion. He is the author of The Suicide Conversation and creator of the MH5 Mental Hygiene System. He writes to help people move beyond awareness into meaningful action.

Written by Dr. Donya Ball, Leadership Expert, Keynote Speaker, Best Selling Author Dr. Donya Ball is a renowned leadership expert, keynote speaker, author, executive coach, and professor specializing in organizational development. She captivates audiences and readers around the world with her thought leadership, including her TEDx Talk, "We are facing a leadership crisis. Here's the cure." Competition is not the problem. In fact, competition can be one of our greatest teachers. Every elite athlete studies the competition. Every successful organization pays attention to the marketplace. Every leader knows what others do well in the marketplace. Competition sharpens us. Comparison, however, is something entirely different. Psychologist Leon Festinger introduced social comparison theory more than seventy years ago to explain that human beings naturally compare themselves with others. Comparison is not abnormal. It is human nature. The danger starts when someone else’s success becomes the measure of our own worth. That is the comparison trap. If you become so focused on your own growth that comparison feels worthless and like a waste of time, it loses its value and its power. Competition sharpens, comparison distracts Imagine watching the Olympic final in the 100-meter freestyle. Every swimmer knows who is in the lane next to them. They know their opponents and have studied them for years. They know their strengths, race strategies, and times. That preparation matters. But at the sound of the starting buzzer, everything changes. The fastest swimmers are not focused on looking left or right. They trust their training. They race. They stay focused on the wall in front of them. Sports psychologists have been studying elite performance for decades. One recurring finding is that where we direct our attention can influence performance. Dr. Gabriele Wulf’s studies on attentional focus have shown that an external focus can support better motor learning and execution. Leadership works exactly the same way. Know your competition. Learn from your competition. Respect your competition. But don’t get distracted by everyone else’s progress and lose focus on your own. Competition sharpens you. Comparison distracts you. Build an internal scoreboard One of the most important leadership shifts you can make is replacing an external scoreboard with an internal one. An external scoreboard asks, "Who got promoted? Who delivered the keynote? Who has the larger following? Who has the fastest-growing business?" An internal scoreboard asks, "What did I do today? Did I learn today? Did I become more disciplined today? Did I create more value than I did yesterday?" Psychologists Edward Deci and Richard Ryan have studied motivation for decades through self-determination theory. Their work suggests that motivation supported by autonomy, competence, and connection can strengthen persistence, performance, and wellbeing, particularly when compared with motivation driven mainly by external pressure or validation. The best leaders don't eliminate competition. They simply refuse to let anyone else keep score. Curiosity beats comparison Dr. Carol Dweck’s work on growth mindset offers another useful lens. People who are trapped in comparison ask, “Am I better than them?” People who are growth-oriented ask, “What can I learn from them?” One question creates insecurity. The other creates improvement. Curiosity has always been a better teacher than comparison. The quiet work nobody applauds The greatest performers in the world don’t spend most of their time looking at everyone else. They spend it practicing. Psychologist Anders Ericsson’s research on deliberate practice highlighted the role of intentional, focused improvement over time in developing elite performance. Excellence isn’t built by constantly assessing everyone else’s progress. It is built by attempting to improve your own. Reading. Practicing. Seeking feedback. Learning. Repeating. The people who become undeniable usually spend very little time trying to prove themselves. They are too busy improving themselves. Comparison is a cognitive distraction Comparison affects confidence as well. It also steals attention. Research scientist Dr. Sophie Leroy introduced the concept of attention residue, which describes how, when our minds switch from one task to another, some of our attention can remain on the task we just left. Consider how often leaders check LinkedIn. Industry rankings. Social media. Competitors. Other businesses. Other speakers. Every glance sideways can leave a small piece of your attention behind. That is attention you cannot invest in becoming better. Peak performance doesn’t look sideways Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi spent decades studying flow, a mental state of deep concentration, presence, and immersion. Flow requires complete concentration. Complete presence. Complete immersion. Comparison interrupts all three. You’re not able to perform at your highest level while wondering what someone else is doing. Peak performance comes from focusing on the task, not fixating on everyone else. The leadership reality Competition isn't the enemy. Comparison is. Study excellence. Learn from excellence. Respect excellence. Then put your head down. Eyes forward. Zero distractions. The mission is larger than the noise. Leadership has never been about becoming better than everyone else. It is about becoming better than the version of yourself you were yesterday. Stay so undeniably dialed into your own growth that comparison loses its value and feels like a complete waste of time. Competition to Learning to Growth. Comparison to Distraction to Stagnation. Because the only competition that truly matters is your own progress. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Dr. Donya Ball Dr. Donya Ball, Leadership Expert, Keynote Speaker, Best-Selling Author Dr. Donya Ball is a renowned keynote speaker, transformative superintendent, and passionate author. With over two decades of experience, she also serves as a professor and executive coach, mentoring and guiding aspiring and seasoned leaders. She has authored two impactful books, Adjusting the Sails (2022) and Against the Wind (2023), which address real-world leadership challenges. Her expertise has garnered national attention from media outlets like USA Today and MSN. Dr. Ball’s TEDxTalk, "We are facing a leadership crisis. Here’s the cure," further highlights her thought leadership.

Written by Helen Kenworthy, Artistic Director Helen champions the arts as a tool for change. Now, as CEO of RYTC Creatives CIC and Give Get Go Education, she mentors young people, creates pathways for them to thrive in the arts, and helps launch successful careers. There is a growing recognition that a young person cannot learn well if they are not well. Academic achievement, creative development, and intellectual growth do not happen in isolation from everything else a young person is experiencing. They happen inside a body, a mind, an emotional world, and a set of relationships that are constantly shaping what feels possible, what feels safe, and what feels worth trying. For too long, wellness and education have been treated as separate concerns. Schools have focused on attainment. Wellness has been left to individuals, families, or specialist services operating at a distance from the learning environment. The result is that many young people arrive in classrooms carrying things that make learning difficult, without anyone in that space being equipped to help them begin to set those things down. Integrating wellness into education changes this. It does not ask teachers to become therapists or schools to become clinics. It asks something more nuanced and more powerful, that the environments where young people spend so much of their time are designed to support the whole person, not only the academic self, that wellbeing is not an afterthought, but a foundation, and that the people and organisations with expertise in wellness are brought closer to the places where young people actually are. Wellness organisations like RISE and Joyful Living represent exactly this kind of possibility. They bring approaches, knowledge, and values that complement what education already does and strengthen it in ways that make a real and lasting difference. When wellness organisations and educational settings collaborate well, what emerges is something neither could create alone, an environment where young people feel genuinely seen, genuinely supported, and genuinely ready to grow. Why wellness and education belong together The idea that a young person must be emotionally and physically well in order to learn effectively is not new. Decades of research in neuroscience, developmental psychology, and education have confirmed that stress, trauma, disconnection, and unmet emotional needs significantly impair a young person's capacity to engage, retain information, build relationships, and believe in their own potential. Wellbeing is not separate from learning. It is the ground learning grows from. Yet many educational systems continue to treat these as parallel tracks. Pastoral care exists, but is often underresourced. Mental health support exists, but waiting lists are long and access is uneven. Wellness is acknowledged, but rarely embedded into the daily texture of how schools operate and how young people experience them. The gap between what young people need and what learning environments consistently provide remains significant. Bringing wellness into education is not about adding more to an already stretched system. It is about changing the orientation of what is already there. It is about asking not only what young people need to know, but what they need to feel in order to be ready to learn it. It is about creating environments that actively reduce the barriers that prevent young people from being fully present, engaged, and capable of growth. When this happens, the benefits are not limited to wellbeing. They extend to attainment, attendance, relationships, and every area of school life. The role of wellness organisations as partners in education Wellness organisations bring something into educational settings that is genuinely distinct. They are not constrained by curriculum requirements, attainment pressures, or the administrative demands that shape so much of what schools can and cannot do. They are able to focus on what a young person needs as a whole human being and to offer the kind of sustained, relational, and holistic support that educational settings often want to provide but struggle to sustain. When wellness organisations work in genuine partnership with educational settings, they do not simply add a service. They add a perspective. They bring approaches rooted in compassion, embodied wellbeing, and the understanding that wellness is not achieved through information alone. It is practised, embodied, and built through consistent experience in environments that model and actively support it. Effective partnership between wellness organisations and schools requires trust, clarity of role, and a shared commitment to the young people at the centre. It also requires humility on both sides, an openness to learning from each other and a recognition that the best outcomes for young people emerge when different kinds of expertise work together rather than in isolation. When this partnership is built well, the result is something greater than the sum of its parts. Why this matters for inclusive learning environments Inclusion is one of the most important and most misunderstood words in education. At its simplest, it means that every young person has a place. But genuine inclusion goes further than physical presence in a shared space. It means that every young person has access to the conditions they need to actually participate, to belong, to be known, and to grow. For many young people, those conditions are inseparable from their wellbeing. Young people with experiences of trauma, mental health challenges, neurodivergence, social anxiety, bereavement, family instability, or persistent stress do not simply need accommodations within a system that remains unchanged around them. They need environments that have been genuinely shaped with their experiences in mind. Environments where the adults around them understand that behaviour communicates unmet needs. Where difference is not pathologised. Where the pace, tone, and structure of the learning day have been considered through a wellbeing lens. This is precisely where the integration of wellness into education becomes most powerful. It moves inclusion from a policy aspiration to a daily practice. It ensures that the young people who most need supportive environments are not the ones least likely to find them. It also communicates something profound to every young person who walks through the door, that they matter here, not only as a learner, but as a person. Signs that a learning environment may need wellness integration Wellness integration is most powerful when it is proactive rather than reactive, introduced before a crisis rather than in response to one. There are consistent signs that a learning environment would benefit from a more intentional and collaborative approach to wellbeing. Recognising these signs early creates the opportunity to act before young people, staff, or the wider community reach a point of significant strain. An educational setting may need wellness integration when: Staff report feeling ill-equipped to respond to the emotional and mental health needs of young people. Behavioural incidents are high, and responses focus on consequences rather than understanding. Young people are disengaging, withdrawing, or attending inconsistently without clear academic reasons. Anxiety, low mood, or emotional dysregulation are visibly affecting a significant number of students. There is no consistent, embedded approach to emotional literacy or mental health across the school. Wellbeing support is available only reactively, after a young person has reached a point of crisis. Staff wellbeing and retention are suffering, with burnout or high turnover affecting continuity. Inclusion is a stated value, but certain groups of young people consistently feel unseen or unsupported. Partnerships with external wellness organisations are absent or limited to one off interventions. Young people describe feeling that school is a place for their academic performance, not for them as people. These signs are not indicators of failure. They are invitations to build something better. Wellness integration is not about adding pressure to already stretched environments. It is about creating the conditions in which both young people and the adults who support them can genuinely thrive. What effective wellness and education collaboration looks like in practice Knowing that wellness and education should work together is one thing. Understanding what that collaboration actually looks like on the ground is another. Effective partnership between wellness organisations and educational settings is not accidental. It is intentional, relational, and built on a shared commitment to the young people at the centre of both. When wellness and education collaborate effectively, you are likely to see: Regular, structured communication between wellness practitioners and educational staff about the young people they both support. Wellness practitioners embedded within the school environment rather than operating only through external referrals. Joint training and professional development that help educators and wellness professionals understand each other's language and approaches. A shared framework for wellbeing that is visible across the whole learning environment, not limited to designated pastoral spaces. Young people who know who to turn to, trust that they will be heard, and experience support as consistent rather than fragmented. Wellbeing woven into the physical design of learning spaces, with areas that support calm, sensory regulation, and reflection. A curriculum that makes room for emotional literacy, self-awareness, and the kind of reflective practice that builds long-term resilience. Leadership that models wellness as a value, not only a service, and creates the conditions for both staff and students to prioritise it. Outcomes that are measured not only through attainment data, but also through indicators of belonging, confidence, and emotional wellbeing. A culture in which asking for support is normal, encouraged, and met with a consistent and caring response. This is what becomes possible when wellness organisations are genuine partners in the educational environment rather than distant services. The young people in these spaces do not simply receive better support. They experience what it means to be in an environment that was built, in every meaningful way, with them in mind. How the Creative Pathway Methodology supports wellness in education Through RYTC Creatives CIC, The RYTC, Education Selection Box, ESB, and Give-Get-Go Education, GGGE, the Creative Pathway Methodology brings together learning, creativity, and career development in a way that places the wellbeing of the whole young person at the centre. It does not treat wellness as a separate strand running alongside education. It weaves it into the very fabric of how young people are supported, seen, and helped to grow. The RYTC creates brave, expressive spaces where young people are invited to explore their identity, develop their creative voice, and discover what they are capable of through arts based practice. These are not simply performance opportunities. They are environments designed to build confidence, emotional resilience, and self belief through the act of creative participation. When a young person steps into a RYTC space, they are stepping into somewhere that values who they are as much as what they can produce. ESB brings a personalised and inclusive approach to learning that holds both education and mental wellness together as inseparable concerns. It recognises that a young person's ability to engage with learning is directly connected to how they are doing on the inside, and it creates flexible, supportive experiences that address both at once. By attending to mental wellness as actively as academic progress, ESB reduces the pressure points that most commonly drive disengagement, anxiety, and low self-worth. It creates the conditions in which learning feels genuinely possible again, not as something to perform under pressure, but as something a young person can step into with growing confidence and care for themselves. GGGE connects young people to career development and real-world opportunities in a way that is grounded in their own strengths, interests, and emerging sense of direction. It understands that a young person's sense of future possibility is itself a wellbeing resource. When a young person begins to see a credible path forward, one that includes them, they bring a different quality of motivation, engagement, and hope to the present moment. Together, these three strands of the Creative Pathway Methodology create something that mirrors the best of what wellness integration in education can offer. They build safe, consistent, relational environments. They develop emotional literacy and resilience through practice rather than instruction. They meet the brilliantly underestimated with the belief and structure needed to help them grow. They do all of this through the daily work of creative, educational, and career-focused experiences, not as an addition, but as the heart of what they do. 11 ways integrating wellness and education transforms learning environments It creates a culture where young people feel safe enough to learn: Learning requires vulnerability, and vulnerability requires safety. When wellness is integrated into education, safety becomes a design principle rather than an assumption, and more young people are able to be fully present in the spaces where they learn. It ensures emotional needs are met alongside academic ones: A young person who is anxious, grieving, or disconnected cannot simply set those experiences aside when they walk through the door. When wellness is embedded in the educational environment, there are people, processes, and spaces designed to acknowledge and respond to those needs as part of the everyday experience of school. It builds the capacity of educators to support the whole person: Teachers are often the first to notice when a young person is struggling, but they do not always have the tools or confidence to respond in ways that genuinely help. Wellness integration addresses this by bringing specialist knowledge directly into the educational environment, giving staff practical skills and the support to use them. It introduces trauma-informed approaches across the whole environment: Trauma-informed practice shifts the question from “What is wrong with this young person?” to “What has this young person experienced, and how can we respond in a way that helps?” When this approach is embedded across an entire environment, it changes not only individual interactions but also the culture of the institution as a whole. It makes space for mindfulness, movement, and regulated nervous systems: The ability to focus and engage is deeply connected to the state of a young person’s nervous system. Wellness-integrated environments create regular opportunities to regulate and reset, supporting the physiological conditions that learning depends on. It strengthens relationships between young people and the adults around them: The quality of relationships between young people and the adults in their environment is one of the strongest predictors of engagement, achievement, and wellbeing. Wellness integration prioritises these relationships, creating the time and shared understanding that allow genuine connections to develop. It reduces stigma around mental health and emotional difficulty: When self-care, emotional literacy, and mental health are woven into the everyday life of a learning environment, the stigma that prevents so many young people from seeking support begins to lift. Young people receive a powerful message, their inner life matters, and needing help is human, not shameful. It supports the wellbeing of educators as well as students: Educators cannot consistently support the wellbeing of young people from a place of depletion. When staff feel valued, understood, and equipped with their own wellbeing practices, they bring more steadiness, more presence, and more genuine care to the relationships at the heart of every learning environment. It creates continuity of support through collaborative partnerships: One of the greatest challenges in supporting young people’s wellbeing is the fragmentation of services, where a young person can fall through the gaps between systems that do not communicate. When wellness organisations work in genuine partnership with educational settings, they create a joined up network of support that follows a young person consistently. It responds to the diversity of how young people experience wellness: Wellness does not look the same for every young person. For some, it is found through movement, for others, through creativity, connection, stillness, or structure. Inclusive wellness integration makes room for this diversity, ensuring that more young people find something that genuinely resonates with them and supports their wellbeing. It builds environments where every young person can genuinely belong: Belonging is not simply about being present in a space. It is about feeling that the space was made with you in mind. When wellness is truly integrated into education, it creates the conditions for this kind of belonging to be possible for every young person, including those who have most often felt that educational environments were not built for them. Conclusion The future of education is not only academic. It is human. Young people are not simply minds to be filled with knowledge. They are whole people whose capacity to learn, connect, grow, and contribute is shaped by how well they are, how safe they feel, and how genuinely the environments around them have been built with their experience in mind. Integrating wellness into education is one of the most important steps a learning environment can take. Not because academic achievement does not matter, but because it matters so much that we cannot afford to ignore the conditions that make it possible. When young people feel genuinely supported, emotionally regulated, relationally connected, and truly seen, they do not only perform better. They become more of who they are capable of being. Through the Creative Pathway Methodology across RYTC Creatives CIC, Education Selection Box, and Give-Get-Go Education, young people are supported to develop not only academically but also as whole, confident, and emotionally resilient human beings. When wellness partnerships are built intentionally and sustained with genuine commitment, what emerges is a learning environment that works for every young person, not only those who already find it easiest to thrive within it. Wellness and education are not competing priorities. They are the same priority, seen from two angles. Together, they create something that neither can build alone, a space where young people can genuinely learn because they genuinely belong. To explore more about wellness integration in education and the organisations shaping inclusive learning environments, visit here. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Helen Kenworthy Helen Kenworthy, Artistic Director Helen Kenworthy’s career embodies the transformative power of the arts, from her early roles in the prestigious West End with Bill Kenwright to her impactful work in regional theatre. As manager of the Oxfordshire Youth Arts Partnership, she created pathways for young people to thrive in the arts, with many going on to successful careers. Now at RYTC Creatives CIC and Give Get Go Education, Helen continues to inspire and mentor the next generation of theatre-makers and community leaders, offering invaluable opportunities for growth and professional development.

Written by Sarah Hurst, Coach and Creator of the Mind Medicine Movement™ Drawing on her own healing journey through cancer, Sarah Hurst is a coach and creator of the Mind Medicine Movement™, helping people calm the nervous system, reconnect to themselves, and take back their power to heal body, mind, and soul. A major life experience can change far more than your circumstances. It can alter your body, relationships, routines, and sense of safety, leaving you wondering why you no longer feel like yourself. Finding your way back is not about pretending nothing happened, but gently reconnecting with who you are now and who you may be becoming. Why does identity change? One of the things I hear most often from people after cancer, trauma, or another major life change is, “I don’t know who I am anymore.” Sometimes this arrives during the experience itself, but often it emerges later, when the immediate crisis has passed, and everyone expects life to return to normal. Identity is built from many different parts of our lives. It includes how we see our body, the roles we hold, the work we do, the relationships we belong to, our confidence, routines, values and expectations for the future. When several of these change at once, the familiar picture we held of ourselves can begin to fall apart. The National Cancer Institute’s guidance on life after treatment recognises that a person’s “new normal” may include different goals, routines, sources of support, physical changes and emotional scars. Even when treatment is over, the internal experience may be far from finished. Trauma and prolonged stress can also affect the way we relate to ourselves. The nervous system becomes focused on keeping us safe, which can leave little space for curiosity, creativity or self-discovery. As I explored in my article about why calm is essential for nervous system healing, survival mode is not a weakness, it is the body adapting to what has happened. You have not disappeared, although it can certainly feel that way. Your old map of yourself has simply been disrupted, and you may need time and space to understand the new landscape. When roles take over During illness or adversity, a particular role can quickly become the loudest part of someone’s identity. You may become the patient, the person with cancer, the strong one, the carer, the anxious one or the person everyone expects to cope. These roles may be necessary for a time. They can help us organise a frightening experience, communicate what we need or simply make it through the day. The difficulty comes when one role grows so large that it begins to obscure every other part of us. A diagnosis may be something you are living with, but it is not the whole of who you are. You are still the person who loves, laughs, creates, notices, dreams and matters. Those parts may feel distant during survival, but they have not ceased to exist. Labels can also be complicated. Some people feel empowered by words such as “survivor” or “warrior”, while others feel restricted or alienated by them. The National Cancer Institute acknowledges that the meaning of “survivor” can change over time and that some people prefer an entirely different term. There is no correct label, and nobody else should decide which identity you are expected to adopt. Finding yourself again begins with recognising that you are always more than the role life has temporarily asked you to play. Stories shape identity Human beings make sense of their lives through stories. We connect experiences from the past with who we believe we are today and what we imagine may be possible tomorrow. Research into narrative identity and mental health has found associations between themes of agency within people’s life stories and improvements in their mental health. This does not mean that positive thinking controls what happens to us, or that difficult emotions should be replaced with cheerful ones. It suggests that the meaning we make from our experiences, and the amount of agency we feel within our own story, can matter. The language we repeat often becomes part of how we experience ourselves. Statements such as “I am broken”, “My body has betrayed me”, “I will never cope again” or “Cancer is who I am now” may arise from very real pain. When repeated without question, however, they can leave little room for another future to emerge. I often say that the body listens to the stories we tell it. By this, I do not mean that our words cause or cure physical illness. I mean that the stories we live by can reinforce fear and powerlessness, or begin to create a greater sense of safety, choice and possibility. More spacious language might sound like, “I am learning to trust myself again”, “I am finding out what I need now” or “I am more than what happened to me.” These statements do not deny reality. They simply allow the story to continue. Grieving your former self There can be enormous pressure to move forward after illness or trauma. People may expect you to feel grateful, strong or relieved, while you are quietly grieving a life and a version of yourself that no longer feels available. You may grieve your former body, energy, confidence or independence. You may miss the ease with which you once made plans, trusted the future or moved through the world without constantly scanning for risk. You might also grieve relationships, careers, dreams or a sense of innocence that was changed by what happened. This grief deserves acknowledgment. Finding yourself again does not require you to rush past what you have lost, and growth should never become another standard you are expected to meet. Research into post-traumatic growth explores the possibility that people may experience changes in meaning, relationships, priorities and inner strength after adversity. However, research also shows that responses to trauma are highly varied and that growth and distress can exist alongside one another. Post-traumatic growth is complex, and nobody owes the world an inspiring transformation because they have suffered. You are allowed to miss who you were, without becoming stuck in the past. You are also allowed to feel curious about who you may become. Grief and growth can sit beside each other without either one cancelling out the other. Reclaiming choice and agency In Shadow Work, the Victim is an archetype that represents the part of us that feels powerless, wronged, or unable to influence what happens next. This part should not be judged. If something overwhelming has happened to you, feeling helpless may be an entirely understandable response. The lighter, alchemised form of the Victim is traditionally known as the Warrior. This does not have to mean fighting, forcing or remaining endlessly strong. It represents the part of you that begins to reclaim choice, courage, boundaries and a voice. You do not need to identify as a warrior. The word itself may not feel right for you, particularly when so much cancer language is framed around battles and winning. What matters is the movement underneath the archetype, from feeling that you have no power towards recognising where choice still exists. You may not have chosen what happened, and you may not be able to control every outcome. You can begin to choose how you support yourself, what language you accept, where you place your energy, which boundaries you need and whose voices you allow to influence your next chapter. Agency is not about taking responsibility for the illness or trauma. It is about remembering that what happened to you does not have to make every future decision on your behalf, and that some parts of your story are still yours to shape. Who are you becoming? Many people begin their recovery wanting to get back to normal. They want their old energy, confidence, body, routines, or certainty returned to them, which is deeply understandable. But the person who went through the experience cannot be completely untouched by it. Trying to recreate an exact version of your former self can sometimes deepen the sense that you are failing, because that earlier version of you lived before knowing what you now know. Healing isn’t about getting your old identity back. It’s about growing into the person your experiences have invited you to become. This is an invitation to meet yourself with curiosity, not a demand to become someone more accomplished, spiritual, or relentlessly positive. It does not mean your experience happened for a reason, or that you must turn pain into a grand purpose. The invitation may simply be to become more honest about what matters, more compassionate towards your limits, clearer about your boundaries or more willing to listen to yourself. You may discover that parts of your former identity still fit beautifully. Other parts may have been shaped by expectation, habit or the need to please others. Some may have protected you once but no longer support the life you want to live. Instead of continuing to ask, “How do I become my old self again?”, the question can gently change. You can begin asking, “What feels true for me now?”, allowing the answer to unfold rather than forcing it. How to reconnect Reconnection rarely comes from sitting down and demanding an immediate answer to the question, “Who am I?” That can feel far too big, especially when you are already overwhelmed. It often begins by slowing down enough to notice yourself again. Within my SIPS™ framework, Slow Down comes before Identity for this very reason. Without space, it is difficult to separate your own voice from fear, pressure, and the expectations of others. Begin by noticing small preferences. What feels nourishing today? What leaves you depleted? Where do you feel most like yourself, even for a few minutes? These details may seem insignificant, but they are clues. You might reconnect with your values rather than trying to recreate your old roles. If kindness, freedom, creativity, connection or honesty matter to you, consider how one of those values could be expressed in your life now. Identity is not only something we think about, but it is also something we practise through small choices. Pay attention to moments of aliveness. Perhaps you feel something stir while walking outside, listening to music, spending time with someone safe, writing, making something, or offering support to another person. These glimmers can help reveal what remains meaningful beneath the layers of survival. It may also help to ask, “What am I ready to release?” An identity built around always being strong, endlessly productive, or responsible for everyone else can become exhausting. Sometimes finding yourself involves putting down versions of you that were never allowed to rest. There is no deadline for this process. Identity is not a puzzle you must solve correctly. It is a relationship you continue building through listening, experimenting, and allowing yourself to change. Begin coming home Finding yourself again does not mean erasing what happened or returning to the person you were before. It means creating enough safety and space to meet yourself as you are now, with honesty, compassion and curiosity. You are more than your diagnosis, your trauma, your losses and the roles you needed to survive. Your identity is still alive and evolving, even if you cannot yet see its full shape. You might begin with one quiet question, “What part of me is waiting to come home?” Do not force an answer. Notice what arises and allow that to be the beginning of a new conversation with yourself. If you are navigating identity after cancer, illness, or a major life change and would value someone walking alongside you, you can explore my coaching and support. You do not need to find your whole way forward today. Sometimes coming home begins with one gentle step. Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Sarah Hurst Sarah Hurst, Coach and Creator of the Mind Medicine Movement™ After walking her own path through cancer, Sarah Hurst discovered that true healing isn’t just physical; it’s emotional, spiritual, and deeply personal. She went on to create the Mind Medicine Movement™, helping others calm their nervous systems, rediscover purpose, and reconnect with themselves through her SIPS™ framework: Slow Down, Identity, Purpose, Self-Love. Today, Sarah supports people living with or beyond cancer and anyone seeking calm, clarity, and wellness through her coaching, meditation, and touch therapy practice in Hove, East Sussex. She also offers an online coaching service.

Written by Dawn Nicole Hernandez, Founder of Turning The Tide Tutoring and New Generations Academy Knikki Hernandez is known for her work in education, communication, and personal development. She is the founder of Turning The Tide Tutoring and New Generations Academy, and the host of The Gentle Year podcast, where she interviews experts on learning, parenting, psychology, and human potential. Many parents who pursue alternative forms of education encounter criticism from family members, friends, spouses, and even popular influencers. Perhaps you too have heard that you are making the wrong choice. Perhaps someone has questioned whether your child is learning enough, socializing enough, or preparing adequately for the future. Perhaps the people closest to you have made you feel as though choosing a different educational path is irresponsible, unrealistic, or selfish. When that happens repeatedly, the discouragement can begin to affect the way you think, feel, and make decisions. You may start second-guessing yourself, feel pressured to defend every choice, and may wish for more support or, at the very least, a little more respect for the care and courage behind your decision. What you may be experiencing Your environment affects your thoughts, emotions, and confidence. The words of the people around you can become powerful, especially when those words reinforce fears you already carry. You may intend to create a calm, personalized, or more meaningful educational experience for your child. At the same time, outside criticism may introduce doubt, guilt, or anxiety that competes with that intention. I refer to these competing messages as counterintentions. A counterintention is any fear, belief, expectation, or outside influence that works against what you are trying to create. You have likely experienced this before. Perhaps you wanted to become an artist, musician, entrepreneur, or writer, but someone told you to pursue something more practical. Perhaps you shared an idea for your latest invention as a child and were told it was unrealistic, foolish, or unlikely to succeed. Those messages do not always disappear. Sometimes they remain in the background and influence the way we evaluate ourselves years later. For parents, this can become especially intense because educational decisions affect not only personal identity, but also the wellbeing and future of a child. The question then becomes, how do you move forward without allowing criticism to control your thinking? Start by acknowledging what is true The first step is not to argue, persuade, or force yourself to feel confident. It is to acknowledge the situation honestly. Take a breath and name what is happening. You might say: “My family does not currently support my educational choices.” “My spouse and I have different ideas about what is best for our child.” “I am struggling to teach my child in the way I hoped.” “This experience is making me question myself.” Acknowledging reality simply means stopping long enough to see the situation clearly without resisting what is. Resistance often keeps people emotionally trapped. They spend so much energy wishing the situation were different that they have very little energy left to respond wisely. Once you acknowledge what is happening, you can begin to consider perspectives you may not have examined yet. Ask yourself: What might the other person be afraid of? What part of their concern is emotional? Is any part of their concern practical? What evidence would help clarify the situation? What support or information may be missing? What am I assuming about their intentions? Writing down your answers can help you separate legitimate concerns from criticism that is rooted in fear, misunderstanding, or habit. You do not need to have every answer immediately. Your responsibility is to become clear enough to take the next thoughtful step. Define what success looks like One of the most useful things you can do is create measures of success that are not controlled by other people. Many parents feel as though they must accomplish everything, satisfy everyone, and prove that their educational choice is working. That is an exhausting standard. Instead, define a meaningful win for the day. Your win might be reading together for ten minutes, completing one round of multiplication flash cards, helping your child recover calmly from frustration, preparing a nourishing breakfast, finishing one assignment without conflict, or taking five minutes to sit quietly with a cup of coffee. A small win is still a win. Remember, educational progress is rarely created through one dramatic breakthrough. It is usually built through repeated moments of attention, consistency, and connection. Next, identify what is essential. A doctor’s appointment, soccer practice, helping an elderly parent, and completing one core educational task may be essential. Reorganizing a closet probably is not. When you define both your win and your essentials, you create structure without demanding perfection from yourself. You also begin to gather real information about what is and is not working. Focus on the people who have a true stake in the decision Not every critic deserves equal influence. Family members and friends may care deeply about your child, but that does not mean they should control your educational decisions. A spouse or co-parent, however, is a legitimate stakeholder. Their concerns deserve to be heard, even when you disagree. The goal is not to surrender your perspective. The goal is to create a process that allows both of you to think clearly and remain focused on the child. Begin by sharing your concerns respectfully. Ask whether your spouse or co-parent is willing to have an open conversation. If the timing is poor, schedule a time within the next day or two when both of you can be mentally prepared. Before the conversation, outline your thoughts and questions. This can help you avoid turning the discussion into a debate. Consider writing down: What you are concerned about? What you hope will improve? What you have observed in your child? What you are willing to reconsider? What evidence would help both of you evaluate the current plan? What support do you need from each other? If prayer or spiritual reflection is meaningful to you, take time beforehand to center yourself. Create a standard you can evaluate together During the conversation, explain that your goal is not to win an argument. Your goal is to determine what is genuinely helping your child. Speak slowly. Be mindful of your tone. Give the other person space to explain what they are seeing and feeling. Then create a shared standard of acceptability for the current educational plan. This may include questions such as: Is our child making academic progress? Is our child emotionally regulated most of the time? Is the current structure realistic for our family? Is our child developing confidence? Are social needs being met? Are the adults involved able to sustain this plan? What specific signs would tell us that the plan needs to change? Agree to review the situation weekly, biweekly, or monthly. This creates room for flexibility while also preventing the conversation from becoming purely emotional or theoretical. You do not have to decide the entire future in one sitting. You need a responsible next step and a way to evaluate it. Prepare for what the situation may teach you Even when the current plan feels uncertain, the experience may reveal valuable information. You may learn more about how your child responds to pressure, discover that your child needs more structure, more flexibility, or a different form of support, recognize that a conflict about schooling is also connected to communication, finances, workload, or trust within the family, and realize that the educational model itself is less important than the way it is being implemented. Remain willing to learn from what is happening. In more serious situations involving custody, safety, severe family conflict, disability, or significant mental health concerns, additional support may be necessary. A counselor, educational consultant, evaluator, mediator, or legal professional may help the family move forward more responsibly. Seeking support is simply a sign that you are taking the situation seriously. Focus on success, not a predetermined outcome It is easy to become attached to one specific result. You may feel that homeschooling, private school, public school, online school, or a microschool must be the answer. However, parents sometimes receive the exact outcome they wanted and later realize that it was not the best fit for the child. The well-being, growth, confidence, and long-term success of your child are more important than proving that one particular path is right. Your responsibility is not to force a conclusion. It is to remain thoughtful, observant, honest, and willing to adjust. Take a breath. Define the next win. Identify what is essential. Talk with the people who truly share responsibility. Create a standard you can evaluate together. Then allow the evidence, the relationship, and the needs of your child to guide the next step. Blessings to you. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Dawn Nicole Hernandez Dawn Nicole Hernandez, Founder of Turning The Tide Tutoring and New Generations Academy Knikki Hernandez spends much of her time asking questions, helping people untangle complex ideas, and convincing students that writing isn't nearly as painful as they think it is. As the founder of Turning The Tide Tutoring and New Generations Academy, she helps learners develop stronger communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. She is also the host of The Gentle Year podcast, where she explores education, personal growth, and the fascinating ways humans think, learn, and make sense of the world.