Collaborated post Treating your customers the way you’d want to be treated is essential for your business to succeed. When you know you’re giving them some quality time, and you’re going the extra mile for them, simply because that’s what you’d want from a business representative, means you’re going to lock your customer base down sooner rather than later! So, if you’re in the mood to learn a few more things about crafting a quality customer service experience, even during busy times like the holiday seasons, make sure you keep the points below in mind for your business. Be Honest Being honest is the best thing you can do for your customers. When you’re honest, the customers will come to trust you faster, and that only helps to build the customer base you really want. Being honest is a big part of building a relationship, and it only improves communication both ways, which helps the customer service desk to move a lot faster too! Leave an Impression If you were the customer here, you’d want to find an amazing, value business that has everything you could need for your purposes. Quality alone leaves an impression, so when you’re the business, you’re going to want to create an experience unlike any other! This makes sure your business and its products stay with the customer that’s just clicked onto your website or walked out of your doors, simply because you’re aiming to bring them back again and again. One of the best ways to go about this is to focus on the main factors of being accessible, and being desirable at the same time. And because of the digital world we live in, that means your website is going to need the kind of interface that makes this easy to pull off. Software such as Userzoom might be the ticket here, if you don’t have a web designer of your own to complete a job like this for you. Don’t Keep Them Waiting! And finally, be sure to keep your wait times to a minimum. After all, customers can have very low patience levels, and when they’re stuck in line or stuck waiting at a virtual receptionist for longer than 5 minutes, they’re likely to give up altogether and take their business elsewhere. And if you were the customer, you’d hate waiting for too long too! You’d think the company didn’t know what they were doing, or didn’t have the right staff to man the desks, and that reflects badly on small and big businesses alike. So keep things moving - have an average wait time, let people know where they are in line, have more than one person manning the help desk, etc. All of these methods go a long way to improving a customer’s perception of you! Treating your customers how you want to be treated is key to success. Make sure you’re keeping ideas like those above in mind if you want to improve your customer service desk.

Written by: Amber Trail, 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 What does onboarding look like now? It’s a bit different than we are used to. Onboarding looks a whole lot different because we are now doing onboarding virtually. Yes, that’s right – the new normal is virtual. Who would have thought? It encompasses the same process as before, just a bit different. When hiring someone virtually at your company, we must have our basics in place. Create a message to your new hires that portrays the company’s brand, culture, mission, and values in a more personal way than a packet of papers. Provide them with a “New Hire Packet” that can be done online. Most programs allow you to use DocuSign or a similar program for signatures and verification purposes. Every company is different, but the onboarding process should deliver the knowledge and skills that the new hire will need to succeed. So, what does this look like, you might be asking? Well, make sure that they have all the technology they need prior to their start date. Ensure that all the programs or software have been downloaded to their laptop or desktop and ready to go. Human Resources should meet with the new hire to still have a virtual first day. This is vital to going over the company policies and procedures and answering any questions the employee may have when embarking upon their new venture. Don’t forget something extremely important. Make them feel like they are part of the team. New hires should feel welcomed and valued. It can be tricky with having a virtual team but create Zoom meetings where the employee can get to know each of their teammates or those they will be working closely with. The employee’s manager should set up the first meeting so they can have the initial one-to-one. Encourage virtual lunches or dinners with the person’s team so team members can get to know one another on a more personal level. Virtual doesn’t have to be difficult. Just maneuvering around the technology and making it work for your team and company. Remember to create a welcoming environment for all new hires! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and visit my website for more info! Read more from Amber! Amber Trail. Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Amber Trail, MBA, SHRM-CP is the founder and consultant for her human resources consulting company, The HR Trail, LLC. With over a decade of HR experience and a master’s degree in Business Administration, Amber brings her passion and knowledge of human resources to small businesses nationwide. She realized that not all businesses need nor can they afford a full-time HR professional, and that's why she decided to create The HR Trail. To provide a variety of human resource consulting services such as recruitment, coaching, company handbook development, event planning, and more. Her motto is creativity + passion = purpose and she thrives on successfully helping small businesses accomplish their human resources needs!

Written by: Vicki Ravangard, 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. Have you ever wondered what you would do if your job was taken away from you tomorrow? Who would you be without it? How would you define your self-worth? These are all of the questions I found myself asking back in April when I was furloughed. I am into my seventh month of the furlough scheme and as I prepare to go back to work in November, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on everything that this period has taught me and offer a new perspective on how to look at our relationship with our careers. When I first heard the news about being placed on furlough, I had very mixed emotions. This is the first time since I started working at the age of 16 that I would be out of work, and I’m sure many of you found yourselves in a similar position. I was filled with uncertainty and confusion - part of me was grateful for the time off I was gifted, but another part of me wanted to continue working and do what I could to help. As the months went on and with time on my hands, I spent a lot of time discovering who I was. I invested heavily in the personal development world, working with excellent coaches & mentors, and even birthed my own spiritual coaching business into the world. The veil started to lift between me and my job, which led to a minor identity crisis. I started to realize that I had been hiding behind my work for all these years and gradually, over time, as I spent so long trying to be the perfect employee, I lost touch with who I really was. I had placed so much of my self-worth to my job that I didn’t know who I was without it and when it was no longer there for me to fall back on, I felt completely lost. I had attached energetic cords to my work that I would feed from – a bit like a baby in the womb feeding from an umbilical cord! This cord was breathing life into me. When things were great, I felt amazing but when things were bad, I felt awful. Does this sound familiar? These cords created an emotional dependency, and these aren’t just connected with our jobs. They can occur with anything outside of ourselves that we place importance and value on. Our way of seeking validation and worth through external sources gives us a temporary high but ultimately leaves us feeling empty and wanting more. I never understood why I felt this constant inner battle between who I was and who I was expected to be in the workplace. Now, looking back, I don’t know if anyone ever expected me to be anything other than who I was, and perhaps it was my own perception of what I thought they wanted that led me to disconnect with myself. As you find yourself in the discomfort of the void that your job once filled, ask yourself: What am I left with? What do I stand for? Who Am I? I hate to break it to you, but there was no fairy godmother or magic wand in my story. I knew that if I wanted something to change, I was going to have to make the first move. For me, that drive & determination came from a place of feeling so tired of being stuck in checkmate with myself and wondering why nothing was changing that I was no longer going to accept that for myself. There are no secret strategies or manifestations and no amount of gratitude that will magically make your dreams come true. That simply is an illusion. It’s nice to believe that those are the things we need to get us to where we want to be, but how has it worked for you so far? As soon as I decided that I was worth more, energetically, everything shifted. When I valued myself enough to invest in my personal growth and make myself a priority, I started to align with the true value of who I was and what I had to offer. The real change comes from the deep inner work of discovering your self-worth, remembering who you truly are, healing your inner child and taming your wild Ego. These are all things that you can choose to ACT upon right now by creating energetic boundaries and reclaiming your inner power. I am here to help the woman who is ready to take the bold step into her future, who is ready to commit to her soul journey, expand the vision for her next level & deepen her connection with self & spirit. Speak your truth, lead the way, break the chains. Follow me on my Instagram , Facebook , and visit both my Facebook-Group and page . You can also find more information on my website . Read more from Vicki ! Vicki Ravangard, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine After 10 years of working my way up in my corporate career, I am a Part Qualified accountant who works as a Finance Analyst for a UK Airline. I am also a Spiritual Mindset Coach. So how did I go from corporate to coaching? My coaching business 'Take Her To The Moon' was born after embarking on my own spiritual mindset journey where I discovered the art of creating a life with intention and the power of conscious thinking, which positively influenced all areas of my life, including my corporate career. My Business focus is helping women who have lost their direction in life, to master their mindset & discover their soul purpose. I put my own unique spin on some of the greatest spiritual teachings and use these to help my clients experience greater success. I have a huge passion for Music & Travel, which is where I draw a lot of my inspiration from - and I am also a Disney lover!

Written by: Miriam Grunhaus, 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. 24-year-old Ashley was in a public bathroom, changing her daughter's diaper when a woman walks out of the bathroom stall and offers help. Ashley thanks her for her gracious offer but denies the need. The woman insisted, not believing Ashley could actually change her daughter's diaper because Ashley has one arm. But Ashley changes her baby's diaper day in and day out because Ashley was raised to figure things out. And figure out she did! The baby is squirming, as Ashley is trying to explain to the lady that she is okay. The dirty diaper falls, dirtying the floor and her daughter on the way. The situation becomes more complicated for Ashley, and the lady insists on helping. Ashley wished the woman trusted her abilities, believed in her tenacity and her strength. A quarter of a century ago, a woman was expecting her bundle of joy when she found out there were two, "A" and "B"; She finds out that there is something wrong with baby A. The months pass with much anxiety until the birth when they discover that the twins are girls, and Baby A is missing her right arm just by the elbow. A clot, they say, claimed the arm and for the next 20 some years and probably for the rest of her life, her mother will care for her differently, worry for her differently, feel for her differently. A sense of responsibility and a sense of desire to see happiness despite… She commits to raising both daughters the same. Baby A will have to struggle to learn how to manage, and this will be the most significant gift “A” will ever receive. She will figure out how to crawl with one arm, how to horseback ride with one arm, how to dive with sharks with one arm, how to dance with one arm, how to feed herself and dress herself, and how to do laundry and change the linen all with one hand. She will have to find a way to find her soulmate and continue the path, and she will have to figure out her purpose on this earth all by herself… It is hard to watch her struggle, but she sees a strong, determined little girl, and the mother knows, deep down, baby A will be okay. A and B are deeply connected, intertwined by amniotic fluid and all that it makes them twin sisters, no matter what, protectors, and have a deep bond. No clot can tear apart even when the perception of love is understood to go more one way. Perceptions become a reality, but despite feelings of jealousy at an early age, they find their paths, their purpose, and the meaning of their lives. Maybe A just a little faster. Because A has spent every waking hour searching and looking for answers, why am I made this way, and for what purpose? What is the meaning of all this? And so baby A grows up and to be this beautiful, funny, resilient ray of sunshine. With strengths and abilities that put the word disability to shame. What does it mean anyway to be disabled? Can all people with two arms scuba dive with sharks, ride horses competitively, and do splits in midair and dance as if there were no ligaments on the body? Who is to say who is able and who is disabled? Frankly, we are all differently-abled, and isn't that what makes us so fascinating and interesting? Today, she carries her daughter and tends to her with the same love as any mother enamored by the joys of motherhood and the excitement of creating life, tending to her needs with care and devotion and raising this soul to be a strong, resilient woman. Baby A is a grown woman. She mothers her perfect child, and now it is her turn to teach her to be strong and figure things out by herself. Humans are absolutely incredible. We are resilient, strong, with unlimited potential for growth and for overcoming our differences. It is time for humanity to understand that we are the ones that set limitations to ourselves and others, but not the lack of a limb or an illness or color or ethnicity can stop a Thriver from Thriving or a one-armed mom to change her daughter’s diaper. Maybe the woman was hoping to save Ashley, or perhaps she was hoping to save herself. Model: Ashley Young @orlandocyborgashley Photo: Amanda Van Meter Burch @itsmedancing For more information, follow Miriam on Instagram and visit her website! Read more from Miriam! Miriam Grunhaus, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Miriam Grunhaus is an Author and Fashion Designer of Mikah Fashion www.mikahfashion.com. Miriam’s first book, Heal with Gold www.healwithgold.com/book, is available at http://bit.ly/HealwithGold. Her follow up course, Heal with Gold, will be out before the end of the year. To find out more about her you can reach out to sales@mikahfashion.com Miriam’s clothing line is inspired by Kintsugi. Kintsugi in Japanese means golden Joinery. It is also known as Kintsukuroi (金繕い, “golden repair”). This is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending the areas of breakage with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver or platinum. As a philosophy, it treats breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise.

Written by: Angelina Threadgill, 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. You probably guessed it already - punishment is NOT necessary to raise your toddler. In this article, I am going to explain why punishing your toddler is neither needed nor effective. Knowing how to raise our children mindfully and without implementing power through physical or psychological disciplining opens doors to a generation that is not shaped by the fear of punishment but rather by the power of their unrestricted skills. With this in mind, can you imagine that 70% of Americans still believe that it is sometimes necessary to discipline a child with a good, hard spanking? Well, I believe that if these people knew what this does to their children, the majority would never do it again. So, let’s take a look at what punishment does to our toddlers. It not only makes them feel like they are worth less it also makes them feel like they are loved less. It has been proven that both physical and psychological punishment can have a significant negative impact on a child’s development. It can lead to aggression, antisocial behavior, lower intellectual achievements, depression, and a damaged relationship between parents and their children. So what if I tell you on top of that punishment doesn’t work? Yes, you read that right. Punishing your toddler doesn’t work. There are two different outcomes when you punish your toddler. Your child either continues the behavior but hides it from you or won’t show it again because he’s afraid of the punishment . For some, it may mean that this form of parenting works. But let us look at what happened. Your toddler showed a behavior, you judged and punished it. For a toddler, behavior is neither good nor bad. It is just behavior. Punishing this behavior doesn't teach your toddler anything besides the fact that he has to be careful what to do around you. He has not learned what behavior he should show instead. This creates a problem because your child won't know what to do in a similar situation. But isn't that what we want? That children learn how to deal with difficult situations and become resilient and independent? In order for our toddlers to make decisions, question what goes on in this world, and become confident young adults, they need our help and support. A toddler’s job is to explore, learn, investigate, and make new experiences so that he is prepared for the world. Therefore our job is to help our toddlers to accomplish that by guiding them. Now we are coming to the important part. How are we guiding children and teach them right from wrong? The quick answer is: By being a good example. In reality, that means be authentic, show them how you deal with difficult situations, listen to them, and show them appropriate behavioral strategies. Yes, that takes time and isn’t always easy but what you get is a better understanding of your child and a toddler that trusts you with all their feelings. And isn’t that worth it? For more information, visit my Instagram and website ! Angelina Threadgill, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Angelina Threadgill is a German educator, parenting consultant, and mother dedicated to supporting moms of toddlers to achieve a less stressful everyday life without feeling overwhelmed by showing them how to get a better understanding of not only their toddlers but their own behavior and guiding them to a mindful way of parenting without punishment. Over the last decade, Angelina has been working successfully with parents and children between the age of 1 and 6 years in different countries and from different cultures. Her focus is always on finding behavioral strategies that are individually tailored to the needs of the mothers and their toddlers. Angelina has a German degree in education and further education as a practical guide for prospective educators and is fluent in both German and English.

Written by: Ikedah Alston, 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. If you want your children to listen to you, it’s important to listen to them. If you’re looking for additional motivation, a recent study found that having at least one caring parent was the most important factor in helping kids to build resilience and succeed in school. Children were six times more likely to overcome challenges and complete their homework if they had a parent who listened to them, according to a study published in the journal Pediatrics. While parents had the greatest influence, other research shows that any caring adult's presence can increase positive outcomes. If you want to help your kids or children in general, work on your listening skills. Try these tips for listening to your child. Tips for preparing to talk with your child You may have to lay some groundwork if you want your child to talk with you more. Create an environment that encourages heartfelt talks: Spend time together. Your child will be more likely to come to you with sensitive issues if you nurture a close connection. Block out time each day for family meals and sharing fun activities. Do household chores together and read stories before bedtime. Tune out distractions. Give your child your full attention when they need to talk. Put away your phone and stop thinking about the office and mortgage payments. Work on timing. Successful conversations sometimes depend on the setting. Let your child know that you’ll be available later if they need time to compose themselves or think a situation through. Calm down. Similarly, you may need to cool off. It’s easy to say things in anger that you’ll regret later. Taking a walk around the block could prevent you from making a harsh comment that could stick with your child for years. Think positive. Let your child know that you notice the things they do well in addition to the times they mess up. Talk more about making friends and learning and less about grades and unmade beds. Tips for listening to your child Anyone can strengthen their attentive listening skills. Those same skills are likely to help you with other relationships too. Use these strategies to shore up your listening skills: Focus on interaction. Dialogue moves in two directions. Ensure that you listen at least as much as you speak. Let go of judgments. Show your child that you love and accept them just as they are. You can validate their experiences even when you disagree with their choices. Drop your agenda. Encourage your child to develop their own perspective and solve their own dilemmas. Resist the urge to do the work for them. Address underlying issues. There’s often more to a conversation than what appears on the surface. If you think your child is overreacting or developing unhealthy patterns, you may need to dig deeper or consider family counseling. Watch your body language. A great deal of communication is non verbal. Use your facial expressions and gestures to show your child that you’re interested and supportive. Make eye contact and keep your body relaxed and open. Discuss feelings. Even adults often struggle to identify and share their feelings. The more you work on your own emotional intelligence, the more you can be a role model for understanding and expressing feelings. Keep practicing. You may find that active listening seems unnatural or complicated at first. However, your abilities will grow over time, and your family life will be enriched just by making an effort. Help your child to develop healthy self-esteem and communication skills by listening to what they have to say. They’ll have a brighter future, and you’ll both enjoy a closer relationship. For more details, follow me on Facebook, Instagram or visit my website. Be sure to join my private Facebook Community for valuable information on parenting tips and emotional intelligence. Read more from Ikedah! Ikedah Alston, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine The core philosophy of what I do is to “be who you needed when you were younger”. As a kid, I struggled with negative self image, emotional outbursts and lack of self awareness which followed me through adulthood. Over the past 11 years I have worked with children directly through volunteering in my community as a mentor, scout troop leader and as a mom, so I have seen first hand the struggles that kids go through including not knowing how to handle their emotions. And having gone through it myself, I felt that there is a gap that needs to be filled. That is why I started KIMA Kids Life Coach. I want to give our youth, the future of our world, the essential life skills through emotional intelligence to begin their journey of self awareness, effective communication and better decision making.

Written by: Ebony Langston, 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. There are hundreds of articles and books out there on how and what makes a great leader. Many of these sources list admirable qualities like authenticity, communication, decisiveness. All of this is true, however, most if not all forget the most important quality of all, prioritizing your own health and wellness. Too often, leaders find themselves in a position of sacrificing themselves for the betterment of the company or their team. Back to back meetings, poor nutrition, lack of sleep, sitting in front of a computer all day, are all actions that will actually sabotage your abilities to lead in the long term if engaged in on a continual basis. They can lead to brain fog, mood swings, memory issues, and weakened immunity. By taking the time to prioritize yourself and your needs first, you optimize your ability to truly exhibit servant leadership and give your team the permission to do the same for themselves. Self-care is caring for your soul, your inner self, and your very being. Building a Solid Self-Care Plan A good self-care plan reminds you of what you want to accomplish. After all, you have values, goals, and a purpose in your life. This plan reminds you of what you need to do to take care of you. Using a day planner or making notes to yourself can remind you of your goals and the things you need to do to take care of your body, mind, and soul. Your self-care plan gives you a solid foundation for what you want to do and how you can accomplish it. You should also provide yourself with inspirational quotes and affirmations. This is the spiritual food that keeps you focused on your own personal well-being. Not only do you have the reminders of what to do, but you also have little pieces of inspiration around you to remind you of why you’re doing it! In addition to inspirational quotes, you can hang motivating pictures throughout your home and office. These pictures may be of exotic places you’d like to visit someday or tranquil images of nature. Your pictures may be something that you want to attract into your life or remind you of your past's positive memory. You can also have a photo of your family to remind you of what’s important to you. Your self-care plan should inspire you and remind you of why you want to take care of your body, mind, and spirit. Another aspect of your self-care plan is tracking your progress. Let’s say you have a hard time getting motivated to exercise. By keeping a log of your exercise time, you can keep yourself focused on achieving a healthier you. A food journal is also a good way to track your food choices so you can remind yourself that you need to eat nutritious foods. In addition, you can use a journal to record your mental and emotional health. Write down what’s going on inside of you so you can evaluate your feelings and proactively take care of your mental health. Your self-care plan tracks your progress to help you stay on track toward your goals. You can use these aspects of planning toward anything in your life, so you have that solid foundation you need to take care of yourself. Just make sure to take care of the inside as well as the outside. Creating a Personalized Self-Care Plan You may need to motivate yourself to initiate your self-care plan. For some, beginning any new task may be daunting. In addition, you’ll want to be sure you can find motivation along the way to help keep you on track. Ask yourself about what has motivated you in the past. Use this as your motivation toward the things you need to do to take care of yourself. A good motivator to keep you on track is to have a family member, friend, or spouse hold you accountable. If you slip up in your efforts to proactively take care of yourself, they will let you know so you can renew your focus and get back on course. It’s important to have some sort of structure in place for successful self-care. You need to take care of yourself before you can take care of anyone else. A good self-care plan will provide you with the vigor, attitude, and energy you need to sustain yourself to face any challenge that may come your way! For more information, follow me on Facebook, Instagram and visit my website! Ebony Langston, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Ebony Langston is an Executive and Health Coach and founder of You Deserve You. After spending 15 years in the corporate world in senior-level positions, Ebony realized that she was often in positions of devaluing her own health and self-worth to achieve more at work. She decided enough was enough and started prioritizing her health and well-being and found that she was able to contribute even more to those around her. Now she helps other women leaders achieve more by shifting the traditional “work harder” mindset to one that prioritizes your own well-being first to better serve others. Ebony has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Duke University; M.B.A from Webster University, Primal Certified Health Coach, NASM Personal Trainer certified and is pursuing board certification in Executive Coaching.

Written by: Stephanie Martin, 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. When was the last time that you found yourself thinking. How ready are you for 2020 to be over? That this year has been awful, and nothing good has come from this year? You are not alone. Many of us have felt like we were stuck, and like this year was just not the year for us, with everything that is going on in the world. The focus has been on all the negative things 2020 has to offer. You have everything that you need to overcome the stigma of 2020 at your fingertips. My favorite things I have done this year and that my clients are actively doing to take back control of this year. It’s time to kick all of the craziness out of your life. I know what you’re thinking but hear me out. You have control over who is in your life every single day. You don’t have to have anyone who isn’t bringing you love, support, and encouragement in your life. Your business is going to grow if you remove all of the negative people out of your life. Simply because you will be able to see those supportive people more, their encouragement is a game-changer in business, no matter how large or small your business might be. It will push you to be the best version of yourself. Use what you’ve got! Right now, we all have some extra time on our hands. How you got that extra time doesn’t matter. You can do anything with that time but what you should be doing is—spending time working on new ideas that you would love to do. Write a list of things that you would love to do before the end of 2020. It doesn’t matter if it is a crazy idea like writing a book, creating a course, or writing a guest post for an awesome new website. Pick 3 things off of that list and start working towards those things today. Change your mindset, and you can change the world. This is the best thing that I love to get my clients to do. Change your mindset and your whole world can change. I find that reading a new book or listening to a new podcast is the key to changing your mindset. Who doesn’t say they wish they had time to read or listen to something new? Hearing something new and different can change your whole mindset and the way that you think of the year. We put too much pressure on ourselves to make huge changes to change our year or lives when truthfully. Not one person out there has had a massive change in their life. Like they just woke up one day in a whole different world than they went to sleep in. That is nonsense. Change happens when you decide to start taking those tiny baby steps towards your goals. So stop thinking that 2020 is this awful, stressful year. Get up and get this year started right now. You deserve everything that you want, and your business has unlimited potential. Connect with me on Instagram and visit my website for more info! Read more from Stephanie! Stephanie Martin, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Stephanie is a driven, empowering, powerhouse. She's a Purpose and Business Coach, owning The Path Is Yours Coaching. She's a Certified Life Coach and Neuro-Linguistics Programming Master Practitioner. Her passion for helping women find and follow their dreams in life is unmatched. Stephanie is a mother of four beautiful children and wife to an active-duty soldier. Running and growing her business where ever the Military lifestyle might take her family.

Written by: Holly Mosack, 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 I remember it vividly. It was my second year doing the CrossFit Open. I finished the first work-out and moved on to the second work-out, a clean & jerk ladder. My husband and 14-year-old son were both cheering me on and I felt strong that day (which “strong” for me isn’t really very strong). I was excited. I had hit a personal record (PR) on my fourth lift and was ready to keep going. But then, on that fifth attempt, it happened. I cleaned the barbell (one of those nasty looking cleans that shouldn’t really count) and as I was coming out of my squat, I felt it happen. I peed – not just a little dribble, but an actual small puddle on the floor. I stood there holding the barbell and saw my son’s jaw drop and just have this very confused, somewhat disgusted look on his face as he tried to figure out what just happened. My husband, a CrossFit Level 2 Trainer, just encouraged me to keep going, but I was done. I knew at that point that I had no time to run to the bathroom and get in another lift, and my only alternative was to just keep peeing on the floor. So I dropped the barbell, shook my head and called it a day. I grabbed some bleach wipes and cleaned up the floor, frustrated with myself. I was embarrassed. I was mad that I was on my way to having a great lift day and had to stop. Pardon the pun, but I was pissed. I started asking other women if this happens to them and if there is anything out there to help. I’m your typical CrossFit gal, so I’m wearing booty shorts or leggings – neither are really conducive to wearing a pad or panty liners because those suckers twist up in a heartbeat. Then I heard about these tampon-like inserts designed for leaks, so I checked them out. You get a “starter pack” to see what size you should wear, and let me tell you that it’s a cruel game to play. Of course, you start with the smallest one, right? Then, when that one doesn’t do the trick, you move up in size, all the while wondering if you just have a big vagina! When it’s all said and done though, those are not designed for CrossFit – the core pressure we have to use for a heavy lift just forces the inserts out. (Yes, another lovely image…) After all this, I was left with my go-to – a wad of toilet paper. I thought to myself, “there has GOT to be something better than this,” but I couldn’t find anything. There are leak-proof underwear, but I don’t want underwear lines showing or worrying about wedgies. So, I decided to design my own solution. It’s amazing how things work when you are determined to solve a problem. I met this person who introduced me to this person, and all of a sudden, I am working with an apparel expert, designing leak-proof booty shorts and leggings. I love this part – the factory making my product is a non-profit organization whose mission is to train and employ refugee women. It’s just awesome – making a product to empower women to be strong and also empowering the women who are actually making them. I was really nervous when I received the first prototype. Would it actually work? I went to the gym, knocked out some double-unders (jumping rope) and sure enough, the shorts worked! It was actually a weird feeling – being able to jump rope, know I was leaking, but not having to stop jumping. I had been so used to jumping rope, running to the bathroom, and coming back to continue. It was a new sense of freedom, and Moxie Fitness Apparel was a reality. This “leakage” is called stress-induced incontinence, and it happens to 1 in 3 women, but it’s hardly talked about openly outside of the CrossFit and powerlifting communities. I joined a small business accelerator program and talked to 100 CrossFit women, mainly strangers. I was pleasantly surprised at how open they were with me. I asked them how they feel when this happens to them and while they agreed that the CrossFit community is very supportive, they still said things like “I feel stupid,” “it makes me feel weak,” “I feel old,” “I hate it,” “it limits me.” We go to the gym to feel strong and to be empowered, not to have these negative head games. I am a big proponent of pelvic floor therapy and would never say that my product is the ultimate answer. The ultimate solution is not to leak. But I’m a realist, and I have talked with OB/GYNs, Pelvic Floor Therapists and Urologists, along with all the women I interviewed. The vast majority of women don’t want to do therapy; they don’t want to have a medical procedure. They just want to be able to do a work-out and not worry about showing the entire gym that they just peed. One time, a woman bought six pairs. I actually thought it was a mistake, so I reached out to her. She explained that she had recently been diagnosed with a bladder disorder called cystocele. She tried one pair of the capris and immediately bought five more pairs, explaining, “This has been the only thing that makes me feel confident enough to focus on the work-out.” My son’s junior high cross-country coach asked me for a pair for one of her 11-year-old runners. To me, that’s what it’s all about—giving women and girls the confidence to hit those PRs, even if they are pee-ing. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Holly Mosack, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine When Holly ended her career in the United States Army, she struggled to find her purpose in the civilian world (outside of being a mom) until she and her husband started a CrossFit gym. She quickly found a new passion in helping women become stronger, both physically and emotionally. She wants to empower women to stay active by removing barriers, which is why she founded a line of leak-proof apparel, Moxie Fitness Apparel, to help the 1 in 3 women who experience stress incontinence. Holly is an executive-level communicator with 15 years of manufacturing experience in talent acquisition strategy, service quality and continuous improvement. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University and is a CrossFit Level I Trainer.

Written by: Tanya Slater, 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. I don’t know about you, but at this time of year, I feel as much of a pull to clear as I do in the Spring. I think it has a lot to do with the colder months, bringing a lot more ‘stuff’ with them. Thicker coats, more clothes, more washing, additional footwear, mud! For someone who thrives having clear spaces, this has a direct impact on how I’m feeling. So, with the addition of the shorter, darker days and the cold and wind and rain, it is important I make my home a priority. Otherwise, I will likely find it gets on top of me and I struggle to function. CLEAR I have committed with a decided heart, to change my winter story this year. I am mentally detaching from everything I have always identified with at this time of year, turning a blank page and writing a new chapter. No longer do “I hate winter”, “suffer really badly with S.A.D”, “just grin and bear the winter so I can make it through to spring”. Myself and my boys have missed out on so much the winter has to offer because of my stories. So, this is my Clear this month. What stories have you identified with for so long now, they are just habit? If you could change one or a few of them, how would that improve your life? Why not get curious with me this month and see if you can clear out one or two of you limiting beliefs and make space for something new? REPLENISH The stories I am embarking on rewriting are going to require some additional support. It really does physically hurt my body all over when I get cold so, I may not be able to change that (yet), but I can ensure that I can stomp, puddle jump and snowball fight without getting cold and wet. According to Sir Ranulph Feinnes “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing”. So, I am actively seeking outerwear that will allow me to enjoy the coming seasons with ease. That’s one of my Replenishes this month. With this brave and courageous plot twist to my life story, I am going to need to know that a clear, warm, and cozy space awaits to welcome us home. A place where we can snuggle up, refuel, share and recollect the fun we had outside. I love the premise of Hygge and also the Scandinavian style of décor, so my other Replenish this month is creating a couple of rooms in my home that make me smile as they wrap their arms around my friends and family, making everyone feel warm and safe and welcome. (like my Facebook page if you want to see photo’s soon) What is your dream winter home? What could you do to create a little sanctuary from the cold outside for you and all who visit? FLOURISH I know by taking these few steps to Clear and Replenish, that my chances of Flourishing this winter are much higher now. I really don’t want to spend another year hibernating and longing for the mediocre British summer. So, “If it’s meant to be, it’s up to me”. I am looking forward to enjoying this time, feeling better connected with my ‘oblivious to the cold’ children, getting more fresh air and exercise, my mental health improving, my business continuing to grow and generally feeling happier. That’s a lot of Flourishing to be enjoyed from just one honest conversation with myself, a bold decision to change and a little bit of Mindful Clearing. How would you like to Flourish over the last few months of 2020 and what can you do now to make it happen? If you would love to create a clear, calm and cozy home for you and your family this winter, but can’t face the prospect of sorting through everything alone, why not consider joining my last Home Clearing Club of the year with other incredible women from around the globe on the same mission and look forward to a spacious Christmas and clear home and mind heading into the New Year! If you would like to learn more about how I help women like you turn the page, pick up your pen and write the next successful chapter of your life story, check out our awesome online community and enjoy regular tips and inspiration to your inbox. You can also check out my website, learn about my Home Clearing Club starting again soon and join my free private community, The Curious Souls Life Clearing Club, or my Instagram. I cannot wait to meet and empower you to take control of your home so you can take control of your life. Read more from Tanya! Tanya Slater, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine UK based home educating mum, Tanya Slater, spent a decade decluttering her home and her entire life. In doing so she overcame her crippling mental health and improved her human experience exponentially. The Girl Who Simplified condenses 40 years of life challenges, learning, and experience, and is now a work of passion transforming people’s lives with her proven transformation formula and simplify to succeed message. Tanya now teaches busy women how to take control of their homes so they can better take control of their life. It’s best described as well-being, confidence, clarity, life, family, relationship, mental health, and business coaching all rolled into one and uniquely disguised as a home clearing course to make positive and lasting change. Basically, it’s magic! Born out of lockdown, Tanya’s Home Clearing Club method is a 49-day online course that gently guides student’s week by week, room by room around their home to remove all their excess ‘stuff’. Very quickly, everyone starts to understand the ways in which the things they have accumulated over the years have been holding them back and adding to their overwhelm and exhaustion.

Written by: Nicola Hunt, 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. If you were offered something that was without side effects and that could make you more creative, improve your memory, concentration and attention, reduce your stress levels, look after your mental health and boost your immune system... helping you become more productive, more successful and achieve the goals you want to achieve, would you be interested? Well, there is something that can do all of the above, is free and available to everyone .... sleep! As well as the benefits listed above, sleep also helps to keep you slim and reduce food cravings, protects you from cancer and dementia, lowers your risk of a heart attack or stroke and reduces the risk of depression and anxiety. So with all these benefits available to us and completely free, why do we not prioritize sleep? Why do we feel we are more productive burning the candle at both ends, working late into the night and getting up early to start again? To be at its best, our brain requires sleep, and different stages of sleep offer different benefits to our brain at different times of the night. Denying our brain sleep denies it the ability to function at its full capacity and then we wonder why we spend our days complaining of brain fog and struggling to maintain focus and attention on the tasks we need to complete. Let’s look at sleep and memory. We make different types of memory so let’s start with fact-based memory, such as memorizing a person’s name, phone number, or remembering where you parked your car. An area of the brain called the hippocampus receives all the information and creates a record. However, like all storage, the hippocampus can become full. Once full, there is a risk you will not be able to add any further information. Or just like a memory stick… you start writing over the information that is already there, otherwise known as forgetting. Scientists hypothesize that information is transferred out of the hippocampus either into long-term memory or is discarded during sleep. This means when we wake, our hippocampus is ready to take on our next days memories. So if we deprive ourselves of sleep, we deprive ourselves of the ability to go through our short-term memory and empty it. So we reach a point of information overload. We lose the ability to remember new facts and figures. We become forgetful, maybe missing appointments and life becomes more stressful as we spend more time looking for our keys and phone as we forget where we last put them. Neuroscientists have also demonstrated a link between lack of sleep and our ability to sustain attention. In part, this is due to sleep deprivation causing micro-sleeps or lapses of attention throughout the daytime, but there is also evidence that lack of sleep affects some of the functions of the frontal lobe, such as being able to sustain attention and problem-solving. No wonder those tasks become harder when we haven’t had our full quota of sleep. So, are you convinced you can sleep your way to success? It is pretty clear that sleep is vital, yet many people find it elusive. Ask a good sleeper what they do to go to sleep, and they are likely to answer something along the lines of “go to bed” or “put my head on the pillow”. Those who sleep well rarely do anything to sleep well, but for the poor sleepers, that elusive good night sleep is sought after with special pillow sprays, bedtime rituals and seeking the magic solution. What can you do if you’re one of the people who find it difficult to get a good night sleep? First let’s understand more about sleep. What happens to our body to make us want to sleep. Our body has a rhythm to it known as the circadian rhythm. Adults have a circadian rhythm of 90 minutes. Every 90 minutes, we cycle through a pattern of fluctuating levels of alertness. We have all experienced that mid-afternoon slump that we battle our way through until 45 minutes later our energy levels have lifted. This is true for adults; babies and children have a shorter circadian rhythm. So if we have a 90-minute circadian rhythm, why don’t we sleep every 90 minutes? As well as circadian rhythm, we have sleep pressure. In the morning, after a nights sleep, the sleep pressure (the need to sleep) is low, and as the day progresses, sleep pressure builds, hence the afternoon dip, until bedtime, we succumb to the pressure to sleep. What causes our pressure to sleep? A key factor in how sleep is regulated is exposure to light and darkness and its impact on the hormone melatonin, a hormone that makes us feel less alert and sleepy. Melatonin is a hormone created and stored in the pineal gland in the presence of blue light and released into the bloodstream as the light dims and darkness falls. Therefore melatonin levels are highest in the evening and night-time as natural light fades. This system worked fine before the negative impact of the invention of electricity. This system was even more negatively affected by the invention of televisions, tablets, and smart phones, all of which emit blue light that we often use when natural light is dimming. To help regulate melatonin production we need our eyes to be exposed to natural light, preferably in the morning, for at least 30 minutes and ideally a couple of hours. This is best achieved by being outside, or at least sitting next to a window and natural daylight. Even on a grey overcast day in the city, approximately 5000 lumens of light are compared to approximately 400 lumens of light from an indoor light source. We also do not want to continue to produce melatonin close to bedtime. We want to enable it to be released. So not using blue light-emitting screens before bed, ideally in the 2 hours leading up to bedtime, can help you get a good night's sleep. We also need to understand our sleep chronotype. Some people are natural larks, early to bed early to rise; while others are owls, late to sleep late to rise. We tend to select partners with the opposite chronotype to ourselves, because biologically, this provides the best 24-hour care for our young, with a shorter period of overlap. However, this does not necessarily lead to a harmonious relationship as one tries to fit in with the other's sleep patterns. It is also interesting to be aware that the circadian rhythms in teenagers are different from adults'. Teenager's natural rhythm is to fall asleep later and to wake later. A teenager who is still asleep at 9:00 am is just living by his natural circadian rhythm. However, one that is still in bed at 1:00 pm is not! So now we understand the physiology of how and why we sleep, let's consider other factors that may positively or negatively impact sleep. As we start to fall asleep, body temperature naturally decreases by 1 to 2°C compared with our waking body temperature. Therefore a room that is too warm can prevent this natural decrease in body temperature and inhibit sleep. Having a room that is slightly cooler can help you fall asleep. Having a warm bath before bedtime can also help as body temperature drops after having a bath. Eating before bedtime causes body temperature to rise as we have to digest the food that we have eaten. So while a small snack may be required to stave off hunger through the night a 3 course meal close to bedtime is likely to lead to tossing and turning. Exercise, although beneficial for sleep, needs to be avoided in the 2 hours before bedtime. Exercise has a stimulating effect, making us more alert and raising our body temperature. The environment we sleep in can also have a positive or negative effect on sleep. A noisy, cluttered environment full of stimulation can prevent us from getting that good night sleep. Keeping the bedroom clutter-free, dark and free of screens can help us achieve better sleep. A good rule to observe is to limit food, alcohol, exercise, screen use, and nicotine in the 2 hours before bedtime as all of these have a negative effect on sleep. Caffeine has a half-life of approximately 4 hours, meaning that 4 hours later, caffeine's stimulant effect is half as effective as it was when you drank it. Therefore restricting caffeinated drinks to the morning or certainly no later than mid-afternoon can help your sleep pattern. Stress can have a very negative effect on sleep, particularly falling asleep and early awakening, and stress management techniques can help you nod off and stay asleep. Sleep is vital for physical and mental health. If self-help techniques aren't enough seeking help from someone trained in sleep management is the next step on the path to a good night's sleep. Find Nicola at Physiocare for physiotherapy or follow us on Facebook and for coaching find us here! Nicola Hunt, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Nicola Hunt is a Chartered Physiotherapist and an Executive Coach, dedicated to helping people reach their full potential, whether that is with their physical recovery after injury or helping people be resilient, reach their goals and live their most fulfilling life. Nicola held a leadership role within the NHS and the position of Allied Health Professional Executive alongside developing her own physiotherapy business. Nicola specializes in the prevention and treatment of concussion and brain injury, is a CCMI affiliated concussion clinic and has a Diploma in Professional Coaching and Mentoring and a Diploma in Stress Management. After combining a successful career with the NHS with her own businesses, she now focuses solely on her Physiotherapy and Coaching businesses.

Written by: Maria-Paz Hornisch, 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. After creating my own business and in its early stages, I felt lost. ⁠I had 12 years of corporate experience and thought it would be easy to carry this new entrepreneurship, but oh boy, I was wrong! ⁠I struggled so hard trying to build all my business, its tech, and systems, choosing the right platforms to use, and ended up spending more time, energy, and money that I needed to. I quickly realized that this is something common among solo entrepreneurs, who need to learn things from scratch and often found themselves with too much information, too little knowledge and time to implement, and end up either confused with a headache, not having anything implemented at all, or implementing new things but not functioning the way they should. After some months and a little struggle, everything cleared up for me. I went from being an overworked and overwhelmed mompreneur into having a clear path to follow through, set up the right strategies for my business, and automating almost 90% of it! I decided to bottle my know-how and create a framework that would help entrepreneurs like me, going through the same I went through, to have more time to dedicate to their business and families and get the freedom they always wanted. The framework I designed helps implement the 5 essential systems a service-based business needs (Website, Landing and Sales Pages, Social Media, Email Marketing, CRM), in a step by step, organized, and productive way. It has helped my clients and me implement systems in a matter of days, generating more time to dedicate to our businesses and have less stress and overwhelm along the way. The Digital Madl Framework consists of four steps that should be used every time a new system is implemented within your business: 1. Align: Align your Business with your Ideal Client Before even starting to think about implementing systems, you need to have the core of your business align with your ideal client. This involves not only knowing who you want to work with, but it's more of a deep-dive of their daily life, affinities, and demographics to implement the systems that will help them when working with you. 2. Implement: Implement the Systems Implement the systems that will help your business run automatically and will give you the time you need to focus on what matters the most: your clients, your family, and yourself. Select the system to be implemented Outline the features the system should have/plan the system's roadmap Select the platform/tool to be used (it should have available the features your systems needs to function in the way you want to) Implement the roadmap into the platform Test If you implement things without a plan, you won't know what to do, lose time, and get overwhelmed during the process, and most probably won't be able to finish it. 3. Analyze: Analyze the Performance After the system has been running for some time, analyze its performance reviewing its main KPIs (key performance indicators). Implementation without analysis won't let your business grow and get close to perfection and optimization. 4. Optimize: Optimize and improve The analysis made will give you opportunities to improve, make sure your implemented system is running the way you planned, and work the way you dreamed of. An implemented system without optimization won't take you and your business to the next level. I use this framework in every coaching program I have, so my clients can learn how to do things in a straightforward, step-by-step, and easy way, without the overwhelm and stress of learning something new can bring. Do you want to read more about this framework? Download the complete PDF here. For more info, follow Maria-Paz on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or visit her website. Read more from Maria-Paz! Maria-Paz Hornisch, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Maria-Paz Hornisch is the Business Coach & Digital Marketing Strategist behind The Digital Madl, dedicated to helping ambitious mompreneurs with branding and digital marketing strategies to create a rock-solid presence online and skyrocket sales. Maria-Paz is a bachelor in Business Administration and holds an MBA in Luxury Business from ISC Paris École de Commerce. For twelve years, she developed her career in Chile, France, and Germany, working for a Spanish multinational commercial bank and two German luxury and fashion e-commerce companies. Originally from Santiago de Chile, she now lives in Munich, Germany.