Written by: Gurpreet Kaur, 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. “When I run after what I think I want, my days are a furnace of stress and anxiety. If I sit in my place of patience, what I need flows to me and without pain. I understand that what I want also wants me is looking for me and attracting me. There is a great secret here for anyone who can grasp it.” Rumi. I was up high in the middle of mountains covered with white snow sitting next to my sister on the lift with my skis. The scene was so beautiful, but I felt miserable inside. The beautiful world outside appeared meaningless and utterly empty. I turned to my sister and said with tears in my eyes, "I don’t want this world without a baby of my own. It just feels that everything I would do from here on has no meaning." She tried consoling me, but I remembered feeling this hole inside me that would only be filled with having my baby. That burning desire pushed me to grow and stretch beyond the limits I thought were possible. "Your desires show you the way to reaching your full potential." In the previous article, we talked about one must-have ingredient when manifesting your desires. In this article, I want to talk more about desires themselves. Being able to manifest your desires is very sacred and holy to me. As you learn to fulfill your desires, you become God in the process. Being able to manifest your desires is about becoming God because you have to go within to find the secrets and techniques, but instead, you find the Source of it all. That’s the potential of your desires. Desires usually are seen as something that gets in the way of spiritual development. I see desires as your way of reaching your full potential. As Rumi indicates, what you seek is also seeking you. Your desires show you the way to your Godliness. I genuinely believe that your desires come from beyond. Please do not discount them. Do not fear them and disregard them as small, big, don’t matter, etc. They matter. These desires are showing you how to reach your full potential because they help you grow and develop. Chase these desires. Pay attention to them. They will lead you to your true self. The question remains, "How do I sit in my place of patience, [so that] what I need flows to me, and without pain?" I usually suggest a 2-step process for this: 1. Becoming aware: Becoming aware of your heart's desires is the first step in manifesting your desires without pain. You’ve got to be listening. I usually have them start by paying attention to what they are drawn towards as a part of the mindfulness exercise. Journaling is another good tool to use for this step. What you usually disregard as wants and desires are the Universe’s nudges to remind you of your true self. Your desires are only yours and unique to you. No desire is too small or too big or too stupid. Suppose you desire a fulfilling relationship or a bigger house or more money or a better job or a thriving career or baby. Whatever it is, please don’t discount it. These desires are the Universe’s cravings trying to be fulfilled through you. The non-local “I” is manifesting into local “I.” You are the essence of the Universe, or we can call it God. It’s the Leela (a Vedic term) for divine play. You are part of the unfolding of the divine play. Your desires reflect the Universe’s desires. Use your desires to become better you or to reach your full potential. Again, no desire is a small desire. Make it count. 2. Self-care: Another big thing I emphasize is self-care. If you are stressed and anxious, you block the creative process of letting things unfold without effort. If you struggle with this step, check out this free step-by-step guide for putting yourself first. Taking care of yourself is essential in effortlessly manifesting your desires. Grab your free 5 Essential Steps to Ultimate Self-care here! Follow Gurpreet on her Facebook, Instagram and visit her website for more info! Read more from Gurpreet! Gurpreet Kaur, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Dr. Gurpreet Kaur is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Life Coach, Speaker, and an Author. Dr. Kaur is very passionate about self-love, self-empowerment, wellness, reaching the full potential, and applying quantum mechanics principles to daily life. Dr. Kaur teaches a step-by-step self-care process to live a mentally and emotionally healthy life.

Written by: Amy Morgan, 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. Often we say we are stuck and are looking for some guidance as to what to do. The good news is being stuck is only a perception. The feeling of stuck is that you have no options or fearful of the unknown and the future. To open up new possibilities for yourself, you first have to decide that you are just not where you want to stay. Our minds are mighty, and we can do amazing things, and of getting something different, we have to do something different. Recognize it's all about choices. There is no mistake because you are exactly where you are supposed to be. Often it looks different than we planned, but that’s okay. Here are 6 Simple Steps to Start the Process to get you from Stuck to Unstoppable: Step 1. Ask yourself what your goals and desires are? The first part of becoming unstoppable is getting super clear on what you want. Close your eyes & what is that you see? Where are you? What do you see, feel & hear? Think about what you enjoy doing, what you are good at, and what makes you feel fulfilled? Write down a list. Get specific. Clarity on knowing the goal and desire will immediately put you in a more empowered state and remove some of the confusion in your mind. Try imagining it, which will help you feel it, and then you get to do the fun part, which creates it!! Step 2. Let go of the story. Everyone has a story that replays over and over in their mind. You can say what you want but then list all the reasons why you can’t. Let go of the idea that there even is a “but.” If you want it and desire it, write down all the reasons why you can. We can do scary things, but we have to go out of our comfort zone to grab what we want! Step 3. Have a new perspective and believe it. This is the integration process. Sit with it for a while. You can go slow here. Try doing 5 minutes of meditation where you solely focus on what you desire. Take a walk, slow down. Learn to feel the desire so that when that critter brain starts up again, you have the power to control your thoughts of why you can. Trust that you can do it. Make a list of your strengths and positive traits, and remember that you are competent . Step 4. Inspired Action Think about some of the ways how you can take one small inspired step to get you towards the goal. Open your mind to creative and new possibilities. The idea here is that you do not even need to see the entire plan step by step. You only need to see your first step. Look right in front of you for that next best step and do that. Keep taking one baby step forward. Step 5. Practice Start trusting yourself by practicing. Do something small, not related to your big desire. You have to start somewhere, pick something and go. Be proud of the small step. This will remind you that you can, and you will begin trusting yourself more. Step 6. Accountability The key to doing anything new is to set yourself up with help. Find a coach or a friend who will hold your desires for you and not let you give up on those dreams. You are capable of more than you know. It's hard to put aside our fears, our comfort zone, and limits that we place on ourselves but on the other side of all of that is exactly what you want. We are strong and resilient. Imagine if you did one small step. Where would you be in 3 months? 6 months? 1 year? I love to say, “small hinges swing big doors.” Sometimes you have to go for it because you can! Follow Amy on her Instagram, and LinkedIn . You can also join Amy’s Free Facebook Group and visit her website . Amy Morgan, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Amy Morgan is a Transformational Empowerment Coach who helps successful women let go of their past, break free of limiting beliefs, and align with their future selves so that they can be unstoppable! Amy uses a holistic approach that allows you to remove the obstacles that are holding you back and cultivate awareness & habit upgrades permanently. Amy created “The YES YOU CAN” Program that uses Transformational Techniques to provide mindset shifts for her clients to achieve true inner peace, worthiness, and confidence so that their personal and professional dreams become their reality. Amy was named by Yahoo Financial as Top Coach for 2021. Amy works with both 1-1 private clients and a group coaching program, Yes You Can using her unique approach so that you can heal, live fully and transform to achieve all your dreams.

Written by: Tanya Heasley, 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 a nutshell, YOU are the hidden secret to success. Now that we have established the hidden secret is you, there’s no need to carry on reading this article. If, however, you’re curious to uncover your secret and gain clarity, confidence and the ultimate conquest to success, then read the whole of this article and complete the steps below. Great, you made it this far, that means your curiosity is a hidden strength of yours. But why are you the secret? Stay with me. You’re the secret because you have hidden gifts, skills and a lived experience that is currently buried within you. They’re buried because at some point in your life, you were affected by the judgment of others or a circumstantial event, and you’ve unconsciously suppressed your own ability to achieve success. You might be keeping yourself a secret because you do not want to be exposed to others. Perhaps it’s because you’re afraid of failing. Perhaps you actually fear success. Perhaps you’re just fed up with going round in circles trying to achieve something, and now you’re just frustrated with it all and want to give up. Perhaps you just feel the need to headbutt everyone else who seems to be doing better than you. Does any of that resonate with you? It did for me, because that’s how I used to feel, until I got really, really angry and used it to positively change myself, and ultimately my life. In fact, getting angry is also a secret to success. But you’d need to sign up for my Pacifying Anger Course to find out how to use anger to benefit you. Meanwhile, seeing as you’ve read this far down (I celebrate your curiosity), I’m going to share just four steps that will take you from you being the secret, to you being the success. Success is the accomplishment of a purpose that requires us to do the following: Have a MISSION (Why) Know the VISION (What) Get into POSITION (How) See the FRUITION (When) And the best strategy to fulfill a purpose is to imagine it’s already happened and work backwards from there. So, let’s start with FRUITION. First, grab a pen and some paper and give yourself about 30 minutes to achieve the following steps. Step one: Visualise your success has already come into FRUITION. • Sit in a quiet place, close your eyes, and just for a few minutes, allow your mind to visualize yourself achieving success. Don’t worry if you don’t know what success is for you yet, just imagine that you’ve actually succeeded in your endeavor. Acknowledge yourself receiving success. Tell yourself in your mind, I did it! I have succeeded. Notice any sensations within your body, and allow them to be, even if they’re uncomfortable. You can repeat this step every few days to get you used to that feeling of success. • Take a mental note of how success will feel when you have achieved it. • When will your success happen? Just pick a date and write that down. Step two: POSITION yourself to take action. • Think about where you are positioning yourself in achieving success. What have you been doing to make success happen? Who do you hang out with, and how do they encourage, support, or diminish you? How have you been showing up to the world lately? How has your current situation affected you? • In one word, write down what stops you from achieving success? • Now, write down three actions you could take to overcome this. Step three: What is your VISION? Not having a vision of where you’re going in your life, can be like driving a car with your eyes shut, hoping you don’t crash into anything, and praying to gin and tonic that you’ll get somewhere – anywhere, easily, and without killing yourself (or others) along the way. When I have struggled to focus on what I want, and lack vision for my future, I have felt in the dark within my own life. It’s a bit like discovering that someone else knows the secret to the world’s best cake recipe (oh, I love cake) but won’t share it with you. Remember, you have the secret hidden within you. Therefore, to reveal your secret and to gain focus on what to do next, you’ll need to know what success is for you first, and then you’ll have the vision of where to aim. Write down in just one sentence what you think success is. The following are some examples: I think success means being rich. I think success means having a happy marriage. I think success is being recognized for changing lives. Now get really specific and write down in one sentence what success is for YOU. The following are specific examples: Maintaining a six-figure yearly income is a success for me. Feeling safe, secure, and supported is a happy and successful marriage for me. Success for me is to positively impact the lives of young people affected by anger. Whatever you wrote in that sentence - that is your vision. Step four: Identify your MISSION. By now, you should have some clarity for what success could be for you and begin to experience how it will feel. Now, to gain some actionable steps to achieve it, I invite you to start thinking about WHY you want that specific success. Write down, in one paragraph at first, what you have visualized during the previous steps and then continue writing why you want this specific mission to come into fruition and how this would benefit you. Don’t worry about grammar or spelling, just let your thoughts flow out on the paper. When you feel you’ve written enough, summarise your hidden secret in one sentence and then start telling people. Once you speak it out, it isn’t a hidden secret anymore. Plus, remember the date that you wrote down in step one? Well, that’s when it will happen by. If you want to go deeper, or need a little bit of encouragement, then register your interest to join my next Conquering Your Quest workshop, where we can explore each of these steps more deeply and further strengthen the foundations for getting clarity, gaining confidence, and achieving your life’s conquest. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Tanya! Tanya Heasley, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine As a Positive Anger Coach and Success Mindset Mentor, Tanya Heasley guides her clients to activate their authentic self, cultivate assertive communication, and develop self-confidence so that they can flourish and thrive in all areas of their life. What makes her distinctive and different in this work is her ability to identify and liberate the hidden blockages within her client’s psyche. Her intuitive, empathetic, and direct approach empowers her clients to become the best version of themselves. An award-winning serial entrepreneur, Tanya is also the Director of Tristone Coaching Ltd., a social enterprise with the mission to improve the lives of young people affected by adult anger. With many successes under her belt, Tanya believes that her most outstanding achievement is being a mum to her four children.

Written by: Marcus Cecil, 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. Prioritizing Purpose According to a recent study , Gen Z is the first generation to prioritize purpose over money. As a strong advocate of leading with a purpose to achieve a more fulfilled life, this is music to my ears. More pragmatically, Gen Z comprises people born from the mid-to-late 1990s through the early 2010s, so people entering their teens or becoming adults now. Soon they will be shaping our society. And more personally, my two children are included in Gen Z, which gives me another reason to rejoice! You may be a leader at work or at home, a leader in a formal capacity or de facto, a leader of a larger or a smaller number of people. Regardless of your scope as a leader, I believe that having a purpose and helping others align to a purpose is a key to effective leadership , particularly in times of turmoil, uncertainty, or transformation. Over the years, I’ve seen purpose 'come to action' both in the corporate world and as a life coach. While not everyone in a group of people will be catalyzed by purpose alone, some people will be. And in my experience, these people tend to be strong early adopters for whatever transformation you seek . Early adopters engage other people to follow them. Therefore, having a common purpose is a good way to lead others to achieve great things together. So, I thought I would share 5 tips that I see contributing to establishing purpose to create energy for transformation. 1. Leading with purpose; find your own first. As a life coach, I believe that understanding your own purpose is essential to your wellbeing. And I’ve seen how perilous leading other people without having established your own wellbeing can be. Ergo, knowing your own purpose is key to leading others. "Your purpose makes you distinctive and unique." Your purpose can be defined as your reason for being, the achievement of which will make you feel fulfilled and happy. It's been said that the two most important days in your life are the day you are born, and the day you find out why. Your purpose is important! Seeking your purpose is a topic in itself and something that usually happens over a period of time. An approach that I have seen work well is to reflect on your key life experiences to identify common elements driving your behavior . What has most often made you feel happy? What strengths and passions do you systematically bring to the table? When do you feel at your most authentic? What rallies other people around you? Seeking your own purpose is difficult to achieve on your own – having a good ‘mirror’ helps. This ‘mirror’ can be anyone who knows you well, and you can trust to give you honest feedback. Alternatively, you can seek the help of a life coach or an executive coach to support you in navigating the blind spots that may hide your purpose. Whatever the approach, the sooner you get started, the sooner you will reap the benefits of a purpose-driven life. 2. Leading with purpose; seek common ground. To seek a purpose for the group you lead, it’s helpful to understand the broader purpose that surrounds you. So, if you lead a team at work, see if your company or department has a clearly defined purpose. This is really important because purpose requires outwards congruence – in other words, it will be hard on everyone in your team to pursue a purpose that is not consistent with the purpose of a larger group. "Purpose requires congruence." This need for congruence also works inwards to the members of the team, yourself included. If anyone’s individual purpose is at odds with that of the team, the mismatch will soon come up in lack of engagement, passive-aggressive behaviors , or open conflict. Conversely, the congruence between your own purpose and that of your team will make you an authentic leader. When seeking an organizational purpose, stay away from the blandly obvious . So , for example, 'Empower to excel in customer service and exceed business targets' is probably not going to help much. An exciting purpose must be heartfelt by every person in the team , and it’s got to inspire everyone to action in support of common goals. 3. Leading with purpose; establish shared values. An organizational purpose has to find common ground among quite a few people – how can that be achieved? Well, congruence of purpose doesn’t mean that everyone wants or does the same things or has the same perspective on everything. It does mean alignment in values, though. Values determine individual priorities and ultimately help us make decisions about how we want to live our life. Imagine being part of a group without having at least some core shared values? It’s soul-destroying, and alas, all too common. "Shared values are key to teamwork." Establishing a team’s purpose and shared values is a good first step in building a high-performing team. It’s something that should happen collaboratively , involving and including all team members. The more diverse the team, the longer this process will take; equally, the more diverse the team, the more potential it will produce outstanding results. So, invest whatever time it takes so that everyone in the team can recognize themselves in a co-developed purpose and set of values. 4. Leading with purpose; set a strategy. Having a purpose is beautiful and soul-enriching. Having shared values help us connect wonderfully with other people. Yet without a clear strategy for translating purpose and shared values into outcomes, everything stays in the realm of the ethereal. You need a strategy of sorts to lead with purpose. "Strategy makes it all tangible." Now you may be tempted to start your strategy by writing down goals for the team. So, for example, if you are doing the exercise with your team at work, you might write down your business objectives. This may be necessary, yet it’s not sufficient. What you need to think about are the broader goals to achieve a common purpose in line with shared values. This will include those business objectives, but it will also include goals linked to helping you and every other team member pursue individual purpose. You want to encompass the idea that success in one area implies creating conditions and freeing up time for success as a person well beyond that area. Remember that idea of congruency of purpose? Well, you can see now that it is equally necessary to achieve outcomes as a team. Aligning absolutely everything you do to your purpose is tough. Leading your team to help them align everything to purpose is even tougher. Both should really be seen as life-long or project-long endeavors . Be sure to learn from purpose-deviated actions but remember to be compassionate with yourself and empathetic towards people in your team too. 5. Leading with purpose; walk the talk. Whatever your purpose, whatever your strategy, your team leadership efforts won’t get you far without the ‘right’ culture. You need a culture to lead with purpose. Culture eats strategy for breakfast. — Peter Drucker [attributed] Culture can be defined as the tacit social norms of a group of people, establishing their attitudes and behaviors in everything they engage in. There is not necessarily a 'right' or 'wrong' culture . There is simply the culture that best supports the pursuit of your purpose and the achievement of your strategy. Whatever your culture, remember this at all times: you, as the leader of your team, have a key role in shaping culture. You must behave in ways that embody your agreed shared values. You must recognize and reward people who behave in alignment with those values. If you don’t walk the talk, pretty soon, no one will. And your beautiful common purpose will remain just an intention. Purposefully seek purpose. So, there it is, find your own purpose, seek a common purpose, establish shared values, set a strategy, and walk the talk. Articulate all this, and you will have a pretty solid platform for leading with purpose. Effective leadership is situational. Once you’ve built your solid platform , often reflect on how you are engaging as a team to achieve your purpose. Tweak as necessary to keep purpose, strategy, and culture aligned. Lead with a purpose to create energy for sustained performance. The desired outcomes will come as a consequence. As A-Team leader Hannibal Smith used to say, "I love it when a plan comes together." Follow Marcus on Facebook , Instagram , Linkedin and visit his website . Marcus Cecil, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Marcus Cecil is a life coach and a career mentor, helping successful corporate highflyers and business owners transform their lives radically to achieve more fulfillment. His approach to personal transformation, the 9 Steps to Conscious Living, is based on raising self-awareness to support a more purpose-driven life. As a boutique global leadership development firm partner, Marcus is also a leadership mentor and business transformation facilitator for large corporations. His approach to fostering business change is based on a purposeful leadership framework – aligning strategic goals, culture, organizational structures, and leadership behaviors to an overall corporate purpose. Before becoming a full-time coach and consultant, Marcus had a successful career in business, working for 20+ years at Fortune 500 corporations around the world. He has lived in 8 countries and has a solid understanding of what it takes to work effectively and enjoy life across cultures. He applies his lifelong experience to help both private and corporate clients find more holistic success. His mission is to raise the world’s level of self-awareness, one leader at a time.

Written by: Holly Mosack, 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 always know when Mother’s Day is approaching because my social feed is bombarded with flower ads and jewelry commercials take over the TV screen. As a mom who wears a silicone wedding band and struggles to keep even a cactus alive, these types of Mother’s Day gifts are underwhelming. Back when we were first married, my husband would send me a flower bouquet on the standard holidays, and I would politely thank him, but really, I was thinking, what a waste of money. Eventually, he learned my frugal spirit, and the last bouquet he sent, the card attached, simply said, “I know, I know…” Perhaps your mom loves flowers and bracelet charms – if so, great! You’ve got it easy. But when I asked fellow moms what they’d like for Mother’s Day this year, those didn’t even make a list. So, this year, if you want to make your Mom/significant other/just a cool mom, you know, happy, try getting her a gift that speaks her language. I’m referring to Gary Chapman’s book, The 5 Love Languages . Everyone gives and receives love differently. Think about your spouse. What does she typically respond to? What makes her happy? How does she often show her love? That’s her love language. Here are a few ideas for each love language to get you thinking: 1. Words of Affirmation. Write her a note or make her a card, telling her why she is such a great mom. If you aren’t very good with writing how you feel, pick out a sentimental greeting card. Don’t get me wrong, I love funny cards, but that doesn’t fulfill the need when your language is words of affirmation. Give her a shout-out on social media (make sure you choose a flattering picture of her). Or go old school, and tell her! Make a list of ten things you love about her and recite the list to her. 2. Acts of Service. Moms do a lot, and they are rarely thanked . This is your opportunity to pick up the slack. Do things without being asked. Instead of just helping out on Mother’s Day, which is a Sunday when things are typically slower anyway, do things the entire week. Pack the lunches, do the laundry, help with homework, and make the dinners. Don’t have time? Hire someone to clean the house. Take her car to get detailed since she’s probably the one shuttling the kids everywhere. Tell her to give you a “honey-do” list and get the list done. I would say 90% of the women I talked to said they wanted some act of service. 3. Receives Gifts. Depending on the mom, this could be either easy or hard. The trick is to pay attention to see what she is complaining about or what catches her eye. Surely, over the next several weeks, she will hint at something she needs or would love to have without even thinking about Mother’s Day. 4. Quality Time. It’s Mother’s Day, so of course, the mom should want to spend quality time with her kids, right? Some moms want nothing more than a day with their kids, and other moms want nothing more than a day away from their kids! Perhaps she enjoys quality time with her friends but never can coordinate schedules. Talk to her friends’ spouses - it would be amazing if you all planned a weekend friends’ getaway for them. If the mom in your life likes quality time with her kids, then plan something for them. Don’t make her plan her Mother’s Day. And don’t make it a chore for her. If she is always taking her kids' places, perhaps you join her, but you prepare everything, keep the kids in check, etc., and even take some candid shots of her interacting with her kids. I talked to one of my best friends recently about how the moms are never in any pictures with their kids because they’re always the ones taking the photos. So, snap a couple of candid shots and frame them so she can remember this special Mother’s Day. 5. Physical Touch. During this quality time, hold her hand, scratch her back, brush her hair. Give her a real hug, not one of those quick pats on the back hugs. Rub her feet, or better yet, give her a massage. Sit next to her on the couch and let her drape her legs across yours. It’s a small gesture, but it can go a long way. If you don’t know your mom’s love language, I guess you’ll have to try them all. I’m sure she won’t complain. Oh, and if my husband is reading this, my “honey-do” list is on the kitchen counter. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Holly! Holly Mosack, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine When Holly ended her career in the United States Army, she struggled to find her purpose in the civilian world (outside of being a mom) until she and her husband started a CrossFit gym. She quickly found a new passion in helping women become stronger, both physically and emotionally. She wants to empower women to stay active by removing barriers, which is why she founded a line of leak-proof apparel, Moxie Fitness Apparel, to help the 1 in 3 women who experience stress incontinence. Holly is an executive-level communicator with 15 years of manufacturing experience in talent acquisition strategy, service quality, and continuous improvement. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University and is a CrossFit Level I Trainer.

Written by: Kelly Hater, 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 your comfort zone, you may feel safe, and in control, yet you are only existing and not truly living life with self-actualization. As moms, it is very common to wake up day-to-day in your comfort zone. You know your life like the back of your hand. This can feel aimless and lonely as you go through the motions day-to-day. As you are reading this article, you desire to move on and start living the life you dream. You are at the borderline of your comfort zone and your fear zone. Yet, many obstacles are holding you back. Your fear zone is full of excuses, lack of self-reflection, and much-needed self-awareness . It would be best if you tackled your fear zone before moving onto the learning and growth zones. Ask yourself these questions; Do you desire a balanced life? Do you want success? Do you want happiness? Do you want self-actualization? Do you want self-discovery? Do you want to live life with no regrets? Do you want to conquer your objectives? If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, keep reading. Overcome Your Fear Zone With These 6 Powerful Tips 1. Understanding your “why” for clarity. Why do you want out of your comfort zone? Why do you do what you do? Why do you get up daily? Keep asking “why” until you get to the root of your “why.” Why do you want “this”? Why do you want to feel that way? When you get to your “why,” you get your purpose. With this exercise, you will get to the bottom of why you are doing everything you do. To discover your” why,” open your eyes to self-awareness . 2. Mindset shift . As you do the “why” exercise and build clarity, you open your mindset for growth. Watch your kids explore. Look how curious they are to improve their intellectual wellness dimension. When did this curiosity die in you? Take a tip from your kids. Open your mind to new opportunities, new challenges, and new adventures. 3. Build self-confidence, self-worth, and self-esteem. Reflect on your life. Look at all you have achieved. Compliment yourself on your past accomplishments. Now do a Brain Dump on what you still want to accomplish. 4. Stop the excuses — embrace challenges. As you are reading this article, you are taking an action step on your procrastination. With no action, you will remain stagnant. Start Now! There is always a reason to hold off. Excuses you are feeding yourself are fear. Fear of failure? Failure is an opportunity to learn and adapt. 5. Affected by others? Reflecting on your circle of control will help with your awareness of your control. You will stop letting people’s opinions matter to you. You are in control of yourself. Your attitude Your thoughts Your actions Your words Your reactions Self-care Educating yourself How you treat others Now that we have concluded, you control yourself. Leave others’ opinions of you at the back door. You are more than opinions. 6. Build self-respect when you allow your wellness dimensions to thrive. Your wellness dimensions are: Intellectual, physical, mental/emotional, social, spiritual, environmental, financial, and occupational. Feed each dimension to become happy, balanced, and confident in yourself. All these tips work together to live life to the fullest. Allow your passion to expand. "Stop Existing, Start Living." Your legacy will live on. Your well-being will be balanced with excitement, success, and self-discovery. Follow Kelly on Instagram , Facebook , YouTube , Pinterest and visit her w ebsite . Read more from Kelly! Kelly Hater, Executive Contributor, Brainz Magazine Kelly Hater, the owner of Mama Bear Domain, has over 15 years of coaching experience and a B.S. in Health Promotion specialized in Exercise Science. She specializes in helping clients overcome mom burnout, providing a clear, decisive plan that leads her clients on a path of success. Her clients no longer let mom guilt steal their identity and goals. Moms deserve to be happy and live a fulfilling life. She personally has overcome overwhelming struggles herself. Get the accountability needed to take action. As a mom of two, she gets it.

Written by: Rebecca Mason, 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 December 2020 alone, 140,000 US people lost their jobs. All of them were held by women. This report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics sent shock waves across the nation. Women who once thought that job security meant a pension, a 401k and the same one-hour commute for the next 30 years were smacked with a harsh reality. A pandemic doesn’t care for how long you’ve worked at a company. However, not all women were struck; some thrived. As global lock-downs catapulted businesses to go remote, set up online ordering, and replace in-person meetings with Zoom. There was one industry that was already way ahead of the curve. Virtual Assisting Virtual Assistants (VAs) are remote, independent contractors who conveniently support businesses with back-end administration, online tech, marketing, and design: a lucrative ( read: profitable ) online industry currently dominated by powerhouse women. VAs saw an uptick in business as clients scrambled to stay economically afloat when the world started dramatically sinking. They supported yoga instructors that suddenly needed to teach remotely, they assisted brick & mortar stores with setting up online shops, and they saw an increased demand for help with web tech. The veil had finally been pulled back, and we were suddenly exposed to the real truth about job security. It comes from working for yourself, totally independent of location. Lockdown orders, such as staying-at-home, kept piling on, but Virtual Assistants were already set up and ready to go. They threw on their capes and came to the remote rescue helping businesses quickly get established online. They took on multiple clients to diversify their income security (in case one client’s business went under) and scheduled their work around impromptu homeschooling. You could throw almost anything at Virtual Assistants, and they could handle it. Women who were brave enough to start a Virtual Assistant business or side-hustle amidst a pandemic were hugely rewarded for their entrepreneurial forethinking. They went from abruptly losing their 9-5s to making more money as a VA from home, and that was only the beginning. The pandemic forced many women to make uncomfortable choices between work or homeschooling and between income or safety, which launched the old-aged adage of “go to school, get a job, and retire happy” into an eye-opening question. Why go back to the same carpet that was ripped out from underneath you when you could be your boss and work from home as a Virtual Assistant? Take that, Pandemic. Follow Rebecca on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit her website for more info! Read more from Rebecca! Rebecca Mason, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Rebecca Mason is a business coach for virtual assistants. She runs the successful Laptop Freedom Program, which empowers women to embrace their dreams and build a remote business. Join thousands of other women in learning how to start your business, find clients, and develop the skills you need. Sign up for her free guide at thewanderlustva.com.

Written by: Viloshni Moodley, 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 feel sex is overrated? Traditionally sex is taboo and does not get a space for discussion at social events or even in private with your partner. Maybe this is a generalization, but it is a reality for the majority. Sex is our second survival instinct and core to our experience as humans. Sex is not embarrassing . Your fantasies are not shocking. They are normal and healthy to be explored. Suppressing these can become frustrating and have one feel confined to certain norms dictated by society. Sex should be what we want it to be for ourselves, provided we have a consenting partner that we share open communication with. Fantasies are not necessarily what is acted out, but it is created in our mind. Fantasies can be discussed with your partner and acted out on agreement between each other. Some of the health benefits from having sex: Relieves stress Lowers blood pressure Improved immune system Cardiovascular benefits Improved self-esteem Decrease depression and anxiety Boosts brain power Reduces the risk of prostate cancer in males Immediate, natural pain relief Better sleep Surely, with this type of benefit, who would not want to indulge? The reality is that there are different reasons that some people do not engage in sex. If this is the situation with you or your partner, make sure you talk about their reasons for not engaging in sexual activity. There could be an underlying problem or medical issue that can be addressed by reaching out for the appropriate help. After all, sex is the glue that keeps relationships together. If you are unsure if you satisfy your partner, there is no better way than to ask them and do not assume. Communication is key, and without verbalizing what you want, your partner cannot fulfill your wishes, and the same applies to them. There are no rules that apply where sex is concerned. You and your partner make these rules as you go along your journey together to make the entire experience mutually pleasurable considering each other’s boundaries. Ultimately, each person is in control of their pleasure and orgasms. Create an understanding between your partner and yourself that you can communicate with ease about any fetishes, sexual interests that would like to be explored, i.e., BDSM, swinging, a threesome, or simply a different position. Of course, curiosity is sparked when one reads or hears about other’s adventures in these areas. The safe option is to inform yourself, discuss these with your partner and proceed on an agreement. Exploring options together with open, clear communication builds a stronger bond between the couple. As humans, we evolve in many areas of our existence, and so should we in our sex lives by liberating ourselves and creating the sparks we want to experience with our partners. The intent and attitude override size, technique, and all else that we falsely place as important factors to enjoying sex. Misinformation and norms created by society are what construct the problems people deal with in relationships. Change that for yourself if you have fallen into the trap. Our overall well-being can be changed positively by having a happy, healthy, and fulfilling relationship. It is never too late; the power is within us to re-invent our sexual and sensual being. For more information, follow me on Facebook , Instagram and visit my website ! Read more from Viloshni ! Viloshni Moodley, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Viloshni Moodley is an accredited Master Sexpert, Relationship & Love Coach practicing as an Online Intimacy Coach. She is the founder and owner of Ultimacy Online, since leaving her over 25 years of management experience within Corporate South Africa. Her passion for empowering individuals with positive sex education and breaking the cycle of negative conditioning has influenced her decision on establishing Ultimacy Online. She believes relationships are the most important factor to overall well-being and thus passionate about making a change to ensure people have more fulfilling relationships. Having a happy, healthy relationship provides balance in individuals and couples. Individuals equipped with sex positive information diminish the misnomers and shame associated with sex. It provides a basis to make informed decisions for the persons sexual health and promotes safe behaviour. This can contribute to making a difference in the horrific stats we are faced with daily on gender-based violence and sexual health issues. Ultimacy Online was a 2020 Brainz Magazine 500 Honouree. Viloshni has been a recipient of the Great Indian Women Award in the category of an Indian Women Making an Impact for 2021. TEDx Speaker on “The Importance of Intimacy."

Written by: Awaz Ahmed, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Self-care helps you have a positive relationship with yourself to share your positive emotions with others. What you don't have yourself, you can't give to anyone. Although some may mistake self-care for selfishness, this is far from the case. Self-care is always essential but vital during a time of change! Self-care is an important daily activity. This will result in a better balance in your professional and personal life. As a result, you'll have a better balance across your wellbeing dimensions and your overall health. It’s essential to be aware of your self-care to practice self-care for better outcomes in your professional and personal life. How do you create this awareness? Well, ask yourself these three questions: What am I thinking? What am I feeling? What am I physically feeling? This will bring awareness to your emotional state and create self-awareness for action. How to practice self-care? Create self-awareness. Take control. Create a routine. Creating a routine is highlighted because it’s so IMPORTANT! Creating a daily or weekly routine enhances positive emotions, leading to positive outcomes in professional and personal settings. What’s the one activity that makes you feel happy, relaxed, or fulfilled? Is it a morning workout, a morning walk, a morning meditation session, writing, or reading? Create a routine at the same time every day or same time the week to practice self-care, especially during the time of changes we all are going through. Follow me on Instagram, Linkedin and visit my website! Read more from Awaz! Awaz Ahmed MBPsS, Business Psychologist, Business and Emotional Intelligence coach Awaz Ahmed is a Business Psychologist and Coach, helping organizations and individuals in the workplace by encouraging and facilitating clients in a range of professional and personal areas. She has also worked internationally and is the founder of Aweology, a company platform of Business Psychologists and experienced coaches. With an MSc in Business Psychology and coaching Awaz Ahmed, is also a certified emotional intelligence coach, NLP practitioner, certified 70+ hours of ICF coaching training, member of the British Psychology Society, American Psychology Association, Society for Industrial and organizational psychology and currently studying her Ph.D. in Business Psychology. Through her extensive experience and education in Business Psychology, she is highly skilled and passionate about research, psychometrics, assessments, training, development, recruitment, and coaching.

Chantelle launched her business, Cosmic Chantelle, last year. In the face of the pandemic with collective loss and upheaval, she felt that people needed some spiritual healing more than ever. As a Spiritual Transformation Coach, Chantelle helps women heal, repair, and rebuild the relationship they have with themselves. She believes that this is the crux of much of where women feel stuck and unable to meet or maintain sustainable external changes. Chantelle has featured in the Times and is currently offering intimate 1:1 coaching for women across the globe. Tell us more about what your spiritual coaching entails? So I work with women who are finding themselves in a perpetual cycle of self-loathing, self-destructive habits, low self-worth, as well as cycles of depression and anxiety. This is by no means an exhaustive or exclusive list, but mainly women come to me when they feel nothing else is working. Initially, they seem despondent and a bit disheartened, but as we go through the four stages of my 1:1 coaching, they start to really blossom. It’s a joy to witness. What are the four stages of your 1:1 coaching? The first stage is awareness, where we really look at their self-talk, what their habits are, what their relationships are like (romantic and friendships), their beliefs about themselves and the world. The second stage is called excavation, and the reason I chose that name is because I feel like this stage really calls for the women I’m working with to dig deep and leaving no stone unturned. It requires a level of honesty and willingness from them to look head-on at potentially very painful past experiences, habits or beliefs. I assure them that I am in that place with them, and metaphorically I’m holding their hand. Through my own excavation, I wholeheartedly believe that this stage is vital for us to see sustainable changes in the way we love and care for ourselves. The third stage is repairing. This is where we start to implement conscious change and really cultivate a rich inner landscape. The final stage is where we rebuild, where we start to really make conscious decisions on the way we treat ourselves, the way we set boundaries, how we love ourselves, and how we uphold our worth. It is finally stepping into the Sovereign Woman and refusing to play small. Who is the Sovereign Woman? As Layla Saad writes , "There she is, that Sovereign Woman. She with a courageous heart and a wild soul. She is who says, "This is me. This is who I am." As women, we are taught to be inviting, pretty and demure from a young age. Most women I work with struggle to break out of this box, afraid to upset the status quo, afraid to put boundaries in case it upsets someone else, afraid to speak their truth in case they are ridiculed, afraid they will be rejected if they put on weight or if they don’t have the perfect credit score. But when we start to deconstruct the lies we are told, to shatter the fragile glass boxes we are in, we begin to see the real treasures underneath. This is where the real gold is. This is where we will find our Sovereign Woman. What underpins your coaching style? As an accredited Life Coach, I’m trained in NLP, Hypnotherapy, and EFT. I also hold a certificate in Counselling and am working on a Spiritual Counselling diploma at the moment. However, I would say what underpins my coaching style is spirituality and using it as a tool for healing. I focus heavily on the inner world and repairing that and strengthening faith in the universe, higher power, angels, or whatever you would like to call it. This has been earth-shattering in my own life and continues to hold me steady when things may get rough externally. This is what I offer to the women I work with: a faith that stays with them for life. It’s priceless. What do you feel are the key steps to surviving uncertainty, especially in the recent year we have experienced? I really believe that 5 key steps can help when faced with uncertainty that can help ground us and keep us anchored in times like these. I think number 1, acknowledge where you are, and you can do this through the power of journaling and regularly checking in with yourself and how you’re feeling. The biggest tool for me is connecting with my breath, and from there, I can gauge how I am feeling in that moment. The second would be looking at your self-care routine and whether it even exists, plus what it entails at the moment. The third is looking at your perspective and appreciating you are part of a bigger collective. This helps us zoom out on our specific problems and appreciate that others are going through tough times at the moment as well. It also illustrates the idea that we are part of one Source, and so we are all connected, i.e., what you do and say matters. The fourth is future-orientated, reflecting on the changes 2020 brought to your life and perhaps the lifestyle changes you want to incorporate in the future. Finally, it is about becoming more mindful about what we consume in TV, social media, reading, and news. No matter how unaffected we think we are by the media, I can guarantee that in some way, it influences how we feel about ourselves. It is about getting more conscious of what we consume. How can we start the journey to become more spiritually aware? 1. Practice gratitude: Gratitude lists, gratitude journals, gratitude circles. Whatever floats your boat, just do it. 2. Take time to pray: Praying is the biggest thing I have in my life. It grounds me when I’m feeling low and keeps me connected when I’m going through my day. 3. Change your diet: Feeding myself with sugar and junk food gives me an initial rush, and then I inevitably crash. When I’m practicing nourishing myself with healthy foods, the occasional treat, I instantly feel much more like myself. 4. Watch your time: Notice who you are spending your time with and who you’re around a lot. Do you spend too much scrolling social media (hey, I’ve been there) or swiping on Tinder (also been there)? These activities all leave me empty and irritated when I realize I’ve wasted an hour. Spend your time wisely. 5. Make time for rest: I love a daily nap. I don’t always get the daily nap, but it is a real treat when I do. When I meditate in the morning, I ask myself how I’m feeling, and if that day I feel a little vulnerable and exhausted, I take extra care of myself. Try not to chain yourself to your enormous to-do list (guilty) and make sure you’re listening to your body. 6. Keep it simple: This is a recovery motto, but I think it can apply so much in our life. My calendar is packed, with freelancing, launching my own business, friends, and family obligations! I used to have no boundaries and say yes to everything. Now I ask for space. I whittle things down, take time out, and minimize my interaction with things that leave me feeling drained and low (daytime TV, anyone?) If something or someone is bringing your vibe down, notice it, and make the conscious decision to move away from it. 7. Meditation: This is a big one for connecting to your heart and soul and the biggest one for the beginning of spiritual enlightenment. Meditation keeps me sane, keeps me afloat & keeps me grounded. Guided ones are amazing. Sometimes just rain music helps me connect. Remember, this isn’t about achieving a perfect life of zen but recognizing that things that come our way are invitations to learn and grow. We use the above practices as our trusted toolbox and our safety nets as we forge ahead, creating a life we love, a life we show up in, despite its challenges. Finally, what advice would you give to readers who are feeling a bit lost at the moment? I would say recognize where you are and try to be fully compassionate and kind to yourself in that place. There is no point in chastising yourself or beating yourself up over things, especially your feelings. Once we embrace them, we can fully express them and begin to heal them. I would also say try and find your joy in that day. Whether that is a cup of coffee, fresh flowers, or a walk-in nature, think about your joy and chase it. It is a feeling that will keep you going in these turbulent times. Follow Chantelle on Instagram and visit her website for more info!

Written by: Tanya Slater, 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. That should be a family affair. With more money, good people can do more good work in the world. With more money, women could do even more good work in the world. Therefore, in some ways, those with wealth are the caretakers of the world, are they not? Can you imagine a world with millions more female caretakers? This idea was shared with me a few years ago at a public speaking workshop, and it was the start of me changing my own self-limiting beliefs around money. Many female entrepreneurs struggle with charging for their work and services because of a deep-rooted lack of clarity, focus, time, energy, headspace, and confidence, resulting in that stupid imposter syndrome taking front and center stage. Does this sound familiar? Let’s explore a possible root cause of this other, ongoing global pandemic and a solution that is starting to empower women. I believe that most women do not yet have an equal opportunity to men to start, grow and run their own business because of the outdated and archaic conditioning in most western societies around the globe that the home and most family affairs are the woman's responsibility. That, even in homes where the men are supportive, open-minded, new-age , and are generally more active than most in the keeping of the house, there is still this underlying story that their business or work is more important than the women. Is it their lack of feelings of responsibility for the smooth running of the home and family that aids their levels of clarity, focus, self-confidence, and business success? Conversely, is a woman’s inbuilt sense of responsibility for everything, which contributes to her experiencing severe lack in some if not all these much-needed attributes to run a successful business? Since the beginning of the global pandemic, I have been running my Home Clearing Clubs and now know it is possible home by home, family by family, to change this narrative. Not surprisingly, it is always women who sign up for my courses as they still shoulder the responsibility. However, they fast learn that it is possible to find their voice in the home, get better at setting and maintaining boundaries and build their confidence to create a more fair and equal home dynamic by going through this simple clearing process. Female entrepreneurs owe it to themselves to make a stand for change and equality and lead the way and teach both their male partners and their children that a home should be everyone’s responsibility, not just hers. All that is needed is better communication and understanding between the whole family, resulting in both adults of the home enjoying business/career success and all the benefits that brings to their life and family. If you are interested in exploring this topic further with me or would like to take the first step to change the story in your own home, I am personally inviting you to join my next Home Clearing Club starting May 5th, 2021. Places are limited to ensure those invested get everything they are looking for. If you’re not quite ready to jump in, why not join my FREE Clarity and Confidence Clearing Club Challenge to come and meet me, talk some more, and gain an insight into the power of creating a home environment that works for you and your family. I’m not for a minute saying this is the case for everyone before you feel like shouting at me that I’m wrong. If this is not your reality, I am genuinely happy for you, but I know it is, for so many incredible women who could be running the most amazing and impactful businesses, if only they had a fair chance. Perhaps if you have found true equality in your home, you may like to join me in helping to change this story for those who haven’t yet? I would love to hear your own thoughts on this topic as I am on a mission to use my voice, knowledge, experience, and my Home Clearing Clubs to change the landscape and this narrative helping women around the world find their voice and make an impact they are truly capable of. Follow Tanya on Instagram and join her free private community, The Curious Souls Life Clearing Club . You can also check out her website . Read more from T anya ! Tanya Slater, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine UK-based home-educating mum, Tanya Slater, spent a decade decluttering her home and her entire life. In doing so, she overcame her crippling mental health and improved her human experience exponentially. The Girl Who Simplified condenses 40 years of life challenges, learning, and experience and is now a work of passion transforming people’s lives with her proven transformation formula and simplify to succeed message. Tanya currently teaches busy women how to control their homes to take control of their lives better. It’s best described as well-being, confidence, clarity, life, family, relationship, mental health, and business coaching all rolled into one and uniquely disguised as a home clearing course to make positive and lasting change. It’s magic! Born out of lockdown, Tanya’s Home Clearing Club method is a 49-day online course that gently guides students week by week, room by room around their home to remove all their excess ‘stuff.’ Very quickly, everyone starts to understand how the things they have accumulated over the years have been holding them back and adding to their overwhelm and exhaustion.

Written by: Phyllicia LaToya Love, Love! LOVE! We all seem to have various reactions and understandings of what “love” really is. When thirty people were asked, “What is the definition of love?”, no two answers were the same. In addition, most responses were emotional or relational. Well… Love is so much more than that! What many perceive as “love” are actually “acts of love.” An act of love could be anything from a smile to kind gestures to a thoughtful gift or sacrifice and could be directed at another person or yourself (which many would consider being “self-love” – I’ll save that explanation for another day). But the reality is, the act of love is supposed to be the final expression of a much deeper relationship with Love itself. Initially, this relationship with Love was supposed to be unconscious. Much like we are in an unconscious relationship with air in order to process it into our lungs so that we can breathe, Love was meant to operate in the same way, except to be processed into our hearts to act as a guide and help us establish a deeper connection with everything around us. Unfortunately, Love doesn’t quite fit on the periodic table, nor is it something that has been easily explained in depth (until now). Because love has been such a mystery, human nature’s “logic” often kicks in, which tends to define things in the way that makes the most “sense.” Here’s the thing, Love existed long before we did. This actually makes Love a natural resource that we can tap into and access for the benefit of humanity (just like we do the water or the sun, etc.). Love is always there, and there is nothing our species can do to eliminate the existence of Love. So, we might as well embrace it and learn to maximize its use for the betterment of our lives! So, are you ready for the official definition of love (unofficially)? Here it is: Love is the natural resource and process of all things good and just. Now that love has been established as a natural resource, what about the rest of it? Love is “a process of all things good and just”?... Really? Absolutely! All things good come from Love, and that includes things that are fair. Love has a way of working things out for the benefit of everyone involved. This is where the common understanding that ‘love conquers all’ comes from – if given the right opportunity to work, Love really does set all wrongs right (in the most beautiful way)! For more info, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit my website! About the Author Phyllicia LaToya has unlocked love’s truth and specializes in using Love’s navigational system to help people get from where they are, to where they are destined to be! She literally wrote the book [on], “Life’s Original Strategy”. After a suicide attempt at the age of 5 and a remarkable encounter with Love that saved her, Phyllicia dedicated her life to learning everything she could about this transforming Love and created for herself a “Lifestyle Designed by Love”. Since then, she has innovated strategies, resources, and businesses to help bring the Love that is ‘all things good and just’ to the world! Are you ready to “Change Your World With Love”?