Written by Lauren Lea Fenn-Ellis, Agency Founder and Fractional COO Lauren Lea Fenn-Ellis, founder and CEO of OBM Associates, leads a globally trusted business management agency. Named one of the Top 10 Disruptive Entrepreneurs, she helps founders scale with clarity, strategy, and operational excellence. There’s a point in growth where everything technically looks great. Revenue is steady, opportunities are pouring in, and the team is larger than ever. But the business feels heavier than it should. Most CEOs don’t talk about this moment. They just feel it. That creeping sense that things are getting harder to hold together, that decisions are taking longer, that the business is running, but not running smoothly. And here’s the part most leaders won’t admit out loud, it’s confusing. You’re doing well. You’ve built something with real traction. So why does it feel like you’re constantly firefighting? I’ve seen this inside corporate environments, managing operations across multiple countries, moving entire offices, and leading teams through structural change. And I see it now every week with SMEs. The pattern is the same, growth exposes what the current system can’t hold. And that's usually because the pace has changed, but the structure behind it hasn’t. Right now, this is happening everywhere. Businesses are optimistic, but they’re also navigating more complexity, more tools, more decisions, more expectations. And eventually, there’s a moment when you realise, we can’t keep operating the way we always have. If you’re at that point (or heading towards it), this conversation is the one that usually brings everything into focus. Growth isn’t linear anymore One of the biggest shifts I’m seeing across SMEs right now is this. Growth used to feel sequential. Predictable, even. You’d hire, refine, improve, expand, and the system would more or less keep up. That’s not the landscape anymore. 1. Growth is outpacing internal structure Businesses are investing more in tools and tech than ever, yet leaders still describe the same issues: Teams skipping processes because “it’s quicker that way” Decisions are being made with half the information Work is being duplicated across departments Everything feels reactive, even when the business is doing well From the outside, it looks like disorganisation. From the inside, it’s usually because the pace of growth has overtaken the system, which was never built for this stage. 2. Stronger SMEs are shifting focus, from selling more to running better Stronger SMEs are shifting focus, from selling more to running better One thing I’ve seen in corporate, in agency life, and now consulting for SMEs is that most leaders don’t reach out for support when things are “fine”. They reach out when they’re already at this inflection point, when the team is stretched, when they’re exhausted from holding everything together. And almost every time, the belief is the same, “I’ll get help once we hit £X, once we land this contract, once the next hire is in, once things calm down during the summer.” But things don’t calm down. They compound. What actually moves a business out of that cycle isn’t more selling or another burst of growth. It’s strengthening the core operations. The SMEs that continue to grow sustainably have something in common. They stop chasing the next big revenue goal as the solution. They turn inward. They tighten how the business runs. They get intentional about the tools they’re already paying for. They refine workflows, decision-making, communication, and expectations. Once the structure starts creaking, adding more volume won't grow the business. It just reveals every weak point. For most leaders, this is the turning point. Growth stops being about “more.” It becomes about capacity, the ability of the business to hold what you’re building without draining you or your team. And it’s usually around this moment, when the firefighting becomes the default state, that they finally say, “This shouldn’t feel this hard.” 3. AI is no longer a “nice to have”, it’s a stress test When AI comes up in conversations with SME leaders, the hesitation is rarely about the tech itself. Most people are already experimenting. The real sticking point is that every time they try to introduce AI into the business, it highlights just how unclear the underlying system is. And that’s what catches people off guard. I see it happen again and again. Someone tests an AI tool to “save time,” and within a week, they’re realizing: The data is inconsistent No one’s following the same process Decisions aren’t documented Roles overlap There’s no single source of truth AI didn’t create those problems, it just surfaced them. This is why so many SMEs find AI overwhelming. It isn’t the tool. It’s the realization that the business doesn’t yet have the clarity, structure, or discipline to make the tool work. AI only works when the system is ready for it. If the foundation is messy, AI simply automates the mess. I go much deeper on this topic in this article. Most SMEs don’t need “AI solutions.” They need the operational clarity that makes AI a genuine advantage. The inflection point: The moment you realize growth feels different now There’s usually a single (small) moment that makes leaders pause: A missed handover A decision that took three meetings instead of one A team working hard but not in the same direction Or that quiet sense of, “Why does this feel harder than it should?” Most CEOs come to me at this stage because something underneath the surface has shifted. They describe things like: Growth that suddenly feels weighty, not exciting A team that’s capable, but not aligned Meetings increasing, clarity decreasing Systems that once worked now need constant patching Pressure to adopt AI without knowing if the business is ready Feeling stretched too thin, even with a bigger team On paper, everything is moving forward. But operationally, it’s becoming harder to see the full picture. Technically, nothing is “wrong.” They’ve simply outgrown the way the business currently runs. Businesses don’t become messy out of carelessness. They become messy because the structure that got you to this point isn’t built for the stage you’re entering. This is the inflection point, the moment growth stops responding to effort and starts requiring clarity. The real issue: Systems that can’t carry the ambition By the time most SMEs hit the £1.5M–£30M mark, the business is no longer being held back by a lack of demand, effort, or ambition. What actually limits growth at this stage is far quieter, the internal system simply isn’t built for the weight the business is now placing on it. Inside, it feels like you’re always compensating. You step in, pick things up, smooth things over, and fill gaps you didn’t expect to still be filling at this point. This is the part nobody warns you about. The systems that got you to this point stop being the systems that can carry you forward. You don’t notice it at first. Then it becomes the backdrop of your entire week. The founder-led intuition that once held everything together isn’t enough anymore. The business has outgrown memory, proximity, and good intentions. It now needs clarity, structure, ownership, and flow. This isn't because you’ve “done something wrong.” Instead, the business has moved into a more complex stage. This is exactly where SMEs break, stall, or burn out their leaders, because the internal architecture can’t hold the pace, the volume, or the ambition anymore. And this is the point where support makes the biggest difference (long before a crisis, long before burnout, long before you start questioning whether you’re the bottleneck). The business is evolving, and the system hasn’t caught up yet. What SMEs at this stage actually need When a business hits this inflection point, the solution isn’t “work harder” or “hire more.” It’s getting the internal system to a place where it can actually hold the growth. Here’s what that looks like. A clear picture of how the business actually runs Most leaders are operating from assumptions. They think they know how work moves through the business, until they map it. How to do this: List your core processes (sales, delivery, operations, finance). Ask each owner to outline how they actually do the work. Compare the versions. The gaps, duplicates, and bottlenecks will reveal themselves immediately. You can’t fix what you can’t see. Defined ownership, not “shared responsibility” Shared ownership sounds collaborative, but in practice, it creates delays, confusion, and dropped balls. How to do this: Assign a single owner for each function, workflow, or recurring responsibility. Make it visible (in your org chart, project tool, or weekly check-ins). If “everyone is involved,” no one is accountable. Decision pathways that remove bottlenecks Most decisions end up with the CEO because there’s no alternative route. How to do this: Identify decisions you shouldn’t be making anymore. Define who makes them and what information they need to do it well. Create a simple rule, “If X is true, this decision sits with Y.” Decision hygiene is one of the fastest ways to free up leadership time. Workflows that match reality, not the ideal version Far too many businesses have workflows written once and ignored forever. How to do this: Review only the processes people touch weekly, ignore the rest for now. Remove steps no one actually follows. Rebuild the workflow around how the team already works (not how they “should” work). Re-test it live for one week. If a process doesn’t make someone’s life easier, it won’t get used. Clean, consistent data (not perfect data) You don’t need dashboards worthy of a boardroom. You just need numbers you trust. How to do this: Pick 5-7 metrics that actually inform decisions. Define exactly how each metric is measured. Update them weekly or monthly, consistently, not perfectly. A team that understands the operating rhythm If the team doesn’t understand how the business runs, they can’t run it without you. How to do this: Set a simple weekly rhythm, such as check-ins, priorities, and blockers. Give people clarity on what “good” looks like in their role. Revisit responsibilities quarterly. Autonomy isn’t a mindset, it’s a structure people can rely on. A system that’s ready for AI, not scrambling for it AI becomes powerful only when the foundations are in place. How to do this: Start with clean data and consistent workflows. Test AI on one contained process first, not the whole business. Document what worked (and what didn’t) before scaling it. The opportunity: Why getting this right now matters When the system gets clearer, the whole business opens up. In practical terms, it means: Decisions stop feeling heavy. You have the information you need when you need it, no circling back or guessing. Your team finally knows what “good” looks like. With the right structure, people step into their roles with confidence, not hesitation. Growth stops depending on how much you can personally hold. The business runs because the system is working, not because you’re working overtime. AI becomes genuinely helpful, not another thing to figure out. With clean workflows and data, AI supports the business instead of overwhelming it. You get real visibility without getting pulled into every detail. You can see what’s happening, trust the flow, and stay out of the weeds. You get your headspace back. There’s room to think, to lead, to plan without everything feeling last-minute or reactive. For leaders standing at this inflection point If you recognize yourself in any of this, you’re not alone. Most SMEs reach this stage sooner than they expect, and almost always after they’ve spent far too long firefighting their way through it. This is exactly the moment where stepping back becomes more powerful than pushing forward. When you can see the whole system clearly, everything becomes lighter. Decisions get cleaner. Teams align. Growth stops feeling like pressure and starts feeling like progress again. This is the work we do, calm, structured support that helps leaders build a business capable of holding the next stage of growth. If you’re at that inflection point, here are two simple places to start. Reach out for a conversation on where your business is right now and what it needs next. Your business can grow with more ease, more structure, and far less strain. You don’t need to carry all of it. You just need a system that will. Follow me on Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Lauren Lea Fenn-Ellis Lauren Lea Fenn-Ellis, Agency Founder and Fractional COO Lauren Lea Fenn-Ellis is the founder and CEO of OBM Associates, a globally trusted business management agency supporting high-growth entrepreneurs. With nearly two decades of operational leadership experience, Lauren and her team partner with visionary founders to scale intentionally through strategic systems, high-performing teams, and operations designed for clarity, efficiency, and scale. Named one of the Top 10 Disruptive Entrepreneurs, her work turns operational friction into focused momentum. For founders who are ready to step out of the day-to-day and into confident, sustainable leadership, OBM Associates builds the structure that sets them free.

Geoffery Nnalue is a tech founder and product leader who has spent nearly a decade transforming how businesses connect with their customers. Starting his career in customer support at a financial institution in Nigeria, he quickly became known for solving complex problems that drove revenue and satisfaction. This foundation led him to product management, where he led the development of payment solutions that processed millions in transactions across borders while dramatically reducing complaints. After moving to the UK, Geoffery expanded his impact as Lead Customer Executive at a proptech company, driving product adoption, improving customer satisfaction, and ensuring seamless alignment between clients and internal teams. As the visionary behind The Circlesapp, he has pioneered AI-powered solutions that help businesses generate content at scale, engage customers continuously, and boost sales, turning technology into measurable growth and impact. His latest innovation, an AI “employee” trained with his 10 years of experience in customer service, product management, and sales, is now being deployed across multiple businesses. Beyond building products, Geoffery is the author of the book Obsessed Customers: How Businesses Can Use AI to Create a Cult-Like Brand, sharing his expertise on building customer-obsessed companies that thrive in the modern economy. Geoffery Nnalue, Tech Founder, Product Leader, and Author Who is Geoffery Nnalue, and what problem did you feel called to solve through your work? I am a tech founder and author. My focus is on helping people start and grow their online businesses, and helping offline businesses move online successfully. The problem I am solving is the overwhelming complexity that stops talented entrepreneurs from taking action. Too many great business ideas never launch because the process feels too complicated and expensive. I am dedicated to making business ownership accessible to everyone. What inspired you to create The Circlesapp, and what makes it different from other platforms in this space? Starting and scaling a business online is way too complicated. Entrepreneurs are forced to juggle dozens of tools, master countless platforms, and spend precious time on technical setup instead of serving their customers. I kept asking myself: why can't this be simpler? Why can't someone just click a button to start their online business and watch it grow? That vision drives everything we do at The Circlesapp. We are not just another tool in an entrepreneur's already crowded toolkit. The Circlesapp is a comprehensive ecosystem of products, all engineered with one goal: making business ownership easy and accessible. From storefront creation to payment processing, from marketing automation to customer support, we provide a one-stop solution. Every product we build moves us closer to that ultimate vision of making entrepreneurship as simple as clicking a single button. Someday, we will make it just one button, and that future excites me every single day. Who do you primarily help, and what challenges do they usually come to you with? We help businesses of all kinds, from e-commerce store owners to traditional offline businesses looking to expand their reach. Our community is diverse, but the challenges they bring to us share common threads. Most often, our customers are working to grow their revenue while simultaneously improving their customer experience. They face the constant pressure of doing more with less, needing to save on costs without sacrificing quality. They are bootstrapping founders struggling with finances to employ more staff, small business owners trying to be always available for their customers, e-commerce owners battling the rising costs of generating content and maintaining strong branding, and entrepreneurs who need to scale their operations without scaling their expenses proportionally. These businesses know where they want to go. They just need the right tools and support to get there efficiently and affordably. In simple terms, how does The Circlesapp help people or businesses grow and connect more effectively? We leverage AI to solve the most expensive and time-consuming challenges businesses face. Take our KYG AI, for example. This tool produces the same quality, or even better, product images as a one-thousand-dollar product photographer, but at a much larger scale and for free. E-commerce store owners use it to generate professional product images and videos that would normally cost them anywhere from one thousand to thirty thousand dollars if they hired photographers, built a content team, or paid influencers. Then there is Sentinels, our AI employee solution. Sentinels is already working in businesses across industries, acting as an out-of-hours staff member, reducing missed calls, and providing comprehensive customer service. It performs the combined roles of appointment setter, receptionist, lead qualifier, and contact center representative all at once, on a larger scale, for 0.01% of the cost of hiring these positions separately. In essence, we democratize access to enterprise-level capabilities, making them available to businesses of any size. What is the biggest mistake you see individuals or organizations make when building communities or platforms? Treating all customers as top-of-funnel customers. When businesses treat everyone the same, regardless of where they are in their journey, it creates widespread dissatisfaction. Personalization is not optional anymore. It is essential. Messages need to resonate with each customer depending on their specific stage in the funnel. Your content, branding, advertisements, and every touchpoint should create a personalized experience for the customer, not deliver generic messaging. Think about it: a customer who just discovered your brand has completely different needs than someone who has purchased from you three times. Yet many platforms communicate with both identically. This approach leaves money on the table and customers feeling undervalued. The businesses that win are those that recognize their customers as individuals with unique needs and contexts. How do you personally guide clients from confusion or stagnation to clarity and results? We take a human-first approach to onboarding. We personally conduct discovery calls with most businesses we work with, and these conversations are not sales pitches. Instead, we focus on understanding where and how we can genuinely help based on their unique problems, not on pushing a generic solution. We have built strong touchpoints throughout the customer journey: our educational content, business assessments, discovery calls, and personalized account managers. Each of these touchpoints helps businesses discover how to get the most value from our solutions. Depending on which tool or solution brought you into The Circlesapp ecosystem, we customize our approach to ensure our solution is not just a fit, but optimized for your maximum success. We treat each business as unique and standalone. Clarity comes from being truly heard and understood, and that is what we provide. Can you share a transformation or success story that best reflects the impact of your work? One story that perfectly captures our impact involves a fashion brand owner who was bootstrapping her business. She was spending a significant portion of her limited budget on content creation. Her challenge was beating the algorithm to achieve a viral post on platforms like TikTok, which requires posting large volumes of content consistently. The quantity was not her problem. Her challenge was maintaining her brand identity and premium feel while producing content at the necessary volume and speed. Professional photography and content creation were eating into her profits. After implementing KYG AI, everything changed. She was able to produce significantly more content, at a faster pace, for a fraction of the cost. The quality remained premium, her branding stayed consistent, and her content production became sustainable. As a result, she has grown her business substantially while actually reducing her content creation expenses. Her story represents what we aim to do for every business: remove the barriers that limit their potential. What core values or principles guide how you build technology and support your clients? My background in customer support and experience management shaped three core principles that guide everything I build. The first pillar is user experience. Our products should be so simple to use that a five-year-old could navigate them. Complexity is the enemy of adoption, and we refuse to create complicated solutions. The second pillar is what I call "the great two": accessibility and responsiveness. I ensure customers have instant, 24/7 access to our team, whether they need to provide feedback or seek support. We are not hidden behind email forms or ticket systems. We are just a button away at every touchpoint because accessibility must be embedded in the products I build. My third pillar is exceeding expectations. I am committed to over-delivering compared to the cost of working with us. Our customers should always feel they received more value than they paid for. This principle keeps us honest, innovative, and customer-obsessed. How do you balance innovation, human connection, and long-term sustainability in your business model? My approach might seem unconventional, but it works: I spend substantial money using products I do not actually need, just to study their models and approaches to customer experience and service fulfillment. I am not learning about business by buying courses. I am learning by being a customer, experiencing services from the customer point of view. This gives me insights no course could provide. I also spend significant time in forums, on Reddit, in Skool communities, and in Facebook groups. I dedicate most of my day to being with customers, listening to their conversations, understanding their frustrations and aspirations. This is where innovation meets human connection. Long-term sustainability comes from building something customers genuinely love, not from growth hacks or shortcuts. When you deeply understand your customers and consistently over-deliver, sustainability takes care of itself. You build a business that grows through genuine word-of-mouth and customer loyalty. What should someone expect when they start working with you or using The Circlesapp? In one word: ease. We make running your business easy. With The Circlesapp, you can create an experience your customers are obsessed with. Every feature, every interaction, and every support touchpoint is designed to remove friction from your business operations. You should expect to feel supported, not overwhelmed. You should expect tools that actually simplify your work rather than adding to your complexity. And you should expect a partner that genuinely cares about your success, not just another vendor collecting subscription fees. For those feeling stuck or unsure about their next step, what is one powerful action you recommend they take today? Stop assuming and start asking. Speak directly to your market and gather firsthand information. Do you not know if people will buy what you want to create? Run test ads. Do not know what your customers actually want? Ask them directly. Do you not know how to increase your sales and improve customer sentiment? Speak to us at The Circlesapp. But more broadly, my advice distills to two words: remain curious. Do not be afraid to ask more questions, run more experiments, and seek more feedback. Curiosity breaks through stagnation. Action, even imperfect action informed by real market feedback, beats perfect planning every single time. The answers you need are out there in your market. You just need to be brave enough to ask the questions. Follow me on LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Geoffery Nnalue

Written by Kristi McLeod, SubSoma Practitioner and Speaker Kristi McLeod is a Master of nervous system capacity and subconscious imprinting. She trains practitioners, entrepreneurs, and executives to not just survive business but thrive through it. Walk into almost any corporate environment, and you’ll find some version of “wellness.” Yoga-at-lunch. Mental health posters. A meditation app subscription that no one opened past day three. And yet, burnout is rising. Turnover is rising. Communication challenges are rising. It’s clear that most wellness initiatives aren’t addressing the root. Here’s the truth leaders need to hear: Traditional wellness fails because it doesn’t work with the nervous system. You can’t “positive mindset” your way out of physiological survival mode. You can’t “just breathe” your way out of chronic pressure if the body is still bracing. Most workplace wellness programs focus on coping. What employees actually need is capacity. The real problem: We’re asking dysregulated bodies to function at high levels A person in survival mode cannot access: Creativity Long-term thinking Problem-solving Emotional intelligence Collaboration Steady communication These are physiological privileges, not moral strengths. When employees are dysregulated, they’re not underperforming on purpose; they’re operating beyond their bandwidth. Asking them to “self-care harder” only increases shame. What actually works: Nervous system-centered wellness When workplaces shift the focus from coping to capacity building, everything changes. This approach gives employees tools to: Regulate under pressure Process stress effectively Respond instead of react Communicate clearly Stay grounded in conflict Recover faster from strain This is wellness that creates real business outcomes, not temporary relief. Because when people have more capacity, your entire organization has more possibilities. The ripple effect leaders always notice When teams regulate together, you start to see: Fewer misunderstandings More cohesion Better energy in the workplace Improved retention Stronger leadership presence Less emotional labor throughout the day This is the kind of wellness that fundamentally strengthens culture. A note on this season of giving back Until December 31, 2025, every corporate wellness package purchased, whether it’s a 90-minute workshop or a full multi-month employee container, will have 50% of my speaker fee donated to STAND Against Sexual Assault. Sessions can be booked into 2026. The impact starts now, in your workplace and in our community. Learn more here . Follow me on Instagram and visit my LinkedIn  for more info! Read more from Kristi McLeod Kristi McLeod, SubSoma Practitioner and Speaker Kristi is a nervous system coach and Subconscious practitioner specializing in helping entrepreneurs, practitioners, and executives build true capacity from the inside out. She’s the founder of SomaSkye Wellness and creator of The Foundation, a monthly membership rooted in nervous system regulation, Subconscious Imprinting (SIT), and SSP (Safe and Sound Protocol). Known for her grounded, deeply embodied presence, Kristi teaches the kind of safety that can be felt, not just understood. Her work is for the ones ready to stop performing regulation and actually build capacity.

Written by Osvaldo Cooley, PhD, Dermal Clinician & Body Contouring Specialist Dr. Osvaldo Cooley, PhD, is an expert in body transformation, metabolic performance, and longevity. As the founder of The Elite Hub, Dr Os helps high-performing individuals achieve visible, lasting results through advanced diagnostics, personalised recovery strategies, and specialised body contouring therapies. Most athletes assume that breathing takes care of itself. After all, it is automatic, constant, and something we rarely think about outside moments of distress. Yet in endurance sport, breathing is not merely a background process, it is a trainable physiological system that can either amplify performance or quietly sabotage it. In metabolic testing, ventilatory efficiency and breathing coordination consistently emerge as critical differentiators between athletes who perform at their potential and those who plateau despite strong fitness markers. Ventilatory efficiency: Doing more with less Ventilatory efficiency reflects how effectively the lungs exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide relative to workload. In practical terms, it measures how much breathing is required to sustain a given intensity. Poor ventilatory efficiency forces an athlete to breathe more, and harder, to deliver the same oxygen to working muscles. This increases sympathetic nervous system activation, elevates heart rate disproportionately, and accelerates carbohydrate depletion. Highly efficient athletes, by contrast, maintain calmer breathing patterns and lower ventilatory demand at submaximal intensities. This allows them to preserve energy, enhance fat oxidation, and maintain metabolic stability over long durations. Breathing coordination: The hidden performance lever Breathing coordination describes how well respiration synchronizes with posture, core engagement, and movement. Dysfunctional patterns, such as shallow chest breathing, excessive upper-body tension, or incomplete exhalation, compromise oxygen delivery even when cardiovascular capacity is high. This explains a paradox frequently observed in metabolic testing, VO₂ max improves, yet breathing coordination declines. The engine grows stronger, but the airflow becomes inefficient. In these cases, performance stagnates not due to a lack of fitness, but due to poor respiratory control under load. The cost of inefficient breathing Athletes with poor breathing mechanics often experience: Elevated heart rate at easy intensities Early breathlessness despite good fitness Reduced fat oxidation Faster glycogen depletion Slower recovery between sessions Over time, this leads to chronic fatigue, inconsistent performances, and a reliance on excessive high-intensity training to “feel fit.” Why zone 2 training alone is not enough Zone 2 training is foundational for endurance development, but it does not automatically correct dysfunctional breathing. In fact, athletes often reinforce poor respiratory habits during long, easy sessions. Breathing must be deliberately retrained, especially at low intensities where athletes can focus on rhythm, nasal breathing, and controlled exhalation without cognitive overload. When breathing reconditioning is paired with Zone 2 training, aerobic efficiency improves exponentially. Practical breathing techniques for endurance athletes During training (especially zone 2) Nasal breathing at low intensity: Encourages diaphragmatic breathing, improves CO₂ tolerance, and reduces sympathetic stress. Use during warm-ups and Zone 2 sessions whenever possible. Extended exhalation (4:6 or 3:5 breathing): Exhale longer than you inhale to promote parasympathetic activation and breathing efficiency. Ideal during long aerobic sessions and recovery runs. Step-breathing coordin ation (e.g., 3:3 or 4:4): Synchronizing breath with stride improves rhythm and movement economy. Particularly effective for trail and endurance running. Outside training (daily reset) Diaphragmatic reset breathing (5 minutes): Lie supine, one hand on chest, one on abdomen. Breathe slowly through the nose, keeping chest quiet. Restores proper breathing mechanics after stressful days or hard sessions. CO₂ tolerance holds (advanced): After a gentle exhale, hold breath briefly (10-20 seconds), then resume calm breathing. Improves ventilatory efficiency and tolerance to exertion. Before sleep (recovery & nervous system downregulation) 4-7-8 breathing or 5-5 nasal breathing: Slows heart rate, enhances vagal tone, and improves sleep quality. Particularly valuable for athletes with high training loads or elevated stress. Consistent application of these techniques retrains breathing as a performance skill, not an unconscious afterthought. From automatic to intentional Elite endurance athletes do not leave breathing to chance. They measure it, train it, and integrate it into their metabolic strategy. Breathing is not simply about oxygen intake, it is about efficiency, coordination, and control under load. Once athletes understand this, they stop chasing fitness blindly and start building performance intelligently. If you want to understand how your breathing, metabolism, and cardiovascular system are truly functioning, and how to train them with precision, a VO₂ max and metabolic assessment is the starting point. At The Elite Hub, we use advanced metabolic testing to identify inefficiencies, guide training intensity, and build personalised strategies that improve performance, recovery, and longevity. Because in endurance sport, how you breathe often matters more than how hard you train. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Osvaldo Cooley, PhD Osvaldo Cooley, PhD, Dermal Clinician & Body Contouring Specialist Dr. Osvaldo Cooley, PhD, is a leading expert in body transformation, metabolic performance, and longevity. A former athlete, his promising career was cut short by injuries that sparked a passion for understanding recovery and performance optimisation. Drawing from his personal journey and extensive research, Dr. Os developed proven techniques to help men and women transform their bodies, improve fitness, and boost long-term health. As the founder of The Elite Hub, he empowers high-performing individuals to achieve visible, lasting results through advanced diagnostics and personalised strategies.

Juna Ting-Wei Chang is a forest therapy guide, mentor, and the founder of Shinrin-Yoku Taiwan, a nature-based wellbeing platform dedicated to supporting individuals and communities in slowing down and returning their attention to themselves and the more-than-human world through forest therapy and Shinrin-yoku. She is the first Taiwanese guide certified by the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT) and also holds the Taiwan Forest Therapist Certificate, serving as a mentor within Taiwan’s forest therapy system in collaboration with the Taiwan Forest Therapy Society. Juna Ting-Wei Chang, Forest Therapy Guide Who is Juna Ting-Wei Chang? Juna Ting-Wei Chang is a forest therapy guide and founder of Shinrin-Yoku Taiwan, supporting people in coming closer to themselves through nature. Her journey began in 2017 at a Girl Scouts seminar in Switzerland, which inspired her to pursue a Master’s degree in Landscape and Recreation Management after completing an undergraduate degree in English and Spanish. Her research explored cyberbullying and sharing economy models in Taiwan’s forest therapy industry, bridging the realms of well-being and innovation. Having lived in the U.S. and Panama, and traveled extensively, Juna blends a global perspective with local insight, transforming science, tradition, and personal experience into accessible, grounded wellbeing practices. What inspired you to create Shinrin-Yoku Taiwan? I’ve been a Girl Scout since age 10, and that sense of curiosity and service has guided me. My first encounter with forest therapy revealed the healing potential of nature, made more meaningful through seeing friends and family struggle with mental health challenges. At the time, Taiwan had no formal forest therapy training, so I pursued ANFT certification. Today, through Shinrin-Yoku Taiwan and the family business Green Shower, I combine professional training, personal healing, and over 30 years of experience in nature-based wellness products. Following my father’s motto, “bring the forest back home,” Green Shower imported wooded essential oils and developed Home and body care products with them, bringing nature’s benefits into daily life. My mission complements this: to guide people to interweave nature’s closeness into body, mind, and daily life, supporting lasting emotional, mental, and sensory transformation. Who will come to you? Most seek relief from the fast pace and pressures of modern life, wanting to slow down, breathe, and feel present. Some want to enhance self-awareness, emotional regulation, or social-emotional learning, while others are looking for practical, sustainable ways to care for mental and emotional well-being. What makes your approach unique in Taiwan and beyond? I am the first Taiwanese ANFT-certified Forest Therapy Guide, one of fewer than 20 in Taiwan. I also hold the Taiwan Forest Therapist Certificate and serve as a mentor in Taiwan’s forest therapy system. With my background in languages and cross-cultural experience, I localize forest therapy and Shinrin-Yoku practices for Taiwanese participants while offering English-language sessions for international communities. I work with individuals, organizations, and international groups, keeping practices culturally grounded yet globally accessible. How do you blend science, tradition, and modern wellbeing practices? I integrate scientific research, traditional ecological knowledge, and embodied experience. Studies show the benefits of forest therapy and nature-based interventions, while ancient wisdom affirms our deep connection with the natural world. This approach ensures wellbeing is lived, felt, and sustained, supporting people in cultivating resilient, balanced lifestyles and preventive health strategies. Who benefits most from your guidance? Those willing to slow down and allow themselves to experience nature’s restorative potential. Forest therapy is not prescriptive; it invites presence, curiosity, and receptivity. My role is to create a safe, supportive framework, allowing each person to engage at their own pace, making the experience deeply personal and sustainable. What does a typical client journey look like? Sessions last 2.5-3 hours, often in urban natural settings, with occasional mountain or forest group sessions. Participants follow the ANFT relational forest therapy sequence, developing sensory awareness, mindful presence, emotional regulation, and reflective integration. Shared reflection helps translate the experience into practical wellbeing insights for daily life. Can you share a breakthrough moment that deeply moved you? One of my most meaningful breakthroughs has been my own transformation. I struggled with perfectionism, searching for meaning, and self-doubt, and found healing through forest therapy. Nature has been a steady, non-judgmental companion, guiding me back into presence, calm, and embodied awareness, which shapes how I guide others with empathy, care, and respect. What do you wish more people understood about forest therapy? Forest therapy is simple yet profoundly powerful. It is not a luxury or trend, but an essential practice that nurtures mental health, emotional resilience, and holistic wellbeing. By engaging in forest therapy, we gently remember a sense of closeness and attentiveness to nature, supporting balance within ourselves and harmony with the world around us. What future vision drives your work? In a world of rapid change, social instability, and rising mental health challenges, I aim to help people return attention to human nature, nurturing connection, compassion, and sustainability. Through forest therapy, I invite readers to explore nature-based practices themselves and experience how mindful engagement with the natural world can support daily well-being. What would you say to someone hesitant about forest therapy? I’d say it’s okay to start small and simply be curious. Forest therapy isn’t about doing anything perfectly – it’s about slowing down, noticing nature, and giving yourself space to feel calm and present. Every step in nature can support your wellbeing, and I’m here to guide you at your own pace. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Juna Ting-Wei Chang

Written by: Samantha Pope , Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Your home should be more than just a place to reside; it should be a sanctuary that nurtures your well-being and reflects your unique style. However, many homeowners, especially those in the luxury residential sector, encounter unique challenges related to their living spaces. This is where interior designers step in, not just to enhance aesthetics but to provide solutions that improve your quality of life. As the founder and creative director of Samantha Pope Interiors, I've dedicated my career to transforming houses into exquisite dream homes. Our mission goes beyond aesthetics; it's about understanding the distinctive challenges that come with luxury living and crafting bespoke solutions that elevate your well-being. Designing for luxury living Luxury living demands a level of sophistication and refinement that goes beyond the ordinary. It's about creating spaces that not only align with your lifestyle but also exude an air of opulence and comfort. At Samantha Pope Interiors, we start by delving deep into your daily routines, preferences, and unique demands of luxury living. Do you find your kitchen impractical for your culinary desires? Is the lack of storage causing clutter in your elegant spaces? Are you struggling to create a serene oasis in your master suite that matches your discerning taste? By understanding your unique challenges, we design spaces that work for you, enhancing functionality, flow, and the unmistakable touch of luxury. Crafting emotional well-being A well-designed luxury home isn't just about aesthetics; it's about fostering emotional well-being in an opulent environment. Your surroundings significantly impact your mood, productivity, and overall happiness. That's why we emphasize elements like natural lighting, sumptuous colour palettes, and texture in the furnishings. Our commitment to well-being goes beyond trends; it's about crafting spaces that promote harmony and balance in a world where luxury is not just about possessions, but experiences. It's a place where you should feel not only safe and content but truly indulged. Solving practical dilemmas with elegance Practical dilemmas, even in luxury homes, often require innovative design solutions. Our team excels in addressing these issues with the elegance and grace that luxury living demands. Whether it's transforming a compact kitchen into a culinary haven fit for a chef or converting an underused space into a stylish home office, we make your spaces work for you while maintaining the utmost sophistication. The power of collaborative luxury Collaboration is key to solving dilemmas effectively, even in luxury interior design. We work closely with our esteemed clients, becoming an extension of their vision and lifestyle. Your insights and preferences are paramount in shaping the design process. Together, we turn your vision of a luxurious dream home into a reality. Conclusion At Samantha Pope Interiors, we understand that luxury living demands more than just beautiful spaces; it requires the creation of bespoke homes that enrich lives. By aligning our designs with your luxurious lifestyle, promoting emotional well-being, and addressing practical challenges with sophistication, we don't just create luxurious spaces; we create homes that epitomize opulence, comfort, and well-being. So, if you've ever faced dilemmas with your luxury living spaces, remember that there's a solution waiting to be designed with elegance and refinement. Let Samantha Pope Interiors transform your luxury home into a haven of well-being and style, where opulence and practicality coexist harmoniously. Explore our luxury design services on our website . Read more about our approach to luxury interior design in my exclusive Brainz Magazine interview. Click here. Learn more about the impact of your environment on brain health and well-being in this article on Neuroplasticity. Click here. Follow me on Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Samantha! Samantha Pope, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Samantha Pope is the Founder and Creative Director of Samantha Pope Interiors, a renowned luxury interior design studio in London and West Essex, UK. With a passion for creating exceptional spaces, she collaborates with property developers and private clients, delivering innovative and timeless solutions with unwavering attention to detail. Beyond the pursuit of beauty, Samantha firmly believes in the profound impact of thoughtfully designed environments on overall well-being. Her bespoke designs are meticulously crafted to elevate the human experience, promoting productivity, serenity, and a deep connection with the space, proving that a happy home should not only look amazing but also make you feel amazing.

Written by P aul of Venus, Mount Shasta Spiritual Guide and Healer Paul of Venus is the author of “The Sacred Rays of God” and founder of Mount Shasta Spiritual Tours. He serves as a bridge between dimensions, offering retreats, activations, and transmissions from the heart of Mount Shasta. What if the path to higher consciousness wasn’t about transcending your physical body, but about activating the sacred technology already encoded within it? At the base of Mount Shasta, where Ascended Masters walk between dimensions and crystalline frequencies pulse through ancient stone, I’ve discovered that our bodies hold the same elemental wisdom that powers this legendary portal. And that we’re living through the most pivotal moment in human history since the fall of Atlantis. Insension: The journey inward For decades, spiritual teachings have focused on “ascension,” rising above the physical realm to reach enlightenment. But through my direct transmissions with the Ascended Masters on Mount Shasta, I’ve received a corrected understanding: humanity isn’t ascending anywhere. We’re insending. Insension is the recognition that you don’t need to go up, out, or away to access higher consciousness. Everything you seek already exists within you, encoded in your DNA, waiting in the quantum field of your cells, present in the sacred geometry of your bone structure. Lady Venus whispers to those who are ready to hear: “True love waits for you, patiently.” Not romantic love as the world defines it, but the love that is your true nature, the love that exists when you remember you are divine, when you activate your sacred architecture, when you stand sovereign in your full multidimensional power. Where ascension implies leaving Earth behind, insension means fully embodying heaven on Earth. And the five elements, bone, breath, light, stone, and water, are the keys that unlock this transformation.   My first meeting with Saint Germain My first encounter with Saint Germain occurred in a small cabin at the base of Mount Shasta, and it unfolded in a way that perfectly demonstrates the essence itself, from subtle to dense, from frequency to form. Late evening. Alone. Journaling my frustrations: “Where are you? Why can’t I feel the Masters?” Then it began first as a feeling. The air shifted, became thick with presence. My chest filled with warmth. Not threatening, but powerful. Ancient. Loving. The feeling transformed into knowing. Without words, without thought, I suddenly knew with absolute certainty: this was Saint Germain. I knew his name. I knew why he’d come. This wasn’t belief, it was direct knowing, downloaded instantaneously. Then the light came. Violet light fills the cabin. Alive, intelligent, communicating through color what words could never convey. Finally, the form emerged. Tall, regal bearing, eyes holding lifetimes of wisdom. He smiled: “You’ve been asking me to prove I’m real. But Paul, I am only as real as you allow yourself to become. Stop seeking me out there. I exist within you. I always have.” He faded in reverse form to light, light to knowing, knowing to feeling, feeling to quiet. But I was forever changed.   Understanding your sacred architecture Your body is a temple designed with the same sacred geometry that structures entire universes. Bone, breath, light, stone, and water aren’t just physical elements, they’re living technologies that activate dormant DNA. Bone: Your crystalline DNA library Your skeletal system is a crystalline antenna array. Bones contain hydroxyapatite crystals that store and transmit electromagnetic frequencies, functioning exactly like the quartz deposits running through Mount Shasta’s volcanic stone. Your bone marrow produces stem cells that carry your DNA, the literal code of your divine blueprint. Your skeleton becomes a living tuning fork, resonating with the planetary grid and activating genetic codes that enable telepathy, energy healing, and direct knowing. Breath: Your quantum field generator Breath doesn’t just oxygenate cells, it generates coherent electromagnetic fields that extend beyond your physical body and directly influence DNA expression. Each inhale draws in what the Lemurian Masters call “liquid light.” Each exhale releases density and fear patterns. Conscious breathing actually changes gene expression, turning on beneficial genes and turning off stress-response genes. This is insension in action. Light: Your photonic activation system Every cell in your body contains biophotons, coherent light emissions that facilitate communication and directly influence DNA. Your DNA itself emits light, it’s literally a bio-photonic transmitter and receiver. When Saint Germain or Lady Venus communicates, they’re adjusting the photonic emissions in your cellular matrix, sending light codes that activate specific DNA sequences. Stone: Your grounding anchor You cannot insend what you haven’t first grounded. Stones, crystals, and minerals provide the stable matrix that allows consciousness to integrate into physical form. You can download light codes all day long, but without the grounding element of stone, those activations won’t anchor into your physical biology. Mount Shasta’s volcanic rock demonstrates how heat and pressure transform base elements into sacred geometry, the same alchemical process happening in your genetic transformation. Water: Your cellular memory carrier Water comprises up to 75% of your body and serves as the primary medium for DNA communication. Water has memory, it can store and transmit frequency patterns, emotional information, and consciousness itself. The glacial streams flowing from Mount Shasta carry frequencies of purity and the original template of Lemurian consciousness. When you work with water ceremonies, you introduce high-frequency patterns that support DNA activation.   Five steps into the fifth dimension Through my work channeling the Ascended Masters and the Lemurian consciousness of Telos, I’ve developed a specific five-step process for insension:   Activate your bone crystalline matrix: Place your hands on your major bones while toning sacred sounds that activate bone marrow stem cells. Master quantum coherent breathing: Five-second inhales, five-second holds, five-second exhales. Visualize drawing golden liquid light from Telos into your lungs. Receive photonic light transmissions: Sit in sunlight, gaze at candle flames, or visualize the sacred flames of the Ascended Masters. Ground through stone consciousness: Work with crystals, place bare feet on earth, touch stone. Anchor activations into your biology. Flow with sacred water practices: Ceremonial baths, blessed water, sacred springs. Feel old programming washing away.   These five steps create a complete circuit. Practiced consistently, they generate measurable changes in your energy field, consciousness, and physical biology. The mountain calls While these practices work powerfully from anywhere, there’s something uniquely transformative about activating your sacred architecture directly on Mount Shasta. Walking the mountain trails, you feel ancient stones beneath your feet pulsing with Lemurian memory. Drinking glacial streams, you consume water carrying the original template of purity. Lady Venus reminds you: true love waits for you, patiently, the love of your own divine nature, waiting to emerge. Your bones are crystalline receivers. Your breath generates quantum fields. Your cells emit coherent light. Your body grounds your spirit while accessing higher dimensions. Your cellular waters carry divine intelligence. This isn’t a metaphor, it’s the literal technology of your sacred design, waiting for your conscious activation. The only question is: are you ready to insend? Paul of Venus channels Ascended Master transmissions and guides transformational experiences on Mount Shasta through Mt. Shasta Spiritual Tours and PaulofVenus.com , available in English and Spanish. His book, The Sacred Rays of God, is available here . Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Paul of Venus Paul of Venus, Mount Shasta Spiritual Guide and Healer Paul of Venus is the author of "The Sacred Rays of God" and founder of Mount Shasta Spiritual Tours. As a spiritual teacher and channeler, he serves as a bridge between dimensions, bringing forth divine wisdom and activations from ascended masters, including Saint Germain, Sanat Kumara, and Lady Venus. Based at the sacred vortex of Mount Shasta, California, Paul facilitates transformative retreats, ceremonies, and transmissions that guide lightworkers and seekers into deeper states of consciousness. His work focuses on anchoring higher-dimensional frequencies and supporting humanity's collective awakening. Through his teachings, Paul offers a pathway to embody divine love and reclaim one's sacred essence.

Written by: Tiffany Watson , Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Small businesses are crucial to the economy, and for the people who start them, they represent their hopes and dreams. However, there's one aspect of running a business that can't be ignored: taxes. Smart tax planning is not just about following rules; it's a way to help your business save money and do better financially. Creating a tax strategy Good tax planning is like being a conductor of an orchestra, where every choice you make should work well together to improve your business's money situation. To do this well, you need to know the tax rules and use them to your benefit. Using deductions and credits Tax planning helps you take full advantage of deductions and credits, which can lower the amount of tax you have to pay. This could include writing off the cost of a home office or the loss in value of equipment, which can save you money and give you more to invest back into your business. Choosing when to spend money Just like timing is key in music, it's also important in taxes. Planning when to buy big items or when to count your income can help you pay less in taxes. You might spend money earlier or wait to take income until later to fit into a lower tax bracket, which can help even out your cash flow and reduce tax costs. Planning for retirement For small business owners, planning for retirement is not just about the future; it's also a way to save on taxes now. Setting up retirement accounts like a SEP IRA or a Solo 401(k) is smart because you can deduct your contributions now, and the money grows without being taxed until you take it out later. Choosing the right business structure The type of business you have (like a sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, or corporation) affects your taxes a lot. Each kind has different rules for how much tax you pay, how you keep records, and how much liability you have. Picking the right type is crucial and sets the stage for your tax planning. Using technology for keeping records Today, small businesses can use digital tools to make tax planning easier. With online accounting software and apps, you can keep track of your finances easily and get a clear view of how your business is doing. Good records help you make choices that fit with your tax plan. Getting help from tax professionals Running a business on your own is great, but tax planning can be complex and might require some help. Working with a tax expert is like adding a skilled musician to your team. They can guide you through tax laws, find ways to save money, and make sure you're following the rules, so you can focus on growing your business. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , Li nkedIn , YouTube and visit my website for more info! Read more from Tiffany! Tiffany Watson, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Tiffany Watson, is a leader in the tax and accounting industry for small businesses. Servicing clients from across the U.S., she is knowledgeable and passionate about seeing business owners thrive. As the owner of her own tax and accounting firm, All Aboard Financial, Tiffany understands firsthand the struggles that business owners face. Tiffany’s commitment and passion shines through as she helps her clients get and stay on the right track.

Written by Laura McCann, Founder & CEO of Auratherapy Laura McCann is the Founder & CEO of Auratherapy, a luxury wellness brand helping people reclaim their breath and remember they are vibrational beings. A 30-year CPG + tech founder, she’s building a modern movement at the intersection of scent, energy, and self-mastery, turning daily rituals into transformation. In the modern beauty and wellness landscape, we are witnessing a radical shift. Consumers are no longer satisfied with "one-size-fits-all" luxury, they are seeking precision, transparency, and results that can be measured. As an entrepreneur who has spent decades at the intersection of fashion, tech, and CPG, I realized that the traditional retail model was missing a vital component: data-driven personalization. This realization, combined with over 10,000 aura readings conducted alongside my partner and Chief Auratherapist, Jim Levinson, led to the birth of the Spiritual Apothecary. It is a new category of "Prescriptive Wellness" that blends the aesthetic of high-end beauty with the diagnostic rigor of a science-backed laboratory. Our book, Auratherapy: A Guide to Adoring Yourself, Your Chakras, and Your Aura, serves as the essential primer for this approach, co-authored with Jim, blending ancient chakra wisdom with modern aura reading technology. Beyond marketing scents The beauty industry has long used scent as a marketing tool, pumping invisible "propaganda" into shared spaces to manipulate mood, often using synthetic toxins. A Spiritual Apothecary rejects this. We believe that your breath deserves consent. Instead of generic fragrances, we offer Functional, Breathable Luxury through clinical-grade essential oil formulas designed to be "Life Coaches in a Bottle." However, the true innovation lies in how we determine which formula you need. We do not guess, we assess. This diagnostic approach is what separates prescriptive wellness from traditional beauty retail. Wellness and energy as CRM When a client experiences an aura imaging session at our Asheville or Miami sanctuaries, they receive far more than a photo. They walk away with a 14-page scientific report that provides a comprehensive breakdown of their vibrational frequency, including a Chakra Wellness Scorecard. For a business owner, this is the ultimate Customer Relationship Management tool. By tracking these 14 pages of data over time, we can see exactly how a customer's energy is evolving. If the data shows a low "Yellow" score (Solar Plexus), we prescribe a specific protocol of scent, breath, and ritual to rebuild that confidence. We are using technology to explain "you to you," creating a loyalty loop based on actual transformation rather than just a transaction. The Vibe & Glow protocol The efficacy of this prescriptive model was pressure-tested during our residency at Canyon Ranch and has since evolved into our Vibe & Glow Event Series. These events serve as a case study for the future of beauty experiences. We take a room of high-performers and move them through a protocol of aura diagnostics, sound frequency, and prescriptive vibrational aromatherapy formulas. The result is a measurable shift in the collective frequency of the room. We are not just selling a "spa day," we are providing an energetic "reset" that allows founders and leaders to return to their work with a balanced chakra system and a clear mental field. Why this matters The Spiritual Apothecary is the blueprint for Conscious Commerce. By combining high-end aromatherapy products with a 14-page diagnostic report, we have created a brand that is impossible to replicate with a generic AI prompt or a mass-market fragrance line. In 2026, the brands that win will be those that provide a "Map" (the aura reading) and a "Medicine" (the prescriptive product). We are building a world where beauty is not just skin deep, it is vibrational. Take the next step Experience Vibe & Glow: Join our Miami flagship Vibe & Glow events in 2026. Receive your blueprint: Book an aura reading to receive your own 14-page report and personalized chakra prescription. The Path to Mastery: Enrollment is now open for our Auratherapist Certification (April 20-22 in Miami) for those ready to bring this diagnostic model into their own practices. Read the book: Auratherapy: A Guide to Adoring Yourself, Your Chakras, and Your Aura is available now. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website  for more info! Read more from Laura McCann Laura McCann, Founder & CEO of Auratherapy Laura McCann, a former child star, France-raised creative, NY fashion alum, and tech entrepreneur, now leads Auratherapy as Founder & CEO. With 30 years as a founder across CPG and tech, she’s bringing luxury and innovation to functional fragrance through breathable, essential oil-based Aroma Perfumes and water-based aura sprays. Auratherapy pairs this with data-driven aura and chakra diagnostics that translate energy into personalized rituals. Her mission is to help people reclaim their breath, remember they are vibrational beings, and transform through the practice of adoring yourself. Resources: Book Vibe & Glow Series Aura Imaging Technology Perfume is Propaganda Energy Alignment Protocols

Written by Aleksandra Tsenkova, Psychotherapist, Author, Speaker Blending Person-Centred therapy with coaching and DBT, Aleksandra Tsenkova helps people worldwide heal trauma, unpack emotional wounds, and step into confidence. We live in an era where self-improvement is no longer optional, but it is expected. Wake earlier. Work harder. Heal faster. Optimise your mindset. Become better. Hustle culture has quietly merged with the language of mental health, reframing exhaustion as a personal failure and rest as something to be “earned.” Under the promise of growth and success, many people are left feeling chronically behind, never quite enough, and strangely disconnected from themselves. This article explores what happens when the pursuit of becoming “better” requires us to abandon who we are. The person-centred approach, developed by Carl Rogers, offers the understanding that growth does not begin with pressure, discipline, or fixing. Instead, it invites us to look at how modern self-improvement culture may be recreating the very conditions that disconnect people from their authentic selves.   1. Hustle culture and the rise of conditional worth Hustle culture does more than promote productivity, it quietly reshapes how people relate to their own worth. Beneath the language of ambition, discipline, and “becoming your best self” lies an implicit message: you are valuable when you are achieving. Rest, slowness, and uncertainty are tolerated only when they serve a future outcome. From a person-centred perspective, this reflects what Carl Rogers described as conditions of worth, the internalised belief that acceptance, love, or self-respect must be earned through specific behaviours or achievements. In contemporary culture, these conditions are often tied to output, resilience, visibility, and constant self-improvement. People learn, consciously or not, that they are most acceptable when they are productive, positive, and progressing. Over time, these external expectations are absorbed into the self-concept. Individuals begin to evaluate themselves not through their lived experience, but through external standards: metrics, milestones, comparisons, and perceived success. Emotional states that interfere with performance, exhaustion, doubt, grief, or ambivalence are pushed aside rather than listened to. What makes this particularly insidious is how normalised it has become. Many people do not experience this as pressure imposed from the outside, but as an internal voice urging them to do more, be more, and cope better. Yet this voice is rarely compassionate. It does not ask what is needed, it demands what is expected. In person-centred terms, this creates a growing gap between the Organismic Self with its natural rhythms, limits, and needs, and the Idealised Self shaped by hustle culture. The cost of this incongruence is often subtle at first: chronic tension, a sense of never doing enough, or the inability to rest without guilt. But over time, it can lead to burnout, emotional numbing, and a profound disconnection from one’s inner life. When worth becomes conditional on performance, self-improvement no longer serves growth. It becomes a survival strategy, one that asks people to abandon parts of themselves in order to belong.   2. When growth is driven by fear, not authentic desire Not all growth is inherently healthy. From a person-centred perspective, the question is not whether someone is changing, but what is driving that change. Growth that emerges from authentic desire feels expansive, self-directed, and internally meaningful. Growth driven by fear, however, is different, shaped by anxiety, comparison, and the need to keep up. Yet, when individuals are motivated by the fear of falling behind, becoming irrelevant, or not doing “enough,” that is repackaged as discipline and drive, they are no longer responding to their inner valuing process but to external pressures and imagined standards. According to Carl Rogers, this represents a shift away from the innate capacity to sense what is right, nourishing, and growth-promoting. When this internal compass is overridden, people may continue to develop externally while feeling increasingly disconnected internally. Progress is achieved, but satisfaction remains elusive.   3. Self-optimisation as emotional disconnection Modern self-improvement culture often treats emotions as obstacles to overcome rather than signals to be understood. Fatigue is reframed as a mindset issue. Emotional pain becomes something to “work through” quickly. Vulnerability is postponed until after success is achieved. In the pursuit of optimisation, emotional experience is frequently sidelined. However, when individuals consistently ignore their internal signals in favour of productivity and performance, they gradually lose trust in their own emotional wisdom. The self becomes something to manage rather than relate to. This disconnection often masquerades as resilience. People may appear highly functional while feeling increasingly numb, restless, or empty. What is lost is not motivation, but aliveness, the sense of being in genuine contact with oneself. Person-centred theory reminds us that emotions are not disruptions to growth, they are guides. When emotional experience is honoured rather than optimised away, individuals regain access to authenticity, self-direction, and meaningful change.   4. Why acceptance, not pressure, is the foundation of real change The majority of people assume that change requires pressure: stricter discipline, greater effort, stronger motivation. From a person-centred perspective, this assumption is fundamentally flawed. Pressure may produce short-term compliance, but it rarely leads to meaningful or sustainable change. Carl Rogers observed that individuals move toward growth not when they are pushed, but when they feel psychologically safe. Acceptance, particularly unconditional positive self-regard, creates the conditions in which people can explore themselves honestly, without fear of failure or rejection. In this space, defensiveness softens, self-awareness deepens, and natural growth becomes possible. Paradoxically, it is often when individuals stop trying to change themselves that genuine growth begins. When worth is no longer contingent on performance, people can listen inwardly and respond to their real needs rather than imposed expectations. Change that emerges from acceptance is not forced or frantic, it is integrated, self-directed, and aligned.   5. Reclaiming growth without self-abandonment A person-centred critique of hustle culture is not a rejection of development, ambition, or achievement. It is a rejection of the idea that growth must come at the expense of the self. When worth is tied to productivity and improvement becomes an obligation, growth loses its vitality and becomes another form of self-surveillance. Reclaiming growth begins with a shift in authority from external standards to internal experience. From comparison to curiosity. From pressure to presence. The person-centred approach reminds us that individuals already possess an innate capacity for direction, meaning, and development when they are allowed to listen inwardly without judgement. This kind of growth is quieter and less performative. It respects limits. It allows rest to be meaningful rather than strategic. It honours emotional truth rather than overriding it in the name of progress. Most importantly, it does not require individuals to fragment themselves in order to succeed. In a culture that continually asks people to become someone else, reclaiming growth means choosing to become more fully oneself. Not faster. Not better. But more congruent, more alive, and more at home within. That is not the end of growth, it is where it truly begins. Note: This article draws on themes explored in greater depth in my book, “The Person-Centred Approach: A Modern Return to Carl Rogers’ Theory” exclusive on Amazon .   Follow me on  Facebook ,  Instagram , and LinkedIn  for more info! Read more from Aleksandra Tsenkova Aleksandra Tsenkova, Psychotherapist, Author, Speaker Aleksandra Tsenkova supports individuals on their healing journey by integrating Person-Centred therapy, coaching, and DBT. She helps people process emotional pain, recover from trauma, and rebuild inner trust to step into their confidence. With a deep belief in each person’s capacity for growth, she creates space for powerful self-discovery and lasting transformation. Her work is grounded in a passion for empowering others to reclaim their voice and unlock their potential. Through her writing, Aleksandra invites readers into meaningful conversations about healing, resilience, and personal freedom.

Written by Leonie Blackwell, Naturopath, Author & Teacher Leonie Blackwell is the founder of Empowered Tapping® and a naturopath with over 30 years' experience in emotional wellbeing. She trains practitioners globally and empowers individuals through her Bwell Institute and personal growth community, the Tappers Tribe. Have you ever had the realisation that if the people in your life had been able to sit in their own vulnerability, your world would have been very different? Sit with that thought for just a moment. Imagine if they had been able to own their insecurity instead of masking it with criticism. Acknowledge their jealousy instead of undermining you. Or sit with their discomfort instead of shouting at you. Imagine the difference in your life. Their avoidance might not have compounded your experience of heartache and pain. Instead, you were left to navigate not only your pain, but also the unspoken, unprocessed emotions of those around you. Their unwillingness to feel their feelings became your burden to carry.   The cost of avoiding vulnerability Most people are never taught to sit with vulnerability. Instead, they learn to avoid it, swallow it, project it, or disguise it. Vulnerability is labelled as weakness, something shameful that must be hidden at all costs. Yet the truth is this: avoiding vulnerability doesn’t make it disappear. It leaks out. It turns into blame, control, rejection, denial, and dismissal. It erupts in passive-aggressive comments, cold silences, or disproportionate reactions. For trauma survivors, this avoidance is especially devastating. It invalidates their pain. It creates isolation. It doubles the weight they already carry.   The difference between projection and presence When we avoid vulnerability, we project it. We make someone else responsible for what we are unwilling to face in ourselves. When we own vulnerability, we move into presence. We feel the insecurity, fear, jealousy, overwhelm, or discomfort, and we let it be ours to hold, without spewing it outward. Presence transforms vulnerability from something hurtful into something connective. It opens the door to empathy, compassion, and truth. Learning to sit with your vulnerability and choosing to act with compassion and empathy for the reality you are facing strengthens relationships. Imagine if more people did the same, the ripple effects would be enormous.   Vulnerability in action Owning vulnerability doesn’t mean wallowing in it or making it someone else’s problem. It means being willing to name what’s true in the moment: “I feel insecure right now.” “This situation is triggering uncomfortable feelings within me.” “I notice I’m feeling jealous.” These admissions, simple as they seem, change the dynamic completely. They remove the mask. They turn defensiveness into dialogue. They soften walls into bridges. When we acknowledge vulnerability in ourselves, we permit others to do the same. That exchange is where intimacy, trust, and healing grow.   Why vulnerability feels so hard We avoid vulnerability because it feels dangerous. For many, past experiences have reinforced the message that showing feelings leads to ridicule, rejection, or abandonment. So, we protect ourselves by staying on the surface. But this “protection” is costly. It keeps us disconnected. It makes us reactive instead of responsive. It drives wedges where we most crave closeness. Ironically, the very thing we fear being hurt becomes more likely when we refuse to sit with what we truly feel.   The hidden power of vulnerability Vulnerability isn’t the enemy. It’s the birthplace of authenticity. It’s the seed of empathy. It’s the pathway to compassion. If the people in your life had been willing to sit in their vulnerability, you may have felt more supported through your experiences. But their avoidance also teaches a deeper truth: you get to choose how you act. No matter how others behave, you can choose not to abandon your own feelings and not to project them onto others. Instead, you can choose presence. You can meet your vulnerability with honesty, and from there act with compassion. It’s a two-way street. Self-compassion and compassion for others improve everyone’s sense of self.   Moving from projection to presence If you want to begin practising this shift, here are a few gentle starting points: Pause before reacting. Notice the emotion rising in you, is it fear, jealousy, insecurity, overwhelm, or discomfort? Name it silently before you act. Own the “I.” Instead of deflecting with blame (“You make me feel small”), try “I’m feeling insecure right now.” Sit with the feeling. Let the emotion exist without trying to fix it, avoid it, or project it. Vulnerability loses its sting when we make room for it. Choose compassion. Once you’ve acknowledged your vulnerability, ask: How can I respond with empathy for both myself and the other person?   In closing If more of us sat with our own vulnerability instead of avoiding it, our relationships, communities, and workplaces would be profoundly different. Individuals would feel supported rather than dismissed. Connections would deepen. Trust would grow. The hidden power of vulnerability is this: when we move from projection to presence, we don’t just change our own lives, we change the world we touch. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Leonie Blackwell Leonie Blackwell, Naturopath, Author & Teacher Leonie Blackwell is a leader in emotional wellness, with over 30 years of experience as a naturopath and educator. She is the creator of Empowered Tapping® and founder of the Bwell Institute, offering accredited practitioner training and transformational personal development. Leonie has worked with thousands of clients, trained hundreds of students, and taught internationally, including trauma recovery programs for refugees. Her published works include Making Sense of the Insensible, The Box of Inner Secrets, and Accessing Your Inner Secrets. She is passionate about helping others live with authenticity, purpose, and joy.

Written by Paula Miles, BACP-Registered Psychotherapist Paula Miles is a psychotherapist, BACP-registered, who helps people navigating anxiety, stress, and burnout. Drawing from her own experience in high-pressure corporate roles, and childhood trauma she offers a grounded, compassionate space for root-cause emotional change. Every January, the same pattern shows up among high-performing professionals. It’s not a lack of ambition or direction, it’s the quiet exhaustion of carrying work stress into every part of their life. New goals are set, calendars fill up again, and yet something feels off. What’s missing isn’t discipline or motivation. It's emotional capacity: the internal resource that makes change sustainable. When productivity keeps working, but you don’t Many people enter the new year still functioning well on the surface. They meet deadlines, lead teams, solve problems, and stay responsive. From the outside, all looks as it should be. Internally, however, the system may be under strain. This is often where confusion begins. If productivity is still happening and everything looks “fine”, how can burnout be present? The answer is simple and uncomfortable: productivity can continue long after emotional capacity has been depleted. In fact, high performers are often the last to notice the cost, precisely because they are so capable of pushing through. Emotional capacity: What it actually looks like Emotional capacity isn’t a vague emotional concept. It shows up in very practical ways. It’s the ability to make decisions without feeling overwhelmed by them. It’s having enough internal space to respond thoughtfully instead of reacting sharply. It’s finishing the workday with enough energy left to be present in your own life. When emotional capacity is low, people often describe feeling mentally cluttered, easily irritated, or somehow detached. Small tasks feel heavier than they should. Rest doesn’t restore, it just pauses the pressure briefly before it returns. This isn’t a personal failing. It’s a sign that the system has been running without replenishment. Why January is a high-risk month for burnout January is often framed as a fresh start, but for many professionals, it’s the moment when pressure quietly resumes before recovery has taken place. The pace picks up, expectations reset, and the internal message is clear: it’s time to perform again. This is why burnout doesn’t always peak in December. It often emerges in the early months of the year, when people are expected to operate at full capacity without having rebuilt it. Anxiety increases, focus slips, and the sense of being “behind” appears early. Pushing harder at this stage doesn’t create momentum, it accelerates depletion. The hidden pattern behind emotional exhaustion A recurring pattern among high-achieving professionals is the role of being “the reliable one.” The person who absorbs pressure, anticipates problems, and keeps things moving. Over time, this role becomes an identity. The cost of this identity is rarely visible at first. Emotional strain is postponed. Signals are ignored. Stress is normalised. Eventually, emotional capacity becomes the silent casualty, not because life is too demanding, but because there is no space to process what those demands require internally. This is why changing jobs, roles, or routines often doesn’t solve the problem. The external structure shifts, but the internal pattern remains. From awareness to real reset Awareness alone doesn’t restore emotional capacity. Knowing that you are exhausted doesn’t automatically create space, clarity, or relief. A real reset involves changing how pressure is metabolised internally, not just how life is organised externally. This means paying attention to how often the mind stays in problem-solving mode. It means recognising when productivity is being used to avoid discomfort rather than serve meaningful goals. And it means allowing space for reflection, which is something many high performers have trained themselves to bypass. Emotional capacity grows when there is room to think, feel, and pause without immediately needing to perform. Redefining a successful start to the year A meaningful reset asks a different question than most New Year plans: How much can I hold without losing myself in the process? Success, viewed this way, isn’t about doing less or achieving less. It’s about operating from a place where decisions feel grounded, boundaries feel possible, and life doesn’t require constant self-override. When emotional capacity is restored, productivity becomes steadier, not louder. Focus improves. Relationships feel less strained. And progress stops feeling like survival. A different kind of reset The real reset for the new year isn’t another system, strategy, or productivity tool. It’s rebuilding the internal capacity that allows those tools to work without costing you. If the year is starting with a sense of pressure rather than possibility, that’s not a sign to try harder. It’s information. And listening to it may be the most productive decision you make. Paula Miles is a humanistic psychotherapist who works with professionals navigating stress, burnout, and emotional overload. You can learn more about her work via her website. Follow me on Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Paula Miles Paula Miles, BACP-Registered Psychotherapist Paula Miles is a BACP-registered psychotherapist working with anxiety, burnout, and high-functioning stress. With a background in demanding corporate environments, and having grown up in a critical, emotionally unavailable, and neglectful family, she learned early to carry the pressure of being the “good,” capable, strong, and always-okay one in every relationship. She deeply understands the experience of performing while feeling depleted inside, broken, or like a failure. Paula transformed her own pain into a vocation, she supports clients in over eight countries, offering a deeply human space where people can understand their emotions, reconnect with themselves, and find a root-cause relief from the patterns that keep them overwhelmed.