Written by: Calvin Niles, 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. Everyone has something to say, something to share. Be it a personal story, a piece of research, or a professional presentation. Whichever it may be, we take pride in how we deliver our presentation and want our audiences to remember what we said, how we made them feel, and what they learned. How do we achieve this? Below I share 5 steps to speak for influence and persuasion and why I have chosen them. Before we move on, let us get to grips with some basic ingredients. You are reading this because you want to influence and persuade the listener to think, believe or do something. Employing rhetoric has been studied for hundreds of years of civilisation and the findings exhibit common ingredients. These can be defined as Ethos, Pathos, and Logos. 4 century BC Greek philosopher Aristotle laid the foundation of rhetoric and modern communication principles in his work The Art of Rhetoric citing three core means of persuasion through speech; Ethos - Credibility, Pathos - Emotion, and Logos - Logic. Why your audience should believe you Ethos is accomplished when your audience is completely conscious that you are worthy of credence. As a speaker, this is all about you and your personal brand. It is important that, coupled with your authenticity, you let your credibility shine through. This is especially important in cases where you want to persuade your audience to listen to and believe your key message! While Aristotle points out that practical intelligence, a virtuous character, and goodwill through speech are key, I believe it is important that these facets are true, thereby being congruent with your authenticity. Why your audience should care about what you are saying Pathos. Emotional connection. It is all about the emotional journey. By connecting with your emotional self, your emotional experiences, or even a vicarious experience you stimulate your audiences’ feelings too. It plays a significant role in persuasion simply because human emotions can augment our judgments as listeners. Why your audience should be rationally persuaded Logos. Your audience wants to be persuaded by your argument. By supporting your key message through logical steps and references to evidence like case studies and statistics, you appeal to your audience’s rationale. Using logos may also include citing historical analogies, or other authorities on the subject as a point of reference. Since persuasion means inducing (someone) to do something through reasoning or argument, it is especially important that Logos is used to maximum effect. 1. Be Yourself “Authenticity is the alignment of head, mouth, heart, and feet - thinking, saying, feeling, and doing the same thing - consistently. This builds trust, and followers love leaders they can trust.”- Lance Secretan I define authenticity as simply living your truth. Others say it's when people are ‘real’ or ‘genuine.’ Of course, it is a normal human condition to present various versions of your personality when we are in different situations. Your behaviour in the presence of your boss or at work with colleagues will probably differ from the way you are in front say, your parents or your partner or friends. These “personalities” are ultimately inventions that we all create. They are not who we are. See yourself as the consciousness that sits behind all of these impermanent traits. The animal part of our human evolution is all about survival and so we make judgements very quickly, unconsciously “sizing each other up” if you will, in matter of moments. These ‘snap judgement, called ‘Thin Slicing’, serves us very differently in the modern world compared to a millennia ago. However, I can see how these evolutionary traits mean that your audience will detect something askew if you are not being authentic in your speech. Authenticity requires that you allow your true self to shine through. It can involve a process of continuous evaluation through self-analysis and human connection, critical thinking and growing awareness. In Philosophy Now Ben G Yacobi sums up the idea of authenticity as “an individual mission, since each person has their own way of being human, and consequently what is authentic will be different for each individual. Furthermore, personal authenticity is highly contextual, and depends on various social, political, religious and cultural characteristics. But the unique nature of each individual is best seen not in who he is, but in who he becomes, and becoming authentic is a continuous process, not an event. It involves not just knowing oneself, but also recognizing others and the mutual influence between individuals. If the quest for personal authenticity is just for self-fulfilment, then it is individualistic and ego-based; but if it is accompanied with the awareness of others and the wider world, then it can be a worthwhile goal.” One can say that it is with this acceptance that you are then able to be yourself. Authenticity holds the key for you to be able to establish a strong presence not just in your presentations and talks, but in your everyday life. Being yourself is key and is a fundamental part of cultivating trust. So, meditate, do your reflective and self-discovery work, and let yourself shine. 2. Be Your Best Self “People have a lot of control over their ability to rise to the occasion and to show their best or their aspirational selves.” - Amy Cuddy It is worth saying that you are not going to feel that you can conquer the world every day. Being authentic doesn’t mean that when your energy is low you should bring your audience’s energy down with you! In the context of your presentation or talk, being your best self means finding your optimum state in that moment so that you can affect your audience in this most impactful way. Our body can be used as an amazing tool that will allow your authenticity to radiate. Understanding how your physiology can influence how you feel and vice versa is key. The relationship between our thoughts and our emotions are interdependent; our thoughts influence how we feel, and how we feel influences our thoughts and so on. To be your best self at your next presentation, tap into your body to put yourself in a positive state. This idea was explored in Amy Cuddy’s talk on her own research which proved that you can directly increase your confidence levels and reduce stress by simply modifying your body language. Through this change we alter the balance of hormone levels in our bodies, influencing our behaviour and the way we feel. This kind of ‘co-dependency’ explains the idea that not only does the mind directly influence the body but that the body also influences the mind. Embodied cognition, another field of research, explains that the human body is an integral part of cognition itself. The body language project summarises that “the embodied mind holds that the nature of the mind is determined by the form of the human body. Put another way, cognition is grounded in bodily experience, and rationality is greatly influenced by our bodies.” In the knowledge that our minds are not only influencing our bodies but that our bodies are influencing our minds, it is important that you recognise the power your body has to influence your emotions, feelings, and thoughts. One of the fastest and most effective ways to hack your physiology is through conscious control of your breath. Make breathing exercises part of your daily routine to shortcut your confident use of the bio hack. Your breath is your life force and careful attention to mastering your breathing techniques will not only release pent-up energy in your body, but also opens you up, freeing you from self-indulgent and sometimes self-sabotaging thought. It allows you to be present in the moment, communicate more mindfully and be much more lucid and free-flowing. 3. Convey Conviction “Believe in yourself, and find ways to express yourself, and find the discipline to keep growing.” - Michael Feinstein Presenting with conviction helps your persuasion. Conviction demonstrates to your audience that you believe what you are telling them to believe. Through assertiveness you will be able to project your authority with maximum impact. I define assertiveness in this context as being able to effectively espouse your point of view, through the conscious combination of your body language and words during your talk. It is important to note that what lies at the core of conveying conviction is the extent to which you believe your own messages! Principally because your audience will find it hard to believe what you say if you do not believe what you say in the first place. I recommend not delivering talks on content that you do not actually believe yourself. Neuroscientist Dr. Benedetto De Martino’s research in confidence in value-based choice demonstrates the principle that the power to persuade others lies within your own confidence. His research included analysis of the interaction between the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and an adjacent area of the brain. The Wellcome Foundation said of De Martino’s research, "Throughout life, we’re constantly evaluating our options and making decisions based on the information we have available. How confident we are in those decisions has clear consequences. For example, a lack of confidence may make it harder to persuade others or lead us to spend time re-evaluating previous decisions.” For the highest confidence in your speech, it is critical that your content is congruent with your beliefs. People use their head, arms, and hands in everyday communication, often unconsciously. Many of the elements we refer to here are innate. Our real aim here is to bring more of these innate elements out of our unconscious and into our full awareness so that you really punctuate and accentuate your presentation purposefully. Using gestures to add emphasis to your messages will help to reinforce your key message or supporting messages. Using open gestures, which move away from your body, and extending them out to your audience can help to break any barriers between you and the audience. Significantly, the power of gesture can develop profound understanding between you and your audience. This common understanding that David McNeill calls mind- merging, relates specifically to his research on mimicry of gestures in the Gestures of Power and The Power of Gestures. The idea that the meaning of something can be better understood between individuals when gestures are employed. Strive to use gestures consciously to embolden the content and meaning of your presentation and project your authority with conviction. Some relevant gesture types I often use and share with clients are: Iconic gestures – how you would open your arms to describe how wide or big something is Metaphoric gestures – how you might use your hands to explain an idea or concept Affect gestures – this is emotion or feeling expressed; how you might cover your open mouth when hearing something shocking Beat gestures – this is the rhythmic beating of a finger, hand or arm; how you might bang one closed fist in your open palm to emphasize a point 4. Vivify Your Voice “Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with deeper meaning.” - Maya Angelou Your voice emanates from your power centre. It is the tool that you use the most to mark your presence in the world and is a critical part of human communication. Like our bodies, our voices reflect how we feel. For most of us, our voices are our primary, conscious way of communicating. It holds significant power in its ability to impact others. However, like our bodies, we can trigger changes in our feelings through the manipulation of our own voices. Jean-Julien Aucouturier demonstrated the changes in emotional states by using a digital audio platform to modify the emotional tone of people’s voices while they are talking, to make them sound happier, sadder, or more fearful. So, be sure to modulate your voice consciously in your speech to help project feeling and captivate your audience. Julian Treasure details six key vocal tools that you can use to maximum effect in his insightful TED talk on sound. These are Volume, Prosody, Pitch, Pace, Register, and Timbre. Volume & Prosody. Use sufficient volume not only so that your voice fills the room, but that it reflects your comfort and knowledge with a subject to project your authority. Similarly, using volume to create contrast between assertions, quotes or impressions captivate your audience. Prosody is when we put sounds together in connected speech. An impactful talk depends as much on intonation, stress, and rhythm as on volume. Pitch & Pace are very powerful vocal tools since people consider lower-pitched voices to be more persuasive and authoritative. A good voice projection combined with a lower pitch or ‘Earth Voice’ and a moderate pace are important techniques for projecting your authority. Speaking at a faster pace usually suggests passion or excitement while a slower delivery can emphasise particular points that you want to draw your audience’s attention to. Register & Timbre. Register is used to describe a section of the voice and where the voice resonates in the body and the resulting quality or timbre of the voice. Vocal timbre is all about the quality of tone being produced. Your speech may employ bright, dark, rough or smooth, qualities. Even though our voices are individually unique, where your voice is in the body can add impact to your presentation. For example, a weightier voice is located more in the chest and can be used to drive home a poignant moment of your speech while a higher head voice can express exclamations. 5. Share Your Story “Everybody - every single person - has a story. Find yours and tell it in your voice.” -Kenya Barris Stories hold the ultimate power to inspire your audience. They have been central to how we understand who we are and our journey throughout generations. Stories are the libraries of humanity and are not bound by race, place, or time. It is through the use of stories that you will access the imagination and emotions of your listener. Telling your audience a story creates a very powerful effect that Uri Hasson calls brain to brain coupling. The secret of stories is that they transfer experiences directly to the brain of the listener. Hasson’s research shows that “during successful communication, the speaker’s and listener’s brains exhibit joint, temporally coupled, response patterns. Such neural coupling substantially diminishes in the absence of communication, for instance, when listening to an unintelligible foreign language. In addition, more extensive speaker-listener neural couplings result in more successful communication.” When you combine the previous four steps with the power of a story you engage the listener's senses and emotions for big impact. It is the ultimate combination of sound, words, and meaning. Your audience sees what you see, hears what you hear, and feels what you feel. They empathise. In this moment you have captivated your audience completely. They are in your mind and heart. It is important to speak to your in audience in a way they can understand. This means not just in language but also in experience. One of my subjects, The Power of Analogy, is a great example how you could trigger the understanding of complex information in the minds of the listener, primarily through association. Stephen Klein describes association in psychology as the mental connection between concepts, events, or mental states that usually stems from specific experiences. In other words, when you hear a story that you understand, you develop empathy with the teller because you essentially experience the events for yourself! When searching for stories to share, you may tell of those from other people's experiences. The lessons of your mother’s upbringing or moral of perseverance from your football coach. You may want to use a personal story to contextualise a powerful message and to highlight why your subject means what it does to you. Your story will help to radiate your authenticity because your message comes to life as finds power in your emotions. When we go within and explore our own experiences, we access a wellspring beneath the crustaceous elements of our outer selves. Words in your presentation give you a framework, a body if you like, but a story gives that a beating heart and brings it to life. Stories in themselves are not the end; stories are the means. In this context, they serve an ultimate purpose. Ready to tell your story? Uncover the secrets of storytelling in this FREE eBook, 6 Top Tips for Storytelling Success. Follow Calvin for more on stories, mindfulness, and poetry on his YouTube channel, connect with him on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn or visit his website for more. Read more from Calvin! Calvin Niles, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Calvin Niles is a communication coach known as The Mindful Storyteller, making a positive impact on the lives of leaders, entrepreneurs, coaches, and wider society through his services and products. Through his experience in mindfulness, storytelling, coaching, and business, he empowers others to be authentic and impactful in their communication. Calvin has worked with hundreds of people from leaders in large corporates to SMEs, and from solopreneurs to some of the top 10 charities in the UK.

Written by: Mariela De La Mora, 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 people think of the word ‘leadership’, they often think of having authority over others such as a boss at work. And while great bosses are often good leaders, being a boss is not the same as being a leader. In fact, you don't even need authority to be a leader. Did I just explode your brain? Leadership is a form of social influence that focuses on the efforts of others towards the achievement of a goal. It has nothing to do with titles, seniority, or “building authority” - you can show up as a leader from where you are now. Five ways to become a better leader: 1. Look for opportunities to rally other people around a goal. They don’t need to be your team members. In fact, it’s an added challenge if they’re not because that requires you to set a vision so compelling that people want to get behind you to achieve it. 2. Embrace opportunities to fail forward. I once co-founded a startup, and our motto was “plan to fail as quickly as possible to gather data.” Great leaders don’t worry about getting things perfect, because that leaves little room for growth. The greatest learning opportunities often come from failing. 3. Build your emotional intelligence. A great place to start is by working with a certified EQ coach to take the EQ-i 2.0 Leadership Assessment, the world’s only recognized measure of EQ. It will help you hone in on the specific competencies you need to build in order to become a better leader, which translates into every area of your life. 4. Strengthen your mindset. They say success is 90% mindset, and that goes for leadership too. For instance, my women of color clients often struggle with setting boundaries, assertiveness, and self-confidence, all of which are tied to childhood trauma and conditioning. Healing your mindset at the root enables you to fully step into your leadership. 5. Find a mentor. Mentorship helps you grow and get to where you want to go in a fraction of the time. All successful people use mentors not only for achieving goals but to become the person they want to be. Mentorship is particularly important for women and BIPOC. Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations found that mentoring programs in the workplace boosted minority representation at the management level by 9% to 24%, and dramatically improved promotion and retention rates for people of color and women (15% to 35% as compared to non-mentored employees). It’s important to note: you cannot begin to effectively lead others before you know how to lead yourself. Leadership is not a gift, it’s a skill you build over time, like a muscle. And you can develop your leadership skills regardless of whether or not you’re in charge of teams of people. In fact, the best leaders create other leaders. By investing in developing your leadership skills and developing yourself as a person, you will become a leader that people will fanatically follow. Follow me on LinkedIn, Instagram, or visit my website for more info! Read more from Mariela! Mariela De La Mora, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Mariela is a Life Coach and certified EQ Leadership Coach who helps women of color become powerhouse leaders of purpose-driven brands. Her mission is to help women of color break glass ceilings by healing the generational trauma and cultural conditioning holding them back from becoming the leader they can be. She was named one of the top 10 leadership coaches by Yahoo Finance and has coached 6 and 7-figure CEOs and even leaders in the United Nations. She previously spent 15 years in marketing while leading teams across the globe. As a 1st generation Mexican American, she was often the only woman of color in senior leadership and had to break past systemic and mindset barriers to do it. She now helps women bridge that gap through trauma-informed life coaching and emotional intelligence development, so they can fully step into their power and lead with intention.

Written by: Kamini Wood, 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 have you ignored your inner voice and later regretted your decision not to trust your gut? When we encounter stressful situations or need to make decisions, our conscious mind tends to rationalize our choices and usually goes with two options: “do or don’t” and “yes or no”, because this is the easiest solution. Therefore, we often don’t see the middle course of potential creative solutions. The inner voice, or intuition, is something that all of us naturally have. Still, we usually don’t consciously listen to our inner wisdom, but choose to trust only to what appears to be rational. Your inner voice is the best way to discover yourself, so it is important to learn how to listen and trust your instincts. Let your confidence and self-love shine bright! Why is Self-love Important? Self-love means treating yourself with self-acceptance, understanding and compassion. Furthermore, it means understanding and accepting your most profound feelings, thoughts, and needs. Self-acceptance helps you understand the power of your inner voice and see things from a different perspective. However, for many of us honoring ourselves is hard to do. Most of us were never taught how to love and honor ourselves while growing up. Or we grew up in dysfunctional families where parents or caregivers were struggling with their own challenges. How many times have you been told to suck it up? That not all is about you. To get over it – especially if you’re a male. Nevertheless, honoring yourself and listening to your intuition can improve your life. Following your gut can lead to a better self-awareness and help you look inside for answers, rather than search for them outside. Many of us tend to seek advice and help from our friends, spiritual coaches, therapists or motivational speakers, spending money and energy searching for someone who can help us find our way. However, self-love will teach you how to listen to your inner voice, how to trust your intuition and follow you gut. Furthermore, self-awareness will help you become more aware of your emotions. Intuition will help you understand what you feel, why you feel a certain way, and how you can control your feelings. In addition, you’ll become more sensitive to other people’s emotional reactions, which will improve your relationships, help you understand other people’s motives, and predict their reactions. Also, once you learn to listen to your inner voice, you’ll be able to make decisions more effectively. Moreover, your memory and focus will improve and you will become more sensitive to non-verbal communication. All of this can help you connect with others more effectively and keep up rewarding relationships. Finally, the better acceptance of yourself will boost your resilience and increase your optimism and happiness. Listening to your inner voice can reduce stress and anxiety levels triggered by your over-analyzing mind. This will help improve your overall mental, emotional and physical health. It will even help you stop overthinking, because you become more confident in your decisions! Listening to your intuition inspires our personal growth and leads to better self-knowledge and self-appreciation. It helps reduce distracting voices in your conscious mind and allows the voice of your inner wisdom to arise. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or visit my website for more info! Read more from Kamini! Kamini Wood, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Kamini Wood is the founder and CEO of Live Joy Your Way and the AuthenticMe® RiseUp program. An international best-selling author Kamini is driven to support people of all ages to heal their relationship with themselves and to stop outsourcing their self-worth. As a result, her clients become their own confident, resilient self-leader with healthier relationships. Kamini is a certified life coach, board-certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners, holds specialty certifications in Calling in the One®, Conscious Uncoupling®, NewMoney Story®, and teen life coaching. Also trained in conscious parenting, Kamini aims to meet her clients where they are, supporting and guiding them on their journey to where they want to be, both personally and professionally. Her mission: create space for each person to see the unique gifts they bring to this world.

Written by: Simon Haigh, 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. In this article, we look at four key traits of effective leaders: calmness, the ability to listen, the importance of being measured, and resilience. Effective leadership needs to of course align with, and support, the prevailing organisational values, and their outward projection also need to resonate in accordance with the particularly organisational ethos and culture. We tend to follow those who are calm in face of turbulence (so calmness in a leader is important to us). We follow those who can listen, discern and act (so listening is a key trait). We follow those who are measured in their response, they are never erratic (so being measured as a leader is very important to us). Finally, we follow those who are resilient and unwavering under pressure (resilience is a key trait). So, resilience is important, and newly onboarded employees should be able to display the four key traits of leadership so that they can be optimal value to a business and give themselves the best chance of progressing within the organisation and in their career. CALMNESS in a leader can manifest as level headed, pragmatic, and fact-based approach to situations. LISTENING SKILLS in a leader manifest as truly empathetic listening - picking up on all the nuances, emotions, desires, demands, and objections within and outside the business. MEASURED in the context of a leader equates to being considered in their approach - taking account of all relevant facts at hand and then taking a level-headed approach to the next appropriate steps. RESILIENCE in a leader is having and displaying a capacity to cope with the inevitable pressures that exist within a work environment. Most importantly, with these 4 traits under control, good leaders are able to unleash the power of the fifth trait - Vision. A leader who demonstrates the first 4 traits and then delivers the fifth trait of Vision will gain the trust, belief, and attention of engaged followers. These traits are all learnt traits. We all may have one or two of these traits, but if we can build all five then we stand out from the crowd as a leader. A newly onboarded employee should, particularly after a few months in an organisation start demonstrating the trait of vision - positively influencing others in respect of a particular aspect of work activity for the good of the overall organisation. What are the right values necessary for growth? Well, they are: Recognising that all employees are different, each possessing unique talents and abilities, Holding intense core values and ensuring those values they are simple and measurable, Celebrating success and consistently reviewing progress both formally and informally, Being open and communicating effectively to increase morale and productivity, Empowering employees to solve their own problems. Embedding mutual confidence and trust, and finally, Fostering Teamwork, Respect, Enthusiasm, Integrity, and Honesty. In summary, leadership resilience will be best displayed by those leaders who display clarity of thought, effective communication, and strong but compassionate decision-making. Tough decisions MUST be made but in a respectful way - driving forward inspirationally with imperfect information. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or visit my website for more info! Read more from Simon! Simon Haigh, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Simon Haigh, known as The Growth Strategist, helps organizations and leaders unlock, build and sustain business, leadership, brand, and mindset growth through his coaching, consulting, training, publications, speaking, and e-learning programs. Simon’s clients include high-performing leaders, companies, business schools, professional organizations & Government bodies globally. His work is endorsed by world no. 1 leadership thinker Marshall Goldsmith. He is nominated by PeopleHum Top 200 Influential Thought Leaders 2021, Thinkers 360 4 Sales, 9 Entrepreneurship, 10 Legal & IP, 13 Health & Wellness, 33 Mental Health, 37 Management & 47 Emerging Tech, and featured in the PeopleHum Top 100 Thought Leader series for Mindful Negotiation. He has also been featured on numerous global TV and radio outlets, and two of his three Amazon 5 Star books – How to be a Better Dealcloser and Dealmaking for Corporate Growth, are endorsed by Marshall Goldsmith, and he is an associate member of the Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Coaching Organisation. Simon is also an acclaimed Keynote Speaker.

Written by: Tracy J. Hoffman, 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. Did you ever feel like your mind was on fire and not in a good way? Maybe someone treated you poorly, or perhaps you just had too much stress for any reason, and what happened? You lost your temper, you said something in the heat of the moment that you knew you would regret later, maybe you wrote an angry email and hit send even if you knew it would not help you get your point across. I get you, sometimes we lose it, but it doesn´t help us…. At all. What if you instead took a deep breath, took a break, and then got back to the stressful situation? How would you handle it then? Would you look at the situation differently?¨ What if you talked to someone like a coach? That would help you see where the other person is coming from and could help you keep your cool and see things more strategic than emotional. Would that benefit you? We all know that when we lose our temper, we lose more than that. We don´t only lose that fight. We lose a lot more, like the respect we have earned for the work we did or the expertise we have. In a conflict, especially if it is an essential issue that you need to have a positive outcome, it is crucial to put your feelings aside and think about how you can reach your goal, what the other person needs to hear to agree with you. And always try to avoid going into a payback or revenge mood. If you do that, you are most of all hurting yourself, not the person you are angry with. What can you do to control the situation? If you lose your temper, remove yourself from the situation instantly, ask for a break if it is a meeting and that you can continue later. Try to see the whole situation, where the other person is coming from, what triggered them, and what triggered you. Sometimes, it is fear of failing or not feeling good enough. Sometimes you are being mistreated and need to put up boundaries. If that is the case, find a way to do it in a way that gives you peace. Look at the situation, what can you control (yourself and your reaction), and what can you not control (the other person and their response) Always take the higher ground, don’t gossip or spread rumors and if people talk behind your back, let them, their problem with you is none of your business, and one day they will learn the truth. If you are a leader and have a conflict in a team, try to understand both sides and be brave enough to make a difficult decision if they can´t solve it. And remember, all conflicts are not harmful. Sometimes, we learn a lot from them and get new knowledge and perspectives. Be kind and forgiving but also be aware of toxic people and put up the necessary boundaries. When a conflict occurs, it's never about winning the battle. It's about reaching your goals in the long term and keeping peace of mind at the same time. I have helped clients understand their triggers in conflicts and where their power in the situation has been and understand the other person's perspective enough to be able to communicate with them to move forward. If you found this article useful, I would love a follow on my Instagram or TikTok, where I talk coaching and Intellectual Property, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you think I can help you For more info, follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , or visit my website ! Read more from Tracy! Tracy J. Hoffman, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Tracy J Hoffman is a coach/advisor/speaker and her areas are learn how to protect your brand as a Trademark and manage other Intellectual Property, Leadership, and Career building she has a unique understanding of how to read and understand the client/situation and to communicate her knowledge by breaking down the complicated areas and simplify. She has a background working at the Swedish Intellectual Property office with International Training Programs in Intellectual Property for 6 years and as a representative for the Employees at the same office coaching employees and leaders, in reorganizations, conflicts and negotiations and she has been working herself up from unqualified to qualified positions, that is why she understands the challenges in all these areas very well. Her mission is to empower businesses and people by helping them to grow, manage their rights and have tools to stand up for themselves when necessary and understand how to solve challenges.

Written by: Tomi Mitchell, 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. Everywoman. Not just women of color, not just Caucasians, but every woman in the world who has fought to achieve something great in life has faced burnout. Women are caregivers by nature and have an innate desire to take care of others. As a result, we often burn ourselves out. March is historically Woman's History Month. For 2022, the theme is Providing Healing, Promoting Hope. This theme is powerful, as it recognizes that there has been hurt and pain in the lives of women; hence healing is needed. This theme recognizes that there can be restoration, accountability, and change, for which promoting Hope recognizes. There is no rest for someone in the healthcare profession, whether it be an EMT, nurse, doctor, or even a receptionist; burnout can be felt among all types of women in various medical fields. According to the University of Pennsylvania's Nursing School website, "High levels of burnout elevate risks for serious health conditions such as depression, obesity, hypertension, and other cardiovascular problems." This persistent stress is detrimental to our health. For many front-line workers, there has been constant stress. We have experienced elevated heart rates when rushing through into a high-stress situation or towards the bed of a critically ill patient. The overhead page of code blue, which indicates a critically ill patient, strikes a nerve for those of us who have worked in the hospital. So many times, in my career, I have run through the hospital halls, rushing to the unit that someone needs help. I remember feeling my heart pounding and my mind racing to consider what exactly I would be walking into. Also, as a patient having post-delivery complications, I have been the patient where I was crashing, and in a severe crisis, so I understand both sides. I have also been a patient, and at the same time, hearing a code overhead, rushing to the ICU unit, fearing the worse, as my child was the infant that required critical care. Repeat traumas are relived each time we are faced with similar life-threatening situations. Despite the emotional and physical tolls these situations place on us, we push forward because of duty and love of life and family. Burnout-its real. We need to get real. The emotional toll of repeat traumas in our lives is so necessary to address. You might think you are solid or stoic, and that could very well be so. However, you are human, and you need to embrace the entire human experience. Burnout is real because you have feelings and care, and you should not be ashamed. To my fellow women who need hope and healing, I stand by you in solidarity. Together, we will get through the challenges life throws our way. Follow Tomi on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, and visit her website for more info! Read more from Tomi! Tomi Mitchell, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Dr. Tomi Mitchell, MD, is a leader in the health & wellness industry, known for her advocacy for social issues, including health reform. She believes in the whole person's approach to life and health. Rather than resorting to quick fixes, she gets to the root of problems by taking the time to understand her client's emotional, physical, mental, environmental, financial, spiritual, and social health. She believes these factors affect individuals' behaviors and beliefs about themselves and others. Dr. Tomi Mitchell believes that people feel lost or overwhelmed when there is a loss of balance - which is why she takes such a holistic approach with each client's situation. Dr. Tomi Mitchell has appeared in many publications, including but not limited to Thrive Global, Fox, NBC, CBS, Global News, CBS & many other news outlets. She has her own blog & leads two ClubHouse clubs and has been a guest speaker numerous times. She is a game-changer, and she gets her client's results and refuses to compromise her integrity by sugar-coating issues. Using over 10 years as a family practitioner and certified life & health coach, she is able to help her clients create transformational, long-lasting results!

Written by: Ashlee Rose DiSalvo, 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. Questions to Ask Yourself to Help Break the Habit The other night I was watching a show on Netflix called Midnight Mass and found one of the dialogues between two main characters to resonate with a theme I am seeing across many of my clients during our sessions with Spiritual Response Therapy. The main character Rhiley is talking to a Priest, Father Paul, about suffering during his AA meeting. Throughout this conversation, the Father explains how he believes that suffering is part of what we are here to do. That even Jesus suffered for our sins and so suffering therein is a pious experience that brings us closer to God. Rhiley responds by going through a list of ways the other characters suffer within the shows plot and ends with the statement “...the only thing, the only f–king thing that lets people stand by, watching all this suffering, doing nothing, doing f–king nothing, is the idea that suffering can be a gift from God. What a monstrous idea, Father.”. Before I elaborate on my feelings around suffering let me be transparent in stating that I am not here to argue about anyone's faith or belief in Christianity. This concept is one I had been planning to write my next article on (there truly are no coincidences) and I believe that there are extreme circumstances of suffering where souls have come to this planet to help others through their suffering (like children with terminal illnesses). However, the idea that we have to suffer as adults sometimes in order to live a life of abundance concerns me. And I have found that those who have faith that suffering will go away if they pray enough can create a life-long program which helps them to side step their responsibility and ultimate self growth. Without hard work and reflection they allow such programming to continue in their lives. In a way I understand it because there seems to be a benefit in society today to being the victim. If we are the one being “tested” then it might seem that we are chosen. And if we voice our suffering to others it might mean that we will receive wanted attention or help from them. If we have been wronged by someone or something then that makes us right in contrast and so suffering becomes justified by random acts of wrongdoing. There also seems to be a social norm around suffering and a hard work ethic. It is a common belief that if we are working so hard that we cannot enjoy living now then it just means we will live happier later (what is retirement). Athletes and entertainers are trained to push their bodies past the point of break for the approval of a crowd or the glory of the win. And all women and men know that “beauty hurts sometimes” but the payoff to look like the perfect person will be worth it. Society accepts suffering as a right of passage and a tool to do many things including connect (or justify disconnecting) with others. Thus I serve clients who are burnt out physically and spiritually and looking for guidance from others because they have become so lost in their suffering that they cannot see a way out for themselves. I find myself asking most of them the same question: “What does choosing to suffer cost you?” There are answers to this question but it takes some serious reflection and truthful conversations with oneselves to discover them. So I wanted to share some questions you might ask yourself so that you can begin the process of breaking this programming in your life. 1. Is your time worth giving away? One thing you can’t buy is time. Once it goes you can never get it back. If you had one day left to live what would it look like? Who would be there? Where would you go? What would you eat? What would you do? Most people would not respond with answers like work alone, workout, stick to my diet, or stay home. Living life like we have a lot of it left is destructive to our spiritual well-being. If the majority of your days follow the schedule of the above answer then are you really living the life you work so hard for? We suffer when we spend our time instead of give it. 2. If you have to work so hard to get what you want then why do you want it? A consumerist society is really great at telling you what you want. Advertising and technology are great at telling you how and where to get it and also how to look and feel while you're doing it. Add in a broken education system that promotes a pay to play workforce and it's no surprise that what you want and how you want to look is exactly like a lot of other people. If you think you have to be skinny, or buff, or both but your genes aren’t built for that then they’ve got the product or diet or weight loss system for you. If you just want to be “healthy” then doctors will take care of you as long as you pay into their healthcare and take their pills. What if you didn’t have to workout every day or starve yourself to look like the perfect version of you? What if you didn’t have to take a pill to be as calm as everyone else? What if you didn’t have to work that job to make the money you need? What is attainable and is it good enough for you? We suffer when we do not take our own path. 3. Is there any easier way with less cost to get what you want? People love a deal. What most people don’t realize is that most “deals” are simply presented differently but don’t actually cost less. Many stores mark food with the incentive price for buying multiples of one product when in reality the cost is still the same for one of that product (which will usually be evident in the fine print at the bottom of the sign). The truth is that some things just aren’t attainable but our society likes to make it seem like they are. Certain body shapes, athletic ability, and financial wealth are things that people are born with. The one thing we are all born with is creativity and the ability for choice. Having a healthy body is a series of choices that we make each day. A healthy mind and a healthy financial status are the same. Throughout our trials we realize that some of these things are more easily attained for us than others. It takes creativity to figure out how to get what we want so when we focus on external sources for drive that’s when we lose sight of what that actually is. Then we busy ourselves so much trying to get it that we lose our courage and ability to create a different path - or even realize that we’re not on the right one. Do you really want more money or do you want what it can get you? Do you really want a certain body or do you want to be loved and desired by another? Do you really want that job or do you want to feel worthy and accomplished? Do you want that promotion or do you want more time off? We suffer when we forget who we are. 4. How does suffering benefit you right now? Growing pains is a convoluted term for this article because it implies that growing is painful. And this can also be a justification for suffering. I have personally found growth to be very painful in my life but not because it had to be. When suffering becomes a program that we lean on it can be hard and painful to break it, this is when I find growth painful. Growth can also be beautiful and exciting. It can be a process which brings you closer to other people and yourself. It’s all a matter of perspective. Anyone who sees growth as scary or painful would choose suffering as a benefit. What if the people around you supported your growth? What if people become your primary resource and not money? What if you didn’t have to work so hard to make the money you need? What if there was another way to heal? We suffer because it is easier than changing. Once you can honestly answer these questions for yourself I think you’ll find the final question easy to answer. What does choosing to suffer cost you? Follow me on Instagram, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Ashlee! Ashlee Rose DiSalvo, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Ashlee is a former NCAA Scholarship Athlete who has worked in High School Education and Athletics for over a decade. She possesses both a Bachelors in Mathematics as well as one in Education and a Masters in Education with a focus in Library Science. She has served as a Founding Director of her own Junior Olympic Volleyball Club with Los Angeles Volleyball Academy and recently started her own business in Spiritual Response Therapy. Her new business, The Clear Estate, specializes in Akashic Record Clearing and Psychic Readings. Within the last year she has also started DJing Tech House shows as DJ Chakrateeze. She is a graduate of PSI 7 and staffs their Basic Seminars in Orange County.

Anne Germain, leading from the front since being a small child in an unconventional way; in 1992, she started working within the Metropolitan Police as a member of Civil Staff, successfully achieving promotions from Administrative Officer up to Higher Executive Officer, Chartered Fellow of the CIPD, and Cert.Ed, Dip.H, M.A.E.P.E; Leaving on promotion to the Home Office as a Human Resource Business Partner in 2005. In 2006, she opened her own consultancy bringing together her business experience, coaching, mentoring, holistic skills, and mediumship abilities. Soon she was touring initially around the UK providing her very down-to-earth and simple take on what may believe to be ‘strange’ at best, if not more than a little odd. Her travels included Europe with Portugal and her first TV show, followed by Spain her second TV show, followed by sold-out theatre tours, invitations to speak at some of Spain’s most prestigious holistic congresses and charity events; 2011 saw the publication of her first book. Anyone attending the theatre tour or congresses were introduced Annes’ abilities of being an excellent orator, with a special way of making anyone attending and listening to her as if she was talking only to them; with expansion into training courses for developing abilities to link with their latent psychic skills something she is passionate about. Anne is now living in Spain, where the Anne Germain Institute opened its doors in 2019, she still fits in touring, but even further afield adding the USA, with negotiations for several south American county visits for 2022 & 2023. In Annes own words, “not bad for a below average schoolgirl written off by her teachers as only expected to marry at 16 and produce a hoard of children.” Annes’ Mission: “Creating an environment of inclusion for those living outside the box” From which part of the UK are you? I was originally born in Walton on Thames in Surrey, which is just outside of London, now I live in Alicante Spain, my husband Keith and our cats live in East Grinstead, West Sussex, but soon to join me here in Spain. When did you feel for the first time that you were different? When I went to school from about the age of 5 was when I really noticed I think, not everyone else seemed to be able to see the extra children and adults that were in the classroom and around the school buildings in general. Some children that did seem to see them deliberately choose to ignore them, maybe they’d been told they were their imagination or to stop telling tails (lies) once too often and had learnt to keep quiet. What did your family think about that? Did they find it was normal? My family just seemed to treat it as a normal thing, it was ‘just something Anne does’ and didn’t really take any notice because I’d always been the same so yes they seemed to find as being normal for me. Someone in your family has or had have this gift? My sisters have developed a little of a gift as they have got older but more in healing and a psychic level rather than the mediumistic way of working. Both are intuitive rather than able to speak with spirits; neither my late Mum nor late father had the ability to see spirits. On one occasion when my father was very ill in hospital, he started to describe a spirit sitting at the end of another persons’ bed, he saw them hold out their hand to the person on the bed and then watched the man leave his body to join the spirit. When my father recovered he said that he now understood a small amount of what I had spoken of and that he could then feel them around but didn’t see them and didn’t want to thank you. How does it work? What do you see or hear? Each spirit has their own way of making me hear them, sometimes it is as if I am having a conversation inside my own head, but the voice is distinctly different from my own self. Maybe a man or woman with different language, age, speech impediment; this is how I know it’s not me just talking to myself. When I do that, I hear myself with my own voice and not the voice of another. Other times I will hear a voice as if someone is standing beside me, as clear as when I speak with my husband, this happens so often that I regularly answer him when I think it is him who has been speaking only to have him look at me as if I’ve gone mad. They also show me pictures in my 3rd eye, also they literally stand in front of me to make me see them; and give me the feeling of them as they were on the earth, their illnesses, where I feel male, female. The way in which they passed to talk about every way the impact on me to let me know what they are trying to say would take forever because they are all individuals, but I will try and give you an idea. As I say it isn’t easy to explain exactly how the communication works; maybe by describing it as a vibrating sound wave which goes like the waves on the sea up and down; spirit is on one sound wave very high up and I on another much lower down on earth we each vibrate at a different speed, they are very fast in spirit and here on earth we are very slow. When we hear them, it is because we basically have crashed as my vibration wave goes up and theirs goes down. It means we get part of each other’s conversation and not every single word. Therefore, sometimes it takes a lot of working out between the words, pictures and feelings what they are trying to communicate to their loved ones. In addition to this because I have all the mediumistic abilities I can have many different spirits trying to communicate at once; one showing me pictures, one standing in front of me, one making me feel their energies and how they passed and another speaking to me about their life, family or personality, over the many years I’ve had the sensation of being burned, crushed, falling, buried alive, strangled, stabbed, drowned and these are just a few of the sensations they give me. The world of spirit when they decide to communicate can become very loud and confusing; this is why I am happier when not in a crowded place such as the metro, studios and theatres are a challenge with spirit messages, but I love trying to work out who they want to talk with. How do the spirits try to call your attention? Many of them just talk, whispering or shouting if my attention isn’t focused on spirit or if many spirits are trying to get my attention at once. They also touch me sometimes tapping me on the shoulder or pushing me in some way, make me aware of smells perfume or smoke are two common ones. The ones that come and stand in front of me making faces can be a fun because I will want to laugh and it’s not always the appropriate thing to do, but a spirit doesn’t lose their fun personality just because they are in spirit a joker is always a joker even in spirit. Can you describe us how was your first meeting with spirits? There hasn’t ever really been a first meeting with spirit because they have always been part of my life; the one that really is strongest in my memory is my uncle, who passed during the war when his ship was sunk. When I was a small child, he would be there to talk to and I would always be playing with the children in the house where we lived so I have never thought of anything as being a first meeting; which is something I suppose is hard to comprehend for others. Do the human beings keep developing when they leave this world? When we leave the earth and return to spirit, return because that is where we all come from originally. We are only part way through our learning and development, when we arrive back in spirit, we review what our life has been like on the earth; the way our actions have impacted on others both in the past and the way it will impact on others in the future. From this we can see where we need to continue developing and learning; either in the halls of learning in spirit or after having many years in these places maybe electing to return to earth to learn more lessons. This is my belief and obviously not everyone will follow this but having spent many hours meditating and speaking with my guides, family members in spirit and other spirits I have communicated with over the years I’ve been here on earth this is what I now consider to be the way we on earth return to spirit and evolve further. Is it possible to predict the future in some way? Spirit can choose to give information about the future yes, often though they will always say that we on earth have free will and we are able to impact upon what happens so it is often only a suggestion of how things may happen in the future and timing is a challenge because spirit don’t have a concept of time as we do on earth. Overall the years I have been working I have been told by many people that I have given them information from their loved ones about things that they never believed could happen in their life time, only to have someone do something which actually causes that thing to happen. All spiritual mediums can work on the psychic level which is more related and based with issues around the earth and where we are as humans’ jobs, love, family that sort of thing; not all psychics are able to communicate with the dead. So how does that link with working in business? A way of explaining it is I suppose is that a psychic is the one person you need if you’re lacking guidance or focus on the earth; We are all born with a natural psychic ability and you can take that small ability of being Psychic, develop it with structured training and make it work for you in business it’s a way of linking every ones natural psychic ability or gut instinct on a business level, helping individuals become more attuned to their natural instinct in getting the best from their people, their business and themselves. They don’t have to follow and do all things that I do, but they need to learn to be intuitive and some find that a big challenge when we are all brought up with the need to always achieve and strive to go forward at such a speed we don’t have time to actually listen to our intuition and all that nature has to offer us, to do that we all need to learn to be still. Did you contact with any spirit that had murdered or committed a crime? Over the many years of working with people who come to speak with their loved ones yes some have I am sure murdered or committed crime; I know that sometimes spirit come forward to say that they are sorry for what they have done; something many would never have said when they were on the earth. Often the spirit coming forward in these circumstances aren’t welcomed by their family but the spirit needs to acknowledge the damage they did on earth and to say to the person that they now see this and although they come to say sorry they know they have no right to ask for their forgiveness; this act is for their progression but also it is good for the person on the earth to hear it direct from spirit that at last they are aware of the damage they caused that person and the others of the family linking with that person. No event which has hurt someone stays only with that person it has a knock-on effect through many generations because the pathway of that person has been permanently changed by the pain given. Just like the pebble on the still lake when it is thrown, actions cause ripples over many generations. Are there aggressive spirits? Can they do something to us from the other side? I don’t know that I would call them aggressive there are some very bad-tempered spirits exactly as there are some very bad tempered and grumpy humans on earth; just because they Passover, they don’t suddenly become all happiness and light with a halo and harp, not until they have learnt about the damage, they have done being like this. Can they impact on us; yes, they can which is why we need to always be respectful and very careful in our dealings with spirit. It may look as if I don’t do anything when I’m working with them, it looks like I just listen. What people haven’t seen is the time I spend preparing to work with the spirits, meditating, asking to work on a high vibration in love and light, asking for protection for all that I meet both on earth and in spirit. Asking the guides and angels to come close to help and heal those who need it and for individual guardian angels to be with people so that only spirits with good intention and love come forward. Did you feel fear at some point? I’ve never felt fear of spirit, I have a high respect for spirit and the power that they can command so have never felt threatened or worried by them have felt more fear from people on the earth because of their violence and anger but never from spirits. What does the other side look like? Is there a heaven and a hell? Good question, it’s not an easy thing to describe because each spirit when they first pass will see it as they have hoped and dreamt of over their lifetime. To some it is a garden of beauty with the loved ones they have missed all together in one place; to another is like stepping from their old house into the one they were living in as a child. Maybe to the scientist they will find themselves in a laboratory helping those left on earth to develop cures and medicines to help us in the future. These are feelings we beings on the earth need to make sense of our life, spirits don’t have a need for these and when we become aware of this the gardens can if wish go into the background as we get used to being a pure light energy with no need of a body or of possessions. I would say that there is a heaven we dream of, no anger, no pain, no fear, no hate and no greed, religions accepting and working together for the good of those left on the earth that is when we begin to live. Is there hell; yes, we’re in it now on the earth, ‘hell on earth’ is the words said by many and sadly they are very true. You used to work in a human resources department and gained fellowship in the chartered institute of personnel and development, what made you leave that job? As much as I loved working in human resources and still miss it very much, my spirit work was taking over more and more of my time.I’d been told many times by spirit that I would work for them full time and that they would ensure I could do that and live. One day spirit put me in a position where I had to make a big decision, to either remain in human resources in an environment where integrity wasn’t important or to have faith and work with spirit full time. It was scary but how can I talk about others needing to have faith if I wasn’t ready to do it myself with this one thing. I had the faith to leave and now spirit is my whole life not just the private part of it. You´ve become very popular in Spain and Portugal thanks to `Más allá de la vida´. Did the fact of being famous changed your life? It never stops to amaze me at how well known I have become in Spain and Portugal; to me I’m just still Anne and it sometimes takes a little getting used to. Being famous has totally changed not only my life but the life of my husband Keith; we are both quiet shy people and used to being able to just blend into the background. That is something that here in Spain and in Portugal we can no longer do, Keith is able to do to a degree but not me. If I sit in a café or walk down the street I seem to get noticed, which is surreal for us both. He keeps my feet on the ground by teasing me which is perfect because we work well as a team after all these years being married. What do you like best from living in Spain? There are too many things to say that I like best from Spain, the people, the food, the culture, the country the amazing weather although saying the weather I stood out in the snow when I came to Madrid once but even that made me feel at home. And from Portugal? In some ways it is many of the same things, however the people are very different as is the food and culture. But both countries have emotion which sometimes hasn’t had the outlet which spirit can bring, I’m not sure I’m explaining that very well it’s more of a feeling rather than something I can put into words. Princess Diana, Marilyn Monroe or Amy Whinehouse to mention just a few. Which one is your favourite? Did you contact with anyone of them? Are they ok on the other side? This is a question I have been asked many, many times over the years, each of these people had a particular purpose on the earth even though they were all here for such a short period of time. I don’t have any favourite individual and I’m sure they are fine in spirit. With the way spirit work there would need to be a love connection between either myself of someone who was with me for the individual spirits to want to come and communicate through me. Being as I didn’t know any of these lovely people when they were on the earth and to my knowledge I don’t’ know anyone who had a love connection with them there is no reason for them to come and talk to me. It would be like me sitting in a café when they were on the earth, if they came into the same café they would go to a table of their own because they don’t’ know me they wouldn’t join me; however, if their brother/sister or family member was sitting at my table then maybe they would decide to come and join us for coffee. Why didn’t you want to work on TV at the UK? In the UK I am Anne I can be the family member, housewife and friend with a near normal life, the intrusion into personal life in the UK can be far greater for the famous. I never wanted to be famous it is something that happened because spirit decided it was going to happen. Many mediums and psychics want to be famous I think it’s a human thing wanting to have recognition, but it wasn’t something I looked for, it found me when I did a pilot show to assist someone with a project, they wanted to get off the ground; I never expected it to go forward, to say I was astounded by the response to the show is an understatement. Even now I cannot believe the phenomenal reaction it caused in both Portugal and now Spain. The by-product is that I was famous in both countries for a time and couldn’t just take myself off out for a walk without being noticed as I could at home, now Spain is home, and my TV show is history; people just think I seem familiar but not quiet why, which is amusing. The words of Santiago Segura were controversial in Spain. Did they hurt you? I don’t know what he said, in addition I don’t really care, he was rude to his family in spirit not me. Also, because I didn’t speak or read Spanish at the time, I was able to avoid most of the nasty things being said. He is entitled to his opinion, and I will never take that away from him nor will I ever be rude to or be nasty about his views. Do the nasty things that have been said hurt me yes, they do I am human after all. But to me the thing that upsets me most is the rudeness to those loved ones who have gone to spirit, not my loved ones but the ones of the people on the earth who are being rude by shutting the door on them it’s like shutting the door in the face of a grandfather or grandmother. I’m just glad that my family are totally unaware of most of the things that were said sometimes. Is there any message you want to transmit to Segura that can make him change his opinion or to any of the other haters? No, I have no wish for him to change his opinion, if he has set his mind on one course of belief then that is the right way for him. It is not my place to want to change or alter him he is himself, so it is his place to make changes if he wishes. When he passes to spirit in his own time, I’m sure he’ll pop along to say sorry, I will naturally accept his apology if I’m in the mood to on that day, the same goes for all the haters who have been abusive over the years. Did the negative reviews and accusations of you being a fake and fraud affect you? Yes sadly they did, it was very reminiscent of being back at school and becoming the freak again; I had some lovely abusive messages by email, on twitter and facebook telling me that I should be burned at the stake; death threats, that I’m a liar, a cheat, a fraudster, a thief, that I will burn in hell, I should get cancer and suffer a painful death and these are just the ones that are printable, pictures of me with machete through my head, arrows in my eyes, flames engulfing me. I’m not a person who swears and find that the language used was so abusive that it was horrific and to me that means there is no argument if they are swearing it’s because they have no ability to communicate. So, to each, and every person who sends these types of messages I always do the same, send them light and healing then hit block and delete but it doesn’t stop it hurting me when all I do is what I’ve done all my life and talk to spirits. It doesn’t remove the negative reporting on the internet but that’s life, if they want to believe the lies fine, if they don’t want to believe them fine. I know the truth of my abilities both mediumistic and psychic. How would you try to convince sceptical people? Skeptical people are very good they give a balance to the world; they make me personally work harder and make me go back to spirit over, and over again asking for more evidence. I have no need to convince a skeptical person because some will never lose that from themselves. But if over the years I am, able to help one sceptic to get an understanding and comforting loving message from someone they thought had gone for ever then I have done all I need to do. Any thoughts, concerns or dreams for 2021/22? Thoughts: A hope to see businesses rebuilding from the last of the devastating pandemic which has seen so many families suffer losses also, businesses losing good employees, good bosses and leaders, we have lost some good brands as their financial situations crumbled under the pressure of lockdown after lockdown around the world. The creation of some innovative marketing and new working practices is something which has been a very positive side of the pandemic. Concerns: The isolation and mental health issues left behind sadly has yet to be fully felt. Business and mankind as a whole need to understand that we cannot work or live without taking into consideration our ‘spiritual’ (another buzz word of the moment) side, it needs as much food in a way as our physical body does, its just a different type of food. Dreams: I wish I could bring spirit into everyone’s hearts’, and I have a wish for people to have more tolerance of each other so that greed, violence and hatred could stop. We have been given a world which can provide for all of us if we just learn to share holding our hands open in front of us not behind our backs hiding things from each other. Spirit is all around us and they see everything, the pain in the hearts of many, the hunger in the eyes of many not just for physical food but for a spiritual food that doesn’t necessarily come from a religion but a way of life. Thank you for taking the time to join us online and sharing your thoughts and personal memories. Thank you for taking an interest in me and my work with spirit. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info

Written by: Katie Scott Robert Pattinson is taking up the mantle (or cape) to become Batman in a standalone movie, which will hit screens in the US on 4th March. The Batman will track the superhero’s early crime fighting exploits with critics predicting a wilder and more unhinged version of the caped crusader. Playing The Penguin, Batman’s nemesis, is Colin Farrell, Paul Dano becomes The Riddler, whilst Zoe Kravitz takes on the role of Catwoman – a character she has voiced in the LEGO Batman film. The director is Matt Reeves, who was behind Cloverfield, Let Me In and The Planet of the Apes reboot trilogy. But critics are already bemused as the trailer that seems to more than echo the work of Chris Nolan and his Batman offering. “We’ve got Robert Pattinson sounding a lot like Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne (close your eyes and they’ll sound identical), Andy Serkis sounding not unlike Michael Caine’s Alfred, and certain moments (Batman shooting upward on the grappling hook, Batman beating up thugs in a dimly-lit nightclub) that aren’t just tropes of the mythology but staged and film in a way that can’t help but remind you of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight,” writes Scott Mendelson at Forbes. The film, whose opening was delayed twice by the Pandemic, is being brought to the screens by Warner Bros. and DC. Other major releases slated from the DC Universe next year include Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam; Ezra Miller in The Flash and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Looks like Batman has more than his usual role of villains to fight off.

Written by: Katie Scott Facebook and Instagram are promising access to exclusive deals and the latest gifts from live shopping experiences that will kick off next month. Brands including Benefit Cosmetics, Cocokind, Macy’s, Paintbox Nails, Tanya Taylor, Ulta Beauty, Vuori and Walmart have all signed up to host live videos. Shoppers will also be able to access advice from fellow bargain hunters as well as connect with “celebrities, creators and brand experts”, announced Facebook. On Instagram, shoppers can snag the product they want using the Drops destination, where they can sign up to receive a notification when an item is available for purchase. The Instagram Shops tab will bring shoppers curated information from the creators they follow and the Instagram @shop team. Shoppers who buy direct using either Social Media app may find deals including 20% off their purchase or free shipping. Further exclusive deals are being touted for shoppers who refer up to 10 friends. Both platforms will also see the return of Buy Black Friday to encourage people to support Black-owned small businesses. Starting on November 5th, a new show will be broadcast including segments from Black-owned businesses including Shaquanda’s Hot Pepper Sauce, House of Takura and Obia Naturals. “We know the holiday season is critical for small businesses, our latest Global State of Small Business Report shows that a quarter of minority-led businesses expect to make half of their annual sales over the holiday period, compared to 14% of other small businesses”, said Facebook in a statement. The Buy Black Friday is part of Boost with Facebook: Good Ideas Season, an annual program now in its second year that gives small businesses access to free resources and training “for a successful holiday season”. This year, it will include the opening of Good Ideas Shops in local communities across the US starting with launches in Seattle, Fort Worth and New York City. Facebook added: “We’ll also dedicate a storefront window in Los Angeles for people to Buy Black this December.”

Netflix merchandise from shows including Stranger Things, Ada Twist, Scientist and Squid Games are now exclusively available from a new online Walmart hub. “The Netflix Hub will offer customers exclusive experiences to engage with popular Netflix shows in innovative ways.” The new partnership, announced on 11 October, sees products including music, clothes, toys and games being made available. A Stranger Things collector box is one of the exclusive products on offer and is priced $54.96, while an Ada Twist Cuddle Plush - another exclusive – is $10.97. “At Walmart, we recognise the importance of bringing those trends directly to our customers and fast,” said Jeff Evans, Executive Vice President, Entertainment, Toys and Seasonal, Walmart U.S, who announced the partnership. He added that future plans include a Netflix Fan Select section of the hub where fans will be able to vote for merchandise they would like to see brought to market. “In addition to new products, the Netflix Hub will offer customers exclusive experiences to engage with popular Netflix shows in innovative ways,” he stated.

Netflix has revealed to CNN that Korean dystopian drama, Squid Game, has been viewed by 111 million accounts since debuting on 17th September. To put this figure into context, Bridgerton was watched by 82 million households in its first 28 days. The Korean drama is Netflix’s biggest-ever series at launch The figure is based on the number of people who have watched at least two minutes of a show, but Netflix has not revealed how many people watched full episodes or, indeed, the whole series. However, there is no debate that Squid Games’ impact has been huge. Bloomberg, which has had eyes on an internal Netflix data document, reports that the streaming service estimates that the show will create almost $900 million in value for the company. Bloomberg added “shares in the company have climbed nearly 7% since the release of “Squid Game”, valuing the company at $278.1 billion.” The series follows desperate and indebted contestants compete in a brutal games –twisted versions of children’s’ games – to win a cash prize. It cost 21.4 million to produce, which works out about $2.4 million an episode. There is no news, as yet, on whether there will be a second series. Written by: Katie Scott