Written by: Mutita Panmook, 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. Once you start a new business, it means you decide to step out of your comfort zone and are ready to level up. Start with saying “Hi!” to new characters named “Problems” you maybe know these guys before and understand how they are challenging. Problems are everywhere, whether in business or personal life; you just have to learn how to deal with them. When you’re at a critical juncture, there are many things to be concerned about, and it’s time to make a decision; how could you know which direction is right? What is the “Get Unstuck™ Method”? Do you value time? Mutita Panmook also believes in the value of time and human potential. She has founded Get Unstuck™ Method to enhance your time-saving experience. It is a methodology that guides you through building and designing an effective business operating system that saves TIME. Let’s go back to the question, “What’s your life priorities?”In the Get Unstuck™ Method, we evaluate your priority with the Five Pillars of Life Balance. They cover love, career, wealth, health, and life enthusiasm. Give yourself some time to think it over. Nowadays, there is an abundant amount of innovations facilitating entrepreneurs running their businesses. In the disruptive digital era, so many operations have changed. Entrepreneurs have to be flexible, adaptive, and always prepared to have a well-organized operation system is essential to run a business. Entrepreneurs might be deeply knowledgeable about their products and services. Still, sometimes they don’t know how to create a good business operation. They don’t know where to start and how to systemize it, and this’s why they should have us, the Get Unstuck™ Method Implementors. We are here to help you build and design an efficient business operation to create a business that supports your lifestyle. We aim to bring you back a work-life balance that we love to see you have time for family and be able to do what you love. How do Get Unstuck™ Method Implementors work? Let’s think about these questions for a second. How could you know which part of the business should be focused on right now? What kind of resource or knowledge should be provided to implement your business effectively? Let’s explore our methodology through “The Solopreneur Journey”, the story of how a solopreneur becomes a visionary CEO, and don’t forget to discover which character are you in this story. The Solopreneur Journey by Get Unstuck™ Method Implementors Phase No.1 Idealist Solopreneur The Idealist is a solopreneur who just has a fresh start in this entrepreneurial journey. They’re like a dreamer who imagines an ideal business journey that always ends up with happiness and freedom. In this context, that the journey is the beginning of a business. However, they’re living a lot in their mind, while in reality, things might not come up in the way they’ve imagined. And if you’re Idealistic, we can help you transfer from an idea to reality by organising facts and systemising all related tasks. To help you oversee your business systematically is our duty in this phase. Phase No.2 Action-Taker Solopreneur The Action-Taker is a solopreneurwho’s been working hard and starting to have fear. They begin to question why this journey is so long, is there any shortcut to get to the finish line faster? At this point, they seem to lose self-confidence and start to be inconsistent. If you’re here, Keep Going. You have to, and you will make this business work to set the operating system and keep everything under control again. As the Get Unstuck™ Method Implementors, our duty is to ignite your mind with positive energy and get ready to transform to the next phase. Phase No.3 Survivor Solopreneur In this phase, you’re back on your own feet and ready to continue your journey again. After the action-taking stage, you’ve struggled a lot. On the other hand, you have also acquired new skills and knowledge to strengthen your business. You have started to feel more confident and be able to deal with operational problems again. In this phase, your business might not be the most profitable one. There are still have time and money issues. To support you here, the Get Unstuck™ Method Implementors help you to understand more about your business. We organise and manage your business resource. Then your business will be more effective with predictable standards to your clients or customers. This process is what we call Systemise, Automate and Delegate. Ensure that your business is ready to transcend to the next phase that will be profitable and scalable. Phase No.4 Lifestyle CEO The lifestyle CEO is when you are mainly making-decision in the business. You have not spent much time working in the business anymore. The experiences and struggles you have gone through have sharpened you to be where you are. They also give you a clearer vision of your business of Where would you like this business to be?” The Get Unstuck™ Method Implementors will work with you towards a lean, efficient and straightforward business model that can be run without you. When the leader of an organisation has a solid operating system, it means the whole organisation becomes unshakeable. The business runs productively and becomes more profitable without someone sacrificing their happiness. Are you looking to work with a Get Unstuck™ Method Implementors, or would you like to have Get Unstuck™ Method: Management in a box? Visit getustuckmethod.com and let us know how can we have you save TIME today. Want to learn more from Mutita? Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin and visit her website. Read more from Mutita! Mutita Panmook, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Mutita Panmook is a business operation strategist who’s as known as ‘The Time Queen.’ She believes that time is the number one commodity in the world that you can’t get back once it’s gone. Because of that, Mutita helps small business owners and entrepreneurs build and design efficient business that supports their lifestyle with the Get UNSTUCK Method. Mutita's mission is to help business owners and entrepreneurs getting unstuck from working in the hamster wheel. The goal is to reclaim their time to be with their families, do what they love with joy, or even travel the world, whenever they want, wherever they want, with whomever they want, and letting their business work for them. She is also a host of Get UNSTUCK Podcast that helps entrepreneurs get unstuck in their journey through the guest experts' experiences. Mutita's joy is when her clients keep making positive impacts on the world and become unstuckable.

Written by: Kylie Mort, 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 month it was settled. As a Finalist for the AusMumpreneur Awards, I discovered if my ability to describe my entrepreneurial flexibility was enough to grant me status as Australia’s most agile business-owning mother. If I won, I would have been crowned the Queen of Business Pivot, inspiringly maneuvering from a position of business breakdown and defeat to a new platform of mentoring mastery and commercial success. I did not win. I was destined yet again, for the second year running, to be a fellow finalist. Yet does this represent a statistically significant fact? If we did do a comprehensive survey of Australians who are both child-rearing and building new pathways through financial risks in the hopes of profit, would my statistically significant standard deviations above the mean include a Z score portraying elite status? Or is this just a label given to a select group of nominated women who choose to wear the badge? This rumination reminded me of a social media post I had read recently. The female contributor boldly claiming with a tone of defiance, “I am not a Mumpreneur” and proceeding to tell all who were scrolling by about how bugged she is. Even more interesting was when I stopped with curiosity, I read many comments by offended and outraged women saying they were “disgusted” “angry” and “frustrated”. Others shouting – with angry emojis included - that they “loathed” and “despised” the word! And one, going so far as to say she would rather “boil her brain” than suffer the mortifying indignation of being addressed as such. That seems to be a whole lot of negative energy directed at a label they don’t identify with. So why are they so emotional about it? The original commentator went on to explain that: The term entrepreneur has been outrageously commandeered Having children was completely irrelevant to one’s career People were merely playing to a market if they aligned with such degrading cliches It was not until I read that the term was “undermining” women that I saw the true ultra-feminist high road. This was quickly signposted with gender comparisons, hyperbole, and paternal suffixes that no one would dare to hashtag for fear of savage reprisal. I let the sound and fury of the matter wash over me and thought how, interestingly, there does come a point when, for many, a cause will devalue itself by marketing itself. I was enthralled by the cyclical nature of the context. So why does such a term cause such a vast disparity of opinions? How is the niching of one contentious term making the second so much more provocative? Why do we, as humans, become emotional and attack something we do not identify with? How is it in some way diminishing you, for somebody else to identify with a group? Tribal Shaming refers to the use of shame to promote obedience. If our ‘tribe of origin’ identifies that we are stepping out of line or breaking the rules, shame is used to make us feel the error of our ways. This is oftentimes seen during family conflict where an individual striving for independent goals that do not align with the majority values will be shunned, exiled, ridiculed, and even physically abused by those who seek to remedy the unacceptable aspiration. Yet, when we speak of ‘tribe of origin’ this can be represented in concentric circles that can see one banished on many levels. We see it on social media regarding weight, gender, sexual preference, lifestyle, and political alignment. If you are not with us, if you do not see the world the way we see the world, you are against us, and we despise you. So what does the label ‘Mumpreneur’ have to do with tribal shaming? To me it seemed obvious, having dwelt within various tribes of outspoken and empowered individuals over a number of years now. I first became aware of the mumpreneur movement when I became involved in my first collaborative publishing deal. My publisher invited me to a women’s retreat and my eyes were opened to a whole new level of community. In my late 30’s I was only just realising the significant and ongoing impact childhood abuse and trauma had had on my life trajectory. This life-changing UGWA retreat felt like a warm blanket had been wrapped around my shoulders and a cup of sweet tea gently pushed between my frozen palms. I was suddenly sitting numbly beside a roaring fire, recovering from a ferocious blizzard I didn’t realise I had been enduring. No more blindly accepting my forced subservience to the ideals of others, no more unwittingly degrading myself. A heavy door had been wrenched shut, separating myself from the icy blows and howling wind. I had somehow entered a welcoming safe room, filled with a tribe that was empowering me to finally accept myself. And it was sheer relief. The reprieve of laying down a burden I had never realised I carried. The reason people accept a label is because it supports them. Whether we like it or not humans are innately herd animals, biologically driven to social networks for a variety of reasons. When one feels adrift and isolated from their herd, their tribe, their people - they suffer. It was Erikson Psychosocial Theory that specifically labelled what he saw were eight key stages whereat individuals are challenged to define themselves as an identity responding to those around them. He also wrote of the consequences of not rising to these challenges, the unresolved crises that we carry as we journey through life. Now, what happens when your perspective and your baggage affect your tribe? Affects your affiliation with a community? Are you the shamed? Or the one doing the shaming? The reason there is no “dad” suffix to match the Mumpreneur is because we stereotypically come from a male-dominated patriarchal society that has always seen men as the protector; be that physically, financially, or however else contemporary society might necessitate. Evolution is a backward-looking process and the wheels of change move slowly. At its core, the mumpreneur movement is a faithful disciple of female empowerment, yet as shown above, not all agree it is effective. The working mother label signifies changing cultures as does the stay-at-home father. They are not new labels, they are empowering labels, showing individuals who feel they are part of an empowerment of non-dominant roles. To those women who feel the term “mumpreneur” is sexist, why do women use it? Are you accusing these women of being sexist? Why does feeling empowered as a woman necessitate some kind of devaluing of men? It is both a biological and psychological fact, men and women are different, so why can’t we celebrate these differences without negativity and name-calling? One commentator went so far as to say, giving it a “special name” undermines those who struggle and don’t get a “special name”. Really? People uniting under a banner that empowers them is wrong because not all people are actively motivated enough to collaborate and congregate under a banner at all…? It’s certainly an interesting discussion when we start exploring the broad sweeping generalisations and stereotypes that are hotly debated in our modern era. Especially when this discussion is further stimulated by labels, including why we label and why we accept or reject labels. Perhaps it all returns back to our own perception of ourselves, our self-worth, and our inner peace. Mumpreneurs are women who have united under a banner that supports and encourages them. A banner that enables them to find motivation and perseverance when the balancing act of wearing so many stereotypical hats is overwhelming. Power to them. Broadly speaking, people feel the innate need to shame ideals and ideas that they themselves do not align with. This is a hereditary urge and now, ever-more enabled, the plague of contemporary social media. Yet just because it is not your tribe, does not necessarily mean it is not a valid tribe to those who belong to it. And who are you to devalue these people? Some of us are lucky enough to feel valued, worthy, and connected from a very young age. Some of us will find our people, our place, and our purpose during our journey through life. And some inspiring others will recognise those who wander on the fringes of acceptance and extend a greeting, inviting these souls into the protective and liberating fold of a new tribe. Follow me on Faceb ook , Instagram and visit my website for more information! Read more from Kylie! Kylie Mort, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Kylie Mort works with individuals of all ages to embrace and support the Academic Mind, Self-Awareness & the Mind-Body Connection. Assisting individuals by tailoring bespoke mentoring packages supporting academic, physical, and personal advancement and success. Kylie is an International Author and Writer for Global Magazines, writing both academically and creatively to connect with those who seek guidance and inspiration to be their best selves. A former Secondary School Teacher & VCE Leader with 20 years of teaching experience, Kylie is a qualified & registered: School Teacher, Yoga Teacher & Performance Coach. She is also an entrepreneur, leading multiple-award-winning companies. She is currently studying Psychological Science at Deakin University to provide holistic mentoring to her clients better, having spent decades honing her skills in face-to-face teaching, mentoring, and business & company development. Now, she is focused on the human mind and its power to empower through reimaging, redesigning, and recreating.

Written by: Patricia Faust, MGS, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. If you listen to the noisy chatter, we are experiencing every day, you probably have heard the term ‘cognitive decline’ thrown around a lot. There are a few obvious reasons why this seems to be the problem of the moment. The leading-edge Boomers are now old! There is no denying that. The Boomer generation spanned from 1946 to 1964. That means those born in 1946 are 75 years old now. There are a lot of Boomers. 10,000 of them are turning 65 every day until 2030. Since that many have been crossing the threshold of 65 since 2011, that means that close to 10,000 are now turning 70 every day. There are a lot of Boomers who are old. It would be so easy to stereotype this group. In fact, that is happening every day too. As a nation, we are not used to having so many older folks. The longevity phenomenon is in full force too. As a society, we are not prepared for any of this, even though we have known for a long time that this aging issue was going to happen. Now full disclosure, I am a gerontologist (sociology of aging), specializing in brain aging, brain health, and brain function. Oh – and I am a Boomer! It is my hope that you read what I have to say without any bias overshadowing your opinion. Cognitive decline starts around the ripe old age of 25! At that age, we have created an abundance of neurons that aid as a buffer when we live those crazy years of twenties and thirties. We are killing off neurons by bad lifestyle choices, but we don’t feel the impact until we hit our forties. Then we begin to experience tip-of-the-tongue issues – we can’t recall a name, or a place, or what we wanted from the kitchen. This happens because we have depleted our brain reserve. Now when we are living that wild and crazy, or stressed life, we are killing neurons necessary for high brain function. Let’s take a closer look at the aging brain. The Aging Brain Everyone’s brain ages but our brain don’t know how old we are. Our brain ages by the way we treat it – good or bad. Normal aging can have a direct impact on how our brain functions. Here are some basic brain-aging functions that we all experience: Cognitive decline: Cognition is the umbrella term for planning, thinking, memory, executive function. Cognitive decline starts around age 25 with an acceleration point at age 50 and again at age 70. Speed of Processing: This is one of the key indicators of cognitive decline. Speed of processing is the amount of time it takes to bring information into the brain, ruminate over it, and give a response. When we are at our cognitive peak – those responses are very fast. We have lots of neurons and connections participating in the communication process. As we get older, the loss of neurons and connections slows communication down. Our brain functions slower. A 60-year-old brain is 2-3x slower than a 20-year-old brain. An 80-year-old brain is 5-6x slower than a 20-year-old brain. That slowdown impacts the functions of our brain. Cognitive flexibility: Commonly known as mental shifting. It refers to our ability to switch between different mental sets, tasks, or strategies. Memory lapses: We probably identify with this loss more than any of the other aging losses. There is a phenomenon called Tip-of-the-Tongue that we all have experienced as we get older. This occurs when you are trying to remember a name, an event, a location, an item. You know what it is; you can see it; you know the first letter, but you cannot remember the name or the item – or whatever it is you forgot. The memory isn’t gone – it just takes a while to recover it. Our memory is affected by aging. It takes a lot of effort to form a memory. The incoming signal comes in through working memory. The problem with working memory is that it is very vulnerable to distraction, and it only holds a small amount of information for a very short period. Because of all of this, we might not even be making the memories that we think we are forgetting. Decline in financial skills: Money and finances are tough to handle with an aging brain. Finances are higher-order-thinking and some of us might have losses in the prefrontal cortex and just struggle to work with our finances. Financial literacy declines as we get older. Studies have indicated that adults in the 60 – 80-year-old range typically have a low understanding of financial literacy in the first place. As we get older the decline starts at a low bar of functionality. Our analytical reasoning peaks at age 53. This is disturbing when you first see this. We see aging as advanced aging and when we see an age of 53 as a peak with a decline to follow – it can be disturbing. Investment skills decline around age 70. This might not be necessarily true for those adults who were financial professionals but if you made your own investment decisions over your life you might not find as much success in your investment efforts after you are 70. The age parameters are just that – generalizations as to when cognitive declines might occur. Researchers from New York University discovered that inconsistent decisions are related to decreased gray matter density in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex – an area involved with executive function and highly correlated with inconsistent choices. It is anatomy not chronological age that accounts for more irrational decisions. Fluid intelligence: This type of intelligence is the ability to make decisions based on the information presented to you – not on past experience and education. Fluid intelligence decreases with aging. On a bright note – Crystallized intelligence is based on your life experience, your education, your career, and your environment. This type of intelligence increases as we get older. Many older adults depend on crystallized intelligence to make decisions. Longevity and Decision-Making Now that you have the inside track on how aging brains affect brain function, let’s get more specific about how these factors affect decision-making. Longevity requires older adults to maintain strong decision-making capabilities for a greater number of years. High-powered careers continue late in life. The average age for a CEO was shown to be 57-years old, with some of the oldest CEOs in their 70s and 80s. The minimum age to be president of the US is 35. But the ages of our politicians skew much older. Ronald Reagan was 69 when he was elected, Donald Trump was 70, and Joe Biden is 78. You cannot make a leap to conclusions about aging older adults in high-powered positions because, even though everyone’s brain ages, how we take care of our brain will determine what kind of functioning brain we will have when we are older. Several studies have indicated that cardiovascular exercise may improve blood flow in the brain rescuing executive function. (The Healthy Brain for Life – Physical Exercise). Good Decision-Making Good decision-making is a conscious and deliberate choice. It typically involves selecting an option that is most likely to meet our goals. Thinking through options and comparing all the pros and cons require some level of cognitive effort. Remember that our speed of processing slows down as we age. This is likely due to the wear and tear of the white matter in the brain – the nerve cells that transmit information to the rest of our brain. This can mean that we, as older people, may struggle to make cognitively demanding decisions. Older adults have limited resources to deal with complex decisions and the greater quantity of information with which we are faced. What we do have and capitalize on is crystallized intelligence – our wisdom. We can determine if we have made a similar decision in the past and base a new decision on our previous experience. Other aspects of cognition that also get better with age: emotional processes, problem-solving, expertise, and social context. Many older adults can process information by capitalizing on the brain processes that improve with age. Emotions and Decision-Making Emotions play a role in decision-making. Our subconscious brain dictates 94-96 percent of our decisions – all below our level of awareness. This is the area of the brain that determines what we really want. We discover what our subconscious brain is communicating to us by what we feel. It is our gut feeling, our intuition, and our emotions. The subconscious brain rules our ultimate thinking process – it is not what we think and say but rather what we feel and want. All of us are experiencing cognitive decline as we get older. If we live a brain-healthy lifestyle through physical exercise, mental stimulation, nutrition, socialization, sleep, and reduced stress, we can create new neurons and synaptic connections. We can increase the volume of our brains and offset the losses we had sustained. It is possible to have a high-functioning brain at any age – if we work to keep it sharp. It is imperative not to view every older person as suffering cognitive decline based on chronological age. Remember, our brain does not know how old we are. Our brain ages by the lifestyle that we lead. For more info, follow me on Fac ebook , LinkedIn , Twitter , and visit my web site ! Read more from Patricia! Patricia Faust, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Patricia Faust is a gerontologist specializing in brain aging, brain health, brain function, and dementia. She has a Masters'sin Gerontological Studies degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Patricia is certified as a brain health coach and received a Neuroscience and Wellness certification through Dr. Sarah McKay and the Neuroscience Academy. My Boomer Brain, founded in 2015, is the vehicle that Patricia utilizes to teach, coach, and consult about brain aging, brain health, and brain function. Her newsletter, My Boomer Brain, has international readers from South Africa, Australia, Europe, and Canada. Patricia’s speaking experience spans the audiences' spectrum as she addresses corporate executives on brain function, regional financial professionals on client diminished capacity, and various senior venues concerning issues around brain aging and brain health. References: Scutti, S. (September 30, 2013) Sukel, K. (January 9, 2018). Aging and decision-making: a neuroanatomical approach. The Dana Foundation Wandi Bruine De Bruin. (June 19, 2016). How aging affects the way we make decisions

Written by: Patrick Wiliams, 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 COVID-19 crisis has radically changed our lives. Just a few months ago, we had no idea our world would be confined to our homes! This crisis is a powerful reminder of how important freedom is and how much we need human connection! Remember, you are not alone. What is DIFFERENT here is that everyone is impacted! Your neighbor, mom, boss, and friends, as well as your counterparts around the world, are all going through something similar. So, it's important to remember: Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way. — Viktor E. Frankl This is the challenge each of us must rise to! If we're going to be stuck at home, we may as well make the most of it. Here are 15 things you can do to make your life better while physically isolated: 1) Create a Healthy, Supportive Routine When we feel powerless or helpless (as so many of us do now), one EXTREMELY easy thing to do is create a routine or schedule. While we're all stuck in anxiously waiting at home, it's easy to lose our sense of time. Days can begin to blend into each other. A routine can give us an anchor and a greater sense of control over our lives. And if you have children, creating a routine is especially important to give them a sense of normality. This routine or schedule can be as simple as: 7 am - Wake-up. 8 am - Breakfast. 10 am - Exercise. 11 am - Talk to friends. 12 pm - Lunch. 1-4 pm - Learning or a home project. 5 pm - Make & eat dinner. 7 pm - Talk to close family. 8 pm - Reading/Journaling. 10 pm – Bed. PS: Get out in nature every day! Be sure to include food preparation, social time, exercise and outdoor time, and some learning or creativity, so you get some benefit from this challenging time. It's also important to recognize weekends because it's too easy for weeks to blur together. So, make a looser schedule for your weekends. For example, you could include: Sleeping in/later bedtime Brunch "Treats" Movie night with popcorn A virtual happy hour with friends or colleagues A larger project, perhaps some art, craft, gardening, or home redecoration. So, create a routine for a sense of control and mastery over your environment and life circumstances. Reclaim what power you can over your own life because, with all this uncertainty, it's important for you and especially important for children to have predictability. 2) Build Your Physical Strength, Fitness Levels, or Flexibility! Building your physical strength is powerful and health-boosting! Not only is physical strength and flexibility life-affirming and good for our health, but feeling more physically powerful actually helps us feel more empowered and less helpless in life too! So add some physical activity into your schedule — as little as 15 minutes daily. Maybe, by the end of this, you'll be fitter or even be able to do 10 (or 100!) press-ups! There are many options to boost your physical strength and health. Here are some ideas: Take up a yoga practice — excellent for strength-building, flexibility, and calm! There are lots of online options. Here is one with everything from 10 minutes for beginners to an advanced practice. Sarah Beth Yoga on Youtube has more (free) yoga videos than I can count. Learn to do a press-up or push-up. Then see if you can get to 10 (or more depending on where you start)! There are so many online fitness classes on Youtube for beginners, experts, with equipment, and also with no equipment whatsoever. PopSugar Fitness has many options to choose from. REMEMBER: BE stronger = FEEL stronger and more in control! And, building your PHYSICAL strength or fitness = REDUCED feelings of helplessness! 3) Learn with Non-Fiction Books: Use this time at home to educate yourself with non -fiction books. There is so much to be gained - like self-confidence, negotiation skills, health (sleep, nutrition), how to have difficult conversations, and much more. What keeps you up at night? There's probably a book about that! What do you wish you were better at? There's probably a book about that too! Here are some book ideas to get you thinking: Be more productive or creative with "The Now Habit" by Neil Fiore or "A Whack on the Side of the Head (How You Can Be More Creative)" by Roger Von Oech and "A Whole New Mind" by Daniel Pink. Think (or rethink?) how you live with books like "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan (also available in a young reader's version), "Slow Food: Collected Thoughts on Taste, Tradition, and the Honest Pleasures" by Carlo Petrini, "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich, "Doughnut Economics" by Kate Raworth. Get personally inspired with "Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts" and "The Gifts of Imperfection" by Brene Brown, or "Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor E. Frankl. Up-skill yourself with "Difficult Conversations: How To Discuss What Matters Most" by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, Sheila Heen. Learn about the human mind with "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell or "The Whole-Brain Child" by Daniel J. Siegel MD and Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D. Get healthier with "Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams" by Matthew Walker, Ph.D. Clean your emotional clutter: "Getting Naked: on Emotional Transparency" by yours truly, Dr. Patrick Williams Be more confident and discover your strengths with "The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance - What Women Should Know" by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman" or "Now, Discover Your Strengths (How to Develop Your Talents and Those of the People You Manage)" by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton. Finally, read the memoir! Choose someone you admire, get inspired, and learn how other people think and live their lives. Reading one book will expand your mind, reading several of these books will make you more interesting, help you learn new skills and maybe even make you more employable too! 4) Gain a New Skill with Online Learning: There are so many opportunities online to gain a new skill, and they're growing by the day! Grow your personal or creative skills, or choose a new skill to learn and take back to work with online training providers like Coursera or Udemy . There are many other providers. If there's a skill you always wanted to learn, search for it. But be sure to read the course descriptions thoroughly, check reviews if there are any - and check money-back guarantees as you need to! And with so many learning options ranging from FREE to tens of dollars to the low hundreds of dollars, there will be something out there just perfect for you. 5) Explore your Life Vision: Rather than watching endless news streams, you can choose to focus on a bigger picture — your future. What do you want from the rest of your life? What would you be disappointed you did NOT do? Where do you envision yourself in 10 years? Having a clear vision of how you want your life to be is a powerful motivator. A vision helps us work towards our goals, take action and make change. Soon, we'll all be super-busy again, and a vision might be just what you need to stay focused! Here are 5 questions to ponder or journal around to go deeper: What do you desire or yearn for in your life? How do you want to feel? What do you really, really want to be different in your life? What would have happened in 3 years such that your life is spectacular and you feel magnificent about yourself? What's your dream for this lifetime? Imagine you're 90 years old and looking back over your life; what did you do that made you proud and happy? TIP: Remember to think possibility , not probability! Don't limit yourself and your ideas because you don't believe something is likely. Instead, believe it's possible and even if you don't get all the way there, you may get close or even find something better along the way! (OPTIONAL) Lastly, if you like guided meditation, you can meet yourself 20 years from now over at Fierce Kindness in this "Still Lake" Guided Meditation , ask any questions you have, and receive a 'gift'! (20 mins). 6) Be in the moment: At this moment, you are okay. You are safe. Take one day at a time. One hour or even one breath at a time if you need to. This tip is about being super-present, not thinking ahead or remembering the past, but practicing BEING. This is a PRACTICE, meaning you will have to do it over and over again — bringing yourself back to the NOW. Over time it gets easier, and it's a great skill to take back to "normal" life. So when you notice you're worrying, feeling twitchy, and want to pick up your device and find out what the "latest" is about the COVID situation, say to yourself, "It's okay. At this moment, I am safe. At this moment, I am okay." You can also add or say, "At this moment, my children/husband/family are safe." EXTRA TIP: Reduce or minimize how often you watch and read the news! And DON'T read or watch the news (or articles about COVID-19 or similar) just before bed! 7) Laugh Distracting ourselves from our fears is a valid technique for feeling better! Laughter releases helpful chemicals in our bloodstream — Endorphins (our natural "happy" drug) and Dopamine (part of our bodily "reward" system). What are your favorite comedy shows? Is there a comedian you like? Netflix and similar have so many watching options, so find something that makes you laugh! IMPORTANT: We should NOT use overuse laughter as a distraction technique. And it shouldn't be used for ongoing and persistent fears in regular life. But for a situation like this, where this isn't much that any of us can do other than sit and wait, distraction can be a great coping mechanism. In addition to watching something for humor, don't forget the inspirational, spiritual videos. Look for the good news of real-life, not the sensationalized on the news channels. Be sure to find Robin Williams on Golf! Hilarious. 8) Start a Journal! If you've always wanted to journal, now is a good time to start. More than just keeping a record of your day, a journal can help you explore and sift through your feelings and experiences and learn from them. It's a great way to get to know you. It's great to choose a beautiful notebook, but the most important thing is to get started. Here are some prompts to get started with: Today I am feeling _________. I think this is because __________. One big thing I have learned during this crisis is _________. I remember the last time I was stuck in the house _________. One thing that's surprised me recently is _________. What matters most to me in life is _________. Describe your ideal day _________. "A journal is expressive by nature and it contains feelings, emotions, problems, ponderings and it is more reflective on the meaning of life being lived." — Lynda Monk You may find this How to Journal article from the IAJW (International Association for Journal Writing) helpful to get you started. Research has shown that putting pen to paper affects us neurologically in a good way, even if you just write a few sentences. It’s a great captain’s log of your journey. 9) Be Kind! Kindness and compassion are some of the most powerful tools any of us have in our toolbox right now. Many of us are largely housebound, never mind the fear that you or a loved one might actually catch the COVID virus! So, of course, we're going to feel unpleasant and weird. Use kindness to comfort yourself when afraid or feeling anxious or fidgety. Be gentle. Imagine you're soothing a friend, small child, or animal who is afraid. What would you say to them? Then say that to yourself! Use kindness to give yourself and others the benefit of the doubt. Instead of getting upset when you see other people behaving badly, remember that we all do silly things when we're scared. Imagine you have a kind, wise self. A part of you that is unflappable, intelligent, and unconditionally loves ALL of you. Now, when you need it, imagine that kind, wise self is with you, supporting you, maybe giving you a hug and saying exactly what you need to hear (not just the sugary stuff, but also the tough love and common sense). Pay for someone’s groceries in front of you if they are counting their cash. Pay the toll for a person behind you or pay for the person behind you in a food line? 10) Help Others Helping others is empowering and makes us feel better. Here are a few ways you could help others. Check-in on a neighbor or friend and see if they need anything. You can do this by phone or in person, remembering to maintain a 6 feet distance. Offer to get someone groceries if you're going. Help someone less technically savvy learn how to use Zoom or WhatsApp or whatever they need to get online. Host a virtual get-together with your regular friends. Reconnect more deeply with friends or relatives who have moved away. 11) Live Your Values When we know your values, we understand what motivates and drives us. When we build our lives around our values, we create a meaningful life. Finally, when we align our actions with our values, we're being truly authentic. It's a very satisfying and fulfilling way to live. And living your values could be the single most important thing any of us can do right now. Here's an exercise you can do: List your values on a piece of paper or in your journal. Give each value a score ___ / 10 as to how well you live that value in your life now (where 0 is not at all and 10 is full-out). For the scores that are 8 or more, great! For the scores that are 7 or less out of 10, ask yourself, "How could I express this value more in my life right now?" "What could I do differently or approach differently so that I feel good about how I live this value in my life?" For example: You have a value of creativity, but you're only managing to go through the motions right now, and your score is 4/10. Ask yourself how you could be more creative during this time, whether it's cooking, gardening, art or writing, helping your kids do something creative, or even watching a documentary about someone creative you admire. 12) De-Clutter I bet you have some organizational things on your to-do list (like going through winter clothes, sorting out toys to donate, or tidying the laundry closet, garage, or shed) that have been on there for a while. Use this isolation period to get them done! Getting organized and de-cluttering allows us to exert some control over our lives - and therefore feel less helpless! Plus, it'll feel amazing just to have it done. Organize your closets, your garage, your books, your photos, office, kitchen equipment. Whatever needs organizing. Or perhaps you need to go through your receipts or file your taxes! If you need some inspiration (and great clothes-folding tips), you could watch the Marie Kondo series on Netflix! A simple 3 Step Method to go through your stuff: If you're keeping it, be sure to DECIDE where it will "live" from now on. If you're not keeping it, create two piles: Things to DUMP and Things to DONATE (and if relevant to pass on to specific people). When you're done, put each pile into bags or boxes, and then once this crisis is over you can get rid of what you no longer need. TIP: You don't need to do any of these in one sitting. Do an hour a day, and you'll be surprised how much you get done if you keep it up for a week! And don't forget ‘emotional decluttering.’ See my book at Amazon here . 13) Grow Something - Or Get an Indoor Flowering Plant! There is nothing quite like growing something, whether it's flowers, fruits, or vegetables, that makes us feel good! Even if you live in an apartment and you could grow fresh herbs on your windowsill or balcony to cook with! Get some seeds (a pot and some soil if needed) and get started. Many plant nurseries are still open, or you could order seeds etc., online. Follow the instructions and remember to water it! If growing something is just too much work, get yourself a spring bulb or succulent (cacti) planter, or you could get an indoor plant like a Spathiphyllum* (Peace Lily) is good for cleaning the air of pollutants (and easy to take care of). NOTE: Be aware that some plants are poisonous to pets, so please check. 14) Send "Real" Snail Mail Letters or Cards Go old-fashioned. Who doesn't love to receive a lovely card or handwritten letter in the post box?! Rediscover the lost art of letter-writing and make someone's day. Yes, you could send an email appreciating someone, and that's great. But imagine your recipient's face as they pick up that hand-written card in the mailbox. Wondering what to say? Write from the heart! Here are some ideas to get started: I really appreciate having you in my life because ________. I love hanging out with you when we ________. I've realized that you bring ________ to my life. 15) Begin a Meditation Practice Meditation is a practice that has been proven scientifically to calm us, help us be more creative, and be happier (for starters). It's extremely beneficial. There is a lot to learn about meditation, and it's called a Meditation Practice for a reason. But it's also not as hard as it sounds. You can start with as little as 5 minutes a day - and it's good to build a routine, so you meditate at the same time every day. Get a book on "Meditation for Beginners" or go to Youtube or Google and search for "How to Meditate." Another good place to start is "Metta" or "Loving Kindness" meditation. Again, search online, and you'll have lots of options to choose from. It helps to have a quiet space without interruptions - which many of us don't have at the moment. And for some people, trying to meditate when anxious can be stressful. If this is the case, listen to a relaxing guided meditation instead. Another idea is to listen to a sleep meditation or "Body Scan Meditation" before going to sleep. Wrap-up So, which of the above ideas resonated with you? The areas I am focusing on are visualizing my desired future, journaling, and decluttering. Believe you have the skills and power to tackle this situation, and you will! Choose to make the best of a difficult situation and no matter what - you'll find a way. This current and strange COVID-19 situation will end. And when it does, you'll be proud you made an effort to learn something - whether it's about yourself, fresh knowledge, a new skill - and who knows what else! Visit my website at https://drpatwilliams.com and www.ConsciousLivingMastery.com . You can also connect with me through Facebook or LinkedIn . Read more from Patrick ! Patrick Williams, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine As a coach for 4 decades, Pat is a founding member of the ICF and is an inaugural member of its Circle of Distinction, a Master Certified Coach, a Board-Certified Coach, and member of Forbes Coaching Council. As an educator, he was a founding member of Harvard University’s Institute of Coaching, has taught graduate students at several notable institutions and served as a curriculum consultant for the Coaching Certificate program at Fielding International University, and was named Educator of the Year by the New England Educational Institute (2008). Dr. Williams is also Past President of ACTO (Association of Coach Training Organizations), ICF board member, and Honorary VP of the International Society for Coaching Psychology .

Written by: Elisia Keown, 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 boss has no clue about what you do all day. Your boss has a lot going on too. In addition to managing you, they're managing their broader team, their own workload, their relationship with their own boss, and oh yeah, their personal life. Yes, you can meet with them during a weekly meeting to provide updates (more about that in another article), but there's no way to capture it all. And, if you're known for consistently doing well, then your boss is probably assuming no news is good news. That would be great if you just want to remain at status quo and do the same job for eternity. So how can your boss possibly know all you've accomplished and where you're adding value? Change your boss' view of you in under 5 minutes a week Here's what you'll do. Tell your boss ahead of time, what you're planning to do. An example below: Hi boss! I'm going to send you a quick status update to let you know what I'm working on - no action required on your end unless you see an issue I should address. Thanks! Write an End-of-week Recap At the end of the week, you'll send your boss a quick note sharing things you accomplished this week, what you plan to do next week and any questions or roadblocks that you've hit. Make it a short note that is clear, concise, and easy to read. Take only a few minutes to write it - no long essays - and should only take your boss a few minutes to read it. This is the most important part - to get your boss to read it all - make it short and sweet! An example, below: This week: I accomplished… On deck for next week: I have… Roadblocks and/or questions: If you need help with a bigger issue, mention it without going into all the detail. For example: I got stuck on a step in the project, I need your help with a budgeting concern that we can talk about in our next meeting. Benefits for you Helps you know what to work on What not to work on Allows for reflection each week on where you spent your time Helps you get answers, quicker Benefits for your boss Updates them on your work and projects Helps them advocate for you Allows them transparency on your workload, obstacles, and ways they can support you Give it a try this week and let me know how it goe s ! Struggling with how to communicate with your boss? Want more in-depth tips or tricks on working with your supervisor? I'd be happy to help! Click here to book a free, 30-minute session with me and we can get started right away. Follow me on Facebo ok , Instagram , LinkedIn , or visit my website for more info! Read more from Elisia! Elisia Keown, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Elisia has 21 years of experience and a passion for coaching leaders, which makes her uniquely qualified to be the perfect coach for you. She's managed multiple geographically dispersed retail locations and led teams of employees numbering in the hundreds. She knows the importance of delegation, clear communication, and the power of direct feedback for development. She can help you organize yourself, your time, and your team to focus on the right priorities to drive results. She's led Talent Acquisition teams and has global recruiting experience. She learned quickly how hiring and retaining the right talent in a business truly impacts results. She can help you decipher if you have the right team in place to support you and what to do if you don't. She's supported multiple leaders of large teams (some managing up to 30,000+ employees) with all aspects of Human Resources. She's coached leaders to manage the performance of their teams, including having the most difficult and emotional conversations. She's helped leaders navigate through internal politics and helped them learn how to have a productive working relationship with their boss. She can support you with all of this and more.

Written by: Doron Willis, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Let’s be honest, starting over sucks! One minute everything is going according to plan and then out of nowhere, Boom! Life reminds you that although you have the autonomy to make your own choices, there are still some things that lie beyond your control. And in these moments it feels as if your whole world has just been flipped upside down. Maybe that flip has come in the form of a divorce, in the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, or receiving bad news about your health. Maybe it’s more subtle like starting over on a project that you once were so passionate about or those fitness goals that you vow to achieve year after year, but somehow someway you lose the motivation to keep going. No matter how you slice it, start over pie sucks! I sometimes feel like I have lived three lifetimes with all of the setbacks and start overs that I have endured. I have gone from being an athlete in college to dropping out of college, to being a fitness trainer and actor, then back to college to become a therapist, only to go back to being a fitness trainer to finally settling on being a therapist. At least for now. I have even had the unfortunate experience of going through a divorce and the breakdown of another long term relationship just when I thought life was working in my favor, only to later realize that life was still working in my favor. I just needed to pick myself back up and keep putting one foot in front of the other to find out how it was happening for me and not to me. However, if you have ever experienced or are going through any of the life changes that I previously mentioned, then you know that picking yourself back up after a major setback is easier said than done. Sadly enough, a lot of individuals will just throw in the towel after going through a life-changing event because they feel as though time is no longer on their side or they have simply lost faith in their ability to begin again. Today, I am going to share with you my go-to strategy to help you cultivate the motivation and courage to rise again like a phoenix from the ashes more powerful, stronger, wiser, and more enthusiastic. Maybe a little TMI, but I even have a tattoo of a phoenix coming out of the fire to remind me what I am capable of. I’m not suggesting you get a tattoo to remind yourself of your inner strengths, but if it helps go for it. 1. Life Is Always Changing (The Law of Impermanence) If you have not realized by now, outside of death and taxes, change is the other guarantee that life will constantly give us. Usually, when we experience a setback, this is life’s way of reminding us about the law of impermanence. Buddhist philosophy states that the Law of Impermanence informs us that everything has an expiration date, even our physical existence. Or to simply put it another way, everything that rises whether pleasant or unpleasant will pass away. By acknowledging and accepting this law, I have come to understand that most of the unpleasant life changes that I had to endure were put in place to help me continue my journey to self-discovery and uncover my uniqueness. 2. Remember Your Why (Give Your Pain A Purpose) During chaos, it is easy to forget what you are striving towards because life will appear to be coming at you like a 90 miles per hour fastball or better yet, a curveball. Keeping your Why in focus will help you get back up on that horse and continue your journey. All you have to do is trust in your vision and trust that the universe knows the best way to get you there. Now, I hope that your Why is more than just milestones, but something that can inspire others. For example, my Why is to help encourage others to go on an inward journey to uncover their light from within so that they can shine in this world as whole and authentic sentient beings. I guess you can call me a lightworker. Now, I would be lying if I said I did not have certain goals or milestones that I would like to accomplish such as writing a book or giving a TedTalk, but my overall Why is to motivate as many people as I possibly can to not be afraid of shining their light. 3. Take Inventory Of What Is Still Going Right (Express Gratitude) When your world is being tossed up like the house in the Wizard of Oz, it is so easy to disregard the other aspects of your life that are still working in your favor. I recall watching a TedTalk given by Lucy Hone on resiliency, and she posed the question that we all should ask ourselves when dealing with adversity, “What are you losing by focusing on what you have lost?” Psychologist Rick Hanson even states that our brains are hardwired to fixate and ruminate on the bad stuff, and when this happens we minimize our ability to rise above the challenge. So how do I redirect my mind from constantly focusing on the bad stuff? I begin to say my gratitude prayer. “Thank you that I still have my right mind and able body”. “Thank you for the resources that are still available to me”. You get the point. By reminding myself that not all is lost, I still have a chance to correct the ship. As long as you have breath in your lungs, resources made available to you (of course you will have to be resourceful), and the will to keep fighting, you are still in the game. Don’t lose sight of this! 4. Revisit Your Past Successes (Identify Your Inner Strengths) The fact that I have overcome adversity in the past, I often like to reflect on those experiences and reconnect to my inner strengths for motivation. Whenever I do this, I rediscover that I am persistent, determined, curious, and courageous just to name a few. However, be very careful and cognizant not to get stuck in the past because doing so can trick you into believing that your best days are all behind you. Ask yourself, “What helped me overcome my past challenges?” “What intangible traits do I possess that can be considered strengths?” Maybe you are creative or a good problem solver. Whatever the intangible strengths are that helped you push through adversity in the past, I am almost certain that it is still in you. All you have to do is reconnect to them. 5. Just Breathe (Increase Your Self-Awareness) One of the first things that we usually hear when all hell is breaking loose or when we are in panic mode is, breathe. By just breathing, you will be able to stay connected to all of yourself and not just live in your head trying to figure out where to go from here. Conscious breathing will help you release the negative energy that will have stored up in your body from the stress of having to start again, and decrease the chances of any other ailments from developing. Studies have reported that taking deep deliberate breaths when stressed will help lower your heart rate, lower your blood pressure, regulate your body’s fight or flight response system, and clear your mind so that you can effectively come up with your next best plan. I like to participate in breathwork workshops and in a daily meditation practice to increase my self-awareness, which has improved my ability to stay calm during stressful moments. Starting over in life is rarely fun, especially when it is not on your terms. However, the fact that you have made it this far in life is an indication that you are stronger than you think or give yourself credit for. As long as you keep in mind that change is inevitable, you remember your Why, you don’t lose sight of what you still have by focusing on what you have lost, you reconnect to your inner strengths, and you keep breathing, you too will rise again like a phoenix. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Doron Willis, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Doron Willis, LMFT, MA. Doron is a Mental and Sports Psychotherapist helping individuals with a competitive spirit uncover and breakthrough their mental blocks in order to foster resiliency and perform at an optimal level in life consistently. Doron is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of California, a former Division I collegiate athlete, and a certified fitness and sports performance trainer, so he knows all about the importance of cultivating a strong and sound mind. Doron specializes in life transitions, resiliency, sports performance, men's issues, and helping individuals find meaning and purpose for their life. Doron earned his Master of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in marriage & family therapy from Phillips Graduate University, and his Bachelor of Science degree in Health Sciences from Arizona State University. Additionally, he is trained in EMDR therapy from the EMDR Institute and holds a certificate in Sports & Exercise Psychology from California State University Dominguez Hills, and a certification as a Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES) from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Doron is also the author of "The IT Factors For Athletic Dominance: Identifying the traits of elite athletes.

Written by: Jean Fleming, 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 even is work-life balance? Interestingly a Wikipedia definition states, “It is the state of equilibrium in which demands of personal life, professional life, and family life are equal.” But are they ever really equal? Do they need to be? The responses to these questions will vary from person to person. It seems we have all got into a habit of busyness. Our ‘to do lists’ continuously growing. The demands on us ever-increasing. Do you sometimes feel that your diary is in control of you, rather than you being in control of your diary? How do you know if your work and life are out of balance? When you start to cancel one in favour of the other e.g. cancel dinner to work later into the evening. You feel you are never giving either the right level of focus. Guilt sets in. You never seem to clear your ‘to do’ list. You can never switch off; work is always on your mind. You are always on the go, but never feel that you have achieved anything. You are always tired, feeling that you are burning out. You never have time to focus on your health or fitness. You feel like your calendar controls your life with no space to just be. It is impacting your family life. Does any of this sound familiar? So, what can you do to regain balance? Firstly, the only person who can define the right work-life balance for you is you! Set the parameters that are acceptable to you. Define your boundaries and stand your ground when demands become too much on you. This works both ways i.e. at work and at home! Manage your time. Make sure the things you are getting involved in are appropriate and add value to you. Accept that you may not have time to be involved in everything you would like. Learn to say No! Never give an immediate response to a request, take time to think about and evaluate how much time it will take and whether you have that time to give – or what else will have to go? Don’t take on others’ work or problems. Provide support but know your own limitations. If you do work from home, ensure you can step away from your workspace and switch off in the evenings and weekends. Stick to your commitments with family and friends. Don’t cancel arrangements to work more hours. There are only 24 hours in a day. You must choose how you spend your time and what you prioritise it on. Some days/weeks work may take priority, at other times family may take priority. Ensure you have balance across a period of time and it is not always one-sided. Plan in ‘me time’ and stick to it. Consider it your resilience shot – an essential part of your own physical, mental health, and wellbeing needs. Without maintaining your wellbeing, both your work and home life may ultimately suffer. Spend time with people who energise you. Know your why! If you understand your purpose in life then choosing how you spend your time will be so much easier. Follow me on Faceb ook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Raed more from Jean! Jean Fleming, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jean Fleming is an Empowerment and Leadership Coach helping women to create the life they want. With over 30 years of business experience, Jean was the first woman to join the Board of a global company – a role she still fulfills 12 years later. Jean is an experienced ICF accredited Coach, a DiSC Profiler, an Emotional Intelligence EQi-2.0 Assessor, and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). Jean uses her extensive range of skills and experience to bring a dynamic and supportive service to her clients to help them identify and create the life they want.

Written by: Carmel Murphy, 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 was 10 pm, and I'd only written ONE sentence. Words were swirling around my head, but nothing landed on the page in front of me. The cursor blinking on the swathe of white space heightened the volume of the nasty voice inside my head: "What the heck is wrong with you!?" I only needed 150 words. Why was writing a video script to promote my business so hard? Why did I feel so stupid when I talk about this stuff every day? Why couldn't I express my expertise and passion – in a simple yet compelling way!? The following day, I learnt I wasn't the only one. At the table beside me were business coaches, financial experts, fitness gurus and online marketers… Yet when it came to writing 150 words… ready to film our promo videos that day… None of us were ready! (Now, if you know me – you'd know I could talk with a mouthful of marbles underwater. Which is an advantage when it comes to socialising and networking…but try and rein me into a 60 second sound bite – and it seemed impossible.) Here we were, all accomplished business owners and entrepreneurs. We were all experts in our industries and niches. We all had important messages to communicate. So, what was holding us back? Were we all stupid?… or were we unfairly cursed, by our knowledge? When being an expert hi-jacks your marketing… Here's what I know you've been told to do: You've been told to create high-value content. You've been told to make engaging videos. You've been told to be on every social media platform under the sun to reach your ideal audience… And yet your content isn't converting. Time is flying by too fast... And you're exhausted trying to come up with what to say/write/create every day. But, here’s also what I know you can do… When you do manage to get the words out – and write content – you share your best. When you speak, you share the juicy stuff — the details. When you create those videos, you explain fantastic insights and advanced knowledge about why your product/service is the best on the market… And how you can help people more than ever… But it's not converting into sales. Why not? (Nope, it's not because you're stupid)… It's actually the complete opposite… It’s because you know too much! When YOU know what you're talking about… But no one else does… and they don't care! "Oh – so there’s nothing wrong with me!?" No! It's highly likely that in all that content you're pumping out, you're using expert language, experiences, and knowledge, which flies straight over the head of those you can really help. Simply put: You're not meeting your audience where they're at. You're trying to show them where you're at – and the gap is just too big! Yup. The curse of knowledge sneaks up on you when you least expect it – and if you don't watch out it can completely derail your marketing success. Here are 3 ways to overcome the curse of knowledge: 1. Get someone to help elicit your marketing message from you. The advantage of being surrounded by others crafting their messages that morning was we could help each other simplify the expert complexity we were all so used to using. Getting someone else to listen to you explain your message – and then offer new ways of expressing it, or asking questions about it, is a fantastic way to take a step back and see your business from NEW perspectives. Through non-expert eyes. 2. Craft stories and metaphors to help explain advanced concepts. People love stories. Stories help us remember and help us remain engaged in (potentially overwhelming) content. So, if what you do as an expert IS complex… take the time to craft some go-to stories for you and your business that you can rely on in ANY situation to engage, enthral and explain what you do. Simple metaphors can work magic, too – try using this statement next time you're explaining something complex, "It's kind of like…." …whatever comes next allows you to bypass the dreaded "expert curse" and keep your language "non-expert suitable". 3. Remember back to when you were a newbie… and start from there. If your product or service solves a problem for your audience – start with that. Remember what it was like for you BEFORE you knew the answer. BEFORE you had access to a product like yours. Use language they're using right now to describe their situation, struggles, dreams, and must-haves. To get them to tune in – and make them care – speak to them in their language. Not at them in your language. Yes, there is a BIG difference! The Engaging Expert Emerges! One thing I love to do is watch TEDx talks. And here's what I've noticed. The best ones are crafted. They tell stories. And they resonate with the audience. Connecting experts to non-experts through a considered approach to language and emotion and knowledge. (Now writing a short video script like we were doing on that retreat is a little different to writing a TEDx talk – I know.) But when it comes to getting your message across, clearly, remember: If you're aware of the curse of knowledge before you start… you'll enjoy much more success at the end. The result for all of us? Promo video scripts are written, filmed, and edited by the end of the day. “Farewell the curse of knowledge!” Want more comments, more clicks, more conversions? That’s exactly what our Exceptional Entrepreneurs achieve through weekly marketing support and coaching. Struggling to articulate your message? Submit your script and let’s refine it. Show us your sales page and let’s improve it. Share your marketing content and let’s review it! Join us on our next co-creation call here: https://www.thecommunicationqueen.com.au/ee77/ Because nobody has to do all this overwhelming marketing stuff alone! Follow Carmel on Facebook, LinkedIn and visit her website for more info! Read more from Carmel! Carmel Murphy, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Carmel Murphy is known for being an out-of-the-box thinker and an expert in human behavior, marketing, and business strategies. Carmel’s passion for people, curiosity, know-how, business acumen, and background have come together to develop unique programs around marketing, copywriting, and videos designed to create higher conversion and increase sales and profit in business. Carmel coordinates, hosts, and delivers membership programs, workshops, and events to teach business owners how to build and market a sustainable online business.

Written by: Sarah Needham, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. 1. Continue to struggle – if you don’t make a change nothing will change. Accept it. 2. Re-design your work environment & relationships to allow you to thrive in your current role. 3. Get out & give yourself a chance to find an environment which better suits you & where you can use your strengths. From all my research there are two main causes of your struggles: The working environment does not fit; what is important to you is not being honored in the environment you are in; The fact you do not feel safe enough to talk openly about your needs to enable you to thrive! Both these causes are a matter of perception. Your perception is based on what you consider important in your life (your values) & your experience (your life story). Your perceptions drive your internal thinking. So when those stories in your head start taking over & your brain starts to whirr & when you are waking up at night worrying that is all thinking. It drains your energy. Be aware; only you can take responsibility to do this work & figure out what changes you can make to thrive! Your primary responsibility is to create the life you crave for. Only you can see inside your head, no one else can do it for you! The quandary here is we are least likely to ask for support when we feel vulnerable, or when we feel under-appreciated, or when we feel anxious! Why? Because we are so damn hard on ourselves! Those internal stories we carry over from childhood we believe to be true: We should be grateful for what we have; It’s not that bad really; It will get better soon! NEWSFLASH, it will get better if you choose YOU! If you stop with the excuses as to why you cannot do it. If you start getting clear on what is important to you! SHOW UP FOR YOURSELF! Allow yourself to thrive! My recent research shows that the top 3 pains for Female Leaders in Tech are: Feeling drained internal politics, making you feel unsafe & preventing you from achieving what you know is possible? Feeling anxious about not being good enough even though you are working harder than ever & it’s seeping into your home life? Feeling under-appreciated & unable to share what you're thinking confidently which is affecting your self-worth? My research also shows that Female Leaders in Tech crave: Contributing to creating value for others, you want to be successful. Working in an open, honest, accepting environment that values individuals for who they are & what they contribute. Learning & personal growth for themselves & others. So if you give yourself the chance to choose… do you want to accept these pains until you retire? OR Do you want to make changes to allow yourself to thrive? The women I have spoken to who have allowed themselves to thrive, have four things in common: They know their strengths & their values & talk about them often; They are not scared of getting it wrong because they value learning over inaction; They have designed their environment to be able to ask for what they need & in doing so allow others to do the same; They set clear boundaries & know they cannot always please everyone! Do you want to learn how to thrive? There is never a ‘good’ time to start making change. All it takes is one small change to start things moving. If you are contemplating making a change but don’t know where to start just click the 'connect' button & send me a message telling me what's keeping you awake at night. Just do your best (this is not an exam ;-). If you are not yet ready, that is fine, go easy on yourself. I challenge you to look at the excuses you have for not giving yourself the chance to thrive! Once you have them written them all out; yes, all of them then shoot them across to me in a message! For more info, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit my website! Read more from Sarah! Sarah Needham, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Sarah Needham is a coach with an extraordinary vision: “To create a world where everyone feels they can stand up and engage in discussion about what matters most.” She wants us all to take off our invisibility cloaks and share courageously what we think and feel. Sarah believes that we are all unique for a reason, and we should challenge ourselves to step proudly into our uniqueness, our own SUPERPOWER! As a coach, she challenges herself to inspire people by holding regular sessions on this topic. Sarah’s work brings together her three core values: technology, sustainability, and challenging others to embrace their uniqueness. She helps tech founders and leaders unleash their impact in creating a more sustainable life on earth whilst prioritizing their own self-care, and in doing so, creating a more sustainable business. Sarah is an engineer with many years as a leader at one of the world's leading global engineering corporations. She is British, living in Potsdam, Germany, with her husband, two adopted daughters, and two cats.

Written by: Trevor Folgering, 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. Losing your belly fat is truly a science, but unfortunately, no one has taught you the science of weight loss. For all your life, everyone has told you that for you to lose weight, you must eat less and move more. But this is one of the most antiquated and outdated pieces of advice that you will ever receive. If you try to sign up for a weight loss program that gives you a meal plan of 1200 calories or less, and they tell you to exercise, please don’t enroll. I have been working with men over 40 to lose their belly fat since 1998, and from my 23 plus years of experience, I know that losing your excess belly fat has nothing to do with caloric restriction or exercising like a madman in the gym 6x/week. In this article, I am going to tell you what it really takes to lose the belly fat once and for all. If you heed my advice, you will get real weight loss results that will last you a lifetime. The Science Of Weight Loss Yes, losing weight is a science that is controlled by the types of foods that you eat. Food is like a drug that can magically switch your body into a fat-burning machine or a Fat-storing machine instantaneously. Each meal that you eat has a powerful affect within your body, and by consuming the correct meal combinations at the right times throughout the day, will help shift your body to use its own body fat for energy each day. Within your body you have a powerful fat-burning metabolic pathway that has been lying dormant since you ate your first carbohydrate-laced food as a baby. Your metabolic pathway activates when certain hormones get suppressed and other hormones gets released. Your fat-storing hormone, Insulin is the No.1 reason you have belly fat right now and for you to truly lose weight, you must reduce the amount of Insulin that gets released from the Pancreas. Once you accomplish this, then your pancreas floods the body with another powerful hormones called Glucagon. Glucagon is a signaling hormone that will signal the liver to release stored energy to be used for fuel by the cells. That stored energy comes from your own belly fat stores! Your body then breaks down the fat cells and converts these fat cells to Acetyl-CoA, which is further broken down into Ketone bodies. The cells in your body now can use these ketone bodies for energy, which is an amazing thing! Thirty-five percent more energy can be delivered to the cells when Ketone bodies are produced. This means that you will have way more energy throughout the day, with no energy crashes! Now for you to get your body to switch metabolic pathways and use Ketone bodies for energy you must have these two things in order: 1. Consistently combine foods together that are higher in dietary fats and lower in proteins and carbohydrates. The reason behind creating certain meal combinations is that consuming meals that are higher in fats and lower in proteins and carbohydrates will dramatically lower the Insulin response from the Pancreas. 2. Have consistent meal timing each day to ensure hunger hormones are controlled. Timing your meals correctly help lower the hormone Ghrelin that is released from the GI Tract. This in turn will allow the appetite to be regulated which means you will never be hunger or have cravings. (Unlike typical diets that give no regard to the hunger hormone Ghrelin) By consistently eating the right food combinations at the right times throughout the day, you will be able to drive your bodies metabolic pathway into the pathway that produces Ketones from your own body fat stores. Now the one problem is this: No one has ever taught you how to do all of this. You never went to school or researched the science of weight loss and applied it to your body. This is where the Biohack The Fat Body Transformation System comes into play. My 12-week system is designed specifically to get the body to switch away from the Glycolytic Metabolic Pathway system and access your body fat very easily. All our men that enter our system lose anywhere from 30 – 60 lbs. of body fat within the first 3 months! Brad was one of our clients who lost 60 lbs. in just 3 months. Here is what Brad had to say about The Biohack The Fat Body Transformation System: Hello, my name is Brad I have been a Bio Hacker for 12weeks now and my results are mind blowing!!!! When I started the program, my weight was 262 and it hurt to walk upstairs! Fast forward to my 12th week in Biohack The Fat Body Transformation System and I am at 200 pounds. I have lost 62 lbs. In only 12 weeks! Now I have way more energy than I ever had before, and my body feels like I am 20 years old again. The meal plans are great!! My Biohacking Coach is awesome, and he is always there to answer questions or to change my meal plan. - Brad Hyde. If you would like the same results as Brad, then here are the next steps that you need to follow: Go to https://www.biohackthefat.com/biohack-your-fat Watch the Introductory Video where I explain more about the system and what results you can expect to get Check out our success stories and google reviews so you can build up the belief that you can also achieve amazing weight loss results in our system Click the “Get Started Now” button and book an online zoom meeting with myself. When you book that meeting, you and I will go over your struggles around your health and body and we can see if you would be a great fit for our system. If you are a great fit and we can help you lose the belly fat and regain your health, then we can get started in The Biohack The Fat Body Transformation System right away! I want you to experience the power of become Biohacked! The weight loss and health benefits are phenomenal! Join other Biohackers and create the body and health that you truly deserve – It’s time to become Biohacked! For more information, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit my website! Read more from Trevor! Trevor Folgering, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Trevor Folgering is a leader in the weight loss and nutrition industry. For over 22 years, Trevor has relentlessly pursued the truth regarding losing body fat correctly. By uncovering the truth about how our bodies utilize body fat, Trevor created particular nutritional protocols that allowed him to tap into his own body fat stores and lose 40 lbs. of body fat in a concise period of time. He achieved this without going on a low caloric diet or restricting the foods that he ate. He now helps men and women achieve the body and health that they truly deserve through the science of Biohacking. He is CEO of Biohacked, global online health, and body transformation company. His mission: To shift the weight loss industry's paradigm and re-educate the world on the proper methodologies of losing excess body fat correctly.

Written by: Mark D. Lakowske, 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. How’s your weather? I’m not just trying to make “small talk”. Each day we experience weather all around us. Some days are beautiful with warm sunshine, bright blue skies and the occasional fluffy cloud lazily floating by. Others are overcast, grey and cool. Still, others are dark with gusts of wind, bursts of lightning and rain so thick you can’t see anything in front of you. Our lives and our minds, our thoughts, feelings & emotions are much like the weather. There are times when the clouds of doubt roll in. The hail of hurt batters us. The tears flow like a monsoon! Even though the thunder that’s rolling across the sky might frighten you and you may want to put your head under the blanket; thunder is just noise... feelings are just feelings… they may be loud and scary at times, but the truth is YOU are in control and YOU are bigger, braver and stronger than any emotion that rumbles your way. The sky is, after all, just the sky. It’s the “canvas”. And one thing is for certain – No matter if it’s an ominous storm or just a few clouds – the sun is still shining through it all. Sometimes it’s easy to forget isn’t it? That big bright burning ball is ever constant up there in space shining its light down upon us. It warms the Earth that keeps spinning in its orbit. Better days are always just up ahead. Clouds can block out the sun from our point of view, but they can never get rid of it. The negative things that you’re experiencing are just a small, and temporary, part of your story. They are a cloud or a rain shower. It’s not all of your entire atmosphere. Just like the storm, this too shall pass. The key is to let it. Often in life, the storm passes and people still insist on talking about the bad weather & how wet they got, even though it’s finally nice out & they’ve dried off! If you’re struggling with difficult feelings, take a moment & look towards the sky. Notice all the different clouds, or imagine them in the sky. Each cloud can be a negative thought or feeling. Accept that they are there... feelings are normal and natural like the clouds. You might not know why they are there, but at the end of the day even though we may want to know why (because we are curious creatures), does it really matter? Probably not... what matters most is feeling better right? What matters is allowing all those clouds to float by. Let them get smaller and smaller. As they get smaller more sun can filter in. Look for the light & actively seek it out. Step into the brightness and let it outshine the gloom. Remember that even during the darkest night morning is coming. A fresh day and a world made new. Every day offers a new start for a new perspective. Recognizing this fact will help you to remember that you are always in a state of flow & change. It will help you to see that what is unwanted is giving you contrast that is leading you toward what you actually desire. Part of the lesson of weather is learning to just be in the moment, batten down the hatches if needed, let things pass, and look towards nicer days. If you would like free audio to help you let go of those “bad weather” thoughts & feelings follow the link. Your Favorite Hypnotist, Mark D. Lakowske CTC® CMHT For more info, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or visit my website! Read more from Mark! Mark D. Lakowske, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Multiple award-winning & internationally renowned clinical hypnotherapist Mark D. Lakowske has trained practitioners worldwide in his groundbreaking methods. Through this and his own practice, he has helped improve the lives of tens of thousands of people in countries ranging from the United States to Australia & New Zealand. Mark is an author of three books & regularly tours the world, contributing ideas to the development of hypnotherapy practice. His passion & drive is assisting people to overcome the overwhelming & live with more confident joy & happiness!

Written by: Sarah Tricker Alchemy, 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 no lie when we look at the ease at which the majority of the Western World has been moving over the past few decades. From the 1950s until now a system has been designed where the majority of people can have what they want NOW and pay later! Think back to when you left school, got your first job, and your first bank account. Did you experience the push to get your first credit card with your first chequing account? It was just so easy to get that first credit card. I remember going into a store with my mother and seeing this really fancy set of saucepans that I would have loved. Yet I had blown that £500 credit card limit with nothing to show. In that moment the realization that I could have brought something that would have lasted me years. Did this stop my terrible spending habits? Of course not. That was it I was already caught in the rat run at the mere age of 18 years old. There was no push to save for what was wanted just the ethos of buy now and pay later. The older we get the more financial responsibility we take on. Cars, marriage, houses, children, cell phones, holidays, and don’t forget the events such as concerts and festivals. It all comes with a price that most people are trying to pay using nearly minimum paid jobs. In fact the more money you earn the more money you spend and it almost seems hopeless in getting out! Okay you have a clear picture painted in your mind now right? This wasn’t done to make you feel depressed. Our whole society has been set up to entrap each of us in this way! I’m here to tell you it’s not all your fault. We are now in the time of Aquarius. For all you folks out there who don’t believe in all that woo-woo shit here are some intriguing things to consider. Currently the pole star or North Star is Polaris. Due to the motion of our earth which is known as procession, the identity of the pole star changes over time. Roughly every 2,150 years the sun’s location moves in front of a new Zodiac constellation. There is much debate of the exact time with some believing it as far back as 2012 up to 2020. We will begin by thinking about the Aquarius personality traits. This particular zodiac have soaring visions of not only their own future but those of society as well. They are so forward thinking and truly want to make the world a better place. This comes though with a strong sense of freedom, fairness, and strong empathy that this freedom is available to everyone. Knowledge is key and they are often more advanced than the everyday person who may be distracted with insignificant things. I want you to take a moment and think about what is going on in the world right now. The Age of Aquarius is all about the collective and communal living? This spark of social justice will be eccentric, radical, and based completely on freedom and expression. The Aquarius energies are going to shift, breakdown, and evolve the current structures that society lives within. There is no doubt that the patriarchy system was created in the time of Pisces and that perhaps these structures are being broken down as we speak. There is a calling toward a collective consciousness. For many of us now what is happening around us may be the biggest occurrence we have had in our life to date. Everything we knew being stripped away from us. The systems we relied on breaking down. Now enveloped in an uncertainty never experienced before. This may manifest itself with feelings of; anger, hate, distrust, overwhelm, anxiety, depression, sadness, disbelief, and fear. Know right now that you are not alone if you are experiencing any of these and even maybe some that are not mentioned. So what can I do about it? For some of you reading this today becoming an activist to create change may be the perfect medicine. Thinking back to the times of divide in our history; the Christians against the Pagan, the Nazi against the Jews, the whites against the blacks, the settlers against the Indigenous peoples, the have’s against the have not’s. There is still a divide that is being created by our governments, those in power, corporations, and the media right as you read this. What if people such as Martin Luther King, as one example, did not stand up for their beliefs, where would the black community be today? Let’s not beat around the bush the black community are still nowhere near equal nor are our Indigenous communities and something has to change! If this is speaking to you maybe the time of Aquarius is asking you to step forward, to be authentic, to speak your truth, and to be a part of the change. Always remember that this should be done from a place of love and never hate. It is no good you name calling the people who think differently to you. Stop, listen, like really listen hearing their view, and be open to discourse. Sitting here writing this I can feel the unease of the rest of you. You don’t want to be a part of the protests, in fact, it gives you so much anxiety to even watch the news or talk about the current issues facing our world. Please do not fret there are things that you can do! If this is speaking to you and you are nodding the time of Aquarius is asking you to be innovative in your life. You don’t have to change the world you only have to look after you! That is OK! If every human on this earth took some time to heal themselves imagine what our world would look like. It is time to meet yourself where you are. Come from a place of kindness and love. You may not all believe it but you chose the body you are currently in and the life you are living before you came here. Everything is perfect right here and right now. When we look at perfection it doesn’t mean the perfect; job, house, body, partner, children, family, health, or anything. It means you are where you are and you have to meet yourself there! Just for today don’t judge your past self with the knowledge you hold now. You didn’t hold that knowledge before. Just for today don’t worry so far ahead in the future you are overwhelmed with all the things in front of you that are needed to get there. Just for today, live for today! It is so true that not one human on this earth is guaranteed anything other than the moment we are living. If you blink that moment has passed and we are in another moment. Learn to live in the here and now and let go of the past and the future. There are many tools available to help you do this. We live in an age where there is an abundance of information. Trust when you search for the answer it will present itself to you. Maybe this article is that sign. I trust the universe will connect me with my soul contracts. I am a healer and this is my life purpose. Did the stars align and bring us together today? I believe it! How to Create Certainty in a World of Uncertainty? Choice! There is always a choice! Do you chose to become an activist and fight for your beliefs or do you choose to live one day at a time and meet yourself where you are. There is no right or wrong way. There is only your way! As a Spiritual Empowerment Coach Sarah Tricker soul purpose is to help women who are in transition within their life. This may look like becoming an empty nester, searching for your life purpose, to becoming your authentic self. Women are unique in their healing journey that often stems from the womb. With her education degree and commitment to lifelong learning Sarah brings the esoteric to the modern world. Using her families gift, Mediumship, Tarot, Reiki, Yoga, and her extensive knowledge as a High Priestess she will take you on a journey of discovery like no other helping you align mind, body, and soul. Is it the call of your soul to connect with Sarah ? Book a one on one discovery call today with Sarah! Follow Sarah on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, and visit her website for more info Read more from Sarah! Sarah Tricker Alchemy, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Sarah Tricker Alchemy is a change-maker and has the ability to see what lies in the unseen and unexplained. After realizing her dream to become an educator, Sarah soon understood she herself was not fulfilling her life purpose. In 2016 she began the journey of entrepreneurship and had been forging her way to true authenticity. Sarah is a Public Speaker & Spiritual Empowerment Coach helping women who are in transition within their life. With her gift as a healer, she facilitates women in finding their authentic selves as well as their life purpose. Every moment is a miracle, and there is always opportunity even when you cannot see it.