Written by: Dr. Denise L. Morrison, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Do you then feel guilty, ashamed, or defeated after you do? Have you lost a lot of your mental and physical energy thinking about food, shopping, planning, cooking, calorie counting, etc.? Wouldn’t it feel amazing to give yourself permission to eat the foods that you enjoy and feel okay afterward? Time after time I hear from my clients that they have lost touch with their reasons to eat. When they have been restricting their food intake or going overboard, they lose touch with how to behave “normally” around food. If they aren’t exercising their “guilty” calories away, they cannot stand to be in their own skin. Even when they allow themselves a treat, they punish themselves. During our coaching sessions, we dive deep into why, when, and how their connections with emotions and food began because that knowledge changes everything! Seeing and feeling the possibility to give themselves permission to know that eating food can feel fantastic! Eating foods that you love, having a drink of something that brings you pleasure is all part of life! Eating with friends at your favorite restaurant or going to a party while being confident that you can enjoy a little bite of this or a little bite of that is actually okay. That’s what we Coaches call Food Freedom. For those folks who have never suffered from binge, overeating, restrictive, or deprivation habits, they eat when they are hungry, stop when they are full and they place NO meaning on their behaviors, the food, or the circumstances surrounding a meal. When I met my husband, I thought he was a weirdo because he was like that!! I was so conditioned by my Dad to eat my emotions until I was a big bloated numbed-out blob. Thankfully, I retrained and reprogrammed my entire relationship with food and now I can join my husband for a meal without all of the guilt, shame, fear, and physical symptoms that I had lived with for over 30 years! Are you ready to reframe your relationship to eating, exercising, and living? I invite you to take the time to: Check-in with yourself to notice which emotions/situations/people/memories trigger you to eat. Stop and listen to what you are saying to yourself about that emotion and how it prompts you to reach for food. Pay attention to the meanings that you place on certain foods and let go of labeling foods as “good” or “bad”. Are you willing to eat without having to bargain with yourself; i.e., “If I eat a bag of chips now, I promise I will diet all week or If I eat these carbs today, I must go to the gym 5 times to get rid of it”. Eat a meal that you really enjoy when you are physically hungry and allow your body (not your head) to tell you how it feels to eat that food and when to stop eating. Trust that you can create a habit with this new cycle of intuitive eating that will help you be successful at the next meal, the next meal, and so on. I am curious to hear if any of these steps would be difficult for you. And if you are tired of the mental and emotional struggles with eating, please know that I am here to help you change the habits that do not serve you and create a new relationship with yourself, your food, and finally feel free to eat whatever you want! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or visit my website for more info! Read more from Denise! Dr. Denise L. Morrison, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Denise Morrison is the CEO of Intuitively Unique Coaching, her Holistic Brand of Health/Life Coaching. She struggled for decades to overcome traumatic experiences from her own past. She compensated for her lack of confidence with degrees and professional success. She numbed her pain with addictive eating and self-abusive behaviors. And when she finally turned to the right teachers and coaches, she learned that change does not need to take decades. Change can actually be instantaneous. And change can be lasting. After working for many years in healthcare, Denise felt a pull and a passion for working with people on a deeper and more transformational level. Her academic mind was drawn to the evidence-based nutrition and exercise practices, but she was also compelled by the more mystical therapies emerging from neuroscience and quantum healing. Denise sought out the best training in health and wellness, life coaching, and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) to have access to the most powerful tools to help others change their lives for the better.

Written by: Louisa Havers, 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 money is just energy? It really is! There’s an endless supply of it too. Think about that statement for a second. It’s exciting! It opens up a world of possibilities. So, why is it that some people seem to attract it effortlessly whilst others remain stuck on a certain amount? The answer may surprise you. It all starts in the mind. It’s an inside job! Realign your thinking, and you’ll move effortlessly onto the wealth super-highway. In short, if you’re experiencing a work plateau or haven’t yet broken through your next upper-income level, it’s time to examine and refresh your attitude and approach to money. This means tackling our ‘monkey mind.’ It uses every trick in the book to keep us stuck in the now – our current default set point – because this is where we feel safest. So, our current situation reflects our present wealth mindset. The two go hand-in-hand. But change one, change the other. That’s all very well, and I hear you say, "it’s a simple thing to talk about shifting thought patterns, but harder to actually do." You may ask if such a thing is even possible! I’m here to tell you it most certainly is, AND that releasing limiting beliefs and behaviors is far easier than you might think. Money mastery is something I’ve enabled my clients to acquire successfully for years. Using a unique Energy Kinesiology technique, releasing long-held restrictive mindsets that no longer serve is both straightforward and speedy, delivering astonishing results. Read on to find out why. What you believe, you attract. Learned patterns, behaviors, and beliefs around money mostly lie in our subconscious. And, herein lies the rub. These are often the biggest stumbling blocks to our prosperity; they’re a source of great resistance, yet we don’t know we even have them. Where do they come from? Money is inextricably interwoven across our whole life story. It’s reflected in everything around us – from where we live, its impact on family and friends, to what we wear, eat and do. This marks our minds indelibly, from the earliest age. It’s also intertwined into our very DNA, thanks to generational imprinting. It means we’ve absorbed an astonishing number of subliminal stories around money. These can, when run unwittingly, hold us back from our true potential because they ascribe certain meanings to different elements of our money story. And, it’s these meanings we attach to money that change the energy around it. For instance, if we resent the source/s our money comes from, we repel it. Similarly, if we believe making a large amount of money means spending all hours in the office, we block this earning potential. The trick is to root out every hidden thought, then heal and release these buried resistances and fears using Energy Kinesiology. This creates space to align to new, positive mindsets, allowing abundance to flow freely once more. Check your current mindset. I want you to grab a pen and notebook, then think about money – from your earliest memories through to the present. Note down what your parents, teachers, or friends may have told you about money; everything that springs to mind. Don’t judge the thoughts and beliefs that bubble up, just write them down. These will invariably point to the hidden blocks that have been keeping you from achieving your goals. Because, as I’ve discussed before, it’s all about mirrors and magnets (discussed HERE ). What you believe is reflected back at you. So, what exactly is going on in your mind? Here are some common beliefs to examine. How was money handled in your family? My father was incredibly successful and looked after all the family’s money. Could it be that you disliked the financial control he exerted over your mother/you/siblings? Maybe you felt powerless when it came to bringing in money/mastering money? My mother was a really successful businesswoman but never seemed to have enough money. Never seem to have enough, despite being successful, maybe a mirroring pattern you’ve unwittingly adopted. My father loved his business; it was his passion and consumed all his time and energy. You may have developed a belief that your father valued his work but not his family, and you’re afraid of repeating this pattern if you’re too successful. ‘ Either / Or’ and ‘This / That’ Then there are the hidden subconscious beliefs around money and abundance that can only be revealed through muscle testing. They commonly show up as either/or patterns and ‘I can have this or that / not both’. It’s these limiting mindsets that unconsciously repel the very thing we seek. Do any of these resonate? Ask your sway and prepare to be amazed at what you uncover. You can’t be rich AND happy. If I earn more money, I won’t find love; my soulmate might feel threatened by my money. Rich people must choose between making more money or spending time with their families. To achieve what you want, you have to work really, really long hours Impact of society on our beliefs Let’s also look at the programming around how society views the wealthy. They love to hate them! We see this reinforced over and over again in the movies and TV programmes we watch, in the newspapers, and in the books we read. What has your subconscious learned from this? Rich people get attacked for having money. People judge rich people. Rich people are selfish and do bad things. Rich people deserve the bad things that happen to them. Letting go of resistant energy Beliefs like these keep you from achieving long-cherished goals, and it’s why your wealth set point could benefit from a spring clean using my Energy Kinesiology method. Releasing restrictive, misaligned beliefs from your subconscious frees up space to raise your vibrational energy and re-align to attracting the wealth you desire. In fact, there’s no limit to what’s achievable. All that’s required is an open mind, a willingness to look deeply into yourself, and the courage to take that first step. Of course, this is just the tip of the exhilarating manifesting iceberg. If you’d like to find out more about how to use advanced manifesting techniques, so your energy does the heavy lifting whilst you take the aligned action to attract all you desire (and more!), then why not sign up to my next FREE , 5-day masterclass. It could be the 5 days that change your life. For more info, follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn and visit my websi te ! Read more from Louisa! Louisa Havers, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Louisa Havers is an internationally renowned Master Transformational Coach, Master Manifesting teacher, Master Akashic Records teacher (Soul Journeys® Method), and business mentor. She enables high achievers and coaches to unlock their superpowers, turbo-charge soul-aligned magnetism, and "lift the ceiling" in both their lives and businesses. It’s a journey Louisa knows works as she’s personally undertaken it. Years spent leading change in the highly pressurized and stressful social services sector led to shingles and chronic fatigue, compelling her to break free from the corporate matrix of overwork. It was the first step to creating her own life of freedom and dream business income. Louisa enables clients across the globe to activate quantum leaps to success in their journey to fulfillment, self-love, and a six / seven-figure income. Daring to live your life’s purpose is genuinely possible under Louisa’s loving, powerful and insightful guidance.

Leandre Larouche is an author, speaker, and writing consultant based in Toronto, Canada. He is the author of Hétérochrome (2017) and three upcoming nonfiction books, Write a Book That Matters, Architecture of Grammar, and The End of Nonsense, all of which are scheduled to come out in 2021. Though he grew up in French in Saguenay, Québec, Leandre has been writing in English for the better part of the last decade. He studied English literature and professional writing at Concordia University, where he also worked as a writing assistant and developed a unique writing methodology. Léandre Larouche was a 2019-2020 Fulbright fellow at Lycoming College in Williamsport, PA. Upon coming back to Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic, he founded Trivium Writing Inc., a consulting agency that helps thinkers get their wisdom out in a book through innovative writing frameworks. Leandre Larouche, Author, Speaker, and Writing Consultant Who is Léandre? The first thing I should mention is that I’m Canadian. Not any type of Canadian, though—I’m French-Canadian. That’s actually an important detail because I dedicated my life to the English language, and it’s not the language I was raised in. In fact, my parents still speak very little English to this day. I grew up in La Baie, Quebec, and from early on, I wanted to move away. I moved around Canada, England, and the U.S., and I finally landed in Toronto, where I am now based. I’m a city person; I love large cities that have good nightlife as well as a good coffee and restaurant scene. I’m obsessed with brunch and coffee. My perfect day involves good food, good coffee, good books, and a walk with a nice view. What is it that you do for your clients? I help them polish their ideas and engineer their book to make these ideas shine. In other words, I find their gold, polish it, and package it nicely for them. The reality is that most people are unaware of where their true value lies. The image we have of ourselves is rarely the one other people have of us. It helps tremendously to work with someone who is creative and business savvy to create an unforgettable book. What are the three biggest mistakes people make when writing books? The first and most important mistake I see people make is that they’re not researching their angle well enough. The truth is, anyone can rehash a generic book and publish it on Amazon, but if you want a competitive advantage, your book needs to be fresh. You need to know how it fits in the book market. The second mistake I see people make is overcomplicating the process. At any point in time, there’s only one book you should be writing—not two, not three. This leads us to the third mistake, which is to confuse readers by talking about too many different things in one book. Simplicity always beats complexity. Who should hire/work with you? Growth-minded professionals and businesspeople who want to use a book to grow their business and brand or leave a legacy. I work with people who want to put out the best book they can in the shortest amount of time possible. My clients are altruistic go-getters; they want the best for themselves and for their clients. They have a lot of knowledge, insights, and ideas to offer; they want to do justice to their life’s work. What are you passionate about and what do you write about in your free time? I love everything related to business, politics, personal development, and philosophy. I’m a voracious reader, and I love to gain more knowledge. I’m obsessed with philosophy, especially with the questions of how we live the good life and how we create a just society. Because of that, I write about politics and personal development. One of my personal goals is to make people more aware of the relationship between the two and to teach them how to use these concepts productively. What is your big goal? Where do you see yourself 10 years from now? My goal is to run the world’s biggest company dedicated to writing and to bring about a cultural shift. For too long we’ve treated writing as unimportant and we’ve taught in boring, impractical ways. It’s time to bring writing back to the spotlight and to make it sexy. Writing is one of the most powerful skills in the world, and we can all benefit from what writing does to us and to other people. I also want to build a non-profit organization that serves marginalized demographics and helps them by offering free writing resources.

Written by: 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. A few weeks ago a boutique owner from Alabama reached out to me for a remote session of Reiki/Energy Healing. She has a busy boutique, however, she was feeling overwhelmed. There were days when she had customers all week and then it would slow down and she was overwhelmed with bookkeeping, meaning she was not sure how to have a balance between advising customers and having time for analyzing the financial part for revenue. During the free consultation that I generally offer, I asked her if she had thought of getting an accountant or bookkeeper so she could focus solely on sales, however, she declined and wanted to keep the bookkeeping and do sales and eventually get an assistant to help with customer service. After the free consultation, I suggested a remote energy healing session to help clear her mind and gain relaxation. I will call her Diane H. During the actual remote energy healing session that lasted 45 minutes, I was able to send energy healing and had a vision of this woman in her boutique running back and forth, welcoming customers, and then running back into her office to take care of the financial part of the business. After the session, Diane H. woke up (she dozed off during the session) and felt relaxed and content. I let her take her time adjusting to being completely awake and understanding her emotions after the session. After a while, Diane realized that she can balance her time between doing the finances and taking care of customers by taking advantage of the days when customer flow is slow and use that time to be in her office and do what is needed for revenue. After three weeks, she contacted me to inform me that she feels more relaxed and her customers noticed how at ease she was when she gave customers her undivided attention. She had more sales and less stress with bookkeeping and plans to get an assistant in the next six months because she really enjoys checking balances. Two weeks later Diane reached out to me again and asked if I could help her husband who has cancer. I agreed and offered to have a phone conversation. Two days later, I was on the phone with her husband Mark H. Mark is in his 50’s and had to retire due to an injury on the job. Mark had cancer in one of his organs last year and was able to recover without complications. He talked about his family overall and the toxic relationships/environment. This year however cancer came back and his doctors wanted to perform a drastic surgery without an explanation that made sense and this surgery would force him to rely on medical equipment for the rest of his life. I listened to his story and what the doctors told him and I had to disagree. Besides that he was not given the opportunity to consult a cancer specialist which was a red flag in itself for me, I have to explain something here. Before I went into holistic practice, I have worked with cancer patients for 10 years at least. I have worked with cancer patients who were at the beginning of their diagnosis, in the middle of their cancer treatment, and terminally ill patients (patients who had only 2 months to live). Drastic surgery, removing an organ is the last resort. When there is no other solution, you remove the affected organ. Cancer is ALWAYS genetic/environmental. Meaning you either have a family member who had cancer and or you are a strong smoker or other toxic environmental factors contribute to you having cancer and removing a part of you is done to save your life otherwise you die. If you had cancer in the past and you recovered without complications, and the cancer is back and again you have a chance of survival by having chemo or equivalent, there is no reason to remove an organ, and more importantly, every doctor knows that is unethical to force a patient to have surgery which is what happened with Mark. Mark wanted to know what I thought about the prognosis and I shared my medical experience with him. Mark had the same notion and did not want surgery. He knew there were alternatives, however, he was not familiar with holistic medicine until his wife introduced him to the world of energy healing. My advice was that he should receive remote crystal healing to unblock his chakras. In the world of Reiki, chakras are the equivalent of your immune system. When you don't take care of your immune system, meaning don't get enough sleep, don't eat healthy, unresolved trauma, or are surrounded by an unhealthy environment, your body starts protesting by getting sick. Your body is your advocate and saying, “This is wrong! Help!“ Crystal healing helps with “unblocking“ your chakras and helping reset your immune system. The next evening, I performed remote crystal healing on Mark. The session took 45 minutes as that is the best time frame for the best results. During the session, I had a vision of Mark on a beach and just relaxing. The next thing that happened was the I saw him surrounded by family and I intuitively sent healing to all the people I saw in the vision. I had an understanding of what the relationship was between him and family members and the crystal healing was addressing every issue in his life. After the session, I called his wife to share my observations. Surprisingly he was listening to ocean waves while I performed crystal healing (I had no idea!) Three days later his wife reached out to me to share that he was improving and that while they talked about his family, it's the first time since their marriage that he talked about his family without resentment! He was completely content and felt so much better after the session. I offered an additional crystal healing session more for cleansing purposes and he agreed and felt better again and his health improved while his wife is becoming more successful in her boutique. His wife was very appreciative of my help and was astounded at how his attitude had even improved after the session. Follow me on Facebook, YouTube Channel, or visit my website for more info! Read more from Dusya! Dusya Lyubovskaya, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine 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: 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. You know how you started a business to have all the independence and freedom you wanted? And at times, you’re frustrated and disappointed, feeling like you’re getting nowhere fast! “Find your niche,” they said, “know your ideal customer,” they said. I mean, you’ve had some success’ for sure, but you still haven’t hit that 'secret recipe' yet! You know, the one that gets the money coming in? It’s not about money for money’s sake; it’s about the freedom the money can give you. Freedom to spend more time with family and loved ones Freedom to travel more (when we can, of course) Freedom to be financially free on your terms, as you do more of your most important work and reach more people with the "value" you bring to them. At times you have found yourself feeling jealous of others who “have it all” together and a twinge of shame that it’s taken you so long to try and get it right. Introducing the BECCA Principle The BECCA Principle has 5 stages that allow you to nail your niche and increase your sales by 20% & faster. Stage 1: “B” is all about Bond – How you can create a deep and psychological bond with your future client, so they trust you! This is where you build the know, like, and trust factor. Being consistent in your communication as you offer genuine value. Your ideal customers want to know if they can trust you. Knowing the answers to their URGENT problems and the most important question will make you the go-to expert to them, resulting in a deeper bond being built. Stage 2: “E” is all about Emotions – How you can tap into your lucrative clients’ emotions on a deeper level that will inspire them to say YES more often. This stage is where you can tap into those specific emotions you know your target market have. Fear, sadness, anger or joy, trust, and anticipation. What emotions do they want to move away from and/or towards? It is often easier to identify the more negative emotions, and it is documented more people will move away from pain than they will towards pleasure. Stage 3: “C” is all about Craft – How to craft your story in a way that creates good feelings in your clients towards you. In this stage using the simple 3 step process to craft a compelling story. The story can be about you, a client or person known to you or someone else. Every story must have: A beginning – The where you/they were before you had the transformation, the emotions felt, the discomfort or uncertainty. A middle –What were the circumstances, environment, and emotions you/they experienced as a result of 1? And the pain they want to move away from. An end – The transformation, where are you/they are now, the emotional contrast. Contrast is one of the best ways to deeply connect with your client. Showing the before and after it us easy to see the tangible results. Your story must relate to your ideal client in a way that they can imagine themselves in it. Stage 4: “C” is all about Core Message – How to build your core message that underpins all you talk about – always! Leaving no doubt what you stand for. This stage is all about getting really clear on what your key message is. What underpins all you talk about? How you help your target market the most? For example: I teach, and I work with successful entrepreneurs and business owners to be laser-focused on their message to attract high-level clients without wasting time, effort, and money on exhausting spray and pray marketing. This means I can talk about video marketing, digital marketing, how to get the right message to the right person at the right time, depending on what the client in front of me specifically needs. You are an expert, so you can talk in-depth about your expertise. Stage 5: “A” is all about Achieving Deep Rapport – How to deepen rapport in a way that your clients see you as just like them and want to buy from you. Deepening rapport will deepen the trust even more. Once you have created the bond and the trust, show up and match your message. Be authentic. Found this article valuable? Click the link below to join me on a FREE webinar: The Top 5 Videos To Use In Your Marketing Now To Attract MORE Clients Online. Begin building that deeper bond and trust with your clients today! 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: Danijella Dragas, 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 evolving leadership challenges of our current global enterprise C Suite executives strongly identify that tomorrow’s emerging leaders will not resemble today. The five “Factors of Leadership” and the implications of Global Think, Technology Savvy, Diversity Appreciation, Open-Source Leadership, and Willingness to Partner. A two-year extraordinary study by Accenture deems that to lead in an era where intellectual capital will be the dominant value of the organization, the skill sets to manage the diverse backgrounds, cultures, and values will be prevalent in the success of these leaders. In addition, mastering your personal self will be a fundamental prerequisite for the successful leadership of others. Globalization has opened up the workforce pool, and that, as wonderful as it seems, challenges the leadership mindset of today from the evolution of the federated mindset, independent organizational structures, and with it, today's integrated world, the challenges of leadership will have to retool to meet them. The trends for global leaders are emerging, and the ability to pivot to meet the challenge is now a daily task for C Suite executives to define the corporate culture, the brand, the mission, and the delivery. Global Think. Think globally while acting locally, knowing your clientele, and being one step ahead of the consumer needs—scalability through global inclusion. Diversity Appreciation. Appreciating and embracing new perspectives and ideas motivate the workforce to feel an inclusive part of the culture, openness to share, and the value that belonging brings in job satisfaction, team building, loyalty, and employee retention. Partnerships and Exponential Growth. Alliances and partnerships should be forged across all departments of the company. A sense of team effort and positivity will be key to blend into a working, well-oiled machine, where one goal is the daily mantra. A trusted open-door policy where the borders of leadership and workforce are smoothly integrated. Technology Development. Human capital must continuously recruit the technology for tomorrow’s world today. The expert technology global workforce will be the number one strategy to identify and capture their ability. This pool of brilliance is the key to the culture of one’s country, the educational skills having been germinated, and the ability to transfer them into the organization. Leadership Without Department Centric Borders. There is a lot to be said for collaboration and the ability to tap into the organizational pool of talent. The perspective change can be an enlightening breath of fresh air, just as an army calls in its regiments to combat a growing resistance force. The organization might take this on positively and adopt the group leadership thinks. Maximizing talent from within is crucial to the success of any organization. Partnerships and mergers, however short, foster an organizational team environment. Workforce Development. Human capital is by far the most important and most expensive decision an organization makes. Develop a strategy to attract and retain. The development of workforce “players” brings many challenges to retaining the talent and keeping competition at bay to recruit. People, Empowerment, and the Mental Game of Ownership. The workforce can be likened to a tribe, a team wearing the corporate colors and feeling fully emersed in pride of ownership. Empower the confidence within the workforce. Allow free flow of thinking and ideas. Grant the freedom and encourage risk-taking (to a point). Share the power of decision-making to provide staff the feeling of ownership in the organization and that your decisions matter. Corporate Culture, Build the Vision, Mission Statement. The input of the workforce to cultivate the vision of the organization and mold the Mission Statement through group thinking and inclusion. Create inspiration and momentum, revisit this statement quarterly, retooling where changes can be made to keep the vision intact, with the agility to change with market forces. Dialogue with Constructive Openness and Encourage the platform of asking. The ability to listen. Listen and comprehend, not an easy task for many, yet listening is one of the most important traits to adopt as a leader. Constructive feedback from inter-department heads down to the workforce will yield a wonderful return on time investment. Encourage putting yourself inside the situation, walking in someone else’s shoes. The perspective of learning what your workforce is doing daily and how this can best be served by the organizational head for the betterment of the overall workforce experience while making improvements where needed. Change the Necessity of Survival. Opportunities to change should be embraced and not feared. Change the status quo of leadership versus management. Being flexible to change inside an organization will allow the organization to bend and not break. Hence, creativity and flexibility should go hand in hand. Personal Growth and Continued Mastery of Oneself. Every great leader must be self-aware. Change where change is needed—a constant reflection of emotional intelligence. To be self-aware and congruent should easily be transferred to all C-level executives by being in the presence of this form of leadership. The osmosis should easily be adapted. Cultural and Personal Integrity. Stand up for the value of the organization. Set the organization values early, implement, regularly review with all workforce and C-level executives. Personal values (ideally) should mirror the organizational values from the onset. This is where the hiring process is so important. To be able to bring the correct workforce that will fit into the structure. Change is highly effective if core values are identified at the interview; small adjustments can be made to fit the organization. Anticipation, Opportunity, and Being Aware of Future trends. Ongoing research and development, data, statistics, and the analysis of all the tools available should be implemented to keep the organization on track and to foresee future trends. New environments ahead should be part of the course of opportunity and change, rather than reacting to the change, create it and steer the course to success. Customer-Centric . Allow the customer to input the changes needed and adapt to the opportunity to raise the bar of customer satisfaction. Be the wind of change and stay ahead of your clientele. Research, anticipate, react, and implement. Be aware of your competition, then raise the bar higher. Inclusion of the customer needs can only lead to one direction, growth, and success for the organization. Conclusion: Global Integration and Global Workforce Advantage. Intellectual capital can move faster and with improved efficiency within a 24/7 workforce. Achieve long-term shareholder value. Long-term customer global brand recognition and loyalty. Removal of unnecessary human resources by implementing more efficient hiring processes. Global client base and workforce is an added value to any organization that has the leadership fortitude to adapt and look closely at itself today while looking into the future to forecast where the organization needs to be in the long term. Want to learn more from Danijella? Follow her on Facebook , Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin and visit her website. Danijella Dragas, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Born and raised in Oxford, England. She earned a BS in Economics/International Trade and Banking from the prestigious University of London. Miss. Dragas was employed by Bear Stearns Investment Banking firm for over 18 years. She worked in their offices of London, San Paulo, Beijing, New York and Irvine. Her specialty was asset management, capital markets/investment banking. During her final four years at Bear Stearns, Miss. Dragas was one of the original team members that introduced Bear Stearns mortgages to the banking industry in the residential wholesale market. She has continued her career in the residential, commercial lending for 36 years. Her focus has been on construction finance, asset repositioning, fintech and the blockchain market. In addition, numerous prestigious commercial projects on an international level. Miss. Dragas has also worked on multi-sector business finance, corporate sponsorships, hospitality, clean energy, trade programs and pre IPO. Her primary concentration of late has been on fintech, technology start ups, sports arenas and sports franchise business plans, commercial lending; focusing on construction and working with numerous boards and CEO in an advisory capacity. She is extremely competent in international banking, structured finance and corporate strategy, strategic partnerships. Miss Dragas enjoys biking, tennis, horse-riding, skiing, self-development and golf in her spare time. An avid sports spectator and athlete she is Managing Director of Global Soccer Pro the United States division of Global Football Pro United Kingdom and USA Founding Board Member, Executive Steering Committee for Football For PEACE. Additionally, her philanthropic endeavors in the cure and treatment of Parkinson’s Disease and Football for Peace keep her very active in the global community.

Written by: Corina Dudu , 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. Our journey in 2021 has brought us a few days ago on The Middle Earth, as the Wizard Gandalf The Grey would say. Middle Earth is associated here with July’s Cancer season when we take a well-deserved break to explore the Summer Kingdom vibe during the 7th month of an Universal Year 5 of the year 2021! In Numerology , each calendar year is reduced to a single-digit number, which vibrates into a unique energetic influence, and it’s called Universal Year. Consequently, each individual on the planet is going to experience this unique energy of a specific number during the entire year, between January 1st and December 31st. To get to the current Universal Year number, just sum up the individual numbers of the current year together: 2021=2+0+2+1=5, and here we are at the Universal Year! What Does It Mean The 5 Universal Year? The number 5 represents in Numerology the energy of instability, freedom, independence, adventure, and risk-taking. Change is the keyword, and throughout a 5 Universal Year, we are pushed to extend our boundaries, to embrace the flow of exploration and new opportunities with an adventurous and fearless spirit. To deal with a 5 Universal Year, there is only a way: expect the unexpected! However is still ambiguous, the vibe of the Universal Year 5 is revolutionary, exciting, and fresh energy which allows us to easily align with the new energetic influence, progress, and impactful change of the Aquarius Era. Following a heavy and hardworking Universal Year 4 energy of 2020 with focus on reconstruction meant to get us out of the box, a 5 Universal Year invites us to explore the true meaning of freedom where the old-fashioned patterns and beliefs will no longer work. July 2021, The 3 Universal Month According to Numerology, July 2021 is a 3 Universal Month (7+2+0+2+1=12, and 1+2=3). The number 3 is one of nine very important symbols in Numerology, being friend with 6 and 9. In Numerology, each number from 1 to 9 has its own personality and a different meaning. By understanding the unique energy of these numbers, we are invited to understand their influence and their guiding messages when they show up in our lives, as there is a certain sign that there's an opportunity waiting for us. When Number 3 shows up , it is optimism, communication, creative expression, mental agility, curiosity, unlimited creativity, and social activity that are the opportunities on the plate. It's hard to take yourself too seriously when the number 3 comes on the stage and inviting us to look out for fun. Nevertheless, July is going to be a busy month! Also, considering an analogy with Astrology , Number 3 corresponds to the Planet Jupiter, the Air Element, and the two zodiac signs of Sagittarius and Gemini transitioned since May 2020 by the Axis of Destiny. This is quite challenging, taking into account that the Axis of Destiny consisting of North Node and South Node Shows Your Life's Purpose on Your Birth Chart! While The North Node indicates the karmic mission/lesson you came to learn it in this life, The South Node shows the karmic lessons/knowledge you brought with you from previous lifetimes that you may fall back on, jeopardizing the achievement of the actual life mission. But nothing to be worried about, as The Universe will grant the second chance for the next life with the same karmic lesson! Consequently, it’s important to live the North Node as much as possible , to get out of your comfort zone, and to avoid living in the past. Living life in the South Node can make you feel stuck, confused, and unable to live up to your North Node’s full potential in order to complete your life’s purpose. During the current transition of the North Node in Gemini a nd the South Node in Sagittarius , on a collective level, our focus goes on intellectual growth and travel on short distances. In January 2022, the Axis of Destiny is going to move to the next zodiac signs, and for the next one and a half years, the North Node in Taurus a nd the South Node in Scorpio will focus our attention on all aspects related to Finances on a collective level. As an HR Professional, Coach, and Astrologist , one common question addressed during the past years from different people is how to find out the purpose of their life. More and more people have started to question themselves why they feel unhappy, stuck in their life on family or career, and my practice helped them to get more clarity on finding their purpose in life that resonates with their Higher Self. The most important aspects of the planets during July July 1st: Mars in Leo Opposition with Saturn in Aquarius and on July 3rd, Mars Squared Uranus in Taurus We are still under the tension created by this fixed T square, and we are warned to keep our calm as the anger level might suddenly explode. The Mars-Uranus square pushes all our buttons, and we may feel overwhelmed considering that Mars in a Fire sign has access to ignition faster under the drive of Uranus. Thanks to Chiron from Aries sign, a harmonious aspect of trine comes to help us to heal our wounds when we decide to connect with our ourselves and to act from a calm space of awareness. July 7th-8th: Venus in Leo Opposition with Saturn in Aquarius and squared Uranus in Taurus . Venus is about how we feel about life related to love, pleasures, relationships, and finances, and when Venus is opposite Saturn, then we feel restricted, limited, and controlled. Venus in T-square with Saturn and Uranus will initially push us outside our comfort zone similar to what just happened with Mars, but once again, Chiron comes to save the situation, healing our heart once we are set up to higher frequencies. July 9th, 2021: New Moon In Cancer The beautiful New Moon takes place at 18° Cancer and makes a supporting aspect of a trine with Neptune in Pisces, sustaining aspect of a sextile with Uranus in Taurus, and opposite with Pluto in Capricorn. Actually, the New Moon in Cancer makes aspects with all generational planets which are going to increase our intuition and prepare us to receive divine guidance. Cancer is a feminine, cardinal sign of the Water trigon, which is made up of Cancer, Pisces, and Scorpio and is ruled by the Moon. Cancer represents our foundation, soul, emotions, mother, home, family, traditions, roots, need for protection, nutrition, conception, and therefore, the New Moons in Cancer are great for birthing personal projects that you’ve been creating and nurturing for some time. July 11th, 2021: Mercury In Cancer Mercury enters in Cancer after a long journey spent in his sign of residence, including his well-known retrograde period. If Mercury in Gemini is curious and oriented to the outside, Mercury in Cancer is private and introspective, paying attention to emotions and perceptions in order to create a mental comfort. July 13th, 2021: Venus Conjunct Mars In Leo Venus and Mars represent the antagonistic characters, and they are attracting each like the opposite poles of a magnet. They are going to meet each other at 19° in Leo, and as a result of their passion, something new related to the sector of life represented by Leo in your own natal chart will be born once you return to the source to understand who you really are. This strong conjunction will reveal a fundamental truth about yourself that is going to set you on a new creative path, love, relationship, or project. July 15th, 2021: Chiron Retrogrades in Aries Chiron is the wounded healer and during his transit, is focused on healing what has been hurt and needs to integrate the lesson. When Chiron is direct, we look for healing with real support from outside (coach, doctor, etc.), and when Chiron goes retrograde, we aim to heal ourselves from inside by finding our organic way of healing. This time Chiron goes retrograde at 12° Aries. July 17th, 2021: Sun in Cancer Opposition with Pluto in Capricorn The Sun represents our personal identity, our vitality, and Pluto is the Divine will, the power of nature. The opposition means a conflict that requires processing and integration of both energies, and the perfect aspect comes at 25° Capricorn. As human beings, we want to express our identity (Sun), but as humans, we deal with outside forces above of our control (Pluto). Once we decide to control the world around us, then the power and control fights will start, and Pluto doesn’t agree. On the opposite, if we do not express our identity, the feeling is helpless and resigning to circumstances, and the Sun doesn’t enjoy this. The solution is to act from our Higher Self, not from our Egotic Self, in order to consolidate inner strength and resilience. July 21st, 2021: Venus Enters in Virgo Virgo is an Earth element sign which loves to be practical and in service to others. Also, Virgo is a mutable sign that likes to move and to get things done. Venus is the planet of feelings, and placed in Virgo is going to use an emotional pragmatism that is not supposed to exist, but it might be considered as “useful” from time to time. During the transit in Virgo, Venus will help us to understand and to practice how to be more pragmatic and down to earth with our feelings in order to use them for a useful purpose. Venus also will make harmonious aspects with Uranus in Taurus and Pluto in Capricorn, which is a great transit for any practical projects. July 22nd, 2021: Sun Enters in Leo After almost one year, Sun returns to his residence and officially opens the magical season of Leo. Happy Birthday to all Leos! During the Sun transit in Leo, we are invited to honor the Sun by integrating its qualities: radiance, confidence, authenticity, elevation, passion, generosity, and courage. July 23rd, 2021: Full Moon in Aquarius The Full Moon will be at 1° in Aquarius. It is conjunct with Pluto in Capricorn at 25° and also with Saturn at grade 10° in Aquarius. However, there are 9° away from Saturn. It is still close enough to feel its strong influence. The energy of the Full Moon will bring us back in January 2020, when we had the Saturn-Pluto conjunction in Capricorn, and now we are invited to measure the progress made during this time. The energy of the Full Moons helps us to get clarity on the things kept in the dark and now are ready to be revealed. July 27th, 2021: Mercury Enters in Leo Mercury will enter in Leo after a very short journey in Cancer. Once the short introspection in Cancer is finalized, then comes the right time to deliver the message to the world during its transit in Leo. July 28th, 2021: Jupiter Step Back in Aquarius Jupiter will re-enter in Aquarius after a very brief journey in Pisces in order to complete some unfinished business. During its transit in Pisces - his second residence, Jupiter helped us to become familiar with the Pisces energy, while it has increased our intuition, imagination, expanded the horizons, and also helped us find answers beyond the logic. Now is the time to return to the logic of Aquarius and to finish what we have started and not yet completed. Connect with me on Facebook and LinkedIn . Read more from Corina! Corina Dudu, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Corina Dudu is an HR Professional & Certified Life and Career Coach specialized in Talent Management and Career Development, with deep expertise in Corporate international HR processes gained over 20+ years across cultures. Corina is dedicated to delivering transformational change to people and catalyzing individuals’ potential by eliminating mental barriers to accelerate their career growth and achieve a healthy work-life balance. Corina is also a Certified Astrologist and Numerologist. She is passionate about supporting others by guiding and coaching through the various aspects of a person’s life to fulfill their unique destinies and overcome life's challenges. She believes transformation begins with each individual connected with his higher self and is essential in achieving life purpose through a conscientious and colorful life journey.

Written by: Ramona Pintea, Guest Writer Brainz Magazine Like a lotus flower waiting to blossom, women have so many delicate layers and a strong, beautiful center. But our true self can sometimes remain hidden, even from ourselves. My passion in life is to reveal those hidden depths in women and celebrate all the power that we hold within us. That is the essence of the Urban Queen movement. It is a global movement to connect, support and empower men and women to recognize their unique strengths, overcome adversity and become their brightest, boldest selves. Women empowerment has been a recurring theme in my art for years but has become especially relevant as Covid-19 ravages our society. Women have been disproportionately affected by the global pandemic. We often bear the brunt of the risks and stresses, including job losses, increased childcare or family demands and social isolation. But, women have also shown enormous strength and resilience. As caregivers, leaders, frontline workers, I have seen women face the world with courage every day, overcoming challenges and working hard for themselves and those around them. I paint women who are fierce, determined, caring, vulnerable, intelligent, powerful. My bold artworks illustrate all the inner strength a woman has, clad in her gentle and compassionate emotions. I don't just paint strong female Queens - I want to empower everyone who sees my paintings to find that strength within themselves. For this, the crown is the perfect accessory. It has long been a symbol of power, but it also signifies someone who serves their community with dedication, diplomacy and grace. The crown reminds us that we all have something to give to the world around us - that our voice and talents are worthy. We can all be Queens and deserve to wear our crowns with pride! The Urban Queen's message of self-love has resonated around the world. From the beginning, I shared my paintings, thoughts and ideas on social media and connected directly with my audience. I love interacting with my community - they have inspired my work just as much as I have inspired them. Transcending art and stretching across borders, the Urban Queen has grown this community into a global movement for empowerment and feminime strength. The best part is hearing everyone’s stories and seeing the deep well of support and love that each person offers. Every person has a unique story to tell. I want to celebrate this diversity and individuality by painting real women and sharing their journeys of self-discovery, healing or growth. My latest series, Urban Queen wearyourcrown, is going to do exactly that! The wearyourcrown campaign invites women to submit their photo and story to me. I read every submission and will select several Urban Queen muses. These women will be the face and soul of my future paintings, and I'm so excited to share their empowering stories with the world. The response so far has already been amazing, with more submissions flowing in every day. Here is just a small sample: A mother who had a difficult childhood but has made “a conscious decision to build what is broken inside”. She is determined to be there for her children, to give them the love and support they deserve. An abuse survivor who learned how to love herself and build intimacy again. She says “when we have the opportunity to work on our fears and pain, we can create an even bigger opening for transformation”. Having liberated herself from past trauma, this brave survivor found her purpose in helping other women to do the same. A woman who grew up thinking she wasn’t pretty enough but is now learning to be gentle with herself and open up more. Recognizing that she doesn’t have to be gorgeous to everyone. She is loved by those that matter and that makes her feel like “the queen of her world”. A daughter who is staying positive despite watching her beloved mum slip away. The mother’s fiery personality is gradually disappearing beneath the dark haze of dementia. But this daughter is staying strong, declaring “I am fearless because of her.” She is determined to raise awareness of the disease and to show others to never give up. It takes incredible courage to open up and share your most personal experiences. To put onto paper your deepest fears and traumas, as well as your greatest dreams or aspirations. So seeing these and many other women bare their souls to me has been a truly humbling experience. I feel their sorrows and strength in every word, and see a courageous light in their smiles. Despite everything, these women keep showing up for the world. Digging deep to find their superpowers and overcome challenges. Sharing love and compassion with the people around them. Taking care of themselves and constantly growing. These women have their weaknesses too, of course, we all do. But a Queen who has found her crown can tap into that inner power to find new strength to carry on, no matter the circumstances. Do you recognize yourself as a Queen? To submit yourself or an inspiring woman you know for the wearyourcrown campaign, visit my website. Each muse who gets selected will be sent a print of their painting, as my special thank you for being part of this Urban Queen campaign. A painting is not just a portrait but a narrative full of emotions and personality. To infuse my art with your unique charm, I want to hear your story. Tell me a bit about who you are; what are your passions, hopes and dreams? What drives you? When have you had to face challenges in your life? How did you overcome these? Where do you find your strength? What makes you feel like a queen? I am so glad that the Urban Queen movement has created a safe place for women to tell their stories. Through sharing art and experiences, we have been able to touch so many souls already. Now, more than ever, I feel a deep responsibility to give women a voice and empower others with stories full of hope and courage. Each story could inspire even more people to realize that they are also Queens. The more submissions I receive, the more beautiful, authentic, empowering stories I might get to put on canvas. So, get thinking and sharing, and tell me - how do you wear your crown? I would love to hear your story! For more info, follow Ramona on Facebook, Instagram and visit her website! Ramona Pintea, Guest Writer Brainz Magazine Ramona Pintea is a woman on a mission - to empower women through art. As an established artist, Ramona has exhibited widely and her paintings adorn the houses of collectors around the world. Her most recent paint series, the Urban Queen, is a global art movement that celebrates and inspires women in all our messy, powerful, beautiful glory.

Written by: Maria Tecce, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. We’ve all been there. You are halfway through a Zoom presentation or face-to-face meeting and you realize you’ve zoned out and gone on autopilot. And you have no idea what you’ve just said for the last 5 minutes. Or you blank during a speech and can’t remember what you need to say next. That cold feeling creeps up through your chest, red lights are flashing, and you go into panic mode. The good news is that you can manage this moment and continue on. Take a breath, reset, refocus, and resume. Here is how The Three R’s, Reset, Refocus, and Resume, can save your bacon and get you back on track when you zone out and go on autopilot in a presentation. 1 RESET Your Brain And Take A Breath The most common physical reaction to panic is to hold your breath or start shallow breathing. This contributes to your feeling of panic and makes things worse. So the first step in reset is to breathe. Taking a breath also helps you to ground your energy and get out of your head, which is telling you to panic, and get back into your body, which is where the power is. Good breathing technique, Diaphragmatic Breathing (a posh name for belly breathing), will take your attention away from those racing, panicked thoughts and bring you down into your lower belly. This deep place is a place of power and center and will help you to calm down. Your reptilian amygdala brain (the fight or flight response) is falsely telling you that you’re about to get eaten by a wild animal, so you better run. When you take a moment to pause and breathe, you give yourself a moment to reset and remind your body that it is ok, that the tiger is not about to pounce on you! This breath happens within a second or two. It’s just a moment, a beat, that stops you from continuing to careen down the alley of panic and resets the moment. 2 REFOCUS Your Thoughts And Take A Moment To Pause Ok. Now that you’ve taken a moment to calm down and stop your slide down the panic slope, it’s time to refocus. Often times when you zone out or blank during a presentation or speech, you may not remember where you are in your story. But you can refocus to the present moment and begin at the next place in your content that you can remember. You may not pick up exactly where you left off, but this is not about perfection. This is about managing the moment as best you can. So, after you breathe and reset, pick up as close to where you think you should be in your story as possible. 3 RESUME And Continue On With Your Story Now that you’ve reset and refocused, it’s time to get going and finish your story. Focusing on the task at hand and moving forward helps you to move through the rest of your content and wrap things up. Don’t dwell on what just happened in the past, don’t look into the future of what the repercussions might be. Stay present in the now and move forward. Keeping your head firmly in the present moment allows you to move forward with as little residue as possible from the little blip in the radar you just had. And that’s all it is. A blip in the radar. Seeing the event as no worse or better than it really helps to keep it ‘right sized.’ When you move past the drama and get practical, you’re also in a much better headspace to refocus and resume your story and presentation. And remember, you’re there to serve the audience. It’s not about you. Whew. Big relief! Take the pressure off yourself to fix the past or be perfect and instead focus on the audience and what you can give them in the present moment. Reset, Refocus, And Resume The Three R’s work whether you’re on a Zoom meeting or face to face in real-time with your audience. So next time you blank or find yourself completely zoned out during a meeting, presentation, or speech, just remember The Three R’s: Reset, Refocus, and Resume. Keep it simple. And don’t forget to breathe. Want to learn more from Maria? Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin and visit her website. Read more from Maria! Maria Tecce, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Maria Tecce is a leader in public speaking & voice and speech coaching. After making her living as a professional actor and singer for 20 years, Maria began coaching business professionals and performers a decade ago in the same skills that professional performers use every day. C-Suite and Senior Executives work with her when they want to up their game and show up as powerful, confident, passionate, joyful speakers in their businesses and for the people around them. Her clients include Google, Diageo, Ulster Bank, Bank Of Ireland, Ericsson, KPMG, Smurfit Business School, Johnson & Johnson, Salesforce, and Virgin Media. Maria is dedicated to helping powerful men and women take ownership of their confidence, authentic voice, and joy as speakers and communicators. Her mission states, "Own your voice, own your story, own your space."

Written by: Marika Humphreys , Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Have you ever felt an emotion so strongly that it just took over? Perhaps you felt anger so intense that you could barely keep from punching the wall? Or maybe it was a feeling of such deep sadness that right there in front of all your work colleagues, you just broke down. We all have because emotions are part of the human experience. You don’t have to feel like a victim to them, however. I’m going to explain what emotions are, why they are so powerful, and also how to be in charge of them instead of them being in charge of you. My Emotion Took Over I’ll never forget that first appointment with the oncologist after we found out my husband’s cancer had metastasized. The oncologist had no clear answers for us. He recommended we see a specialist. I remember the hopelessness I felt after leaving that appointment. I had wanted the doctor to give us something – some sort of reassurance that it was going to be okay. It was summertime and we wandered downtown with our 7-year-old in a bit of a daze. We ran into a parent of one of our kid’s school friends and when I mentioned we had just come from the doctor’s office, I burst into uncontrollable tears. I simply couldn’t stop crying. All the emotion that had built up came pouring out. Right outside the town library, this complete stranger gave me a needed hug. That was the start of the emotional rollercoaster. I didn’t learn until much later how to pay attention to my emotions and what to do when these overwhelming feelings came up. That is what I'm going to teach you today. What Exactly Are Emotions The simplest way to understand emotion is that it is a sensation that is experienced in the body. It can sometimes feel like pressure, tension, or vibration in a certain part of the body. That’s it! That is all an emotion is. So, why are we so afraid of them or why do we feel like we have no control over them? The Power of Emotions Emotions are powerful. Think about it. Everything we are driven to do is because of how we think it will make us feel. When we are working toward a goal of making that first 100K in our business, it is because we believe achieving that will make us feel proud and accomplished. Perhaps we also believe we will feel worthy or successful. We also avoid doing things because we anticipate how it will make us feel. We may avoid asking a question because we don’t want to feel stupid. We may avoid starting on a project because we anticipate feeling overwhelmed and confused. We also avoid doing certain things because of how we anticipate it will make others feel. Many of my clients avoid talking to their spouse with cancer about end-of-life plans because they think it will make their spouse feel sad or depressed. Emotions fuel all the actions we take or don’t take. Often, it can feel like we have no choice in the matter of how we will feel. That is where we are wrong. Most of us simply don’t understand where emotions come from and what to do with them when they come up. This lack of understanding is why we feel at the effect of our emotions and that we have no control over them. Emotions Don’t Happen To Us While it may feel like emotions just “happen” to us, in fact, we cause them with our thoughts. Most of the time the thoughts causing our emotions are not conscious, so instead it feels like the event or circumstance causes us to feel a certain way. In actuality, our emotion is caused by a thought or judgment we have about that event or circumstance. Usually, it happens so quickly and so automatically, that we are not aware of the thought preceding our emotion. It is there however, you just need to uncover it! Awareness Of Our Emotions Once you realize that your emotions are caused by your thoughts, you can start paying attention to those thoughts. When was the last time you felt a strong emotion? Now think back to what you were thinking. For me, some of the thoughts I was having after our visit with the oncologist were: “I don’t know what we’re going to do. This is scary. I can’t believe this is actually happening!” From these thoughts, which I wasn’t aware of at the time, it’s no surprise that I broke down in tears with a complete stranger! Taking Charge of Our Emotions So how do we take charge when our emotions come on so strong and powerfully? The answer is twofold. First, the goal is not to avoid negative emotions by changing our thoughts. It’s simply to recognize that all emotions, both positive and negative, are part of the human experience and are caused by our thinking. Secondly, we have to be willing to allow the emotion, to actually feel it fully. For many of us, we are never taught how to do this. Instead, we are taught that negative emotions should be either resisted or avoided altogether. We are taught to “just be happy” or “think positive” in an effort to make the “bad” emotions go away. Or, we are taught that we can avoid feeling the full effect of those emotions by eating good-tasting food, watching TV, or playing on our phone — anything to distract ourselves from actually feeling the sensation. Other times we just react to the emotion and let it control our behavior — like taking out your anger by yelling at your kid, or withdrawing from your family when you feel sad. What does it look like to allow and fully feel an emotion? It’s pretty simple. First, take notice and name what you are feeling. Then, focus on what the sensation feels like in your body... does it feel like tension, pressure, or a vibration? Continue to focus on what you are experiencing and allow it to be there until the feeling passes. Think about the emotion moving through you . I like to picture myself like a screen in a river and the emotion is flowing through me. That is how you allow an emotion. It really is that simple! Negative emotions don’t have to be something that feels out of our control. They are simply vibrations in our bodies as a result of our thoughts. The more we let ourselves feel our emotions, the less they will take charge of us, and the more we will become in charge of them. For more info, follow me on Facebook , LinkedIn , and visit my we bsite ! Read more from M arika ! Marika Humphreys, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Marika Humphreys is a Resiliency Coach. At the age of 40, while working full time and raising a 5-year-old, her late husband was diagnosed with cancer. Over the next 5 years, as her husband battled multiple cancers, she took on many roles, including spouse, employee, mom, and caregiver. Marika believes caregiving is one of the toughest jobs out there, and it’s easy to become depleted and feel like you have no control. Through coaching, she learned that she could still be in charge of her life, even while caregiving to her husband. Coaching helped her discover her own power, strength, and resilience, and now she helps her clients do the same. She believes that even in the midst of a challenge like having a spouse with cancer, you can build resiliency skills and take control of your life.

Rebecca Jones M.A. DipPCH, Consultant & Hypnotherapist founded her international company 'Paris St. Cloud' when living between Cairo and Paris. After expanding and relocating her business to the sunny beaches of St. Malo in France, Rebecca's business boasted international clients from all around the world, and as far afield as Japan, China, the USA, & Asia. Rebecca was then contacted by Paul McKenna's staff to go and be part of his team! So off she went! During this time Rebecca would commute between London and Paris to join Paul McKenna and his team in London, running seminars and events for VIPs and clients from all around the world. Initially from England, Rebecca then decided to move back to the UK to set up Harley Street Therapy Clinic in London. She now also has a clinic on Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, NYC, USA, and a clinic on Deansgate in Manchester, UK. She has also recently founded the Long Covid Therapy Institute in London, UK, treating Long Covid sufferers and patients, and running professional training courses, training therapists and medical professionals on the treatment of Long Covid. Following her flagship research and clinical trials worldwide at the forefront of and into the treatment of Long Covid she now trains other healthcare professionals using her uniquely designed therapeutic techniques, and her brand new training program. Rebecca Jones, Clinical Hypnotherapist | Consultant Here in this article, she describes the challenges, and opportunities, of running a global business. Using her own experiences she explains how you can take your brand to the next level, and become the next big global company. Want a global brand and a global business? Then see the world. Get out there. It's no good trying to build a global empire if you haven't left your bedroom or the place where you were born. This may seem harsh but you need to see what the rest of the world looks like and what it has to offer. How can you serve the rest of the world if you don't know what is out there or what it looks like?! I have many corporate clients and entrepreneurs who come to see me saying that they want to build a global company. Even a global empire! And yet they haven't left their own country, their own continent, or even their own village. In order to build a global brand and business, it is essential that you see the world, or at least see the part of it where you want your business to grow to and to extend to. This is because not only will this teach you so much about your international and global market, but it will also expand your own perceptions and horizons. By expanding your perception, you will ultimately expand on what you can achieve! Your mind will grow. You will gain Big Mind! I was fortunate enough to be able to work in some incredible places with some amazing people, including living and working in Kazakhstan, Egypt, France, and Poland to name a few. I was also able to have some incredible clients including staff from the OECD, the United Nations, the British Council, the European Union, the American government, foreign diplomats, VIPS, Silicon Valley tech gurus, musicians, and more. Step 1: Get out there! Meet a range of people, from all walks of life, from all different backgrounds, and see the world. Step 2: Ask yourself: What do I love? What is it that you really love doing? What sets you alight? What fires you up? What gives you energy and fills you up? (Rather than depleting your energy and taking it away) When you have your answer, this is what you will be amazing at doing! It is so important to remember to not miss out on what you love. I love working with people. And I love working with people of all ages. And it is teenagers and young people especially who really fire me up and give me a buzz! Some would describe me as a Teenager Specialist. (Although I would say I love working with adults too!) I still make sure I get into schools because it is here where I get filled up with energy, I feel a buzz, I feel alive, and I love the sound of children all around laughing, chatting, and making noise. And then the energy and spark I get from this, I can then use in my sessions with other clients too. It's a Win-Win situation. So find out what you love... and do more of it! Step 3: Don't lose sight of why you are doing it. For many years I refused to call my company an actual 'business'. Instead 'Paris St. Cloud', my business, was described by myself as my hobby. Calling it a business just seemed to make it sound and become too serious, too boring, too much like a job. And it wasn't a job. It still isn't. I just love it! Instead, just calling it my 'hobby' made it less pressured, less intense, and more pleasurable, more fun, a joy, something to relax to, something to have fun with, and be creative, and play with. It was a joyful pastime. I was (& still am) doing it for pleasure. So be open, playful, and curious with your business/hobby. Have fun with it and you will be certain to be successful. Step 4: Say yes to everything. If an opportunity arises, then grasp it with both hands. Say Yes! It might feel scary (the best opportunities usually do!). It may feel like too much of a risk, too much of a gamble, and too much out of your comfort zone. My advice is: Get out of your comfort zone! Feel the fear and do it anyway! My new book 'Source Your Inner Jet Pack' (to be published later this year) will help you find your own inner Jet pack to soar upwards, skywards, like a rocket ship and reach dizzying new heights that you never imagined or dreamed possible. Go have a new adventure! Have fun! Explore! Find your freedom! Go build your brand. Go create your company. Go get Global. Find out more here: www.paris-st-cloud.com info@paris-st-cloud.com rebecca@theempirestateofmind.com rebecca@harleystreettherapyclinic.com rebecca@fifthavenuetherapyclinic.com rebecca@longcovidtherapyinstitute.com You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Read more from Rebecca!

Peggy is a personal brand mentor and photographer. Passionate about the power of visual storytelling, she helps women entrepreneurs who want to differentiate themselves to get visible confidently and attract their ideal clients with their own uniqueness and with scroll-stopping brand images. Coming from a corporate background as well as being an introvert, Peggy struggled to put herself as the face of the business at the start of her business. Having overcome her own visibility challenge, her bigger mission is to help introverted women launching their businesses to craft a standout personal brand and visibility strategy so that they can be seen and known as experts in their field. Peggy MacSweeney, Personal Brand Mentor and Photographer What’s your story? I am originally from Hong Kong and spent the early part of my childhood there. When I was 12, I moved to Sydney, Australia, with my family until I finished university. After working a few years in Hong Kong, I was relocated to London with my job then. Prior to my relocation, I’d never set foot in London and knew absolutely no one here. It was an adventure of a lifetime! Fast forward 19 years, London is now my home with my hubby and my 6-year-old. So how did you start your business? I’ve worked in the corporate environment all my life since I’d graduated from university. A few years ago, I was made redundant from my job out of the blue. It felt like the end of the world at that very moment. But then realized it’s the best opportunity for me to finally pursue my dream and at the same time free myself from the childcare stress. I’d always wanted to start a business but was never brave enough to. Losing my job gave me the reason to take that leap. Photography has been my beloved hobby for 17 years, so I decided to follow my passion. But before I launched my business, I took time off to explore which photography genre I wanted to pursue. I am passionate about storytelling and was fascinated and inspired by other entrepreneurs that I decided to launch my photography business in storytelling personal brand photography. As I learned more about the different aspects of business, my interest in marketing and online visibility grew. In the past year, I’ve gone through a period of self-reflection during the global pandemic as photography being an “in-person” service was hugely affected. I diversified my business into the virtual world, helping new business owners in their online visibility and marketing strategy and offering virtual photoshoots. I’m embracing the new way of working. I feel that online business is the way forward! Who are your clients? And how can you help them? In the photography part of my business, I help online woman entrepreneurs to get visible confidently and consistently by providing them with a library of scroll-stopping on-brand images so that they can grow their tribes and building that known, like, and trust fast. Because I’m specialized in personal branding, in addition to the actual photoshoot, I also help my photography clients to improve their online presence, teaching them how they can use their visuals effectively in their day-to-day marketing activities. On the mentoring side, I help new service-based entrepreneurs to differentiate themselves from the crowd and be known and be seen as experts in their field with a stand-out personal brand and visibility strategy. I particularly love helping introverted women. As being an introvert myself, I understand the challenges of being an introvert navigating into the noisy marketing world. What are the ways that people can work with you? For entrepreneurs who are ready to hire a professional photographer, I offer both in-person personal brand photoshoots as well as a virtual photo shoot. For business owners who are not yet in the position of hiring a photographer, I offer a virtual workshop to teach them how to take scroll-stopping photos with just their phone camera. There’s absolutely no excuse for using bad-quality photos on your social media posts! On the mentoring side, I work with my clients through a bespoke 1 to 1 program. You mentioned virtual photoshoot. Does that mean you can take photos remotely? How does it work? That’s right. I can take photos of you without being in the same location as you. You can be at the comfort of your own home anywhere in the world while I am at the comfort of my own home in London. Technology is so amazing these days. Basically, through an app, I can take photos of you remotely. If you want to know more, do get in touch. Finally, what is one interesting fact about you that others might not know about? Besides photography, I also love anything to do with music (and food ). I used to sing in the school choir. But when my teacher discovered I played the piano, she asked me to accompany the choir instead! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or visit my website for more info! Read more from Peggy!