Written by: Barbora Jedlovsk á , 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. Mindset is, without any doubt, your biggest asset. There can be all the tools and strategies in place, but when your mindset isn't on board, that can really turn things down. 'But how to work on my mindset? ' you might ask. How to get out of that loop of carnival of negative thoughts and self-sabotaging noises? Isn't it too much work anyways? Well, all your questions are in place. However, mindset work does not need to be scary and frustrating. It can actually be super fun, and it surely feels rewarding after you invest some time, energy, and effort into it. Let's take a look at 7 easy ways to develop a flourishing mindset that I prepared for you. Watch your thoughts. Watching over your thoughts is an essential part when it comes to improving your mindset. Your thoughts create your reality, and honestly, with over 6.000 thoughts a day, you might not be aware of what kind of party is happening inside there. You want to control your thoughts and your mental activity because that determines your internal vibration, which creates your deep beliefs, which cause you to take action (or be passive), giving you results (or don't). Look at your results, and if they are not to your liking, you need to start taking care of the root - your thoughts. Don't believe all your thoughts. Another important point is not to believe everything that pops up in your mind. Most of your thoughts are just a product of your old programming, and social conditioning passed on to you, often based on your previous experiences, which have nothing to do with actual truth. Remember: ''Everything is. You make it what it is.'' This powerful saying has so much meaning and value. Nothing is bad or wrong. You make it what it is for you. You can choose what meaning you give to your thoughts, and that hugely affects your mindset. Every single thought can be rejected or refused if it's not serving you well. Don't believe all your thoughts, but surely watch them very closely. Filter out the junk. Either you realize it or not, you can filter out what you don't want to keep in your mental space, which eventually influences your mindset. Through your first part of your mind, the conscious mind, which is both inductive and deductive, you can choose what thoughts you accept and which ones you reject, ignore, or refuse. Not everything that comes in needs to be accepted by you and stay. If certain thought feels harmful, destructive, or discouraging, you can filter it out before putting emotions into it. You have this choice in the first place. Once the thought has been internalized and entertained with emotions that impresses it to the subconscious part of the mind, from there, it is hard to take it out. Your subconsciousness is only deductive, so everything you will feed it with will stay. Therefore that first choice through a conscious mind really matters. You can learn about the differences between conscious and subconscious minds in my article here. Develop the 'Art of Reframing .' One of the tools and practices I swear by is 'Art of Reframing .' If you can find opportunity in every problem, you win. Your change in perspective, in your attitude, changes everything. When you change the way you look at things, things you look at change. If you adapt the attitude that every problem equally brings opportunity with itself, you open your mind to new possibilities and potentialities instead of staying in that victimhood mentality that is certainly not helping. One of my favorites reframed phases: Life is always happening for you, not to you ;) Find opportunity in every challenge or difficulty, and you will be surprised how much you will thrive. Your environment matters. ''Environment is more important than heredity.'' — Karl Menninger Read this powerful quote from Karl Menninger again. People you are surrounded by have more to do with who you are than what's built into the genes at your birth. You can choose your environment. You can surround yourself with the people, books, programs, podcasts that are good for you. This truly deserves attention because, especially when you work on your mindset when you are in the midst of breaking old beliefs, smashing through blocks, and completely shifting your state of being, your environment can hugely influence if it will go for the better or the opposite direction. Be consistent and repetitive. Mindset work is rather abstract until it's not. I mean that you might not see tangible results every day, but one day you wake up, and you realize you are living a different life because of all the mindset work you have done until that point in time. Everything counts—every minute of your time, effort, and energy you put into it. Being consistent, repetitive, and persistent truly pays off in the long run. People tend to give up way too early, claiming it is not working, but honestly, mindset work does not have a deadline. The journey is the goal. Falling in love with the process, trusting it, and keeping doing that mindset work daily always bring its rewards. Know your go-to tips & tricks. Knowing your go-to tips and tricks, aka creating that safe space when your mind is juggling up and down, will serve you very well. Often it takes only a little bit to calm your mind down and take your mindset under control before all the worst scenarios start playing in your head. It can be as simple as: Creating a short mantra that you can say out loud to yourself anywhere, you happen to be. Something like: 'All is well. I am safe, well, and protected.' That you can literally whisper to yourself, you can say it out loud in the car looking into your eyes in the mirror. You can write it down several times in your pocket diary or journal. Creating an audio file with recorded affirmations on your phone. Another great way to calm yourself down is to use the power of audio and affirmations. It is also a great way to not self-talk out loud or write this down on paper, especially when you are on the go. Having a file with pre-recorded affirmations can literally ground you and help you tap into your safe space. Always have your favorite song that calms you down on your phone; whatever song that has healing, calming, and soothing effects on you can be helpful in situations when your mind struggles. Few seconds can literally make wonders. Having essential oil or favorite scent handy. Through that, you connect to relaxation and good vibes, which can be another way to take your mind off chaos and help you cope with overwhelm. What you are doing here is creating clues for yourself that will calm you down through your senses. Essential oils are easy to carry around and can help you unwind in no time. Final words: Mindset work is a journey. It is an adventure on its own. It is one of those most rewarding and fulfilling accomplishments when you can witness how much to the good it influenced your life. And really, it does not have to be as scary as it might seem. I want to encourage you to give it a try. Choose some of the tips I listed above and try for yourself. Observe, reflect and evaluate. But mostly, implement. Do not stop by reading it because true magic happens in actual implementation, repetition, and consistency. If you enjoyed the article and would like to know more about me, please visit my website . I'd like you to come and say hi. I am also present on Facebook , Instagram , and LinkedIn . Barbora Jedlovská, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Barbora Jedlovska is an international Mindset, Manifestation & Personal-development coach, an online educator, and an ex-pat in Scandinavia for the last 11 years. She has been certified as a high-performance Proctor Gallagher consultant working alongside Bob Proctor. Barbora helps draw out your hidden blocks and blind spots, effortlessly dissolve them, and propel you towards your highest potential. With Barbora, you work on reprogramming your thinking and unblocking limiting beliefs that hold you back on your deepest subconscious level. Barbora supports people who are stuck, frustrated, confused, and isolated to find inner peace, clarity, and connection so they can go all out and really flourish instead of merely existing or settling for a mediocre life. She is all about bringing more alignment and ease to your life while helping you to raise your awareness and consciousness to reach your full potential. Barbora's approach is half scientific and half esoteric/spiritual as she strongly believes that both aspects are equally important when it comes to transforming someone's life. In her work, she applies Human Design, Neuroscience, Quantum physics, Spirituality, and Energetics.

Written by: Kriti Surjan Thepade, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. “You see things. You keep quiet about them, and you understand.” — The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Will I ever be like that person who can socialize so much? Or, how do you manage to do this or become successful? I am not fond of talking to people or being around them. Why is he/she so difficult to talk to? How do they manage at work? Excuse me! We manage just fine — thanks for the concern anyway! Let me start this article by reminiscing about my past! When I was a radio jockey, and to be honest, it was one of the best times of my life, the reason being, there was less interaction involved with people and more imagination and being myself in a studio, surrounded by soundproof walls, headphones, microphone, console, speakers and a computer. By now, you must have added two and two and aimed for a conclusion that yes, I used to be an introvert. Got awkward around people, never seemed to have the right foot forward and mostly spoke general knowledge facts to cover up for lacking conversational skills. Well, this is not just me, but the story of many introverts or introverted-extroverts that I’m now! However, it’s not a shortcoming or a disease or a disorder. It simply means I like to preserve my peace and quiet and energy. It’s not necessary to enjoy and do everything as someone else does and at the same time does not license people to create unwarranted opinions, doubts, or myths about us and our life trajectories! But hear, hear! If you are shy, reserved, inward-looking, self-contained, the party has just begun! According to some surveys, introverts make up 25 ‒ 40 % of the total world’s population. We even have an international day dedicated to celebrating the musings of our quiet and charming personalities, and that’s on January 2nd! How cool is that! Nevertheless, it’ll be nice to touch the corners regarding why there is so much hullabaloo regarding being of a particular personality type? Introverts or socially reserved people have some great traits and qualities that make them: Great Leaders. Because they observe so much and have a thought-out approach, introverts make quite remarkable leaders. They are open to feedback, convey more through action; their focus is enviable, and successfully convert their reclusion into action. Great listeners. Because they make people feel that they ‘get’ them. Introverts can keep secrets, listen to all the venting out and be there as a quiet and comforting shoulder. When you just need to shed some silent tears. That also puts them into the ‘awesome friends forever’ category. Great creators. Because they find inspiration in small details and are absorbed into it, using all the sensory aspects and observational skills. This process allows them to constantly and quietly work while unleashing their creative genius. Introverts actually believe in moving and working in silence. Great strategists. Because they observe so well, introverts are great with epic comebacks, planning, and following a plan to the ‘T.’ These guys have an eye for the minutest of details and are trusted with getting the job done. Every decision made has been introspected thoroughly with a lot of thought and ado. Introverts are aware of their dynamo, which entails less word power, more contributions, inputs, and collaborations, making them good team players. Great partners. Because when they bond, they really bond well. It amounts to a colossal effort to let someone in for someone who doesn’t like to entertain too many people in their private lives. That is a significant reason introverts cherish and nurture relationships for as long as possible. Great networkers. Because they don’t attend every social event, are particular about their time and energy, and have a circle developed with a lot of thought and care. So, their acquaintances come with high recommendations and are appreciated equally. Introverts have an edge regarding social influences, which gives them leverage to develop a niche of selective and substantial people. These traits make introverts a fab fit into various fields, including creative writing, designing, and even publicity campaigns or managing social media. They know when to recuse themselves while painting a perfect picture for someone else. Understanding how someone needs to be portrayed and expressed is a highly sought-after soft skill and has often been seen as a part of their personalities. Their emotional quotient is transformed into considered and deliberate responses accompanied by a calm demeanor and an unperturbed persona that hardly shows cracks to the outer world. So if you today, while reading this article, are still second-guessing yourself regarding whether or not to make or break into a field like PR or content strategy that requires the power of expressions, proclamation, and casts- don’t think twice. You’ve got this! Also, we humans keep changing and evolving; there is no particular format that fits us all. Having said that- explore what ticks you, bring out your best, and make you bloom. You’ll be surprised to perceive that every wallflower has regaling stories to tell and inspire! Follow Kriti on her Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin for more info! Read more from Kriti ! Kriti Surjan Thepade, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Kriti Thepade is from India residing in Oslo. She has been working in print and radio for 15 years in India and Hong Kong as a copywriter, editor, reporter, translator, educator, and business partnership manager. She is now a workshop organizer for art and craft (for children) and vision boards (for adults), a content creator, a book consultant, a speaker, and an advocate for body positivity and body neutrality. As an avid writer, her favorite subjects to write about are - politics, culture, food, and travel. When not writing- she likes to bake, photograph, and read. Kriti strongly believes that growth comes when you help others to flourish as well. Kriti holds a B. Com in Taxation, LL.B Laws of Taxation and Forensics Science and Diploma in Cyber Law, Certification in Cyber Crime Investigation, Meditation, and a Life Coach Certification.

Written by: Betsy Kauffman, 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 is a famous saying that notes, “A rising tide lifts all boats.” Simply put, some actions benefit all parties involved, such as strategic partnerships. Strategic partnerships can come in the form of partnering with another business or an external partnership. Another form is an internal partnership, which could exist among departments or different divisions, all of which need to identify ways to partner and collaborate to accomplish the organization’s goals. What are the benefits of partnerships? From an external partnership perspective: Can Build Brand Awareness and Recognition By making a connection between two companies or products that serve a similar demographic or can be combined while enjoying certain activities, you can get your organization’s name in front of people who may not have heard of you before — and possibly may not have ever come across your company. If you can build a bridge to why the partnership exists in the customer's mind, it has the potential to increase your brand awareness exponentially. Can Create a New Customer Base According to any marketing funnel, the next step in the customer journey, once you have made them aware of your brand, its purpose, and how it can help them, is to convert that brand awareness and gain an actual customer. If your partnerships are authentic, prospective customers or clients will see the benefit and take action. The key is to give them clear instructions on what actions they should take to maximize the benefits of your company’s product or services. Can Increase Brand Trust Not every partnership is worth pursuing. It has to be a win-win for both sides, and there has to be mutual respect between the organizations. Your customers and clients will be exposed to the organizations you choose to partner with. In a way, they have placed their trust in you by engaging with your content, subscribing to your newsletter, or buying your products or services. They expect value, and any strategic partnerships you form should have the consumer in mind. Internal partnerships have their own set of benefits, including: Alignment around the Organizational Goals While many departments can default to operating in a silo and not engaging with other divisions within the company, this approach has been proven to be ineffective. However, when there is collaboration and communication across departments, it leads to a shared purpose around the organizational goals. When teams step outside of their department and connect with individuals from other parts of the company, they will often naturally become more aligned and think more strategically about how their partnership can contribute to the organization's overall mission. Solving Difficult Problems Two heads are better than one, right? When you have great internal partnerships, you have a potential thought partner when a difficult problem arises. Sometimes it takes a person with an internal organizational perspective who’s not a member of your team or department to help you figure out a solution. They can understand the complexities of the company and offer a different thought process on how to fix the issue. Employee Retention When you have built fantastic working relationships within your organization and have trusted internal partners, it will lead to happier employees. It’s as simple as that. There will always be conflict or disagreements, but healthy communication and frequent collaboration between partners will ensure disputes get resolved professionally. Transparency, clear communication, and mutual respect? That sounds like a great work environment to me! Partnerships can take many forms, whether external or internal, but the key is to start internally. If you cannot build that collaborative culture within your organization, you will be hard-pressed to find external partners who will want to work with you. So, work from the inside out and enjoy the fruits of excellent partnerships. Follow me on Facebook , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Bet sy ! Betsy Kauffman, Executive Contributor, Brainz Magazine Betsy Kauffman is a globally recognized Leadership and Organizational Agility Coach with more than 20 years of experience working in Fortune 500 companies. Her company, Cross Impact Coaching, helps leaders create innovative, aligned, disruptive agile organizations. Betsy has observed and worked side by side with hundreds of CxO leaders. She has seen just about every variation of how Leadership Teams operate and execute (both successfully and not so successfully). She deeply understands and has experienced firsthand when the team of individuals charged with leading the organization isn't aligned, focused, and working as one; the rest of the organization suffers. She is a published author providing thought leadership to agile and project management communities and speaks internationally on leadership, corporate culture, and organizational agility. She just completed her first TED talk - “4 Tips to Kickstart Honest Conversations at Work” in September 2020 in conjunction with the TED@PMI partnership and was selected by the TED editors to have her talk brought to the main stage– check it out at TED.com!

Written by: Shelley Tilbrook, 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. Having worked with many clients and brands, I started to identify common mishaps, sometimes costly, in relation to branding. This article taps into my learnings on brand names, then provides you with the tools to review or create the best brand name for your business. I will identify the types of brand names, provide you with a brainstorming framework, and the final step is my fruitful brand name evaluation system. 60% of my clients come to me with an idea and name sorted ready to brand, but the remainder is undecided with a handful of names or are still in the product development stage. It’s also not uncommon for clients to change their mind on the name partway through the design phase. Previously I didn’t have a process to offer other than intuition and name checks on availability. For these reasons, I created a process for my fruitful group clients to ensure they land on a good brand name before the design process starts and avoid costly issues. First, what do I mean by building a blooming brand? I talk about blooming brands a lot for the meaning of ‘blooming.’ A blooming brand is thriving, healthy, beautiful, glowing, and exhibiting a freshness primed for growth and bearing fruit. It’s attracting its ideal customer much like a flower attracts bees. I strive to achieve this for every client with the brand design and strategy we develop for them. As for brand names, there is so much power in the words that you use, and I love a double meaning. A well-defined brand strategy will change the way you do business. An effective brand will attract instead of interrupting your customers. This can be a game-changer for your business growth. A good brand strategy includes the following elements: Brand Purpose Brand Values Brand Position & Promise Brand Name & Meaning Brand Personality Brand Language Brand Colours Brand Identity (the visual elements) Brand Touchpoints Brand Story Having seen the positive impact on branding over products, I created ‘The Fruitful Branding Blueprint.’ I captured each of these key elements in the book, which outlines my unique 10-step branding process to create blooming brands. This article zooms in on part four, brand name, so you can give your brand a quick health check to ensure it is versatile and sustainable. So why is it so important to get the brand name right? Well, I can think of a few things you would want to avoid. Here they are: Avoid a legal challenge from a trademark infringement. Been there. Avoid a name change that requires costly rebranding and remarketing to your customers. I’ve seen clients unable to afford a rebrand due to the cost of replacing everything from signage to vehicle decals or products. Avoid a language translation or cross-culture issue and makes an expensive launch a flop. More importantly, what can a great brand name bring: Stand out from your competition; Position your brand; Be memorable; Have longevity, sustainability, and expandability; Exude your brand values and personality; Resonate and attract your ideal customer. Getting the name right from the outset means you can build the brand from day one. Name changes are not uncommon, but they do come at a cost, and there is a re-education of the market required to keep the sales coming through at a steady rate. When exploring brand names, I recommend first understanding the 7 most popular types of brand names to help you create a brand name faster. A grasp of naming typology is helpful when embarking on brand name brainstorms and selecting the right type for your brand objectives. Types of Brand Names Descriptive Brand Names Descriptive brand names are those that illustrate the service or product offered by an organization. They are functional and utilitarian but leave limited room for creative injection. They instead rely on a tagline to convey personality or tell the brand story. The benefit of descriptive names is they say exactly what you do. However, this can restrict your diversification down the track. Some examples of descriptive brand names include Toys R Us, YouSendIt, and The Weather Channel. Evocative Brand Names Evocative names use suggestions and metaphors to illustrate the experience or brand position. Evocative brand names are often creative and unique and can make for powerful differentiators against your key competition. Their uniqueness means they are usually easier to trademark than descriptive names. Some brand examples include Nike (meaning goddess of history) and Amazon. Invented Brand Names Invented brand names allow the most creative breadth for a brand, but they are not easy to materialize. Many invented names are built from Latin, Greek, or other foreign words then modified to represent the brand’s personality. Invented names can educate the market about what you do and, therefore, require a bigger advertising budget, but you should have no issues obtaining a trademark. Great brand name examples include Google, Xerox, and Pixar. Lexical Brand Names If you’re after memorability, lexical brand names are your type. Lexical names adopt puns, phrases, compound words, alliteration, onomatopoeia (sound), intentional misspellings, and foreign words are all styles of this popular naming type. Lexical names are often clever and get their impact from pairing or modifying existing words for linguistic effect. Also, intentionally misspelling a word so you can leverage its original meaning while skirting trademark concerns. Well-known brands include Krispy Kream, Dunkin' Donuts, Flickr, Sizzler, Tik Tok, and Coca-Cola. Acronym Brand Names Many big brands use an acronym, but acronyms are sorely lacking in meaning and emotion while functional and utilitarian. Still, some big successful brands use this style, including BMW, BRW, BP, and IBM. Geographical Brand Names Geographical brand names are primarily for a local business, and some grow into a big brand. This type, however, is popular with airlines or location-based businesses. Some brands that succeeded with a geographical name include Kentucky Fried Chicken, American Airlines, Cisco (short for San Francisco). Founder Brand Names While definitely easy to trademark, founder names can be distinctive if positioned correctly but require some marketing efforts to build equity (unless, of course, the founder is already famous). Building your personal brand is recommended if going down this route. After their founders, big brands' names include Ford, Ben & Jerry's, Martha Stewart, Kellogg's, and Hewlett-Packard. Now that you understand the types of brand names, you are ready to brainstorm your own. Here is a framework to help you get words on a page with these 13 categories. Step 1: Brainstorm everything you can think of under these categories that you associate with your business. What is your Industry? i.e., OneSteel, Bosch Automotive, Fitness First What is your Product/Service? i.e., Boating Camping Fishing, Just Jeans How do you want people to feel? i.e., Jetstar, Bloom (cosmetics) What Sounds do you think of? Chupa Chup, Tik Tok What Result / Benefit do you provide? i.e., Boost Juice, Target, Entertainment Tonight What Meaning do you want to associate with your brand? i.e., Nike (Goddess of Victory), Fruitful Group What Symbol do you want to associate with your brand? i.e., Pandora (beauty, curiosity, charm, and cleverness) What’s your name? i.e., Taylor Law Firm, Ford What problem do you solve? i.e., Bingle (car insurance) What do you do? i.e., Jim's Mowing What’s your location? i.e., National Tiles, Australia Post Made Up word? i.e., Smiggle What descriptive words do you want to associate with? i.e., UBER What are your brand values? i.e., Accurate Accounting, Discovery Channel, United Energy, Athletes for Hope, Port Power Step 2: Now, you should have a long list or word cloud of potential names. Now you can start to construct them into potential brand names. Here are some tips: Marriage merge. Group some – start and end of two words. Phonetic spelling. Change the spelling of common words, i.e., wurds, wordz, wordx, werds Connect. Join two words, i.e., adjective and what you do / feeling and your product/feeling and your name, i.e., Crazy John Name associations. If you want your customer to feel happy, what do you think of? Synonyms. What similar words work better From these two processes, you should be able to assemble a top 5 or top 10 potential brand names. Now the final step is the evaluation where you can use the f.r.u.i.t.f.u.l. framework. Each of the top names can be scored against the following criteria and rated out of ten. 0 being poor and 10 being perfect. F stands for fit. Or purpose, product, industry, and target market R stand for represents your values resonates with your target market, recognize and remembers easily. U stands for unique. Name, domain, social handles, originality – is your name available? Check business names, trading names, domains, and social media platforms to see if your name or close variation is available. I stand for intelligible. Able to be understood, unambiguous, pronounceable, Creates intrigue people are curious and want to know more. Idea-based sparks a solution T stands for twofold. Meaning - what does it mean, synonyms, Translation cross cultures and languages – important for international ventures F stands for foundation to fruitful growth. A name that supports potential expansion or diversification U stands for umbrella. Brand or brand family structure will work when you expand. L stands for legals. Trading name, trademark – if you find a conflict here, then that name needs to be removed or adapted by changing the spelling or combination of words. Leverage diversify the application. When you tally up the scores from each of the criteria, you will have your brand names ranked, with the highest score being the most adaptable, sustainable, and advantageous. Remember, you want to have this brand name for a long time, so if it’s not growing on you, it might not be the one. Test the name with some people in your target audience and get their feedback too. If you’d like to get your hands on a copy of the recently released Fruitful Branding Blueprint eBook, head to the Fruitful Group website, or if you’d like assistance on your next branding project, please contact Shelley Tilbrook at Fruitful Group for a chat. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Shelley! Shelley Tilbrook, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Shelley Tilbrook is a leader in building brands, presenting persuasive pitches, and using storytelling to captivate, connect and convert audiences. After a corporate career in sports and events as a senior marketing executive, she launched her own digital marketing and branding agency, Fruitful Group. She combined her mission 'to engage, educate and empower entrepreneurs to scale sustainable brands' with her expertise around strategic marketing, digital transformations, and brand storytelling. She developed the fruitful foundations for building blooming brands, the pitch-perfect program, and the fruitful formula of content marketing to help start-ups and scale-ups succeed. She founded the Fruitful Faculty, an online school for entrepreneurs and consults across sport-tech, ed-tech, med-tech, and eCommerce with clients including; Athletics Australia, Athletes for Hope Australia, Kidney Health, Political Racquet, and many startups. Her purpose: To positively impact lives with fruitful brand solutions.

Written by: Tomi Mitchell, 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. My mission is to help people understand the importance of mental health and being self-aware. We all need to be able to know how we feel at any given moment. We must do this for our children and us to have a better chance at living a healthy, happy life. Unfortunately, there's so much stigma about mental illness, making it hard for people who suffer from depression or other ailments to get proper treatment. Often, these individuals may not even know how to find real solutions and strategies. The World Health Organization estimates that up to one in five children and teenagers suffer from developmental, emotional, or behavioral problems. The WHO also reports that 1 in 8 children has a mental health disorder. The Joint Action on Mental Health and Wellbeing Report made many recommendations for actions for mental health and schools. This European report, launched in 2013, provided clear guidance. The Joint Action on Mental Health and Wellbeing Report was developed to address mental health issues in different areas. The report was designed to promote mental health at workplaces, improving care for people suffering from depression and suicide, developing community-based solutions to help those who need it most. We all must work together if we want these goals achieved. The joint action addresses critical factors when it comes to supporting our families' well-being: Promotion of healthy living habits across communities. Including schools and workplaces, support systems for individuals struggling with their moods or thoughts about life decisions (including suicidal tendencies). A better understanding of how best to provide services locally will promote more social inclusion among even those diagnosed as severely mentally ill to be integrated into society again efficiently rather than being shut out of the community. The paradoxical stigma and pervasive ignorance surrounding mental health in education have given rise to a culture of silence. Self-awareness and encouraging children to express their feelings must be enabled. It must not end there. Children must also be encouraged to discover why they feel the way they do, and as they mature, explore ways to modify these negative emotions. The discussion of mental health from childhood needs more attention. If ignored, it can have severe consequences for the mental health of students, teachers, and their families. Mental illness can be debilitating and lead to various negative consequences, but it doesn't have to. The following are some common misconceptions about mental health that need to be refuted: Mental illness isn't real. You can "snap out" of depression or anxiety. Mental illness is not as bad as physical illnesses like cancer. People with mental illnesses are dangerous. Air is real; even though we can not see it, the same applies to mental health. We are all aware of the long-term effects of the lack of oxygen in the human body. Likewise, everyone needs to be mindful of the long-term effects of individuals struggling with mental health. Just like people don't "snap out" of depression, individuals with a mental health diagnosis do not just "snap out" of it. Mental health is deadly. A lack of real "repeatable" strategies allows many people to go without any care whatsoever! This lack of strategy is unacceptable because it can lead to serious long-term consequences such as suicide ideation or death through suicide if left untreated. The discussion of mental health needs to go beyond a trending hashtag or a one-time charitable event. It needs to be part of early childhood education and woven into all the years of school. As a society, mental health awareness must be incorporated into public and private policies. Mental Health frameworks must be woven into all aspects of society, whether the education system, healthcare system, criminal justice system. This support will encourage systems to foster environments where mental health and wellness thrive. When the mental health status of society thrives, society thrives as a whole. Follow Tomi on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, and visit her website for more info! Tomi Mitchell, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Dr. Tomi Mitchell, MD is a leader in the health & wellness industry, known for her advocacy for social issues, including health reform. She believes in the whole person's approach to life and health. Rather than resorting to quick fixes, she gets to the root of problems by taking the time to understand her client's emotional, physical, mental, environmental, financial, spiritual and social health. She believes these factors affect individuals' behaviors and beliefs about themselves and others. Dr. Tomi Mitchell believes that people feel lost or overwhelmed when there is a loss of balance - which is why she takes such a holistic approach with each client's situation. Dr. Tomi Mitchell has appeared in many publications , including , but not limited to Thrive Global, Fox, NBC, CBS, Global News, CBS & many other news outlets. She has her own blog & leads two ClubHouse clubs, and has been a guest speaker numerous times. She is a game-changer, and she gets her clients results and refuses to compromise her integrity by sugar-coating issues. Using over 10 years as a family practitioner, and certified life & health coach, she is able to help her clients create transformational, long-lasting results!

Written by: Prasantha Devulapalli, 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 live in a world today that is changing rapidly. After more than 20 years of working as a leader in various fields, most of the success stories that I have heard from leaders have come, not from following their head alone, but from a combination of head, heart, and gut. For me too, this is the pattern that I have observed when my staff, or those whom I serve as a leader point out where they have experienced being their most efficient and productive selves. In fact, sometimes, I use my heart and gut more than my head. That is what Balanced and Conscious leadership is all about. However, let’s take this concept one step further - when your head, heart and gut are in alignment and you are aware of this alignment AND then you take action with self-awareness, you are a truly balanced and conscious leader. You will be a confident, self-aware and dare I say, an extraordinary leader. For anyone, including myself, to reach this state of being this extraordinary leader means that I would need to develop inherent skills or hone in on the capabilities that I already have and sometimes even acquire new skills and qualities. And we can start this process with a few basic steps, which I will attempt to write down here, trying to cover this extremely complex topic. However, before we start diving into how-to-be, we need to understand the roles of our head, heart, and gut in our B&C leadership journey. One of the first things to remember is that we all have masculine and feminine energies. Once we can accept this fundamental fact and learn to embrace it, we can begin our transformation. We can begin to explore more about what it means for our leadership abilities and how can we use these qualities to become even better leaders. Just remember - balanced doesn’t mean equal. It means to be able to use the right energy at the appropriate time while being aware that those other qualities are also co-existing within our minds. The second fact to remember is that following our guts or heart is perhaps the first language we have, even before we have learned to communicate with words or with our minds/heads. Just think about a baby. They go with their guts - I like this person, I don’t trust this person, and with their hearts; this is my mom who loves me or some stranger I don’t know. So, if we have been encouraged from a very early stage of our lives to follow our hearts, we will rather quickly learn to trust our gut feeling. We are trained from the moment we start school to think with our heads as if we are all only logical beings. Well, I am claiming that to be an extraordinary leader, to a B&C leader, you will have to start recognizing the language of your heart and gut. We may even have to unlearn some old school lessons and retrain ourselves. The third fact that I want to bring to your attention is that we will, most often than not, fall back on our core values when we are under pressure or high levels of stress. So, when the pandemic hit us a second time, some company leaders valued money/profits more than anything else and tried their level best to maintain their high-profit margins even at the expense of their staff. While other leaders, whose highest value is human lives, did whatever they can to make sure that their employees are alright and provided tools to work better, assured that they would not wake up in the morning without a job. Recognize your values, and then you will also see which values serve you best during times of difficulty and pressure. So, what can we do to become B&C leaders? Tap into the right energy. I believe we are all capable of showing the best versions of ourselves even when placed under huge amounts of pressure. Just accepting that we have both masculine and feminine energies will help us understand ourselves better. Just as we are unique and different as humans, so are these qualities, and the combination we have also vary from person to person. That means we need to spend some time recognizing our masculine and feminine qualities and learning how to tap into the right energy for the situation. In conscious Leadership, one aspect of it is our ability to distinguish between our reactions and our mindful actions. Look deeper into your mind and heart and how you respond. Be open. Most business schools still follow the traditional masculine methods, such as the bottom line, hard sales, facts, figures, and aggressiveness (translated in a man’s world as ‘confidence’) amongst other characteristics. A B&C leader, however, will use the facts and data to analyze beyond what is written in black and white and read between the lines. He/she listens to what the heart says and draws a conclusion in confidence by following his/her gut feelings. When you are open to receiving and giving, people around you will walk the talk with you. They will know that they are valued, respected, and their suggestions are considered seriously. I had heard amazing stories that when management opened up the floor to keep that company going during difficult times, the staff came up with totally unexpected ideas, like taking a pay cut instead of losing their jobs or changing the shift timings, and so on. When you are open, you are also saying that you trust others and you trust yourself. Be humble. When you are humble, you will be able to recognize your own ‘pitfalls.’ You will open to learning from others' experiences as well, and you will be in a position to take calculated risks. Humility is not false modesty. Humility is when you can recognize that our own experiences limit us, and so we might not get all aspects of the situation. Humility is not a lack of confidence or weakness or an inability to make decisions. Humility allows us the thinking time to act using all three basic qualities of B&C leadership. It allows us to make informed decisions that will allow our minds to process the information and do what is right and align with our values and priorities. Einstein once said, ‘we cannot find solutions with a mindset that created the problems in the first place.’ That is exactly what conscious leadership is about. Getting conscious about what kind of a leader you want to mean by aligning your intent with your action and being aware of your motivation. It is about considering both the masculine and feminine leadership qualities that will place you at the head of the game as a leader - for the benefit of our planet and our humanity. You will be a trailblazer. We at Coral Swans want more leaders to be balanced and conscious. We strongly believe that such leadership is what the world needs today and look into the future. Our employees are our assets. They are human beings with lives and all that it brings, especially in today’s world. I could write a lot more on B&C leadership, but I will conclude that organizations and businesses, small or large, have everything to gain by embracing B&C leadership principles. If you want to know more, feel free to contact me and follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin. You can also visit my websi te . Prasantha Devulapalli, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Prasantha Devulapalli is founder of Coral Swans which runs an 8-week intensive tailored Balanced and Conscious leadership program for companies and individuals internationally. She is an highly accomplished and recognized leader amongst her peers with over 20 years of leadership experience in various fields. She has also been a mentor for social entrepreneurs and start-ups since 1997. She is an author of the book Blaze the Trail - Essential skills for Future leaders. Her company also helps entrepreneurs with consulting, designing websites, logos (branding), social media management and the other technological needs. She is passionate about diversity, inclusion and equity and is a motivational international speaker on various leadership topics. Raising a disabled and chronically ill child, she hosts YouTube channels, one on Leadership and one with her daughter Different Shades of the Norm.

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. A number of months ago, I was involved in a real estate business deal where I felt I had to speak tough to the other party because I believed that he was dishonest. Later I doubted myself as perhaps he was not dishonest. That evening I called an acquaintance with whom I have not spoken to in a while to catch up, and in passing, he told me, “Motti, you’re too nice. That’s your problem.” Am I too tough or too nice? Mordechai, the hero of the Purim story in ancient Persia, which Jews around the world celebrate annually around March-time, we are told knew 70 languages. While perhaps literal, it can also be interpreted as figurative in the sense of being able to relate to 70 different types of people. Over the course of a lifetime, we interact with countless such different types, and it is crucial we know the correct way to interact with each. In business, this occurs over the course of a single day. Some people are sensitive. Others laugh things off with ease. Some people are stubborn. Others are quick to give in. Some people pick things up easily. Others need more time learning. Some people have to always be on their feet. Others have to be sitting at a desk to function to their fullest. Perhaps what I find most satisfying about my line of work, and my life in general, is the number of personalities I must display at different times of the day. My wife. My children, each on their own level. My brother. My co-workers, each on their own level. My supervisors. Those who work under me, each on their own level. The government, on a local level. The government, on a state level. The government, on a federal level. The rabbis I go to for guidance. My neighbors, each on their own level. My business partners in kosher supervision, each on their own level. My business partners in real estate, each on their own level. Those I disburse charity to, each on their own level. My doctors, each on their own level. The media. Children my children play with, each on their own level. My study partner. The list is endless. May we all merit to likewise know 70 languages and converse with each person we come across in their own language. As can be seen, one does not need to go to school for this. 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.

Jen Russman is a self-healing expert and advocate, trauma guide, energy healer, and tv host of JenergyVibes, your power hour for the energetics of self-healing. She is known for going from seven years sick, disabled, and homebound with MS to healing and running a 5k. She has self-healed from trauma, addiction, mental health, and chronic illness both holistically and energetically. Jen is a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and her vision is to make self-healing mainstream instead of an alternative or last resort option. She is passionate about changing the narrative around trauma and turning pain into power by giving it purpose. What led you to become a self-healing advocate? When I was sick, I couldn’t find one person or story of hope that healing was even possible. I searched libraries and bookstores. Nothing. The internet was not what it is today. I felt so alone, suffering in a failing body for years. Eventually, I decided I was done being sick and that if I couldn’t find one person, I’d be the one. You went on to heal an incurable illness. Can you tell us more about this? I was diagnosed with MS in 1998 and for nearly seven years I lived sick, disabled, and homebound. I spent 75-80% of the time in bed or on the couch. I lost everything — my career, my first business, and marriage. I lost myself. How did you overcome and heal? What did you do? The first thing I did was make what I call the power of decision. I embodied a new, unshakable truth that completely changed the trajectory of my life. I decided I wasn’t going to live sick any more; I was going to get well. I decided to heal. Once you decided, what did you do next? I followed my inner knowing. I didn’t know how I was going to heal. I just knew that I would. I went against doctors’ wishes and stopped all medications and treatments. I became my own guinea pig and experimented with juicing, therapeutic nutrition, lowering stress, supplements, mindset work, and focusing on healing childhood traumas, which I believe was the root cause of dis-ease in my body. Can you tell us more about the link between trauma and chronic illness? Trauma is energy that, when left unresolved, becomes trapped and stored in the body as cellular memories, suppressed emotions, and energetic attachments. It builds up, backs up, and blocks us, ultimately creating dis-ease in the body. The MS symptomatology was my body’s cry for help. My body couldn’t bear the weight of silently carrying all the trauma anymore. Is this what led you to be an energy healer? Yes. The more I began to learn about energy and frequency healing, the more I saw an undeniable connection between trauma and chronic illness. The more I practiced it, the more I healed. I realized we need to change the narrative around self-healing, trauma, and chronic illness. Up until now, we’ve been taught to believe that we are stuck with trauma, that it is woven into the fabric of our being. We are given coping skills to deal with the trauma-trigger loop for the rest of our lives. Because of this learned conditioning, so many people are needlessly suffering in silence like I was. This needs to change. Can you explain the trauma-trigger loop? Trauma survivors oftentimes spend their lives settling for cycling a painful trauma-trigger loop. It’s a coping pattern that exists because we are conditioned to believe and accept it as true and as our only option. We get triggered, put our coping skills to work, cope until it passes and circle back around to settling. This is why so many are suffering silently. Coping is not healing. It’s a disruptive loop that keeps us stuck. What most people don’t realize is they can break free of it with energy work. How does energy work help with this? As a trauma guide and energy healer, I connect with a person energetically to locate emotional blocks in the body that are actual energetic attachments to traumatic events. Once located, they can be released out of the body. Each release is instant and permanent. With every release, my clients become untethered to the past. Once my clients are cleared, they experience what I call a Full Sacred Rebirth™️ and they can finally heal whole and live free from the loop. What types of trauma does it help with? It works with any trauma or pain, both past and present. I am passionate about helping others break free from childhood abuse still lingering in their bodies, so many of my clients are survivors of childhood abuse. Not surprisingly, a lot of these clients have been diagnosed with chronic illness. Other common examples are grief, abandonment, betrayal, addiction, and divorce. What kind of results do your clients experience when they work with you? My clients feel lighter like a deep weight has lifted out of them. They experience relief from depression and anxiety. The mind calms and racing thoughts quiet down. Things that used to be triggers are no longer triggers. They experience a heart opening that fosters greater communication and intimacy in their relationships. Habits, patterns, and behaviors shift. It’s incredible to witness. You practice distance energy healing. How is this possible? Energy has no boundaries. I can channel healing energy and direct it to my clients through the power of intention. Combined with my own healing experiences, training, and intuitive gifts, I can hold a safe and sacred space from anywhere in the world. This is most invaluable to me because I can help more people, regardless of location and distance. It’s just as effective. You have a bigger vision. What is it? I always say I work for my vision, not for myself. This is what gets me up every day. There’s a lot of work to do to shed the generational and systemic conditioning that exists when it comes to healing. My vision is two-fold. First, I see a world where our innate ability to self-heal is considered real and practiced as mainstream, instead of an alternative afterthought or last resort option when nothing else has worked. Second, I see a world free of the current conditioning around addressing and treating both trauma and chronic illness. It’s time to change the narrative and treat each person holistically and energetically, which means addressing the root cause of dis-ease. We can heal whole and live free from trauma, as well as a chronic illness. What can be done to affect the change you’d like to see? One of the biggest things we can do is ripple out this conversation indefinitely with more people. It’s about educating and inspiring others to take their power back. And it starts with taking personal responsibility for our health and well-being. This is why I started my online tv show JenergyVibes. It’s a power hour all about the energetics of self-healing. I bring on guests each week to talk about different healing modalities and share their stories of triumph. I’m now providing a platform where people can access what I couldn’t - stories of hope. I’m committed to showing people what’s possible when we are open and willing. Would you care to share any final thoughts? Yes. Do not let the label of a diagnosis dictate whether you can heal or not. Healing is about restoring harmony to the mind, body, spirit. Each one of us is a healer. Each one of us holds the innate power to heal within. It’s not a question of if, but how. That’s why I’m here - to lead people home to their innate power to heal. Where can our readers learn more, and how can they best reach you? Please go to my website and follow me on Facebook and Linkedin to learn more about energy healing for trauma. You can also send me an email. Read more from Jen!

Written by: Ralph Varcoe, 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. Summer 1990. The south of Spain. My musical horizon was about to be repainted. My life was about to change. On holiday, with nothing more to do than crisp under the searing sun, we heard that Prince was due to play in Marbella a couple of days later. Pre-internet, you could leave it to the last minute to secure tickets. We got three. The location in the stadium was first come, first served. Holy shit! With that monstrous queue, we’d be lucky to see more than a pinhead on stage. Phew! We found someone we knew and sidled in next to them, overacting the depth of our friendship in a futile attempt to cover the acute embarrassment of pissing 3,000 people off behind us. Standing 50 feet from the stage, thoughts of our social crime vanished. The hairs on the back of my neck stood to attention as a tiny electric flamboyance of color swooped onto the stage. I was transfixed. A couple of months later, I rocked up to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama to start a 4-year course. This was a place that was all about classical music. No one ever spoke about that third-class musical form of ‘Pop.’ Jazz was tolerated, but under no circumstances was ‘Pop.’ Being somewhat of a contrarian, in the first song class, in front of 30 new classmates, all of whom worshipped such classical luminaries as Callas or Pavarotti, I announced that my musical idol was…'Prince.' Weirdo. When asked why, I break it down into these 5 areas: Work ethic: This was astonishing. He learned to master every instrument (he produced, wrote, sung, and played every instrument on his albums). Such a work ethic meant he could be a little obsessive, even once demanding that a grand piano, on which he would practice, be craned through a window because the stairs and doorways were too narrow. His musical output was so vast that he even gave his songs to others. He worked and worked and worked until mastery was natural. Balance: He knew when to perform and when to hold back. While he dressed in a way that drew attention (when Sheena E, his drummer, met him for the first time, he was wearing what can best be described as colorful speedos and a long coat. He spent the entire day, out and about, dressed that way), he also kept himself to himself, never pushing his ego onto an audience. On the one hand, he commanded the stage as the consummate performer; on the other, he was intensely private, hiding away, creating music in Paisley Park. One example of this perfect balance was his iconic guitar solo on George Harrison’s ‘While my guitar gently weeps.’ In 2004, while on stage with Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, and Steve Winwood, he blended beautifully into the background before lighting the entire room up with what must be the greatest guitar solo of all time. Perfect balance, where he judged to perfection the appropriate level of restraint mixed with passages of utter brilliance. Confidence: People who exude confidence influence their surroundings. For a diminutive man wearing platforms to command everyone in the stadium was an amazing sight to witness and a privilege to be part of. When Prince lay down on the grand piano, playing the keys the wrong way up, I was dumbfounded while singing into the piano’s mic. His confidence washed over us, drawing us in, closer and closer. We were captivated. It was a confidence that never spilled to arrogance but one that had us in the palm of his tiny little hands. As the first chord of ‘Purple Rain’ rang out, like Pavlov’s dogs, we all reached for our lighters and bathed in what is for me the greatest song of all. Innovation: Prince created new sounds, new styles, new ways to dress. He was the first black artist to become fully mainstream on the white-dominated MTV, with ‘Little Red Corvette.’ The electronic drum machine that became his staple backing track hadn’t been used by others before but, if you listen to many tracks from the 1980s (and onwards), you’ll hear the now familiar beats. He grew up in a world of Jazz-funk fusion which was heavy on bass and drums, amazing chordal changes, and a real groove. Prince dared to create tracks with no bass and no apparent chordal progression. Think ‘When Doves Cry.’ He created new sounds and new ways of presenting ideas, sounds, and emotions. He continually invented new things, including his own name, when he fell out with his record label over ownership of the rights to his recordings. Artists today can thank Prince for the security over their rights ownership. Planning: Every detail of his performances was meticulously planned. On stage, it was a show, choreographed to perfection – every element executed flawlessly (work-ethic, confidence) to create the right impression for the audience in front of him. As an example, when a life-long fan and music journalist had the chance to spend a day with him as he released three albums of different types simultaneously (such was his prolific creativity), he played each album in a different setting (car, bedroom, limo). She didn’t think much about it at the time, but as the day drew to a close, she realized he had planned and executed a masterful performance to showcase his new works. She left more in awe than she had been when she arrived. For me, it was never about the gorgeous tones and technique of the classical singers. You either have a beautiful voice, or you don’t. You can learn technique, but there is so much more that goes into creating an experience, whether musical or in any other sphere. In anything you want to achieve, find someone whose results are what you aspire to, and then model them and their behaviors. Model the excellence of others to influence your chances of achieving your goals. If you too choose to model some of Prince’s characteristics, then listen to his works, watch some videos (especially the 2004 guitar solo – the ‘Director’s Cut’ version) and have a lot of fun in the process. Follow me on LinkedIn, Twitter and visit my website for more info! Read more from Ralph! Ralph Varcoe, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Ralph Varcoe is a business leader, speaker, coach, and mentor, working with sales and marketing teams, enabling them to master the power of influence to get to 'yes' more often and quicker. He is qualified in Neuro-Linguistic Programming and has written the best-selling book 'Accelerate Personal Performance' which encompasses the power of influence and persuasion for better self-management, management of teams, and customer interactions. His clients include individuals and teams from large global organizations to pre-seed start-ups and everything in between. His keynote talks inspire, inform and entertain audiences, taking them on a practical journey of discovery into the power of influence in their daily personal and working lives. He is also the host of the popular podcast 'Focus Action Results'.

Written by: Felicia Shanken, 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. All right, everyone, let’s address the pink elephant in the room – the “C” word. Now, this can go either way, depending on where your mind is. I think it’s important to address, especially in the business world. So, are you ready? Let’s go! Why do so many business people, especially women, find it hard to “Collaborate?” Yes, that “C” word. What did you think I was talking about? Did 2020 teach us anything? The biggest lesson I learned during COVID-19 to keep my business afloat was collaboration. I cannot tell you how much my business grew because of the relationships that were built. The peak of COVID-19 was the perfect time to seek out those who were aligned with your business. The reason why the Philadelphia Women’s Network Connection, LLC has been so successful is the relationships I have formed along the way. I have no problem letting people know if I received a great idea or learned something new from someone else. Why not? Here lies the problem, you have businesspeople, especially women, ladies. I’m sorry, but let’s keep it real, which feels intimidated with another woman’s success. Why? I will never understand this as long as I live. They are missing the point. Don’t they realize that if one of us makes it, then there is room to reach back and pull someone else forward? I personally love the gift of collaboration, and yes, it is a gift. Think about it for a moment. You can join hands with another powerful woman or man who is out here making it happen. The gifts that she or he can bring to the table are priceless. Ever heard the phrase, “you can get so much more done with others than by yourself?” It’s true, why do it all by yourself when there is help here for all of us. During the little over three years that PWNC has been in business, we have had countless collaborations in our business. When I started this organization, one of my goals was to highlight women doing phenomenal things in their business and the community. Collaboration is like a breath of fresh air to me. Not every collaboration is a good collaboration, though. I have learned to wean out those partnerships that don’t align with PWNC’s mission. Entrepreneurship has taught me don’t waste anyone’s time and, most importantly, your time. People can respect you more when you are upfront and honest with them. I have no problem referring someone or doing an email introduction if I feel that two parties can really benefit from one another. If the collaboration is not for me, then I tell them that. Listen, as much as you want to help everyone along your journey. It’s not always possible. There are always other ways to show your support, and it doesn’t always have to be monetary. When was the last time you shared someone’s post of their business that you admired? Gave a compliment to another woman who you see out here making it happen? Gave free advice to someone who is just starting their entrepreneurial journey? Sent a quick email or text letting someone know how proud you are of them and what they are doing in their business? None of these gestures I mentioned cost you anything, just a little bit of your time. We all need that motivation. You noticed I didn’t say confirmation; I said motivation for a reason. Confirmation to me is very labeling. Most times, we are our own cheerleaders. The only confirmation that is required is the man upstairs and how you feel about yourself. At the end of the day, you are the only one left standing in your world, so why do you need others to validate that for you. Your superpower is that no one else is YOU! I’m going to offer some unsolicited advice right now. If you want to grow your business, build some great relationships along the way, whether they turn out to be business or personal. I would advise that you consider collaborating more with other businesses. Especially more women businesses if you are a woman, ladies we can do so much more and learn so much from one another if we join forces. Men do it all the time, so why can’t we? Get away from the insecurities, feeling that you are not worthy enough, the intimidations, the green-eyed monster, and find those 3 people that can help take your business to the next level. Find a great mentor to help you build even more. Remember, you built your business to help others. Stay focused on that. If you need collaborations to help you get there, then, by all means, take advantage of them. I want to remind you that I could not have been as successful in my business if it weren’t for collaborations. See the possibilities and the opportunities, and most of all, keep your heart open. You never know what a blessing someone can be to you and your business. I wish you luck! Have a great day on purpose! For more information, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website! Read more from Felicia! Felicia Shanken, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Felicia Shanken is a Women Strategist and Builder. She is the Founder/CEO of the Philadelphia Women's Network Connection, LLC and PWNC Foundation 501(c)(3). PWNC is about helping local businesswomen build their business, connect with like-minded individuals and benefit from shared resources. The Foundation is committed to assisting women in growing a business as solo entrepreneurs transition from full-time or part-time to full-time entrepreneurship. Felicia has also been recognized and honored by "Fun Times Magazine" in their March/April 2020 edition for being "2020 Philadelphia Who's Who Black Women of Influence". Felicia had the opportunity in September 2019 to have her show on RVNTV, a digital television platform called "Power Up Your Passion," where she brings guests on to talk about their passion in life and how it lead to where they are now. Felicia was raised in Queens, New York. She moved to Philadelphia over 20 years ago, where she met her husband, Paul, a native Philadelphian. They live in the Fairmont area of Center City, Philadelphia.

Written by: Tamirra Holland , 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. COVID swept through our nations like a thief in the night. It brought death, darkness, hopelessness, and despair. For once, no one was above anyone else. We were all treated the same. As our realities started to crumble, we were forced to stay home. The things that were once deemed necessary became a figment of our imaginations. People began to realize how to cherish the ones they loved. People found talents that they put to rest a long time ago. The arts, family game night, and zoom meetings are connecting the once disconnected. Do you think it's a coincidence that COVID, self-love, and inner healing run parallel to each other? The year 2020 gave everyone a moment to stop and breathe. It gave us all the ability to change perspectives to what mattered the most. What if COVID was the beginning of the great awakening? What if the government and religious officials told us about the signs of the end of the world for so long that every one of us is playing right into the hands of the people who control the world. What do you think would happen if all the people tap into themselves and transmute their darkness to light. Could it be what connects us to divinity? Could it be what brings light into the world? Remember, the universe is about balance. As much darkness that you feel is around you is the same amount of light. Where would you choose to put your focus? What if you could change one thing about yourself today? What would it be? COVID gave me everything I needed to move forward. It erased time and space. It allowed me to look deeper into myself and to see what I was doing wrong. Come out of the world and dive into yourself. What do I mean by that? The only thing we have control over is ourselves and our reactions to situations. We can't control what happens outside of us, so we can't allow ourselves to get stuck because of the fear of the unknown. How do you want to show up amid darkness? Do we allow the fear to paralyze us, or do we breathe and take it one step at a time? All we could do is take it one step at a time. We all owe it to ourselves. On the airplane, before takeoff, the flight attendants tell you about the oxygen and ask you to help yourself first because if you're not okay, you can't help the person next to you. How many times could we try to pour from an empty cup? How many of us know that we're only running on fumes? There comes a day that you'll wake up and say, I need to find my happiness and nothing else matters. Hold the vision of who you wanted to be, hold the vision of who you still want to be, and start showing up as if you've already arrived. There is nothing more significant than love, for it is the highest vibration of the universe. Allow the quest of love for yourself and others to guide you through the darkness of COVID and through your trauma to help unleash the light. If no one told you today, I love you! I love you because I am love. Let's face it ; we're the light the world is waiting to see. Follow Tamirra on her Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin and visit her website for more info! Tamirra Holland, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Tamirra Holland is a certified life coach; she specializes in self-love, empowerment, and spirituality. After going through tragedies in her life, she decided to find her happiness, leading her down a healing path. She has since dedicated her life to helping others overcome their adversities and enabled them to see the light at the end of the tunnel. She's since written a book, "Favor over Fear: a guide to self-love," which is readily available on her website. Her mission: is to give people the opportunity and free space to find their happiness and love for themselves as she has done for herself.

Written by: Rozana Wyatt, 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. Results are something we all want in our life. However, what happens when you have the skills, passion, vision, and expertise yet, you are still not getting the results you know you can? The tendency for many high-achievers is to “buckle down” and pursue another certification, work on productivity and focus habits, and engage in a cycle of more “hustle and grind.” The truth is, more skill development, focus, hustle, and grind, will only get you so far. When you have the talent, passion, vision, and expertise, and you have been taking aligned action to pursue your goal, engaging in outward “doing” action - is not the answer. The Trigger to Look Inward After having a dynamic corporate career, two successful entrepreneurial businesses, and a desire to expand a business globally, I hit what seemed like an invisible plateau. Despite taking outward “doing” actions, I could not break through to the next level of success that I desired. Confused by what was happening, I courageously said to myself, “Something is not working. I need to look inward.” This led me to engage in life-altering inner work , like walking into a sticky cobweb in the middle of the night. You don’t know when you will break free, but you know you eventually will. This process was the biggest variable in moving the needle on my success. It is the biggest variable in moving the needle on my client’s success. Saying Goodbye to “Good Girl Syndrome” Good Girl Syndrome is a term I developed to describe a mask that can intersect personal and professional life when women tend to do one, or all, of the following: people please, keep their ideas to themselves, fail to own their strengths, limit their excitement to express their biggest dreams, and hold back sharing their “wins.” From my experience, Good Girl Syndrome seems to surface when you’re concerned with people thinking you are conceited, acting entitled, are “too much,” and the list goes on. There is a fear of rejection at the heart of Good Girl Syndrome, fear of failure, a lack of confidence, or a sense of not being good enough. There was a time I kept my “wins” to myself, I found myself wanting to please others, and I did not own my amazing strengths and talents that make me, me. I was wearing the mask of Good Girl Syndrome. This led me to hit an invisible plateau that I could not breakthrough. I did not realize that I had a subconscious (hidden) fear of rejection. I developed this because I experienced rejection from those close to me as I gained more success in my life. They could not accept what I had achieved or where I was continuing to go in life. Unconsciously, I started to self-sabotage by playing small because I was afraid I would continue to experience more rejection from those in my life. It was only by addressing this issue at the root of its source that I could remove the mask of Good Girl Syndrome. This was necessary to embrace the totality of who I am and fully show up as an unstoppable ME. The result - my story of Good Girl Syndrome has been featured around the globe, and my business has expanded internationally. The Thread that Weaves Through Many Hitting what seems like an invisible plateau is not an isolated experience. I often see a common thread that weaves through so many individuals. It is the thread of fear. Fear, in some form, is limiting people from being and doing more, and this includes individuals that have accomplishments that speak for themselves. The talent, skill, and vision are present, and they are taking aligned action yet, they cannot break through what seems like an invisible limitation. Have you ever experienced this or something similar? It is confusing and frustrating, to say the least. Let me say this - hitting what seems like an invisible plateau has nothing to do with your abilities. You have everything within you to become unstoppable! What it suggests, something is likely happening below the surface at a subconscious level. That is why it seems “invisible.” It could be a fear of failure, fear of rejection, a lack of confidence, or a global sense of not being good enough - all potential blocks. When you experience an invisible limitation, it is time to look inward. This starts with acknowledging that there is a block, identifying what the block is, understanding what has caused it, and resolving it at the root of the source with deep-level coaching and inner work - focused on both the conscious and subconscious mind. This is the fastest and most transformational way to achieving outwards gains in your life, personally and professionally! Leading Yourself to Become Unstoppable. There is a reservoir of potential inside of you. Though the tendency as a high-achiever may be to engage in more outward “doing the action,” the only action you need to take is inward because the solution is within you. Success is an inside-out job and an ever-evolving process. Inner acceptance, self-mastery, and ongoing conscious expansion are the biggest variables in moving the needle on your personal and professional success. This means you must let go of the mask, the fear, and the negative thoughts because true success is when, without limits, you embrace the totality of who you are and all you can be. I call this inner success mastery , leading to your goals transpiring with greater ease, inner peace, and external success feeling complete. Now is the time to lead yourself to break through limitations - and unveil the real you, who has been waiting to show up as unstoppable. Follow me on LinkedIn , Instagram and visit my website for more info. Rozana Wyatt, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Rozanna Wyatt is a Life & Success Coach helping high-achievers, top entrepreneurs, and influential leaders breakthrough limitations so they can become unstoppable. Rozanna is an expert in the psychology of human behavior and motivation. She has 15+ years of experience developing human potential, both as a licensed therapist and coach, holds a Master of Social Work from Dalhousie University, and specialized training in leadership and high-performance. Rozanna is the pioneer behind "Good Girl Syndrome" and Rapid Transformational Coaching - a cutting-edge approach to coaching blending the most advanced modalities in positive psychology, coaching, neuroscience, and leadership, to stimulate transformational growth and change.