Written by: Jeremy Han, 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 my last article, I discussed the 3 secrets to scaling a business. In this, I explore the other side – 3 obstacles that can derail your growth plans. In my conversations and work with CEOs, whenever the topic on growth arises, the focus has always been on strategy, sales, products, markets etc. However, there are other equally important areas that a business must take note of if it wants to scale. In fact, these are the issues that could potentially make or break a company no matter how good your strategy or sales are. So what are these ‘silent killers’ that could derail a business from achieving its fullest potential? The first ‘silent killer’ I would like to discuss is your cash engine. Scaling a business needs cash! Lots of it! It is like fuel for an engine. Have you ever encountered a situation where a business is making a lot of profits but has no money in the bank? Or growing revenue so quickly they ran out of money? So what is your cash engine? Picture a plane with an engine – it could only soar if its engines are fully functioning. Is your cash engine running properly? Your cash engine is the set of business activities that not only generate cash but also moves the cash from your customer’s pocket into yours. So this is where it gets interesting because most companies would make two fundamental mistakes about their cash flow when they do not realize that what is key here is how much money you have in the bank, not how much money you have on paper. The first fundamental mistake is to leave the cash flow issue to your accountants. Accountants manage your Profit and Loss statement, which is the end result of your business activities, but they do not have oversight over your business model i.e. how you run the business day-to-day. And cash in bank is the result of how efficient your business model is because it tells us how fast we can capture value from our customers. So who has oversight on the business model? The management team! Yet management teams by and large do not discuss cash flow issues, or talk about how much money they have; choosing to leave it to finance or accounts. The second fundamental mistake is linked to the first – because when the management team does not talk about the cash flow in the business, they tend to ‘blindspot’ the chokepoints that stop cash coming to you! One of the companies I worked with had two departments replicating the entire same process with the client, so the entire product development process was 30 days more than necessary, which meant that they were delaying their billing by 30 days! They did not discover this until I got the management team, which comprises of the different team heads to map out their work and how many days it took to complete it before they could bill the client, which meant that money had been coming back late 30 days for no good reason! So how do you make sure you have a tight oversight on cash flow? In the award-winning book Scaling Up: Mastering the Rockefeller Habits 2.0, Verne Harnish introduces us to the concept of the Cash Conversion Cycle. It comprises of 4 parts. Breaking it down to these 4 stages helps us gain clarity on who can be work on shortening each part of the cycle. Accountability is the key here. The next ‘silent killer’ I want to discuss is Execution discipline. Like cash flow, execution discipline is misunderstood to be something else, and as a result, management focuses on the wrong thing. Execution discipline is different from operations, which is the process by which business is done. Execution discipline is something more pervasive – it is the culture, habit, or mindset of getting things done i.e. turning plans into results on a sustainable basis. Many businesses spend a lot of resources on improving business operations with LEAN methods, KAIZEN, etc because the business operations processes are measured. However, what leaders don’t measure is how often business plans are executed well and turned into long-term results. As a result, business leaders often complain to me of how strategic plans stay fruitless because everyone is too busy fighting fire all the time. One CEO of an international electronics company lamented to me how every year his corporate planning team spends a lot of time creating strategic plans for the new year but nobody executes them, and year after year, those plans that would take the company to greater heights remained unexecuted. Worst of all, he said he could not blame anyone because everyone is working ‘hard’. Is working hard equal to being effective? Unfortunately, they are working hard fighting fire in operations, not turning strategy into results. So how do we ensure this ‘silent killer’ does not derail your scaling-up plans? Learn to see the issue for what it is – a management habit of knowing when to focus on operations, and when to focus on executing strategy. These are two fundamentally different issues. It is a culture problem, but if this habit is built at management level, it would cascade downwards and every level would become more effective at achieving the company’s longer-term goals. The third and last ‘silent killer’ I want to talk about is success. Yes, you heard right – success if not handled properly can be the next step to failure. Why? This is because success breeds a certain mindset that prevents future success. This mindset is called “Playing not to lose.” This is when teams start to think that they have already arrived, and what they should do is to maintain the current success. In my experience, this could be due to various reasons. One could be because the management team had succeeded beyond their dreams, exceeding what they once thought possible and thus they no longer feel that they need to push on to the next boundary. Or another reason could be a lack of vision or a lack of purpose that drives the leadership to constantly break boundaries. This could be so when leaders become too focused on the Excel sheet; they define the entire business and its life cycle solely on numbers, so when the numbers look good, they ironically lose their vision. The Excel sheet is a good tool to manage the numbers of the business, but it does not convey vision, it does not challenge us why we need to seek the next horizon to cross. I advise business leaders that the best time to disrupt themselves is when they are doing well when their finances are in a strong position to take risks. However, it is human nature to try and breakthrough only when things are going downhill, but by then it could be too late for some companies. Do not fall into the ‘Play not to lose’ trap if you are successful, because the best is yet to come, no matter how good you are. Do you have a clear and compelling purpose that transcends financial results, and would make the hair on your neck stand when you contemplate it? Find that reason, communicate it to your team relentlessly so that the whole business is constantly focused on a goal that makes you stay hungry and learning. So if you are a business leader who is gearing up your company to scale, think about these three points I mentioned. Do not let these ‘silent killers’ derail your ambitions to scale! How involved is your management team is analyzing and improving cash flow? Does the team know what the cash position of the company is and regularly discuss its implications on growth? Is there drama in the company when it comes to executing strategy and holding people accountable for outcomes? Does everyone know what to do, when to do it, and when to report it? Do you constantly ask the team why we do what we do, and what the next horizon is if we want to be a great company, an organization that is more than just one that makes money but also makes a difference? You may want to sit down with your team and discuss these questions. Find out what they think, and then decide what to do next. Exponential growth is possible if you know how. And you do not have to do it alone. We have tools and resources to help you. To learn a proven methodology, scan here to sign up for our free online course 'How to Scale Your Business'. Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Jeremy! Jeremy Han, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine He is a certified Scaling Up coach with Gazelles International, specializing in coaching executive teams of scale-ups across the world to maximize their profits and their impact. His clients are companies in Australia, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, the Philippines, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Nepal in a diverse range of industries. They range from publicly listed conglomerates with revenues above a billion dollars to fast-growing scale-ups between $10m - $800m in revenue size. His personal mission is to help 100 CEOs, in 10 years, to impact 100m people. Besides business growth, he has helped companies to set lasting legacy goals that spur both dynamic growth and long-term impact. Some of these goals include creating 1m jobs in 10 years, clothing 1m people in 10 years, and enabling 1m under-privileged children to attend university in 10 years.

Written by: Maria R. Malec, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. “What does healthy mean to me?” is a good place to start when evolving a self-care driven way of life. Do your self-care ideals align with your actual life? Are you a doer or a talker when it comes to walking it out? Do your self-care habits create an atmosphere of thriving or just surviving? Is self-care even on your radar? Is it a luxury or a part of the fabric of your life? Since our bodies are always in a state of adapting to our current environment, self-care is to our lives what air is to our lungs. While there are hundreds of ways that we can execute our unique blueprint of self-care, here are the four keys that crack the self-care code to live freely without the prison bars of scarcity, elimination, or self-condemnation. There is lots of room for creativity. These four keys seem elementary, yet, in their simplicity is their undeniable strength and sustainability. Awareness is always the entry point for any practice. 1st Key — Cultivate an Ironclad Self-care Mindset Many people are being awakened to the fact that the mightiest attribute in setting the trajectory of our lives is cultivating an ironclad self-care mindset. Just like a healthy tree produces healthy fruit likewise, a healthy mindset produces a thriving life. The coherence of the heart and brain are necessary for all our actions. What we feed our mind is as important as what we feed our bodies. The decision to take confident action first requires us to create the proper mindset activated with the self-care actions of love, forgiveness, repentance, and gratitude. If our minds are burdened with destructive programming, we need to exercise those four actions with regularity. Undoubtedly, there is no neutral environment. Our mindset is particularly influenced by the company we keep and with the prevalent social media fascination, aka the people we follow. It has been said that we are defined by the people we surround ourselves with. Frequently, taking an audit of those people in our lives is a positive form of self-care. Not everyone is our assignment, and most people are just a season. Keeping our thoughts captive and aligned with the heart of our Divine consciousness will greatly shape the life we wish to create. Mindset self-care can look like this: Developing nonjudgmental self-awareness. Create a system of daily self-regulation. Build a daily structure of behavior aka habit. Schedule daily contemplation time. Plan sacred time alone. Establish boundaries that you can stick to and learn to say “No”. Ditch comparing yourself to others. Make positive self-talk a priority. Decide to be joyful in all you do. “You are now, and you do become, what you think about.” – Earl Nightingale 2nd Key — Design a Healing Home There’s a difference between living in a green home and a healing home. Going green only reduces the risk of hidden toxins which removes a detriment to you and your family’s health. When we add resources that build, nurture, and support us, it enhances the effects of greening and turns it into healing. Our environment contributes greatly to our peace of mind which is a barometer for our overall well-being. Nurturing a wholesome environment is like a constant drip of self-care which becomes an integral part of one's existence. Here are the basics of transforming your dwelling place into a sacred refuge from the world at large. It is important to maintain an atmosphere where one feels elevated, not depleted when present there. 1. Gather an awareness of all the products you use from the bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, laundry room, and the garage. Don’t forget to take into account your work or office space. Replace toxic items with healthier ones. 2. Eliminate chemicals, processed foods, and OTD (over-the-counter drugs). a. Chemicals block, inhibit, and disrupt our body’s natural functions b. Using plant-based resources like essential oils and organic nutrient-dense foods work with our bodies to build, nurture and support c. Eating living foods that come from nature translate into a living body. 3. Incorporating aroma, water, light, sound, plant, color, and positive image elements provides an optimal healing ambient environment. a. Aroma is a whole-body approach that easily impacts a person. Smell is the first thing registered in the brain in any given situation. When people walk into our homes, they should be greeted with a pleasant aroma. Diffusing essential oils in a space is one of the best ways to purify an environment. They also help to reduce chemicals, bacteria, and metals in the air while supporting emotional balance. b. Water — Moving water will create many positive benefits for an indoor environment. Studies have shown that people who experience indoor fountains feel happier, more satisfied, and more often relaxed than others who had not. c. Light — As an environmental design of any space, ambient lighting encourages a sense of well-being. Through a dynamic lighting solution adding a soft-colored ambient glow to the room will tend to calm those who live there. The overall benefits of proper lighting reduces anxiety and eye strain enhances general satisfaction and supports productivity d. Sound — This element has a long history of positive effects on the body and mind. Adding music or white noise to ambient lighting makes a soothing experience even more impactful. e. Plants — Indoor plants transcend trends. The benefits they suggest should make us consider them a necessity rather than an object of décor. A few of the many benefits of plants are that they increase oxygen levels thus improving concentration, memory and productivity, as well as, cleaning the environment of airborne chemicals and pathogens. Other natural elements like stones and wood pieces, fresh-cut flowers add to bringing the outdoors inside. f. Color — The element is practically like a vitamin supplement. It is an essential part of the landscape of our lives, cultural identity and an uplifting source of everyday wellness. It can shape the energy of a room to comfort or feel confident, remove fear, or ignite love and happiness, g. Positive Images — Melissa Breyer Positive Visual Affirmation Images says there is a compelling body of literature on the use of “restorative” visual images that can reduce stress, anxiety, and pain perception (for a comprehensive review of literature see Ulrich (2009). Positive images contribute to a positive mindset. 3rd Key — Internal Purification and Fortification Our bodies are sovereign and deserve the mindful care like a master gardener tending a prized garden. In the abyss of lotions, potions, powders, and rules clean eating is the pinnacle of health and prevention of infirmity. When you eat nutrient-dense foods one does not have to worry about eliminating or discerning good from bad choices. We should never look to practitioners, doctors, or white pills to replace doing things that can be found in nature. Sunshine is an underused source of internal purification and nutrition. What the sun does for plants acts in the same manner in all of nature. Remember we are part of that equation. Walking barefoot grounds us to the natural frequencies of the earth thus positively affecting our internal terrain. Supplements should only be considered if you are not getting what you need from your clean food sources. While there is a multitude of medicinal and fortifying plants available to choose from, here are some of the recommended supplements to fulfill our basic needs. 1. Probiotics — healthy gut = healthy brain populating the gut with the proper balance of microorganisms which are the good bacteria compost heap for our immunity a. Natural probiotics can be found in fermented foods 2. Enzymes — healthy gut = healthy brain a. Nature’s enzymes are present in raw fruits and vegetables 3. Fish oils (omegas) = healthy brain (our body doesn’t produce) 4. Vitamin D = healthy skin, eyes, and brain a. Sunshine 5. Immune boosters = Prevention Some other internal self-care methods could include doing breath work, cleanses, coffee enemas, Epsom bath soaks, dancing, singing, praying, receiving or giving massages, hugging, smelling flowers, watching the sun rise, taking a quick nap, laughing, celebrating the little wins, preparing meals and practicing positive self-talk are all contributors of internal fortification. It’s important to not take for granted all the free things available to enrich our lives. 4th Key — Oral Health Surprisingly, oral health is integral to overall health! Every tooth corresponds to a different system of our bodies. Keeping them intact with self-care is not just a good practice, it is essential to whole body wellness. Plaque is a bio film where bacteria colonize in clumps, like little sweaters. Brushing with over-the-counter toothpastes are not disinfectants, they only mechanically scrub germs present on our teeth, allowing them to persistently come back without delay. Chemical-free toothpaste or mouth wash infused with essential oils kills bacteria on contact! Adding orange essential oil to toothpaste is a natural approach to whitening, as well as bentonite clay. Surprisingly, dental hygiene helps ward off heart infection. American Heart Association says bacteria in mouth can leak into blood stream and arteries. Conscious dental hygiene seeks balance solutions with resources that work with the body’s own natural self-healing systems and regular dental visits is a strategy for a healthy mouth and body. The basis for conscious self-care serves as preventative maintenance for elevating the probability of sustained problem-free wellness. Are you a doer or just a talker? Theory is nice. Talking about it is noble, Yet, results are only achieved with action. It takes 63 days of consistent action to make this behavior automatic. To avoid overwhelm or confusion, change one thing at a time. Technically, anyone can replace destructive habits with positive ones every 2 months with an almost solid assurance of not reverting back. That’s worth celebrating. These 4 keys are foundational elements to the system and structure of living free of sickness while enjoying the freedom of designing your unique flow. If your self-care habits lead to everyday wellness, then you have less to worry about and more living to experience. Your health begins when you begin making informed decisions and become responsible for how you care for yourself and your family. Want to learn more from Maria? Visit her website. Read more from Maria! Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine & 2021 CREA Award Winner As a Human Experience Coach, Maria reminds folks that living is an art. Using various tools found in nature, she creates experiential retreats that ignite one's inner healer. She brings people to the awareness that their level of wellness is directly related to their peace of mind. Through heart/brain coherence, it is her mission to inspire others to paint a beautiful living by daring to declare their innermost desires, bringing peace to chaotic hearts, and helping them to restore themselves to their original blueprint of design. Her methods teach others how to find their flow and live fully with all their senses. In addition to coaching and speaking, Maria published her first book in 2020 titled, Dare to Declare, Greeting the Day With Intention. You can get it here: https://amzn.to/3BXAvGQ

Written by: Rita Roushdy, 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 me tell you a little story about a girl who grew up believing she had to be perfect in order to be worthy of anything she desired. (Let me know if this story sounds familiar? Drop me a message HERE ) . Once upon a time, there was a little girl called Christin, who had a dad called Paul. Christin loved her daddy so much and she wanted to spend time with him. But her dad Paul had other priorities because he felt a heavy-weighted duty to provide for his family. He felt the need to work more so that he can make more money in his business. So Christin decided: "I'm unworthy of my daddy's love and attention, money seems to always come first!" She saw her dad get stressed every time anyone brought up the money subject. Just like that, Christine formed a few beliefs about herself and money, here are some of those beliefs: "I'm unworthy of dad's time and attention." This became "I'm unworthy", a very deep ingrained belief that defined her identity for years! Which has affected how she viewed herself, her business and the service that she provides. So she lowered her prices. Yet still struggled to sign clients on because she believed she was unworthy on a deep level. "Money comes before my happiness, love and attention." This turned into; "I need to self-sacrifice for money". That money was the most important thing. She put herself last. "You have to work hard for money." So she moved into her life feeling like she has to work more, for more money. feeling like whatever she did, it just wasn't enough. That she needed to do more. She believed she had to be perfect to be worthy of big money goals. Money causes stress, money is bad. And so even though, on the surface she really wanted her business to grow beyond her wildest dreams. On a subconscious level, she created a link between money and stress. She believed that the more money you have, the more stressed that you are. She felt uncomfortable navigating her prospects through the money section during sales calls. The above beliefs showed up in Christin's life in many ways, and affected so many aspects of her life. Here are some of the ways how: Spending: When she really wanted to buy something for herself, she felt unworthy of that thing. Earning: She didn't believe she was worthy of high monthly income so she set smaller goals. So no matter how hard she worked, she couldn't work out why her hard work wasn't paying off. Christin spent years of her life, not knowing that this was happening below the surface. She continued to unknowingly attract situations that confirmed those beliefs. Until she decided to make a change, and work smart instead of hard She said enough is enough ! She was no longer willing to sacrifice herself, her time, her energy for money. She wanted to use money as a tool, instead of having One night, she looked up at the stars (Instagram) And made a wish upon a star that her pain would be gone, and she would no longer hold so much fear around money. That she would feel confident in her relationship with money. (And she messaged me to enquire about working with me) Her guide appeared in a bright light, and at that moment she felt that everything was going to be okay! She felt safe and secure and hopeful for the future. And with every session, it became easier and easier for her to grow her business faster than ever before. The money that she invested in herself became insignificant. Because the money that she made (and continues to make) massively outweighs her investment. She's now fearless when it comes to raising her prices. She now enjoys setting herself bigger and bigger goals every month. (Oh and she hits every single one!) She's now on track to hit multi-6-figures in her business and growing her team to allow her the time freedom she desired. This is why I’m so excited to be holding space for you to grab your spot in the FREE Super Scale Your Money Masterclass where I will be sharing exactly how I supported my client to get those results. You can now access the FREE live event here . This is for you if you’re ready to step into your next expansive version of yourself and your business. Limited available spots. Click here for full info and to register for free. Connect with Rita on Instagram and visit her website . Read more from Rita! Rita Roushdy, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Rita Roushdy is an expert in the money mindset, uncovering subconscious limiting beliefs and supporting high-level women in becoming a powerful magnet for money. After a decade of hustling hard but hardly being paid, leaving her depleted and wounded, Rita was on a mission to heal her relationship with money, knowing that it will be a lifelong journey beginning by healing herself first. Rita’s purpose quickly became to share this secret with other women who desire to level up their businesses and finances into new heights of limitless abundance that spill into all areas of their lives. Transforming society’s relationship with money, one woman at a time, Rita strives to uncover and release old limiting money paradigms that we’ve been programmed with. Using an abundance of healing tools and techniques, she guides her clients, releasing anything that no longer serves them by healing old money wounds and deep-rooted beliefs, making space for what they truly desire to have more of in their lives, activating and allowing them to become magnetic to their dream clients. She has supported her worldwide clients, reaching consistent £10K and £20K per month income goals and hitting their first £100K in business in less than 2 months of working together. She’s been invited to share her expertise on money mindset and became a keynote speaker, all within the first year of entering the coaching space.

Written by: Katie Scott Anton Skaskiv is well-known in international ballroom dancing circles. As a professional in Latin Dance, Anton and his wife Polina were multiple award winners in their over 15-year partnership. Such accolades as a fifth-place finish in the Imperial Championship, the Fred Astaire Cup in France, winning the Dutch Open, and numerous placements in European and Global competitions made them highly sought after as coaches. Key to the Skaskiv’s remarkable success has been a curriculum they’ve dubbed the Skaskiv Method. More than just a way to learn technique, this unique, innovative method blends the precision needed for the highest levels of dance with the freedom of artistic expression, allowing each dancer to cultivate their unique style.  Emphasizing not only competing in tournaments but also growing a lifelong love of ballroom dance, Anton has created a method that incorporates physical conditioning similar to what pro athletes are familiar with while blending in rhythmic training and an abiding respect for the art of dance. According to his colleagues and experts, these components of the Skaskiv Method have brought victory to Anton and his students.  Physical As any dancer knows, the main focus of any teaching is choreography. By learning complex and controlled routines, dancers develop grace and balance while strengthening the core and stabilizing the muscles needed for excelling in the ballroom. Dancers using the Skaskiv Method also build cardiovascular strength and endurance so they can easily perform high-intensity routines that win awards.  Every dancer must also develop a sixth sense of rhythm, especially when competing in styles like Latin or Quickstep, which require detailed footwork. This doesn’t mean there’s no room for improvisation either– once the rhythmic sense is finely tuned, dancers can add expression and innovation to their choreography. Most importantly, Anton stresses the need for thorough and regular stretching. Making flexibility the priority allows dancers to maintain limber muscles, avoid injury, and accelerate recovery time after training.  Creative Like a dance partner, creativity needs to move with the physical in order to achieve greatness. Anton uses his legendary success to show that conveying emotion and narrative through movements takes a dance routine to the next level–and the awards table.  Focusing on skills such as expressive acting, spatial awareness, and a deep understanding of their partner’s technique reveals fluidity and harmony in the performance. This is especially important when doing group dances and requires enormous practice and patience.  Anton insists dancers broaden their horizons by trying diverse dance styles rather than sticking to just one. Immersing themselves in different dance genres builds resilience, coordination, and creativity that comes with having a more bottomless well to draw from, along with growth as a dancer and a person. This could even include such styles as rhythmic gymnastics, with equipment such as balls, sticks, and ribbons to add spice to the routine and improve the dancer’s motion mechanics.  Integration Merging physical stamina with bright creativity made Anton and Polina Skaskiv a prolific and well-respected ballroom dance pair. They continue to take on new students in their own studio, Respect Dance Hall, in Kharkiv, Ukraine. They teach the latest generation (including their son Matviy) a beautiful way to express and engage with the art they love. Moreover, they share the method with their colleagues, who have also underlined its positive impact on their students’ growth.

Written by: Amber Barry, Senior Level 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. The science of busyness is interesting. Some research supports the notion that greater busyness is associated with better cognition, while others refer to busyness as a disease. But at the end of the day it's not about what the research says, it's about two things: 1) The impact your current level of busy has on your life. 2) How productive you are in relation to your busyness. If you're anything like me, being busy makes you feel important. It makes you feel like you have a purpose in life. It makes you feel like you HAVE a life! But if you're struggling with productivity, focus or seeing things through to completion, you may have already recognized that being busy just for the sake of having things to do is not helping you reach your goals. The following exercise is meant to create awareness about where you are now so you can recognize if the way you're currently approaching your day-to-day life needs tweaking. Take a minute to consider these questions: • How would it change your life and your business if you were clear and intentional about the things you spent your time on? • What would change if you prioritized the things that were truly important to you, and left the time fillers, distractions and fluff? • How would your world change if you had the ability to focus on ONE thing at a time, instead of doing (or thinking about doing) 8 different things at once? Then, rate your current state of busyness on a scale from 0-10, with 10 being ZERO time to eat, sleep or breathe. Next, rate your productivity using the same scale, keeping in mind that productivity is how well the time, effort and energy you invest in a given task, project or goal yields the outcome you desire. This may vary from task to task, but getting into the habit of recognizing the relationship between the two is a good idea because it will help you pinpoint the areas that need improvement. Finally, see how your numbers stack up. Ideally, you'll rate higher in the productivity department. Why is this important? If you're constantly investing more energy in being busy WITHOUT effectively reaching your goals, your likelihood of burnout increases. And not only that, it can negatively impact your confidence, forward progress and personal satisfaction. This energetic mismatch should be addressed if you're aiming to ration and conserve your energy for the things that matter to you. If you're a 9.2 on the busy scale, but a 3.7 on the productivity scale, for example, there's a and you're probably feeling the drain. Like meditation or any other good habit, shifting the way you approach things requires practice. Here are a few tips to make it easier: 1) When you find your mind wandering, bring yourself back to the task at hand. If you keep picking up your phone to scroll social media or respond to emails, put it on do not disturb or turn it off altogether. Please pay attention to all of the other things that regularly distract you too, so you can create a plan to navigate them when they pop up. 2) Wherever you are, be there. Sure, you may have 10 important things on your agenda, but you can only effectively accomplish one at a time. Make a list of everything you need to get done, and then commit yourself to doing one thing at a time. Practice not thinking about the 9 other things you have to do! It'll keep you more focused and productive, and you'll feel a lot less scattered in the process. 3) Don't jump into anything without an agenda. Be clear about what you're trying to accomplish when you sit down to do it so you can stay focused and on track. Commit to focusing for 10-15 minute blocks at first. If you take the time to get your head fully in the game upfront, it'll be easier for you to stick to your project and see it through. 4) Be realistic about how long it will take you to successfully accomplish the outcome you're aiming for. The more you practice focusing on one thing at a time, the easier it gets and the more productive you'll be... but remember, this isn't an open invitation to pile more onto your plate! Ultimately, this requires planning, strategy and focus. Practice sitting down with intention and keep your end goal in mind. If you're struggling with productivity or you have a success story to share, I'd love to hear about it! Connect with me on Facebook, Instagram and visit my website for more info! Read more from Amber! Amber Barry, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Amber Barry is a U.S.based business strategist and consultant specializing in digital marketing, automations, and social media advertising for small businesses and startups. She is passionate about deconstructing the process of establishing and growing a business and aims to make it less overwhelming and easier to navigate for new business owners. She is the founder of Amber Barry | Digital, a digital marketing and advertising agency, and creator of The Go-Getters Club, where she offers online courses and coaching to women in business to help them maximize their marketing efforts and turn their small steps into big wins and massive momentum. She is a Registered Nurse and a Certified Health Coach by training and draws from her 12+ years of experience in health and wellness and 20+ years as an endurance athlete to help people transform their journey as business owners into an enjoyable, successful, fulfilling experience. If you're struggling to reach your business growth goals, check out the Go-Getters Couch to $5K 12-week Training Plan. It's a one-step-at-a-time business coaching program that delivers the results you're looking for without the distractions and overwhelm, so you can finally gain the clarity, organization and marketing strategies you need to build the successful business you keep dreaming about.

Written by: Stephanie Reh, 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 am enrolled in a personal leadership transformation program and will graduate at the end of this month. The insights and revelations have been numerous and nothing short of dramatic in terms of their impact on my own perspective of my life and how I’ve been moving through it. I’ve spent the first three months of the program on an emotional roller coaster ride of thrilling ups and scary downs. One moment I’m in awe of the possibility in front of me now that I’m allowing myself to lean into joy as a leader, and another moment, I’ve retreated back into my cave of self-judgment, wondering why I couldn’t figure all this out before. Then it’s back up the hill of anticipation, excited to see what lightbulb will turn on next and yet, afraid of what will be illuminated. The transformation journey never ends - the journey itself is the point, of course. But for impatient people like me, I needed to get things going a bit faster. So, as the last month of transformation training approached, I wondered what I could do to make sure I finish the program strong, and position myself to ride the transformation momentum far beyond the end of the instructional phase. Regret is not an option. I’ve invested time and money into this program, and a ton of emotional currency. I certainly don’t want to go back and do it over again! I need to get what I came for: finding out what is holding me back from being the best person I can be and then busting through the resistance to be that best person. Inside of me, there’s a lot of change going on. I see things differently now. Despite having immersed myself in intentional self-development for at least the last decade, true clarity eluded me up until now. Now that I can grasp the clarity, I need to act on it before self doubt and excuses crash my party and send all my newly enlightened guests home. I can’t look in the mirror and see the same person I was after life happened and before transformation because I’m not that person anymore. I’m reclaiming my original self. And I need to look different than I’ve looked since my original self put on armor following the death of my parents. When I say I can’t look in the mirror and see the same person, I’m not using a metaphor. I mean I need to actually see someone different in the mirror. And so, after over 20 years of having long hair, I cut it off. And with it, I cut off the resentment I have for working so hard for so many years and not achieving some of the key goals I set for myself. I cut off the requirement to achieve something big before I celebrate what I’ve accomplished. I cut off the fear of taking a big risk and having to live with the consequences. I know that hair grows back, and I remember it’s a real pain to grow it out. I had to make it really hard to turn around on this transformation. I’ve come so far; the transformation program is the catalyst for me authentically living the promise of my Accountability Ambassador Pledge: I serve others by doing whatever it takes to be the best person I can be. Whatever it takes is a tall order and I can’t be weighed down by long hair or long excuses. It’s time to live up to my own promises. And you can too. For you, it may not be a haircut. Maybe it’s taking a new job or moving to a new city. It could be overhauling your diet, or going back to school. Perhaps you join a gym after years of working out at home. Or starting a new hobby with new friends. Whatever it is: It must be dramatic if you are using it to accelerate and reinforce your transformation. I’ve been trimming my hair for years. Over the last few years, it’s been getting shorter and shorter, and most recently was above shoulder length. The gradual change did nothing to prompt the big change I really needed. I still kept behaving the same way, eating the same way, responding the same way to the same stimuli...and not realizing that my goal ladder was on the wrong wall. Measured and moderate change has its place, but not if you are setting out to punctuate transformation. You’ve got to do something demonstrative so you don’t slide back into complacency. The confidence you gain from a big leap will enable you to take the next big leap, and the next leap after that. Some of you may be thinking you are totally cool with not leaping. You daily life is pleasant and you have few complaints. I challenge you to think differently. Everyone has more in them than they are choosing to share with the world. What are you holding back? If you’ve not experienced transformation training, I highly recommend you pursue it. And when you do, get your dramatic change ready. You’re going to need it when you are at the cusp of getting the transformation gold. What could you do with a new ‘do? For more info, follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn and visit my web site ! Read more from Stephan ie ! Stephanie Reh, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Stephanie Reh is on a mission to help more people to serve more people. Stephanie’s aim and passion as CEO & Founder of Accountability Evangelist are to help accountable people achieve their most ambitious goals so that they can happily live a life of fulfillment and make a tremendous, positive impact on the lives of the people they choose to serve. Stephanie’s signature offering for personal transformation is the Focus & Momentum Goal Mastery online group coaching program. She specializes in Succession Planning / Leadership Development, Strategic Planning / Goal & Risk Management, and Change Management for Mergers & Acquisitions for organizational transformation. Stephanie is an active community volunteer and champion. One of Stephanie’s current priorities is to help build a thriving, diverse, and inclusive entrepreneurial community in Western New York State, USA.

Written by: Jana Morton, 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. This is the story of my client that has been trapped in the “I am alone” story for a long time. At the beginning of this year, a beautiful, kind, successful, and highly accomplished woman came to me, completely heartbroken after another failed relationship. “I am going to turn 40 this year, and I want to have a family! I don’t have time to waste with another wrong person. What do I do? I am hopeless.” She confessed. After going through her relationship history, we were able to name a pattern which was repeating itself. She was attracted to men that were very charming, fun to hang out with and unable to create a deeper connection with her. She was also able to see that she had been ignoring a lot of red flags at the beginning of each relationship, hoping “things” would change over time. The more she invested in the relationship, the more frustrated she became about certain qualities of her partner. Needless to say, “things” did not change as she hoped for. The more frustrated she was, the less fun it became for her partners, and after some time, they ended the relationship. Same story, again and again. I was wondering what conclusions she made about the men based on her experience. She said “Men can’t be trusted.” When we touched on her childhood, she remembered her mum used to tell her: “You can never show men how much you like them, they can’t be trusted.” This belief was imprinted in her and as a result of this, she was attracting untrustworthy men and ended up alone. The big breakthrough for my client happened when she was able to see how she was the source of her own experience with men. She wanted a partner that would be able to create a deeper connection with her. Someone she could rely on, and would be there for her and make her feel special. At the same time, she wanted to show up as an incredibly self-sufficient woman that didn’t need anyone. She rarely asked for support. She could see that she stayed way too long in relationships that she somehow knew had no future. She often isolated herself when she was sad. She avoided conflict with her intimate partners because she was worried, they would leave her if she showed up vulnerable. When she got angry with her partner, she would give him the silent treatment, unable to express why she was angry. She had very weak boundaries. “Wow”, she said. “I had no idea that my behavior was pushing my partners away from me. I thought that’s what men want, a low-maintenance, self-sufficient woman that doesn’t need much.” The truth is, that only immature men would date a woman that has no needs. My client was very much disconnected from her own needs. She didn’t even know she could have needs in a relationship. Yet, mature love looks like equally sharing and caring for each other’s needs. Throughout our work together, we focused on different ways of how to show up more authentically with people and create the desired deeper connection with them. We needed to renegotiate the old agreement she made with herself that “Men can’t be trusted” so she could allow herself to let someone in. What happened was that the type of men she was previously so attracted to, completely changed. Now she was looking for someone that could truly be there for her, someone she could open up to, someone to feel safe with. She needed to learn to authentically share her feelings and needs, so the others could find their way into her world. She needed to learn to ask for support and be open to receive it from others. She needed to learn how to be loyal to herself first and foremost. She needed to take the risk of telling the truth about those things that she was uncomfortable with and upset by… and leave the relationship if she was treated badly, or if her partner failed to adjust his behaviour appropriately. It was an 8-month long journey for her, stepping out of her comfort zone and developing new skills and capacities, to be able to thrive in a relationship that is deep, healthy, loving and caring. As she said, “If I only knew that I was the one sabotaging the possibility of having a loving and caring relationship. I used to blame my partners and didn’t see my part clearly.” Today, she is working on creating a mutually caring and loving relationship with a lovely man she met during our work together. Now she knows that a happy, healthy and deeply caring relationship is not something we attract, it is something we create. It takes intention and effort. It takes deep understanding of who we are and what we need. To be able to attract the One – you need to become the One. Follow me on Instagram, and visit my website for more info! Jana Morton, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jana Morton is a conscious relationship / conscious uncoupling coach, trained and mentored by the relationship expert Katherine Woodward Thomas, M.A., MFT and holds a Brain-based professional coach certification. She collaborates with Hakkini ‒ a virtual well-being platform that caters to individual mental and emotional needs in the Middle East and beyond and L.E.A. Growing people ‒ HR consulting, training, mentoring, and coaching organization. Jana is an empath with deep listening skills, strong intuition, and a genuine interest in people’s love stories and relationship struggles. She is passionate about helping her clients overcome their challenges and limiting beliefs so they can transform their relationships and live and love with more ease and joy. Jana was struggling with unhealthy dynamics inside her own marriage. That is how she found Katherine Woodward Thomas’s methodology, which completely changed her life. She was able to liberate herself from a victimized perspective and transform into a self-actualized and self-responsible woman and partner. She now helps others to understand the mostly unconsciously created toxic dynamics in their relationships and guides them towards ones that are happy, healthy, and thriving.

Written by: S. Ryanne Stellingwerf, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. What makes your life your life? What makes you happy versus not? How much control do you even have over your happiness? I invite you to take a few minutes with me to explore this idea. Imagine for a moment that two jobs are available. Option one provides free housing, a free vehicle and vehicle maintenance, three chef prepared meals each and every day, the freedom to take walks during your work day if you want, free gym access, and even free laundry services. Oh and don’t forget the free movie theater, library, and dancing three times a week. Option two requires an 84 hour work week, you won’t see your family for months on end, it is in a danger zone, you have to wear a uniform even on your free time, you may or may not have adequate heat or air conditioning, and you may or may not be dodging bullets, rockets, and land mines. The question is, which job do you want? Most of us would choose option one. But in this case, when choosing option one, you also choose option two. I served as a contractor on military bases. Of course I came home with stories. If I were to tell you these stories, I could tell them to demonstrate how hard this job was by telling you about living in combat zones, rockets, land mines, uncertainty, long hours, and harsh weather and that would only scratch the surface. I could also tell them in a way that presents that job as a dream job where chefs cooked every meal, housing and vehicles were provided, there was free access to a gym, I had the opportunity to travel the world, experience other cultures, and I never had to do my own laundry. Both options one and two were my job and I could choose to focus on any aspect I wanted. Let’s look at another example. You find yourself driving down the road when someone cuts you off. What is your automatic reaction; that reaction that happens without conscious thought. The majority of people would respond with some sort of feeling of anger or annoyance regardless of their outward reaction. But let’s change just one thing here and ask the same question. Assume the same scenario, but with just a bit more information. You, as the driver, now know that the person who just cut you off was trying to get to the hospital because his wife and unborn child were in the ER fighting for their lives. Add that bit of information and what is your reaction to him cutting you off now? The majority of people respond to this scenario with empathy, compassion, and concern, and in some way or another their reaction is one of hoping the driver gets to the hospital safely. The real question now comes down to the following. What made you angry in the first scenario? Many people respond that it was the driver cutting them off, but we know that isn’t true. If that were true you would have been annoyed in the second scenario as well. What really made you angry was not the action that occurred in the moment. It was the story you told yourself about the action. When you thought the driver was just an inconsiderate jerk, it was easy to be angry. When you thought the driver was a concerned spouse in an emergency situation, you were compassionate. The story you told yourself made all the difference. Many of us, when we were young children, played games that allowed a “do over” when someone made a mistake, a ball hit an object that was in the way, or some other uncontrollable situation occurred. Then we grew up and “do overs” were no longer permitted according to the rules I propose we bring the “do over” back into our lives however, with a twist. When you find yourself reacting to a situation with an emotion that doesn’t serve you, reframe that situation. Ask yourself what story you are telling yourself. “Do over” not the situation, but the story you tell yourself about the situation. Here is an example of how I used this idea. I knew someone who tended toward “road rage.” Now this person didn’t get out of cars or attack people, but he would yell at them and get angry when they drove in a way he deemed unacceptable. After spending some time in vehicles with him, I found that I began getting angry with other drivers. When I realized that my reaction only served to make myself and others in the vehicle with me uncomfortable, I decided I was done. I was determined to change my reaction. But how? I decided that anytime another driver drove in a way that triggered a reaction in me, I would fabricate a story that would make me feel horrible for having judged them. This is one of those stories. A driver in an old pickup truck cut me off. It was springtime and there wasn’t much snow left on the ground, but the bed of his truck was full of it. I decided that this poor gentleman was in a rush to get home to his seven-year-old son who was dying of cancer and had a last wish to build a snowman. This gentleman was obviously in a rush to get home to him to bring him this snow before it melted. Was this true? Of course not! But the fact was, that I didn’t know why he was in such a rush and it really didn’t matter what his reason. The only thing that mattered was changing my reaction, so I just wished him a safe journey. By practicing changing the story, or reframing, I began to no longer react negatively to other drivers. This practice gave me much more peaceful commutes. You may not be able to control every situation, but you can control what you think, what you choose to focus on, how you feel, and how you react. This simple technique of reframing your story can change the way you react to countless situations. Give it a try. You just might be surprised at how much you can change your happiness levels by just changing your stories. Embrace your “do over!” Visit my website for more info! S. Ryanne Stellingwerf, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Ryanne Stellingwerf reinvented herself after spending a pivotal seven years working as a contractor on military bases in the Middle East. When she returned home to the US, she became a licensed psychotherapist in Montana specializing in Combat Trauma for military and first responders. She soon had an influx of strong successful professional women requesting her help and learned that the drive and passion in our American heroes is also embodied in our high achievers. But like our heroes, high achievers can also find themselves needing help with stress management as they are driving toward their goals. Ryanne now offers support and guidance to help high achieving successful women find clarity and balance to make their lives not only sustainable, but fun, passionate, joyful, and ideal.

Written by: Joel Haasenritter, 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. We’ve all been there at one point or another in our lives… It’s that moment when we drop our heads and put our dreams on the shelf, allowing the words that resound in our thoughts to take over, saying it can’t be done; we’re not good enough, smart enough, or capable enough. The days, months, and years go by, and it seems that doing the very thing that made us feel alive inside, the thing we woke up every morning excited about doing or becoming, will never be our reality. That mindset becomes our belief, and that belief shapes our future. These are the seven “Oola Blockers” that will absolutely kill your dreams: Oola Blocker 1: Fear Did you know that we are only born with two innate fears? They are the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. Everything else is learned through our experiences and our environment. And while fear can be healthy when it comes to real danger, when fear is a limiting belief, it can completely stop us in our tracks and prevent us from moving forward. We are only born with two innate fears: the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. When you can identify exactly where your fear is grounded, you can take small, intentional steps toward overcoming it. Identify it, write it down, and take a step back for perspective. Have others accomplished what you had hoped to accomplish? Are there people who have found ways to move past this fear? Once you have a clear outlook on reality, take 30 seconds of courage to do one thing toward overcoming that fear. Baby steps are still steps, and your future self will thank you for pushing through! Oola Blocker 2: Guilt We have all said and done things we wish we could take back. All of us…! Guilt is especially likely to follow when people around us get hurt because of our actions. For some, guilt can become part of our story and the identity with which we present ourselves to others. But guilt can also come from things that are not our fault, such as abuse and trauma, your parents’ divorce as a child, and emotional abuse from a loved one. Please take this in - none of those things are your fault. You are only responsible for your actions, not the actions of others! While you may have heard those words before, the emotional impact can last a lifetime if not dealt with, and there is no shame in seeking the help of a mental health professional. Your “self-talk” can make the difference between being able to let things go or having the guilt of your past stick around. When you choose carefully the words you tell yourself, your perspective shifts and so does your outcome. Oola Blocker 3: Anger It is no secret life can be crazy and hectic. We’ve all had those moments of frustration. However, to erupt in persistent and violent anger, that my friend, is damaging. Frustration affects you, but anger affects those around you with far greater cost to your relationships, to your future, and even to your health. As little as five minutes of anger can impair your immune system for up to six hours! The impact anger takes on your relationships, your family, and your friends have far-reaching consequences. Rather than a refuge of safety, you become someone to avoid and to fear. As little as five minutes of anger can impair your immune system for up to six hours! For your sanity, and the safety of those you love, identify the problematic trigger. Then make a plan to process in advance or remove the trigger from your life altogether. For example, if sitting in traffic on your way to work causes anger to stir, plan on leaving early to avoid the traffic or find another route. If, when working from home, the stress of having a house filled with energetic kids coming home from school keeps you from completing your to-do list, plan to get the most important things done before they arrive. Then make a date with yourself for fifteen minutes of quiet, grounding time before the commotion hits. Oola Blocker 4: Self-Sabotage Our subconscious mind is a powerful thing. It can bury us in the burden of negative self-talk, or propel us to greatness! Negative self-talk says you don’t deserve this, you can’t do this, and you shouldn’t even try! This mindset is shaped by past failures and experiences and also what we have been told through the years. Perhaps a parent or teacher told you that you would never amount to anything. Perhaps you were singled out in front of your colleagues at work. Your negative self-talk is lying to you! The truth is that your negative self-talk is lying to you. You… are… worthy! You were designed for greatness and a purpose, on this planet, and at this very time! You are worthy of being loved which starts with how you are loving you. Here is how to recognize the lies: If the words you are speaking over yourself are not words you would ever say to a loved one, your Mom or Dad, your spouse or best friend, then they have no place in your life either. If you have favorite quotes or affirmations, write them down and place them strategically around your house, car, and office so you see them every day. Be intentional in how you start and end your day, saying one or more of these out loud. Tell yourself, “Where I am is just where I am, it’s not who I am.” When you choose to speak those words over your life, your self-talk will begin to repeat it, and you will begin to live it! Oola Blocker 5: Laziness It is no secret that we all have a tendency to do the things we love and set aside the things we don’t care for. Our focus is determined by what we value most, and when there is something we don’t prioritize, it is easy for it to get left behind. Perhaps we place a high value on our career and finances, putting all our effort behind those two, but allow our health and family life to suffer. The reality is that we need to be balancing all the key areas of life: Fitness, Finance, Family, Field (career), Faith, Friends, and Fun. If there are low-value tasks we just don’t like to do, we have to find a way to move past that. For example, do the things you dread first. If you start the day doing the things you like the least, you will look forward to doing the items you value the most. This will help keep that procrastination tendency at bay. “What the lazy want, the disciplined get.” — Dr. Troy Amdahl Another solution is to delegate. No one is good at everything. And if a lack of competence is causing you to save it for another day, then decide which parts of your day or week you can outsource to someone else, or make a plan to improve your skills in that area. Keep in mind, however, that some parts of your life cannot be delegated. No one can do your pushups for you or spend time with your family and friends. So make a quick list and see what you can take off your plate, or make a plan to tackle those things first. Oola Blocker 6: Envy It is human nature to compare yourself with others, and unfortunately, we live in a society that pushes us to do so. It is natural to see that nice car someone owns (or perhaps one that isn’t always in the shop), or a coworker who just got that big promotion, and you wish that had been you instead. While jealousy is a natural emotion, you must not live in that place. Jealousy becomes harmful when you go through life feeling sorry for yourself because someone else has more than you. But the real danger is when jealousy turns into envy, and not only do you want what others have, you don't want them to have it! Living in that place is destructive to your future and can potentially hurt others around you. “Comparison is the thief of joy.” — Theodore Roosevelt. Your life is unique and designed to be that way! If you step back and look, you will find areas in which you are abundant. Instead of falling into the comparison trap, decide what is authentically right for you. Then pursue that purpose with passion! As you do, what others have or do won’t matter to you anymore. Oola Blocker 7: Focus In today’s connected world, there are an unlimited number of ways to lose focus on the things that matter most. The latest Netflix binge, constantly scrolling on social media, spending hours gaming; all of these and more distract you from taking that intentional step toward the life you want. Then there are those last-minute items that pop up like a friend’s birthday party you forgot to get a present for, or a school function that never made it onto the calendar. The key is to become a laser beam, not a flashlight. Give yourself the freedom to say “no” to the extra hustle and bustle if it doesn’t align with your purpose or your vision. The sky won’t fall, and you will free up time to focus on the things that matter most. “A person who aims at nothing is sure to hit it.” — Anonymous What’s worse than a lack of focus is misdirected focus. This is where addictions live, such as gaming, social media, shopping, alcohol, drugs (including prescription medication), gambling, and pornography. Very few have not been affected by addiction in some way, whether in our own life or the life of a loved one. Without a doubt, energy spent here will absolutely kill your goals, dreams, and purpose. If addiction is holding you back from the life you want, there is help! Call it out and move forward. It may be the hardest thing you have ever had to do, but the truth is you are stronger than you think, and you are worth fighting for! Curious about what it means to look at your life “through the lens of Oola”? Download my free guide to Living Your Best Life or visit www.wayfindersforlife.com to learn more! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Joel Haasenritter, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Joel Haasenritter is a transformation specialist who helps people in their 30's and 40's, struggling in times of transition, to find balance, growth, and purpose, so they can absolutely crush the next chapter of their lives! After nearly 20 years of owning a highly sought after company serving high-profile clients across the southeast, starting and growing multiple businesses, and coaching a development team to bring their invention to market, Joel turned his life's passion toward helping others live at their highest potential. In addition to his one-on-one coaching services, he is a founding Ambassador with Oola Global, which recently launched a revolutionary personal development digital platform in over 40 countries with the sole mission of impacting one billion lives in the next seven years. His interests include exploring the hiking trails of Arizona, studying the art of Gracie Jiujitsu, and spending time with his family.

Written by: Martina Hrubes-Rios, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. You must become first. Have you ever wondered how to step into the power of manifestations? How to really create and live the life of your desires? Some people just seem to live life with such ease and flow, and others are running and rushing themselves into exhaustion doing all things but just not being able to receive the desired results or break the cycle of stagnation. People read or hear about new-age spiritual practices or personal-development tools, might try it and if it doesn’t work, move on to the next, ending up in the same place they were before. Have you ever gone to the gym and expected to see instant results? So, you may wonder, how to live a happy balanced life that is filled with more joy and less stress? The key lies in the word BE. You must Become first what you wish to BE. With Mental work, we must align all aspects, create the conditions to achieve the desired results. We must become masters of ourselves, our inner world and practice patiently. Some people have it all figured out, but this is not about other people, this is about you! This is for you if you want to know how to be and have more. This is about a formula for achieving goals successfully, which is still more relevant now than ever! Be-Do-Have is the 3 basic steps of manifestation none talks about. Many people visualise something, put up a vison board and hope for it to happen. Some maybe even aware that embodying the feeling is the key but forget that they are still operating from an identity that does not necessary align yet with those desired outcomes. Lastly, most people forget about the integration process. Creation starts with a thought that sparks a vision. You then have the choice to set an intention – which acts as a messenger to your subconscious mind, and as result, you shall start making decisions and taking actions that align with your intention. Let’s look at this a bit closer; the BE-DO-HAVE formula is for achieving success in anything one desires. Simply explained, it means that to achieve success in your life,­­ the choices you make going forward must follow this formula in its exact order. Step No.1 Get Clear and Committed to what it is that you want to HAVE You need to get clear on what it is you really want and how it aligns with your authentic self, instead of other people’s expectations. Make time to journal and dig deeper into what it is you really desire. Be limitless with your vision setting and then work through why it is important to you. Your Why will become your motivational driver, so it is important to know why. First ask yourself; what do I really want? What does Success/Fulfilment mean to me? How does living a healthy and happy life look like? Then ask yourself; why is this goal so important to me, what are the consequences of if I don’t achieve it? A little tip is to be mindful of the word “should” and watch out for other people’s voices in your head. Step No. 2 Become who you need to BE to have what you want! To create change, we first must change how we think, feel and act. And if we want to change how we think, feel and act, we must become the identity of who we want to be first. Transformation happens from the inside out. You must start believing in yourself, becoming the identity that owns it already, that knows it can have it. Some questions that you can ask yourself are: Do I really believe I can have it? What limiting beliefs and old stories do I need to shed first to empower myself? What mental model are keeping me looped in the old way of thinking? Ask yourself: -this future-self persona, how is this person different from who I am today? What habits and routines would they have and how do they show up every day? What qualities and capabilities do I need to acquire to become this new identity? What strengths and characteristic does that Future-Me have? Step No. 3 Integrate & Implement to HAVE Start creating change that reflects your new story, your new goals, your future version. Aligned actions mean to figure out the most relevant steps that will bring you closer to your goals. What is within your power to change? What cues and triggers can you remove? What incremental changes can you make? Identify possible roadblocks and triggers so you can avoid them. It is important to note that you shall not obsess about knowing how every detail, instead of learning to trust the process. You must create mental space to receive creative ideas, guiding impulses, and remain clear with your intentions. If you can integrate meditation and practice visualisation with an embodiment, your brain will start rewiring itself towards your new life story and future self. Transform your life from inside out by doing the mental work first: BE-DO-HAVE Et voila your formula for creation, achieving life goals and desired manifestations. Don’t forget to celebrate! Want to know more about how to step into your unlimited potential? Register your interest for Limitless MasterClass here: WaitingList Registration. Join Martina's Facebook group. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Linkedin. You can also visit her website for more info. Read more from Martina! Martina Hrubes-Rios, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Martina specializes in Transformative Life Coaching working with tools and practices that help shifting one’s mindset, empowering her clients to live a happier and more fulfilled life. As a Life Story Coach, she helps her clients reach their higher potential by rewriting the persistent life stories that keep them stuck or playing out the same life script repeatedly. Besides Individual Coaching, she offers a monthly online coaching Bootcamp called: “Rewrite your Life Movie.”

Written by: Prue Sulicich, 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. One thing I know for certain is that the art of thinking is underrated. We live in a world where action is taught as the only thing that solves your problems. In actual fact, not all problems can be solved with action alone. I believe in two ways of solving problems. With action and with thinking. You can’t out-think an action problem. You can’t out-action a thinking problem. Take this as an example; You are overweight and feel unworthy. To solve this problem, you decide to join weight watchers. You throw out all your “unhealthy” food and buy new healthy food. You buy new workout gear and join an exercise bootcamp. You want to move the number on the scale from 80kg to 60kg to seek worthiness. You lose weight but before long, you realise that staying there is hard. You don’t yet feel worthy because you ultimately think it is unachievable for you. Even though you took action and lost weight, can it be maintained if you think you are not worthy... or even worse, only worthy if you weigh a certain amount? This is a great example of not being able to out-action a thinking problem. The problem stems from your thinking and therefore your thinking is what needs to be worked on. In this example, the problem that needs to be addressed is the thinking that you are unworthy. To solve it, you need to believe you are worthy, no matter what weight you are. From that place, you will be able to drive the action to maintain it forever. How else is this showing up in your life? You write lists, you plan your days down to the minute and try to solve all problems by doing. Doing is unsustainable. You are overweight. You change what you eat. You are unhappy with your job. You change jobs. You don’t like your relationship. You break-up. For many, the action does not guarantee the sought result. And why is that? I will say it again; You can’t out-think an action problem. You can’t out-action a thinking problem. The first is easy. If the problem can be solved with action, then action is all that is required. You have a report to write. It can be solved by writing it. You need to clean your house. It can be solved by putting on your rubber gloves and going to work. You need to have an uncomfortable conversation with your spouse. It can be solved by having a conversation. On the other side of this, problems stemming from your thinking can never be solved with action first. I want to be clear, action is not to be dismissed. I 100% believe taking the right action, from clean thinking will always get you to your result. But you can never out-action a thinking problem. You over consume food and are overweight. You try to solve this by action. Yet, you still struggle. You have willpower for short bursts but fall off the wagon and gain the weight back, plus more. Your day is reactive and unorganised. You think you don’t have enough time. You buy planners and new highlighter pens, block schedule your calendar, write your three-page to-do list. Yet you still don’t show up to your plan. It lasts a couple of weeks and then you go back to being reactive. You feel lonely. You try to solve it by scheduling in more coffee dates, messaging friends and family and joining new activities to meet people. Your efforts are not reciprocated. You are in a room full of people, they are not acting or behaving the way you want and you still feel lonely. You are trying to out-action a thinking problem You are thinking; Being overweight makes me less worthy. I am unorganised. No one wants to be my friend. Taking all the action in the world is pointless unless you solve the underlying thinking problem. From that point, the action you then choose to take, from a place of clean thinking, will be the most beneficial. Here are three things you can start implementing to create lasting change. When you find yourself in action. Pause and ask yourself; can this problem be solved with action or thinking first? And then answer it from your own brain. Be the master of your own mind. Learn the patterns of your thinking. It is a small cluster of thoughts which creates 80% of all the drama in life. Get super clear on what they are. Do this by writing down your thoughts daily and clean up any thinking that is limiting in your life. Be honest with yourself. Do not say you don’t know or write down things you “should” think. Clarity and honesty is the only way forward. To sum up, instead of always trying to use action to solve problems, tap into the ability to use your brain and teach yourself the skill of intentional thinking. Doing this will help you understand the current results you have in your life. If you feel like you are going in circles and not achieving your goals, it may be your thinking that needs to be cleaned up before the necessary action can be implemented. This is how to use thinking to solve problems. Want to know more from Prue? Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin and visit her website. Read more from Prue! Prue Sulicich, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Prue Sulicich is passionate about offering women the opportunity to know themselves so well; nothing can stand in their way to reach their dreams. Prue identified as a dreamer but was held back by the belief that women are mothers and wives first. Prue was nervous, shy, they and someone who never liked to be in the spotlight. Over the last decade, Prue started successful businesses but never took them beyond being a "hobby" because of this belief, even though deep down, aspired for more. After coming out the other side of a major family crisis, Prue was able to hold strong and took her own self-development to the next level. Completing a Life Coaching certification honed her newly found passion for a skill. Prue then founded her business, Head Coach, and is now offering help to women similar to herself, achieve their dreams, be it weight loss, self-love, or anything in between. Prue has big goals in this space and is determined to use her own transformation as an example to other women struggling with self-belief or lost identity by taking small steps to make big changes.

Written by: Marika Humphreys, 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. Your partner has cancer and more than anything you want to be calm, strong, and positive for them. Instead, you feel the opposite. You’re worried about the future, anxious about your partner’s health, and wondering how you’re going to cope with it all. It can be hard to show up as the person you want to be when there is so much uncertainty. When my husband was battling cancer, there were many nights where I would wake up at 2 AM with my mind racing. I was worried about how he was going to handle the upcoming radiation treatments and what the holidays were going to look like if he was exhausted and nauseous. My mind was so busy that going back to sleep seemed impossible. Which then made me angry because I had to work the next morning and I knew I was going to be exhausted. The next day I would be grumpy, tired and out of sorts. Mind Is Filled With Uncertainty When your partner has cancer, it can feel like your mind is swimming with questions that have no clear answers. Worry becomes your silent partner, lurking in the background. It’s always there, ready to rear its ugly head. At the same time, you want to be your best self for your family. You want to be there when your partner is in pain, be supportive when you talk to the kids, have the energy to take care of your work and home obligations, and not lose yourself in the process. It can feel like a tall order. You may become so accustomed to the constant companion of worry that you stop even noticing how it’s affecting you. The sleepless nights, aches and pains, and general feeling of fatigue start to feel normal. It may seem like there is nothing you can really do about it. Worrying sometimes feels necessary. If you ruminate about something long enough, eventually you’ll find an answer, right? Wrong. It is never necessary, even when your partner has cancer. When your mind is occupied with problems you can’t solve, it will exhaust you. It will run you ragged and keep you from being your best self for your family. Take A Closer Look The mental chatter that you think of as worry are simply thoughts in your head. Often, they come in the form of questions and “what if” statements. Still, they are just thoughts and don’t have to be listened to. Your thoughts are always optional. When you become aware of them, they are something you can have control over. Take a closer look and start noticing the thoughts in your head. Start by taking your worries out of your head and bringing them into the daylight. Grab a piece of paper and write them all down. Then you can take a look at what you are worried about and why. Sometimes there are deeper fears at the root of our worries. You may be worried about your partner’s next scan, but the deeper fear is that you're afraid of becoming a single parent. When the future seems so uncertain, our brain will start looking at all the possible scenarios of what could go wrong. However, these worries are just thoughts that your fearful brain is offering up. You get to decide if they are worth listening to. Take notice. Make a list of your worries and for each one, ask yourself, why am I worried about this? Keep asking till you get to the deeper fear. When you pay attention and list out your worries, it does two things. First, it clears them from your mind so they are no longer floating around in there. Secondly, it lets you take an honest look at what you are really worried about. When you see what your deeper fears are, then you can start to question them. If you have a partner with cancer and are weary of the worry, then join me in a free 3-day (1 hr/day) workshop where you will learn how to identify your biggest worries, clear them out, and let them go so you can refocus on be your best self for the ones who need you most. STOP Worrying & Start LIVING — 3-day FREE workshop for people who have a partner with cancer For more info, follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and visit my website! Read more from Marika! Marika Humphreys, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Marika Humphreys is a Resiliency Coach. At the age of 40, while working full time and raising a 5-year-old, her late husband was diagnosed with cancer. Over the next 5 years, as her husband battled multiple cancers, she took on many roles, including spouse, employee, mom, and caregiver. Marika believes caregiving is one of the toughest jobs out there, and it’s easy to become depleted and feel like you have no control. Through coaching, she learned that she could still be in charge of her life, even while caregiving to her husband. Coaching helped her discover her own power, strength, and resilience, and now she helps her clients do the same. She believes that even in the midst of a challenge like having a spouse with cancer, you can build resiliency skills and take control of your life.