Written by: Olesya Oligradska, 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. Most of the world sees sales as a sleazy, pushy, & manipulative. I see sales as an opportunity to serve the world. I’m not sure where or when the disconnect started to happen, but I am on a mission to fill the gap. One of the biggest reasons I started my podcast, The Soulful Selling Podcast, was because I was tired of seeing ambition people turning down incredible opportunities due to the fact that they didn’t want to sell. But the truth is that it’s not sales that turned people away. It’s the fear of rejection. In this article, I will be sharing my 7 secrets to making sales with unwavering confidence because when we are confident in what we do, we are able to put the fear of rejection aside and flourish. So let’s begin! Secrets No.1 Leaders are Readers It’s our responsibility to fill our minds with information that is going to help expect our perspective. When we expand our perspective, we are more open to new opportunities and possibilities. This is such an overlooked point. Picture this, what if you read 1 book per month. That’s 12 books per year and 120 books per decade. Imagine the kind of resource you would become not only for yourself, but for the people around you. What are you reading these days? I would love for you to share it! Post on your Instagram story & tag me @olesyaoligradska. Secret No.2 Get Clear on Who Your Ideal Client is I see people feel a lot of resistance around this one. I think a bit part of it is that we feel if we are too neighed down that we will miss out on other business. But here is the truth…the more people you are speaking to through your marketing, the more people are confused about what you do, and the less they will buy. People want to buy from people who are an authority in their work. You wouldn’t have a heart surgeon operate on your brain, would you? So stop catering to all and start focusing on your ideal client. Here is a quick method to narrow down your ideal client: who are you serving, what are you helping them with, what transformation should they expect from your work together. I will use mine as an example: I help spiritual leaders rewire their beliefs so they can go from salesy to sales queens and build their soul-aligned empires. Now you try! Secret No.3 Always show up as your most authentic self I think this is where sales got its sleazy vibes. When we sell from a selfish place, we make it all about ourselves, and we forget about the person inform of us. We know that it is not coming from an authentic place, because if we were selling to the person we love, we would never sell from a selfish place. We would always be thinking about them and their needs. So how would you show up and sell if you were selling to your family or friends? Secret No.4 Create really good content This is where being clear about who you are here to serve is so important. When we know who we are speaking too, our content becomes magnetic. Your ideal client will start saying things like “You are speaking to my soul”. So, teach us your biggest lessons and be as vulnerable as you possibly can. It’s the most valuable tool in our toolbox. Create magnetic FREE content that will speak to your ideal client’s soul. This will help them get to know you and eventually want to buy from you. I also want you to use your social media to educate, inspire, and connect to your ideal client! Let them get to know you! We all know people buy from people they KNOW, LIKE, and TRUST! Secret No.5 You need to be on your own healing journey, so you can help others do the same The biggest thing most new entrepreneurs miss is that they must rewire their old programming around all aspects of their lives in order to create the business of their dreams. For us to be able to do this, we must heal the part of us that holds us back from taking the actions in our business that we know we need to. For example, fear of rejection is one of those wounds we must heal. We must dig deep and uncover where these limiting beliefs come from; otherwise, we will be holding ourselves back until we do. So, take a deep look at your beliefs about money, business, success, relationships and self. What do you believe to be true for you? Take some time to do this and reflect back on which beliefs will help you to expect and which ones are holding you back from growing in your business. For the ones that you feel are holding you back, can you rewire them? What new beliefs would you want to embody that will help you to feel expensive. For me, when I think of sales, I don’t think sleazy. I think service. That feels super expansive and empowering! So which ones are you ready to rewire? Secret No.6 Always put the customer first One of the biggest beliefs I have embodied is that relationships with my ideal clients come before the sale. Remember, people buy from people they KNOW, LIKE, and TRUST. So does your ideal client know you? Do you know them? Have you made a connection that will get them excited about getting to know you and what you have to offer? Again, we are going back to knowing your ideal client and their needs. When you get to a place where this feels as comfortable as riding a bike, you have yourself a thriving business! Secret No.7 Drop the expectation and go out and SERVE! When we stop seeing people as dollar signs and start focusing on the transformation, we can guide them to; the sky is the limit in our business. I think a lot of the time, we get so excited about our business's sales and forget to celebrate the journey we are about the take our new clients on. On the other hand, we also need to understand that not everyone will want to buy from us, and that is totally okay! We must also embody the belief that just because people aren't buying from us doesn't mean we are not enough or worth it. We are enough! We are worthy! We just have to get clear on who we want to work with and hold a crystal clear vision that if we speak from the heart and make the sale about the other person, we will always be supported! In summary, confidence comes from believing in yourself and your abilities. It also comes with the belief that what you are selling with help to solve the world so fill your head with expansive content, get clear on who your ideal client is. Always show up as your most authentic self, create really good content, emerge yourself in your healing journey, always put the customer first, and drop the expectations so you can go out and serve! Follow me on Instagram and visit my podcast on Apple or Spotify. For more information please visit my website. Read more from Olesya! Olesya Oligradska, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Olesya Oligradska is an exercise rehab specialist turned business and mindset mentor. Her passion lies in helping women rewire their beliefs and reclaim their worth so they can sell and growth their business with confidence. She is on a mission to help women build a life of freedom and choice through holistic growth inside and out. She is also the host of The Soulful Selling Podcast, a platform where sales is no longer a dirty word and abundance gets to be the new norm.

Written by: Melissa Gamarra, 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. Did you know that [1] 20% of small businesses fail in their first year, 30% of small businesses fail in their second year, 50% of small businesses fail after five years in business, and 70% of small business owners fail in their 10th year in business? This is a statistic that will send chills down the spine of any business owner because for most of us, our businesses are like our children! The thought of losing your business for any reason is a terrible one, but what if the reason you lose your business is because you fail to meet demand? Businesses don't fail in year five or ten because they don't have clients. They fail because their operations aren't functioning the way they should. Having a solid foundation in your business is absolutely crucial if you want to stand the test of time. So how do you prepare your business for long term growth and ensure that you don't become part of the statistic above? The answer is simple, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). This may seem like an overly simplistic answer, but SOPs are one of the most commonly forgotten steps when building an online company. So What are SOPs? SOPs or Standard Operating Procedures are the step by step instructions for each individual task inside your business. These documents tell your staff exactly how to complete specific tasks, maintain quality and what is expected of them. These SOPs also help you onboard and train new hires with ease because everything is clearly laid out for them. Imagine you purchase a piece of furniture from Amazon. It gets to your door, you open it up, take all the pieces out only to discover that there are no instructions for how to put this together. All you have to go off of is the picture and your intuition. Most likely what will happen is you will have a poorly constructed piece of furniture that leans to one side and is missing some screws. This is exactly what happens in your business when staff members don’t have clearly outlined instructions to follow. Why are SOPs Vital to Your Success? You might think that you already have a well-trained team working for you, and it’s completely possible. The issue is, [2] the average person forgets nearly 50% of what they have been told. More than likely, you have experienced this in your life and what happens when you forget? Oftentimes you will “figure it out” or ask the person in charge. This leads to steps being missed, incorrect instructions being given and a lack of continuity when it comes to the work your company puts out. Quality is absolutely key when it comes to owning a business. If you can’t guarantee the quality of your work because your team doesn’t have the proper instructions, your business is likely to implode. Clients and customers want to know that they can rely on you, so whether your social media is suffering from inconsistency or your client’s work is having issues, if the problem isn’t fixed, your customer base will leave. Another reason why SOPs are so important is for training purposes. Hiring, onboarding and training is a huge drain on your time. With SOPs you simply need to show the new hire your systems, give them your passwords and the SOPs. These instructions should be so detailed that it leaves no room for guesswork. This is why they are so effective at helping you train people the right way and make sure quality is never compromised. So Where Do I Start? Creating instructions for your entire company probably seems like a giant task you could never finish. But this process is actually easier than you think! Start by downloading this free SOP template. This template has instructions for how to fill it out, and your first SOP should be the SOP for how you will create future SOPs. Make a copy of the template and start writing out the instructions for how to create an SOP. This is what your team will follow when they document their own tasks and you want everything to look the same. After you have done this, start by creating SOPs for the people you are looking to hire. This will get you one step closer to expanding your team and will help the onboarding process go smoothly. After you have completed those, have your existing team create SOPs for their tasks, and you create SOPs for everything you do. These don’t need to be done in a day, but they need to get done! Other Problems in Your Foundation There are a lot of moving pieces inside of a business that keeps it functioning day in and day out. While having SOPs is absolutely essential, it’s not the only thing you might be experiencing issues with. Things like a lack of organization, improper systems, and not delegating tasks accordingly can all be really serious issues. If you are looking to really prepare yourself for the next step in your business, check out my book, Transform Your Online Business into a Flourishing Enterprise. This book goes over exactly how to prepare your business for growth and stability over time so that YOU don’t become another statistic. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and connect with me on LinkedIn! Read more from Melissa! Melissa Gamarra, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Melissa Gamarra is a Certified Online Business Manager and Author living in Salt Lake City. She helps online business owners create organization and business strategies so they can scale their companies effortlessly Citations: [1] BLS.gov. “Table 7. Survival of private sector establishments by opening year“ [2] “10 Stats About Learning Retention You'll Want to Forget.” Instructure. Accessed October 9, 2020.

Written by: Brooklynn Bradley-LaFleur, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. When I first started out as a small business owner, I honestly had no idea what I was doing. I was thrown into it as the result of a small family matter and had no plan, no goals, and no ambition because my goal was to work for my aunt and be good at my job. Now, I want to share my story with other small business entrepreneurs to help them pass through as many struggle stages as I can in order to get them on the right track. 1. Posting First, I start with Facebook. When I go to post a product, I may mention the name of the product, a general representation of what said product is used for, then I decorate the post with emojis to get attention, add some hashtags and tag the company along with anyone else involved in what I am talking about. The key is organically maximizing your exposure. After It is officially posted, I go back into the comments and post different pictures of the same product, benefits of the product, price and maybe personal testimony. I tend to change it up. Whatever inspiration comes to me. I keep it genuine and honest. Always respond to everyone who comments. It boosts the algorithm/impressions of your post. If its being “loved” Facebook will love it too! After I am done with those steps, I copy the caption of my photo and share it to all of the groups/pages I personally own. Including Pinterest. Second, I head on over to Instagram. I put each product I posted at that time into my stories (make sure your Instagram stories are connected to your Facebook stories to maximize efficiency and save time). I’m a little pickier when it comes to posting on my IG wall, but I apply the same posting techniques that I use for my Facebook posts. 2. Consistency I cannot say this enough…. Whatever you choose to do for your business (posting, videos, business hours, etc) BE CONSISTENT!! When I first started, I would make like one post per week and it would get no attention. I didn’t post more than that because I thought it wasn’t working and it was very discouraging. Little did I know if I had just kept it up, even though no one was engaging with me, I would be leaps further than I am now. You have to post every day. You have to be consistent. Different people see your posts each day. 3. Engage It is also important to spend a little bit of time each day scrolling through your feed (any feed) and engaging in other people’s posts. What I mean by that is, comment on their pictures/posts, like, love and share. Subscribe to and follow them. You may think, “How is taking time out of working on my business to comment on people’s pictures going to help my business?” Well, that’s easy. People love to support and lift each other up. Especially if they see you are like-minded or willing to support them. That helps get you in front of their audience and helps the impressions of your posts. 4. Events Participating in local events, or hosting your own, are a great way to help spread the word of your new business. Once you decide what event, promote it every day through your social media, local newspapers, local chamber of commerce/tourism. Make sure you have cute marketing created for your event. You can partner with other small businesses to get even more exposure to your event. 5. Giveaways Giveaways are a great tool when trying to grow your audience on a platform. I am currently doing a Facebook giveaway. I partnered with the women in my company to put a really nice goodie basket together with products and gift certificates. To enter the drawing, they have to follow our Facebook page, share our giveaway post, and comment WIN on the original post. I know most of you are familiar with that type of giveaway, but sometimes it gets overlooked when it comes to our own brand. I have grown several thousand followers just by doing that. The cost is minimal but the exposure is excellent. 6. Networking In the last year, I have started engaging with like-minded entrepreneur groups and I wish I would have done this from the beginning. The people you connect with in groups similar to your niche are irreplaceable. Everything from professional advice all the way to finding people to collaborate with. Follow the Facebook pages/groups, YouTubes, Pinterest, Blogs, Instagrams, etc of people similar to your brand. Study them. Apply it to your brand. It helps tremendously as you navigate your niche. There are people out there who would love to connect... NOW GO FIND THEM! 7. Branding One thing I never even considered when I started my business was branding. I never thought of myself as having a “brand”. That wasn’t even in my thought process. One day about two years ago, it hit me like a ton of bricks. Holy S*** I HAVE A WHOLE BRAND... and it’s REALLY good! Create a clean, easy to read logo people can recognize right away and associate it with your brand. You want to use that logo across all social media and marketing. Make sure when someone sees your logo, they can tell right away what the name of your business is and what you do. Not only will it help you with any networking/marketing it will also make you more professional. 8. Believing in what you are selling Honestly, I struggle with this constantly. Not because I don’t believe in what I am doing/selling, but because it’s me and I let my anxiety trump my confidence sometimes. Don’t fall into this trap. “Listen woman! You know what you are doing. You are making a difference. Keep going. You’ve got this!” Don’t let small-minded people or skeptics hold you back; don’t be one of those people.g yourself) tell you what you are doing Isn’t good. I am a small business owner from a small town and sometimes I feel like it holds me back. I have to really give myself a pep talk about it. Like, “Listen woman! You know what you are doing. You are making a difference. Keep going. You’ve got this!” Just because you aren’t from a big city or just because you are starting out, doesn’t mean you don’t have a good thing going. Don’t let small-minded people or skeptics hold you back; don’t be one of those people. 9. Personal Testimony In this day and time, we are sick of the facades. We are trying to sift through what is real and what is fake. It is so important to let your followers know who you really are. They need to be able to trust you; connect with you. In order to establish trust, it is important to get down to the real, raw version of ourselves. No, we do not have to put every inch of our lives on social media, I surely don’t, but in order for them to relate to you, give them personal testimony. Let them know you have been there, done that, and are a regular person with struggles, fears, and accomplishments. 10. Consistency I know I have already talked about consistency, but I am bringing it back because it is probably the MOST important point I will make in this whole article. I have been in business for about 10 years and would be a lot further along if I had just known to be consistent. It really is discouraging when you make a post and no one cares, but you have to build your audience and that takes time. Patience… something my dad has been barking at me my whole life. Something I have yet to be good at… Find a posting schedule that works for you. I get up early and do all of my posting then spend the rest of my day responding/engaging/networking and marketing. Keep moving forward. Even if you feel like you are the only one noticing. I truly hope this helps other small business owners who are starting out in their business. If I had only known a few of these things 10 years ago, I would be much further along. For more info, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube-Channel and visit my website! Brooklynn Bradley-LaFleur, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Bradley-LaFleur is the CEO & Founder of Brooklynn Three. Brooklynn Three is the parent company of Salon Rouge Spa, LaFleur Couture Wellness Boutique and This Beautiful Tripp Blog. Our mission is to help people transform their lives from the inside out by offering a variety of holistic based and safe products from makeup, vitamins and cleaning supplies all the way to a wide variety of spa services. We host a web series every Monday morning to help answer questions and connect people everywhere with the products and services that best serve them and their families. On Friday mornings, we provide store shopping lives to conveniently shop everything in our store from the comfort of your own home. We ship and are happy to provide in house or over the phone consultations to find the best plan for you!

Written by Barbara Cox, Guest Writer We all feel blue from time to time, and these 10 health habits can play an important role in helping us lift our mood and improve our outlook on life. So, who am I to make such a statement? I’m Barbara Cox, nutritionist for over 25 years and I have worked with almost 24 000 clients. I have seen many styles of mental health issues from anxiety, eating disorders, deep manic depression to panic attacks. I also have my 23-year-old daughter with autism and anxiety is part of her daily symptoms. So I have some great experience that might help. 1. Eat a Variety of food Not only does a healthy diet help control your waistline, but smarter food choices may also help ward off symptoms of depression. The best nutritional plan to prevent depression is likely to be a varied diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, and foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. While you increase these healthy foods, cut down on the processed and pre-packaged foods you eat, according to dietary recommendations for depression published in August 2015 in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience. 2. Stay Hydrated Every system in the human body counts on water to function, and the brain is no exception. In fact, about 75 percent of brain tissue is water. Research has linked dehydration to depression and anxiety because mental health is driven primarily by your brain’s activity. Long story short, dehydration causes brain functioning to slow down and not function properly. It is important to think of water as a nutrient your brain needs. Dehydration Saps Your Brain’s Energy. Dehydration impedes energy production in your brain. Many of your brain’s functions require this type of energy, otherwise it can become inefficient and can even shut down. The resulting mood disorders that result from this type of dysfunction can be categorized with depression. Dehydration impedes your brain’s serotonin production.  Depression is frequently related to subpar levels of serotonin, which is a critical neurotransmitter that heavily affects your mood. Serotonin is created from the amino acid tryptophan, but sufficient water is needed. Dehydration can also negatively impact other amino acids, resulting in feelings of dejection, inadequacy, anxiety, and irritability. Dehydration increases stress in your body.  Stress is one of the most prominent contributing factors to depression, along with a sense of powerlessness and inability to cope with stressors. Dehydration is the number one cause of stress in your body. In fact, it’s a self-perpetuating cycle: dehydration can cause stress, and stress can cause dehydration. When you’re stressed, your adrenal glands produce extra cortisol, the stress hormone, and under chronic stress, your adrenal glands can become exhausted, and resulting in lower electrolyte levels. Drinking sufficient water can help reduce the negative psychological and physiological impacts of stress, so aim for 1.5L to 2L a day. 3. Essential Fatty Acids Growing evidence suggests that omega-3 fatty acids (abundant in oily fish such as sardines, salmon, and mackerel) may have a role in brain functioning, with deficiencies in omega-3 fatty acids linked to mental health problems. Healthy brains and nerve cells depend on omega-3s because the nervous system is made mostly of fat. The signals that travel through our flesh so feelings, thoughts, commands to our bodies usually skip along cells and their arms sheathed in fat. Omega-3 essential fatty acids are one of the basic building blocks of the brain. ​ Brain cell membranes are about 20 percent fatty acids and they seem to be crucial for keeping brain signals moving smoothly. Doctors call this class of fat "essential" because, unlike many nutrients, our bodies cannot produce it. We can get it only from very specific parts of our diet. 4. Maintain a healthy flow of calories Spinach and other green vegetables contain the B vitamin folate. Although the connection isn't fully understood, low folate levels have been consistently associated with depression in research. A study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research in 2017, for instance, analyzed previous studies and found that people with depression had lower blood levels of folate and lower dietary intake of folate compared to those without depression. Folate deficiency may impair the metabolism of serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline (neurotransmitters important for mood), but further research is needed to understand the role of folate in depression and mental health. Several studies have found that greater vegetable and fruit consumption is associated with a decreased risk of depression. One study published in 2017 found that a beverage made from wild blueberries increased positive mood in children and young adults. Consumption of a probiotic supplement was found to improve both gut symptoms and depression in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), according to a study published in Gastroenterology in 2017. 5. Think Positive How to think positive thoughts: Positive thinking can be achieved through a few different techniques that have been proven effective, such as positive self-talk and positive imagery. Here are some tips to get you started that can help you train your brain how to think positively. "Challenging situations and obstacles are a part of life. When you’re faced with one, focus on the good things no matter how small or seemingly insignificant they seem." Practicing gratitude has been shown to reduce stress, improve self-esteem, and foster resilience even in very difficult times. Think of people, moments, or things that bring you some kind of comfort or happiness and try to express your gratitude at least once a day. This can be thanking a co-worker for helping with a project, a loved one for washing the dishes, or your dog for the unconditional love they give you. Start every day on a positive note. Create a ritual in which you start off each day with something uplifting and positive. Here are a few ideas: - Tell yourself that it’s going to be a great day or any other positive affirmation. - Listen to a happy and positive song or playlist. - Share some positivity by giving a compliment or doing something nice for someone. Focus on the good things Challenging situations and obstacles are a part of life. When you’re faced with one, focus on the good things no matter how small or seemingly insignificant they seem. If you look for it, you can always find the proverbial silver lining in every cloud — even if it’s not immediately obvious. SAYING: You Are The Average Of The Five People You Spend The Most Time With The people we surround ourselves with are the biggest influence on our behavior, attitudes, and results. Who you are around — what they’ve got you thinking, saying, doing, and becoming — sets the course of your life. In the words of motivational speaker Jim Rohn: “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” The people you spend the most time with shape who you are. They determine what conversations dominate your attention. They affect to which attitudes and behaviors you are regularly exposed. Eventually you start to think like they think and behave like they behave. 6. Smile The saying goes: "Life is like a mirror, smile at it and it smiles back at you" They say it takes more muscles to frown than to smile, and although there’s no hard evidence to support that, we do know that smiling comes with some real-life benefits. It’s not always the easiest thing to do, especially after a long and stressful day. But if you can take it upon yourself to crack a smile, you’ll actually feel better. Smiling can trick your brain into happiness — and boost your health. A smile spurs a powerful chemical reaction in the brain that can make you feel happier. 7. Exercise People who exercise regularly have fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety than those who don't. Grab your yoga mat, and make yoga your new BFF and favorite mood-boosting exercise to get your mind and body centered. ​ Yoga is such an amazing form of exercise that really helps you relax and also helps stretch out those tired and sore muscles at the same time. Studies have even found that yoga may help reduce feelings of anxiety and depression. So, if you’re feeling tense, get your yoga flow on. To increase the benefits, try exercising outside. Both aerobic exercise (such as walking, cycling or running) and strength training (such as weight lifting) can help treat depression. Get More Vitamin and Exercise OUTSIDE Known as the sunshine vitamin, this nutrient is made naturally in the body when skin is exposed to the sun's ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. In the past few years, research has suggested that vitamin D may increase the levels of serotonin, one of the key neurotransmitters influencing our mood, and that deficiency may be linked with mood disorders, particularly seasonal affective disorder. In addition, preliminary research suggests that vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for depression in older adults. Some people are at greater risk for a vitamin D deficiency. Darker skin, for instance, has more melanin, a substance that blocks ultraviolet rays. Working indoors during the day, living further from the equator, or being in an area with greater air pollution also increase your risk of vitamin D deficiency. 8. Try Aromatherapy Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts. They serve many medical purposes, from acting as a natural mosquito repellent to reducing back and neck pain. However, some people use them to support lifting moods in a positive way. Try some on the market ready-made blends that are safe to use for your desired results. Please only use 100% essential oils and blends as some cheaply manufactured oils may contain alcohol which can irritate your senses more. 9. Balance Your Hormones Your hormones are little chemical messengers that tell your body to do certain processes. When they are out of balance it can have a knock-on effect on all areas of your health; physical, emotional and mental, and your mood is a very common one to be affected. Anxiety, depression, low mood, and mood swings are all symptoms of imbalances in your thyroid, adrenal, and sex hormones. Your hormones are little chemical messengers that tell your body to do certain processes. When they are out of balance it can have a knock-on effect on all areas of your health; physical, emotional, and mental, and your mood is a very common one to be affected. Anxiety, depression, low mood, and mood swings are all symptoms of imbalances in your thyroid, adrenal, and sex hormones. Eat a diet rich with real, natural whole foods. Focusing on proteins, healthy fats, fruit, and vegetables to give our bodies all the vitamins and minerals it needs to function optimally. 10. Sleep Well Getting enough sleep, and the right type of sleep is vital for our overall health and wellbeing. While you sleep, your body works to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health. And for children and young people, sleep is how their bodies and minds grow and develop. When you do not get enough sleep, you feel tired, you find it hard to concentrate and remember things and you may be grumpy. Lack of sleep can also impair your judgment and impact your physical coordination. So not getting enough sleep affects the way you feel, think, work, learn and get along with other people. This great “toolbox” will give you ideas to pull out when you’re not feeling 100%, but my ethos is “Protect & Correct” so if you start to use these methods now, chances are the mental health symptoms will improve, the length between “episodes” will be longer and the “episode” won’t be a long or severe. If you’re looking to put a wellness program together for yourself, your business/company, or a loved one, then please let me help. My details are: www.barbaracox.me barbara@bcnutrition.co.uk or connect on LinkedIn & Instagram Barbara Cox, Guest Writer Inspired by food and health whilst living in Japan I trained as a nutritionist and set up Nutrichef in the UK in 2004. Since then we've been creating healthy meal plans for busy people who want to lose weight, maintain a healthy lifestyle or achieve fitness goals. Nutrichef was sold in March 2015 and I set up BC Nutrition to continue consulting businesses on implementing strategies to improve productivity and consult individuals on health-related issues. My work has enabled me to contribute to books including The Motorsport Fitness Manual and Teach Yourself Aromatherapy; trek 100 miles in the Sahara Desert for Help For Heroes, speak to a wide range of audiences about their health and well-being and be involved with some fantastic organizations such as the Porsche Human Performance Centre and the Sanchez-Casal Tennis Academy in Barcelona, Ariix in Europe and EgoStream Performance Centre in the EU. In 2015 I launched my first cookbook Rainbow Recipes and present globally on healthy eating and then In 2018 I launched my second cookbook and first e-book called Eat To Be Fit. I currently run global Corporate wellness programs that inspire, educate and motivate people to work in peak performance mode.

Written by: Morgaan Eastes, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. There is more to feeding yourself than meets the stomach... Listen, I am not here to tell you how to eat. Today, I am not here to talk about food, at all. So, what am I talking about? We are in a constant state of consumption. We are essentially “eating” all day with our senses. Constantly consuming our environment through sight, sound, touch, and thought, which has an impact on our overall health and well-being. We concentrate a large amount of our daily energy on our food-related needs, negating the other two bodies that also need nourishing. Three bodies??? Oh, yes... we have three bodies that need nourishing: Physical body Mind body Spirit body In our over-focus on food, we forget all the simple and wonderful ways to nourish ourselves wholly. We forget that a hammock, a fire, and a clear, night sky full of stars can be as spiritually healing and rejuvenating as church. Or that lying on our bed with a book and our favorite lofi tunes can be as mentally stimulating as a day at school or work. These are personal preferences, sub your own. If any or all of these bodies are undernourished, the effects will show up in all aspects of your life, from your relationships to your physical body's movement. Here are 5 ways to nourish your senses, starting today… Relationships: Seek out relationships with people that make you feel good about yourself. Environment: Your environment affects your mood and energy. If you are in an office all day staring at a wall, then today, go to the park on your lunch, take off your shoes and just let your feet be in the grass and the breeze on your face. Thank me later. Connections: So much time is spent behind screens, yet it is so important for our spirits to make and nurture connections. Find a safe, socially distanced way to get out and meet new people, like joining a club or finding an online meetup for something you are passionate about. Sleep: This is crucial. If you are not getting the right amount of sleep for your body, your life will be hell, there is no way around it. Sleep allows all three bodies to heal and restore. Movement: Sparking your endorphins, making you feel energized, keeping the oxygen freely circulating through your system; movement makes you feel refreshed and alive. In my coaching practice, I help my clients realize there is more to life than food! I call the most important parts of our lives “THE BIG 5”-- they need as much love and attention as eating! If you are tired of feeling like your life is lacking excitement and meaning, and you want to find a way to feel nourished in all areas of your life, click HERE to schedule your 21-Day Recharge so I can help you feel more energized and alive than ever before! Morgaan Eastes, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Morgaan Eastes is a gifted writer with more than ten years of experience in the fields of health, nutrition, wellness, and plant medicine. Her trusted expertise is backed by her Health Coach certification from the renowned Health Coach Institute. Her Earthly duty and service to others is to help them gain clarity surrounding their health and wellness in a sea of contradictory science. Sometimes she's funny.

Written by: Kamladevi Sharma, 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. Young professionals face a unique challenge. We’re often caught among our elders' guidance, expectations of society, our inner critic, and our heart’s desires. Additionally, the values, vision and leadership at companies in the Corporate world play a significant role in the successful debut of a University graduate’s career. My story is not very different than any other young professional who did not know someone at the top to boycott the other levels. Fresh out of University and full of enthusiasm to apply my expertise, I was expected to start at the bottom of the hierarchy and climb my way up as everyone else did. It didn’t matter how long it took others. I was expected to endure the same. So, I started at the bottom but luckily for me, my boss found my qualifications impressive and appointed me the leader of a new project. With this, I was given space to do something different than the others and, I bloomed. However, it didn’t come without a naysayer or two. I’d never forget overhearing a colleague tell another, “This little girl has made us all look stupid. She came a few days ago and has already made big changes. We’ve been here for years.” For a highly sensitive introvert, it was a depressing experience for me. It dampened my spirit, and I couldn’t understand how someone could be so inauthentic- friendly and encouraging in my presence but threatened by my success. “This is life. That’s how people are. Don’t bother with them. They are jealous.” were the words an older colleague said to comfort me. However, the experience was more than “life” for me. It was my driver for change. Becoming a target for in-house competition and intuitively squashing the attempts to sabotage my work, I decided to defy expectations and change my experience to align with what I really wanted. In my heart, I knew that starting at the bottom, fighting unnecessary battles, and not knowing how long I’d be at the bottom or if there was any scope for growth, was not my ideal experience. So, I sought other opportunities and, I was given the highest leadership position at an institution. I kept growing thereon and as life happened, I adjusted to what was needed of me in the moment. Healed and revived from those challenges, here I am today- independent, super successful and, making a positive impact in people’s lives locally and internationally, with the support of an incredible family. Consequently, for professionals aiming to stand out in the Corporate environment, I encourage the following: 1. Continue vision building In our childhood, we dream of what we’d like to be when we grow up. Unconsciously, our likes and dislikes guide us in choosing the path that will lead us to realizing that dream. However, in our youthful years, we stop dreaming, and, we stop planning for the rest of our life. We get caught up with hormones and our changing roles. At this critical stage of our development, we must continue to build that vision of the rest of our life. Otherwise, the emotions, overwhelm and expectations lead our decision making and suppress our potential. We become the puppet who starts at the bottom and stays at the bottom for decades. 2. Get clear on your values and worthiness What is important to you in a company’s way of doing things, or what are your beliefs of what is right and wrong? Knowing your values from the onset of job hunting will help you align with a company representing these values. This way, you’ll be empowered to grow into a better version of yourself rather than deal with everyday conflict or upset when things are done differently than you expect. Further, knowing your worthiness, not from a domineering power stance but from a place of self-fulfillment and responsible decision making, can help you to communicate effectively with your boss and not low ball yourself in adding a satisfactory price tag to your time. 3. Build your confidence and resilience Do not be deluded. You will not be everyone’s cup of tea. Focusing on “what others will think and say” can be a huge suppressant to your confidence and belief in yourself. Build your confidence by speaking positively to yourself every day, in front of a mirror if possible and, embrace challenges. Developing your resilience towards challenges by accepting that the road to success is a bumpy ride that you are in full control over can help you to recover from rejection and disappointment faster. You have the power to recreate any of your experiences, so believe in yourself and unleash that power within. 4. Own your voice but remain open to learning I am an introvert that has low tolerance for people disempowering others with their words and actions. When you step up and step into your power to express yourself freely and authentically, growth takes place. Knowing how to communicate your thoughts and feelings by leaving others feeling inspired and empowered, is also a major factor in being seen and heard by those who can help you in your journey. Further, remaining open to learning makes you coachable and approachable, helping you build meaningful long-term beneficial relationships. 5. Hone your intuition and pursue windows of opportunities My intuition has never failed me, but I do not allow the guidance expressed to make me obsessive and isolated from reality. I work with it to help me think critically and problem solve in my most uncertain moments. I encourage young professionals to work on their intuitive abilities as well. This really helps you to be proactive more than reactive in life-changing situations. It also connects you to your magic within, which creates a magnetic pull for others to be interested in your gifts. Additionally, instead of thinking "That's not my job" or "I'm not being paid to do that", pursue any opportunity that allows you to do something different than the rest and, weave your magic. This could be your stepping stone for standing out, like it was for mine. As it is, the journey to standing out and showing up authentically is as difficult or as easy as you think and feel about it. You have a purpose to fulfill on this planet and only you can take inspired action to fulfill it with ease. For more information, join my Facebook-Community, follow me on Instagram and visit my website! Read more from Kamladevi! Kamladevi Sharma, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Kamladevi Sharma is an international speaker and teacher of work-life balance, a certified professional life coach and qualified business consultant. She helps entrepreneurs and people in management globally, including you, to eliminate burnout and, achieve balance in their personal and professional lives. Her dedication to achieving clarity, alignment and results for her clients, ensures that they can thrive and feel more fulfilled and successful in their life, career and/or business. Additionally, her expertise in mindset and personal development strategy has benefitted over 4000 professionals globally in personal growth and, over 250 businesses in jumping start a momentum for success in her signature momentum trainings at Revive. She has been featured on several podcast shows on various platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts and, the Guyana Times Sunday Magazine. Kamladevi holds a MBA in Business Administration from the University of Bradford, Bachelors in Social Psychology, Social Research and Business and, certificates in Professional Life Coaching and Counselling. Prior to co-founding Revive, she was magnificent in upper management positions in Guyana and lectured at several tertiary institutions there.

Written by: Alina Machita, 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. While they are many alternatives to keeping your mind and body healthy ranging from traditional wellness programs to disrupting new startups that promise to help you stay healthy and prevent medical debt, I’ll take it to a different level. The responses here range from the lessons I’ve learned to in-depth tips on how you can change your thinking to be the best person you can imagine.​ The reason most people fail to become masters of their Mind Power is because they don’t know how the Subconscious Mind thinks. Since our Mind Power comes from our Subconscious, it’s essential to know the differences between it and the conscious mind. Your subconscious mind contains your whole history from every lifetime. It contains all the reasons you do what you do and believe what you believe. If you can't seem to change your mind or make a change in life, the key will be held in the subconscious mind. The subconscious mind does not contain Truth (as in the infinite possibilities that are available to us and that anything is possible). Instead, it contains our version of the Truth, which, in fact, are our limitations. Everywhere we have made conclusions around an issue, we limit other possibilities because our conclusion tells us we are right and therefore, all else does not apply. When we challenge those conclusions as not being true, we open to another possibility. The subconscious mind will always gravitate to what it knows, not what is best for you. The mind likes known quantities. Unknowns are seen as scary to the subconscious mind because they can not calculate a known outcome with an unknown variable. This is why people tend to repeat the thoughts and behaviors that they know. They will stay in the same abusive relationship or always go down a familiar path because it is what they know and their mind understands the outcome. This is why to create change. You must override the mind and take a risk. To create change, you must allow for an unknown variable – something different that the mind is not yet aware of. One of my favorite sayings is "You don't know what you don't know." The mind thinks it knows everything. And, in a way, it does. It knows everything it knows. But it doesn't know everything that is possible. You can change the subconscious mind by asking questions. Questions allow for unknown variables and opens the mind to go seeking new answers. You just need to ask the right questions to get by the subconscious mind's walls. A question that allows for this is: "What else is possible that I have never yet considered?" With a question like this, the subconscious mind must automatically go searching for something unknown because it has already considered every possibility it is aware of. When we keep asking questions and stay in search of more questions, we are able to create more change in our lives. When we seek answers, we come to conclusions that limit the possibility of more. Our subconscious mind is the gateway to access our higher consciousness. Hence, going within via muscle testing aka kinesiology, is more effective than praying out loud and making God's demands. Our subconscious mind keeps our shadows hidden. These shadows express themselves through our day to day life. These shadows also get subconsciously projected on to others of what is undesirable(shameful and unattractive) within us. The more we work on our subconscious behavior strategies and stay connected with our higher conscious mind, the easier it is to return into flow of life, balance our health, relationships and work and life in a state of harmony: happy and healthy. Access your Subconscious Mind through Muscle Test aka Kinesiology When you know how to muscle test yourself, you have an ever-handy tool to access information from your Subconscious mind and body. Muscle response testing, called kinesiology, uses feedback from your muscles and body awareness to gain information that you may not be able to tap into otherwise. Why and How Muscle Testing Works The idea behind muscle testing is simple. Your subconscious mind, which is in intimate and continuous contact with your body, knows your true beliefs, opinions and operating programs. It is aware of and communicates with your cells and it knows your physiology. When you do muscle testing, you are accessing this information. What is truth or good for you strengthens your energy system and gives a strong or positive response. When you apply pressure to a muscle and it tests strong, energy flow is balanced. A muscle that tests weak may have impeded energy flow. Likewise, for a ‘yes’ answer, the muscle will test strong. For a ‘no’ answer, it will test weak. One common way to illustrate this is to say, “My name is (say your name) and test the muscle. The muscle will test strong. Then say, “My name is (say a name that isn’t yours) and the muscle will test weak. Learning how to muscle test yourself takes a little practice. Learning how to muscle test accurately and well takes a lot of practice. It takes the ability to ask specific questions with yes and no answers. It takes the ability to detach completely from the answer and to recognize when you are not getting an accurate response. Muscle Testing for a Variety of Purposes Healers and individuals may use muscle response testing in conjunction with health and energy healing techniques or to gain information from the body and subconscious mind. Some chiropractors test to locate structural imbalances. Wellness practitioners may use it to identify organ, chemical or emotional imbalances and food sensitivities. They may use it to suggest supplements or choose the most appropriate healing modality. Energy healers may use it to gauge your vibrational frequency or whether your chakras are spinning properly. Muscle testing can identify core beliefs you may not be aware of. Some people use muscle response testing to ask questions about goals and decisions. Muscle testing does not work for future predicting or fortune-telling but it can help you realize how you feel about future options. Techniques for Muscle Testing Yourself There are a variety of muscle testing techniques you can use to gain information from your Subconscious mind and body. Some people prefer a sway test. This is easy, but not always quick. The first time, ask your body if it is going to sway forward or back for a yes answer. Then check the no answer. Forward is usually yes. Say yes and feel your sway. Repeat for no. Ask your question. Or hold an object or food or supplement in your hand to see if it is good for you at this moment. Detach from the answer. Observe the sway. Another option for muscle testing yourself is to use a pendulum which has a crystal or other item attached to a string or chain. The end of the chain is held between two fingers. The pendulum moves in a given direction to indicate yes, no or no answer. The subconscious mind causes tiny impulses in the muscles of the hand to initiate movement. Another way to do muscle testing is to push on a muscle. You can use any muscle in your body that works best, often an arm or thigh muscle. Using your fingers is probably the easiest way to self-test. To use just one hand, press two fingers together firmly as if to snap them. If you can hold them together, that is strong. If they snap or slide, that is weak. Knowing how to muscle test yourself is one way to tap into your intuition and gain wisdom from your energy system, mind, and body. Like all tools, muscle response testing is best used with other tools and used wisely. Expect miracles, Alina Machita For more information, follow me on Instagram and visit my website! Alina Machita, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Hi, I’m Alina, I’m an empath, a transformational healer and a Subconscious mind Specialist. I have an unshakable passion and gift to help women stop self-sabotage, unlock their subconscious mind, release trapped emotions and subconscious blocks, keeping them from living in love, accomplishments and balance. Most of my work is done directly within your Subconscious Mind where your Power is. Utilizing muscle testing being a way to communicate with the subconscious mind and sophisticated systems like Emotion and Body Code and Raising levels of consciousness, removing physical and emotional blocks and stored trapped imbalances that can keep you from abundance, creativity, emotional balance and lightness of being.

Written by: Vicky Perez, 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. The hospitality industry is vastly different from others. And yet, many business leaders make the mistake of trying to market their business in the same way as you’d market any other product or service. In any industry, marketing is a pivotal tool to help brands get noticed by the people they want to serve. It’s your opportunity to talk about your business, your values, what makes you unique, and what you have to offer your customers. But hospitality isn’t a product you put on a shelf. It’s not something you can hold or take a picture of. Rather, hospitality is actions performed by your team. And then, hospitality becomes feelings that are felt by your guests. It’s a case where actions speak louder than words, something that guests wouldn’t fully understand reading about but will immediately feel its impact once experienced. So, how do you market hospitality in a way that guests can understand before they do business with you? There are two ways to approach this. Your Guests are Your Best Marketers There’s no doubt that your guests hold a certain power over your reputation. When they have a good experience, they might remember you for it. When they have a great experience, they’re likely to give you a good online review. And when they have a bad experience, everyone they know is going to know about it, too. Make no mistake that your guests are talking about your business. As a hospitality leader, you can help influence the conversation by giving them all the right things to talk about. Great hospitality lies in the details. It’s not the size of the bed or the color of the wall, but rather all the little things you do to go above and beyond. In most cases, this takes a bespoke approach because different people have different needs and expectations. When you see an opportunity that allows you to take their experience above and beyond the typical visit, take it. You never know who they might want to tell about it. Market Hospitality with Actions, Not “Marketing” When you focus your marketing messages on pricing, convenience, amenities, and other property features, you’re marketing a hotel, not hospitality. The hospitality marketing aspect comes with every interaction you have with your guests. It’s the way their room is cleaned and ready for them upon arrival. It’s the way you bring extra towels to their room or supply them with the one thing they forgot to pack. It’s all the times you go above and beyond for your guests in personalized ways that simply can’t be listed on your website or marketing materials. In hospitality, your actions truly do speak louder than words. And make no mistake, your customers are watching and listening. Your rates or location might get them through your doors, but it’s all the actions you take afterward that will cement your business as one that’s known for their hospitable nature. So, consider every touchpoint with your guests as your hospitality marketing in motion. Show, don’t tell, what makes you a great choice in your industry. That’s how you build ongoing loyalty and a fanbase that won’t stop raving about you. You can follow Vicky Perez for additional insights on shaping the guest experience, building brand excellence, and stepping up as a leader in the Tourism & Hospitality industry, on Facebook and Instagram, connect with her on LinkedIn, or visit her website. Read more from Vicky! Vicky Perez, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Vicky Perez is an international travel and hospitality guru, keynote speaker, human rights activist, and founder of boutique consulting firm, Vicky Perez Consulting. Some of the world's most prestigious travel and hospitality brands have entrusted Vicky with elevating their services, training their management and staff, and reshaping the guest experience. Vicky has worked extensively with Marriott Hotels as a consultant within her home country of Aruba and abroad, along with the Ritz-Carlton, Radisson Hotels, Hyatt Hotels, Hard Rock and numerous boutique brands. She is credited with organizing Aruba's first Remedi conference and oversaw the opening and transition of the CALA region's first "Courtyard Marriott Resort". Vicky aims to work with hospitality brands in crafting a world-class guest and employee experience and elevate global tourism as a whole.

Written by: AJ Merlin, 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. What can we learn from video games and implement them in our mindset for a better career? With lockdown all around the world, more people have resorted to playing video games. The main attraction to video games? Being someone else. Here you are, in another world, in another body, living another life. How exciting is that? This is the perfect opportunity to try out who you could be with no consequences. But what if your life was a video game? Would you act differently? Here is what we can learn from video games, and some tips on how you can shift your mindset for a more fulfilling career. The main mission In a video game, the main character always has a clear mission. There is a list of goals to achieve before moving to the next level. And most importantly? The main character never gives up. Sure, they can have some moments of doubts, but they always get back on track. Setbacks are always overcome, goals are reached. We don’t have a map, checklists, and tips, but we have an internal compass. Are you clear on what your mission is? Do you wake up every morning knowing exactly what is your higher purpose, and what can you do on that day to work towards it? Practical tip: If you’re unsure of what to do with your career and life, start journaling. You might not know where to start, and that’s OK. Like in a video game, you might need some tutorials. You can start by writing whatever comes to your mind without judgment. You could also ask yourself, “What do I want to do with my life?”. Just go with the flow and see where it goes. If you have more experience with journaling, ask yourself, “Who am I, really?” Side quests are always useful Do you feel like you’re wasting your time? That you’re lost or side-tracked? It’s never the case in a video game. Whatever you do is always moving you forward. Any side quests will bring you something new and valuable and make the main mission easier. You’re always learning, even from awkward moments and unpleasant experience. Practical tip: Do you celebrate your small wins, the little steps that bring you closer to your ultimate goal? We tend to be so focused on the big outcome that we forget to celebrate the baby steps we’ve achieved. And if you feel that you wasted your time or you’re lost at the moment, write what you’ve learned from that moment about yourself, what you like or don’t like—every little things matter. You’re always on the right track. Enjoy the fun Video games are FUN. Stories can make us laugh or cry, but their purpose is to entertain us. When I play video games, I always open all the doors to check what’s behind. Sometimes I regret it (hey hundreds of monsters), but it’s always worth it. What can you do to be more playful with your career and life? Isn’t it why we play video games, after all? Being more courageous and see what will happen? Getting out of your comfort zone is the way to grow and improve. Going over the same actions repeatedly would be poor entertainment, and so would be your career. Practical tip: Is there something you’d like to do with your career, but you find it a bit risky? Are you scared to speak up, contact someone, make a move? We all can be caught in a negative thought pattern. “What if I get fired? What if I lose money? What if they make fun of me or judge me?” Think the other way around: “What if I get a promotion? What if they say yes? What if I have a true impact on someone else?” This will improve your mood, shift your mindset over time and open your eyes to some unseen opportunities. Conclusion Characters in video games have a clear mission, many opportunities along the way to improve their skills and meet new people, and are not scared to be true to themselves to complete their mission. What would you do differently if you knew your life was a video game? Would you take more risks? Would you be more confident? And if so, are you willing to implement it now? There is never a game over. You can always restart and try again. You might sometimes doubt about your journey, or if you’ve made the right decision, but if you follow through for something that truly resonates with you, you will get to the end. For more information, follow me on Facebook , Instagram and visit my website ! AJ Merlin, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine AJ is a Creative Mindset Coach who helps female creative freelancers and entrepreneurs strengthen their mindset and befriend their inner critic so they can manifest their full potential. She worked in the film, TV, and video games industry for the past ten years as an assistant producer, a script supervisor, an LQA tester, a writer. Her coaching business focuses on providing creative women with mindset tools that free them from their struggles and help them become their true selves. She focuses on three particular pillars: How to tackle your inner voice and reframe it so it becomes your empowering mentor, how to be efficient with your time and keep your motivation up no matter the obstacles, and how to feel empowered as a woman and achieve your dream in alignment with your values.

Written by: Agnese Rudzate, 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. Lack of time is a common issue amongst many business owners, but it doesn’t mean that it should be assumed as a norm. We all have 24 hours per day, so how come some people are able to achieve that much more while others struggle to finish the basic assignments? The answer is prioritization. Before digging deeper into actual steps to take, let’s establish something from the very beginning: Not everything is important. It might be hard to grasp, but to immerse yourself into this mindset is crucial for your time, freedom, and sanity. Yes, your business can’t run smoothly without all the admin tasks being completed. Yes, your business needs to be visible for it to get recognized. Yes, your business has to follow up and keep in touch with potential clients. But there is a time and place for everything. Since YOU are your business, without you, there is no business. Keep that in mind. By constantly overwhelming yourself with endless tasks, taking time away from your sleep to finish tasks, not taking care of your body, your mind will not be able to function and the quality of your service will drop. This is what we don't want, right? If you're constantly overwhelmed by your to-do list, feel like there is too much on your plate and simply not enough time in a day to complete what you have set yourself up to, this list will help you prioritize for well deserved time, freedom, and ease in your business. 1. Value in business. We have tasks that don't add value to our income, but someone has to do them. You can't skip ordering office stationery, because, without a pen, you can't write things down. But does this specific task add value to your business? No! This means that this task is not your priority. Looking further, it can be delegated or even automated - schedule orders every month never to lack pens :) So which tasks bring the most value to your business? Which tasks create income? By answering these questions you should be able to have a good chunk of activities taken off your to-do list. 2. Urgent vs. Important. Tasks that are Urgent and Important should be dealt with first, especially if you need tomato a deadline. The rest can wait. Take your priorities list from step one and establish what needs to be done right now and what is important to prioritize after your urgent task. This means that you will have to schedule your important but not urgent activities - they are still as important to your business as the urgent ones. To manage your time more effectively, follow this scheme and you will never feel overwhelmed again. 3. 3-Question strategy. I use this strategy all the time and can confidently say that it is a highly effective way to effortlessly fast put things into perspective. Watch this 5 min video to prioritize with ease. At times of uncertainty, everything might seem like a priority to stay afloat. The urgency of wanting to be informed, in the loop, and updated puts unnecessary pressure. The good news is that we are in control. We have the power to choose priorities, urgencies, and everything above and beyond in our business. If you still feel stuck, uncertain about your priorities in business after reading this, feel free to reach out. I’m happy to organize a free call to discuss strategy and ease you out of overwhelming. Here’s to effective prioritizing for time freedom and sanity! For more info, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or visit my website! Read more from Agnese! Agnese Rudzate, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Agnese Rudzate is a Business Productivity Coach and Time-management expert with a professional background in Quality Management and Empowerment Coaching. She has turned her lifelong passion for organizing into her mission, helping women gain the confidence, clarity, and time freedom they deserve by providing action steps, tools, and customized strategies. Agnese is a firm believer that anyone can achieve business or personal goals through a deeply focused effort, which is based on her coaching. Through structure, systems, and processes that bring results, Agnese teaches her clients to manage their business with ease, create time freedom, and scale in profits.

Written by: Jorim Holtey-Weber, Guest Writer Brainz Magazine With this article, I want to show how the pandemic inherently brings us opportunities to create better organizations; with a particular focus on employee health. Let’s start with a definition. When I use the term “health”, I mean health in all its forms, although the ways I will describe in this article will most directly influence mental and social health. I have tried to keep this article relevant for most workplaces, no matter how strict the prevention measures. COVID-19’s Influences at the Workplace There are many levels on which COVID-19 has influenced work: abrupt changes in commercial activity, government restrictions, and (voluntary) social distancing, stock markets have crashed[1]. Such changes came with job loss and unemployment[2], and for the ones not dismissed, a lot of uncertainty and anxiety about their professional future. This, in turn, threatens mental health [3] which is what the data show us. Increased anxiety, paranoia, and depressive symptoms are the most prevalent mental health findings during these months [4-7]. Traumatic experiences such as job or employment dismissal, loss of friends or family members, and widespread panic could lead to post traumatic stress disorder (most likely to be captured as depressive symptoms and generalized anxiety disorder because the DSM-V doesn’t include viral infections as possible PTSD criteria [8]). With the mental health crisis comes an increased need for mental healthcare (of up to 80% [4]). Access to therapy of any type is, however, largely limited due to governmental restrictions, financial situation, or waiting lists [5]. All this leaves us with a workforce that’s challenged by uncertainty (regarding their job and life), fear, anxiety, and depressive feelings, that is likely overworked, possibly without childcare and perhaps even facing burnout. The question comes up: What can we do? The 3 Unexpected Ways Many people connect workplace health promotion with a healthy lifestyle. This is correct – having good food at work, the possibility for employees to move, standing desks, etc. promotes health – but this picture is incomplete. Much more than these “lifestyle” aspects, the way work itself is organized – the tasks, the processes, the organization, the internal communication – promotes or suppresses health significantly [9]. Any change brings opportunities. Let’s look at the first one I identified: 1: (Re)define Your Purpose Organizations and individuals have and continue to face a drastically changed reality, which threw them out of their habitual ways of doing things. For some, giving up seemed easier than continuing and adapting. For many, the question “why am I doing this?” or “why are we doing this?” came up [10-12]. What we are looking for with these questions is our “why”—our purpose. Having a clear purpose can guide us in challenging times and allows us to have faith, hope, and make better decisions [13]. For both organizations and the individuals inside them, now is a good time to (re)define their purpose. And when you’re (re)defining your or your company’s purpose, try making it about something greater than yourself (not just “better than last year”, not just “control X% of the market”). Aim for win-win-win: you win, your employees/clients/partners win, the world wins. Also, there’s no need to carve the purpose into stone; it’s natural that it’ll evolve over time. Go with the flow [14]. How do you start? For individuals, talk about what drives you, what motivates you. Underneath there are emotions and perhaps visions for the world. This is the start but sometimes outside support is asked for. I’ve gone through Phil Laut’s [15] Life Purpose Exercise with many of my clients and I found that has brought them a lot of clarity. For organizations, ask “what is the organization’s calling?”. Forget about competition and market for now. Look at business as an infinite game: players come and go, rules change, there’s no end, and there’s no winner [16]. What does your organization exist for? Feel free to brainstorm on this and try connecting the dots. Again, look for something inspiring and energizing that is greater than yourself (see above). Once you have (re)defined the purpose, making decisions should become much easier and you’ll be able to draw a sense of meaning from it [13]. 2: Safe Space Our personal life affects our professional life. Especially if there are personal crises. Many people cannot keep this from spilling over into their work. As mentioned above, uncertainty, traumatic events such as loss, financial cutbacks etc. can become a big stressor and lead to reduced mental health [3]. Because of various reasons, seeking therapy of any kind can be more challenging during COVID-19. Expressing one’s emotions is one of the most basic tools to process and leads to improved health [17]. Whether you are leading an organization, a team, or are part of one, you can use this to benefit yourself and the people around you. For individuals, simply asking somebody “how are you?” and actually mean it, listen and respond to it can be a huge relief [18]. Many of us don’t actually answer the question “how are you?” but rather reply habitually with “fine, and you?”, even if “fine” is not accurate at all. Sometimes, all it takes is sticking with it and clarifying, “no, I really mean it; how are you?” to get a sincere answer. For organizations, creating some kind of safe space as described by Brené Brown [19], Simon Sinek [16,20] and others will do. I’m happy that “psychological safety” has even become a bit of a buzzword. For me, creating a safe space has a lot to do with allowing, accepting and welcoming emotions at work. Allow people to be their whole self [14], invite conversations that require some courage, navigate conflict in a non-egoistic way. Take some time to have these conversations. It’ll pay off in the long term. To start with this, seek out individual conversations to check in with everybody. Then, you can also start having the same kind of conversations in groups. Important rules are listening, not jumping in and trying to fix, and asking permission before asking somebody a personal question. Check out these rules and guidelines of Emerging Men, a men’s group that is specially designed to be a safe space and allow people to share vulnerably. 3: Meaningful Meetings Unfortunately, many organizations' meetings kind of miss their point and become unproductive or even utterly useless and a waste of energy, time, and money [21, 22]. For the meetings that are, in fact, required and useful, I'd like to suggest two practices that bring a bit more lightness, joy, and a more profound feeling of connection to the participants. 3.1 Movement In times of stress, the body's movement helps because it releases tension [23, 24] (you can observe that in many wild animals as well). Stand up (be it in person or digitally), and shake your body. Hopping, rotating the torso, shaking out the arms and legs, and making any kind of silly movement you feel drawn to. Yawning, jumping from side to side, and twisting your upper body and all other kinds of movements are welcome. 3.2 Appreciation At my Emerging Men group, we end every session with something many people (especially men) don't do enough: appreciation. Appreciation has become a hot topic in workplace health promotion research. In the 2016 Work and Well-Being Survey, the American Psychological Association [25] highlighted the relationship between being appreciated at work and wellbeing. I suggest you take a couple of minutes to give space for public appreciation at the end of every meeting. This appreciation doesn't necessarily have to be work-related nor directed towards any of the other people present. Every participant is simply invited to share one thing they are appreciative, grateful or thankful for. Fun fact; even if somebody doesn't share anything themselves (forcing to appreciate doesn't work!), they'll likely have a boost in wellbeing just by listening to others share appreciation. Defining or redefining your purpose as a company, creating a safe space at work and making meetings more meaningful can drastically influence how your employees feel at work, how they interact, and ultimately how healthy they are. Even though health was the focus of this article, implementing the described practices also helps increase more traditional business metrics [16, 19]. I hope you found this article valuable. If you'd like to be supported in any of the described practices or want to read more about my insights, connect with me on LinkedIn, visit my website or send me an email at jorim@emergetoprosper.com Jorim Holtey-Weber, Guest Writer Brainz Magazine Jorim is a coach, psychologist, and university lecturer. He coaches leaders and businesses on communication, leadership, and mental health. He's routinely invited to contribute to conferences and mentors at various startup accelerators. Believing that role modeling is one of the most powerful ways to transmit knowledge, he makes sure to walk his talk. References: 1. Baker, S. R., Bloom, N., Davis, S. J., Kost, K., Sammon, M., & Viratyosin, T. (2020). The unprecedented stock market reaction to COVID-19. The Review of Asset Pricing Studies. 2. Coibion, O., Gorodnichenko, Y., & Weber, M. (2020). Labor markets during the covid-19 crisis: A preliminary view (No. w27017). National Bureau of Economic Research. 3. Jones, M. K., Latreille, P. L., & Sloane, P. J. (2016). Job anxiety, work‐related psychological illness and workplace performance. British Journal of Industrial Relations, 54(4), 742-767. 4. Roy, D., Tripathy, S., Kar, S. K., Sharma, N., Verma, S. K., & Kaushal, V. (2020). Study of knowledge, attitude, anxiety & perceived mental healthcare need in Indian population during COVID-19 pandemic. Asian journal of psychiatry, 51, 102083. 5. Fullana, M. A., Hidalgo-Mazzei, D., Vieta, E., & Radua, J. (2020). Coping behaviors associated with decreased anxiety and depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. Journal of affective disorders, 275, 80–81. 6. Lopez-Castro, T., Brandt, L., Anthonipillai, N., Espinosa, A., & Melara, R. (2020). Experiences, impacts and mental health functioning during a COVID-19 outbreak and lockdown: Data from a diverse New York City sample of college students. PsyArXiv. September, 4. 7. Huang, Y., & Zhao, N. (2020). Generalized anxiety disorder, depressive symptoms and sleep quality during COVID-19 outbreak in China: a web-based cross-sectional survey. Psychiatry research, 288, 112954. 8. American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5®). American Psychiatric Pub. 9. Kent, K., Goetzel, R. Z., Roemer, E. C., Prasad, A., & Freundlich, N. (2016). Promoting healthy workplaces by building cultures of health and applying strategic communications. Journal of occupational and environmental medicine, 58(2), 114-122. 10. Accenture (9-Jun-2020), Purpose-driven Banking: Looing Beyond COVID-19. Accenture Now Next. 11. ehinton (1-Sep-2020), On the Rebound How These Small Businesses Are Finding Renewed Purpose in a COvID-19 Environment. NBC Bay Area. 12. McCauley, K. (25-Aug-2020), COVID-19 Drives Purpose. O’Dwyer’s: The Inside News of PR & Marketing Communications. 13. Byron, K., & Miller-Perrin, C. (2009). The value of life purpose: Purpose as a mediator of faith and well-being. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 4(1), 64-70. 14. Laloux, F. (2014). Reinventing organizations: A guide to creating organizations inspired by the next stage in human consciousness. Nelson Parker. 15. Laut, P. (1978). Money is my friend. Ballantine Books. 16. Sinek, S. (2019). The infinite game. Penguin. 17. Pennebaker, J. W. (1995). Emotion, disclosure, & health (pp. xiv-337). American Psychological Association. 18. Farley, K., DiCola, D., & Johnson, J. (2012). Grieving dads: To the brink and back. Grieving Dads LLC. 19. Brown, B. (2018). Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. Random House. 20. Sinek, S. (2014). Leaders eat last: Why some teams pull together and others don't. Penguin. 21. Burn-Callander, R. (17-Aug-2020). UK workers waste a year of their lives in useless meetings. Management Today. 22. Joansson, A. (8-Apr-2015). Why Meetings Are One of the Worst Business Rituals. Ever. Entrepreneur Europe. 23. Levine, P. A., & Frederick, A. (1997). Waking the tiger: Healing trauma: The innate capacity to transform overwhelming experiences. North Atlantic Books. 24. Levine, P. A. (2015). Trauma and memory: Brain and body in a search for the living past: A practical guide for understanding and working with traumatic memory. North Atlantic Books. 25. American Psychological Association. "2016 Work and Well-Being Survey." American Psychological Association, Washington, DC (2016)

Written by: Ceinwyn Rudnick, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. I thought through my first article for Brainz many, many times. I started and stopped articles on the effects of COVID-19 related work-from-home conundrums, the CARES Act, and the myriad complexities of PPP Loans. But then, the universe gifted me with a grander, more dramatic topic in the form of the Trump tax returns. $750 in taxes, for a millionaire? $70,000 in hairstyling expenses as a business expense? The outcry and debate have been heated, and I have stood on the sidelines and watched. As an Enrolled Agent, my perspective, but more importantly, a Certified Tax Coach, is much different from a layperson’s point of view. Besides, I have no desire to get into politics on social media. But when we take the President himself out of the equation, we are left with a question that deeply impacts me and the work I do to help business owners legitimately save money on taxes. Is tax planning immoral? Or worse - is it evil? Obviously, as a professional tax planner, I am going to say no. However, I think there is a fine line sometimes between tax planning and flat out shenanigans. Certainly, it is going to make the average person angry when they think a millionaire is paying less than $1,000 a year in taxes when many people pay an effective rate of anywhere from 10% to 20% in taxes on a salary of $50,000 to $100,000. Contributing the limit of your SIMPLE IRA every year for retirement planning? Super! Buying a motorcycle as a work vehicle for your construction company? Shenanigans. And sadly, it is mostly the latter that people think of when they hear the words tax planning or tax strategy. The accounting industry is one of immense pressure. The jobs are highly technical but generally clear cut- until you factor in people's expectations. Obviously, most people want the shiniest financial statements while simultaneously paying the least amount of taxes possible. Some people are just willing to push the envelope further or demand more extreme results, no matter the destination's path. "a small handful of people's bad actions will tarnish the type of work I do and diminish the true value of a good" We will always come across clients who want to deduct that business suit or use their PPP funds to buy a sportscar. They want you to "be cool", not "be so square" or stiff. I like a good time as much as anyone-however orange is not my new black. I have built up a tolerance to these kinds of requests, though to be honest, I get them much less frequently now that I have an established business and a reputation. But if I feel the pressure from these small business clients, I cannot imagine how a tax accountant signing off on the tax returns of the person holding the highest office in our country must feel. Maybe terrified? Maybe complicit? I really don't know to be frank. I do know how I feel, though. Worried that yet again, a small handful of people's bad actions will tarnish the type of work I do and diminish the true value of a good, honest tax plan. Despite scandals, which will probably add another 12 hours a year of ethics trainings to my CE load there are still great, dedicated and honest tax professionals that deeply love helping small to large businesses legally save on taxes so they can reinvest in their companies, their employees and the world at large. I may not let you deduct your toupee or pay your kid $50,000 a year to be your Facebook model, but I promise we will come up with way better strategies to build your wealth in the long run through proactive planning and analysis. For more information, follow me on LinkedIn, Facebook and visit our website! Ceinwyn Rudnick, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Ceinwyn Rudnick is an Enrolled Agent and Certified Tax Coach based in the Pacific Northwest. She opened her boutique accounting firm, Veritas Accounting Solutions PLLC, to help business owners realize the benefits of transitioning their accounting services to the cloud. Recently she has completed advanced training through the AICTP to become a Certified Tax Coach-making tax planning a leading service offered by Veritas Accounting Solutions PLLC. Ceinwyn has two degrees, a B.A. in English Education as well as a B.S. in Accounting. She loves helping her clients achieve a better understanding of the role accounting, money and taxes play in their business. Her goal is to guide business owners to a place of peace and confidence regarding their taxes and finances through education and customized tax planning.