Written by: Charmie Torres, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. To be candid, there is likely no such thing as an “after this.” Medical experts, analysts, and political strategists all agree that everyone will need to navigate a new reality. There won’t be warm handshakes or hugs just yet, nor could there be an utterly safe way to sit elbow-to-elbow at establishments. One thing’s for certain – even when a proven (and safe) vaccine is released, there’s no going back to a pre-pandemic lifestyle. If you’re an entrepreneur or someone in a leadership position, you know that many business models have changed. Organizations have been forced to unlearn and learn a new way of conducting business, and this doesn’t simply refer to technology or shifting to a work-from-home arrangement. Businesses have needed to adopt different protocols for their workflow, problem-solving mechanism, and communication. From the get-go last March, organization leaders and business owners braced themselves to face these types of situations: Businesses being forced to reduce operations or totally shut down, and thus seeing more people in search of jobs; Authorities had to impose strict lockdown measures that have brought 70% of economic activity to a standstill; Service industries, a major source for many economies and include retail, restaurant, tourism, air & sea travel, will be down on its knees. While the travel, automotive, manufacturing, entertainment, education, and banking industries have taken punch after punch since March, the ones that have suffered the least impact, if at all, are the IT and E-commerce industries. The reason is because remote work has always been the norm in the information technology industry. Many employers now hire remote developers or even engage in the service-team business model as it is the most cost-efficient, safe, and beneficial way to continue the business. Hence, the business term “outsourcing” is now at play. What is a virtual team? A virtual team comprises a group of people working remotely. One can either outsource a virtual team or hire an individual virtual assistant to help perform part of the business’ workflow. This would be similar to having an office without the traditional office structure. Employees of a virtual team are often spread across a location or even timezones. They are still unified by one objective: to provide office and backroom operations for small to medium enterprises. These people are highly skilled and competent, and many come armed with licenses, diplomas, and certifications in finance, engineering, taxation, InfoTech, and the like. Technology is a cornerstone that allows a group of people to work together remotely. The use of online collaboration tools is a condition sine qua non for seamless operations 24/7. And as companies are keeping their heads above water, this arrangement allows them not just to survive but also to continue to grow. With access to global talent, where does one even begin to look? What are the things to look out for when hiring? Where do you even find a team that’s in it for the long term? It’s a shameless plug, but I daresay the Philippines. Finding service providers and virtual assistants are easy tasks, but, of course, we need to consider the following red flags: Computer Specs – What are their computer specifications? Make sure their work laptop is fairly new and does not have constant issues are equally important things to consider. Having a backup plan in case their computer breaks (i.e., a nearby repair shop and a computer they can borrow temporarily) should be addressed as well. Internet Speed – Does the team have access to a reliable internet connection? 5-15 MBPS is the typical speed in the Philippines. Refrain from working with VAs that have an MBPS slower than 5. In addition to a backup plan if the connection is lost at any point. Time zone – The Philippines only has a 1-time zone, Philippine Time (PHT). No daylight savings exists, which means they are either 12 or 13 hours ahead of US EST, depending on whether or not DST is in effect. Power Outage – How often are power outages in their area? What type of backup mechanisms do they possess? As this varies depending on the area they work in, some locations experience more frequent power outages compared to others, but don’t let this be a pitfall as back-up generators are found in most buildings. Weather condition – Does their geographical location encounter difficulties caused by the weather? The country only has two seasons: wet and dry. When it’s the wet season, traveling can pose a challenge, but with the work from home situation, the only concern would be how it affects Wifi connection. Rooster Greetings – Can they provide a conducive environment for inbound and outbound calls? Is anyone working near a farm? How is the noise pollution? It would be best to find someone capable of working in a quiet environment, especially for a job that would require being in meetings or making calls frequently. Attitude towards work – Run a check on their motivation. Is their attitude towards being a virtual assistant positive or not? Are they as passionate about their work as you are about your business? Or will they be the type who jumps ship when the going gets tough? Carefully assess these during an interview to weigh the right choice when hiring the right assistant. Rates – When it comes to virtual assistance, the adage, “Pay peanuts, get monkeys,” strongly applies. How much do they charge, and what do their rates cover? Normally a VA rate is $5-$10/hour. A per hour arrangement might require you to watch everyone like a hawk (which defeats the purpose of outsourcing), whereas a per-project basis may not motivate a daily routine. Ultimately, it is up to both the client and the virtual assistant to negotiate the terms of their partnership and find common ground that permits the assistant to provide quality work and gives the client the ease of mind of not constantly and closely monitoring the virtual assistant. To mitigate all of these issues, the key is in the interview process. Ask the right questions, and you will find all the answers you need to help you decide who’s the best fit for your company. You can download a step by step process on how to interview your future VA here . For more information, visit my website and follow me on Facebook , Instagram and LinkedIn ! Charmie Torres, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Charmie Torres is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Löngun, a business process outsourcing company. Löngun was conceived in 2018 in response to clients who needed more than accounting services. Born and raised in the Philippines and studied in one of the top universities in the UK, Charm aims to bridge both worlds to develop a diverse work culture and environment. “It was a knee-jerk reaction to offer administrative, virtual assistance, and graphic design services as well because this is what many of our customers needed to grow their ventures.” With a team of well-rounded and experienced professionals (a motley crew of accountants, customer service professionals, technical experts, graphic artists, and administrative personnel), Löngun’s mission is to help business owners focus on scaling their business by taking care of the company’s non-core activities and streamline their workflow. Also, serve as a catalyst to her Filipino employees to reach their fullest potential.

Written by: Susan Francis, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. One of my clients told me she called me her “woo-woo” coach the other day, and it made me laugh. If you knew me from my old life, this wouldn't make sense at all. I was logical, systematic, and not “woo woo” at all. When I started my coaching business, it was all about effort, learning strategies, convincing others, and putting in the hard yards to make it work. Only it didn't. It didn’t work at all. I struggled, I pushed, and I remained broke. I was stuck in my masculine energy. I kept looking for the answers outside of me, signing up for every program and hoping that some guru’s method would work for me, but it didn’t. Meanwhile, I’d been learning about the Law of Attraction and loved the idea of “manifesting” but couldn’t actually work out how to make it work for me. If you feel like manifestation doesn’t work for you either, I get it. But here’s what you need to know. Our natural state is manifestation. We are manifesting all day, every day, whether you do it consciously or by default, you are attracting to you that which you focus on and give energy to. It is a universal law, the Law of Attraction. You’ve probably noticed when you get out of bed and stub your toe, spill your coffee, and get stuck in traffic, everything seems to go wrong that day. You probably have had other times in your life where everything falls into place and seems to work out perfectly. The better it gets, the better it gets. This is the Law of Attraction. Very simply, like attracts like. What you focus on and give energy and emotion to is drawn to you. If you want business to be easier, If you want to scale rapidly, if you want to make more income, more impact, it's all available to you now—all of it. You simply need to shift your focus and energy. This might seem simplistic, but it is honestly all it takes. When you think about your business goals, how do you feel? Excited, eager, expectant? Or frustrated, stressed, and worried? How you feel is an indication of what you are attracting to you. If you’re stressed and worried, you are operating from lack, and your thoughts are not aligned with your goal. If you’re feeling good about your business and excited for it to unfold, you’re on the right path. Business is a spiritual game. It's 80% energy and only 20% strategy and mechanics. I know some of you won't believe that, but for those who want business and life to be easy, listen up because this is for you. Your success is not about your actions; it's about your energy. There is simply no amount of action that can make up for your misaligned energy. Here’s what you need to do to manifest your absolute dream life and business: 1. Vision - Be crystal clear on what you want. Write it out, know the details, be specific. For example…. I want to have a $20K month; I want to sign 10 new clients this month. Make it specific and measurable. 2. Decide that it's done. Feel it in your soul that you have already achieved it. See it as done. Write about it, visualize it, feel the energy of having already achieved it. We receive who we are being, not what we want. You need to believe it before you see it. 3. Clear Resistance Ignore your current reality, ignore what is, and shift all of the reasons you can't have it. Journal out all of the negative stories that come up about why you can't have what you desire and reframe them. Shift them, release them. This is the real work of manifesting everything you want. Letting go of ALL of the stories about why you can't have it. I promise you they are all stories; there is not a single limitation that is true. Tell a better-feeling story; find another truth that feels better. This is the real work, the inner work. 4. Follow your intuition When you’re feeling excited about your desires coming, trust all of the pulls, even when they don't make sense, even when they feel scary, even when they have nothing to do with your business. This is key. This is your inner guidance leading the way. Stop planning as much and trust. You will be guided. Expect your desires to come! They will be drawn to you. New opportunities will come your way. Things will work out for you. When you ask it is given, your work is to simply allow it to flow and follow your guidance. All of your desires, all of them are available to you right now. Shift your energy, and you will shift your reality. To learn more about this and how I scaled from $500 months to $15K months in 60 days (and how you can too) you can access my free 3 part mini-course Magnetic Money . To follow Susan, you can find her on F acebook , I nstagram, join the F acebook community for regular live training, learn more on the website, or listen to the Soul Aligned Business Babes podcast . Read more from Susan ! Susan Francis, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Susan Francis is a leading Mindset, Manifestation and Business Mentor and Coach empowering female entrepreneurs to create more income and impact their soul-aligned businesses. She helps women unlock the truth of who they are, helps them to fully step into their power, and teaches them the secrets to taking quantum leaps in their success. She believes life was meant to be easy, to feel good, to flow, and you can create anything you damn well want! With a background in senior management in the fashion industry, she escaped the 9 to 5 hustle after her daughter's birth to follow her passion for helping other women create epic time and financial freedom. Trained in NLP and Time Line Therapy, and obsessed with the Law of Attraction, she knows at a very deep level that everything is an inside job, and as she helps clients make shifts in their mindset, and energy they become magnetic to their dream lives and business success.

Collaborated post Hoof Trimming in Agriculture Head trimming is basically conversant with the herd, unlike the pruning carried out on trees. Frequent trimming is relevant for animals, mostly cows, goats, and pigs. If done correctly, it will help prevent foot and leg problems. Therefore, it is a necessary task for maintaining good health for herd around the farmland. Every animal deserves to walk fine within or outside the farmland or any living area they find themselves. Hoof trimming is relative, and it helps to declaw or control the growth of the animal toes, especially on older animals. Through proper trimming, dirt and deteriorated tissues are removed. This process is carried out on both toes of the subject animal. The Importance of Hoof Trimming Trimming is an essential part of every dairy operation as concerned with agriculture. It will make herds become more productive and active and live long as well. When hoof trimming is done regularly, and as expected, then it is easier to avoid sickness and improve the welfare of farm animals. If the head trimming is done appropriately, the chance of getting infection fly around the farmland is highly reduced. The trimming is done when the horn attached to the head region, heels, or foot of any herd is overgrown. Relevant Trimming Procedures in Agriculture Trimming is an agricultural process that will make living easy and comfortable for animals within the farmland. The procedures to achieving this are relatively easy to follow, and they are; Trimming a Little Section: Sometimes, carrying out trimming on the herds may be quite painful. It is ideal to trim little by little, and this will help keep the animal calm while the individual who trims can carefully get an excellent shape. Utilizing Appropriate Trimming Tools: Once you are ready to trim, ensure you can access the right trimming tool. It is not advisable to perform this activity with an unrecognized tool.

Written by: Judith Viado, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Would you change your cookware if it meant better health for you and your family? For me, it started when we discovered the existence of toxicity in our cookware. I still vividly remember that day. It was during dinner when my son told me that the meat we were eating tasted like metal. I knew it wasn’t blood because I made sure that the meat was cooked well. At this point, I’ve already been cooking for years, and this was the first time this ever happened. I was sure that I did everything the right way and cooked everything correctly. So I went ahead and tasted the dish, and it crushed me that it indeed tasted like metal. That was the exact moment I realized that there was something wrong with my whole approach to food and cooking. If it wasn’t because of the ingredients that I was using or my method of cooking, then the only other reasonable cause would be from the tools that I was using to cook. Somehow, it explained why my family was in such a bad state of health. My husband had high blood pressure, my daughter had digestive problems, I had irritable bowel syndrome, and my son wasn’t just lactose intolerant; he also had skin diseases. It felt like I’ve been poisoning the whole family with my cooking this whole time. My name is Judith Viado. I run Nutricraft Cookware with my husband, Richard. Our personal experience inspired us with toxic cookware, and ever since, we’ve made it our mission to come up with the safest and smartest cookware available. We also aim to create an impact on the lives of families by promoting healthy cooking and healthy living. We believe that good health starts in the kitchen, and we are determined to make a difference in the lives of families worldwide. Richard and I have our own roles within the company. Richard is the brains behind the technical aspects of all Nutricraft products. Having worked as a Telecom engineer, he devoted himself to studying cookware construction and its features. His years of engineering experience is the secret behind the excellent quality of all Nutricraft products. I, on the other hand, focus on all the sales and marketing. Nutricraft cookware is unlike anything else on the market. We’ve combined superior craftsmanship with “one of a kind” multi clad using a unique 316Ti Titanium Stainless Steel on the interior of the cookware and adopted an improved titanium-strengthened exterior layer in our multi-clad material. We’ve created cookware that isn’t just durable, hypoallergenic, non-porous and having a virtually non-reactive cooking surface; it is also twenty times more resistant to corrosion. Our state-of-the-art cooking system even allows you to cook with less to no oil! With each product being meticulously handcrafted by the world's largest and most respected manufacturer, it all comes with a 50-year transferable once warranty making it a one-time investment that lasts a lifetime. Being a nutrition and health coach, I do my best to educate people about our products. During the weekends, Richard and I teach people healthy food preparation methods without using oil, salt, artificial seasoning and how to prevent contamination. We strongly believe that since this style of cooking has dramatically changed our family’s lifestyle, it will likewise have a huge impact on others’ lives as well. This is the reason why we aim to educate more people to learn to eat well, live well and become free from metal toxicity. Nutricraft Cookware is more than just cookware -- we’re committed to lifelong education. We know that cooking good food is more than just the ingredients, the method of cooking, and the cookware that we use. It’s also about acknowledging that metal toxicity exists and knowing how we can rid ourselves of this. We don’t just want to provide the world with top grade and non-toxic cookware; we also want to educate people about the importance of health and wellness. There may be many challenges for small businesses like ours nowadays, but we know we’re on the right track. We’ve recently won a Gold Stevie award for Startup of the Year under the Consumer Products Industries during the International Business Awards. This same year, we’ve also participated in the 2020 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards and won a Bronze Award for Excellence in Corporate Innovation for the Consumer Product category. Apart from that, we were finalists in the 2020 Altitude Awards both for the Best Online/Digital Business Award and in the Two Peas Partnership category. We also want to create a global impact by uplifting others from poverty through our livelihood program. Nutricraft cares, and we always invite people to become a part of our vision and mission. Despite the pandemic, we are hopeful that there will be better days ahead. We will continue to have big dreams for our small family business. Hopefully, we will get more families to switch to the safest and smartest cookware and live healthier, happier lives! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and visit our website for more information! Judith Viado, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Judith is a highly accomplished Oracle NetSuite specialist and global online business entrepreneur. She has a background in Science, worked in the Public Health and recently been accepted as a Health and Nutrition Educator by a Scientific Community in Australia. She has cross-discipline technical expertise in a variety of areas including Financial Accounting, Taxation, IT project management, E-commerce, Property Wealth Creation, On-site Residential Property Management, NetSuite specialist and Strata Management. While Judith enjoys her full-time job and managing her global online stores, she and her husband Richard started their own cookware brand with a simple goal of changing peoples’ lives. On the weekends, Judith and her family teach people healthy food preparation methods without using oil, salt, artificial seasoning, and how to prevent contamination. She promotes keeping ingredients in their purest form, enhancing their natural flavors and maximum nutritional value. Judith strongly believes that since this style of cooking has dramatically changed her family’s lifestyle, it will likewise have a huge impact on others’ lives. She aims to educate more people to learn to eat well, live well and free from metal toxicity.

Written by Andy Travis, Therapist Andy Travis is a therapist specialising in addiction recovery, mental & mood health, sex/love/relationships, and men's well-being. He uses techniques like live guided meditation, simple hypnosis, and somatic enquiry, personally tailored to give his clients access to their inner resources. AI 2027  is a forecast paper released in April this year, authored by Daniel Kokotajlo and his team. It offers a month-by-month narrative depicting how the world might plausibly move toward super-intelligent AI. Two key aspects are AI being harnessed to work on itself, and AI no longer thinking in human language. Here’s an extract from the 2027 point on the authors’ summary: Once a sufficient number of robots have been built, the AI releases a bio-weapon, killing all humans. A scary hypothetical scenario indeed. In response to the paper, experts are saying the timeline may be longer, but the possibility of AI progressing from slave to AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) to master is real. See here . They call it “misalignment” when AI no longer has the same goals as humans. But what if the next leap in intelligence isn’t only computational but metaphysical too? Let’s consider an alternative based on the premise that there’s a resource beyond the dimension of data chips: Infinitely more powerful, yet so incognito that historically only mystics, visionaries, creatives, and great thinkers have glimpsed it. A problem can’t be solved using the same thinking that created it. So I invite you to read the following ideas with an open intelligence, OI, if you will. Could AI really wipe out humanity? After feeding the first draft of the first half of this article into ChatGPT, it came back with this gem: “Intelligence is not confined to computation, consciousness itself could be a higher-dimensional resource.” I couldn’t have worded it better myself. People often speak of “the triumph of the human spirit,” but what is it? What is it deep inside you that propels you to overcome adversity, to love, and to heal? To explore this, let’s look at one of the oldest debates in both philosophy and AI theory. What comes first, consciousness or matter? The mainstream scientific view holds that consciousness arises from complex physical processes, and that when matter becomes sufficiently intricate, like a brain or perhaps a very advanced AI, consciousness “emerges.” In this view, matter comes first, and mind appears later as a by-product of information processing. The alternative view suggests that instead of awareness being produced by physical systems, physical systems are expressions of awareness. The universe, in this sense, is made of consciousness, not the other way around. Quantum physics shows that the act of observation can influence experimental outcomes, a finding that challenges the idea of a purely objective universe and opens philosophical space for consciousness-centred interpretations. How to dive deeper than the dimension of data chips The most profound way I’ve found is to inwardly, quietly contemplate consciousness as an infinitely tiny point of self-aware light, sitting above and behind my eyes. I invite you to experiment with this right now. Find a quiet, comfortable place away from distractions. Relax, read, and contemplate the following: I withdraw my awareness from my body and the outside world, and gently concentrate it inwards and upwards. I imagine my inner self to be a tiny point of light above and behind my eyes. I focus on the essence of my consciousness, at the control centre of my brain. I become aware that my body is just my physical vehicle, and I, the soul, am its driver. My eyes are the windows I look out of. I am a self-aware spark of living light, smaller than the tiniest sub-atomic particle. My original nature, my deepest quality, is peace. I am a peaceful soul. As machines learn to think ever faster, perhaps our next task is to remember how to think slower. To remember, and to feel our consciousness dive to a deeper level. What do we need to advance our consciousness in time with advances in computation? In mathematics, a point has no physical dimensions, no length, width, or depth. If the essence of individual consciousness is an infinitesimal (infinitely tiny) point, it’s not limited by the three dimensions of space. Whether you call it soul, psyche, or higher self, it’s more subtle than the smallest sub-atomic particle, invisible to science’s most advanced instruments. When we split the atom, unprecedented physical power was released, making weapons of war vastly more deadly. Infinitely tiny means infinitely powerful. The power of consciousness in its seed form is peace. I invite you to use your open intelligence to consider this profoundly different self-concept: You are a living light that operates a vast biochemical robot, a self-regulating community of cooperative cells and microorganisms, your body. The interface between you, the inner being, and your body is the most advanced type of computer in existence, your brain. Conclusion   AI is here to stay. Its progress will be exponential. Super-intelligent computation can fuel global change. Advanced consciousness can be its spark. As we build ever-smarter machines, our most urgent work may be inner, to meet the quiet, steady centre of awareness that can guide intelligence (both silicon and human) toward peace on earth. Acknowledgements I conferred with AI for the first time on this article. It’s much better for it: ChatGPT . For more on point-of-light consciousness and meditation, click here . Follow me on Facebook  and visit my website  for more info. Read more from Andy Travis Andy Travis, Therapist In 1988, when Andy was 17, his mother began training to be a lifeline telephone counsellor. She would often talk to him about it. He was fascinated. The following year, Andy had a series of out-of-body experiences. They confirmed what he'd been reading about the parallels between mysticism and quantum physics. He embarked on a lifelong journey of meditation. In his early 30s, a mood disorder and sex/love addiction led him to 12-step peer-support groups, where he continues to volunteer today. He established Meeting Point Counselling in 2016.

Written by: Kika Schunemann, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. This article barely scratches the basics of "Spiritual Response Therapy" as the Universe expands, so does your matrix and the research, as well as healing provided, is limitless and infinite. You can take the blue or red pill now. It is always your choice, and you have "Free Will." Spiritual Response Therapy is not a religion or a ritual of any kind. It is instead a therapy for the free-spirited individuals who have or not a religion. In other words, it works on everyone regardless of their beliefs. Has it occurred to you that for the majority of your existence on this planet, you have been pre-programmed to live the life you are experiencing by repeating the same karmic lessons carried forward from past lives? In this article, I am going to open up your mind and heart to receive information that will definitely leave you empowered to hack your matrix and, if desired, enhance your life with the assistance of your own superintelligence, your High Self. You deliberately chose to come back to this planet, with your own chosen body, your family, your culture, and your own life’s hurdles, so that through your human body and experience, your Soul can grow, evolve and expand in consciousness and awareness. The school of life is a never-ending process of constant learning, but have you stopped for a minute and asked yourself what sort of learning is the one you are having; is it from a place of hardship or a place of abundance? is it fear-based or lead by love? Every thought, every emotion, every idea, and everything else has a frequency. Just imagine our human body is a computer or a tablet constantly receiving and emanating energy. It has endless programs and applications actively running in the background, and some that only activate when a misfortune event in our life occurs, expectedly or unexpectedly. The programs run in the Soul, Subconscious, and Conscious Minds, and we are totally unaware of them and what they are doing. We are only aware of the 2% of our thoughts, and the 98% remaining are just an unorganized party of programs in our Subconscious Mind ruling our lives on their demand. The applications activate when we tap on them, some applications are positive, and some others are negative. And most of the time, we leave those negative apps open and running wild. What a mess! Living our life with a messy computer and expired apps only creates havoc in our matrix. But there’s a way of pressing control+alt+delete and re-booting the whole system. That way is with the most advanced healing modality today, Spiritual Response Therapy, which is a very dynamic and super-fast type of therapy that researches in-depth the Soul records (Akashic Records) and clears all unwanted, unneeded programs from the root cause in our Soul, Subconscious and Conscious Minds. This therapy is conducted by channeling with precision what needs to be cleared. The High Self leads the session and tells the story. Through SRT, we look at life from the infinite point of view and radiant love to pinpoint the perception of life challenges, whether it be physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual. An SRT session looks like this: Preparing both of us for work by connecting to each other’s High Self and Spiritual Committees. Opening up the Soul for healing. Removing blockages to receiving and accepting healing light. Making sure you are aligned to your divine plan (life mission and purpose) Making sure we are both grounded, and our triple shields of light are in place. Then we focus on the issues that are being perceived by you, and we retrieve percentages. Then a general clearing starts to go deeper and deeper until all programs creating the issue are clear. (May it be mental, emotional, physical, spiritual, or situation of any kind) In some cases, a particular protocol is used to make even more research and to conduct a deeper healing. During the therapy session, we are always aware and awake. No hypnosis is needed. All the brain waves (alpha, beta, gamma, delta, and theta) are active and running simultaneously as we are channeling pure information from the light to the highest level of consciousness of the Soul, which is the New Paradigm and beyond. We are both in an awakened meditative estate for some hours. As we are all divine light just in a denser form (humans), we all have masculine and feminine energy, and both energies should be actively running to one hundred percent in us, otherwise we have blockages to the realization of our human experience on this planet, and we block our abundance of all things automatically. Then in a session, we would look into the following set of questions as well to raise both masculine and feminine energies in us regardless of our gender. In what percentage is the masculine energy? It should always be at one hundred percent positive and zero percent negative. In what percentage is the feminine energy? It should always be at one hundred percent positive and zero percent negative. And a clearing is conducted around those questions to raise both masculine and feminine energies. How often do we find ourselves in situations that seem that there’s no way out, and we start looking for solutions or miracles to happen? To what percentage is our judgment and perception of the situation that we are experiencing and feel blinded from the peaceful and harmonious resolution? To what percentage is our codependency towards the situation at hand? Humans are habitual, and we live life from the comfort zone; whether it is a positive path or not, we simply are used to it, but we are always secretly wishing for something to change, for that issue to disappear, or to have more knowledge and the right tools to overcome those hurdles that are present in our path. Therefore clearing the codependency, we hold with people, an emotion, an illness, a thought, or a situation is paramount to detach ourselves from it so that the experience is lived from a place of love and not from a place of fear. We start to witness that the best outcome starts to unfold with ease and grace immediately. Love is the opposite of fear. The Soul wants to learn from the human experience through love and not from fear, which is Ego based. We as human beings should be able to manage our own positive and negative energies (apps) by doing an energy management clearing a few times per year to keep our own vibrational frequency in alignment with the energy of love, which is abundant in itself and available to all of us. When the judgment or perception that a human being is toxic, and everyone runs in the opposite direction to not get “infected” as if it was a disease, just look at yourself first for a moment and ask if you are capable of lifting, dealing, managing and healing your own Soul. Only then the evolution of the collective consciousness starts to shift, and the whole of humanity begins to heal at the same time that you heal yourself and evolve. When you do your part, you are immediately projecting unconditional love for the greatest and most elevated good of humanity. Likewise, by connecting to the highest frequency that is love, we start to love ourselves and others more, accept ourselves and others more, and become totally compassionate with our own flaws to transmute them into gifts and talents. When we leave the old fashioned way of judging everyone else and ourselves for our misfortunes (lessons), we turn into beautiful expressions of joy. That is a life lead by LOVE. It doesn’t matter how many times we have managed a situation with the same foot, negative situations are merely lessons, and the lessons that we are learning do not make us bad people; we just weren’t taught how to do it better. And that’s when SRT becomes a very powerful tool, very handy. SRT teaches us to live life with freedom, freedom from “mistakes and misfortunes” freedom from illness, freedom from heartbreak, freedom from trauma, freedom from control, freedom from burnout by removing all the negative programs and apps running in our Soul, Subconscious, and Conscious Minds. To what percentage are we assisting from a place of Love the rise of the collective consciousness? To what percentage do we feel and believe that we are all ONE? To what percentage does our Soul believe that we are separated from the Source? The questions above open up infinite possibilities to work on a multitude of themes and the many challenges of life and allow us to explore the negative energies that are blocking our positive potentials and positive energies. When the most important positive potential gets blocked (self-esteem), we find ourselves in very tricky relationships of all kinds. So when we are second-guessing our relationships, we must pay attention to our self-esteem first, and that also includes our relationship with money. To what percentage is my self-esteem positive in me? What is our vibration towards money? To what percentage do we hold antagonist energy with...? To what percentage are we living a love life of codependency? To what percentage are we living from a place of freedom? To what percentage are we giving freedom? Freedom is free when we rid ourselves of all our pre-programming, the collective unconsciousness, the inherited limited paradigms, the negative potentials, the negative motivations of a limited and expired education and system that has lead humanity to live in constant error by making us believe that “life is like that” or that “it is what it is” when in fact thinking that way is merely a program of inherited victimhood and self-sabotage, to say the least. Imagine how would you feel if you could turn your life, health, mental health, finances, and emotional IQ around in a matter of months and start living with more joy, love, laughter, happiness, freedom, success, abundance, prosperity, and zero stress and become the best version of yourself. I hope this article gave you some new information you didn’t know existed, or it expanded your knowledge of the repertoire of holistic therapies available globally today. I have been an SRT therapist for the past five years. When I discovered and attended my first session, I was blown away, and in one session only, my depression vanished. I remember I told my therapist, “my life is not a hot mess; it is a spicy disaster” do something, please! and 3 hours later, the outlook for a better and brighter future started to develop in me...I felt alive and connected again! I always knew there was something else out there for me, and for all of us that didn’t seem daunting and packed with antidepressants and what not... and now I live a life of freedom, pure unconditional love, abundance, and purpose. My deepest desire is to enable the same for you. My healing service to humanity is my mission, but your healing is your responsibility. I am also an HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) that also makes me a clairsentient. Therefore I am very empathetic with a huge heart that many times occupy more than half of my mind, but regardless of my generosity, I will always have a very keen ear and heart to listen to you too. I always compliment our SRT sessions with Dr. Bach Flower Essence Remedies and Australian Bush Flower Remedies to keep releasing old stagnant energy and to allow the integration to take place with a lot more support and love. “Dr. Bach flower essences saved my life when I fell in a very cold pond and suffered hypothermia in a very remote place 3 hours away from a hospital in a South American country when I was 12 years old.” All Spiritual Response Therapies can be done at a distance globally in English or Spanish. The effect is the same and instant. All we need to do is to jump on a video call and allow this divine process to take place in you. Heal Your Soul-Heal Your Life! Namaste Kika If you feel inclined and prompted to work with me and to invest in you, to hack your matrix, to re-train your Subconscious and Conscious Minds, and to heal your Soul with this fast-track healing modality, I kindly ask you to send me a direct message through my website. Kika Schunemann, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Kika is a Soul therapist and life coach, she is accredited by the Spiritual Response Association in Washington DC. She is based in London, she is a Soulpreneur and has changed the lifestyle of thousands of people globally.

Written by: Nilima Amit, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. 'Thank you' is a word that is very commonly used by each one of us. We say, 'thank you' when we acknowledge a gift, service, compliment, or accept/refuse an offer. IS THIS ENOUGH? No, it’s not enough! Why? It's because we rarely feel being thankful when we say it. There are times when we say 'thank you' for the sake of saying it. We say it out of habit or just to be polite and to be well mannered. We rarely feel the emotions of gratitude while saying, 'thank you.' When it's coupled with feelings, the magic happens. Doors of wonders open for us – opportunities and abundance flows in our life when we feel grateful (or gratitude). Does this confuse you? Let me explain it with an example. When we are at the billing counter, the attendant makes the bill. The payment is made, and the bill is handed over, and we say 'thank you.' Here, we only say 'thank you.' There is no feeling attached to the words. Most of the time, we don’t even look at the attendant on the counter while saying, 'thank you.' We just say it while walking away. Next time, wait, look at the attendant and say 'thank you.' Do this while looking at the attendant with a smile on your face. Don’t forget to note the smile of the attendant when you say the magical words – 'Thank you.' If possible, try shaking hands. Isn’t it very simple? This can be followed in every aspect of our lives. It takes a little patience and effort to incorporate it into our lives. Simple tips to feel gratitude in your daily life: 1. Close your eyes and say, "Thank you, thank you, thank you" for all the goodness in your life. Saying 'thank you' 3 times creates an impact on our feelings. It also helps to raise our vibrations to happiness. 2. Look at people while saying 'thank you.' 3. When you wake up, say 'thank you' for your life and your wonderful day ahead. 4. At bedtime, say 'thank you' for the beautiful day that went by. 5. Just before closing your eyes, scan the whole day and find the best thing that happened during the day. Say 'thank you' and feel grateful for the best thing. 6. Feel gratitude for the air, birds, water, and all the natural resources. 7. Hold your hand on your heart and feel gratitude for the beautiful sights you encounter during the day. 8. Say 'thank you' to family and friends for their love, care, and warmth towards you. 9. Above all, say 'thank you' with a reason. The feeling of gratitude arises automatically. For example, – I am thankful for my family because they give me a sense of belonging. This Thanksgiving attach feelings of Gratitude to thank you. 2020 has been a roller coaster for each one of us. Despite this, let us end it on a better note by feeling gratitude for each and everything we have in life, even if it’s knee-high to a grasshopper or minuscule. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Heartfelt Gratitude. For more information, follow me on Facebook, Instagram and visit my website! Nilima Amit, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Nilima Amit is a Bestseller Author, Holistic Life Coach and Reiki Healer. Her life is a beautiful and interesting journey from having an opportunity to be born to Osho follower parents to self-discovering her own Calling. This journey transmuted in the formation of her company One Life Many Jouneys™. Coincidentally her bestseller book is also with the same name. The mission of One Life Many Journeys™ is to spread the light and guide souls in their quest in emotional and spiritual quest. Handcrafted workshops, her book and Reiki infused products like affirmation box, wish box, Money and Relationship box are created to help in the same.

Written by: Laura Lee Harrison, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. With an increasing number of people staying at home, losing jobs, or simply realizing just how easy it is to lose all your income security, people are coming around to the idea of going online to create multiple streams of income. It is time to get creative – but where to start? Social Media, though it is a massive black hole of sometimes useless information or great for at home self-diagnosis, a fantastic confidence booster or easy pathway for those keyboard warriors to bully others, it will undoubtedly provide mind-numbing escapes for your brain. For those of us who love to grab our popcorn and enjoy the show, it can be a great form of entertainment. However, Social Media is now a business essential. As I own a Social Media Agency and run a Social Media Membership Program through Media Exclusive, I thought I would bring to you some essentials for getting started with your online marketing. The first thing I want you to know about utilizing any online platform to grow a business is this – It takes TIME. Please don’t wake up tomorrow morning thinking you will start a business or join one and be a Millionaire in a matter of months. You must grow your audience. Show up regularly, get consistent, and always be learning, growing, and investing. The Social Media growth game can be a fantastic well-oiled machine. This includes organic growth and paid growth and is not limited to one platform! There is so much to unravel. For the sake of time, though, I will stick to Organic growth on the Facebook platform and keep it basic for now. Please note, this article is for the person who is set up on Facebook already. You know how to use the site and have been on it for a while. Maybe you are just not getting any clients or sales yet, and you may even feel overwhelmed. You have a basic understanding of how it works. So, let’s dive in. 1. What is your product or service? Your first instinct is to post about what you offer all over your profile, mass invite to your private group or your business page. Don’t do it. Resist that urge! Who is your Product or Service for? Have you ever filled out an Ideal Client worksheet before? If not, now is the time! Don’t be afraid to fill it out multiple times and have a few types of people you cater to. However, it is very important for messaging to understand WHO you are speaking to! I’ve created a FREE worksheet just for Brainz Readers and you can grab that here! 2. Have a clear photo of YOU on your profile. Not your children or your pets or a dream destination. You CAN have a selfie but make sure it is clear and not overly-filtered. You want to appear put together, confident, and genuine. Here are a couple of tips for selfies: Have your face well lit. (If you can’t invest in a ring light, than use a window with natural light shining through). Have a nice background (A nice wall, bookshelf, a doorframe, a photo, even hang a sheet up on the wall if you have walls that throw funny colors due to paint color. Watch for clutter in the background.) Wear a color that compliments your eyes. For women- Have your hair and makeup looking fresh (this doesn’t mean not looking like yourself, be you, be comfortable. However looking put together will go along way with your viewers, and your own confidence will show up in the photos). For men- Have your facial hair groomed, wear a nice outfit, do your hair. Put on something that makes you feel confident. Even if you don’t see it in the photo, your confidence will shine through. An example would be a watch, a shirt, or your favorite shoes. Smile – with both your eyes and your mouth! Make sure your camera is just slightly above your eye level or at eye level. Pick a flattering angle and play with angles. Even models don’t get it perfect on the first try! HAVE FUN. Now of course, if you are in the position to get professional headshots – Go for it! 3. Start having conversations! YUP! Social Media MEANS to be SOCIAL! Remember who your ideal client is from number 1.? Okay, so now you are going to go comment on THEIR posts. “LOVE” their posts and have a genuine conversation with them in messenger! Maybe book a video call or if you dare, a socially distant coffee, just to simply get to know each other! This is not a closing call/meeting. This is a genuine conversation that opens both of you up to chatting about your lives and what you do! If you listen, you will learn almost everything you need to know in regards to whether they need your service or product and if you want to take them on as a client. Without pitching, you can pique their interest in becoming a client of yours. Why are conversations and reactions important? Commenting on your ideal client’s post will make your posts more visible to your ideal client when you post. Having a conversation in messenger will also make your posts show up in their News Feed. Which will keep YOU and what you do at the top of their mind. “Loving” “Laughing” “Care” “Wow” reactions tell Facebook or Instagram that the posts are relevant “Sad” and “Angry” tell Facebook not to show those posts as much. However, the most beneficial piece to the reaction button is Facebook knows you are a human being and not a bot. Bots can “Like” posts, so choose to react to other people’s posts instead of just hitting that “Like” button. 4. Show up consistently! This does not mean post every hour and be posting about what you offer. This means take some time to create posts that make people feel good! Especially in a world that feels so dark right now. Give value to the people on your Media platforms. What to post about? Post photos of you and your family. Go LIVE (this one is scarier, and I could do a whole article just on that! However, it is a fantastic way to get out there and seen FAST) Photos with quotes. Selfie photos with your product or service in the background (product placement) or of you using your product or service. Speak directly to your client’s “problems” and how to overcome that problem ( Not a sales pitch, tell a story) Infographics Motivational & inspirational posts. 5. When people comment on your posts, hit that “Reply button” and comment back. After they have commented on some of your posts or expressed interest in what you do, go have a private conversation and invite them to your free group or offer them a discovery call. Then close the deal. This is only if they have expressed interest in a business-post or a post related to what you do. The main thing to remember with Social Media Organic Growth is to have fun and not get caught up in how many followers you have or likes & comments you get on a post. There are influencers out there who have Millions of followers who don’t sell anything. There are businesses that have a few hundred or thousand targeted followers who buy everything they have! Which would you prefer? Big numbers that seem impressive that don’t turn profit or smaller numbers with bigger profit? Make sure you give value and show up consistently with content that make people think or feel good. They will remember you when they are ready to purchase something like yours! The world is filled with pushy sales and the world can feel so dark and lonely. If you can create a positive impression without pushing your sales pitches, people will appreciate you! There is a time and a place for sales! I am not saying NEVER Sell – that is a different article. I want to quickly add there is never ONE way to Market online! It takes some testing and time to grow. Social Media platforms are ALWAYS changing how their algorithms works and I have one last bonus tip. * If you notice a new feature pop up and Facebook is saying HEY! Here is a new feature use it! DO THAT! Use the feature. It will undoubtedly get you in front of more people – hacking the algorithms. Join my Facebook community , follow me on Instagram and visit my Linktree and website for more information! Read more from Laura ! Laura Lee Harrison, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Laura Lee Harrison is a Confidence & Beauty Strategist who works with professional women to help them deliver their message on stage or on camera effortlessly, by assisting them with their beauty regimens, so they feel beautiful as they are with their unique features. She also guides business owners to their first 6 figures in business with her business partner and their Social Media Agency, Media Exclusive. The agency and scheduling platform help entrepreneurs to show up and scale business with ease and consistency. As a sole parent, multi-business owner and International Best-Selling Co-Author, Laura Lee has had to overcome many obstacles in her life and within her own mindset to get where she is today. Daily she uses her story to inspire and empower entrepreneurs globally, showing them no matter their circumstance in life they can achieve their goals, if they choose to never give up on themselves.

Written by: Aoife Ryan, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Parenting at the best of times is not always easy. Parenting during a global pandemic can be overwhelming. But there are some things that you can do, for yourself, that will help you navigate this difficult journey. With the arrival of COVID19, parents are trying to juggle many different roles, being pulled from countless directions and with numerous pressures on their already stressed emotional resources. Children are experiencing long days away from family, friends and their ‘normal’ routines and activities. Parenting is not about being right all the time, ruling in an authoritarian manner, where a child fears losing their parents love. Nor is it about giving in all the time, in a permissive manner, where the parent fears losing their children’s love. Parenting, for me, is always about connection, relationship, and loving responsiveness. This type of conscious, connected parenting is based on unconditional love, regard and holding, both for yourself and for your children. It can be challenging to remain connected and lovingly responsive to yourself and to your children, especially in the current circumstances. A helpful way of caring for yourself, and by extension for your children, is with boundaries. A boundary calls for an action for yourself or another. It is never an action against yourself or against another. A loving boundary is a line that you draw around your worth and dignity as a human being. Think of an island, your own space, that you stand solidly and separately on. When you have this boundary line in place around yourself, no one can diminish you or your presence. Setting boundaries is about confidently taking responsibility for yourself and your actions and not placing your happiness in the hands of anyone else. Boundaries arise from unconditional love (for self) and are also an expression of love (for your children). Currently, when we are physically distancing, we may find supports that we have utilized previously are no longer available to us. Boundaries become even more important. Some examples of loving self-boundaries might include: Creatively finding time for yourself (a cup of tea alone, taking the time to brush your hair and put on your lipstick, going to bed on time each night, making a phone call to a friend, cooking and eating for pleasure, not necessity, finding time to read your book etc.) Limiting time on electronic devices (e.g. no devices at dinner time or in the bedrooms) Being genuine, authentic, honest, direct and clear in your expression of your feelings and emotions (when we acknowledge and give expression to our own feelings, all feelings, we are modeling for our children how they can acknowledge and give expression to their feelings.) Participating in activities or exercise that makes you feel good Choosing to contact family/friends Choosing to NOT contact family/friends Saying NO to what is not right for you Communicating your needs directly and clearly and asking for support when you need it Speaking your own truth There are many ways of introducing helpful and appropriate boundaries and you will know best what you need to do for yourself and your family. Intricately connected to boundaries is the idea that separateness is the basis for togetherness. The act of staying separate from what is going on around you, and not personalizing what another says or does, is an act of loving self-care. Standing separately on your own island and knowing that what you say and do is 100% about you, and for you, and that what another says or does is 100% about them and for them, brings a strong sense of inner peace and calm. Standing separately can be challenging in a cramped full house where everyone has different and competing needs. I must admit I struggle with it myself some days. On those days when my own emotional cup is depleted, I recognize the need to reach out for support and ask for help (from family, friends, or a professional). When I attend to my own emotional cup and ensure that it is full (or nearly full) most of the time, I am more likely to respond lovingly to my children rather than react defensively. On the days when I know I am struggling, I tell my children and my husband. By giving myself permission to be real and honest, I am giving my children (and husband) the permission to be real, honest, authentic, creative and above all themselves! As I mentioned earlier, parenting is always about connection and relationship. We may be forced to physically distance currently, but we can remain emotionally connected. Boundaries and standing separately are acts of loving self-care. As parents, when we care for ourselves, we will automatically be in a place to care for our children. If we model a strong boundary setting for ourselves, our children will learn what boundaries are, and they will learn to value their own self-worth and dignity. Creating appropriate boundaries for yourself and your children will deepen relationships within and between you and allow for a more intimate connection. Boundaries and staying separate will give you all the space you need to breathe, the space to be, and will ultimately draw you more closely together, during these difficult times. For more information, connect with me on LinkedIn or visit my website! Aoife Ryan, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Aoife Ryan is a Parent & Relationship Mentor. Aoife works with clients helping them explore all aspects of self, to look at their relationship with self and the relationships they have with others around them. She works with organizations and companies, guiding and supporting their employees to become the best versions of themselves that they can be. When employees are operating from a strong conscious place, the company will be one that thrives, with diversity, inclusion, creativity, and human connection at its core. Aoife is passionate about supporting parents through the difficult and rocky terrain of parenting, thereby improving the health and well-being of all family members and by extension society. When parents’ needs are looked after the next generation will automatically be looked after. Aoife's approach is non-judgemental, kind and loving. She believes that with the right support, individuals will discover their own unique solutions to any difficulties they may be experiencing.

Written by: Brenda Johnston, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. How many times in your life have you set an intention or a goal, you’re taking massive action towards manifesting it, and then... you don’t make it happen. Maybe you forgot a deadline, maybe you keep starting projects but never finishing them, maybe you just stopped taking action, and you have no logical reason why. Say hello to self-sabotage! I know it well. It kept me playing small for over 10 years! It can eat away at your self-confidence as well as your self-esteem. Not to mention, it can make you believe that every failure you have ever had is a truth, and you are destined to keep failing if you try to step out of your comfort zone. Self-sabotage is one way that your subconscious mind communicates with you to alert you that an underlying issue needs to be addressed (aka a limiting belief). Unfortunately, it shows up as negative behaviors and thoughts. Here are three of the most common forms of self-sabotage that I see with the people I work with: 1. Getting caught in worry about failure (low self-confidence, self-esteem, self-worth). This shows up a lot when working with people on Money Mindset issues. Not feeling like they are worthy of receiving payments from clients or charging what they are worth. 2. Getting stuck in comparison thinking and measuring your value based on what others are doing. I see this a LOT with female entrepreneurs trying to set their pricing based on what everyone else is doing. 3. Getting caught in the cycle of procrasta-learning because we suffer from imposter syndrome and feel like we never know enough. This is also a big one for female entrepreneurs as well as women in corporate who feel like they are constantly being told to prove their worth. Here are four ways to stop your self-sabotage: RECOGNIZE IT Beating self-sabotage requires you to see what it is. That starts by taking a good hard look at yourself (from a place of non-judgment) and becoming aware of your self-sabotaging behaviors. It can show up as procrastination, negative self-talk, lack of motivation, being unable to make a decision. GET CLEAR ON WHAT YOU REALLY WANT Chances are you’re stuck in a cycle of self-sabotage because you aren’t actually clear on what you REALLY want. But I bet you’re really good at telling people what you DON’T want. “I don’t want to have debt . ” “I don’t want people to treat me differently because I am doing well financially.” “I don’t want my husband to feel bad that I make more money than him.” So, get clear on what you DO want. If you are unsure how to do this, take a look at what you don’t want and then write the complete opposite. INTERUPT THE PATTERN Now that you are aware of your negative thoughts and/or behaviors, it’s time to interrupt them. A pattern interrupt is an NLP technique that involves breaking your routine, habit, thought, or that not so great behavior you have been acting out. Doing this is really useful because it shakes up your typical thoughts and actions and opens your mind up for the possibility of something new to take place. Doing this is a powerful part of the transformation process. One of my favorite ways to do this is when I have a negative thought, or I’m about to slip into the habit of negative behavior, and I catch it...I either imagine a giant stop sign flash in my head or I literally say the word STOP! If it’s a negative thought, I’m having . I instantly replace it with a more empowering thought. Example: “I can’t afford that” changes to “I’m choosing to spend my money on something else . ” It works in a similar way if I am interrupting a behavior, I still do the visual of a stop sign, or I say STOP! but instead, I ask, “ Is this taking me closer to my intention or away from it?” INVEST IN YOURSELF AND WORK WITH A COACH Hiring a coach was one of the things I have done for myself. I work with a business coach, as well as a fitness and nutrition coach. I will ALWAYS have coaches in my life. They are what propelled my business and my life in general forward and continue to do so. They make you accountable. They help you harness your ideas. A good mindset coach can help you transform on a deeper level. They help you build confidence. No matter how much self-motivation you might have, you’ll never truly know what you’re capable of until you have someone who pushes you outside your comfort zone. Let’s get social, connect with me on Instagram , visit my website or check out The Limitless Life Podcast Read more from Brenda ! Brenda Johnston, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine After being chained to the same corporate job for close to 14 years and living with debt for most of her adult life, Brenda decided it was time to stop playing small. She changed her relationship with money and success (and more importantly, herself) to turn her passion into profit. Within 7 months of leaving her corporate job, she had built a successful 6-figure business. As a High-Performance Mindset Coach, and the host of The Limitless Life podcast Brenda helps other driven Women tap into the power of their subconscious minds so they can access their full manifesting potential. She does this by helping transform limiting beliefs and fears that are creating patterns of self-sabotage so they can create an abundance mindset and go from worry to wealth.

Written by: Jack Wang, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Try this experiment with your spouse/other parent: Have each parent take out a piece of paper and write down the answers to these two questions. Don’t peek - you’re going to compare answers later. 1. How much do you want to contribute towards college costs? Express either as a dollar amount per year or as a percentage of the cost. 2. Where will the money come from? For example, which account or will you have to borrow? If borrowing, what type of loan. For both questions, be as specific with your answers as possible. Answers such as “it depends” aren’t allowed! In my work with hundreds of families across the US, I have yet to have two parents answer the same. If you ask families if they want their students to go to college, many will say, “Yes.” Same if families are asked if they want to save for college. But as the saying goes, the Devil is in the details. The answer to the first question often depends on the educational background each parent has, how much financial support from their parents, and their hopes and dreams for their student. It’s not uncommon for one parent who hopes their student attends a prestigious private school while the other spouse is just as happy with a local state public university. Those hopes lead to very different financial outcomes. A prestigious private university can easily near $80,000 per year, while a public may cost around $30,000 for an in-state student. There is also the issue of “fairness” for families with multiple children. In my experience, parents who put one through often will want to contribute the same amount to a second student since, after all, parents wouldn’t want to play favorites. Financial reality, however, may not allow for that, which leads to parents and students taking on more debt. This then leads to the student debt stories of the future or parents having to work past their intended retirement age. The student, of course, has a say in this as well. Students may hear of their friends headed to the expensive school and would want the same for themselves without having any context of another family’s finances. Parents don’t do themselves any favors by not setting expectations with students on how much is truly affordable - often because parents themselves really don’t have any idea beyond “something affordable.” This lack of communication impacts younger families, as well. Parents often will say that they have no idea what their students will want to study, and therefore have an idea what colleges. As a result, families don’t know how much to save. As an example, if parents would like their newborn to attend a prestigious university at $80k per year for 4 years, assuming a 6% rate of return and a 3% increase in the cost of college would require saving $1,371/mo for 18 years!. On the other hand, using the same assumptions, a $30k public school would only require $514/mo. Figuring how much money you’re willing to spend is only part of the equation. Where the money is going to come from is another. For families that have saved adequately, often in a 529 plan, the answer is relatively straightforward. The bigger question occurs when families haven’t saved adequately - or at all! What then? For most families, this means taking on debt, but even this seemingly simple solution can vary widely. Who will be the legal borrower? Would unsecured loan options be better than secured? What is really important - besides the interest rate? If families have to borrow, the first thing to determine is who should borrow. Remember that your typical 18-year-old student without a steady full-time work history or a credit history will be unable to borrow by themselves outside of the Federal Direct loan program. Any amounts above the Federal loan limits will require a co-signer. Or would the parents borrow themselves, leaving the student off the hook legally? This simple question brings up issues about students having a stake, financially, in their education, and even what message parents want to send. As an example, one family used co-signed loans to reinforce the message to the student that these loans were for the student and the student’s ultimate responsibility for repayment. Other families are vehemently against burdening their students with debt, so the choice is to have the parents borrow. One note - colleges are required to publish the average amount of debt a student would have upon graduation. This figure only includes Federal loans plus any loans offered by a college itself (not all colleges do this), so the figure may be optimistically low. The figure reported by schools do not include any private loans taken either by the parents or co-signed by the parents. If the parents decide to be the borrower, the next question is whether to use a ParentPLUS loan (the parent version of the Federal Direct loan) or using a private loan, or even some other form such as a mortgage or home equity line of credit. I’ve heard answers ranging from wanting the lowest rate to not using a mortgage-related loan as the parent wouldn’t risk their home for college loans. All of the answers are “right” in itself, but families may have to choose between a low-interest rate on a mortgage loan versus the risk of losing the home in the event of job loss or other financial crisis. As a financial planner (not me) once said, “Personal finance is far more personal than finance.” This is certainly true when figuring out how to save and pay for college. Now, have your 2 pieces of paper? Go ahead and compare answers. How far apart are you with the other parent? Why did you - and they - answer the way they did? What is the right answer for your family? This exercise will help families and students set expectations around where the student may end up for college. The last thing you want is to have that tough conversation that occurs for many families when the student wants to go to a school that the family can’t afford. And the stress that comes when families stretch to pay that bill! For more information, follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and visit my YouTube-Channel & website! Read more from Jack! Jack Wang, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jack Wang is a noted expert in helping US-based families with middle to high school age students lower the cost of and pay for college by navigating the complex, stress-inducing financial aid system while still being able to retire. He's helped hundreds of families and students (including his own 2 children) understand financial aid, student loan options, and payment strategies in the context of overall family finances and retirement plans. Jack studied finance at the University of Texas at Austin and started in the banking industry, where he spent 12 years as a commercial banker helping small to medium-sized businesses. Then he transitioned to be a corporate trainer for 10 years before starting his own firm.

Written by: Susan Watson, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Every day of my life, I hear people reach out to me and say, “I hope you can work your magic on me,” and every day, I say, "You have your own magic." The one thing I share with every client that comes along to see me is this; I have no special skills – no magic wand, and I am just the same as you are. The difference is I know how we can make lasting changes, and I will share that with you. The one thing I share with every client that comes along to see me is this; I have no special skills – no magic wand, and I am just the same as you are. The difference is I know how we can make lasting changes, and I will share that with you. You see, every one of us has our own magic. No one makes changes for us. We always do it for ourselves. As a therapist and a coach, we work as a team; I show you 'how-to,' and you do all the hard work and make all the changes. So how do you find your magic, and what does this kind of session look and feel like? We work as a team. We both have a part to play. I try and make it as relaxed as possible. What we do depends on your needs and age. One thing is for sure, I try and make change fun. We may have tears – that is okay, and we may also have laughter. Even working with complex trauma, we manage to smile and laugh through change. The game-changer for everyone is the education and understanding of the mind and body. Learning to come out of your head and back into your body and listen. Do not just listen but try to understand the messages you receive every second of every day. Then importantly, know what to do in response. Knowing that you can do simple little exercises to dial down stress, anxiety, fear, and anger in seconds can be liberating and empowering. Knowing that you no longer will have unwanted emotions, thoughts, and reactions that rule your life, brings a sense of freedom that most people believed they would never experience. In fact, those emotions are not wrong and they do not mean that you are ill. All those emotions and reactions are based on past experiences and learnings. These are fully normal and expected when you have a highly activated nervous system. Understanding how your nervous system functions, the hormones released and how this feels, and the actions that these drives are key to have the power for change. Guess what? You are normal. When you know this and how to calm your nervous system, you are on the road to self-regulation. To be in a position that you can regulate your own body to feel calm and relaxed whenever you need it most. Have you ever heard of an anxious, stressed, scared or angry person who is also very relaxed? No, because it is impossible! This is why I teach self-regulation and how to dial down the activation levels and live that calm life you wish for. To live your best life. I really feel we are missing an opportunity here which should be taught in schools and colleges. With the numbers of young people experiencing anxiety increasing and waiting times for help, lengthening this education and learning would be so beneficial for everyone. Now that we have covered the importance of self-regulation, let's practice a few basic exercises. Remember to get the benefits from them, you must practice them often. 1. Sit down in a place that is a safe space for you. Breathe normally and get comfortable. Place a hand on your heart and a hand on your tummy. Just close your eyes and feel the sensations of your hands, perhaps the weight or temperature. What does it feel like to have your hands on your body? Now say this “In this moment, this second of time, I am 100% safe”? Really, think about how that feels to know you are 100% safe and comfortable. 2. Sit comfortably. Breathe and drop your shoulders. Now let your jaw drop. Let it hang loose. Allow your jaw to hang there and let your tongue drop. Feel the tension leave your neck, jaw, and shoulders – do this as often as you wish. This is just a small sample of exercises available. If you would like to know more about living a life with a regulated nervous system, please get in touch. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, connect with me on LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Susan! Susan Watson, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Susan Watson specializes in working worldwide with all ages experiencing Anxiety, Emotions, and Trauma, in a content freestyle, so that no talking really needs to take place unless wanted. Working with feelings and emotions within the body, Susan releases the emotional connection of past experiences. She teaches self-help tools to help others live their best life, the life that is deserved. Susan supports individuals, groups and the workplace with her Be Your Own Empowered Hero workshops, which were introduced as a measure to reduce the risk of future issues with mental and emotional health.