Written by: Jessie Liew, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. The pandemic has changed the way our children approach their learning journey. It was true for me, as in March 2020, when my government announced a lockdown in my country. School has pivoted to online classrooms to continue the children's learning journey. Many children are given access to electronic devices to do online classes. Children are spending at least 4 to 12 hours daily on electronic devices in 2020 and 2021. It is hard to divert their attention from electronic devices, as children cannot go for outdoor activities. Now in April 2021, coronavirus cases remain high in many countries. Schools have been re-opened. But, it may be changed depending on the COVID-19 cases. It seems that online learning is going to stay for 2021. Most parents passed the electronic devices to their children without figuring what internet habits they want to shape. On the other side, most apps are designed to get the person to come back to the apps as much as they can. Apps developers and companies are finding ways to hook their clients to keep coming back to their apps. The purpose is to influence consumer behavior and subsequently use events to form the desired habits in their clients. The desired habits are the habits that these app companies desire. If you look at the “Hooked” model by Nir Eyal, Hooked consist of 4 events which are: Trigger, Action, Variable, Reward, and Investment. Credit: Nir Eyal, Hooked Model Let’s look at Facebook; you will realize how these events work to shape your habit. Trigger (External trigger). Notification from Facebook that your friend has commented on your pictures, Internal Trigger — the feeling of boredom and curiosity on the comment that your friend has left) Action. You will click Facebook apps and look at the comment that your friend left. Variable Reward. Your friend commented about how he likes the post— your reply to his comment. You then continue to scroll down the Facebook newsfeed. You would not know what you will see. So there are uncertainty and curiosity about what you will see next. Investment. Your post is getting more and more likes. You are counting how many likes and loves you get. You felt happy and continue to crave more likes. As your post is liked or commented on, Facebook will send you a notification again (external trigger comes in again and forms the HOOK). If we are so "hooked" with the apps, can you imagine it for children? When you do not plan for your children's internet habits, someone else will plan it for you. The first step to habit changing is awareness. Most parents do when it comes to their children, and the Internet is to install parental control software and hope the software can take care of it. If you’re like me, I’m sure you’ve heard of the “Control Your Children’s Internet Access” approach to protect your children from Internet Danger? We all know that “Control Your Children’s Internet Access” is the most effective way to set your children up for the Internet so that they can stay safe from Internet Dangers. But the problem is, they are difficult to set up and require some knowledge of internet safety and technologies. They also do not set a goal for families to define how Internet Safety success looks like. They do not take into consideration when somethings go wrong during your children’s internet journey. They aren’t even guaranteed to protect your children from Internet Dangers. If you’re like me, I’m sure you’ve heard of the “Control Your Children’s Internet Access” approach to protect your children from Internet Danger? Here’s where parents get in serious trouble with this “Control Your Children Internet Access” model. They’ll start installing parental control software, hoping the software will “protect” their children from Internet Dangers. In theory, this model works. But as you are well aware, theory and practice are two very different things. This is dangerous, potentially catastrophic when just focusing on controlling your children’s internet access, and here’s why. Here’s why “Controlling Your Children Internet Access” is not effective: You installed a filter to the children’s internet access, not knowing what the internet dangers you need to tackle are. You installed the software and set the settings as recommended by the software without a goal. (Tips: What are the desired internet safety habits you want to instill in your children?) You have no idea if your children’s internet activities are OK, even though you can check their internet activities. You have no idea how and what to teach your children about internet safety and how to get them involved in practicing internet safety habits. You’re hoping and praying you can “protect” your children from Internet Dangers with these parental controls software. You are confronting your children about their Internet activities, which creates conflict in the family. Your children feel that you do not trust them. Your children feel that you invaded their privacy. I have a friend who has installed parental control on her daughter’s electronic devices. She configured the downtime of these devices from 9 PM to 7 AM. She even has access to her daughter’s Instagram. At the dinner table, she confronted her daughter about spending too much time on electronic devices, and she claimed that she uses them for homework. Her daughter even added, “Well, daddy also use it for work right, so why can’t I use it for my study and discuss with my school friends.” One of the days, her mum confronted her post on Instagram. She said, “it is rude to post like this.” However, the daughter ignored her. Imagine you have installed the most expensive and comprehensive alarm system in your home. Can you rely on this alarm system to protect your home? You need someone to configure the systems and make sure it is functioning well. It also means installing the alarm sensor in the right place. You also need to make sure people turned on the alarm system when the person is getting out of the house. When your children are inside the house with the alarm turned on, a stranger press the bell and said: “I got a parcel for your dad.” Will your children disarm the system and allow the stranger to come in? Here, shaping the proper internet safety habits, having conversations on their internet activities, and educating Internet Safety your children is important. Despite setting parental controls on their children electronic devices, parents still find that these children internet habits are a concern for them, such as: My child spends too long on their smartphone/tablet My child has been caught sexting My child has shared their personal information on social media My child has a social media account, but they are under 13 My child is using many social media platforms, and I am not sure how to keep them safe My child has been groomed online My child is being cyberbullied My child is self-harming My child has been radicalized online Other people are posting pictures of my child online without permission. The unfortunate truth is that the choice to use parental controls undermines the trust in your relationship with your children. It reduces your children’s opportunities to make smart choices and to take responsibility for their actions. For some families, putting restrictions on devices when your children are old enough to know that there is a world beyond those restrictions will pretty much guarantee that your children will find a way to bypass those restrictions. Sounds pretty risky, right? I don’t know about you, but I don’t have any window opportunity to get my children involved with Internet Dangers. I want to make sure that my children can use the internet positively, learning, communicating, and getting entertainment. I want to make sure my children have the right internet safety habits, coupled with the right knowledge and decision-making skills so that they can protect themselves from internet dangers. What about you? In the next post, I will reveal the system that works for digital parenting your children. If you would like help with reducing your children’s screen addiction and improving your relationship with them, join my free Facebook group to get immediate access to all of my free training. If you would like 1:1 coaching with me to help you reduce your children’s screen addiction and improve your relationship with them, book a free strategy call with me here . Jessie Liew, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jessie Liew is a Digital Parenting Coach. As a cybersecurity expert, a mother of 4, she also has to face the same task as all parents, which is rearing safe & responsible digital citizens. We are living in a digital era, and hence we need new skills to parent our children. She’s been working in the cybersecurity field for more than 14 years. She also holds professional certifications in Cyber Security (CISSP, CRISC, and CISA). She has been able to shape the companies’ employees' internet habits as well as in her own children. Her Mission: Empower Parents to nurture their children to use the Internet and technologies in a positive way while staying safe on the Internet. This builds the foundation of our future Digital Citizens. She is looking for parents or educators who want to nurture their children to be responsible digital citizens and build a great relationship with their children.

Written by: Chrissie Catling, 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. Maybe the journey isn’t so much about becoming anything. Perhaps it is about unbecoming everything that isn’t really you, so you can be who you were meant to be in the first place. Trauma happens to all of us , our friends, and our families. No one is exempt from experiencing some trauma - to what degree trauma has affected you varies from mild to severe. Trauma is the response to a deeply distressing or disturbing event that overwhelms an individual’s ability to cope, causes feelings of helplessness, diminishes their sense of self and their ability to feel the full range of emotions and experiences. It is often responsible for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). However, trauma is not about the experience that happens to us; it is what our mind does with it. It has a profound and potentially long-lasting effect on the mind-body-soul connection. The list of initial reactions to trauma and the long-term, limiting effects can be deeply impacting, diminishing our ability to live in the present moment. Disturbingly, the limiting effects are socially acceptable, and humanity has taken on these self-limiting aspects as normal. Now turning to ‘inner freedom ,’ what does this mean to you? When you contemplate this, what does this idea, this expression mean to you? For me, ‘inner freedom’ is an expansive expression of peace and love for myself and all life, unhindered and with a sense of connection to everything. One experiencing life freely can live detached from one’s lower emotions, enjoying a heightened level of awareness, increased intuition, and a deeper sense of compassion, peace, gratitude, and joy. To live unlimited in the generous present moment with the energy and desire to create, expressing one’s unique self. So where to from here? How do we free ourselves from our pain, limiting thoughts, beliefs, and patterns to raise our vibrational energy to live in willingness, acceptance, love, gratitude, peace, and joy? To live in the freedom of these higher vibrations connected to unlimited, expanding consciousness. As our lives are so precious, would it not be a monumental step forward if you could in the shortest possible time release and reframe your limited self to step forward as a new, unencumbered expression of yourself? To experience inner freedom, an expression of your higher self, and be so much more effective. How can one not desire such change? Today one outstanding modality that combines many leading therapies delivers fast, effective, life-changing results, requiring only one to three sessions for outcomes others may take years if ever, to achieve. This is Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT) , touted as the breakthrough therapy of the century. It is a certified, global practice based on neuroscience, providing a multi-dimensional approach as it combines the most beneficial principles of Hypnotherapy, Psychotherapy, Neural Linguistic Programming (NLP), and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT). RTT aims to deliver extraordinary, permanent change from physical, emotional, and psychological pain by accessing our core beliefs, values, habits, and emotions that reside in the subconscious mind. By rapidly rewiring the brain's neural pathways, RTT replaces our outdated belief systems, negative patterns, and connections to past trauma. You can access your healing to experience inner freedom , wholeness, abundance, and so much more. Expanding to access your higher-self and greatest potential and with heartfelt joy fall in love with life, and as each one of us heals and raises our vibration, so too does humanity and our home, the earth. I deeply understand that for life to truly flourish , we must live unencumbered from our limiting past and pain that holds us captive to suffering, so we may live in the generous present moment and create forward with heightened awareness and love. For more info, follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn and visit my website ! Chrissie Catling, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Chrissie Catling is a highly effective, Advanced Rapid Transformational Therapist, Certified Hypnotherapist and founder of ‘Access Your Own Healing’. Challenged by a high level of sensitivity and the side effects of childhood trauma and PTSD, Chrissie pursued healing and enquiry into higher consciousness, experiencing for over three decades an extraordinary cross-section of traditional, integrative and shamanic modalities. Chrissie launched and operated two successful businesses in creative industries, yet so inwardly challenged, her health and life eventual deteriorated to total burnout. Finally, her path to accelerated freedom came through Rapid Transformational Therapy. So inspirational was her accelerated healing and growth, she went on to train and practice in this life-giving modality. Deeply committed, Chrissie works globally to help people free themselves, to access their healing and greatest potential, and with heartfelt joy, fall in love with life.

Written by: Denisse Espalter, 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. Let’s take the taboo out of talking about what life after divorce is and not let it define who you are. As you are overcoming what seems to be the worst period in your life, you need to realize that you are moving towards a better chapter, and it is perfectly ok to accept this. Different circumstances make the process more complicated if there are children involved if infidelity was a part of physical or emotional abuse. Regardless of the circumstances, if it’s a marriage between consenting adults, every divorce has one common heartache; the loss of what you saw your future was. The process of resetting your life can be a painful one as well as a scary outlook. The good news is you can overcome this stage and move ahead, pushing through fear. It takes time, dedication, and a good amount of self-love, but divorce doesn’t have to define your life . You can (and you should) reclaim it for yourself. As someone who walked away from a 10-year marriage that was unhealthy yet gave me 2 beautiful daughters, I knew that I deserved a happier life and wanted to get back to the person I loved. Did I face fear? Yes! Did I have guilt? Yes! Did I question myself as a mother? Yes! But I knew that I had so much more ahead of me and that I could show my daughters a better version of myself, who I was, and how to be a strong woman! How did I learn to get to a place where I was finally happy, comfortable in my skin, and not let it define who I was? Let me dive deeper with you on what I did to get me there! Let Your Emotions Have an Outlet Acknowledge your emotions and not suppress them as we as humans need to express those emotions and let them be ok. If we ignore any pain, it will consume us . What acknowledging your pain means is to allow yourself time to stop, assess your emotions and let yourself feel it. Remind yourself that you have good reason to feel your emotions . You’re not weak or unreasonably dramatic. Your life is changing in a major way, and even though the end of a marriage might mean the end of a bad relationship, it’s also the end of a vision you had for your life, one in which you invested many years. You are NOT weak! Prepare to let go of what your past was and start learning to move on. Discover what outlet you will take to release how you are feeling and emotions. If that means trying something new, mediation, journaling, etc., let it be something that also brings you joy. There Is No Shame to Be Had One thing you need to realize is that there is nothing to be ashamed of. Your sense of shame also arises from fear of what people might think about your situation. Learn to IGNORE any judgment . You are the only person who knows what lies behind you, what you endured behind closed doors, and what is bringing you on your next journey. So guess what? Let them knock themselves out! Only allow the people that support you, encourage your happiness, and the well-being of your new chapter to surround you and be the tribe you have that inspires you. You Are More Than Enough Please repeat that to yourself! Your marital status does not define who you are! You get to define who you are and establish your worth as a person through your character and actions, not by how others perceive you. You do not need anyone’s validation. Adjusting to your new life can be difficult at first, but you can take the opportunity to reshape your life completely . It’s a matter of attitude more than time. It’s a matter of looking at your talents and advantages and identifying what you can best use them for because you are more than enough to start your new chapter. You Are Stronger Than You Think Learn to recognize your power. Ultimately, finding yourself comes down to feeling fulfilled because you found the courage and the power within yourself to create the person you always knew you could be and not feel like you were held back on being true to yourself. Think about what you want and who you want to be, and recognize your power to make this happen. You are in control of your life and your fate. Sometimes, this means getting out of your comfort zone and trying new things. Life doesn’t stop just because you are divorced. Your new life begins—and it’s full of possibilities and excitement. Remember, you have the power, and recognizing this brings you a step closer to finding yourself and finding fulfillment. In fact, it’s one of the positive effects of going through something as huge and life-changing as a divorce. Your canvas is blank, and it is your chance to connect with your inner self, recognize your power, and make changes to your life that will give you true happiness and confidence. Maybe finding who you are after a divorce isn’t so much about wiping off an old version of yourself or even inventing a new persona so much as having the courage to redefine your reality. “Accept yourself, love yourself, and keep moving forward. If you want to fly, you have to give up what weighs you down.” – Roy T. Bennett For more info, follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn and visit my website ! Read more from Denisse ! Denisse Espalter, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Denisse Espalter is recognized as a top Life & Style Coach and a sought-after Communications Expert. After multiple life-changing experiences, learning how to pivot her mindset and not let fear hold her back, she created Unboxed Life and Style, a lifestyle brand. She developed a company that not only has amazing self-care & entrepreneur boxes, she also coaches, educates, and inspires women on how to take their life experiences and learn how to evolve with them as their life and style change. She offers courses on how to clean out the layers in your closet to become the better version of yourself and shifting your mindset. Encourages women with Love the Skin You're In program. She teaches how to develop a self-care routine and prioritize yourself and a Leveling Up Entrepreneur course to gain clarity, confidence and build strategies to grow your mindset. Her Book Everyday Woman's Guide to Doing What You Love will be released in June 2021. Her mission: Is to be a resource and teach women to stop doubting themselves. "The more clear you are on what you have - the more confident you will be!"

Written by: Sandra Daniele, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. The magic of flight has me in awe as I watch a passenger plane soar overhead. I was reminded of the Wright brothers and their first attempts at flight in the early 1900s. Their vision and perseverance make travel to new and exotic destinations across the globe with minimal effort possible today. If you are a fan of travel like me, you can appreciate their efforts. Anything you can dream and envision can become your reality. That flight overhead is a reminder that dreams do come true. Is it going to happen without perseverance? Unlikely, but using the power of vision and perseverance together, you can create your magic and bring your dreams to life. “Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others” – Jonathan Swift What vision do you have for yourself and your life? Do you have an idea that you haven’t yet committed to because the idea isn’t crystal clear? All visions start as a thought or concept, something formed by your imagination. Bring your vision to life by following at a minimum these 3 things. Establish Clear Goals. Goals are a reminder to you of what you are trying to accomplish. They become the steppingstones to success and milestones to celebrate your wins. Goals also help pull you back on track if you start to wander. Be Realistic. This isn’t to encourage you to think small but is a reminder to start small. I doubt the Wright Brothers dreamed of flying around the world. Well, maybe they did, but that isn’t where they started. They were thrilled to fly 120 feet. Get the basics of your vision first. There will be opportunities to expand on your initial success. Adapt When Needed. The need to pivot does not equate to failure. Keep an open mind when creating and working on your vision. Be okay with adjusting. “The journey of a thousand miles starts with one step” –Lao Tzu Perseverance is a continued effort to achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition, as Merriam-Webster defines. Ever tried something new and felt like giving up? Then you already know that doing something new and different isn’t easy. This is where your perseverance needs to kick in to follow through on your vision. Can you imagine if the Wright Brothers gave up after their first flight attempt failed? What would have happened if they hung up their flight wings after they flew 12 seconds and called it good enough? You don’t have to answer those questions because they didn’t give up, they persevered to improve on their invention, and with the help and innovations of many others, they reached new milestones and new possibilities. Your vision deserves the same perseverance. It is true that some people naturally have a greater drive to persevere through tough times, but you can hone your skills as you work towards your vision. It will be worth the effort. Quiet the Voice – the pesky one that whispers, “I told you so” or “I knew this was a bad idea.” That is not at all helpful, and you knew it was going to be tough. Quiet that voice and remind yourself that if it were easy, it would already be done. Keep Away Naysayers - the “friends” that question your reasoning or tell you it isn’t possible. Life is full of naysayers, and they aren’t a lot of fun to be around, especially when you have a big vision. They also don’t help to quiet your internal dialogue. Small Steps – remind yourself that you only need small steps to push forward and make changes. If something isn’t working, go back to your vision, keep working, and change or update what isn’t. Remove Emotion – decisions shouldn’t be made based on your emotional state. Facts, data, truth in black and white is always a better guidance system than your emotions. Celebrate Wins – keep the things that are working at the forefront. Don’t allow yourself to forget how far you have come. Everything you do towards your vision counts as success. Treat it as such. Reframe Thoughts – the definition of perseverance sets the idea that success must be painful. What if you reframe your thinking? Perseverance becomes the doorway to success. The Wright Brothers didn’t give up. They had a vision, and they persevered. The same opportunity exists for you to follow your dreams and bring your vision to life. Remember, when things feel tough, that doorway of perseverance is wide open, waiting to meet you and your vision on the other side. For more info, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit my website! Read more from Sandra! Sandra Daniele, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Sandra Daniele is a certified life coach who has helped numerous women break through limiting beliefs that held them back from relationships, jobs, and the life they desired to live. Sandra is passionate about joining women on their journey to self-love and acceptance while guiding them to confidently show up as who they are, not who they think they need to be. She has discovered the secrets to identifying what is most important in life and how to live authentically. She gladly shares these secrets with her clients. In her free time, Sandra enjoys beach yoga, reading, and time with family and friends.

Written by: Debra Abraham, 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 Trying your best to answer a business phone call while your toddler screams for attention. Just as you start typing an email, your kids start arguing. Chaos? Pretty much. And on most days, you wear so many hats till you are confused about which role you play. Dad? Mum? Leader of your team? A productive team member? The demon of multitasking rears its big ugly head, and though at one point in time, the ability to multitask was seen as a 'superpower' to take pride in, now it is just drudgery, and you would prefer to focus on one task at a time. How do you cope? Here are 5 coping techniques to help parents stay sane while they work from home. 1. Personal acknowledgment of your struggles It is completely okay to say that you are struggling and need help. Rather than living in anger, frustration and resentment, accept that the situation is not making you feel at peace with yourself to function at an optimum level. We do not need to prove ourselves as being superhuman and master jugglers of life and work. Acknowledge that you are struggling and learn to ask for and accept help when extended to you. 2. Reassess your tasks Can some of your tasks be delegated or made easier using technology? Do you need to engage help? If there are too many tasks on your plate, try to re-evaluate which tasks can be outsourced, even temporarily, to give yourself some breathing space. 3. Prioritize your tasks List down your daily tasks and schedule. Remember to include playtime with your children, a certain time during the day where you can give them your undivided attention. This is vital for their well-being and your bonding with them. Remember to schedule in 'me' time—some time for yourself to catch your breath and rest. Even 15mins of time for yourself during the day will help you keep your sanity. Tick off the tasks as you complete them. This will give you a sense of achievement and keep you motivated. 4. Plan out your workspace at home Take turns with your partner to attend to the kids. If that is not an option and both of you need to work simultaneously, a high table for laptops may avoid gadget grabbing by your kids. Setting up a "work table" for your kids besides your workspace may help too. Layout stickers, craft material, colored paper, etc., and allowed them to be creative with the material. You can even assign them daily projects to work on to keep them busy as you work. 5. Communicate your struggles and find solutions Be in constant communication with your partner or a trusted friend so that you have a listening ear. Try to find a solution to the issues you are facing and be solution-focused in your conversations. You may have to keep trying various methods until you find ones that work. Though work from home arrangements provide many benefits, there are stressful situations that parents may experience. Stay positive and find the best solutions that work for you and your family so you can all stay happy, fulfilled, and thrive together. Follow Rockstarzstudios on Facebook , Instagram and visit Debra's Instagram ! Read more from Debra ! Debra Abraham, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Debra Abraham, the founder of Rockstarz Performing Arts Studios, has been coaching students of all ages to find their identities and be empowered through music. She leads a team of skilled instructors to provide music education in a nurturing & student-centered environment, allowing them to express themselves boldly. She is currently working on building her online singing community. She believes in empowering people to pursue their dreams, free themselves of limiting beliefs, and inspire others through their journey. She aspires to inspire small business owners in mindset & personal development, which will lead towards positive transformation of themselves and their businesses.

Written by: Belynder Walia, 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. One of my mantras in life is, 'I trust myself and am following my intuition.' Science has worked on the existence and functioning of our three brains (head, heart, and gut) for some years now. According to a study published in SAGE Journals, there are complex neural networks in all three areas. But understanding how to balance them for our best results is at the leading edge of this field. I call my system 3BE – the Three Brain Equilibrium. I believe I am intuitive. I think we all are. Think about all the times when you’ve described feeling butterflies in your stomach or knots in your gut. You might have felt that way if you had to perform on a stage for an audience. If you were preparing to share a video on a social media platform, speak in public or just when you had to say something important or difficult to a single individual. Perhaps even when you fell in love. Those sensations are unforgettable. Did you feel an unfamiliar agitation that you couldn’t make sense of? This emotion responds to the neural pathways in all three brains, which constantly send messages to each other. The three brains work in union and your intelligence increases three-fold as you meld EQ (Emotional intelligence Quotient) and instinct to your pure intellect. Each brain consists of neurons; these are magnificently intelligent electrically charged cells. They send and receive information through electrical and chemical signals to your brains. And each brain has its own nervous system, which plays a central role in nearly every aspect of our health and well-being. Over the years, I learned that listening to all three brains is vital in effective neural systems. Our three brains help us to make informed decisions, avoid difficult circumstances and navigate meaningful intentions. But many people don’t know how to align themselves and use their three brains in harmony or equilibrium to dramatically improve their results and increase the speed with which they can make the right decisions consistently. How can you align all three brains? The ability to use our three brains both independently and together links into the three character traits that you can adopt that will help you find equilibrium: 1. Have an open mind. Using the encephalic or Head-brain helps us to make analytical decisions (cognitive intelligence). It helps us to perceive, process, master, and think. Human cognition is all about making sense of the world and deciphering the meaning, and establishing descriptions and philosophies about ourselves, others, and the world around us. Only once we comprehend what is in our head-brain can we articulate and use the knowledge of understanding that situation presented to us through a display of language or creativity. To help you recognize how we might use this, I want to share an example with you. On one occasion, I was implementing a new project, and I had to shortlist several candidates for an internship. The problem arose when they were all excellent, and it became complicated to choose between them. I had to be logical and analytical to figure out what would work for me and the project. What skills the candidate I chose would bring to the organization. This narrowed down the problem I was having because, had I been led by my emotions alone, it would have been impossible for me to choose. I like to help as many people as possible so I would’ve loved to allow them all to work with me. And had I followed only my gut feeling, that candidate may not have had the required skills. So the solution was to see what benefited the company, not just the individual hopefuls. I had to analyse and use internal language that helped me to think, understand my feelings, take account of my intuitive choices and then decide who would be the best fit. 2. Practice empathy. The Intrinsic Cardiac Nervous System or the Heart-brain (emotional intelligence) is the area that carries feelings. Inherently, we know that the heart is the place that processes deep sensitivity. I’m a very empathetic person. Sometimes this can get the better of me, but I remind myself that empathy is not sympathy. The Heart-brain is where most of us carry our values, along with the processing of emotions. Heart-based language centers on what we feel. Having empathy is about understanding others and seeing how this might affect their participation. I may not always agree with how others see things, but understanding and appreciating what they are going through can quickly drive the correct outcome. I’m sometimes contacted by people who say they can’t afford therapy but they do desperately need support. Whether it is for a client or a referred patient, treatment is about impact and change. A person should be able to invest in their health, and sometimes they’re not honest with themselves in saying they cannot afford it. I had a client who’d had expensive rhinoplasty (a nose job) and who spoke about her concerns that she could not afford therapy. She was experiencing psychological issues regarding her self-worth. We discussed how she had been able to invest many thousands in trying to look good. She believed this would increase her self-worth, but of course, it hadn’t worked. In fact, it exacerbated her problem as she now saw even more ‘flaws’ to resolve. She hadn’t addressed the underlying cause of the problem. When she realized that her happiness with her appearance and herself would increase if she invested far less money in changing her mindset so that she would not feel the need to spend a far larger amount on continuing to alter her looks. Her self-worth improved as soon as she realized she could control how she saw herself. She avoided further cosmetic surgery. If I hadn’t used empathy to mirror her feelings back to her, I think she may have become stuck in a destructive surgery cycle. 3. Trust your gut feeling. I trust my intuition and base communications on it when appropriate. Your Enteric Nervous System or Gut-brain (digestive intelligence) is the intuitive brain. A reactive response communication that isn’t based on reason and sometimes tells you to act quickly because it comprehends a situation before your head brain does. For example, we move someone out of the traffic path without having consciously (Head-brain) realized that the vehicle was even there. I use my Gut-brain often. I take just milliseconds to respond to an instinctive gut concern because I feel that I have the three-brain equilibrium (3BE) balanced. An example of this was when I was called out to a suicide incident on a bridge in London. I spoke quickly, using my communication skills purely intuitively, and talked about the possibility of why the person would want to launch themself off the bridge. My approach was analytical, empathetic, and most importantly, I could articulate the right words using my intuition about the situation. I was able to get the potential jumper to a better position on the bridge where the fire brigade and police could help them down to safety. The importance of using my 3BE is, as I mentioned, because I believe I’m intuitive and I’m prepared to act on my wisdom. If there is danger, I won’t ignore my gut feeling. How many times have we heard someone say that they ignored their gut instinct and now have profound regrets about it? They say things like; “I knew something wasn’t right.” “I just had a sense; I needed to speak to them.” “I thought they were lying, but I just didn’t trust myself enough” “It didn’t look right somehow but I went ahead anyway” How do the three brains connect? The 3BE processes different kinds of data from both your internal environment (this is the world inside your body) and your external environment (this is the world occurring outside of your body). Because of this continuous communication, both your Heart-brain and Gut-brain constantly monitor your environment and report back to the Head-brain and, most importantly, vice versa. When we activate our 3 brains to work simultaneously, we balance our whole nervous system. We must understand that first, we have to calm the mind, nurture the body, and gain access to the three significant forms of intelligence by leading a healthy lifestyle. The Head-brain, where the Cognitive Intelligence is stored, can improve and help balance emotional and digestive intelligence. An excellent way to do this is to practice mindfulness, yoga, brain gym, creativity, and stimulating concentration with contextual exercises like puzzles, reading, playing games, and physical activity such as walking, running, and impact sport. The Heart-brain, where the Emotional Intelligence is stored, can help one align. Practice connecting with feelings by talking to others instead of numbing or suppressing your heart’s intuitive capacity. Learn to release emotions that keep you stuck and let go of limiting beliefs by changing your perception of the circumstances that you are in. Practice gratitude journaling, sit with your pain and transform it. The Gut-brain, where the digestive intelligence is stored, is the most prominent sign of alignment. Think about it — digestion is about the intake that goes into our bodies, ultimately becoming the outcome. Digestive intelligence involves you either holding on or letting go of emotions. It is your nutrition according to your specific bodily needs. Intuitive and mindful eating practices proven to aid gut function balance out excesses and deficiencies through proper nutrition, strengthening your digestion by nourishing your gut. Good health begins with a healthy heart and gut, and this increases immunity. When you have good digestion, it doesn't make you feel uncomfortable or prevent you from resting. Your sleep improves. If you have a happy stomach and get sound sleep, you will feel calmer. Ignoring my gut in the past is one of my only regrets. Research suggests that chronic digestive disorders have been associated with anxiety and other emotional ailments. I’ve learned from it; I don't want to be one of those who repeat mistakes. So, I worked out how to balance and use all three of my brains, called that system 3BE, applied it to my own life, and used it to help clients and referred patients. Common questions that I’m asked are: “How can I apply 3BE myself?” “How can I identify equilibrium within myself?” We can strive for balance on our way to our decisions. If you’re an analytical thinker and usually put your emotions aside when making decisions, be aware that you are suppressing an essential tool. I’m not advising you to decide solely based on emotions either. What I am suggesting is that the Heart-brain and Gut-brain are sending messages too and that we ignore them at our peril. The equilibrium knows whether something makes sense to all three brains. If you’ve identified a problem, you know there will be a solution because every solution comes with a problem attached. When you reach a decision, you sometimes feel a ‘click’ and you know that you have reached the correct conclusion. If you don’t get to that light bulb moment, then you may be ignoring input from one of your brains. The key is to check in regularly with yourself. You will find that you already know all the answers just by the way you feel. For me, realizing profound appreciation and gratitude made me realize that this activates the body’s healing differences and impacts each of the three brains. It is essential to know that simple changes such as time spent in nature, nurturing yourself with self-care rituals, eating a healthy, nutritious diet and choosing gratitude can rewire your brain and positively impact your heart. As a result, every system in your body enters equilibrium — everything is in sync. The outcome is distinct well-being, more fulfillment, and an increase in happy, healthy, and harmonious lifestyles. Follow Belynder on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin and visit her website for more info. Belynder Walia, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Belynder Walia is a leading Psychotherapist, helping people who need a swift, effective solution to a current problem that negatively impacts their lives. She's worked with a wide variety of people, from stay-at-home carers to experts and celebrities in the public eye. Having suffered Perinatal Anxiety, she focused on enabling others to learn, heal and grow from pain. Belynder is the founder of Serene Lifestyles, an online psychotherapy practice at www.serenelifestyles.com. Her ground-breaking methods include a combination of Psychotherapy and Neuroplasticity to help rewire the THREE Brains (the head, the heart, and the gut). She has been featured in many publications, including Forbes, Cosmopolitan, Harpers Bazaar, The Moment, Planet Mindful, Thrive Global, and The London Economic. Belynder is also writing her first non-fiction book, lessons on Anxiety, providing quick fixes to help people radically change their minds so that they can change their life.

Written by: Jen Russman, 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. Trauma is an energy that gets lodged in our bodies. Understanding this opens us to the power of healing whole and living free. I know this not because I am a doctor, quantum scientist, or have a Ph.D. after my name. But because I am a self-healed woman who has lived the experience of trauma energetics wreaking havoc in my body for 50 years. I had no clue that I was walking around energetically attached to past traumas since I was three years old. Until I woke up at age 50, asking myself, “What’s wrong with me?” It’s only natural to think something is wrong with us after spending decades “doing the work” to heal. Counseling, group therapy, 12-step recovery, meditation, yoga, chanting, gong baths, tapping - you name it, I did it. But after years of showing up for myself, I still suffered silently with a weighted ball of sadness deep inside of me that I couldn’t shake. I was still a hostage, cycling the trauma-trigger loop and experiencing depression, anxiety, and PTSD responses in my body. The truth is, I was coping, not healing. I was well prepared and living on standby with my bag of coping skills, always ready for the next trigger to hit. Unaware that coping is NOT healing. There’s a difference. We’ve been conditioned to believe we are stuck with trauma, that it’s woven into the fabric of who we are, and we must learn to “cope” with it the rest of our lives. This is no longer true for me, and it does not have to be true for you either. When I started to experience it through the lens of energy, I quickly realized that trauma, like all energy, can be transmuted and moved out of the body. Energy is the missing link to healing whole and living free from stored trauma in the body. Everything is energy. Every thought and emotion we have holds its own frequency. Trauma is no different. It’s an energy that becomes stuck and stored in the body as cellular memories, suppressed emotional blocks, and energetic attachments to the actual events. Just like the speed of light or sound, trauma is motion. When trauma energy becomes stuck, it clogs, alters, and stagnates everything around it, which can wreak havoc on its environment. Trauma energy needs to move. It’s like an energetic misfiring that can’t complete its cycle of moving through and out of the body. This is why energy work and frequency healing are so invaluable to finally releasing ourselves from the grip of the trigger-trauma loop. Clearing and releasing energy blocks and emotional, energetic attachments to trauma is how I finally broke free. My experience is that trapped trauma energy, including suppressed emotions, causes dis-ease in the body. For me, the trauma disease manifested in my body as addiction, depression/anxiety, PTSD, and finally living sick, disabled, and homebound for nearly seven years with multiple sclerosis. Healing holistically and energetically is not about the labels or diagnoses because It manifests differently for each of us. So do not limit your ability to heal with a label. Healing is about releasing, recalibrating, and re-establishing alignment and harmony between the mind, body, and spirit. I’ve done this through my trial and error process. I’ve healed all of these imbalances, and it was the energy healing that helped me cross the finish line to healing whole. Releasing the trapped trauma energy out of my body freed me. It can free you too. If you feel resistant to the idea of healing energetically, here are a few steps you can take to move through the resistance and into the realm of greater possibility for yourself. Because resistance, after all, is an energy that can be transmuted. Be Open The first step is to be open to the possibility and probability that you, too, can heal, regardless of what you’ve been taught to believe or how bleak it seems. Get Curious The second step is to get curious about what you feel and where you are experiencing it in your body. Approach your curiosity without judgment . Instead, adopt a childlike wonder...as if you're experiencing it for the first time. Describe it and notice what is yours and what is not yours. Challenge Beliefs The third step is to challenge your beliefs, which is about peeling the layers of conditioning put on you since childhood. Because what if everything you’ve been taught to think and believe about trauma and disease isn’t true? What would it mean for you and your life to discover a new truth? Your real truth. Explore Options The fourth step is to explore your options. There are thousands of healing modalities out there. This is about finding what’s suitable for you. Research and learn more about quantum physics, energy, frequency, vibration. Search for other healing success stories like mine. Try on what it could feel like for you to begin to live and operate outside of the box of mainstream conditioning. Seek Support Find an energy guide you resonate with and commit to experiencing an energy healing session. I’d suggest committing to more than one (around three), so you can experience what’s possible for you. Whether it’s myself or someone else, I suggest working with someone who has truly healed his/her trauma and dis-ease. My final offering is this. There is nothing wrong with you. You may be energetically attached to the past, and there is a way out. “The future of medicine is the medicine of frequency.” -Einstein I’m saying the future is here. All you need to do is be a yes now. Follow Jen on Facebook and Linkedin . You can also visit her website . Jen Russman, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine 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.

Written by: Amanda Cottrell, 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 have been living in a very different world than we are used to for the last year, different countries have different levels of lockdowns, and people have different opinions of what should and should not be happening. One thing is for sure. We are living in a very different time than we were a year ago. Regardless of your opinion of the do’s and don’t of this time period, as an educator, my question during this time is, “what are we learning and teaching others through this?” I struggle the most because it seems that people’s mental health is being ignored through the decisions being made by different levels of government. These decisions are being filtered down to affecting the youngest members of our society, and I question how this will affect the future generation. In classrooms, we see an increase in anxiety amongst the children, and I even see it in my daughter. People are now more afraid of going close to others than actually helping others which are really concerning to me. We teach others to embrace distance, and we take care of each other by staring at our screens and connecting digitally with little concern to the amount of screen time everyone is getting. I seriously question how growing up will affect our future generations' compassion and empathy. In my home, enjoying nature and taking care of our mental health has been the sole focus of the pandemic. However, even with this focus at home, my daughter has been very anxious about strangers. For example, we were skiing on a huge powder day, and I stopped partway down the hill as I saw another child around 12 years old who was struggling. I asked if he was ok. He said no, he could not get up his skis were stuck underneath him, and he was starting to get visibly upset as his parents were nowhere near. I yelled to my daughter to wait and went to help the child who was struggling in the deep snow. He was super grateful and needed me to pull him up out of the snow so he could find his ski and get back on the run. When I skied down to my daughter, she started yelling at me that I had gone up to a stranger and was going to get COVID. She was so upset that I had helped another person who was in trouble because she was so worried about what she had heard about COVID from others outside our home. This experience made me stop and question how what is happening in the world affects our children. Also, what is it that we are teaching them? I see an increase in people who are afraid of others more than they are willing to help others, and as an educator, that concerns me. I want the next generation to be kind, compassionate, and empathetic people who can collaborate and think critically about what they are learning and what they hear on the news, internet, and social media. I question if any of these values are considered when new rules and restrictions are being put on society throughout the pandemic. Also, while the switch to online, everything has some benefits. I question how online learning will affect students in the long run. I know some students excel at online learning but not all do. We are expecting teachers to be experts in online learning, and many have minimal technology experience. I know teachers are all doing the best they can with what they have. Even with a Master's Degree in Education Technology, I struggled with some aspects of teaching online. I cannot imagine how stressed other educators with less technological experience managed and are managing. I can also look through online learning from the lens of a student as the second half of my Master's Degree was online. Even as a mature student, I found that I got so much more out of my personal experience than I ever did out of the online courses. Also, I am an introvert, so I cannot imagine how hard it is for extroverts to learn and work solely online. As I watch how this year has progressed, I contemplate what students and society, in general, are learning through the pandemic. I hope they learn compassion, empathy, and kindness and how we can come together as a community even in troubled times. I wrote a children’s book called “What do We Learn at School” a few years ago after having two perfect kids in my class argue and be so completely frustrated with each other for almost a week. I went home that night and contemplated what I wanted them to learn from each other and the situation. My goal of the book was to recognize that in 20 years, they will remember very little about what I taught them in elementary school, but what they would remember was how I made them feel and how their classmates made them feel. I think we should all take a step back and question what we will remember about the pandemic in 20 years. I hope in 20 years we all remember the people who stepped up to support us during this and not the ones that continue to tear each other down. Everyone is doing the best they can with what they have right now. No matter what end of the opinion poll you sit on for the pandemic issues, I ask you to question what we can learn about humanity from this and how we can come together as a more compassionate, collaborative,e and empathetic global society. Follow Amanda on Facebook , Instagram , and visit her website for more info! Read more from Amanda! Amanda Cottrell, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Believe! Create! Inspire! Amanda Marie Cottrell is a woman who wears many hats with a BA in Political Science, B.Ed in elementary education, M.Ed specializing in creativity and technology, Reiki master, yoga for young children instructor, artist, mom, author, illustrator, and teacher. She also runs an arts-based business teaching art and mindfulness workshops. As an educator of young children for over 14 years, Amanda’s passion is education and creativity. She believes that everyone has creative capacities. Her mission is to empower people by tapping into their unique creative gifts through connection and mindfulness. Namaste!

Written by: Michelle Clarke, 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. So you are an empath and a soul-led entrepreneur? First up, congratulations! The world needs you and is ready for what you have to offer right now. Now with that squared away, let's get on with what you really want to know — how to grow your business while staying true to who you really are. In this article, we look at: What being an empath in business means in today’s climate How to harness and use your gifts to grow your business The 3 top things that hold empaths back and what to do about them What being an empath in business means in today’s climate Being an empath, you feel things strongly and know things that you cannot explain. This has likely always been the case for you, and it is sometimes a blessing and sometimes not so much. The gift of feeling so deeply does not turn off just because you put your business hat on, and those feelings can be anything from helpful, distracting, or downright debilitating. With so much going on in the world right now, and the fear vibes being off the Richter scale, you will be feeling things intensely, and unless you have learned how to manage those feelings, it can be hard to operate at the capacity you want to. But it does not have to be this way, read on, and I will explain just how you can: Protect yourself. Operate at full capacity. Grow your business. First, let’s explore feelings. For clarity, a feeling is a physical sensation in your body. An emotion is a frequency that elicits a bodily response which you feel like a physical sensation. The physical sensations are clues that you need to explore the emotions beneath and what messages those emotions have for you. Being an empath in today’s climate can be a challenge as emotions run high, especially fear, which has the densest frequency and is, therefore, felt more strongly. This fear can seep into our bodies and be confused as our own fear. In fact, that can be one of the biggest challenges as an empathic entrepreneur, deciphering when a feeling belongs to you or is a reflection of the wider consciousness. So why do we experience these feelings so intensely? They are a gift! You are here for an important purpose, and those feelings are a tool that you can tap into to help the planet and the people on it. Go back and read and that statement again “you are here for something big.” I know that accepting this fact can be a challenge for us, empathic entrepreneurs, because we have always felt weird, operated a little outside of the norm, and shrunk away from the limelight. But here is the thing — it is not about you, it is about the ‘thing’ you are here to do in the world. Leaning into that, that is, making it about everyone else and not you, will enable you to shrug off imposter syndrome and get on with making an impact in the world. Empaths, once they learn how to discern feelings and flush them through their body to elicit deeper meanings, become super powerful. Inside my Magical Millionaire Membership, which is jammed packed with entrepreneurial empaths, I notice that the biggest shift into power and away from the struggle for them come once they learn how to protect their energy, so that is what I will focus on for you here. How to harness and use your gifts to grow your business Feelings are your gift and your biggest business asset. Once you learn how to manage the feelings and release them, you will find that your days are not only much more fun and that you have oodles of energy, but also you will begin to ‘hear’ strong guidance on how to grow your business. Most empaths are not born to empathic parents and/or are not taught how to manage feelings in a way that works for them. The way that society teaches us to deal with feelings is to hold on to them, or resist the feelings and ‘get on with the to-do-list”. That does not work for entrepreneurial empaths. We cannot just stop “drowning in those emotions and get on with it.” The feelings are 1000 times stronger for us, and they can wipe us out. Here is what generally happens. Your soul notices something, or you ‘feel’ something from another person. You get an intense feeling. You are too busy to feel that feeling right now, so you ‘truck on’ with your day. The feeling grows and grows. You start to feel exhausted, and you don’t know why. Then you get a super strong physical sensation (or illness if you leave it long enough in your body. Now you are at the bottom of the energy ladder, and you wonder how you will ever grow your business, and maybe you should give up and j*o*b. Here is exactly how I teach my Magical Millionaires to harness and use their gifs to grow their businesses: Your soul notices something, or you ‘feel’ something from another person. You get an intense feeling. You stop for 10 seconds. Come on, you have 10 seconds! You allow the feeling to grow, and you notice its color, shape, feel, and intensity. You ‘tap into’ the message that the feeling has for you. This can take practice and support until you get the hang of it. You decide on the aligned action you get to take, and you take it now. Generally, it will only take 30 seconds to do this or at least to put the action into motion. You do not have to complete all the steps right now, but at least start the ball rolling why you have the bravery and the intense feeling to motivate you. Set up a strong mindset rhythm for morning and evening to allow you to express and learn from your feelings. This allows you to be ‘even’ and ‘clear’ throughout the day. Use energetic protection exercises to protect you from overwhelming feelings throughout the day. The 3 top things that hold empaths back and what to do about them Being an entrepreneur means that you will eventually have to be around people — communicate with customers, network, do marketing activities. And the truth is you love connecting with others when you are feeling great, and the trick is to stay feeling great by using the above method. However, you won’t always feel great, and at these times, you must withdraw and get your energy back to full operational frequency before you connect with other people. This is the first thing that holds entrepreneurial empaths back — not wanting to disappoint others. Generally, we plan in advance. That is the way the world works, and so when an event or a meeting rolls around, and we feel a bit drained, we tell ourselves to “pony up” and get on with it. We have been told all our lives that we are soft, that we just need to get on with it, that we are being silly, and so we are even harsher on ourselves than everyone else. But, the best thing to do is exactly what your soul is telling you to do — retreat and clear the energy. In the Magical Millionaire Membership, we work on boundaries and permission to be fully us. While it is beyond the scope of this article to explore the methods, you could start this process by coming up with some phrases that you will use to politely withdraw from events you do not wish to participate in. The second thing that holds empaths back from the success they seek is taking on other’s feelings/ problems. This is the hardest one to resolve because we do not even realize we are doing it. When we take on others' feelings/ problems, we add that to our own load and then become overwhelmed and tank our own business results. And even worse, we sometimes take responsibility for others' feelings/problems, and then we deprive the other person of a learning experience. Empaths tend to attract baby birds (emotionally stunted/stuck persons). It is like they can feel our willingness to heal and help. And help we do, we throw all our resources at them, do things for them, offer them massive discounts, and spend hours worrying about them. Baby birds will not grow with your assistance. They will grow by learning from the situations they are creating. The best way to assist a baby bird is to put an energy shield around yourself and the person, so your energies are kept contained and to cut energetic cords daily . The third thing that holds empathic entrepreneurs back is spending time around people/ situations with off energy. Since we feel everything so strongly, we must limit the negative energy that we are around. This includes in-person and cyberspace. Think about how you spend your days, do you read the news (negativity at its finest), do you scroll social media (and suck in all the worries laid out there), and do you go to functions, work with, or live with people who have ‘off’ energy. We feel all of that and then wonder why we feel so drained. The best solution here is to start taking note of how you feel after being around every person/ situation and then eliminate the three top drains . If people are tanking your energy, you cannot then use that energy to grow your business — so this is important. If the person tanking your energy is someone that you cannot avoid, then at least reduce the amount of time you spend around them, guide the conversions carefully, and of course, clear the energy afterward. A final word about growing your business and tapping into your unique gifts . The feelings and thoughts you are receiving are not made up. They are guiding you, please tap into your feelings and thoughts before making any business decisions, and your business will grow so fast it will make your head spin. This is easier said than done. It takes bravery. In fact, it takes brass ovaries, and the guided action needs to be completed while you are still in the energy of the soul and not diluted or dumbed down to be acceptable to society in any way. If you are ready to get brave and grow your business to serve even more people, if you are ready to feel great, if you are ready to step into who you truly are and finally feel at peace, then I invite you to join the rest of us thriving entrepreneurial empaths in the Magical Millionaire Mindset. Join Inspiration From Sparkle Natio n . Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Michelle! Michelle Clarke, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Michelle is an energy maverick, public speaker, author, and coach obsessed with empowering soul-led entrepreneurs to make more money doing only what they love. She says, "we have been led to believe that we must follow the normal way of doing things to succeed in business and life, but this just isn't true." She believes that the fastest road to success and living a hell yes life on your terms is to break free from the mold, unleash your true self, and sparkle like the leader you are born to be. Michelle is committed to working with women, especially those who have a fear of being visible, feel anxiety about ‘making it’ in case they cannot cope with a booming business and other commitments, and also have deep-rooted fears around allowing money into their lives even though they desire it. The work she does is deeply rooted in Outing Imposter Syndrome, Creating Success Structures, and Changing Your Relationship With Money. Michelle says, "The results of what I do lead to FREEDOM. Underneath it all, that is what my tribe seeks, the freedom to be real them, the time freedom, and the money freedom, and they get it!" Michelle gets amazing results by helping soul-led entrepreneurs to dive into quantum energetics + success mindsets + powerful systems & then empowering them to show up as their truest version self to call in their soul clients magnetically.

Written by: Lauren Wise, 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. Ever since email marketing came onto the scene, it's been a powerful tool for generating business. Yet, many companies are hesitant to use email because they believe it's outdated or dead. This couldn't be further from the truth! In this blog post, we'll discuss why email marketing isn't dead and 5 ways you can leverage it to your advantage . What if Facebook Died Tomorrow? Many business owners revamp their marketing strategy with their social media in mind. You might gain some eyeballs with your campaigns, but unless those eyeballs convert to assets that you own, they're worthless. So how do you convert them? Your email list! Being at the mercy of social media advertising is a risky game to play. Especially when you're trying to create consistent sales opportunities for your business. A Long Term Foundation You Can Stand On It may be difficult to see where popular social media marketing trends will land in the future. But, we know that email marketing isn't dead by any means. Despite being a decades-old technology, it has been consistent in popularity for over two decades. It's true, email marketing can feel ineffective because of ineffective email strategy. In those cases, emails come off as "spammy." But, if you're careful to keep your messages genuine and interesting to your audience, it can be a powerful tool. Let's look at some numbers together. According to snov.io : An average of 293.6 billion emails was sent and received per day in 2018. On top of that, email marketing boasted a 4200% ROI ($42 for every $1 spent). 61% of subscribers or customers would like to receive promotional emails every week, 38% more frequently. Marketing and advertising emails influence the buying decision of 50.7% of customers. I don't know about you, but to me, those numbers seem pretty worth it. So how can you use email marketing to your best advantage? Get Rid of Your Graphics Ending up in Gmail's spam or promotion tabs (or even worse, the new updates tab) aren't going to get you seen by your audience. Friends send other friends text-based emails (and maybe a gif occasionally). Those emails tend to end up in the primary tab because they don't look like marketing emails. We want to follow their lead. By attaching your name to valuable content, your audience will feel like it's Christmas morning every time they get a new email from you. But first, they have to see the email in their inbox so that they can read it. Get on the Entertainment Train Humans are losing their attention span by the minute, so we have to market in a way that will get them interested. One of the most effective ways to do that is by sharing a story. If you're great at telling them, they may want to pull out their credit card before there's even anything available for sale. Telling your audience about the latest in your life and business forms a deeper connection with them. More so than if you only told them about your upcoming product launch. Providing value also helps fill up your list's "emotional bank account," which allows you to gain goodwill with them. Calls to action withdraw from the emotional bank account, while value adds fill them up. If you don't balance your list, then you're at risk of "churning and burning" your leads. They'll unsubscribe before you get the chance to connect with them, and you'll be wasting money by looking for new leads that won't last past their first buy. Set Up Segments No single person is exactly alike. So, you shouldn't be treating your email list as a group of individuals who want the same thing. When you segment your list into groups based on interest, it allows you to cater your content to them. You can be specific about where that person is on their customer journey. The segmenting functionality may be different depending on which email service provider you use. But, this is a great opportunity for you to make your customers feel like they're special and that you understand their needs. It does take some time to set up though. If you're in a time crunch (or aren't very tech-savvy), it's definitely worth asking an expert for help. I hope these tips have been helpful. If you want more insights on how your business can better use email marketing to your advantage, let's set up a free strategy session. Follow me on Linkedin or visit my website to get started. Lauren Wise, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Lauren Wise is the Founder and CEO of Neurdy Marketing, an email strategy and copywriting agency dedicated to amplifying the authentic voices of coaches, consultants, and holistic, heart-centered service providers — all while working smarter instead of harder. After struggling with work-life balance and health herself, Lauren decided that there had to be a better way. Ever since, she has had a passion for creating systems and automations for her clients that exude their personal touch, while maximizing their revenue and results from email. For more information, visit www.neurdymarketing.com or email Lauren at lauren@neurdymarketing.com

Written by: Sunu Philip, 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. Over the past 2+ years, I’ve worked on dozens of program launches. I’ve found that sometimes, launching a program can cause a great deal of stress and anxiety. You constantly feel like you have a million things to do or that you’re missing something. There’s also the feeling that you’re not entirely ready for the launch to happen, which can be quite demoralizing. That’s why I’m writing this article to give you a solid foundation that you can use to ace your next launch. Powerful and effective launches that create a big impact and bring in good income have a few things in common. When you have these 5 elements in place, you will be able to launch from a place of clarity and the strong belief that you got this and thereby set yourself up for a successful launch. Have a clear launch vision. Do you have a vision for your launch? I believe this is one of the most important things you can do as you plan your launch. Permit yourself to dream big. Ask yourself what results in you expect from the launch. What do you envision for yourself individually and for your business? What results do you want your audience to experience as they go through the launch and the program itself? What do you want to bring into their world through the launch? Take some time to think about what you want to accomplish through the launch and hone your vision. This will give you a whole lot more clarity as you plan out your launch. Have clarity on the numbers. Once your vision is in place, the next step is solidifying that dream. It’s time to get some clarity on the numbers you want to hit. These can be just ballpark figures, but you should have a basic idea of the numbers you’re shooting for. Here are 3 basic numbers you can focus on at first: How many leads do you envision coming into your launch funnel through your lead magnet or pre-launch event? How many people do you want to sign up for your program during the launch period? How much revenue do you intend to earn during the launch? Once you have these numbers in place, you'll have a better idea of what you're reaching for. Don't hesitate to play big with these numbers. That's when the magic happens. Note the target numbers you want to hit, who you're selling to, and the general launch experience you wish to have. When that’s in place, you’re ready for the next crucial step. Prepare a launch timeline. Do you know what can make your course or program launch go smoothly? Timing! Timing is everything, especially when you're doing your launch. It's essential to know beforehand how you'll be structuring the launch of your online course or program and its marketing. That's how you connect deeply with your audience. You might do everything right, but it won't give you the result you dream about if the timing is wrong. Because it won't create a resonance with your ideal client, the feeling that your program is what they need now. To get the timing right, it's essential to have your lead magnet launch funnel mapping done before starting your pre-launch activity or promoting your lead magnet. You should know what has to happen when, so you're not playing it by ear. Otherwise, it means you're not showing up at your full potential. You're showing up with stressful energy, and that causes dissonance. You need to have a plan.. an idea of what should happen next at each stage. This will give you a clearer picture of the different stages of your launch, what needs to be in place, and when. When you're showing up with that kind of confident energy, you'll be able to create more impact, reach more people, build your audience, and get more sales. And all because you got the timing right! Get all the essentials ready. Once you have your timeline ready, you’ll have a lot more clarity on what you need at each stage. Now it’s time to make sure everything is in place for your launch. This includes a landing page for your lead magnet or pre-launch event, promotional material, sales page for the program, launch emails, payment system, and an FB group or membership site to conduct the program. You can even have your videos and social media content for your launch done beforehand, so you’re not rushing to get it done during your launch. When everything is ready, you’ll have to test the entire process to make sure it’s working as expected. This will help you prevent any hiccups during the launch. And you’ll also be able to make sure your ideal client has a seamless experience when they try to sign up. This will free up your mind, reduce stress, and help you show up with positive energy. Surround yourself with cheerleaders. It’s all well and good to be super prepared for your launch, but I wouldn’t advise that you go through the launch alone. Surround yourself with a team of people who can be your sounding board and cheer you on as you begin your launch. I can’t stress this enough. You can rely on a team you work with, a coach or mentor, an accountability partner, or members of a mastermind group you belong to. Knowing that someone’s got your back will keep you motivated, even if something untoward happens during your launch. All said and done, launching a program is not a walk in the park. But you can make it a fun and enjoyable experience when you have the right foundations in place. The key is to spend adequate time dreaming, planning, and strategizing so you know how your launch is going to proceed. Once your plans are in place, start working on the plan and build up the structure that makes up the launch itself. With the determination to succeed and the right people in your corner, I do not doubt that you will bring in more leads, more sales and ace your program launch. Need help launching your program with the help of a lead magnet or pre-launch event? I’d be happy to help. To know more about me and my work, please visit my we bsite . Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , and Link edIn ! Read more from Sunu ! Sunu Philip, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Sunu is an international lead magnet expert specializing in creating a lead magnet and launch funnels that help coaches and consultants consistently sell their high-ticket offers with ease. She has been in the digital marketing industry for the last 12+ years, working with varied industries, and has helped her clients generate £3 Million+ yearly income through SEO and inbound marketing strategies. A high-school teacher turned online marketing consultant, Sunu is passionate about supporting people who love to transform the lives and businesses of their clients. Over the past 2 years alone (since she embraced the title ’The Lead Magnet Lady’), Sunu has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and small business owners share their story, build their tribe, increase their impact, and get more leads and sales by designing and setting up an efficient lead magnet and launch funnels for their businesses.

Written by: Louisa Havers, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Have you experienced a slowdown in business recently? Maybe you might have noticed a steady or unexpected decline in your income stream? It's been interesting to note a pattern of new clients contacting me, looking for help and solutions to enable them to turn around just these types of scenarios. Firstly, know that you're not alone, so don't let overwhelm overtake you. Secondly, I want to share a little secret with you. Your relationship with speed might be one of the causes for the situation you currently find yourself in. My relationship with speed, I hear you say? Yes. Our beliefs and thoughts around speed can profoundly affect our wealth consciousness - that complex, many-layered thing. Subconsciously it can impact how quickly we're able to grow our wealth and attract new business. The good news is that clearing unwanted thought patterns and rebuilding our mental framework can lead to significant shifts in manifestation. You'll be able to move out of the slow lane and back into the fast lane to success, where you want and deserve to be. As a first step, it's important to discover whether you've any hidden thought patterns around going fast or slow. Usually, when we look to manifest growth in our business or our bank balance, we want to do so as effortlessly and quickly as possible. This is where our relationship with speed and time is critical. Our thoughts can dramatically impact the acceleration, or deceleration, in achieving the very things we are striving towards, be it attracting new clients or increasing our monthly income. If you've never overthought about it, then now might be time to start doing so. For instance, when you think about speed, what comes to mind? How do you feel? Does your stomach somersault with fear, or do you light up with a joyous thrill? Is going fast something you naturally resist, preferring instead to take things as slowly as possible? Maybe you've previously experienced turbulence in your life when things moved too quickly? Conversely, you might have been punished for being a speedster – with a few speeding tickets to prove it? There are no right or wrong answers. However, what you uncover is very instructive. This is because our monkey minds have absorbed all associated messages from previous outcomes connected with when we've sought to move quickly or make hasty changes in our lives or business. And, as we are naturally hardwired to expect the past to repeat itself, we will fall back on our default position. So, suppose your previous experience with moving swiftly towards a higher business goal has been a negative one, then in the future. In that case, your mind will seek to naturally protect you and make you feel as safe as possible. This usually means that brakes are applied to any progress because moving at pace in the past resulted in a less than satisfactory outcome. Your subconscious is protecting you from making the same 'mistake' twice. It's a classic case of self-sabotage. Your monkey mind is up to its usual tricks, doing all it can to keep you stuck in a 'safe' status quo. The reality is that it's hindering your ability to proceed in the direction and speed of your choice. So how do we overcome this? How do we change our way of thinking – especially as it's our subconscious, not our conscious mind, that's causing the issues? The key is uncovering all hidden thoughts around speed and clearing any that don't currently serve before rewriting and re-aligning our relationship with it. Then we can forward to the future we imagine and desire. Releasing unhelpful beliefs is simpler than it sounds. An audit of any thoughts and feelings that came up around the subject of speed will have given you a greater understanding of your current mindset. You can then test which thoughts are helpful and which are not. Do this by asking yourself relevant questions and gauging your response to each, using the kinesiology sway technique. Stand up straight – knees and legs relaxed, arms by your side, eyes closed – and ask yourself a yes / no question. Be open in your mind to each query. Your body will sway forward or backward – it may just be a subtle nudge, but if you relax and open your mind, you will feel it. Usually, a forward sway denotes a yes response; and sway backward a no. Types of questions you could ask may include: Do I have a pattern of resisting speed? Do I hold a belief that moving too quickly is a bad thing? Bad things happen when things speed up Is speed something to be feared? Does my business suffer when things move too fast? Am I afraid I can't handle it if I get new business too quickly? Am I afraid the business will disappear as quickly as it appeared? Am I ready to receive success quickly? Slow and steady always wins the race. If you receive a positive sway to any of the above questions, the next step is to release this mindset. It has hindered your progress towards your goal, so you'll need to let it go before you're able to move on and free up space to allow the good things in speedily. To do this, and say, "I release this mindset of (insert the belief) across all dimensions, planes, times, and levels of consciousness." Repeat this three times for each thought statement you want to let go of. Now for the most important part. Once you've released the unhelpful mindset, you need to align to a new positive one, which resonates with you and mirrors what you want to attract into your life and business. Raise your arms – so you look like a Y - breathe in positive energy and (for example) say: "I am so thankful that I accept and believe the idea of easy speed in my life (and business)." As before, you say this 3 times. This is the tip of the iceberg – but it's a useful exercise to see where your monkey mind has taken you and how it's been contributing to your journey along your current path. Your relationship with speed is just one of the mindsets you may need to finesse to achieve all you desire. When I work with clients, we analyze many different outlooks in areas you wouldn't naturally think would affect your business or wealth—from attitudes to speed and time to patterns of distractions and temptations, shedding unhelpful beliefs tears down the blocks to attracting more of what you seek. It's an area I work in every day, and the shifts I see in my clients are nothing short of miraculous. If this resonates with you, then why not see what's holding you back. I’d love to gift you a complimentary spot in my next Wealth Alignment Masterclass Series . Register and find out for yourself if I can help you on your journey most easily and speedily possible. After all, if you’re in a hurry to reach your business goals, what have you got to lose? For more info, follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn and visit my websi te ! Read more from Louisa! Louisa Havers, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Louisa Havers is an internationally renowned Master Transformational Coach, Master Manifesting teacher, Master Akashic Records teacher (Soul Journeys® Method), and business mentor. She enables high achievers and coaches to unlock their superpowers, turbo-charge soul-aligned magnetism, and "lift the ceiling" in both their lives and businesses. It’s a journey Louisa knows works as she’s personally undertaken it. Years spent leading change in the highly pressurized and stressful social services sector led to shingles and chronic fatigue, compelling her to break free from the corporate matrix of overwork. It was the first step to creating her own life of freedom and dream business income. Louisa enables clients across the globe to activate quantum leaps to success in their journey to fulfillment, self-love, and a six / seven-figure income. Daring to live your life’s purpose is genuinely possible under Louisa’s loving, powerful and insightful guidance.