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. Have you ever wondered how to reduce anxiety in times of high stress? These days our routines have been shaken to the ground. From work and school to our social habits, life as we know it has been put on hold. We are advised to practice social distancing and be confined to our homes with no obvious end in sight. This may provoke high levels of uneasiness. Coronavirus (COVID-19) has, and continues to cause widespread anxiety and fear around the world. Fear of the unknown and uncertainty that surrounds coronavirus affects everyone. However, those with ongoing anxiety and depression issues are particularly vulnerable. It is natural to be concerned with this situation. It is normal to experience anxiety over how long this pandemic will last, to be afraid of contracting the coronavirus or to worry about how the coronavirus pandemic will affect your financial situation. Why Is Routine Important? For many of us, routine means that we are in control of our lives. Routine provides a sense of security and safety, therefore, alleviating anxiety. It allows us to cope with changes and reduces our stress levels. In times of high anxiety, routines become especially important. Routine Reduces Anxiety In days of uncertainty, a routine can be your anchor. No matter what is going on in the outside world, knowing that you will be doing certain things at a certain time of the day provides comfort and helps manage uncertainty. Coping with a crisis that can last unpredictably long can feel more manageable when you have some sort of structure and routine in place. Structure and Routine Reduce Stress Having a daily routine in times of high anxiety can help reduce your stress levels by removing uncertainty out of your daily routine. Surrounding yourself by familiar allows you to feel more in control and less stressed. Routine Helps Prioritize Self-Care Having a structure and routine can help keep up healthy daily habits and prioritize self-care. For example, when healthy sleep patterns, exercise are parts of your daily routine, this can make it easier to cope with anxiety and reduce stress. In addition to these healthy habits, I also believe that using mindfulness techniques for controlling anxiety is very effective. Routine Protects Mental Health The predictability of routine offers comfort in times of unpredictability. This helps you relax, and therefore promotes mental health. Following routines doesn’t involve a lot of decision-making, which helps alleviate the anxiety of having to make choices. How to Follow Routine in Times of High Anxiety Keep up routines on a personal level such as giving yourself half an hour a day to enjoy your cup of coffee while watching a favorite TV show or reading a book. Kick-off the day with an energizing smoothie or half an hour exercise. Write a journal each morning. Journaling can help clear your thoughts, identify and overcome negative thinking patterns and vent your emotions. Spend time outside. Go to your garden or balcony if you are in quarantine. Make time to talk to friends and family members who don’t live with you. Plan activities for the whole family to enjoy (have family meals together, organize a game night once a week, or watch movies together). Routines are important as they help make a positive impact on our mental health. And in times of high anxiety, preserving your wellbeing becomes a top priority. I hope these tips will help you alleviate some stress during this challenging time, so you can get back to feeling your best! 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: Hanna Herbst, 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. “Employees don’t quit companies, they quit managers”. We probably all know someone, maybe even ourselves, who quit a job blaming the direct manager. Does this, however, justify such a generalization or is it too easy to simply put all the blame on the direct manager when an employee leaves an organization? As a management consultant and life coach, I had the opportunity to work with many companies across industries on the one hand and with individuals suffering from toxic work environments on the other hand. The correlation between company values and employee satisfaction stood out time again and again and it directly impacts whether employees resign and look for new opportunities. Values are who we are To get started, let’s briefly define values. One definition from the Oxford Dictionary of English is that values are “principles or standards of behavior, one's judgment of what’s important in life”. This is also in line with the definition we use in coaching: values describe attitudes and attributes that are core to who we are. Values are who we are. Not who we would like to be, not who we think we should be but who we are in our lives right now. Examples of values are trust, independence, work-life balance, or self-care. The list is long and the set of core values determines the unique and individual essence, the ultimate and most fulfilling way of expressing and relating. The magic of values is that once they are being honored, they pave the way to fulfillment. The opposite is true as well. If values are not being honored, they lead to anxiety, loneliness, and depression. Company values are deeply engrained in the culture and leadership The value definition also holds for companies: the values of a company are who the company is in that moment. They are deeply engrained in the culture and leadership of a company and come through in every action and behavior within an organization. They play an important role as we will see. Most companies share their values on their websites. Can you guess the company that is guided by the following ones: be bold, focus on impact, move fast, be open and build social value?[1] Or which company is led by this set of values: be creative and innovative, deliver excellence, cultivate an entrepreneurial spirit, and be committed to positive impact?[2] The company values serve as a blueprint for decision-making. If a tough decision has to be taken, leaders go back to the company values and are reminded of what matters to the organization and its employees. The values serve as a compass. As is the case for individuals, the trick is honoring values in a way that they are embedded and reflected in all decision-making, incentive systems, promotions, behavior, and more. If this is achieved, the associated benefits are an increase in creativity, flow, contentment, confidence, and more. The company and its employees know who they are, what they stand for, and what to expect. Companies pay a significant price for not honoring their values What happens if those values communicated on the company website turn out to be nothing more than empty words? With individuals, the consequence of not honoring their values is feeling ashamed, alone, and less confident. Does this apply to organizations as well? Let’s think it through. Imagine a financial institution that has trust as one of its core values. In this company, it’s, however, common practice to badmouth people behind their back and/or in front of an audience. Trust is nowhere to be seen and everybody is fighting against each other being super careful not to give anybody munition to attack them. In this case, individuals are focused on protecting and not exposing themselves while potentially attacking other employees simultaneously. Do you think they enjoy spending time at work? Do they rather focus on driving the business or on “survival“? Importantly, every company has values. These values might differ from the ones shared on their websites but every organization has values. Instead of trust, it might be “survival of the toughest”. In this example, the actual value is likely linked to negative emotions such as anxiety, stress, and depression. Companies also leave lots of money on the table by not honoring their aspirational values. Why? Because employees that don’t feel safe will start looking for a new job. If they find a new opportunity, the company is estimated to lose about 1.5x the annual compensation behind the lost performance and knowledge, issues in the team, and additional recruiting and training cost. If employees stay with the company, they will play it safe and stop going the extra mile. They won’t feel the psychological safety to share any insights or ideas for improvement or innovation going forward which will result in the company falling behind its competition. Could this mismatch of values just be an exception to one specific area or department? In other words, as a whole, the company honors its aspirational values but due to its size, there might be some black sheep here and there. Have you ever heard the excuse that XYZ is maybe not the greatest personal fit but is overdelivering on the numbers every quarter and as such becomes irredeemable? In that case, the managers one level up are accepting inappropriate behavior and are sending the message that money trumps (aspirational) values and “maximizing sales no matter what” turns out to be a value. Since every employee has a direct manager this is a company problem and cannot be swept under the table with lame excuses. Honoring values must follow a zero-tolerance policy top-down, otherwise, a company ridicules its values and they become nothing but empty words. With that, I argue that "employees quit companies and managers”. Companies can work on becoming a value-driven organization Is everything lost if companies don’t honor their values just yet? Here comes the good news: NO. As we learned, values are a snapshot of who we are at a point in time and they may change over time. This will likely be the secret sauce for the future success of organizations. Accordingly, I highly recommend making honoring values a top priority. How can leaders go about it? Essentially, the steps are the same as for any other project ranging from assessing the status-quo, defining a clear action plan to launching it to the organization. Importantly, if values truly matter to a company, the values need to be reflected in the incentive system for all employees. Also, the launch is likely to be accompanied by training and workshops to manifest the changes and truly engrain the values in the company culture. What could this look like going forward? Let’s go back to the example of the financial institution and the value of trust. In the future, badmouthing might not be deemed acceptable behavior and employees will be stopped right at the moment with the explanation that this behavior is not in line with the values. They might be invited to a training session and/or coaching to get accustomed to the company values. If that doesn’t change the behavior, this person is no longer a good fit and the company is better off without this individual. The upside of honoring company values is enormous. These companies are in their integrity and on purpose and have the best prerequisites to win in the market. That’s why company values matter more than you might think. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Hanna Herbst, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Hanna Herbst is a leading life coach, management consultant and motivational speaker with 16 years of international experience in management consulting, entrepreneurship, corporate finance and coaching. She holds an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business and is trained as a co-active life coach. Hanna's superpower is making things happen with lots of energy, compassion and a smile. As the founder of Delygate, she works with individuals and organizations offering them life coaching and management consulting. She helps them tap into their full potential when faced with tough challenges and align their activities with their values and purpose. With Hanna's help, her clients transform towards confidence, focus, and fulfillment which allows them to reach their goals and become the best version of themselves. Hanna is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and is fluent in English and German. Contact Hanna for: Life Coaching | Management Consulting | Project Management | Workshop Facilitation | Moderation | Public Speaking | Guest Lectures

Written by: Dr. Raman K Attri, 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. Are you a senior individual contributor with over ten years of experience in a specific domain or career? Have you gained a significantly wide range of skills in your career? Have you worked on developing your specialization in a particular niche? As an experienced professional, you are at the level where you could translate your knowledge into leadership if you play it right. If you strategize your approaches well enough, you could be the next-in-line candidate for a potential opportunity to be in the supervisory, management, or leadership role. It is a difficult stage of career Being at a “sandwich” career position is no doubt one of the most challenging positions. On the one hand, your team members or peers admire you and look up to you for guidance. As a result, you may have a certain level of insecurity to lose your place in a more vibrant workforce entering the workplace. On the other hand, your upstream management may have a whole range of expectations of you regarding specific outcomes and behaviors. As a result, you are likely to have a certain level of anxiety thinking of ways to look good in front of the upstream management. More often, you may have challenges in pinning down how you should really come across on both sides of the fence to increase your chances of moving forward at a faster rate. For that reason, not all senior individual contributors find it easy to navigate this position and speed up their careers further. Learning new dynamics For the last two decades, I have worked as an individual contributor in various roles. I have been fortunate enough to manage large teams of individual contributors, comprising entry-level, mid-level, and senior professionals. I have noticed that senior professionals are primarily in a sort of ‘wait mode’ waiting for their calling while they have a keen desire to progress faster. However, they do not always get systematic guidance from their immediate managers to move forward. To successfully establish yourself as a next-in-line potential candidate, you need to master a whole unique set of dynamics compared to mid-level or entry-level professionals. These dynamics are not taught in most organizations. As a performance scientist, I have made keen observations regarding what specific strategies or behaviors lead to a faster speed of progression among senior individual contributors. I found four key strategies that you can use to speed up their professional success to the next level: 1. Be deliberate about maintaining your visibility The new workplace in most organizations is full of equally talented professionals, the majority of whom move at a fast pace. They are increasingly becoming competitive, who rub shoulders with each other to get ahead in the career. They don’t mind going the extra mile to make themselves noticed by upper management. When your peers are composed of such competitive professionals, you might find it hard to make yourself noticeable where you leave a long-lasting impression, despite your experience and knowledge. Making yourself visible and staying visible is an art. There was one very experienced senior professional reporting to me. He exhibited some behaviors that made it difficult for me as a manager to forget his presence. He sent me a comprehensive update every week without fail. This update contained the list of activities he was engaged in, new actions he identified, and unknown risks or alerts he spotted. He hardly missed any weekly updates. Simply sending weekly updates does not assure visibility. After a while, this may become a business-as-usual routine activity. The noteworthy thing that established his persistent visibility was his ability to identify issues with systems, processes, or projects and then self-assign responsibility to fix them to himself. If you think about it, it is a commonsense approach that you are likely to do a far better and highly noteworthy job than others because you have probably already mastered that domain to a great extent. So, when you find out the issues that have value, you are basically self-inventing the work. The outcomes, if noteworthy, would get noticed and will help you stay visible. Another senior professional working with me exhibited a different behavior. Most team members in the team were very vocal and spontaneous in expressing their opinions. However, this individual chose a deliberate approach to expressing his views. Instead of merely expressing views in the team meeting, he would pull up a slide or two or an excel sheet and then explain his viewpoints with authority. It was apparent that he had done a good amount of research to create that collateral. Of course, often, he did an excellent job in anticipating the questions that could come up in a discussion where he could showcase his carefully crafted collaterals. On other occasions, he would interject his suggestions in such a way that would bring the discussion to a point where his research becomes the center point of discussion. Managers love slides and analysis, don’t they? The artifacts like action trackers, slides, documents, reports, or things like that stay in leaders' inboxes or memory far longer than the verbal discussions. When the time comes, the leadership team is likely to pick these highly visible stars. When you want to establish visibility, you need to be intentional about expressing it and making it noteworthy and memorable. Be deliberate about improving, enhancing, and maintaining your visibility. 2. Take a stand for a cause and challenge the norms One of my direct reporting employees was usually blatant or open in pointing out the weak management decisions or viewpoints. However, he would do so factually and rationally without holding back his opinions, which is impressive. When someone resists wisely, explains the other side of the issue, which might have been missed, that objection is seen as a suggestion challenging the norms and not as a confrontation. Such a trait of taking a stand, expressing your objections, and challenging the status quo is a sure shot indicator of the spark a leadership team looks for. As a senior individual contributor, you have already developed enough observations through your experience regarding what works and what does not. This is your moment to translate those observations into actions and create the changes you always strived for. Leverage your experience, establish your opinion, and take a stand to challenge the norm. Do not be afraid of confrontation, but do tread the thin line between productive confrontation and unproductive conflict carefully. 3. Exercise next level synthesis or integration skills Several managers love employees with excellent analytical skills whom they can rely upon to understand complex problems. When the project work requires more attention to detail or a more serious cause analysis, the experienced professionals with a deeper level of analytical skills are the go-to persons. I had a brilliant mid-level employee with top-notch analytical skills. He was extremely good at separating the issues and reaching the root of the problem, and was usually the first person to explain the solution. He usually would observe or catch the gaps other people won’t be able to detect easily. Such detailed-oriented, highly analytical individuals are an asset to any company. Contrary to usual expectations of the above employee making the mark as a next-in-line candidate, he got stuck in his position for an extended period despite his skills. The reason is that analytical skills can take someone only that far. Because of his overly specialized analytical skills, he found it challenging to culminate his analysis into implementable solutions. I often had to bring in someone else who could assemble various pieces and build a solution on top of his investigation. The world has become increasingly complex. While good analytical skills help us identify problems and issues, we need solutions to navigate difficult times. Ones who can build, drive or implement solutions are usually the top choices as the next-in-line candidates. Thus, as a senior individual contributor, you need to develop top-order synthesis skills or integration skills. These skills involve synthesizing or integrating a diverse set of pieces, information, or components into a practical solution. You need to show that you can pull together scattered pieces of information, think strategically, and leverage multiple resources to come up with a solution. Such an ability to understand the bigger picture or build a bigger picture goes a long way in taking the career forward. 4. Keep an eye on mastering broader experience than specialization Typically, as a senior professional, Through Years of professional development, project work, and other assignments, you are likely to have become a niche specialist in a certain area or a specific set of skills. Your specialist skills probably have already delivered proven results. But why can you not move fast enough to the next level? What’s stopping you? It is hard to digest. In my experience, the same specialization paradoxically acts as a road blocker for most senior professionals. It hampers their speed drastically. I learned one key thing through decades of observation, coaching, and employee development. The thing that differentiates the successful next-in-line candidates from those who could not make it to the cutline is their ability to show the breadth of their experience, not the depth of specialization per se. As you climb up the ladder of your career, problems or situations, you face often require a multidimensional understanding of the context and solutions. Thus, when you have broader insights from multiple angles or domains, you become a trusted advisor to your manager. Invariably, managers would like to run things with you where they need a broader, third-person view of the issues. When that happens, this is your opportunity to show it. One of my direct reporting employees used to get himself involved in several tasks beyond his business units, often volunteering to unrelated groups. While it may seem like a distraction at first look, those broader interactions gave him a practical broader perspective about various issues. Sometimes he brought his cross-functional knowledge to the table and earned an edge over others in presenting a fresh perspective, which did not come naturally to overly specialized individual contributors. However, it is a tough cookie to crack because if you depend solely on your job within your organization, you will probably become more of a specialist and lose the broader perspectives. Therefore, get involved in multiple projects and activities to gain a broader knowledge and multidimensional understanding of problems beyond your core specialization. This will propel you forward at high speed. Not only does it make you a great next-in-line candidate, but it could also help you fit in several other job roles horizontally or diagonally. Final thoughts The world is not the same anymore. The contemporary times require a distinct set of approaches that are needed to succeed faster at the workplace. The newer technologies, automation, and AI are progressing to develop better decision-making and data analysis capabilities while addressing routine tasks more efficiently. This causes some concerns regarding the long-term relevance of a particular category of senior individual contributors. The real reskilling that you can do today is to be a differentiated senior professional who is not easily forgettable when the right time comes to find the next-in-line candidate. Follow me on Fac ebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Dr. Raman! Dr. Raman K Attri, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Dr. Raman K Attri is a performance scientist and the world’s leading authority on the science of speed in professional learning and performance. Undeterred by his permanent disability since childhood, he transformed his inability to walk into his niche expertise to teach others how to walk faster in their professional world. Equipped with over two decades of vast research and corporate experience, he guides leaders and professionals on proven strategies to shorten time to proficiency of the workforce. A prolific author of 20 multi-genre books on business, leadership, training, learning, and performance, he writes about human excellence. As a learning strategist, he innovates state-of-the-art training methodologies to speed up the learning of complex skills at a Fortune 500 technology corporation. As a global training leader, he manages a Hall of the Fame training organization, named one of the top 10 in the world. A highly passionate about accelerated learning since childhood, he earned two doctorates in learning, over 100 international educational credentials, and some of the world’s highest certifications. Among his most recent projects, he has founded the XpertX portal to inspire people to learn the art and science of speed in all walks of their life. As a professional speaker, he speaks at leading international conferences around the globe and shares his research-based insights, and continues to be an inspiring personality.

Written by: Inez Jordan, 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. John describes himself as a great leader. He heads up large global teams and gets things done. However, in a 360 assessment, John found out that his team described him as a poor listener, that he likes to do things his way, and he was a bit of a know-it-all. His team did not feel that he cared about their ideas, so they were less engaged. John was surprised to review the feedback from his management and direct reports. Why was his perception of himself so misaligned with that of his colleagues? Sue describes herself as a fantastic communicator. Her presentations are clear, concise, and to the point. She takes pride in the focused effort and time that it takes to prepare her slides and documentation. However, in her 360 assessment, Sue found out that her colleagues viewed her as opinionated, too detailed, and a bit arrogant. They stated that, during her presentations, Sue allowed practically no time for questions and just assumed everyone agreed with her ideas. Sue was a bit disappointed after reading the results. In the assessments, John and Sue found out that their self-perception was misaligned. How did this disconnect occur? How can they positively use the feedback from their management and peers? First off, kudos to John and Sue for participating in a 360 Assessment. They should avoid becoming defensive, accept the assessment results with curiosity, and have an open mind for making positive change. They should show gratitude for the feedback and dig in to identify areas for improvement. View feedback as a gift! John and Sue had lost touch with their teams and audiences. They were not truly engaged. Each had missed the opportunity to connect, ask questions, and truly listen and make people feel heard and valued. The feedback is a gift to identify areas for improvement and routine check-ins to confirm the positive impact. A few other options to consider are: Google yourself. It is a great way to see how you and your brand appear on social media. How do the search results match your expectations? Is there is a disconnect? What corrections are needed to establish the image and brand that you want to portray? Talk candidly with your family and friends. Ask specific questions about what they feel you are good at, where you may want to make some changes, or be more aware of how what you say or do impact others. The findings from each of these options will provide insight into your perception by others. There may be a few surprises in the feedback results. However, remember to be grateful for the feedback. Avoid defensiveness and intentionally think about why someone may have misunderstood or misread your intentions. What can you do differently in the future to confirm that your message, presentation, e-mail, or body language is received as intended? Awareness of your perception by others is an Emotional Intelligence skill and sign of an effective leader. We must be careful to monitor body language, words, and gestures daily to ensure clear communication with others. Stop regularly to confirm your message and ensure that your audience feels safe and comfortable in asking questions. Share your ongoing plans for improvement with someone that you trust and ask for feedback. For example, "I am working on improving my presentation skills. How did you like my speech yesterday? Do you think I allowed enough time for questions or covered the information thoroughly? Do you have any comments to share that can help me to be even better next time?" Be sure to listen and be grateful for the feedback. Perception by others is the foundation to building a positive personal brand and lasting trusted and respectful relationships with our management and peers. To learn more about the topic of Personal Branding, Social Awareness and Emotional Intelligence, contact Inez at inez@inezjordan.com Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Inez Jordan, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jordan is a Certified Emotional Intelligence coach, with concentrations in Individual Leadership / Professional Development and Group Coaching for Career Success. Inez enjoys working with leaders and professionals to identify blind-spots, overcome challenges and individual saboteurs to build a strong personal presence and successfully achieve their goals. With over 20 years of Executive Program Management and Client Engagement experience, Inez is a recognized thought leader, panelist and speaker on topics of Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, Team Motivation, and Personal Presence. Passionate about benefits of Emotional Intelligence, Inez challenges her clients to focus on understanding how they are perceived and impact others, and inspires them to constantly improve "How They Show Up" in all of their relationships.

Written by: Joi Brown, 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. Do you remember the computer command Ctrl-Alt-Del? I remembered learning about this command in elementary school as a key command. When the computer is unresponsive and has frozen, I should hit the Ctrl-Alt-Del. This powerful command, if done at the same time can do the following: close an application down when it’s unresponsive and restart the computer. As I reflect on life, dreams and aspirations that have been deferred, wanting and deserving more in life, feeling unmotivated, and being struck in the same place year-after-year. The power of Ctrl-Alt-Del works and is essential in life, not just to computers. Let’s get ready to: Ctrl (Control): Take control of your life. Alt (Alternate): Look for alternatives to get different results. Del (Delete): Delete all negativity in your life including attitudes and habits that are just not working for you. Ctrl (Control) Control is the power to influence one’s behavior. As parents, we have great influence over our children’s lives and often introduce them to new things like sports, dance, music, etc. As adults, we become the authors of our lives and have control over what happens to us. To take control of your life starts with knowing who you are and believing in yourself. What are your gifts and talents? What excites you and gets you energized? You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Just think there is no one in the world that can do the things you can do the way you do it. Start today by taking control of your life and manifesting the life that you always dreamed of and imagined. Write out your dreams, aspirations, and goals that have been deferred. Get out your plan and begin to work it Alt (Alternate) In life, there are times when you need an alternate route…Think about the GPS system in your car, when you don’t follow what it says, it reroutes you to take an alternate course. I have had to personally make some changes or go a different way than originally planned when I was faced with a setback or a challenge. When I received a “no” or when others did not believe in me, I must remember who I am, and I have the power to change the narrative. It’s time for a reroute or a change to the plan. In the playbook of life, modifications, changes, and adjustments are necessary to becoming our best selves. What's in your life needs a reroute, modification, or change? It could be people, places, mindsets, or habits, that need an adjustment. Del (Delete) What things in your life do you need to delete? Is it: Comparing yourself to others Creating unrealistic expectations for yourself Social media obsession, doing it for “The Gram” Bad spending or eating habits Living in the past Toxic family and friends For me, it sometimes the negative self-doubt in myself, “I don’t know if I can do this” or “I am not as qualified as…” Then I hear it from others, “Why you want to do that” “It’s not going work.”I called the naysayers” dream killers.” Hit delete on all negativity in your life…Delete the drama, confusion, fear, pain, hurt, other people’s labels, and opinions of you… Go through your cell phone and delete people who do not believe in you, nor support your dreams and aspirations, and who tell you what you cannot do. Hit Delete. Ctrl-Alt-Del, is a powerful command. It’s not just for computers to close an application down when it’s unresponsive or to restart the computer. It serves a vital purpose in our lives to becoming our best selves, turning dreams into reality, and having the life that you always dreamed and imagined. It’s time to Ctrl-Alt-Del. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Joi Brown, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Joi Brown is the Chief Executive Officer of 3EEE Consulting, where she educates, equips, and empowers people through coaching, conversations, and workshops. Her expertise is in career and entrepreneur development, conflict resolution, goal setting, health and wellness, leadership and team development, and personal and professional branding. Joi is truly walking in her purpose helping to educate, equip, and empower people to unlock their passion, purpose, and potential.

Written by: Dr. Bonita Parker, 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. Want to know what sets the uber-successful apart from the wannabe entrepreneurs? It’s not money, or brilliant ideas, or even powerful friends. All of those things (and more) are nice to have, but they’re not a requirement of success. What is a must-have, though, is a good attitude. Without the proper mindset, you’ll constantly be battling your own brain, and that’s exhausting. You’ll allow yourself to believe your ideas are no good You’ll remain convinced that you aren’t smart enough You’ll be certain that someone else did it (whatever “it” is) better And before you know it, you’ll have talked yourself right out of launching your new program, asking for a JV partnership, or writing your book. In no time at all, you’ll be back at your day job, working away on someone else’s business because you don’t have the confidence to create your own. But a simple mindset change can make all the difference. Dress for Success Ladies, this one is for you. When we work at home, it’s easy to fall into a habit of wearing leggings and tees to the office. I get it! It’s comfy and with the right combination, it can be very cute too. But what will happen if, just once a week, you dress up just because … or, if you need an audience for your fabulous outfit, for the dog? If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to instantly shift your mindset in the right direction, ditch the yoga pants and break out the lipstick. You’ll suddenly find you feel more professional, more confident, more accomplished, and sexier, too. (That last one won’t help your business, but it might just help your love life, and that can’t hurt, can it?) Never Let Fear Drive Your Decisions Too many would-be entrepreneurs operate with a scarcity mindset rather than approaching business from a place of abundance. Rather than telling yourself that you can’t afford to hire a virtual assistant or invest in working with a coach, try reframing your thoughts in a more positive direction. Rather than thinking, “I can’t afford to attend that event,” ask yourself, “How can I earn the money to invest in this trip?” Rather than saying, “I have to do everything myself because I can’t afford to hire a VA,” remind yourself that your hourly rate potential is much more than you’d pay a virtual assistant. Then fill those hours you’re saving by outsourcing with money-making tasks of your own. By restructuring your thought patterns, you’ll turn that negative money talk into positive solutions that will help you grow. To learn more about achieving entrepreneurial success, grab your copy of my new book, Shit Great Leaders Do, where top business experts share their personal blueprints for becoming a leader in their field and banking millions in revenue! Get your copy! To know more about me and my work, please visit my website and follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn! Read more from Bonita! Dr. Bonita Parker, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Dr. Bonita Parker is an experienced and certified Master Life Coach, CEO Success Coach, Publisher, and 3x international bestselling author who is the driving force behind the success of Bonita Parker Enterprises, a multifaceted corporation that strategizes with new and aspiring business leaders to identify their core strengths, build out their individual success blueprint and provide resources that get excellent and proven results in their business. Dr. Bonita knows firsthand the importance that authenticity and transparency can have when building a thriving business and has dedicated her time to helping women break through emotional barriers and mental blockages that hinder their success. Under the tutelage of her Dream Achievers University (DAU), a virtual certification academy that focuses on the study of life coaching. she has helped a multitude of clients across a wide range of personal development sectors step into the light of entrepreneurship and build successful brands using her personal Radical Success Brilliance Model. Using this interactive step-by-step methodology, clients are able to break free from invisible enemies, shift their mindset and align with their optimal success path.

Terry Cavanaugh founded his Executive coaching practice (Accretive Consulting) in 2017 as he transitioned from a 40-year career in the insurance industry. He retired as CEO and President of Erie insurance - a $7 billion revenue property, casualty, life, and annuity provider in 2016. In his current role he helps C Suite executives hone their competitive edge and build new skills and awareness through dialogue, questions and observations based on his real-life experience, academic training (Rutgers Leadership Program and International Coaching Federation membership). He blends this practice with continued board work (both private and public organizations), nonprofit volunteer work, and world travel. As one of a few Fortune 500 CEO in the coaching field, he looks forward to helping others achieve personal and professional success and fulfillment. Suite Executive Coach, Terrence Cavanaugh Terry Cavanaugh spent 40 plus years in the insurance industry concluding his corporate career as CEO/President of Erie Indemnity a property/casualty /life and annuity provider with over $7 billion in revenue and 5500 employees after a 33-year career with Chubb. He currently is a board member of Highmark Health and Selective Insurance. A lifelong learner he has spent his personal time being a volunteer firefighter, scuba diver, woodworker and aspiring gourmet chef. What is something that would surprise people about life as a Fortune 500 CEO? I cannot speak to the others that have had that role in the past or present. I think like many things in life each CEO role is unique based on the individual, company culture and business strategy. Perhaps the aspect I would mention is that being a CEO is not as “glamorous” as people may think. We are pulled in many directions with our decisions affecting many constituents (staff, shareholder, customer, government and community) in a variety of ways. We are on call 24/7 – 365 days a year. There is not a waking moment where you do not realize the role you have and the obligation that comes with it. How did you get here? What failures, setbacks or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth? I had several strong mentors early in my career that honed my skills and gave me career opportunities at an accelerated pace. I always took the opportunity to learn about the entire enterprise and not have tunnel vison relating only to my business unit. I took people to lunch from other business units to forge friendships and learn from them. I am also a great “student” of commerce. I love to learn about other industries and companies and how they compete and evolve. I still read dozens of periodicals a month and always have a business book on my nightstand. The keenest learning moment for me came in my early 30s when a received an unexpected promotion as a result of an unanticipated death. The job was large and had been held by a beloved leader. I was unprepared for the complexities of the assignment and subtleties of leadership. My leadership team all were older and had more experience – they knew they had an imperfect leader. I learned to trust others, admit to others my strengths and weaknesses and define the emerging role I could play for the greater good of the unit and the company. Intelligence, quick learning, humility and willingness to make the tough decision created a cohesive team that had great success. It turns out the initial pain of this assignment turned into the greatest joy I have had in a corporate assignment. What are some the best lessons you learned from your time leading Erie Insurance Group? You cannot over communicate. As frustrated as I became sometimes as to the lack of understanding and clarity about our corporate vision and strategy, I learned is was my major responsibility to carry the message across the company and to the customer and community. It needs to be done on a multi-dimensional basis (written word , videos, webcasts, personal sessions, town hall settings, social media, etc.). Being the focal point for company culture and vison and consistently communicating this is one of the highest roles of a CEO. In your experience, what are the key characteristics of an effective CEO? A person who is not afraid of failure and remembers execution beats strategy. One that recognizes that their moral compass is always visible and never wavers from doing what is right even though it may be hard. Recognizes that leadership is a team sport and that direction and destination is more important than the route. As CEO you want leave the job being the Champion of Extraordinary Opportunities and not Clearly Excess Overhead! More broadly, what do you believe are the defining qualities of an effective leader? How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level? A growing self-awareness of how they present themselves, maintaining a balanced ego and to have the ability to set high standards that are achievable. A great leader attracts and retains the best people – at the same time preparing them for new assignments inside and outside the business unit. I strongly believe leaders can benefit from an external coach. I had one as CEO of Erie. Having a “truthteller” and “sounding board” with good questioning skills that has broad perspectives is a key asset for leaders to tap into. If not a professional coach find a board member, senior leader, retired resource that is willing to act in this role. Look for competency not officer title or rank. Look for honesty not affirmation. What is the best advice you have on building, managing and leading teams? Attract people that are smarter than you and different from you in experience and thought. Let them have the freedom to design the process as long as all understand the end goal and timeline. Always provide the needed resources (no excuses) and provide clarity of mission on a consistent basis. Make sure you are getting timely updates for information gathering and to allow your input to be heard. Remember talent trumps strategy – build, rotate, reward, fix or flip. What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives and civic leaders? Work your constituents – good leaders are bridge builders not moat keepers. The biggest danger for a leader as they go up the food chain is sanitized information on a delayed basis. Working your relationships at all levels inside and outside the organization stops this from happening – but don’t kill the messenger when you hear news you do not like. Always be curious – good leaders have an intellectual drive they thrive on. It is driven by personal and professional need. Cultivate this skill in you and others. Use the findings for useful purposes in the company, community, family or your own tool kit. Provide long-term value creation and be open to innovation – the world is more demanding than ever. Customers expect a seamless effective relationship with the companies they choose for products and services. You have no right to this relationship unless you earn it every day. At the same time you need to innovate to meet the needs of the future. Both the old and new economy have examples of missed innovation and an unwillingness to change (Eastman Kodak and Blockbuster are but two examples). Let me add a fourth - Have fun and let others have fun!! Emotionally enjoyment is a multiplier for everything else. It creates good mental health, team cohesion and a culture that is open and positive! What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received? From my oldest child when he was about 8 years old. As I was straining to get him to do something he did not want to do he blurted out “Your not the boss of me!”. It taught be the importance of situational leadership, proper tone and body language and the importance of creating a path for success opposed to a transaction that on the surface may seem successful, but underneath is damaging and detrimental! Is there anything else you would like to share? I appreciate the opportunity to share of some of my thoughts with the audience. Leadership is not a destination but a journey with many paths. The growing leader is the one who continues to push themselves into new and unfamiliar areas that will benefit the team and the leader. To quote the famous Chinese philosopher Lao Tsu - “The wicked leader is he who the people despise. The good leader is he who the people revere. The great leader is he who the people say, “We did ourselves.” Visit my website for more info! Read more from Terrence!

Nilima Amit is a Bestseller Author, Holistic Life Coach and Reiki Healer. Her life is a beautiful and interesting journey from having an opportunity to be born to Osho follower parents to self-discovering her own Calling. This journey transmuted in the formation of her company One Life Many Jouneys™. Coincidentally her bestseller book is also with the same name. The mission of One Life Many Journeys™ is to spread the light and guide souls in their quest in emotional and spiritual quest. Handcrafted workshops, her book and Reiki infused products like affirmation box, wish box, money and relationship box are created to help in the same. Holistic Life Coach, Nilima Amit Who is Nilima? I am Nilima Amit - a Spiritual Life Coach, Bestseller Author, Reiki and Theta Healer. I am grateful and blessed to be born to Osho follower parents along with the 80% of my extended family being Osho followers too. Meditation was the only way of life I knew. Growing up in Pune was a blessing as this facilitated our weekly visits to the Osho Ashram. I was learning and absorbing the spiritual knowledge unintentionally from the Master himself during these visits. Today when I look back, I feel that the Universe was just working towards making me what I am today. My parents, my husband and my 2 children all are just so aligned to me and my life purpose. My parents were instrumental in laying the foundation of my life whereas my husband and children helped me to embrace my true self and accept my truth. Having two diagonally opposite children has taught me so many life lessons which helped me to join the dots of my life and shape my company One Life Many Journeys ®. Tell us more about your company One Life Many Journeys ® One Life Many Journeys started as a blog in 2018 when my son coaxed me to write and share my insights about life and snippets from my life. He felt they will help a lot of people. Around the same time, I stumbled upon a certification course which helped me to channelise my learnings, knowledge and gave finesse that is needed to be a Emotional and Spiritual Life Coach. In Feb 2019, I launched OLMJ which offered array of personal and group workshops to transform the emotional state of mind, practice meditation along with healing and coaching. At OLMJ we strive to offer new and refined services to enable each one to lead their desired life with very easy doable techniques which can be inculcated in the daily routine seamlessly. The bestseller book with the same name “One Life Many Journeys: Open Secrets of Blissful Life” is also written in alignment with the vision of simple doable tips and techniques and is available in two languages English and Marathi on Amazon. Each and every merchandise offered by OLMJ is handcrafted and designed keeping in view the ease of use and access. Who can benefit from the services of OLMJ? In a word-Everyone. OLMJ offers value addition to each and everyone through its various services. Healings are offered from a newborn to old age people. Array of workshops for teenagers, young adults and grownups. Merchandise can be used by one and all to create positivity in their life. Each one who is at the crossroad of life, is lost or confused or just needs someone to hear them without being judged then OLMJ offers them a very safe, sacred space filled with unconditional love. Souls that want to transform their life or start their spiritual journey are handheld and directed on the path with support, love and safety. What is your big goal? Where do you see yourself 10 years from now? There is no big goal. The only goal is to spread unconditional love, warmth and kindness to everyone. Provide a space for everyone irrespective of the gender, age, caste, race, etc. which is safe, sacred and filled with healing. I wish to continue doing this by learning, re-learning and refining myself each day. It’s a journey that I am going to enjoy, live and be on in this lifetime. What is the message you would want to give everyone? Life is Simple. Just keep it that way. Live in the moment and look at everything in life like a newborn without any prejudice. This helps to keep it simple, always. For more information, follow me on Facebook, Instagram and visit my website! Read more from Nilima!

Written by: Jer Peters, 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 new to using content marketing to boost your online presence, don't be intimidated. I've written this article to give you 6 tips for crafting an effective visibility plan for your business to help you get started. 1. Set your goals. The difference between success and failure can be determined by having the appropriate goals. Determine what you want to accomplish. Examine the details to evaluate if the goal is realistic. Your goals should be accompanied by a well-thought-out action plan. To make it easier to achieve, break it down into stages. Every time you check something off your list, you'll feel more motivated. 2. Know your audience. It's impossible to overstate the importance of knowing your audience. It's one of the most important aspects of a good content marketing campaign. You might as well be shooting in the dark if you don't have it. If you want to get the most out of your content marketing, first figure out who it's for. 3. Identify your content platforms. There are numerous platforms on which you can post your material. Having your own website should, of course, be at the top of your priority list. It's also crucial to have a strong social media presence. Find out what other platforms your audience prefers. 4. Decide on content types. Once you've figured out where your target audience hangs out, you can start thinking about what kind of information you should be sharing. You may repurpose your material into a variety of media, including videos, infographics, podcasts, and more, in addition to blog posts and articles. 5. Create content. Now comes the difficult part. Whether you do it yourself or not, creating content will take time. Expect to spend a large amount of time in front of your computer if you're establishing your business on your own. If you don't want to do it, you should think about outsourcing. It'll most likely be expensive, but you'll have more free time. 6. Promote and market. Your content is not going to get discovered on its own. You’ll need to go out there and promote yourself. You can make it easy for your audience by adding social media sharing buttons on your site. Then you can straight up ask them to share it with their own networks! Getting and staying visible in the online world is important to your business’s success in the digital space. The combination of these 6 tips have proven to be very beneficial to improving online visibility and therefore implementing each step is crucial. If you feel like you need more help with improving your online presence, then the Online Business Visibility Guide might offer you more guidance in establishing your presence online. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and visit my website for more info! Read more from Jeraldine! Jer Peters, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Miss Jer Peters is a certified business coach and digital marketer who helps ambitious entrepreneurs to start, grow and scale successful businesses to create their desired life through entrepreneurship by learning how to stand out online and attract more sales. After spending years working corporate jobs, she opted to take on entrepreneurship, and through her rewarding journey, she found a way to also help others unlock the key to the future they desire. She now devotes her time to working with entrepreneurs who are either just starting or have been in business for a while but have been struggling to figure out how to make it work to have the results they need. By addressing the foundations of their businesses, she helps them set their business up for growth and scale via paid or organic methods. She believes that there is always more to life than what initially seems possible.

Written by: Dr. Siya Mjwara, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Have you ever taken leave from work, went on holiday and came back exhausted? Some people seem to need more leave to recover from their leave. If you are one of those individuals, then you are not alone. Although you might have been on holiday for fun, how much fun is too much fun and when does the holiday become an opportunity to relax, unwind and rejuvenate. Maybe you are one of those individuals who cannot leave their laptop behind when going on holiday. Or you are the workaholic who’s in denial; the type that leaves the laptop behind, but ensures that everything is connected to their mobile phone. A break is supposed to be exactly that, a break. However, with the many pressures of work, life and increasing social media FOMO; many of us find ourselves struggling to give ourselves the mental break we so need and deserve. If this seems like your reality, here are some tips that might come in handy for your next holiday break. Organize. Leave an automatic reply on your email, with an alternative contact person for emergencies or urgent queries. At this point I feel like defining urgent. Urgent means something that cannot wait until your return from leave. It’s a good idea to also do a proper handover and a detailed leave plan with and for your colleagues, so that they can leave you alone during your holiday. If you have children and they are with a caregiver. Leave the emergency numbers and be clear on the times you will check in with them and how. Ensure that they also know what to do in case of an emergency, and in case they cannot get hold of you. It might be a good idea to at least some basic research about the weather, culture, religion and laws of the place you are going to. Of course you will pack all the important things first, including any medication. Figure out how exactly you will find time to rest (and even exercise) in-between your activities, and how to manage people trying to get hold of you (the usual stalkers). Switch off. The world will not end of you do not know what’s trending. Trust me; you can always catch up upon your return. Please take a deep breath and repeat this to yourself at least five times. If you are still feeling anxious, please contact your therapist. Have clean organized fun. Do things that will not worry you or cause problems for you afterwards. If you spend more than you can afford during your trip, that might cause anxiety and stress for you upon your return; thus defeating the very purpose of you going on holiday in the first place. Set time aside to get enough sleep, meditate or to basically do nothing. If you have activities planned, try to plan them early into your holiday and ensure that at least a day or two before your holiday ends, you are able to rest, pack, sleep and prepare for going back to your normal. If you had travelled far for your holiday, try to return home a day or two before you are due to return to work. This will help you deal with the jet lag, sort out the household stuff and prepare for returning to work timeously. It is indeed becoming increasingly difficult to switch off from the world. However, taking responsibility to give yourself the rest you need will do wonders for your overall wellbeing. It will also give you an opportunity to show up well-rested and rejuvenated; which will have a positive impact your work and personal relationships. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Twitter and visit my website for more info! Read more from Dr. Siya! Dr. Siya Mjwara, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Dr. Siya Mjwara is an experienced therapist & wellness coach, trainer, and EAP consultant who has worked with individuals, couples, families, and management teams across various industries for over 14 years. Her educational and continued professional development has transformed into a dedication to bring awareness to individuals. She assists businesses develop, implement employee wellness solutions to improve productivity, reduce absenteeism, and overall workplace culture. From an individual perspective, she supports clients to identify and confront their challenges; and the things that are holding them back; to become their truest being by fulfilling their mission in life and walking in their purpose. Dr. Siya is the founder of Amambelu Bespoke Wellness and AskDrSiya. She is also a published poet, voice-over artist, and radio presenter.

Written by: Taylor Williams, 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. Decide on your habit - set your goal. Know exactly what you want to change and why. Make a promise to yourself that you will do it and follow through. Know what you are asking of yourself. How often will you do it? When will you do it? How will you know it has been done? Why is it important that you do this or reach this goal? Be consistent – The most important factor in making a habit successful is consistency. Progress takes time and patience. You have to continually take action and trust the process. People tend to give up once they don't get immediate gratification. Understand that this is a process and you have to allow yourself time to become the person you are becoming. Commit to only things you know you can achieve consistently and then continually knock it out of the park. Start small – Take baby steps. Make changes slowly. Give yourself grace. Don't put so much pressure on yourself. Do things that make you feel your best. Focus on one thing at a time. The little things add up to something so much bigger. Every little step counts. Don't expect yourself to be perfect – You aren't going to be perfect, nobody is. Being flawless is an unrealistic expectation. You are going to mess up, you are going to have hard days, and you are going to have days where you want to give up. You have to plan for failure because it is part of the process. It is unrealistic to think you will never face challenges. It's what you choose to do, and how you choose to react, when you are confronted with those challenges that make you strong. A mistake does not mean you are a failure. Recognize the lessons in your mistakes and use it to become better. Messing up and learning from it is how you grow. Anchor your habit to an existing habit – If you have something new you want to begin doing associate it with an existing habit. For example after I brush my teeth in the morning I will drink 1 glass of water, or after I shower I will meditate for 10 minutes. This allows your brain to start associating the new habit with the current habit leading to higher rates of success. Try to perform the new habit daily – The more you perform the habit, the quicker you will start to do it on autopilot and it will become an integrated part of your life. Perform the new habit as often as you can. Try not to skip two days in a row. This cements the habit into your unconscious. Remember WHY you want to make the change – Don't forget why you started. Think about what made you want this change in the first place. Think about what positive changes would come from adopting this habit. Think about what it would truly mean for your life. Imagine yourself in a state where this is already part of your daily life. Love yourself – Everything starts with you. Your relationship with yourself is the most important one you will ever have. Nurture that relationship as much as you can. Love yourself enough to do what you need to do to be happy and healthy. Love yourself enough to stay disciplined. You and your body deserve to be respected and praised. When your relationship with yourself is strained, it is really hard to treat yourself with respect. When you show hate towards yourself or your body, you are less likely to do the things that protect it. When you love yourself, you make the changes know are in your best interest. Choose to love and appreciate yourself and your body unconditionally. Seek out accountability – Staying committed to something new is hard. Finding another person to hold you accountable can dramatically accelerate your progress. Tell someone about your new habit and ask them to make sure you stay consistent. whether it be a friend, family member, or a coach, having someone by your side can make all the difference. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and visit my website for more info! Taylor Williams, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Taylor Williams, found her calling when she stumbled into the world of health and fitness at age 26. After struggling with mystery illnesses and poor mental health most of her life, she decided to take her health into her own hands. She hired a coach, lost 60lbs and significantly improved her health and mental wellness. She went on to discover she had a love for bodybuilding and competed in her first fitness competition. She had seen the amazing effect coaching had on her life and wanted to do that for others. She returned to school and then opened her own coaching business, Mindful Miss Health & Fitness. She now coaches many women on the subjects of nutrition, health, strength training, mindfulness and habit change. She loves to help women creating lasting transformations in their body and mind.

Written by: Bridget Richard, 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. Let's be honest. The past year, we have all had to deal with a large amount of adjustment. Probably more than we are used to which is saying a lot, isn't it? Think about it. Every day, we go through some kind of adjustment. The adage "the only constant is change'' comes to mind. Change is all around us. It is something that is applicable to every stage of life. And nobody can go through life without making changes. Now, for some people, this may cause some feeling of anxiety. This can go hand in hand with adjustment; therefore, an adjustment disorder can be a possibility and can be categorized as more than one diagnosis. With an adjustment disorder, a person has little to no ability to adjust or change. Imagine you are a first-time college student. You are excited to move out of your parents’ house and live in a dorm. You'll make new friends and get to live like an adult! You move into your room, bubbling with excitement and a little anxiety. This is unknown territory, but you're ready. Only, you're not. Days go by. Weeks go by. Your excitement dies down, but the anxiety is still there. You begin to wonder why you are still feeling anxious. Shouldn't you be adjusted by now? And yet... You're not. This definitely qualifies as an adjustment disorder because you never adjusted. This feeling is ongoing, and so, symptoms of an adjustment disorders can look like anxiety except they last longer. Your coping mechanism is being anxious over everything and wanting to be detail-oriented and hyper focused; however, you never get any relief from that anxiousness. You constantly feel a sense of doom and gloom, like something is on the precipice of happening, and it's going to be bad. This isn't a matter of what is considered normal or abnormal. It doesn't matter if your body doesn't know when to release so it keeps a higher level of cortisol and other hormones that make you feel more anxiety at a higher level. That boils down to genetics. In my line of work, I can ask a client if there is anybody in their family who has ever been diagnosed with anxiety? I may go on to ask if there is someone who should have been diagnosed? Perhaps a grandmother who refused to drive a car. Not because she couldn't, but because she was too afraid to. This meant someone else did the grocery shopping and things of that nature. This is a type of coping mechanism that people may develop in order to deal with adjustment disorders. Some people are genetically hardwired to just deal with feeling anxious without needing any type of intervention. It's normal. It's natural. Our bodies have the ability to deal with it. If you give it time and space, no matter how uncomfortable it may be, it will happen. With an adjustment disorder, we may need to employ new coping skills in order to deal with the disorder. We will need to ask why an adjustment can't be made. Maybe we are uncomfortable being away from home? Maybe you have a terrible roommate situation, and once you switch roommates, you can then make the full adjustment. Once you find the cause, or what may be lacking, you can identify what coping skill may be lacking as well. The idea is to figure out what the trigger for the adjustment disorder is and make it go away. You can try journaling. There are so many types of journaling out there. You can try habit journaling or gratitude journaling. This may help you figure out your triggers or even focus on something other than your anxiousness. You can try also speaking with your doctor about what you are feeling. They may be able to prescribe something or refer you to someone who can help you work through these triggers. This isn't something that you have to go through alone. There is help out there and resources should you need them. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Bridget! Bridget Richard, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Bridget Richard, MA, LISW-S is a Social Worker and Life Coach with 20+ years of experience in the field of mental health. In her work, she is passionate about helping with women to conquer feelings of anxiety and depression caused by burnout. She helps her clients move from being too frustrated and overwhelmed to enjoy life to focused, empowered, and re-energized. Bridget enjoys bringing her message of self-love and determination to virtual and live venues everywhere. She has been featured in the Women's Journal as a "Person You Want to Know" and regularly contributes to Thrive, Medium, and Brainz Magazine. To learn more about working with Bridget schedule your free discovery call at https://calendly.com/bridgetsrichard/freeconsult.