Written by: Stevie Orrill, 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. Matthew McConaughey has pronounced a number of times, “Unbelievable is the stupidest word in the English language.” He calls it “A rude and disrespectful word.” Why? Because it fails to give credit to all the incredible triumphs that we witness every single day. I’ve been a big thinker for as long as I can recall. I remember lying in bed as a child contemplating the vastness of the universe. Pondering questions such as: “Where does space end?” “Is there a wall when you reach the end?” “If there is, what’s on the other side?” The answers to those questions still elude me. I think they always will. My experience and firmly held belief is that the Universe – just like our human potential – has no end. It blows my mind to think that we have created technology that can travel to (and land successfully) on another planet, or that very soon we’ll be getting driven by our cars. That’s something we could only have dreamed of a few years ago. Imagine what might come next. Some people spend hours every day contemplating things that don’t yet exist. Are you one of them? Everything that exists today was once just an idea. When I was growing up as a child, I was often told to “be realistic” and not “fantasize about things that were out of reach.” I don’t hold any resentment toward family or teachers who were probably trying to keep my feet on the ground or save me from feeling disappointed. They were only passing on to me what they believed had served them best. But the only time we ever create anything new is by contemplating something that doesn’t exist. We have to let go of what is “real.” Just like the Wright Brothers – who in 1903 launched the first successful flight of a “heavier than air” powered aircraft – contemplated objects “heavier than air” taking flight. They didn’t accept the reality they were accustomed to or buy into the theory that what they were attempting was “impossible.” We recently witnessed the first flight on Mars. That’s a planet millions of miles from Earth. I am no scientist, but can you imagine the level of complexity that went into that operation being successful? The necessary calculations of the air mass, the manufacture, the delivery, the control of the entire operation from another planet. Impossible? Apparently not. Now, I know that I have fallen prey to the “it’s impossible” story many times in my life. I catch myself several times every day, subconsciously accepting a reality that is far below what I truly desire. I’m probably not going out on a limb by suggesting that you all do as well. Despite our infinite capacity to create, we place limits on ourselves every day. Doesn’t that seem bonkers to you? Why would we suffocate our best thinking? If you desire to live a truly extraordinary life, you need to take your foot off the brake pedal of possibility. Here are 3 secrets that, if used wisely, will guide you to a life experience way beyond anything you’ve ever dreamt of. Those who are truly committed to being the best version of themselves will absorb these secrets. 1. Believe “Believe” is a word that has become way too overused in modern society. It gets thrown around in contexts that don’t do justice to the power it represents. Here are a few contexts that you might be familiar with When we express our opinion on the sincerity of others, we might say, “I don’t believe him/her.” When referring to the faith that people follow, we say, “He/she believes in…”. Many people use it interchangeably to express what they are thinking. For example, when asked, “Is she coming alone?” we might respond, “We believe so (= we think she is).” None of the above are incorrect. But I’m a little uncomfortable throwing around such powerful language to discuss trivial matters. For me, the standout definition of what belief means, “to accept that something is true, especially without proof.” The part that trips most of us up every single day is “without proof.” We have been conditioned (or have conditioned ourselves) to accept what we see or what we’re told. We look for evidence before believing. The Wright Brothers had no proof that objects heavier than air could fly through the air. I still struggle with the idea that a 747 is going to get off the ground. It just looks too big and heavy. Thankfully, for all of us who love to travel, the Wright Brothers believed. The NASA scientists had no proof that an object could take flight and land safely on the surface of Mars. Thomas Edison had no proof that light could be created by electricity and used as a lamp. Edmond Becquerel had no proof that we could use the rays from the sun and convert them into usable energy. And yet, behind all of these discoveries, and many more, someone believed it was possible. They might have tried and failed hundreds or thousands of times, but they never lost belief. What story are you telling yourself? Believe that your life can be bigger than anyone told you. I mean. Truly believe. Feel it! 2. Have the courage to take the second step. I have lost count of the number of people who have told me they have an amazing idea or they have a “a plan” for the life they want to create but have yet to take any meaningful action. Instead, they become a master at creating excuses, while simultaneously playing the world’s smallest violins. We all have aspects in life working against us. But I’ve witnessed way too many examples of people who have created something unthinkable with so many odds stacked against them to buy into stories that we don’t have what we need to succeed. In 1974, a 24-year-old Frenchman named Philippe Petit walked a high wire illegally rigged between the Twin Towers of New York's World Trade Centre. Everyone held their breath as he stepped out because the towers were 1,350 feet above the ground. They were swaying that morning because of the wind. The rain was beginning to fall, which made the wire between the towers wet and slippery. Petit stood there for a moment, took a deep breath, and then he stepped out onto the wire. His team had shot an arrow across the 200 ft gap between the towers and pulled across a 450-pound steel cable the night before. He used a custom-made 26-foot-long balancing pole. And that morning, he danced for nearly an hour on the wire. A few years ago, the author Alan Weiss was invited to a presentation of the film "Man On Wire" about this feat, and Philippe Petit was present for a Q&A session. A few of the guests asked Petit, “What's the most difficult part of this? Is it psychological preparation? Is it overcoming fear of death?” Petit's reply was fascinating! He said, “It's the Second Step.” Not the first step but the second step. You see, with your first step, you still have one foot anchored and supported by something solid. But with the second step, you have to shift your center of gravity so that your entire body is no longer supported by anything solid. The “high-wire” in our lives is the dream we want to create. And our “something solid” is the dull, unfulfilling reality we currently experience. And while many of us might dabble a few toes in the waters of possibility, we’re terrified to leave behind the safety and security of a life that doesn’t fulfill us. Why? Because we’re afraid that we might fall. Afraid that we might embarrass ourselves. Afraid that we might stand out. I’d even go as far as to say as we’re afraid of what success and feeling alive might do to us. It’s always been out of our reach. The second steps are most likely slightly different for every one of us. It may not be as obvious as you think. Your second step might be to stop trying to be like everyone else and do it your way. It might be to share your vulnerability. It could be to actually start believing in yourself and what you’re capable of. Whatever your second step is, find the courage to take it. And trust that whatever happens, you’ll be fine. And on the other side of your fear is a life full of everything you desire. 3. Take the lid off the man-made roof So, what happens when we truly believe in ourselves, and we bravely jump with both feet off the solid ground? What happens when life begins to line up better than we ever imagined? Not long after I’d turned 30, I was vibrating amazing energy. My life really began to take off. I’d secured a great job that meant I could live in a nice house; I closed a massive deal that put $200k in my bank account; my love life was rolling; people wanted to be my friend. Everything was going great. I remember thinking to myself, “This is all too good to be true.” A few months later, I got sick. I couldn’t eat. Breathing became difficult. I checked into the hospital and from there began a 2-week rollercoaster with a tube drilled between my ribs, chained to a bed in an airborne isolation room. Doctors and nurses would visit wearing protective masks. My right lung had become filled with toxic fluid. I was diagnosed with tuberculosis. I underwent surgery to remove the disease and repair my lung. For the next 9 months, I was visited by a government employee to administer and certify that I was taking the prescribed TB medication. Any positive momentum that had been working in my favor was gone. The deals dried up. The relationships ended. So, what happened? Could it be that I placed a ceiling on what I believed was possible for me? Looking back, I can see clearly how I invited disease into my life. Instead of fully embracing and feeling deserving of the life I had created, I chose to feel guilt. I reached for the familiar comfort zone of solid ground represented by struggle, ill-health, and worry. Who am I to say what I’m deserving of? Who am I to place a ceiling on what’s possible for me in this lifetime? Now, I feel blessed and thankful for the work and skill of modern medicine. But more than that, I’m thankful for experiencing first-hand how much power we have over our destiny in life. I know now that whatever joy and positive experience I had attracted into my life were fully deserved and just the tip of the iceberg in terms of how good life can be. I know that I’m capable of creating anything I choose to believe possible. I know there is no limit. So, get out of your way. Allow your magnificence to rise. Believe that you can create whatever you desire. Have the courage to let go of anything that limits you. Take the lid off the man-made roof. And make what you’ve always thought was impossible, POSSIBLE. “Reach beyond your grasp, have immortal finish lines, and turn your red-light green, because a roof is a man-made thing.” —Matthew McConaughey. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Stevie! Stevie Orrill, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Stevie Orrill is a leading mindset coach. Following an epiphany that his traumatic childhood meant that he was relying on outdated survival-based programming, he made a conscious choice not to settle for a life that isn't fully aligned with his true purpose. Directed by the powerful experience of his own personal transformation, he is an expert at taking high achievers to become the fulfilled and fearless leaders they were born to be. His mission is to create a reality where people wake up every day feeling on purpose, fulfilled, and in love with their lives. He is the founder of Today Will Be, and his work is underscored by a belief that every human can achieve extraordinary things if they choose to connect with them. He has created programs that transform the life experience of others.

Written by: Roxy Rapedius, 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. In my mid-40s, I was experiencing personal and professional challenges and obstacles. I was stuck and didn’t know who to turn to, to help me overcome all these barriers until I was referred to a life coach. At first, I was very skeptical and believed that life coaching was an added expense. I also assumed that only someone who had experienced my trauma or worked in the industry I was in could help me. My Life Coach was amazing. She helped me: Uncover my limiting beliefs and self-destructive habits. Enhance my existing strengths and build up my qualities. Streamline my life to prioritize my activities and spend time in ways that are the most fulfilling. Realize that life coaching is an investment in me and not an expense. Overcome my terror barriers and take advantage of new and exciting opportunities. Discover my true authentic self. Propel my growth faster than I could have done on my own and be accountable. Write a gratitude journal, self-care and, meditate every day. Visualize and achieve anything I want and, Gain the confidence required to become a successful Life Coach! A Life Coach encourages and guides clients on a range of personal and professional issues. A coach helps you grow by analyzing your current situation, identify limiting beliefs, values and, other possible challenges or obstacles you face, and designs a custom action plan outlined to help you achieve specific outcomes in your life. So why hire a Coach? Here are 13 epic reasons to hire a Life Coach! Do any of these resonate with you? W — Wisdom Master the art of tapping into your wisdom, listen to your heart and, unleash all new possibilities. H — Happiness and Fame Get specific on what matters to you – your beliefs, values, and standards for happiness and fame. Y — Your strengths and Savvy Time to sparkle! Identify your strengths and savvy and how to capitalize them in your life. H — Heart-Opening Understanding your limiting activities and terror barriers will open up your heart to greater opportunities. I — Ideas, Tips, and Tools Coaches offer a repertoire of inspiring ideas, tips, tools, and viewpoints to propel your growth. R — Resiliency Discover how you can recover quickly from difficulties and barriers. See how resilient you are! E — Experience Fearlessness Learn to be fearless in life, go after what you truly desire, and be your authentic self. A — Accountability A coach keeps you on point, holding you accountable to your tasks and getting you to your destination faster. C — Crush through your Daily Chaos Pinpoint your non-serving habits and crush out what is not working out for you. O — Overcome the “Crazy Busy!” Learn to say “No” to yourself and others and incorporate a healthy daily self-care system. A — Awesome, Authentic Self-Image A coach will help you create your true authentic self-image. C — Commit Yourself Let go of your limiting beliefs, self-badgering, and inner blame. Find your inner powerful courage and start anew. H — Harmony & Peacefulness When you align with who you are, what you do, and what you say, harmony and peacefulness are achievable. Follow Roxy on her Facebook and Instagram. You can also visit her website for more info! Roxy Rapedius, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Roxy Rapedius’ decades of professional experience includes progressively increasing responsibility and measurable positive results. Roxy has built significant and unique skills through these roles. She has experience in life coaching, public speaking, training, teaching, behavioral analysis, addiction, trauma, mental health, palliative support, grief and bereavement support, opioid dependency treatment, finance, insurance, event planning, financial planning, environmental development, immigration, dental, and banking. As CEO and Coach of Life Coach With Roxy, she approaches her work and life as an established leader who gets results. Roxy has a curiosity and keen desire to always further expand her knowledge and acumen to reach greater heights in serving others as a leader in business and life.

Written by: Stephanie Kable, 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’ve just celebrated 15 years at Live-English.net. Fifteen years ago, I left my regular job and jumped in the water to create my own online business. What a journey it’s been! I’ve learned so much, about entrepreneurship, about myself, about mindset, about strategy. I want to share here 15 lessons I keep from these 15 years of entrepreneurship. 1. Believe in your product. When I started Live-English.net in 2006, the concept of learning English online with a native-English teacher was very new. We put a website together and did a bit of Adwords advertising, but nothing was happening. Actually, for 6 long months, we were getting low-quality leads, nothing else. People did not understand what we were offering, the website was not very attractive, and the pricing was not right. I believed in what we were doing, and I could not understand why it wasn’t working. After tweaking this and tweaking that month after month, suddenly, we got our first client! Then a second, and a third! We finally found a recipe to get a regular flow of clients. Had I not believed in what we were offering, I would have given up after a few attempts and missed out on this wonderful opportunity. 2. Have a clear vision of where you want to go. At first, I didn’t have a clear vision of my business. I tried many different markets, niches, kinds of services until I found what was truly aligned with what I wanted to build. Learning English is very vague and can include a lot of different kinds of products or services. Our raison d’être was to help professionals in Europe feel more confident when they speak English through practicing with native-English teachers at their convenience. Every time I am tempted to add a new service, I ask myself if it really corresponds to the vision I have defined. 3. Get over your errors and mistakes, even the biggest ones. As entrepreneurs, we need to make dozens of decisions every single day. Sometimes they are based on data. Sometimes they are based on our gut feeling. Either way, mistakes happen. It’s natural. Expect them. When it happens, spend your energy to fix it, minimize its impact and consider it a lesson for the future. 4. Don’t listen to people. As your company's founder, you are the most qualified to know whether an idea is worth pursuing or not. Many people will come to you and tell you what you should do or should not do. Of course, some ideas might be good, and you might want to integrate them into your projects, but do not blindly listen to people. They don’t have the full picture. You do. 5. Get help from a business coach. We, entrepreneurs, have lots of ideas, we have a good knowledge of our audience and their pain points, we might be good in certain areas like marketing or finance. A business coach that we trust is incredibly valuable to grow our entrepreneurial mindset, help us manage our priorities, and point out where we should invest our time and energy. 6. Make your business a source of predictable revenue. The business you build should have systems in place to become a predictable source of revenue. Your sales should be clear, simple, tweaked, and improved over time. Without a system, you might only rely on chance to find clients. 7. Get used to the ups and downs. This is probably the most difficult thing to get used to as an entrepreneur. When things go really well, lots of projects come to my mind. I’m optimistic and feel great about the business. However, other times, something comes up, and suddenly things don’t look as rosy as they were earlier. Stress and anxiety suddenly take over. Know yourself, understand that it’s all temporary and keep the direction you’ve defined for your business. 8. Hire as soon as you can. An entrepreneur should understand that their purpose is to work on their business, not in their business. Especially at the beginning, we might want to do everything ourselves. However, this is not sustainable in the long run. Once the business is after the proof of concept stage, once we know the business has true potential, hiring should be the priority to scale. 9. Competition is good. Very few businesses are strong enough to create and educate a new market. For a small business, competition is good news! It proves that there is a market and that enough people should be interested in your product or service. Don’t get annoyed because your field has many different players. 10. Choose between a Lifestyle business and a growth-minded business. There are 2 types of businesses: the lifestyle business and the growth-minded business. The former is a business that will give you the freedom to do what you like, work when and where you want. The latter is a more goal-oriented business, often with investors. Its goal is to take over the market through innovation. Know what kind of business you’re after and act accordingly. 11. Focus on a few objectives at a time. When you own a business and want to take it to the next level, you need to work smart. A small business is typically understaffed and wants to do too many things at once. Pick 2-3 priorities to pursue over the next quarter so that you don’t spread yourself too thin. 12. Differentiate yourself the right way. Trying to beat the competition by offering a product or service at a lower price is risky. Many small business owners who feel underconfident price themselves too low. Unfortunately, they don’t have enough clients to make a living out of it. Finding something that brings a lot of value to the customer that the competition has missed is a great way to differentiate yourself. Find a real added value. 13. Expand your network. In particular, the people you meet, particularly the entrepreneurs you can exchange ideas with, are a tremendous asset to the entrepreneurial journey. No one understands you better than another entrepreneur. If they are not entrepreneurs themselves, your spouse or best friend might not grasp all your concerns and ambitions. By networking with like-minded entrepreneurs, you won’t be alone. 14. Read. Reading is the activity that will give you the best return on investment. Learning from people who are a few steps ahead of you is an amazing opportunity. Books about self-development, growth mindset, psychology, marketing, finance, management will open your mind to new ideas. They will allow you to apply them to your own business at your own scale. 15. Disconnect. We’ve spoken a lot about what to do when you’re an entrepreneur. I want to finish this list by disconnecting. An entrepreneur is someone obsessed with their business, day and night. Finding time to stop for a moment is equally vital. Find your way to disconnect, whether through daily meditation, a day without your smartphone, a regular night out with friends, a long weekend in the countryside with your spouse. These are great opportunities to get back to work with renewed motivation and unique ideas that will make a big difference to your business. Entrepreneurship is not an easy path. There are many lessons to learn from it. Make your own list along the way, and keep creating and contributing to the world. We tend to measure business success by its turnover, profit, and customer acquisition, to name a few. It’s much more than that. Entrepreneurship is a way of life. Follow me on Facebook , LinkedIn , YouTube , Instagram , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Stephanie ! Stephanie Kable, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Stephanie Kable is the CEO of Live-English.net, an English online school that helps professionals worldwide feel more confident with their English as a second language. Through online one-to-one and group lessons via Zoom, the team of native-English teachers provides an efficient, convenient, and fun way to improve English speaking skills. Stephanie holds a B.A. in Management from the University of Paris-Dauphine (France) and an M.A. in Information Systems from Institut Mines-Telecom - Business School (Paris, France). Fond of languages, technology, business, and personal development, Stephanie combines all these knowledge fields to offer unique English courses focused on each learner's needs.

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. As defined by Oxford Dictionary, a perfectionist is a person who refuses to accept any standard short of perfection. Unfortunately, we are human, which by nature, is imperfect. Striving for perfection is a false sense of security and often derived from a fear of being out of control. If you’re reading this article, then I’m guessing you or a loved one identify as a perfectionist. A perfectionist mindset likely has served you in some areas of your life. Often these traits develop in childhood as a protective mechanism to feel safe and/or loved. As children, these traits may have worked in some ways and even possibly as an adult. In fact, in our society, it has become socially acceptable to identify as a perfectionist. It is often even viewed as a positive trait by many. However, the unfortunate truth is that perfectionism can lead to depression, anxiety, and other mental and social health issues. It can also lead you down a dangerous path of procrastination and emotional paralysis. If this is a struggle you identify with, you are certainly not alone! According to many recent studies, perfectionism has increased over the past 30 years. Many factors may contribute to developing a perfectionist mindset, including birth order, academic proficiency, and lack of unstructured time, but we are here to focus on how to shift from that perfectionism. In my opinion, focusing on perfect is a sure-fire way not to feel good enough. It is asking to feel unhappy, anxious, stressed, and overwhelmed. Often feeling a need to be perfect is just a manifestation of anxiety and fear. Anxiety and fear lead you to ask yourself questions such as, "What if it’s not perfect? What will they think of me? What if I can’t do it, will everyone laugh? What if I fail?" Maybe you have a fear or anxiety surrounding getting the grade you want, someone not liking you, someone judging you on how you look, the list goes on and on! So, how can we start to move from needing to be perfect to embracing perfectly imperfect? Step one is realizing that no one around you actually cares as much as you do. We live in a society that is so self-consumed, no one is paying attention to you as much as you are. Often as children, perfectionists feel that to gain the attention, praise, or love of a parent, you needed to be perfect. However, as an adult, this belief system isn’t necessary to get the love and attention you need. The simple truth is, perfection is not attainable, especially not for longer than a fleeting moment, and most adults accept this and do not expect others to be as perfect as we expect ourselves to be. In my years of practicing therapy, I have noticed often that as soon a perfectionist attains a goal or achievement, they will immediately find a new flaw. These flaws can range from a flaw in one’s physical self, a project at work, finding contentment in one thing only to find another discontent in the same sentence, etc. Step two to moving from perfectionism to perfectly imperfect is to realize that perfectionism is a symptom. This symptom is toxic for your mental, spiritual, and physical health. Accepting being imperfect is actually choosing to live with less anxiety and less sadness and self-criticism. Often perfectionists also struggle with being more critical of others. This includes spouses, children, employees, friends, everyone in their life! As noted, we live in an imperfect world, so if we always expect perfection from others, we will often be left feeling frustrated, annoyed, disappointed, and hurt. Step three to moving from perfect to perfectly imperfect is realizing that this expectation of others was not realistic, to begin with. As a perfectionist, we want to blame the others in our lives and not see it as our own unhealthy mindset. Looking inward can often be a difficult task, but in the case of perfectionism, we must shift our mindset and our expectations of others. As we constantly obsess about being perfect, we often miss cues and communication from those around us. While we are projecting our need for perfection onto a situation rather than accepting and seeing the situation for what it really is, we miss beautiful and meaningful moments. Thus, step four is being present in the moment. Being consumed with perfection clouds our ability to enjoy life. Additionally, pay attention to the other people involved. Who is triggering you to uphold the air of perfection? Why do you feel you need to be perfect with certain people or in certain situations? While making mental notes of all of this, stay present, notice the imperfections, and move on while appreciating the here and now. This will lead to a much more relaxed, fulfilling life than constantly striving for perfection, which as a reminder, is an unobtainable goal. Step five in moving from perfect to perfectly imperfect is to spend a moment in catastrophic thinking. This might seem like an odd step, but it can be useful in recognizing the difference between a rational mindset and an irrational mindset. Stop and ask yourself, "what is the worst-case scenario if it doesn’t turn out perfect?" Chances are, the catastrophic thought is actually not so catastrophic after all. Once you have determined that the imperfect is not actually catastrophic, the next step may seem more possible, ease yourself into choosing imperfection. As you doubt yourself embracing the perfectly imperfect, take a moment to remind yourself that choosing imperfection also means finding the joy and freedom in letting go of perfection. The journey from perfect to perfectly imperfect is not an easy one. There will be bumps in the road where you regress to striving for perfection rather than staying in the moment. However, little by little, as you embrace the perfectly imperfect lifestyle, you will see changes that greatly enhance your life. You will begin to love yourself from the inside out, and there is no greater freedom than knowing you’re good enough just as you are. Follow Joanna on her Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin and visit her website for more info. 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: Claire Muller, 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 are many books and definitions of success. In the dictionary, it states success is: The accomplishment of an aim or purpose The good or bad outcome of an undertaking If success is accurate by the dictionary definitions, there would be a never-ending search for success. Success is objective, and everyone has their definition, but they may have difficulty articulating what success means to them. Society has taught us that it is fame and fortune that equates to success. In recent years we have seen a change, and it is becoming the norm to not conform to societal conditioning. I recently had a revelation on what success is and means to me would like to use this opportunity to share my insights. For years, my colleagues, friends, and family saw something that I was aware of but not paying much attention to the changes experienced. I embarked on a quest for self-awareness, actualization, and development, and my growth has been steep and continues as I immerse myself in my personal growth. On this journey, it dawned on me that I have achieved what many strive for through my years of self-development - a state of calmness, heart-centered success. While many have achieved fame, fortune, and titles according to their values, mindset, and yardstick definition of success, there are no rigid rules to success, being right or wrong. The journey to growth and success would then be the need to feel fulfilled. A rush of happy hormones becomes addictive and more sought after for the continued feeling of happiness from achieving. The natural reaction is to want more when the 'high' subsides. There is nothing wrong with wanting more, and it is what growth is. However, the short-lived rush is worth it but hardly fulfilling. We love cheering for the next person's success and want to help celebrate. We love hearing the success stories and want to know how we can achieve the same. There is an unspoken competition in many circles that is more evident when living according to someone else's standards. Actions and facial expressions would re-iterate this unspoken competition, and if it overheard, it could sound something like "I want you to do well, just not better than me." Achieving true heart-centered success I have often seen this need; through my work and coaching clients, which is why I created my methodology for heart-centered success, as illustrated in the above diagram. The method can assess where a person, team, or leader is in their self-actualization and empower them in their journey. No judgment. Everyone has their value system and journey. Impress The need to impress culminates from living according to someone else's standards and definition. If this resonates with you, you are sabotaging your journey and success. The need to impress keeps you spending more time watching what your competition is doing and comparing rather than walking your path. It can be tiring being in a constant state of measure and impress cycle consuming time and energy. Influence Those who work on themselves are no longer part of the arrival syndrome and wanting to impress. These individuals grow and move into a sphere of influence. In the influence sphere, a change is noticed to positively influence and be more efficient in actions without external validation. The mind divides and judges according to what we heard, are taught, or have experienced. Negative thoughts could result in a downward spiral of doubt and anguish. Being self-aware and questioning the root of such negative mind-talk experienced can pull you out of the downward spiral. Mindset work is powerful and takes time to validate the truth or falsity behind a thought, breaking the cycle of limiting beliefs. Impact Simplified my definition of success is a personal journey of intentional actions towards a goal or a state of being. True heart-centered success would be: Having achieved, Self-mastery, Excellence, the desire to positively impact others to do the same, possibly resulting in a legacy and creating a culture of impact. True heart-centered success is lasting and not only a mere sense of achievement but fulfilling, peaceful, and joyful. Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Claire! Claire Muller, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Claire Muller has 23 years of experience and worked in corporate and government travel procurement and management. She is a qualified trainer and assessor, helping organizations with leadership development. She is a certified NLP Practioner, and her coaching toolbox includes Life, Business, Executive, Abundance, Creativity, Enneagram and Hypnotherapy. Claire's forte is Personal Mastery and love's mindset work, challenging limiting beliefs and thinking patterns and reframing those thoughts with positivity. She believes in self-development and is in the process of completing her masters in NLP. Her passion is to serve and empower others, coaching Leaders and Executives from around the globe.

Written by: Haseena Shaheed-Jackson, 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. Every person is created to soar. As with an eagle, you have been provided with wings that allow you to soar above the storms in your life. The Bald Eagle is the only bird who eagerly seeks out storms to catch the wind so they can soar above the chaos below. As with the eagle, you are to strive for higher ground seeking to become better and stronger. You cannot allow the obstacles and storms you encounter to hold you back and push you down. You are to soar higher. Four strategies to aid in your soaring: Lean in. You must be firmly rooted in your “why,” believing in what you do and your cause. You must be authentic and unshakeable. Nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself and that which is within you. When barriers are placed in your path, this is not for you to give up but to find another way. The other way will be the better way. Many of our failures in life are because we gave up too soon. We must not be willing to give up but to press forward. Make action a habit. The word action is alive and vibrant. You cannot travel through life playing it safe. You must be willing to sacrifice and put in the work. You must use what you have been gifted. Otherwise, you are failing yourself. You must strive to receive a return on that which is within you because you have a gift that must be utilized. It is for you to maximize the use of the talent, developing a habit of not accepting mediocrity. View Growth as an adventure. Make a point that each day you learn something new, adding to your skills and talent. Strive to grow, stretching yourself to another level. Take the time to read, write and reflect on what you have learned. Identify how it is sharpening you and see the application to your life. You must be focused on pursuing your vision and goals. See with new eyes. View obstacles and setbacks as opportunities to see with new eyes. Reflect on what you can do differently. Identify how the current circumstance adds value to you, helping you grow and expand. Ask yourself, what can you do differently that will result in a different outcome? Many times, you become complacent, resulting in settling into comfortability. This will cause you to miss out on broadening your mind to expanding your picture and thinking outside the box. This month I challenge you to incorporate these four strategies. Adding these practices to your life will allow you to overcome your obstacles and capitalize on opportunities. Know that with time you will achieve success, being impactful, and make a difference. I identify more strategies and lessons in my latest book, Created to Soar. Get your copy tod ay ! Follow me on Facebook , LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Hase ena ! Haseena Shaheed-Jackson, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Mrs. Haseena Shaheed-Jackson is a Certified Coach, Speaker, and Trainer under the John Maxwell Team. She is the author of Reflections Within and Messages from the Spirit. Her mission is to add value to people to add value to others by intentionally growing, resulting in transformation and changing their world. Growth is a continual process that never ceases. It is a lifetime commitment that must become a habit. Ms. Jackson is the Owner of Faith, Hope, and Spirit, LLC, which offers training, coaching and speaking in growth, development, leadership, and influence. For over 30 years, she has held leadership and management positions for various companies and organizations, where her responsibilities included mentoring, coaching, development, and training. She hosts a monthly networking group, Connecting and Collaborating to Thrive (CC2T). CC2T focuses on developing relationships and establishing a community. She actively seeks to form partnerships with others to make a difference and be impactful.

Written by: Jenn Drakes, 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. In the prior article, I presented a three-team tier that will provide your business with a strong foundation to perform better and ensure its longevity. I suggested organizing these teams will put your business into a state for optimal strategic and tactical capability. What I did not point out is that this structure applies to all businesses, small or large. When and how becomes the question depending on the growth stage and size of your business. I will now go more in-depth and guide who best fits into each team, with the “who” framed around skillsets and personality. Toddlers prove that every endeavor starts with a spark of thought – an idea. These young children are most troublesome with their sparks during the age of 2, which is now well known as the “Terrible Two’s” stage of their development. Those reading this who have survived the “terrible two’s” stage of raising a child is nodding their heads in agreement. After all, that’s why parents run around to secure kitchen cupboards, staircases, and anything that could lead to harm for their children. I recall my eldest thinking it was a good idea to climb an interior wall like Spiderman. Everyone of us, young or old, on a daily basis, gets ideas. As toddlers, we acted on most ideas until, sadly, we learned differently. As adults, we seldom act on or develop our ideas. Yet, development is the action necessary to convert ideas into vision. All those, irrespective of which team tier they fit within and are placed, will have ideas. Every person in an organization has ideas. However, not everyone is resourced to move these ideas forward. The merit of your organization will be in its ability to honor this fact and formulate a culture with associated processes to boost ideology, capture the ideas, and ensure the right people see them. The right people sit on the Vision Team because that team should be vested in keeping the company current, leading-edge, and innovative in their industries. The Vision Team can be a size of one, a few, or many, aiming to be nimble. They should be structured to regularly see or hear ideas and review them for themes, synergies, and interrelatedness between their ideas, company fit, and the current vision. A value-add would be the ability to connect disparate thoughts flowing through the ideology pipeline and correlate them into possible opportunities for the organization. More so, members of the Vision Team should have the desire and aptitude to develop a vision around those ideas having potential for the company. They should also have the authority to integrate new ideas into in-flight roadmaps and recommend re-direction and revisions where, when, and if warranted. Those that best fit on the team are visionaries themselves. They enjoy trying to make sense of these things. However, they are open to accepting suggestions from others. In fact, they get excited by the exploration, debating, and visioning activities in isolation and collaboratively and light up at sharing the vision and its prospects with others. Being at the center of the structure and the smaller of the three teams, the Vision team enables flexibility, pivoting, and adjustments. Remember, they dream life into the business and are centered and contained by the other teams, much like a nuclei. Again, they source, disseminate, explore and innovate fit. Then, they consult with the Oversight Team to progress the team’s vision forward. The focus of the Oversight Team is not about yes or no to what comes from the Vision Team. They know that the Vision Team has assessed the minutia of the vision they present. The focus of the Oversight Team is to determine how that vision can be transformed into a corporate vision having an associated roadmap showing strategic substance and direction that will span a period of time. They listen to the Vision Team's opportunities and advance their vision structured into realistically manageable chunks. Realistic with funding, time, regulatory, legal, markets, resources, etc. Managed related to pace, timelines, relationships, expenditures, return on investments, public relations, constraints, risks, etc. The Oversight Team is a size of many to ensure viability without compromising sustainable results for the company. That’s how discipline gets invoked into the process. However, there is a caution with the Oversight Team related to size. While it will be bigger than the Vision Team, it cannot be so heavily laden that its functioning becomes ineffective. Getting to an optimal team size will be a challenge. Overcoming that challenge will be based on how well you mix specialists with those having meaningfully diverse skillsets (a.k.a, generalists). The right mix will optimize the size of the team. Their knowledge and connections are leveraged to support and guide the vision. This team should be structured for accountability, governance, enablement, networking, and reporting. Those that best fit on the team are enablers. They light up at navigating barriers, influencing change, connecting people, and solidifying the potential of a vision. Their skillsets focus on finance, legal, marketing, business management, coaching, and other expertise to support vision most effectively becoming a reality. The Vision Team, armed with a strategic plan and roadmap, consults with the Execution Team to turn the strategic objectives into tactical logistics. Such tactics should be executed within the stipulated strategic timeframes because the Oversight Team has defined that timeframe based on diverse implications for the organization. Therefore, moving that timeframe should not be done lightly and should not be done in isolation. The Execution Team is the largest of the three teams. Being at the base level, they form a solid foundation to weather the flexibility and pivots the Vision Team could deliver to the business. The Execution Team and its members aim to get things done with measurable results. Those that best fit on the team are action-oriented worker bees. “They love the effort associated with defining how and when things occur , and in what way. Logically fitting things together, ironing out details for implementation, and seeing the intended outcomes realized gives these individuals their sense of accomplishment. Their skillsets focus on administration, operations, logistics, project management, process, change execution, production, sales, technical, as well as other areas that mesh with what the business needs to effectively achieve the desired outcomes. Every tier has its purpose, with strategy and tactics acting as the glue that binds to the other. All teams must be effective separately and when interacting. Additionally, there is symmetry in the interdependencies of one to the other. Vision feeds Oversight; Oversight fuels Vision with strategy. The strategic Vision enables Execution; execution transforms the strategic Vision with tactics, and executes the tactics, measures outcomes, and reports the results. The results inform bottom-up through the tiers, related to such things as adjustments and performance. Advocates/coaches/mentors like myself fit best on the Oversight and Execution Teams. Having the right teams, the right people, modeled for the right governance, supported by the right processes and culture, goes a long way towards ensuring the acceleration and longevity of a company. Follow me on Facebook , connect with me on LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Jenn! Jenn Drakes, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jenn is a mom, serial entrepreneur, and life advocate who hosts the podcast Arrays of Living . She is also creator and co-host of the Get Awesome show, author of the book Aladdin Carpets — change your perspective, change your life. In addition to Brainz Magazine, she is a Featured Author on Plumose. Co for her poetry and stories and Contributing Author on Boss Ladies Mindset. Jenn is a hidden gem in a desert of gems, and her personality and presence forever change everyone who discovers her. Over the years in working with youths and young adults, she was crowned The Original Goddess to acknowledge the shared feeling that "Jenn is wise beyond her years. I find her to be almost an "old soul" type of spirit." Her voice and writings are powerful, impactful, and life-changing because they trigger thought and promote tantalizing, intelligent conversations. Today, she uses that wisdom to shatter glass ceilings and power up the purpose she believes everyone holds within. It is a belief that is foundationally based on all of us being born with a gift and a responsibility to use and share that gift to achieve sustainable happiness. Her mission is to improve how people feel about themselves and empower their sense of self-worth to achieve more personally and professionally than they imagined.

Written by: Brooklynn Bradley-LaFleur, 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 know any selfish people? What comes to mind when you think of them? When I think of someone selfish, I have nothing but negative thoughts. Selfish people hurt others to get what they want. They put themselves before others. They do whatever it takes to make themselves happy without giving one thought to how it affects others. They do what they need to do to get what they want and do not care about the consequences. I choose not to bring selfish people into my circle. I want to surround myself with people that will put as much energy into me as I do them. It can be exhausting, but I try to be there for anyone who needs me whenever they need me. If I am too busy, I make time. What if I told you being selfish was a good thing? No, I am not talking about the kind of selfishness where you hurt others. I am talking about the good kind of selfish. Being selfish is a necessity for your mental health. It is important to set boundaries and learn to say no. If we always say yes to constantly helping others, we will drain ourselves mentally, physically, and emotionally. Trust me. I speak from experience, and I almost killed myself doing it. I love helping people, and I love being a mompreneur. For years I ran my business, held several board positions, and help anyone who reached out to me. One thing I never took into consideration is, if I spread myself too thin, I cannot give anything 100%. Pretty soon, all the work I am doing and all the help I am giving is sloppy. After a certain point, it becomes a waste of everyone’s time. If you are feeling overwhelmed and can relate to what I am saying, here are some tips: Pick the things that are the most important to you. What are you most passionate about? What sets your soul on fire? Stick to those. Make sure you are managing your time well. Create a time management schedule that works best for you. Give yourself a YOU time within that schedule, even if it is 30 minutes. If you are not taking time out to decompress and reflect, it will be hard to keep your energy and motivation flowing. Learn to say no. If you have to kill yourself to do it, don’t. It is that simple. Do not feel bad about saying no. Remember, they need the best of you, and if you are stressing and struggling to make it work, then it simply isn’t important. I had never considered this point of view before. Now that I have, it has changed my business and my life for the better. I am getting better sleep, and my stress levels are down tremendously. I hope this will help you also! For more info, follow me on Facebook , Instagram , Youtube Channel , and visit my websi te ! Read more from Brooklynn! Brooklynn Bradley-LaFleur, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Brooklynn Bradley-LaFleur is the CEO & Founder of Brooklynn Three. Brooklynn Three is the parent company of Salon Rouge Spa, LaFleur Couture Wellness Boutique. She has published articles in two entrepreneur magazines, been a guest speaker on several entrepreneur podcasts, and is an international best-selling author. Her mission is to help people transform their lives from the inside out by identifying internal and external complications you may be experiencing and connecting you with holistic based products and self-care services. She hosts a wellness web series every Wednesday at 11 am CST. The web series helps educate on the benefits of different products, suggests tips, and shares personal testimony inside the LaFleur Couture Facebook group. Shipping options and free self-care consultations are available. Website: Brooklynnthree.com Email: brooklynn@brooklynnthree.com “Self-care is not a luxury; it is non-negotiable.”

Written by: Kitty Lai, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. For years I’ve been hiding behind brands, being part of global store expansions and brand communications for retail brands. I’ve been that visual voice and made my mark in the world. I’ve seen my designs in stores globally, at airports, even in Apple stores, and on my daily commute standing next to someone holding a piece of my design, oblivious to the creator behind it... and that is exactly how I wanted it to play out, a somebody yet a nobody behind a brand. That was my face, that was my outlet and that was my job! “Where do I start?” When you’re ready to embark on your entrepreneurial journey or start a new business, the very thought is exciting; however, when faced with building your Personal Brand, most people will question, “Where do I actually start?” In truth, most people will decide the most natural place is to start on a social platform and show up. Social media is an integral tool to grow your Personal Brand, but the pressure to be visible often leads to a poor and inconsistent presence. Don’t undermine your Personal Brand with an inferior visual social media presence. Without a good strategy, you’d be wasting your energy and your time. The first thing is to understand “what is a personal brand” is. It sounds obvious enough but believe me, I’ve had conversations with people who have gotten confused with business branding or brand identity and others who openly admit they had no idea (note: there’s no shame of not knowing what Personal branding is). What is a personal brand? Personal Branding is having a distinguished and consistent look that sets you apart from your competition. It’s how you choose to represent yourself in the way that you look, the way that you stand; it’s what you say and how you say it to express the best version of you with confidence. 6 tips on building a personal brand: 1. Start with your story Everyone loves a good story; it can be a powerful component of your Personal Brand. Storytelling is very powerful in traditional marketing as it creates a human connection. It tells someone who you are, what you stand for, and how you got to where you are today. Understanding who you are and sharing your brand story is a big step to getting visible, so put thought into which part of your story your ideal audience needs to know about and how it may resonate with them. Explain your core values and the journey from start-up to present day. 2. What do you want to be known for? This is a fundamental part of building your brand. Being known as a key person of authority or influence in your industry and expert field is a good way for your personal brand to stand out and grow, but don’t super niche down that you can’t expand into other areas in the future. Brand your expertise with your own unique style and how you want to be perceived by your audience. You should align your core values and mission with your branding. Ask yourself, what do you stand for? There are numerous ways you can broadcast your expertise by being visible to your audiences, such as starting a blog, writing a book, speaking, networking, social media, making videos, teaching, and getting featured in articles or industry sites... the list goes on. 3. Know your audience Decide how you want to use your Personal Brand. Whether it’s to progress your career, be an influencer, or sell a service; you need to identify who your audience is so that you can connect and resonate with them. If you have a business, then identifying with a niche as well as creating an avatar, may help you focus on your ideal audience. Be visible on the right channels. There's no point in sharing your knowledge in places where your ideal audience or community aren't. You need to consider where they are spending their time, whether it's Facebook, Linkedin, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat or elsewhere. 4. Prepare an elevator pitch Everybody needs one, may you be an entrepreneur or someone looking for a job! Every industry is filled with experts and one of the best ways to stand out is to prepare a great elevator pitch. The goal is not to sell, but to get another chance to give a more detailed presentation about you or your organization. Keep your pitch simple so stay away from jargons and complex words, because they don't make you more interesting. Keep it brief and craft two versions - If you don't have much time, 30 seconds is enough to introduce yourself - say who you are, what you do, and why what you do is important. If you have 60 seconds, add in evidence to support that you are good at what you do and how you're different. Don't make it any longer than 60 seconds to keep the listener's interest and attention. 5. Expand your network First impressions do count, so developing new connections at networking meetings and events is a great way to expand your reach and promote your Personal Brand and services. Engaging and networking with other professionals, whether it's online or in-person, allows people to get to know you and determine that they like and trust you. It’s more likely that new opportunities, collaborations, and referrals will emerge. Be present in new circles that can help you with your new role. 6. Stay consistent One key component to establishing your reputation as an authority is consistency. This will show your community that you are reliable, professional, and a committed expert in your field. Most importantly, your brand message will continually be seen and heard. Consistency is one of the most crucial rules for any type of branding. By ensuring that every part of your brand, your design, style, and color scheme, is consistent across every touchpoint, your audience will recognize your brand easily. Be visible to the world Once you lay down your foundations to strengthen your brand, it will be less daunting, and before you know it, you’ll finally be visible to the world. You don't build a Personal Brand from scratch. Personal Brand is something that each of us already has, it's innate for individuals. All you have to do is to develop and enhance it by knowing your story, knowing your audience, and having your elevator pitch. Once you've figured these things out, get yourself out there by joining networking groups or conferences. And of course, don't forget the secret to a successful personal brand — show up every day! For more info, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit my website! Read more from Kitty Lai Kitty Lai, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Kitty Lai is a Branding Strategist and Visual Communicator, Founder of ME Brand - a Personal Branding service. She is one of the leading authorities in the UK, with over twenty years' experience working as a brand designer and Head of the graphic design teams for iconic British retail brands such as Ted Baker and Cath Kidston, bringing businesses alive through visual and brand communication. Kitty totally exudes the drive, passion and energy that's needed to be a successful entrepreneur. She wholly embodies the value of self-development and keenly practices a growth mindset in the running of her own business. Kitty shared her extensive expertise as a keynote speaker at a number of events, and is inspired to help entrepreneurs and success-driven individuals to develop their Personal Brand so they make an impact and confidently attract their ideal clients.

Written by: Danielle Perlin-Good, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. There’s a part of ourselves that always thinks of the worst outcome of any situation. Yet this line of thinking can certainly deter us from achieving our ultimate goals in life. The “What If?” rabbit hole is when we go down a path of destructive thinking. We all have negative thoughts and ask ourselves horrendous “What If?” scenarios about our lives. I wish I could tell you that there’s a very simple solution, and you can easily utilize your abundant energy differently, but in reality, we all go through hard things. We have thoughts like: “What if something bad happens to me?” “...My spouse?” “...My kid?” “What if I get a serious disease?” “What if my house catches on fire?” By letting these thoughts take total control of your brain, you’ll have bought a one-way plane ticket to Tahiti, because you’ve convinced yourself that one of these “What Ifs” is at least a partial truth. The way we expend our energy in difficult situations can make or break us. Grief, of course, is its own ball game entirely, yet it’s important to recognize the differences between energy spent grieving, and energy spent going down this infamous “What if” rabbit hole. So, how can we expend our energy more effectively in order to get ourselves thinking positively about our lives, our goals, and our achievements once again? 1. Acknowledge It’s so crucial to understand our energies and how going down the “What If?” rabbit hole will actually do the opposite for you and your goals. See, our brains like to play games with us. We can, once again, choose victimhood and be stuck energetically in the “What If’s” section of our mind, or we can graciously say, “Thank you for bringing up these points. I’m not willing to expend my abundant energy on you right now, but I do appreciate you.” This way, you’ve literally avoided an argument within yourself by simply acknowledging the thoughts. 2. Take Control You’re taking control of your thoughts. See, your thoughts comprise of a complex puzzle. There are all sorts of crazy thoughts floating around in our heads 24/7. “Can I eat salami for dinner?” “Wow, I want 10 slices of pie right now.” “Can I take a long driving trip tomorrow morning?” The trick is to listen calmly to these thoughts, always, and recognize them for what they are— thoughts. By taking control of your thought patterns, you have more control over what manifests energetically in your life. 3. Take Action These thoughts aren’t actually occurring in real life, because you haven’t taken action on these thoughts. Yet. The beauty of the “What If” rabbit hole is that you’re allowed to have these crazy thoughts. You do not have to tell everyone in your life about every thought you’ve ever had. Well, except for, maybe, your therapist. Take action on those thoughts that will help you further along in your ultimate goals. When other negative or alarming thoughts arise, bless them, thank them for entering your mind, and send them on their merry way. This methodology has worked wonders for not only me, but also dozens of my clients. We get to choose what our mind believes. We get to choose how our energy will be utilized within our thought patterns. Choose wisely, and with great love and respect for your whole self. Connect with me on LinkedIn, or check out my website for more information! Read more from Danielle! Danielle Perlin-Good, Executive Contributor, Brainz Magazine Danielle Perlin-Good is The Written Legacy Coach. She works with emerging C-suite leaders to unleash their memoirs, self-help, and personal growth non-fiction books so they can share their powerful legacies and transform lives. Since 2008, Danielle has written and edited hundreds of articles, books, social media content, e-newsletters, and more. She went from working overnight shifts at the Tribune Company to corporate digital marketing gigs, one of which was at Albert Whitman & Co., an esteemed children's publishing house. Danielle uses mindset techniques, exceptional editing skills, and quantum healing modalities to ensure her clients develop a beautifully crafted and publishable book that they will forever cherish.

Written by: Audrey Bartolomei, 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. ‘Be yourself, everyone else is taken’, said Oscar Wild. If you think about it, it is common sense. Then again, why is it so difficult to define what makes us unique? Because it is touching us in various sensitive aspects: trust, pride, awareness, acceptance, etc. It may sound like a simple thing and yet we all fall into the trap of saying ‘I am not so special’, ‘There is nothing so unique about me’, I am very common’. If you hear yourself saying these sentences while reading this article, I invite you to park these thoughts for a moment. THAT IS NOT TRUE. YOU ARE UNIQUE. So, what makes you unique? Your values, your personality, and many other ingredients combined with your life story and personal experience. In this article, I will give you a lot of concrete tools to get to know yourself better and then how to show it to the world! Don’t stop reading here, as you are about to discover a lot about what makes you so unique! Ready? Step 1: Know yourself The first step, as always, is AWARENESS. Easy to remember! If you want to know yourself better, you first need to explore and get to know who you are - to understand what makes you unique, here are the important elements to explore: 1. Get to know your personality. Your personality is defined by the way you think, feel and behave. It is critical that you understand how you function as a very unique individual. You will discover some areas that are serving you/driving you and others that I call ‘areas of improvements,’ where there is room for you to grow. How do you get to know your personality? Doing a personality test is a very good option. Many of them exist like MBTI, NEO, Insights, HOGAN etc. For most of them, you need a certified coach to order it and debrief it with you. The value of doing it with a coach is obviously high as you will get a better understanding, and the coach can also help you understand the subtleties that you may not see straight away on your own. As an alternative to these great renowned test, there is a fun one to do, which you can do on your own: It is called 16 personalities. Click here to access the online test. 2. Get to know your values. Values are at the core of everything we do and they represent what is important to us. Knowing them is KEY to build your branding. To define your values, take a pen and a paper and make a list of your 10 most important values. For inspiration, you can have a look at this list. Put them somewhere nicely and always refer to them. In defining what makes you unique, it is important that you include your values. 3. Get to know your skills. Distinction Hard Skills/ Soft Skills What are you good at? Here is, once again, a very critical point. We are talking here about Hard skills AND Soft skills. Both of them are equally important. Hard skills are a must-have. Soft skills are what make the difference. Let’s take a closer look. Hard skills are your competencies, abilities, what you can do. Soft skills are your qualities as a human being, how you do things. They are what makes you special. Exemple: Hard skill: I can deliver webinars. (I know how to do it) Soft Skills: In my webinar, I include everyone, I use humor to share my ideas, I give people concrete exercises to put them in action, etc. That’s what makes me unique, not the fact that I can deliver seminars. You got me here? Write down your soft skills on a piece of paper. Your natural skills are your gift! I hear too many times: ‘This is so easy for me, it is not even a skill.’ However, this is exactly where your uniqueness is! What is most natural for you is where your most natural motivations are! As an exercise, I would suggest doing 2 columns: one with what you are good at/one with what you love to do. The combination of both is your strengths. 4. Get to know your motivations. What is motivating you? What do you love to do in life? What makes you wake up in the morning? To understand what makes you unique, you need to know what are your inner motivations. How to do that? I suggest a couple of options: Do your Ikigai IKIGAI is a Japanese concept that means ‘reason of being.’ It is referring to having a direction or purpose in life, towards which you take action. It aims to provide satisfaction and a sense of meaning. I strongly recommend doing your ikigai if you are looking for your passion, fulfillment in your career. It may be challenging on your own, so getting help to put it all together would be definitely beneficial. Go on your inner-child exploration: Your inner child has many answers to those questions you are asking yourself, he/she knows what your most natural motivations are. Exploring them can definitely give you many insights. I organize workshops on these topics on a regular basis. Follow me on Linkedin or Instagram to stay tuned about the next dates! 5. Add your Story & Life Experience Knowing yourself is definitely critical to define your uniqueness. To that, you need to add your story and life experience. The combination of all the ingredients listed above and your life experience makes you a special person with UNIQUE characteristics. What did you experience in your life? What did you learn from your previous jobs? Which strengths did you develop? What did you learn from your mistakes? Everything that you have done and experienced shaped you and made you who you are today. When looking for a job or the next steps in your professional career, defining your uniqueness is a process that will definitely help build your professional project. 6. Make your final statement Now that you have reflected on the points above, please make a statement about yourself. A short paragraph that describes why you are unique. Think: What do you want others to remember about you? This statement is very important as you will say it each time you need to communicate about yourself. Step 2: Increase your self-awareness by asking for feedback Why is getting feedback so important? The Johari windows concept describes this best. As you can see on the scheme, getting feedback helps us see our blind spots - the areas that we are not able to see ourselves. You will be surprised what you can discover about yourself by asking others what they see in you! Here is your exercise: Contact 10 people around you (colleagues, friends, family, boss, etc). Explain to them that you are working on your branding and unique value proposition. And ask them the following: ‘If you would describe me in one word or sentence, what would it be?’ ‘What is my uniqueness according to you?’ See the similarities/differences between your statement/discoveries you have made earlier and the results you got from your feedback. What do you learn about yourself? What can you include in your statement? Step 3: Spread the word! Once you have done all these steps, it is very important that you finalize your statement. What makes you unique? Be aware of the image you give others, your reputation. At work, with friends, on social media, etc. Your reputation shapes how others perceive you in a positive or negative way. You need to be consistent in your communication and behavior. Work on your uniqueness! Others need to see what you want them to see about you. Reshape your CV, social media, communication that others get a clear image of your branding. What do you want them to remember about you/ what do you want others to say about you? Last but not least, don’t be shy! You are incredible and the world needs you. Show your strengths and make them shine! Don’t hide your uniqueness, because you are afraid to show off or whatsoever. Look at all the people that did great things in this world. They were not afraid of talking about their beliefs/ projects/ dreams! I hope that you learned a lot about yourself from this article. Believe in yourself and just spread the word! If you want to explore more, do not hesitate to contact me! Talk soon :) Audrey BONUS If you are reading this paragraph, you deserve a bonus ;) Here you will find links to online tests you can do to get to know yourself better. Don’t forget, it is a great start, but debriefing them with a coach will definitely increase the value of what you will get out of it: To know more about your values: Value center To know more about your strengths: Via Character or Gallup strengths finders (not free) To know more about your motivations: Talent today Enjoy and talk soon! Follow me on Linkedin, Instagram & feel free to reach out to me directly! Read more from Audrey! Audrey Bartolomei, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Audrey Bartolomei is a passionate leadership & career transition coach. After living in several countries across Europe and South-East Asia, she recently settled in Switzerland. For many years, Audrey didn't find a purpose in her professional life until she reconverted as a coach 3 years ago. She decided to make it her life mission to help people find their passion. In her coaching, she uses modern and customized techniques. Her favorite one: the exploration of the inner child. She is convinced that it reveals many hidden, often forgotten, treasures and natural motivations. Today, Audrey is working with top-ranked business schools & leading international outplacement companies. Apart from being a coach, Audrey is a wife and a mom, two very interesting roles giving her a lot of inspiration!

Jean Tien, an Intuitive Mindset Coach, specializes in working with successful women in corporate who have an unshakeable knowing that they are meant for more than a simple nine to five. She has dedicated her life to supporting women who are ready to answer that little voice from within and step into a greater calling in their lives to create more joy by being present in their lives and freedom from feeling like they will never achieve the goals they’ve set for themselves. Jean is not only an attorney; she’s also worked in finance for over two decades. Throughout her corporate career, she’s struggled to find a place to fit in with her peers until she decided that fitting in wasn’t going to help her move up the corporate ladder. She needed to stand out from the crowd, and in doing so, changed the trajectory of her career. Since then, Jean has made it her mission to help other women own their success without the struggle of fitting into the corporate mold. Jean, we’re dying to know – what is an Intuitive Mindset Coach? Great question – simply put, I use my intuition to go beyond what my clients are telling me and listen to their energy to understand what is at the root of their feelings. Every feeling has an underlying cause. So when a feeling arises, it is your body’s way of communicating with your brain. The problem is, we (as humans) have been programmed to dismiss our feelings, and as such, we ignore the messages our bodies are sharing with us. My job as an intuitive is to support my clients as they start trusting the messages they are receiving from within, rather than focusing on what’s outside of them, so that they can honor their feelings and create a life that is worth getting up for every morning. Wow, I never thought of it like that before! So how do you get your clients to start listening to their bodies? When I say “bodies,” I don’t just mean our limbs, flesh, bones, organs, et al. What I am referring to is the physical embodiment of our whole self, including our energetic soul. Now when I say “soul,” I am referring to the quintessential essence of who we are at the core…our values and beliefs. Something that, when not paid attention to, gets lost in the shuffle of everyone else’s story. The soul is a powerhouse – there is so much information stored about who we are and who we’re meant to be…for lack of a better description, it’s our original energetic coding. Yet, we’re taught from very early on to dismiss all of this information in order to survive, so after years of conditioning and molding, no wonder we end up so disengaged with everyone and everything around us. In fact, we end up being at the effect of our lives, rather than actually present and engaged with it. We get so caught up in this story that we’re supposed to be happy all of the time, and that we’re defective if we’re not. No wonder people are angry and bitter! We are not allowed to just “be” ourselves; instead, we have to be something to everyone else! When this happens, our lives no longer belong to us as we become a supporting character for others. Ah, so this is where you come in to support them as an Intuitive Mindset Coach? Yes, exactly! This is where my intuitive abilities allow me to read beneath “the happy” and get to the bottom of it. There is this meme out there that says, “Your trauma is not your fault, but your healing is your responsibility.” This is where I come in to support them…the healing. My clients come to me because they’re frustrated and sick of feeling “not enough” in their professional and personal lives. Quite honestly, as much as you may try to separate the two, it’s inherently connected because our wounds are often on display in our professional lives. This is why so many teams and organizations are so dysfunctional. You’ve got a group of employees trying to be someone and something they’re not, and they haven’t done the work necessary in order to break the pattern…and then people wonder why their employees are demoralized, or why their executive coaches didn’t work. To put it another way - you can show someone how to fish, but she may not want to fish because she had a bad experience with fishing when she was 3 years old. My objective as an Intuitive Mindset Coach is to provide a safe space to address the trauma so that we get to the crux of where my clients are keeping themselves small and safe. What kind of trauma is common in your clients? That’s a great question. Trauma is an interesting word as it’s very subjective. What may be an inconsequential event may be extremely traumatic for another. So, when I say “trauma,” there is no defined experience that qualifies as traumatic. Anything can be traumatic, from a bug crawling in one’s ear to witnessing a loved one get murdered. So there isn’t a common trauma that exists. That said, for most of my clients so far, I have seen recurring themes of inner child healing that are required for a variety of reasons. It also comes up quite often with professionals who have successful careers. What if someone hasn’t experienced trauma? This is an interesting question because we may not remember or even consciously categorize an experience as traumatic, yet, that same experience has made a deep dent in our lives (whether or not we’re consciously aware of it). This just goes to show how our human brain is just a work of art. When we experience something that our brain goes into protection mode, and does what is necessary to get through it. The problem is that when we don’t address the trauma, we get triggered by even the simplest of things. For example, the smell of apple pie or chlorine can elicit memories of that experience, which then triggers protective behaviors (thoughts, actions, etc.). So even if we don’t consciously categorize an experience as traumatic, our energy may disagree as we continue to hold onto the experience in order to protect ourselves from getting hurt again in the future. I’ve never really appreciated the mind, body, and spirit connection until I started working with my clients as I am shown over and over again how our previous experiences manifest themselves in our current reality, despite consciously knowing that these experiences are undesired. From finance to inner child healing…those seem like two polar opposites. How did you make the transition? It wasn’t an intentional path, that’s for sure. I found my way through my own personal journey, and when I saw the benefits that I’ve experienced from my own healing, I wanted to share this with others just like me! Those who were underappreciated at work, overstretched with family obligations, and constantly living at the effect of everyone and everything around us. I got so sick and tired of being angry and resentful all of the time, and when I realized that life didn’t have to be this way, I jumped on the opportunity to share this gift with others! My professional background is also what makes me different from other coaches – whether they’re mindset, life, or executive, because I’m not basing my coaching business on case studies, I’m basing them on solutions that have been tried and tested by me and others around me. I’ve coached plenty of colleagues in their careers, and I’ve seen my coaching work for them! So, my understanding and knowledge of how corporate works (especially the personalities in corporate), really help me better connect with my clients who are in the same place. Did you always know you are intuitive? I always knew I had a really good gut feeling. In fact, it rarely failed me…unless I didn’t listen to it! What I hadn’t realized until a few years ago was that my gut instinct was more than just an instinct – it was my ability to read and vibrate along with energy, and since then, I’ve really embraced my intuition in my life (both personally and professionally). Everything and everyone around us is just different forms of energy, and when we know how to work with energy, life isn’t really the same anymore! You get a little “extra help” along the way. Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about yourself? I’m a mom of two beautiful and funny children who are just the cutest (no bias there, of course…lol), and the sweetest fur baby. I met my husband in New York City over 20 years ago, and since then, we’ve been inseparable. We love to travel with our children, and are so excited for travel to open up again so that we can take them back to our roots. We also love to experiment with different foods, and we’re so blessed that our kids are adventurous with food as well. Other than that, we’re all pretty “normal.” I honestly have the best support system, and am so grateful for my team each and every day. Who should hire/work with you? Anyone who is ready to experience something different both professionally and personally. Life doesn’t have to be hard or full of struggles. It can be challenging, but when you understand why those challenges are surfacing and how to address them, they aren’t as difficult anymore. For those of you who are tired of being told that they are “not enough” when you know that you are more than enough, I am here for you. For those of you who are looking to get back to your truth, I am here for you. For those of you who are ready to live with purpose, rather than without direction and concern about their future, I am here for you. I am here for you, whoever you are, and I look forward to working with you to help you create something magnificent just for you. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Jean!