Written by: Tara Best, 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 winter approaches, those who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), also known as the ‘winter blues’, might be dreading the months ahead. SAD is a type of depression that comes and goes in a seasonal pattern. The symptoms are usually more apparent in winter and can take a toll on daily life. While the exact chemical cause of Seasonal Affective Disorder isn’t fully understood, it’s thought to be linked to a lack of exposure to sunlight during the shorter autumn and winter days. There have also been studies looking at the link between Vitamin D deficiency and depression. The symptoms of SAD include: Trouble sleeping Lethargy during the day Overeating Depression and feeling unsociable Irritability SAD is a common problem, thought to affect 2 million people here in the UK and over 12 million people across northern Europe. But thankfully, there are ways to combat it and stay happy, productive and healthy when the clocks change. Severe SAD is treated in the same way as other types of depression, with cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and medicines such as antidepressants. However, for those with less acute symptoms, there are lifestyle changes you can make instead. Tara Best, a qualified Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) Coach and Practitioner, Hypnotherapist, Time Line Therapy™ Practitioner and business mindset coach, shares her tips and ideas, which anyone can try at home, to help combat the impact of SAD. So, as the evenings get steadily darker, the leaves change and we prepare for cooler weather, why not make a note of these? Stay Active An hour-long walk at lunchtime (when it might not always be as sunny as in summer, but it will at least be light!) has been shown to boost the mood of SAD sufferers as much as light box therapy. Fresh air and exercise automatically lift your spirits and will boost brain and body health. In fact, I recommend anyone who works at a computer all day to make sure they take at least 30 minutes away from their desk for a walk at any time of year! Boost Vitamin D from dietary sources Did you know that here in the UK (and for much of Northern Europe), throughout autumn and winter the angle of the sunlight hitting the earth prevents as many UVB rays from penetrating the atmosphere? That means those rays cannot reach the skin, even if you stand outside on a sunny day. That means we can’t make vitamin D from sunlight during late autumn and winter and early spring (we can between late March and September). It can be tricky to get all the Vitamin D from food, and that’s why Public Health England recommends everyone over the age of 5 should take a 10mg Vitamin D supplement in autumn and winter. Stay sociable and connected It can be tempting to hunker down and hide when the weather outside is bad and it’s dark by 4:430pm, but does that actually suit you? If seeing friends and family, going to the cinema, sporting events, the theatre and exhibitions or even just heading out for a meal once a week brings you joy, don’t stop in winter. Pull on warm boots and a good coat and plan a normal social life anyway. Even if you don’t stay out late, just having events in your diary will give your days and weeks structure and help you deal with winter. Lean into longer evenings When you do have an evening at home, instead of dreading the hours you spend indoors, is there anything you can do with that time that will give you a feeling of accomplishment? It’s been shown that having something new and interesting to focus onwards off symptoms of SAD. Perhaps creating photo albums of your summer holidays, redecorating a room in your house, or clearing out the cupboard that’s become a dumping ground! If you spend an hour or two a week working towards a goal and ticking jobs off a list, you might just be able to relax and enjoy the rest of the evening on the sofa without feeling trapped. Work on a positive mindset Did you know that your brain doesn’t know the difference between the narrative we tell it, and reality? That means if you focus on being miserable and trapped inside, that’s what your subconscious mind will focus on. Try to spend just 5 minutes at the start of every day writing down or speaking out everything you are grateful for, however big or small. You can’t feel negative feelings when you’re truly in a state of being grateful! Even being grateful for a cup of great coffee and a cosy sweater can boost our mood. Repeating positive affirmations will also help reframe the way you think about yourself and stop negative self-talk. Good luck! If you would like to join an incredible community of women on a FREE virtual retreat to chat about goal setting, mindset mastery, success and productivity, head over to my Facebook Group and sign up. It kicks off on the 11th of October and there are prizes to be won… For more mindset and productivity tips and some brilliant marketing inspiration, make sure you listen to my podcast Tara Talks, follow me on Instagram, and check out my website. Read more from Tara! Tara Best, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Tara Best of Tara Punter Coaching and Tara Punter PR is incredibly passionate about all things mindset and marketing and helping business owners thrive while taking control of those limiting beliefs likely to hold them back in business. As a certified Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) Coach, NLP Practitioner, Practitioner of Time Line Therapy, and Hypnotherapist, she has the tools required to help clients rewire their subconscious mind, to help them create unlimited success. She combines this with her marketing and public relations expertise to truly help her audience thrive. Best is also the voice behind the popular podcast Tara Talks and soon to be a published author.

Written by: Sandra D´Angelo, 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. A big reason why many people don’t manage to achieve their goals is quite simple. They continue to do “same old” hoping for different results. You need to keep in mind that, long-term results & satisfaction sometimes require short-term sacrifices. Once you have set up your goals, you need to be “all-in” with your commitments. Not “partly” not “sometimes” but “all-in” & “all the time”. What you put in is what you´ll get out of it. It really is as simple as that. There are 4 essential areas that need to be reflected upon after you´ve set up your objectives: 1. Your thoughts & beliefs You might have heard it before: “ your thoughts & beliefs create your results.” Now, surely you can´t go deeper with each of these tens of thousands of thoughts that circulate in your mind each day. That´s impossible. Though, those thoughts that you do analyze and think about more in detail – naturally, you attach a certain positive or negative emotion to. Depending on the nature of the emotion attached, you act in a reactive way. Consequently, your action determines your results. Think about what kind of thoughts dominate your mind. Think about what kind of results you are getting because of those thoughts. How do your thoughts empower you? How do your thoughts limit you? What do you need to change in your thinking & belief systems to get your desired results? 2. Your habits & rituals It´s not what you do every now and then that determines your future results. It is what you do daily that´s going to contribute to your successes. Think of it like this: every day, you plant seeds for your future. No matter how small those habits might seem to you – day by day, little by little, they build up towards big results. What are you currently doing that you can do more of? What can you do less of? What can you stop and start doing instead? Your wellbeing, time & energy are the most precious resources you have. You want to use them wisely. 3. People who surround you People around you have a very strong impact on you and your results. They have an impact on your thinking, beliefs, language and behaviors. With that in mind, you want to surround yourself with people who inspire you, challenge you, question your ideas & choices, help you view different perspectives, make you grow, develop, be a better version of yourself. People who make you feel loved, understood, and supported. You want to be very picky with whom you let into your “inner circle”. That could mean that, certain people who used to be in your life might not be a great fit for you anymore. You might not be a great fit for them either at this point. And that is fine! It is ok to take different paths. Just as some people might leave your life, there will be some other who will enter your life. Every person who was in your life before, who is in your life right now or who´s yet to enter your life, will enrich your life in this way or another. Only, of course, if you open your mind & heart to see that. 4. Your environment Your environment affects your state of mind, focus, creativity and productivity. Seek to create an environment that is: Free from distractions; Comfortable & inspires your creativity; Beautiful. Beauty makes you create even more beauty. Think about how does your environment make you feel? How does it impact your growth? How can you change it? How can you make it (even) better? Reflection is the key to your growth & development. It is what helps you understand what needs to be adjusted in different areas of your life. Without reflecting on what’s working, what’s not working & what you can do about it, how else can you expect to improve & make the best out of your life? Whatever doesn’t empower you; support you; & align with your objectives; needs to be changed. Not tomorrow, not next week/month/year… start today. *Interested to learn more about this topic? Click HERE to join my exclusive LinkedIn Group: Self-Growth Hub. You´ll get an access to a free video training in which I guide you through each of these 4 aspects essential to success more in details. For more information, connect with me on LinkedIn and visit my website ! Read more from Sandra! Sandra D'Angelo, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Sandra D´Angelo is a Certified Life Coach & Trainer dedicated to coaching Business Professionals to manage their time more effectively and achieve outstanding results in their careers and privately. Through her specific coaching program, Sandra helps individuals to increase their focus, take effective action and create more success, by making themselves and their wellbeing a priority. Sandra holds an MBA in Communications & PR and has years of experience working in sales & consulting in Switzerland and Germany. Including building two successful business units from scratch. Before becoming self-employed, consulting & coaching have always been a part of Sandra´s professional life. Behind her is a strong track record of professionals from different backgrounds who she helped to explore their true potential and create the lives they want.

Written by: Sarah Needham, 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. Not happy at work? It’s time to re-design your work environment! You have more influence to change your working environment than you realise. We often cannot see what is in our power & therefore feel powerless to make the changes we can make, those things within our control. When we feel unhappy or uncomfortable at work one of our basic needs to enable us to thrive are not being met. A basic need should be fairly easy to solve since we all have them...right? Perhaps? Identifying the need is often the tricky bit since we do not get taught this in school. It is one of those uncomfortable things which is often difficult to put words around. The top six enablers to help you to re-design your work environment starting TODAY are: 1. Identify what is missing or what makes you feel uncomfortable at work & permit yourself to talk about it. Start by noting down for yourself when you feel uncomfortable at work & look for patterns. Also note down when you feel engaged, motivated, excited & again look for the patterns. If you do not know what you need to ask for to enable you to thrive how can you expect your boss, your colleagues or anyone else to be able to see it clearly for you, let alone make it happen?! Always start the sentence with ‘I’ own what it is you are talking about. For example: “ I have been feeling increasingly uncomfortable with the situation on Project x. Can we create some time together to discuss my ideas & brainstorm together how we move forward?” Or “I feel uncomfortable with how the team is working together right now, I would like to understand how you see it.” 2. Learn to talk about what you can do! Know your strengths well & talk about them. Ask others for feedback. Give others appreciation & feedback on their strengths. Start the next conversation with your boss with the sentence, ‘How could I create more value for the team using my strengths of… (fill in your strengths here)...?’ See what happens. 3. Re-design your work relationships so that you can thrive. Get clear on which are your key relationships at work & invest time in building the relationship intentionally with that person or group. Tell them about what is important to you, tell them about how you want to work together & ask them what they need from you. For example: “How can we support each other better?” 4. Create clear boundaries to work within & stick to them. Sometimes the boundaries we need to enable us to perform at our best are called non-negotiables. Often we end up working longer & longer hours, not saying NO to things we know we should or compromising on our health & well-being to get stuff done. To be seen by others as… (reliable, trustworthy etc... fill in the blank)... There is always a valid reason for doing more & more but no one else has the responsibility to look after yourself. Only you can choose to do it. So what are the boundaries you want to put in place so you can thrive? 5. Look for tweaks to your role to have more fun. You can always find small ways to redefine your role to have more fun. Be clear if a new project interests you & WHY. Talk about what you are passionate about, ask questions about topics that interest you, even if they are currently outside of your scope. “I am interested in Project X is there any chance I can bring value to the project with my perspectives or skills?” Or if you are passionate about equality, for example, then set up internal networks which support you & others like you. Ask for the capacity to do it & look for opportunities for the network which will give you personally opportunities you may not have had in your role otherwise. 6. Find your trusted inner circle. Often with employee NDAs in place, you may not be able to share openly about everything you’re your partner or family so it is important to create your inner circle of trusted colleagues. This may be a couple of friends or it may be a group and this will not necessarily be the same people year in year out. Look for others with similar interests or something which connects you. Share your struggles & your achievements! This is a place to talk about you… to talk through the enablers in this list! We all must learn to understand ourselves & ask for what we need to create the working environment in which we can thrive. Thriving is related to what we are doing, how we are being treated & how we are showing up. These enablers will help you to create more from your working environment than you have today if you are working in a supportive culture, so try them. If you cannot implement these enablers then the harsh truth is something more fundamentally ultimately needs to change if you are serious about wanting to thrive! I would love to know which of these enablers helps you most! For more info, follow me on Facebo ok , Instagram , LinkedIn and visit my websit e ! Read more from Sar ah ! Sarah Needham, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Sarah Needham is a coach with an extraordinary vision: “To create a world where everyone feels they can stand up and engage in discussion about what matters most.” She wants us all to take off our invisibility cloaks and share courageously what we think and feel. Sarah believes that we are all unique for a reason, and we should challenge ourselves to step proudly into our uniqueness, our own SUPERPOWER! As a coach, she challenges herself to inspire people by holding regular sessions on this topic. Sarah’s work brings together her three core values: technology, sustainability, and challenging others to embrace their uniqueness. She helps tech founders and leaders unleash their impact in creating a more sustainable life on earth whilst prioritizing their own self-care, and in doing so, creating a more sustainable business. Sarah is an engineer with many years as a leader at one of the world's leading global engineering corporations. She is British, living in Potsdam, Germany, with her husband, two adopted daughters and two cats.

Written by: Josephine Zappia, 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. Pearls are produced by molluscs with shells, usually oysters. When irritated by a foreign body, cells of the molluscs mantle secrete various components, which produce pearl. Traditionally the pearl has been aligned with the female powers, especially those of nurturing, seduction and intuition. In astrology it is associated with the Moon and its mystical power. Cosmetic companies also use crushed pearls in lipstick and lip gloss for that luminescent glow and they are also used to make face powders. The fact that the pearl is formed through a process of irritation in an animal reflects its association with emotional imbalances. Pearls pathology stems from a lack of groundedness in the emotions. Pearls have been used to treat heart disease, indigestion, insomnia, headaches, mental illness, eye diseases and lung ailments. Some people consume them as a source of calcium and energy. Even though Pearl is a product of the seas, its essential character is that of the earth as it is made principally from calcium and carbon and is protected inside a shell. This unmistakeable protective power of the shell is inherent in the Pearl itself and was met by a number of provers for the homoeopathic immersion of Pearl. Pearl represents wisdom gained through experience, luck and wealth, purity, integrity, nurturing, soothes and heals negativity. Seen as the symbol of femininity, patience, strength, power, associated with the Moon, water, cycles, Divine Light. Physically pearls are believed to aid muscular system conditions, pain & discomfort during childbirth, digestive disorders. Used in these healing products are: Crystal: Pearl + Black Tourmaline (Has the ability to purify negative energy and to protect one’s energy fields, release attachments. It has a strong grounding force and powerful energy supporting transformation. Black tourmaline helps one to create and hold protective boundaries both emotionally and physically) Pure essential oil: Lavender: cleansing mind, body, spirit, eases stress & anxiety, purity, devotion, resonates with the crown chakra, connection to the higher mind. Ylang Ylang: sensuality, emotional healing, nourishes the heart, heals deep emotional trauma. Frankincense: Healing, soothing, lifts the vibration in the body, purifies, releases inflammation. Cedar-wood Atlas: Extremely grounding and balancing, supports mediative states of consciousness. Sandalwood: Cleansing, calming, has a high vibrational frequency making it a powerful aid in supporting manifestation and all creative endeavours. Carrier oil: Camelia Botanicals: Chrysanthemum flowers: Balance, Loyalty, devotion, love, longevity, joy. Juniper berries: Protection, ritual, magic, purification Passionflower: passion, spirituality, promotes stress release, aids joy & light-heartedness Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Josephine Zappia, Executive Contributor Braiinz Magazine H E A L. founding director, renowned homoeopath Josephine Zappia has been practising since 2005 and is deeply passionate about health and wellbeing. She believes we all have the ability to heal ourselves naturally when we work with our body rather than against it. In 2020 her business transformed into a virtual offering with one on one consultations for global clients looking for solutions to health and beauty problems. H E A L. {Healing Energy And Love} is the essence of health; complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing with products and services that nourish mind, body and soul. Created with intention as your online destination for healing and alchemy wellness products and services. It’s about healing. Looking within, aligning your body, and achieving your dreams. Josephine's work as a writer for health and wellbeing magazines has been featured in Body & Soul, Balance the Grind, SWIISH, Rescu, and Thrive. To visit the magical world of healing you can follow her journey on instagram @healbyjosephine or sign up for consultations and upcoming workshops via the website www.healbyjosephine.com

Written by: Michelle Gauthier, 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'm sure you've had that experience. You know, the one where someone erupts at you. It seems like it came out of nowhere, or that they are overreacting to something you said. If you're like me, often you'll wonder what you did, why they're mad at you, and start believing your limiting beliefs. The thing I've learned over many years, is that it's rarely about you, or that thing that sparked the reaction in general. It's so much more than just putting the toothpaste cap back on the toothpaste. It's so much more about being on your phone during dinner. It's so much more than you always working. So what is it really about? Unfortunately I don't have that specific answer. What I do have is some possibilities, and great points to start conversations about. What I can tell you, is it's about that person. Something from their history, beliefs about themselves, multiple occurrences from every area of their life. What I can tell you, is you will never actually know until you talk with that person. They may not even know themselves. Here are some questions you can ask yourself to get started. 1. What happened right before they got upset? If you can go back to the moment right before the other person got upset, there might be some clues there. Was it completely out of the blue? Is it something that has been discussed/an issue previously? Were you already in a conversation and was it starting to get tense? Did they step on one of the children's toys or just come from a specific room? Assess the environment first. 2. Be present to what is being said. There are often clues within the words themselves. Is your spouse/partner talking to you about their frustrations? Are they speaking about how they're not feeling loved or seen or acknowledged? Could it be a friend who was late meeting up with you and they had one event after another delaying them further? Is that person frustrated, mad, sad, or are they even shutting down and becoming small. Are they downplaying the situation, telling you that it's fine, nothing is wrong, yet you know something happened? 3. In what ways could you have some responsibility? I am not saying you directly triggered the reaction. I am also not saying it is your fault. I am inviting you to see how you played a role. How were you showing up? Were you already reactive? Were you expecting there to be drama? Did you have open or closed body language? Were you interacting with this person just to get it over with, or were you there to actually listen, solve, and be loving towards the other person? Were you listening to respond, or listening to understand? Who is this person to you, and what beliefs do you already have about them? How do you see that person? What unspoken expectations have you been waiting to be met? This is just a starting point. The most effective, and sometimes the most uncomfortable, way to really know why you were on the receiving end of emotions is to have a really connected conversation with them. Wait until they are ready to talk. "How do I know if they're ready? They seem fine, they said they're fine". Ask them. "I'd love to really understand what is going on for you, would you be open to discussing it?" When you are both ready to have that discussion, be present. Really listen to what they're saying. It could be about something you haven't been doing, which has made them feel a certain way or believe a certain thing about themselves. A quick example from my life. When I was younger, I ended up exploding at my sister. She had been job searching with no luck. I asked her what she wanted to do for work. She said, 'anything'. So I asked her a few different options, to which she said 'oh no, not that'. I finally had it. "You said anything, yet you won't actually take anything! Why are you complaining you don't have a job if you're not willing to get one?" I was so upset. It didn't dawn on me until years later, that the real reason I was so upset was because I saw myself in her. I saw myself as someone who just did enough to get by, not really having that drive, and yet still complaining when I wasn't even putting the effort in. I was so mad at her, because I didn't like that part of me. It's not always that simple of a realization. It could be that your spouse has asked you to do X multiple times because it makes them feel loved, valued, and appreciated, so when you haven't done it, they feel alone in the relationship and like they don't have any support. So while it's not about you, it doesn't mean you're not involved. If it is someone you care about, have that conversation. As you go through your days, remember that every behaviour has a reason. So instead of reacting, get curious. When a stranger is randomly rude to you, maybe they're having a really bad day and something happened in their life. Don't react, instead respond with love. It's not about you. If you're curious about how to shift your mindset and release the victim mentality, let's set up a chemistry call to get you started! Follow me on Instagram and visit my website for more info! Read more from Michelle! Michelle Gauthier, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Michelle Gauthier, an honors graduate of Psychology and an international life and confidence coach, writes about fitness, self-love, and boosting confidence. She has overcome a toxic workplace that left her with anxiety, depression, and low self-worth. Michelle is now a thriving founder of Phoenix Coaching, following her passion for teaching and coaching millennials to regain control of their lives, build their inner power, and live in possibility.

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. "In America, the average person will spend 900,000 hours at work, or about a quarter of his or her adult life. Job satisfaction, then, can have an enormous influence on the quality of life." — Orab Tkatchov Personal Development Makes Better Professionals Personal development is something that is heavily focused on during our younger years. Why? Because it's important to our growth. It helps us pick up on social cues and be productive members of society. Interestingly enough, these personable skills we learn are known as "transferrable" skills, meaning they can be used in different types of life situations. They include things such as anxiety management, conflict management, and time management. As we grow and mature, we acquire and develop these skills as we go through various kinds of social interactions. With how important these skills are, you would think they would be an area of focus in the professional world. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Oftentimes, what we see is employers showing their workforce the necessary skills to do a job. And that's it. These skills are hardly ever considered as vital to the workforce, and so are not treated as important. The common misconception in the professional world is the idea of “know enough to do enough”. But what happens if it truly isn't enough? For instance, a plumber learns how to fix a sink, but not how to deal with an irate customer. The plumber is then left to wonder, "Now what?” as he is being screamed at by an angry customer. By having a personal development skill like conflict management, the plumber would be able to gain control of the situation and remain professional while calming the client. This is one of the countless situations where having strong personal management skills would be beneficial, which is why it is so important for people to have them. They can be applied to the workplace and other professional areas in life, making the need to have a work-life balance so important. The Need For Work-Life Balance We have work and personal life problems we deal with, and how we handle those things can be done in a myriad of different ways. Some will argue that work-life balance is impossible to achieve, but we know that not to be true. It is not a one-size-fits-all. Everyone's work-life balance will look different because it is what works for them. Having a strong foundation in personal development helps us recognize what our limits are and set boundaries to ensure we can continue to function within society without having to surpass those limits. We often wonder why people get burned out. When it happens, what we are talking about are people who are putting the weight of the world on their shoulders. With that comes the pressure to keep up our efforts to remain relevant, informed, and connected at all times. Eventually, the tank will be empty, and the limit will be reached. Many of us hit this stage and continue past it, leading to burnout and dissatisfaction. Know Your Strengths, Recognize Your Weaknesses The good news is there are ways to prevent burnout, overwhelm, and upset. One major way is having these strong personal management skills and evaluating where your strengths lie. Many of us do not enjoy thinking about our deficits and areas that may need work, but you can use your strengths to your advantage. How? Well, if you already have a type of strength in an area, you can use that area to transfer some skills into an area of weakness. It takes a bit of self-reflection, but it is incredibly rewarding once you go through the process. The important thing to emphasize is this is not something that is done overnight. It takes time and effort. And we need to remember the path and destination will look different for every single person. As the professional world continues to evolve, employers are beginning to put more focus on personal development and are making efforts to provide employees with ways to achieve a sense of work-life balance. Shorter workweeks, flexible schedules, training, and other benefits are now being made more commonplace in the working world. With these changes employers are making, hopefully, we will see more of how personal development and the professional world go hand in hand. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! 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.

Written by: Jackie Woodside, 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 was sitting in a beautiful sun-lit sanctuary of a Unity Church one fall day in 2008 when my life changed in an instant. I was listening to the Sunday message by a sprite of a minister who delivered powerful messages week after week. She was giving a talk about fulfilling our potential, and right in the middle of it, I heard this quote from the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas that cut right to my heart: "If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you." In that instant, I knew the roots of my discontent and ennui. There was something within me that I was not bringing forth, and it was destroying me. Not my actual physical life but it was destroying my spirit, my vitality, and my joy of living. For years, I had wanted to close my clinical psychotherapy practice and devote myself to writing, teaching, and speaking about new advances in mind and consciousness but I had was afraid. I was filled with justifications as to why I shouldn’t do it. But the real cause of my inaction was simply fear, the habitual, self-protective mental patterns designed to keep me safe from harm. I felt called into a new self-expression, but fear talked me out of it. "I" was not running the show of my life, but the thoughts and emotions coursing through me were directing my actions. Filled with fear-based, protective thoughts and feelings, I was powerless to act. I realized that if I let that inner experience continue to run the show, I would never know the fulfillment that I imagined. I needed to use my mind to train my brain to create a different outcome for my life. Science shows that people have between 12,000 thoughts for the "average thinker" and 80,000 for those engaged in highly creative, stimulating endeavors. And of these multitudes, most are negative. Some research even went as far as to say that 80% of our mind chatter is fearful, anxious, discouraged, self-critical, or otherwise negative in character. We have an odd relationship with our complex inner world of thought and emotion. Our culture is rampant with "drama and trauma" sharing. It is socially acceptable, expected even, to talk about what's NOT going well rather than the awe and wonder of life itself and the blessings we have. Yet we get embarrassed to admit the degree of our stress-laden, fear-based thinking that often leads to a type of paranoid self-reflection of, "What's wrong with me??" The truth of the matter is that there is NOTHING wrong with you whatsoever – other than the fact that you have yet to learn to use your mind in a clear, directed manner. Here's what we know from neuroscience – the brain does NOT function for your happiness; it functions for your survival. Your brain is on the lookout for what could be dangerous, what could go wrong, and it helps you survive in an often-uncertain world. That's a good thing! It has an evolutionary function that was once critical to human survival like when being chased through the forest by a sizeable woolly mammoth! However, what we are more often faced with today are threats to our sense of self, our wholeness, and our well-being. The shift that needs to occur is to focus beyond mere survival to the conscious evolution of our mind and consciousness. In the late 1970s, Dr. Michael Merzenich of the University of California at San Francisco discovered that your brain can and does change to adapt to impairment or injury. Neuroplasticity was the fantastic discovery that our brains can change over time. It was previously believed that the human brain was set and unchanging from early childhood and that for the rest of our lives, we are at the whims of how the brain operates based on early life experiences and genetics. But today, we know that not only does the brain rewire to compensate for an injury, but that you can also rewire your habitual thinking and emotions by "talking back to your brain." This is called "self-directed neuroplasticity," which changes the brain's structure to be less driven by fear and anxiety and more driven by higher-order thinking, awareness, creativity. A study out of Harvard and Boston University showed that people trained with just 8 weeks of mindfulness meditation showed a decrease in the size and activity of their amygdala, which is the fear and anxiety center of the brain. This means that learning to consciously focus on your inner world in present moment awareness changes the structure and operation of your brain. But this is not only true of your ability to change your thoughts, thoughts, but your emotions too. The magnetic energy of the heart is 5000 times stronger than the brain. Meaning that the vibratory pattern given off by your heart center, your seat of emotion, is much stronger than the energy of your mind. You can learn to increase positive emotions to ramp up your vibe through self-generated positive emotion. For example, expressing gratitude, serving others, giving compliments, and simply smiling at others are ways to generate positive heart energy and vibration. These two powerful tools of self-directed neuroplasticity and self-generated positive emotion are the launchpad for your success and happiness in life. This is how you can learn to use your mind to train your brain. This is no easy task as we live in a world filled with scarcity, discord, and stress. But with clarity, focus, and present moment awareness, you can learn to use your mind as a superpower bringing you to higher levels of optimal human experience and potential. If you would like to apply these principles to the very compelling area of money, join me in the 30-Day Money Vibe Challenge and see how changing your vibe can impact your finances in positive ways. www.MoneyVibeMethod.com/30-Day-Challenge For more info, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit my website! Read more from Jackie! Jackie Woodside, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jackie Woodside, CPC, MSW, is a best-selling author, TEDx speaker, radio and television personality, and trainer passionate about expanding the edge of human potential. Jackie has written three best-selling books and over 30 different training programs. She was featured along with Jack Canfield and Don Miguel Ruiz on the Wake-Up! TV series. She is the Founder of the Curriculum for Conscious Living and the Conscious Living and Money Vibe Summits. Jackie provides custom training programs or keynote speeches for organizations such as Blue Cross Blue Shield, Bayer Corporation, the Air Force National Guard, The National Association of Social Workers, Gallaudet University, and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services. Jackie is committed to raising consciousness on the planet, creating a world that works for everyone.

Written by: Fran Pedron, 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. It’s October! And time for masks. Will you be an ogre, a prince/princess, a hobo, a superhero, a WHAT – you may even choose to be YOU! New movies are releases. What genre is your favorite – comedy, drama, romance, thriller? What character will you play – hero, villain, extra? Did you keep your costume or discard it? Have you ever watched a movie so many times, you knew the script word for word? And knowing the script, did you to walk right into your closet? Get fully dressed and exit, with script and mask in hand. How did that make you feel? Did you get dressed for the part, as if for a night of charades that carried over into the next day and the next, until you wore your script and mask-like your second skin? Is that what you do daily or just sometimes. Have you ever wanted to quit? "It's in literature that true life can be found. It's under the mask of fiction that you can tell the truth." - Gao Xingjian Which Mask Matches Today’s Script? As I go about each day, I look at the calendar. What appointments do I have? Who am I meeting with and when? How do I need to show up? Will it matter how they see me across the meeting table, the restaurant table, the table? You may not be asking yourself these direct questions. You may be so conditioned you don’t have to do that. Subconsciously though, do you recognize them? As you recognize them, how have you built your life in the process? Did you grow up believing you had to work hard? Did you think that marriage could only look one way? Do you live the roles passed down from generation to generation? Do you know that those beliefs will carry you only so far? Have you asked yourself, “Is this all there is? What if I really want more?” Were you afraid to answer those questions? If nobody told you who you were, who would you be? It’s All About The Power Making the conscious decision to change the answers is powerful. Behavior is belief driven. Going against how you have behaved; the ways it’s always been done; what is expected and so much more, can lead to freedom. Writing a new script is one place to begin. Where you start is up to you. Ideas to consider are: Listing 10 things you’re passionate about. Listing 10 things you would do, if there were no limitations. Put into action three things each month (i.e., prioritize self-care each day). Write your new script, as if you were already living it. As you write anew, your limiting beliefs will surface. How you deal with them will either hinder or speed up your script’s success. Putting Action Into Work Writing your new life-script, gives you the capacity to create the world around you from a universal perspective. It is the “bigger than” life story you have always dreamed of; you always saw it as just out of reach. NOW—giving yourself permission to say Yes To You opens the doors of possibility and opportunity. Five steps to scripting success: Think it through: consider what you really want; what does that outcome look like? Get quiet and listen. Write, as if this is your today-life: you have accomplished these outcomes/goals in present tense, not “I wish” or “I will”. Use vibrant, positive words: only state what you want. Connect with your script: emotionally live the words you write; feel them flowing through every cell of your body, as if electricity was the conduit running through your veins. Make it a unique, uplifting, and empowering vision for your future. Here are some areas to consider: health and well-being, finances, relationships (romantic, friendships, career, etc.), fun, and recreation. Create new patterns in these areas. Ask yourself: How healthy will I be? How much do I want deposited in my bank account monthly? Who do I want to spend time with, in each of my relationships? Where do I want to live? How does my work-life look? Your script is written—now what? Review it daily – refine it when necessary. You get clearer on your thoughts—the more often you read it. You move beyond limiting beliefs. You stay focused. Your feelings and expectations intensify. You harness Universal power! Live It NOW! You have built-in expectations, as your scripts become a part of your lifeblood. People and opportunities begin to “show up”. Turn up the volume of your life and take it to the next level. You have done the work. Now reap the rewards—no more masks are required, to walk out of your closet each day. "Faith strips the mask from the world and renders meaningless such words as anxiety, danger and fear, so the believer goes through life calmly and peacefully, with profound joy, like a child, hand and hand with his mother." -Charles de Foucauld For more info, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit my website! Read more from Fran! Fran Pedron, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Fran Pedron combines intuition, education, and life experience to help clients understand their foundational self-definition, make changes, and intention-purposed plans, which align with who they are as they create their desired outcomes. Her experience in insurance, technology, accounting, communications, along with being abruptly downsized later in life, led her to understand how change affects people and their decision-making processes, along with the need to make decisions aligned with their authenticity.

Written by: Michael Neill, 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. A few years back, I was sitting in the garden outside the home of a very wealthy coaching client, enjoying a few minutes of quiet while they finished up with another meeting. When they came to join me, we sat together for a bit before heading up to the patio for a light lunch and surprisingly heavy conversation about money. They were struggling to come to terms with issues of their own perceived financial irresponsibility, wastefulness, and a sense of not deserving all that they had. Giving it all away and living a simpler life was not a possibility, however, as they also had fears of not coping with a lack of money and becoming the equivalent of “a bag lady on the streets”. Ironically, I had had most of the same thoughts myself in the preceding week, albeit with a few less zeros attached to the numbers involved. So while I knew how they felt, I also knew that it couldn’t possibly be money that was at the core of our apparent dilemma. I shared with them a quote from the enlightened Scottish welder Syd Banks that I have always liked: “Mental sickness is created when we put feelings onto objects. But if you can see the objects without the feelings, then you are healthy.” In other words: A lack of money is no more the source of insecurity than a lack of umbrellas is the cause of rain. It reminded me of an article by the behaviorist B.F. Skinner written in the 1940’s about the development of superstition in pigeons. As with Pavlov’s earlier experiments which showed that dogs could be made to salivate by associating the ringing of a bell with the delivery of food, Skinner initially recreated similar effects with pigeons. But he then had a different idea. What would happen if the delivery of food happened at random intervals? Would the pigeons still develop associations? If so, to what? By hooking up a timer to a food delivery mechanism, Skinner and his colleagues noticed that whatever the pigeon happened to be doing when the food arrived was repeated. For example, if it was tossing its head from left to right, it would then continue doing that in hopes of “calling forth” more food. If the timer happened to deliver food again while the pigeon was doing its dance, an association was formed. Soon, the pigeon became absolutely convinced that their behavior was causing the food to arrive, although in actual fact the two events were entirely unrelated. As Skinner wrote: The experiment might be said to demonstrate a sort of superstition. The bird behaves as if there were a causal relation between its behavior and the presentation of food, although such a relation is lacking. There are many analogies in human behavior. Rituals for changing one’s luck at cards are good examples. A few accidental connections between a ritual and favorable consequences suffice to set up and maintain the behavior in spite of many unreinforced instances. The bowler who has released a ball down the alley but continues to behave as if he were controlling it by twisting and turning his arm and shoulder is another case in point. These behaviors have, of course, no real effect upon one’s luck or upon a ball halfway down an alley, just as in the present case the food would appear as often if the pigeon did nothing — or, more strictly speaking, did something else. How does this relate to money and insecurity? The physicist David Bohm said “Thought creates our world and then says ‘I didn’t do it.’” Psychologically speaking, this points to the fact that our moment-by-moment experience of life is and can only be created via thought. We live in the feeling of our thinking, but we think we live in a world where objects, circumstances, and other people are the source of our insecurities, emotions, and moods. So like the pigeons searching for an external cause of their food delivery in hopes of being able to better control it, when we want to control or soothe our own fear and insecurity, we tend to look outside of ourselves to find its source. And one of the most culturally agreed upon “sources” of security is money. But what if the link between money and insecurity is more superstition than fact? What if doing things to accumulate money in order to create feelings of security is as random and arbitrary a set of behaviors as a pigeon dancing in an attempt to create food? The nature of a superstition is that it’s non-disprovable. Once the apparent cause-effect relationship between a person, place, or circumstance and the way we feel has been sufficiently reinforced to be accepted as the way things work, our brain then dismisses counterexamples and/or explains them away through mitigating circumstances. Imagine the pigeon’s storytelling process when their dance doesn’t produce the food they are hoping for: “I must have missed a step”, or “sometimes it takes a few tries”, or “it only works when it’s not raining”. When it comes to the apparent connection between money and security, we dismiss and mitigate our experiences in exactly the same way. When money doesn’t make us feel safe, instead of questioning the fundamental equation, we justify the fact that it isn’t “working” by telling ourselves the story that “I must not have enough of it yet”, or “it’s because the economy is really volatile at the moment”, or maybe even because the gods are punishing us for some transgression. But the reality is so much simpler. The reason our strategies to soothe our insecurities by making more money don’t work is that there was never a cause-effect relationship between money and security in the first place. And when money stops looking like the cure for insecure thinking or the cause of whatever it is we think ails us, it goes back to being a convenient means of facilitating the exchange of goods and services. When money is just money to you, you’ll naturally begin to have a healthier relationship with it. You’ll learn how it gets made without worrying about what it makes you. You’ll find it considerably easier to enjoy everything you have without having to worry about having more. The point is this: We feel insecure because our insecure thinking seems real to us; we make money because we are making a valued difference in the world. Anything else is just superstition, no matter how real it may seem. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, or visit my website for more info! Read more from Michael! Michael Neill, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Michael Neill is an internationally renowned leadership coach, author, speaker, and thought leader. He has worked with executives and teams from Disney, Google, Netflix, Pixar, Public Health England, and more, challenging the prevailing mythology that stress and struggle are prerequisites to creativity and success. His TEDx Talks, bestselling books, podcasts, keynotes, training, and retreats are designed to unleash human potential with intelligence, humor, and heart and have inspired and impacted millions of people at the United Nations and on six continents around the world.

Written by: Haseena Shaheed-Jackson, 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. Seize and make the most of your life. Focus on living a life of no regrets. Strive to live a life that is exceptional. Do not settle for being average or falling in with the crowd. Be impactful and significant. Live a life that is fulfilling and rewarding. Fulfilling in that you are your best self and give your best. Rewarding in that you will be happy, overjoyed and at peace. You will glow because of your achievements and accomplishments. Incorporate these 5 key ingredients and you will live a life that is exceptional. Live in Your Purpose Purpose provides you with direction. Empowers you to go forward and is the source of your strength. You are energized because you know who you are and what you want to do. My mission is to help others see with new eyes so that they can become their best self. I am mindful of who I allow to speak into my life and the space others occupy in my mind. What you focus upon is what you will expand upon. When you focus on your purpose and doing that which you love, you will be inspired and motivated. Live by Priority You must know what you need to get to where you are seeking to go. will need to eliminate or delegate those tasks that are distractions and use time that is not beneficial to your purpose. Take the time to create your success list. Identify those tasks that are required for you to achieve your purpose. Calculate the rate of return on your tasks. Rate the tasks based on requirement, return and reward. Calculate the totals and based on the totals those are the tasks that are your priority. I focus on 5 areas each day – reading, writing, reflecting, exercising and connecting. These areas are in alignment with my purpose. Live to be Productive Protect your time to working on the tasks that need to be completed. There are 168 hours in a week. Identify how you are spending your time each day and throughout the week. Ensure that you have time on your calendar each day to work on what needs to be done. Do not allow others to monopolize your time or distract you from doing what needs to be done. Get the most out of each day and week. Identify the time of day in which you are most productive. Allocate this time to the complex tasks or tasks that require that most energy. I find that I am most creative in the morning between 6 AM -10 AM. I spend this time writing and executing strategies to build my business. Dedicate Time for Pausing and Reflecting Daily spend time to reflect on your progress. Celebrate your progress. Take the time to plan your next steps and strategize on your next course of action. Focus on the small steps that will result in achieving the BIG picture. Do not allow yourself to become overwhelmed thinking about the BIG instead focus on the steps that need to be taken and completed. I take time to reflect twice each day, while I am walking or exercising and before I go to bed. Incorporate Feedback Share your vision with those in your circle who you trust to provide you with feedback. Incorporate the feedback to make adjustments and corrections. I have a circle of three friends that I trust to speak into my life to provide me with feedback. These five ingredients will result in your living a life that is exceptional. You will develop habits. Habits that will aid you in achieving your goals and realizing your vision. People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits and their habits decide their futures. –F.M. Alexander I challenge you to live a life that is exceptional. Strive to be your best self. Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Haseena! Haseena Shaheed-Jackson, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Mrs. Haseena Shaheed-Jackson is a Certified Coach, Speaker, and Trainer under the John Maxwell Team. She is the author of Reflections Within and Messages from the Spirit. Her mission is to add value to people to add value to others by intentionally growing, resulting in transformation and changing their world. Growth is a continual process that never ceases. It is a lifetime commitment that must become a habit. Ms. Jackson is the Owner of Faith, Hope and Spirit, LLC, which offers training, coaching, and speaking in growth, development, leadership, and influence. For over 30 years, she has held positions in leadership and management for various companies and organizations, where her responsibilities included mentoring, coaching, development, and training. She hosts a monthly networking group, Connecting and Collaborating to Thrive (CC2T). CC2T focuses on developing relationships and establishing a community. She actively seeks to form partnerships with others to make a difference and be impactful.

Written by: Katie Stoddart, 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. It is hard to imagine a more necessary skill than emotional resilience. This ability to understand and master our emotions in all circumstances is pure magic! As with I.Q. or E.Q., emotional resilience is an inner trait that can be trained. You can build this resilience over time by practicing some of these methods. 1. Physical Strength Though your thoughts and emotions are associated with your mind; they are also related to how you use your body! One of the fastest and most effective ways to build emotional resilience is through your physiology. Putting your body in discomfort trains your mind to cope with stress. Two essential methods to apply this: Exercise and Cold exposure. Exercise Exercise always comes as a bit of a struggle in the first few minutes, especially if you are out of practice. This resistance is precisely what builds the resilience muscle! Cold exposure Cold exposure, through cold showers, for example, is another powerful method! Wim Hof clearly explains in his content how incredibly powerful exposure to cold can be. Confronting the discomfort and challenging yourself will help you to strengthen your resilience. 2. Mental Strength Mental strength is often linked with intellectual endeavors. In this context, your intelligence is not always correlated with how great your emotional resilience is. The most important aspects here are how you manage your thoughts and how you regulate your emotions. Manage your thoughts Managing your thoughts can be done through: 1. Identifying them and knowing that you have the power to change them. 2. Accepting your thoughts as they come, in a non-judgmental way 3. Watching it from a distance and not identifying with it 4. Letting it go Applying a stoic mindset by understanding the dichotomy of control: what you can control and what you can’t. Your perception directly affects your emotions. Emotional regulation Emotional regulation is a similar process as it entails: observing the emotion, noticing it, accepting it, and letting it go. Combining thoughts management with emotional regulation improves your mental strength. Emotional resilience is tied with self-awareness: from understanding your perception of the world to tuning in to your inner conflicts, self-awareness makes all the difference! 3. Spiritual Strength Spiritual strength is the third pillar to improve your emotional resilience. Often, the spirit is overlooked as we focus on the brain & body so much. Yet, our spirit is what impacts our well-being the most. Two exercises to increase your spiritual strength: Meditation The benefits of meditation are widely spread. Most of all, meditation helps to create a greater gap between stimuli and response. Thanks to this ability (meta-attention), you can better manage your thoughts, understand your reactions and regulate your emotions. Gratitude Society tells us to place our attention on what we are lacking – constantly creating in us the need for more. By having a regular gratitude practice, we embrace and express thankfulness for all that we have and are. By daily keeping in mind your physical, mental and spiritual strength – you will enhance your emotional resilience. This means that in challenging circumstances, you will have the inner power to manage your emotions effectively. Resilience is not negating your feelings, but accepting them and dancing with the emotions. Thank you for reading, Katie For more info, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and visit my website! Read more from Katie! Katie Stoddart, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Katie Stoddart, founder of ‘The Focus Bee’ is an award-winning, international, high-performance coach, speaker and podcast host. Katie supports leaders and business owners to reach & sustain peak performance in their business. For her weekly podcast ‘The Focus Bee Show’, Katie interviews leading experts in high performance. Passionate about living intentionally; Katie challenges each and every person she works with to re-focus on what matters most. Katie works primarily with entrepreneurs & executives through 1-1 coaching & workshops on: Focus, Leadership & Performance.

Written by: Karin Glannstam, 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. "Investing in yourself is the best investment you will ever make. It will not only improve your life, it will improve the life of all those around you." — Robin S. Sharma The best investment that you can ever make is an investment in yourself. We invest our time, money and energy in a lot of people and on a lot of things. Some investments will work out and some won't. But there is one investment that will always work out and that is an investment in yourself. Not only is it going to improve your own life and make you feel better. It will also help and improve the lives of the people around you. Here are a few great investments that you can start making TODAY. There is no risk involved and a big return is guaranteed. Pick the ones you like the best and then start making the investments. Invest in your health. Most people don't even make time for their health until they start to feel bad. Don't wait on this one. Having a healthy body and mind is very important. Your body is the only place that you've got to live. Treat it with great care and a lot of kindness. Pay attention to what you eat and drink. Choose food that is good for you and that will also give you energy. Invest in an exercise routine. You don't have to spend hours at the gym or run miles and miles on the treadmill. The exercise that will work best for you is the exercise that you will actually do. A variety of exercises might be the best. That way you won't get bored and you will also exercise all parts of your body. A brisk walk is a great way to get outdoors and get your body going. Invest in a meditation routine. You don't have to sit on the floor with your legs crossed chanting some strange words unless you like doing that. You can turn on some soothing music and sit back in a chair for a few minutes and relax. I lay down on the floor with my dog for 30 minutes every evening before I go to bed. I call it "snuggle time." It's my meditation time and my dog loves it. It is very relaxing. I believe you can substitute a dog for a cat or any other animal that you prefer. Invest in your mind. Read books and articles. Listen to webinars and podcasts. Join a discussion group. Attend seminars live or via Zoom. Do something on a daily basis that will expand your mind. Something that will make you grow. When we grow and learn new things it will actually increase our own happiness. Either we grow or we die, so get a busy living by exercising your mind. Invest in relaxation and reflection. Take some time to just sit back and relax. Give yourself a little time to just breathe. Take some time every evening and reflect back on the day. What was good and what was not so good and what can you improve on for the future. Taking time to reflect on what didn't go so well will assist you in making better decisions in the future. Same thing goes for what you did well. In the future do more of that. Don't forget to celebrate what went well. Invest in feeling grateful. A grateful mind is a happier mind. Sit down and count your blessings. Be grateful for what you've got and more things to be grateful for will enter your life. There are so many things to be grateful for. Both big and small. Invest your time in the right relationships. We become like the people that we surround ourselves with. Who are you investing your time in? Make sure these people are supportive, growth-minded, and have a vision for their life. So you might want to take a look at the people around you. The people you spend most of your time with. Stay in touch with friends and family. Get together in person. Call them up. Show them that you care. Don't just email and text. Invest in your dream(s) Always have a vision for your life. A vision that you decided was your own. Not what your parents, siblings, spouse, friends, teachers or your kids want. What do you want? What is your dream for your life? Who do you want to become? What do you want to do? Where do you want to live? Where do you want to travel to? Invest in your hobbies. Invest some of your time in doing things that you love to do. Maybe an art class, dance class, cooking class, learn a new language. Take some time to relax and do something that you love to do. Very relaxing and so much fun. Invest time in laughing and having fun. No explanation needed. Some of us quit having fun. We have stopped doing things that are enjoyable and fun. Time to change that. What makes you laugh and giggle? Find out and do it! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Karin Glannstam, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Karin Glannstam is a Personal Success Coach specializing in helping people to successfully get back on track after life has knocked them down. She has self-published 4 self-help books and she writes a weekly newsletter and blog. She is also very passionate about, fitness, health and well-being and she runs a private Facebook group, Empower Yourself To Succeed. Born and raised in Sweden, Karin started out working as a nurse. In 1987 she moved to the US and today she spends her time between Texas and Sweden. Her mission is to inspire, empower and educate others to create a powerful vision for their life, develop a game plan and then take action on that plan to bridge the gap from where they are today to where they want to be in the future. Karin's motto is “Be Courageous, Take Action & Make It Happen!”