Written by: Jeanne Y. Savelle, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. What do you know about creativity? Do you see yourself as creative? Do you live in a creative space? If you embody creativity already, you have much to teach the rest of us, and I invite you to engage with us here. If you don’t, then you are like me. I spent most of my life telling myself I wasn’t creative. I worked a corporate career for 30-years and believed it was the most uncreative career anyone could have. Finance and accounting seemed boring, but they paid the bills. Knowing Spanish, I eventually moved to Venezuela and spent my career working in Latin America. I always thought my life was profoundly uncreative. How little credit I gave myself. Of course, every aspect of my life contained seeds of creativity, but I couldn’t see it or feel it. Now that I am much (much) older, I realize not only am I creative, but everyone else is, too. Looking back on my life with candor, I can see where I lived creatively in the moment, in the decisions I made. For example, I moved to Venezuela without knowing anything! A more specific example: I bought a large, dynamic, and colorful painting when I lived there. The moment I saw it, I had a deeply felt and clear vision. I saw the painting hanging in a custom-built beach house which was years in the future. While the vision came to me in an instant, I didn’t know from where and didn’t give it any credence. I certainly didn’t think of it as a creative idea. I only knew I would have a beach house to showcase the painting. How we fool ourselves, ultimately to our detriment, as we deny who we really are. Because I told myself I wasn’t creative, I didn’t live from that space and denied myself a life of joy. Where do creative ideas come from? How do you manifest creativity in your life? How can you access it more easily? I’m going to speak to these questions in the weeks to come. But for now, I created a shortlist of some of the concepts I believe, and we’ll explore, about creativity. Creativity is innate. Creativity is effortless. Creativity is unpredictable. Creativity is exploration. Creativity is intention. Creativity is fun. Creativity is an infinite possibility. Creativity is unique to you. Any journey into recognizing and embracing creativity requires courage and curiosity. For me, I had to: Let go of stagnant ideas (like I am not creative.) Open myself up to possibility. Stop trying to control the future. Allow my inner creative force to flow freely. When I started to approach every day with curiosity, I got excited to see what would come next. By looking at creativity differently, my life has changed immensely. I am learning new skills, transforming existing skills, making new friends, doing things I would have never considered before. Novelist Paul Coelho wrote, “If you’re brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello.” Say goodbye to past beliefs and hello to a welcoming new life. Let your inner creativity take you into a life of wonder. Join me on this journey into creativity. I want to hear from you. We will learn and explore together and see what we can see. Connect on LinkedIn for more info! Jeanne Y. Savelle, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jeanne is a Gentle Guide and Transformation Agent living in the Atlanta, GA, area. After 30 years as an international corporate finance executive, she chucked that life to reinvent herself. She is now a transformational coach guiding older adults to living life through their inner creativity. She is a writer and author, writing about transformation, creativity, retirement, and wine. She's earned certifications from The Retirement Coaches Association, The Life Coach School, and Modern Elder Academy. Her previous life included a Masters in International Management from The Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University.

Kris de Jong is an experienced and certified Executive Life Coach living in Auckland, New Zealand. He studied at the University of Waikato, completing a BSc in Biology and Psychology, and was later certified in Cognitive Behavioural Coaching and Professional Life Coaching. He's also a Certified Practitioner of the Global Leadership Assessment 360 (GLA360). Recently he's become a co-founding ambassador for Prox.io, a global virtual knowledge exchange platform. Kris has managed large and diverse teams over the years while building his coaching and mentoring skills. His experience in HR, recruitment, performance, and people management allows him to optimize employee coaching for organizations looking to improve workplace wellbeing. He's written over 100 articles, published in national news outlets, and featured on national radio. After achieving financial freedom at 40, Kris started Eclipse Life Coaching and is passionate about coaching and helping people to get what they want in life. What is life coaching, and how do you choose a coach that’s right for you? Great question, and a challenging one. The truth is life coaching is an unregulated industry. As such, there’s a huge spectrum of people who call themselves coaches, all with different backgrounds, philosophies, and ways of working. Coaching is not therapy, counseling, or even mentoring. I see it as a partnership where trust, confidentiality, and communication are paramount. A good coach will understand their client’s specific needs and work with them to impart practical concepts that will help them get the results they’re looking for and put them on the path to success in life. A professional code of ethics from one of the international coaching bodies should be adhered to at all times. When choosing a coach, look for credentials, qualifications, and relevant experience. Read their testimonials and check their background. The main thing is to ensure your coach is right for you, and most coaches offer an initial consultation or discovery call to find out if there’s a good fit. How did you become a coach, and how long have you been coaching? Halfway through my career as a people manager, I decided I didn’t want to work for someone else for the rest of my life, so I made a plan to gain financial freedom, “retire” by 40 and do my own thing. The business has grown and evolved over the past 15 years. I now specialize in working one-on-one with busy professionals, managers, and business owners to help them get clarity and direction in their life and career. What qualifies you to be a coach, and what methods do you use? I come from a scientific background and have a degree in biology and psychology. I believe in evidence-based coaching, so I make sure everything I do is supported by data. For example, cognitive-behavioral coaching (CBC) and mindfulness techniques are highly effective in getting transformational results for clients, and they’re two key elements I include in my practice. Among other qualifications, I’m certified in CBC through Professor Stephen Palmer, one of the pioneers in the field, and hold accredited certification in Professional Life Coaching. I’m also a member of the International Association of Coaches (IAC). What client success stories do you have? I’ll give you a couple of recent examples. Beth was working long hours as a marketing executive in a start-up company, feeling very stressed and anxious and in danger of burn-out. There was a lot of pressure on her to ensure the business's success, and her work environment was toxic. She knew she couldn’t continue as things were but was afraid that if she left, she’d not be able to get another job and get into financial difficulty, not to mention letting down her co-workers. After working through the coaching program and getting clarity around her desired future, she left the company amicably and is now working in another business that suits her skills and personality more. She’s also in the process of setting up her own consultancy, that’ll move her closer to her longer-term vision. Mark was a successful sales manager and generally enjoyed his job. However, he felt stagnant, unmotivated, and lonely a lot of the time, so he wanted to take a step up in his career and enjoy a better lifestyle. Within a few weeks of coaching, he gained promotion into a different role and a pay raise, was feeling motivated and engaged in his work, and was able to re-connect with his family and friends for holidays and adventures. What do you see as the future of coaching? It’s a rapidly growing industry and becoming more prevalent for professionals at all levels. If you’re a manager or executive and haven’t got a coach, you may be in the minority pretty soon. The barriers are coming down too. Many businesses, including Facebook and LinkedIn, now see the value of offering free life coaching to their leaders and employees. It can all be done remotely from anywhere in the world. A good coach is always on your side, giving you accountability and empowering and encouraging you to get the life you want. Coaching can be a wonderful and enlightening experience. You’ll gain clarity and direction, get balance and energy back into your life, and be the person you want to be. Visit Kris' website to book a free consultation, and follow him on Facebook and LinkedIn. Read more from Kris!

Written by: Motti Wein, 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. Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach tells a story of a man who, after many years of marriage, was not blessed with a child. He went to a great sage for a blessing and was told to go to “Wolf,” who would be able to provide the blessing. “Wolf” wasn’t an easy person to be around. His body odor was atrocious. He did not present himself properly at all. Furthermore, he was always yelling. The man in need of a blessing was shocked that “Wolf” was best qualified to provide this needed blessing but did as he was told and traveled to see “Wolf.” Upon arrival, the man saw "Wolf's" house—a tattered wreck. The grass was not cut in at least years. Windows were broken. Graffiti all over the outside stucco. The man mustered up enough courage to knock on the door, or at least what remained of it. A lady in ripped clothing whose breath reeked of alcohol answered and screamed, “Who are you?!” The man answered, “I am here to see "Wolf" for a blessing.” The lady answered, screaming, “My husband isn’t home. Even if he was home, he doesn’t allow intruders. Go far away now, for your own safety!” The man left in tears, not knowing what to do. He lay down to rest in a nearby barn, crying to God to bless him with a child. He fell asleep. He soon woke up to see “Wolf” standing over him. “Wolf,” however, was not the “Wolf” he knew. “Wolf” was dressed in the finest of clothing. His teeth were sparkling white. He had a pleasant aroma to him and spoke in the sweetest of voices. Shocked, the man walked with “Wolf” back to "Wolf’s" house. The house was brand new. The grass was immaculately cut. There was new siding all around. The windows were sparkling clean. Entering the house, the table was beautifully set with the prettiest flowers, fanciest dishes, and most delicious foods. "Wolf’s" wife was extremely presentable. “Wolf” blessed the man to have a healthy child. Excited and well-fed, the man returned home to share the wonderful news of the blessing with his wife. Upon return, he noticed a commotion. It turned out “Wolf” passed away, and none of the townspeople wanted to take part in the funeral due to his nasty and unpleasant personality. The man grew agitated and tried explaining that he merited to see the real “Wolf,” who is not at all the way they originally viewed him. Unfortunately, to no avail. One year later, the man and his wife were blessed with a healthy baby boy, whom they named “Wolf.” Human nature is to look down on those who are different. Furthermore, it is quite common to demand perfection. We want the perfect spouse. The perfect car. The perfect house. The perfect job. What we fail to realize is that there is no such thing as perfection. Every one of us is different, bringing our own uniqueness to the world. We all have strengths, and we all have weaknesses. On a deeper level, the way we are looked at by others parallels the way we ourselves look at others. If we don’t view our spouse perfect, they won’t view us as perfect. If we don’t view another’s car as perfect, others won’t view our car perfect. If we don’t view another’s house as perfect, others won’t view our house perfect. If we don’t view our job as perfect, our job won’t view us as perfect. If we judge others strictly by their faults & failures, others will likewise judge us strictly by our faults & failures. “Wolf's" personality is completely dependent on us and how we view him. We are all “Wolf.” “Wolf” is all of us. Connect with me on LinkedIn or visit my website for more info! Read more from Motti! Motti Wein, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Founded in 2015 by Motti Wein, we don't view honesty as the best policy; rather, we view it as the foundation for all policies. Let us use our cumulative decades of experience in overcoming adversary, leadership, trust, real estate, customer service, business acumen, family values, and our good name to help you manage and grow your NJ real estate investment portfolio. We may be reached at 732-415-8446 or emailed at WeinRealtyLLC@gmail.com. Wein Holdings, Wein Consulting, Wein Management, and Wein Lending are Wein Realty, LLC divisions. Please note we are a proud member of "Mem Dalet" - an initiative to encourage traditional Jewish workplace values in an ever-increasing nationwide culture of harassment & assault against women and general hostility towards religion. For more information, please contact us. Regarding Mr. Wein's work in kosher supervision, please email Wein.ChaimM@gmail.com or MWein@JewishHomeFreehold.org.

Written by: T. Lynn Tate, 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. With mental health taking its place at the forefront of health talks, balance becomes a hot subtopic as the two seemingly go hand in hand. The big question is, what exactly is balance, and how do you obtain it? As a wife, mother, family nucleus, talk show host, and business owner, I found myself seeking “balance.” However, first I had to figure out what balance meant as it pertained to daily life. What I discovered was quite interesting. For the longest time, I thought being balanced meant everything in my life received the same amount of energy, time, and attention daily. In a perfectly ideal world, that would undoubtedly be the case. However, I’m an imperfect person living in an imperfect world, so balance looks a little bit different for me. So, if you are anything like me, here are three things I’ve learned about being balanced. The first thing I learned is that balance is relative, and it looks different for everyone. Just as we all are uniquely different, balance is based on your point of reference and the structure of your daily life. To achieve the right balance for you, take an assessment of your life and discover your priority areas. For one person, the areas of priority may include physical activity, career, and education; for another, it may be spirituality, family, and finances. Discovering these priority areas help you narrow down what truly matters and should be included in your balance equation. The second thing I learned is that balance works in the sum of 100. Imagine a balance scale. On one side of the scale is you in the sum of 100. On the other side of the scale are your priority areas that need your daily attention. The energy, time, and attention you give to each area do not have to be equal. However, their sum should be no more than your energy sum of 100. Otherwise, you are not balanced. Lastly, despite how it feels, you can have it all. The key is understanding that just like seasons change, so does the scale of balance in your life. The sum of 100 doesn’t change. However, the distribution for your priority areas will vary based on the season of your life at the time. So yes, when you first start your business, you may spend more hours building your business than you do at home with your family or at the gym working out. During this season, just be sure to make the most of whatever amount of time and energy you have for your other priorities. When I first launched into entrepreneurship, I said to myself, “There is no way I can do this.” But, once I discovered what balance really looked like for my life, I knew it was possible to have it all. So, when life feels like you’re stretched too thin, and there is just no way you can have it all, take a step back, assess your priorities, and balance your scales. Remember what your balance looks like today may be different six months from now, and that’s ok—balance changes with the seasons of your life. Until next time, be safe and be well. Want to learn more from T. Lynn? Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit her website. T. Lynn Tate, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine T. Lynn Tate, The Story Midwife and Wholeness Coach, is a Writer, Talk Show Host, 1 Amazon Best Selling Author, Empowerment Speaker, Certified Holistic Health Coach, and Founder of Qui 2 Life Media. T. Lynn has over 20 years of experience serving the community with a background in youth outreach counseling, women’s empowerment, self-development, and holistic coaching. She started Qui 2 Life, a multi-media company for publishing and online production, with the intent to help tell stories of healing, wholeness, and authenticity through written and visual mediums. She is no doubt a story midwife for those who need help writing and sharing their stories. T. Lynn is the host of Sip & Chat with T. Lynn and Penned The Writer’s Utopia. She is also a co-host on B to the 3rd Power. Currently, she serves as an Executive Contributor for Brainz Magazine and a Global Female Empowerment Ambassador for ThinkNetwork, Europe’s 1 Empowerment platform.

Written by: Jennifer Loehding, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. It's 5 am, and you're getting ready to head out to run a half marathon. The weather is supposed to be perfect, and you have trained adequately, but you are not quite feeling the excitement that you usually experience when a race is approaching. You have done several of these in the past, and you know you can rely on your training, but your head is not into this race. You signed up months ago. So, what do you? You hesitantly show up. You arrive at the start line, and you line up. The signal goes off, and you begin your run. A few miles in, you start to feel fatigued and wonder if you will make it, but you push through and cross the finish line. Later, as you are recapping your race, you realize you didn't have a great race, but at least you finished. Many things can affect your performance. If you didn't sleep well the night before a race, you would be tired. If you haven't trained well, you are going to be lacking in skill. In life, we have setbacks all the time in business, relationships, and our health. But we get back up and go on to have another great run the next time. We realize something wasn't particularly in our favor at that moment, and that's okay because we know it was fleeting. We still are passionate about what we are doing. We evaluate and improve. Sometimes, however, our lack of performance may result from something more significant. We recognize that we are not motivated nor excited, and it won't resolve despite our commitment. Is it temporary fatigue, mental block, wrong timing, or burnout? We aren't sure, but we know that we are not particularly inspired about what we are doing, it's unrelenting, and we are not sure whether to give up or keep at it. We certainly don't want to be a quitter. Eventually, we start to make excuses, or we sabotage our efforts. Perhaps we stay out late, and therefore we can't get up on time to train. Maybe we work overtime. So, we are unable to be 100% present. We justify the actions to feel better about our choices and eventually claim it didn't work out when we don't perform well or quit. In our careers, we may see this play out in our performance as well. Perhaps we are struggling to find success despite our unrelenting effort to get better. We may feel unfulfilled and feel like we are swimming upstream but don't know why. I often use the example of my earlier businesses. I reached success in both very quickly. However, I had difficulty maintaining success because I became burnt out. I had discipline, but no matter how hard I applied it, I never truly felt fulfilled. Both businesses were similar in how they ran. I later realized that pieces of the business model didn't align with my values and what was important to me. Therefore, I was sabotaging my efforts. I learned that I wanted to sell my services, not someone's product. Something as little as adding an activity you enjoy or letting go of something that doesn’t align with your values may seem insignificant. Whereas having a career you don't want or being in a toxic relationship may appear more significant. However, whatever you engage in, whether it aligns or doesn't align, has an impact on you. It affects whether you have success, lives a fulfilled life, and your happiness. We must be willing to do things we don't want to do to get what we want in life. We must be uncomfortable from time to time. We must get in alignment with our core values. It is essential to living a fulfilled life. Should we learn to be happy in our situation? Don't get me wrong, I believe happiness is a choice, but I also think that we should do things that align with who we are as individuals that make us happy. When we do that, we will be healthier and more successful in all areas of our lives. We will be working from a state of flow, and things will happen with less effort. When we show up happier, we respond differently, we treat people differently, we make different decisions, we want to level up, and we want to improve our lives. When we begin to understand the importance of our values, we can learn to make the necessary changes to improve our lives. In careers, we see this when someone leaves their corporate job and decides to pursue a career change. Perhaps an individual values autonomy and therefore decides they want to determine their work schedule. So, they open their own business to follow what they love and have the freedom to work it when and how they choose. So how do we figure out if what we are doing is in alignment? I typically suggest we start by making a list of importance in the four categories: career, relationships, health & wellness, and time & money freedom. When we can determine what is essential in those areas, we can visualize our lives succeeding. We must then decide what we are doing well and what improvements we would like to see in each of the four areas. From there, we can start to implement small changes in a specific area. The slight changes may seem small, but over time can lead to notable change and greater happiness. You may not leave your job to be a writer, but you can certainly write in a little spare time and publish your book. Keep in mind that you can always have a bad race, and you can always have a good race. Mindset plays a role. However, if you are doing something, whether in business or your personal life, and not having success, not feeling motivated or fulfilled, and it continues, it may be time to decide if what you are doing aligns with your values. You can always choose to be happy, but when you engage in things that support what is important to you, you don't have to choose because you will feel more fulfilled. It will reflect in your work, your relationships, health, and your cash flow. Be intentional about what you do and work to add things that will add value to your life. Lastly, if you feel stuck, it might be time to find a coach or a mentor that can help you discover how to align your life with what is important to you. Cheers! Want to learn more from Jennifer? Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, and visit her website. Jennifer Loehding, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jennifer Loehding is a mindset coach, blogger, speaker, author, and creator/host of the Starter Girlz Podcast. Her memoir—Beat the Toughest Obstacles—highlights the period in her life when she recovered from the pain and frustration that comes with a diagnosis of Atypical Trigeminal Neuralgia. After years of getting no answers from medical professionals, Jennifer decided to find the best path to healing for herself. Relentless research and dogged determination allowed her to get around the sabotaging behaviors in her own life, and she now lives pain and medicine-free! Now Jennifer desires to teach people tips that will help them TOO to have exponential growth. She channels her energy and enthusiasm into the podcast—Starter Girlz—which she hosts every week, interviewing athletes, entrepreneurs, and individuals, highlighting the strengths that have helped them not only succeed but overcome the challenges they have faced. Jennifer likes empowering people to achieve success by assisting them to recognize sabotaging behaviors—their source and how to get around them.

Written by: Lea Gerlock, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. As the month of May has just ended, I reflect on it as I move forward to a new month. May was Mental Health Awareness Month. June is Mens’ Health Month, as well as many other types of wellness and health issues. What does this have to do with my article? Simply, moving forward often reflects a change in momentum, sometimes a big change of direction. The detour in the road ahead (a new month) brings waves of emotions. "You’re Not The Only One with Mixed Emotions" keeps playing in my head. I know that some of you may not know who this major rock band is! This is such a classic song by The Rolling Stones! What I personally derive from listening to this song is the message to “stay on the path” no matter what your “mixed emotions” are. What does your path look like? Staying on the path of discovery in a new month often comes in waves upon waves of indecision of all of the things that we did not accomplish in the previous month. By the way, I am up-to-date with what I set out to do in May, and I am moving forward in “waves.” I have to admit, though, there are some times I just can’t keep up. True story! As an online entrepreneur, my business as a life coach and host of my TV show, a creative process keeps me unmasking where I can effectively add certain elements to enhance my clients’ lives which also brings up, am I taking on too much? The answer to that question may be more difficult than some of us realize. There are three basic questions you have to ask yourself: 1. Is this going to take away from or enhance what I am doing currently in my business? If the answer is logical yes, then NO, you should not take away from what you are currently doing. As a reminder, if your calendar is already full, make the appropriate adjustments where needed. Not only write it down on your calendar, physically adjust with your online calendars so that you do not miss the opportunity to complete this task. If the answer is NO, create a “Waves List” for future projects that you want to add at some point. I have a “Waves List” (goal-oriented), not a to-do list for possible upcoming projects. I review it monthly. Are there some “waves” you want to delete or tuck away for another time? More than likely, there will be, and that’s okay. 2. For the “waves” you took off your current list, create a “Tidal Waves List” for the future. This must be separate from your regular list! Set yourself up a “reminder” on your calendar to review at least every 4 months or so obviously, what works best for your schedule. Remember, sometimes the “obvious” is just that. However, it’s often treated as a missed opportunity undetected until you create it. Implement a strategy to catch the obvious, and you’ll be glad that you did! 3. If you really want to spice up your “Waves List” or “Tidal Waves List,” record yourself a brief video of why this “wave” is important for your business. Try to keep it as short as possible. You can even upload it to your document where this entry is located. When you view this entry at the appropriate time, your creativity will be enhanced even further! Recalling your “why” will always create further momentum to add to your business! Transitioning from one month to another can be a visibility challenge. With the right tools in place, we have the strength to evolve even when we specifically do not have the time. The pathway is often filled with mixed emotions. We can’t hide from the waves of creativity, but we can certainly catch and create them! Follow me on Facebook, InstagramInstagram, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Lea! Lea Gerlock, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Lea Gerlock, Founder of Personal Chapter and Host of Awakened with Lea: The Next Chapter. Lea is also a Transitions and Visibility Coach. As a Certified COR.E Transitions Dynamics Specialist™ and Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, Lea supports her clients through a transformational path of discovery. Uncovering the truth of who they really are, owning their truth, and free to be seen with confidence. Lea identifies with the struggle of feeling invisible and believes everyone deserves to be seen for who they are, worthy and valuable. Lea partners with extraordinary people with incredible stories to uncover their hidden gifts and break the destructive cycle of masking so they can feel the freedom from their past, be visible in their vulnerability and step into their personal chapter in an empowering way. Awakened with Lea: The Next Chapter is a powerful and moving series featuring diverse guests who have experienced adversity and found their strengths through a major transition who were empowered to use their story as fuel.

Written by: Alix Rufas, 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 heard of High-Impact Moves (H.I.M.)? Those are the actions that will change your life. High-Impact moves are the opposite of Low-Impact Moves. Low-Impact Moves are those things that you tend to get “busy” with that, in reality have a very minimal impact on your dream wanted outcomes or wildest dreams. Examples of Low-Impact Moves: Mindlessly scrolling through social media Ordering a ton of things online (books, anyone?) that you’ll never really use, finish, even less implement Signing up to a thousand free webinars without ever even watching the replay - Signing up to yet *another* course or educational program before you finally dare to monetize your gifts and expertise Low-Impact Moves lead to procrastination, delaying, avoiding,... and frustration. Because you’re lying to yourself. You’re spending your time / money / energy / attention on the things that are low-risk, keep you in your comfort zone, keep you “busy” and away from what actually matters for you to actually realize your wildest dreams. You want to minimize Low-Impact Moves in your life. Even when it comes to “down time,” there’s ways to truly recharge and energize yourself. Low-Impact Moves don’t tend to help there either, even for down time. Introducing: High-Impact Moves High-Impact Moves are my favorite type of action. These are moves that will quantum leap you towards what you actually want in your life. High-Impact Moves address your wanted outcomes directly and head-on. Like a shortcut towards where you actually want to be. Examples of High-Impact Moves: Finally quitting that job that’s not for you Ending a relationship that’s not supportive Hiring the best coach you can find for one of your dream goals - Reaching out to 10 key people that can open epic opportunities for you Finally having that hard conversation with your family High-Impact Moves tend to be about reaching out to certain people and/or organizations. H.I.M. tend to be about conversations with key humans for you to get to your next level of growth. Sometimes, H.I.M. are about a key transaction (i.e. you purchasing a one-way ticket to Bali). H.I.M. tends to require bravery and radical honesty with oneself. Five, ten, fifteen minutes of courage making one or more High-Impact moves can be completely life-changing. And that’s the idea. You’ll thank yourself for fast-tracking your way into your best, most aligned life as opposed to continuously delaying things within a pool of Low-Impact Moves. How to work with High-Impact Moves in practice: 1. Define your wanted outcomes first. The starting point to define your best H.I.M. for the moment is to first get clear on the results and outcomes you want to create. Make sure they feel aligned with you, expansive, and exciting. 2. Reverse-engineer from your wanted outcomes. Ask yourself the question: What would it take for me to get there? Write down all the H.I.M. you can think of. Get resourceful. There’s always a thousand things that we can be proactive about and get started with. 3. Schedule your top strategic H.I.M. for the week. I like to keep this lean. Don’t think super long-term. That can be another way to procrastinate and avoid taking action. Think short-term, so you can actually execute ASAP and get going. 4. Make those MOVES. Don’t overthink things too much. The time for thinking and planning was #1 and #2. Now you can trust yourself on those points and just DO the steps you noted. Do first, and judge later is one of my favorite mottos. 5. Create a weekly H.I.M. reminder in your calendar . Create the habit to weekly check-in with your wanted outcomes and do #2, #3 and #4 again. Weekly. You’ll get yourself into a powerful forward-momentum flow. 6. Activate a high-energy feedback loop. As you make H.I.M., feedback from those actions is going to start coming your way. And with it, you’re inviting growth, learning and opportunity your way. Trust in this. And get ready to receive goodness and expansion. Repeat the above weekly and see your life transform. I use this simple yet powerful approach in my life and business and I absolutely love the exciting forward-momentum it creates. So, how do you feel about High-Impact Moves? To continue the conversation, I invite you to message me “H.I.M.” on Instagram @alixrufas - that could be a H.I.M. that opens something exciting for you. I’d love to hear how you feel about this applied to you specifically. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Alix! Alix Rufas, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Alix is a Full Potential Speaker and Coach, empowering women worldwide to build their most fulfilling professional lives. Before growing her current coaching business and its team, she started several other ventures; worked for the International Labour Organization (United Nations), several universities, and a start-up accelerator. ​To date, she has individually coached 300+ female leaders around the world. She has led 10 leadership retreats around Europe; and given 50+ public talks. She has also created multiple online programs and transformative digital experiences. Alix is incredibly passionate about and committed to empowering women worldwide to thrive on their full professional potential.

Written by: Corina Taylor, 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. Imagine this: You're in the zone, working on your business, reaching out to that dream client, setting your schedule for your training and zoom calls when it hits—mom guilt. You look at all you have to do and start thinking you should be spending more time with your kids. You’re always thinking of what else I have to do with my business when you're with them. You want to really be with your kids to be really present and give your clients your full attention as they paid for. Sound familiar, then keep reading. ​Set your kids up for success as you do with your clients; create a routine, so your kids know how the day will flow, when they have 100% access to you and when they don’t. Before your 1:1 with your client, get the kids outside to play to blow off that endless kid energy, then set them up with a snack and a quiet activity. Your kids will be much more relaxed and far more likely not to interrupt while you’re working, and you get the bonus of having some time just with your kids. Note when you’re feeling Mom Guilt, is it when you are working with a client or staring at a mountain of laundry that has to get done? Get your kids involved. You’ll get the benefit of connecting with them, getting the laundry done, and teaching your kids valuable life skills. Being present with your kids doesn't always mean playing. Stop comparing yourself to the 100% fake pictures of the “perfect family” that we’re deluged with. It’s not real! When you start hearing yourself start chirping at you in your head with Mom Guilt chatter, use your sternest, firmest voice and say to yourself, stop it! You may not speak to me that way. If you can’t say anything nice, then be quiet! Remember, if you wouldn’t say it to your best friend, then you shouldn’t be saying it to yourself either. With a little bit of awareness, a dash of reframing your perceptions, and a smattering of confidence in yourself, you can ditch the Mom Guilt for good. You'll be able to give your clients the experience, the attention, and focus they've hired you for and give your kids the gift of your attention and focus they need and crave. It’s not a one or the other and isn’t some demented contest for who gets the most attention wins. Give yourself the permission to reach your goals, serve your clients all while being the present parent you want to be for your kids. You started your business to provide your kids with the life you want to give them now, do it. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , or visit my website for more info! Corina Taylor, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Corina is a natural-born kid whisperer whose superpower is being able to connect with children on a deep and intuitive level. Having spent most of her life working with children in one form or another, operating an in-home daycare for over 15 years, and running numerous successful small businesses, all while raising her two amazing sons. From these experiences, she had gained the unique ability to see both the parenting and business side of things and combine them successfully and easily. She uses her college education as a Special Education Assistant and the numerous classes and courses she attended on child development, behavior, and psychology to maintain her license for her daycare, to provide her clients with the necessary tools to become the present parent they want while running their business successfully. She's highly sought out as a speaker to share and teach her 3 Pillars of her Parenting Philosophy in summits, conventions, and classes worldwide. She’s a published writer for Elephant Journal and Medium.com and is currently working on her first book published in the fall of 2021.

Written by: Tommesa Mobley, 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. There’s probably not one person reading this article who has never felt the sting of rejection. I’m sure that we all can agree that rejection hurts. It can make us feel tense, heartbroken, defeated, and worthless. It can make us question and doubt ourselves. According to the Oxford Handbook of Social Exclusion, rejection is both a cause and consequence of depression. Sadly, feelings of rejection play a role in the rising rates of anxiety and suicide. The good news is it doesn’t have to be this way. Rejection doesn’t have to be something that makes us discouraged or depressed. And it certainly isn’t something that should make us feel as if we need to bend over backward and make unhealthy choices to prove to the world that we are, indeed, worthy of love and attention. We can learn to redefine and reframe it as a tool for growth rather than a monster we need to be afraid of. If we can revisit and learn from the rejections we’ve faced, we may find in them a magnificent catalyst for success. Rejection as a Projection The first rule in redefining rejection is don’t take it personally, even if it is personal based on some judgment that has been made about you. It says nothing about your ability to learn, grow, and improve. So, there’s no real reason for you to carry an incident of rejection around with you. You don't have to allow it to determine your actions moving forward. Sometimes, the rejections we face have more to do with the other person’s inner turmoil than with our value. A psychological projection is when people attribute their own uncomfortable feelings or emotions to you rather than taking ownership or dealing with them. For instance, in the world of network marketing, opportunities are often rejected because the person feels they are inadequate to achieve success. They find it easier to put you down or call the opportunity a scam than to admit they don’t think they can do it. This can make the person offering the opportunity feel bad and give up. But when you see rejection as a projection that says more about the other person’s insecurities than it does about you, you can move forward with confidence. When you don’t take it personally, you can see it as a learning opportunity. Perhaps, you can improve the way you ask or possibly target a different type of individual. Truly, if you’re constantly asking people to look at an opportunity who don’t feel they can be successful with it, you will consistently deal with this kind of rejection. But what if you began to target people who were just as eager for an opportunity as you are to share it? I’d be willing to bet that your rate of rejection would go down. Rejection as Redirection One of the most common places where we all have felt rejection is romantic relationships. From being turned down for a date to cheated on, everyone has a story about when they were made to feel like they just weren’t enough by someone they had some interest in. The problem isn’t so much the word “no.” It’s more the meaning we attach to it and how we allow it to make us feel. When I look back over the “failed” relationships in my life and compare my narrative to what I know to be true now, the contrast is nothing short of amazing. First, I allowed myself to believe that the rejection I felt because these relationships didn’t work out meant that I was damaged somehow. I remember feeling so broken at times that I thought that life possibly wasn’t even worth living. For a while, I simply refused to accept my life on the universe’s terms. Let me explain what I mean. Each of us is born for a divine purpose. There’s nothing that exists that does not have a purpose for its existence. Now, the purpose for which we are born is a gift to us and a gift to the world. Each of us comes into the world carrying something that the world needs. The question is, in the time that we have here, will we manifest that gift into the world or not. Sadly, very few of us do. Often, we get derailed from the path to purpose by the challenges of life. Rejection is one of those challenges. But does that make it a bad thing? Not at all. Looking back on my own relationships that didn’t work out the way I thought I wanted them to at the time, I realize that each of them has been a blessing. According to my purpose, hidden in those rejections was the protection from something or someone that had no place in my future life. Each time I found myself focused on a relationship, the universe stepped in to redirect me back on the path of manifesting my gifts. Had it not been for those times of rejection and pain, I would not have become the skilled practitioner I am today. Had I allowed the pain to stop me in my tracks, the many lives I’ve touched would not have had that benefit. Because of that redirection, I’m not stuck in what might have been a loveless relationship. Today I’m authoring this article for thousand of readers around the world. I’m growing a virtual wellness center and teaching people to heal themselves, mind, body, and soul. My life is full of possibility and freedom because I alone have the power to decide how it will turn out. Such is the gift of rejection. Rejection as Self-manifestation Khalil Gibran wrote, “Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.” Buried beneath the pain of rejection, I’ve discovered the blessings of meaning and purpose, a treasure in which lies the prosperity of fulfillment and keys to unlock the vault to a level of riches that go far beyond money. The breaking of my shell has been the realization of my own ability to manifest the best in me and serve the world in a way that is uniquely mine. What greatness will you find hidden beneath the pain of your own rejections? To quote another of my beloved mentors, Dr. Wayne Dyer, “In my office, I have two framed posters. One is a picture of Albert Einstein, beneath the words, ‘Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.’ The other poster is made up solely of the words: ‘I’m grateful to all those people who said no. It is because of them I did it myself.’ Great Thoughts!” Great thoughts, indeed. We would all do well to keep them in mind the next time we face rejection. Thankfully, the greatness within us has nothing to do with the level of rejection we experience. Rejection simply happens. What matters is what we choose to do with it when it does. Will we choose to see it as the psychological projections of mediocre minds? Will we see it as a cue to take matters into our own hands and do it ourselves? Will we allow it to be a speedbump on the road to success or make it a stop sign and give up? Your answers to these questions are pivotal because how you chose to approach rejection can change the entire trajectory of your life. It’s entirely up to you if you will allow it to hinder the manifestation of your true self and gifts into the world. It’s worth taking the time to consider. Rejection as Self-love No one likes to be rejected. As I mentioned in the opening paragraph, rejection can hurt. If I’m perfectly honest, I will tell you that I’ve struggled with asking for things I’ve really needed because of the fear of rejection. But rejection has another side. I mean, sometimes you are the one that needs to do the rejecting. The issue here comes down to two words: entitlement and obligation. The person doing the asking feels entitled and the one being asked feels obliged. At least, these are the stories we tend to tell ourselves. Now, being someone who has wrestled with a fear of rejection, I can tell you that I’ve also struggled with saying no. The reasoning behind it is simple if you know rejection hurts and you don’t want to hurt people, you don’t want to say no. But, what about when the healthy thing to do is to say no? Is it possible that it is something about how we choose to say no that hurts and not the word itself? Is it possible to say no with love and compassion? I remember once, back when I was studying to become a massage therapist, a classmate and I went to the local mall to have lunch. She was a pretty girl, the kind of person who felt like the sun and moon rose because she said so. But I liked her, possibly because I could see beneath all of that. Well, that day, a guy walked up to her and attempted to start a conversation. She immediately became hostile and unnecessarily meant. I felt sad for the poor guy, at least until he explained that he wasn’t trying to ask her out but wanted to give us a flyer for his new business. I thought about this for a long time afterward. I thought about how much nerve one must gather to walk up and say anything to a stranger. It doesn’t matter if you’re asking for a date, sharing your business, or anything else. The thing to understand is that we are dealing with other human beings who have real feelings. So, why not just be polite? Some of my best friends are guys who were attracted to me. Although I wasn’t interested in them in the same way, my choice to be honest in a nice way has blessed me with some powerful lifelong friendships. I’ve experienced times when saying yes to everything has led to me spreading myself too thin and, in the end, not being able to meet my self-imposed obligations. In hindsight, I could have done the most loving thing for myself and the other person to give an honest no rather than a dishonest yes. Today, I have a simple rule “Never say yes to anything I don’t want to do.” Self-love is about choosing to live a life of integrity. Saying yes when you want to say no is completely out of alignment with this. This has everything to do with honoring yourself by standing in your truth. From my view as a holistic practitioner, one simple truth guides my philosophy on rejection as self-love, and it is this: Liars do not heal. It doesn’t matter if you eat right. You can take all the supplements and herbal remedies in the world. You can meditate, visualize, and say affirmations until the cows come home. But if you are in a state of disharmony because your words don’t match your will, your body will eventually turn on you. My point is that an honest no is always better than a dishonest yes. Rejection is an inevitable occurrence in life. It’s not inherently good or evil. It simply is. We can choose to accept it as it is, learn from it, and use it as a springboard from which to grow. Or we can be afraid of it and diminish our lives to avoid it. In other words, we can choose to appreciate the gifts it brings or see it as a woeful presence. In the end, what we choose to do with it will make all the difference. Follow me on Facebook, or visit my website for info! Read more from Tommesa! Tommesa Mobley, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Tommesa Mobley TND, CHD, SMEAD, Msc.D, CHHP is a Holistic Wellness Practitioner and Consultant. From childhood, she has always had an overwhelming desire to be "of service." This desire to help people was fueled by watching loved ones struggle with chronic conditions that could've been solved with dietary and lifestyle changes. No stranger to adversity, overcoming her own struggles with mental and emotional health, poverty, and various forms of abuse, has provided her with a unique understanding of the healing power of love: love of self and each other. A lover of the natural world, she is a staunch advocate for plants, animals, the environment, and sustainability. Her life's mission is to help people live longer, happier, and more vibrant lives by teaching them to take better care of each other, our planet and honor themselves as whole beings; mind, body, and spirit. She is the founder of Healing Wisdom Holistics, a private membership wellness and coaching center that serves its members in the comfort of their own homes through a private online portal. She is the author of "Miracles & Magic of the Mundane: Things I Learned on the Way to Purpose.

Written by: Sue Burhoe, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. This Father’s Day has had me thinking a lot about my dad's loss and my partner-the father to our three kids. Without them around, why even bother to celebrate Father’s Day? The day without them seems meaningless. Or does it? The upcoming summer has my dad on my mind more than usual. He loved the warm weather and any excuse to have his family over and eat together- especially on Father’s Day. We usually had a cookout with heaps of delicious food. He always wanted a big hunk of cake and lots of ice cream. Usually, I took a small piece to watch my calories, to which my dad usually responded, “ live a little, Sue!” I don’t know who I would be without my dad. He helped shape who I am and taught me so much about what family means. He even passed on his height and green eyes to me. We both also have what my family calls the “soft and mushy side.” I thank him and miss him every day. Anyone that knew my husband would tell you that he was always bragging about his kids. He loved being a dad and truly adored his children. We were an incredible team when it came to parenting. More than once, we would look at each other and say, “ Can you even believe they are ours?! ” with a laugh with pure joy and excitement. How can I even think of not honoring the man that made me a mom and gave me the most incredible love? This was when I started to re-evaluate my thinking. Was it easier for my heart to ignore this day because they are not here in the physical? And am I denying myself the joy of celebrating them? My job as a grief coach is to help people integrate loss into their lives. One would think I would know all (most, some) of the sneaky ways grief can show up. I unknowingly, yet a part of me knew that I put myself in the camp of this holiday doesn’t count anymore because my person is not here to celebrate. How silly of me to think I could outsmart grief and that I could outrun it somehow. Grief is incredibly clever and wise. Grief knows the love we feel for our person did not die. The sacred memories, the laughter, the wisdom from our loved one is still ours to cherish. Whether our person is here in the physical or not, they are worth celebrating—every damn day. How are you going to honor the father figures in your life today? Happy Father’s Day, Dad & my Honey. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , or visit my website for more info! Sue Burhoe, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Sue Burhoe is a Grief and Loss Life Coach, Holistic Practitioner, and a Licensed Massage Therapist. Her wisdom runs deep from her personal and professional experience over the past 30 years. In 2014 her partner of 30 years died by suicide, leaving her a solo parent to three children. Less than two years later, she was by the bedside of her dad as he passed from surgery complications . Professionally she spent 25 years working in the medical field. She eventually left that field to obtain degrees in holistic health, massage therapy, and energy medicine. In 2015 she was certified as a Holistic Life coach, now specializing in grief and loss. Sue uses her vulnerability, warmth, humor, and skills to help clients integrate grief and loss into their life. Sue is a volunteer with a non-profit for grieving children & families and a healing conversation peer-to-peer volunteer with the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention.

Written by: Lauraine McDonald, 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. Wake up and spend time breathing Breathing, especially using your diaphragm instead of your chest, is a great way to orient yourself into a new day and into your body. You can even do this from the comfort of your own bed if you like. It is easy to wake up, reach for the phone, get up out of bed and start ‘doing’ your day. So, this first step will help you change this habit and allow you to start your day in a calmer and more relaxed place. Check in with your body to see how it is feeling. And by this, I literally mean check-in. Ask your body how it's feeling. Our bodies talk to us constantly, and we seem not to respond most of the time. Your body will tell you if you ask it. You might experience a sensation, feeling, words, pictures, or smells. Trust that what you are given first is correct, and then listen. This little trick of mine helps to figure out energy levels for the day, alongside having more of an idea of what the body actually needs, wants, and desires, which will allow you to be more in sync with your body. When in sync more, you can work with it rather than against it. Knowing your energy levels will help you to pace yourself in a way that works for you. Find a mantra to help connect your mind and body for the day. Now you know a little more in terms of where your body is and what it is feeling, finding a mantra for the day, whether it is to help improve your mood and energy levels, or to sustain the place that you are already in, can help you stay grounded and centered throughout your day. Maybe you have a big scary meeting, and you need help to stay calm and in your body. Whatever is going on for you, positively talking to yourself will help. Some suggestions: I can do hard things I use my voice to speak the truth Today I will pace myself and go slow I stay authentic to who I am today I am whole, healthy, and well I will send a smile to each and every person I see today I am me I am who I am I know who I am I take a breath before I speak I am full of energy and ready to go Repeating your mantra when needed will give you some support from the inside. Set some intentions with your first cup of water. We all drink water in the morning. Water takes on the energy you give it. If you speak negatively to water (or yourself, given that we are mostly water), the cells shrivel up. If you speak positively to water (or yourself), the cells expand into beautiful crystals. So, sit with your water for a moment, put some positive intentions into your glass, or use the mantra you created in step 3. This will give you some extra support for your whole day. If you try this and it works out well for you, you can also do this with every single cup of water you drink. What is it that you need to set your day up for a successful one? For example, do you need to eat a full hearty breakfast? Do you like to exercise in the morning? Take a long hot or cold shower? Etc. What is it that you already know about yourself that your day always turns out better when you do? Implement it and use it. You are already way more intuitive than you give yourself credit for, and this step shows it. You know what works for you, and you know what doesn’t. Permit yourself to continue doing it for yourself. Check social media, emails, and phone calls as late as possible in the day. We are constantly using some technology, and whilst this obviously has its positives, it has its negatives also. For one, it takes your awareness away from you. So, if you can spend as much time without it in the morning, you are really giving yourself the best chance to get in tune with who you are and where you are starting your day from, without outside influences. You are re-iterating to yourself that you are important and deserve time spent on you. So take your time before re-introducing yourself to the outside world. Follow Lauraine on her Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin and visit her website for more info. Read more from Lauraine! Lauraine McDonald, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Lauraine McDonald is an intuitive guide and empathic healer who has been working with Energy for over 15 years. She has two degrees in Psychology and relishes every opportunity to bridge the gap between the mind and body. Due to many traumatic experiences, she has dedicated her life to helping people connect authentically to themselves and the world around them. She does this by helping you to release past traumas, break free from cultural and societal boxes and innately see and express who you are. Deeply rooted in the Native American Way of Life, Lauraine brings a holistic approach to her work. Lauraine is also a Sexual Abuse Advocate and looks forward to bringing light to the mental health stigma of keeping quiet and holding on to secrets that belong out in the open. Her mission is, "Become you, speak your truth, reclaim your power and step into who you were born to be."

Written by: Peggy MacSweeney, 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. Online space is becoming an increasingly crowded space. With everyone constantly churning and putting up content, it’s a real challenge for entrepreneurs to capture people’s attention. Because of information overload, our attention span is getting shorter and shorter, especially when we are browsing online. So how are you going to stop people from scrolling past your brilliant content and irresistible offer on social media? There are many ways to communicate your message and be visible online. Videos are no doubt the most popular. We are all encouraged to post videos as part of our marketing strategy, as proven to increase engagement. Audio formats such as podcasts and new platforms like Clubhouse are also catching up in terms of popularity. However, the fastest and the most effective way to stop people from scrolling along your post is to include a photo! According to MIT neuroscientists, did you know it only takes the human brain 13 milliseconds to process an image in its entirety? The human brain, in general, processes visual information more efficiently than written and audio information. Therefore including a photo in your post is the simplest way to capture people’s attention fast. We all heard of the saying, “A picture speaks a thousand words.” A picture not only can capture people's attention when used intentionally, but it also has the ability to communicate your personal and business brand message at lightning speed. When it comes to including photos on social media posts, many small business owners rely on d-i-y selfies and snapshots. If you use your phone camera to take pictures, do make sure you do not post any blurry and amateurish-looking images. Such bad-quality images hurt your credibility and professionalism. They are rarely scroll-stopping and, even if they are, will not give a good impression on you and your business. That leaves us with professional photography. Contrary to the view that professional photography is a luxury item, it is an absolute necessity when it comes to growing your business. It is part of your marketing collateral and is an essential investment that elevates your business and your brand to the next level. But be aware that professional brand photography is not any professional photography. It is a special genre altogether. They are professional images that not only stop the scroll but, more importantly, showcase you and your brand. They also have the ability to establish that all-important know, like and trust factor, connecting you with your dream clients at the emotional level in a split of a second. If you are not using professional brand photography in your day-to-day marketing, you are missing out on one of the most powerful (and fastest) ways to stop your dream clients from scrolling past your social media posts! Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , or visit my website for more info! Peggy MacSweeney, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine 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 business to craft a standout personal brand and visibility strategy so that they can be seen and known as experts in their field.