Recovering from the corporate people pleaser life, Kristen Kubik has been an entrepreneur since 2016. She opened a small freelance business creating branding for small businesses on Etsy. She then started mentoring Etsy shop owners to grow their businesses — transition to their own websites, grow their audiences on social media, and take their side-hustle to a full-time income. Realizing the impact and the importance of her work, Kubik started her podcast, As Told Unfiltered, to reach a wider audience. She talks about the real experiences of being an entrepreneur while providing tips and tricks to expand business and manage all of the energetic obstacles that come with it. Kristen dedicates her time to help women create the life of their dreams that isn’t reliant on anybody else. Who is Kristen Kubik? Well, I’m the chick with the tattoos and pink hair! I’ve always strived to have fun in whatever I do, and it shows in almost everything. I’m a multi-passionate entrepreneur, podcast host, aspiring author, and business growth mentor and mindset creator. I’m a Sagittarius Sun, Leo Moon who loves to travel, and I’m married to my best friend. We live in a crazy house with our best friends as roommates, so life is never boring. I’m an EDM-loving, festival-going powerlifter, fur mom, and wineo. What exactly is a business growth mentor and mindset creator? A business growth mentor is someone who helps you skyrocket your business to the goals you want to achieve but maybe haven’t quite figured out how to get there or why you haven’t gotten there yet. My job is to help rein in all of the craziness in your brain and simplify it to create functional systems, strategies, products, launches, or whatever else that I see you’re needing. Mindset creation is something that we tend to overlook because we get so into our own thoughts, our anxieties, and our egos. It’s getting out of all of the mind chatter and into our bodies so that you can connect with yourself and your intuition to create your own reality and your own thoughts in a much healthier way. How does mindset creation go with business growth? A lot of the time, when we’re working on growing our businesses, we get stuck and can’t figure out why. Or we have so many ideas that we don’t know where to start, so we just don’t do anything. Or even worse, we get stuck because we’re talking ourselves out of things. All of this (usually) has to do with our mindset — what we’re telling ourselves versus what we should or could be telling ourselves. We tend to have a picture of where we think we should be versus where we actually are and how fast the journey should be, what the journey should be like, and so on. But putting this type of pressure on ourselves is what actually holds us back because we’re not able to create to our fullest potential. We’re not able to put out the courses, the products, the services to the best of our abilities. This is where I come in. I’m here to help you reframe everything you’re already thinking or telling yourself — because I’ve been there. I’ve dealt with it. And because you’re not alone. My biggest goal is to help you simplify your own thoughts to use them in the best way possible to help you grow and help you create and skyrocket your business past the moon and into the galaxy. What do you do when you work with your clients? Every client is different, so what we do tends to be a little different. It all revolves around expanding their business — whether it’s in the first year or two, stuck in a specific income range, unable to get past a certain amount of sales, or having trouble utilizing social media. We also work on content, graphics, websites, and social media profiles. What is one of the biggest challenges your clients face? One of the biggest challenges I see my clients face is feeling like they have to be on a certain social media platform, and that isn’t the case. I tend to work on most with a lot of my clients because we get to choose where we want to show up, where we put our energy. Take this past client of mine: She had a Facebook group, and she hated it. She barely put her energy into it, and in return, barely saw any engagement or sales. So I asked her flat out, “Where do you want to be? Where do you want to be posting, putting your energy, and showing off your products?” Her answer? “Instagram. But I’m scared that my photos aren’t good enough.” We had a whole session about how while, yes, Instagram is a visual platform. It’s also possible to post and have fun and still attract your ideal audience. Ever since then, she’s been all over Instagram. On her feed, in her stories, tagging markets she’s attending, being tagged in photos, etc. This thought process that we have to be everywhere or even just in places we don’t want to be because: a) everyone else is doing it or; b) that’s what we feel we should be doing isn’t the way to run our businesses. The reason we became entrepreneurs is to run our businesses in a fun way that aligns with us, and that’s what I’m helping my clients do. If you had one piece of advice for entrepreneurs, what would it be? My best piece of advice is to just do it YOUR way! Stop trying to be her/him/them. Stop doing things you don’t want to. Stop being who you don’t want to be or who you aren’t. It’s not necessary. You are enough, and the world needs YOU. You can follow Kristen on Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, and visit her website for more information!

Written by: Veronica Sanchez De Darivas, 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 title of this article speaks for itself. It is a sentence by H. E. Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche. Peace is a word known by everyone, is a state desired by all of us, however many times, it seems to be far away, especially in places where war and violence are the norm. I always want to feel the weight of peace within my heart, don’t you long for the same? This deep wish was probably one of the triggers that led me to connect with the Universal Peace Sanctuary project and with whom is leading it. I have been listening to Rinpoche’s teachings, and I kindly asked him to answer a few questions which now I would like to share with you. The answer to my first question is a lesson of humility in itself. It reminded me of a similar answer by my spiritual teacher Fresia Castro, “it is the Source in me doing its job through me; the message is more relevant.” Who is His Eminence Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche? It is not easy to say. In one sense, as human beings, we are constantly undergoing ceaseless transformation and change. So perhaps it is best not to dwell too much on who we are in a conditional sense or where we have been habitually. I remember many of my own teachers who never had much desire to say about themselves. I feel that the message is much more important than the messenger. Your Eminence, you are on a quest to build a Universal Peace Sanctuary in Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha. Could you tell us more about this project? In 2013, the Nepalese government entrusted my charitable organizations in the United States and Asia to develop a “temple of peace” in Lumbini, Nepal, the birthplace of the Buddha and UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE. As Queen Maya Devi accepted her role as a mother seriously and with unconditional love, she sacrifices her life by giving birth to Prince Siddhartha, who was born in Lumbini. Since he later attain enlightenment under the Boddhi tree and now Buddha is considered the apostle of peace, there is no place on earth that is better suited to serve as a radiant beacon, inspiring and guiding individuals, communities, and nations towards peaceful co-existence and reconciliation. This is the Buddha’s living message of how to reveal the peace that dwells within the human heart to radiate into the world. So one could say that the message of peace was “born” in Lumbini, now Lumbini is the fountain of peace. Why is it important to build this Sanctuary? How is it going to benefit humanity as a whole? Today, it appears that conflict is increasing everywhere around the world. There is more unease and anxiety than ever before. Therefore, we really need to focus on what is possible in terms of finding inner peace, the wisdom and compassion that is innate within each of us. This begins with each individual, and then we can begin to work together to foster peaceful interaction within communities and among nations. I like to say, “Let’s make peace more fashionable than war.” First, we need to have less war within ourselves—less inner conflict and struggle—and then we will experience more harmony with others. In this sense, I have a vision to create a peaceful destination for every peace lover around the world. Like the world economic forum, we are creating the world peace forum in Lumbini. This will generate prosperity locally and bring peace around the world. The Peace Sanctuary design is full of symbolism. Who is the designer, and what does it mean? The design was the result of collaboration between myself and the renowned German architect, Prof. Stephan Braunfels. First, I had a vision of how the sanctuary would appear and what it would represent. This vision took form when Prof. Braunfels rendered the design. The principal symbol in the sanctuary design is the lotus flower. The lotus grows in the mud but rises in the warmth and sunlight, to blossom as a most beautiful flower. The lotus flower represents the purity and perfection of spiritual awakening and enlightenment. What is your definition of peace? Peace is a state of natural ease, the perfect state of equanimity. Finding ease is a process of realizing peace within. If one only depends on outer circumstances, it is difficult to find peace because everything outside of oneself is conditional and always subject to change. One knows ease when one can have peace of mind in all circumstances—good and bad, happy and sad. Here you find liberation from the concept of duality. How can we start living a life of peace? Perhaps it is as simple as pausing for a while and feeling your breath. Breath is the most natural thing. We don’t have to think, we don’t have to plan, and we don’t have to act to breathe. It just naturally happens. To have this ability to rest in it naturally, to let go of habitual control and allow things to take their course, is a very good start. In your book Living Fully, finding joy in every breath, you talk about the compassionate heart, could you please let us know a bit more about this concept? To give birth to a compassionate heart, one needs wisdom. When we look within, we begin to see how we create suffering for ourselves by conditioning everything. We tend to be selfish and habitually care more for ourselves than we do for others. We struggle with discursive thoughts and disturbing negative emotions. Wisdom sees how no one is immune to this kind of suffering. Therefore our priority is to actualize the awareness of nowness. With this understanding, why would anyone want to cause suffering for others? Why would you want to harm anyone? The Universal Peace Sanctuary will honor the Sakyamuni Buddha, the apostle of peace, his mother, Queen Mayadevi, symbol of unconditional love, and all mothers of the past, present, and future whose care for their children exemplify the love and compassion that is the source of all peace, within and without. How can people contribute to the building of the sanctuary? One could begin by having an aspiration for peace and offering a prayer for peace. In Buddhism, we say that one should begin with pure intention. So there is a sense of wishing that all beings actualize peace and be free from suffering. It is an unconditional aspiration for all humanity. I often say that we are not only building a sanctuary in Lumbini. We are also building sanctuaries of peace and understanding within our own hearts. In our fundraising, we say that everyone can offer as little as one dollar, one rupee, or one euro towards the sanctuary's completion. I feel that it would be easy to offer just one dollar unconditionally without any attachment. That would be a pure offering. The Buddha says that it is not the size of a gift but the spirit in which it is given. People often ask me what they can do to support the sanctuary. I tell them that this is not Rinpoche’s project; this is everyone’s project! If you see something worthy here, if you would like to contribute to a more peaceful and compassionate world, then you are welcome to join in this worthy endeavor. I would like to see everyone becomes a stakeholder of this historic peace project. May everyone feels the ownership of this project. Together, let’s make peace our priority. For more information, please visit peacesanctuary.org. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and visit my website for more info! Read more from Veronica! Veronica Sanchez De Darivas, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Veronica Sanchez De Darivas is an expert in inner-self intelligence techniques. She shares tools on how to manage stress and negative emotions and on how to use high vibration words. Veronica is a Spanish grammar and literature teacher. During the last ten years, she has dedicated herself to spirituality. She is a Certified Instructor for the Cyclopea Method of Internal Activation of the Pineal Gland (Third Eye), a method created in South America 30 years ago by the spiritual leader Fresia Castro. Veronica is currently the only instructor in the world teaching this life-changing method in English. Veronica is also a number one bestselling author. She has been writing for many years for online magazines and blogs in Spanish and English. Veronica is both a Chilean and an Australian citizen now living in the UK. Her mission is the expansion of consciousness.

Written by: Jo Uff, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. "If I asked you to name all the things your love, how long would it take for you to name yourself?" I heard this from a friend some time ago, and it really made me think. So many of us have a low sense of self-worth or personal value that we would not even consider naming ourselves as something we love. Yet self-esteem is so important because it completely influences our choices and decisions. Low self-esteem can stop us from being, doing, and having what we want in our life. Why we suffer from low self-esteem Our level of self-esteem, or sense of self-worth, is based on the opinions and beliefs we have about ourselves. Sometimes these beliefs are empowering, however if these beliefs are disempowering, they contribute to a low sense of self-worth. Surprisingly, it only takes two or three pieces of evidence to form beliefs that can remain with us for the rest of our life. Beliefs feel true and real, so we do not think to question them. It is just how it is or who we are. Many beliefs are formed in our early years, between the ages of 0 and 7, when we do not have the ability to believe anything to be untrue. We accept everything at face value, so if someone tells you that you are amazing, brilliant, or kind, you will grow to uphold this belief. Equally, if you are told you are stupid, useless, or not good enough, these beliefs will stick too, even though they are generalizations about the past, which no longer serve you. I often hear my clients saying, “I have low self-esteem,” “I have no self-confidence,” or “I am not good enough.” These identity-level beliefs affect the meaning we give to things and how we behave. They create a self-fulfilling prophecy making it impossible to see things differently. This is because our Reticular Activating System (the part of our brain that heightens our perception and ability to see things) focuses on the things we have strong emotions about. It helps us to notice them more, reinforcing the beliefs we already have. Sometimes, a low sense of self-worth can begin later in life because of ongoing periods of stress, difficult relationships, or financial difficulty. These opinions and beliefs can feel equally as difficult to change. How you can begin to boost your self-esteem When we have a low sense of self-worth or believe we are not good enough, finding ways to boost self-esteem can feel hard. Here are five ways you can begin discovering the amazing person you are. 1. Acknowledge how you are feeling Be aware of how you feel. Take time to label the feeling and the emotions. Define what, specifically, is making you feel this way and process your thoughts properly. We often find our heads are like a tangled ball of wool, with too many thoughts, meanings, and questions competing for space. 2. Focus on what you want Having clear outcomes is an effective way to begin making changes in your life. Take the time to define what you want to be, do and have. Dare to daydream, seeing how life is once you feel great about yourself and have everything you want. If that feels difficult, start identifying what you don’t want and then consider what you do want instead. 3. Forgive yourself for past mistakes Let go of any guilt you have about things that have happened and learn from your past experiences. Everything we experience in life is helping us to change and grow. Allowing yourself to accept the past will free you up to focus on the now and the future. 4. Keep your love and belonging and significance buckets full Identify the things which make you feel loved and feel good about yourself. Make a list, and then look at how you can include them in your daily routines. Finding supportive people to connect with can be beneficial, as isolation often increases the feeling of low self-worth—mindfulness and meditation work for many people, helping to turn off the unhelpful chatter in their heads. Daily affirmations are a great way to boost your mood and outlook about who you are and what you can achieve. 5. Find gratitude in your life today Remember to enjoy what you have right now. I know this can be difficult when you don’t feel great about yourself. Take time each day to make a list if that helps. Jot down whatever comes to mind, however big or small. So, go ahead, give your self-esteem a boost this week and experience the difference it makes. Follow me on Facebook , LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Jo Uff, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jo has been coaching and leading individuals and teams to achieve successful, transformational change since 2007. Following a 30-year career within corporate organisations across a variety of sectors, Jo established her own coaching business, dedicated to strengthening positive mindset and wellbeing. She is a certified NLP Master Practitioner and Coach. Having overcome her own struggles, she is passionate about the importance of good psychological wellbeing and helping people to rediscover joy and embrace life as an adventure. As a mum to two teenagers, Jo appreciates the challenges of juggling a career, alongside raising a family. She enjoys running regularly to support her overall well-being. As a personal wellbeing coach, Jo helps women to feel positive, confident, and full of energy, so that they can be, do and have more of what they want in their personal and/or professional life. She does this by working as their guide to alter the beliefs, behaviors and values that are disempowering and no longer serve them. Jo continues to work with organizations as a business coach and mentor, empowering individuals and teams to increase performance, achieve goals, and overcome challenges affecting their wellbeing and success.

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. As a business coach, you might expect me to write about something like the three steps to engaging social media content or the five ways to increase your revenue now, and I could write on all of those things. But, the biggest difference you can make to expand your wealth is to step into joy so that you can become magnetic to your clients. I find that entrepreneurs hold back from experiencing joy because they get caught in the hustle cycle. They don’t know which actions to take, so they take all of them. The real key to moving your business forward is actually doing less but having the actions you do to be aligned . This is the part where I tell you why I am writing about joy. When you are living in joy, you have more brain space, and it will be relaxing. When you have this space and relaxation, the aligned ideas will come to you automatically. The secret to expand your wealth is to find joy . So let’s dive into, shall we? In this short article, we take a look at joy, what it really is, and how you can capture a big bright bubble of it for yourself and get on with being magnetic to your soulmate clients and therefore expand your wealth, and the difference you are making in the world. Before we begin, I want you to take a wee moment to stop right now. Really stop; relax all your limbs, let your brow unfurrow, and your eyes relax, then take a deep breath. All the way down to your toes, really fill up the lower part of your lungs and then let the breath out fully and completely. Feel better? I am guessing your reply is a resounding yes, but why does that simple exercise make you feel better? Mindfulness. Arghh, that catchphrase, mindfulness, I know I feel the same way! Mindfulness is just a trendy word for something which has always been around, the sabbath day for reflection, the 60s ‘living for this moment’, yogis in caves. I am sure you can add at least 20 other examples too. It has literally been around for decades, espoused by every guru on the circuit, and is included in nearly every health and lifestyle book on the bookshelf today. Yet, there is a valid reason we chase this elusive and fleeting mindfulness moment. It is because that moment of true awareness and connection is where the joy is. Real joy. Not a moment of satisfaction, a feeling of contentment, or a warm glow. I am talking full wattage glee . You know what I mean, right? That feeling that you are a helium balloon that might just spontaneously combust at any moment. Yet even with all these new ways to obtain mindfulness, why oh why is it so hard to capture and implement? What if we are trying too hard and missing the point? What if we are trying to be perfect — seeking the next best tool, finding a secret key to power us forward, looking for the one little pill that will cure us indefinitely? Can we finally experience joy? What if mindfulness is really just the first step on the highway to joy? Now that could be exciting, right? The missing puzzle piece? I propose that joy is just a few steps away, and the best news is you don’t need the next shiny new thing because; “You already have everything you need inside you right now to be full of joy, to be whole, perfect, and complete.” Now go back and read that again. It is important. You already have everything you need. You are enough. Are you ready to take mindfulness to the next step — pure joy? If you are ready to experience joy, then read on. I have some easy ideas for you that might be just what you have been waiting for. They have worked for hundreds of my clients too. Note: A person may experience joy at any moment. It is a moment; embrace that moment for what it is. Emotions and states of being, flux and flow, and that is all part of life — remember to count your blessings of joy where they find you. It was really tricky to settle on just three things for you to try. There are so many great ideas that will take you beyond mindfulness and into joy. But ultimately, my clients experience the most intense joy when they find themselves in one of these states — contribution, connection, authenticity, and so these are the foundation for the following joy exercises. Joy Exercises Contribution. There is nothing as euphoric as the feeling that you have made a deep difference in the world. But it is not necessarily what you might think. When we think of contributing, our minds might flit to serving others, giving things, money, time, love. Looking deeper, contribution makes a real difference in the world, and giving is only a fragment of that. Let’s look at ‘teaching a person to fish’ — are we contributing to the person by gifting them fish or by empowering them to provide for themselves? What would make the biggest difference to that person? Okay, your turn. What can you do today to empower someone to show up more powerfully and authentically? Could you let your two-year-old make their bed, so they feel a sense of pride? Could you make an offer to your tribe for a brand new challenge to empower them? Give it a try, and I bet you get to a state of joy! Connection. Connecting to another person is powerful stuff, and real connection requires understanding. I am not talking about empathy, empathy can mean taking on others' feelings, and that won’t necessarily lead you to joy. I am talking about ‘understanding,’ really ‘hearing’ a person. Bear with me because you need to understand this to make this work. What you give a person by hearing them, really understanding them, is a sense of validation. Wouldn’t that be nice? To feel validated? YES PLEASE! So how can you make another person feel validated today? Could you put a thank you note in a lunch box? Could you write the 3 things you love most about a person on their mirror for them to find later? Authenticity. Joy is knowing who you are and loving all parts of yourself. Sounds really hard, doesn't it? And it is! But we can make the steps small. When you show up as you, bald-faced, real you, you feel powerful, you feel alive, and you will experience joy. But how can you be authentic? How can you be truer to yourself? Could you share your secret life goal with a friend today? How about saying no to an event that really isn’t you? How about saying yes to work that floats your boat? If you would like to explore the energetics of sales and stepping fully into client magnetism, then aligned action is where it is all at — and luckily for you, you are now one step closer to that place. If you would like to hear more about aligned actions, I would love to join Inspiration From Sparkle Nation, a free weekly newsletter that expands on systems for success, the energetics of sales, and success mindsets. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Michelle Clarke, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Michelle is an energy maverick, public speaker, author, and coach who is 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 mould, unleash your true self and sparkle like the leader you are born to be. Michelle is committed to working with women especially 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: Melia Diana, 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. God had to break me to build me up the way intended.... I was saved one time before, but not truly walking the walk with Jesus. Still diving in lustful pleasure of the world. I was a baby Christian searching for spiritual milk and made plenty of mistakes. I didn't understand my mission in the earlier stages of my walk with Him. I continued to live blinded by the enemy and embraced secular views. Yet, His healing brought restoration to my soul. How did I do this? I gave Him my heart, mind, and soul. Not just some of me. A speck of me. I gave God “ALL” of me! It was not until I left a very toxic relationship with a man that my entire trajectory changed for me. This was a vital moment in my life when I was tired of doing it my way, which was not getting me… anywhere. I was tired of living off my emotions and feelings that left me feeling unworthy and undervalued. Something had to change. The something was me! I had to stop blaming others and take full accountability for myself and my choices. Does this sound familiar? This took a second time to the altar, my friends! Just because we are saved life does not turn into sunshine and rainbows. This is a deep stretching process. A pruning process that hurts because purging anything yuck in our soul is a brutal transformation. We will not always get it right- it’s not about perfectionism. It’s about a Vertical Relationship with Jesus as He starts bringing you closer to Him and opening your blinded eyes to His truth. Did God ever pick you to do something you were not fully equipped to do? I bet. Over the last 7 years, the Lord has been truly pruning and plucking me to become a revitalized woman in Christ. To become His follower, to get closer to Him in ways that I never imagined. Over the years, my relationship with Jesus started to flourish. I began to hear His gentle whispers. He started to speak to me through His Word, people, songs, and dreams. I had to be careful because these whispers were not always from God. I heard the devil’s lies. That snake tried to manipulate me. The enemy prowls around like a lion looking to devour. (See 1 Peter 5:8). Guess what? I had a prophetic gift, but had no idea how to utilize it. After leaving this dead-end relationship, I was told to leave my job by God. I was stripped financially, emotionally, mentally, and physically. He literally laid me out on my feet to listen to Him. Not going to lie… it was the most difficult year of my life, but I trusted God, not knowing the outcome. He was positioning me for a God-led mission to a faith-filled testimony! More to be revealed on the Podcast. Check out some episodes on — The Vertical Relationship Show on iTunes and my website. Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest and check out my website and YouTube channel! Read more from Melia! Melia Diana, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Melia is an International Best-Selling Author, Certified Christian Counselor, Award-winning Contributing Writer, Relationship & Dating Coach, Trainer and Podcaster. She has spent over 14 years in medical and fitness field, as a Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant, Certified ACSM Personal Trainer and Personal Training Specialist, completing numerous certifications. But it doesn’t stop there! Melia’s extensive certifications and background led her to utilize her faith, knowledge, experience and personal development to brand and design her own Signature Coaching Programs. She developed a unique methodology to help clarify the missing links and identify core root problems hindering God’s best. She takes her clients through a one-on-one transformational healing journey, guided by the Holy Spirit, for restoration of their hurting soul and removal of toxic wound patterns. With a godly approach, she helps Christian women to break soul barriers and have loving relationships they’ve always desired. She is faith-based author of Vertical Relationship: 4 Steps To Salvation & Getting Right With God and International Best-Seller of Overcomer: Redeemed Masterpiece, where she wrote “7 Keys To Finally Have a Godly Man.” Melia’s podcast is called The Vertical Relationship Show, inspired by her heartfelt book. Her topics include godly relationships, marriage, dating, inner healing, and fitness & health from a Kingdom mindset perspective. Learn how to heal “God’s Way” and cultivate thriving relationships with others, yourself, and most importantly-Jesus! She sprinkles God’s Word in her podcast to reveal His truth with no fluff. God’s mission for Melia, is to help lost souls find true healing to cultivate fruitful relationships. With her God-given spiritual gifts, Melia desires to genuinely encourage and inspire others to heal through the love of Jesus Christ. Blessings xo

Written by: Stephanie Reh, 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. Inclusion is a compelling solution to many of our world’s most pressing problems, provided that it is embraced as a shared value and responsibility. I believe much of our societal conflict is a direct result of exclusion experienced personally, and therefore much of the conflict can be resolved on a personal level. People who are purposely left out or not intentionally included - or perceive that either scenario occurred - often conclude the worst about themselves and humanity. Their self-esteem plummets, and they adopt a universal distrust policy to protect themselves from additional pain. They become suspicious of even the most sincere people. Their body language sends the message that they don’t want to be engaged, so people stop trying to interact with them and they feel even more excluded...a self-fulfilling prophecy. These same people typically experience heightened anxiety and depression, and more effort is required to heal them. Some turn to anger, ruminating over being wronged. They can become verbally or physically aggressive, and in the worst-case scenario, exact revenge by taking another’s life. If that’s not bad enough, the target of their rage often isn’t limited to the person(s) involved in the original exclusion. Projection leads to hate and attacks on innocent people. Who doesn’t remember a time when they were left out of a game on the playground? Or not asked to the dance? Or teased because they were different? Or flat-out rejected when they asked to be invited? These experiences sting, and we carry them with us well into adulthood. Even when we think we’ve moved past our past, it often persists in our subconscious. Once scorned, we feel justified in holding a grudge much stronger and much longer than the original incident(s) that offended us. In The Incredibles (2004), Syndrome’s childhood rejection by Mr. Incredible led him on a lifelong pursuit of revenge. The former superfan of superheroes made it his mission to level the playing field so superheroes wouldn’t have an advantage over “normal” people. If we don’t forgive and forget, we can become villains too. I am encouraging forgiveness for sure, but more so, I’m encouraging you to stop the cycle. Don’t exclude someone now because you were excluded then. You’re punishing innocent people who may then punish other innocent people. You’re also punishing yourself by limiting your potential. We all have a desire to feel special, whether we admit it or not. Fulfilling that desire shouldn’t occur at the expense of someone else’s happiness. There is another, better way. A single act of kindness and openness can trigger a domino effect that delivers hope to the discouraged, inspires generosity, changes the trajectory of someone’s life, prevents violence, etc. Imagine what millions of acts of kindness can do! The key here is to have an abundance mindset, not one of scarcity. There is more than enough of everything for everyone: attention, ideas, customers, resources, etc. There is no justifiable reason to hip check people out of the way so we can get what we want. We must challenge the reasons we have for why we allow exclusivity to persist. We cannot pretend that we have others’ best interests in mind when we are really pushing our own agenda. We have to admit our faults and own our motives. That ownership is a cornerstone of personal accountability. We will have to tame our egos to fully embrace inclusivity because it means we can’t do a land grab out of an assumption of entitlement or a feeling of superiority. We have to share. When you give freely, you can freely receive rewards in return. Everyone wins when everyone welcomes each other with open arms, offering and embracing compassion, acceptance, and equal opportunity. Efforts to diversify workforces and other groups often fail because inclusion is not properly addressed - to everyone and by everyone. We cannot only expect corporations, churches, community leaders, etc., to take action. It is everyone’s responsibility to promote and model inclusivity. Every person. Everywhere. Being inclusive doesn’t mean that people who aren’t willing to put in the work should be given the same opportunities as those who make the sacrifices necessary to develop themselves and make increasingly significant contributions to society. Inclusivity means you don’t slam the door in their face. Instead, the doors are open for everyone to participate in a conversation about how to constructively take part in what is going on and how to achieve their goals. In the business world, I want inclusivity to mean all people are welcomed at their point of entry and shuttled to specific resources that will serve them best. New college graduates are given the opportunity to explore different careers to find their best match. Employees who are more established in their careers are encouraged to pivot according to evolving interests rather than pigeonholed according to someone else’s interpretation of where their skills are best put to use. Aspiring entrepreneurs are supported as they experiment and take risks. I want everyone to reach backward to mentor those whose path they’ve already trod, and by doing so, pay it forward. Companies will routinely leverage employee engagement as their most critical asset and reap the rewards in sizable profit. They will reinvest in their employees and their business to ensure they have long-term sustainability. They will generously support their local communities, doing their part to maintain the continuous cycle of giving, receiving, and giving back. Here we’ve imagined a world where inclusivity is embraced as a shared value and a shared responsibility. This is a world where everyone takes it upon themselves to ensure all people are given equal opportunity to thrive. Now that we’ve imagined this world let’s each of us and all of us make it happen. For more info, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit my website! Stephanie Reh, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Stephanie Reh is on a mission to help more people to serve more people. Stephanie’s aim and passion as President & Founder of Accountability Evangelist is to help accountable people achieve their most ambitious goals so that they can happily live a life of fulfillment and make a tremendous, positive impact on the lives of the people they choose to serve. Stephanie’s signature offering for personal transformation is the Focus & Momentum Goal Mastery online group coaching program. For organizational transformation, she specializes in Succession Planning / Leadership Development, Strategic Planning / Goal & Risk Management, and Change Management for Mergers & Acquisitions. Stephanie is an active community volunteer and champion. One of Stephanie’s current priorities is to help build a thriving, diverse, and inclusive entrepreneurial community in Western New York State, USA.

Written by: Emily Brant, 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 word itself feels heavy and full of significant meaning. Over...whelm. Above and beyond your usual level of thought. Too much. Too many. Too strong. Too close. Blindingly close, in fact. The saying “you can’t see the wood for the trees” epitomizes overwhelm perfectly. Overwhelm affects us all. Even experts on the subject will, from time to time, feel the familiar brain fuzz that slows us down, making a mockery of our focus and allowing our inner guests to awaken, gently tapping on our shoulder, to let us know that they are here and ready to take over. Preventing us from acting or reacting as we would when permitted to think clearly. To be overwhelmed means to feel smaller than the problem that has been presented. That, in and of itself, becomes more prevalent than the original problem. But overwhelm, whilst it can feel very real, is only as powerful as the energy that we give it. Think of it this way. Overwhelm sneaks up on us unexpectedly. One minute you are happily working from home and looking at your plan for the week ahead. The next, there are papers everywhere, nothing makes sense, and you’ve run your hands through your hair so much that you resemble one of the girls from Bananarama. But much like the monster under the bed, overwhelm only has power when acknowledged and given into. I have devised four simple steps to overcome overwhelm and stop it in its tracks. Just remember to STOP. S: Separate yourself from the original problem. It is not you. You are not it. It is how you see the problem causing you difficulty, not the content of the problem itself. T: Take the time to breathe and momentarily step away. Purposefully and slowly. Inhale cool, fresh, calm oxygen. Feel the air enter through your nose and fill your lungs. Know that you are being nourished from within and feel every part of your body benefit. Exhale fraught, tense, hot CO2 and feel the overwhelm leave. Breathe it out. Repeat for as long as necessary. O: Open your mind and allow yourself to see the result rather than the problem at hand. What will it look like once you’ve finished the task? Other than you, who will it benefit and affect? See it in sparkling Disneyesque color. See the rewards and the advantage. Plan, see, and feel the celebration (YES, even if it’s just cleaning the fridge). P: Purposefully take action. Do one thing towards creating the result. And once you’ve taken that step, take the next. Slowly and with intent. Follow this process, and you will prevent overwhelm from taking over your life (or the moment), bringing you back to a place where you can work with focus and creative energy. The next step is to look at why overwhelm occurred. Who are your guests, and what do they need to sit back down and let you run the show? For more info, follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn and visit my website ! Emily Brant, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Emily Brant is a passionate and dedicated Coach. One of her "superpowers" is her refusal to be restricted by what others have deemed within her ability. Emily loves to break down barriers both within and for others. She sees the "awesome" in everyone , and is able to authentically show each of her clients their personal power within. She says "these personal mini revolutions are where the transformations are found". Emily believes in true love, harmony and living without negative anxiety. She has made it her life's mission to show as many people as she can, that they can have it all!

In celebration of Women’s Month, Nutricraft co-founder Miss Judith Viado recently joined Doctor Iris Radev of The Filipino Success Movement to share her life story and how she started Nutricraft Cookware, and what it means to be a Filipino entrepreneur making waves in the world. Judith’s success journey was an uphill climb. She wasn’t born with a silver spoon. Being the eldest among her siblings, Judith had to sacrifice a lot of things. This meant having to set her dreams aside so her siblings could also have an education, which later pushed Judith to move to Australia in 1995. Things didn’t start easily when she moved to Australia, but Judith knew that if she wanted to have a better life, she couldn’t rely on anyone else but herself. She was working in aged care and washing dishes on the side. She would even walk everywhere because, at the time, she didn’t have a car. She then started working more jobs and utilizing a lot of free resources provided by the Australian government. She would sign up to free seminars, read free reading materials, and eventually sign up to free educational programs. She was balancing studying, working 2 to 3 jobs at the time, and continuously volunteering to take care of the blind. Before she knew it, she finished her diplomas in Accountancy and Financial Services, without spending a cent. With her goal of always putting her family first, she was able to help her family in the Philippines put up multiple businesses, including a video rental shop and a restaurant. Life may not have been easy, but Judith surely didn’t let her past conquer her present. She made sure that she didn’t succumb to each challenge that life threw at her. Even after starting her own family, life didn’t get easier. Her family life consisted of plenty of trips to the hospital because her husband and children had a number of consistent health complications. This forced her to put her background in biology to good use. Factor in having an inquisitive nature that resulted in about 15 years worth of research which narrowed down the culprit for Judith’s family’s health issues —their cookware. This is where Nutricraft Cookware’s story started. It was born at 3 am, between a conversation with Judith and her husband over losing interest in her previous businesses. Considering their family’s medical history and the amount of research they did, Judith and her husband started Nutricraft Cookware in 2019 with an advocacy to share with the world. She wanted the world to know that she’s not just here to sell cookware; she’s here to educate people about the benefits of non-toxic cooking. In just a matter of two years, Judith has easily reached the point of saying no to possible distributors. She reiterates that her journey hasn’t been easy, but it has allowed her to learn so much. Her advice to fellow Filipino entrepreneurs is to do everything in goodness and kindness. Once you start doing that, good things are going to come your way. It also doesn’t hurt to get yourself a mentor to help you rise. Judith is also a firm believer that you shouldn’t be scared to look back and give back. She’s always looking out for her family and making sure no one gets left behind. When the pandemic started, Judith and her husband weren’t just looking out for their own family’s welfare . They were also looking after their families in the Philippines. Judith and her husband were sending regular allowances to their families in the Philippines so they could survive the pandemic as well. It’s never an easy road once you build a brand from scratch, but when you do, tons of research and a great support system are always two things that will never fail you. Click here to watch the whole interview. Follow Judith on Facebook , Instagram and visit her website for more information! Read more fro m Judith !

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. Have you ever heard the quote, “your vibe attracts your tribe?” If you ever feel as though you are in a rut when it comes to your vision of life or not achieving the goals you are hoping to achieve, the first thing to do is look at who you surround yourself with. Do the people you spend the most time with inspire you to be your best you? Do they help lift you and guide you to the next step on your journey? Or do they hold you back and make you question your goals and ambitions? Motivational speaker John Rohan says, “You are an average of the five people you spend the most time with.” If you want to change the situation you are in, the first step is to change who you surround yourself with. Take a tough look at the people you spend the most time with. If you have big aspirations, it may be time to seek out others who also do. When I was a new mom, all of my close friends were new moms. They were my tribe. It was a great tribe, and I am super grateful for having that tribe at that time. As time passed, I began to realize I had bigger aspirations and goals. I finished my Masters Degree while working full-time and in the middle of a divorce, and I found myself not really “vibing” with the tribe I had previously enjoyed so much. I was soul searching and had so many goals and ideas in my head but did not know where to start. As I began my journey to achieve my goals, amazing new people started popping into my life and becoming my new tribe of entrepreneurial women who aimed high and did not let having a family or a divorce stop them from their aspirations. These are the people who became my new tribe. As I started to change my vision and what I wanted to attract into my life, the people in my life changed too. Have you ever met someone and just felt completely inspired by them? These are the type of people you want to surround yourself with and become best friends to change your life and achieve your goals. You know those people, the ones who just ooze a confident presence that so many people are in awe of because of how they have built their business or achieved goals beyond what you could possibly fathom in that moment. If you do not know anyone like that right now, don’t worry. They will start popping into your life as you start to change your outlook. When I wrote my first children’s book, my original plan was just to have one copy in my classroom that I would make on my computer and have printed. However, as I was in the process of illustrating the book, I was tagged by a friend in a post on Facebook about a lady looking for an illustrator. While I did not end up illustrating for her, I did learn that she was coaching people how to self-publish on Amazon, so I ended up taking her course. A tag on Facebook was also how I got my first job as an illustrator. Another friend tagged me in a similar post. I did end up illustrating for her. Then oddly enough, her book and my first book were ready to publish in the same month. Once you start taking little steps towards your goals, the right people will show up to help guide and inspire you. Now the people who are closest to me are also people are entrepreneurs and business owners. I have also made connections with amazing people worldwide who are taking daily steps towards their goals while also being single parents or running households. If you had told me 8 years ago that before I was 40, I would have illustrated and self-published 8 children’s books while working full-time and being a single parent, I would have laughed at you and said that is not possible. Yet here I am. If you want something bad enough and start taking action, you will achieve what you never thought was possible. Is there an aspect of your life that you want to change because it is not the space where you dream of being in? Then start taking little steps towards your goals, and the tribe of people you need to surround yourself with will start showing up! 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 own unique creative gifts through connection and mindfulness. Namaste!

Written by: Linda Terjesen, 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 talk to and coach a lot of women on health and fitness. Mainly women who come to me are wanting to lose weight. Unfortunately, many women don’t have a lot of energy. They are literally running on empty, meaning starving themselves. They may do this via Intermittent Fasting (IF) or with very-low-calorie diets, which can be dangerous. This all depends, of course. It depends on age, pre-existing conditions, medical supervision, medications used, side effects from medications, etc. People can lose weight with IF, but there are so many calories one can consume within a certain time period. With IF and low-calorie diets, people typically don’t get enough food variety and nutrients. They may feel satisfied in the moment, but in the long term, it’s not sustainable as the body needs fuel. Without enough calories and proper nutrition, there’s a deficiency with overall vitamins and minerals. People experience various symptoms, including hunger, fatigue, moodiness, nausea, constipation, cramps, diarrhea, brain fog, including headaches, loss of memory, focus and/or dizziness, dry mouth, lack of sleep, anxiety, depression, and more. The metabolism slows down, and it may reduce fertility. There will likely be muscle loss, weakened bones, lower immunity, liver changes, hormonal complications, and blood sugar stability. If weight loss is rapid, the formation of gallstones is another known issue. Also, not all calories are equal in nutrients, and it’s important to nourish the body. If weight is lost during severe calorie and nutrient deficiency, we likely gain back weight quickly. The amount of calories that we need depends on a person’s height, weight, activity level, gender, weight loss goals, and age. I work with my clients to set and change their calories per their needs and goals, and everybody is different. However, my recommendation is to consume at least 1,250 calories daily. The body responds to extreme calorie restriction by entering into survival mode, thus burning fewer calories overall. So if calories are restricted, and weight loss isn’t occurring, this is likely why. If these symptoms are experienced, and guidance is desired, please reach out for help. For more information, follow Linda on Facebook, Instagram and visit her website! Read more from Linda! Linda Terjesen, Executive Contributor BRAINZ Magazine. Linda Terjesen is an International sought-after Certified Nutritionist, Health & Fitness Expert dedicated to helping middle-aged women worldwide build consistency, lose belly fat and boost metabolism to feel and look confident for life with a sustainable, real food approach. After Linda lost her only brother at age 45 to a sudden heart attack, Linda decided to follow her passion for health and fitness and help others live their healthiest life. As a relatable Coach who truly cares about her clients and their success, Linda has served over 100 Clients worldwide, providing a wealth of accountability, support, and education.

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Written by: Kristian Elmefall, 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. Innovation is a complex and broad area. Two categorizations of innovation are whether it is incremental or radical innovation. Incremental innovation means improving and streamlining existing products and processes. It does not have to be new products or processes but can be efficiencies of the existing . Radical innovation means creating new services, products, or new information that can change entire industries. McKinsey's frequently cited study from 2016 shows that the average life expectancy of companies on the US list of the largest listed companies, S&P500, has fallen from 90 years in 1935 to 18 years in 2016. The trend continues, and McKinsey predicts that in 2027, 75 % of all companies on the S&P500 list today have been acquired, merged with another company, or gone bankrupt. The conclusion is that all companies that want to continue to exist must work with both incremental innovation to be profitable now and radical innovation in existing in the future. However, the working methods for incremental and radical innovation differ widely. When working with incremental innovation, you usually already have a lot of knowledge about what to do because there are improvements to existing activities. The risk is, of course, significantly lower, and the path from idea to implementation is short. It gives a quick success for low-hanging fruits. When working on radical innovation, the result is unknown. It is a search for new solutions for customer needs, new markets, or new technologies. Not only is the result unknown, but also the final effect of the result is often unknown. Due to its great uncertainty, the work with radical innovation is very much about reducing the risks. This is done most efficiently through a so-called hypothesis-based approach. Listing which assumptions must be true for the idea to be a successful innovation maps out the project's risks. By obtaining evidence in a systematic way that these assumptions are true, the risk decreases. The result is more successful innovations and less money spent. Resources should be allocated to incremental and radical innovation, respectively, depending entirely on the industry in which the company operates. A rule of thumb can be 90/10. The figure varies. The recommendation tends to be that more resources should be invested in radical innovation as many industries today are in a situation where the central business will change. This article is the last of three. To sum up these three articles, you need to decide. When and where should you work with innovation respectively execute your existing business model? Does your work aim to transform the organization to be more innovative and have the required processes and working methods, or does your work aim to create innovation? When and where do you work to improve and streamline existing products and processes, respectively innovation that creates new services, products, or new information, and how much resources do you devote to each? For more information, visit LEAPS and connect with Kristian on LinkedIn ! Read more from Kristian ! Kristian Elmefall, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Kristian is a Swedish serial entrepreneur and senior management consultant with a double degree in Executive MBA and computer science. Kristian has gathered experience in innovation and business from a large number of industries and companies of all sizes over the last 20 years. As co-founder of the consultant firm LEAPS, is he now helping customers to understand how the industries that the customers are operating in is evolving, how to stay relevant and competitive under those circumstances, and how to set up an innovation process to secure reoccurring innovations in line with the company’s strategy.