Written by: Suzy Bessett, 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. Definition of take stock; "to carefully think about something to make a decision about what to do next" — Merriam-Webster. A sunrise. A Monday. Rabbit, Rabbit for a new month. We can all relate to the resolutions made in the new year. But why not “take stock” daily? Start fresh when we feel stuck, frozen, panicked or not our best self. When my clients conclude their sessions with me, I fondly tell them they have graduated. Is their work done? Not quite. We are all a work in progress. But we have mutually decided that they have the tools in their toolbox to move forward. They have reframed their relationship with food, their bodies and have learned there is no good or bad food; only bad portions and a negative mindset. It’s always bittersweet. I’m not saying goodbye. I often have check-ins with past clients, but I get to know them quite personally. Eating, food, and the struggles that come along with it are very personal. It’s generational, so I learn a lot about their childhoods and especially adolescent years when that balance can get turned upside down. Recently, a client graduated. She’s just 40, married with two young children, and has a big career. She is smart and driven, but like many others, she struggled with disordered eating and body image. While there are common threads in all of my clients, sometimes I see myself in one or two. That is the case with this client and I decided to share a personal story with her at the end of our work together. We talked about “taking stock”. A term from many years ago that still resonates with me today. We had been discussing anxiety and workarounds. While I am generally adventurous, I’m also a chronic worrier that tends to undermine my success at times. As I have aged, it has increased. Of course, as a mom, I worry about my children's health, safety, and well-being. I worry about my family, friends, and my own health. I would say it’s a healthy and pretty average state of worry. Where am I off the deep end? The future. In two years, as a single mom, I will be an empty nester. When I left my career 21 years ago to start a family, I never thought that, seemingly, in the blink of an eye, they would be grown. I remember sleepless nights, playdates, room mom responsibilities, and endless laughs. My kids were and always will be the absolute best decision and gift in my life. In just two years, they will both be in college and I will be back out there (in my mind) trying to figure out what’s next. While I’m scared at times, I have chosen to look back to look forward; my version of “taking stock”. On August 31st, 2021, I rose early, made my coffee, and sat with my journal/organizer. I went back 2 years to August of 2019 on my phone calendar and went through every single day for two years. I amazed myself! The list of all that I had tried and accomplished, was eye-opening. The list ranges from business-related successes and failures, starting a band, learning to row, selling my home of 20 years, unloading ⅔ of my possessions, and multiple moves until finally landing in a gorgeous apartment. I took control of my finances, had my teeth fixed, and even tried my hand at acting. Even in the face of Covid in 2020, stuff got done. Had I not reflected, I would be stuck in the fear of the future. The takeaway? Get unstuck by the review and then move forward. While constantly looking in the metaphorical rearview mirror will cause a crash, I believe taking stock is a way to remind yourself of where you have been and that you can and must keep moving forward. Maybe the list for you will be difficult to review if you have had very troubling times; the loss of a loved one, job loss or health issues. I would argue that taking stock is even more important. Sometimes reflecting on the day that you got up, beaten, and battered when you wanted to stay in bed all day is a HUGE accomplishment. Honor that. Remind yourself of the tenacity it took to be here today. Only YOU know the struggle and work you have put into your life. You are here, breathing, alive. Every single day is a gift and you can and will move forward. Take stock of the past and get on with living. Love and Peace. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Suzy! Suzy Bessett, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Suzy Bessett, Certified Eating Psychology Coach and founder of The Metabolic Connection. We offer a unique and complete approach to disordered eating and metabolic issues. Suzy has a proven track record helping emotional, disordered eaters get off the diet roller coaster and get on with living. Combining her work with the client's endocrinologist is the winning combination.

Written by: Kim Wilkinson, 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. As we near the end of another year many are starting to think about the change and opportunity of a new year. It is that time of year when many starts to get serious about setting goals, improving health, wealth, and relationships, and let’s face it, for many, the last two years have been a nightmare. Despite losing my 22-year-old son to an overdose in 2019 and then COVID bringing a tonne more challenges and losses, the past year and a half have been amazing for me in every way! I was stuck in a 4-year struggle of suffering and a quarter of the way into 2021 I realized I had two choices. I could stay stuck in the suffering or I could do the work and create the life I desired and deserved. I chose the latter What I have come to learn is that all the most powerful affirmations, vision boards, goal-setting exercises, and coaching aren’t going to work, unless these 5 key areas of focus are included. I have been working on mindset and manifesting for about 10 years but I was missing some very important aspects. Incorporating these into my daily life this past year and a half helped me to: Triple my Business Publish my first book (that quickly became a 1 Best Seller), my second book is almost ready for publishing and my third book is in the works. Launch a new 4-week online program called Empowered Transformation that has had participants from 5 different countries so far. Launch a Facilitator Training program to certify people to teach my 4-week online program. I now have 18 Facilitators and another training coming up in Nov 2022. I manifested several speaking opportunities on podcasts and at conferences (both virtual and in-person) I filled my Oct 2022 Thailand Retreat in less than 48 hrs I also achieved several other smaller goals and am still working on a few You too can manifest your goals and dreams by incorporating these 5 key areas of focus into your daily life. 1. Make peace with your past - dump the emotional baggage. Everything is energy. Emotions are energy. Most of us are not taught how to manage our emotions. Most of us are actually taught to avoid and distract from our emotions, suppress them, just keep busy, and so on. All that emotional energy builds up inside of us and blocks us. Holding on to anger, resentment, sadness, fear, and/or judgment. This is a very toxic energy, not the energy to attract abundance. These past emotional experiences are also what create our limiting beliefs and behaviours that block us from attracting abundance and manifesting our goals and dreams. Identify and resolve past emotional experiences and set yourself free. This will create space for more and new things to come to you and it will help to raise your vibration. 2. Identify and release those limiting beliefs - through working on the first part of making peace with your past you will be able to identify your limiting beliefs. We often state our limiting beliefs out loud in conversation but don’t recognize them. For example, it is common to say “I am not ready for that”, which is often a belief of not being good enough. Another common thing people say is “I can’t afford that right now”. How many times have you said that or heard a client or potential client say that? The belief there is one of lack. I will never have enough. As long as that belief is there, they will never be able to afford it right now. Working with a coach can quickly help you identify limiting beliefs and there are many different practices that can help change those beliefs. Different things work for different people, find what works best for you. 3. Raise your vibration - as I mentioned everything is energy. Anger, sadness, resentment, judgment, and other similar emotions are all low vibration energy, dense, heavy, closed off, and tend to attract more negative energy. Love, joy, and gratitude are among the highest vibrational energy, light, fast, open to receive, and attract abundance. It is easy to move up and down the emotional scale throughout the day. The key is having awareness as to where you are at on that scale and consciously choose to raise your vibration if it has fallen. When triggered or when something unpleasant happens, there is always something to be grateful for. Make that shift. Again, there are a few different ways that a person can raise their vibration, find what works best for you! Our greatest gift is the power of choice. Every moment is an opportunity to make a different choice. If you unconsciously chose to fall into a low vibration, into anger, judgment, etc., choose again. Choose something better. Make a more conscious choice. 4. Consistency - you need to “do the work” and do it every day! If you want a different outcome, you need to do something different. Be aware of your thoughts. What you think, you create. With our minds, we create the world but first, the world creates our minds. If your thoughts are too often on things that have happened in the past, you will recreate the past in your future. If you are too often worried about the future you miss out on the present. It is what we do in the present moment that creates our future. Be present. Choose love over fear. Choose to live consciously and to respond instead of reacting. If you work with affirmations, work with them daily. If you meditate, meditate daily. You need to re-wire your brain to change limiting beliefs and break the cycle of behaviours that don’t serve you. This does not happen overnight, after a weekend workshop, or after a month-long training. To change your thoughts, behaviours, and beliefs you have to “do the work” daily. 5. Surrender and trust - we don’t create on our own we co-create. We all believe in something, whether that is God, the Universe, Energy, Source, your higher power, or whatever you refer to it as. The more you become present, aligned, balanced, open, and in a high vibration the more connected you are to that co-creating force. This means patience is also required. Sometimes what you are focused on manifesting doesn’t happen as quickly as you want. It all happens at the right time IF you are in a state of allowing. Sometimes that co-creating force has a bigger or better plan that is taking a bit longer to unfold. Trust the process. When you try to control it too much, it becomes too complex and difficult to unfold. I can recall many personal experiences where this happened, getting a better paying job, getting a nicer house at a lower cost than the one we originally had an offer on. I can honestly say that I am grateful for many of the things that didn’t manifest because they resulted in something better. Having a daily spiritual practice (not religion) has been a big part of helping me to do this work and to see the fruits of my labour. It has helped me to work smarter not harder and to work less and make more. This has resulted in having more time to truly enjoy life and the things I love to do. I plan to make 2022 and even bigger and better year. Most of my Business ideas, programs, and workshops come to me in meditation. I always trust and follow through with that guidance, it has served me well. The latest project that just launched on Oct 10 is my new 14-month online Manifesting Coaching Program. 2022: A Year of Manifesting Magic & Miracles This 14-month program is currently being offered at an incredibly low rate of ONLY $22/month IF YOU START NOW! VALUED AT $400/MONTH. *Monthly price goes up as time goes on. You need to make peace with your past, resolve limiting beliefs, clear blocks and create a high vibration mindset before you can even think about goal setting, vision boards, and manifesting! THAT IS WHY WE ARE STARTING NOW! From now until Dec 31, 2022, the monthly coaching program includes: minimum of 2 live zoom coaching calls/month (recorded) vision board workshops (quarterly) hypnosis/meditations tonnes of educational videos every month a chance to WIN a one-on-one coaching session (value $120) special guest presenters including intuitive readers, mindset experts and other coaches daily motivation and a variety of practices to help move into alignment and into a manifesting mindset Career, relationships, health, travel, finances, and whatever else you want to bring abundance to! Lock in NOW at ONLY $22/month! Pay a one-time annual fee ($308)! Don’t regret NOT doing this! Life is too short. Join us and let’s make 2022 your BEST YEAR YET! For more information on the Grief Recovery Program, visit my website or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Read more from Kim! Kim Wilkinson, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Kim Wilkinson is the Founder, Coach, and Facilitator of Empowered Life. She specializes in Trauma and Grief Recovery and has a passion for helping people move from suffering to empowerment. Kim found her passion and purpose through her own journey of healing trauma and loss. The experience of losing her 22-year-old son to an overdose in 2019 after years of Mental Health and Addiction concerns was her greatest struggle and greatest gift. She has become an expert in emotional health and healing and continues to study Trauma under one of the world’s most leading Trauma experts, Dr. Gabor Mate. Kim has been a Facilitator/Teacher for over 25 years. She is a certified Yoga/Meditation teacher, Reiki Master, Belief Clearing Practitioner, Advanced Grief Recovery Specialist, and Life Coach who works with clients across Canada and the U.S. In addition to one-on-one coaching, she facilitates a variety of healing and personal growth programs, both in-person and online. Kim recently launched her own 4-week online program, entitled Empowered Transformation – The Road Map to Living an Empowered Life. In the fall of 2021, Kim will be training a team of Facilitators to teach this new online program. Her own incredible journey of healing and transformation along with her trainings and certifications have helped many of her clients find freedom and peace from their past traumas and struggles. Along with support for healing, Kim also has a strong passion for educating parents, to reduce the risk of mental health and addiction concerns for their children. You can find a full list of programs and services on the Empowered Life Website.

Written by: Cora Howard, 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're feeling discouraged, it might be time to change your perspective. What words do you speak into your life every day? What meaning do the words that you choose have? These are just some of the questions that we explore in this article about the power of words! When we speak or say anything, do we truly know the reaction the universe will have to those words we just spoke? Everything just is in the world, but we give life to the words we speak. How we address someone says a lot about our upbringing. How we honor someone tells a lot about what value that person held in our lives. What we say to ourselves shows heavily how we think about ourselves. But can that be changed? Our minds are the most powerful tool we have. However, we neglect to exercise it by feeding it knowledge and changing habits that are not serving our inner being. You have so much to give to this world and absorbing the wrong surroundings is detrimental to your livelihood. The mind first processes by thoughts, thoughts that we give it. Such as, if you think you are poor, ugly, not as good as the other person, you will proceed to believe that if you say it enough. As children, we used our imagination to play games like cops and robbers, play families, and make-believe. Our minds don’t know the difference, but we tell it what to believe. Imagine if you were the opposite of your negative thoughts and/or limited thoughts? We all make goal lists, to-do lists, or shopping lists, right? Take out pen and paper to write out at least 3 to 5 goals to accomplish before the end of the year. Let these be as big or as small as you want them to be. As you are coming up with what you want to accomplish or change, ask yourself if these goals are big enough? The beauty and pure magic behind seeing your goals on paper are like it's being scribed for a messenger to deliver it to whomever you view the creator of the universe to be. Ready to begin the co-creation with that creator? It can take mere days to change or cause a rift in your current reality. This is possible by the conviction and repetition of the words you speak and give life. Most people call these affirmations. If you have used these and they never worked, it's because your two minds (conscious and subconscious mind) couldn’t grasp a lie you were feeding it. Your subconscious mind is like soil, but you can’t feed it something that is a bona fide lie that your conscious mind knows. If you believe deep within that something is hard, you will have to go within yourself to understand why you believe that. Nothing in life should be hard to accomplish. If it is hard for you to get out of your current situation, look in the mirror and ask yourself why? You have all the answers. Shocking, isn’t it? When you speak, speak creation. If you want to create love, you must feel those words and give life to them. Think of manifesting that perfect person just for you. If you want to create wealth, feel how that feels to you. Think of how it will truly feel when you can truly have any and everything you want. Affirmations are more effective when you say them from a place of feeling and that’s when you move the mountain(s) that’s standing in the way. You have the power to say move, and the world moves. You have the power to change the world around you. You have the answers you need. You always have and you always will. Speak what you want in your life with conviction, and you will magnetically flow and attract the tools, knowledge, and people that will help you achieve the goals on your list and more. For more info, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or visit my website! Cora Howard, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Cora, a spiritual coach with 10 years of experience in spirituality, purpose activation, and subconscious reprogramming. She provides guidance and support to help women live consciously and live their calling so they can love the life they lead. Prior to coaching, Cora worked in the world of retail. In that role, Cora was responsible for coaching employees to help them evolve for their next position within or outside the company. She offers a wide range of programs and services from hybrid programs to self-guided courses. She specializes in helping women find their soul purpose through reprogramming their subconscious minds. Cora speaks in many rooms on Clubhouse about the above-mentioned topics. Her mission is to help you transcend your ego to awaken your soul.

Written by: Jenny Vukovcan, 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 been feeling the blues lately? Perhaps your energy levels are down, and you notice that you are not as motivated or excited to tackle the to-dos of the day? If you have, you might take comfort in knowing that there can be a logical explanation for that. Aside from general COVID burnout where you are constantly online talking with people and exerting your energy by being "on" all the time at the same time you are managing your household, your emotions, business tasks, and life in general, you are also experiencing the seasonal change with fall rapidly approaching. You probably feel pulled in a million directions and might have the stress of finishing Q4 strong as well... Did you do all that you set out to do this year? I like to think of us humans, and our businesses, as a cycle of constant change. At every moment in time, when we are learning, implementing, growing, or going through any kind of change, we naturally go through a cycle that will up-level us to a different version of ourselves. Much like a tree that gets buds in spring and blooms in summer, we as humans are naturally inclined to have more energy in spring and get more creative and then implement ideas that take full bloom over summer. When fall comes, this process slows down, and the leaves change color and eventually become dry and fall off. This is nature's natural change process to prepare for winter and to conserve its energy. This change often happens within us humans, too, in terms of energy and motivation. Our energy level slows down in fall as well, and we are more inclined to want to stay inside and do low-energy work. Fall is a good time to take a step back in your business, slow down, and look over your priorities. During the winter months, the trees drop their leaves and stand bare in wait for spring and warmer weather to return. This is the time for reflection, meditation, and looking more within. When we do, we work with our body’s own rhythm to recharge our mental and physical energy and shift and up-level our mindset so that we can start the new year with a fresh perspective. When we are not in tuned with our body's natural rhythm, we tend to push and do more even though we don’t have the inspiration or motivation for it, and it can leave us feeling depleted, exhausted, and burnt out. To avoid fall burnout, you get to make sure to schedule time in your calendar for reflections and to just be. Perhaps you have been wanting to try a meditation program or start a mindful morning routine. Fall is a great time to schedule things that support you to slow down such as journaling, reading books, and engage in hobbies that do not require a lot of mental focus but rather bring you a rich emotional experience. Here are a couple of journal prompts to get you started: What are some ways you can slow down this fall and still accomplish what you have set out to do in your business? What can you do to mentally recharge this fall? Are there any beliefs you get to let go off or shift to move forward and feel accomplished before you finish out the year strong? When we slow down, listen to our own body's wisdom, and tune into our natural energy levels, we set ourselves and our businesses up for success and can start the new year operating from our highest and most rejuvenated selves. For more info, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, or visit my website! Read more from Jenny! Jenny Vukovcan, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jenny Vukovcan is an international best-selling author, productivity coach, business mentor, executive contributor writer, founder of the Modern Boss Academy and host of the Unstoppable Boss Podcast. Often referred to as the Productivity Queen, Jenny teaches overworked and overwhelmed online entrepreneurs how to manage their time, be more productive, and accomplish their goals, so they can build a business working only four hours a day and have more freedom in their lives. Unlike other coaches who only focus on generic questions and cookie-cutter strategies, Jenny digs deep and focuses on transformation from the inside out. Using her signature 3 levels of wisdom framework and business freedom formula, she has helped hundreds of online entrepreneurs increase their productivity, manage their time and energy, and build a business and life they love without sacrifice and guilt.

Written by: Cheryl Meyer, 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 purple veggies and fruits do you eat? Most of them are only available at farmer's markets or from the farm. I love purple, and love to eat it. Purple cabbage, purple cauliflower, purple potatoes, eggplant, blueberries, blackberries, purple plums, purple grapes, purple asparagus. Purple carrots were the original color of carrots until Bugs Bunny Cartoons came out and created a demand for orange. Now heirloom colors are available again. Purple carrots have 20 times more phytonutrients than orange carrots. [i] Radicchio-Red radicchio has 4 x the antioxidants than romaine. [ii] Purple cauliflower is rich in anthocyanins and glucosinolates.[iii] Purple tomatoes have far more antioxidants than red and are loaded with phytonutrients. [iv] Purple produce is loaded with resveratrol, anthoancyidins, and flavonoids[v]. Friend to my autoimmune disease, healing and lovely. Canned blueberries have more phytonutrients than fresh. Frozen blueberries do as well. [vi] 76% of us don't eat enough purple.[i] Good for the brain, bones, inflammation, cognitive health, slows aging. Fights cancer.[ii] Where can you find a variety of purple produce? Local farmer's markets. We have lost much of the diversity of plant foods because of factory farming. Big Ag chooses varieties for longevity not for phytonutrients or for taste. Blue purple is the color of our 6th chakra. The Third Eye chakra is related to the act of seeing, both physically and intuitively. When it’s balanced, it brings you insight, strong intuition, wisdom, and the ability to see the big picture. Eating purple food will help balance the energy in your 6th chakra. Color is vibration and energy. Cells are energy. I love to wear purple. I love to be around it. It’s the color of Amethyst and there are purple sapphires that are sensational. I designed jewelry in my previous life. “The color purple is often associated with royalty, nobility, luxury, power, and ambition. Purple also represents meanings of wealth, extravagance, creativity, wisdom, dignity, grandeur, devotion, peace, pride, mystery, independence, and magic.”[iii] What can you do to bring more purple into your world? Start with eating more purple. Eat for your future health. I am a health coach. Eat for all your senses and incorporate all the colors of the rainbow. Each has a gift for the body, and the colors work together to create a synergy for health. Eat from the “farmacy” not from the SAD (Standard American Diet). How can I help you? Follow Cheryl on Facebook, Instagram and connect with her on LinkedIn! Read more from Cheryl! Cheryl Meyer, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Cheryl Meyer suffered from autoimmune disease. By eliminating hundreds of toxins, she reversed her pain. Cheryl has a BA from UC-Berkeley and is a health coach from IIN. Cheryl is an award-winning author, international bestseller, health coach, speaker, local tv host, and guest podcaster. Cheryl has written four books on health and toxins available here. Her podcast is on Voice America. Cheryl specifically works with clients with chronic illness giving them hope and helping them find solutions. It is never too late to start healthy habits. Cheryl is available to speak about the toxins in our world that are making us ill. She is a sought-after expert on toxins, in our food, cleaning, water, minds, including toxic stress and toxic lack of sleep. She also talks about the impact of toxins on our children and our pet’s health. Contact Cheryl for one on one coaching or speaking at cherylmhealthmuse@gmail.com. Eliminating toxins is a crucial step to regain wellness. References: [i] Eating on the Wild Side by Jo Robinson [ii] Eating on the Wild Side by Jo Robinson [iii] Eating on the Wild Side by Jo Robinson [iv] Eating on the Wild Side by Jo Robinson [v] Eating on the Wild Side by Jo Robinson [vi] Eating on the Wild Side by Jo Robinson [i] Nutrilite.com/en-us/media/americaphytonutrientsreport.pdf [ii] Deanna Minich, PhD [iii] https://www.bourncreative.com/

Albania Vrioni coaches and advises business leaders worldwide on Generative Leadership and Entrepreneurship - supporting them re-imagine the future, see beyond what’s obvious, and reconcile conflicting truths and competing values. Having succeeded in critical transitions, Albana developed strategies on how to shift the mindset for creative achievement, boost resourcefulness, and manage one's energy to achieve what matters and thrive in changing the game. Her mission: A conscious leader in each game changer. Albana Vrioni, Leadership Coach Who is Albana? I am Albana, executive and business coach and management consultant in generative change, devoted to business innovation. Mother of 3 amazing kids of 24, 19, and 5, wife of an extraordinary man, and daughter of 2 loving parents - one of which gave me wings to fly, while the other taught me to keep my feet on the ground. We have a special cat named Cookie, while our garden in the green Tervuren, just at the outskirts of Brussels, is an attractive place of butterflies and red squirrels. I have been living in Belgium for over 20 years now, and before that in Norway, Germany, and England. I was born in Albania, my parents were both teachers, but I grew up in a family of an unusual mix: from my father’s side most of my aunts and uncles were into teaching (and I have 8 of them) - and from my mum’s side most of my aunts and uncles (6 of them) and my grandparents were artisans, surviving discrimination and making their ends meet. My mum came from one of the 10 influential families who signed the proclamation of Albanian Independence in 1912, but progressive thinking in dictatorship had a high price to pay. I was an only child until the age of 10, but I grew up in a big family. My parents, despite putting all their dreams on me, made sure I grew up with a wide perspective and experience of life. I knew all of my relatives, all my neighbors, and almost everyone in the city knew whose daughter I was. So, no pressure, right? I was engaged in many activities and especially reading. I've been reading “War and Peace” and “Via col Vento” from the age of 13-14. I knew all the merchants in my district, collected “clover flowers” with friends in summertime on the fields, and sold them to buy ice cream and books of my choice, although we had the richest library in the town. I mixed well during playtime but did not shy away from clarifying the rules of the game when someone was unfair while playing. My friends called me “iron foot” as I tended to walk fast and long distances and still be full of energy to move on. I had a beautiful childhood, and in retrospect, maybe this was a gift to forge my optimism and strength to overcome what was coming ahead. My dad was very much into promoting social progress and change. He believed that it was possible to have a real social system where everybody could and should contribute to its progress and manifest its genius. This was too advanced for the system we were living in and made his and our life pretty complicated, but little had I known of that suffering until my uncle of only 17 years old, and a bright student at the last year in high school, was taken to jail as he attempted to leave Albania illegally. He was condemned to life-long imprisonment while the family suffered dramatic consequences. I was 13 back then, and our lives turned upside down. Nevertheless, it was a moment that shaped my commitment to excellence. There was only one way I could continue my education and go to university - I had to keep all my results on the highest levels. By then I was clear on the disadvantages of being rejected for the right to educate. I grew up in a city of engineers, thanks to the rich reserves of petrol, so I was surrounded by kids of engineers, teachers, and doctors, all of them quite smart and aiming to pursue academic studies, that means that the competition to be the very best at school was tough. And I made it. Although my dream was to become a brain surgeon, I felt happy to have been given the right to pursue engineering studies, which I finalized with high distinctions. And when the regime was about to change I decided to be part of the big change. I joined the diplomatic service. This gave me the opportunity to work with exceptional people who in a short timeframe taught me so much about leadership and politics. Albania had started a deep and painful transition. I loved every bit of contributing to something meaningful that went beyond me. To support my career in international relations I decided to privately carry a Master’s program in Norway. In 1997, however, Albania went through dramatic social confusion and complete turmoil. My life, too! I was celebrating the birth of my first child when I learned about the assassination of my brother, only 17 years old. I had experienced injustice, I had witnessed cruelty, and there I was, suffering the pain of loss while holding my tears and rocking a newborn. I finished my Master program on time, with honors, and I was the only student to have a client project and research that was published, in collaboration with my professor, in the International Journal of Advertising. Shortly afterward I grasped the opportunity of a career in Belgium and we have been here ever since, for more than 20 years now, building a new home in this cosmopolitan city. Looking back on those years, has it been a walk in the park? If anything else it has resembled hiking uncharted paths – putting together the struggle and joy of achieving new heights. It has been a rich life experience where challenges and achievements have followed each other. It seemed like each time we had something important and significant achieved, a backslash followed requiring more resilience and more creativity to bounce back. In 2016, as we found our dream house of my dreams, we got the news of a new baby on the way, which was born in barely 6 months. Those three months of supporting him to survive and grow into a healthy human being, meanwhile assuring the renovation work on our new home was on track and working my fingers to the bone to deliver to my client have been extraordinary experiences that had a profound impact on composing the meaning of life. And this is what validated for me the difference that generative intelligence can make in bouncing back and re-imagining the future. What is it that you do for your clients? I support Leaders and Teams succeed in transforming a persisting or a disruptive challenge, or an idea (or a dream) into an innovative project, and transformational change. I do it through consulting or coaching, and engaging hands-on side by side to make it happen. I put skin in the game and pursue client work where we grow both sides. My clients work with me when they have a sense of urgency and importance in shifting gears - meaning in succeeding the realization of an innovative idea project, or in overcoming disruption or persisting struggle to re-invent themselves and their business. Whether they have tried to go in it alone, or have a developed sense of leadership alliances, they work with me when they have understood deep down that logic alone will not take them into the new places of what's possible. And that’s the work that I do for my clients - helping them get to the new places of what is possible through creative consciousness. Using a generative change method I help clients access and use creative imagination as the pivoting point of realizing their potential. When my clients want to get unstuck and shift gears, they start doing so by re-calibrating their inner core which helps create a focus of attention which in return helps them channel energy where it matters most. And this prepares the ground for accessing creative imagination. My clients don’t always have a clear goal, but very often have a hunch or an inner call that something has to change or something is emerging. And we define this together. We connect with each other in ways that create a field where new ideas emerge. The next important piece of work is on activating systemic resourcefulness. When my client is stuck, no matter what their IQ is, which often is very high, their logic is stuck, too. It has been exhausted in terms of horse-power. So we work to re-balance the system of performance in ways that allow bouncing back even more resourceful. While, when my client is enthusiastic about their new project, we look at how this enthusiasm can be transmitted into realistic planning or “channelled into productive lines of action”. Then we look at the Manifestation which more is more than taking action - as it is about the embodiment of who one is becoming - there is no generative change without embodiment. Generative intelligence is an ability and a field of energy - and the whole coaching process is about leveraging that ability and energy field. My clients are typically action-driven - this step in the process helps them tune their system of receiving and processing feedback. The fact that they enter into a coaching conversation is because they have made sense of at least some of the feedback that the system they operate in has sent. We work to enlarge that field of receptivity, prioritise, and process the feedback effectively. Integrating the processed feedback leads to a new cycle of development - shifting gears. I do use a catalyst assessment to start the conversations with the client - insightful as it is, we know both sides that it is just like a mirror. As a coach, during the debriefing and the coaching process I help the client see the blind spots - see what they do not see when they usually look in the mirror and identify the growth potential. Any good coach does this. Where my work brings value is in helping the client transform this insight into increased consciousness to connect the big picture of the mindset to micro-habits that define their success, and then into an elevated agency to shift from understanding to acting. My clients learn to manage fear and develop leap-faith in embracing new perspectives, welcoming the challenge, and transforming it into a resource. I have an inner drive to help my clients get to the next level of their greatness. There is so much creativity, genius, and greatness that we as humanity have still to manifest and I like to leave my footprint on this, one person, one team, one organisation at a time. In the forefront, my client work happens mostly through conversations, playful & insightful learning, and my presence. But in the background, I put a lot of work on sense-making and sense-giving to the evolutions around us, synthesizing and conferring it through change models and frameworks that I put into the service of my client and for self-mastery. I support clients in many different industries: ICT & Professional Services, Security, Financial Services, Air Traffic Management, Arts, etc. Different from consulting and mentoring, coaching is not about expertise in a function, or in the industry – not at all.It is about the quality of self-mastery and sound mastery of the dynamics that influence the quality of human relationships at different levels. And this is where I offer reliable service to my clients across industries and functions. 3 tips from my expertise Working with various clients and specific businesses typologies, I have discovered that 3 tips that lay on top of what my coaching clients list: The struggle is not our enemy – failing to take control of our mental attitude towards the struggle is. Every adversary holds the seed of the next achievement; every constraint is an invitation or an opening to thinking creatively for a new solution and strengthening our willpower to realize it. Holding the space to welcome the struggle or the adversity is the pivoting point of creating turning challenges into creative achievement. There is no such thing as receiving without giving. You receive an equitable value to what you give for realizing your goal, in quality, quantity, and mental attitude. You’ll enjoy prosperity in an equitable value to the quantity and quality of your effort, and the mental attitude you give to your prosperity goal; you receive attraction in an equitable value to the quantity, quality, and mental attitude you give to manifesting a magnetic personality; you are successful, in an equitable value to enabling others to be successful; you are loved in an equitable value to loving others, and so on. Take control of the image you hold of yourself . You are a product of the image that you hold of yourself. The environment you live and act in defines the field of references, for sure. But you can enlarge and enrich that field. The thing is that if you do not take control of that image, it will take control of you. Every result is a consequence of previously produced results from actions taken or not taken. When it comes to sustainable meaningful changes of your self-image, the brain changes its chemistry and motivates you towards actions in line with your self-image only after you act, not before. Who should hire/work with you? People aiming to make a game changing contribution have been my inspiration in life and I give my best when working for and with them. These are often entrepreneurs and business owners who have the hunch of chartering new paths, creating a new track record, and building new business ventures. I’m happy to see that women are more and more part of that group. Their pursuit often requires support in re-inventing themselves and their relationships, and in adopting a mindset that supports them for the specific goals they want to pursue. The other important group of my typical clients is corporate leaders and leadership teams who want to succeed in business innovation and turnarounds when the business context is rather challenging, organisational culture unsupportive, and the stakeholdership ecosystem rather complex. Their pursuit often requires support in re-balancing executive thinking with creative consciousness, in re-imagining the future and from that place, reconciling conflicting truths and completing priorities, and taking brave decisions. I also team up with other coaches and subject matter experts to create new products and service offerings and deliver larger-scale missions. People who work well with me, in common projects and ventures, are enthusiastic people who are keen on creative problem solving and pursuing goals that transcend them. What is your big goal? Where do you see yourself 10 years from now? My dream is to realize a social and business context that allows anyone to sing the song they have inside of them. I want to see a fluid workforce that strives to accomplish its potential and enjoys the fruits of their work and of their flourished potential. On a micro level, I yearn to unlock that inner essence in people who want to make a game-changing contribution, who want to lead themselves to their next level of greatness. My number one, day to day goal is having each client succeed in their pursuit, and with this having more leaders and leadership teams unleash their inner genius and transform their ideas into transformational undertakings and creative achievement. On a macro level, I desire to contribute to accelerating business innovation and its positive impact on a better world, helping in the conception and adoption of innovative solutions as enablers of a better future. Therefore, it is my goal to transform this desire into reality by scaling the outreach and impact of my coaching and consulting work and by making a meaningful contribution through a generation of conscious leaders that my work is creating. In 10 years I still see myself running in the marathon of re-inventing the future, but hopefully with a larger cohort of leaders that will inspire, on their side, a new generation of conscious leaders. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Albana!

Written by: Nicole Woodcock, 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. As a certified Solution Focused Clinical Hypnotherapist, I have heard. and been asked personally, a lot of questions that come from a lack of understanding of hypnosis. Old films and ‘on-stage performance hypnotists’ have given people are very obscured view of what Clinical Hypnotherapy actually is. It’s important to know how and where your Clinical Hypnotherapist qualified, as it still remains a fairly unregulated industry. That’s why I am a member of the professional body AFSFH (Association for Solution Focused Hypnotherapists) A UK leading Clinical Hypnotherapy body who hold their members to account to attending continuous professional development. I studied an in-depth qualification with CPHT Peterborough which is the UKs leading provider of solution-focused hypnotherapy training. Alongside I have now completed CPHT Level 5 supervisory training. If your hypnotherapist shows you a certificate then please make sure you find out where it came from, and that it wasn’t something they paid £50 for online. It's unlikely you would come to any harm but you certainly wouldn’t want to pay for a service or share personal details, with someone completely unqualified. Once you have found a reputable Solution Focused Clinical Hypnotherapist then you may have more questions and these are some of the more common myths that people are led to believe. Hypnotists are like magicians and have special powers. I am afraid to say, that as a trained Solution Focused Clinical Hypnotherapist I did not at any stage of my training receive any special magical powers. Although I’m sure my children would have thought that was pretty amazing! We learned about how the brain works and functions, and how to help our clients produce more serotonin, a natural hormone that is lacking in people who suffer from depression and anxiety. This in turn creates more positive neural pathways in the brain which enables our clients to support themselves. Solution-focused. So I can confirm that no magic is involved – just good old science. Hypnotism is bad for your health. On the contrary, there is zero evidence to support this. Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is actually good for your health and there is an abundance of evidence that says so. In fact, although Clinical Hypnotherapy is not available on the NHS right now, there are Doctors of Psychology and Trauma Specialists who are using these skills in practice. Your GP, health visitor or school SENCO should be able to point you in the direct of one if you ask for it. When in hypnosis you are asleep and unable to move When in hypnosis you are in a trance-like state. You are in complete control of everything. What you say and what you do. You can get up at any time. If there was an emergency you would be fully capable of getting up and leaving the room. Some people fall asleep during hypnotherapy, as their eyes are closed and they are completely relaxed, which is perfectly normal. Trance is a normal everyday phenomenon that we enter into many times of the day and can be likened to daydreaming. You have to be ‘weak-minded’ to be in hypnosis. Hypnosis isn’t about getting you to say or do anything you don’t want to. And therefore having a weak mind has no relevance. Solution Focused Hypnotherapy involves both talk therapy and utilising trance, where your mind is in a relaxed state, to support the brain in increasing serotonin. How effective this does not depend on how ‘weak’ your mind is. There are a huge number of factors that determine how many sessions a client may need, or how effective the treatment will be. All of which we discuss in our initial consultation and as we progress. On average most clients will see me for 8-12 sessions. Hypnosis is mind control. Celebrity and performance hypnotists are entirely different to Clinical Solution Focused Hypnotherapists. It’s well known and collectively assumed that these ‘hypnotists’ choose people from the audience who are very much ‘up for it’ in terms of entertaining. They ‘want’ to act out on stage, or at least feel like they need to. There is no mind control at play – everyone has free will. These shows however give the wrong impression. Stage hypnotism and Clinical Hypnotherapy are two very different modalities. One is used for entertainment purposes and the other is a very professional therapy incorporating psychotherapy and clinical hypnotherapy to support many mental health conditions and daily stress. Any Clinical Hypnotherapist who is a member of a professional body with the relevant qualifications becomes a Clinical hypnotherapist to support people. To help people overcome crippling issues that stop them from leading a ‘normal’ life. It’s an honour to be part of such an amazing profession and one that is becoming more recognised and understood by the wider public with ongoing research papers and studies. The future for solution-focused clinical hypnotherapy really does look mind-blowing. For more info, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and visit my website! Nicole Woodcock, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Nicole Woodcock is a solution-focused clinical hypnotherapist working with neurodiverse children and adults. Also, Lecturing solution-focused clinical hypnotherapists to become practitioners. After having a mental health breakdown and struggling with general anxiety disorder solution-focused hypnotherapy supported her to overcome many issues and also gain positive headspace. She is a senior lead at CPHT Nottingham, business owner at Hummingbird Hypnotherapy, and appointed Mental Health Support for the Lincolnshire Parent and Carer Forum. Her purpose is to provide positive mental health support in a solution-focused way. Every problem has a solution.

Written by: Beckie Kullberg, 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 food trackers came out I thought what a great idea! I entered my food and it would magically calculate my calories, carbs, fats, and sugars. On days that I exercised, I got to eat more calories-genius, or was it? Some days I would be more hungry and other days less. Did my food tracker know these variations? At the end of each day, I would either be at, below or above my calorie intake for the day and that number is what I based my worth on. Yup, I admit it, I looked to my food tracker to tell me if I was “good” or “bad”. It was a familiar feeling, one that I had with my scale and I did not like it. Turns out, we are born with a food tracker! What!?! Who knew? Perhaps not so much a tracker as it is the ability to know when to eat, how much to eat as well as when to stop eating. Our bodies are born with the power to know when we are hungry and when we are full. Think of a baby crying to let its parents know it's hungry (I’ve been known to cry when I am hangry) and when the baby is full they stop eating. We. Still. Have. This. Power. Insert: Mindful Eating. It’s a lot easier than you think and you get to eat the foods you love, like really love. Not those diet foods you eat while trying to convince yourself that you enjoy eating like a rabbit. Here’s a step-by-step approach on how to eat mindfully. Do this alone, with a friend, or bring the whole family in on this. Decide what you want to eat and prepare your food with thought and gratitude (where did it come from?), then take it to the table. Remove all distractions like TV, cell phone, and computer. Take a good look at your food, what colors, textures do you see? Smell it, get in there and get a good whiff. Pick up either the utensil you’re using or pick up if using fingers. Open your mouth and put in some food and put down your fork or food in your hand. Keep it on your tongue and actually taste it before you chew or swallow. Now start to chew slowly and taste and enjoy what’s going on in there. I tell my clients to pretend as though they are food critics and to describe their food that way. When you fully chewed that bite you may swallow and notice how the taste stays on in your mouth for a while-we tend to just jump to the next bite without enjoying the lingering taste. Take another bite and put down your fork or food and chew slowly and swallow when ready. After a few bites check in with your tummy and notice how it feels. Is it starting to fill up, do you feel less hungry? Do you notice after about 5 bites you don’t even notice the taste of the food any longer? When you feel full, not stuffed, stop eating and put away your food. At this point, there may be more food on your plate and you believe that you should just eat it, why let it go to waste, right? I like to think of two versions of that, it either goes to waste or my waist. If you are full, stop eating and save it for later. When you eat mindfully, you enjoy your food more and eat less. What food tracker can tell you when your tummy is full? You, you’re your own food tracker-trust it For more info, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit my website! Read more from Beckie! Beckie Kullberg, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine For the past thirty years, Beckie Kullberg has guided women of all ages and walks of life to fully understand and embrace self-love. She is a gentle leader who bonds with her clients and provides a safe haven for them to build body confidence and achieve a positive mindset. Her own story of binge-eating and recovery prompted her to create programs and tools to help others succeed in establishing strong self-esteem. Beckie coined the phrase “image nemesis” as she designed the courses “30 Days to Breakup with Binge Eating” and “Body Confidence and Weight Release.” After hiding her secret for years (even her husband didn’t know), Beckie took multiple self-development courses and made the shift to stop the shame and restore optimal health of mind and body. She feels grateful to live in scenic Sonoma County with her husband of eighteen years and her teenage son, where she loves to hike the local trails and connect with nature.

Written by: Amy Babiuch, MD , 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 my son turned one he was already walking, and like most one-year-olds, he was into everything! He didn’t make sounds or talk yet, but his older sister “did the talking for him”. A year later, when he still didn’t make sounds, we began the long process of evaluating his lack of speech. By the time he was four, he finally produced some words, but sentences wouldn’t come for another year. We held him back from kindergarten, but still, the idea of letter sounds seemed completely foreign to him. He couldn’t rhyme, he couldn’t recite his alphabet, and he couldn’t put sounds to letters. He underwent more evaluation, and he was diagnosed with ADHD and started on medications. We employed tutoring for him after school, and an IEP was put into place, but nothing seemed to help. Finally, in second grade he underwent a learning evaluation with a neuropsychologist who diagnosed Owen with dyslexia. Since that time, Owen has had significant intervention. Reading, writing, spelling and even some sounds are difficult for Owen. We are grateful to have enrolled Owen in Julie Billiart, a school that specializes in learning differences where he is finally receiving the intensive intervention that he needs. According to The Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity, it is estimated that dyslexia affects 20 percent of the population. Dyslexia is a learning disorder that involves difficulty reading due to problems identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to other words (decoding). Functional imaging studies have mapped some of the circuitry of how the brain reads. Typical activation patterns of highly interconnected neural systems seen in normal or good readers are not seen in dyslexics. Their system has a faulty connection which makes it hard for them to understand how letters sound and how they go together to make words. Having dyslexia does not mean that your child will never be able to read. In fact, most people with dyslexia have normal to above-average intelligence, and they are often very creative individuals. Having dyslexia, simply means that a child may need a different type of teaching to learn to read. Early evaluation, diagnosis, and intervention are key. Parenting children who have dyslexia can be frustrating and disheartening. As a parent, your inherent knowing tells you that your child is smart, but his or her grades and school performance tell a different story. Worse, children who have unrecognized dyslexia may develop poor confidence and behavior problems. Ultimately, parenting struggles arise, leaving both parents and children feeling inadequate. Signs that your child may have dyslexia: Delayed speech or late talking Difficulty remembering or naming letters, colors, numbers Problems learning nursery rhymes or rhyming Difficulty with letter sounds and spelling Reading below the expected age level Inability to sound out a new word and problems with nonsense words Slow to process what he or she hears Difficulty finding the right words Problems with remembering sequences (ie: days of the week) Follow Amy on her Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin , and visit her website for more info. Amy Babiuch, MD, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Amy Babiuch, MD is a physician, life and mindset coach, and an avid proponent for growth mindset development. As a practicing physician who is active in research and academics, she works to promote diversity in medicine and leadership and serves as a mentor to physicians and trainees. Dr. Babiuch has used her experience, background, education, and knowledge to develop a business devoted to helping parents embrace an all-encompassing mindset, ultimately driving acceptance, positivity, and confidence. She employs a unique approach by focusing on the whole person through addressing personal thoughts and beliefs, in addition to the parent-parent and parent-child relationships. She inspires parents to see the beauty within themselves and those they nurture through her articles, social media presence, and her coaching services.

Written by: Ana Angelique, 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 can’t help but chuckle to myself when I see yet another book on obtaining happiness. Those books are marketed in a way that makes it seem like finding and maintaining happiness is some secret code that few have been able to crack and master… a secret society… or that it’s the holy grail itself, and that your life won’t be complete unless you find this golden nugget hidden at the end of a rainbow. I’m also fairly certain that if there was a bookstore or library that contained every printed version on these books about how to be happy, that those shelves would be numerous and jam-packed, with at least another pile or two on the floor. And all these books serve up happiness like a recipe: A list of ingredients for happiness, and the steps to “make” it. Some even tell you how long it’ll take you to get there, usually implying that you’ve somehow done it wrong if you’re not there by a given date. But I don’t believe it’s a 10-step recipe and it’s not a golden chalice either. I also don’t believe in 100% happiness or a timeframe that you “should” be able to achieve it by. Happiness is free, available, and obtainable to everyone. Right now. And I think that there are two big myths on happiness that make it seem elusive and somewhat unobtainable, so let’s crack open these two myths: Myth 1: You need to be happy 100% of the time. This is simply ridiculous. It’s not possible to be happy 100% of the time, and that’s okay. Why? Because we’re all human and we experience a range of emotions. And contrary to what we’re told about emotions, experiencing an emotion is not bad. There is no bad emotion. Every emotion that we experience is there to serve a purpose. Emotions remind us of what we like and don’t like; Of what we should be grateful for and of where or how we need to spend more time. Feeling an emotion is not dangerous, but what you do with that emotion can be dangerous. For instance, if you’re really angry, smashing your fist through a window might feel good initially, but damaging your hand and having to deal with the broken glass isn’t so much fun. You could have chosen to let out the excess energy by screaming really loudly, which would probably have given you the same satisfaction of immediate release. But it’s not necessarily the emotion or your actions, it’s about your choice on how long you hold onto that emotion and what you do about it – how you manage it, deal with it, work through it, or shake it off. Allow yourself to feel and experience the emotion, and every emotion. See if you can uncover why you feel the way you do and if it’s something you don’t like feeling, ask yourself what you can do so that you minimise encountering it again. What’s the trigger for any particular emotion? Is it a situation? An event? An encounter? What can be done differently? And what can be done now, so that after experiencing and feeling the emotion, you can let it go? What can you do to turn it around? Is there something else that makes you happy, hopeful or peaceful that you can focus on instead? Myth 2: You need to forgive and forget to be happy. The saying “forgive and forget” really gets me cranky because to forget an experience that hurt us in some way, would involve potentially repeating the same mistake again. And that’s not something that anyone wants. All of our experiences teach us something and shape who we are. They help us set and maintain our boundaries, and they teach us about what we like and don’t like. As difficult as it can be sometimes and as terrible an experience may have been, you do need to at least forgive yourself for allowing it to happen, knowing that you did the best that you could at the time, under those circumstances. You may not want to forgive others that were involved, because in many ways, forgiving them, tells your unconscious self that you were okay with what they did, when in reality, you probably weren’t. I’m not saying to hold grudges, but I am saying that you need to forgive yourself enough that you can consciously take the steps necessary to ensure that you don’t let the same thing happen to you again. By doing this, you can do what the underlying message of the phrase “forgive and forget” means, which is to allow yourself enough forgiveness to move on, and not dwell on it. Accept that it’s happened and accept that you can’t change the past, understanding that there’s therefore no use in dwelling on it. Accept it for what it was and the lessons it taught, make any adjustments in your life, and then move on – this will give you peace, which in turn, will lead to happiness. The Truth Happiness, in most cases, is peace, gratitude and contentment. It’s accepting what is and choosing to take the steps to change what you can’t or won’t accept. It’s having your basic needs met so that you can focus on life’s luxuries, which are different for everyone. Happiness is stopping and acknowledging all the little snippets of beauty around you; Being grateful for what you have and everything that you can do, instead of focussing on what you don’t have or what isn’t perfect. There is always more than one way to look at everything and the way that you choose to view things, determines your own happiness. You’re in control of your own happiness, no one else. For example, as I write this, I’m grateful and happy that it’s another beautifully sunny day and I can feel the light breeze blowing on my skin; That I have my children around me, happily playing, and that I can hear their chatter and laughter; That I have a place to call home that’s filled with all of the creature comforts that keep me dry, warm, safe; That I have food in the kitchen and enough money to buy more when I need to. However, I could have chosen to look at it another way: I could say that it’s really bright and hot again, and that my children are making another mess and are noisy; That my home is too small, and the kitchen isn’t as fancy as I’d like, and that I can’t go to that really expensive restaurant every day or don’t have the luxury of having a personal chef at home. As humans, we’re always going to want more, but being happy isn’t about focussing on what is not. It’s about focussing on what is; About choosing to find the good, choosing to change, choosing to find the positive and choosing to see things in a different way. Happiness is about shifting your perspective to one of gratitude so that the viewpoint of gratitude dissolves the stresses, the angst, and lessens the worries to allow in the happiness. So… Simplify. Breathe. Experience. Embrace. Allow. Accept. Forgive. Adjust. Choose. Be. And happiness will find you. Follow Ana on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin or visit my website for more info! Read more from Ana! Ana Angelique, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine After overcoming some major life challenges on her own, Ana Angelique believes that others shouldn’t have to struggle in silence; Life is complex enough, but it is also beautiful, and it should be enjoyed. As a well-being life coach and mentor, Ana’s positive approach to life, her captivating and addictive energy, and her creative thinking enable her to empower her clients to take charge of their future and regain control. She has an insider’s perspective - one that’s been gained from an international corporate background, that enables her to relate to and understand, the real challenges faced by people every day. Thought-provoking, persuasive, and inspirational, Ana has natural teaching abilities and is known for her unique perspective on situations.

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Written by: Shannon Rose, 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. Tough times call for love, new seeds planted and an opportunity to explore the world through a brand new lens. Meet Jennifer Robertson, IVF Warrior, Author, Survivor, Fertility Coach, Mother and Wife, a shortlist to give you some idea of the depths to this incredible woman. In 2019, she threw caution to the wind and hired a Coach to help her grow her Network Marketing Business and begin living, well, differently. Little did she know that through the process of Coaching, she would uncover who she was always meant to be, a Fertility Coach, Author and true inspiration to those women walking the path of infertility. ‘Writing the book was me seeing for the first time what I had gone through. I saw the beauty in my vulnerability to share my story. The book allowed me to heal because it allowed me to grieve. I was now equipped to process the moments that before I never could!’ A Little About Jen A former Chief Financial Officer, Jen is your typical Type A, high achieving kind of woman! You can imagine what it was like for her to be hit with the reality of IVF. Her default setting of working hard to achieve what she wanted the most, simply wasn’t going to work this time. After countless examinations, checkups, needles, adventures carrying containers of sperm into the Doctor's office, and negative pregnancy tests, Jen and her husband finally turned to surrogacy. Her first child, Luca was born with the help of her Sister-in-Law, Bec. Then Jen’s story took an unexpected turn when she fell naturally pregnant with her second child, Sophie. ‘My story will have you sitting on the edge of your seat. You will laugh, cry and nod your head in agreement. Your heart will break and your faith in humanity will be restored. You will be inspired and gain back a little hope. You are not crazy, you are not a bad person, you are not alone.’ CURL UP ON THE COUCH AND READ HER BOOK, THE INJUSTICE OF INFERTILITY The Unfolding It was two months into Coaching when Jen mentioned, ‘I think I am going to write a blog.’ It was then that her Coach said, ‘Why don’t you write a book!’ ‘I'll never forget it. Time almost stood still! Jen had already began slowly sharing her journey on Social Media and through working with her Coach, began the process of owning her story, opening her FB Group and building the confidence and clarity to be a beacon of light for other women walking the Infertility Journey. When it came time to begin the book writing process, she didn’t expect it to become such a deep healing experience. One that was years overdue. The emotional turmoil that Jen had pushed past, avoided and suppressed was all bubbling to the surface. It was terrifying and liberating as every word, sentence, paragraph and chapter compiled. It truly is when we acknowledge the path we have walked that we can be set free. 6 months later, Jen’s Fertility Coaching Business took off, she left her job as a CFO to fulfill her dream to live a life of passion and purpose. Her family moved from the city to the beach and her voice, story and experience not only raises awareness for a disease that affected her personally but continues to positively impact other women around the world! In Closing What drove Jen, in the beginning, to build her business, hire the Coach and start writing, was fear. 2 years on, that fear has turned into dedication and devotion to a path greater than her. In turn, she has now found surrender and patience for this new journey. Her biggest takeaways from this journey so far are: 1. Live your life based on what makes you happy! Let go of the performer within you, stop playing into the ‘shoulds’. 2. As an OverAchiever, you need to lower the bar! Letting go of the impossible expectations I had for myself and getting all twisted up in unhealthy thinking, was heartbreaking. 3. Embrace the emotion and reality of being Human. Our Human Experience is a gift, don’t suppress that. You are worthy because you are. 4. A daily gratitude routine and structure in my day. Gives me the ability to be in the present moment and still move toward more! ‘I don’t always know what I am doing, but I trust. It’s in the presence that I have now embodied that speaks it’s little voice from within that says: I can do this!’ Follow Shannon on her Facebook and Instagram. Shannon Rose Executive Contributor, Brainz Magazine Shannon Rose is a Holistic Business Start-Up + Life Coach for women who are ready to stop the excuses and create a life they truly cannot get enough of, by showing up for themselves! Shannon has just returned to Australia from 5 years in the Italian Alps with her young family, including 2 children under 7 while running her 6 Figure Online Coaching Business! She is a Columnist at Influencive and Action & Ambition and Head Writer for Top PR Branding Agency, UBA, Founded by Rhonda Swan. Her mission is to empower more women to create their own legacy, lead themselves to create truly unforgettable memories + not be afraid to make the money to match, every damn day!