Written by: Claire Johnson , 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 you read the word alpha-female, what do you think? Do you envisage a woman at the top of her game, confident in her ability and a force to be reckoned with, or do you find yourself feeling slightly intimidated by this term, do feelings of inadequacy kick in? In my experience as a female empowerment coach, I have found that this description can be very polarizing, some women embrace the term and feel strong and confident to take on the characteristics they associate with being alpha in their world, yet some are also confused by its context and the misconception that being labeled an alpha-female makes you predatory, uncaring and a lone wolf! From my perspective , irrelevant of gender, being alpha means striving to be the best version of yourself, so you are the best in all that you do. By adopting this philosophy and raising your standards, focusing on a path of continued development and progression, you can be confident in your ability to make an impact and add value in your personal life as well as in business. Through my coaching programs, I have seen many women make small changes to create the mindset shifts required to move from ‘I can’t do that to ‘How can I do that?’. Once this new perspective is created, the ripple effect that comes is incredible. I have seen women who were once shy and reserved start to build the confidence in themselves to speak up and take the lead in their workplace and then really progress in their career and with their business goals. The first step to creating this shift is by changing the perception of what being 'alpha-female' means and its associated characteristics. Let’s explore this in more depth. Alpha-females are confident and driven. They know what they want and are prepared to do what it takes to get it. They are emotionally strong yet kind and compassionate. They will lift others whilst staying focused on what makes them happy. They are not afraid to say no or speak up when required. Alpha-females are independent, intelligent, and calculated risk-takers. They dispel the myth that being a strong female means, you dislike men or are pro-feminist. They are pro balance, choice, and equality for all. They are sexy and sassy without being slutty. They are feminine and take pride in their appearance. They are assertive and aware of the impact of their actions, always ready to adapt if required. Being alpha-female means building strong relationships and alliances with those where you can mutually benefit from accomplishing common goals. They are high performers, always highly motivated, and in business can balance their own personal drive with the needs of those around them by mastering the subtle strength of intentional influence to bring out the best in their team. The key to having success within your workplace or business is to use the descriptions given above to identify areas of improvement for yourself. Are you knowingly implementing these attributes already with your colleagues, or could you improve on some of them? Which ones jump out and resonate with you about how you wish to be perceived in the office? Once you have taken the time to honestly self-reflect, you can then take action in these areas. Next time you are in a meeting and have an idea to share, do it! Be brave and start to speak up, sharing your opinions and experience. Assess the interactions you have with the team around you. Are you aware of how to get the best from them? Do you make a positive impression on them? Are you confident in who you are as a person too? Do you look after your health, physical and mental fitness so you can perform at your best? An alpha-female does as she knows if she looks after her body, keeps it fit, and nourishes it correctly, she can achieve her business goals, have the energy required to push through long days, and is healthy to cope with the impact of stress. Plus, why would you not want to feel sexy and feminine, excited to dress for success every day! You cannot expect to think clearly and focus fully if you do not give your body the basics that it needs. This is why one of the first goals for women I work with is to help them achieve success with getting the body they want so they feel confident in their skin, empowered by their achievement, and in control of their health. Hence, they know how to nourish themselves for their lifestyle. Alpha-females have many qualities which help them stand out from the crowd, and you too can develop yours simply by being bold and proactively making it a daily focus to become the changes you want to see. Do take the time to reflect, assess your alpha level, and commit to developing the areas you want to improve. If you already own your alpha-female traits and make no changes, find someone you can help to step into their alpha! I would love to hear from you and learn how working on your alpha-female has impacted you, so be sure to connect with me on Facebook and Instagram . You can also visit my website . Claire Johnson, Executive Contributor, Brainz Magazine Claire is an expert mindset, nutrition and training coach for women, author, TV presenter, expert speaker, and female empowerment mentor. Claire is the CEO of The Naked Warrior, which delivers 3 winning online coaching programs and Founder of The Naked Warrior Tribe online female empowerment community, plus author of two books - The Winning Formula: Discover the Secrets to Unleash Your Alpha-female and The Winning Physique: How to Get the Competitive Edge on Stage.

Written by: Jean Tien, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. You see it advertised everywhere — challenges that promise “30 days to self-love” or even “100 days to self-love.” Magazines and articles sharing the psychology of self-love. Even movies play out the disastrous love lives of those who fall prey to narcissistic lovers. Until one day, they miraculously achieve a state of self-love and find someone who genuinely appreciates their quirky wit and lived happily ever after. The truth is, the way “self-love” is posited in the media — as if it is the outcome of following 10 simple rules, complicated algorithms, and/or expertly created formulas — self-love is, in fact, none of that. Self-love is a concept that is so deep and so powerful that the discovery of it is almost as coveted as the discovery of the Fountain of Youth. Yet, it does not have to be as elusive as the fountain. It is not about the formulas or algorithms, nor about waiting around for the “a-ha” moment. More importantly, it certainly is not about following a set of rigid steps or completing a challenge. Now, don’t get me wrong. Challenges are a great way to initiate a self-love practice, and published articles bring awareness to its importance. But, to truly get to the core of loving yourself, you must first start from within. One cannot truly experience self-love without self-acceptance. Miriam-Webster defines self-acceptance as “the act or state of accepting oneself, the act or state of understanding and recognizing one's own abilities and limitations.“ Simply, acceptance is unconditional, just as love is unconditional. However, as humans, we are entrained to believe that only the good are lovable, and as such, the bad are unworthy of love. We were never taught that the difference between good and bad is artificial, and the rest is perspective. While it is easy to accept the things we judge as good about ourselves, our ability to accept the rest of us challenges our ability to acknowledge ourselves fully. So, how can we start to accept the parts of us that we’ve been taught to self-loathe? If the dichotomy between good and bad is man-made, then how do we start to accept all of us rather than just some parts of us? How do we reconnect with the parts of us that we’ve discarded so that we fit into someone else’s reality? Well, if self-love is stored within, then your answers are there too. Below are 5 self-discovery prompts designed to uncover the obstacles keeping you from loving yourself unconditionally: 1. What stories am I telling myself? Starting from day one of our lives, we’ve been immersed in the stories told by others. As we grow, the stories around us become our own, and we accept these stories as “truth” while the real truth of the matter is that we are all born into this world to create our own stories. When we live by others' stories, we cannot truly accept ourselves because we make ourselves fit into the truth of other people’s stories. 2. Ask, “are these mine or are they someone else’s?” Once you begin to uncover the stories that you are obediently accepting as truth, you can then question whether the stories are yours or others, and if they are others, do you resonate with them anymore? Remember, you have a choice in the stories you tell yourself. When you choose to change your story, your story changes with you, and you become the character on which your story is built. 3. Why am I holding onto this story? Your old stories become your security blankets, and when this happens, it is time to ask how exactly are they serving you? What is it that you are not willing to do by holding onto these old stories? One thing I hear from my clients all the time – they abuse me because they love me. Well, that is certainly an interesting concept, isn’t it? Why not accept the fact that they abuse you because you let them, and you let them because...? This is where we start to uncover the “truths” we tell ourselves as to why we’re not worthy of love, and THIS is where the self-love journey truly begins. 4. Does this story resonate with me anymore? Choose your path forward. You are not beholden to the stories of your past. Each day is a new beginning and a new opportunity to create your story. When you fall, and trust me, you will fall, be kind to yourself and keep going! After 20+ years of holding onto the same story, old habits can stay with us for a while, so remember that each second, minute, hour, and day is a new opportunity to start fresh. 5. What can I create today? Through awareness and acceptance for all of you, there is power. You no longer have to cut yourself off to conform to someone else’s autobiography. So with this power, what will you create today that you’ve never before created? Oh, and don’t worry, for those looking to create a self-love practice – I promise that will come naturally once you start to love yourself because you will start to prioritize yourself and unswervingly do what it takes to take care of your well-being. "The power of true love can only come from within you. Looking for it anywhere else is a waste of time." Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Jean Tien, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jean is an intuitive mindset coach, specializing in working with ambitious, career-driven women, who have already achieved a certain level of success and are now ready to achieve more in life, as well as find balance and fulfillment. She uses her intuitive abilities, as well as her own extensive corporate experience, to help women find their Zone of Genius, fully align with it so they can powerfully bring it into the world.

Written by: Liz Sparkes , 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 inner critic is a common example of an internal archetype that plays out throughout our lives. Seemingly challenging and rather unhelpful at times, the inner critic is considered something to overcome. However, what if I told you that tapping into certain archetypal parts within could be the key to your inner peace. Many scholars have worked with archetypes to encourage healing and harmony within. Jung is possibly the most influential. He mapped out the inner psyche and described the collective unconscious and how it plays out within our internal landscape. More recently, Caroline Myss lists eighty archetypes, including The Alchemist, Wounded Child, Goddess, Healer, Detective, Messiah, Prince, Samaritan, Teacher etc. By acknowledging those who are particularly active for us allows a greater awareness of where balance and integration are needed. As we become more aware of the archetypes that take the stage within us, we can begin to work with the habitual destructive patterns and even hone the archetypes' expertise that support our path. The Alchemist can be pretty handy when going through personal transformation! Becoming a friend to your inner critic and cultivating a loving embrace with that fierce protective part often softens and soothes the hypervigilance. It’s a change that can be quite life-changing for some people. This ‘inner guard’ can be responsible for our internal cyclical struggles and lack of potentially successful risk-taking. Bring in the strong, grounded, loving archetype within, and a balancing of energy begins. Often working with archetypes' concept supports individuals to discover where there is a sense of lack or an extreme trait playing out. There can then be a careful balancing act to allow healing and progression in areas where they previously felt stuck. However, the most valuable backdrop for cultivating our awareness during an exploration of the archetypes is compassion. Tuning the mind and body into a state of peacefulness encourages long-lasting transformation and the path of least resistance. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter and visit my website for more info! Liz Sparkes, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Liz Sparkes is a health psychologist, intuitive coach and meditation and reiki practitioner. After completing a PhD in Pain Psychology and training to facilitate meditation and mindfulness, Liz dedicated herself to helping others feel more empowered and fulfilled. Liz has developed academic and private transformational courses for heart-based living, meditation and compassion, awareness and moon living. Liz works with groups and individuals in workplaces, health settings, charitable organizations and holistic retreats. Liz utilizes a mixture of psychological and ancient spiritual methods for healing and to support living life from the perspective of the heart, gaining greater insight and intuitive trust.

Written by: Patricia Faust, MGS, 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. It is astonishing how the universe pushes you in the direction you need to go! Two fateful weeks in November of 1997, I had two automobile accidents. I was a straight commissioned sales representative for a medical supply company. This job generated quite the income for me, but I had to be on the road making sales to bring in nice commission checks. After two rear-end collisions, my neck and back could no longer tolerate that much time in a car. So, I had a ‘Coming to Jesus’ moment when I realized I could no longer continue to work at that job. In all honesty, I really was looking for an out. The money was too good, and even though it wasn’t my dream job, it wasn’t terrible. It wasn’t bad enough for me just to quit. That mindset made it a little easier to leap into unknown territory, however. During the 1990s, people with dementia were kept in lock-down units. It was a very troubling thing for me to see how they were treated. I decided that I was going to do something to make these people’s lives better. So, I enrolled in the Ohio Academy of Holistic Health to become a certified clinical aromatherapist. Knowing that I would be laughed out of a nursing home when I told them I wanted to make the lives of their dementia residents better through the use of aromatherapy, I also enrolled at Mount St. Joseph University to get a degree in gerontology. While I was there, I used the time to get a Nursing Home Administrator’s license. That gave me some credibility when I started talking about aromatherapy. Then I thought, “what the heck. Let’s keep this education going.” I was offered a place in the Gerontological Studies program at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. There I was in 2004, 52 years old, and a lot of new education under my belt. The problem was, I was met with agism in the field of aging. That crushed me. I had spent five years completely turning my life around. Nursing homes were too worried about getting cited for violations if they used aromatherapy with their agitated dementia residents. Little did I know that I was twenty years ahead of the curve over the acceptance of essential oils as a healing modality. I had to figure out how to get a career going again. Wouldn’t you know it! The Universe steps back into my life, and I found myself at an international Aging conference. This was 2006 and Posit Science, one of the leaders in brain training, introduced a new product – The Brain Fitness Program. Brain science at an aging conference! I visited the booth to find out what changing your brain was all about, and I was hooked. Here was the future as far as I was concerned. I jumped back into the education pool and started learning everything I could get my hands on about the ability to change your brain. It turns out I was about 15 years ahead of the curve as far as getting people to understand that everything starts and stops with the brain. I grew very tired of being ahead of the curve. That didn’t deter my passion for learning about brain aging and brain health. The longer I stayed active in the field, the more I was able to expand my knowledge. This field was so new that discoveries were starting to form and drive the beliefs that we could change our brain. Through neurogenesis (the ability to grow new brain cells) to neuroplasticity (our brain is plastic and continually changes to our environment), relatively new discoveries, I could fashion my own coaching and consulting programs. When the Alzheimer’s Association announced that a brain-healthy lifestyle could PREVENT Alzheimer’s disease, I could barely control my excitement. I felt like I had the secret to longevity with a high-functioning brain. Everyone will want to know about this! They did – people are always interested in this topic. But very few were ready to commit to actually lead the type of lifestyle required to change your brain. There are six main pillars of brain health in the model I normally speak about. They are: Physical Exercise (you grow new neurons when you exercise); Mental Stimulation (use it or lose it, this pillar challenges your brain to make new synaptic connections); Nutrition (you are what you eat and your brain demands are specific); Socialization (connecting with others increases your cognitive skills); Sleep (our memories are consolidated or embedded while we sleep, and we have a cleaning system in our brain – the glymphatic system. It clears neurotoxins, cell debris, and any other brain garbage we might have collected); finally, Stress Reduction (you can see the other parts of the brain-healthy lifestyle, but stress can destroy it all). You need to do all of these steps. They all have a specific job to perform to make your brain function on a younger level. They all work in synergy. This can be a lot to do, and when commitment to leading this type of life looks too overwhelming, people stop doing it. And they stop living this life at the risk of developing Alzheimer’s or dementia. Commitment to being healthy or dementia? I didn’t think this would be such a hard decision, but it is obvious that people think it is too hard. My words became a battle cry to prevent Alzheimer’s, the only terminal disease in the top ten with no effective treatment and no survivors. People want a pill these days, and some predatory supplement manufacturers know that people want the easy way out in taking care of their brains - by just taking a pill. As of now – no pill can prevent or treat Alzheimer’s or other dementias. Where does that leave me and my passion for telling everyone that they can change their brain? Well, I love this stuff. I marvel at the beauty and complexity of the three-pound organ we have sitting between our ears. As time moves on, so many more discoveries are being made to maintain a high-functioning brain throughout our third age. Longevity is not worth anything if our brain isn’t working. The longer I work with the brain, the more I understand how simple tweaks and knowledge can change our lives. The application of brain-health principles, understanding the way the brain ages, developing protocols to incorporate ‘brain at work’ knowledge have opened a whole new world of thinking on many, many levels. I am so fortunate to be a part of this transformation and continue to learn as this field of brain aging, brain health, and brain function reaches new heights of changing the way we live and how we live. What is the state of brain aging, brain health, and brain function now? This appears to be a red-hot topic. Individuals are buying into the concept that you can change your brain. Thank goodness for that! Small businesses, organizations, and large corporate entities are now investigating how brain function affects the workplace. Management systems are revamping to include the ‘brain at work.’ Patience and perseverance are paying off. I am finally part of the curve – not ahead of it! For more info, follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and visit my website! Patricia Faust, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Patricia Faust is a gerontologist specializing in the issues of brain aging, brain health, brain function, and dementia. She has a Masters in Gerontological Studies degree from Miami University in Oxford Ohio. Patricia is certified as a brain health coach and received a certification in Neuroscience and Wellness through Dr. Sarah McKay and the Neuroscience Academy. My Boomer Brain, founded in 2015, is the vehicle that Patricia utilizes to teach, coach, and consult about brain aging, brain health, and brain function. Her newsletter, My Boomer Brain, has international readers from South Africa, Australia, throughout Europe, and Canada. Patricia’s speaking experience spans the spectrum of audiences as she addresses corporate executives on brain function, regional financial professionals on client diminished capacity, and various senior venues concerning issues around brain aging and brain health.

Written by: Cheryl Meyer, 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. To change your health, you must decide that you are no longer willing to tolerate whatever your health issue is. You need to have clarity about what you want to achieve and believe that this time it will work. You will need a strong “why.” Your “why” needs to be greater than your comfort in staying the same. You need to play to win. You are not going to “try." You will succeed. “Trying” is wanting credit for something you will never do.[i] Trying is not the same as playing to win. As Yoda said, "Do. Or do not. There is no try." [ii] You need to own your health issue and take back your power to solve it. Detoxing off sugar will allow you to take a giant step forward with your health to succeed. Want to lose weight? Want to lower your inflammation and reduce your pain of chronic disease? To adopt healthy habits and change your eating, it all starts with sugar. Sugar is a poison that is addictive, and you need to break that addiction to HEAL YOUR PAIN or to LOSE WEIGHT. It’s not about willpower. Sugar takes away control over our eating patterns. It gives you fatty liver and impacts your heart and kidney. It creates a “leaky gut.” It’s an addiction. It messes with the hormones that regulate your appetite. It impacts your mood and your brain. Losing weight is not about “willpower.” Sugar becomes “won’t power.” Your problem isn’t you. You did not stand a chance. You are addicted to sugar and chemicals in processed and fast food. And there are large amounts of hidden sugars in processed foods and fast food, which call your name and make it difficult to stay the course. Kicking the sugar to the curb is the first step to get your health back. We get to choose. Are we going to feed our body's health? Or are we going to feed our bodies sickness? This is a 4-week plan to get you over the addiction, and we will all do it together. What does sugar impact? Weight Obesity Your hormones that regulate hunger Your immune system Leaky gut Fatty Liver disease, which is the 1 cause of heart disease (more than smoking cigarettes.) Triglycerides Small particle cholesterol Cancer Kidneys Diabetes Mood swings Depression Anxiety Dementia Aging (shortens telomeres) Skin (sugar causes wrinkles) Above is a partial list. Fake sugars also impact the body in harmful ways and are poor alternatives. Benefits for weight loss 1. You will break the addiction and reactivate the hormones that regulate appetite. Leptin will function properly in your body, controlling your hunger. When leptin is not working properly, your brain thinks it is starving, so you are driven to eat. Your sugar addiction had been suppressing your leptin. Sugar also mucks around with your hormone ghrelin so the hypothalamus does not receive as strong of a signal to stop eating, which can lead to overeating. You will gain “willpower” once your break your addiction. 2. You will lose weight. Clinical studies have found consistent data that body weight changes correlate directly with increasing or decreasing sugar intake. 3. You will have less body fat. 4. Your palate will become more attuned to the natural sweetness of fruits and vegetables. 5. You will find “eating the rainbow” more enjoyable. Your body needs the synergy of these phytonutrients to work together to create health. 6. Your taste buds will be reactivated. 7. Sugary snacks like donuts and cake will not have the same irresistible appeal they once had. 8. You will be able to make clear-headed decisions and enjoy those types of treats in the extreme moderation they deserve. 9. You will develop a distaste for sugar. It will taste way too sweet – Your cravings should now be quite low. 10. You will stop indulging in things that you did not want in the first place. 11. You will stop hijacking healthy eating. 12. You can now lose weight without dieting. And it will be sustainable. 13. The emotional roller coaster of losing and gaining weight will be over. You will have food freedom. Benefits for self-esteem 14. You will find it easier to have a positive mindset. You will develop “won’t” power. 15. You will feel better about yourself and have more confidence. 16. You will look better, and you will see it in the mirror. 17. Others will notice how better you look. 18. You will feel healthier. Benefits for Health, Inflammation, and/or Chronic disease If you have a chronic ailment, this is the first step to stop harmful inflammation in your body. 19. You will have less pain. You will have fewer joint aches & pains. 20. You will have fewer headaches. 21. You will have less agita. You can eliminate antacid medications. 22. You will improve digestive issues, which are often attributed to a high consumption of sugar. 23. As sugar is replaced by healthy vegetables, healthy fats, and proteins, the issues of bloating, upset stomach, and those gas attacks…will decrease dramatically. 24. You will have taken an important step in healing your “leaky gut. 25. You will improve your skin from acne, psoriasis, eczema. 26. You will increase the collagen in your skin. Collagen helps keep the skin-tight. 27. You will slow your aging process. You will be protecting your telomeres. 28. You will look years younger. 29. You will get sick less often. 30. You will strengthen your immune system, so your body can fight against cold, flu, and allergy, and the next Super Virus. 31. You will learn more easily and improve your memory. You will protect your brainpower. 32. You will improve your mood and have less depression & anxiety. 33. You will have fewer mood swings from sugar imbalances 34. You will lower your risk for dementia and cognitive issues as you age. 35. You will improve your thyroid health. 36. You will improve your dental health. You will lower the possibility of gum disease. 37. You will improve your liver health and, as a result, your heart, lungs, kidneys, and gut health. 38. You will improve your blood pressure. You will lower your triglycerides. You will improve lower LDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol). You will lower your “small particle” cholesterol, which is harmful to body systems. You will be less likely to have a heart attack. 39. You will decrease your risk for cancer. 40. You will improve your sleep and insomnia. Getting continuous 7 hours of sleep is crucial for health. 41. You will improve your longevity. Benefits for Lifestyle Improvements 42. You will realize how much sugar you were eating. 43. You will regain your love of cooking, or you will learn how to cook, or you will learn how to cook differently—and much better. 44. You will save money. 45. You will be feeding your body real nutrients, which will significantly improve your health. You can now control what you eat. 46. You will forge better friendships-nothing is more endearing than gathering around the dinner table at home and cooking a meal for a friend. 47. You will include the people you love spending time with—not only to help ensure your success but also to bring people closer. 48. You will inspire others with your results; you will naturally get other people re-evaluating how they eat. 49. You will have your friends share their recipes and experiences with you so that you can all continue to inspire one another. 50. Your improved eating tastes better with friends, and with friends, it is easier to sustain. You influence and are influenced within 2 degrees of separation. You will feel accomplished that you finally kicked sugar and cravings to the curb. You will feel good about yourself. You will know that you can now sustainably lose the weight and your inflammation without sabotaging yourself. You will be able to incorporate healthy habits that significantly improve your health. I am a health coach and specialize in helping people take their power back over their health to reverse chronic conditions. I run periodic sugar detoxes as a 4-week program so that you can break your addiction to sugar once and for all. Most of the sugar that we have in our diets comes from processed and fast foods. Since it is an addiction, it is easier to kick sugar to the curb with group support. My sugar detox sessions are via group zoom and are on replay. There is a private Facebook group with office hours. If you are interested in joining me on our next sugar detox contact me at cherylmhealthmuse@gmail.com. I am also available for private coaching via zoom. You can also check out my blog. I have written several articles about sugar and why to ditch it once and for all. Follow Cheryl on Facebook, Instagram and connect with her on LinkedIn! Read more from Cheryl! Cheryl Meyer, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Cheryl Meyer suffered from autoimmune disease. By eliminating hundreds of toxins, she reversed her pain. Cheryl has a BA from UC-Berkeley and is a health coach from IIN. Cheryl is an award-winning author, international bestseller, health coach, speaker, local tv host, and guest podcaster. Cheryl has written four books on health and toxins available here. Her podcast is on Voice America. Cheryl specifically works with clients with chronic illness giving them hope and helping them find solutions. It is never too late to start healthy habits. Cheryl is available to speak about the toxins in our world that are making us ill. She is a sought-after expert on toxins, in our food, cleaning, water, minds, including toxic stress and toxic lack of sleep. She also talks about the impact of toxins on our children and our pet’s health. Contact Cheryl for one on one coaching or speaking at cherylmhealthmuse@gmail.com. Eliminating toxins is a crucial step to regain wellness. References: [i] http://successnet.org/cms/goals/do-you-have-a-big-enough-why [ii] http://successnet.org/cms/goals/do-you-have-a-big-enough-why

Written by: Florence His, 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. Are you feeling stuck and anxious these days, staring at a blank page when trying to put together your business plan for the next 12 months, let alone coming up with your 3-year, 5- year, 10- year vision for your company? How to plan and forecast anything in the midst of raging uncertainty and the accelerated pace of change? I often get this question from the entrepreneurs I coach and can personally relate. So keep smiling, you are in good company! I have found over the years that entrepreneurs who ace the exercise keep 4 main secrets : They don’t confuse clarity with certainty. They let go of the egotistic tyranny of being right to embrace an experimental mindset and ease into what is trying to emerge to serve the world. They are gifted at holding paradox and being uncomfortable so that unconventional solutions may arise and redefine outdated standards. They have faith in the evolutionary purpose of life and are connected to an infinite field of possibilities coupled with a strong sense of agency. Clarity versus Certainty : They cultivate moment-to-moment clarity about their mission, goals, and strategic orientations. No one can ever be certain about any result. There are just too many external moving parts outside of anyone’s control, let alone internal factors that could derail the course of action from within the organization itself. Decision-making, mindsets, and behaviors exhibited in the face of uncertainty and change are the only way through. Uncertainty is pervasive at all times, but we seem to take notice only when uncertainty levels vary abnormally, compared to our base-line everyday banal experience. There is nothing more pernicious and dangerous (for a frog) than very gradually boiling a frog … Letting Go of the need to be right: They are more interested in developing business frameworks and processes that allow them to test hypotheses, get feedback from the market, and course-correct until they find what works and can accelerate at the inflection point. They operate like scientists, develop portfolio strategies of growth that mitigate risk, and are unattached to outcomes so that the most suitable one (and not the one they are attached to) may flourish. Holding Paradox: They naturally dance with paradox and discomfort to facilitate birthing what the future holds and simultaneously bring their awareness onto their organization, the ecosystem it is part of, and the greater macro-order picture (the spirit of time as some call it). The World we live in is complex, and value creation hardly ever comes from simplistic, aligned positions; but rather arises at the point of divergence in a system where antagonistic intrinsic, as well as external forces converge and force the system to a new point of equilibrium, where they may co-exist, inside of newly formed paradigms. They Have Faith and Agency : In general, they believe in the evolutionary purpose of life and are deeply connected to an infinite field of possibilities, coupled with a strong sense of agency. Such postures enable them to steer their teams and companies to unknown territory, innovate to solve problems, imagine solutions, create products and services that did not exist before and could not be envisioned from purely analytical mental models. Whereas uncertainty can stifle action and undermine faith, it can also be considered a key driver of evolution and harnessed for its creative qualities. The good news is that the traits depicted hereabove can be cultivated with awareness and practice to boost your inner-momentum. So if you feel called to work on mastering your inner-game so that you can nurture your outer-momentum and grow your business, we would like to invite you to consider the opportunity to join our Entrepreneur Inner-Journey program. Follow me on LinkedIn , Instagram and visit my website for more info! Read more from Florence! Florence His, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Florence leads Business4People, an advisory, marketing, coaching, and investor relations platform she founded in Paris (FR) to support Mission-Driven Founders and Impact Investors internationally. She serves as Director of Marketing and Head of Impact Investment at Crito Capital, a boutique Placement Agent headquartered in New-York with a presence in London and focused on providing advice and capital raising services to small/mid-cap Private Fund Managers and Companies in the US, Europe and Emerging Markets. Finally, she is also active as a Mentor and Global Partner at the Entrepreneurs Institute on their GeniusU online-education platform. Florence spent over 17 years in the investment, private equity, M&A, and risk management functional disciplines leading multi-disciplinary teams before embracing the entrepreneurial path. She holds an undergraduate degree in organizational psychology from Yale University, an MBA from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business Administration, a Masters degree in Sustainable Studies from the International Institute of Management in Paris, and speaks six languages.

Written by: Andrée Funnell, 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. Are you feeling compromised in your life and need a change? Transformational Coaching is a process to assist you in re-inventing yourself to create and transform your life. This type of coaching creates a space for you to become self-aware of your self-limiting beliefs and develop future possibilities. Clients that I work with often experience one or more of the following: Loss of power Loss of freedom in one or more domains of their life Lack of confidence and/or self-esteem Lack of purpose in life or goals Living as an imposter and not living authentically If any of the above resonates with you, then perhaps you should consider some transformational coaching. If you continue to do nothing about your life as it is now, then nothing will change. You will remain stuck and unable to reach your true potential in life. You may have realized that something needs to be different in your life but are unsure of what that something is, what to do about it or how to change it. Limiting Beliefs We subsequently develop beliefs about who we think we are, our self-image, how we act and behave, and these beliefs define us and stop us from growing and moving forward. A belief is merely a thought that we think is true or real. The self-limiting belief is a sense of inadequacy, an idea or thought that something is wrong with us, that something is broken. Once this self-limiting belief is created or invented, we tend to live our lives as if they were true. Furthermore, it is a fundamental, core belief that we have about ourselves, who we think we are, creates our feelings about ourselves, affects our behavior, and determines our experiences. As humans in this day and age, we tend to believe that the external world, or what we commonly believe to be reality, is how we should live our lives. Social norms, social media, and modern society dictate how we should behave, what we should look like etc. The first goal of Transformational Coaching is to assist you to be aware of your own self-limiting beliefs. It also helps to identify what has been causing your depression, sadness, anger, frustration, etc., to learn how to create a new way of living that will give you fulfillment, contentment, happiness, and success and make a powerful difference in your life. When used in conjunction with other techniques, such as mirror work, positive affirmations, therapeutic relaxation music, self-hypnosis, and NLP patterns, a space is created for a client to transform their life forever. So what is the secret to a happy, successful, and authentic life ? First of all, you need to start with a positive mindset and, secondly, and most importantly —make the decision to change your life. As a Transformational Coach, when working for the first time with a client, I would start with identifying the individual’s core values, limiting beliefs, and identifying their purpose, goals, and desires. Secondly, I would identify whether they are hiding behind a mask known as imposter syndrome — who and what are they projecting to the outside world. Why do they not feel that they can be authentic ? Here are a few reasons why they are hiding behind a mask or facade: Fear Lack of confidence or self-esteem Limiting Beliefs Vulnerability Pressure of social norms/social media Living through others ideals or rules Do any of the above resonate with you? If so, ask yourself: Why am I living like an imposter in my own skin? What am I afraid of? Who am I trying to impress? Who do I want to aspire to? What is stopping you from being your genuine, unhindered authentic self? Successful people are committed to change and willing to do all that is necessary to achieve it. Their commitment does not wain but continues until they create the life for themselves that they desire - whatever that looks like for them. Are you ready to commit to receive real, lasting change? When you begin to approach your goals with why you must achieve them, it's empowering beyond belief. So here’s my question to you — are you willing to implement transformational change and start your journey of self-discovery to create the life you desire? My self-help book on the subject is available on my website in paperback or audiobook. You can also find it on Amazon in these formats as well as kindle. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , connect with me on LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Andrée! Andrée Funnell, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Andrée is a multi-award-winning Coach, Learning & Development Consultant, best-selling author, and speaker. She is also the founder and driving force behind the success of Aspiring Future Competence (AFC). Since its inception in 2002, AFC has helped clients across a wide range of business sectors to get visible, get heard, and get ahead by applying inspirational ways to bring about positive change and empowerment. She has over 20 years of HR & training experience working in corporate organizations and a further 18 years delivering development solutions that make a difference to people’s careers and lives. She is a qualified coach, professional trainer, and NLP Practitioner. She discovered that Authenticity is the key to happiness, fulfillment, and success and is keen to get the message out there to others. ‘Behind the Mask’ is Andrée’s literary debut about ‘Authenticity.’ It’s an essential interactive step-by-step guide to turning your life around and achieving the kind of life you deserve by living authentically.

Written by: Stefan Eng, 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. No, it is not a joke. It is a true story from my memory lane and opened for many waves of laughter over the years. It also gave me some perspective on how difficult it can sometimes be and that we really have to be in the present. Several years ago, I heard about a story of two non-native English-speaking persons arguing over email. The frustrated dialog went from one side to the other like a tennis match, and the situation became a bit tense. Then, just like that, one of the persons realized her mistake and had to change completely. The last email contained an explanation of why things went wrong and an apology. And she closed the email with "I am sorry for any incontinence" instead of ”inconvenience.” It became a fantastic story and something very important to learn from for all of us when collaborating. In times of globalization, where we communicate cross borders and all around our planet, we all face new and exciting challenges. Of course, there are many things to think of when we meet face to face, or as now, in cyberspace as a result of the Pandemic. The Team Personally, I have an amazing experience to share. A few years back, I was part of an organization where my department was located worldwide. There were colleagues located in Germany, Poland, USA, Brazil, Australia, Hongkong, Thailand, and Sweden in the team. And nationalities from China and India were also represented so we were really global in all aspects. Working in such an environment, we all had to adapt and be prepared to change what we do, how we did it, and when. But in fact, it worked quite well even though certain improvements had to be made. Department meetings went smooth and well, even though the time difference was a challenge for some of us. But most important was to meet in person and get to know each other, which we also did. Microsoft Teams and Zoom might be good tools to use to a certain extent. However, it must never replace physical meetings where we can look each other in the eyes, watch the body language with all its nuances and meet outside work for a drink or meal to build a true team spirit. Other Challenges Experience Of course, there were a lot of challenges in general when working in such an environment. The ones that come top of mind to people are the team's experience—the knowledge of the industry and technical background. But also, age that allows us to trust the "gut feeling" that shall be mixed with less experienced but highly qualified individual opinions. All in all, the total experience is the platform for the success of product and solution development. Culture The cultural differences are very interesting both to experience but also to read about. I can truly recommend everyone that is looking at an international career to read books on the subject. One silly thing that I have experienced myself was to share a taxi to the airport. For me, brought up in Sweden, it is extremely important to be well in time, which was not the case with my Latino colleague. So, we had to compromise on when to leave for the airport. Another example I came across many years ago is an international course on Cultural Differences. In short, the teacher read us a story about a murder. And our job was to discuss and then tell who was to be blamed for the murder. It turns out that when running the same story in countries with different cultural backgrounds, different individuals were blamed. Now, in my world, that was terrifying. However, whether I liked it or not was not important. I just had to accept and adapt to other ways of thinking. A very interesting lesson. We are all individuals One of the absolute most challenging parts has nothing to do with us working in an international environment. It is valid to any organization, local or global and is who we are as individuals. In comparison, this is probably the biggest challenge of them all. I am an extroverted person. Sometimes I like to be in the center of things and get attention. Details are not very important, and I love "shooting from the hip" and get things done quickly. But the result is not always 100% correct. However, I can decide based on "Gut Feeling" and experience, even if I don't have facts to support it. Imagine if I were to work with a very fact-based person. Numbers and result is absolutely key whilst the concept of "Gut Feeling" is scary when taking a decision. How shall we cooperate? As I see it, it is always a matter of compromises. And I can support the cooperation by asking myself, "-What can I do to contribute to my counterparts success?". If that means I have to fill out reports, I might have to do that. On the other hand, I might convince the other part that only one report is necessary. In other words, we need to meet and try to understand each other where we are in our mindset. Language In such a constellation, as described in "The Team" above, the language is fantastic. Just think about it. We were located in 9 different locations, and we had 11 different nationalities. Only one was a native English speaker, and the rest of us had to adapt as English was our company language. Even though I have been working in an international environment during my whole career, this was always a challenge. With all these nuances and different English accents, I really had to be in the present to follow the discussions. Everyone who tries other languages runs into trouble at one point, I am sure. Maybe it is the grammar. Or lack of words or vocable that can lead to minor disasters. Or, in fact, to something very funny. Like in the beginning of this article. ...I am sorry for any incontinence Follow Stefan on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin and visit his website. Read more from Stefan! Stefan Eng, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Stefan Eng has almost 40 years of experience working for Airlines, GDS's, Travel Agents, Tour Operators and Airline IT Companies in the global travel industry. During late spring 2021 Stefan initiated the first steps to create a forum and community for Travel Enthusiasts, www.travellersvoice.net. The site aims to open a dialog between travel experts and traveller enthusiasts of all kinds. One of the most important questions that will be raised and discussed within the site and in Club House app is how we all can continue travel, explore and discover - Which is in our nature - and do this with responsibility for our environment. Already in 2008, Stefan founded the Travel Employees Networking Group in Linkedin. The group is now a relevant and strong platform to collaborate and discuss travel trends. In addition, members can find open positions or search for new candidates. At present, the group has more than 48 000 members. 
 To support the group, Stefan established in early 2020 the site www.travelemployees.com, an Online Magazine & Marketing Portal for Travel Professionals. Here the audience can find articles, quizzes and lists by Stefan and his Guest Authors as well as opportunities to advertise for (or find) the world's greatest travel products and services. Travel Employees Networking Group's Online Magazine Travelemployees.com has been elected to be "One of the best Online Travel Magazines on the Planet" by Feedspot

Written by: Denise Ledi, 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 launched Ledi Coaching & Consulting last summer, I knew that one of the biggest myths in life is that we have all the time in the world. The only time we have to be our best selves is NOW. Without fail, I was asked, “Why?” Why are you building a Leadership Coaching business, Denise? Good question! I had a successful 25-year career in healthcare I was proud and grateful for with all trappings of success that outside looking in? I would be crazy to walk away from. But I yearned for something even more, and whenever I was asked, "Why?” I shuddered. Emotionally shut down and dismissed the question as an esoteric quest for those struggling to find meaning in their life. My reaction may seem arrogant. I knew Simon Sinek’s famous adage, “to have success in anything in life. You need to know your 'why.' I’ve always known that I’m here to help others, to help them grow, challenge and change the status quo, to make a difference. But I never took my answer any deeper than this. Until recently… You see, I’ve been working with a Business Coach who had me working on this mighty question. I answered as I typically have, but with a bit more detail, thinking I nailed it! Until I received his feedback, “You’re doing great, Denise! I want you to dig deeper and push yourself harder. The tough part of being exceptional is that it’s about your own personal improvement, 1% more every day. Go back and work on your ‘Why.’ I want you to make people want to hug you and be so happy they found you. You did an awesome job, and I am so proud of you for the effort. Now you have to make it even more clear, concise and compelling. The end product is you. Not a reflection of you, just you and you alone. You make the difference. You are the exception who can bring out the exceptional in others.” His words ignited something hidden deep within me, yearning to burst out. I realized I unknowingly had shuttered the true depths of my 'why' and, in turn, my purpose. Without any thought, I wrote and wrote, holding nothing back. The results I share this with you today, my truth, my 'why,' the greatest gift I have to offer the world, discovered as I wrote about the most tragic yet defining moment of my life and words of wisdom to my younger self. I lost my mom when I was 8. I saw her for the first time in months, the day before she died. I should have known something was up! Days before this, relatives from all over the world, some of whom I’d never met, were here. I was so happy to see and have so many aunties, uncles, and cousins all around me! I remember being led into a semi-lit hospital room. There she lay. And I couldn’t believe it. My mom — she was frail, gaunt, small. That seemingly invincible powerhouse was reduced to a shell. She called me over. My legs carried me towards her, but I don’t think I recall my feet hitting the ground. I grasped her hand; it was cold and weak. She tried to talk to me, but the only thing I could make out was my name. Her voice was a whisper, a speck of what I knew, but I responded as if I understood her. Looking back, I do believe that on some level, that wordless soul level, I knew what she was trying to say: “Don’t be scared, be good, you’re going to be okay, you’re going to be... Do great things, Denise! And, of course, I love you.”​ For so many years remembering that scene was one of sorrow and anguish. It was the end of hope, of her returning home and life as I knew it. I know firsthand no one on their deathbed wishes they worked more, made more money, or had more things. They just want to be with the ones they love most and to tell them they mattered. ​ We had so many family & friends step up and care/support/guide us. I’ve never forgotten. I don’t think I realized how profound their actions were, selfless & giving. It wasn’t about pity. It was about love and support. It was about giving selflessly and community. All of them left a piece of themselves with me and didn’t even know it. I think of those people often and the roles they played in my life. I want to do that for others. To walk alongside them in their hour/time of need to be their anchor, support, and more. Pushing them forward to live their purpose — their why. To help them live a life with no regrets for not living a life with greater meaning. But to do that? I have to be the best version of myself. ​ I want to be remembered for passing along the very best in me to others, so their lives are better, more fulfilled, and happier in some way because I was part of it. Only now do I realize the beauty and power within these memories. And I share them with you now. Don’t shy away from these memories like I did. Embrace them. They empower you! Picture the good pieces of these moments, the feeling of mom looking over you, because she continues to champion you to this day! She knows you're strong and can and will do great things. Know it's okay to be scared. Heck, who doesn't get scared from time to time? Know that when you have the right people around you? You can move through fear and soar to your greatest. Your people, your champions, your tribe rallied around you back then. The same is true now. You have and will have more people championing you along your way Denise. Me being one of your BIGGEST champions!! Embrace your why and go for whatever it is you want in life. It’s all there for you. Leave no room for regrets, especially for not living a life with greater meaning. When there is fulfillment and meaning to what we do? Success just flows. It’s in us and all around us. We’re always evolving. Today, you are your best version of yourself for the people you’re meant to serve today. You’re ready. You have everything in you; you need to believe this from the depth of your soul. Trust in yourself and believe! Here’s to you! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Denise Ledi, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Denise Ledi is an Empowerment & Executive Leadership Coach based in Edmonton, Alberta Canada serving clients across North America. She has spent more than 20 years as a leader in addiction & mental health, forensics, and correctional healthcare and knows firsthand how complex and challenging it can be to lead in ever-changing environments. Denise integrates real world leadership experience, experiences as a coaching client with expertise as a certified executive trained coach and Master’s trained Criminologist to provide a unique, innovative, integrative perspective to her clients to help them gain clarity and achieve the measurable results they're looking for. Denise has been a mentor to 100+ professionals and family; including her younger brother & sister after their mother died and as their father built his Engineering firm into a successful business as a new immigrate to Canada. Chapter Chair- Powerful Women Today Edmonton, budding podcast host, speaker and presenter, Denise believes that our highest potential is reached by helping others reach theirs. It is her primary mission to empower others to become their best selves, access their whole potential, and make an extraordinary impact on the world!

Aden Eyob is a leader in mindset. She is the clinical neuroscientist and author, The Book on Mind Training: The Secret for Positive Living. She is the founder and CEO of Mind Medication, a fusion of neuroscience-psychology and spirituality-based mindset consulting and speaker service that helps you uncover your why unlock potential and free limiting beliefs to achieve the impossible. Her clients include CEOs, entrepreneurs, and celebrities—her mission: a world free from limiting beliefs. Who is Aden? I am the clinical neuroscientist and author, The Book on Mind Training: The Secret for Positive Living. I am also the founder and CEO of Mind Medication, a fusion of neuroscience-psychology and spirituality-based mindset consulting, coaching, and speaker service that helps you uncover your why, unlock potential, and free limiting beliefs to achieve the impossible. I currently live in Los Angeles but operate my business from both London and Los Angeles. Before this, I was in London, the UK, where I spent ten years working with Fortune 500 companies within research, healthcare, and pharmaceutical sectors and undertaking my masters in Clinical Neuroscience from University College London (UCL). In my leisure time, I love traveling and expanding my mind through cultural immersion. I have visited over 34 countries, 15 U.S. states and have been fortunate to have lived in 4 countries, U.K., U.S.A., Ethiopia, and South Africa. My hobbies are somewhat varied, from hiking, sailing, arts, crafts, and reading on business, mindset, spirituality, and memoirs. How did you get to where you are in your career? It was what I would call Divine Intervention. Before becoming an entrepreneur, I spent a great deal of time working for Gilead Sciences and Kite Pharma as a Clinical Trial Management professional within their oncology department. Before that, I was in healthcare market research, advertising, and working in academic research. These were great experiences, but I felt that I wasn’t living out my real soul purpose. From the age of 6, I had big dreams. Dreams to be my boss. Dreams of building my mental health center. Dreams to free my family from poverty. However, all I heard was No. Everyone told me it was impossible, but I held a flicker of hope. I then had an epiphany to find my way to my why. My why was to shed light and love on your unheard voice, dream, and aspiration. This, in turn, led me to establish Mind Medication, a neuroscience-psychology and spirituality-based mindset consulting, coaching, and speaker service. So now I’ve decided to dedicate my life to helping you uncover your why, unlock potential, and free limiting beliefs to achieve the impossible. Tell me about your new book, The Book on Mind Training: The Secret for Positive Living? My inspiration for writing the book, The Book on Mind Training: The Secret for Positive Living, available on Amazon, is threefold. Initially, it was to heal all the trauma and baggage that I had carried. All the limiting beliefs that I had and used that as a platform to turn limitations into possibility. And secondly, it was really to provide you with the spiritual and mental playbook on overcoming limitations. Third, to empower you to see, feel, and think bigger and use your voice to activate change. Ultimately, you are responsible for your outcome, and by reading this book, you not only learn about my story but practical ways in which you can take charge of your life and take control of your mind. Remember your thoughts + emotions = behavior. So, you are in control of your thoughts and, therefore, in control of your emotions and your behavior. What is it that you do for your clients? I help creative leaders achieve a calm mindset. As a mindset consultant, coach, and certified NLP practitioner, I facilitate the change work through my bespoke framework, The C.A.L.M. Mindset System©, by helping you get into the driver’s seat of your mind, put the clarity gears in motion to achieve a calm mindset. In doing so, you experience increased creativity, confidence, productivity, and results. Who should hire/work with you? My clients are creative leaders, CEOs, entrepreneurs, and celebrities who have hit a mental fork in the road in pursuing their divine purpose. I also work with Fortune 500 Companies, providing consultancy, workshops, and speaker services on achievement psychology, strategy, motivation, and holistic mental health education. What is your big goal? Where do you see yourself in 10 years from now? My big goal is to achieve my vision of creating a world free of limiting beliefs. In 10 years, I see myself owning several successful business ventures, including Mind Medication, which will have global offices in the U.K., U.S.A., Ethiopia, and telehealth services throughout the world. My philanthropic mental health center will be operating in Ethiopia and East African countries, with plans to expand into more developing countries so that holistic mental health, mobility, and access will be available to all. What are the top 3 tips for having a calm mindset? 1. Gratitude – when you give thanks, you elevate your vibration and frequency to receive your desires. A simple thank you is the key to living well. 2. Power Habits – creating powerful morning and night-time routines will make what I call a ‘calm sandwich’ in which you will have the buffers in place to manage busy schedules and commitments without sacrificing your self-care and wellbeing needs. 3. Meditate – a simple 10 to 15 minutes of binaural beats mediation can alleviate any feelings of anxiety or stress. Binaural Beats is a form of sound wave therapy, listened to through headphones, in which two different tones at different frequencies are heard in each ear, but the brain processes a beat at the difference of the frequency. There are various forms of binaural beats that can aid in anxiety and stress management, along with increased concentration and motivation, to name a few. Binaural beats are generally safe for most individuals, but caution is advised to people who suffer from seizures, increasing the likelihood of an episode due to brain wave change. Follow Aden on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Aden !

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. Different parts of the brain perform different functions. However, to take control of your emotions, it’s important to understand the amygdala's function. To put it simple, the amygdala is the emotional part of the brain. The amygdala plays an important role in emotions and behaviors. The amygdala is best known for the fight or flight response — the heart rate is increased and prepares for action. Oftentimes, it’s an automatic response, and individuals react quickly without any thought. So, when you feel threatened, the amygdala automatically activates the fight or flight response. This is triggered by emotions such as fear, anger, stress, and anxiety. So what’s an amygdala hijack? Well, the prefrontal cortex receives input from different parts of the brain and helps process the information to adapt accordingly. The way I like to describe the prefrontal cortex is “the CEO” of the brain. Amygdala hijack occurs when the amygdala is disabled from the prefrontal cortex. Without the prefrontal cortex, you’re unable to think clearly, make rational decisions and take control of your responses. Amygdala hijack triggers a much significant emotional threat with symptoms like crying, stomach ties, sweaty palms, and heart race. Managing your emotional intelligence helps you recognize, understand, and manage your emotions. Tips On Preventing An Amygdala Hijack 1. Engage your prefrontal cortex. You want to disengage the amygdala (the emotional part of your brain). This area is deep within the brain that sets off the fight or flight response. 2. Count backward from 10 to take control before the amygdala takes control. 3. Count to 10 and then respond. 4. Try to pause and breathe to refocus yourself. 5. Change scenery. 6. Do any exercise for a rapid heart rate. 7. Go for a walk. Follow me on 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 professional coaches. With a 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.

Written by: Mandy Napier, 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 calculated the financial cost of believing certain things about yourself that hold you back? Recently I worked with a client who said she didn’t feel smart enough to increase her income and earn a million dollars. As we dug deeper, she realized this was something she had been told when she was young. For much of her life, she sought out experiences and evidence that matched her belief “I’m not smart enough to…”. Over time, that belief became part of her identity. The consequences of this were huge. She worked out that it cost hundreds of thousands of dollars of lost revenue in her real estate career because she hadn’t put herself out there to go after luxury homes. Breaking this down on a weekly and monthly basis was even more sobering. Furthermore, it had cost her a loss of confidence and self-worth and brought her a certain amount of frustration and stress. Our brains are amazing organs. Their job is to protect us at all costs. They ensure that the information we let in aligns with what we already “know” or our beliefs. These beliefs shape our identity. Moreover, the person you believe you are, influences your results in life. Your beliefs are the drivers of your success. They will either hold you back in life or help you succeed. “It is not what you want that you attract. You attract what you believe to be true.” — Neville With awareness, the good news is that new possibilities and opportunities open up, which give you the chance to change. Here are a few tips to help you reduce your financial and emotional debt. 1. First, for the next week, listen with curiosity to what you say. Imagine a mini-you, sitting on your shoulder, spying curiously on your self-talk. Listen for any limiting or negative statements. 2. Next, write your statements down. You should start to recognize common themes. Is your language predominantly positive and solution-focused? Are you kind to yourself? Do you champion yourself and believe in your capabilities, or are you hard on yourself? How much do you recognize your skills and attributes? Do you even know what they are? 3. When you have identified the belief statements that sit underneath your self-talk, write down your answers to the following ten questions: Is this statement 100% true for everyone? Do I know anyone who this doesn’t hold true for? What does holding onto this belief do for me? What will the cost be in ten years as a result of holding onto this belief? What has this belief cost me in my life? If I could let go of this belief, what could happen? What is a new empowering belief I could adopt? How will I act with the new belief? How do I feel about this new belief? Could I now adopt this new belief? Once you’ve identified what you want your new belief to be, write this down on a card. For example, if you once believed “I am not good enough,” you might write down, “I am worthy of achieving success.” Carry your intention card with you and read it every day until you embody it and feel connected to it. Intentions are powerful as they direct the energy of the mind towards what you want. On the other side of your intention card, write down, “How can I allow even more success to come into my life today?” You aren’t looking for an answer. Just asking yourself that question will activate that amazing part of your brain to help you attract success into your life. Lastly, write down your small wins because this will help you build your new belief. It gives your brain a new reference point to sort from, and you will create new, stronger neural pathways that will help cement in the new belief. And then watch the magic happen. Let me know what magic happens in your life when you embrace this technique! If you would like some more free Mindset Tools, you can access a FREE Mindset Essentials Toolkit here. To connect with Mandy, visit her website and hop on over to my private Facebook Group Winning Mindsets. Mandy Napier, Executive Contributor, Brainz Magazine Mandy Napier is a Global High-Performance Mindset Coach, Professional Speaker, Author, Athlete and founder of Mindset for Success. With her results-driven, neuroscience-based C.L.E.A.R ™️ Coaching Model, Mandy has helped thousands of high-achieving professionals break free of their self-imposed limitations and achieve transformational results. With a focus on the ‘how-to’ change, learning how to train the mind and re-wire the brain, she helps her clients gain clarity, purpose and direction. Developing helpful habits that support consistent action is also key. Mandy is the author of ‘Creating Healthy Life Habits,’ and publishes regular articles that have been shared on global platforms and national publications. She has been featured on podcasts such as Success, Motivation and Inspiration and The Successful Advisor. Her passion is: Extraordinary Results Always For Clients!