Written by: Nancy Hovde , Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. As a business professional, do you ever find yourself dwelling on how you may have done something differently? Maybe you are aware that you seem to second guess most of the decisions you make? Perhaps these thoughts leave you feeling mentally exhausted. For many business professionals, overthinking can become a habit and unfortunately, not an easy one to break. There are times we can all relate to when we have experienced overthinking. Every single one of us has moments when we overthink. For example, a client shared that she had an upcoming presentation and all she could keep thinking about was everything that could go wrong. A colleague of hers noticed and pointed out that she could be overthinking and suggested that she simply just relax and prepare for it, yet she could not seem to turn her brain off from ruminating about the issues that could go wrong while doing her presentation. For some people, overthinking is beyond just an upcoming big event, such as a speaking engagement or presentation. Many people experience repetitive thoughts and rumination that seems to be happening so often, that it is leading to unproductive days. As a business professional, you may have noticed your work enthusiasm dwindling and staying stuck in what is often referred to as analysis paralysis (or paralysis by analysis). Learning to recognize when you are overthinking is the first step towards addressing it and breaking the habit. How to know when you are overthinking You are aware of repetitive thoughts Making decisions feels like a major struggle Second-Guessing Your Decisions How to stop overthinking Using the above-mentioned signs of noticing when you are overthinking is the key to having full awareness of the habit. Next, is to choose one or more of the options below that you feel would help with easing up on repetitive thoughts, over-analyzing, second-guessing, and ruminating. Each issue will be different and therefore may require using one or all of the following tips: Channel Your Thoughts and Energy I know for myself, telling myself to simply just stop thinking about something, never works. However, I have had great success with channeling my thoughts and energy. I share with clients that we can change the energy of our thoughts by engaging in activities such as exercise or a walk. Call a friend and have a completely different conversation that can shift your mind onto a subject or topic you enjoy. Or distract yourself with cleaning up your office or home or delve into a project that you can get into the flow and forget about the negative thoughts. Reflecting on the Exaggerating Thoughts This may sound counterintuitive. What I mean by this is to allow yourself some reflection time, such as 20 minutes so you can worry, think about all of the negative thoughts, journal and write it down. During this scheduled reflection time, notice any strong emotions you have while overthinking. When we have strong emotions, they can interfere with our ability to gain clarity on the issue or problem. It is helpful to pause, reflect and ask yourself, exactly what facts or evidence do you have that your thought is true? That it is untrue? When 20 minutes is up, tell yourself to focus on the next activity. There may be some overthinking that starts to creep back in, just remind yourself that you have another scheduled reflection time, so those thoughts can wait until then. This will allow you to compartmentalize and put your focus where it needs to be in the present. Be Solution Focused Instead of dwelling on an issue or problem for hours or days on end, focus on a solution. You will feel more productive with your time as well as empowered by moving forward. Using this option can offer either a solution that fixes the problem or shifting to a new perspective. For example, perhaps you got laid off through no fault of your own. Instead of wishing things were different or ruminating about the situation over and over (overthinking), you could choose to change how you are responding to the situation and begin to focus on a solution (focused problem-solving) by reaching out to recruiters, updating your resume or taking an online course, such as my Self-Discovery program. Studies show that overthinking can increase stress levels, block your creativity, and hinder your judgement; leaving you to feel disempowered with making decisions. The good news is that it takes practice but you can actually train your brain to think differently. Over time, you can develop more positive habits that will help to create an empowering mindset. If you are ready to make a positive change and would like support, guidance, encouragement, and accountability, contact me for Life Empowerment Coaching, and let’s get started! Follow me on Fac ebook , Instagram , LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Nancy! Nancy Hovde, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Nancy is a leading Life Empowerment Coach who has combined her professional background, credentials, personal experience, knowledge, and insight to inspire and motivate those who wish to create positive change. For over 15 years, she has empowered clients who desire positive change with career/life purpose, personal growth, or wellness goals. Nancy will help you discover how true change can happen when we use our time and resources to develop our minds and spirits, examine our values, and let go of issues that hold us back. She inspires and guides clients to live their optimal life through her books, blog posts, articles, and coaching services. Nancy is the author of Uber Empowerment and Uber Empowerment Quotes: 500 Inspirational Quotes for Knowledge, Insight & Wisdom. Her credentials include Certified Life Coach, B.A. Interpersonal Communication, Stress Management Specialist, Behavior Change Specialist, and Certified Personal Trainer.

Written by: Janifer Wheeler, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Do your existing courses seem stale, a little dated, or not exactly in line with your new swizzle? Do you feel bored by the training you offer? Is it getting harder to fill your courses? Have you put off revitalizing your courses because the first time was so FREAKING time-consuming and expensive? Yeah, nothing about that sounds JOYFull! As a former teacher, curriculum director, and adult educator, I know the time, energy, effort, and brainpower that goes into creating courses. It’s a lot. It’s a lot. I put together these 3 tips so that maybe, just maybe, it’s a little less. 1. Rediscover your teaching niche . How long has it been since you thought about what you are teaching and who it’s for? Do you have new ideas or experiences that would make your course feel more current? 2. Include learning styles & accessibility options. Have you included more than one way for students to interact with your information? Are there visuals, transcripts, audio files and activities to support your learners? Can those with disabilities access & engage in your course? 3. Cut some shift out . Quite frankly, your course is probably too long. People just don’t have hours to watch videos and read articles. Attention spans are shorter than ever. Try the Micro approach by focusing on a smaller learning goal so that your point is conveyed more succinctly. Instead of blah, blah, blah, blah... try a single blah. For some, these ideas might be a light bulb moment, but for others, you might be scratching your head. That’s why we created Teach What you Know: MicroLearning by DEIsign, offered through The JOYFull BadAss Academy. Microlearning is an instructional method that trims away the extra and focuses on the juicy nuggets of what people really need to know in order to be successful in your program. Each lesson is 5-10 minutes long, but could also be as short as 1-3 minutes. Of course, you can still provide handouts, videos, and resources but make sure they can be completed in less than 10 minutes. Research shows that information delivered in small chunks over time is more engaging, people remember it and are more apt to apply what they’ve learned. Voila! Every instructor’s dream come true! HELP is Available! I’ve been designing learning experiences for folks ages 3-83 since 1995. I can help you teach what you know through a micro DIY course or I can step in and write it for you using your materials and resources. In fact, I recently designed a series of 30+ mini-modules on diversity, equity, and inclusion for Felicia Johnson of The Gatson Group . She’s creating a mini video series for small business owners. I’ve also partnered with Arist , an easy-to-navigate learning management system that delivers courses via text right to your phone. So micro ... so convenient. So JOYFully BadAss. For more information about how MicroLearning courses can grow your business and help your courses stand out in a sea of mediocrity, check out our FREE text course, (add link) and follow us on LI. https://wheelhouse.arist.co/courses You can also join the JOYFull BadAss Network ... a virtual community for support, empowerment, and inspiration. Follow me on Faceb ook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Janifer! Janifer Wheeler, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Janifer Wheeler is a former teacher turned entrepreneur. She’s spent over 25 years helping schools & small businesses get their shift together through process design, internal structure, education, and workplace culture. She started The JOYFull BadAss Business Academy™, to help other BadAss female biz owners win the burnout battle using JOY as a business strategy. Her work-at-your own pace courses are delivered via MicroText making it easier to integrate into your daily routine. Her clients have gotten trapped by their own brilliance and believe the hype that you must hustle & grind or you will never be successful. No one at the JFBBA believes that BS. If it’s not JOYFull, they aren’t doing it. As an advocate for JOYFull alignment, she facilitates a process that ensures you are working in your JoyFull Zone of Genius more than you aren’t. And for the rest of the shift that needs to be done, hand it over to staff or an assistant. It sounds scary - giving other people control, but the JOYFull BadAss has your back. She will help you create the process, structure, and workplace culture you need to effectively and efficiently build a team that will help you avoid business owner burnout and realize the goals & dreams you set for yourself. Janifer is an award-winning, international speaker and facilitator who can infuse your organization, conference, workshop, or event with joy and BadAssery. She enjoys connecting people through her global networks that include Netwomen.co, Mums at Work, Amazing Women Alliance, The JOYFull Badass Network, Polka Dot Powerhouse, Brainz Magazine, FEM, and Entrepreneurs Rocket Fuel. There’s no limit to what can be done when we lift each other up. Want to know more about the signs, symptoms & solutions for burnout? Take our FREE, 7-day course “Win the Burnout Battle by Living above the JOY Line”.

Written by: Andrée Funnell, 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. Have you had that experience when all of a sudden you just had this huge hunch that something is about to happen, and to your surprise, that intuition was eventually translated to reality? Often referred to as “gut feelings,” intuition tends to arise holistically and quickly, without thinking deeply about it or without mentally processing information. Research has proven that information can register on the brain without conscious awareness and positively influence decision making and other behaviour. Is intuition the same as gut feelings? Intuition is often referred to as “gut feelings”. These feelings form deep within us and are often based on past or current experience and knowledge and are delivered to awareness with considerable emotional certainty. In fact, they are the product of brain processing that automatically relates to those experiences. Intuition is a form of knowledge that appears in consciousness without obvious deliberation. It is not magical – it’s where our hunches are generated by the unconscious mind rapidly sifting through past experience and cumulative knowledge. Should I trust my intuition? Gut feelings do have their value in complex decision-making. When we sift through piles of data and analyse the results what we find is that the information does not tell us what to do, it merely provides statistical information that can lead us to do comparisons, identify a number of options but does not necessarily provide the solution or decision. This is where intuition is a guide. People typically cite rational-seeming criteria for their actions and do not disclose the subjective preferences of feelings that arise spontaneously. Intuition is... An ability to understand or know something immediately based on your feelings rather than facts. Instead, it is based on deep-seated knowledge, the process feels natural, almost instinctual. And yet, while intuition is quick and usually beneficial, it is not always entirely accurate. The subconscious brain attempts to recognize, process, and use patterns of thinking based on prior experience and a best guess. Paradoxically, intuition feels unknowable. After all, you cannot explain the thinking behind a snap decision that appears out of nowhere. Furthermore, it just happens. While intuition occurs in your day-to-day life, it is sometimes most apparent in the decisions of experts. The specialist draws on years of experience, held in unconscious frameworks, to make fast, high-quality decisions Intuitive decision-making is based on our past experiences and, therefore, repeatedly successful in similar situations, where previous outcomes and learning were useful and accurate. Books based on intuition Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking – Malcolm Gladwell What it is NOT Logical As a result of a set of considered steps that can be shared or explained. How can we use intuition to our advantage? Intuition is an incredibly ‘powerful tool’ for decision-making. It ensures we respond in the moment, freeing up valuable mental resources to tackle novel experiences and optimise learning. While not infallible, intuition is invaluable. Intuition provides us with a “gut” response – an inner voice ­– beyond logic or learned responses, revealing both who we are and the knowledge we have gained. If we listen, we can benefit from the creativity it offers and the feeling of confidence that it brings. Let intuition help you grow and make time-critical decisions based on resources that are not always easily reached. Recognize the circumstances when you are at your most intuitive. Find opportunities to recreate them and tap the potential for creativity and fast, insightful decision-making. Sensing clearly is basically what we refer to as "hunch" or "gut feel." This is the time when you are overwhelmed with a feeling and you can't explain it and all you can say is "I just know." When you feel strongly about something without logical basis to it, that's called INTUITION. It comes in three impressions: clairvoyance or "the third eye", sensing clearly and feeling through listening. Clairvoyance is when your eye goes beyond what it can see. This is when you know what is happening somewhere. On the other hand, feeling through listening or clairaudience is being able to "listen" between the lines. Intuition also happens at times when a certain sound, whatever it is - be it a car's honk or a bird's twitting - ushers in an intense feeling. They say only a number of people are gifted with intuition. Astrologers even insist that people born under the Scorpio or Pisces signs are naturally intuitive it almost borders on E.S.P. But studies have been sprouting left and right that proclaim that anyone can develop intuition. Why do we need to develop Intuition? Why not let your emotional and psychological state remain as it is? You could say that Intuitive people are more Emotionally intelligent as they are able to understand both themselves and others at a deeper emotional level. First and foremost, intuition promotes good communication. It makes you more sensitive to the people around you; it often keeps you from hurting those you love because you are intuitive enough to understand them. Intuition also makes you far more creative than ever. Intuition means releasing more creative juices for any means of expression. Lastly, intuition has a healing power. This healing power is not in the physical sense, but in delving deep into your soul to eradicate some negative energy buried in it. With that being said, are you ready to develop your intuition? Here are some ways to unlock this gift: 1. Hypnosis Oh yes, get yourself hypnotized. Hypnosis is not limited to watching a pendulum move back and forth. Perform self-hypnosis or you can avail of hypnotic programs that can strengthen your intuition. 2. Meditation Meditating means finding peace in yourself. If your mind and heart are cluttered with too much baggage and hurt, you wouldn't be able to quiet down that part of you that could eventually initiate intuition. There are so many ways to meditate: take a yoga class, or just simply practice some breathing that could bring you straight to Zen. 3. Think positive! A worry-free, fear-free state could do so much to improve your intuitive ability. By staying positive, you attract good energy that would be able to easily recognize imminent feelings and events. 4. Just let go. What does this mean? If you are on the brink of making a huge decision, let go of all the inhibitions and head to a quiet place where you could find out where the letting go has brought you. Sometimes you just have to listen to the voice within you, and that voice wouldn't come out unless you let go. 5. Never expect. After letting go of the inhibitions and all those things that stop you from thinking and feeling clearly, never expect for an answer right away. Never expect that the "hunch" would fall on your lap immediately. Give it a little time then you'd just get surprised that -- wham! -- now you have your answer. 6. Believe in your first impressions. When you see someone for the first time and think that he is a bit too arrogant for your taste, chances are that impression actually holds true. Most of the time, first impressions are brought by intuition. 7. Stay happy and confident in your own self-worth! See? All you need to be intuitive is to stay happy and confident. Someone who is happy and confident will attract immense power and such power includes intuition. In tapping your intuition, your motivation must be happiness and contentment. Given that premise, intuition will fall to you easily. Intuition is helpful, because sometimes it leads you to something that cannot be achieved otherwise. A lot of lives have been saved by intuition alone. Decisions are easier done if armed by this gift. Finally, -develop intuition now and reap benefits you have never imagined. The more you trust your gut instinct and make decisions based on intuition the more your confidence will grow. Want to find out how to improve your confidence and learn to trust your intuition, then contact me to book a one-to-one 30-minute discovery call with me to identify how you can do this. Don't hesitate put that call into Andrée today on 07702 818665 or complete the contact form. Look at our website for coaching programmes and our infamous Behind the Mask programme. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, connect with me on LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Andrée! Andrée Funnell, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Andrée is a multi-award-winning Coach, Learning & Development Consultant, best-selling author and speaker, who is the founder and driving force behind the success of Aspiring Future Competence (AFC). Since its inception in 2002, AFC has helped clients across a wide range of business sectors to get visible, get heard and get ahead by applying inspirational ways to bring about positive change and empowerment. She has over 20 years HR & training experience working in corporate organisations and a further 18 years delivering development solutions that make a difference to people’s careers and lives. She is a qualified coach, professional trainer and NLP Practitioner. She discovered that Authenticity is the key to happiness, fulfillment and success and is keen to get the message out there to others. ‘Behind the Mask’ is Andrée’s literary debut about ‘Authenticity’. It’s an essential interactive step-by-step guide to turning your life around and achieving the kind of life you deserve by living authentically.

Written by: Claire Atyeo, 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. Often, we think it’s just a play on words and not important, in the past myself included! I remember reading Women from Venus Men from Mars, two possibly three decades ago and becoming so frustrated I throw the book across the room. But that was before I learned about energies. When we examine the definitions, goal infers ambition or effort; an aim or desired result, and intention refers to an aim, goal, objective, or intent. It’s easy to see why many would believe them to be the same. Goals Tend to be fixed a direct line from A to b, usually with a timeline. They function, results are achieved or not but personally, energetically they leave me cold, there’s no leaning into and learning from the journey, there is little to no flexibility. Goals are normally set by stating the desire, assessing what is needed to be done to get there, and giving a time limit in which to achieve it. Intentions On the other hand, especially implementation intentions still get results, but it supports the person within the journey, it allows greater fluidity, exploration, and experimentation whilst in the process of achieving. Intentions are set, physical, emotional, and mental, external and internal possible challenges to achievement are assessed, on which a pathway of implementation is developed, aka – if then – what? A flow chart of action that supports the client throughout the process and from which they get to also work through false perceptions of self, others, and or environment whilst still moving towards set intention. As an empowerment coach With my feet, firmly grounded in spirituality, it's important to guide my clients through the process of self-actualization, which can only be achieved through an individual embracing every aspect of their being – mind, body, soul. Or putting it more accurately, physical body, mental body, emotional body, and energetic body. Every coach understands that 99% of the time, the actual needs of a client differ from the presenting problem the client expresses, and it’s our job to guide the client to gain that greater understanding of themselves and the issue. By using implementation intentions coaches can guide individuals take full responsibility in which they instantly gain a sense of empowerment. Right from the get-go, they are encouraged to look deeper into their persona and be honest about where they feel they are now – the present. It's through this deep honesty and personal approach that they gain insight into perceived challenges, mental blocks, perception of skill set, and fears. The Process Step one I start the process by walking clients through a labyrinth of specifically designed quick response questions, that are designed to extract their subconscious beliefs. This allows the client to start understanding why they do what they do or not do, whatever the case may be. This method also has the benefit of tuning into deep latent desires, hope, and wishes that the logical mind has dismissed. It is fair to say that this first step alone creates massive shifts as the client is faced with unfulfilled hopes. Many aha moments transpire as they reacquaint themselves with long-forgotten desires, they begin the process of understanding why they feel a void. Then assessing if those past desires are still required, needs adjustment, or replacement. Step Two What’s needed now - right at this moment to gain clarity over the future vision? Again, specifically designed questions in which to get the client to deep dive into their emotional body so they can form a solid foundation on which to move forward. It is at this stage of the process that clients start to examine what they perceive they lack, what emotional stories need to be healed, and what fears have been holding them back. Step three Armed with a list of what needs changing, releasing, or adjusting, we start the process of implementation intention. This is where the client starts to build a flow chart in which to tackle each aspect of desired change of behaviour or circumstances. By considering their present beliefs, their stage of emotional maturity, and external and environmental resources, a chart is developed using all foreseeable challenges, internal and external, and its positive counterparts. A what-if – when guide. Step four Clients are encouraged to self-monitor their progress, evolve the flow chart, and document via journaling their changing perceptions and inspirations. Step five The finale or as I prefer to communicate, the ending of one cycle and the beginning of a new… As the client works through the what’s needed now flow chart, they will have been inspired and gained clarity into their future path. It is from this information we renew the cycle and develop a new flow chart in which to move towards future aspirations. As you will see from this process there is no stress, no looming completion date, no failure! It creates a self-loving, self-nurturing environment in which everyone can develop and grow with a fluidity that feels comfortable and manageable for them. No winners – no losers just forward movement. If you are interested in taking this program then please reach out, I currently run a women’s only intensive 4-day course in which to align you to your soul essence, next intake 19th Oct 2021. I am also in the process of launching new courses, if you would like to be notified then please subscribe to the monthly newsletter and grab your complimentary self-love coaching eBook. Want to learn more from Claire? Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin and visit her website. Read more from Claire! Claire Atyeo, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Claire Atyeo is a Female Empowerment Coach & Shamanic Practitioner whose motivation is to inspire and guide women to create realistic, actionable solutions to life’s problems and challenges. Claire supports women globally to reacquaint themselves with their true essence, realign and rebalance their energies to become unstoppable in their passions, goals, and life desires. As a Certified Life Coach, Reiki Master, Shamanic practitioner, EFT, Inner child, and Ho’oponopono practitioner, she has many tools to help. Spiritually based, she may be, but gentle persistence is a strength, a power, and a much-underestimated force. She believes that once women step into their goddess self, un-apologetically on mass, the world will once again restore to balance. In her desire to reach out and affect greater positive change, she opened Athena Academy in 2020.

Written by: Lucy Griffin-Stiff, 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. Could understanding yourself be the most useful but overlooked key to creating a life you love? Many of us believe that we know ourselves, but deep down we don’t. So much of what we do, think believe and say is unconscious. And so much of how we are shaped happens in the first half of our lives when we are influenced by others. The brain is very clever: only 5% of what we do is controlled by conscious thought, whereas 95% operates from the subconscious level, on automatic. With over 60,000 thoughts a day, and millions of subconscious processes to keep the blood pumping and lungs breathing, our systems have a lot to be dealing with – there is no way we could do everything consciously. So, the brain creates programmes. ‘If this, then that’ on repeat. The brain sorts things into patterns and programmes to keep you efficient and functioning. Think of it as your supercomputer. By the time you reach your mid-thirties, pretty much all the programming in your brain has been hardwired. And unless you’ve taken the time out to reprogramme it or update your software, you are not going to be functioning to your true potential. Like an out-of-date laptop, that takes ten minutes to start up. (I had one of those for too long.) Creatures of habit This supercomputer forms billions of predictive patterns, so much so that 80–90% of your thoughts today are the same ones you had yesterday. We truly are creatures of habit, or habitual programming. You get so used to your wiring, your programmes, that it becomes harder as you get older to unpick those old programmes and rewire your brain. We end up living by habit where our subconscious is telling us how to think, feel, and function. And we get used to it. When was the majority of our programming created? In the first half of our lives. We learned from our parents, our teachers, our community, our bosses, our peers, our religion, our culture… From this we formed our personality. We picked up all this programming and have been functioning through life on predictable autopilot. But have you ever stopped to consider if this is really how you want to be thinking, feeling and functioning? Are YOU actually consciously running the show here? Have you been living your life by habit, without thinking? Sleepwalking through life… going through the motions. Have you been following somebody else’s life plan, goals or ideals? Maybe you don’t even know why you’ve ended up where you are. Usually after the age of 35 we have an awakening. In or around our forties we start to WAKE UP! We get to a mid-life point of reflection where we start to question these old voices, expectations, and beliefs. We start to question how we are living our lives. We start to question our identity. Who am I? Do I really know myself? Is this who I want to be? Is this what I want? Is this how I want to feel? Is this how I want to show up? What is my purpose? Is this really how I want to spend the rest of my life? Is this it for me We want to discover our true selves without the baggage. We can rewire our brains Thanks to the wonders of neuroplasticity, it is possible to unpick and rewire brain programming. You can uncover who you truly are and want to be – and leave behind the unhelpful programming from the first half of life. You can let go of the old conditioning you don’t want to hold on to anymore. You can unlearn old things and learn new things. It feels like a revelation. In my book The Create a Life you Love Journal® The Ultimate Life and Mindset Makeover – you’ll discover how to re-find your true self and let go of the old programming that no longer fits with who you want to be. What’s the best thing about knowing yourself? When you know yourself, your values, what’s important to you, and how you want life to be and feel – you can start taking action towards it When you know yourself – you’ll identify unhelpful patterns that could have been getting in your way – and learn how to navigate them When you know yourself – you’ll know how you tick, what motivates you To take it a step further - when you know your subconscious behavioural preferences – you can build a life that suits you, while also understanding how you fit amongst others. You’ll get to know what lights you up, what triggers you, what to let go of or say no to. You’ll be able to set yourself clear boundaries and redefine and redesign what success means to you. All just by spending some time getting to know yourself! When was the last time you did that? Get a copy of my book The Create a Life you Love Journal® – The Ultimate Life and Mindset Makeover to start your journey of self-discovery. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or visit my website for more info! Read more from Lucy! Lucy Griffin-Stiff, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Lucy Griffin-Stiff is a global messenger of Enoughness, on a mission to help as many people as possible understand they are worthy and enough. Lucy spreads the message that the unhelpful conditioning of the past isn’t how the future needs to be. As a life and mindset coach, Lucy works mostly with women in and around their forties to help them understand or re-find themselves, let go of what’s been holding them back, reach their potential, and design a life they love from the inside, out. Lucy is a certified mindset coach, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) coach practitioner, Timeline Therapy™ practitioner, certified hypnotherapist, neuroscience geek, and author of The Create a Life you Love Journal ™ The Ultimate Life and Mindset Makeover.

Written by: Miriam Petra, 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 it truly takes to overcome massive failure, without being haunted by the backlash. There are two groups of people when it comes to failure. Most people think of failure as something wrong. A small percentage of people seem to have adopted a failforward kind of mindset, certain that failures are part of the route to success. They've learnt to navigate their failures and know how to move on. But is that really true? Everybody perceives failures, setbacks and problems differently. Everyone has a different level of tolerance for pain, struggle, fear and disappointment. Studies have shown that entrepreneurs, leaders, innovators tend to have a higher risk-tolerance, increased level of resilience and creative capacity for a vision beyond what most would call 'normal'. Hence, at some point along the journey of building a big business vision and creating a dream life - setbacks, roadblocks and failures, smaller and bigger, are inevitable, right? You've probably heard the saying "You either win or learn". Learning a lesson from your mistakes or failures, adjusting your course and moving on seems logical and rational. However, discounting the emotional impact that difficult event had on you and not healing those subconscious wounds will inevitably creep up on you someday. Not to discredit any level of suffering, but I'm not talking about the "small failures", like forgetting your kids lunchbox, anniversary date or slipping on stage. The massive failure events I'm talking about are your responsibility for mass layoffs, an acquisition deal that backfired and kicked you out of the company you founded, a failed business strategy that forced you to file for bankruptcy, an investment decision that made you lose your family's home, an unavoidable pivot through which you lost sight of your life's purpose and meaning. The awareness of knowing failure is part of the game of life and business when you're sitting right in the middle of it, won't get you through it. When you've truly hit your rock bottom then you'll hardly be able to get out of it without a helping hand, as the permanent impact it has on you through a triggered trauma response will have an effect on your future behavior and outcomes. As a certified therapist, I’ve specialized in supporting leaders to overcome severe obstacles and failure, aligning them to thrive with purpose, ease and flow. In the signature Bx3 Method that has helped hundreds navigate out of the tunnel safely, there are three parts to this process: 1. Breakdown Sitting with your feelings and emotions is the first necessary step. In the context of failure, we experience negative and overwhelming emotions, which can make us especially more vulnerable to physical illness, insomnia/fatigue, substance use, hunger or overeating, depression, anxiety, or panic attacks, and can trigger trauma and coping mechanisms. Research has shown it’s not healthy to numb our feelings (we have them for a reason). Suppressing feelings that are triggered by negative experiences can have a serious impact on our mental health. Coping with your emotions and the feelings associated with them and working through them is key. When you ignore your feelings it creates a “boomerang” effect, where the emotions will just come back later, and sometimes even stronger than they were before. A part of this crucial first step is accepting your outside life is the mental equivalent of your subconscious. Your reality is a mirror of your subconscious mind, which means you've created that reality. It's your personal failure. Even if you've got the feeling of it 'happened' to you. Nobody can relate to what your failure feels like. Nobody has the right to judge your failure. Your failure is yours. Uniquely yours. Whatever happens to you, you are the only one to decide how to react, what to think about it, and how to feel about it. Change starts with awareness and radical honesty, even when it's uncomfortable. 2. Breakthrough When people hit "rock bottom" and "fail," they finally make new decisions or find new insights that transform their lives. At this point, it's time to transform your so-called failure into a real educational & growth experience. One of the most important lessons you have the opportunity to embrace at this point is that failure has led you to your first sign of success on the journey you have embarked on. Without asking the right questions, you won't get to the real source of the breakdown. Thus, you won't pivot or course correct in a way that will prevent such a failure from happening again. As your subconscious mind runs on autopilot for you and dominates 95% of your daily thoughts, habits, reactions, and actions, if you want to truly change and improve anything in your life, subconscious transformation from the inside out is unavoidable. In this phase, I teach my clients and students to truly learn to listen & learn to leverage their subconscious mind and wisdom within them. It is essential to identify your inner barriers and release them at a deeper level of identity, in order to not repeat patterns of manifestation at an identity level that led you into your misery in the first place. “You do not get in life what you want. You will get in life what you are, despite any hard work and the best-proven strategy.” - Miriam Petra As I've mentioned, when confronted with massive struggle, hardships or failure, trauma responses can emerge as coping mechanisms, which we want to absolutely avoid through this process. It's crucial to establish a new baseline for safety in your nervous system by recognizing the coping mechanisms and then rewiring your subconscious operating system and beliefs through releasing trauma and installing new beliefs. 3. Breakfree The third step is learning to shift back each day. The daily work from here on out is observing the ideas that say you can’t have what you want, recognizing these ideas as untrue, and choosing a new positive story. In every event in life there is a positive experience - lesson, growth, learning, higher purpose to challenge you to discover, become stronger, more resilient, deal with adversity and challenges. And it's a chance to shine light on your shadows, your limits, your limiting beliefs, and your traumas keeping you stuck. The truth about transformation: You cannot outperform your self-identity. Research has shown, between the ages of 0-7 years, 80% of your beliefs are already installed. Thus, the trauma incidents during childhood need to be revealed and dealt with in order for profound and lasting transformation to occur. “My level of Success will not exceed my level of personal development because success is something I attract by the person I become.” The 1 priority for your brain is to keep you safe, and to ensure your survival. That's why it's vital that you learn to master your attention and you keep it and move it to the places that actually serve you, as opposed to places that do not serve you. As an entrepreneur therapist, I created a simple step-by-step blueprint, drilled down to the very essence of what it takes to FOCUS. You can get started right away by downloading your Free Focus Formula Blueprint here. Recap The 3 Steps to take to overcome any failure and thrive from even the most difficult experience: Breakdown Breakthrough Breakfree In every event in life, there is a positive experience - lesson, growth, learning, higher purpose to challenge you to discover, become stronger, more resilient, deal with adversity and challenges. And it's a chance to shine light on your shadows, your limits, your limiting beliefs, and your traumas keeping you stuck. It's a chance to move you nearer towards trust, purpose, appreciation. Following the Bx3 Method guides you through exactly how to overcome massive failure in any area of your life. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Miriam! Miriam Petra, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Miriam Petra is your facilitator for deep and profound transformation. She is a trained therapist and serial entrepreneur, mentoring thought leaders to step into their full potential to create their dream lifestyle of vitality, impact, income, and freedom they desire. By aligning the subconscious mind and eliminating root causes for any issue, fast and lasting transformation is achieved for any area of their life, without the hustle, overwhelm, and trade-offs between personal and professional life, yet with joy, ease, and abundance. Miriam believes high-performing, successful and aligned leaders, entrepreneurs, and executives are changing the course of history. Healthy & ethically led businesses are the primary sources of innovation, bringing great solutions for more sustainable living on this planet for us and all future generations to come. Going through the highs and lows of being a multiple business owner, having overcome major bankruptcy and severe financial loss, as well as healing from chronic illness, depression and family division, she has become an expert in overcoming failure through her signature Bx3 method and subconscious therapy. Through powerful subconscious transformation on deep levels, she helps high achievers from around the world align to thrive and transform their lives from the inside out. She teaches you the research-backed tools to harness the power of your mind, body, and spirit to live your best life & be the best version of yourself for yourself, your life, your loved ones. In the past 12 years of building businesses, spending $600k+ on her education & training, working with the best coaches, international consultants, and hypnotherapists, it wasn’t until she started working with the subconscious mind and spiritual principle that her life & business truly shifted. "Your wellbeing & subconscious identity are directly connected to your level of performance & lasting success."

Written by: Michelle Schafer, 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 six years as a career coach, I’ve never seen so much churn in the job market. It's called the Great Resignation for good reason – people leaving jobs (some of them very well-paying ones) to pursue new opportunities – and reasons include an awareness that their work is no longer fulfilling, a dissatisfaction how their employer has responded in COVID, or a deep desire to continue working from home versus returning to an in-person office environment. This shift has created a lot of new opportunities as people think about what they want. Now people are acting, and the impact is being felt across businesses of all sizes in all sectors. I’ve been steadily working with clients who are part of the Great Resignation, and are interested in exploring fresh career options. Reinventing yourself is a daunting task and you may not know where to start, not to mention the fear of exploring possibilities in a new field. The good news: you have developed a number of valuable transferrable skills that will serve you well in your next career. And you have an exciting career story to tell. The Steps In The Transformational Process So – where do you start if you are looking to move out of one industry (such as hospitality) to another? Here are some steps to get you going: Take stock of what is important in a job and a company : This pandemic has provided us with opportunities to reflect and hit the “pause button” on our careers. Give some thought to questions such as “What work gives you energy?”, “What work are you skilled at (and maybe even known for) that doesn’t give you energy like it used to?”, “What have you wanted to do in your work but haven’t yet?”, “What is the profile of a company that believes what you believe?”, “What are your non-negotiables?” and “What is important to you that you would be willing to compromise on for the right fit?”. The answers to these questions will help you pinpoint the target roles and organizations which would be good fits, allowing you to intentionally seek out these opportunities. Tally up the transferrable skills : Think about your skills that are portable to other roles and other industries. For example, a restaurant owner has developed skills such as client service, sales, relationship management, negotiation, event/project leadership, recruiting, training, and contractor management – to list a few. This individual would have the skills to look at roles in project leadership, client service, business development, and operations. A server can showcase his ability to gain a deep understanding of client needs and recommend menu selections that meet those needs, in addition to generating revenue through up-selling. A hotel front desk worker can outline how she is known for promptly resolving customer issues and creating an exceptional customer service experience. Transform the resume : Be open to shifting your resume from chronological to skills-based. A chronological resume will pigeonhole you for a specific type of role and industry; a skills-based resume can help you be seen as marketable for new work. Create a profile summary that tells a career story full of value and impact, and showcases your career legacy to date. Develop a job search strategy : Remember the days when we went away on vacation? You likely developed a plan for your trip that included accommodation, transportation, and activities. Looking for work also requires a plan and one that incorporates a mix of activities. Create a strategy that includes not only online job boards, but also a large dose of relationship-based search activities such as reaching out to recruiters/search firms and networking. And very important – ensure your strategy includes time for “you”. Reach out and network : If you have been in one industry for a long time, you likely have a supportive network to draw on. Look “through” your network versus “at” your network. Each person you know (even if your network is closely tied to your industry) likely knows hundreds of people – and any one of those people can help. This principle is especially important to action when applying for jobs. Your network can help get your resume into the right hands, which may possibly land you an interview. It can also provide valuable assistance to explore possibilities with companies of interest and to identify job leads. COVID-19 has dished up plenty of loss, including job loss. It’s also served up lots of new opportunities to evaluate. As excited as we may be to contemplate new work, we may be overwhelmed by the volume of new opportunities to consider and stress over which ones would be good fits. One of my clients sold his restaurant (a family legacy) and has found new work in a role that excites him, with a company that believes what he believes and in an industry that offered him his non-negotiables – the things deeply important to him. The next chapter in his career journey is off to an exciting start. You too can find that same path. Follow me on Fa cebook, Linkedin, and visit my website for more info! Michelle Schafer, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Michelle Schafer is an International Coaching Federation-certified coach and facilitator, specializing in career transition and leadership. She is the owner and founder of Michelle Schafer Coaching, empowering people to achieve career fulfillment. Michelle has personally experienced two significant career transitions through restructuring and has reinvented herself for new careers both times. She deeply understands the physical, emotional and mental impact associated with a job search. Michelle is passionate about people and inspired by their progress, working with clients at all levels of an organization and across sectors including federal and municipal government, high tech, not-for-profit and financial services. Michelle offers coaching 1:1, in groups and recently was certified in the foundations of team coaching with the Global Team Coaching Institute.

Written by: Jenn Drakes, 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 love this picture! It shows the aspects of aging many of us dread and work so hard to avoid or delay. The wrinkles, loose skin, age spots, grey and thinning hair, and receding gum lines are all telltale signs of our unavoidable frailty to age. What I love about this picture is threefold; the subject is softened being in black and white or greyscale, her smile along with the fact that the smile reaches the eyes delightfully contrasts with the signs of aging we see. I am always pondering life – no surprises there; after all, I am a Life Strategist and someone who advocates for living it to the fullest. Life is absolutely wondrous in all its glorious and challenging states! One aspect of having lived a full life is longevity. This article explores that aspect of life and in looking deeper to what degree can the length be considered as having been full. Someone whose life was short-lived could just as easily have lived a full life. Examples that immediately come to mind are Terry Fox and Steve Jobs. Who could argue those two lived the life they had to the fullest, and in doing so, left lasting impressions? The life we have led, eventually reveals itself in our aged bodies. It is not always apparent to onlookers; but it is there. Injuries suffered when young come back to haunt us in the form of aches and pains. Self-abuse of our bodies with such habits as excessive or continual smoking and drinking shows in the parlor and texture of our skins. When we are young and doing these things, we do not stop to consider the impacts on our aged bodies. We are just living, and so we should. Yet, everything we do has consequences. The same can be said for self-love. It will show. In September, my grandmother turned 100 years old and I got to celebrate with her and our collective (blood and extended) family on this momentous occasion. A first for all of us! What could it mean to live 10 decades? This is a question we should all ask ourselves. Especially so as human lifespans continue to extend beyond 80-years old. This longevity of life is considered a full one. Beyond 90 are big numbers for human life, but living long should not be readily equated to living fully. From whose lens do we evaluate having lived a full life? I find that the younger the person, the more they hold longevity as akin to living a full life. An older person tends to look more deeply at the quality and fulsomeness of the journey. An older person starts to consider legacy and what impactful contributions and loving sentiments (what I always refer to as breadcrumbs) will be left behind. That shift in viewpoints was interesting to see and consider in my reflections of aging. The remarkable thing was in celebrating two centennial birthdays. Yes, I said two. In the same nursing home, two women celebrated turning 100. What is the likelihood of that occurring? Well, according to the staff at the nursing home, extremely unlikely. These two women brought the nursing home's centennial celebrations to a total of three (3) since its existence; and the home has been around for well over a decade. So, on their birthday, families and residents came together to sing, read acknowledgments, eat ice cream, and become grateful for the blessings of long life. It was amazing to watch these mature seniors taking part in clapping and singing the birthday song; and it was noteworthy to see such a high level of astuteness, energy, and alertness to the proceedings occurring around them. This picture is of my grandmother showing the same telltale signs of aging. She has lived, she has suffered, she has endured and she has schooled at least 5 generations. By today's standards, she is uneducated. Yet, she taught us to save something from every dollar we earned. Beyond immigration, she has not traveled. Instead, she read and books of every genre were her constant companion. She has never driven. When she couldn't get a bus, she walked. She has outlived all her siblings, and her friends. Yet, she has a constant parade of visitors ensuring her continued care and well-being. Can this be considered a full life? Looking on and taking in the festivities, I wondered how many around us would get the same privileges of seeing life for 10 decades. Every life is a case-by-case study. Not everyone can be a Terry Fox or Steve Jobs, but everyone can have an impact in their lives. One way to do that is by having a positive impact on the lives of others that endures beyond their physical presence. In celebrating my grandmother's centennial birthday, I got to reflect on life from the perspective of age, and the aging process. I got to see the outcomes of decisions and choices – some within one's control and some outside of that control. I got to see how these things can play out, and it was apparent that all of it has a purpose. We are the conductor of our life. How we wield our baton to live out our life is completely up to us. We are living to build a life that reflects all of who we are. Our goal should be to have our journey reflect fulsomeness. Longevity without that is falling short and longevity with it is having lived. Are you living is the question for those reading this article. Did you live a full life? That question should be asked of our spirit as we pass on. Many people in our lives will have opinions on how we lived. Since you are central to the question, yours is the only response that matters, and the aspect from which you answer that question is yours to decide, but do aim for honesty in your response. Jenn Drakes is all about living life to the fullest, which includes your personal and professional well-being. She is one of THE ACCELERATORS, a team of business-savvy coaches who work with SMBs to propel them forward. In addition to reading this article, take in one of the Employ to Innovate shows for insights on a number of relevant topics or schedule a call to discuss your growth needs. Follow me on Facebook, connect with me on LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Jenn! Jenn Drakes, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jenn is a mom, serial entrepreneur, and life advocate who hosts the podcast Arrays of Living. She is also the creator and co-host of the Get Awesome Show, author of the book Aladdin Carpets - Change your Perspective, Change your Life. In addition to Brainz Magazine, she is also a Featured Author on Plumose.co for her poetry and stories and Contributing Author on Boss Ladies Mindset. Jenn is a hidden gem in a desert of gems, and everyone who discovers her is forever changed by her personality and presence. Over the years of working with youths and young adults, she was crowned The Original Goddess to acknowledge the shared feeling that "Jenn is wise beyond her years. I find her to be almost an "old soul" type of spirit." Her voice and writings are powerful, impactful, and life-changing because they trigger thought and promote tantalizing, intelligent conversations. Today, she uses that wisdom to shatter glass ceilings and power up the purpose she believes everyone holds within. A belief that is foundationally based on all of us being born with a gift and a responsibility to use and share that gift to achieve sustainable happiness. Her mission is to improve how people feel about themselves and empower their sense of self-worth to achieve more personally and professionally than they imagined.

Written by: Hilary Rowland, 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. Recently a number of companies, Nike, LinkedIn, and Bumble have announced that they are closing for a week to give their staff time to recover from the burnout caused by the pandemic, lockdowns and the negative effects of working from home. All well and good and the right thing to do, but what about the leaders and owners of the business? They are probably as burnt out as anyone else, but as a business owner myself, I know it is very hard to switch off from thinking and possibly worrying about the business. It's very hard to switch off these days. It's almost impossible go completely off-grid in our constantly on 24/7 world. We have plenty of advice and offers of help, exhortations to eat sensibly, exercise, we know all of that. We also have lots of mindfulness apps, wearable tech which might even have the effect of making us feel worse as we fail to do the required amount of exercise. All this effort to deal with burnout can be a treadmill, to make us fitter and better equipped to run on the other treadmill, work. It’s easy to turn to the productivity hacks, getting up at 4am in the morning, not doing emails until 5pm, but that just makes the treadmill go faster. It feels as though we're merely snatching time for ourselves. What would it feel like if you felt really rested and energised? What are the chances of that at the moment? Some of us have had holidays, but I was talking to someone the other day who had just come back from a holiday with the family (including granny and mother-in-law!) and he didn't look and sound at all rested. You many have had a week in a tent in the indifferent weather we’re pleased to call summer in the UK. Not exactly the break you were hoping for. A recent survey shows that nearly two thirds of managers have suffered burnout since lockdown and a fifth are considering leaving their jobs. Anxiety is a big contributor and there’s plenty to be anxious about. It’s no good taking the odd day off here and there to try and cope with it. If you’re in a senior position, people depend on you, and you have a greater responsibility to invest in getting back to health. Now the autumn’s here, how are you feeling? Ready for the upturn in the economy or anything the pandemic still has to throw at us? If there's one thing that we've learned over the last year or so, it's the extent to which the constant uncertainty and lack of control eat away at our resilience. Your holidays may have provided a change of scene and activity but may not have given you what you need to really renew and regenerate. Burnout at work is extremely serious, leading to physical and mental implications such as a loss in confidence in your abilities, feeling lethargic and disconnected from your employees and peers, changes in your usual behaviour, lack of care with your work and physical illness. If you’re experiencing any of the above, you aren’t alone – in a survey undergone earlier this year, 60% of the UK population stated that they struggled to stay positive on a daily basis. What are some of the signs that you're experiencing burnout? Feeling disconnected from your work, emotional exhaustion, tired, drained, worrying about coping. Perhaps you've been experiencing physical symptoms. Burning out is a very real concern and there are three reasons why business leaders don’t deal with burnout: They feel ashamed about asking for help especially as workplaces don’t support slowing down They often equate it with a physical illness like a cold and think that a weekend away will sort it Investing in addressing burnout is a sign of weakness and that it’s best dealt with by working harder. Left untreated, burnout can cause people to become depressed, anxious, and distracted, which can impact not only their work relationships, but their personal interactions, too. Time to do something about it? One of the best ways of dealing with it is to take ourselves out of the situation altogether. Over the summer I took myself off on a week’s retreat to the Scottish island of Iona, staying in the Abbey and living in community with other guests. There was a spiritual component to it, and I spent a lot of time looking out to sea, just being quiet. I gained perspective on our business and the progress we have made, but I also felt the need to make sense of the effect that the pandemic and lockdown have had on me. I realised that when the pandemic struck, I went into something of a panic, especially about our business. Being in the business of running executive retreats we are primarily a face-to-face business and there was no face-to-face last year. The rush for many businesses was to pivot (how often did we hear that word?) online, which we tried, but had we stood back, probably common sense would have told us that it wouldn’t work, which is where we got to at the beginning of 2021 when we decided to sit tight and wait for the hotels to open. What I realised last week was that I hadn’t stopped panicking deep down and it had taken its toll. I was mentally exhausted and feeling waves of depression. I know I am not alone. It’s not as though we can see a way out of the difficulties and uncertainties of the pandemic. We thought vaccinations would liberate us and then along came another variant. Each stage brings with it another set of regulations to get used to, school children in bubbles, whether to get the staff back to the office or not. What we’re all recognising now is that this is burnout caused by endless uncertainty, pressure and lack of control. One of the feelings I had was that I didn’t have the right to have burnout: we were safe and healthy, we had food on the table, could talk to family and friends and had my lovely partner for companionship. Many business owners report that their businesses are doing well, certainly better than expected and staff have stayed engaged. It’s hard to admit to burnout perhaps because there seem to be so many other people who are worse off, we think it’s not a real illness and probably possible to tough it out if ignored. But left untreated, burnout can cause real health issues, which can impact not only our work relationships, but our personal interactions. What might your burnout be doing to your business, your family or your friends? The good news is that once identified, burnout can be reversed through taking some time to work on yourself. Take time to regain some perspective, learn to say ‘no’ in a constructive way, take proper breaks, perhaps even by yourself and manage expectations. These are all ways you can help yourself. Finding your focus and direction and reconnecting with your purpose and values are core ways to gaining that perspective and focus. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Hilary Rowland, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Hilary Rowland founded Next Chapter Retreats with her business partner Peter Hyson following an accomplished career, with more than 30 years experience in business advice, professional speaking, coaching and HR. She has worked with senior executives across numerous companies including the BBC, PWC, Academy for Chief Executives, and a variety of SMEs.She's passionate about helping individuals find their sense of purpose and then live it. They have had considerable success with their unique retreats over many years working with senior executives in groups, witnessing how effective the power of people working together can be on their personal development. This approach allows the creation of an environment for true reflection and exploration by taking participants ‘off-grid’, free from the distractions of their professional and personal lives, and with the time to work at real depth.

Written by: Irene Baggetto, 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 good is it when we do not have our health? “The first wealth is health” – These famous words were spoken by Ralph Waldo Emerson. In our younger years, we take our health pretty much for granted. Provided we get the right nutrients and mental nourishment we can pretty much count on it. At least that’s how it used to be. However, as life takes its toll as we graduate through the University of Hard Knocks things may change along the way for many of us. Good health isn’t everything but everything is nothing without good health. Is a proverb that is most accurate. Then let’s look at why some people are healthy or why others are not? Of course, there is no rule of thumb… And not everyone will agree. But never the less it has been observed, by myself and many others, that emotional influences and influences are responsible for our way of thinking. Every experience and decision that we make is attached to an emotion. Reflecting not only in our every day, our lives, but also our own health and wellbeing. So, keeping in mind that our thinking has a huge impact on our health. I remember times in my life when I woke up in the morning and sort of decided unwittingly what kind of day it’s going to be. Often it was like. E.g.: I have a feeling its going to be a rotten day… and guess what. I was right. ‘Self-fulfilling prophecy’ it is called. Now if we would be open to turning our thinking into a positive direction and embrace the day with all it has to offer. Seeing and acting upon the opportunities that are offered to us by our subconscious mind – with an open conscious mind. Then suddenly our life may change for the better. We become liberated and literally are able to turn our lives around by focusing on our life and wellbeing in a positive manner. Our minds have been programmed, and conditioned by our personal environment. Consequently, our personal experiences and our perception evolved accordingly. As Dr. Bruce H. Lipton says ‘perception creates the mind’. Thus, two people can go through the same scenario and both people can have a different view or experience from the same scenario all together. Who hasn’t witnessed something like that? Then there are the inherited traits that we have adopted on an energetic level, which begin to manifest usually later on in life on the physical level. As symptoms and dis-eases as the end result. We usually accept them as ‘getting old.’ It has been frequently observed that members of the same family usually follow more or less -the same diet habits and lifestyle patterns for generations. What of course leads to the same end result. The justification for the end result is usually blamed to be of genetic origin. What is in many cases accompanied with the feeling of helplessness. We cannot see beyond the frame if we are in the picture. Mainstream does not really encourage us to escape the picture and get to know what other options and what wonderful treatments and therapies are readily available There is literally something for everyone. It is up to us the individual to take the energy and the effort to search for solutions. – taking self-responsibility. So, my suggestion is to be open to listen, see and to do. "You cannot know what you don’t know." Once one starts looking outside of the box a whole new world opens up. Wellness orientated people usually care about their health and wellbeing and are open to receive. Our whole Universe is energy and so is our body and mind. And where energy is out of motion or in disorder, we have disturbances. These disturbances may show up in our lives as physical illnesses or even perceived as mental illness. When emotions are out of balance energetically speaking the created current may inflict harm onto the body on the physical level and places it at un-ease due to the energetic relationships what is widely known as the body-mind connection. There is a solution to the problem. Discovering where the imbalances are in our lives and balancing them with consciousness to align, integrate and embody. When the energies and energy centres are in balance it is a lot easier to maintain health and wellbeing. When it comes down to the subtle body, we learn that the energy systems of our body govern our health. In true essence we are energy. An energy field known as the Human energy field. So, it is in our very own hands or better minds to guide us to taking action for becoming healthier or, remain healthy along the journey of life, or some simply do nothing but expect the ‘wonder pill’ that takes all their woes away. Like with everything in Life it comes down to personal choice and will to escape the picture. The moral of the story is that ‘if you do not look after your own wellbeing no one else will’. Amazingly most people pose more value into their car than into their wellbeing until it is too late to change it swiftly back to health. So, without our good health and wellness on all levels even Wealth doesn’t seem that dear anymore. Therefore ’Our first wealth is health’ are true words indeed. With aligned and integrated energies embodied within the consciousness our chances of living a healthy, balanced life in all areas of live are abundant. In this sense, I wish you fulfilled life. Namaste! Irene is available for physical energy consultations at her clinic and also available for online consultation. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Irene Baggetto, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Irene is a lifetime learner, qualified and registered Natural Therapist and Wellness Consultant with many tools at her disposal which she uses with empathy and love for the highest good and benefit for her clients. Her multiple accreditations, certificates, and reviews provide the evidence. In addition, her 20 years of clinical experience are all wonderful resources to draw upon and making her an outstanding therapist and consultant for Body-Mind & Soul Wellbeing. Driven by the passion and dedication to helping her fellow human beings who wish to live their life with balance and harmony in all areas of life. Irene is the founder as well as a therapist at Beenleigh Bowen Clinic, CEO of THE WELLNESS CATALYST Senior fellow, and A/National Secretary of the Executive managing team of the professional association Society for Natural Therapists Inc. (S.N.T.R.). Coming from a humble background she is very proud of her achievements so far, but is convinced that the best is still yet to come… Her services are available off and online.

Written by: Lori Bergman, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Have you ever been one of those people who jumped on the fad diet bandwagon because you wanted excess weight to come off fast? Maybe you heard that a friend of a friend lost a lot of weight on diet X, so you decided to give it a try. You might even have lost that weight. But a few weeks or months later, all that weight came back, and just for added measure, you gained a little more. It’s a frustrating vicious circle that millions of people fall into because we want the weight to come off and we want it to happen NOW. Our world has become one where we seek instant gratification and we want the fast track with immediate results, especially as it pertains to weight loss. It’s not surprising that people choose the popular weight loss diet, as they provide the promise of exactly that: quick and easy. It doesn’t help matters that the science of nutrition is in a constant state of evolution, with different studies emerging that provide conflicting information from what we have been advised in the past. It’s hard to know what is current, what is healthy, and most of all, what will work. The truth of the matter is that diets don’t work. That’s because the word “diet” implies a temporary change in our eating behaviour to lose weight and feel better. And we do feel better because there will be temporary success. But when that success fails to last longer than a few weeks or months, it can be very upsetting and lead to yo-yo dieting, which can further extend to disordered eating patterns. So how do we get rid of the excess weight without the frustration? It begins with changing your mindset. When I was on my weight loss journey 14 years ago, just saying the words, “I need to go on a diet to lose weight,” gave me a pit in my stomach and a feeling of dread in my heart. I had never successfully kept the weight off any time I had tried, having lost and gained the same 20 or so pounds over many years, and I felt like I was setting myself up to fail once again. So I decided to change my thought process and I put a positive spin on it. Rather than saying “I need to go on a diet,” I told myself I was ready to make some lifestyle changes. I was prepared to do what was necessary for permanent change so that I could end the cycle of losing and gaining once and for all. There are several important tips and strategies to remember: 1. Quick-fix diets are temporary: Long-lasting weight loss happens when you take the time to make positive changes with your nutrition. Everyone has their relationship with food, and when it comes to making modifications, it takes time to substitute old habits for new ones. You need to practice them and build them into your day until they are performed unconsciously, like brushing your teeth every morning. A healthy, safe, and sustainable weight loss plan is one that has you losing 0.5 – 2 lbs per week. This is much more sustainable and has a better chance of becoming a permanent lifestyle change, unlike fad diets, which have you losing much more in a very short amount of time, which is not teaching you how to eat healthier. Most of the time, they are severely calorie restricted, which prevents you from fuelling your body properly and can lead to fatigue, irritability, and foggy brain. The only thing very low-calorie diets will successfully do is wreak havoc on your body in terms of your hormones and metabolism. 2. Categorizing your food as “good” or “bad”: Diet mentality begins when we say to ourselves this food is “bad,” but that food is “good”. It’s a deep rabbit hole that we go down when we create food restraints, as this mindset can cause feelings of guilt or shame and become a precursor to disordered eating. Sugar, artificial sweeteners, processed foods, and even eggs have all been vilified over the years and while there are health benefits to reducing our intake of them, having the occasional sweet, an omelette, or a packaged meal is not terrible. It is about balancing the better choices with the less-than-healthy choices so that we can make our nutrition work for us instead of against us. Unless you have an allergy to a particular food (such as someone with Celiac disease who is allergic to gluten) or if you have diabetes, all foods can be worked into your meal plans. 3. Follow the 80/20 rule: Typically, we start a diet and try to be 100% on point, all the time. The idea is that the diet will not work unless I commit to this with all my attention and focus. But then your spouse’s birthday party is coming up. Or your best friend’s wedding and suddenly you fear going because there will be a lot of food, and you worry that you are going to derail all the progress you have made. What should be an enjoyable social event suddenly becomes a source of stress. That is why I advocate the 80/20 rule. When your food choices are healthy 80% of the time and the remaining 20% of the time you eat what you love, the world becomes your oyster. That simple 20% allows you to plan for any event that comes up and puts you back in control of your nutrition. You have been empowered with the knowledge that this is just one meal out of one week, you will eat and enjoy, and then you get right back on track the next day, no guilt or remorse. 4. Numbers are (somewhat) important: Ultimately, regardless of what anyone tells you, weight loss is a numbers game. In order to lose, you need to create a calorie deficit. One way to do that is to track your maintenance calories, which is your current food intake, absolutely everything you eat on a normal day, and you only need to do it for two or three days to get an idea of how much you are consuming. This will help determine what a calorie deficit will be for you. If you currently eat 3,000 calories a day and you reduce your intake to 2,500 calories per day, you are in a calorie deficit and you will lose weight. If you remain consistent with the changes to your nutrition, and if you are consistent with implementing your new, healthier habits, the weight will come off and stay off. 5. Be kind to yourself: We tend to set high standards for our success. So when we falter, that’s when we can be our own worst enemy, punishing ourselves for a moment of weakness. Speak to yourself as you would a friend who came to you with the same problem. What would you say to them? Making positive changes to our nutrition, creating new healthy habits and being consistent, all take time and effort. Berating yourself for being human could lead to giving up on your efforts altogether, simply because of one moment in time and all the work you put in will be for naught. It’s the equivalent of getting one flat tire and deciding to slash the other three. Get back up, dust yourself off, and start again. Weight loss is rarely linear. You are going to have weeks where you will lose, weeks where you might go up, and weeks where nothing changes, and that’s because fluctuations are normal. Keep at it! Keep making those changes and stay as consistent as you can. Because at the end of the day, the scale is only one way to measure health and it isn’t even representative of how your body is reacting to your new way of eating. Your efforts will be rewarded Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Lori Bergman, Executive Contributor Brainz MagazIne Lori Bergman is the founder and President of Alithini Nutrition, a health and wellness company that works with clients to help them achieve their nutrition goals and become the healthiest version of themselves. After having gone through years of yo-yo dieting herself, Lori became passionate about furthering her education in nutrition and learning how to balance a healthy lifestyle without extremes. She became Natural Health Practitioner, received a certification in Exercise Nutrition as a level 1 coach as well as receiving a certificate in Nutrition and Healthy Living with Cornell University. She is an internationally published author of a cookbook, Kitchen Confident, and a mom of a teenager.

Written by: Michael Griffiths, 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 so powerful that it grows your business time, after time, after time. As much as business has changed over the past 20+ years, growing your business really hasn’t, there is a tried and tested way. Back in 1997 before Google was a powerhouse, social media had thousands of platforms, getting exposure to anywhere in the world could be done from your smartphone or sharing your expertise was as simple as creating some videos, you had to be great at ‘human marketing.’ Whether it was networking, or asking for referrals or creating partnerships, you needed to be great at building relationships with other people who could open doors for you, share you and help create new business for you. If I look back over the past two decades a lot has changed and unfortunately humans have become lazy, inpatient and believe that they are entitled to success yesterday. They’ve lost the art of relationships and they have become hard wired to be a Hunter rather than a Farmer. In 2009 I went full time into my business, I removed the safety net of being a teacher and decided it was now or never. Hey what’s the worst that could happen. Go back with my tail between my legs. Over the next 4 years I would go on and create 7 businesses, selling 6 along the way and EVERY business was built the same way. No ad spend, no fancy SEO, Pay Per Click budgets or FB ads. I have no problem with paying for exposure, but if you don’t have to spend money on ads, why would you. These lessons that I learnt and I’m about to share, are still so applicable today if you are going to be successful. I grew the tutoring company by leveraging into partnerships. Finding sporting associations where the families I needed, also went to. I grew the health supplement business through our extensive networks of personal trainers and their networks. 110,000 customers in 5 months. The other 4 businesses were all very similar stories, the simple fact… With the right relationships you can get anyone to help you achieve your vision and goals. The problem is… we’ve lost the art of human marketing… creating those powerful relationships that allow us to transform our business. When I hear people talk about referrals, they talk about what’s the best script, what are the three steps that I need to do, how do I ask them. When I see people doing social media marketing, it’s about getting likes, getting people to comment and sending direct messages, hoping that someone might want to use the stuff that they’re selling. When I see people doing paid ads, the focus is all about the outcomes and results rather than getting your buyers to resonate with you, respect you and be inspired by you. When I see people going to networking events, or joining referral groups, it’s all about the ‘what are you going to do for me’ mentality. Here’s my business card, buy from me… It’s all transaction focused. We talk all the time about being a farmer, about planting seeds, nurturing the seeds, removing the weeds and allowing the seeds to grow into a crop. Sure, there are a bunch of people who are good at building relationships face-to-face, but all of a sudden forget how to use the exact same communication skills when they go behind a keyboard. The simple fact is if you’re doing business and selling to humans, the way you create relationships, build relationships, maintain relationships, evolve the relationships all matter and always will until the robots take over. We need to understand how to evoke positive emotions, we need to understand how to get people into our team, we need to become great at being patient and knowing that business has never failed those who took the time to care about others and ensuring that other people won at the same time you did. Human marketing is an art form. Human marketing doesn’t rely on a widget, platform, algorithm or various marketing channels. Human marketing will never die as long as you are selling to humans. And whether it’s in client retention, client acquisition or turning everyone around you into walking, talking, ranting, raving billboards, there is an art form and when you get this right, your business grows like the crops grow for the farmer. Michael Griffiths is the leading expert around the globe on Human Marketing. The combination of marketing and neuroscience that is guaranteed to help businesses grow. Michael has a simple mission - to inspire one million consultants a year to play a bigger game in their business, win every day and be more profitable than ever before so they can contribute and help make society a better place. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Michael Griffiths, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Impact driven coaches, consultants & professional service providers hire us to get a flood of referrals, keep their clients for longer and better engaged, while creating more word of mouth opportunities than ever before, so they can fast track their business growth and make more money. We show them how to tap into the Limbic part of the brain, which controls all human behaviour by evoking brain chemicals that will accelerate someone’s profound loyalty, overwhelming trust and deep emotional bonds towards you. The bottom line is… it’s the moments that people remember when you made them feel a particular way, that truly quadruples your referrals guaranteed!