Written by: Sonya Furlong , 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 . “Statistics have shown that in the U.S. 50% percent of first marriages, 67% of second, and 73% of third marriages end in divorce.” [1] This topic has been on my mind recently as I see many clients and friends who are going through divorce. As an NLP Trainer and Coach I look for patterns; patterns of language and behaviour, and it doesn’t take long for me to see the patterns of behaviour that lead to the reasons that marriages fail and second marriages are even less successful than first marriages. In first marriages, people have their trainer wheels on and are just learning the ropes. So people may not yet know what their non-negotiables are until they encounter them. People have consciously and unconsciously learnt patterns of relationship behaviours from their own upbringing and have both conscious and unconscious beliefs about how one should be treated in a relationship, how one should treat others in a relationship, how one should bring up children, etc. When they enter a marriage they think they have a “map” of what marriage will be like, but what about the other person’s “map”? There is a saying in life coaching, “the map is not the territory”. What this means is that you have a map made up of your ideals, your beliefs and your experiences about what the territory (in this case – marriage) should be like, but your partner also has a “map” made up of their own ideals, beliefs, and experiences of what they think marriage should be. You have both come into the marriage with what you think are the same maps for navigating this territory called “marriage”, but the maps could be as different as if one of you has a map of Sydney and the other has a map of Timbuktoo! You may think you are on the same page, as your maps both say “Marriage” on the front cover, but the contents could be two entirely different geographies! So problems ensue, and you both do your best to navigate your way over the bumpy, sometimes desolate, sometimes tropical terrains of the territory called “marriage”. Kids come along and so despite the difficulties you try even harder to keep it all together for the sake of the kids. The average length of marriage in Australia is 12 years. (Aust Bureau of Statistics 2017). By the time a person gets married for the second time, they are clearer on their non-negotiables and therefore basically are not prepared to put up with so much the second time around. They begin to identity negative patterns of behaviour repeating in their second marriage and so get out quicker. What interests me here is: why are these negative patterns repeating in the second marriage? My observations are that people leave their first marriage, blaming their partner for all the problems, and think they will choose better next time. But unless a person is willing to take some time out to do some work on themselves, they are going to attract the same type of person again. Why? Because unless you change your beliefs about yourself and about how other people should treat you and how other people should behave in a relationship with you, you will unconsciously continue to attract the same type of person, over and over again. How many people do you know who keep attracting the same kind of toxic relationships in their life, over and over again? As individuals, we need to take responsibility for our relationships, all of them, and investigate why the past relationship happened and what key learnings can we take away from it. I can’t stress enough how important it is to work on yourself first, and then go out onto the dating scene, to attract a different kind of partner. When your energy shifts, when you have more self-respect, a clear understanding of your boundaries, a clear perspective of your innate value and lovableness, then you will attract a completely different partner than you have in the past. I see people who have barely broken up with their spouse and they are already out on the dating scene, inviting in all kinds of partners into their life without first protecting their own energy and being strong and centered within themselves. Many are going through really difficult times with their divorce and their children are also going through difficult times coping with new arrangements, and yet they are running into the arms of another partner, instead of just stopping and taking stock of what’s happened, learning from past mistakes before moving forward to create a new future. We say “Love Me!” to someone, demanding that of someone else, but are we able to demand that of ourselves first? Can you give that love to yourself before you give it to someone else? If not, why not? It’s ok to be alone for a period of time to allow time for introspection, meditation, prayer, personal development, study and learning for both healing and growth. It’s also lovely to be in another relationship. We all need love and connection. But before you rush out to find your soulmate, I invite you to get out your journal (What? You don’t have one? Then invest in one!) and answer the following questions: Am I really ready to bring someone new into my life or am I just lonely? Have I learned all the lessons I needed to learn and have I healed the past? What was it that attracted me to my last partner? What was it about my beliefs about myself that lead me to allow this person into my life? Do I want those beliefs moving into my next relationship, or do I need different beliefs? What can I change about myself to improve this relationship?” Or if you are single, “What can I change about myself to ensure that I am cautious and only allow in a person who will be good for me?” Am I able to look at myself in the mirror and say “I like you?” or do I need to do some work on my own self-respect? What are the qualities of my ideal partner? (And its not just about the external stuff, how good-looking they are or how wealthy they are, but How do you want them to make you feel? It’s the good, positive feelings in your ideal relationship that you want to focus on. ) What are my non-negotiables in a partner, in a relationship, and how my children are treated? Are my boundaries strong so that I don’t let anyone in who breaks my non-negotiable codes? Who do I need to be, what do I need to do, to have the type of relationship I want to have? If you are already in a relationship, ask yourself: “Can I be my true self with this person?” If you can’t be yourself with another person, please don’t marry them! It shows that you are sacrificing parts of yourself only to please another person or to satisfy a need to not be alone. This will lead to trouble in the relationship and dissatisfaction within yourself. Please get comfortable with being alone in the short term, and do the work on yourself, so that you are coming from a place of strength and confidence and self-respect so that you attract a partner who will honour that in you and be able to offer value back to you. The best relationship is one where the whole equals more than the sum of the parts. Where you are able to be your true self, where you are loved and supported through the tough times, encouraged to grow and blossom to be your best self at all times, and you are giving all that back to your partner also. Want to learn more from Sonya? Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin or visit her website . Sonya Furlong, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Sonya Furlong, based in Sydney Australia, is a Certified Trainer of NLP and Matrix Therapies, Life Coach, Therapist, Meditation Teacher, and Devotional Singer. After battling depression as a teenager Sonya discovered meditation and it literally saved her life. In her late 20s she was introduced to personal development and using the principles of success she learnt through her studies, went on to a successful career in the film industry, culminating in winning the Australian Academy Award. Sonya wanted to use her powers to help humanity and dedicated her life to the study and teaching of personal and professional development. Sonya believes everyone can live a happier, more fulfilling life, no matter what has happened to them in the past. Sonya runs the Centre for Life Therapies, an online wellness hub that offers transformational healing through trainings, group coaching, and private sessions.

Written by: Terrence W. Cavanaugh, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. The act of questioning is consistent in the business world. In its best form, It is the singular tool that all in the food chain of commerce used to learn, evaluate and make decisions. It is the key ingredient to sound management and staff development. Questioning should provide a platform for fact gathering, uncovering reasoned opinions, and determining the knowledge/skill of your associates/team. Questioning can also create dysfunction and a toxic culture. Questions in the wrong forum and with a misplaced purpose hurt current company performance and weakens future potential for success at the individual and corporate level. Upon reflection, I confess I have been in every space outlined in my role as executive, husband, father, and community leader. In my career/life, I have used questioning in positive and less effective ways. Now in my coaching/consulting practice, I see the power of powerful questions. It is an important portal that opens to self-awareness, inventory assessment, planning, and future execution. Effective questioning skills are recognized as one of the key skills of those executives with strong emotional intelligence. However, I have found the act of questioning can take on many forms – some helpful and some debilitating. The Two Dimensions of Questioning: Toxic Questioning Questioning to defer/avoid a decision – This can be created by a lack of confidence in the process, doubt about their own skill, lack of ownership or concern about the outcome and how it will affect their status. The executive is looking to offload the decision to someone else. Questioning to embarrass – The most toxic of actions as it creates terrible team and individual dynamics. Questioning to control – hold power – Another mechanism that stifles progress and hurts teamwork and broad strategic thinking. Questioning to feed the ego – Both yours and at times others (bootlicking) – The bigger the ego the more the questions brought forward. Questioning to show your “ownership” of the issue – Clearly defining to all that this “turf” is yours and yours alone. All others beware! Questioning to block progress – Passive-aggressive questioning that keeps a program or decision from getting off the ground or executed in a timely effective manner. Effective Questioning Questioning to obtain information and provide a thorough analysis of the business issue being discussed that leads to a reasoned decision – the core of a good process that is the essence of engaged leadership that provides “open” direction and the support and resources to execute on the corporate strategy. Questioning to empower individuals & teams – Positive questioning and a culture of openness can unleash great power in your organization to allow the individual/team to take on challenges with enthusiasm and drive. Questioning to promote innovation/risk-taking and teach broader business skills – Effective questioning can uncover creative ideas that lead to dynamic fresh action of your teams that provides outstanding results. Questioning to gain broad and deep knowledge – Use questioning as a learning platform for long-term skill development and critical thinking techniques. I have enumerated more toxic questioning patterns than positive ones. Be aware of your questioning orientation! The good news is that the aspects of positive questions are so powerful and intertwined they sew a strong fabric of effective business execution that should outweigh any toxic questioning that may crop up in your leadership journey. But like all skills you need to have the questioning muscle worked purposefully and consistently. Rarely does a situation arise even after a thorough and comprehensive questioning session that you get perfect data that provides a strategy/execution/decision that is perfect and absolute. Be comfortable with this less than perfect environment. Understand the ambiguity of business. Move forward in a thoughtful positive fashion using the great asset of questioning only for positive reasons allowing you and your associates to act effectively and monitor outcomes. Continue to provide positive questioning that enlightens, teaches, and builds corporate and individual muscle that promotes a positive a gathering of information, a learning environment, and a culture that allows for spirited fact-based dialogue. The intellectual and emotional stew that comes from effective questioning (and the subsequent dialogue/discovery) is a marvelous part of the secret sauce of successful, fun, and winning cultures. What is your next step?! The author spent 40 years in the insurance industry culminating his career as a CEO of a Fortune 500 organization. He currently spends his time as a C Suite Executive Coach, Board member, world traveler, and frustrated golfer and woodworker. He can be contacted at terry@accretiveconsult.com. Visit my website for more info! Terrence W. Cavanaugh, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Terry Cavanaugh founded his Executive coaching practice (Accretive Consulting) in 2017 as he transitioned from a 40-year career in the insurance industry. He retired as CEO and President of Erie insurance - a $7 billion revenue property, casualty, life, and annuity provider in 2016. In his current role he helps C Suite executives hone their competitive edge and build new skills and awareness through dialogue, questions and observations based on his real-life experience, academic training (Rutgers Leadership Program and International Coaching Federation membership). He blends this practice with continued board work (both private and public organizations), nonprofit volunteer work, and world travel. As one of a few Fortune 500 CEO in the coaching field, he looks forward to helping others achieve personal and professional success and fulfillment.

Written by: Janifer Wheeler, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. JOY is THE new, sustainable strategy for preventing small business owner burnout. When you hear the word burnout, you may immediately think of teachers, healthcare workers, or other public servants in challenging high-stress jobs. Indeed, they do burnout. I should know; I was a teacher for many years and had my own experience with burnout, which caused me to leave the profession in 2012. Burnout sneaks up on you. It’s a slow burn until… suddenly your hair's on fire. Because I was raised to honor commitments, suck it up, and deal with what life hands you, I really didn’t know that this stress I was experiencing was more than usual. I honestly thought I was just an ungrateful, unhappy bitch who was dissatisfied with her choices and needed to lie in the bed I had made. I do remember feeling stuck and overwhelmed most of the time, but I didn’t know what to do about it because this was just part of “adulting” right? Wrong. When the day came that I wished I would trip on the top step, fall down a couple of flights, and have to spend a few weeks rehabbing from my serious, but not life-threatening injuries, I knew it was bad. I knew that changing my diet, adding more exercise, drinking less wine, or taking more walks wasn’t the solution. I knew this was not normal and it scared me. I didn’t feel suicidal nor did I try to hurt myself, but I couldn't see any other way to get a break. I was completely baffled at why I now hated the very career I had loved so much before. Stress y’all. Stress from hours & hours of teaching and talking and coaching and counseling and cooking and cleaning and driving and cheering and watching and volunteering and smiling and secretly crying had caught up with me. All the constant giving without replenishing had worn me down. I was EXHAUSTED. Bone Tired. So, I quit. To become an entrepreneur. To start a business. To be part of another group of people who very frequently suffer from chronic workplace stress that leads to burnout. Burnout is so real that in 2019, the World Health Organization classified burnout as a syndrome caused by “chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” How are you managing the level of stress in your workplace - not the one you left, but the one you created? As the CEO, Founder, Head of…, YOU set the tone. Whether it’s just you or you have an entire team, your work style impacts your workplace. That’s why this entrepreneur has embraced JOY as her business strategy for the last two years. No more hustle and grind. No more fake it till you make it or grin and bear it. If it’s not JOYFul, I’m not doing it. But someone is. Not doing what isn’t JOYFull doesn’t mean it’s not getting done at all, It means that I, me, Janifer, am not doing it. So I delegate. I redesign. I digitize or dump the idea/task or project all together. I love this strategy because it reminds me daily of why I started my business. It keeps me motivated and focused. I don’t procrastinate as much and I have real time to spend with my family, my friends, my hobbies, and my self-care. My life is fairly peaceful and I no longer feel frantic or overwhelmed. Honestly, I’ve never been more JOYFull. Even when a pandemic hits and I lose all my in-person clients and events. Even when it took me a year to figure out HOW I wanted to digitize my business and create an online e-learning academy that didn’t include ZOOM and wasn't like every other online learning model out there. It’s JOY. JOY is THE most sustainable strategy for life and business that I have discovered thus far. Don’t fake it till you make it. Choose JOY. To learn more about how Janifer can help you burnout proof your biz using JOY, check out these links: https://linktr.ee/JaniferWheeler Wondering if you are on the road to burnout? Take our QUIZ Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Janifer Wheeler, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Janifer Wheeler is a former teacher turned entrepreneur. She’s spent over 25 years helping schools & small businesses get their shift together through process design, internal structure, education, and workplace culture. She started The JOYFull BadAss Business Academy™, to help other BadAss female biz owners win the burnout battle using JOY as a business strategy. Her work-at-your own pace courses are delivered via MicroText making it easier to integrate into your daily routine. Her clients have gotten trapped by their own brilliance and believe the hype that you must hustle & grind or you will never be successful. No one at the JFBBA believes that BS. If it’s not JOYFull, they aren’t doing it. As an advocate for JOYFull alignment, she facilitates a process that ensures you are working in your JoyFull Zone of Genius more than you aren’t. And for the rest of the shift that needs to be done, hand it over to staff or an assistant. It sounds scary - giving other people control, but the JOYFull BadAss has your back. She will help you create the process, structure, and workplace culture you need to effectively and efficiently build a team that will help you avoid business owner burnout and realize the goals & dreams you set for yourself. Janifer is an award-winning, international speaker and facilitator who can infuse your organization, conference, workshop, or event with joy and BadAssery. She enjoys connecting people through her global networks that include Netwomen.co, Mums at Work, Amazing Women Alliance, The JOYFull Badass Network, Polka Dot Powerhouse, Brainz Magazine, FEM, and Entrepreneurs Rocket Fuel. There’s no limit to what can be done when we lift each other up. Want to know more about the signs, symptoms & solutions for burnout? Take our FREE, 7-day course “Win the Burnout Battle by Living above the JOY Line” when you visit https://wheelhouse.arist.co/courses

Written by: Barbara Zabawa, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Are you wondering whether you should start your own business, podcast or write your own book? Well, if you are wondering, then you should. Here’s why. A nagging voice When I was working in my corporate job, I felt restless. There was a nagging little voice constantly bugging me, telling me to do something else. I never knew what that “something else” was, however. I thought it might be looking for another corporate job, which I did. When I arrived at my new job, the voice was still there. So obviously, changing corporate venues was not it. The safe route isn’t always satisfying I never thought of myself as a risk-taker, which is what I believe entrepreneurship requires. That’s why I went to law school, so that I could find a secure, well-paying job for the rest of my life. Law has indeed been very good to me, but it hasn’t fulfilled me completely. My creative side was insufficiently fed. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to be master of your own destiny and fully satisfy your creative urges if you work in a “job.” Even if you are the CEO of a corporation, especially one that you did not start, you are not fully free to express yourself and your ideas. You still have to report to a board of directors and fulfill a preplanned mission and vision for the corporation. Entrepreneurship can offer endless options Creativity in “jobs” vs. entrepreneurship is like painting on a canvas: with a job, the outline of what you will paint is already drawn for you. As a corporate leader, maybe you have the option to choose the type of paint you use (acrylic, oil, water, etc.) and perhaps you can even choose the colors. But the outline of the painting is already drawn for you and your corporate charter requires you to stay in those lines. The lower you are on the corporate ladder, the less freedom you have to choose the colors or type of paint (your painting is really like paint-by-numbers). Entrepreneurship gives you a blank canvas. You can paint anything you want, in whatever color or type of paint you want. If you want to paint a realistic picture, you can. If you want to aim for something more art deco, you can. Better yet, you can even invent a new style of painting. Bringing your ideas to life in entrepreneurship, just like on a canvas, is thrilling and satisfying. Entrepreneurship has trade-offs, but they are worth making I’m here to tell you that entrepreneurship isn’t all roses and rainbows. Just like a job, you have worries. As an entrepreneur, you worry about income, clients, and whether anyone will like your creation as much as you do. Convincing them is all on you, and that’s a huge burden. But if you love what you do and are passionate about it, persuading your market to appreciate your creation, whether it’s a product or service, isn’t as hard as it sounds. It just becomes an essential part of what you do every day. With a job, it’s easy to get stuck in a zone. You get up every day, go to work, do your job, and go home. If you work in a professional world or at an executive level, you may have a bit more freedom as to when and how you work, but your performance expectations are set by some external authority, whether it is a board, supervisors or management committee. The problem is, at a moment’s notice, you could lose your job. You could be laid off because of financial pressure, or fired because the external authority doesn’t like you anymore. The point is, with a job, your destiny is not fully within your control. You are at the mercy of others continuing to like and appreciate the work you do. And to be appreciated, you must perform within the lines they’ve drawn for you. I can’t explain the freedom you feel when you take that step to become an entrepreneur until you actually do it for yourself. But once you do, I am certain your creative juices will flow like a water from a broken dam. It’s exhilarating and liberating. When I finally took that step, that nagging little voice that annoyed me for so many years disappeared. Take that step. Your canvas is waiting. Follow me on Facebo ok , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Barbara Zabawa, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Barbara Zabawa is an attorney and founder of the Center for Health and Wellness Law, LLC, a law firm dedicated to helping health and wellness professionals reduce their legal risk. Learn more at www.wellnesslaw.com . She is also the founder of Pursesuitz, LLC, a mission-based fashion company featuring the Pocketwear Tank that promotes gender equality. Learn more at www.pursesuitz.com . Finally, she is founder of Lemonspark, a movement and podcast celebrating the sparks that lead people to meaningful pursuits after experiencing life’s lemons. See www.lemonspark.com . Barbara is the author of several books, including The Tug: Finding Purpose and Joy through Entrepreneurship, as well as Rule the Rules of Workplace Wellness Programs. She speaks nationally on wellness law and entrepreneurship and serves as Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Written by: Bénédicte Sivarajasingham, 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. For many years I definitely had lots of FOMO - Fear Of Missing Out! FOMO – THE Best Party Always saying yes to every gathering & being the last one on the dance floor! FOMO – THE Best Conversation Having a wandering ear everywhere, not fully concentrated on the conversation happening in the moment. FOMO – THE Best Food & Drink Dieting during the week to allow me to binge on the weekend on Food & Wine! I could give you a longer list of my past FOMO. FOMO is being everywhere & nowhere, never being satisfied with what you have, wanting more, constantly chasing what you don’t have. And then I had my kids. It was never the same! (You bet!) One of the things they taught me is the Joy of Missing Out. You don’t need to have kids to learn JOMO. You can have kids and not know what it is yet. I had to wait for my third one to start playing with this concept! I didn’t have a choice. I had to slow down and lean into it. What a blessing! What is JOMO exactly? It is stopping seeing the glass half empty but half full. It is to be satisfied with what you have. It is staying focused on what brings you joy. JOMO – The Best Party Enjoying my 8 hours sleep and being energized and showing up as the best mum, the best entrepreneur the next day! JOMO – All Conversations Being present in the only conversation I am having, being curious, listening deeply to the other one! JOMO – My Bread, Pasta & Cheese Tuning in to the feeling of lightness after every meal! Bye Bye bloating, brain fog, tiredness! Discovering new food, spices that I will not have if I would have sticked to my old diet. JOMO – Not Doing It All & Saying No Focusing on what I am investing my time in and doing what I am doing well! Are you scared to start your health journey because you will have to give up chips, sweets or alcohol? Netflix and your comfortable coach? I hear that all the time! Stop playing out from a place of scarcity like I was before. What can you really miss? Change your view and focus on what can you discover! Focus on what makes you happy, energized, peaceful! Bring some more JOMO into your life! Happy to help on the way. Anytime. We can start with a chat. Book your Free health strategy call here. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and visit my website for more info! Bénédicte Sivarajasingham, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Benedicte Sivarajasingham is an entrepreneur, founder of b well coaching and mum of 3 wearing all the hats! Corporate high flyer for over 20 years, she turned her health challenges into her passion. As a functional medicine certified health coach, Benedicte helps busy working mums to live a healthy more balanced life in just 5 minutes a day, connecting their mind & body for more balance and inner peace. She uses her own experience to empower clients to implement micro-moments into their day to refocus, get some clarity and natural energy to manage and reduce stress into their life! She is passionate about demystifying health myths, making living healthy easy and fun, giving her clients very practical tools customized to their Lifestyle to change the way they live and feel better in the long run. Benedicte loves connecting with people, especially on an intercultural level. She lived in 6 European countries, gave birth to her 3 children in 3 different countries, speaks French, German, and English loves cooking for her family and community and is eager to keep teaching her clients and kids new mind-body medicine techniques to bring the body and mind incoherence.

Written by: Madeleine P. Wober, 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. Did you know that according to LiveScience nearly 70% of Americans think angels are real, and 53% believe that they have been saved from harm by a Guardian Angel? Many people turn to them daily to get help with life's most pressing problems. I had my first memorable experience with Angels in my 20’s in Loch Lomond, Scotland, I say memorable, because on reflection, I have always felt angels around me, even as a young child, however on this occasion I was working for a summer in a castle- turned- youth hostel, which was known to be haunted. That fascinated me. I was hoping I’d catch a glimpse of this so-called ‘ghost’, but what followed changed my life forever. My job in the castle was to open up all the communal rooms early in the morning before anyone else was up. I had a big master key, Harry Potter style. One morning I unlocked the huge oak door to the communal dining room to prepare breakfast for all the backpackers, and on my way through to the kitchen, I said hello to an old lady, with long white hair, dressed in all white, sitting all the way at the other end of the dining room, at the big bay window, overlooking the castle grounds. As soon as I reached the kitchen, I stopped in my tracks and wondered who this woman was, and how she’d gotten into this big empty locked dining room at 5.30am. Immediately I walked back into the dining room and she had vanished. I walked over to the beautiful big bay window and sat exactly where she had been sitting, with my back to the rest of the room, and the exit door. I started asking her questions, I could no longer see her, but I felt this intense heat all down the right-hand side of my body from my face, down my legs to my feet. I knew she was still there because I could feel her presence. I intuitively knew this woman was somehow related to Veronica, the ghost of the castle, who at age 18, had apparently jumped from the 3rd floor tower to her death, due to a forbidden relationship with a commoner, a young boy who worked on the grounds. After asking this angel a number of questions, for example what she wanted to tell me and what help she needed if any, she must have just gotten up and left because I turned around and saw the heavy door handle turn downwards causing the huge oak door to open, and gently close behind her. There were many other incidents during my stay at the Castle in Alexandria, Loch Lomond, this time with Veronica herself. She once left me a message in the gardens made from stones spelling out the words Be Happy. I was struggling emotionally at the time, which is why I had taken this job out in Loch Lomond, in the Castle to begin with. I was catapulted into a deeply spiritual journey involving past lives and meeting travelers from the other side of the world whom I’d felt I’d met before. This lead me to past life regression sessions and many beautiful serendipitous encounters. Every human being has a Guardian Angel that they can call on and connect with any time. Whether you believe in it or not, it is there for you, guiding you, protecting you, warning you and looking out for your highest good all the way through your life. You were born with this Guardian Angel by your side and it will not leave you until you leave your human body. This is such a comforting thought for millions of people worldwide, and we are currently in a time in history, where we need as much help as possible for our mental health and wellbeing. The world is not the same as it once was in our lifetime. Our Angels are right by our sides just waiting to help, but there is one disclaimer. They will not intervene unless you ask them for help. You have free will and they leave it up to us to ask them for what we need. In 2019, I had to take a step back from the corporate world which coincided with the timing of the global pandemic. I had been working successfully in the fast-paced Video Game industry and had been diagnosed with MS a few years earlier. I couldn’t keep up and had to resign for the sake of my health. Little did I know, 4 months later the whole world was about to shut down. With more time on my hands to heal myself from burnout, and unable to work full time, I wanted to find a way to make a difference in the world and help others feel more uplifted and less alone. I had come full circle in my sales career, and my passion for entertaining, uplifting, supporting, and encouraging others, had only grown stronger over the years. I’ve always been a people person which is why I was always approached by companies worldwide to sell their products, but my truth was that I was an intuitive, and a healer. Not the usual conversation I was used to in the corporate world. I always feel fulfilled when I am being of service and feeling confident in my ability to make a positive difference. After meditating on this, asking how I could be of more use in the world during this difficult time, one day the answer came from my Guardian Angel. “Combine all your skills from Coaching and Corporate relations, with your love of Spirituality, and offer Angel readings for people”. This answer came in the form of a loving but clear, firm voice in my head. It has taken me years to trust this voice and decipher when it’s me talking versus when it’s coming from a higher power. For many years I had been connecting with, and guided by the angels, and even though I didn’t discuss this with anyone, it always brought me the exact answers I needed, together with a feeling of freedom, and relief, and belief. So I decided to trust this idea and post my offering on Facebook - FREE ANGEL READINGS FOR 6 WEEKS, not fully knowing if I could do this for others, especially people that I had never even met, but I believed in what I was feeling and I trusted the idea that had come to me. Soon people from around the globe were messaging me. They needed hope, direction, inspiration, inner peace, calm, faith, and more joy in their lives. Questions about relationships, finances, purpose, next steps, direction, career, health, self-confidence, self-belief, etc., were all surfacing. I was being called to be the intuitive channel for the Angels’ messages, and with my intuition and insights, sharing the answers from the oracle cards. Each time, the messages were crystal clear and the person left feeling greatly uplifted and at peace. I was delighted and incredibly grateful that I could make a positive difference in this way. Around this time I also started offering my Living Magically Workshops online via Zoom, which was also introducing many people to their healing team of Angels. During one of my Facebook Lives where I regularly talk about the Angels and share messages, I caught the attention of a successful business owner in Sabbioneta, Italy (Jo Wiehler), who then reached out and offered me to run my Living Magically retreat in June 2022, in her beautiful property which had previously been used (pre-COVID) for artists’ retreats. We collaborated and have since brought in 31 different thought leaders, healers, artists, and coaches from around the world, now named the Powerball Team. I am repeatedly blown away by the messages that come through during the Angel/Oracle card readings. The angels always give the person the exact message they need to hear at that moment. My clients are constantly sharing the most wonderful testimonials that are incredibly humbling, and I have been able to share these globally, online, which has led to the MADDIE SPARKLES brand and website having a much bigger platform than I ever thought possible. I am growing all the time, and introducing new Oracle decks. I started with 2 decks of cards and now I have 43! From my personal experience of healing myself by listening to the guidance of the angels, including following the voice of my own Guardian Angel, I began offering this help to others combining my professional Transformational Empowerment coaching skills, with Angel/Oracle card readings, as a result of a positive pivot from the Pandemic. I am deeply grateful to share that I now I have hundreds of clients worldwide who know of, and trust in their own Guardian Angel, and nothing makes me happier! Here are my 3 Tips for you to connect with your Guardian Angel: 1. Get Clear About the Help You Desire: Make a list of your most pressing questions for example: "What do I need to do in order to move forward?" "What is my next step?" "Am I on the right path?" 2. Open Your Mind and Increase Your Awareness: Communication with your Angels comes in the forms of communication like sounds, sights, feelings, and a sense of knowing, etc. Remain alert for any recurring numbers that show up (eg4:44pm or 444 on a license plate, $444 in your bank account, etc.), or white feathers or a song on the radio that has the exact lyric you needed to hear at that moment. These are signs the Angels are communicating with you. 3. Allow Yourself to Receive Without Judgment: Get out of your own way. Don’t listen to your ego that tells you this is just your imagination. Be open to receive the loving words and soulful messages from your Guardian Angel. Just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not there to help you. You must ask for its help however because it won’t intervene without your permission. For more information on Angel readings and the Living Magically retreats in Sabbioneta, Italy next summer please check out www.maddiesparkles.com Follow Maddie on Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin. Madeleine P. Wober, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Madeleine P Wober (aka Maddie Sparkles, America’s Scottish Sparkle) delivers Sage Wisdom with Childlike Enthusiasm connecting people to their Internal Light (& Guardian Angels). After three decades of medical setbacks including severe anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and suicidal thoughts in her 20’s, Ovarian Cancer in her 30’s and diagnosed with MS in her 40’s, she helps others to release their fears and step into their power so they can live a truly magical life by seeing the silver linings around every seeming obstacle and feeling divinely guided. Maddie Sparkles, an Intuitive Healer (working with the angels & spirit guides ), Voice Actor, Inspirational Poet & Transformational Empowerment Coach, illuminates the path of living magically. She runs Living Magically Retreats globally, has a vibrant, Facebook community and offers Angel & Oracle card readings for healing in any area of your life. She has been featured on ABC10 YCL, NBC BLOOM TV, FOX 24, Ticker News Australia, The Red Corner Show South Africa, Authority Magazine, Thrive Global, The Red Blazer Book, Various Podcasts & Radio.

Written by: Shirine McRae-Freeman , 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. When I entered the borders of the United States of America in my early twenties, I saw only dreams and possibilities. Imagine growing up in a Christian home where your parents raised you to be a citizen of substance in this world. Years later you’re being proposed to by this wonderful man. You got married and life instantly felt like a gentle Caribbean breeze. Gradually, that gentle breeze began to feel like tornados. You’re hit in every angle with words, actions, and hurtful confessions. You’re in a strange country, getting a divorce. You also must wake up every day and figure it out. That was my life. One day I came home and he was gone, forever. I stood there looking at the empty space and thought to myself, “One day I will rebuild.” I felt rejected, guilt, ashamed, and very confused. Though it was a very challenging season for me, my drive to push against the odds later produced a courageous woman. How I did it? 1. Remember Though emotions may be running wild it’s important to keep in mind that you are worthy. It happened to you and in some cases, it happened for you but your value as a woman hasn’t decreased. The courageous, intelligent, and beautiful woman before divorce still lives within you. Don’t lose sight of her because you’re in a season of grief. She is worthy of love, stability, and success. 2. Rebuild Now that your financial flow is flowing differently creating a budget is essential. Yes, you deserve the best but let’s keep it real, building back will demand discipline. Living within your means entails, revisiting your ability to eat out as often as you do, go on vacations and shopping shoes. Let’s make sure the payment for your new living arrangement is covered. While you’re at it lets add car note, insurance, and groceries to the budget. Paying down or paying off your credit cards and loans are also encouraged. Keeping up with our spending habits will help us with structure as we rebuild. 3. Reconnect During this season of your life focusing on the kids and everyone else affected may consume you. Allow yourself to feel, process those emotions then respond. It’s ok to seek the help of a coach or therapist to help you process your feelings. Put you on your schedule. Take long baths, light that candle you’ve been saving for that special occasion, go back to school. Reconnect with yourself, family, and friends in a deeper way. As you build meaningful connections, you’ll discover that this world is waiting on your arrival. I persevered and created the future I wanted and educated myself in areas I wanted to excel. This is a country where one’s dreams can be realized but as an immigrant woman who encountered a divorce, I had to be the driver of my destiny. At one point or another, I had no money, car or a job. Knowing that faith without works is dead I couldn’t pray and sit by but did the internal and external work. From divorced, rejected, and ashamed to becoming a published author, CEO, Speaker and Holistic Coach who help women regain control over their lives after divorce so that they can be empowered to experience freedom, healing and transformation. Follow Shirine on Facebook, Instagram, and visit her website for more info! Shirine McRae-Freeman, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Shirine McRae-Freeman is a published author, speaker, holistic coach, and works in the financial industry. After experiencing a divorce that caused her to lose control of her finances, relationships, and spirituality, Shirine created strategies to help women regain control over their lives after divorce so that they can be empowered to experience freedom, healing, and transformation. She is the CEO of Freeman Transformation Academy, LLC. A company created to provide women with the tools and resources needed to uncover a life of wealth and authenticity through coaching, books, courses, and events. Shirine is the author of "She Wears her Crown." A 31 days women's devotional.

Written by: Magnus Ernegård , 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. So, now you decided to take on some external equity capital, and there are interests from a couple of investors. You have done the due diligence on the Business Angels in question, and you feel it is a good fit. You also defined exact amounts and when you need them, and how you will use the money. Further, you made an in-depth future funding rounds planning, which, of course, aligns with your financial plan, growth strategy, marketing, and selling expenses and is also in line with the team-building. Additionally, you completed a thorough and well-structured risk analysis with mitigation activities if not reaching your milestones, revenue, and profitability. You are now on a good way on the journey to be investment-ready with your startup. Well done so far! Now you should prepare for the big thing – to agree on a Pre-money valuation of your Startup with the investors. The investors will most likely select the valuation method/-s that is/are favouring them and most likely the one with a lower valuation outcome. So, be well-prepared and be aware of how all methods and models function and how you came to the assumptions, prerequisites, and other input and factors to the various techniques. First of all, there are no exact formulas for determining early-stage valuations. And there are far more than the dozen methods as below to value an early-stage venture. The three at the top are perhaps the most common ones. In this relatively short article, we will not go through and present all the variants of methods and how to calculate and do a valuation. There are numerous books, guides, academic reports, excel models on the web, and other literature explaining the different methods and their pros and cons. What we at BridgeToAngels do when assessing the Startup's valuation is by using a developed mix or rather a hybrid of several valuation methods, which usually ends up with a viable rough estimate we then have as the ground? We begin with comparing your Startup to other Startups that have already closed a funding round and got a pre-money valuation or made an exit. The ambition is to look for similar ventures with the same stage of development, similar team, founder's experience, similar market segment, and customer traction, similar technology and offering, and in the same area or country or city. It is, of course, a challenge to get a list of lots of ventures similar to your Startup in relatively more minor markets like the Nordic countries. If you don't find many or any ventures matching your Startup locally, try then international databases and platforms from Business Intelligence companies where you likely will be able to compare your Startup. There are many choices, from the less expensive Crunchbase and the newly re-launched Mattermark, PitchBook, or Tracxn to the highly-priced and comprehensive CB Insights or from other BI-players. You could then either sign up for the service yourself through a subscription plan directly with the BI providers and be prepared to pay a pretty high fee, of course, depending on the magnitude and quantity of information you will get. Or, you can use a Startup support provider if you only are going to use the data more occasionally and together can dissect, elaborate on, and structure. In any case, you must have a good grip on the potential competitors' valuation, funding successes, and who the investors are, and analyse industry trends? You will then be able to quickly take action on signals in the market, have confidence, and show credibility when discussing with your investors and your team. The relative- or comparison valuation methods, which outcome can vary significantly from year to year, are as mentioned based on finding an average value in an industry by comparing similar ventures and then using that average to determine a relative value. If the industry, your competing ventures, or your Startup has experienced a year of unusual circumstances, the relative valuation must be accounted for. So, it is essential to understand the figures behind the comparable ventures in detail if the multiples varies a lot. We see, though, that some comparison factors have relatively little impact on the valuation result. But, other stages of development and market traction have a significant effect. So, if you find a good comparison where most of the factors match, we recommend you adjust the valuation up or down to compensate for the difference. Before defending your valuation with the potential Angel investors, try to make and calculate as many valuation methods as possible. You could then pick and include the ones you feel are the most reasonable methods. You will, by that, be able to make well-structured reasoning about the similarities between your Startup and the respective ventures and how you came to the Pre-money. Or rather acceptable price ranges of what the valuation is for similar ventures at particular stages. Your well-argued and well-substantiated valuation proposals will then impress the potential Business Angels! Market expectations The valuation is, of course, the value that the market can bear. So, the valuation is what the investor is willing to pay, given the risk profile and the Startup stage. We try to give the entrepreneurs as much guidance as possible based on our and our partners' experience, what investors are looking for and what we think they are willing to invest. Together with our analysis, we collect information from various Angel organizations and VC firms and other investors at any given time to try to find out the market expectations on every deal. Without doing a proper business valuation before a negotiation, you risk either starting from a too high price and scaring away potential buyers or starting from a too low price and risking being underpaid. Both situations are bad for you as a Startup founder so, you must focus on realistic expectations in your forecasts to make the valuation as accurate and realistic as possible. There are also several benefits to do a business valuation on an ongoing basis. Knowing the value of your Startup at an early stage can affect its future value. Different factors are to be considered when you are evaluating your Startup. A couple of factors that will affect the valuation are as mentioned expectations about the venture's future revenues and financial results, whether your Startup changes the rules of the game in an existing market, competitive advantages and the founders' previous experiences and successes as entrepreneurs. Be aware of the factors that can lower the valuation, like low margins, high competition, and management with limited experience. So, prepare for a discussion with your potential investors. To increase your Startup's valuation before the funding round. Make sure your Startup stands out. So, how do you increase the value of your business at an upcoming funding round? As earlier you start to follow the value development in your company, the more excellent the opportunity you have to influence the venture's value. So, it is a good reason for you to do your Startup valuation at least annually to discover areas for improvement. Subject to what stage you are in your Startup- and fundraising journey, you should focus on steps and activities to increase the value of your venture. Some suggestions are making scalability visible in the venture, further developing areas that provide: Competitive advantages. Raising the prices of your products and services. Reducing the cost per unit. By, for example, increasing the repurchase frequency of your existing customers, costs will go down, and productivity will increase. Also, keeping key people on board is a good strategy because they provide stability and invaluable knowledge stays in your Startup. As mentioned, from a pure valuation perspective, the most critical issues are recurring income, profitability, and growth. Logically, investors are willing to pay more if they see profits increase, showing a more stable and profitable future. Be sure to align your actions with your value-creating goals, implement changes by assigning the tasks to the most suitable people in your Startup. But, do not put all your energy into emphasizing as high a value as possible, but show that your main focus is on reducing the risk in your Startup by delivering valuable achievements. So, to sum it up. By doing continuous valuations on your Startup, it should be possible for you to follow the value development and see the effects of your work to make your Startup more valued. An in-depth understanding of all possible valuation methods and their outcome for your Startup is crucial. Feeling well prepared about your investment readiness helps increase your confidence when discussing items like below with the Business Angels (and VCs). There is a clear and compelling value proposition: You solve the customer's real problem and show a market demand. There is an exciting investment opportunity: You have attractive and credible financial prospects with exit potential. There is a market opportunity: You have a defined target market that is large and growing. There is an executing capability: Your team is "hungry" and has high ambition with a strong willingness to carry through. You also have a solid go-to-market and growth strategy with scalable potential and a firm understanding of identifying, managing, and mitigating risk. There is a competitive advantage: You have a superior and solid value proposition that can protect against competitors and create an attractive position for your Startup. There is a great team: You are a committed team that have relevant domain knowledge and a strong track record. To demonstrate investment readiness is about ensuring that investors' expectations are met and that your Startup possesses the most important drivers of the venture's success. You should have a robust, validated route to generating the financials (with or without ESG parameters), and that you have a good understanding of the values, interests, and expectations of the potential Business Angels. There has been a growing acceptance from the investors of virtual meetings and investment web forums during the pandemic's last 1 to 1,5 years. It means there is and continues to be many more potential Business Angels out there looking for an increase in deal flow. With a good selection of international early-stage investors with whom you might get access and build relationships, this could give you additional knowledge and perhaps financing, so use your network! Finally, be sure to get the latest status regarding the Business Angels' current portfolios and where they previously have invested and in which ventures, industries, ticket sizes, business models, investment stages, and geographical areas. If there is an Angel Syndicate, make sure to know not only the lead investor but all players in the Syndicate because you will and should communicate with all of them during your Startup journey. So, until next time, keep on Starting up! Follow me on Link edIn , or visit my website for more info! Read more from Magnus! Magnus Ernegård, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Magnus Ernegård has over 30 years of senior management experience from different industries in multinational industrial companies in various countries. Background in CEO positions, CFO, management consultant, production, business development, innovation, corporate governance, and entrepreneurship. Further, he has, over the years, gained Board and Chairman experiences from Boards within the Automotive, Logistics, IT Consulting, and Textile industries. Today, he is the owner and founder of the Startup support provider company BridgeToAngels based in Sweden and Denmark. Magnus has a proven track record in starting/developing businesses, company split, corporate exits, and organizational effectiveness. Magnus also serves as Advisory Council Member of Gerson Lehrman Group. He holds an MSc from the University of Lund, Sweden.

Written by: Ira Correia , 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 brand is what other people say about you when you're not in the room." Jeff Bezos We have all experienced the power of a company's brand. We know that we make decisions drastically different depending on how we perceive the brands involved in the process. Brands aren't just for companies. As a professional, your personal brand is what you are known for, whether you actively crafted it or not. A company's brand reflects its identity and reputation, the values it embraces, and how it serves its audience. Successful brands have become valuable financial assets in their own right, elevating a business's value higher than the sum of its other parts, products, and services. What is most interesting about brands is that they bypass the logical assessment process in the consumer's mind, directly impacting the decisions that result from such processes. As a result, they influence what we do, how we feel, and even our own identity. Personal Professional Brands Your professional brand is the sum of your personal and professional attributes left as impressions in the mind of anyone you have dealt with, met, negotiated with, employed by, or reported to in your professional life. Personal brands are thus the result of all you have been, done, achieved, and experienced. Something to think about, isn't it? Think of a few people in your work context and define them in two to three words. You may find that you can succinctly summarize their entire career in a few adjectives. Like companies brands, your own professional brand should be perceived as a valuable asset that can work for you, propelling your professional advancement and opening doors to opportunities you might not even be actively seeking. But, likewise, it can also harm you and prevent you from achieving your career goals. Furthermore, personal brands have become indispensables in today's era, where networking is one of the most valuable tools assisting career growth and opportunities. They practically represent your business card in today's interconnected world. Create and Make Your Brand Work For You Be Strategic and Intentional Careers are too important, time-bound, and impactful for us to afford to "go with the flow." Accomplished professionals are behind the wheels of their careers at all times, as they strategically plan and manage every aspect of it on their way to the top. A bird's eye view of your professional life makes it easier to make strategic plans or adjustments and reverse engineer their execution. Be fully aware of who you are as a person and what matters most to you. Then, decide what you want to achieve in your professional life and articulate what you want to be known for in a few words. Align your EQ with your Brand Most corporate drama and career-ends can be solely attributed to people having difficulty managing themselves at work. Learning to control your emotions enables you to manage any personal aspects that could negatively impact your career. Adjust your psychology, behaviors, attitudes, values, and beliefs to fit your professional brand and goals. Be Open to Learning and Change The world is changing at an alarmingly fast rate. What might have been appropriate yesterday will probably change sooner than we expect. What has brought you here is not what will take you to your next level. Just as company brands evolve over time, so should yours. Likewise, your personal brand should reflect the evolution of the context around you. Being open to new and never-ending learning is the new norm and has become an essential element of continuous growth. When we take a strategic approach towards our careers and have a relentless focus on carefully executing our goals, we remain objective, professional and take things less personally. Like successful companies and professionals, you too can use your personal professional brand's power to consistently advance your career and achieve your professional goals. Creating or updating your brand is as simple as being aware of the unique emotional and professional characteristics that make up who you want to become and aligning yourself with it. Follow me on Linke dIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Ira! Ira Correia, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Ira is the Founder of Evolucentric, a Coaching, Consulting, Training & Development start-up based in Singapore, with the mission to Empower Mindsets, Develop Skillsets, Revamp Strategies & Tools for Personal, Financial & Business Success. She is passionately driven by the belief that our lives are meant to reflect the highest expression of ourselves. Ira is an Entrepreneur, Real Estate Investor & Financial Trader. She is an ICF Accredited NLP Master Practioner, Professional Member of The Association of NLP and The Association for Coaching. She holds degrees in Neuropsychology, Finance & a Master’s Degree in International Management.

Written by: Dr. Dusya Lyubovskaya, 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. When I work with female entrepreneurs and talk about inner child healing, most women applaud me for doing such important work. However, I always hear the question, “How does that benefit me in my business?” The reason I specialize in inner child healing is that when you heal your inner child, you are more open to accessing your intuition. Doing inner child healing also helps with accessing your higher self which is affected by your intuition as well as channeling your guides. I hear a lot of entrepreneurs confused about why they can’t hear clearly their higher self or why they cannot get a clear answer about who their guides are. When we are children, we can sense when somebody is being honest with us, is being genuine, we can trust that person. Some of us went to kindergarten and when we enter the classroom or even start school, we enter the classroom and we feel yucky all of a sudden! We cry or complain of stomachache because something is off and we can’t really explain what is happening. When our parents or other adults looked at us, either they would realize that we are scared or they would think we are “overreacting“ or being silly“ After being ridiculed about our intuition or gut feeling ( if you will ), we ignore the warning signs growing up and mentally say to ourselves “don’t be dramatic“. This mindset stays with us throughout our youth and into our adulthood. This is one of the reasons we make bad choices when dating, friendships, career and or business relations. This is also the reason why we doubt ourselves, the current relationship we are in, job or business relationships. When we choose what to look out for when working with a potential client, we try to focus on what is relevant, however sometimes the client turns out to be a jerk ( I have to be honest here ). When we know how to trust our intuition, we are able to detect red flags and make better choices as well as decide about the pros and cons and if a work relationship could be possible. Follow Dr. Dusya on her Faceb ook , YouTube Channel , or visit her website for more info! Read more from Dr. Dusya! Dr. Dusya Lyubovskaya, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Dr. Dusya Lyubovskaya is a leader of ancient holistic modalities. After growing up with an abusive father, her trauma caused her to develop health issues that doctors could clear diagnose. Although Dusya has been passionate about science since her youth, she went into the medical field because she had to be the breadwinner at an early age but never gave up her dream of going into science. During her work taking care of patients, she realized there was more than western medicine could offer. However, she felt she was running into walls. Dusya took care of both of her parents, who died from terminal cancer, and knew that she could at least ease their suffering with the holistic modalities she learned about growing up. After her mother’s passing in 2014, she discovered meditation and Reiki, and a brand new world opened to her full of opportunities! She got trained in reiki, and after a year, she was encouraged by many clients to get paid because she appeared to be very talented. She would perform energy healing on and off on the side, and in 2018 with additional training, became a holistic life as her clients around the world greatly appreciated her positive energy and experience. Dusya has also evolved in her medical career and started speaking for health care agencies as well as government agencies seeking her advice and expertise. Dusya discovered that many chronic health issues in her clients were caused by trauma so she used her western medicine knowing combined with ancient healing modalities and has been very successful. Meanwhile, Dusya has expanded to helping entrepreneurs who struggle to make more than 5k by helping them increase their money mindset and helping them get unstuck by helping them with inner child soul retrieval and helping them reconnect with their inner child as every issue we face as adults is affected by what we learned as children.

Written by: Gina Redzanic, 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. About 3 years ago I was on an incentive trip in the Bahamas with my family. My daughters had just turned 7 and 10 a few weeks prior to our trip. My company spoiled us at the Baha Mar Resort, and my girls could not have been any more excited to kick off their summer. At the resort, there was a really cool man-made rock wall where people could go to the top and jump off into the pool. It was quite high and from the top, you could see the crystal blue ocean just beyond the pool. My daughters watched as so many adults and children went to the top and jumped off. They were excited to try it! But my youngest daughter, Avery, got really scared. She went up several times that first day, stood at the edge for a few seconds, then turned back and said, “I can’t do it!” Her older sister went with her, I went with her, my husband went with her… and each time she turned away. This went on for hours! She said, “I will try one more time!” She climbed up, and at this point, several guests had witnessed this all day, one asked me her name. He yelled, “You can do it Avery!” We all chanted her name, cheering her on… but once again fear took over and she turned away. The next day, she set out again to try and make this scary jump. And once again she tried several times and backed down. Then I saw her in line to try yet again, and the lifeguard was talking to her. We watched as it was her turn only this time she ran and jumped! She did it!!! We were so happy! I asked her what was different this time. Avery said, “The lifeguard told me not to look at the drop and not to focus on how high up I was, she told me to look straight out to the ocean and just jump without thinking about it.” Avery ended up jumping off that rock about a hundred more times during our stay there. She had the time of her life and felt so very proud of herself. How many times in life have you cowered back in fear? When we take an opportunity and “overthink” it to death, we end up filling our minds with fear. Just like looking down at how far the drop is off a tall jump, we look at how difficult the climb of our success may be. We pause and contemplate it, often we do this way too much. Sadly, the fear takes over and many people allow that to stop them from pursuing greatness. We all feel the fear, it is part of the journey, but the key is to feel the fear, and take the leap anyway! If you are someone looking for leveraged income online and to be a part of a strong network marketing organization with strong mentorship and leadership, I would love to connect. Visit www.ginaredzanic. com . Follow me on Facebo ok , Instagram , LinkedIn , or visit my website for more info! Read more from G ina ! Gina Redzanic, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Gina Redzanic is a self-made network marketing millionaire, Success Coach, and John Maxwell Certified Speaker and Trainer specializing in Leadership Development. As a busy mom of 2 daughters, Gina balances motherhood and her career through many of the habits and practices she teaches her clients and team. Gina has been featured on Yahoo! Finance, named Top 10 Leadership Coaches in Influencive, and is a contributing author in the best-selling network marketing book series, Momentum Makers. Gina is God-driven and Goal-driven and uses personal development techniques to help others break down their business blocks, take control of their future, and reach success without the presence of "burnout."

Written by: Charmie Torres, 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. Gender, culture, and racial biases have always been hot topics in human resources management. But the biggest and often the most problematic type of prejudice we face is partiality when it comes to age. We often gauge applicants based on age. And for many countries, this has become a major challenge. The magic age where age-related discrimination has been reported are those between 47 to 74. This age group is considered less able to adapt, less inclined to learn with younger colleagues, and less proficient. While there is some grain of truth about teaching old dogs new tricks, there is something to be had from older workers too. We know that mental capacity declines after the age of 30. But the main predictors of job performance, expertise/experience, and knowledge continue even beyond the age of 70. Now think about how team output can be maximized if we increase cognitive diversity. What happens when people who bring different abilities, experiences, and skillsets to the table work in an orchestrated fashion? There is something to be had from someone who has been part of the workforce for 20, 30, or even 40 years. 5 actions you can take as an employer 1. Offer mentor roles Give your older workers mentor, supervisory, or managerial roles. This allows them to share and put their expertise to use. 2. Be inclusive Prep your recruiters, as well as the younger set in your organization. Many older workers complain about exclusion in the workplace. It's an illegal practice that can result in legal action. Instead, teach your team members (as well as recruiters) not to discriminate based on age. Most important, coach both the older and younger set with bias management. There will definitely be a generation gap. But managing it by issuing guidelines on what to avoid (banter on politics, religion, sexual identity, etc), can foster better communication. 3. Let them contribute Let the older people contribute their expertise. You need not offer higher pay. Giving older people the appropriate title and role (that match their experience and skillset) allows them to freely share their field of expertise. 4. Accommodate! Offer accessible work areas (for instance, larger fonts on labels) and other productivity tools that can accommodate their needs. 5. Consider level Consider level, not tenure, when it comes to pay. Unless the older person has more experience and skills that translate to a measurable value for the company, be comfortable giving less money to an older person if they’re new to the job. Conclusion Retirement doesn’t diminish a person’s desire to work. I’ve met many retirees who are quite driven. If you’re able to create a fair, inclusive, and fulfilling environment for your team members, brace yourself for innovation, clear engagement, and measurable gains in the long run. For more information, visit my website and follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn! Read more from Charmie! Charmie Torres, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Charmie Torres is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Löngun, a business process outsourcing company. Löngun was conceived in 2018 in response to clients who needed more than accounting services. Born and raised in the Philippines and studied in one of the top universities in the UK, Charm aims to bridge both worlds to develop a diverse work culture and environment. “It was a knee-jerk reaction to offer administrative, virtual assistance, and graphic design services as well because this is what many of our customers needed to grow their ventures.” With a team of well-rounded and experienced professionals (a motley crew of accountants, customer service professionals, technical experts, graphic artists, and administrative personnel), Löngun’s mission is to help business owners focus on scaling their business by taking care of the company’s non-core activities and streamline their workflow. Also, serve as a catalyst for her Filipino employees to reach their fullest potential.