Charles Gragg is a healthcare innovator, strategist, and speaker dedicated to transforming the way organizations approach healthcare. For too long, companies have been trapped in a cycle of unjustified rising costs, higher deductibles, and declining outcomes, a system that fails employers and employees alike. With extensive experience analyzing flaws of today's healthcare economy, Charles brings executive-level insights and patient-centered solutions to create a disruptive new vision for corporate healthcare. Charles W. Gragg, Healthcare Innovator, Strategist, and Speaker Who is Charles W. Gragg? Charles W. Gragg, a Health Insurance executive, author, and public speaker, is recognized as an alternative solutions expert focused on providing sustainable, forward-thinking health plan solutions that transform runaway health insurance expenses into valued assets to the corporate balance sheet. His message is driven by years of experience in providing these solutions to thousands of employer groups across the country, who took the path of self-funding as their financial vehicle, and began to take control of health care spending inside their own plan as opposed to renting one from the nationally known carriers. These customizable solutions have saved those employers literally millions of dollars by simply taking control of this otherwise uncontrollable expense. His mantra is that you should own your health plan and run it like any other segment of your business in order to keep not only the costs of your plan under control, but to continually focus the outcomes of your healthcare expenses on the well-being and mindset of those it serves – your employees and their dependents. What inspired you to start helping businesses with financial planning and strategic consulting? Early in my career, I saw the need to offer something different than the traditional method of offering corporate employers the same-old insurance company solution, chasing rate-increase after rate-increase year after year. Advisors that are tuned into real solutions call that “running on the hamster wheel.” The problem with offering that solution was, and still is today, that the focus in on the wrong piece of the puzzle. Where most advisors and employers focus on lowering their costs by lowering benefits paid by the plan, or shifting the costs to the employees by raising deductibles or shifting payments to spending accounts and raising out-of-pocket limits of their “plan design”. Those sleight-of-hand magic tricks only put more financial burden on employees to carry the weight of rising costs, and totally miss the mark of the true culprit in this charade. How do you define success for the clients you work with? Those who succeed in transforming their health plan strategy and results start with a change of mindset and vision of the primary reasons for offering a health plan for their workforce in the first place. That reason is, 99% of the time, employers want their employees to have the security and peace-of-mind that their employer cares about their well-being and health as a fundamental value of the workplace. He wants the very “best” healthcare possible for his employees, and not just “more” healthcare with unnecessary spending and frivolous experiences. He is willing to invest in the lives of his employees by providing better methodology of accessing the best healthcare for them. Another factor is the mindset change, whereby the successful company understands that it runs a health plan as the 2nd largest operating expense on its corporate balance sheet. And the traditional method of “buying” health insurance from an insurance company is merely “renting that expense” from them and subsequently turning his checkbook over to that carrier to run his plan for him. The mindset change is to “take control of that expense”, leave the insurance company, and run that health plan like any other segment of the business, as a unit and an asset versus an uncontrollable expense. That takes the form of a “self-funded” health plan that ensures the employer that he now controls the deliverables, and the “outcomes” of every feature of his customizable plan. An asset through and through, both on the balance sheet and in good faith to offer better solutions and outcomes of better health for his employees, all at lower costs and higher quality. That corporate asset is transferable both in culture and financials as a corporate legacy. What are the most common challenges your clients face before they work with you? There are a number of pushbacks the employer faces. Number one is belief in what I profess from my 50 years of experience working in every phase of this business. Then, the decision whether to listen to peers, his own benefits advisor, the health insurance community (of carriers), and sometimes his own executive staff, who may fear that this is an overwhelming task to tackle. However, once he understands that this “elephant in the room” is not to be eaten all in one setting, but rather one bite at a time. He can then digest the problem with his largest issues one at a time, and build a plan tailor-made for his taste and operational capacity. He should not fear that this approach is a matter of “taking on enormous amounts of risk”, as some would say. This insurance segment of the industry has matured over the past 50 years so that the “risk” element is extremely small compared to the gains, and rate increases he faces today without this solution. And there are numerous alternatives for that “risk” element that can also be translated into assets versus expenses as well. More control, more assets on the balance sheet. Win-Win proposition. How do you approach solving complex financial and pricing strategy problems? You might ask: “How does an employer approach solving these complex financial and pricing strategy issues?” The solution is: “We cannot begin to talk about lowering costs or pricing until we address ‘lowering claims’ costs. I'm not talking about taking anything away from employees who have claims. I am referring to lowering the cost of claims currently being incurred. The issue in American healthcare is not “getting more healthcare”; it is “getting better quality healthcare”, and at a “better, often negotiated price”. Putting best practices into place to offer those solutions to his employees wins both battles – Higher quality healthcare, at Lower prices overall. Again: Win-Win! Your follow-up question might be: How does he make that happen? The easy answer is that “ultimately” his goal is to divorce completely the Insurance “network” of providers and develop his own “high performance network of providers and facilities”: to offer that care to his employees. By negotiating higher quality healthcare, and most often at lower costs per unit of care, he will provide both better service to the employees, and both parties save money in the process. Some in the industry call that “the Walmart model” because that is what that industry giant began doing at the beginning of this. 21st century. The proof is in the pudding: Walmart has improved healthcare quality and saved millions of dollars as a result. To answer that question directly, an employer does not try to take on all of this process within his own staff. He hires these processes out to “fiduciary” providers of service. A term the insurance carriers admonish and do not subscribe to; because premiums to them is now “their money” and no longer the employers’ In essence, a fiduciary is someone who is bound to look after your money, and business affairs with a greater degree of care than that of his own, An employer acting upon those principles has some assurance that his affairs are being attended to with much greater integrity. Can you share a story of a client who transformed their business with your guidance? I could tell many a story here. Rather than dig into the weeds with too many details, let me just say that over the course of 45 years, I was involved with some phase of this solution to over 1000 employers around the country. Most of those employers saved anywhere from 10%, 20%, and even 50% over what they were spending in any given year prior to moving away from the traditional insurance community. You can only imagine what those savings produced inside their companies where more financial investment was made to expand and grow their business rather than preserve the culture and happiness of the employees by offering “insurance with a “big-name” insurance carrier. The irony is that those who made the move accomplished both goals in the process. Conversely, I can attest that within that same 1000+ employer community, I can only name less than a handful (-5) or so that made a switch back to the traditional insurance route of coverage while I was engaged with their businesses; and those that did make the move had extenuating circumstance involved, like selling off the majority of their business, along with most of their employee population, or the business went bankrupt from an operational standpoint outside of the health plans, etc. And that reason being that the health plan was not a contributing factor to other troubled business issues. What makes your consulting approach different from other advisors in your field? I look at this way of consulting with an employer much like that of a physician, to take the clinical approach. Do not prescribe before you diagnose. You must dig into the mindset and goals of an employer, and determine his commitment and ability to process and construct his custom-made solution. Also, consider the population of employees and dependents covered by his plan, and consider their current health conditions before addressing how those conditions need attention from the health plan. Most advisors have decided the solution(s) they are going to bring to the table, and often have proposals prepared for those solutions long before ever discussing with an employer regarding his goals, both short and long-term, and his “why” to begin with, as to his purpose of providing a health plan solution for his employees. Both of those factors play into any solution that should be brought to light to a client (employer group team) before presenting any solutions willy-nilly. Secondly, my approach is purely consultative in nature. There is no “sales pitch”, nor any products to sell, nor commissions to be earned from the employer based upon amounts of services being bought; much less the idea of “renting his health insurance from a carrier”. The only true solution for an employer that wants to solve this horrific financial burden is to “own” his own version of a health plan that fulfills his goals and provides the best accompanying outcomes to his employees. How do you tailor your services to meet the unique needs of each business? Very simply, the employer must begin to “build” his own plan and solution, whereby I diagnose just how far the employer is willing to take his solution down a new, untraveled road, and then begin to help him plan the route and timeline to accomplish that journey. Some employers want to crawl before they walk, and walk before they run into a new and unique solution. Others want to and do simply dive in head-first into the midst of the journey from day one. Either way is good, and not an issue as long as the journey begins now. Otherwise, an employer is merely practicing as the definition of “insanity”; that is, to continue to do the same things as in the past, but expecting a different result. And that habit will not provide a different result, period, drop the mic. I helped that employer start and build a health plan of his own, then turned the project of managing it over to his executive teams and administrative vendors. What trends are you seeing now that business owners should pay attention to? The “trends” that I see in this Insurance industry segment are the solutions that I see every day now being offered by the new generation of health plan solution subscribers. The final product is one of customization. Because there are many moving parts to the development and administration of a health plan, no two are necessarily exactly the same, nor using the same fundamental pieces or parts toward building that client solution. In the past, most of health plan products were “off-the-shelf” box policies. There may have been 4-5 different provisions or benefits alternatives offered, but the engine, the chassis of the products, were all the same. In fact, the real differences were all merely cost-shifters. That is, they moved plan costs and benefits from the Insurance Company’s responsibility to either the Employer’s premiums cost, or the Employee’s “out-of-pocket” costs. They accomplished absolutely nothing in lowering the overall spend or cost of healthcare, and took no consideration what-so-ever to “outcomes” of that healthcare provided. The new generation of health plan spending accomplishes just the opposite, and clearly defines the “access” to better healthcare, usually at a lower cost, and with better “outcomes” of the service provided before it has even begun, by discerning the best possible providers of care on the front-end of the process, and steers the patient toward those solutions. What measurable outcomes can clients expect when they work with you? Bottom line, an employer who follows this path can expect to see measurable, sustainable savings from their health plan spend year after year, from the very beginning. That is, IF he engages the strategies that I endorse, and he takes the time and effort to educate his employees as well, and holds them accountable to the system and methodology I bring to the table. That bottom line is better quality healthcare solutions, and at lower overall costs to both parties’ pocketbooks, with more satisfaction for all from their health plan. In metric terms, that is 10, 20, 30-50% savings accumulating year after year. How do you help clients make confident decisions in uncertain economic conditions? If by that, you mean circumstantially uncertain times, then the answer is, what better way to weather tough times in a business than to have happier, healthier employees and save money as a bonus. If you mean globally uncertain economic times, then similarly, by helping his own company’s financial and employment situation, then he is easing the load for the balance of our economy as well. If a business owner is on the fence, what would you say to convince them to reach out to you today? Get started now. This solution or methodology of solutions is a process, and not an overnight, one-size-fits-all fix to solving a complex healthcare issue plaguing our nation. The idea is not to push some easy button and all is fixed. But rather to “get started” on a path toward finally solving this age-old dilemma. An employer is starting to take control of a part of his business and run it like any other part or form of business, and that sometimes takes some preparation, planning, and education for all involved to get the process working effectively. Once started, he will see immediate changes in the shape and financial impact of his decisions to control this beast. Within a year, two years, five years, he will wonder why he did not do this many years ago. I can promise, everything else being the same, he will not turn back to the old form of providing healthcare for his valued employee workforce, Guaranteed! Let me paint a picture for you. If you could take a blank canvas and draw the perfect health plan, with the perfect solutions and a perfect price tag, what would that look like? Imagine 5 years down the road that you have built a healthcare solution as an asset to your company, its officers, its stockholders, and its employees. The health care provided to your population is better than it has ever been, and employee satisfaction with the company is at an all-time high, and subsequently with the lowest turnover rate in your company history. There is money in your trust to fund your health plan for a full year beyond where you are now, made up entirely from savings over the previous time period since making this move, and without investing another penny, if you would like. How would you feel about this solution then? Get started now! Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , and visit my LinkedIn for more info! Read more from Charles W. Gragg

Written by David Lee Sheng Tin, Author, Coach, Health/Lifestyle Consultant Dr. David Lee Sheng Tin, author of Master Your Emotions – Transform Your Life, guides professionals and leaders to rise above stress, cultivate emotional intelligence, and live with clarity and purpose through a fusion of ancient and modern wisdom. Do you personally know someone living with diabetes? A parent, a sibling, a close friend, or even yourself? For so many families, especially across Indo-Caribbean and South Asian communities, diabetes isn’t just a medical condition. It’s an emotional weight. A silent fear. A constant presence shaping how we live, eat, sleep, and hope for tomorrow. According to the International Diabetes Federation, 1 in 8 people worldwide now live with diabetes[1], and for those with South Indian ancestry, the risk is significantly higher even at a normal weight.[2] Add family history or high blood pressure, and the risk deepens. Most people with diabetes do not die from diabetes itself. They die from heart disease. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in people with diabetes. A heart attack or stroke, not high glucose, often claims their life. Here is the reason: High blood sugar damages arteries from the inside out. Diabetes accelerates atherosclerosis. High blood pressure and high cholesterol cluster around diabetes. Nerve damage hides symptoms. Stress: The hidden accelerator of heart attacks in diabetics If glucose is the spark, stress is the gasoline. Stress hormones spike blood sugar, constrict blood vessels, increase blood pressure, and intensify inflammation. Studies show that relaxation practices including Transcendental Meditation (TM) reduce stress hormones, lower blood pressure, and support cardiovascular resilience.[3] Your genes are not your destiny One of the most hopeful scientific breakthroughs of our time is epigenetics: the discovery that lifestyle choices can turn genes on or off. Even if you inherited a predisposition for diabetes or heart disease, you can change how those genes behave. Research shows diet, movement, stress, and emotional patterns shape how genes express themselves.[4] This isn’t wishful thinking. It’s biological empowerment. It means you are not powerless. Your daily choices and thoughts can alter your gene expression. Ayurveda: Ancient wisdom aligning with modern cardiology Ayurveda, the 5,000-year-old system of natural medicine, offers insights that modern medicine is only beginning to validate. It explains diabetes as: an imbalance in the doshas ( the fundamental energies that govern the body and mind: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha ) a weakening of digestive fire (Agni) accumulation of metabolic toxins (ama) disruption of circulation and metabolic flow This understanding naturally links diabetes to heart disease centuries before cardiology existed. Herbs like turmeric, fenugreek, and holy basil show measurable benefits for glucose control and cardiovascular stress.[5] [6] [7] [8] Warm, freshly cooked foods and mindful eating are core Ayurvedic principles optimize digestion and reduce metabolic strain,[9] protecting both blood sugar and the heart. Why lifestyle change feels so hard (and how to make it easier) Most people know what they "should" do. The real challenge is doing it consistently. This is why self-awareness and self-mastery are more powerful than willpower. Self-awareness shows you your emotional triggers, your stress patterns, and the habits you perform on autopilot. Self-mastery helps you   interrupt destructive impulses, build healthier routines , make choices that align with your values   and   rewire emotional and neural patterns.   When you integrate both, healthy living becomes less of a battle and more of a natural expression of who you’re becoming. Without self-awareness, and self-mastery, even the best health advice collapses. With it, transformation becomes easier. Here is a three-phase transformation activity to assist you. Phase 1 – Awareness: Track meals, sleep, emotions, stress triggers, and activity for one week. Phase 2 – Take action: Start with small, sustainable changes: swap a processed food for a whole food. Walk 15 minutes after meals. Set fixed sleep times. Practice TM, yoga, or breathwork. Phase 3 – Create identity shift: This is where you move beyond behavior change to becoming someone who naturally makes healthy choices. Emotional balance, metabolic health, and self-mastery become your new normal not something you're "working on." Together, these skills support healthier routines and mindful choices that become automatic over time. You move from struggling with willpower to living in alignment with your values, where healthy choices feel natural rather than forced. Lasting health begins not with a diet, but with awareness. When you cultivate inner clarity, every external choice becomes easier. Your heart listens to your emotions. Your genes respond to your habits. Your future opens. And no matter where you’re starting from, you are far more powerful and far more capable of healing than you’ve ever been told. Start today to take control . Follow me on Facebook , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from David Lee Sheng Tin David Lee Sheng Tin, Author, Coach, Health/Lifestyle Consultant Dr. David Lee Sheng Tin bridges ancient wisdom with modern science to unlock human potential from the inside out. As a certified Transcendental Meditation Teacher, integrative health coach, and published author, he guides high-performers and conscious leaders beyond the trap of external achievement into a life of sustainable success and profound inner peace. As the author of Master Your Emotions – Transform Your Life, he inspires others to rise above stress, reconnect with themselves, and create meaningful, fulfilling lives through Self-Mastery. References & Further Reading: [1] International Diabetes Federation (IDF). (2024). IDF Diabetes Atlas  (11th ed.). Brussels, Belgium: International Diabetes Federation.A comprehensive global report outlining diabetes prevalence, risk factors, and regional trends. [2] Misra, A., & Ganda, O. P. (2007). Migrant Asian Indians: Ethnic diversity, nutritional considerations, and implications for health. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism , 92(6), 1967–1972.Explores genetic and lifestyle factors contributing to diabetes risk in South Asian populations. [3] Gupta, R., et al. (2019). Diabetes and cardiovascular disease in South Asians: An emerging epidemic. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice , 148, 7–15.Examines the heightened cardiometabolic risk among South Asians and the links to heart disease. [4] Feinberg, A. P. (2018). The key role of epigenetics in human disease prevention and development. Nature , 553(7689), 427–437.A groundbreaking review on how lifestyle and environment influence gene expression. [5] Schneider, R. H., et al. (2012). Stress reduction in the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease: Randomized controlled trial of Transcendental Meditation. Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes , 5(6), 750–758.Clinical evidence showing how deep meditation practices improve cardiovascular outcomes. [6] Zheng, Y., et al. (2017). Turmeric and curcumin in metabolic regulation: A review. Food & Function , 8(2), 833–847.Discusses turmeric’s role in reducing inflammation and supporting metabolic health. [7] Neelakantan, N., Narayanan, M., de Souza, R. J., & van Dam, R. M. (2014). Effect of fenugreek intake on glycemia: A meta-analysis of clinical trials. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition , 100(2), 495–510.Research demonstrating fenugreek’s impact on blood sugar control. [8] Jamshidi, N., & Cohen, M. M. (2017). The clinical efficacy and safety of Tulsi in humans: A systematic review. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine , 8(3), 189–193.A review of Tulsi’s therapeutic benefits on glucose, stress, and immunity. [9] Nagpal, R., & Kaur, A. (2019). Gut microbiota and metabolic health: The role of diet, digestion, and Ayurvedic dietary principles. Journal of Functional Foods , 60, 103–115.Explores how digestion and gut health influence metabolism—aligning closely with Ayurvedic teachings.

Written by Sophie Reyer, Author Sophie Anna Reyer is an Austrian author of multiple theater pieces and publications. She was born in Vienna, Austria. Reyer discovered her various profound talents in the arts at a young age as a child prodigy. I still remember, "What is under the stone?" I asked. Back then, as a child. At the cemetery. A body, they said. And why the candles? For the dead. Oh, I see. I nodded, buried my hands in my jacket pockets, and hid my nose beneath the collar of my turtleneck. I didn't understand. Not then, and honestly, I still don’t know. I also wonder whether this crack can ever truly be comprehended. Someone is there, and then suddenly, this someone is no longer there. Suddenly lying beneath the earth as a crumbling remnant, hollowed out by worms. Falling apart into dust and ash. Whenever I think of the dead, I am always a child in front of a stone at the All Saints’ cemetery. And my father’s hand holds mine, clasped onto my left hand. And my mother lights a match. The tiny sparks of the burning wicks drift in the cold November air. The cemetery is a sea of black, sluggish stone masses, their surfaces flickering with soft light. Breath can be exhaled as smoke from the mouth. In the center of the graveyard stands a cross, to which a body is affixed. Jesus, they say. Why he has thorns on his crown, I also don’t quite understand. So what. They told me he’s not real. I nodded. Only the crack inside me that’s real. It remained after my grandmother died. And then my aunt, from cancer. I drew an angel for her, with wings in thick luminous marker colors. The shaky drawing was burned along with her body. I didn’t understand that either. The aunt, now just a collection of smoke clouds. That such things happen. Back then, I didn’t quite know how to stand there and stare. And today? When the pain of loss resurfaces, I ask myself once again whether I know more now. The answer I must give myself is: No. But I do know that mourning the dead is important to cope with the crack that opens inside when someone is no longer there, band to make space for something that has no language, which has always eluded my imagination. The dark patch of death as a trauma, which, like all traumas, is defined by lying beyond verbal grasp. Yes, I think, as I continue to ask myself: You have no words for it. You can dance, scream, laugh, or cry; you won’t be able to dance it out of yourself, scream it out, or laugh or cry it out. In Mexico, a friend told me, there’s a celebration called Día de los Muertos, where small skulls are painted in bright colors. How cute they look, she said. The Day of the Dead is a vibrant folk festival against the Western-influenced values that the state tries to propagate. It is, in essence, a last remnant preserved from pre-Hispanic indigenous societies. A quite fascinating alternative to the imported Halloween craze, which children in Europe also now celebrate without really knowing why. About a year ago, around All Saints’ Day, a neighbor boy knocked on my door. Mumbled with a twisted face: “Trick or treat,” and at first, I didn’t understand. Only when he repeated his phrase the third time could I connect it in my mind with the American cry “Trick or Treat,” which I had memorized as a child for English class. Unfortunately, I had gobbled up all my chocolate for lunch, so I handed him a little cocoa powder instead, just to prevent him from crying and to let him tell the next day in school that he had enjoyed Halloween too. Did I save the little neighbor boy’s celebration? I wonder. From mourning the dead to spooning dry cocoa powder a long way. That spooning, or gathering candies, is more pleasant than recognizing losses, I am aware. And surely, both are necessary, both belong to life. I only wonder why our society emphasizes the “fun factor” so much. Where is the space for silence, in which pain can burst forth? And why is entertainment medicine constantly poured into the cracks we carry with us, through talk shows, loud music, and mindless American customs filling the void? Is the fear of the bottomless trauma of loss so great? Is it because mourning, governed by its own laws and rhythms, produces such intense fear within us? "Grief is anarchistic." Yes. Grief is subversive. Grief is anarchistic. Grief has explosive power. And: grief is a political act. This is also the opinion of Judith Butler, the American philosopher and literary scholar. As Butler stated in an interview, the shame of many AIDS survivors was so great that they could not allow themselves a public mourning that would have societal and political relevance. For me, the message of Derek Jarman’s film Blue carries an even deeper significance. In it, he poetically documents his own decline and eventual blindness due to HIV. The meticulous portrayal of his suffering, caused by a virus created by humans in a laboratory, forces us to look, even when all we can see is a blue screen, a perspective inspired by Jarman’s own blindness. But returning to Judith Butler, she describes the process of framing how certain forms of life are perceived as mournable while others are excluded. This technique, she explains, is heavily used by the American media. The life of an American soldier killed in Afghanistan is mourned, but the countless Afghan civilians who also lost their lives are absent from the public mourning registers. Life that isn’t recognized as mournable effectively ceases to exist. Conversely, life that can’t be mourned fades away as if it had never been. On one hand, the Western world claims universal moral and political standards think of how the US government so vehemently tries to impose Western ideals of equality onto what they call the “backward” East, even as gender equality and women’s rights in the West remain problematic. Chauvinistic ideas and traditional gender roles thrive like never before. On the other hand, these claims evaporate when it comes to the mourning of groups that don’t fit into the frame. Mourning publicly means giving someone a voice in doing so, it becomes a profoundly political act. But since the bubble of grief carries its own universe, governed by laws different from our busy, stressed daily life, rituals and religious forms of processing can only serve as crutches, a means to bring the unintegrable, the unspeakable, into some kind of articulation. I think, for example, of the reenactment of death during a funeral when the coffin is shovelled full of earth, like in theater, where the curtain falls to signal that the play is over, filling the coffin with small shovelfuls of earth becomes a performative act that helps us grasp the concept of loss. The crack remains, a scar in the topography of the soul; it reminds us of what was valuable and is now gone. Today is a foggy autumn day. I am practicing mourning. I admit it to myself. I mourn all those who have no names, who are not registered in the measurable grid of reality. The politically persecuted women behind veils, just as much as women under daily pressure to objectify their bodies, victims of a war fought under the hollow pretext of bringing “modernity” to a country, costing countless lives. I mourn, and to do so, I listen to Antony’s song The Spirit Was Gone. I gaze out of the window, yes, I mourn, I don’t need religion, ideology, or fixed rituals for that. I softly sing along with the CD: “The spirit has gone from her body. Forever. It has always been inside. And now it’s disentwined. It’s hard to understand.” Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , and visit my LinkedIn  for more info! Read more from Sophie Reyer Sophie Reyer, Author Sophie Anna Reyer is an Austrian author of multiple theater pieces and publications. She was born in Vienna, Austria. Reyer discovered her various profound talents in the arts at a young age as a child prodigy. She is a writer of theater pieces (S. Fischer) and novels (Emons) and was shortlisted for the Austrian Book Award in 2019 and 2021.

Written by Marietta Kulcsar, Clinical Hypnotherapist | Energy Healer Marietta Kulcsar is a multidimensional healer, clinical hypnotherapist, and founder of Right Path Hypnotherapy. She blends science, spirit, and soul to guide clients through deep transformation, realignment, and awakening to their divine path. For as long as I can remember, I have carried the feeling that I am here for something more. I have been on a journey of awakening, one that bridges time, dimensions, and the very fabric of the universe. I am a multidimensional healer and clinical hypnotherapist, trained across timelines and star systems, here to help humanity raise their frequency and move with the New Earth. My work is not only through words or touch. My presence alone carries the keys to healing. Over lifetimes, I was trained as a starseed doorkeeper, partnered with dragons to hold the gates of creation. Even now, my DNA continues to evolve, and I cannot consume meat or alcohol, and my body instinctively rejects them. My connection with life, nature, and energy has become pure and intuitive. Interestingly, my Life Path Number is 7, a number of spiritual awakening, deep intuition, and inner wisdom. This number mirrors my soul’s path perfectly: seeking truth, exploring higher realms, and holding ancient knowledge all central to my connection with the dragons and my role as a doorkeeper. The work of the dragon doorkeepers In ancient times, dragon riders were not masters, they were partners in consciousness. Each dragon and rider pair worked together to sustain balance across the elements and maintain harmony in the planet’s energy grids. Red dragons: Maintain the fire nodes and volcanoes, like Mayon Volcano in the Philippines and Mount Vesuvius in Italy. Green dragons: Tend to forests, ley lines, and crystal structures whispering through trees and mountains around sacred lakes like Lago Dilolo in Africa. Blue dragons: Balance the sound currents of air and water, guiding communication between worlds. Their sacred presence can be felt in places such as Lake Baikal in Russia and Loch Ness in Scotland. The other dragons oversee solar light, creation, vision, and ascension codes, weaving them all into harmony through the seven rays. These dragons once served as 'doorkeepers', guarding gateways between dimensions and anchoring higher frequencies on Earth. Each had a rider, chosen for resonance, courage, and alignment with the dragon’s purpose.   The 7 Dragon Riders: Keepers of the gates The seven dragon riders correspond to the seven rays of light, the dragon colours, and aspects of creation. Together, they held balance across the elements and guided the evolution of life. 1. Guardian of fire, red dragon Protects the elemental fire nodes, volcanoes, and courage grids. Awakens: Courage, transformation, and grounding in your personal power. 2. Weaver of creation, orange dragon Guides the flow of life force, creativity, and emotional healing. Awakens: Passion, artistry, emotional balance, and creative birth. 3. Light-bringer, gold dragon Channels solar energy, divine will, and leadership frequencies. Awakens: Inspiration, clarity, and alignment with your higher purpose. 4. Heart keeper, green dragon Maintains forests, crystals, and the harmony of nature. Awakens: Compassion, healing, and deep connection with Earth. 5. Voice of the waters, blue dragon Oversees sound, water currents, and sacred communication between worlds. Awakens: Truth, channeling ability, voice activation, and spiritual expression. 6. Seer of shadows, indigo dragon Opens inner vision, intuition, and access to multidimensional realms. Awakens: Clairvoyance, quantum travel, and expanded dreamwork. 7. Ascension guardian, white/violet dragon Bridges all elements into unity consciousness and ascension codes. Awakens: Spiritual wisdom, peace, and integration of all energies.   These riders were partners, not masters, holding gates open and weaving harmony across the world. Many of us carry fragments of these roles in our DNA, awakening over lifetimes to activate healing and ascension in others.   My connection to the dragons In my journey, I connect strongly with the Green, Blue, Red, and Indigo Dragons: Green dragon of Earth: Grounds me in nature, trees, water, and crystals, and channels healing through the Earth. Blue dragon of sound: Works through my voice and writing, allowing healing to flow effortlessly. Red dragon of fire: Anchors courage, transformation, and presence, often appearing as flashes of red light during astral travel or near horses. Indigo dragon of vision: Opens my ability to quantum travel across realms without deep sleep or meditation. Through this dragon, I access intuitive wisdom, multidimensional insights, and higher timelines seeing, sensing, and healing instantaneously. These connections allow me to activate healing, raise frequency, and guide others, helping them awaken their own inner dragon energies and remember their true power. The alignment with my Life Path 7 amplifies this connection, confirming my soul’s purpose: to explore, remember, and guide to bridge higher realms with the human experience. Dragons in culture, scripture, and zodiac Dragons have appeared throughout human history and spiritual texts: In the Bible: Revelation 20:7, Isaiah 13:22, Jeremiah 9:11, and many others reference dragons as guardians, thresholds, or symbols of transformation. In Chinese culture, dragons are revered as wise, protective, and powerful beings, appearing in zodiac signs and representing cosmic energy, luck, and authority. Across ancient civilizations, dragons were seen as keepers of knowledge, keys to ascension, and bridges between worlds. These references remind us that dragons are not myths, they are living energy, accessible to those who attune to their frequency.   A message from the dragons As I connect with the dragons, their presence is loving, wise, and strong. They speak clearly: "Do not be afraid of us. We are all in one together. We are not here to harm; we are here to help others. Stay with us, we are inside you. Remember us." This message is an invitation to awaken your inner dragon energy, to reconnect with your personal frequencies, and to step fully into your own power. The dragons are guides, allies, and guardians here to support humanity in healing, raising vibration, and moving into the New Earth.   The path forward The dragons teach that every one of us carries the spark of the ancient riders within. My journey as a multidimensional healer is part of this larger remembering to help others awaken, heal, and rise into higher frequencies of truth and unity. As humanity shifts into a new vibration, the dragons walk beside us once more. They whisper in dreams, guide our hearts, and awaken our inner fire. Through love, healing, and remembrance, we step forward not as separate beings, but as one consciousness moving toward the light of a renewed Earth. Are you ready to step onto your right path? Join the community, experience energy activation, and begin your transformation today. Visit my Podcast . Follow me on Facebook , Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Marietta Kulcsar Marietta Kulcsar, Clinical Hypnotherapist | Energy Healer Marietta Kulcsar is a multidimensional healer, clinical hypnotherapist, and founder of Right Path Hypnotherapy. With a unique ability to work beyond the seen and known, she blends therapeutic practice with spiritual intelligence to guide clients through deep healing and energetic realignment. Her work serves those navigating awakening, transformation, or soul-level shifts. Known for her quiet power and unwavering devotion, Marietta operates behind the scenes, clearing timelines, activating purpose, and helping others return to their true path. Her mission is to raise the frequency of healing worldwide by weaving science, spirit, and soul truth into one clear, powerful path forward.

Written by Ayla Nova , Trauma-Informed Yoga Nidra Educator Ayla Nova is a Yoga Nidra guide and founder of the Peace in Rest program, supporting thousands to restore their nervous systems through deep rest, radical self-acceptance, and trauma-informed practice. Yoga Nidra, often marketed as ‘non-sleep deep rest,’ is more than just a relaxation technique. Across brain imaging, EEG, and clinical studies, a pattern emerges, Yoga Nidra helps the brain organize itself. Networks sync, stress chemistry eases, and the rhythms tied to memory and creativity come forward. The result is simple, you feel your nervous system calm, and peace becomes more available. Below, we explore what neuroscience reveals about Yoga Nidra, grounded in peer-reviewed findings and clinical applications. (References below.) Want to try it? Watch a   short guided Yoga Nidra on YouTube  and feel the shift for yourself. How your brain settles (and stays aware) During Yoga Nidra, the brain often shifts into alpha and theta brain waves that are linked with relaxed alertness and that dreamy, idea-rich edge of sleep. This isn’t zoning out because awareness remains present, you’re guided rather than forced to concentrate. Researchers also observe more coherence, brain regions syncing their activity, which likely supports steadier attention and clearer thinking later. Less rumination, more regulation The default mode network (DMN) is the brain’s 'rumination network,' active during self-talk and mind-wandering. When it’s too loud, anxiety and low mood can intensify. Studies suggest Yoga Nidra can quiet the DMN while the salience (notice what matters) and executive (regulate emotions, make choices) networks come online more smoothly. Translation – less looped worry, more room to breathe. What changes in your chemistry Yoga Nidra is associated with higher GABA (the brain’s calming neurotransmitter) and lower cortisol (the stress hormone), a combo that helps explain why nervous systems feel less wound up afterward. Early findings also point to steadier dopamine (motivation/reward). Together, that’s a plausible pathway for feeling quieter inside and clearer on what matters. Make it stick (and feel safer) For memory, Nidra helps the brain file what matters, supporting consolidation so new learning becomes more findable later. For emotions, practices that emphasize interoception (inner sensing) and gentle imagery may help rebalance the hippocampus (context/memory) and amygdala (threat detection), especially useful when stress or trauma has the alarm system on high. Stress, sleep, and pain, why people notice a difference: Stress & resilience: Links to improved Heart Rate Variability suggest a more flexible stress response. Sleep: Some evidence points to easier sleep onset and better efficiency, likely by helping thalamo-cortical ‘gating’ settle so the body gets the ‘safe to repair’ message. Pain: Because pain is shaped by attention and interpretation (not just tissue signals), Yoga Nidra’s gentler focus and stress downshift can lower perceived pain in clinical contexts. Creativity & cognitive flexibility Alpha-theta states are fertile ground for divergent thinking, the ability to generate multiple solutions. By reliably evoking these rhythms, Nidra supports the cognitive flexibility behind problem-solving and creative insight. Even brief online practices have shown benefits in well-being, focus, and innovative performance across work and study settings. Calm body, creative mind, alpha-theta is where ideas connect. Safety & setup (quick guide) If you’re preparing for sleep, the bed is perfect. Get comfortable and supported, a small pillow for the head/neck, a bolster under or between the knees, and a light blanket for warmth. Side-lying is lovely in pregnancy or when the lower back needs extra care. Close your eyes if you feel comfortable doing so or keep them lowered. Headphones are optional. There’s no wrong way to receive Yoga Nidra. Try this (bedtime or first thing) Lie down (or sit supported), dim the screen, and soften your jaw and shoulders. If you want guidance, press play on a Nova Nidra and let yourself be carried through each layer of the practice. When you finish, name one word you feel now ’soft,’ ‘steady,’ ‘clear,’ and invite that into your day (or into sleep). Bottom line Yoga Nidra reframes rest as a gentle, structured way to guide brain rhythms, networks, and chemistry toward healing, resilience, and insight. Practicing multiple times a week can make life feel more manageable. Prefer to be guided? Explore my   Nova Nidra Healing Sleep playlist on YouTube   or join the Nova Nidra Community  for live support. Rest well. Be well. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Ayla Nova Ayla Nova , Trauma-Informed Yoga Nidra Educator Ayla Nova is a Yoga Nidra educator, podcast host, and founder of Nova Nidra. After overcoming a rare form of leukemia in 2018, she dedicated her life to sharing the healing power of rest. Her signature Peace in Rest program helps individuals and professionals transform stress, anxiety, and burnout into resilience and calm. Ayla’s trauma-informed approach blends yogic wisdom, neuroscience, and storytelling to meet people exactly where they are. She also certifies Yoga Nidra teachers through the Nova Nidra Teacher Training. Ayla shares guided practices and education through YouTube, Spotify, and her online community. References: Bhardwaj et al., 2024 – Neuroscience of Yoga (Springer). Deshpande, 2018 – Integrative Medicine Research. D’souza et al., 2021 – Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. Gulia & Sreedharan, 2023 – Sleep Medicine Clinics. Li et al., 2019 – Pain Management Nursing. Moszeik & von Oertzen, 2022 – Current Psychology. Nguyen & Lavretsky, 2024 – Neuroscience of Yoga (Springer). Newberg, 2017 – Principles of Neurotheology (Routledge). Pandi-Perumal et al., 2022 – Sleep and Vigilance. Sharpe et al., 2023 – Journal of Psychosomatic Research.

Written by Dharma Rebecca Funder, Executive Reinventionist & Leadership Strategist Dharma Funder is an Executive Reinventionist and Leadership Strategist who guides high-performing executives to achieve sustainable success through nervous-system-led leadership and embodied transformation. Senior leaders do not lose clarity because they suddenly become indecisive. They lose clarity because their capacity collapses. This distinction matters more than most leadership frameworks will ever admit. In high-responsibility roles, what gets labeled as hesitation, overthinking, or a loss of edge is rarely a cognitive failure. It is almost always a biological one. Why senior leaders do not lose clarity, they lose capacity Leadership clarity does not vanish overnight. Intelligence does not suddenly erode. Experience does not disappear. What collapses is the nervous system’s ability to support access to what leaders already know. When capacity drops, discernment narrows. Decision latency increases. Confidence fractures, not because leaders are less capable, but because their systems are no longer resourced to meet demand. The hidden pattern behind decision paralysis in high-responsibility roles The sequence is remarkably consistent across founders, executives, and senior operators: Sustained 12 to 14-hour days with no real recovery Chronic sleep debt held together by caffeine, adrenaline, and obligation Sharp thinking on paper, paralysis in live decisions Teams wait while decisions stall, not from lack of intelligence, but lack of access. What capacity collapse looks like in founders, executives, and CEOs A founder who could architect a ten-million-dollar growth strategy in three hours could not decide on a single senior hire for three weeks. An executive known for decisive leadership found herself unable to choose between two objectively solid vendor proposals. A CEO who built market-leading products could not commit to a rebrand that his team had already validated. Nothing about their intelligence had changed. What changed was the nervous system’s capacity to support executive function. What is actually happening in the nervous system under pressure When the nervous system is overwhelmed, it does not negotiate with strategy. It prioritizes survival. From a physiological standpoint, sustained threat, such as time pressure, reputational risk, constant demand, and unresolved stress, triggers a reallocation of resources away from the prefrontal cortex. This region governs discernment, long-range planning, decision-making, and emotional regulation. Why the prefrontal cortex goes offline when safety drops When safety drops, access drops. What leaders describe as “I just cannot think clearly” is the nervous system signaling that it is not resourced for this level of demand. This is not metaphor. Under chronic activation, the body diverts energy toward immediate survival responses. Strategic thinking, nuanced judgment, and calm decisiveness all require a baseline level of regulation that sustained pressure steadily erodes. “Clarity does not disappear under pressure. Access to it does.” Why pushing harder makes leadership decisions worse Most leadership cultures respond to decision paralysis with more pressure. Tighter deadlines. Higher stakes. Urgency language. Escalating expectations. From the body’s perspective, this confirms the threat. Why more pressure confirms threat instead of restoring clarity This is why decisions take longer, not shorter, why confidence erodes instead of consolidating, why leaders second-guess choices they would have made cleanly six months earlier. This is not a mindset issue. It is not a motivation problem. And it is not incompetence. It is a capacity mismatch between what the role demands and what the nervous system can currently support. The reflex to push harder is understandable. It is also counterproductive. Force does not restore access. Safety does. “Decision paralysis in leaders is rarely a mindset failure. It is almost always a capacity issue.” How to restore leadership capacity before forcing decisions Effective leadership under pressure follows a different order of operations. 1. Reframe overwhelm as biology, not failure The system is not broken. It is protecting itself. When leaders stop interpreting decision paralysis as personal weakness and recognize it as a regulatory signal, the internal threat level drops immediately. Self-judgment compounds the problem. Biological clarity reduces it. 2. Prioritize regulation before strategy No high-stakes decisions should be made while the body is braced, shallow breathing, or dissociated. This does not mean waiting for perfect conditions. It means establishing a green light state that is grounded, present, and breathing normally. Safety first. Strategy second. 3. Install recovery between decisions to prevent collapse Integration is not a luxury reserved for burnout recovery. It is how the nervous system regains elasticity between demands. Leaders who schedule intentional pauses after major decisions, even fifteen to twenty minutes of non-stimulated rest, regain clarity faster on subsequent choices. 4. Rebuild trust in clarity through safety Leaders must repeatedly experience that rest does not erode authority. It restores access to it. Each cycle of regulation followed by clean decision-making creates new evidence that the system works better when it is resourced, not forced. What returns when nervous system safety is restored When leaders rebuild capacity, the shifts are tangible and often rapid. Decisions that stalled for weeks resolve in days. Decisiveness returns without force. Sleep stabilizes and reliance on stimulants drops. Confidence feels grounded, not performative. One phrase appears again and again, “My clarity did not come back when I pushed harder. It came back when my system felt safe again.” Same intelligence. Same data. Completely different access. This is not about lowering standards or reducing responsibility. It is about recognizing that high performance requires high capacity, and that capacity is a biological resource, not a character trait. Why this is a leadership infrastructure problem, not a mindset issue If this resonates, the solution is not another productivity tool or mindset upgrade. It is a leadership infrastructure issue that is biological, relational, and often organizational. When capacity collapses, no amount of insight can compensate. Strategic frameworks do not help if the nervous system cannot access them. Vision does not clarify when the body is in survival mode. But when safety is restored through intentional regulation, structural recovery, and environments that reduce rather than amplify threat, clarity does not need to be chased. It reappears. Leaders do not need fixing, they need conditions that restore access Leaders are not broken. They need conditions that allow their existing intelligence to become accessible again. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , and LinkedIn for more info! Read more from Dharma Rebecca Funder Dharma Rebecca Funder, Executive Reinventionist & Leadership Strategist Dharma Funder is an Executive Reinventionist dedicated to helping successful leaders reclaim clarity, confidence, and calm under pressure. Drawing on principles of neuroscience, emotional regulation, and embodied leadership, she guides CEOs and senior executives through the transformation from overdrive to sustainable performance. Her work, The Resilience Code™, blends science, strategy, and soul to create leaders who thrive from the inside out.

Esther Fiyinfoluwa Adeosun is a fashion designer and the Creative Director of Fifi Stitches, a couture fashion brand specialising in bespoke women's wear and men's wear defined by refined tailoring, pattern precision, and contemporary African-inspired aesthetics. Her work blends African heritage with modern design sensibilities, with a strong focus on structure, garment engineering, and meticulous finishing. Esther Fiyinfoluwa Adeosun, Fashion Designer and Creative Director of Fifi Stitches Who is Esther Fiyinfoluwa Adeosun? Esther Fiyinfoluwa Adeosun is a fashion designer and creative director, and the founder of Fifi Stitches. She specialises in bespoke tailoring, creating carefully constructed garments that balance structure, comfort, and individuality. Her work is rooted in craftsmanship, cultural awareness, and a strong understanding of fit, developed through years of hands-on experience working closely with clients. What inspired you to start Fifi Stitches and focus on bespoke fashion? Fifi Stitches was inspired by a desire to create clothing that truly fits and reflects the wearer. I noticed that many people struggled with ill-fitting garments and clothing that did not represent their personality. Bespoke fashion allows me to design intentionally, listen closely to clients, and create pieces that feel personal and empowering. How would you describe your signature style? My signature style is defined by clean lines, thoughtful structure, and elegant silhouettes. I focus on garments that are refined but expressive, often blending modern tailoring with subtle cultural influences. What makes your custom tailoring services different from off-the-rack clothing? Off-the-rack clothing is made for general sizing, while my work is created for the individual. Every piece is developed from scratch, considering body proportions, posture, comfort, and lifestyle, resulting in a better fit and longer-lasting wear. Can you walk us through your creative process? The process begins with a detailed consultation, followed by concept development, fabric selection, custom pattern drafting, fittings, and final refinements. Each stage is collaborative and intentional. What common wardrobe problems do your clients come to you with? Clients usually come to me with three recurring problems. Fit inconsistency, fabric discomfort, and garments not reflecting their personality. Each of these issues requires a different technical approach. How do you choose fabrics? I select fabrics based on quality, durability, comfort, and how they interact with the body. Fabric choice is central to how a garment performs and feels. Tell us about a memorable client transformation. One of the most rewarding moments is seeing a client stand taller and more confident during final fittings. Those transformations reinforce the impact of well-made clothing. What advice would you give someone wanting to elevate their personal style? Invest in fit, understand your body, and choose pieces that are intentional rather than trend-driven. How do you tailor designs to different body types? I adjust proportions, structure, and design details to complement each body type while maintaining balance and comfort. What kind of clients benefit the most from bespoke tailoring? Clients who value quality, individuality, and garments designed specifically for them benefit the most. What should collaborators expect when working with you? They can expect clear communication, professionalism, and thoughtfully executed designs that meet high standards. Follow me on Instagram for more info! Read more from Esther Fiyinfoluwa Adeosun

In a city known for noise, speed, and constant motion, Shannon Lima has built her career with a calm, focused energy that stands out. Based in New York City, she has worked across business development, strategy, and operations, often stepping into roles where clarity was missing and structure needed to be built from scratch. Her approach is consistent, ask the right questions, simplify what’s complicated, and move things forward without wasting time. “I’ve always liked bringing order to a mess,” she says. “Not because I need everything perfect, but because good work needs space to happen.” Early career foundations in client work Shannon’s professional path started and is currently in client-facing roles. She was often the link between what clients expected and what teams could deliver. That gave her a front-row seat to how companies operate under pressure, and how important it is to deliver and create value to meet and exceed the client’s needs. She became known for her ability to manage expectations and projects for Fortune 500 companies.  This foundation taught her something important. Relationships matter, but structure and collaboration win. “I realized early on that even the best ideas fall apart if no one owns the process. So I started becoming that person to make sure things got done.” Making the shift to strategy and operations As she moved into more senior roles, Shannon focused on strategy and operational planning. She led cross-functional projects, helped teams adopt clearer systems such as Oracle and WalkMe, and often jumped in when others felt stuck and sat on the bench. She’s worked across industries, from media and consulting to finance, but the themes have been steady: clarity, accountability, and quiet leadership. “People sometimes think leadership has to be loud or flashy. But in my experience, it’s often about being steady and solving complex business problems.” Her strength lies in navigating change without making it feel chaotic. She can take a goal, map it out, and then bring people with different priorities into alignment to get it done. Mentorship and guiding the next generation Shannon’s career success hasn’t made her disappear into meetings and strategy decks. She’s also deeply involved in mentorship, especially for women early in their careers. She participates in online communities and local events where she shares real, practical advice, like how to strategically network and map out career goals, how to structure your week better to maximize efficiency, or how to know which role is the best fit. “I don’t believe in the idea that you have to ‘wait your turn’ forever,” she says. “If you’ve done the work and you’re ready.” Her advice isn’t motivational fluff. It’s based on experience, reflection, and a real understanding of how hard it can be to grow in environments that aren’t always built for it. How she thinks about productivity and progress One of Shannon’s habits is a short weekly review. Every Friday, she spends ten minutes writing down what worked, what didn’t, and what she avoided. “That’s where the patterns show up,” she explains. “You start to notice what drains your time, or what you’re overthinking for no reason.” She also uses tools like Notion to keep her notes, frameworks, and reference materials organized. But she doesn’t rely on technology alone. Sometimes, a whiteboard and a good playlist are all she needs to get clear on a plan in place.  When things get overwhelming, she doesn’t push harder, she steps back. “If I’m stuck, I stop. I walk, stretch, or white board out whatever I’m working on to pause and think about a solution. You can’t think clearly if your brain’s spinning, so pause.” Moving forward without needing the spotlight Shannon doesn’t chase flashy titles or spotlight moments. She builds. She refines. She leads by example. And in a city full of noise, that kind of leadership stands out. Her focus is on what works, what lasts, and what brings people together to get things done, with clarity, collaboration, and purpose.

Written by Dr. Leanne Elich, Business Psychology Strategist Matching Leanne’s impressive qualifications, which include medical and business degrees from Harvard, are her energy, humor, and keen insight. Dr. Leanne Elich is an award-winning Sales Psychology and Business Strategist, author, speaker, and one of Australasia's most successful Technology Business Executives. Artificial intelligence is advancing faster than ever, yet it still struggles with what humans do instinctively – intuition, emotion, and nuanced decision-making. This raises a critical question for the future of technology, can AI truly become smarter without understanding the human mind? Behavioural science may hold the missing link, offering insights into how people think, decide, and feel, and reshaping how intelligent systems are designed to support, not replace, human intelligence. Why understanding the human mind is the key to designing better technology Artificial intelligence is evolving at an extraordinary speed. It drafts our emails, analyses our data, and helps us navigate complex decisions with unprecedented efficiency. But if AI is becoming so powerful, why does it still struggle with the very things humans do so naturally? Because at the centre of every AI system lies a simple truth. To build more intelligent machines, we must first understand how humans think. Many of AI’s limitations have less to do with technology and more to do with psychology. After all, humans rely on intuition, social cues, emotion, and meaning, elements no algorithm can understand on its own. That’s where behavioural science steps in. AI improves when it learns not just from data, but from the patterns, biases, shortcuts, and heuristics that shape human decision-making. Welcome to the era of AI augmentation. The science of building technology that doesn’t just compute… it understands. Why AI needs behavioural science Traditional AI learns by detecting statistical patterns. It can recognise language, classify information, and make predictions, but it doesn’t automatically understand why humans think or behave the way they do. Behavioural science helps bridge this gap by illuminating the psychological processes behind the choices people make every day. When AI systems are designed with these insights in mind, they become more intuitive, more predictable, and ultimately more useful. This is how machines begin to understand nuance, not through more data, but through better modelling of human behaviour. Thinking fast and slow, how AI can learn both Let’s look at the work of Daniel Kahneman, a trailblazing psychologist whose research reshaped our understanding of how humans think, decide, and behave. Awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, he demonstrated that people are not the rational decision-makers that traditional economics once assumed. Instead, our choices are shaped by cognitive shortcuts, hidden biases, and emotional impulses. Human thinking operates across two modes. System 1, fast, intuitive, automatic. System 2, slow, analytical, deliberate. Most AI systems excel at System 2, calculation, logic, and precision. But they often miss the richness of System 1, emotional tone, intuition, and social nuance. Behavioural science provides the blueprint for integrating both. When AI recognises cognitive shortcuts such as loss aversion, anchoring, or framing effects, it becomes better at predicting real human responses. When it understands emotional cues, it becomes better at assisting, supporting, and guiding users. And when it learns when not to rely on speed, activating slower, more careful reasoning for high-stakes tasks, it becomes safer. This balance mirrors our own mental architecture, fast when it can be, slow when it must be. Creating AI that can “think about thinking” One of the most exciting directions in AI is metacognition, the ability to reflect on its own reasoning. Humans do this constantly. “Does this feel right?” “What am I missing?” “Should I double check this?” AI, however, typically produces answers with confidence, even when uncertain. Behavioural insights are now inspiring models that can: assess their own uncertainty generate alternative explanations question ambiguous inputs flag when human review is needed In other words, AI is learning to pause, reflect, and self correct, the same behaviours that make human thinking so powerful. Each step toward metacognition makes AI not only smarter, but significantly more trustworthy. Human centred AI starts with human behaviour If AI is to truly help people, it must be designed around real cognitive patterns, not idealised ones. Behavioural science helps developers: understand how people interpret information identify where confusion, overload, or bias appears structure communication in ways that feel clear and familiar align recommendations with human values and emotional needs For example: Users trust explanations that feel transparent and human like. Natural language interfaces reduce cognitive load. Systems that “show their work” build confidence. This is how AI becomes not just functional, but human compatible. Why this matters for the future of work AI is already reshaping professional life, from research and analysis to creativity and communication. But the real transformation happens when AI moves from being a tool we “use” to a partner that elevates our thinking. Which raises an important question. What does it mean to design AI that enhances human capabilities rather than overshadows them? Behavioural science provides three clear answers. Amplify strengths, don’t override judgment: AI can manage complexity and data volume, while humans lead on ethics, intuition, creativity, and context. Reduce mental load, don’t add to it: Tools designed around natural cognition feel effortless, even enjoyable. Support better thinking: AI that reasons, reflects, and checks its own output helps humans think more critically, not less. This is augmentation in its purest form, AI as cognitive scaffolding that elevates human insight and performance. Designing AI that learns with us, not just from us AI doesn’t only learn from datasets, it learns from interaction. Every correction, preference, and decision shapes how the system behaves. Behavioural insights help AI adapt to: individual values communication styles emotional tone personal decision patterns This makes AI more helpful, more aligned, and more responsive. And crucially, better able to know when to act, when to pause, and when to ask for human oversight. Changing behaviour by design The future of AI won’t be defined by processing power alone, but by how deeply we embed the science of human behaviour into its architecture. When developers understand psychology, intuition, bias, and emotion, AI becomes safer, more transparent, and more attuned to human needs. Because augmentation isn’t about making AI more human, it’s about helping humans think, create, and decide with greater clarity than ever before. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Dr. Leanne Elich Dr. Leanne Elich, Business Psychology Strategist Matching Leanne’s impressive qualifications, which include medical and business degrees from Harvard, are her energy, humor, and keen insight. Dr. Leanne Elich is an award-winning Neuroscientist and Sales Psychology Strategist, author, speaker, and one of Australasia's most successful Technology Business Executives.

Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor, nationally recognized speaker, educator, and founder of Dr. Diane’s Adventures in Learning, is launching the 2026 Daily Picture Book Read-Aloud Calendar, a free, year-long resource designed to make daily read-alouds joyful, meaningful, and easy to sustain. The calendar delivers one thoughtfully curated picture book every day of 2026, directly to a user’s digital calendar. Each daily entry includes a short empathy or inquiry discussion prompt, a simple 'steam' engagement idea, and a direct book link, supporting literacy, curiosity, and connection across homes, classrooms, libraries, and community learning spaces. “This calendar grew out of years of working with educators and families who wanted meaningful literacy routines without added pressure,” said Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor. “Daily read-alouds don’t have to be complicated to be powerful. They just need to be intentional, accessible, and rooted in joy.” The Read-Aloud Calendar was intentionally created as a free resource, reflecting Dr. Diane’s commitment to accessibility and shared learning. Those who wish to support the work may do so, helping sustain future literacy resources, but access to the calendar is always open. Early responses from educators, parents and caregivers, and learning leaders have been overwhelmingly enthusiastic. “Diane, this is such a good idea! Can’t wait to share it,” said Steve Spangler, host of DIY Sci and author of The Engagement Effect. Fourth-grade teacher Kimmy Moss described the calendar’s impact on her classroom culture, “This will create positive ripples, I know it. My theme of the year so far has been virtuosity, do the common uncommonly well. I have a class that 'loves' reading this year. I am so excited to do as much of the calendar as I can! You are truly extraordinary, and I’m going to make sure my communities know about this!” Teachers and families alike have also highlighted the calendar’s immediate practicality. “Wow! This is amazing. I am always looking for books like this! I just added them to my calendar and I may just hand our librarian the printout, we need these books stat!” said Sherae Hunter, teacher and parent. The calendar integrates seamlessly with Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, and Outlook, allowing users to subscribe once and receive all 365 daily entries automatically, no emails, printing, or additional planning required. The project also celebrates the work of hundreds of authors and illustrators whose multicultural picture books support themes of belonging, curiosity, creativity, nature, and community, values that align with Dr. Diane’s broader work at the intersection of diverse children’s literature, early literacy, learning through play, and empathy and connection. About Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor is a nationally recognized speaker, educator, and children’s literature specialist focused on learning through play, empathy, and creativity. She is the founder of Dr. Diane’s Adventures in Learning and host of the Adventures in Learning podcast, where she explores joyful, research-informed approaches to literacy and lifelong learning with educators, authors, and thought leaders. Availability Dr Diane’s 2026 Daily Picture Book Read-Aloud Calendar is free to access now. To learn more or add the calendar, visit here . Media contact Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor Founder, Dr. Diane’s Adventures in Learning diane@drdianeadventures.com www.drdianeadventures.com 845-702-5379

Written by Phil Edwards, Leadership Educator and Foster Care Advocate Phil Edwards is a Leadership Educator and Foster Care Advocate, and the creator of the CARE Leadership Framework. He focuses on trauma-informed leadership, foster parenting, and youth development. It is 2026. A new year is upon us. It is a day filled with light, yet for countless others, it is a day that quietly exposes what is missing. Millions are spending the day without family. They are grieving loved ones who have passed, or others who are incarcerated, separated from the world they want to return to. Shelters, hospitals, and mental health facilities are overcrowded with people who are alone and would love to have someone to call “family.” This is often the experience of many young people who grew up in foster care, stepping into adulthood without a stable place to go, without a support system, and without the reassurance that they matter. Today, let us speak directly to them, and to everyone who has ever felt unseen on a day when the world celebrates. New Year’s Day is a reminder that every person deserves belonging, dignity, and hope, no matter where they are, where they have been, or what they are facing. This is why the CARE Leadership Framework exists. What is CARE Leadership? CARE Leadership is a human centered, trauma informed, future focused framework built for people who lead, support, or raise youth, especially those transitioning out of foster care. CARE stands for: C. Clarity. Understanding who you are, what you need, and how to navigate the world with direction, purpose, and confidence. A. Accountability. Building discipline, ownership, and responsibility, not as punishment, but as empowerment. R. Resilience. Developing the strength to rise after setbacks, adapt to change, and protect your mental and emotional well being. E. Empathy. Leading with understanding, for yourself and others, to create healthy relationships and safe spaces. CARE is not a program. It is not a curriculum. It is a leadership lifestyle for youth, parents, caregivers, educators, and communities that want to see young people thrive. Why CARE Leadership exists CARE Leadership was created for one reason. Too many young people leave foster care unprepared, not because they lacked potential, but because they lacked leadership support. Every year, thousands of youth transition into adulthood without a family to call, financial stability, emotional support, a mentor or guide, a roadmap for adulthood, mental health tools, or a sense of identity or purpose. On December 31st, days after Christmas, an 18 year old foster youth ages out and transitions into independent living. Expecting young people who had to survive childhood to suddenly know how to survive adulthood is not leadership. It is abandonment. CARE Leadership exists to close that gap, with training, mentorship, coaching, retreats, and practical tools that equip youth and caregivers with what they need to build stable, healthy, confident adult lives. What young people leaving foster care need for the future The future of foster care is not simply better placements or paperwork. The future lies in leadership, life skills, and identity development. To support emerging adults from care, they must be equipped with a roadmap for adult life. This includes basic life skills, financial literacy, employment preparation, healthy relationships, and emotional regulation. These must be taught, not assumed. After leaving foster care, it is essential that they have a sense of belonging. Not necessarily a traditional family, but a community, mentor, or network that says, “You matter, and you are not doing this alone.” Next is mental and emotional resilience. Not through punishment or toughness, but through tools, self awareness, and consistent support. Imagine a home that uses empowerment instead of pity. Youth from care are not broken. They are capable leaders who simply need someone to walk with them until they can walk on their own. Growth increases when young people are given opportunities that match their potential. Education, career pathways, mentorship, entrepreneurship, and leadership development are all powerful examples of these opportunities. Young adults leaving care deserve the same things every young adult needs, guidance, support, and people who believe in their future. A New Year’s message to those who feel alone today If today feels quiet, if your phone is not ringing, if you are in a shelter, a group home, a hospital, a room by yourself, or locked behind a door you wish you could walk out of, if you are grieving someone you love, if today feels like a reminder of what you have lost instead of what you have, hear this message clearly. You are not forgotten. You are not too late. You are not alone. Your story is still developing. Your leadership is still emerging. Your life still matters, deeply. Your presence in this world means something. And someone, even if it is just one person, is rooting for your future. This is the core of CARE Leadership. Moving forward: What comes next In the coming year, CARE Leadership will expand into seminars for caregivers and youth workers, retreats for foster parents and post care youth, life skills workshops for young adults, leadership training for youth in transition, articles, podcasts, and videos that build identity and confidence, and community partnerships that give youth real support. This work is only beginning, but the CARE Leadership Framework is built on a simple truth. “When we lead with Clarity, Accountability, Resilience, and Empathy, we can change the future for every young person leaving care.” A final word On this New Year’s Day, whether you are surrounded by people or sitting in silence, I hope this message finds you with hope. The world needs who you are becoming. The next generation needs leaders who understand them. And together, we can build a future where no young person enters adulthood alone. This is CARE Leadership. This is our mission. And this is only the beginning. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn ,  and visit my website for more info! Read more from Phil Edwards Phil Edwards, Leadership Educator and Foster Care Advocate Phil Edwards is a Leadership Educator, Foster Care Advocate, and creator of the CARE Leadership Framework. With 30+ years of coaching experience, 20 years of foster parenting, and 15 years in post-secondary education, he writes and speaks on trauma-informed leadership, foster parenting, and youth development.

Written by Jagroop Sahi , Founder & CEO Founder of KIDDYKIND, a curated marketplace for sustainable baby and kids brands, Jagroop Sahi writes on sustainability, conscious capitalism, and why supporting small businesses is essential to building ethical, future-ready economies. Sustainability doesn’t have a problem with ideas. It has a leadership crisis. Everywhere you look, conferences, reports, taskforces, and “thought leadership” panels, the organisations setting the sustainability agenda are often the same ones driving the crisis. Companies built on overproduction, waste, and extractive supply chains are still defining what “responsible” looks like. And until we change who leads the conversation, real progress will remain out of reach. The wrong voices are dominating It isn’t that sustainability lacks innovation or commitment. The issue is structural. Many of the companies shaping today’s sustainability narrative have everything to gain from keeping its definition shallow. For them, sustainability is a compliance exercise or a marketing strategy, not a transformation of business. They promote circularity while increasing production, publish glossy ESG reports while hiding critical data, and redefine “responsible growth” in ways that never threaten their bottom line. Follow the incentives, and a pattern emerges. The loudest voices in sustainability are often the least qualified to define it. Circularity isn’t enough Circularity has become the industry’s favourite word, yet for many companies it is little more than a checkbox. Recycling, resale, and repair programs are celebrated as transformation, while overproduction, the real problem, continues unabated. In some cases, the implicit message seems to be, “Why should independent businesses benefit from circularity when we can control it ourselves?” It is smart business, but it calls into question who really has moral authority to lead the “responsible” conversation. Overproduction, the elephant in the room The numbers are staggering. The global fashion industry produces between 80 and 150 billion garments every year, and up to 40 percent remain unsold, often heading straight to landfill or incineration. Only a tiny fraction of brands actively work to reduce production, yet overproduction costs retailers more than US$64 billion in wasted inventory annually. Even more alarming, just over 10 percent of major brands disclose their production volumes publicly. So why is the conversation dominated by circularity, resale, and recycling? Because these solutions don’t challenge the foundation of overproduction. They allow big companies to appear responsible while keeping business as usual intact. Seeing it firsthand I experienced this at a recent retail sustainability event. I expected radical thinking, conversations about production caps, regenerative materials, and supply chain ethics. Instead, I heard the familiar chorus, large corporations dominating the stage, repeating circular slogans as if they were substitutes for real responsibility. Circularity was presented not as a system redesign but as a revenue stream and branding exercise. One of the loudest voices was a company with a long history of supply chain controversies. Another was celebrated for circular initiatives that, in reality, accounted for just a tiny fraction of their sales. The message was clear. The least credible organisations are still defining sustainability. Why leadership matters When the wrong companies dominate, sustainability becomes weaker, transparency evaporates, and real innovation gets sidelined. Greenwashing thrives. Smaller responsible brands struggle to be heard. Incrementalism becomes the default, and the industry’s most pressing challenges are ignored. Circular revenue is prioritised over systemic change. The future of sustainability will be determined by who is leading. Not the companies with the biggest marketing budgets or the most sales, but the ones whose entire business is built on responsibility, where ethics guide every decision and sustainability is embedded in the DNA. Building responsibility from the ground up The organisations that should lead are those that make material responsibility fundamental, designing products to last and to be repaired before circularity even enters the conversation. They challenge overproduction, choosing “less, better” rather than “more, faster.” Transparency is not optional. They know every step of their supply chain, and ethical practices guide every partnership. Waste reduction is designed in from the start, and the communities and ecosystems they depend on are actively supported and reinvested in. Their measure of success is not applause or awards, it is tangible impact. A call for change To shift the trajectory of sustainability, we must elevate these authentic leaders. Industry platforms need to prioritise credibility over scale. Transparency around production must be non-negotiable. And most importantly, the conversation must start with production, not circularity. Until we change who is leading, the industry will continue celebrating the wrong wins, proposing the wrong solutions, and having the wrong conversations. Sustainability is not failing because the problems are too big. It is failing because the wrong people are in charge. If we want different outcomes, we need different leaders. Follow me on  Instagram ,  LinkedIn , and visit my  website  for more info! Read more from Jagroop Sahi Jagroop Sahi , Founder & CEO Jagroop Sahi is the founder of KIDDYKIND, a curated marketplace championing sustainable and ethical baby and kids brands. She is a sustainability entrepreneur and contributing journalist writing on conscious capitalism, corporate responsibility, and the role of small business in building future-ready economies. Known for bridging values-driven purpose with commercial reality, she offers practical insights for leaders navigating impact, scale, and consumer trust. Through her work, she challenges businesses to move beyond performative sustainability toward meaningful, measurable change.