Written by: Charity Haderlie Recovering Perfectionists, raise your hand. I'm raising both of mine! Has perfectionism served you well? No? didn't think so. Did you know that perfectionism is an illusion? We're often embarrassed to admit when we're afraid, but many of us openly identify as perfectionists. Contrary to popular belief, it is fear, not perfectionism, that sits next to you, whispering lies that lure you into a false sense of acceptance. "I'm just a perfectionist ," you say as you let opportunities pass by. Perfectionism is a thief In your quest to be the perfect mom, the perfect wife, the perfect business owner or team member; as you aim to be the perfect human being, you lose sight of the fact that being a good mom, a good professional, or a good human being is good enough! Don’t get me wrong. I’m not advocating for mediocrity, and I believe in life-long learning and progression. What I am saying, however, is that you can aim for being really good at what you do, and totally nail it! And you’ll always continue to improve your skills. But, when your goal is to be perfect in everything, all the time, the world ends up being robbed of your unique talent and influence. When you’re caught up in the pressure of being perfect, it causes pain and panic. This self-inflicted stress prevents you from finishing. Even worse, it prevents you from starting what is calling to your heart. You’re afraid that your efforts will never be good enough. What’s more, deep down, you’re afraid that YOU aren’t good enough. Your family, your job, our world doesn’t need you to be perfect in every way. We simply need you to be you ! This means that your perfectly imperfect self is good enough . So what do we do? Dr. Susan David, award winning Harvard Medical School Psychologist, TED speaker and CEO of Evidence Based Psychology, says that one thing we can do is get specific about our fears and even have fun at their expense. “ As a result ,” she says, “ the ugly ‘truth,’ that [fear that] has so much power over [us] loses that power, and is tamed. ” What does this mean? It means you can snatch that elusive perfectionist disguise right off the face of fear and call it out by name. “ There you are, Fear of Rejection. I see right through your mask. You don’t serve me. You enslave me. I choose to look through a lens of love for myself. I will NOT reject ME anymore. Get out of here! ” You’ll know you have “Fear of Unworthiness” when you severely downplay your accomplishments. This fear nags at you to give all the credit to others for your contributions, and to minimize the awesomeness that is you! Fear is also behind your insatiable desire to keep learning and learning and learning, rather than taking action and owning what you already know and can do. You minimize your impact on your circle of influence when you hide behind fear. Fear masquerades as humility I know this type of fear all too well. I thought I was being humble, but as it turns out, I was duped into believing humility is hiding my talent and skills. I now see that confidently sharing and inviting others to join in learning and growing with me isn't prideful at all. Sharing your experience is a beautiful way to love, lift and lead those around you who need exactly what you have. No story or struggle is insignificant, not even yours . It's time to put a stop to the illusion of perfection and begin to own your power by declaring: " Aha! Fear of Unworthiness! You've been slinking in the shadows for too long. You told me I'm not enough, that I don't know enough, that I should quit. You have no place here. Get out !" With practice, fear becomes easier to detect " Fear of Criticism? Pul-lease! There's always a critic. I won't listen to the few, loud critics who are never satisfied-they're not even satisfied with themselves. The people in my life and my higher power who support me, love me and accept me, are who I'll listen to. Get out of here Fear of Criticism!" "Fear of Failure? Fear of Loss? Get out! Get out!" Everyone feels fear Fear just might be our greatest common denominator as siblings in humanity. It's job is to keep us safe; safe from embarrassment, safe from guilt, safe from pain, and safe from harm in general. It also pushes us to grow. Fear isn't always a bad thing and we all know what it feels like, so it's nothing out of the ordinary. However, what's often overlooked about fear is that its power to enslave you comes from the stories you tell yourself about what might happen in the future. You know, those stories that keep you worrying late into the night. The shocking stories you play out in your mind's eye that make you shrink and feel afraid. How often are you correct about the terrible details you imagined might happen? Perhaps, instead, you’ll consider imagining what could go well, or how much you could possibly enjoy a new experience. There’s great power in imagining; you can use that power to lift yourself up or tear yourself down. What will you choose? Simply becoming aware is a great way to fight fear, regardless of why it’s creeping into your life. Seeing things as they actually are weakens its control over us. Kick Perfectionism in the face We figuratively wrap fear in a cute little socially acceptable bow and call it perfectionism. It’s time we stare perfectionism down and kick it square in the face by calling it out by name, “Hello Fear. I see what you’re up to. Get outta here!” When you embrace your underlying fears, recognize that it’s ok to feel them and that you’re not alone, you gain power over it. You’ll never be alone in your fears. Everyone experiences it. Remember this, however; you are under no obligation to listen to or believe fear when it pops up. You can choose to believe in yourself. You can choose faith. You can take a few deep breaths and channel that fear into excitement and look for good things to come. Connect with Charity here ! Charity Haderlie, Guest Writer Brainz Magazine Charity Haderlie is an entrepreneur who strives to create a massive, positive impact on women in the field of personal development and growth mindset. She knows what it’s like to battle a toxic mindset, which led her to believe that she was defective. However, Charity has turned her pain into a passion for empowering others. Known for brainwashing people into believing in themselves, Charity helps women to heal and connect with their highest self, to ignite their peak potential, and to live true to their dreams, and not true to their fears. When Charity takes her business hat off, she can be found enjoying the great outdoors, attempting to cook various ethnic dishes for her family, and going on adventures with her favorite people which include her husband, Michael, and their four children.

Written by: Eugenia Oganova, 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. Don’t copy other people’s stuff, modify a word or two and post it as yours; Don’t sell a program that is a “cookie-cutter solution” that you “leaned from an expert”; Don’t buy a “lead list” – that is just creepy! Ok, we all know that these are no-nos because they are NOT IN INTEGRITY! But you know what else is NOT in integrity? Not showing up fully because you are “trying to be included”! Not owning your brilliance and self-minimizing because you “don’t want to offend”. Not being honest with yourself and your clients because of “wanting to be liked”. Just because these “look nicer” doesn’t make them any less out-of-integrity! When you do not show up fully, do not own your Light, do not express yourself – you are being out-of-integrity WITH YOURSELF! So many times, I hear these statements from clients when we just begin to work together: “But if I show up fully they will not want to work with me because they will think I’m arrogant”; “I’ll be too much, and they will think I’m rude”; “If I tell them what I really see, they will be mad at me”. The Universe around you is made of energy and you are always contained within that energy. The ONLY way to be in integrity with the Universe is to be in integrity with yourself first! This means that all these “projections” onto the external world are just the means to JUSTIFY your LIMITING STORIES about yourself! There is a little scared part inside each entrepreneur that is looking to stop them from fully showing up and expressing themselves (and even from making money!) because it wants to PROTECT you from the unknown. Everything you want is ON THE OTHER SIDE of your FEAR! It is exhilarating to see my clients go from lack of confidence, lack of expression, lack of business strategy – to incredible CONFIDENCE, FREEDOM of expression, and CLARITY on where they are going and what they need to do to get there. And the reason this happens over and over by working with me is because I show them how to be fully in integrity with themselves. Here are 3 self-integrity habits that every entrepreneur must follow to create a lucrative soul-aligned business with unshakable self-confidence: Whatever you decide, you must follow through. The Universe responds to your energy, so if you say you are going to do something but then don’t do it, this breaks the trust between you and the Universe. This generates the feeling of “no support” that so many entrepreneurs struggle with (“I’m all alone in this!”, “I am the only one having this problem!” etc.). The key is that you must follow through on your word not only to others but to YOURSELF! It might be easy for you to follow on your promise to someone else, but when you train yourself to follow promises to yourself, this is when your confidence skyrockets! This Soul Strategy pays off and the Universe can magnetize to you everything you desire because you are in alignment. Attach your confidence to what comes from within you – NOT from something you’ve learned or did. If you think you can only be confident by having done something many times, you will never feel confident! Your confidence is meant to be based on who you ARE, not what you DO. In Conscious Wealth Energetics, this is called “Soul Expertise” – something that is innately yours that can never be taken away from, something you do naturally and might not even realize it, something other people tend to comment on and thank you for. That Soul Expertise is automatically in integrity with the Universal energies and thus the real source of your confidence, while skills you’ve learned as simply add-ons to your toolbox. Focus on SERVING people more than on yourself We all at times get fixated on “what if they won’t like it?” or “someone might judge me for being too forward” etc. And yes, someone probably will judge you – its human nature. But if the main FOCUS of your attention is NOT the people who are not liking something in your marketing or judging your presentation or pricing (who are NOT your ideal clients anyway!). It is the people who need what you are offering, who want to know more, who are aligned with your larger VISION – then you have confidence based on “I am in the right place at the right time doing the right thing”. Service is an expansive energy while self-worry and doubt is constrictive. Thus focusing on service will automatically be in integrity with the Universe and supports magnetizing to you the people you are meant to help to have a lucrative business you love. Integrity is one of my main values. I would never try to teach something I have not had full personal experience with, never will try to convince someone to buy my offers, and never shame someone into “doing better”. This is because I am brave in exploring the unknown (being a clairvoyant from birth in a family of scientists – this was not a picnic as you can imagine!) and courageous in expressing my uniqueness in considerate ways. And I do not propel myself forward through shame, guilt, or even will power – I use my Soul Expertise and my VISION. This is what I teach my clients as well. If you read my words and feel that I am speaking to you. Please fill out a questionnaire on my website so we can see how I can support you in your specific business situation. Find out more about Eugenia’s coaching program on her website . Follow her on Facebook and join her Facebook Community “The Abundance Gate” . Read more from Eugenia! Eugenia Oganova, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Eugenia Oganova is an international Conscious Wealth Energetics Business & Marketing Coach for coaches, healers, and holistic health professionals who desire to fully step into their Soul Mission and live their Purpose through a profitable business. She creates custom high-end business, marketing & energetic strategies so that you can attract premium clients and uplevel to multiple 6-figures, without burning out or self-sacrificing. Eugenia is a Soul Strategist and a Self-Transformation expert with over two decades of expertise in spiritual entrepreneurship, transformational therapy and conscious healing, and a best-selling author of 3 books. Using an energy-based approach coupled with transformational psychology, extensive business and marketing knowledge, and her clairvoyant wisdom, Eugenia has created many programs that activate long-term core-level transformation in her clients.

Written by: Andrea Ryan, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. There are many sliding door moments in our lives, where we would have done things differently, where we could have made a different choice but chose not to through uncertainty, fear and obligation. There are times in our lives we get frustrated and confused, wondering what it's all about. We wish we hadn't said that, done that, or maybe made someone feel like that, but it's OK. Tomorrow will be different and things will change. You will change! Truth bomb. Unless you are Wonder Woman and were blessed by the Greek Gods then I'm afraid overnight change, success and supersonic strength will not gain control of your mind, body and soul during REM. However, the Halo of Truth captures those moments when you decide you can't do this alone, when the change you seek is out of reach and you need help to get there. When you decide that enough is enough and you will do something with your life, you have dreams, ambitions. You were going to be something once. You decide to reach out for help, who will you call? A Life Coach! Only then that Halo of Truth struggles to retain its grip as the evil forces of negativity rise up and infiltrate your inner thoughts, whispering… ‘It’s too hard’, ‘you can’t do this’, ’It’s not going to work’. And you know what? It won’t. Life coaching will never work if; You don't take the first step. The step that means investing in yourself, making the decision and going for it. You don't think you are worth it. Self-worth is dictating the value you give to living life on your terms. How dare you think that there is more to life, that your dreams can come true. Guess what? They can. You ask everyone else for their opinion. This is your journey, naysayers will always project their insecurities onto you and tell you why it's not a good idea, but only you get to sit in the driver's seat and decide on the direction you want to go. You recognize that we're not talking about one session and you're done here. It's important you realize you are investing in a partnership. You are beginning a journey that's never about the reason you came. It takes how long it takes. You will know when you get there. You are willing to accept that this is your lot. It's ok, you are comfortable, such is life, you wish you could change it, but you can't. I call bullshit, but you already know that. - You surround yourself with people that want to keep you down People want to control you and fear that you will empower yourself enough to realize that you don’t need them in your life anymore. That’s their issue, not yours. It is said that much of Wonder Woman's strength comes from training and channeling her mental powers into physical abilities. Have you ever considered that if you trained and channeled your mental powers to realize your full potential, that transformation really doesn't only happen in comic books? But you're right. Life Coaching will never work...will it? For more information, follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn and visit my website ! Andrea Ryan, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine I'm a transformational life and business coach for women. I support women to enable their journey of self-discovery and drive change through their personal journeys. Professionally I help female entrepreneurs align their mental and emotional journey with business guidance and mentorship. I have had a 15 year executive career, heading up business and marketing strategy, brand management and leadership in the disability employment sector, sport and as an award winning business development director in a mental health Not for Profit. Spending 3 years on the Australian National Committee for UN Women as a Committee Member and as a consultant to Human Right start-ups, I am constantly seeking board and volunteer roles that offer me the opportunity to utilize my skills to give back and contribute to the wider community. Quoted in Marketing Magazine Australia as the 'Accidental Marketer', I have a flair for the creative, which fuels my passion for supporting women to step into their power, thrive in their careers and become leaders who will instigate change to make this world a better place.

Written by: Kristel Robinson, 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. We can all agree that Covid-19 came like a thief at night that only comes in to steal, kill and destroy. Steal people's jobs and businesses, destroy so many dreams, plans, projects and, unfortunately, take so many lives. So unexpected and unwelcomed. From one day to another, so many things changed. Our daily routine was abruptly interrupted, and it was a big adjustment for all of us. Never in a thousand years did I see myself wearing a mask as a requirement to go outside. Definitely, our right to breathe freely has been compromised. Our world is heartbroken, from so much grief, uncertainty, loss and changes, and we all wonder, what's next, what now? We hear so many negative projections for our future. We hear that the world will never be the same, traveling has changed as we knew it, and just an overall adjustment to a new world after this pandemic. But I want to share with you today a different projection towards your future. You don't have to fear or wonder what to do next when you know that God is in control. Your current situation is not your final destination. Everything taken from you will be restored. Don't fear the predictions from those who measure everything by sight. Choose to remain in faith and believe that better days are coming. Your actions will always follow your beliefs, what you think you create. Don't make your future unpredictable instead, decide to focus on abundance and renovation. Some people are crying because they lost their jobs while others started a business by selling masks. You can always rise to the occasion. Life will throw us so many challenges along our lives, but if we keep pushing forward in the middle of our circumstances, claiming God promises for our lives we can be sure that everything will work in our favor. Turn your adversity into power, don't be reduced by it, don't let it break you. God is with you every step of the way. He will guide you, strengthen you and open new opportunities for you. Remember that the only way to predict your future is by creating it. "I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and to not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and visit my website for more info! Read more from Kristel! Kristel Robinson, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Spiritual Teacher, Motivational Speaker and Certified Life & Relationships Coach. She is an advocate of sisterhood and empowerment but most importantly of God’s unconditional love. Founder of the Healing and Self Love Retreat for women called Can’t Break Me Retreat. A leader and woman on a mission, and that mission is to empower women worldwide to recognize their worth by acknowledging who they are trough God’s eyes. As a highly respected dating expert & coach, she provides advice for women on Self-love, abusive relationships, heartbreak and grief. Dedicated to helping women received Love & Healing and to discover the peace, spiritual connection and purpose they've been seeking.

Written by: Serena Fordham, 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 started my business adventure eight years ago, I attended lots of business-related events to network and get my name out there. As with many new female small business owners starting out, I was desperate for some much-needed motivation and positivity to switch my self-doubts and negative mindset, so I was drawn to events with well-known speakers at the top of their game and profession. One in particular sticks in my mind - an influential speaker at a large local networking and training event - Jo Fairley, Co-Founder of Green & Blacks organic chocolate brand. That evening Jo shared her story of how she founded the company and communicated the journey of how they developed, adapted and grew. What especially stood out for me was her warmth, confidence, and passion I saw radiate from her when talking about the company's fair ethos and morals. I left that evening feeling truly inspired and empowered to achieve anything from my small seedling-of-a-business that I dreamed of. However, not all powerful and successful speakers leave us feeling this way. As I have progressed in business - especially through evolving a business focused on female networking, events and empowerment - I’ve come to the realization that some speakers at events are not always as inspirational as they are intended to be. A call with one of our Superwoman members a few weeks ago started on this hot topic. She had attended the same online event as me, and the main speaker there was a woman with a well-known lifestyle business, who was well renowned and respected for her achievements and success of growing a 7 figure business empire (I suspect this is the reason why this particular event in the midst of Covid-19 lockdown was a sell-out, as many of us were getting pretty fed up of online meetings and events by then!) But after her 30-minute speaking slot, I felt a mixture of emotions. Instead of being left inspired and empowered, with that little boost of “go-getting” motivation I usually receive after hearing a speakers’ speal - I was feeling drained, disappointed, and negative. Why? You ask. Well, in her talk, her success came across as arrogant, and as she told her story, there were weirdly no hurdles, barriers or down-points - just overconfident tooting of one's own trumpet! My whole outlook of this particular role model I had looked up to and put on a pedestal for years was now shattered. Above all, I just felt intimidated due to the constant mention of how much money her company makes, the property they own, and the staff they have. It was all about the material stuff, rather than about who they help and support, which left an uncomfortable taste in my mouth - and this was confirmed by the member I spoke to a few weeks later. She confirmed that after the talk, she felt intimidated and "unable to achieve" due to the way this woman "talked down" to her audience. This has encouraged my thinking of how events have changed in the last 5 years since I started HER Business Revolution Back then, female small business owners seemed to want the highly successful speakers - with all the money, experience and power - to aspire to. However, now more commonly, it seems they are not so concerned about the speaker's success and stature, but rather the journey the speaker has been on, the insight they can share, and the problems they have overcome. Event attendees being able to relate to a speaker and find common ground in their story seems to be the number one most important factor - one that makes for a real, strong, and deeper connection between the two parties. As a result, the listener resonates with the speaker's words, and connects them with their own business journey, which fills them with the inspirational thoughts that they can achieve the same type of successes. What do you think? We'd love to hear your experiences of speakers at events. If you are interested in speaking at, or attending, any of our events to train, inspire and empower female small business owners, please get in touch through www.herbusinessrevolution.biz & follow me on Facebook Read more from Serena! Serena Fordham, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Serena is an expert Business Strategist, Growth/Development and Empowerment Mentor to Female Entrepreneurs, as well as a best-selling Author, Speaker, Entrepreneur and successful multiple Business Owner. Her main passion is offering business strategies, support and empowerment to ambitious and high vibe business women both locally and internationally – through HER Business Revolution at www.herbusinessrevolution.biz. She is also known for her organization skills through owning Glow Virtual Assistants, and for her support of women and child-related charities (also founding two charitable initiatives – Mums Empowerment Movement and SociaBubble)

Written by: Brenda Johnston, 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 have a confession to make, for most of my life, I was an overachiever, and I thought it was what would make me successful. What I didn’t realize is that there is a huge difference between being an overachiever and a high-performer. As an overachiever, I was constantly looking for validation outside of myself. I was driven to succeed because that validation gave me a sense of self-worth. Looking back, I can see how I was motivated to perform so I would be accepted, desirable and, in some sense, loved and admired. This was especially true when I worked in Corporate and felt like I needed to constantly jump through flaming hoops to prove I was better than the guy next to me. So you may be thinking, what is the difference between an overachiever and a high-performer? Overachievers, also known as high-achievers, live in a scarcity mindset, which manifests as being extremely hard on themselves. It’s for this reason that they will always try to control the outcome of things in their lives (career, relationships, health, finances). They tend to be the people who regularly switch from strategy to strategy or idea to idea because they are constantly second-guessing themselves, leading to them feeling defeated and losing more even more confidence. You will however, rarely see them display any lack of confidence in public. Overachievers also tend to have difficulty perceiving and understanding their emotions. IN fact, for years, I was actually convinced I didn’t have emotions. Don’t get me wrong. An overachiever can achieve a lot of amazing things, I know, because I did. BUT, they often burn out because they will burn the candle at both ends and self-sacrifice to get that achievement. A high-performer, on the other hand, is confident in the choices they make. They create and lead from the heart and they know their value and worth don’t come from external factors. High-performers have a huge appreciation for the deep internal work that requires them to be in touch with their emotions, thoughts and behaviors and they are very coachable. They are also just as serious about the time they take as downtime as they are about the work they do in the world. Here are 3 things you can do to help you gradually make the shift from overachiever to high-performer: Be mindful of that urge to switch directions. This is a trap overachievers get into to avoid possible failure. Ask yourself why you want to switch directions and be honest with yourself. Is it because you really just want a win versus finding a solution that works or maybe not finding a solution at all. Get comfortable with constructive feedback. In fact, seek it out and understand that it as an opportunity for growth. This is an area where the right coaches and mentors can be so valuable. You also need to embrace the fact that feedback doesn’t mean you are failing. Notice when you are putting on a “show” because you feel like you can’t be your authentic self. An easy way to recognize this is when you have what I call “faker syndrome” that voice in your head that makes you feel like a fraud. Being a high-performer means being authentically you and honest. Transforming your mindset takes work, and it’s an ever-evolving process. It took work, but when I connected with the right mentor and I made a choice to step into the mindset of high-performance vs overachiever, growing my business became a lot easier and a LOT MORE FUN, and so did my life! Let’s get social, connect with me on Instagram , visit my website or check out The Limitless Life Podcast . Read more from Brenda ! Brenda Johnston, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine After being chained to the same corporate job for close to 14 years and living with debt for most of her adult life, Brenda decided it was time to stop playing small. She changed her relationship with money and success (and more importantly herself) to turn her passion into profit. Within 7 months of leaving her corporate job, she had built a successful 6-figure business. As a High-Performance Mindset Coach, and the host of The Limitless Life podcast Brenda helps other driven Women tap into the power of their subconscious minds so they can access their full manifesting potential. She does this by helping transform limiting beliefs and fears that are creating patterns of self-sabotage so they can create an abundance mindset and go from worry to wealth.

Written by: Maggie Robinson, 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 cinema is now set to become the fastest-growing advertising channel out there? Above even digital, which is currently where all of the focus and lot of the spend is. It might seem a little left field to suggest businesses consider cinema advertising in their marketing plans, but there is a good reason for it. Now, we know cinema is a difficult topic to discuss – numbers allowed in an auditorium have been capped and families are doing their best to simulate the experience with widescreen TVs, streaming services and blanket forts. But we want to talk about it anyway, because, even with reduced visitor numbers, your business could massively benefit from cinema advertising, and I want to show you how. The Beauty of the Captive Audience The first and most important thing a cinema can give you is a captive audience. Not just a captive audience, but one that is so well-defined, you would struggle to find anything similar out there. Cinema advertising provides a carefully selected environment and close targeting for advertisers. This is because cinemas know their customers intimately, with a combination of their own collected data sets and data they are given freely by the customer. Their entire business model is persona-driven. They have a name for every different type of cinemagoer out there, and they can sort them demographically and according to their emotional wants and preferences. They can also segment by things like interest, family make-up and affluence in a way no other business can dream of. And they can pass this information on to advertisers. On top of that, this audience of well-defined cinemagoers are in a safe, secluded space where their full attention is on the screen before them, all of which adds into the melting pot of triggers that can cause them to buy. Lack of Distraction You may have considered film and TV as an option for advertising already – maybe seen the advantages of having that well-defined audience that just so happens to intersect with your customer base. But then, why wouldn’t you opt to advertise on one of the streaming services (the few that allow advertising that is), which have exploded in popularity in the last few years. Well, the simple answer is that streaming viewers are often distracted. Programs are put on in the background, conversations are happening, the doorbell is ringing, and the smartphone is always in their hands. If not multiple somethings, there is always something else, vying for their attention, which makes it a very ineffective medium for getting your message to really sink in. Cinemas, on the other hand, are an occasion. You have to make an effort to go to the cinema, and you are much more focussed on the enormous floor-to-ceiling screen in front of you. Plus, cinemas impose strict rules on not using your phone (which is really obvious if you break), and viewers are very accustomed to the switch off. This creates an environment with no phones and no noise, so an ad trailer's impact can be much bigger than it is on TV. Research from top cinema advertising agencies states that 95% of ad copy shown in cinemas is also shown on TV, yet 85% of cinemagoers think that the average cinema advert is unique. This shows that viewers are much more receptive to the cinema's messaging, and it's much more likely to sink in than if it was shown elsewhere. Data Distrust Of course, there is one more reason why brands would choose to advertise in a more traditional medium than online, and that’s data. We live in a time where consumers are more aware than ever of what happens with their data, and this makes them very wary of what they interact with online. Consumers are reticent to interact with digital ads, so much so that the digital ad space is only predicted to grow 10% in 2021 (the lowest since 2001), and the competition for that limited attention is fierce. Add in the worries about fake news, extremist content and sophisticated data thieves, and digital advertising has never been a more difficult place to be. Cinemas have none of this danger for customers, which means they are much more receptive to advertising and interacting with it – knowing they don’t need to worry about any potential data theft or selling. Cinema has a unique ability to penetrate the world's noise and the constant barrage of branding we experience every day, and instead provide a safe space for viewers. The opportunity this presents businesses is huge – and definitely one that merits considering. If you’re looking for new ways to advertise your business and get real results from your campaign, there are far worse options than cinema advertising. If you want to know more about how advertising in a cinema would work, and how you would go about it, just get in touch with us today for your free consultation. Follow me on Twitter & LinkedIn for more info! Maggie Robinson, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Maggie Robinson is the founder of Smart Thinking Consultancy and works with businesses across the UK, supporting their digital and traditional marketing needs. Maggie’s all-round approach allows businesses to benefit from her knowledge and experience of all aspects of marketing, rather than being tied to just one activity. From website health checks to Google ads, brand awareness to marketing campaigns, Smart Thinking Consultancy can help your business achieve its goals. Whether you need one-off assistance with a single aspect of your marketing or a full, cohesive strategy, Maggie has the knowledge and experience you need. Maggie is a former South West board member and current Fellow at the Chartered Institute of Marketing. She has worked with well-known household brands as well as many small to medium-sized companies.

Written by: Peggy Niles, 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. Have you ever worked for someone that you considered a mentor? You looked forward to going to work; you were proud of your job; you even felt fulfilled. Likewise, have you ever worked for someone that got on your every last nerve? You dreaded when the alarm went off each morning; you felt like you were wasting your life; you even considered walking away from the money because of this person? What was the difference between the two people? Or was it you and the specific job? Typically I find it’s the people you work with as opposed to the work you’re doing. I believe that behind every great leader is a great team, yet I often hear of CEOs dealing with “bad employees” or so many employee issues. What do you think this says – a bad leader? Bad employee? Doesn’t one affect the other? I believe it really is somewhat of a codependency that exists between the leaders and their team, so one can just as easily say behind every great team is a great leader. Over the years working in the corporate and public accounting world, then in my own business consulting many CEOS, I discovered there are 3 things found in great leaders: Leaders challenge their team members; Leaders aren’t afraid of teaching their team members; and A great leader welcomes the ideas of their team members. Before I go into these, let me share a few examples from my career. Early on in my career, I worked with an executive that basically made life miserable. Unfortunately, this executive had many HR complaints by many of his staff before and during my tenure at the company. I couldn’t understand why the company kept him around since he brought so many problems, but that’s a story for another day. A little background on his technique. He was a micro-manager, but not in a sense you would think when hearing the term. It was more, he constantly badgered the department members about the status of projects, questioned their every move, and enjoyed sitting around in meetings with no agendas and no results other than to slow things down. Trying to grow within the company was like taking a bone from a dog; everyone in the department had very negative attitudes toward him, and therefore toward their job. His assistant’s position became a revolving door and the managers directly under him had health issues. I realized in later years that he taught me the art of negotiation and how not to manage team members. On the opposite spectrum, years later, I experienced a partner in a firm I worked at who was all for encouragement, new ideas, collaboration. He appreciated and encouraged those who continually looked for ways to be more effective, to streamline workflow, and of course to improve the bottom line. He created a culture where people wanted to be and wanted to contribute. He understood if you wanted true growth and success, it took a team – he then demonstrated just that to his team of executives who pushed it down the line in the division. His team likewise appreciated the empowerment and success. What I took away from him was exactly how to be a leader and how to get things done with desired results. As I mentioned, over the years working with executives, I have found three things great leaders have in common. The first is that the leaders challenge their team members. If a business owner wants to accept the status quo or plateau at a certain level, then they can set certain minimum expectations of their team members and leave it at that. However, those leaders who dare to strive for more are those that don’t settle for or with anything, including their team members. These executives can identify the underlying strengths within each member and challenge them to build on those strengths and push them to do better regularly. The key is to challenge them in a way that’s letting them know you believe in them and what they can do, developing their confidence. The second trait is that the leaders aren’t afraid of teaching their team members. This goes hand-in-hand with the thought process of hiring people who are smarter than you. The same type of fear creeps in when you aren’t a strong leader. What always worked for me is to hire for attitude and culture – I could teach the skills. I’m not necessarily saying you don’t want them to have any technical skills for the position you’re hiring, but you’ll want to spend time teaching them regardless. Everyone takes a different path and you should always have something to teach your members…maybe it’s your process or your negotiation skills or communication styles, whatever. The idea is that you aren’t afraid to make your team members stronger because, in the end, it will build a better, sustainable company and take the reliance off of you. You will no longer have “bad employees” because you hired the right people and gave them the resources to do their work while creating an enjoyable environment. Lastly, a great leader welcomes the ideas of their team members. As CEOs, we often like to believe we have all the answers OR maybe more to the point that we need to be the one with all the answers. That’s just not true. Ideas come best when they’re in the form of collaboration, and often from another perspective. The team working directly with the clients often see what’s working and what’s not faster than the CEO because they’re on the “front lines” so to speak; they hear more of what the customer dislikes, needs, or wants. Empower them with the opportunity to make suggestions, bring awareness and improve the systems and the company. Once again, you will be creating a welcoming culture, a unified team and … because everyone will seemingly be happier for the recognition and open environment while working toward the same goal, you will reach your vision faster. Give yourself a few minutes…what kind of leader are you? Do you have these 3 characteristics? If not, how can you change things up? Follow me on Facebook and connect with me on LinkedIn . For more info, visit my website ! Read more from Peggy! Peggy Niles, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Peggy Niles is a Profit Strategist and Business Consultant who helps established business owners transform their companies from the daily grind to one that keeps running smoothly while the owner focuses on the things that matter most to them. She walks her clients through her 3-step Quantum Scaling System℠, a proven system to reach their 5 year goals in 12-24 months. With 30+ years of experience, she specializes in scaling strategies, leadership and process creation/management. Also, as a Certified Public Accountant by trade, Peggy always keeps an eye on the effect actions and strategies have on a business’ bottom line. She believes small business is the best way to make a difference in the world - that’s why she helps her clients grow and scale their companies, without the overwhelm or laboring endless hours, so they can fulfill their dreams and gain the freedom, and life, they’ve always wanted with the impact they deserve.

Written by: Lannette Inouye, 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. Starting a small home-based business takes a lot of patience, time, education and planning; however, it’s definitely attainable if you really want it. Everyone has transferable skills, and you certainly don’t need to spend all your hard-earned money on expensive courses to obtain these skills! EXAMPLE: I had $1000 dollars barely to work with and held down a full time special educational career; knowing that retirement is close, I consciously put my wheels into motion. I was very determined! I didn’t leave my job, and continued to work. For two years, I had spent my weekends and evenings planning, researching, and putting my ideas together. What had occurred to me as I have some pretty amazing skills to work with. Transferable skills I acquired over the years, skills that were sitting idle for a very long time! These transferable skills can prove to be reliable and useful in your business path! 1) The first thing you need to do is make a small list of your personal and professional skill set, like I did. This is the realization I made about myself! These are my top 4 skill sets Skills and talent of an artist, a writer and graphic designer. A Bachelor of Commerce Degree and an Entrepreneurial Management Diploma Education and knowledge of Social Services, Psychology, Applied Behavior Analyzation, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and Special Education. Experience and knowledge of working with nonprofit organizations. Now make a list of your own 4 most prominent skill sets! 2) Create a list of assets you have acquired or desire to obtain. EXAMPLES OF ASSETS ARE: Business idea, Business plan, Approved business name, Registered business, Skill set and talent, Knowledge and/or Education, Desire to learn, Ambition, Product, craft, merchandise or services, Website/Blog, E-commerce store or marketplace platform, Office equipment, Small savings, Business bank account, Basic credit card. YOU REALLY JUST NEED TO PLAN YOUR STRATEGY, CHOOSE SOMETHING YOU KNOW WELL, GIVE YOURSELF TIME, AND CREATE YOUR BUSINESS PLAN FROM THAT. 1. Register your business and business name with your government registry program. 2. Many online places offer low cost legal documents too, like business plans that you fill out the details of your business and the program guides you through the process. I access https://www.lawdepot.ca for numerous legal Canadian documents. It only costs me just under $6.00 a month for unlimited legal documents, very convenient. Most countries have free to low-cost options for business startups. Search google with FREE OR LOW-COST BUSINESS PLANS. That way, if you ever decide to obtain a small business loan or grants, you’ll be prepared. I believe it’s not necessary to have a business plan complete before launching a small home-based business, but it doesn’t hurt to have it either! I like to refer back to my plan as a reminder of my next steps. 3. A small savings of a couple hundred to a few thousand dollars, and a basic credit card is all you need to get your business started. Open a business bank account 4. A cell phone, computer, printer/fax, or mobile device are great assets in a small home-based business. I did most of my work on my iPad and iPhone. 5. A cloud-based website builder with a blog or WordPress is great; however, in my experience, a cloud-based builder was the easiest and most economical route to build my online presence. If you have limited tech skills, these hosting sites usually walk you through the process. You can include an e-commerce store if you plan to sell merchandise, but this is not necessary and can cost you added funds. 6. Instead, you can choose to connect your website with online free marketplaces that take a small percentage of your sales total. Some examples of reliable marketplaces are eBay, Etsy, Amazon, Prestashop, or Threadless. There are many more. Just search the web for options in your Country. 7. Next, connect your external marketplace web address to your base website/blog, add SEO and name your link. Usually, it will appear on your search bar on your website. 8. Launch social media business pages and /or groups and connect these to your website. 9. Start blogging what you know. Start with a simple short blog post introducing yourself and business. The hows, whys and whats are very important! What is your purpose? Why is your product or service the best? How will your business benefit others? 10. Create your own list of skills and talents, give yourself plenty of time to research options. 11. Utilize your strengths and build up your weaknesses. WHAT IF YOU LACK KNOWLEDGE ON SEO? (SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION) SEO helps your business stand out so people can find you on the web by increasing your visibility. Searchable Keywords are connected to your website pages and blog. I find the easiest and most affordable method of learning SEO is through watching YouTube videos from high ranking YouTubers. Just go to YouTube and search SEO for beginners; several tutorials will pop up. 3) Next, build a list of things you’d like to improve on. Examples might be: Marketing skills need improvement Accounting skills could be better Social Media skills are outdated I need an education on SEO Time management is not the best (this was my biggest issue) You can find free information and tutorials on the internet by just searching for it. My favorite go-to is YouTube. There is always someone on this platform giving free or low-cost professional advice. Just make sure to research these people and businesses before putting their advice into action. Knowledge gives you independence and power! Prevent burnout and relax your mind, body and spirit. Give yourself at least one day a week where you just focus on you as a person. Sunday is my allotted time I put aside to paint, draw, listen to my favorite music, and simply relax with my husband. 4) Once your business is launched and you have some social media presence, start looking for nonprofit organizations to reach out to. Whatever your business is, you can affiliate with pretty much any nonprofit. Just make sure you have an interest or some level of knowledge before connecting with a nonprofit. Research is KEY! There are many things you could offer a nonprofit, such as, you could offer a service they may need with a percentage off or free. You could offer free advertising. If you own a store with merchandise, you could sell products in a certain category and give the organization a percentage of the sales from the target category or give back a sum from each sale. You could also offer to print their logo on your products and give them back a bit more for every item sold or offer a reduced rate with their logo printed on your merchandise. This gives nonprofits opportunities they may not have otherwise. It also leaves an open door to their online presence bringing more people to their cause. Now that you know some of the perks for nonprofits, how would this benefit your business? • You can reach a new audience altogether • Build and increase brand awareness • Education you may not have had before • Increase brand recognition • Build a strong social media presence • Ability to boost sales • You can write blog posts that will resonate with people • Increase traffic to your website • You can create a good image for your company • Create tax benefits • Plus more... It is absolutely worth your time and effort to maintain a strong partnership! Nothing brings people together like helping others. Forming a partnership with a nonprofit is a win-win situation! Connect with Lannette on Facebook , Instagram and visit her website for more information! Lannette Inouye, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Lannette, also known as Lanna, who lives in a small community on the West Coast of Vancouver Island in Canada. She is a budding artist whose designs have become a beacon to advocate for vulnerable people of society. For over 3 decades, she worked for and with nonprofits, and now special education, concluding many of those years volunteering her spare time helping those in need of resources. With a solid background in advocacy and a natural risk-taker, she has the added skills and tools to move forward and make a difference, so she founded and created Expressive Designs by Lanna with the intent to affiliate her art business with non-profit support societies and form partnerships of trust. One of her goals is to demonstrate to other small businesses how communities and businesses benefit from a partnership such as this. Her desires as a successful, independent, supportive businesswoman have been a lifelong dream, and she feels her new journey is full of positivity and hope for many.

Written by: Mary Ann Bojor, 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 As humans, we run a complex operating system, with approx 85-90% energetic thoughts derived from our subconscious mind processing at least 50,000 thoughts a day. Meaning the odds of micro bias surfacing in our daily interactions are probable. Unconscious bias is our distorted thoughts and beliefs that can impact a personal perspective and unfiltered integrity, influencing decision making, opportunities, and growth. Suppose we are to examine our unique experiences in life based on many different criteria, including wealth, race, culture, gender, nationality, health, diet, education, family upbringing, etc. It reminds us how remarkably filtered our lens is to situations, and how we respond to others can reflect our internal self-bias perceptions. We also have the macro projections of bias, unconsciously becoming the predisposed structural building blocks of society, often becoming the modus operandi for many unless consciously questioned and challenged. With so many variations of awareness encountered in daily interactions, be it online, workplace family, media, it may be opportune to assume a person can operate from non-bias. The willingness to do so provides a robust opening for those who wish to flourish beyond unconscious historical constraints, which remain a challenge. The truth is we all hold unconscious bias, which can impact our inward reflection of personal wealth and self-connection. It's not limited to a specific demographic. However, it can determine opportunities, when left unresolved, especially around outdated beliefs involving equality, yet a fait accomplishment. To mitigate unconscious bias is to understand internalized perceptions from a space of self-awareness and actively consider if your thoughts and emotions are authentic or born from somebody else's projected ideals and the real gain and drivers for using them. Our unconscious bias perceptions are often multi-faceted and, once actively engaged, enable reviewing what lurks below the 90% surface to be brought into awareness and updated through mindset training and holistic expansion. As a gauge often when we are unable to connect, respond, acknowledge, or associate with denial or distraction, it can be an indicator of self-awareness not supporting the micro behavior and emotional intelligence available at a more expansive layer. Our emotions, which often run unconsciously, are energetically intertwined with personal perceptions and are transmitted to others without saying a single word. Hence, a reframed mindset can improve awareness and translate as enhancements in interactions with peers, engagement, risk-taking, growth, and inclusion. Scheduled practice being present, moving gently through some of the unresolved thoughts often born from learned left-brain logic and repeated patterns, can bring more in-depth insight, reflection, self-connection, and support to an inner journey of self-awareness. I recall that my consciousness upgrade was steeped in generations of gender, cultural, and race inequality. The internal conflict of determination not to become a statistic while navigating a macro culture of accepted behavior was profoundly transformative. The most subconscious unresolved genetic and macro bias, which impacted my opportunities, were external projections I had unconsciously assumed as my ingrained perspective and become my limitation. Below each thought is an energetic foundation, often an unresolved emotion and outdated epigenetic, when stored, can become a block to wellness, awareness, opportunities, and connection to our spiritual nature leading to imbalance. Our inner workings reflect our external environment. The realignment of the mind and body through energetic balance reignites a flow of potential and innate connection, which aligns with a deeper external perspective and fulfillment. Outdated micro and macro-environmental and intergenerational beliefs can suppress how we choose to express innate potential. Knowing this is unconsciously reflected externally in our personal and professional lives became the galvanizing force to work holistically. Equality and Change is not exclusively an external process. We can choose to take accountability and lean into the inner journey of upgrading our unconscious bias and limiting belief structures to support potential and live in alignment. Through my experiences, a desire was born for evolved self-leadership from self-awareness, intuition, authenticity, integrity, and wisdom, reflecting externally as conscious wellness and success. Practical awareness and pointers for elevating beyond bias Check, do you have access to unconscious bias training at work, and if not, ask or self-invest. Are you aware of your peer's experiences might be vastly different, and perhaps yielding different results, your annual work survey might display vastly different results from protected characteristics employees? If so, what engagement are you taking to ensure these target areas are improving? Have you ever engaged your colleagues about the subject, if so? Be ready to listen and grow and ask how you can help (this might mean consciously supporting visibility, inclusion, attending meetings, job exposure, introductions). Be mindful clients/ investors increasingly wishing to invest in people/companies who can interact with conscious unbiased policies. Are you showing the same discernment for your services? Lean in and review your thoughts, are they bias, learned opinions, or truth. Consider mindset training and holistic modalities to reframe unconscious patterns (NLP, Theta, Reiki, and body therapies are a few). Are you treating everybody with the same opportunities? Noting future potential is undefined, so it shouldn't be based on the past, personal or macro filters. Updating old patterns of internal bias brings in a transformative mind perspective and emotional awareness. Updating mind perception can change the energy of how people perceive and engage with you. When you lean into uncomfortable situations, you are internally reprogramming neuro brain signaling channels and effecting a new habit. The mind we see is only a fragment of who we are engaging in. For alignment nourish the spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical aspects. Schedule time and mindfulness activities that support being more present and connecting to positive emotions will support deeper life alignment and self-connection. For further information, visit my website and follow me on Instagram ! Mary Ann Bojor, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Mary Ann is a holistic facilitator of inner wealth. She uses a combination of her intuitive, analytical, and spiritual abilities to help facilitate transformational growth by supporting emotional, energetic and mindset alignment for life and business. “ We are now living in a world where people are opening to embody a more conscious way of life and lead from an expanded space of personal awareness and connection to our innate spiritual nature. The essence of healing and transformation is to bring inner embodiment of our truer nature, to let go of the old layers and to come into deeper alignment.” After spending many years in the corporate sector, Mary Ann holds a Certification in Psychology of leadership, Equality and Diversity whilst being a spiritual mentor and a master energy practitioner (Reiki, Theta healing, Access Consciousness). Mary ann specializes in helping people thrive beyond limiting unconscious patterns for outer success.

Written by: Amanda Cottrell, 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 do you think of when you are asked to, “Do more things that make you forget to check your phone?” Do you think "not a chance I need my phone?" Or yeah, you are right; it is becoming a problem in my home. Do you stop for a minute and think I need to spend more time getting out and enjoying nature? Do you ever question whether you are becoming addicted to screens, or wonder if your children are becoming addicted to screens? This idea is similar to the argument about screen time when I was a kid. However, I question if the amount of time someone spends in front of a screen really has anything to do with the problem's root. We live in an age where we are constantly plugged in. We have access to the internet from almost anywhere on the planet. If we don’t know the answer to something, we can find it in two seconds on Google. We can talk to people anywhere on the planet at the click of a button. We are so plugged in and connected that we do not even realize how unconnected we truly are. Rates of depression and anxiety are up, and teen suicide is up. This upward trend started with the introduction of smartphones. So even though we are more connected to the world, we are less connected to ourselves, our families and our kids. Kids are more connected on YouTube and Tiktok but less connected to their friends in real life and to who they are as a person. This is why it is so increasingly important for people and their kids to unplug and get mindful about what they are doing on their screens. I personally do not think the problem is directly linked to the amount of time people are spending in front of a screen, but question if it is linked to what they are spending their time doing in front of that screen. When I was doing my Masters in Education Technology, we discussed how the Internet could be used to help people be creative and to solve problems. One specific example that still sticks in my head was people in a small village in Africa who used what they learned on their smartphones to clean up the river, learn how to farm and create a sustainable environment in an area that was previously a wasteland. The power of the technology we have at our fingertips is astronomical and has never been seen before in our history. "Becoming more aware of what you are doing is the first step in mindfully changing your behavior" Yet with this vast amount of information and powerful technology, very few people are utilizing it. The problem is and what this quote is really getting at, in my opinion, is the vast majority of the people on the internet use it as passive consumers, similar to how we used TV in the past. Not saying that there isn’t a value to having some time to just veg and watch a show or scroll Instagram or Facebook but what we really need to consider is how much time we are spending doing that compared to other activities of value, including other activities of value in that involve screens. I challenge you to consider how often you use your smartphone or the internet to be content creators rather than passive consumers. There is a NetFlix documentary called “The Social Dilemma” that will really make you question the time you spend in front of your devices and who really has control over that time you are spending. Becoming more aware of what you are doing is the first step in mindfully changing your behavior. My hope for the future is that people begin to use technology to become creators. When we use our creativity, we can solve problems in our lives and there is so much information out there that we need to learn how to navigate it so we can become content creators who solve critical problems. So while I agree with the quote, we need to do more things that make us forget to check our phones. What if we changed it to “do more things that allow us to be empowered creators in our life story?” Follow Amanda on Facebook , Instagram and visit her website for more info! Read more from Amanda! Amanda Cottrell, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Believe! Create! Inspire! Amanda Marie Cottrell is a woman who wears many hats with a B.A in Political Science, B.Ed in elementary education, M.Ed specializing in creativity and technology, Reiki master, yoga for young children instructor, artist, mom, author, illustrator and teacher. She also runs an arts-based business teaching art and mindfulness workshops. As an educator of young children for over 14 years, Amanda’s passion is education and creativity. She believes that everyone has creative capacities. Her mission is to empower people through tapping into their own unique creative gifts through connection and mindfulness. Namaste!

Written by: Mary Yamin-Garone, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise Let’s face it. At one time or another, every writer hits the overwhelming wall. I know I have more than once. You can’t fight it. It’s a natural part of the writing process. Whatever topic you’re writing about may feel like a towering mountain stopping you dead in your tracks. Your internal chatter is deafening as it builds layer upon layer of limiting thoughts. “What was I thinking? I can’t do this. I’m not a writer. Who wants to read another suspense thriller, business story or one that talks about overcoming one of many challenges?” Truth be told, it’s all been done before. It’s been that way forever. But take heart. Nobody will tell the suspense thriller the same way you will. Nobody will tell the business story the same way you will. Nobody will write about your work or expertise quite like you will. Here are some ways to overcome the overwhelm. High Expectations When you begin exploring what it takes to get published, you may start feeling the expectation's crushing weight. You walk through bookstores and see all the newly published books, and you start feeling defeated. That “why bother” monster rears his ugly head. What do you do? Exhale. Self-educate and create your platform. Find ways to incorporate your writing into your life. If you’re petrified, take a class or join a writing community. If you’re swimming in a sea of expectation, just do one thing until you’ve mastered it. Fear of Success Believe it or not, the fear of success is a bigger roadblock for most writers than fear of failure. You may think you’re not good enough or smart enough, don’t have what it takes to rise to the challenge, or have continued success. You’re not alone. Sometimes, writers fear success because it tests their limits. They become vulnerable to new situations. Success can also expose your weaknesses and force you to not only face your flaws but also deal with them. It’s important to understand your fear and grab ahold of it before the part of you that’s frozen in fear can allow you to grow into your full and amazing potential. Fear of Failure Does this sound like you? I can't finish writing my book. I'm a failure before I've even started. I finished my book, but it doesn't live up to my expectations. I can't get an agent or a publisher. What if nobody buys my book? What if my it gets bad reviews? What if my friends and family don't like it? What if it doesn't make any money and I've wasted all this time and energy for nothing? If you’re never afraid as a writer, you’re never challenging yourself. No one will die because you received a scathing review or the only one who reads your book is your mother or you speak at an event and no one shows up. I get it. It takes a lot of willpower to start writing. It requires even more to overcome the fear associated with writing. Here are some ways to combat that fear and give your willpower a workout. Don’t wait to write. Jump in with both feet. If you finish writing it, publish it. Ask for feedback from those you know will be honest. Remember, people are likely to forget bad writing. Write about a new, random topic. Don't be afraid to push the publish button. Instead, think about the reward beyond the fear. In the words of Stephen King , "I'm afraid of failing at whatever story I'm writing—that it won't come up for me, or that I won't be able to finish it." I'd say that if Stephen King still suffers from fear of failure, then it will never go away, and we're all in good company! Writer’s ADD In today’s world, it takes more than simply writing a book. You’re expected to publish your written works, create a social media empire, get media exposure and secure advanced praise for your yet-to-be-written book! Figuring it all out and while being pulled in a hundred different directions makes focusing difficult. In case you didn’t know it, you’re suffering from what’s known as Writer’s ADD. Symptoms include your brain jumping to other ideas and to-do’s while working on your writing project. To manage Writer’s ADD, you have to turn it off. If you’re juggling multiple projects, pick one. Employ a content strategy. Find a coach who can help you define your goals, timelines and priorities. If you don’t know what to do first, your attention will constantly be split. You’ll be swimming in a sea of unfinished projects without a completion strategy. Create a Will-Do List Creating a will-do list for your writing can give you an immediate sense of control and productivity. Start by picking several tasks from your to-do list that you will do the next day: not the ones you want to do or think you might do — but those you’ll commit to doing. Replace your long list of intentions with a short list of commitments. Here are two important principles to keep in mind about your list: 1. It’s a list of commitments. Your goal should be to complete 100% of your daily will-do list every day. Remember that these tasks are commitments. If you’re not serious about crossing off all the items, don’t bother creating one. 2. Once set, don’t add more items. Once you create it, don’t add anything to it during the day. That means the only thing that can happen to your list is that it will get smaller. That’s the idea. Your list isn’t a moving target. It’s a finite and measurable workload you can actually finish. That’s much better for your motivation than the sight of endless to-do lists. Things that may help: Set three priorities for each day. Then tackle them as early in the day as you can—or when you typically have the most energy. Limit your decisions. Plan out your day, so you have fewer decisions to make. That helps avoid “decision fatigue” and keeps your willpower stronger for your writing-related tasks. Take the long view. Writing is a lifelong pursuit. Focus on building a little bit each day so you can enjoy the process rather than stressing over the outcome. Take Action! You can talk about your writing project for years and never get any closer to finishing it if ALL you do is talk. So, if you're feeling frustrated or overwhelmed, decide on one small action you can take toward your biggest goal. If your dream is to write a book, start on an outline or begin the first chapter. If it's to create a newsletter for people who regularly visit your blog or website, then determine what topics you should cover. Then transfer that plan from your head to paper. If you want to write for magazines, start writing that query letter. Regardless of what project you've been dreaming about, don't think about the entire project. Instead, decide on one small ACTION and then take it. That way, you won't get overwhelmed. For more writing tips, visit my website . Join my Facebook Group and follow me on Instagram ! Read more from Mary! Mary Yamin-Garone, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Mary Yamin-Garone is an award-winning writer, editor and book/writing coach. In her 36 years, she has seen most every facet of the writing world as the featured guest writing expert on a weekly radio talk show; the recipient of numerous writing awards and accolades; and the coach and editor for several best-selling authors. One of her proudest moments came after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Mary received the Communication Concept 2002 APEX Award for Publication Excellence for Magazine and Newspaper Writing for her work after 9/11. She recently launched her signature coaching program, Bring Your Words to Life. Mary will help you improve your writing and turn your most important life experiences and knowledge into your best-selling book.