Written by: Ikedah Alston, 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 want your children to listen to you, it’s important to listen to them. If you’re looking for additional motivation, a recent study found that having at least one caring parent was the most important factor in helping kids to build resilience and succeed in school. Children were six times more likely to overcome challenges and complete their homework if they had a parent who listened to them, according to a study published in the journal Pediatrics. While parents had the greatest influence, other research shows that any caring adult's presence can increase positive outcomes. If you want to help your kids or children in general, work on your listening skills. Try these tips for listening to your child. Tips for preparing to talk with your child You may have to lay some groundwork if you want your child to talk with you more. Create an environment that encourages heartfelt talks: Spend time together. Your child will be more likely to come to you with sensitive issues if you nurture a close connection. Block out time each day for family meals and sharing fun activities. Do household chores together and read stories before bedtime. Tune out distractions. Give your child your full attention when they need to talk. Put away your phone and stop thinking about the office and mortgage payments. Work on timing. Successful conversations sometimes depend on the setting. Let your child know that you’ll be available later if they need time to compose themselves or think a situation through. Calm down. Similarly, you may need to cool off. It’s easy to say things in anger that you’ll regret later. Taking a walk around the block could prevent you from making a harsh comment that could stick with your child for years. Think positive. Let your child know that you notice the things they do well in addition to the times they mess up. Talk more about making friends and learning and less about grades and unmade beds. Tips for listening to your child Anyone can strengthen their attentive listening skills. Those same skills are likely to help you with other relationships too. Use these strategies to shore up your listening skills: Focus on interaction. Dialogue moves in two directions. Ensure that you listen at least as much as you speak. Let go of judgments. Show your child that you love and accept them just as they are. You can validate their experiences even when you disagree with their choices. Drop your agenda. Encourage your child to develop their own perspective and solve their own dilemmas. Resist the urge to do the work for them. Address underlying issues. There’s often more to a conversation than what appears on the surface. If you think your child is overreacting or developing unhealthy patterns, you may need to dig deeper or consider family counseling. Watch your body language. A great deal of communication is non verbal. Use your facial expressions and gestures to show your child that you’re interested and supportive. Make eye contact and keep your body relaxed and open. Discuss feelings. Even adults often struggle to identify and share their feelings. The more you work on your own emotional intelligence, the more you can be a role model for understanding and expressing feelings. Keep practicing. You may find that active listening seems unnatural or complicated at first. However, your abilities will grow over time, and your family life will be enriched just by making an effort. Help your child to develop healthy self-esteem and communication skills by listening to what they have to say. They’ll have a brighter future, and you’ll both enjoy a closer relationship. For more details, follow me on Facebook, Instagram or visit my website. Be sure to join my private Facebook Community for valuable information on parenting tips and emotional intelligence. Read more from Ikedah! Ikedah Alston, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine The core philosophy of what I do is to “be who you needed when you were younger”. As a kid, I struggled with negative self image, emotional outbursts and lack of self awareness which followed me through adulthood. Over the past 11 years I have worked with children directly through volunteering in my community as a mentor, scout troop leader and as a mom, so I have seen first hand the struggles that kids go through including not knowing how to handle their emotions. And having gone through it myself, I felt that there is a gap that needs to be filled. That is why I started KIMA Kids Life Coach. I want to give our youth, the future of our world, the essential life skills through emotional intelligence to begin their journey of self awareness, effective communication and better decision making.

Written by: Ebony Langston, 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. There are hundreds of articles and books out there on how and what makes a great leader. Many of these sources list admirable qualities like authenticity, communication, decisiveness. All of this is true, however, most if not all forget the most important quality of all, prioritizing your own health and wellness. Too often, leaders find themselves in a position of sacrificing themselves for the betterment of the company or their team. Back to back meetings, poor nutrition, lack of sleep, sitting in front of a computer all day, are all actions that will actually sabotage your abilities to lead in the long term if engaged in on a continual basis. They can lead to brain fog, mood swings, memory issues, and weakened immunity. By taking the time to prioritize yourself and your needs first, you optimize your ability to truly exhibit servant leadership and give your team the permission to do the same for themselves. Self-care is caring for your soul, your inner self, and your very being. Building a Solid Self-Care Plan A good self-care plan reminds you of what you want to accomplish. After all, you have values, goals, and a purpose in your life. This plan reminds you of what you need to do to take care of you. Using a day planner or making notes to yourself can remind you of your goals and the things you need to do to take care of your body, mind, and soul. Your self-care plan gives you a solid foundation for what you want to do and how you can accomplish it. You should also provide yourself with inspirational quotes and affirmations. This is the spiritual food that keeps you focused on your own personal well-being. Not only do you have the reminders of what to do, but you also have little pieces of inspiration around you to remind you of why you’re doing it! In addition to inspirational quotes, you can hang motivating pictures throughout your home and office. These pictures may be of exotic places you’d like to visit someday or tranquil images of nature. Your pictures may be something that you want to attract into your life or remind you of your past's positive memory. You can also have a photo of your family to remind you of what’s important to you. Your self-care plan should inspire you and remind you of why you want to take care of your body, mind, and spirit. Another aspect of your self-care plan is tracking your progress. Let’s say you have a hard time getting motivated to exercise. By keeping a log of your exercise time, you can keep yourself focused on achieving a healthier you. A food journal is also a good way to track your food choices so you can remind yourself that you need to eat nutritious foods. In addition, you can use a journal to record your mental and emotional health. Write down what’s going on inside of you so you can evaluate your feelings and proactively take care of your mental health. Your self-care plan tracks your progress to help you stay on track toward your goals. You can use these aspects of planning toward anything in your life, so you have that solid foundation you need to take care of yourself. Just make sure to take care of the inside as well as the outside. Creating a Personalized Self-Care Plan You may need to motivate yourself to initiate your self-care plan. For some, beginning any new task may be daunting. In addition, you’ll want to be sure you can find motivation along the way to help keep you on track. Ask yourself about what has motivated you in the past. Use this as your motivation toward the things you need to do to take care of yourself. A good motivator to keep you on track is to have a family member, friend, or spouse hold you accountable. If you slip up in your efforts to proactively take care of yourself, they will let you know so you can renew your focus and get back on course. It’s important to have some sort of structure in place for successful self-care. You need to take care of yourself before you can take care of anyone else. A good self-care plan will provide you with the vigor, attitude, and energy you need to sustain yourself to face any challenge that may come your way! For more information, follow me on Facebook, Instagram and visit my website! Ebony Langston, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Ebony Langston is an Executive and Health Coach and founder of You Deserve You. After spending 15 years in the corporate world in senior-level positions, Ebony realized that she was often in positions of devaluing her own health and self-worth to achieve more at work. She decided enough was enough and started prioritizing her health and well-being and found that she was able to contribute even more to those around her. Now she helps other women leaders achieve more by shifting the traditional “work harder” mindset to one that prioritizes your own well-being first to better serve others. Ebony has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Duke University; M.B.A from Webster University, Primal Certified Health Coach, NASM Personal Trainer certified and is pursuing board certification in Executive Coaching.

Written by: Stephanie Martin, 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 was the last time that you found yourself thinking. How ready are you for 2020 to be over? That this year has been awful, and nothing good has come from this year? You are not alone. Many of us have felt like we were stuck, and like this year was just not the year for us, with everything that is going on in the world. The focus has been on all the negative things 2020 has to offer. You have everything that you need to overcome the stigma of 2020 at your fingertips. My favorite things I have done this year and that my clients are actively doing to take back control of this year. It’s time to kick all of the craziness out of your life. I know what you’re thinking but hear me out. You have control over who is in your life every single day. You don’t have to have anyone who isn’t bringing you love, support, and encouragement in your life. Your business is going to grow if you remove all of the negative people out of your life. Simply because you will be able to see those supportive people more, their encouragement is a game-changer in business, no matter how large or small your business might be. It will push you to be the best version of yourself. Use what you’ve got! Right now, we all have some extra time on our hands. How you got that extra time doesn’t matter. You can do anything with that time but what you should be doing is—spending time working on new ideas that you would love to do. Write a list of things that you would love to do before the end of 2020. It doesn’t matter if it is a crazy idea like writing a book, creating a course, or writing a guest post for an awesome new website. Pick 3 things off of that list and start working towards those things today. Change your mindset, and you can change the world. This is the best thing that I love to get my clients to do. Change your mindset and your whole world can change. I find that reading a new book or listening to a new podcast is the key to changing your mindset. Who doesn’t say they wish they had time to read or listen to something new? Hearing something new and different can change your whole mindset and the way that you think of the year. We put too much pressure on ourselves to make huge changes to change our year or lives when truthfully. Not one person out there has had a massive change in their life. Like they just woke up one day in a whole different world than they went to sleep in. That is nonsense. Change happens when you decide to start taking those tiny baby steps towards your goals. So stop thinking that 2020 is this awful, stressful year. Get up and get this year started right now. You deserve everything that you want, and your business has unlimited potential. Connect with me on Instagram and visit my website for more info! Read more from Stephanie! Stephanie Martin, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Stephanie is a driven, empowering, powerhouse. She's a Purpose and Business Coach, owning The Path Is Yours Coaching. She's a Certified Life Coach and Neuro-Linguistics Programming Master Practitioner. Her passion for helping women find and follow their dreams in life is unmatched. Stephanie is a mother of four beautiful children and wife to an active-duty soldier. Running and growing her business where ever the Military lifestyle might take her family.

Written by: Holly Mosack, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise I remember it vividly. It was my second year doing the CrossFit Open. I finished the first work-out and moved on to the second work-out, a clean & jerk ladder. My husband and 14-year-old son were both cheering me on and I felt strong that day (which “strong” for me isn’t really very strong). I was excited. I had hit a personal record (PR) on my fourth lift and was ready to keep going. But then, on that fifth attempt, it happened. I cleaned the barbell (one of those nasty looking cleans that shouldn’t really count) and as I was coming out of my squat, I felt it happen. I peed – not just a little dribble, but an actual small puddle on the floor. I stood there holding the barbell and saw my son’s jaw drop and just have this very confused, somewhat disgusted look on his face as he tried to figure out what just happened. My husband, a CrossFit Level 2 Trainer, just encouraged me to keep going, but I was done. I knew at that point that I had no time to run to the bathroom and get in another lift, and my only alternative was to just keep peeing on the floor. So I dropped the barbell, shook my head and called it a day. I grabbed some bleach wipes and cleaned up the floor, frustrated with myself. I was embarrassed. I was mad that I was on my way to having a great lift day and had to stop. Pardon the pun, but I was pissed. I started asking other women if this happens to them and if there is anything out there to help. I’m your typical CrossFit gal, so I’m wearing booty shorts or leggings – neither are really conducive to wearing a pad or panty liners because those suckers twist up in a heartbeat. Then I heard about these tampon-like inserts designed for leaks, so I checked them out. You get a “starter pack” to see what size you should wear, and let me tell you that it’s a cruel game to play. Of course, you start with the smallest one, right? Then, when that one doesn’t do the trick, you move up in size, all the while wondering if you just have a big vagina! When it’s all said and done though, those are not designed for CrossFit – the core pressure we have to use for a heavy lift just forces the inserts out. (Yes, another lovely image…) After all this, I was left with my go-to – a wad of toilet paper. I thought to myself, “there has GOT to be something better than this,” but I couldn’t find anything. There are leak-proof underwear, but I don’t want underwear lines showing or worrying about wedgies. So, I decided to design my own solution. It’s amazing how things work when you are determined to solve a problem. I met this person who introduced me to this person, and all of a sudden, I am working with an apparel expert, designing leak-proof booty shorts and leggings. I love this part – the factory making my product is a non-profit organization whose mission is to train and employ refugee women. It’s just awesome – making a product to empower women to be strong and also empowering the women who are actually making them. I was really nervous when I received the first prototype. Would it actually work? I went to the gym, knocked out some double-unders (jumping rope) and sure enough, the shorts worked! It was actually a weird feeling – being able to jump rope, know I was leaking, but not having to stop jumping. I had been so used to jumping rope, running to the bathroom, and coming back to continue. It was a new sense of freedom, and Moxie Fitness Apparel was a reality. This “leakage” is called stress-induced incontinence, and it happens to 1 in 3 women, but it’s hardly talked about openly outside of the CrossFit and powerlifting communities. I joined a small business accelerator program and talked to 100 CrossFit women, mainly strangers. I was pleasantly surprised at how open they were with me. I asked them how they feel when this happens to them and while they agreed that the CrossFit community is very supportive, they still said things like “I feel stupid,” “it makes me feel weak,” “I feel old,” “I hate it,” “it limits me.” We go to the gym to feel strong and to be empowered, not to have these negative head games. I am a big proponent of pelvic floor therapy and would never say that my product is the ultimate answer. The ultimate solution is not to leak. But I’m a realist, and I have talked with OB/GYNs, Pelvic Floor Therapists and Urologists, along with all the women I interviewed. The vast majority of women don’t want to do therapy; they don’t want to have a medical procedure. They just want to be able to do a work-out and not worry about showing the entire gym that they just peed. One time, a woman bought six pairs. I actually thought it was a mistake, so I reached out to her. She explained that she had recently been diagnosed with a bladder disorder called cystocele. She tried one pair of the capris and immediately bought five more pairs, explaining, “This has been the only thing that makes me feel confident enough to focus on the work-out.” My son’s junior high cross-country coach asked me for a pair for one of her 11-year-old runners. To me, that’s what it’s all about—giving women and girls the confidence to hit those PRs, even if they are pee-ing. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Holly Mosack, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine When Holly ended her career in the United States Army, she struggled to find her purpose in the civilian world (outside of being a mom) until she and her husband started a CrossFit gym. She quickly found a new passion in helping women become stronger, both physically and emotionally. She wants to empower women to stay active by removing barriers, which is why she founded a line of leak-proof apparel, Moxie Fitness Apparel, to help the 1 in 3 women who experience stress incontinence. Holly is an executive-level communicator with 15 years of manufacturing experience in talent acquisition strategy, service quality and continuous improvement. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University and is a CrossFit Level I Trainer.

Written by: Tanya Slater, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. I don’t know about you, but at this time of year, I feel as much of a pull to clear as I do in the Spring. I think it has a lot to do with the colder months, bringing a lot more ‘stuff’ with them. Thicker coats, more clothes, more washing, additional footwear, mud! For someone who thrives having clear spaces, this has a direct impact on how I’m feeling. So, with the addition of the shorter, darker days and the cold and wind and rain, it is important I make my home a priority. Otherwise, I will likely find it gets on top of me and I struggle to function. CLEAR I have committed with a decided heart, to change my winter story this year. I am mentally detaching from everything I have always identified with at this time of year, turning a blank page and writing a new chapter. No longer do “I hate winter”, “suffer really badly with S.A.D”, “just grin and bear the winter so I can make it through to spring”. Myself and my boys have missed out on so much the winter has to offer because of my stories. So, this is my Clear this month. What stories have you identified with for so long now, they are just habit? If you could change one or a few of them, how would that improve your life? Why not get curious with me this month and see if you can clear out one or two of you limiting beliefs and make space for something new? REPLENISH The stories I am embarking on rewriting are going to require some additional support. It really does physically hurt my body all over when I get cold so, I may not be able to change that (yet), but I can ensure that I can stomp, puddle jump and snowball fight without getting cold and wet. According to Sir Ranulph Feinnes “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing”. So, I am actively seeking outerwear that will allow me to enjoy the coming seasons with ease. That’s one of my Replenishes this month. With this brave and courageous plot twist to my life story, I am going to need to know that a clear, warm, and cozy space awaits to welcome us home. A place where we can snuggle up, refuel, share and recollect the fun we had outside. I love the premise of Hygge and also the Scandinavian style of décor, so my other Replenish this month is creating a couple of rooms in my home that make me smile as they wrap their arms around my friends and family, making everyone feel warm and safe and welcome. (like my Facebook page if you want to see photo’s soon) What is your dream winter home? What could you do to create a little sanctuary from the cold outside for you and all who visit? FLOURISH I know by taking these few steps to Clear and Replenish, that my chances of Flourishing this winter are much higher now. I really don’t want to spend another year hibernating and longing for the mediocre British summer. So, “If it’s meant to be, it’s up to me”. I am looking forward to enjoying this time, feeling better connected with my ‘oblivious to the cold’ children, getting more fresh air and exercise, my mental health improving, my business continuing to grow and generally feeling happier. That’s a lot of Flourishing to be enjoyed from just one honest conversation with myself, a bold decision to change and a little bit of Mindful Clearing. How would you like to Flourish over the last few months of 2020 and what can you do now to make it happen? If you would love to create a clear, calm and cozy home for you and your family this winter, but can’t face the prospect of sorting through everything alone, why not consider joining my last Home Clearing Club of the year with other incredible women from around the globe on the same mission and look forward to a spacious Christmas and clear home and mind heading into the New Year! If you would like to learn more about how I help women like you turn the page, pick up your pen and write the next successful chapter of your life story, check out our awesome online community and enjoy regular tips and inspiration to your inbox. You can also check out my website, learn about my Home Clearing Club starting again soon and join my free private community, The Curious Souls Life Clearing Club, or my Instagram. I cannot wait to meet and empower you to take control of your home so you can take control of your life. Read more from Tanya! Tanya Slater, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine UK based home educating mum, Tanya Slater, spent a decade decluttering her home and her entire life. In doing so she overcame her crippling mental health and improved her human experience exponentially. The Girl Who Simplified condenses 40 years of life challenges, learning, and experience, and is now a work of passion transforming people’s lives with her proven transformation formula and simplify to succeed message. Tanya now teaches busy women how to take control of their homes so they can better take control of their life. It’s best described as well-being, confidence, clarity, life, family, relationship, mental health, and business coaching all rolled into one and uniquely disguised as a home clearing course to make positive and lasting change. Basically, it’s magic! Born out of lockdown, Tanya’s Home Clearing Club method is a 49-day online course that gently guides student’s week by week, room by room around their home to remove all their excess ‘stuff’. Very quickly, everyone starts to understand the ways in which the things they have accumulated over the years have been holding them back and adding to their overwhelm and exhaustion.

Written by: Nicola Hunt, 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 were offered something that was without side effects and that could make you more creative, improve your memory, concentration and attention, reduce your stress levels, look after your mental health and boost your immune system... helping you become more productive, more successful and achieve the goals you want to achieve, would you be interested? Well, there is something that can do all of the above, is free and available to everyone .... sleep! As well as the benefits listed above, sleep also helps to keep you slim and reduce food cravings, protects you from cancer and dementia, lowers your risk of a heart attack or stroke and reduces the risk of depression and anxiety. So with all these benefits available to us and completely free, why do we not prioritize sleep? Why do we feel we are more productive burning the candle at both ends, working late into the night and getting up early to start again? To be at its best, our brain requires sleep, and different stages of sleep offer different benefits to our brain at different times of the night. Denying our brain sleep denies it the ability to function at its full capacity and then we wonder why we spend our days complaining of brain fog and struggling to maintain focus and attention on the tasks we need to complete. Let’s look at sleep and memory. We make different types of memory so let’s start with fact-based memory, such as memorizing a person’s name, phone number, or remembering where you parked your car. An area of the brain called the hippocampus receives all the information and creates a record. However, like all storage, the hippocampus can become full. Once full, there is a risk you will not be able to add any further information. Or just like a memory stick… you start writing over the information that is already there, otherwise known as forgetting. Scientists hypothesize that information is transferred out of the hippocampus either into long-term memory or is discarded during sleep. This means when we wake, our hippocampus is ready to take on our next days memories. So if we deprive ourselves of sleep, we deprive ourselves of the ability to go through our short-term memory and empty it. So we reach a point of information overload. We lose the ability to remember new facts and figures. We become forgetful, maybe missing appointments and life becomes more stressful as we spend more time looking for our keys and phone as we forget where we last put them. Neuroscientists have also demonstrated a link between lack of sleep and our ability to sustain attention. In part, this is due to sleep deprivation causing micro-sleeps or lapses of attention throughout the daytime, but there is also evidence that lack of sleep affects some of the functions of the frontal lobe, such as being able to sustain attention and problem-solving. No wonder those tasks become harder when we haven’t had our full quota of sleep. So, are you convinced you can sleep your way to success? It is pretty clear that sleep is vital, yet many people find it elusive. Ask a good sleeper what they do to go to sleep, and they are likely to answer something along the lines of “go to bed” or “put my head on the pillow”. Those who sleep well rarely do anything to sleep well, but for the poor sleepers, that elusive good night sleep is sought after with special pillow sprays, bedtime rituals and seeking the magic solution. What can you do if you’re one of the people who find it difficult to get a good night sleep? First let’s understand more about sleep. What happens to our body to make us want to sleep. Our body has a rhythm to it known as the circadian rhythm. Adults have a circadian rhythm of 90 minutes. Every 90 minutes, we cycle through a pattern of fluctuating levels of alertness. We have all experienced that mid-afternoon slump that we battle our way through until 45 minutes later our energy levels have lifted. This is true for adults; babies and children have a shorter circadian rhythm. So if we have a 90-minute circadian rhythm, why don’t we sleep every 90 minutes? As well as circadian rhythm, we have sleep pressure. In the morning, after a nights sleep, the sleep pressure (the need to sleep) is low, and as the day progresses, sleep pressure builds, hence the afternoon dip, until bedtime, we succumb to the pressure to sleep. What causes our pressure to sleep? A key factor in how sleep is regulated is exposure to light and darkness and its impact on the hormone melatonin, a hormone that makes us feel less alert and sleepy. Melatonin is a hormone created and stored in the pineal gland in the presence of blue light and released into the bloodstream as the light dims and darkness falls. Therefore melatonin levels are highest in the evening and night-time as natural light fades. This system worked fine before the negative impact of the invention of electricity. This system was even more negatively affected by the invention of televisions, tablets, and smart phones, all of which emit blue light that we often use when natural light is dimming. To help regulate melatonin production we need our eyes to be exposed to natural light, preferably in the morning, for at least 30 minutes and ideally a couple of hours. This is best achieved by being outside, or at least sitting next to a window and natural daylight. Even on a grey overcast day in the city, approximately 5000 lumens of light are compared to approximately 400 lumens of light from an indoor light source. We also do not want to continue to produce melatonin close to bedtime. We want to enable it to be released. So not using blue light-emitting screens before bed, ideally in the 2 hours leading up to bedtime, can help you get a good night's sleep. We also need to understand our sleep chronotype. Some people are natural larks, early to bed early to rise; while others are owls, late to sleep late to rise. We tend to select partners with the opposite chronotype to ourselves, because biologically, this provides the best 24-hour care for our young, with a shorter period of overlap. However, this does not necessarily lead to a harmonious relationship as one tries to fit in with the other's sleep patterns. It is also interesting to be aware that the circadian rhythms in teenagers are different from adults'. Teenager's natural rhythm is to fall asleep later and to wake later. A teenager who is still asleep at 9:00 am is just living by his natural circadian rhythm. However, one that is still in bed at 1:00 pm is not! So now we understand the physiology of how and why we sleep, let's consider other factors that may positively or negatively impact sleep. As we start to fall asleep, body temperature naturally decreases by 1 to 2°C compared with our waking body temperature. Therefore a room that is too warm can prevent this natural decrease in body temperature and inhibit sleep. Having a room that is slightly cooler can help you fall asleep. Having a warm bath before bedtime can also help as body temperature drops after having a bath. Eating before bedtime causes body temperature to rise as we have to digest the food that we have eaten. So while a small snack may be required to stave off hunger through the night a 3 course meal close to bedtime is likely to lead to tossing and turning. Exercise, although beneficial for sleep, needs to be avoided in the 2 hours before bedtime. Exercise has a stimulating effect, making us more alert and raising our body temperature. The environment we sleep in can also have a positive or negative effect on sleep. A noisy, cluttered environment full of stimulation can prevent us from getting that good night sleep. Keeping the bedroom clutter-free, dark and free of screens can help us achieve better sleep. A good rule to observe is to limit food, alcohol, exercise, screen use, and nicotine in the 2 hours before bedtime as all of these have a negative effect on sleep. Caffeine has a half-life of approximately 4 hours, meaning that 4 hours later, caffeine's stimulant effect is half as effective as it was when you drank it. Therefore restricting caffeinated drinks to the morning or certainly no later than mid-afternoon can help your sleep pattern. Stress can have a very negative effect on sleep, particularly falling asleep and early awakening, and stress management techniques can help you nod off and stay asleep. Sleep is vital for physical and mental health. If self-help techniques aren't enough seeking help from someone trained in sleep management is the next step on the path to a good night's sleep. Find Nicola at Physiocare for physiotherapy or follow us on Facebook and for coaching find us here! Nicola Hunt, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Nicola Hunt is a Chartered Physiotherapist and an Executive Coach, dedicated to helping people reach their full potential, whether that is with their physical recovery after injury or helping people be resilient, reach their goals and live their most fulfilling life. Nicola held a leadership role within the NHS and the position of Allied Health Professional Executive alongside developing her own physiotherapy business. Nicola specializes in the prevention and treatment of concussion and brain injury, is a CCMI affiliated concussion clinic and has a Diploma in Professional Coaching and Mentoring and a Diploma in Stress Management. After combining a successful career with the NHS with her own businesses, she now focuses solely on her Physiotherapy and Coaching businesses.

Written by: Maria-Paz Hornisch, 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. After creating my own business and in its early stages, I felt lost. ⁠I had 12 years of corporate experience and thought it would be easy to carry this new entrepreneurship, but oh boy, I was wrong! ⁠I struggled so hard trying to build all my business, its tech, and systems, choosing the right platforms to use, and ended up spending more time, energy, and money that I needed to. I quickly realized that this is something common among solo entrepreneurs, who need to learn things from scratch and often found themselves with too much information, too little knowledge and time to implement, and end up either confused with a headache, not having anything implemented at all, or implementing new things but not functioning the way they should. After some months and a little struggle, everything cleared up for me. I went from being an overworked and overwhelmed mompreneur into having a clear path to follow through, set up the right strategies for my business, and automating almost 90% of it! I decided to bottle my know-how and create a framework that would help entrepreneurs like me, going through the same I went through, to have more time to dedicate to their business and families and get the freedom they always wanted. The framework I designed helps implement the 5 essential systems a service-based business needs (Website, Landing and Sales Pages, Social Media, Email Marketing, CRM), in a step by step, organized, and productive way. It has helped my clients and me implement systems in a matter of days, generating more time to dedicate to our businesses and have less stress and overwhelm along the way. The Digital Madl Framework consists of four steps that should be used every time a new system is implemented within your business: 1. Align: Align your Business with your Ideal Client Before even starting to think about implementing systems, you need to have the core of your business align with your ideal client. This involves not only knowing who you want to work with, but it's more of a deep-dive of their daily life, affinities, and demographics to implement the systems that will help them when working with you. 2. Implement: Implement the Systems Implement the systems that will help your business run automatically and will give you the time you need to focus on what matters the most: your clients, your family, and yourself. Select the system to be implemented Outline the features the system should have/plan the system's roadmap Select the platform/tool to be used (it should have available the features your systems needs to function in the way you want to) Implement the roadmap into the platform Test If you implement things without a plan, you won't know what to do, lose time, and get overwhelmed during the process, and most probably won't be able to finish it. 3. Analyze: Analyze the Performance After the system has been running for some time, analyze its performance reviewing its main KPIs (key performance indicators). Implementation without analysis won't let your business grow and get close to perfection and optimization. 4. Optimize: Optimize and improve The analysis made will give you opportunities to improve, make sure your implemented system is running the way you planned, and work the way you dreamed of. An implemented system without optimization won't take you and your business to the next level. I use this framework in every coaching program I have, so my clients can learn how to do things in a straightforward, step-by-step, and easy way, without the overwhelm and stress of learning something new can bring. Do you want to read more about this framework? Download the complete PDF here. For more info, follow Maria-Paz on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or visit her website. Read more from Maria-Paz! Maria-Paz Hornisch, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Maria-Paz Hornisch is the Business Coach & Digital Marketing Strategist behind The Digital Madl, dedicated to helping ambitious mompreneurs with branding and digital marketing strategies to create a rock-solid presence online and skyrocket sales. Maria-Paz is a bachelor in Business Administration and holds an MBA in Luxury Business from ISC Paris École de Commerce. For twelve years, she developed her career in Chile, France, and Germany, working for a Spanish multinational commercial bank and two German luxury and fashion e-commerce companies. Originally from Santiago de Chile, she now lives in Munich, Germany.

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. Name: Cheryl Meyer aka Cheryl M Health Muse: Award Winning Best Selling Author, Publisher, Health Coach, Speaker, International Podcaster, Local Community Access TV Host Location: Los Angeles, California United States Industry: Health Business Name: Cheryl M Health Muse, Inc. Favorite Quote to live by: “At any moment you have to power to say, this is not how this story is going to end.” Anonymous Key lessons learned from my illness: Own your own life. Own your own health Learn to listen to your body. It will tell you how it feels. You just must tune in to hear it. Be proactive. Take back your power over your own body. It’s never too late to start healthy habits. Please give us a bit of background on who you are and what you do? I was a solopreneur with my own jewelry business, and I designed jewelry for major retailers. Nine years ago, I woke up in horrible pain. Every joint and every muscle in my body hurt. After multiple visits to my conventional MD and comprehensive testing, my MD suggested there was nothing wrong with me and offered me steroids. She suggested I seek mental therapy. I was not going to live a life of pain and pills. I knew I hurt, and that something was wrong with my body. I started researching. I tripped into summits being run by the Functional Medical community and watched 19 of them. The recurring themes were that I probably had an autoimmune disease and “leaky gut” and that “toxic load” was at the core of my pain. There were 2 things I could do for myself. I could lower my stress, and I could eliminate toxins from my life. So, I dug in. I was appalled to discover that toxins were everywhere.” Flash forward 5 years. I eliminated hundreds of toxins in my life. I found stress exercises I now do daily I found a Functional MD, who confirmed that I had autoimmune disease and approached my body from a different perspective. This combination eliminated my pain and lowered my inflammation. I kept meeting other women who were frightened, sick, in pain, and frustrated and I wanted to help them. At 67, I returned to school at the renowned Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) to become a health coach so that I could encourage others to use the tools I had discovered. After graduation, I wrote my first book, It Feels Good to Feel Good, Learn to Eliminate Toxins, Reduce Inflammation, and Feel Great Again. That book has now won 15 awards. I explain my entire journey, how I researched, where I researched, what I found was toxic in my life, and what I replaced it with. I discuss why it is important to lower our toxic load. It’s a layman’s guide to what is causing our chronic illness epidemic in the United States. In the last three years, I have done over 200 podcasts as a guest, and 17 summits about toxins. I published my second book in May 2020 at the request of my Functional MD. Feeling Good, Living Low Toxin in Community and Everyday Living explains how my new habits became sustainable without giving up my crucial social relationships. How I eat out at restaurants when I don’t eat the SAD, (Standard American Diet of processed foods and fast foods.) I discuss how I am a guest in others homes, how I travel by car, domestically, and internationally, how to cruise. I discuss the importance of eating the rainbow and the significance of controlling what we eat by cooking our own food. I give tips on how to buy healthy food on a budget and on how I convert any recipe to a healthier version using my “Use This Not That” exchange list. I share tips on controlling stress, how to get 7 hours of continuous sleep, practicing gratitude, and utilizing nature for self-care. Finally, since over 50% of the children in the United States have a chronic illness, I included a section on raising healthy children in the 21st Century, and also a section on how to create a low toxin environment for our pets so that they too can grow old and thrive. This book has already won 4 awards, including the prestigious Mom’s Choice Gold Award. To reach a broader audience, I started a podcast, “It Feels Good to Feel Good, Learn to Eliminate Toxins, Reduce Inflammation, and Futureproof your Health” on RHG TV/ Voice America. It plays in 69 countries. One week I discuss an important topic on health, and the opposite week, I interview someone who also got a chronic illness, owned their own body and health, and returned to wellness by making lifestyle changes. I have interviewed someone who is bi-polar, cancer survivors, heart attack survivors, celiac disease survivors, Crohn’s’ disease survivors, a coma survivor who found her destiny, and someone who got a chronic illness who went from a wheelchair to training others as a resiliency coach. I recently interviewed someone with Rheumatoid Arthritis who had started slipping down the slippery path to Alzheimer’s, and who has returned to wellness and cognizance. These interviews are to give others hope that whatever the state of their health, if they own it, and change, it is not where their story needs to end. I will always have an autoimmune disease, but I no longer have pain, and that’s huge. I am now 71 and feel better than I did in my 50’s. What has happened in your life since you got so ill and then returned to wellness yourself? I found my mission to help others with chronic illnesses. Since I first got sick, there is very little about my life that is the same. I ended a toxic relationship. I met my soul mate and married him. I sold my jewelry business and became a health coach. I became an award-winning author and now an international podcaster. I am as happy as I have ever been in my life. It does “feel good to feel good.” What are your next projects? I am planning to publish a digital magazine about health, that will be published by the end of 2020. I would like to do a compilation book with all the stories of victory from illness to wellness that I hear on my podcast. I keep looking for new ways to get my mission heard so that I bring hope to many and inspire positive change. What makes you different from other health coaches? Why should someone hire you? To start, I have walked in my client’s shoes. People never truly understand something until it happens to them. I got sick, I owned my own health and I figured out how to return to wellness. I specifically work with clients with chronic illness giving them hope and helping them find solutions. People come to me because they are hurt and frustrated and don’t think anyone understands. I carefully listen to the client about their health issues. I am a compassionate coach because I was once in their position. I believe that everyone can significantly improve their health if they are willing to change. My research has given me a vast basis of knowledge that I use to inspire others. I keep clients on the path and hold them accountable to their own goals. People who hire a coach want to win, and I can help them do that with their health. I help clients write their own stories so that they can create their own ending. They take back their power over their health. Cheryl has written four books on health and toxins available here. For more information, follow Cheryl on Facebook, Instagram and connect with her on LinkedIn! Read more from Cheryl!

Written by: Sukanya Datta, 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. Hello and a big welcome to all people around the world. As we might have noticed, varied things have taken place with respect to the pandemic. Business were shut down suddenly, some offices got closed forever, millions lost jobs, and thousands of employees faced salary cuts. Overall, unemployment increased and a slowdown occurred. We also saw a heavy crash down on the stock market. Many must have thought that this would be shattering their dreams. But this is not the truth! When one door closes, the other opens. Things can get quite complicated and overwhelming for most, especially entrepreneurs. Finance is the most important characteristic to look in to before positioning oneself in the world of pioneer dom. Here are a few tips and secrets on how one can remain stable irrespective of the external environment. Trading This is a very lucrative option to grow money. Beware! You can also lose a lot if you don’t play around this well. There are various trades offered worldwide. They are cryptocurrency, corporate shares (stock), mutual funds, forex, options, bonds and futures. Before you delve into any of these, make sure you do extensive research. Gather all the information through news channels and authorized websites. The most important question that you should be asking yourself is about the kind of investment and profit you want. “Long term investment or short term investment with immediate profit”. It is not necessary to be in to full-time trading to make huge gains. In fact, passive trading is also worthwhile. Many might consider taking smaller gains and slowly progressing rather than waiting on a long term basis. Whereas long term profits might The most important aspect is technical analysis that most people tend to ignore. Thorough research needs to be done. Many are afraid of entering trading due to this reason. As I always say, nobody needs to be a mathematician in order to learn this. Letting go of the fear and be able to break free from the apprehensions is highly needed. A few extra tips to consider… 👉 Allocate funds wisely. Diversify it in to various industries. Invest more on dividend receiving stock. 👉 Apply the Fibonacci series to analyze the graph pattern for certain markets. Create check points to inspect for bearish (buy) and bullish points (sell). 👉 Having a trading plan. Casual trading may not bring the profits you desire. 👉 Being risk averse. The money that you are willing to risk on a given trade needs to be determined. The risk to reward ratio is a way of accessing lower risks and higher profits. Make and raise money yourself!! Visit my Instagram for more info! Read more from Sukanya! Sukanya Datta, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Sukanya Datta is an electrical engineer. Along with the tech side, she is also a certified fashion designer. Being a tech lover, she have had a penchant for creativity. Entrepreneurship is a big journey and both tech and fashion have been a boon in her life. From developing monetary strategies and embark on the body positivity mission across the world and bridging the gap between women and fashion.

Written by: Maxim Minin, 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 career as a business and wellness coach, which involves meeting and conversing with people from different walks of life, with different mindsets and issues, I have seen one aspect of psychology be the underlying issue more frequently than others in recent years. The issue is that of an IMPOSTER SYNDROME. In fact, I have heard myself talk to people dealing with imposter syndrome more in the last 5 years or so. I am sure many of you have passingly come across the word or read about it somewhere. In my opinion, since Impostor syndrome is not a recognized disorder, and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition) (DSM-5) does not list criteria for diagnosing it, it is important to have some level of understanding of its symptoms and methods to deal with it. Thus I want to spend some time explaining the definitions of imposter syndrome and share some useful steps to deal with it. Let's get to the fundamentals. What exactly is imposter syndrome? Imposter syndrome can be defined  as a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist despite evident success . ‘Imposters’ suffer from chronic self-doubt and a sense of intellectual fraudulence that override any feelings of success or external proof of their competence. They seem unable to internalise their accomplishments, however successful they are. What are the common feelings people suffering from imposter syndrome deal with? Some common thoughts and feelings associated with imposter syndrome include: “I must not fail” there is pressure not to fail in order to avoid being “found out.” Success becomes an issue since it brings the added pressure of responsibility and visibility. “I feel like a fake” imposters feel they do not deserve success and believe that they give others a false impression of being competent but deep down feel inadequate and unknowledgeable. “It’s all down to luck” Imposters" attribute success to luck and not their own abilities. “Success is no big deal” Imposters downplay or discount their success. A person with impostor syndrome has: a sense of being a fraud fear of being discovered difficulty internalizing their success Who can suffer from Imposter syndrome, and how long does it last? Impostor syndrome can affect anyone, regardless of job, social status or gender. Having said that, high-achieving individuals experience imposter syndrome often. Many people experience symptoms for a limited time, such as in the first few weeks of a new job. For others, the experience can be lifelong. How does imposter syndrome impact mental health? The fear of not being good enough can lead to mental health complications, in some cases. The person may experience: Anxiety Fear of being a fraud Depression Frustration Lack of self-confidence Shame However, experts do not consider impostor syndrome a mental health condition. What are the different types of Imposter Syndrome? Below are the five types of “impostors” who can manifest as a result of Imposter Syndrome: The expert will not feel satisfied when finishing a task until they feel that they know everything about the subject. The time spent searching for information can make it hard to complete tasks and projects. The perfectionist experiences high levels of anxiety, doubt, and worry, especially when they set themselves extreme goals that they are unable to achieve. A perfectionist will focus on areas where they could have done better rather than celebrate their achievements. Natural geniuses master many new skills quickly and easily, and they may feel ashamed and weak when faced with a goal that is too hard. Learning that everyone needs to struggle to achieve some goals may help. The soloist , or “rugged individualist,” prefers to work alone, fearing that asking for help will reveal incompetence. The person may turn down help in an attempt to prove their self-worth. Superheroes often excel due to extreme effort, as in “workaholism.” This can lead to burnout, which can affect physical and mental well-being and relationships with others. What are the tips for overcoming impostor syndrome? Recognize imposter feelings when they emerge . Awareness is the first step to change, so ensure you track these thoughts: what they are and when they emerge. Rewrite your mental programs . Instead of telling yourself they are going to find you out or that you don’t deserve success, remind yourself that it’s normal not to know everything and that you will find out more as you progress. Talk about your feelings . There may be others who feel like imposters too – it’s better to have an open dialogue rather than harbor negative thoughts alone. Consider the context . Most people will have experience moments or occasions where they don’t feel 100% confident. There may be times when you feel out of your depth, and self-doubt can be a normal reaction. If you catch yourself thinking that you are useless, reframe it: “the fact that I feel useless right now does not mean that I really am.” Reframe failure as a learning opportunity . Find out the lessons and use them constructively in future. This is a critical lesson for everyone. Be kind to yourself . Remember that you are entitled to make small mistakes occasionally and forgive yourself. Don’t forget to reward yourself for getting the big things right. Seek support . Everyone needs help; recognize that you can seek assistance and that you don’t have to do everything alone. This will give you a good reality check and help you talk things through. Seek help from a trusted confidant that you can reach out to for some guidance? Find a friend, family member, colleague, or manager you can connect with, so you feel less alone in navigating Imposter Syndrome. Visualise your success . Keep your eye on the outcome – completing the task or making the presentation, which will keep you focused and calm. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Maxim! Maxim Minin, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Maxim, Wellness & Business coach and Founder of www.livewithsmile.com , started his entrepreneurial journey as a personal trainer and wellness coach. Through the years of self education and working with clients in achieving their health goals, he realized that real wellness is achieved through a balance and fulfillment in finances, relationship, parenting, and of course, self-care. His mission is to help stay at home mothers, parents or those who are not fulfilled in their life to breakthrough their beliefs, transform their relationship and communication as well as start building an online coaching, consulting or experts business that will allow them to generate more income, free more time, promote self-growth and in the end lead to that desired fulfillment with finances, relationship, kids and well being.’

Rachel Tindall is a Writer and Writing Coach at Capturing Your Confidence. Her lifelong love of learning inspired her to pursue education in writing, as well as teaching. Throughout her years of teaching at the university and community college levels, she has developed a strong desire to continue to be the best learner and educator she can be – a coach. Rachel uses intentional motivation and empowerment to facilitate growth for driven writers and creatives on their journey to becoming unstoppable dream-getters. Building confidence in her colleagues and students is at the heart of all she does. Who is Rachel? Well, I’m a writer – that’s both personal and professional. My current work in progress is a Young Adult (YA) fiction novel that I’ve been working on for a little more than a year. I love it and I continue to be excited to see where it goes! I also like to read. Because I do what I love for a living, I’ve also been trying to find some unrelated hobbies. So far, I’m enjoying sewing & paint by number. Other than that, I’m married to a pretty great guy & we have two dogs, Charlie and Maxwell. They definitely keep us on our toes & make quite the pair! There’s never a “boring” day around here. We love to walk in the local parks, and pretty soon, Max will be old enough (and listen well enough) to go hiking in some of the local trails. We live in central Indiana, so we’re just starting to see the fall foliage. Fall is my absolute favorite – I wait all year for it! You can definitely catch me looking longingly at my baggy sweaters in the middle of summer. Tell us a little bit about your business Capturing Your Confidence. My mission at Capturing Your Confidence is to facilitate measurable growth, through intentional motivation & empowerment, for writers and creatives on their journey to becoming unstoppable dream-getters. That being “officially” said, I work with writers and professionals who are bored and/or unhappy at work to create a work-life balance with creativity and “the day job.” Because everyone is different, this could look like setting up a writing schedule, or it could mean figuring out a plan to quit their job and pursue their creative passion full time. I also do freelance writing & editing. I’ve done blogs, articles, and landing pages so far. I’m currently learning how to write more effective sales copy & email marketing strategy. I specialize in taking clients’ thoughts and general brand feel and putting them onto the page in a way that meaningfully connects with their audience. I’m beginning to dabble in course development for clients as well. Having been a university instructor for years and growing a career in education outside of academia, it feels like a natural (and exciting!) extension of writing. Who should hire/work with you? In terms of writing coaching, if you’re someone who: Loves to write Wants to write but is stuck Is interested in writing but someone told you you’re not good enough Is terribly bored at work and knows you have more creative potential Is ready to get serious about your writing Wants some encouragement & accountability for your creative projects Needs help on the “skills” pieces of writing: Grammar, punctuation, vocabulary, sentence structure, etc. Wants to plan ahead but doesn’t know how “Doesn’t have time” to write but wants to Doesn’t think that writers can make good money, but the idea appeals if you could just figure out that one piece I can help, and I would love to chat! In terms of writing & editing, if you need: Well-written content Precision editing Open & forward communication Consistency & professionality with a warm touch Someone who can take what you’re thinking and feeling and put it onto paper in a way that your audience will fall in love with I’m your girl! The advantage of having multiple degrees and teaching experience in writing is that I’ve seen almost anything you could possibly throw my way (especially in terms of editing). How exactly can you coach someone to be a better writer? I always start new coaching clients out with a 1:1 goal-setting session. It’s one thing to have goals, but it’s something else to actually write them out and plan how to get there. We typically set about 1-3 goals to work toward in the short term. Once we have the goal(s) in place, I work with each individual during our sessions and give tasks in between sessions to practice new skills and take small steps toward their goal. Recently I’ve worked with clients on outlining presentations to stay on topic & setting up a manageable writing schedule with multiple looming deadlines. I think, perhaps, writing coaching is a little different from other types of coaching. For instance, a business coach might be able to say, “I can help you scale to $10k income per month in X number of months working together.” As a writing coach, I can’t do that as precisely because there isn’t one set outcome. I could say, “I can help you outline your next big writing project,” but it’s equally likely that someone needs encouragement and accountability, which might sound something like, “I can help you set up a writing schedule and be an accountability partner for you so that you can land that next big opportunity when you complete this project.” The first step will always be to identify the goals and then figure out how to get there. Sometimes this looks like more traditional skills building, but other times it’s being a fountain of positivity and encouragement because the skills are already there, but the confidence is not. For the coaching I offer, everything is based on the individual needs and 1:1 time. What kind of content can our readers expect from you? As you might expect, I write a lot about writing! In the context of leadership, coaching, and entrepreneurship, I think it’s also going to be important to discuss the skills and steps it takes to be a professional writer and writing coach. It’s definitely not something I think everyone could or should pursue, so I want to make sure all of my content is grounded firmly in reality, while still leaving room to dream of what could be. One of the biggest things I feel is critical for any leadership role is mindset. I work most often with creative confidence & growth mindset, so those will be high in my priorities to discuss in a professional setting, as well. For more info, follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn and visit my website ! Read more from Rachel !

Written by: Felicia Shanken, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Let’s be honest for a moment…Millennials get such a bad rap nowadays, not because of experience but because of their age. Discrimination takes on many forms, and even though we don’t want to believe it, Millennials fall into that category. Coming from a Baby Boomer era, I also was once guilty of this. I had my discriminations, my uncertainties, my one sided conversations, my thoughts until I opened myself up to learning why I felt this way. After having conversations and working with Millennials, it was then I received my “a-ha” moment. As Lisa Nicholas would say, this was my “BOL” (break through out loud) time. Opening yourself to the possibilities and gifts that Millennials can bring to your Entrepreneurial team are very informative, fresh ideas and you might just learn something. Imagine that! Below are some of the biggest myths I have heard about this group of young professionals. In working with and adding Millennials to my team, I realize they are looking for the same things as anyone else, the opportunity for their voice to be heard! 1. Millennials in the workplace are young & entitled. Yes, even though they are young, I don’t get the perception that they feel entitled. I think this is one of those myths that was passed down onto this generation. I look at it as an asset because they are young; they can offer fresh and new ideas to the team. They want to be on a winning team, just like anyone else. 2. Millennials have no sense of work ethics. No, I don’t find this statement true. Some of the hardest working people on my team are Millennials. They don’t have to prove what they are capable of. They have shown the passion, willingness and desire to be open to endless possibilities of what they can be taught and willing to work hard for it. Not having any work ethics can fall on all of us, not just this group. 3. Millennials don’t have any sense of patience or loyalty toward slow career growth. No, think about this how many people, especially business owners or entrepreneurs, have you run across in your life who wanted “instant results”, who didn’t want to put the work in, but wanted the “rewards” now? So why would we put this label on Millennials only? Based on my experiences, because Millennials are discriminated against, they will work harder and be more loyal because they feel they have to prove themselves repeatedly just to have a seat at the entrepreneurial table. 4. Millennials (Generation Y's) are often confused with Generation Z's. Yes, the youngest aged millennials are 24. They are really not that young, so to speak. The age range of Millennials, also known as Generation Y, is 24-39 years old. The age range of Generation Z is 25-29 years old. Even though there is cross over with ages, when you are referring to myths that are placed on these generations, are you getting it right? Be open to what both generations can offer and bring to the table. You may be pleasantly surprised at what an asset they can really be to your "Dream Team". This is the year of 2020, the year where things are constantly changing. In the corporate office world, Millennials might be looked upon as one way, whereas it's different in the business online world. It's accepted to be younger, almost to the point to where it is encouraged. Let me leave you with this, allow yourself to be open and see what this generation cannot only offer your team but how they can help you reach levels that you never thought was possible. Have a great day on purpose! For more information, follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn and visit my website ! Felicia Shanken, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Felicia Shanken is a Women Strategist and Builder. She is the Founder/CEO of the Philadelphia Women's Network Connection, LLC and PWNC Foundation 501(c)(3). PWNC is about helping local business women build their business, connect with like minded individuals and benefit from shared resources. The Foundation is committed to helping women growing a business as a solo entrepreneur transition from a full-time or part-time job to full time entrepreneurship. Felicia has also been recognized and honored by " Fun Times Magazine " in their March/April 2020 edition for being, " 2020 Philadelphia Who's Who Black Women of Influence". Felicia had the opportunity in September 2019 to have her own show on RVNTV a digital television platform called " Power Up Your Passion" where she brings guest on to talk about their passion in life and how it lead to where they are now. Felicia was raised in Queens, New York. She moved to Philadelphia over 20 years ago where she met her husband, Paul, a native Philadelphian. They live in the Fairmont area of Center City Philadelphia.