Written by Yolan Bedasse, Writer | Coach –  Helping high-achieving women to exhale in the messy middle Yolan is known for helping high-achieving women craving more than titles. Her coaching and writing are rooted in over a decade of corporate experience and a deep understanding of identity shifts, career transitions, and what comes after ambition. The start of the new year always arrives with pressure. Pressure to transform ourselves into an upgraded version that is more attractive, healthier, smarter, and more productive. This article explores why you do not need to reinvent yourself every January and how giving yourself permission to be flexible is the best gift you can give yourself at the start of a new year. If there is one thing the world can be united on at the start of every new year, it is the messaging of “new year, new me” vibes. It is in the messaging we see on social media, in planning goals and objectives in corporate spaces, and in the never-ending emails from your favorite workout spot, bribing you with amazing deals and January challenges to kick off your health journey for the year. And while there is a place for goals and motivation to grow, just know growth does not have to be loud. Sometimes it is built on whispers, subtlety, and flexibility. 1. Your goals are not final As human beings, we evolve just by breathing. We are ruled by the environment we are in. This includes the people in our orbit, where we spend most of our time, and what we choose to do with our days. As we move through the world, sift through enormous amounts of information daily, and navigate unforeseen circumstances, we adapt, our perspectives adjust, and we change. Give yourself permission to change your mind. On a recent podcast episode, Dream In Draft, with fellow Brainz executive contributor Amy Kelly, we discuss our goals at the start of 2025 in comparison to where we are a year later, and why we are at peace with things not working out how we originally planned. Set your goals, work toward them, but be flexible enough to adapt. 2. Being flexible equals self-trust We live in a hustle culture that praises working 24/7 and being relentless in pursuing success. We rarely stop to ask what success means to us. Somewhere along the way, we grab on to a definition that seems to fit. “Fit” means something you think you are good at, and what society tells you will make you a boss. Then we develop tunnel vision and do not give ourselves the space to pause, reflect, and adjust our definition based on the people we have grown into over time. Being flexible is not about being noncommittal, but rather trusting yourself enough to know that you will always make the best decision with the information you have at the given moment. And if that means adjusting your goals to be in alignment, then so be it. 3. Rest is a strategy, not a delay We often frame rest as a hindrance to progress. But rest is actually a necessary tool to achieve success, by whatever definition you use. In order to be productive and strategic, your body needs to be in alignment. If you are exhausted, you are less likely to function at 100 percent. In other words, the likelihood of you screwing something up decreases significantly when you prioritize sitting your butt down from time to time. 4. Honesty, not aesthetics A lot of New Year’s resolutions I have had revolved around what I thought I should strive for, versus what was right for me at that moment in time. The perfect body The best morning routine An active social calendar When in reality, what I probably needed to focus on was my health, waking up in a way that aligned with my lifestyle, and embracing being a homebody. Be honest with yourself when you are setting intentions, regardless of the time of year. Tune out exterior voices and influences, and focus on what feels like the most aligned next step to take. 5. January does not equal a mandate Please remember that the month of January is simply that, a month. Give it as much or as little meaning as you wish. There is no set timeline for growth, except yours. You are allowed to make a plan in January, modify it in March, and scrap the whole thing in August. Or do not make a plan at all. This does not make you a failure or inconsistent. It makes you human. And there is no right way to have a human experience, just yours. So be kind to yourself at this time of year, and remember that a month does not determine how your year will unfold. You do. You are allowed to begin the year slowly, softly, or not at all. You are allowed to plan and change your mind halfway through. You are allowed to move through the year in a way that feels like you. Growth does not need a deadline or a perfectly curated plan. It needs honesty, rest, and your willingness to evolve. When you allow yourself to dream in draft, you create something that is not shaped by pressure or performance. If you enjoyed this article, check out the Dream In Draft episode of the Brainz Podcast, where Amy Kelly and I go even deeper into our own experiences with New Year’s resolutions and what it means to begin the year with flexibility, self-trust, and a permission slip to pivot. Follow me on  Instagram ,  LinkedIn , and visit my website  for more info! Read more from Yolan Bedasse Yolan Bedasse, Writer | Coach – Helping high-achieving women to exhale in the messy middle Yolan is a writer and coach for high-achieving women who are ready for more than titles. After a decade in corporate, she now guides women through career transitions, identity shifts, and emotional sustainability with clarity and care. Through coaching containers and writing spaces, she invites readers into a life that invites an exhale you didn’t know you were holding. One shaped by resonance and honest reflection.

Written by Andrea Byers, Holistic Wellness Practitioner Andrea Byers is an award-winning holistic wellness expert, Air Force veteran, and chronic illness warrior dedicated to redefining well-being through personalized care. As the founder of Chronic & Iconic Coaching, she empowers individuals to reclaim balance, purpose, and health through mindset, movement, and transformative coaching. Behind the trophies, rankings, and packed sidelines, a growing number of young athletes are struggling in silence. This article explores the rising mental health challenges in youth sports, how pressure and performance culture impact developing nervous systems, and why redefining strength is essential for the well-being of the next generation. A quiet truth we can no longer ignore Youth sports were designed to be a place of growth. At their best, they build confidence, discipline, teamwork, and resilience. They teach young people how to work toward a goal, navigate challenges, and believe in themselves, lessons that extend far beyond the field or court. And yet, something has shifted. Behind the packed bleachers, championship banners, and highlight reels, many young athletes are struggling quietly. Anxiety is becoming more common. Burnout is happening earlier. Kids who once loved their sport are stepping away, not because they lack talent, work ethic, or potential, but because the pressure has become too heavy to carry alone. Most adults involved in youth sports are deeply invested and genuinely want what is best for the athletes in their care. But even with the best intentions, systems can evolve in ways that unintentionally place too much weight on young shoulders. There is a growing mental health gap in youth sports. Acknowledging it is the first step toward closing it. When pressure becomes a constant companion Today’s young athletes are navigating far more than practices, games, and competition schedules. In addition to the physical demands of their sport, they are carrying a steady and often invisible load of pressure that follows them long after practice ends. Many are managing: Heightened expectations to perform and specialize early Constant evaluation from coaches, peers, and social media Fear of disappointing parents or letting the team down Pressure tied to scholarships, rankings, or future opportunities Comparison culture that never turns off For many athletes, this pressure is not situational or occasional. It is constant. It becomes the background noise of their daily lives, shaping how they think, train, and relate to themselves. What may begin as motivation can slowly shift into something far heavier. Over time, that pressure can move from being energizing to overwhelming. When a young person has not yet developed the emotional tools or nervous system capacity to manage sustained stress, it does not simply disappear. Instead, it quietly accumulates in the body and mind, often showing up in ways that are misunderstood. What we frequently label as “lack of confidence,” “attitude,” or “motivation issues” is often something much deeper. It is a nervous system that has been under strain for too long, doing its best to cope, protect, and survive. The hidden impact of “tough it out” messaging Sports have long celebrated toughness, and there is real value in perseverance, grit, and discipline. Learning how to work through discomfort, stay committed, and show up consistently can build confidence and resilience when it is balanced with care. The challenge arises when toughness is defined narrowly, as ignoring pain, suppressing emotion, or pushing past personal limits without adequate support or recovery. Many athletes grow up hearing messages like: “Don’t be soft.” “Everyone is tired.” “Push through it.” “Pain is part of the game.” While these statements are often shared with the intention of motivating athletes, they can unintentionally send a deeper message that emotions should be ignored, discomfort should be dismissed, and personal limits are weaknesses rather than signals. Over time, young athletes may begin to disconnect from their bodies and emotions, learning to override early signs of stress, fear, or exhaustion in order to meet expectations. As this pattern continues, feelings can start to feel inconvenient, or worse, like a liability. Athletes may stop checking in with themselves altogether, focusing solely on performance while internal strain quietly builds. The result is often kids who look strong, capable, and composed on the outside, yet feel overwhelmed, anxious, or emotionally disconnected on the inside. What appears to be toughness may actually be a learned form of self-silencing. When performance becomes personal identity One of the most significant and often overlooked mental health challenges in youth sports is identity over attachment. While passion and commitment are healthy, problems arise when an athlete’s sense of self becomes too tightly bound to how they perform. This shift usually happens gradually, reinforced by praise, expectations, and outcomes that place disproportionate emphasis on results. When a child is consistently recognized primarily for athletic success, they may begin to believe that their value is conditional. They don’t just play a sport. They are the sport. Wins feel affirming, mistakes feel threatening, and performance becomes the primary lens through which they evaluate themselves. This can show up in many ways: Extreme self-criticism after mistakes Fear of failure or trying new roles Emotional shutdown after losses Identity confusion during injury or time away Intense anxiety around playing time or evaluation When performance becomes synonymous with worth, even normal setbacks can feel destabilizing. The nervous system piece we rarely talk about Many youth athletes spend long periods in a heightened state of stress. Their nervous systems are consistently activated as they move from practice to competition, from evaluation to comparison, from one expectation to the next. Even outside of sport, their bodies may remain on high alert, anticipating feedback, performance demands, or perceived threats to belonging and approval. When the body stays in this constant “on” state without sufficient recovery, it begins to take a toll. Over time, this can lead to: Anxiety and restlessness Trouble focusing or sleeping Irritability or emotional withdrawal Loss of motivation or joy Increased risk of burnout and injury Teaching athletes how to regulate their nervous systems makes their performance sustainable and allows them to show up fully without sacrificing themselves in the process. Why many athletes don’t speak up One of the most heartbreaking realities in youth sports is how many young athletes struggle in silence. That silence is rarely a reflection of distrust or defiance. More often, it is rooted in a deep desire not to be a problem, not to draw attention, and not to disrupt the expectations placed upon them. Many athletes worry: “I don’t want to lose my spot.” “I don’t want to seem weak.” “Others have it worse.” “I should be able to handle this.” These thoughts quietly shape behavior. Athletes learn to minimize their own experiences, compare their struggles to others, and convince themselves that what they are feeling is not significant enough to speak about. They push through discomfort, telling themselves that the stress will pass, that they just need to be tougher, or that asking for help might change how they are perceived. Sometimes those feelings do pass. But often, they don’t. Instead, they accumulate beneath the surface, turning into emotional fatigue, anxiety, or a growing sense of disconnection from the sport. By the time struggles become visible to parents, coaches, or teammates, the athlete may already be emotionally exhausted, having spent significant energy trying to manage everything alone. Emotional injuries deserve the same care as physical ones When an athlete tears a ligament or suffers a visible injury, the response is immediate and clear. Training stops. Rest is prioritized. Rehabilitation plans are put in place. Support surrounds the athlete until healing occurs. No one questions whether recovery is necessary. It is understood as part of responsible care. Emotional injuries, however, rarely receive the same level of attention. They are quieter, harder to measure, and easier to overlook. Yet they often develop in the same environments and can be just as impactful. Emotional injuries could include: Loss of confidence after repeated criticism Fear following an injury or major mistake Chronic stress that erodes joy Identity loss during time away from sport These wounds may not appear on scans or require braces, but they are no less real. In many cases, they last longer than physical injuries because they go untreated. When emotional recovery is ignored, athletes may return to play physically ready but mentally guarded, disconnected, or afraid. Supporting young athletes fully means recognizing that healing must include both body and mind, and that emotional care is not optional, but essential. Parents and coaches are doing their best, and need support too It’s important to say that this issue is not caused by bad parents or uncaring coaches. Many adults are operating under immense pressure themselves. Change doesn’t come from blame. It comes from education, awareness, and support. When parents and coaches are equipped with better tools, athletes benefit. What supporting mental health in youth sports can look like Mental health support does not mean removing challenge, lowering standards, or eliminating accountability. It means adding balance and safety. Here are practical, meaningful shifts that make a difference: Teaching regulation alongside motivation: Helping athletes learn how to calm their bodies, reset after mistakes, and recover from stress improves both well being and performance. Normalizing emotional language: Allowing athletes to name emotions without fear builds self-awareness and trust. Separating worth from results: Praise effort, growth, leadership, and resilience, not only wins or stats. Valuing recovery as much as training: Rest, sleep, and mental breaks are performance tools, not rewards. Creating emotionally safe team cultures: Athletes thrive when they feel respected, supported, and challenged with care. Why this matters beyond the game Youth sports do far more than develop athletic skill. They shape identity, self-worth, and the way young people learn to move through the world. The experiences athletes have in these formative years often become the blueprint for how they navigate adulthood, long after the final whistle has blown. The lessons learned in sport influence how young people will later: Handle stress at work Respond to failure Set boundaries Advocate for themselves Define success When athletes are taught, directly or indirectly, to override their needs, suppress their emotions, and equate worth with performance, those patterns often follow them into adulthood. The result is capable, driven individuals who struggle with burnout, self-doubt, and disconnection. When, instead, we teach regulation, self-trust, and balance, we raise not only stronger athletes but healthier humans. The mission behind Chronic & Iconic Coaching At Chronic & Iconic Coaching, the mission is not to remove challenge or soften standards. Challenge is an essential part of growth. The goal is to ensure that athletes are supported in navigating that challenge in ways that are sustainable, healthy, and developmentally appropriate, both on and off the field. This work is rooted in the belief that high performance and well being are not opposing forces. Athletes do not have to sacrifice their mental health to be successful, and they do not have to disconnect from themselves to be competitive. When athletes are given the tools to understand their bodies, emotions, and nervous systems, they are better equipped to handle pressure, recover from setbacks, and perform with consistency and confidence. We believe athletes can be: Competitive and emotionally supported Driven and self-aware Strong and compassionate with themselves Mental health is not separate from performance. It is the foundation of it. When athletes feel safe, supported, and grounded, they are more likely to stay engaged, recover effectively, and sustain their love for the sport. A message to young athletes If you are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or disconnected, please know that nothing is wrong with you. What you are experiencing is a response to pressure, not a reflection of weakness or failure. Many athletes carry far more than what is visible to others, and it is okay to acknowledge that some days feel heavier than others. Needing support does not mean you lack toughness or commitment. It means you are human. You were never meant to carry every expectation on your own or figure everything out without guidance. You deserve tools that help you understand your emotions, your body, and your stress responses. You deserve understanding when things feel hard, and care that extends beyond performance. You are more than your stats, your playing time, or your results. Your value does not disappear on difficult days. You matter as a whole person, and support is something you are worthy of, not something you have to earn. A message to the adults who care about them To the parents, coaches, mentors, and supporters who invest their time, energy, and hearts into young athletes, you do not have to choose between excellence and well being. These two things are not in competition with each other. They coexist. The strongest athletes are not the ones who suffer quietly or hide their struggles out of fear. They are the ones who are given space to speak honestly, recover fully, and grow with guidance. Your presence, patience, and willingness to learn alongside them matter more than you may realize. Redefining strength for the next generation Strength does not mean silence. It does not mean swallowing emotions, hiding struggles, or pretending everything is fine when it isn’t. Silence may look composed on the outside, but it often comes at a cost on the inside. Resilience does not mean suppression. True resilience is not built by ignoring feelings or pushing them down until they resurface in unhealthy ways. It is built by learning how to experience emotions, process them, and recover with support. Toughness does not mean ignoring pain. Pain, whether physical or emotional, is information. True strength is knowing when to push and when to pause. True resilience includes emotional awareness. True success leaves you whole. If we want youth sports to remain a place of growth rather than harm, the culture must evolve, and that evolution begins with all of us. The real win is not the trophy, the title, or the scholarship. It is the young person who leaves the game with confidence, self trust, and a sense of worth that lasts far beyond the final whistle. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Andrea Byers Andrea Byers, Holistic Wellness Practitioner Andrea Byers is an award-winning holistic wellness expert, transformation coach, and decorated Air Force veteran with over two decades of experience in healthcare and integrative wellness. As the founder of Chronic & Iconic Coaching, she empowers individuals, especially those navigating chronic illness or burnout, to reclaim their health, purpose, and personal power through mindset, movement, and radical self-leadership. Known for her bold voice and compassionate approach, Andrea is a fierce advocate for sustainable healing, unapologetic self-worth, and whole-person wellness.

Written by Charles W. Gragg, Healthcare Innovator, Strategist, and Speaker Charles Gragg is a professional speaker and strategist who helps C-suite executives and benefits advisors navigate corporate health insurance solutions into sustainable, cost-effective health plans that attract and retain top talent. With deep industry experience, Charles turns insurance challenges into clear, actionable opportunities for growth. For decades, American employers have been told a dangerous lie, that more healthcare automatically means better health. More tests. More procedures. More specialists. More spending. Yet, despite pouring more money into healthcare than any nation on earth, the United States consistently ranks near the bottom in outcomes, access, and patient experience. The truth is simple and deeply uncomfortable. Our system is engineered to reward volume, not value. It pays for activity, not outcomes. And unless employers, their HR teams, and their employees learn how to navigate this system with intention, they will continue to buy more healthcare without buying better health. A growing movement of forward-thinking employers is challenging this status quo. They are discovering that the path to healthier employees and lower costs is not paved with more consumption. It is paved with smarter navigation, higher quality providers, and evidence-based decision making. It is about being proactive in improving your healthcare supply chain in order to improve outcomes. And they are proving that when people understand how to move through the system, outcomes do improve dramatically. This is the new frontier of employer leadership. The system isn’t broken, it’s working exactly as designed To understand why navigation matters, employers must first confront the uncomfortable architecture of U.S. healthcare. Hospitals are paid more when complications occur. Specialists earn more when they perform more procedures. Pharmacy benefit managers profit when drug prices rise. Insurance carriers benefit when premiums increase. None of these incentives is aligned with helping employees get well. And because price rarely correlates with quality, employees often assume the most expensive hospital or the closest specialist is the safest choice. In reality, the data shows the opposite. High-quality care is predictable, measurable, and often significantly less expensive. Without guidance, employees are left to navigate a maze built for profit, not clarity. What high-quality care really looks like Most employees, and many employers, have never been taught how to identify high-quality care. They rely on brand names, proximity, or referral patterns that may have nothing to do with outcomes. Quality, however, is not a mystery. It can be measured through: Infection and complication rates Readmission rates Surgical volumes Evidence-based treatment pathways Independent quality ratings Outcomes from Centers of Excellence When employees are guided toward providers who excel in these metrics, the results are profound. Fewer complications, faster recovery, and dramatically lower costs. This is where navigation becomes transformative. The hidden cost of low-value care Unnecessary MRIs. Avoidable surgeries. Overprescribed medications. Redundant tests. These are not rare exceptions. They are everyday occurrences in a system that rewards doing more, not doing better. Low-value care is one of the largest drivers of waste in the U.S. healthcare system, costing employers billions annually. But the real cost is human, misdiagnoses, delayed recovery, and avoidable harm. Teaching employees how to ask the right questions, Do I really need this test? What are the alternatives? What does the evidence say? empowers them to avoid care that adds cost without adding value. Navigation: The missing link in employee health Most employees do not need more benefits. They need help understanding the ones they already have. Navigation bridges that gap by giving employees: Guidance on where to go for high-quality care Support in challenging questionable referrals Access to second opinions Tools to compare prices and outcomes Advocacy during complex medical events Clarity on when telehealth or virtual primary care is appropriate When employees know how to move through the system, they make better decisions, and better decisions lead to better outcomes. Employers hold the power to change the game Employers are not passive purchasers of healthcare. They are the largest buyers of healthcare in the country, and they have the leverage to reshape the experience for their workforce. Forward-thinking employers are: Designing benefits that reward quality over quantity Steering employees to Centers of Excellence Using bundled payments and direct contracting Integrating navigation into onboarding and open enrollment Training HR teams to become health literacy champions Measuring success through outcomes, not just claims These employers are not just reducing costs. They are improving lives. A culture of health literacy is a competitive advantage When employees understand how to navigate healthcare, everything changes. Fear decreases. Confidence rises. Preventive care increases. Chronic conditions are managed more effectively. And the organization becomes healthier, physically, financially, and culturally. Health literacy is no longer a “nice to have.” It is a strategic imperative. The future belongs to employers who lead The U.S. healthcare system will not fix itself. But employers can fix how their people experience it. By teaching employees how to navigate the system, how to find high-quality care, avoid low-value care, and make informed decisions, employers can deliver what the system has failed to provide, better outcomes at a lower cost. This is not just a benefits strategy. It is a leadership strategy. A culture strategy. A human strategy. And it is the future of employer-sponsored healthcare. If the message resonates with your current health plan issues, let’s connect and discuss how to fix the problem by customizing your plan moving forward. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , and visit my LinkedIn for more info! Read more from Charles W. Gragg Charles W. Gragg, Healthcare Innovator, Strategist, and Speaker Charles Gragg is a recognized healthcare strategist with a mission to help organizations break free from the "healthcare hamster wheel". Drawing on years of experience navigating the inefficiencies of today's healthcare economy, Charles reveals why the current model is failing and how companies can achieve better outcomes at lower cost. Known for delivering provocative, eye-opening keynotes, Charles equips executive, HR leaders, and benefits advisors with the tools to reposition healthcare as a sustainable corporate asset. His message challenges conventional thinking and empowers leaders to make bold, outcomes-driven changes.

Jason Sheasby has built a career around taking complex ideas and making them work in the real world. In his case, that world is the courtroom. Over more than two decades, he has become one of the most respected trial lawyers in intellectual property law. His path shows how curiosity, discipline, and long-term thinking can shape a career with real impact. Early life and curiosity Sheasby grew up in San Bernardino County, California. He has said that his early years taught him that people see problems differently. “I learned early on that perspective matters,” he has shared. “Where you stand often shapes how you think.” That interest in how people think led him to study philosophy at Pomona College. He earned his BA there and graduated summa cum laude, with Phi Beta Kappa honors. Philosophy may seem far from patent trials, but Sheasby sees a direct link. “Philosophy trains you to break down ideas,” he has said. “Law is about doing that under pressure.” Education that shaped a trial lawyer After Pomona, Sheasby went to Harvard Law School. He earned his JD cum laude in 1999. At Harvard, he sharpened the skills that would later define his career. He learned how to argue clearly, write precisely, and think several steps ahead. Looking back, he often points to law school as a place where theory met practice. “You learn that big ideas only matter if you can apply them,” he has said. That belief would guide his work as a trial attorney. Building a career at the trial table Sheasby is now a partner at Irell & Manella LLP, a firm known for high-stakes litigation. His role is clear. He is a trial lawyer. He focuses on cases involving deep technology, significant business risk, and intense scrutiny. In a short span of time, his trial record has stood out. In less than two years, he took more than 10 complex cases to trial and won each. These were not simple disputes. They involved patents, contracts, and billions of dollars in potential exposure. One of the most notable matters involved memory technology company Netlist and Samsung. In multiple trials between 2023 and 2025, juries found infringement, willful conduct, and major damages. In March 2025, as co-lead counsel, Sheasby secured a key victory confirming that Netlist had properly terminated a license Samsung relied on as a defense. “What matters most is clarity,” Sheasby has said about trial work. “You have to help a jury understand why the facts and the law fit together.” Turning complex technology into clear stories Sheasby’s work often sits at the intersection of law and technology. He has handled cases involving computer memory, data storage, USB chargers, and medical devices. In each case, the challenge is the same. Translate complex systems into simple stories. In 2024, he co-led a trial against Anker Innovations for Fundamental Innovation Systems. The jury found willful infringement and awarded damages higher than requested. That same year, he helped secure major verdicts for G+ Communications and StreamScale. Sheasby credits preparation and teamwork. “Trials are never about one person,” he has said. “They are about teams that respect the details.” Recognition without distraction The legal industry has taken notice. Sheasby has been named Litigator of the Year by The American Lawyer. He has been recognized by Chambers USA, Law360, Managing IP, and the Daily Journal. He has also been selected for lists like the Lawdragon 500 Leading Global IP Lawyers. Still, he avoids focusing on awards. “Recognition is nice,” he has said. “But it’s not why you show up every day.” Beyond the courtroom Outside of litigation, Jason Sheasby brings his ideas to life in other ways. He is a founder of TORL Biotherapeutics, reflecting his interest in science and innovation. He also serves on the board of Pomona College, giving back to the institution that shaped his early thinking. Service matters to him. “Institutions last when people invest in them,” he has said. His board work reflects a long-term view of impact beyond any single case. A career built on big ideas and discipline From philosophy student to leading trial lawyer, Jason Sheasby’s career follows a clear line. He takes big, complex ideas and works patiently to make them understandable and effective. Whether in a courtroom, a boardroom, or a startup, his approach stays the same. “You don’t need to be flashy,” he has said. “You need to be prepared and honest about the work.” That mindset has helped him shape outcomes, influence an industry, and build a career defined by substance over spectacle.

Akram Alhamidi did not wait for the perfect moment to start his career. He acted early. He stayed focused. And he turned simple ideas into real outcomes. Based in Petal, Mississippi, Akram is an entrepreneur who chose ownership and responsibility at a young age. His path shows how steady effort and clear thinking can bring big ideas to life without noise or exaggeration. His story is not about hype. It is about execution. This spotlight follows Akram’s journey from high school to business ownership and the ideas that shaped his career along the way. Growing up in Petal, Mississippi Akram Alhamidi grew up in Petal, Mississippi. It is a small town where people value consistency and routine. During high school, Akram played football. The sport had a strong influence on how he approaches work and responsibility today. “Football taught me how to show up every day,” Akram says. “Even when you’re tired, you still do your job.” Those lessons stayed with him long after the season ended. They shaped how he thought about discipline, teamwork, and effort. When he graduated high school in 2020, he felt ready to take the next step. Choosing an uncommon path after high school After graduation, Akram made a clear decision. He chose to start building something of his own. “I didn’t want to wait around,” he says. “I wanted to build something real.” Instead of following a long or traditional path, he focused on ownership and accountability from the start. He believed learning would come from action, not planning alone. That decision set the foundation for his career. Turning simple ideas into real work Akram’s approach to business has always been practical. He focuses on everyday needs and dependable execution. “It’s not complicated,” he explains. “People rely on certain services every day. You just have to run things the right way.” Starting young came with pressure. He had to learn fast. He had to manage time, solve problems, and make decisions without much margin for error. “When it’s your responsibility, you notice everything,” Akram says. “You can’t ignore small issues.” Over time, those small decisions added up. His work grew through consistency, not shortcuts. “Doing the small things right every day adds up,” he says. Leadership built on presence Akram believes leadership is not about distance or titles. It is about being involved. “When people know what to expect from you, things run better,” he says. In a business that operates daily, presence matters. He stays close to operations and believes leadership starts by understanding the work itself. “You can’t lead from far away,” Akram explains. “You have to be present.” That mindset has shaped how he manages people, time, and expectations. It also keeps him grounded as responsibilities grow. Learning through experience Akram’s career has been shaped by learning on the job. He did not wait to feel fully prepared. “You don’t learn everything before you start,” he says. “You learn by starting.” Mistakes became lessons. Challenges became structure. Each experience helped him improve how he works and how he leads. “If something doesn’t work, you fix it and move on,” Akram says. This approach allowed him to turn early responsibility into long-term progress. Finding balance outside of work Outside of work, Akram keeps things simple. He enjoys watching movies and spending time with friends. That balance matters to him. “Business can take over if you let it,” he says. “You still need time to reset.” He believes mental clarity leads to better decisions and steadier leadership. “When you’re clear, you make better decisions,” Akram explains. Building a career through action Akram Alhamidi’s story is not about overnight success. It is about taking practical ideas and following through. From starting his career right after high school to growing through experience, his path shows how consistency can turn ideas into results. “I care about building something that lasts,” he says. “That’s the goal.” Through steady effort and hands-on leadership, Akram has built a career defined by action, responsibility, and showing up every day.

Dr. David Tabaroki did not follow a straight or easy path. His career was shaped by movement, discipline, and long-term thinking. Over time, those traits helped him build multiple successful oral surgery practices in New York. Today, he is known not just as a skilled oral and maxillofacial surgeon, but as a business owner who turned big ideas into real, lasting institutions. From Tehran to New York: Early life and motivation Dr. Tabaroki was born in Tehran, Iran. When he was 12, his family immigrated to New York. The move was a major turning point. He entered a new country, a new school system, and a new culture at a young age. “I learned early that nothing is guaranteed,” he says. “You have to earn your place every day.” Education quickly became his focus. He attended Yeshiva University on a full scholarship. From there, he went on to NYU, again on a full scholarship. He graduated in the top five percent of his class, earning honors and placement on the Dean’s List. Looking back, he credits this period with shaping his work ethic. “I treated school like a full-time job,” he says. “Consistency mattered more than talent.” Choosing a demanding medical path After NYU, Dr. Tabaroki entered the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery program at Montefiore University Hospital. The program spans four intense years and is considered one of the strongest in the country. “It was demanding in every sense,” he recalls. “Long hours. High standards. No shortcuts.” The training gave him more than technical skills. It taught him decision-making under pressure and accountability to patients and peers. These lessons would later carry into his leadership style as a practice owner. “You learn quickly that people depend on you,” he says. “That stays with you.” Opening Queens Blvd Oral Surgery After completing his training, Dr. Tabaroki made a bold move. He opened Queens Blvd Oral Surgery. At the time, he was early in his career and building from the ground up. “I didn’t wait for the perfect moment,” he says. “I focused on doing the work well and letting the rest grow from that.” The practice slowly gained traction. Patients came for care. Referrals increased. Systems were refined. Over time, the practice became a stable and respected operation. This first practice set the foundation for everything that followed. Growing into a multi-practice owner Today, Dr. Tabaroki owns and operates three practices: Queens Blvd Oral Surgery, Jamaica Estates Oral Surgery, and Gramercy Dental Group. Each serves a different community, but all follow the same principles. “The goal was never to just open more locations,” he explains. “It was to build places that run well and treat people right.” His approach blends medicine and operations. He focuses on strong teams, clear processes, and long-term planning. Growth, for him, is a result of discipline rather than speed. “I think in decades, not quarters,” he says. Leadership, technology, and adaptation Dr. Tabaroki is open to new ideas, especially in technology and medicine. He believes modern practices must evolve without losing their core values. “Tools change,” he says. “Standards shouldn’t.” He encourages ongoing learning within his teams. He also believes leaders must stay involved. “You can’t build something meaningful from a distance,” he adds. This mindset has helped his practices adapt while staying consistent in patient care. Life beyond the office Outside of work, Dr. David Tabaroki lives in Long Island with his wife and five children. Family plays a central role in how he defines success. “My career matters,” he says. “But it’s not separate from my life.” He is also a dedicated sports fan, following the New York Giants, Knicks, and Yankees. Sports, he says, offer lessons that translate into work. “You see teamwork, preparation, and resilience,” he notes. “Those ideas apply everywhere.” Defining success on his own terms Dr. Tabaroki’s story is not about shortcuts or overnight wins. It is about steady progress, clear priorities, and the courage to build before everything feels certain. “I didn’t chase titles,” he says. “I focused on building something solid.” Over two decades, that approach has led to lasting practices, a respected career, and a balanced life. His journey shows how big ideas, when paired with discipline and patience, can turn into real-world impact one decision at a time.

Jessie Andrews  did not follow a set plan. She followed her instincts. Raised in Miami, she left home as a teenager and moved to Los Angeles just months before finishing high school. At the time, she did not have a safety net or a roadmap. What she did have was drive. “Being told you can’t do something is always the biggest driver to make whatever you want to happen, happen,” she says. That early decision shaped everything that followed. Andrews entered film and television first, learning quickly how visibility, pressure, and discipline work in creative industries. Within a year, she crossed into mainstream culture, earning attention from media and brands. But even as opportunities grew, she knew she did not want to rely on one lane. She wanted control over her work and her future. Early visibility and a shift behind the scenes Modeling and acting gave Andrews access to rooms where creative decisions were made. She watched how brands were built, how images were shaped, and how stories were told. She also saw what was missing. “Always being curious and investing in myself and my ideas has always brought me success,” she says. Before turning 21, Andrews began designing jewelry quietly. It started as a personal outlet, not a business plan. She focused on simple forms and pieces she wanted to wear herself. That project became Bagatiba. The brand grew fast, worn by high-profile figures and featured in major fashion publications. Her online store became one of the top-performing on Shopify. What stood out was not just growth, but consistency. Andrews stayed deeply involved in design, branding, and creative direction. “I’m not a procrastinator,” she explains. “I’m organized with calendars and notes. That keeps me in check.” That structure helped her scale without losing focus. Expanding brands with intention After Bagatiba, Jessie Andrews  launched more companies, including Basic Swim, and Tase Gallery. Each followed the same idea. Design should come from inspiration, not rigid seasons. Products should feel wearable and useful. Sustainability should be part of the process, not an afterthought. She did not rush expansion. Each brand reflected a clear gap she saw in the market. Andrews applied the same discipline across all of them. “Passion, determination, open-mindedness, and resilience” are what she credits most. Those traits helped her move from founder to operator, overseeing multiple teams while staying hands-on creatively. By 2019, her work drew attention for more than fashion. Media outlets highlighted her approach to e-commerce and brand building. Andrews also began consulting for larger companies, offering insight on creative direction and long-term brand vision. Leadership, mentorship, and staying grounded As her responsibilities grew, Andrews leaned on trusted guidance. She often points to her former agent, Mark Spiegler, as a steady influence. “He’s my guiding light and source of truth,” she says. “I trust and respect him.” She also learned how to manage pressure. When things feel overwhelming, her response is simple. “Taking a deep breath and reminding myself that things are only as hard as you make them.” That mindset helped her navigate growth without burnout. Success, for Andrews, is personal. “I measure success by my own standard,” she says. “Comparison is when you start to feel anxious or let down.” Instead, she focuses on progress, balance, and relationships. Redefining retail with Tase Gallery In 2021, Andrews launched Tase Gallery in Los Angeles. The space was not a traditional store. It was a retail gallery designed to connect people with products through experience. Her brands were displayed alongside work from artists like Hugo Comte and Bryant Giles. The gallery also hosted collaborations with companies such as Flos, Bulgari, Zara, and Vogue . Later, Tase Home expanded the concept into furniture and functional art. The project reflected Andrews’ belief that retail can be thoughtful, immersive, and human. Returning to film while building forward While her business portfolio grew, Andrews did not step away from acting. She appeared in A24’s Hot Summer Nights  and later in HBO’s Euphoria , which brought renewed attention. Her first lead role in the thriller Love Bomb  released in 2025. A career defined by big ideas and follow-through Jessie Andrews’ career is not defined by one role. It is defined by execution. She brings ideas to life by pairing creativity with discipline and belief. “Believing in myself is the truest form of success,” she says. “Once you establish that mindset, you’re unstoppable.”

Written by Sierra Melcher, Author, International Speaker & Educator Sierra Melcher is the founder of Red Thread Publishing LLC. She leads an all-female publishing company, with a mission to support 10,000 women to become successful published authors & thought-leaders. Most people see their inner critic as something to silence or overcome. But what if that voice of doubt isn’t trying to sabotage you at all? This article explores the inner critic as a protective force shaped by safety, belonging, and growth, and how learning to work with her can unlock deeper self-trust, creativity, and leadership. Most of us are taught to see the inner critic as the villain. She’s the voice that says: “You’ll embarrass yourself.” “You’re not ready.” “Other people are doing it better.” “Don’t make a fool of yourself.” And the standard advice is clear: silence her. Override her. Replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Hustle past the discomfort. And heaven forbid you do the thing that scares you and brought her to your doorstep in the first place. But what if we’ve misunderstood her role? What if the inner critic isn’t a saboteur at all… What if she’s a protector? A psychological bodyguard stationed at the threshold of your next level of visibility, success, or expansion, deeply convinced that her vigilance is the only thing keeping you safe. The inner critic as a safety mechanism, not a character flaw From a trauma-informed and psychological perspective, self-criticism doesn’t arise because we’re broken. It develops because, at some earlier point in life, belonging and safety felt conditional. You may have internalized beliefs like: Approval keeps me safe. Achievement earns love. Visibility invites judgement. Perfection prevents rejection. So your inner critic evolves into a risk-management system. She tries to control the narrative before anyone else can. “If I judge myself first, I’ll soften the pain if others do it.” Self-criticism becomes a type of emotional armor. This is especially common among women leaders, high achievers, and creatives, where the stakes of visibility feel higher. Social conditioning has long reinforced the idea that women should be composed, agreeable, flawless, and self-sacrificing, and when leadership, authorship, or entrepreneurship challenge those expectations, the nervous system detects danger. Any time we step out into a new role, attempt to grow, or try something new, it is interpreted as danger. New is scary. And so, the critic steps in: “Shrink it.” “Tone it down.” “Make it safer.” Not because she hates you, but because she remembers when safety depended on fitting in. Staying in the comfortable, familiar little world you currently inhabit. Why the critic gets louder as you expand Most people expect their inner critic to get quieter as they grow. Nope. It doesn’t work like that. Paradoxically… the opposite often happens. The critic tends to get the loudest: right before you publish right before you raise your prices right before you take the stage right before you speak an uncomfortable truth right before you choose yourself Because from her perspective… Expansion = exposure Exposure = risk Risk = danger She isn’t measuring opportunity. She is measuring survivability based on outdated data. That’s why self-criticism often peaks right at the edge of becoming, when the next version of you is beginning to emerge. She doesn’t block the small stuff. She only steps in when something meaningful is on the line. The problem isn’t the voice, it’s the relationship Traditional mindset culture tends to frame the inner critic as an adversary. But when we demonize her, we reinforce internal conflict. We try to dominate or silence a part of ourselves that is, truly, trying to help us. She is just trying to keep you safe. But we see her as the enemy. Which means the nervous system never relaxes. And our creativity becomes a battlefield. A trauma-informed approach invites something far more compassionate: Instead of “How do I get rid of my critic?” We ask: “What is this part of me trying to protect?” This shift, from resistance to curiosity, is powerful. Often, the critic is guarding: Fear of humiliation. Fear of abandonment. Fear of success backlash. Fear of not belonging. Fear of failing publicly. And when we meet that fear with understanding instead of hostility, the system softens. The body exhales. Creativity begins to flow again. Fear isn’t a bad thing. What if it is an indication, an invitation to grow? The inner critic and leadership This conversation matters deeply in leadership. Because visibility is inherently vulnerable. Every leader, founder, executive, author, or speaker must navigate exposure to judgement, projection, and expectation. The inner critic acts as a gatekeeper of identity safety, scanning for threat. Compassionate self-leadership means recognizing you cannot eliminate fear. You can only develop the capacity to accompany yourself through it. When leaders treat their inner world with respect rather than dismissal, they become: less reactive more grounded more emotionally intelligent and more trustworthy to others Because they are not fighting themselves. And teams sense that. Readers and the audience can all sense that. From enemy to ally: A new model for self-trust Here’s the reframe: Your inner critic is not the enemy of your dreams. She is the bodyguard of your becoming. She stands at the threshold asking: “Are you ready for what lies beyond this door?” “Will you be safe there?” “Do you have the support you need?” Her presence isn’t a barrier, it’s an invitation to prepare. 1. Practical ways to work with your inner critic Acknowledge her early. When you hear the voice of doubt, greet it: “I hear you. You’re worried about my safety. Thank you.” This short-circuits the stress loop. 2. Identify what she fears Ask: “What feels risky right now?” “What could go wrong?” “What memory might be getting activated?” You’ll often uncover old stories, not present-day realities. 3. Bring the nervous system back to safety Breathwork. Movement. Connection. Grounding rituals. Nature. Creative play. Safety enables expansion. 4. Separate drafting from judgement In creative work, critique too early suffocates expression. Write first. Evaluate later. (We call this “Bunnies before wolves,” creation before editing.) 5. Build external support Community. Coaching. Mentorship. Psychological safety. Your critic quiets when she knows you’re not alone. Creativity, identity, and becoming For many people, especially women, writing, entrepreneurship, and leadership are not simply professional acts. They are identity activations. They awaken the part of you that refuses to self-abandon any longer. That awakening can feel terrifying. So the critic rises. But she isn’t there to stop the journey. (Don’t misunderstand her.) She is there to ensure that when you cross into the next chapter of your life, you do it with awareness, support, and self-trust rather than force. Integration, not suppression, is the work. A final thought Growth does not come from silencing the inner critic. (I know you wish you could, but you can’t. Stop wasting your effort.) Growth comes from sitting beside her, hand on heart, and saying: “I know you’re trying to protect me. And I’m choosing to grow now. We can do this together.” And slowly… she stops yelling. Because she finally believes you. (You may still feel nauseous, that is fine too. Remember, you are growing, it is as scary as it is natural.) At Red Thread Publishing, we support leaders, founders, and change-makers, especially women, to write, publish, and expand their thought leadership in deeply supportive and emotionally intelligent ways. Writing isn’t just about a book. It’s about identity, impact, and becoming the person your work calls you to be. If you’re ready to bring your message into the world with care for your nervous system, creativity, and vision, we’d love to connect. Follow me on  Facebook , Instagram , and visit my website  for more info! Read more from Sierra Melcher Sierra Melcher, Author, International Speaker & Educator Best-selling author, international speaker & educator, Sierra Melcher is the founder of Red Thread Publishing LLC. She leads an all-female publishing company, with a mission to support 10,000 women to become successful published authors & thought-leaders. Offering world-class coaching & courses that focus on community, collaboration, and a uniquely feminine approach at every stage of the author process. Sierra has a Master’s degree in education and has spoken & taught around the world. Originally from the United States, Sierra lives in Medellín, Colombia, with her young daughter.

Written by Valentina Mazzei, Sound and Energy Alchemist Valentina is a sound & energy alchemist and founder of Where the Magic Happens. With an array of certifications and mastery in her field, she blends ancient wisdom with modern science to guide to the journey of transformation. Passionate about manifestation, she shares her deep understanding, offering practical tools to harness this powerful practice. Healing has never been more misunderstood than it is today. We live in a time when information is everywhere, courses, podcasts, books, reels, coaches, and certifications. There has never been more access to knowledge about trauma, triggers, attachment styles, or the nervous system. And yet, women are more exhausted, overwhelmed, and dysregulated than ever before. Many are more anxious and more disconnected from their bodies, even while becoming more “self-aware.” This is happening because we’ve been conditioned to believe healing is a cognitive achievement, that if you can understand something, you can transcend it. But the body does not heal through understanding. The body heals through safety, and safety isn’t intellectual. It’s physiological, somatic, rhythmic. This is the story of why my decades of self-awareness didn’t free me…and what finally did. The illusion of awareness: When insight becomes a cage For years, I collected awareness like armor. I truly believed I was doing everything “right.” I could name every pattern. I could trace every wound. I could articulate my trauma with poetic precision. Talk therapy taught me to analyze. Books taught me to reframe. Meditation taught me to observe. I had the language, the insight, and the breakthroughs, yet nothing in my lived experience actually shifted. My shoulders still tensed on their own. My breath stayed shallow. My nervous system braced at even the slightest hint of intimacy, rest, or uncertainty. I could explain my pain beautifully, but I couldn’t feel free. My mind understood the healing, but my body hadn’t caught up. This is the disconnect most women don’t realize they’re living in. The world is stuck in the early stages of awareness What I eventually learned is that awareness only works when the nervous system is ready for awareness to land. Most of society is stuck in the preliminary stages of healing, being disconnected from the body, living in overdrive, or endlessly seeking insight without ever experiencing lasting change. Women in these stages know something is off, but keep trying to solve the problem with more thinking, more analyzing, more understanding. The truth many don’t want to admit is simple, you cannot think your way out of a body that does not feel safe. This gap between knowing and integrating is the root of modern burnout. Why the mind can’t heal what the body is still protecting We’ve been taught that naming a pattern heals it, that understanding trauma releases it, and that thinking differently rewires the body. But the body does not operate on logic. It operates on biology. It has its own memory, its own logic, its own survival rules. If your nervous system equates stillness with danger, you’ll keep moving, even when you desperately crave peace. If your body associates saying “no” with abandonment, you’ll say yes before your mind even has time to intervene. If your system learned that vulnerability leads to pain, you will stay armored even while longing to be seen. None of this is mindset. None of this is lack of awareness. It is physiology. It is memory. It is survival. The turning point: When my body finally spoke louder than my mind My breakthrough wasn’t dramatic or chaotic. It didn’t come from a crisis. It came from a quiet moment on the floor after a session in which I gained clarity yet felt exactly the same, tight, braced, and performing peace instead of experiencing it. For the first time, I stopped trying to analyze or fix myself. I put on a sound activation I had created months earlier, lay down, closed my eyes, and allowed my body to lead. What happened next wasn’t intellectual. It was cellular. Tears surfaced without a story. My body trembled from release rather than fear. My breath dropped lower than it had in years. In that moment, I realized my body had never been waiting for insight. It was waiting for safety. The body speaks in rhythm, not reason From that night on, everything shifted. I stopped asking, “What do I think about this?” and started asking, “What does my body feel when I say that?” I learned that trauma isn’t stored in thoughts but in fascia, that safety isn’t created through logic but through frequency, and that integration isn’t something the mind can force, it’s something the body experiences. The modality that created the deepest shift wasn’t talk therapy, journaling, or mindset reframes. It was sound, breath, and somatic release. Sound: The portal where insight becomes integration Sound doesn’t ask you to understand, it asks you to feel. Through vibration and bone conduction, it bypasses the thinking mind and speaks directly to the nervous system. Sound recalibrates brainwave states, breath regulates vagal tone, and somatic movement releases stored survival responses. Together, these elements create the foundation of the philosophy inside The Embodied Alchemy Code™ - a system rooted in nervous system healing, feminine magnetism, and embodied integration. It’s not just another program. It’s a map for how the body actually heals. Why this work matters even more in the AI era We are entering an age of unprecedented mental overstimulation. AI accelerates information faster than our nervous systems can process it. The mind grows more overwhelmed while the body remains the antidote. Embodiment is no longer optional, it is survival. As technology speeds up, women who can regulate their nervous system will become the most grounded, magnetic leaders of the next decade. The world is not looking for more people who know more. It is looking for people who can hold more, more sensation, more responsibility, more truth, more frequency. And that capacity is built in the body, not the mind. The next era of healing is not intellectual, it’s embodied We have analyzed enough. Optimized enough. Intellectualized healing to its limits. And still, women ache. Still, they brace. Still, they perform peace instead of living it. The shift we are being called into is simple but profound, from insight to integration. From performance to presence. From thinking our way forward to feeling our way home. Healing doesn’t require more awareness. It requires more capacity. And capacity is built through safety. When the body heals, life reorganizes itself. Relationships soften. Creativity returns. Money flows with less resistance. Intimacy deepens. Peace becomes the new baseline. Returning to the body is returning to power. That isn’t self-help. That is alchemy. And it always begins in the body. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram ,  and visit my website  for more info! Read more from Valentina Mazzei Valentina Mazzei, Sound and Energy Alchemist Valentina once struggled a lot with limiting beliefs, self-doubt, and a search for life's meaning. For years, she sought acceptance, dimmed her light, and felt unworthy. This led her to a profound interest in the healing arts, where sound became one of her greatest teachers. As a powerful tool for meditation, deep relaxation, and energetic renewal, sound helps to move stagnant energy while restoring balance and harmony. After her own transformative healing journey, Valentina made it her mission to inspire and empower others, especially women, by awakening their higher consciousness, helping them rediscover their true selves, and unleashing their full potential and worth through the power of energy and the magic of sound.

Written by Dan Williamson, Coach, Mentor, and Founder Dan is a qualified coach and mentor with 20+ years of experience helping people unlock their potential by challenging perspectives and enhancing self-awareness. He founded Teach Lead Transform, an online platform for self-discovery, learning, and language growth. It’s not an audition, it’s a consultation. The fastest way to change your interview performance is to change your mental model. When you walk into an interview believing you're being evaluated, the power dynamic isn’t in equilibrium. With the mindset that the process is two-way, mentally, you aren’t required to perform, just be yourself. I’ve watched talented professionals sabotage themselves in interviews as a coach and in a professional capacity, not because they lacked competence, but because they approached every interview as a performance. They were so focused on being chosen that they forgot they also needed to choose. The shift in mindset is subtle, the results significant.   The traditional interview power dynamic The traditional model is simple: The company evaluates, the candidate performs. They hold the power, you hope to be chosen. They ask questions, you provide answers. They assess your fit, you demonstrate suitability. This model creates nerves, performance, a failure to be authentic, and frequently, poor outcomes.   When you're performing, you're not present, but overthinking. Did that answer land well? Should I have said it differently? Do I sound confident enough, or cocky? That internal monologue prevents genuine engagement, and this natural back-and-forth of two parties discovering whether they want to work together is what creates connection. Connection is memorable.   Meanwhile, they're making a decision that will affect them daily for years. They need to get this right. A bad hire costs them time, money, team morale, and their own reputation.   They're not looking for perfect, because perfect in an interview often becomes problematic three months in, when the performance can't be sustained. A consultant mindset: What changes Consultants don't audition for work. They assess whether they can solve the problem, whether they want to solve it, and whether this client is a good fit for them.   They come with informed perspective. They ask questions to understand the problem. They evaluate whether the client has the resources and commitment needed for success. They decide whether this engagement serves their expertise and career.   In short, they interview whilst being interviewed. This changes everything about the process.   Your body language shifts. You're present, engaged, curious, and open. You smile more, relax, and show that you already belong and aren’t intimidated. Your tone shifts. You express enthusiasm and curiosity, with answers demonstrating critical thinking and active listening. Your questions shift. You stop asking the questions you think make you look good and start asking ones of relevance. Your energy shifts. You're not depleted after an interview. You're energized or at least informed, because you were participating in discovery, not performing for approval. The irony? This mindset makes you more hireable, not less. People want to work with people who have judgment and choice, not people who are desperate.   What you're evaluating When you interview as a consultant, you're assessing across several areas whether this is an engagement you want:   Leadership quality: Will you learn or leave? Your manager matters more than the company. More than the salary. More than the title.   A great manager in a mediocre company will develop you. A poor manager in a great company will make you miserable. You're not just evaluating the role, you're evaluating whether you respect the person you'll report to. What to assess: Do they have a coherent leadership philosophy, or are they managing by instinct and reaction? How do they talk about their team? With pride? With frustration? With a genuine interest in their development? Can they articulate how they support growth? How do they respond when you ask about failure? Defensively? Honestly? With reflection? You're looking for self-awareness, intentionality, and the capacity to develop others. Your 1 st  impressions count, listen to them.   Opportunity or chaos? There's a difference between an interesting challenge and walking into organizational chaos. Some "transformation roles" are really "scapegoat roles" you're brought in to fix systemic issues without the authority or resources to do so. Some "exciting opportunities" are actually "we have no idea what we're doing, good luck." What to assess: Can they articulate the problem clearly? Do they understand what success looks like? Have they tried to solve this before? What happened? What did they learn? Is this a real problem they're committed to solving, or a nice-to-have? If they can't clearly explain what they need and why, you can't possibly solve it.   Set up to win or fail? The role sounds exciting until you realize you'll have no budget, no team, no tools, and unrealistic timelines. Some organizations bring people in to accomplish miracles with resources that guarantee failure. Then they blame the person, not the impossible mandate. What to assess: What budget, team, or support comes with the role? Are the expectations aligned with the resources? Or are they expecting €100,000 results with a €10,000 budget? What's required for success, or are they hoping you'll figure it out? You're not being difficult by asking these questions, you're being professional.   Cultural authenticity: Performance or presence? The question isn't whether the culture is "good" or "bad." It's whether you can be yourself. Some organizations say they value authenticity but reward conformity. Some claim they want innovation, but punish anyone who challenges the status quo. Some promote work-life balance but celebrate people who work long hours. What to assess: How did they respond to your real questions? Defensively? Openly? Thoughtfully? When you expressed yourself naturally in the interview, how did they react? Do the people you've met seem genuine? Can they give you specific examples of how they've supported authenticity? If you had to perform in the interview to get the offer, you'll have to perform every day if successful.   Aligning values: Words vs. behaviour Every organization has beautiful values. What matters is whether behaviour matches. The real values of an organization aren't what they say they value. They're what they reward, what they tolerate, and what gets people promoted. What to assess: How did they treat you throughout this process? Responsive? Or did you chase them for updates? When they describe success, what values are being celebrated? What do they not talk about? (Often as revealing as what they emphasize) The entire recruitment process demonstrates the company’s values. If they're disorganized, disrespectful, or respond slowly, that's the culture.   Questions that signal consultant-level thinking The questions you ask reveal how you think. Ask consultant questions, and you'll be recognised accordingly. "What does success look like in the first 90 days? And in the first year?" This shows you're already thinking about delivery. It also reveals whether they have clarity about expectations. Listen for specificity. "You'll have built relationships and understand our systems" is decent. "You'll have completed the needs assessment and presented three options for the redesign" is excellent. "We'll figure it out together" is concerning. "What's the biggest challenge the person in this role will face?" This gets at the real job, not the job description. It shows you understand every role has challenges, and you want to know what you're signing up for. Listen for honesty. If they say there aren't challenges, they're not being straight with you. If they list systemic organizational issues, you're walking into trouble. If they describe solvable problems with appropriate difficulty, that's real.   "How does the team currently handle conflict or disagreement?" This reveals psychological safety and if collaboration is real. "We don't really have conflict" means conflict is suppressed. "People need thick skin here" means toxicity is normalized. "We address it directly and respectfully," with specific examples, means they've thought about this.   "What happened with the last person in this role?" This reveals patterns, expectations, and how they treat people who leave. If they speak dismissively about the predecessor, that's how they'll speak about you. If they're vague or evasive, something uncomfortable happened. If they're honest about what didn't work and what they learned, that's maturity. "What would make you consider this hire a mistake in six months?" This is bold, and answers will show whether they've thought about what success means. It demonstrates you care about delivering value, not just getting the job. If they can't articulate what failure looks like, they don't know what success looks like either. Why this approach can get you the job At first, this approach appears counterintuitive, but recruiters are looking for people who have options, who are in demand. If no one else wants you, why should they?   Engagement signals high value. If you're evaluating them as carefully as they're evaluating you, you must be good enough to choose.   Companies want to hire people who are choosing them, not people who need them.   The consultant mindset creates several advantages: You're memorable. Most candidates are generic, but you're engaged in genuine discovery. That's enough to be remembered. You demonstrate judgment. By asking good questions, you show sophisticated thinking, you’re seen as someone who can assess situations. You make a connection. When you engage rather than perform, it’s easier to start imagining working with you because you're already working with them. You get the information you need. You're not just trying to get an offer. You're trying to get the right offer.   Practical application: Your next interview This mindset shift requires preparation: Before the interview, prepare real questions. Not "what does the role involve?" (that's basic). Questions that show you're assessing fit at a sophisticated level. About leadership, resources, culture, values, and decision-making.   Write them down. Prioritize them. Know which ones matter most.   In the first five minutes, establish the dynamic. Your energy and engagement from the start set the tone. Come with genuine presence and curiosity. When they ask, "How are you?" don't give the automatic "fine, thank you." Try "I'm genuinely looking forward to this conversation. I've been thinking about the challenges you mentioned in the job description, and I’m looking to understand them better."   That's engagement, not performance. It changes the dynamic immediately. A genuine smile and some eye contact with the panel will do no harm either.   Balance evaluation with appropriate enthusiasm. You're assessing fit, not playing hard to get. When something genuinely interests you, show it. When you see alignment between your expertise and their need, name it.   "This problem is exactly what I'm good at solving" is different from "I'd be honoured to work here." Also, way more sincere.   Ask yourself the critical question before accepting any offer: "If a friend asked me whether they should take this role, what would I tell them?" Be as honest with yourself as you'd be with someone you care about. Don't accept a role you wouldn't recommend to others.   Your next steps Your next interview doesn't have to be an audition. You can walk in as a consultant assessing whether you want this engagement. You can ask the questions that matter. You can evaluate how this opportunity serves your development and career.   This mindset won't work everywhere. Some interviewers will be put off by your evaluation. Some organizations want grateful, not thoughtful.   If you are yourself and unsuccessful? It probably wasn’t right for you anyway. The roles worth having want professionals with judgment. The managers worth working for want team members who choose them. The organizations worth joining value people who ask good questions.   When you interview like you already have the job, confident, evaluative, engaged, you're more likely to get it, and more importantly, you're more likely to want it.   If you’re unsuccessful? Then you can also have no regrets, it wasn’t a good fit for you. You carried yourself as a professional whose expertise and time have value.   That's not arrogance, it's authenticity. At Teach Lead Transform, we offer interview coaching, tips, and role-playing for specific roles to help you show up as the best version of yourself and be sure that any role is a good fit for you, not the other way around.   Check out our website for more information and to book a free 20-minute session to discuss your needs.   Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Dan Williamson Dan Williamson, Coach, Mentor, and Founder Dan is passionate about continuous growth to positively impact others. As a qualified coach and mentor, he empowers people to deepen their self-awareness, strengthen their personal identity, and unlock their true potential. Using his own self-discovery experiences as a foundation, he helps individuals develop bespoke strategies to enable them to live as their authentic selves. Through his writing on Teach, Lead, Transform, his online learning, language, and self-discovery platform, his aim is to stimulate thinking and awareness to empower self-directed personal growth.

Written by Sicadia-Paige, Vibroacoustic Therapist and Myofunctional Therapist Sicadia-Paige is the founder of True You Collective, Colorado’s dedicated Nervous System Reboot™ Center, where science, frequency, and light-based therapies come together to help clients break free from chronic stress, overwhelm, and nervous system dysregulation. For years, I thought awakening meant leaving the human experience. I believed it was floating above pain, becoming “light,” transcending the mess of being embodied. In those moments, it felt as if I was drifting on a gentle cloud, far above any ache or discomfort, each breath a whisper in a vast, serene sky. I thought enlightenment lived somewhere beyond sensation, beyond the body’s responses, beyond the pulse moving quietly beneath my skin. The plants taught me otherwise. They didn’t lift me out of my body. They brought me deeper into it. Simply feeling my breath rise and fall, sensing my heartbeat as it echoed through my chest, showed me what presence truly is. A soft breeze against my skin. The quiet murmur of blood moving through vessels. Awakening wasn’t escape; it was intimacy with life itself. During one of the most visceral ceremonies of my life, I asked for remembrance. Not visions. Not bliss. Just truth. The medicine met me in that prayer. Rather than carrying me toward the stars, it brought me into bone, into muscle, into the places I had forgotten were sacred. It returned me to the body I had spent decades fighting, trying to fix her, hide her, and make her smaller. I blamed others for not loving her, never realizing she was waiting for me to love her first. In that moment of realization, I whispered a gentle apology to myself, acknowledging the years of struggle with a kindness I now extended to every part of me. As the medicine moved through me, every muscle became memory, setting off a sequence of experiences that transformed my understanding of my own body. Initially, tension surfaced, manifesting as a tightness across my chest and a weight upon my shoulders, each sensation a narrative waiting to be understood. Then came recognition, as I began to connect each sensation to specific moments of grief, trauma, and unresolved emotion, stored within the tissues and fibers of my being. Finally, release washed over me, a sensation akin to a gentle surrender, allowing each muscle to unburden itself, replaced by a profound sense of relief and understanding. The plants are honest teachers. They don’t let you skip steps. They show that surrender isn’t weakness. It’s the path to knowledge. As I softened, my body began to speak. She showed me she was never the problem. She was the keeper. She held what I wasn’t ready to feel. Every ache, every tension, every extra pound I had judged was my body saying, remember me. What is your body saying to you? Pause for a moment and ask, “What have you been keeping for me?” Allow yourself to listen to the response with compassion. Science is only now beginning to catch up to what ancient traditions have always known: the body remembers. Trauma, grief, and chronic stress are stored not just in the mind, but in the nervous system, in fascia, in breath patterns, and in heart rate variability. The vagus nerve can be thought of as a tuning fork of safety, deeply influenced by sensation, sound, frequency, vibration, and breath. Healing doesn’t happen by thinking our way out. It happens when the body feels safe enough to stay. In that remembering, something shifted. The boundary between spirit and flesh dissolved. I realized embodiment isn’t the opposite of enlightenment. It’s the doorway to it. There was a moment of hesitation. Standing in front of a mirror, facing years of shame and self-criticism, I felt the urge to look away. The cool glass reflected not just my image, but the weight of unmet eyes, a barrier thin yet profound. Yet in that moment, my heartbeat echoed in my ears like a distant drumbeat calling me back to myself. I chose to stay. I chose to step forward rather than float out. That choice, seemingly small yet immeasurably brave, opened the way to deeper knowing. When we inhabit our bodies fully, we stop running from the lesson. Pain becomes communication, not punishment. The plants taught me that creation doesn’t happen in constant motion. It happens in stillness, in the silence between breaths, in the pause between drumbeats, in the quiet after release. Neuroscience mirrors this truth: moments of stillness allow the nervous system to shift from survival into repair. Heart rate variability improves. The body reorganizes itself. Notice the silence after your next exhale. That is where wisdom lives. We fear stillness because it feels like emptiness, but the void is not barren. It is womb-like, a place where remembering grows. Surrender becomes loving the body, not bypassing it. This isn’t self-indulgence; it’s self-initiation. Sound and vibration play a powerful role here. Low-frequency vibration, rhythmic sound, and resonance, whether through ceremony, music, or vibroacoustic therapy, speak directly to the nervous system. They bypass the analytical mind and communicate through the same pathways that regulate safety, trust, and presence. In many ways, they echo what the plants taught me: healing happens when the body feels heard. The plants didn’t heal me. They introduced me to the healer within. Lying on a bathroom floor, hands pressed against cool tile, I felt the earth through the surface beneath me. My breath steadied. Blood warmed my hands. Tears released. In that moment, my body wasn’t a cage. It was a compass. Every freckle, every scar, every curve became a constellation, markers on a map guiding me home. When we stop trying to escape the body, we stop escaping ourselves. We anchor the cosmos into earth by staying fully here, fully human. We remember that connection doesn’t require leaving. It requires listening. So the next time you feel the urge to escape, try staying instead. Take a deep breath in, feeling the air fill your lungs completely. Notice the sensation as your chest rises. As you slowly exhale, imagine roots growing from the soles of your feet into the ground beneath you, anchoring you to the moment. This simple act of presence can transform your need to escape into a moment of profound connection with yourself. Feel the ground beneath your feet. Place a hand over your heart. Listen to the rhythm that has been keeping you alive all along. Welcome yourself home, to your body, to your breath, to the sacred place where your journey is witnessed and honored. You were never meant to leave. You were meant to remember. Follow me on Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Sicadia-Paige Sicadia-Paige, Vibroacoustic Therapist and Myofunctional Therapist Founder of True You Collective in Arvada, Colorado, Sicadia-Paige is a Certified Vibroacoustic Therapist, Certified Myofunctional Therapist, Nervous System Reboot™ Guide, and End-of-Life Doula. She specializes in cutting-edge, frequency-based therapies designed to calm the nervous system, ease pain and inflammation, and unlock the body’s natural healing intelligence.

Written by Mohamed Ahmed Fouad Amin, Owner of Alfouad Group Al Fouad Group is a leading real estate consultancy specializing in valuation, development advisory, and investment strategies, alongside City Creek Contracting. The Group provides expert guidance to investors and developers across luxury and high-growth real estate markets. Over the years, I have reviewed countless real estate projects, contracts, and developer business models. Some failed loudly. Others appeared successful on paper, yet quietly exhausted investor capital over time. When I wrote "Do Not Buy From This Developer," it was not driven by criticism or a desire to alarm the market. It came from recurring patterns I kept seeing, the same mistakes repeated, the same assumptions trusted, and the same questions left unasked until it was too late. What followed surprised me. The most common response was not disagreement, but a simple and honest question. If that is the developer we should avoid, then who should we buy from? This article is my answer. Not every developer is a risk One of the most dangerous outcomes of risk-focused discussions is overgeneralization. Real estate markets do not operate in absolutes. The reality is more nuanced. Some developers in 2026 are no longer merely safe. They are strategically investable. These developers did not arrive here by chance. They evolved, often through difficult lessons involving delays, capital pressure, and market corrections. What they offer today is not just a project, but a more balanced investment structure shaped by experience. The right developer is rarely the cheapest After reading cautionary articles, many investors instinctively shift their focus to price. This reaction is understandable and often costly. Experienced investors know that the lowest entry price frequently carries the highest hidden cost. Developers worth buying from in 2026 rarely compete aggressively on price. Instead, they compete on execution capability, delivery discipline, risk containment, and long-term credibility. In real estate, execution consistently matters more than projection. A developer who profits after delivery, not before One of the core risks highlighted in the first article was early profit extraction. Developers worth investing with operate differently. A meaningful portion of their profit is realized after delivery. Delays carry real financial consequences. Success is tied to completion, not merely sales velocity. When a developer personally feels the cost of delay, the investor is no longer carrying the risk alone. Transparency during challenges, not only during sales Marketing is designed to be polished. That is expected. What truly matters is communication when circumstances become difficult. A developer worth investing with communicates clearly and consistently, explains challenges before being pressed, avoids vague language, and provides realistic timelines, even when those timelines are uncomfortable. In this context, transparency is not public relations. It is a project management discipline. Innovation used to control risk, not decorate brochures In 2026, nearly every developer speaks about innovation. Very few apply it where it matters most. The right developers use technology to monitor construction progress in real time, link fund releases to verified milestones, anticipate delays before they escalate, and control cost volatility. True innovation improves predictability, not just presentation. Respect for investor intelligence The first article warned against emotional pressure tactics such as last opportunity, guaranteed returns, or risk-free investment. Developers worth buying from take the opposite approach. They present conservative assumptions, openly discuss downside scenarios, welcome difficult questions, and avoid artificial urgency. They treat investors as informed partners, not as funding sources. A track record of learning, not perfection A flawless history is not always a positive signal. Developers worth buying from have typically faced challenges, experienced delays, adjusted their structures, and improved internal controls over time. The difference is not the absence of mistakes. It is the presence of learning and correction. Why buying from this developer makes sense After reading Do Not Buy From This Developer, investors no longer look for hype. They look for clarity. Buying from the right developer offers realistic timelines, shared execution risk, clearer exit logic, reduced psychological pressure, and a structurally safer investment environment. In 2026, smart investors no longer ask how much I can make. They ask what happens if things do not go exactly as planned. Conclusion: From warning to wise selection The first article served as an alarm. This one serves as a compass. Avoid developers who never lose, never explain, and never share responsibility. Buy from developers who align profit with delivery, communicate honestly, innovate for control rather than appearance, and treat capital as responsibility. Because real estate wealth is not built through fear, but through disciplined selection guided by informed caution. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , and visit my website  for more info! Read more from Mohamed Ahmed Fouad Amin Mohamed Ahmed Fouad Amin, Owner of Alfouad Group Mohamed Ahmed Fouad Amin is a real estate expert, author, and investment consultant with extensive experience in valuation and development advisory across the UAE and MENA region. He is the founder of Al Fouad Real Estate Valuation and a member of FIABCI and ACAMS. Mohamed specializes in guiding investors, analyzing developers, and identifying high-value opportunities. He authored “Sell a Property to Billionaires” and “Please, Don’t Buy From This Developer,” empowering investors with clarity and confidence.