Written by: Joanna Hakimi, 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. Meditation. It is such a buzzword today. We hear it everywhere. Do you get annoyed with how often you hear about meditation? Does your therapist keep nagging you to try it, saying you could benefit? Is your spouse pressuring you to tag along to their favorite yoga class? Let’s be honest, do you truly know WHAT meditation is, or are you just critical of meditation without really knowing what it is or what it does? Sometimes when we don’t understand something, it’s easier to simply roll our eyes and move on. But, what if meditation really was exactly what you needed? Let’s take a quick look at what the hype is about, and then you can make an informed decision if it might be worth a try for you. Let’s start with the logical basics. Meditation is a set of techniques intended to settle the mind. Meditation is not about changing who you are. Meditation allows you to defocus your attention from what is crowding your mind and causing you stress by simply focusing on your breath. Meditation does not remove the thoughts in your mind or the problems in your life (wouldn’t that be nice!?), but rather it’s a tool to quiet the mind and quiet the thoughts. So how, then, does one benefit from meditation? First and foremost, meditation reduces stress. In a society where everyone is go, go, go and our lives, by nature, are stressful, meditation is a wonderful way to pause for a moment and settle. By taking the time to meditate, you are allowing yourself to eliminate the stream of thoughts in your head. That constant brain activity can be incredibly overwhelming to our nervous system, and the momentary break is a proven quick and effective way to reduce the tension that overwhelms our daily lives. Truly only five minutes a day can have a positive impact. Take a moment and think about what else you would likely waste five minutes on…standing in line, scrolling social media, shopping aimlessly online? Make the five minutes impactful instead! Meditation is also linked to reduced depression and anxiety. According to Mental Health America, depression and anxiety have hit an all-time high. Clearly, we as a society need to find ways to reduce that anxiety and depression and meditation just may be the answer. While meditation will not cure depression or anxiety overnight, it will help you manage the stress that can trigger anxiety and depression. Meditation teaches us to be more present, thus we are able to focus on the here and now and not all the ‘what-if’s’ that typically cause anxiety to go into overdrive. Researchers at Harvard found that meditation actually changes the human brain in regions that are linked to depression. Suddenly, meditation doesn’t sound so far-fetched, does it? It is quite literally a “quick fix.” But really…how does meditation work? When we focus on being in the present moment and slow our breathing, without judgment, our body physically relaxes and tension reduces. Scientifically, our parasympathetic nervous system is activated (stress reducer) and our sympathetic nervous system is deactivated (stress increase), which has been proven to lower blood pressure and reduce cortisol levels. The best part is it’s a tool we can use wherever and whenever we need it. It is WITHIN us. Once we become comfortable in the practice of meditation, we quite literally carry a tool at all times that can lead to a shift in our stress and anxiety levels. Think about it…even that pestering from your therapist and the pressure from your spouse would no longer bother you…you’d simply use the tools learned in meditation to clear your mind! What are your thoughts? Does it sound worth the hype? Let us know in your comments below! Follow Joanna on her Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin and visit her website for more info. Read more from Joanna! Joanna Hakimi, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Joanna Hakimi is a proud entrepreneur and licensed marriage and family therapist. Starting her first successful business at the age of 17 and being president of the Young Entrepreneur’s Society at the University of Georgia, she never closed the door on opportunity. She then went on to Northwestern University and attained her Masters in Science, becoming an LMFT. After being a successful LMFT in the northern suburbs of Chicago for more than 10 years while simultaneously running a mindful goods boutique for 5 years and accomplishing a 200-hour yoga teaching certification, Joanna was itching for a new adventure. Seeing a need to connect independent professionals such as life coaches, wellness coaches, therapists, and career consultants searching for new clients, LifeChangers.info was born. Joanna's goal is to empower and enlighten others to reach their full potential while being their most authentic selves.

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. Has business stalled? Is money flowing into your account as fast as a sleeping sloth? Sometimes all that's needed to shift your energy from stagnant to flowing are a few simple changes to the space around you. It's the small adjustments that are often overlooked, yet may hold the key, or at the very least a foothold, to the success that's eluding you. Let me explain further. Remember those sayings that your parents and teachers used to trot out with tedious regularity; ones such as "untidy desk, untidy mind"; to which you invariably raised your eyebrows and inwardly scoffed at? Well, it turns out…whisper it…. that there is more than a grain of truth to them. So, if new clients have been a struggle to come by, you've failed to win any new business in a while, or you're feeling stuck in a work rut, I suggest, as an easy first step, you take a long hard look at your immediate environment. In the simplest terms possible , clutter stops energy from moving freely. Flowing energy is vital for a thriving business. Remember, your surroundings are simply a reflection of your inner vibration, and the higher that vibration, the higher your attraction point. In short, the more likely you are to magnetize new clients, new business, more money, etc. Observe your surroundings …..and be honest. How clean and clear is everything? Your computer? Your mobile? Your desk? Your office? Looking back, can you see a pattern where the business started stagnating, as the piles of paperwork grew? Money energy, in particular, is profoundly affected by disorder! A good first step to clearing these energy blocks , and raising your vibration, to create the space to attract more of what you desire – be it business or increased cash flow - is to get organized. This unassuming action is a powerful step that immediately enables better flow. Let's look at where you work . What state is your desk in? Is it awash with post-it notes, old papers, and a myriad of pens and notebooks? Are there week-old sweet wrappers scattered underneath your desktop computer? Is there a half-open packet of nuts lurking by a long-ignored directory, on top of which is a discarded and ragged well-read magazine? I know the scenario all too well – as many clients describe just such situations to me. Your first task is to clean that desk up! I like to apply the principles of Feng Shui's Bagua Map , which sections space up into specific quadrants, to maximize the flow of energy in that area. Keeping to its rules, I create a designated place for my work, my computer, and all associated accouterments. Anything that is not needed anymore should be carefully filed or thrown away. Shoving things in piles and hiding them in boxes sends out the wrong message to the universe. Another quick thing you can do is add a plant and lamp, both are great for enhancing positive vibrations in the area. You might also wish to include images of your business vision, or what you aspire to create, nearby. Again, this will serve to attract more of what you desire. It's all about mirrors and magnets – where the positive reflects back at you and, in return, attracts more positive. Now let's look at the space where you work. Is it a dedicated place – either in your office, or your home? For instance, working from the kitchen table simply mixes home and work energy – to the detriment of both. Also, look at where you are seated. Is your back to the rest of your co-workers? This can create unwanted barriers. Not something you want, energetically, in your business. Perhaps your back is against the wall, looking out at the space around you? This is ideal for giving a clear view of your surroundings, including all you wish to create. For additional energetic reinforcement – especially if you are facing a door - you should sit in a high-backed chair, or add a picture of a mountain behind you. Both give added support. Support which translates into positive performance vibrations. Now you have a beautifully aligned desk and workspace , it's time to focus on the paperwork and files – both physical and digital. Throw away anything you don't need (e.g., junk mail, out-of-date notices, etc). Any kind of clutter near your desk, or the shelves around you, creates energetic micro leaks in your business. Only keep or file papers which you need. Now for the digital cleanse . Does your computer work properly – loading swiftly and easily when you open it? How have you organized your digital files? Are they randomly spread across your screen? Can you easily access all information that you need, when you need it? How much out-of-date or no longer needed information or Apps are taking up space on your hard drive? Be ruthless! Delete all that no longer serves a purpose. How full is your email inbox? Are there thousands of messages – read and unread – just sitting there? Again, delete, delete, delete! Don't forget that any digital cleanse also applies to your mobile. Just as with your main computer, you need to streamline what's on it. How many of us have thousands of old photos just sitting on our phones – often dating back years. I suggest loading all but the most precious, or the most recent, to an external hard drive, or your Cloud storage. Again, it's all about making space and allowing the energy to move freely, rather than getting stuck in a laden-down quagmire of a disorganized digital world. Follow this advice, and you've taken your first steps to reverse your business slump or money hump and started to build good energetic flow once more . Removing all that no longer serves you right now, creates space to receive what you need and desire, which allows you to move forward to your next level business and wealth goals. So, whilst at first glance, these steps may seem a little insignificant, one mustn't underestimate their importance. Only by clearing away the old can we make way energetically for the new. Of course, this only scratches the surface of raising your business and money attraction points. Whilst making these changes to your environment is crucial, it is just an initial stage. If you'd like to know more about how you can change your thinking and raise your set wealth point beyond your wildest imaginings, then get in touch HERE to book your complimentary clarity call. Let me guide you to becoming master of your money alignment, attracting previously undreamt wealth into 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.

Written by: Awaz Ahmed, 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 can all agree time is precious, while sometimes it can be challenging to manage. Managing time helps prioritize tasks in order to achieve professional and personal goals. However, the power of time management in both professional and personal settings is often underestimated. Managing time helps ease frustration, creates new opportunities, helps grow, increases productivity, and leads to success. But, the important thing to know about time is the hours we have in a day are always the same, no matter how organized we are. Hence, we have to manage ourselves first and how we spend the time we have. Time doesn’t only involve getting things done but also involves the pressure and stress that comes with it. It’s vital to understand getting everything done in a short time doesn’t mean success. It may lead to challenges at the end of the day and lead stress. Most people are aware of the saying, “less is more.” When an individual decides how they spend their time, they’re deciding how they spend the time they have, and most of the time, the important things that need to get done are the power of time management. Of course, in reality, there are deadlines, and they need to be met. How do an individual manage themself and the time they spend? Well, have a look at a few tips below. 4 Helpful Tips! Create a schedule of your daily tasks. Manage, manage and manage your activities! For visual individuals, use a calendar. For auditory learners, record your daily tasks. For kinesthetic, use something that will help you remember your activities. Less is more. Just because you didn’t achieve all the tasks for the day doesn’t mean the day was not successful. It was productive! Create an environment that makes you feel comfortable. This creates motivation to tackle daily tasks! Write a list. This is my favorite and is something I do daily. Write a list of things to be done from most important to least. Work your way down from that list and adjust the timing on tasks that can be adjusted. Remember, managing time can be challenging but not impossible! Follow me on Instagram, Linkedin and visit my website! Read more from Awaz! Awaz Ahmed MBPsS, Business Psychologist, Business and Emotional Intelligence coach Awaz Ahmed is a Business Psychologist and Coach, helping organizations and individuals in the workplace by encouraging and facilitating clients in a range of professional and personal areas. She has also worked internationally and is the founder of Aweology, a business psychologist, and experienced coaches. With an MSc in Business Psychology and coaching Awaz Ahmed, is also a certified emotional intelligence coach, NLP practitioner, certified 70+ hours of ICF coaching training, member of the British Psychology Society, American Psychology Association, Society for Industrial and organizational psychology and currently studying her Ph.D. in Business Psychology. Through her extensive experience and education in Business Psychology, she is highly skilled and passionate about research, psychometrics, assessments, training, development, recruitment, and coaching.

Written by: Tamara Mendelson, 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 have the Corona Blues? Are you feeling a little anxious, maybe a tad unmotivated? A bit sluggish? Were you sheltered for a year? Does wearing a mask raise your blood pressure? Perhaps you do have the COVID Blues. Know you are not alone. 5 Tips To Feel Better Almost Immediately The term languishing has been in the media lately. First coined by Sociologist Corey Keyes in a 2002 study, Keyes identified languishing as the opposite of flourishing. Since Corona began rapidly spreading worldwide, we all seem to be walking around with a big black cloud over our heads. Like Eeyore – the famous glum donkey from Winnie the Pooh whose tail must be tacked on by one of his friends – he is always grumpy. The simple stress of daily living has become compounded by a worldwide pandemic, which not coincidentally is the worst public health crisis in more than 100 years. The added pressure of demonstrations in response to the long history of injustice, prejudice, and many forms of discrimination surrounds us all. Some have been strained simply because their political leaders do not share their core values. Put any or all of those factors together, plus employment uncertainty, isolation, and any sense of normalcy are shattered. And now that we have a light at the end of the tunnel, why do we still feel so down? I call it the Corona Virus blues. As reported in the New York Times, organizational psychologist Adam Grant describes what the “blah” people feel after COVID. He also calls this malaise “languishing” and suggests being in a state of “flow” or concentrating on small, completable tasks may help. Grant may be onto something here. According to HuffPost, a new study suggests that finding “flow” reduces loneliness and can help to feel less alone as the pandemic stretches on. Each of us can find flow in different activities. I can’t help but ask, is flow the only way? It feels like the blues are a worldwide phenomenon. Many of us have lost loved ones. Many are still struggling from the lasting effects of COVID-19. People are still dying daily. There is a lot of resistance to the vaccine, and in some places, it isn’t available at all. So, what do we do now? 1. Take a breath. Living through a pandemic is a marathon, not a sprint. Save some energy. Pace yourself and try to be kind. There was so much fear and disinformation at the beginning of 2020. Our leaders told us things would be fine. Then they were not. Three million people died of this horrible disease, and most of us sat in our homes sheltering-in-place, not knowing what to do. Before you let anxiety get the best of you, do something else. Any small accomplishment can put you in a state of flow. Bake some bread. If you don’t have the patience to let it rise, make the quick kind, like banana bread. Find the easiest recipe you can. Watch a five-minute video. It is all out there for the taking, every conceivable recipe. Baking can give you something delicious to focus on. It is an activity with a beginning, middle, and end. The scent of something baking can make you breathe in some much-needed positive energy that comes with trying something new, even for a little while. Organize the pictures you have promised yourself to arrange for ten years. Clean out the basement. Rearrange the refrigerator. Start thinking about looking for a new job. Send one email to a friend or colleague to help you brainstorm your next move. It’s spring in most parts of the world. Leave your phone in your pocket and go outside to enjoy the flowers. Watch some clouds move. Smell the grass. Listen to birds chirp or kids play. Get yourself a small treat from the local shop. You deserve it. Begin living again, a little bit at a time. And if you can’t manage any of that because it seems like too much, then take another deep breath. Start with that. A breath that goes all the way down to your abdomen. Now hold it for a few heartbeats and let it out slowly. As you repeat this exercise, your heartbeat should slow, and oxygenating your cells should have a calming effect. 2. Quit overloading yourself with information. Limit your exposure to news and or information. The internet has made it possible to hear, see, or read the headlines 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The problem with all this access we can fall down the rabbit hole of negativity and catastrophizing every event. How many of us have lost an hour or four doom-scrolling stories that pop up on our feeds on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter? It can be even more tempting when it's on your television. If you have forgotten where you started looking, it’s time to disconnect. All that negative imagery isn’t good for you and can cause some additional fear and anxiety. Who needs more anxiety? Looking down at our phones all day can cause. And the news isn’t all bad. People are getting vaccinated. People are recovering. In some places, masks are not mandatory outside and in small groups. Recovery is visible every day. When’s the last time you watched a documentary and learned something new? 3. Take your power back. Feeling powerless is the worst. Taking small steps to impact your little corner of the world positively will positively help you feel more in control. Donate time, energy, or money to local charities. Do you have old clothes, appliances, or electronic games you don’t use? Find someone who can use them. Perhaps your community center, church, mosque, or synagogue can direct you towards a charity. Buy responsibly and support brands that give back. Toms Shoes donate a pair of shoes for each pair purchased. Bombas Socks, underwear, and tees do the same thing. Each product purchased is donated to a shelter as socks and underwear are the most requested items. Knickey will recycle your old bras and undies and give you a pair free. Research where your money goes and buy with your conscience. Other small changes to help our planet while sprucing up your home may be upcycling what you can and swapping out paper towels for classy dish towels. You can also buy sunscreen and other body products that are reef safe. 4. Don’t be alone. Reach out. Don’t isolate. When we aren’t feeling our best, we tend to burrow at home. Working at home has turned us into a sweatpants society. This is the time to reconnect with friends and family you may have been separated from during the pandemic. If you aren’t ready to be face-to-face, make a phone call. No text. Get someone on the phone. It will make you both feel better. No internet is needed. People of a certain generation will appreciate hearing your voice. Plan a dinner out. It’s getting warmer, so a picnic in a park works, too. I have a friend who wore a ball gown for her birthday to her first dinner out after sheltering. Dress up if you feel like it. Celebrate seeing a friend or relative. Maybe comb your hair or get a haircut. Wear something that hasn’t seen the light of day for a year. Wear shoes. Go all out. Socks are optional. 5. Make plans for the future. We are going to have one. There is still a lot of uncertainty, but eventually, this pandemic will be over (or at least contained). Then we’ll have the great privilege of moving forward. Think of all that extra time you will have when your kids go back to school. Maybe this is the year you will make a difference in your relationships, family, or community. It might be the year to go back to school. Learn something new. Set some goals that you may have been thinking about in February 2020. If you need some help mentally or emotionally to get yourself to move forward, ask. I’ve worked with many patients this year who were stuck in a rut. Some were healthy. Some were not. Some advanced in their careers. Others have been out of work. This pandemic has impacted all of us, although not in the same way. A common thread that I’ve noticed with all my patients is an overall malaise. By talking it out, working together to understand where they are helped to understand better what they need now and how to move forward in a more human, more connected, and more person they want to be. We may all still have the blues. It’s natural to control what you can and let go of the rest. Or as much as you can and breathe and flow. And get someone to help. Talk to someone. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or visit my website! Tamara Mendelson, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Tamara Mendelson is an Internationally recognized writer, a sought-after wellness coach, and an educator with many years of experience teaching Business English – online and in the classroom. Tamara teaches and coaches using humor, compassion, and empathy, which is her students' and clients' favorite superpower. When asked about why she started coaching, Tamara laughs, “I have been coaching all my life, being a good friend, an involved parent, and an empathetic teacher. I just didn’t call it coaching until 10 years ago.” Tamara received a Master’s Degree from Bar Ilan University in creative writing and English literature and has a certificate in Positive Psychology from UPENN. Tamara writes a weekly blog called “This Way Forward” and runs a Facebook Page with the same name where she does exactly that – helps people move forward.

Written by: Britta Lübbing , 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. Imagine a dream of yours. It can be a big or a small one. Imagine yourself in that dream. How you appear, how you speak, how other people perceive you. Imagine how what you do in your dream has a positive impact on other people. Let’s say your dream is to have your own café. Imagine how the coffee you serve puts the biggest smile on your customers’ faces. Or your dream is to have your own fashion label. Imagine how your customers gain confidence and happiness by wearing your designs. Imagine how they stand in front of the mirror and feel strong and beautiful. Maybe your dream is to travel the world. Imagine how the stories you tell inspire your family and friends to set off on a journey as well. I am fascinated by the fact that dreams do not exist. They are nothing but an illusion in our minds and our hearts. In the purest understanding, a dream is not —, yet it is also not nothing. Have you ever told somebody about an idea, and the both of you ended up talking about this idea for hours — leaving the conversation excited and energetic? See what I mean? Even more fascinating, I find how to get from a dream, an illusion , to an existing plan. How to get a dream on paper. Followed by execution. How to get outside with a roadmap in your hands, set foot in a path that nobody has ever walked before. During my studies, I decided that I wanted to have my own business because having my own business equaled freedom, which meant I could make money with what I love, with who I am. I know, a very overused term, so let’s clarify that I knew being a business owner would not make me feel like a unicorn for the rest of my life. Through several examples in my family, I understood the hard work, responsibilities, and sacrifices it took while also seeing the freedom and financial gain. I have never minded working hard or taking risks. I do mind living a life that looks good on my CV. Honestly, I think a CV is the shittiest concept of a roadmap that has ever been invented. Hence, with this goal in mind, I have spent many hours exploring, brainstorming, learning. I was particularly impressed by young Entrepreneurs, founders in their 20’s who had decided that they were capable of more, then went for it. So apart from knowing that I wanted to be an entrepreneur myself, I also wanted to aim to be super successful at a young age. This became such a strong driver that I had to leave many limiting beliefs behind, which I see my peers struggling with. “What do I know to think that I can start my own business? ” “I am too tired or too lazy to spend time on my business ideas after work. ” “I don’t have the money. ” The more steps I am taking, the more I see possibilities lying around like money bills and people literally not picking them up but instead crawling themselves to their day job they hate. My path so far has been anything but straightforward. I learned that launching a business is neither as easy as the following: “Alexa, I want to launch my own business but have no idea how - can you help me make my dream come true? ” B ut also not as difficult as too many think. I wonder why we as a society tend to build such weird and complex constructions around many topics. “If you are “x” or in “y” situation, you cannot do that. ” “If you are young, you need to start as an employee.” What happens to all the dreamers out there believing all this noise at some point instead of in their vision? I want my peers to skip the boring and frustrating job hunt and instead start creating their own individual roadmap. This is why I recently decided to position myself as a Business Coach, which can be seen as a bold move because you could argue that I don’t have enough practical experience. I say that too many young people are not founding businesses - not because they wouldn’t be smart enough to figure out how but because they think they are the wrong ones to do so. This is a problem I am convinced I can solve, and ultimately, I don’t care about the title at all but about the message that I want to spread. You deserve to have your dreams on paper. There is a version within you capable of believing in your roadmap and showing up for yourself. You are strong enough to leave behind and surrender what doesn’t serve you - explore & create the unknown. But Why Should I Launch a Business in my 20’s? According to Google, the likelihood of being born is one in 400 trillion. If you think you are just a normal person who only deserves an average life, I encourage you to use your brain cells. How can you treat your existence like garbage if the probability of you reading this is almost 0%? Despite that, I think you shouldn’t fall into the trap to believe that „You only live once“ and should therefore “Be the best version of yourself. ” (I will stop citing Pinterest quotes from now on, promised!) Our universe is 13.8 billion years old, the earth 4.5 billion. Scientists believe that humans have inhabited our planet for around 2 million years. (See Yuval Noah Harari: 21 Lessons for the 21st century, p. 319) What am I trying to say? While there is a zero percent chance that you are here, you matter even less compared to the grand existence of our Universe. Ultimately, you are a product of coincidences with no major impact. Congratulations! Why are you not doing whatever the hell you want? I can literally hear you thinking right now. “Yes, Britta, but —” There is no but. Only you are too full of yourself instead of understanding that you are a nobody who can have it all. Is that scary? I get that, so let’s check the risks of the journey ahead of you. Looking at how usually we, as human species, evolve in our lives in the 21st century, what would you say is the age where you have the least to lose? When do you have the lowest timely or financial responsibility towards others? What is the age where you are most likely to earn the smallest amount of money, therefore having the worst living standard in your life? Why does being broke and independent make you a perfect Entrepreneur? Because there is not really anything to lose, and if we have nothing to lose, there are simply no real risks. My current risks are that I put my salary into something that won’t work out financially (learning-wise, it will be a huge win anyway). Okay. Others drink and party and waste their money likewise. “It is not the right time. ” Do you think there will ever be the right time? I recently read this sentence that I liked, and it was about the fact that you will never start with the perfect idea anyway. You’ll start with something that has the potential to become great, but most likely, the first version(s) will be crap. If there is no perfect thing from the beginning, there is also no perfect time for it. You can either start with crap in 10 years, or you can do so now. “I prefer a secure income. ” I was hoping this argument had lost its credibility after the 1.5 years we went through. There is simply nothing like security. Companies have been very eager to let their people go to save their skin since the pandemic has hit. If I am happy about one thing, then it is the knowledge that I am not dependent on a job even though I still work in one. If you want security, build your income streams yourself. “I don’t know enough. ” I understand why you think that because this is how we have been educated. You go to school, college, corporate career, and the further you evolve, the more you know, the more valuable you are to society, the more you earn, and so on. Just that our world has changed, and if I look at company hierarchies and people in senior roles struggling with digitalization, then I know this is a lie that is supposed to keep us from taking over the world (I am a bit sarcastic here). It is not about knowing enough. It is about knowing the right things for the right people. You cannot know anything. Nobody does. But you can figure out a tiny problem that a tiny amount of people have in this world and help them solve it. “I don’t have enough money. ” I wonder if Steve Jobs or Bill Gates would have started Apple and Microsoft - had they been 20 years older. The answer is likely to be no. Their vision to create was so much stronger than their doubts, their passion and idealism so much more powerful than other people's opinions, and their belief in their dreams gave them the strength to create something out of nothing. They were okay with what they had. They just made it work. Because our living standard usually has not been very high yet in our 20’s- we will find it easier living from a small budget. You can call people in their 20’s naive, and I believe that’s our power. That’s what makes us innovative, passionate, and creative enough to challenge the status quo, hence push for change. On top of that, you don’t need to go all-in from the beginning. As I mentioned before, I have my business on the side next to a full-time job. My job still pays my bills. It is where I can test myself and my skills in a safe environment like a driving practice area - my business is my wild adventure, my creative outlet that I aim to push to high-speed sooner than later. I have this vision of a world where more young people dare to dream loudly. I want to believe in a world where more people create roadmaps and start walking. Step by step by step. Where there was nothing but an initial thought that became the journey of a lifetime. Never forget your zero percent likelihood of being here, and you mattering zero percent. I think that is a freaking amazing gift, to begin with. Your time to fly high starts now! For more info, follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn and visit my webs ite ! Read more from Brit ta ! Britta Lübbing, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Britta is the founder of Bttrflymovment, a platform, and community dedicated to supporting and connecting people in their 20‘s who are looking for a way to unlock their potential fully. After studying Business and getting a taste of a 9-5 corporate career, she quickly realized that this lifestyle would never allow her to „swim in the ocean“ but rather lead to jumping from one aquarium into the next bigger one. Furthermore, she had friends and fellows around her with great ideas, ambition, and talent seemingly stuck not knowing how to make their dreams come true. Britta’s passion for Self Development, true connection, and a fulfilled life eventually led to the vision of a safe space that would allow young people to transform from a caterpillar into a butterfly and also allow them to connect to like-minded people with shared expectations for life. Bttrflymovement was born. Britta loves to write, share and inspire through her journey according to the motto: Be the change you want to see in this world!

Written by: Jennifer Sharp, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. I grew up with the understanding that I was never good enough, that I wasn’t perfect enough, that I would never mount to anything. These beliefs followed me into adulthood, holding me back from living my life. After all, even if I tried to do anything, I’d surely fail, right? How did I overcome this? How did I overcome the negative self-belief that was learned from childhood which followed me into my adult life where the negative self-talk wouldn’t switch off? I would constantly fear failure, but somewhere deep inside, I knew I had to overcome this. I knew that I was worthy of being something more. I discovered over the years how to overcome all these feelings by discovering myself from the inside out. By consciously and intentionally following the four steps below, I discovered who I was. More importantly, I began to like who I was, seeing my self-confidence growing each day. I took the lead in my life. I began to live with purpose. Awareness. Becoming aware of who you are is just the beginning. Being consciously aware gives you the beginning of clarity, and you can sweep away the dust as you intentionally transform, grow, embrace and accept who you are. Awareness boosts our confidence, inside and out. Taking Action. The action stems directly from our awareness and the responsibility to make a change along with it. Accepting where we are and taking action to where we want to be is consciously driven. This occurs when acceptance enables us to trust ourselves. We move through self-awareness, to self-acceptance, to action-taking. Focus. The more I began to focus on myself from the inside, the more I began to prosper on the outside. My mind cleared, focus narrowed, precision set in along with the willpower and self-discipline to succeed. Focus granted me balance in my work and personal life and an “I can do anything” attitude. Patience. This is something I had to learn above everything else. But I also realized it is the secret key for success regardless of what I am doing. With patience comes the understanding that quick fixes just don’t cut it. How many sportspeople do you know excelled in a week? Patience is needed every step of the way to climb a mountain. Each step creates a new level of understanding who you are, where you can go, who you can be. Each step grants you the understanding that you have the power from within, that you hold the key, and that with focus and intent, and by staying aware of who you are, you will constantly kick that fear monster and all the baggage along with it. You will learn that you are worthy of more and more again. I still have those fears from time to time, but by asking myself what I fear and why, and by using the four steps above, I can reign in these feelings quickly. By knowing myself from the inside out, I continue to live with confidence, knowing that I am worthy and that I can confidently, without fear of negative consequence, deal with whatever the Universe sends my way. “Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit.” — E.E. Cummings Follow me on Facebook , LinkedIn , Daisy Lane Publishing , or visit my website for more info! Jennifer Sharp, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jennifer Sharp is a leader in the publishing industry, having founded an award-winning publishing press. She has assisted many with telling their success stories globally, whether it be in business or life. She has created coaching and mentoring programs that develop the writer's confidence in themselves and strategies that help them stay confident within themselves in all areas of their lives authentically. She is the founder of Daisy Lane Publishing and Mindset Magic - Confidence Coaching. Jennifer is on a mission to support as many as she can with living their life fully with positive intentions and to assist them with publishing their story along the way. Jennifer is also passionate about children's picture books and poetry, bringing to life stories that deal with trauma, displacement, homelessness, separation, domestic violence, and language learning.

Written by: Laura Foster, 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 past year will go down in history as a year that changed how many of us think about our relationship with our work. In the beginning, many people initially had fears about keeping their job, and then, the reality of figuring out how to do that job from home with all the distractions that accompany this- homeschooling kids, dogs, making three meals a day. This has highlighted a misalignment in our culture around what we expect from our work and how we interact with it. Far too many of us were told, "You can do anything you want. Find a career you love, and money and joy will follow." For so many people, this didn't happen. We were all sold a damaged bill of goods. According to the latest Gallup poll, 67% of Americans are disengaged with their work. Clearly, this isn’t sustainable for us as a society. This is something I know all too well. Before pursuing my own business as a coach and speaker, I was a fashion designer. I knew early on this was my “calling,” and I worked hard to make that dream come true. Then, in 2007 I was diagnosed with breast cancer, and I realized that this job I was supposed to love was causing me a great deal of anxiety and pain. I knew I needed to change, and at the time, I had no idea where to start. As a coach, I’m interacting with so many people who are at that inflection point now- they know that the work they’re doing isn’t truly satisfying, but they don’t have any idea how to change. Many are starting to think about legacy and what they want to leave behind. I’ve seen that those who are willing to use this time for their own growth have been slowing down and questioning what work really means to them. They’ve realized that they no longer want to do anything that doesn’t have meaning and purpose because life is too precious and too short to wait until some nebulous future when their real lives (and their real work) can begin. You may be one of the small percentage of people who love your work, but I guarantee that you are adjacent to someone who feels like they are suffocating in their current role. This is my sweet spot as a coach, supporting people in finding more meaning, more purpose, and more joy right now in the work they’re already doing. Even if the answer is to ultimately move on ultimately, there is so much opportunity in whatever their current role is. Because if there’s one thing I know, the same issues will follow us from job to job until we deal with them. I find that this is especially important for all levels of leadership, not just for us but for those we lead. Here are a few key elements I’ve found that have helped my clients find more meaning and purpose in their work. Realize you have a choice. In most instances, someone doesn’t come to your house every day and force you into a chair to do your work. You CHOOSE to get up and go to work. Yes, if you don’t go to work and lose your job, there would be consequences- but realizing that YOU are the one deciding to work and not someone else can drastically shift the way you view your work. You are creating your own life with every single choice you make. Get really clear about where work falls on your list of priorities. You may have already considered this but- slow down. Is it number one? Or is your family or your primary relationship number one? Assess how you spend your time. Is that assessment in line with your priorities? And if it’s not- what can you do to shift this so that work is more in alignment with what truly matters to you? Take ownership of your thinking, behaviors, and actions at work. I actually thought that every single boss I ever had was a jerk. Certainly, that could not be true. The common denominator was me. Where are you blaming others for the things that are actually within your control? How are you proactive in making your situation better for yourself? (Which is likely better for your company.) Where are you playing the role of the victim because it’s just easier? Get honest. Owning our part in our dissatisfaction can be a primary step in creating change. Are you willing to use work as a catalyst for your own growth? Because if you are- there’s so much satisfaction on the other side for you. I’m passionate about helping leaders find more joy, more enthusiasm, and more fulfillment in their work. Follow me for more on this topic. I occasionally lead online workshops around work and our relationships with it. My next workshop is called “How to Fall (Back) in Love with Your Work” on the 22nd of May 2021. Here's the link if you’d like to learn more and register. And, if this date has passed, reach out to me and let me know you’d like to be informed of future workshops. For more info, follow me on Instagram , LinkedIn , or visit my websi te ! Laura Foster, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine As a Life and Leadership for Entrepreneurs and Executives, Laura works with men and women hungry for change in their relationships with work. She spent over 25 years in corporations as a creative professional and founded several companies, including a nonprofit in Ethiopia. With over 20 years of experience speaking, leading workshops, and facilitating groups inside and outside organizations, she's coached clients in leadership levels at companies such as HBO, NBC, Netflix, Critical Mass, and Google. Laura is passionate about helping leaders find more joy, more enthusiasm, and more fulfillment in their work, positively impacting every other area of their lives.

Written by: Francisca Ferreira, 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. Most little girls grow up dreaming not only of a perfect wedding day but a perfect marriage too. However, for many, as the marriage goes on, they start to see a shift in their “white picket fence” mentality. When something bad happens in your marriage, all the beautiful things turn into nightmares. One starts to point the finger, and there is no more companionship, no more understanding, and worse, the abuse begins. No, this is not me trying to be negative. I wish I were, but rather me being realistic as many marriages end up going down this path. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all be faithful to our partners, respect one another like we promised at the beginning of our relationship? It begs the question, what makes a marriage take a wrong turn? Is it a lack of communication? Jealousy? Control? I can’t answer that for you, but what I can do is ask you, what have you done to maintain your marriage? Have you done more than what you expected your partner to do? Are you supportive the way you would expect them to be? Don’t get me wrong. Marriage is a very beautiful thing. Yet, a lot of people don’t know how to preserve the sanctity of their marriage. Think of it this way; marriage is like a child. You must care for that child day and night. You must feed it with love and attention. You must warm it with hugs and kisses. You must hold it tight, and more importantly, you must remember that it takes two people to keep it alive. A toxic relationship can be any situation with a lack of respect, a lack of communication or support. It's a relationship between two people who don’t get along, whether it be personally or professionally, it is still considered a toxic relationship. A toxic marriage is characterized by ongoing unhealthy mental, physical, and emotional issues that are unresolved and fester into even bigger problems. Unfortunately, when this occurs, people are quick to use their children as a reason to stay, and this is WRONG. After all, you're the one that chose to marry this person… When you met them, they were your everything… At the first beginning, it was just the two of you... You probably knew their good and bad traits...But you were afraid of leaving because you thought they would change… Maybe they wouldn't do it again…. And you find thousands of excuses to make them that perfect person that you once created in your head or that you want them to be….But they won't change BECAUSE THAT’S HOW THEY ARE... And because you accepted the way they were, they got comfortable… They will always find a way to turn the table around... Blame you for their toxic behaviors…. They’re always going to come out as the victim... And without even realizing it, you are living a toxic, unhappy life that you created for yourself... You were so in love that you missed all the red flags. Just remember, your children have nothing to do with the father or mother you chose for them. That is a commitment you made yourself. It's your choice, not your kids, and they shouldn’t have to put up with a toxic relationship. It's time for you to stop using your kids as an excuse for staying, for accepting the abuse, for putting up with this behavior. Yes, your kids deserve to grow up with their parents together, but in a happy, warm home filled with love, respect and support. Your kids shouldn’t have to carry your cross for the rest of their lives. People in healthy relationships feel heard, understood, and respected. They believe that their partners care about how they feel. Those involved in a toxic relationship feel the complete opposite. One or both partners may feel unheard. They may feel that the other person doesn’t have their best interests at heart. Can a toxic person change? This is a very tricky question. A toxic person can change, but it's very unsure for how long it will last. It may be a forever change or maybe a week, month or year. You will never know until it happens again. What is certain though, is that nothing anyone else does can change them. It won’t be a new city, a new child or anything else to fix a broken person. No matter what you do, it will always be explained away as someone else's fault. IT'S NEVER THEIR FAULT. To identify the toxic person in your life, keep an eye out for these traits: Toxic communication Jealousy Controlling behaviors Resentment Dishonesty Disrespect Negative financial behaviors Lack of support Being forced to do things you don't want to If you notice signs of a toxic relationship, you can take action by doing the following: Communicate with a person you trust and feel safe with. Reconnect with family and friends who care and lean on them for support. Write down all the pros and cons of your relationship. While doing so, think about the kids. Is this the kind of behavior you want them to see and feel? Don't mistake addiction for love (this is tricky because, neurochemically speaking, the two are very similar). Rebuild yourself by finding some joy (take long drives to clear your head or join your local gym). Along the way, be sure to remind yourself of the following too: Nothing lasts forever, not even the pain. A broken heart will heal, but broken trust takes longer to mend. Once you open up to new opportunities, you’ll realize the small things that were holding you back. Whether you want to stay in the relationship or get out, it’s important to stay firm with your decision. Handling the situation will require hard work and action. It may not be easy, but it can be better than where you are standing right now. Why people choose to stay: The toxic person makes you believe it's your fault. They believe they can fix the issue. They forget that relationships are a two-way street. They are afraid of what other people are gonna say. They don’t feel confident enough to start over again They are often confused or unsure of what’s happening. They blame themselves. If you choose to stay: Don’t excuse his or her bad behavior. Set boundaries. Remember, you are not an object to be abused. Ignore bad relationship advice. Don’t compare your relationship to others. Reconnect with loved ones. Find a hobby or something that makes you happy. Build your career, so you have financial independence. If you choose to go: Own your decision and stick to it. Don’t pay any mind to the “gossip .” Remember why you chose to end the relationship. You took your time to make a careful decision. You probably suffered longer than you needed to. Forgive yourself for any regrets. Forgive the other person but don't forget what he made you go through. For more info, follow me on Instagram , LinkedIn , or visit my website . Francisca Ferreira, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Francisca Ferreira received her certification in Health & Wellness from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in New York City. She completed a series of courses focusing on coaching people through stress management, career decisions, lifestyle changes, sleep issues, eating disorders, holistic healing, and most recently, Hormone Health. By 2021, Francisca is getting her specialization in Hormone health, focusing on improved digestion, increased libido, relief from PMS symptoms, enhanced focus and clarity and stabilized blood sugar, weight management, and infertility, and more. Francisca is dedicated to motivating and inspiring women to better care for themselves, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Francisca has plans to open up her own Nutrition & Wellness Center soon to provide a safe place for those who want to be healed from the inside out using her holistic approach. As the founder of Bloom Holistic Wellness & Nutrition, She does not diagnose, nor does she treat. Francisca provides a safe space for people to explore the different ways they can improve all aspects of their health.

Written by: Irene Nedelitsky, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. If you’re reading this, you have a high level of self-awareness. You are ambitious, enthusiastic, and connected to your purpose. You are a conscious creator. And the greater your mission, the higher-level challenges are served to push you further. You will find out what to do to smoothly sail this A-player sea of milestones and keep on leveling up. 1. Everything is you pushed out You are the initiator of your reality. Everything starts and comes from you. Your perspective and beliefs determine your experiences. Know this and consciously apply it in your day-to-day and you’ll see the perfect unfoldment of your goals manifesting before you. 2. Circumstances don’t matter Since everything is you pushed out, no external agents have any power over your reality. You can choose to give them power, though. But that still comes from you. 3. Your state manifests Self-talk, mood, and physiology make up your state of being. Every action of yours comes from your state of being, and your actions fabricate your reality. You get who and what you are. 4. There is either “needing” or “having” There are two states in reference to your manifestations. You either have something or you need it. If you need it, obviously you don’t have it. Thus, if you’re in the state of having, you can’t be needing anything. 5. It is already done Anything you can imagine already exists. If it didn’t exist in any shape or form, you wouldn’t be able to imagine it. This means your job is easy: you only got to align to the reality you want to experience. Be the version of you who lives and interacts in that reality. For more info, follow me on YouTube , Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn and visit my website ! Irene Nedelitsky, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Irene Nedelitsky is a mindset coach that bases her approach on 3 core principles: Freedom, Knowledge, and Excellence. Irene helps extraordinary people that want to grow to their highest potential and beyond by creating strategies that allow them to exponentially grow their mindset and impact in the world. Living in 19 European countries, speaking 8 languages, and studying creativity and spirituality since age 16 is what makes her so good at coaching. Her background in Molecular Biology (MSc.) and solo singing enables her to integrate a pragmatic, analytical approach with her artistic, unorthodox creativity. This principle blossoms in the "4 Pillars Of Excellence", a full mindset and self-improvement system based on 4 pillars: Self-Love, Freedom, Nature Spirituality, and Divinity, a practical guide to creating a personal legacy. The Own Your Excellence YouTube channel provides daily manifestation advice, and Irene has been helping people around the globe live their purpose since 2015.

Written by: Marta Sejnohova, Guest Writer Brainz Magazine When we bring up the topic of addiction, we don’t picture someone starting or running a business. Addiction doesn’t have to involve engagement in substance abuse. The definition of addiction is compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli, despite the adverse consequences. As entrepreneurs, we embark on a journey to success with the vision of wealth, fame, impact, recognition and other ‘rewarding stimuli.’ Do you remember the euphoria when you launched your business? Won your first sale? Publishing your article or standing on the stage for the first time? Hitting your six, seven, or eight figures targets? We crave these moments and chase them like there’s no tomorrow. Research shows that entrepreneurs and addicts are genetically wired very similar. In the wrong environment, that person becomes an addict. In the right environment, that person becomes an entrepreneur. When you are addicted to your job, your mission, you become a workaholic. Social media then glorifies the Hustle Culture. You see it all over the Internet that to become a successful entrepreneur; you have got to "hustle all day every day" or this famous line by Gary Vaynerchuk, “I’m grinding when you’re sleeping.”. Hard work, determination and desire to achieve are all the necessary ingredients to your success. There is no doubt about that! Living on the edge could lead to incredible peak performance but also a lot of negative consequences. Understanding the symptoms, prevention and treatment of Entrepreneurship Addiction can make all the difference in avoiding the next stress overload. 8 Signs that you might be an Entrepreneur Addict: 1. You neglect your self-care Sleeplessness, fatigue, terrible eating, skipping exercise, working hard even when unwell, stress, overwhelm and anxiety all seem like a worthy price to pay when it comes to your business. 2. You bath in obsessive overthinking The constant chatter in your head that brings new ideas on how to grow, expand, scale or improve your business may prevent you from staying in the flow, focusing on a particular task, or being present in a social environment. 3. You avoid family and friends The amount of time and energy you invest into your entrepreneurial pursuits doesn’t leave much time for other areas of your life. You may struggle to engage with your family maintain friendships or relationships. 4. You link success to happiness In pursuit of fulfilling your goals and dreams, you can forget what makes you truly happy. When you fail or don’t feel successful enough or rich enough, you spiral to low self-esteem issues or even depression. 5. You get frustrated by any non-work-related activities When you can't engage in activities related to your business, you feel annoyed or even anxious. You are terrible at listening to others and zone out when the conversation stirs away from your interests or projects. 6. You build tolerance for taking risks To get another spike of adrenaline of excitement again, you keep pushing the limits of what is ‘enough’ for you. Just like building a tolerance for drugs or alcohol, you can build up a tolerance for understanding what risks might go too far. 7. You constantly seek new opportunities This could mean that you start new projects before finishing others. The hunger for innovation may lead to a downturn in already established ideas and successful practices. 8. You feel like you can’t stop You want to keep going even though you don’t have the financial, social or health capacity. If your devotion to the business overshadows all the negative implications, it may indicate addiction. If you are feeling some of the above attributes, you are not alone. The good news is that there are many ways to slow down, overcome and prevent the overdose of entrepreneurial addiction. If you are a happy and successful entrepreneur, you might use some of the above traits as a driving force for your business. In this case, the following tips might help you level up your peak performance. 1. Self Awareness One of the most effective ways to treat addiction is the 12-step program, originally developed by AA. The first step to recovering from any type of issue or addiction is admitting you have a problem. The fact that you are reading this is a great start. 2. Mindfulness This can include meditation, gratitude practice, or just simply focusing on something positive. Slowing down and going inward can give us the necessary clarity on our next steps, improve our decisions and accelerate productivity. 3. Assess consequences Now that you are aware that you might not be performing at your optimal, you must evaluate how it negatively affects your life. This will motivate you to take action and change your behavior. Are any areas of your life suffering? Is it taking a toll on your health, wealth or relationships? 4. Understand your ‘Why’ Success without fulfillment is the ultimate failure. Sometimes you see millionaires and celebrities going to monasteries to learn peace and balance from monks. But you never see a monk asking for advice from a successful entrepreneur. Go back to why you became an entrepreneur. What do you really want? Get clear on what’s important to you, and create your own definition of success. 5. Get help While there isn’t a 12-step program for habitual entrepreneurs, there are professionals trained in helping you perform better. Getting a performance coach can help you identify perspectives that you cannot see and take you and your business from good to great. 6. Understand your values, needs and belief system Having a strong value system is like a compass. It can keep you on track when you feel like you are de-railing from your vision. Recognize that by prioritizing your entrepreneurship before anything else, you are trying to fulfill certain needs. How else can you meet those needs than working 100 hours a week? 7. Develop a routine Most people know that to live optimally, they have to eat healthy, exercise and rest. When you are hustling, you just don’t give self-care as much importance. Create a routine that doesn’t make you feel like you’re taking away from your business. For example, creating a to-do list whilst on a treadmill or getting healthy meals delivered to you will all help to save time and effort. 8. Cultivate meaningful relationships Entrepreneurs often forget that your family and friends are your first followers and your biggest supporters. The most successful people nurture and surround themselves with people that they can inspire or that inspire them. 9. Go ‘cold turkey’ once in a while Give dopamine detox a go. Dopamine is a chemical made in the brain when we receive a reward. This can mean signing a contract, swiping on social media, ordering junk food, Netflix and chill, or working 10 hours straight. It releases a short-term spike that feels so good, it’s addictive. Before you know it, those little things are no longer satisfying. Disconnecting and substituting more simple activities, like hiking or road trip, can help us reconnect with ourselves and others. 10. Revisit your business plan Create a vision plan that will pull you, not push you. Include things that inspire you to pursue it, like how will you know that you’ve achieved your goal? How will you celebrate your success? What will you be able to afford? Where will you be able to travel? Whom will you meet? While the research on the addictive nature of entrepreneurship is not too extensive, it is necessary to start those conversations. Can the emotional rollercoaster of starting and running your own enterprise lead in the direction of obsession and addiction? This quest is one of the main reasons why I became a performance coach. Reach out if you want to chat about this article or find out how you can level up your in your entrepreneurship. Connect with me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or visit my website. Marta Sejnohova, Guest Writer Brainz Magazine Marta Sej is a leading performance coach based in Australia. She is on a mission to eliminate overwhelm in the workplace. Her mantra is that ‘Greatness is not out there; it’s in you.’ Equipped with tools and skills, Marta Sej draws out her client’s own wisdom so they can maximize work or personal potentials and reach their goals faster and more efficiently. After running two successful ventures while competing in bodybuilding at the same time, she realized that her business could only be successful if her people feel fulfilled, cared for and inspired. At the end of 2020, she founded Marta Sej Coaching to teach organizations how to leverage their power of mindset, make their employees their most valuable asset and takes their performance to the next level. Marta Sej’s programs are designed to empower individuals to improve teams and ultimately accelerating the entire business.

Written by: Sarika Kishore, 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 tried several self-help books/videos on learning “How to be happy” and wondered why the euphoria didn’t last long? Have you watched/read “The Secret” and then lost the inspiration to follow the principles a few months later? I have been in the same boat. 20 years ago, I started struggling with depression and anxiety. I was diagnosed with a unipolar mood disorder and was prescribed medication. Reading self-help, motivational books were my go-to practice to find solutions. The internet was catching on, so I could download and read a lot of them. I tried to find a way to be happy through these books. I am sure you have looked up happiness at least once and have gone through a ton of content. From my research on depression, I found many different books and channels that contained great methods to learn to be happy, but nothing had a long-lasting transformative effect. I still could not be happy. Then a miracle happened – I found a therapist and a mentor at the same time and started working with them. The following three lessons are what I discovered in that journey. 1. Happiness is an attitude. You can choose to look at the worst-case scenario of a challenge or choose to find a solution to the problem. If you are actively seeking a solution, your attitude towards the problem changes. Any progress you make brings you satisfaction and contentment and propels you towards conquering the challenge. This creates a sense of happiness because you are not sitting back and letting the problem overwhelm you. This realization hit me hard and has transformed me into an optimist. An everyday example from my life, when my kids were leaving home to join their respective universities, I was suddenly faced with the challenge of living alone. All kinds of scenarios started going through my head, my kids might lose focus and become addicts. I might fall sick or get injured and would have nobody to help! I might feel like I have no reason to wake up and do anything! I am sure you get the drift. Ultimately, I had to sit down and recognize that I was really nervous about being totally alone and needed to find a new purpose for my life once the kids had left home. Now, this was a very workable problem. I looked for and started an entry-level job and decided to make it work for me. Giving myself a reason to find my way out of loneliness and do what I needed to do, helped me alleviate my anxiety and made me happy. I had regained control over my life! My life would have taken a different turn if I had allowed my fears and the worst-case scenarios to overwhelm me and destroy my sense of well-being. Now you might wonder why you should believe me? I looked and found several studies supporting this suggestion by my therapist. Kim and Lim (2012) found that optimism is a significant predictor of the psychological well-being of college students. Gorsy and Panwar (2016) found that optimism is a significant predictor of subjective happiness among working women. Ferguson and Goodwin (2010) found that o ptimism is a predictor of both subjective and psychological well-being among seniors. Thus, optimism leads to increased happiness among people at every stage in life. Hey! Don’t judge me. I am a skeptic till I find some proof. Once I was convinced that this is true, I did make changes to my attitude and look. I am here coaching others to do the same. 2. Happiness is an emotion, not an event. If you are attaching your happiness to an event/outcome, you are short-changing yourself. An event/outcome can give you a momentary feeling of happiness, but what happens when it’s over? How would you feel happy again? Pursue another outcome? Waiting to get happy based on a certain result actually leads to anxiety rather than happiness. But If you treat happiness as an emotion, it will be a reaction to a thought/word/action by you or others. When happiness is a reaction to any of the above, you have a chance at continuous happiness – you can think, speak, listen to or act on those things that bring you happiness. Realizing this gave me an immense sense of control over my happiness. My happiness was no longer dependent on external action. I could make myself feel happy whenever I wanted – whew! What a relief to know (Typical type-A response)! Now, I practice meditation and mindfulness to achieve a calm state of mind. This allows me to stay emotionally stable and feel happier. I try to be helpful whenever possible, even if it is as small an act as helping someone with directions or smiling and wishing someone a good morning on the streetcar. This makes me happy and feels good about myself. There is rising support among academics for happiness to be considered an emotion. Goldman (2017) argued that just as emotions are analyzed as multicomponent states, including judgments, feelings, physical symptoms, and behavioral dispositions in response to events, prototypical happiness contains all the same components . Thus the concept of happiness is similar to the concepts of other emotions. 3. Happiness is a practice Happiness is a long-term transformation, and you can cultivate your own happiness by taking steps to be happy. You can constantly modify your thoughts, beliefs, and values by fact-checking them. If someone/something is making you unhappy – you can check-in and examine what expectations you have from them. Where are these expectations coming from? Are they personal, cultural, religious, or familial? Why should these expectations hold value for the others? Soon you will realize that your own belief, values, and ideals are causing you unhappiness and not the other person/thing. Others do not have to adhere to your standards of right or wrong. Only you are responsible for those. If your expectations are the problem, then experiment with modifying them, and happiness is yours to have. This is why the books and videos were not working for me! I was using them to increase my intellectual understanding of the process, but I wasn’t actively making changes. I wasn’t practicing in a focused direction. Over the last 10 years, since I have been weaned off the medication, I have practiced happiness. It doesn’t mean that I do not experience any challenges, but I keep working on them and find happiness in the process. So if you are looking for happiness, start working on your attitude and adjusting to how you solve problems. Self-help books/videos will only inform you of what attitudes you need to change but changing them is on you. Feeling happy can be a result of your own actions, words, and behaviors. You can feel happy any time by saying or doing something that makes you feel good about yourself. It creates a sense of well-being that cannot be affected by others’ words or actions. Remember that only practice makes you perfect. Keep practicing happiness, and you will be happier than you have ever been because now you are actively creating happiness rather than accepting misery. You can become the creator of your own life and embody happiness. Good luck! Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , or visit my website for more info! Sarika Kishore, Brainz Magazine Executive Contributor Sarika Kishore is a Life Coach who is passionate about helping women rediscover the magic of life. She had battled with depression and anxiety for several years and learned that happiness is an attitude, not an event. A shift in attitude allowed her to reinvent and adjust to any challenge that life threw at her and empowered her to live life on her terms. Now, she shares her strategies and techniques in her signature program "Be The Magician" and helps other women identify, modify and defy their barriers to life and take control of it. Her goal is to help women become more impactful and joyful and create a ripple effect in our society, spreading happiness and hope to others. References: Ferguson, S. J., & Goodwin, A. D. (2010). Optimism and well-being in older adults: The mediating role of social support and perceived control. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development , 71 (1), 43-68. Goldman, A. H. (2017). Happiness is an Emotion. The Journal of Ethics , 21 (1), 1-16. Gorsy, C., & Panwar, N. (2016). Optimism as a correlate of happiness among working women. The International Journal of Indian Psychology , 3 (2), 20-29. Kim, K. M., & Lim, J. H. (2012). Effects of optimism and orientations to happiness on the psychological well-being of college students. Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association , 50 (1), 89-101.

Written by: Mihaela Gordan, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. How the hardest months become the biggest blessings in my life, guiding me towards my Divine Timing? "Impossible means I'm possible" This is my baby’s story, but because he is too small to talk, I have to write for him, for now. So, I will start with 13th February 2018, which actually turned my life into a life based only on gratitude. Maybe between you guys, who are reading this, are still some who believe in unlucky numbers like 13! This is how the 13th of February starts for us. I was pregnant, 19 weeks and 2 days, and we were waiting for the scan to reveal our baby’s gender. We were very excited to find out because we already have 2 beautiful boys. Unfortunately for us, the baby didn’t have the right position to see his gender, but it did have a good position to find out that something wasn’t normal with his right kidney. We were told maybe it is a cyst and get a next day appointment with the consultant. I am a therapist since 2006, and I knew a cyst is not necessarily something dangerous, but still, as a mother, I was worried. So the next day, after the scan was done, the consultant gave us even worse news. It wasn’t a cyst; it was more. The consultant talked about some conditions that I never believed would happen to a baby in the womb and definitely not to my baby. "There is a large bladder that is in all probability due to a lower urinary tract obstruction. The amniotic fluid volume is normal. The whole of the fetal urethra was visualized as such I believe the obstruction is a result of an anterior syringocoele, which is causing an intermittent obstruction. There is mild left-sided hydronephrosis and a right-sided perinephric urinoma…Rescan in 2 days." The medical intervention that he explained to us was a risk for my baby, and I didn’t accept it. I was very worried, but I still tried telling him that anything can change until the baby is born, but I respond to a big impossible. He told us that this condition is very rare, and from when he practices medicine, he never saw a recovery. He also explained that the next step of this would be less amniotic fluid which will cause suffocation to the baby, and if this doesn’t happen, then, at birth, he will have kidney failure. So sad, he didn’t even allow him to be born and was already talking about him dying. We went home, and my heart was broken. I felt his first kick at 12 weeks. He was so active every day. I couldn’t believe this is happening. I refused to believe it. Because I work with supplements straight away, I start taking the ones I knew will help with kidney conditions, and I start praying and doing meditation, hoping for a better result in 2 days. On the 16th of February , we see the consultant again, and the news was even worse than before. Due to the obstruction, his bladder enlarged even more, and both kidneys had urinomas. He told us even if we choose the medical intervention. He can’t do it anymore because it is very difficult. At this point, I ask to be referred to someone more specialized in this matter. It happened on Friday. I remember like it was yesterday. I was left with 0% chances for my baby, and I refused to believe what the doctor said, but he even draws for me on a paper to make me understand there is no chance. I knew they would tell me to stop the pregnancy at some point, but I couldn’t even see an ending like this for my baby. We found out that he is a boy during the scan, so in the evening, we decided on his name. Emad , meaning trust and faith . It was the perfect name, I decided to trust him and my intuition and have faith in God. At that time, I was a Theta Healer practitioner, a technique based on a focus prayer/meditation to train mind, body, and soul to clear limiting beliefs and live life with positive thoughts, developing virtues in all that we do. I always had happy clients, and I witnessed miraculous healings, so I start being my own client. Few times, I also worked together with other healers, and we send many instant healings to the baby and also change many beliefs/paradigms; Because we all know the baby has the same energy and feelings as the mother, we work on baby and me together, but still, I was feeling like something is missing. At one of the courses I had, when I was practicing, we had to manifest how something impossible become possible. The word ” impossible ” ring in my head, and I knew this was the piece missing from the healing. So I knew the baby's condition start because of some obstruction, and I decided to witness the healing of that, to change the impossible into possible. As I was witnessing the healing, I felt so relax and calm. It was so amazing. It was like a light going to the womb. Wash the baby and, taking the obstruction, send it up into the infinite sky, in the light. I felt that healing in every cell of my body. I knew it happened. Now, I was really waiting for the next appointment with the professor to confirm that something changed for the better. On 20 of February, we finally see professor Kypros Nicolaides at Harris Birthright Research center for Fetal Medicine. During the scan, there were 5 doctors with us, explaining what is happening. So at that point, they see a normal size bladder and the ureters were not visible anymore, meaning they are not swollen and still urinomas on both kidneys. For me, that was the best news. I confirmed that the obstruction really disappeared (it was healed), and urine was going out normally. But it didn’t mean the same for professor Nicolaides. He told us that the ureters broke because of too much pressure, and that’s how the bladder shows empty. I completely deny his theory and told him mine, but again I heard IMPOSSIBLE! He also said the best advice he can give us is to stop the pregnancy. His words were like swords in my heart. I was feeling like living in a world where a baby's life doesn’t matter. I knew he has a very good reputation but still, I stand up for my baby and for what I believe. I told him I want a next scan to show him I’m right, and my feelings as a mother are right as well. He gave us an appointment after 1 week, and he was sure it would get worse. So sure that he said if the baby is stable until next time, he will come to take his words back. He also told us that it is better to decide asap because later is more difficult. (An abortion) "In the scan today, there is bilateral urinoma, and this is a very poor prognostic sign. Parents wish to observe the evolution in the hope that this will resolve." – Profesor Kypros Nicolaides . Because I see he doesn’t give us any hope, I asked him to measure the urinomas to show him the improvement at the next appointment. For me, as I said, this appointment just confirmed the healing start. For the next week, every morning and evening, I was meditating, sending light and unconditional love to my baby’s kidneys, I was manifesting and praying for the impossible to become possible, and no matter what was going on in my life, I was always positive. It was very hard in this situation, but I knew what I’m doing for my baby because he wants to be born. I knew he chose life. On the 27th of February , we go again to repeat the scan. I am so happy and grateful to tell you that I was right. Because they measure the urinomas, I could see they are getting smaller. It wasn’t a huge difference but for me was enough. Plus, I was waiting for the professor to show because he said it is impossible to remain stable a week ago. After all, he never saw that in his life. I didn’t tell you, but he almost laughed in my face when I said my baby would get better. Even after this scan, they didn’t give me any hope. I maintain my mind and heart positive, no matter what they said. Every day I was doing theta healing sessions. The first thing when I wake up was being grateful for everything and being grateful for my healthy baby. Every night I was thanking for the day I had and getting 1 day closer to meet Emad . While doing this every day, I build a very strong connection with my baby. I knew him before he was born. I knew how he will look like and how he will be like. I felt him so strong, so wise; he might be a baby, but I felt his soul so big and pure! It lasts 7 weeks until both kidneys show in the scans completely healed. If you wish to see the scan pictures during this time, doctors were still negative about what will happen at birth. "However, the natural history of obstruction is usually progressive deterioration, and particularly with urinomas, the chances of abnormal renal function at birth is as high as 70%." At some point, the professor discharged me from his hospital, as he saw the baby is getting better, but he never comes to see us. Why? He was ashamed of his advice, or my baby’s life was too insignificant to matter? Since then, I wondered how many parents are getting too scared because of some diagnosis and choose to terminate the pregnancy? How many lives get wasted just because it is impossible for doctors to have faith and believe in miracles as well ? 27.04.2018 scan — Finally, both kidneys healed miraculously! " The previously noted urinoma on the right side has resolved, and the renal volume is now within normal limits. The same now applies to the urinoma on the left side." After all this, on 4th July I became a mother for the 3rd time. At 2:31 am it was born the strongest and cutest baby and obviously the healthiest one! You will think maybe wow, but don’t hurry yet. This didn’t end here. Obviously, 3 hospitals got involved in this after his miraculous birth, trying to research why it heals, but I did not allow that. I’m sorry, but in our case, doctors weren’t right even 1%, so I kept my position defending my baby, which wasn’t easy, as even social care was involved, but this is a story for another time. "Some people will make you go through hell, But with faith, you will feel like walking in Heavens!" — Mihaela Gordan In all this story, I don’t want you to think that I’m blaming doctors. No, many good doctors are trying their best. I did meet one of them, the only one who stayed and listen to me and didn’t try to force me to do any unnecessary tests. I say science is not everything, and miracles do happen when you have faith. Doctors are humans also and should believe in miracles, or at least allow the parents to believe, do not scare them, give them hope. And when miracles happen, just let it be. Experiments won’t give you the answer because science will never understand the power of faith. For many, maybe this will be a nightmare, but for me, it was, and it is a blessing. Every second of my life since his birth is gratitude. Even if he is little, he has his purpose in this life and already taught me how to have faith 100%. He taught me that it is possible to have a positive mind and a peaceful heart in this stressful world. You need to decide to live this way. He has shown me how unconditional love together with faith can move mountains. But the most important is he shows to all of us that the impossible exists only because we limit our minds and refuse to see further, maybe because of fear or to less faith. For us, Emad made the impossible very possible. He is a very strong, calm, and happy baby, the happiest one I ever see. Since his birth, I am gifted with millions of smiles. His energy is so pure and calm. Through his eyes, I can see only unconditional love, and anywhere I am, if I am next to him, I am in the most peaceful place on Earth. When I look at him, I realized how blessed I am. I learned to appreciate every second of life and try to live it in unconditional love! For many mothers, the first months or even years are full of crying, stress, depression, tiredness because of so many nights being awake. That was me also, with my other 2 kids. But this time, his birth gave me strength, made me happier than ever before, and complete. He came to show me my real purpose in life, to be a spiritual healer, so I can help as many parents as possible, who go through similar situations, so I hope this message can reach them! I also realized that life is so perfect, and everything happens for a reason. I was introduced to the Theta Healing technique after I suffered 2 miscarriages. It never goes through my mind that this technique will help save my baby's life later on. But again, faith was, and it is everything. Theta healing is nothing else than a focused prayer in a relaxed state of mind, theta brain waves. Because I was asked so many times how I did this, how this is possible, how to change illness into health, I create this powerful Sacred Health Meditation for everyone to use, free of charge. This is what I use to pray, visualize, and believe in every morning and night! This is how, together with my baby, we changed the impossible into possible! Click HERE to download the Sacred Health Meditation . I am sending you all, unconditional love and don’t forget before giving up, decide to have 100% faith, and things will turn around! For more info, follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , or visit my web site ! Mihaela Gordan, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Mihaela Gordan is a Spiritual Healer, Manifesting Miracles Mentor, Instructor Theta Healing®, and Intuitive Relationship Coach. Mihaela is the CEO & Founder of the Quality4Life organization, bringing an integrated mix of healing therapies and courses to help her clients achieve balance in all aspects of their life. She is involved in the holistic health industry since 2006. Still, after using the Theta Healing technique to witness the miraculous healing of her baby in the womb and also to heal herself emotionally after going through a painful separation, she decided to dedicate her time to teach and guide others to change the impossible into possible with ease and grace, in the highest and best way possible!