Written by: Danielle Perlin-Good, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. In my 12+ years of writing and editing, I’ve determined what truly makes up a good story. Some folks will tell you that you need the Five W’s. Some will adamantly insist that you need five components: the characters, the setting, the plot, the conflict, and the resolution. Others will tell you to incorporate the five elements of memoir: Truth, Theme, Voice, POV, and Musing. They’re all right in their own ways. But what these key story elements don’t include are the pillars—the idea of breaking down what needs to happen before the story takes place—before the story is even written down. When I work with clients privately, we discuss the four pillars of the story and how these pillars affect their own writing and their book. Without these pillars, the story simply will not come to life. Time When we think about time management, we can easily become fearful, overwhelmed, and just simply exhausted. But keeping track of our time doesn’t have to feel like a burden. When we utilize our time efficiently and effectively, we can actually increase the amount of time we have in our daily lives to accomplish our goals. Energy Humans have a finite amount of energy. We also have the ability to increase or improve, our energy levels, but we need to commit to a healthier living standard for ourselves. Once we do so, we can have more energy to undertake significant tasks and projects, one of which may be to write a book. Mindset There are plenty of books and articles on the value of mindset and mindfulness. However, mindset plays a significant role in shaping your story. If we’re not crystal clear on our vision for the creative project we want to tackle, and if our mindset isn’t in the right place, it will be significantly more difficult to write our story with a clear voice. Ask yourself how your thoughts are impacting your voice on the page. Value We place value on possessions. We place a high value on the relationships we cultivate. We also can utilize value when it comes to our stories. Ask yourself, what value do you place on your own ideas, and how does that translate into your story’s value? Conclusion Once you have a sense of what these four pillars of the story mean for you, your written work, and your goals, I guarantee you will learn your way of accomplishing the goals you set for yourself, no matter what they are. Follow me on Instagram, join my Facebook-group and visit my website for more info! Read more from Danielle! Danielle Perlin-Good, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Danielle Perlin-Good is The Written Legacy Coach. She helps entrepreneurs, coaches, and speakers elevate their credibility by unleashing their powerful legacies so they can transform and inspire lives. Since 2008, Danielle has edited hundreds of articles, books, social media content, e-newsletters, and more. She went from working overnight shifts at the Tribune Company to corporate digital marketing gigs, one of which was at Albert Whitman & Co., an esteemed children's publishing house. Danielle uses mindset techniques, exceptional editing skills, and visualization exercises to ensure her clients develop a beautifully crafted and publishable book that they will forever cherish.

Written by: Anna Vogel, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. So I admit it. I'm a perfectionist in many ways, and there's almost no limit to how long I can prepare, plan, and practice. In my mind, there's always a voice saying: "It's alright, but you can do better." This voice is super helpful for learning and continually improving, but it's not very helpful for releasing stuff I create. No matter if it's a course, a song, a podcast, or a talk, there will ALWAYS be ways to make it better (and that's the cool thing about creating - there's no limit to how far you can go), which means that I won't release anything if the aim is perfection. So in the last ten years, I've changed strategy. I realized it was better to put my work out there, sharing my process, going through the whole vulnerability process, let it grow, and get some feedback. After that, I could go back to the drawing table if I wanted to, upgrade, and make changes for the next release. Something that entrepreneurs and innovation consultants have known for years. "Launch and iterate." "Start before you are ready." Yup, I think you've heard the quotes before. So WHY is this so important? Well. Number 1. Something happens when you release your work, and it meets the user, audience, or whoever is the recipient of what you do. You will get feedback. Valuable information on how you can move forward. You might even (yes, this IS the possibility you as a perfectionist certainly didn't think of) find that people like/love/learn from what you share, that you HELP people with sharing your work (even if you didn't do the last two percent you thought were important...) Number 2. You give release panic a kick in the butt. It's not unusual that JUST the second before you release something, you get the idea that it's not good enough. Why? Because onur brains are there to protect us from danger. Showing your creation is like holding up big warning signs (in neon and with sound effects) for the protective brain. Fear kicks in. Will people like it? (Will people like ME?). Will they buy it? (Am I still valuable/part of the group?). It doesn't necessarily mean that your work is not ready. It's your brain doing what it's supposed to do - informing you of all potential danger. Number 3. Perfection is boring. Yup, this might be my very personal opinion. But being human is a fun, messy, confusing, diverse, and non-perfect experience. And I believe that when we show the human parts of ourselves, it makes connecting to other people easier. I see myself in you when you share your work in progress or share your process. And a little note for the perfectionists out there. You might worry that you will suddenly release sloppy work into the world by starting before you feel ready. Don't worry. Aiming for perfection and aiming for quality are two different things. When you strive for quality, you can still come to a point when it's good enough. On the other hand, perfectionism makes us feel that we are never ready to share our work with the world! So what would you share with us if you knew it didn't have to be perfect? What value would you bring to the world? For more details and other tips for creativity, health, and self-awareness, follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , or visit my website ! Hey Creative Mindstudio Instagram For Swedish readers: Join my online course Sju strategier för inre kraft och hållbarhet Anna Vogel, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Anna Vogel is a coach, a mindfulness instructor, and a singer based in Stockholm, Sweden. She's passionate about helping women create a work-life they love. She's also helping individuals and teams access better health, inner strength, creativity, and internal motivation. She's the founder of Hey Creative Mind Studio, an online learning space, and Women in Business, a one on one coaching program for women. "With a higher degree of self awareness, we can work proactively with our health, goals, and mission in life. Let's say goodbye to burn out, overwhelm, and pressure. And let's say hey and hello to creativity, playfulness, and ease."

Written by: Vicki Ravangard, 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’s no secret that I am a Disney addict, but as I have begun experiencing life more deeply, I started to see things in these movies from a different perspective. They were no longer just feel good films (let’s face it, most of them have us reaching for the tissues anyway!), but I began to internalize the message and see it so much more clearly. My latest obsession is with Moana. The film was released in 2016, yet it never spoke to me the way it does now and it’s no coincidence that in the last 6 months, as I have been on my own journey of self-discovery and spiritual awakening, this film now speaks very directly to my soul. It tells the story that in the beginning, there is only an ocean and when earth (Te Fiti) was formed, the power of her heart became the creator of beauty. As I watched on, I quickly determined that the ocean represents the Spirit world (the I Am) and Te Fiti represents Mother Earth as we know it today. Humans saw the creations of Earth and thought that if they could have the heart, they too would be able to create all that they desired. This leads to Maui stealing the heart and returning it to the humans to please them. This makes sense as we later understand in his story. The reason he did this was to fulfill his desire to be loved and admired by the humans who once abandoned him. Maui didn’t realise that in taking the heart, he ripped the heartbeat from the Creator and so everything started dying. Without the love & light came the darkness, in the form of fire, natural disasters and separation from source. This is such a powerful message which really sets the scene for the whole movie, but more than that, it is hauntingly reflective of our materialistic human needs and the impact it has had on Mother Earth. The duality of light & dark was born, but we separated from love along the way. We forgot who we truly are and that we were always meant to return to our oneness. The shadow self is sent to us so that we can learn to love every perspective of our self unconditionally. It has been sent here to serve you, not to destroy you. It’s the reason why your biggest obstacles often lead to your greatest success, because we are being shown the things that our soul needs to learn, but we don’t all recognize it. When you know who you truly are, you can create what you truly love. A key message that we can all take from this is that real beauty lies within. We all have our own unique gifts to share with the world. You do not need to replicate what others are doing. You need to go inwards and discover what gifts you have to offer the world. This darkness created fear. Fears that spread far and wide throughout the community and Moana’s father projected his fears onto her, which held her back from doing what felt so natural. He created rules that kept them safe and showed her why she needed to stay to fit his narrative of the world. He created a small life for her and stopped her from pursuing her dreams, but deep down, she knew there was more and her Grandma encouraged this. It’s important to recognize her father acted from a place of love. He was trying to protect her and give her the best life possible. After all, it was enough for everybody else, so why wouldn’t it be enough for her? Why would she question it? This represents thousands and thousands of years of our ancestors’ pain and fears holding us back. Somewhere along the way, we got so used to following the rules that we forgot who we are and if, like Grandma, you do follow your heart, it’s entirely possible you will be seen as the crazy village lady! As Mother Earth is ascending into a higher consciousness at this time, we are remembering. We are waking up to the fact there is more and questioning the status quo. We are being guided back to the voice inside; that is who we are. What is calling you? What doors have you closed off in fear? You will always be guided and supported when you are on the right path Moana listened to her Grandma and she voyaged once again to find Maui and restore the heart of Te Fiti. The ocean chose her and it supported her, but that didn’t mean that she got a free pass. Moana learns that in pursuing her soul purpose, it was part of her mission led by Spirit to restore the heart, but she also faced difficulties along the way. It may feel like everything on your journey is going wrong, even when you are on the right path and this is when we bring everything into question. We constantly doubt ourselves and often perceive these challenges as reasons to quit and run away from our dreams, not realizing that if it was easy, we wouldn’t be learning the lessons that we need in order to expand and grow into who we want to become. As Moana starts to feel hopeless on her mission, her Grandma connects with her. I believe this represents the connection between Earth and the Spirit realm. The unconditional love and support that Spirit and our ancestors have for us, no matter where we are or what we decide. As she tries to return home, she stops herself. She knew there was something inside that was stopping her from leaving. She listened to her voice inside, and even through all of the turmoil and heartache, she found the courage to journey on. By allowing ourselves to trust in the divine timing of the Universe, we can have faith that there is a plan far greater than our own. You can only move from where you are at any given moment and as you cultivate a deep acceptance of who you are, you will start to discover that it is your journey that shapes you, not your destination. There will be times when you feel like all of the odds are against you, but know that your darkest moment can reveal who you truly are. We have become so attached to the outcome that we lose sight of the power of where we are and that our journey is part of the destination. There is no endpoint; there is only infinite growth and opportunity to experience all that we desire. What will you do when your vision is compromised or when you face obstacles? Will you do what it takes to cross the ocean? Will you allow your voice to be heard? Will you step up and lead your people? “They have stolen the heart from inside you – but this does not define you. This is not who you are, You know who you are .” We come full circle as Moana faces Te Ka and for me, this is the greatest twist in this story and the perfect demonstration of who we are. We learn that Te Ka is Te fiti and this whole time, she was separated from herself because she was fighting for what she lost. Your shadow does not define who you are. You are not your anger, your hurt, your pain or your suffering. You have the capacity to return to love, and at any given moment, you can choose compassion over resentment and faith over fear. By taking the first step on your journey, you have the power to break the chains of your past and lead the way for others, showing them what is possible and allowing them the freedom to become who they are by discovering yourself. How are you leading first? Speak your Truth Break the Chains Lead the way. Follow me on my Instagram , Facebook , and visit both my Facebook-Group and page . You can also find more information on my website . Read more from Vicki ! Vicki Ravangard, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine After 10 years of working my way up in my corporate career, I am a Part Qualified accountant who works as a Finance Analyst for a UK Airline. I am also a Spiritual Mindset Coach. So how did I go from corporate to coaching? My coaching business 'Take Her To The Moon' was born after embarking on my own spiritual mindset journey where I discovered the art of creating a life with intention and the power of conscious thinking, which positively influenced all areas of my life, including my corporate career. My Business focus is helping women who have lost their direction in life, to master their mindset & discover their soul purpose. I put my own unique spin on some of the greatest spiritual teachings and use these to help my clients experience greater success. I have a huge passion for Music & Travel, which is where I draw a lot of my inspiration from - and I am also a Disney lover!

Written by: Lynn MacDonald, 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’ve been driving to work on the same highway for 12 years, navigating the heavy traffic, careless drivers and never-ending road construction mazes while encountering delays and unexpected detours. To continue to be in good standing with your time conscious boss, you have to leave 50 minutes earlier so you can be at work “just in time”. One day, you run across someone who unexpectedly awakens you to a new route that was invisible to you. Though it was always there, but you weren’t aware of it. This new scenic path is all back roads, smooth, no traffic, no trucks, no construction and detour-free and is 45 minutes shorter! The best part, your quality of life improves effortlessly because you can sleep in longer and enjoy breakfast with your partner. You scratch your head and ponder, “Why didn’t I know this before?” You are not alone, we don’t know what we don’t know until we do. What if everything you think about emotions can be looked at from a new direction? A new direction never known before. A new direction never seen before. Before I introduce you, can I ask a favor? I invite you to read the rest of this article with nothing on your mind, absent of judgment and criticism. I ask because I care about you. An open mind that is relaxed is primed for insights. One insight alone has the power to transform your life! I recently hung out with my 8-month old granddaughter Ava. She’s so happy, she’s smiles and is so curious and inquisitive as she explores her musical toys and is captivated when read too. In a flash, she can just drop that quivering lower lip or shed a few tears, then the next moment, she’s happy again! She just flows freely moment to moment as her feelings change. Happy...sad…tired...hungry…satisfied...playful…laughing...crying She doesn’t analyze her thinking, she doesn’t try to fix it, monitor it or change it and she certainly doesn’t ask why she’s feeling a certain way. She doesn’t worry about not having the confidence to place her hands on her small box so she can stand up. She doesn’t agonize over being judged as she takes one step at a time using her walker as everyone cheers her on to victory! We’ve all been given this beautiful spiritual gift of thought at birth. Without thought we have the inability to experience life. A baby operates from pure consciousness, unfiltered, no contamination of thought. A baby doesn’t put ingredients in the neutrality of thought. Ingredients of blaming a person, event or circumstance for how their life turned out. Ingredients of I am not confident, I am not good enough, I doubt myself, etc. I am sure you get the picture. You see, a baby is our BEST teacher! Here’s what we can all learn from a baby as we all are living as spiritual beings having a human experience: A baby isn’t aware of their thoughts. They just allow themselves to have emotions/feelings flow through them. No attachment. They don’t analyze or ask why am I feeling like this? A baby doesn’t grip thought, so if they don’t like how they are feeling, fresh new thinking comes in literally moment to moment (for all humans) compliments of spiritual intelligence. A baby doesn’t have lots of extraneous thinking around thinking. This thought is good; this emotion is bad. This anxiety thought, is bad; I have to do something with it. A baby doesn’t blame anyone, including the weather, for how they feel. They don’t know they do this, but when they are crabby and in a low mood, they don’t dwell, don’t think something is wrong with them, and don’t panic simply float to a better mood. This means their thinking shifted and changed compliments of the spiritual intelligence and the nature of thought. A baby doesn’t protect their personality because they know its fluid. They know that how they think, how they feel, and how they act creates their personal reality known as their personality. Our personality changes moment to moment based upon thoughts flowing through. A baby warmly smiles when you walk in the room. They welcome you with open arms; they hold no grudges (which is just a thought), they forgive because they see you only with love and understanding. Party-bag-take-a-ways: We are always and only experiencing our thinking (via thought) not from an outside circumstance, person, the past, etc. If we are not thinking about it (something), we are not feeling it! The simple realization, of the fact that we think, you’ll spend more time living from a good feeling. The place of your birthright, innate well-being (mental health, we all have it. It’s never lost, stolen or broken), innate wisdom and innate resilience. 𝐈'𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐌𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜, 𝐒𝐲𝐝 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬. “𝐈𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝”. Once this percolates, please feel free to share your insights or what bubbled up at the surface for you. I can be reached at missionpossibleyou@gmail.com With gratitude, Lynn Follow me on Facebook for more information! Lynn MacDonald, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine I’ve been a corporate trainer for a Fortune 500 company. I’ve been a yoga teacher with consistently sold-out classes and a professional hypnotherapist successfully curing some of the biggest fears and phobias people have. All of this, plus studying with some of the highest level teachers on the planet, has led me to an understanding of human nature that I use to help strong professional women shed their old beliefs and become the potent, prosperous leaders they’re here to be.

Written by: J. Francàis , 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 shopping online with COVID-19 on the rise? Since the pandemic began in March, a lot has changed with E-Commerce. Clothing stores were forced to close due to government-issued orders. Online shopping has increased significantly because more people are at home working remotely. I am a fashion designer, store owner of J. Francais. Just like millions of other brick-and-mortars, they were in the same boat as I was. Clothing retailers were temporarily closed and I witnessed a change in my business. I relied on customers coming into J.Francais but this was the time that I needed to increase my online exposure. I had to implement new strategies to attract customers to my website. I would ask people on social media to subscribe to my email list, direct messaging potential customers, and emailing large corporations to show the products and services I offered. So they say, “Social media is it!” There are billions of people utilizing Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and Tiktok! How can I reach these potential customers for my brand? I have amazing products, I will always deliver exceptional customer service, but one of my goals is to have tons of traffic driven to my website! Now I’m thinking of ideas such as: Collaborating with another designer, hosting a contest-prize-give away, and connecting with an influencer. By doing this, I will increase exposure to my business and gain new customers. I will stay consistent, and greatness will follow! Learn more on Facebook , Instagram and visit ShopDesignCode ! J. Francàis, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine J. Francàis. the collegiate jacket guru, fashion designer, and handbag designer. J. Francàis flagship store opened in December 2018 in San Pedro, California. She specializes in designing custom collegiate jackets for historically black colleges & universities (HBCU’s,) Ivy League schools, and other sports affiliated teams.

Janet Henson is globally sought-after Divorce Coach, dedicated to guide men and women through one of life’s most traumatic emotional events - divorce. Janet quest is to banish the stigma that still surrounds divorce and prove that the end of a marriage can be the most empowering, life changing and affirming event ever to happened to you. Her coaching experience coupled with her own divorce experience enable her to develop coaching programmes designed to help individuals transform their lives by taking control of their minds, she equips them with the strategies and tools they need in order to successfully deal with this major life event, enabling them to navigate and cope with their journey with positivity and to confidently transitioning into the next phase of their life. Janet specialises in divorces involving narcissistic abuse, high conflict, divorce in later life and expat divorces. Who is Janet? I am a globally sought-after Divorce and narcissistic abuse Coach dedicated to guide men and women through one of life’s most traumatic emotional events – divorce. I currently divide my time between Cyprus, Switzerland and Wales – not an easy task in the last year as travel has been, to say the least interesting! I am dyslexic, something I found out about later in life. It was not recognized when I was young. Being dyslexic enables me to be very visual and think outside the box to see the bigger picture. I was born in England but left over 20 years ago. I have lived in over 7 countries, which has given me a global outlook on life. I love to travel and enjoy embracing new cultures. During my own divorce, I had therapy but I found that no one specialized in divorce coaching. I found therapy and counseling was more about the ‘why’ not the ‘how’. I needed coaching in 'how' to move forward, not 'why' it happened. Quite often in a divorce and break-up situation, this can trigger flashbacks that hinder progress. Therapy and Counselling take you from dysfunctional to functional whilst divorce coaching takes you from functional to optimal. Following my unmet needs, I found out about divorce coaching and re-trained and became accredited. My wish was to provide the emotional and practical support I wanted and needed in my divorce. I feel passionate about my job and helping clients move on. I am the bridge over emotionally troubled waters. The lyrics of Bridge over Troubled Waters by Simon and Garfunkel mean so much for me and it's what I wish to achieve for my clients. What is it that you do for your clients? My quest is to banish the stigma that still surrounds divorce and prove that the end of a marriage can be the most empowering, life-changing and affirming event ever to happen to you, at any age. As a divorcee myself I understand the emotional rollercoaster that hits you like a freight train. I have been there and know how hard the journey back to happiness is. My coaching experience, coupled with my own divorce experience, enabled me to develop programs designed to help individuals transform their lives by taking control of their minds and equipping them with the strategies and tools they need in order to successfully deal with divorce. My approach is holistic as I am a great believer in the mind and body working together. What is in your body is in your brain. I believe you need to harmonize your body with your mind to operate at full capacity. Divorce Coaching is action-based, so I guide you through this major life transition by breaking through mental barriers. I do not tell clients what to do. I enable them to harness their own ability to accomplish better results and give them the skills to rebuild their confidence and get their life back on track. Who should hire/work with you? I coach in any break up whether it involves a divorce or not. I coach individuals thinking about divorce, those in the divorce process, those who are already divorced but still coming to terms with the emotional fallout. I specialize in divorces involving controlling behavior, narcissistic abuse, high conflict, divorce in later life and expat divorces. In my role as a narcissistic recovery coach I also coach clients who are dealing with a narcissist at work, or a parent or in a social setting. This side of my coaching was a natural transition due to my high level of expertise in narcissistic behavior. As an expert, what are the top 3 biggest "warnings-signals" that a relationship is going downhill? Controlling toxic behavior by a partner – this increases over time, often resulting in co-dependency and trauma bonding. So you stop liking and respecting the controlling partner, but you find it extremely difficult to leave the relationship. Infidelity by one of the partners, once trust is lost its really hard to make a relationship work. Lack of communication in the relationship coupled by withholding affection and attention. In a relationship, silence is certainly not golden. The more you communicate, the better you will feel. Communication is the single most important thing in a relationship, bar none. If you do not have good communication, you cannot have a good relationship. What is your big goal? My biggest goal is to help as many people as possible overcome a break-up, narcissistic abuse and re-embrace happiness. Where do you see yourself in 10 years from now? I see myself continuing in a loving, happy relationship. I used my own techniques to rebuild my life after divorce late in life, to once again find love and happiness. For more information, follow me on Facebook, Instagram and visit my website! Read more Janet!

Written by: Debra Abraham , Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise And you run. Run the race of your life. Eyes ahead, perspiration dripping as you keep your eyes on your goal of reaching the finish line, hopefully, first. You are in the lead and you prefer to let it stay that way. Suddenly, you notice a runner running beside you, also vying for that coveted first place. You use your peripherals and your mind starts to wonder (and wander). “Will you be able to withstand the competition and hold on to the top spot?” You keep running, looking straight ahead at the lane in front of you but also casting a sidelong glance at the runner beside you. The pressure builds as you continuously check in on your competitor- are they slowing down? Will they outdo you? You get nervous and then….. In the age of social media, where everyone shares almost every detail of their lives, it takes much resolve to stay focused, keep your eye on the ball and just keep running your race. Whether it is for business networking, building personal relationships, sharing stories of family life or reviews of purchases, social media sites have become an expression wall for the global community. As much as it allows us to celebrate the successes of our connections, invigorating us by offering us the opportunity to live vicariously through the photos and content shared, there is at times a gentle urge for us to compare our lives to those of others, which can insidiously bring about feelings of underachievement. Playing the comparison game is not always a negative thing. Comparing and being inspired to improve and challenge ourselves to leap for our dreams is a positive reaction. But this is not the type of comparison I am referring to. I am talking about that nagging feeling that tugs at your heart after seeing photos of a contact expanding their business by setting up a spanking new outlet at a premium location in your city. That feeling of despondence when a friend bags that dream job you have always longed for. We may be ashamed to outwardly admit it, but it happens to the most motivated and the best of us. That feeling of comparing ourselves to another person and regretting our missed opportunities or worse, resulting in us succumbing to the defeatist notion that we will never be able to measure up to the achievement of that other person. Call it insecurity, envy, low self-esteem, self-doubt or limiting beliefs; these feelings can really put a dent in your emotional and mental well-being as well as in your progress and growth as an entrepreneur/individual. What is the cause of this feeling of underachievement? How do we get our mojo back and keep running our marathon (marathon because it certainly is a commitment for the long haul and not a short sprint) of self-improvement and business growth? 1. Stay focused and committed to your goal- Stay on your course. Like an athlete running a race. Train endurance. The journey may be long and challenging but aim for growth from every experience. Do not allow yourself to be negatively sidetracked by your environment or the people around you. Be your own cheerleader and motivate yourself through "self-talk." You've got this, and everything that is needed to fulfill your dreams is within you. 2. Change your perspective- Withstand the urge to compare and learn to appreciate the uniqueness of your journey. Most people who celebrate a success on social media may not reveal the full details of the painful sacrifices and challenges they have had to endure. If you are comfortable, there is no harm in personally reaching out and asking them to share stories leading up to their success and the personal struggles of their journey with you. Most people will be more than willing to share and you will draw immeasurable knowledge from listening to them. " For every finish-line tape a runner breaks—complete with the cheers of the crowd and the clicking of hundreds of cameras—there are the hours of hard and often lonely work that rarely gets talked about."- Grete Waitz , Marathon runner & former World Record Holder. 3. Celebrate the small successes- Stay motivated and keep moving forward. Appreciate each chapter of your journey, acknowledging the value it contributes to your business and personal growth. Every step forward (or sometimes even backward), however small, is a step forward. Refrain from discounting or downplaying each experience as a small achievement. Accept the success graciously and move on to the next chapter. “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” —Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr . 4. Share your journey with others- Be real and inspire others. Document the process of your journey either via podcasts, videos or social media content. Contribute your knowledge and share your experiences with those who are on the same journey as you are. This will help you stay accountable to yourself while you also find your tribe. 5. Wait- Wait patiently for your time to arrive. Work steadily on your goals, and soon, it will be your turn to post your sweet success story! "The ultimate is not to win, but to reach within the depths of your capabilities and to compete against yourself to the greatest extent possible. When you do that, you have dignity. You have the pride. You can walk about with character and pride no matter in what place you happen to finish."- Billy Mills , Olympic Track & Field Athlete Victory is sweet not because you have beaten your opponents but because you have outperformed yourself. Follow Rockstarzstudios on Facebook , Instagram and visit Debra's Instagram ! Debra Abraham, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Debra Abraham, founder of Rockstarz Performing Arts Studios, has been coaching students of all ages to find their identities and be empowered through music. She leads a team of instructors who are skilled at providing music education in a nurturing & student-centered environment, allowing students to boldly express themselves. Currently working on building her online singing community, she believes in empowering people to pursue their dreams, free themselves of limiting beliefs and inspire others through their journey. She aspires to inspire small business owners in the areas of mindset & personal development, which will lead towards positive transformation of themselves and their businesses.

Written by: Dale Darley, 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 Saving your life with journaling all sounds a bit dramatic, doesn’t it? And had I not experienced the power of journaling, I’d probably be right there with you scoffing at the very idea. Of course, you may be a long term journaler and sagely nodding your head, wishing others knew about this incredible secret club. A club where we hoard boxes of colored pens and an equal number of beautiful journals waiting to receive our deepest secrets and genius ideas. I was asked recently when I started journaling. I shocked myself when I realized that it was well over 30 years ago. This is discounting the years of silk-covered diaries held together with tiny locks that silently kept my scribbled and fearful teenage angst within the narrow lined pages. 30 years of pouring my heart out is a long time to be practicing anything, isn’t it? But that is a testament to the learning and personal growth that I have gained. Naturally, over the years, the way I journal has changed. Years ago it was all emotional pain, which in the dead of night was turned into strange, strangled prose or odd short stories where everyone who had ever wronged me saw a sticky end. My journal has supported me through redundancy, relationship endings, going into business, changing direction and the most life-changing thing to date healing a fractured spine. Having a fractured spine effectively put an end to normal life for over a year. It wasn’t just a case of healing my spine; there were other complications. All of which meant I was unable to work, and for many months I couldn’t even walk properly without being in excruciating pain. At the time, I consulted my journal and my heart and decided that my savings needed to be spent on supporting and healing me. Writing about it gave me clarity and a sense of purpose. When there were nights when I did not want to be here, my journal held me and soaked up my tears and pain. In the light of a new day, it never seemed quite so bad as it had the night before. My journal held all of the research needed to heal myself. I studied practically every system of the human body, looking at how everything interacted and what I needed to deal with first. I drew endless pathways, which were eventually turned into patterns of healing. I astounded myself in front of medical experts talking about this stuff and suggesting to them what needed to be done. Journaling also gave me the confidence to express my ideas. I set goals such as I have a healed, healthy spine in six months. It actually took longer; however, there were many successes along the way. When I eventually returned to running my business, I was able to brainstorm ideas, set goals and work out where to focus my energy. All of this has evolved into something I call journaling magic, where there are no rules other than I make it work for me. Journaling magic covers freewriting, using prompts, oracle cards, mandalas, affirmations, and gratitude, all done when intuitively they each feel right. I have a routine where I greet a new journal with writing and reviewing my bucket list for my soul (what I want), where I am, who I want to be, my big life goal, smaller goals and envisioning the future. This forces me (gently) back on track with what I want in my life. All of this ensures I have clarity, meaning and purpose. So what could you expect from journaling? Journaling benefits There are many many benefits to journaling, but as I said earlier, journaling could save your life and where best to start than with the physical and emotional benefits. Your health Your health is your wealth. This has been the driving force for my life. Journaling has proven time and again to help fight stress (and anxiety). Stress is one of the worst things for our health. It affects all aspects of our life, including our diet, sleep and mood. On top of that, it releases damaging hormones into our bodies. Reducing stress is often the trigger to a whole host of health benefits. As a stress relief tool, journaling can actually boost your physical health and well being. People who journal: Have a better immune system Tend to want to explore natural treatments and are big fans of self care Often heal quicker This is because it all goes back to the stress component. The very act of writing about things you are connected to emotionally activates certain areas in your brain. When these areas are activated, you can more efficiently process what life throws at you. However, I like to believe that life happens for me and not to me and that there are lessons in everything. Journaling supports your mood and enables you to function cognitively at a higher level. All of which helps you come up with creative solutions to any potential problems or stressors in your life. In short, journaling gives some of the benefits you’d get if you were ranting to your best friend – not that you would do that (too often) – would you? As I said earlier, people who journal are less stressed, have better immune systems, heal faster, and tend to enjoy a better quality of life. Nowhere is this more evident than in people who are going through serious medical issues such as, in my case, healing fractures from Osteoporosis. Not all the benefit is from mere stress reduction, though. Journaling has been proven to raise the quality of life – it did mine and continues to do so. Those who journal while dealing with a severe medical condition do better in accepting their diagnosis, processing everything going along with it and looking for ways to support their healing. In my experience, I have seen people with illness fare far better in treatment (natural or otherwise) than those who never journal. Managing your emotions Emotions are fundamental to human life; they keep us safe and help us experience life. However, they are often poorly understood. A lot of research has gone into defining emotions, what they mean, how we experience the intensity of them and what they mean to us. The fascinating thing about emotions is that what we experience will differ from others. So, my experience of anger will be different from yours. You may fly into a rage, where I will only feel annoyance – yet we both describe it as anger. One issue with emotions is the ability to really feel each part of the emotion, understanding what that emotion means to you, the sensations you have inside your body and the thoughts that run through your mind. The more you can observe these and understand them, the more you can use these emotions for your benefit. A great way to notice your emotions is to stop regularly enter the space within and note what you are feeling. In this way, you can truly feel them in full. Don’t judge them as bad or good. Just note them. Writing these in your journal will help you to process them. Also, noticing how other people behave can be very illuminating and improve your understanding of self. Your journal can help you work through emotions in a healthy way. You will be able to reframe them and refocus in a more productive way. When you stop during the day, ask yourself: What your current state of mind is Ask yourself what your most dominant emotion is Note the intensity, e.g. Fear – fearful to terrified Make a note of anything else that seems relevant, like the trigger, who you were with, the environment and what was happening at the time Reframing Reframing is the way that you choose to see something from another perspective. In your journal, you can go on an adventure and explore the root of any triggers, emotions, thoughts, beliefs and behaviors. When you find the memory, make a conscious choice to see the past in a new way. I look at the past with gratitude and appreciation, which enables me to see the lessons, gifts and benefits. A simple way to reframe is to change; I can’t into I can. The you now perspective Your journal enables you to ask questions, be curious and explore your past from the you now perspective. The emotions that you once experienced will now feel different. This will help you to understand yourself and others better. In this way, you can use your journal to scramble the script and tell a new story. When you do this, you can give them a better meaning and learn more about how to manage them in the present. This provides wonderful opportunities for growth and the future you. Taking responsibility When you see your stories in black and white, please be kind and compassionate towards yourself. Your journal is not a place for judgments. Take the stand of this has happened for me (to learn and grow) and not to me. By being responsible for your emotions and embracing what you learn over time, you will see your transformation. Being emotionally intelligent Emotional intelligence is about better understanding yourself and your emotions while understanding others and their feelings. Daniel Goleman, from his 1995 book, Emotional Intelligence, suggests the following model for managing your emotions. Knowing your emotions Managing your own emotions Motivating yourself Recognizing and understanding other people’s emotions Managing relationships, i.e., managing the emotions of others Journaling enables you to see patterns and pictures in managing your emotions and how you interact with others. You can also practice reframing your emotions and holding assertive conversations in your journal before having to face anyone in the flesh. All of which will improve your emotional intelligence. Goals, dreams and desires Journaling can help you achieve your goals, dreams and desires because it will force you to think about them, consider the why and how, and delve deeper into the situation so that you can examine all sides of it. It encourages you to write down your goals, dreams and desires – When I start a journal, I reframe and review my goals, dreams and desires. Whether you write them down on paper or you use technology to get it all down doesn’t matter. However, I am biased and believe that journaling is more effective because of the powerful connection between the paper and our brain. Once they’re written, they are ready to tackle. I start with what I call a bucket list for my soul. This lets me get everything out that I want. My big life dream gets turned into a goal, and other smaller goals fall out of this. It makes you consider why and how – As you write in your journal, you’ll be forced to face the why and how of your goals. This is especially true if you write them down and use your journal to create a focus. I sort my bucket list and goals into focus areas and use these to create daily aligned and inspired actions. It enables you to examine the blocks and resistance – When you are focused on goals, in your journal, you’ll also be able to (and want to) explore blocks and resistance coming your way. It helps you avoid roadblocks in advance and creates a space for opportunities. It makes you develop steps for success based on your goals – When you see it written down, you’ll become very aware of what to put into in a plan and what task go into your calendar (to-do list) for scheduling. It helps you improve goal and intention setting – Each time you set intentions (present moment) and intentionally set goals (future-focussed) or write about your dreams and desires, you can define the steps you need to achieve them (a plan with daily aligned and inspired actions). When you actually do them, you are setting yourself up to improving your life and the direction you want to go in. It provides accountability – Even if no one else is reading your journal, a private journal can help you become accountable to yourself and your goals. By writing down your daily actions, you will start to become accountable, and you will enjoy being able to write your success in the back of your journal. That is, of course, if you have actually carried out your action list. It provides a permanent record – Having a permanent record of the things you’ve done in your life, whether it’s personal or work, is a beautiful thing. Hardly anyone has a perfect memory, so the wisdom you get from reflecting on how far you have traveled is priceless. It may be inspirational – Depending on the journal, you might even be able to take the information and insights gained and turn them into something like a book, blog or course to inspire others. Journaling is an excellent way to work toward achieving all your goals, dreams and desires. It will even help you make better goals and set clearer intentions because the process of writing in your journal and reflecting will enable you to see the patterns and pictures of your life. This may help to ‘save’ your life, career or business as you will be able to see what works and what doesn’t from the feedback and reflections in your journal. You’ll know when to change direction and where to place your focus. You can express yourself freely Being able to put into words how you perceive and experience the world is a feeling like no other. The very act of doing so provides you with a sense of satisfaction. After all, these are your impressions that your unique voice wants to express. Expressing yourself through writing is also healing. This is where you can begin to find your voice, step into your personal power, reclaim your confidence and become more assertive. Your creativity is ignited The more you write, the more you’ll see how things fit together. You will start to see patterns and pictures and get wonderful aha moments. When you start your exploration with a “what if…” or ‘I wonder’ you will make big creative leaps, leading you into fresh, new territory waiting to be explored. Encouraging your creativity to come out to play is invaluable in life and in business. Some of my best ideas have shown up when I am more relaxed with my pen poised. You make sense of the order of things Writing things down helps you to easily see what you need to do and how to go about doing it. Again this is slowing yourself down to check that all of the steps make sense. Of course, it can be a little frustrating when you have scribbled all of the steps down to find that you have missed some vital parts. My journal is full of ideas and scribbles that just get more and more clarity as I write and reflect. Your learning is cemented I love the way that writing things down cements your learning. There is a connection between your hand, brain and the paper that differs to how you might write on a computer. I have personally found that I remember more when I handwrite, and I have a deeper emotional connection. Handwriting will slow you down so that you take the time to learn rather than speeding along at a rate of knots just to get the information down. Even though it can seem longer than typing, you really will retain more for longer. Your writing improves The daily act of writing improves your connection with words and language. I’ve noticed that the way that I express myself in my journal has changed over time. I have been able to explore how to use new words. The exploration of different words in my journal means that I have a safe space away from judgment to take risks with my writing. Daily journaling trains the writing muscle and keeps it fit. Much needed when you are required to use words in all aspects of your life. Your personal stories are captured If you want to write your story, this is a great place to start. Your journal becomes a record of your life. No one else is experiencing the world in the same way you are. Your impressions, the way that you live your life have importance. In your journal, you preserve what it means to be you, here in this moment for your future self—and even generations to come. When you have been able to express your voice and discover how to create a life of meaning and purpose, you will potentially want to inspire others to do the same. Journaling is a stepping stone to becoming a writer, ready to stretch your wings and fly into the world of stories, blogs and books if you so desire. So there we have it the many benefits that come from journaling that could save your life, career or business. With so many reasons to journal, the only question remaining is when will you get started. For more information, please visit my website ! Dale Darley, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Dale works with her clients to help them to discover the magic in their story, through the power of writing, journaling and energy work. Dale is an expert at getting your story out and finding the essence of who you are, what you want to become and supporting you to get what you want, through coaching and programs. She believes that writing heals, and her vision and mission is to create a community of people who find clarity, purpose and meaning through their writing. That these people go on to inspire others to know what is possible in the world. Dale holds an MBA from The University of Glamorgan and an ILM Level 7 Executive Coaching certificate. She served in senior marketing management roles in the IT and manufacturing sectors before working for herself.

Written by: Adelina Stefan, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise In the current world of uncertainty changing rapidly and unpredictably, companies and individuals have been forced to transition, adapt to new conditions and change specializations. Getting clarity on what how to do, how to do, and when to act is not an easy thing in these times. As a Coach, when working with individuals in career transition, the goal is to help them discover their potential, connecting themselves to their own values in order to get clarity on their career path. If you are currently exploring the job market to land a new opportunity, these 3 insights will help you to leverage your skills and strengths to get a new job in these uncertain times. 1. Know yourself Knowing your own strengths and talents will empower you in your job search and in your career success. Define your professional value proposition to stand out and show your potential employer how you will bring value inside the organization, what makes you unique or at least unusual, what work style and competencies you possess, such as problem-solver, results-oriented, team player or self-starter, etc. To identify those strengths, take a psychometric test or skills assessment , debrief the results, define its accuracy, and build a strategy to help you leverage your skills to unearth the opportunities that would best suit you and your objectives. Search for a role and an environment you love, not for a role that you can do! Being passionate about what you do, followed by your competencies, is key to securing employment. Select the companies where you would like to work, rather than those who have a vacancy. 2. Build strategically your network Personalizing your resume depending on the job requirements and company’s mission is only one step that can significantly impact your chances of landing the targeted job! However, remember that your resume represents only one way to reach employers. Hence, once you have built your resume and cover letter, you are ready to position yourself as a professional in your field and start focusing on connecting with the right people in the direction of your dream job. How many times as a job seeker, have you heard how crucial networking is in landing the job? Networking for a job refers to how we build a community of professionals who know you and may help you if they can to identify new opportunities, increasing your chances of success through an internal referral. Even if the connections you build are not the decision-makers at your targeted company, a direct referral can bring you closer to the hiring manager. In other words, try to find the decision-makers inside the company through a bridge contact. When reaching the hiring manager, position yourself as a problem-solver to a challenge that the company is facing, showing the hiring manager how your skills and expertise are valuable and needed by the company. Prepare your elevator pitch to introduce yourself, transmitting clearly and concise who you are and, what strengths and skills you possess what you are looking for. Last, remember that networking may not give you instant results. It requires high perseverance, motivation and preparation to reach someone who may impact you or whom you can impact. 3. Master interviews Interviews are one of the critical parts of the hiring process and their preparation can be very time and energy-consuming. However, as Benjamin Franklin said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail”. Neglecting preparation or working on building up your confidence before an interview can lead to unforeseen issues later, limiting your chances to get hired . Researching in depth the company’s mission statement, vision, values, and target audience will give you more confidence to provide accurate and concrete answers based on both your experience and the targeted job requirements. Prepare your interview checklist, reviewing your strengths, and emphasizing how your key skills are relevant for your targeted role. Describe briefly how your strengths have contributed to your achievements and how you can use them to bring value to the company you are being interviewed for. Use a first-person point of view, incorporating personal pronouns like “I” and “me”, and an active voice such as “I’m excited to”, when describing your smart stories. Prepare your powerful and unique questions that will help you to understand whether the company and the role itself are the right for you. Remember that interviewers expect to hear your questions as first, they will get the sense that you are interested in the position and second, you aim to understand key details regarding the role and atmosphere inside the company. Last, pay attention to the dress code and the body language. Dress properly, maintain eye contact with the interviewer, sit straight, listen carefully to remain focused during the interview. The job search brings its challenges in many different forms and completely unavoidable, but with these three tips, you will overcome them and land your next opportunity! Follow me on Facebook , connect with me on LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Adelina Stefan, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Adelina Stefan is a Professional Certified Coach & Intercultural Facilitator specialized in Career Development, with a deep expertise in international HR recruitment and selection and Training and Development. Having worked for 10+ years across cultures, Adelina seeks to catalyze individuals’ potential, helping them create and implement their unique career blueprint and, at the same time, achieve a healthy work-life balance. She specializes in working with expats and mid- to senior-level executives dealing with challenging work environments that can affect both their performance and well-being. She supports organizations in building a corporate coaching culture by highlighting individuals’ maximum potential and engagement so that they become dedicated and highly successful employees. Her practice includes Career, Life, Executive, and Agile Coaching for individuals, as well as developing and implementing corporate Human Resources practices for improving intercultural relations.

Written by: Betsy Kauffman, 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 you are keen to schedule another virtual happy hour for your team or require your employees to attend a multi-day virtual conference, please do not. I know this may seem unpopular and goes against everything recently written about virtual team building, but if your employees are feeling the same as most of my peers, they are dealing with screen fatigue. We are spending an unprecedented amount of time in front of our screens because our homes are also becoming our places of work and school. No more commutes where we can zone out and listen to a good podcast or our favorite music. No more going out to lunch with peers or grabbing a drink with the team for a quick happy hour. I am guilty (like many others) of rolling out of bed and going straight into my home office to dial in for an early morning conference call. I grab a quick bite for lunch and quickly head back to my screen. Conference calls run over and go into the evening because we are no longer rushing home to get a child to practice or to attend a community meeting. The lines of home, work, family, and school are all blurred because everything is happening in the same location and most days feel like "Groundhog Day." I am afraid there is no end in sight since most workplaces have yet to put plans in place for returning to the office. Is there really such a thing as achieving work-life balance, especially in the world we all currently live in? Some say it is not possible because our work and home lives have become so intertwined. Some say it is up to each individual to figure out how to balance their own personal and professional lives. I believe it is also a leader’s responsibility to ensure each of your team members is finding the necessary balance to protect their mental health. My first challenge to all leaders - turn your virtual happy hours and team-building activities into mandatory disconnects. Give your employees time to step away from work and connect to their families. Encourage them to rediscover the music they love or activities they enjoy. Commit to going for a walk or run so they can enjoy the beautiful weather instead of peering out over their screens to see the sunshine from their home office. My next challenge for leaders, set an example and disconnect, too. When it is time to come together for your next team meeting, take time to applaud and celebrate how everyone disconnected. Your team will appreciate the support and “permission” to disconnect and will probably become more engaged, allowing your team to become more “connected”. Follow me on Facebook , LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Betsy ! Betsy Kauffman, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Betsy Kauffman is a globally recognized Leadership and Organizational Agility Coach with more than 20 years' experience working in Fortune 500 companies. Her company, Cross Impact Coaching, helps leaders create innovative, aligned, disruptive organizations. Betsy has observed and worked side by side with hundreds of CxO leaders and has seen just about every variation of how Leadership Teams operate and execute (both successfully and not so successfully). She deeply understands and has experienced firsthand when the team of individuals charged with leading the organization aren't aligned, focused, and working as one, the rest of the organization suffers. She is a published author providing thought leadership to both the agile and project management communities and speaks internationally on topics around leadership, corporate culture, and achieving organizational agility. She just completed her first TED talk - “How To Have Open and Honest conversations at Work” in September, 2020 in conjunction with the TED@PMI partnership and was selected by the TED editors to have her talk highlighted on TED.com in the near future – stay tuned for more details!

Written by: Rachel Paling, 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 Everything we say has an impact on the person we are talking to. Did you know that words can literally change your brain? According to Andrew Newberg, M.D. and Mark Robert Waldman: “a single word has the power to influence the expression of genes that regulate physical and emotional stress.” Martin Teicher and colleagues at Harvard Medical School discovered that young adults 18-25, who reported experiencing verbal abuse from their peers during middle school years had underdeveloped connections between the left and right sides of their brain through the corpus callosum and had higher levels of anxiety, depression, anger, hostility, dissociation, and drug abuse than others in the study. Words can, in fact, cause far more than emotional harm. Our capacity to communicate through speech is one of the unique factors possessed by humans distinguishing us from other animals. However, our impact awareness and sensitivity to our listener is something that we do not consider enough, as more often than not, we blurt out a reply which is more from habit than from empathy and compassion. When we shift communication into our learning processes, we can see that educators are also not as aware as they could be and even should be. And we are all educators and teachers at some point in our lives: as leaders, managers, directors, learning and development or staff trainers, human resources, teachers, trainers, coaches or simply parents. The way we communicate when training, teaching or coaching is absolutely key and could totally change the life and future of a learner. So how can we create brain-friendly compassionate communication and especially in our roles as educators? Just imagine, one of your learners explains to you that s/he isn’t feeling confident about giving a presentation and you immediately jump in saying you think s/he is great and you are convinced s/he will be just fine! The impact of your response could have left your learner feeling unheard, unrecognized and ignored. On the other hand, you obviously acted with the best intention and you felt you were encouraging and supporting. Let’s take another scenario: your learner shares with you that s/he is quite nervous about giving presentations and in the past s/he had felt panic, sweating with shaking hands, even with her/his mind going blank and you respond to him/her by saying it is only a talk that s/he is giving and there is no need to be nervous! And finally, you even ask blatantly “why do you get so nervous?” and your learner responds with an extremely defensive and upset answer. Neurolanguage incorporates professional coaching conversations and models as well as principles of neuroscience to totally transform learning. In our first scenario above, from professional coaching, I would be engaging in extremely active listening, demonstrating this through reformulation to check back, “so am I hearing that there is a confidence problem for you here?”. To be able to reformulate well, I really have to listen to what my learner is saying. The next step would be to demonstrate empathy, “I am really sorry that you are feeling this way”. Then I would use powerful questions to bring in compassion, “so, what could you do to build up your confidence?”. Traditionally everyone says that coaching is about empathy, personally I think it is about “beyond empathy into compassion”. Compassion, in fact, means to understand the pain of another person and to want to mitigate that pain. In other words, it is where the coach recognizes and acknowledges the pain of another but swiftly moves the conversation into action and solution. The fascinating thing is what happens to the brain when we feel empathy and what happens when we feel compassion because, in fact, neuroscience demonstrates how the brain reacts differently to both. Tania Singer is the director of the Department of social neuroscience at the Max Planck Institute for human cognitive and brain sciences in Leipzig and she clearly explains the differences. With empathy, mirror neurons trigger and in fact the pain and reward circuits of the brain light up. Therefore, “I feel what you feel”. However, with compassion, the Periaqueductal grey, which triggers the vagus nerve, lights up and “I recognize and empathize with what you are feeling, but I want to help you move on from this”. The conversation could then move into a thought-provoking brainstorming, using Socratic questioning, so that my learner could come up with her own ideas and solutions. Ultimately, this would also mean that my learner does not feel that I am telling her what to do. Compassionate communication empowers people to find their own solutions, promoting respect for their feelings and opinions. In scenario number two, I would also firstly reformulate to check what my learner has told me, “so do I hear it really upsets you to give presentations and to the extent that you notice it physically?” I would also move to empathy and say “I am really sorry to hear that”. I would then ask my learner permission to share the neuroscience relating to “fight or flight”. By sharing what happens to brain functions when we get nervous, frightened or panicked could enlighten my learner as to what is actually happening to her and the reason for the physical reactions as well as the blank mind. I would explain how the threat response arouses the amygdala, which sends signals to the brain stem and hypothalamus, triggering the fight or flight response. The rational, analytical parts of the brain may shut down as the reptilian brain kicks into gear. After talking this through with my learner, I would then go into Socratic questioning to brainstorm strategies for her to manage this state. Often, when we are fully able to comprehend what is happening, it serves to calm us down, thereby explaining brain functions and potential reactions could greatly serve us to know ourselves and appreciate how this may be happening to someone else. In scenario three, I would avoid asking such a directly insensitive question and try to see if I could cajole my learner into shifting into a rational analysis of what happens in those situations by exploring the reasons for her reaction. Could this be from a bad memory? Could it be something that s/he does not do very often? Together we would try to analyze the reasons and that could lead us to coaching around bad memories or talking about neuroplasticity and how the brain creates habits. In summary, a Neurolanguage Coach not only brings equanimity and compassion into learning conversations but also constantly brings awareness about the brain; neuroplasticity; neurogenesis; the conscious and subconscious and the interplay of explicit and implicit learning; how the brain learns through association; how positive feedback impacts the production of dopamine essential for learning: any potentially learning styles; the learning journey; the learning plateau; spaced-out learning; the limbic system affecting the rational, logical, analytical part of the brain; emotional and social pain: arousing curiosity regarding the learning. In any learning conversation, the magic begins with the words of the educator. For more information, follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn and visit our website ! Rachel Paling, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Rachel Marie Paling is an International Game Changer in Education, in particular, the education of languages. She has created the method and approach Neurolanguage Coaching which incorporates professional coaching and principles of neuroscience into the learning process. She coaches and trains teachers worldwide, transforming them into certified and ICF accredited Neurolanguage coaches and has created the Neurolanguage Coach network with over 700 NL Coaches in just over 70 countries worldwide and is now bringing the approach to schools and institutions over the world through her licensed trainers and in nine languages. Rachel started teaching language at the age of 17 and has a BA Honours in Law and Spanish, MA in Human Rights, she is a qualified UK lawyer, MA in Applied Neuroscience and a PCC ICF Life Coach. She is the author of the books Neurolanguage Coaching and Brain-friendly Grammar and has written numerous blog articles about learning, coaching and neuroscience. She has spoken at many international conferences and her company was awarded the Bronze Award at the Reimagine Education Awards 2019 in the Science in Education category, She is dedicated to the shift in education and is currently establishing an educational foundation to bring coaching, neuroscience and heart science into educational processes.

Written by: Sefanit Berihun, 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 Being a first-generation Ethiopian-American, I have always veered on the side of caution. Financial and educational security were extremely important, so I did everything to attain this for my family and me even from an early age. My parents told me to get good grades to get into a good college, get into a good college to get a good job, get a good job to-you get the picture. However, while my parents preached the traditional American Dream to their children, they were living the more difficult entrepreneurial version as immigrants to this country. Within four years of immigrating to the US, my young parents created and operated The Blue Nile Ethiopian Restaurant, which went on to be the only Ethiopian cuisine restaurant in the city for many years and, ultimately, the most successful. At the time, my life consisted of doing homework with my father on one of the many seating tables in the front and grabbing snacks and specially made goodies from my mother in the kitchen. Now, being a mother of two and an entrepreneur in the online world, I can’t fathom how a couple that barely knew English at the time established a long-living cult-favorite restaurant, much less mustered up the courage to even entertain this idea. The Blue Nile Ethiopian Restaurant served ethnic cuisine successfully for over 20 years. So you can imagine my response to my own fears and apprehension of pursuing the entrepreneurial life and starting up my online business...ARE YOU BLOODY KIDDING ME? Yes, I had a stable corporate engineering job providing me a biweekly paycheck, yes, I was comfortable, but I knew something was missing. My mother, ironically, or not so ironically, was the one urging me repeatedly to watch the initial webinar that started this whole journey for me earlier this year. She kept reminding me of my WHYs and that the ultimate goal is to work for oneself and gain the freedom of determining my work hours and my home life and being present for my young children and my husband. I guess once an entrepreneur, always an entrepreneur, right? Her three most important traits for a successful entrepreneur are: 1. FAITH Faith was a huge aspect for my parents in general and as entrepreneurs. You have to believe that this journey is all for something bigger than the money, the success, and quite honestly, even yourself. It is often a challenge as a new entrepreneur to surround yourself with those who believe in your vision considering the unconventional path of this career choice. However, have faith that you have the support and blessing from the most important one and that He can do greater things than any opportunity or connection you may ever acquire. 2. INTENTIONS Why are you interested in entrepreneurship? Is it solely for your own gain? The answers to these questions are essential in determining your true intention and, ultimately, your degree of hunger for success on this journey. For me, yes, my online business allows me the time and financial freedom I desire in my own life, but the fact I get to share this with millions of others who want the same in their own life is my driving motivation. Sharing a blessing with those who are open to receive is the fulfillment I’ve craved my whole professional career. 3. PERSEVERANCE Any entrepreneur will tell you that this path is not easy, not straightforward, and definitely not for the faint of heart. There will be endless days of quiet, diligent work requiring enormous amounts of discipline and consistency with only a sprinkle of victorious days that attest to all this hard work. Along with the external hardships, there will be an internal struggle of the mind to keep yourself focused and motivated no matter how small the daily progress may appear and no matter how unsupportive your circle may be. With the first two traits guiding your vision, you will be renewed and prepared for the daily battles and continue developing in faith and perseverance. With my parents as inspiration, I have come to welcome every aspect of this amazing, exhausting, frustrating, and yet very rewarding entrepreneurial journey. Is it always pretty and magical? Absolutely not. But is it worth it? Definitely. Entrepreneurship is sought out by many and achieved by several, with even fewer who actually enjoy the process. I wish you all great success and happiness in your business ventures! For more information, connect with me on LinkedIn and visit my website ! Sefanit Berihun, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Sefanit Berihun is a chemical engineer turned full-time entrepreneur with her global online business, Sefanit M Consulting. Her exit from the corporate world was integral in creating the time and financial freedom she desired to enjoy life with her two young children and her husband. Now she works tirelessly to share this opportunity with others who are also interested in time/financial freedom and want to utilize the ever-expanding online space to create a business and an income from home. A completely automated system is provided and maintained for clients who become business owners. Utilizing only attraction marketing, this business model consists of no sales, no multilevel marketing (MLM), and no product handling. Take back control of your time, finances, and career by exploring this opportunity.