Written by: Lily Woi, 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. Confidence comes in all shapes and sizes. Everyone has a different interpretation of what confidence feels and looks like, depending on their personality. The most dominant and prevalent interpretation of confidence is still based on how loud and outgoing you are. For those who are more introverted and reserved, this is unfortunate. I am one of those. I am a shy, sensitive, reserved, and introverted person. I was always told by people I needed to be louder, to speak up, and that my voice is unheard. It made me very self-conscious. Of course, all this advice was given with the most well-meaning intentions. But it backfired. I struggled so much because I kept trying to be someone I’m not. My confidence level tanked. On my worst days, I remember hiding in the bathroom stall because I got so overwhelmed and self-conscious of my insecurities. That all changed when I learned another type of confidence. A type of confidence that fits my personality. A type of confidence that led me to be who I am today. And that is Quiet Confidence. To break it down, quiet confidence is the inner belief and certainty about one’s abilities, worth, and values. I am able to now center myself on this belief, to go about my work and life knowing that I am capable and that there is no need to prove myself to anyone. What a powerful feeling. I’ve managed to build up my confidence in a way that I am unapologetically proud of who I am. To confidently know that I don’t need to be the first person to speak or the most or the loudest. Knowing that (and seeing) that one sentence is powerful enough when shared with value and the belief that I am capable. I created a space for myself and stepped into it with full, unapologetic authority. Commanding attention and respect in a quiet way. I’m living proof that a shy, sensitive, reserved, introverted can exude confidence, be seen, be heard, and be respected by others. My mentor prompted me on this journey in the early days of my career. He noticed my struggles and insecurities. He sat me down and told me, – it’s okay if you are not the loudest in the room. You don’t need to be loud to command attention, to show you’re capable, to show you’re confident. There are many other ways. Figure out what ways work for you without sacrificing yourself. Here are some of my learnings on being quietly confident in a world full of noise. Focus on the internal and external. Stop focusing only on external things like straightening your back, lowering your voice, or even saying certain phrases. It doesn’t work if you do not work on your inner self. In a way, all of these external things can easily feel gimmicky and inauthentic because it doesn’t align to your internal view. Focus on both. Connect and live your value. Figure out your core values and understand why those are important to you. There are a lot of free exercises and tests you can use on the web. Live by your values and use them to guide your decisions. Knowing deep down that what you’re doing aligns with your value gives you confidence as you know you’re on the right path. It doesn’t mean you don’t falter or don’t deviate from your path, but you’ll be able to learn, adapt, grow, bounce back and get back on your path. Actively listen without judgment. Be curious, listen more than you speak, and give people your undivided attention. That means no multitasking and no trying to think about your response before the person even finishes speaking. A good way to test how actively you listen is how quickly you’re able to respond to the other person – if you can immediately respond, chances are you’re not actively listening. When you’re curiously listening, there is no right or wrong answer. There are only learnings, and through that lens, confidence comes easier. Speak to add value. Ask more questions than telling. And then only speak when your point adds to the conversation. Whether it is to refocus the conversation, to bring in another perspective, to share your own perspective, to emphasize or reiterate an important point, etc. Don’t ever feel you need to speak for the sake of speaking. Take that pressure of from yourself. Sharing one valuable insight, perspective or question is more memorable than sharing 10 filler statements. Know and play to your strengths. To be confident, you need to know with certainty what you’re good at and be able to play to it. But only for the things you’re actually excited and energized with. Just because you’re good with numbers, it doesn’t mean you need to work in a numbers profession if you hate it. Playing to your strengths should leave you with more energy, not less. There’s also no need to be modest and reserved about your strengths. Seek out opportunities to utilize more of your strengths. It both adds value to other people’s work and life, as well as, it’s an instant confidence booster for yourself. Embrace your weaknesses. Lastly, it is equally important to acknowledge and accept your weaknesses. You don’t need to be a superhero and be good at everything. No one is perfect. Be courageous enough to embrace your weakness and ask for help. Also, you don’t need to improve all of your weaknesses. It could also be as simple as surrounding yourself with people that can complement your weakness. But to be able to do that, you first must be able to embrace it, be okay with feeling vulnerable and ask anyway. There you go. I’ve been there – the shy, quiet, reserved, awkward introvert. It doesn’t need to stay that way. I’ve learned how to overcome and develop solid sustainable confidence that fits me. I’m now able to command attention without speaking and, most importantly, without feeling self-conscious. You can do the same. If you are keen to go deeper, I’m offering a complimentary 30 minutes call for my loyal Brainz readers. Book here. With much love, Lily Follow me on LinkedIn, or visit my website for more info! Read more from Lily! Lily Woi, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Lily Woi is a professionally trained coach and an expert in helping individuals to accelerate their career progression and develop authentic leadership capabilities. She has spent years working in corporate consultancy training and advising clients to deliver multimillion transformation programs before starting her career coaching business (Lily Woi Coaching). She develops current and future leaders to be self-directed, resilient to change, grow their presence and build authentic leadership styles that motivate and inspire others. She is known for her personalized approach, tailoring content to individuals' learning preferences and work experiences to instill real practical change in an enjoyable way.

Written by: Jelena Radonjic, 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 events of seismic proportions, like the pandemic and the resulting lockdown, occur, they shake us up to the core – as individuals, as human beings, and as professionals, but also all the institutions and ways they operate, leading to significant shifts in society. As a career and leadership development coach, I have always prided myself on helping clients question their life, their values, and their purpose. I have made conscious and concerted efforts to send signals to the market that I only want to work with people who are open-minded, curious, and who value personal growth above all else. Never did I dream that so many would come to me, seeking help with exactly this! The events of 2020 have precipitated a mass awakening of career professionals, high-flyers, and achievers who pressed the pause button to question, reflect, and re-evaluate. Nothing brings me more joy than helping hundreds of people change their lives and find more meaning and fulfillment in their work. I must admit that I have been overwhelmed over the past two years by the influx of clients seeking to clarify their purpose and realizing that "jobs" and "careers" are much more than just a way to pay their bills. This also prompted me to look into the idea of “purpose” yet again. I believe that the change we are experiencing is of tsunami proportions and that even those who had been comfortable in their jobs were prompted to rethink and reassess their private and work lives and ask themselves questions they've never asked before. Although the waters are still murky since the tsunami hasn’t settled yet, I believe that things will never be the same in the world of work and careers, both on the individual and the collective levels. So, what about this elusive idea of purpose? I have been involved with the concept of Ikigai, which has become quite prominent in coaching practice for a few years now, and found many interesting, and yet opposing views. Obviously, both the word Ikigai and the concept itself existed in the Japanese language long before it was appropriated by the Western world, though I have not encountered it when I lived in Japan in the early 90s. While Ikigai is used in coaching as a model to discover your own career values and purpose of your work/calling, leading to a more fulfilled work life, the word has a much less specific meaning in the Japanese language. The BBC quotes clinical psychologist Akihiro Hasegawa, who dates “the origin of the word ikigai […] back to the Heian period (794 to 1185)” and explains that “ Gai comes from the word kai (“shell” in Japanese) which were deemed highly valuable at the time, and from there Ikigai derived as a word that means value in living.” Therefore, in its original meaning, Ikigai is neither a strategy to be used in one’s work-life to find meaningful work that pays the bills, nor the mysterious secret to longevity and health. However, in its blurry and complex history of transfer and appropriation, Ikigai has become popular as exactly this, best represented by a Venn diagram locating it at the intersections of four characteristics: (1) what you love, (2) what the world needs, (3) what you are good at, and (4) what you can get paid for. Combining these attributes would then lead to finding your vocation, mission, profession, and passion, with Ikigai at its innermost, connected center . So far so good, but while this reduction may seem convincing and meaningful, it actually does not have a lot to do with Ikigai. In his essay on the appropriation of the concept, Ikigai expert Nicholas Kemp explains that the introduction of the Japanese word Ikigai into the Venn diagram with its four circles and intersections was authored through a series of additions and amalgamations by several authors, speakers, and thought leaders. Does this mean applying Ikigai to one’s work-life or using it as a coaching practice is therefore unsuitable? Definitely not. As a career coach who places emphasis specifically on one’s values, not only in work but in life in general, I do believe that using the core qualities of the concept of Ikigai can be used for career path clarification as well, leading to self-discovery and ultimately more informed choices. We’ll remain connected to our lkigai if we pay attention to how we spend our time and with whom, what activities we engage in, as well as fully appreciating what we are creating in our (work) life. In his book on Ikigai, Ken Mogi describes the 5 pillars of Ikigai that we can use as a starting point: Starting small Releasing yourself Harmony and sustainability The joy of little things Being in the here and now Going back to purpose and how Ikigai links to it, let me share a bit about my own journey: I’ve spent decades soul searching and immersing myself in lots of transformational work. To be honest, I didn’t start this journey thinking, ‘oh I must discover my purpose!’ I just naturally and intuitively sought answers and kept asking questions. I often point out to my clients, or in my masterclasses, the difference between a personal branding statement (“elevator pitch”) and a purpose statement, call it Ikigai if you will. After many hours of meditation and allowing answers to come to me, I came up with the following: My purpose statement or my Ikigai is: I raise awareness through insight and love, leading with confidence. My pitch is: As a career fulfillment coach, I help mid-senior professionals identify, reach, and retain the careers they love and thrive in. Can you see the link between the two? For me, self-actualizing through work is one of my highest values and dare I say, my purpose, and I fulfill it by helping others do the same. While using the concept of Ikigai as a coaching model is beneficial, I need to emphasize that our purpose doesn’t need to be one awe-inspiring ideal towards which we strive throughout our lives. Rather, it is a collection and amalgamation of smaller things – insights, steps, decisions that can bring us closer to fulfilling our purpose. It is als o about finding purpose , flow , and alignment in everyday, small things. Don’t let life pass you by as you are trying to figure out your purpose! These are some of my favorite questions that will help you get more insight into your Ikigai and purpose: What brings me joy in my day-to-day life? What activities? Which people? What makes my heart sing? What was the best moment of my (work) life? (Or a couple of those) What do I care about deeply? If I had a magic wand, what one change would I create in the world? Then have a look at your answers. Lots of clues are hiding there. What’s obvious is – you want to be doing more of the things that make your heart sing, and you want to be surrounding yourself more with the people who bring you joy. Your passion lies in what you care about deeply and what you’d like to change in the world. That’s where you want to create impact. Pay attention, however, that being in flow and in tune with your ‘purpose’ can happen while you are immersed in your hobbies, your voluntary work, your downtime, and while you are at work. The sense of joy and fulfillment is not limited to work alone, it may not be the only place where you must meet your grand purpose and change the world. Some people do. However, the vast majority may not be at that point, and by neglecting the activities and people making your heart sing, you miss out on the joys of life, on being in flow, in gratitude. What if our purpose is to be happy to be alive? How humble and yet how grand that is! What about you, what is “enough” for you? For more info, follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , or visit my website ! Read more from Jelena ! Jelena Radonjic, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jelena is an award-winning Career Fulfilment and Leadership Development coach, helping conscious, aspiring professionals thrive in the careers they love. With over 25 years in international recruitment and education management, Jelena has held managerial and business development roles with P&L accountability, working with corporate clients from all over the world. Having started her corporate career in Japan, Jelena has lived and worked in 3 countries. She is a Forbes Coaches Council contributor, speaker, and author. Jelena has also worked with spiritual teachers such as John DeMartini and Deepak Chopra and infuses love, joy, and spirit into her coaching and everything she does. Her powerful blend of personal, career, and business coaching, as well as personal development and spiritual practice, has brought transformational results to hundreds of her clients.

Written by: Savannah Cheon, 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. Do you suffer from a negative inner voice? Do you notice your negative self-talk sabotaging your goals? Consistent practice of affirmation can motivate you to act, concentrate on your goals, change your negative inner belief system, influence your subconscious mind to access new beliefs, and help you feel positive about yourself. [1] How Inner Beliefs are Shaped Your inner beliefs, which is how your view the world, shape your reality and identity. Inner belief is shaped when people are in their childhood as they are assimilating their parents’ or caretakers’ values. Unfortunately, negative inner beliefs can be shaped due to various experiences that people go through. Many of us may have heard these statements from people around us, such as “Why can’t you be like him/her?”, “You are not smart/ strong enough to join the team,” or “What makes you think you can do it? That is too difficult”. Knowing or unknowingly, people see what they want to see and hear what they want to hear and develop their own subconscious beliefs. Depending on the judgment that they make about what they saw and heard, it is easy for people to form negative inner beliefs such as “I’m not good enough,” “I’m not smart enough,” “I don’t like my looks,” “Success is not for me,” etc. Your Inner Belief Shapes Your Reality We all have an internal benchmark system that limits us from taking certain actions depending on our inner beliefs. Our internal benchmark system will lead us to take action on the things that we are comfortable with and make us stay away from the things that are out of our comfort zone. For example, if you feel uncomfortable with a higher position job due to the limiting belief that you don’t deserve it, although there is an opportunity for a promotion, your internal benchmark system will do everything to sabotage that opportunity. No matter how much you want the job, your limiting beliefs will lead you to make choices opposite from the job you wanted. Therefore, it is important to widen our internal benchmark system by working on our inner beliefs about ourselves. One of the ways to change the limiting beliefs into positive beliefs is through practicing affirmations. How to Effectively Practice Affirmation The two key factors to make affirmation work are Worthiness and Consistency. The belief that you are worthy of deserving love, success, health, and all the good things in life is the first step to practicing affirmation. The challenge comes when people first start saying out the affirmation, it doesn’t feel right for them. Many people give up on this stage, but the awkward feeling is natural as the negative subconscious brain will fight them. To rewire your brain from negative thinking about yourself to a more positive outlook on life, repetition and consistency are the keys. Say it Out Loud in the Morning and Night Research suggests that the ideal time to rewire your subconscious mind is first thing in the morning as it sets the tone for the day and right before bedtime as it helps reprogram the subconscious brain. Therefore, you will get the most benefit when you say your affirmation at least two times daily at those times. If you love journaling, it is effective to write down your affirmation few times in your journal. Commit to at least 21-28 Days According to studies, it takes 21 days to form a new habit. When you commit to at least 21 days to consistently saying your new beliefs, you will see a noticeable shift in the way of thinking. It is important that any time you catch yourself thinking in a negative way, say the positive affirmation that replaces the old beliefs. Visualize the Result (Optional) Some people claim that they are a “visual person,” meaning that they have a good “photographic memory” that comes with the ability to remember things as if they would have the picture right in front of them. [2] If you are those “visual person,” this step will give you the results that you want faster. When you are saying the affirmation of “I’m confident” as an example, visualize the result of how your confident self would act, think, and feel. The more you put the feeling into your visualization, your subconscious mind will absorb it better as the subconscious brain cannot distinguish what is real and what is imagery. As you practice your affirmation consistently for at least 21 days, you will notice a shift in your thinking. Visit Savannah's website to learn more. Savannah Cheon, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Savannah Cheon is a Whole Person Certified Coach, an alumnus of Harvard University, a CEO of Aurora Luxury Hotel, writer, and blogger. Savannah has been a digital nomad throughout her life. She helps rootless digital nomads and world travelers who left home for adventure and want to find a sense of connection wherever they are. She helps people build a sense of home within them that they can feel secure, create meaningful relationships, have a sense of belonging, and enjoy their lifestyle fully. She is a firm believer of the quote, "Your mind is a powerful place, and what you feed it can affect you in a powerful way," and she incorporates the Whole Person Coaching method and NLP tools to work with the mindset. References: [1] D’Souza. Richard. “Affirmations – Unveiling the power of words. Clinical Hypnotherapy &Stress management Cardiff. https://www.clinicalhypnotherapy-cardiff.co.uk/affirmations/ [2] Ghergu, Iustin. “I’m a visual person”. Iustin Ghergu

Written by: Mahara Wayman , 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 found yourself at work thinking one thing yet saying something else or worse, not saying anything at all? Speaking your truth consistently at work can be daunting at the best of times and crippling when times are tough. However, the repercussions of not doing so can also be drastic and long-lasting. There are good reasons for staying quiet at work. You may recognize that your timing isn't right for a particular comment. You happen to know that another meeting is dedicated to your idea the following week, for example. Perhaps, you notice that while your thoughts are interesting and valuable, the current audience isn't the correct one to either appreciate or understand their validity. These are examples of your stellar navigating skills and are not what this article will explore. Instead, it will look at those times you regret either saying your piece or not, as the case may be. Let's take a closer look at this in play when it is a challenge. I recently had an interesting coaching session with a woman about how she communicates at work. It seems that she has experienced both sides of the "Speaking Up" coin (heads, you speak up, and it's terrific, tails you speak up, and it's a disaster.) There have been times when she enthusiastically shared her thoughts in a meeting, and her comments were well received, prompting a robust discussion with positive feedback. At these times, she left the sessions feeling wonderful and was happy she chose to contribute. She was even more delighted in one particular instance when she was given the go-ahead to action one of her suggestions. For weeks afterward, she felt energized and engaged with her peers and the company. The flip side is she has, at other times, enthusiastically spoken up, only to be met with silence and, as she put it, "the side-eye" from her peers. These experiences resulted in a few things. She immediately interpreted the silence and side-eye as negative feedback on her idea. What followed was weeks of self-doubt and feelings of embarrassment to have spoken up. The ultimate result was that she was reluctant to speak up at the next few meetings and stayed silent despite having provocative thoughts on the discussions. She wasn't confident her opinion would be well received and didn't want to risk a repeat of the awkward silence and "side-eye." It was months before she dared speak up in a meeting. You can see how vastly different the two experiences were for her. Through our coaching, she now understands that her challenge is to speak her truth consistently, not just when she thinks it will be well received and regardless of the feedback she may get. Easier said than done. So why is it difficult to always speak your truth at work? Fear is the most straightforward answer, although the reasons behind the fear are anything but. You could fear sounding foolish, seen as forward or bossy, perceived as a know-it-all, or fear being wrong. The reasons for people's fear of speaking up in the workplace are varied, but the results of giving in to that fear are not. When we allow our fears to silence us at work, we risk feeling small, unworthy, and unimportant. We may also inadvertently jeopardize our efforts to thrive and advance in our careers. Through discussions with me, my client recognized she was doing herself a disservice by waffling at work this way and not honoring her truth regularly. After identifying where her particular fear sprang from, she accepted that it is okay if not all her ideas work. If her views are not fully understood, it's an opportunity to develop her ideas and communication style. She realized that people's responses to her thoughts are a reflection of them more than her, and she wasn't responsible for that. She also knows that even good ideas sometimes need to be put on the back burner. However, the most important thing she has learned is that she deserves to be heard regardless of what she is saying. Today, having faced her fear, she is much happier at work and feels empowered to contribute regularly. She has confidence in her ability to share her thoughts and takes all feedback positively. While recognizing your fears is a necessary first step, it is not always straightforward, nor does it guarantee success. You need to take steps to manage your worries or conquer them if that is your choice. Here are a few simple steps that may help if you find yourself staying silent at work despite wanting to contribute. Remind yourself that you are an essential part of the team and you matter. Acknowledge the particular fear that is holding you back. Play the "what-if" game to look at all the possible scenarios of speaking up. Decide how you want to tackle that fear. Either with slow and methodical daily steps that allow you to easily course-correct if needed or by multi-tasking your way with determination and speed or perhaps, head-on with a call to action that has your front and center. You get to decide. Regardless of how you choose to deal with your fears of speaking up authentically at work, I guarantee the effort will be worth it. Not only will you feel better about yourself, but your peers will learn from your example that work can, and should be, a safe place to share your thoughts. If this article resonated with you or would like to connect with me directly, please do so via my social media links: Instagram , Facebook, Website, and Linkedin. Mahara Wayman, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Mahara began her coaching career working for a global health and wellness company, helping thousands transform their lives. Recently she decided to pursue her passion for helping women and started her company, Mindfulness With Mahara. She couples her years of experience with powerful techniques and her innate curiosity to help professional women find happiness in their careers and with themselves.

Written by: Leticia DeSuze, 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 global population is brainwashed with the misconception that a select few are destined for greatness, while the rest of us are “meant” to sit, watch, and applaud from the benches. And if we’re benched long enough, we spiral into a rut of believing we’re meant to be there – that no one will ever send us out to the field. Well, unfortunately, that’s true. No one’s going to pick you. Because you have to pick yourself. As a mindset and business coach, I can say with conviction that the absolute biggest obstacle my clients face is fear. Coupled with a lack of confidence, you’ve got a recipe for stagnation. I firmly believe that the world would be a very different place if all of its inhabitants believed in themselves. In my opinion, everyone is born for more. You can do more, be more, have more – whatever you want. Don’t get me wrong though, it’s not easy. You’ll have to put in the work and stay strong in the face of adversity, but play your cards right, and you can and will win the game out on the field instead of watching strangers take victory again and again. Now, it’s your turn. Here’s how. 1. Silence Your Inner-Critic You can either be your own worst enemy or strongest ally. By choosing to be the latter, you can crush negative thoughts and beliefs and, slowly but surely, reprogram your mind to believe you can. I won’t get too much into its science, but essentially, the neural pathways in your brain are built from childhood based on your thoughts relating to external stimuli. The good news is that you can literally restructure these to work for you, not against you. 2. Stay Committed, not “Motivated.” You can only scour through so many inspiring memes and gifs before realizing that you actually need to commit to something. Motivation is such a buzzword in today’s world, but it’s like a haircut – it won’t last forever. You need something more permanent, and that comes through commitment. When you commit to something, as opposed to just feeling motivated to do it, everything changes. You have a set goal that you now need to meet, and if it’s important to you, you’ll move mountains, deadlines, and BS to make it happen. 3. Planning Makes Perfect Winging something blind is a surefire way to fall flat on your face with no white flag or lifeline. If you want to reach a goal, you need to know not only what that goal is but the steps you need to take to get there. Literally, schedule tasks into your calendar instead of having a “to-do list,” which you and I both know only ever gets longer. Review completed steps and make new ones based on progress. Always know where you’re headed, and everything else will fall into place. 4. Trust Yourself Like I said, no one’s ever going to unbench you. You need to decide to stand up, get out there, and show the world what you’ve got. That’s on you, and you can never rely on others or expect them to do this for you – even if they’re family. You’re the only one who can move you closer to your goals – period. 5. Have Fun! Work and play don’t have to be two separate concepts. I won’t be cliché and say that if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life, but…ok. Sometimes, clichés exist for a reason. Want more info? Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Leticia! Leticia DeSuze, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Leticia DeSuze is a holistic mindset coach and business strategist who works with C-level executives and established entrepreneurs who desire to break the 7-figure barrier. Having coached more than 1200 senior leaders and entrepreneurs across multiple industries, Leticia believes that every problem is a mindset problem and that mindset matters most. Leticia has developed a 'laser-like' ability to pierce the facades and identify the deeply engrained thought patterns that have limited her clients' potential and identify opportunities for accelerated growth. She helps them clearly define what they want and designs the roadmap to get there - while holding them accountable. The result is a life and business they've intentionally created vs. one they've settled for.

Written by: Trish Bishop, 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. Conflict avoidance is like a boa constrictor silently and steadily squeezing the life, morale, creativity and empowerment out of your team or organization. Not everyone is comfortable with conflict, however, every good book you read about healthy teams and organizations not only encourages but requires it. It is simply not possible to bring together a group of diverse personalities, ideas, work styles, communication styles, etc. and not have conflict, so avoidance is not only futile, its dangerous. It creates an energetic undercurrent that undermines the psychological safety and flow of your team. When leaders refuse to engage in any form of conflict (healthy or otherwise) it becomes open season for those who are inclined to take advantage of an environment with no accountability. Knowing they won’t be held accountable opens the door for poor performance, non-delivery and not following through on commitments. Unfortunately, in most organizations, this will end up being enough people that those who are self-motivated to do their best, who do have personal accountability and who will kill themselves to fulfill a commitment, end up not only carrying the extra weight of the non-performers, they also have to figure out how to navigate the environment by learning through trial and error who they can count on and who they can’t. This is not only time-consuming, it's a morale killer. Once it is determined that someone is not delivering or fulfilling their commitments, they will invariably work around them from that point forward, creating significant inefficiencies and undermining any healthy working relationship on the go forward - simply put, trust is lost and you cannot have a high-performance team without trust. Here are just five issues organizations will experience as a result of conflict-averse leadership. Please also note that this is in no way an exhaustive list. The most important thing to note, however, is that if your employees know you are a conflict-averse leader, they will not bring these issues to your attention because they don’t trust that they will be addressed. If you know you avoid conflict you should be aware that you could be flying blind. Let me paint the picture from the perspective of those who are required to work under a leadership style that avoids conflict. Handcuffs. The first thing that happens when employees start to realize they have a conflict-averse leader is that they feel like they’re handcuffed. They are literally stuck in the back of the police car with their hands behind their back trying to get their job done. The police car represents the fact that it is their leader (or someone further up the hierarchy) that holds a position of authority that they can’t, or won’t, undermine. They end up dealing with a whole host of issues from lack of delivery, lack of clear decision making and lack of clear ownership all the way to non-performance or even incompetence. They need to get super creative to find ways to still get work done while their day-to-day reality is steeped in navigating a quagmire of learning who will deliver on their commitments and who they can trust. Workarounds. One of the most dangerous costs of conflict-avoidance is the plethora of workarounds that people will adopt. Unfortunately, very few people work fully autonomously. Most employees need to rely on others to bring specific job roles or skills to the table to complete a deliverable. These workarounds can be any combination of working around people, processes, protocols, etc. For example, if Joe knows that Susan is always three weeks late with her deliverables and he’s not willing to risk his own commitment, he’s going to find a way to work around Susan. If Susan is “the person” who does that particular job, then approaching Sam to do that job results in Sam taking time away from his own commitments. Because Sam is not the expert, this may also result in re-work, the risk of it not working at all, or even bypassing important protocols (which may even include security protocols). As a leader do you prefer someone who will do whatever it takes to get the job done through inefficiencies, not staying in their lane and potentially putting the organization at risk, or do you prefer having deliverables be constantly late resulting in an overall culture of non-delivery and missed commitments? Does that feel like a no-win scenario? That’s how these employees feel, like there is no way to win. Acceptance of Poor Performance. When there’s no conflict people learn pretty quickly that there is also no accountability. Again, those who have an internal drive to be a strong performer will continue to do so, however, after a while it becomes exhausting carrying the load for those who are working the non-accountability system. Are you willing to have your top performers exit the organization leaving you with a culture of non-performers? In the words of Perry Belcher, Co-Founder of Digitalmarketer.com, “Nothing will kill a great employee faster than watching you tolerate a bad one.” Us vs. Them. When people start cherry-picking who they work with based on who they trust, you start to see camps of allies emerge within the organization. Whether this is blatant or not, people feel the energy of this divide. If you start to hear comments like, “our team”, or “their team”, or worse, “us” and “them”, or if you keep hearing the same names coming up as being the ‘go to’ people, you may want to take a deeper dive into the dynamics of what’s happening in your team or organization. Oftentimes people aren’t referring to formal teams when they make these comments but sub-cultures that have been created by people who trust each other to deliver on their commitments. Reinforcing Emotional Wounds. No matter what else goes on in business, we are all human beings working together for more hours in a day than we generally spend with our own families. We all come with our own stories, traumas and experiences that have shaped us. When you have a leader who is not dealing with the ‘hard stuff’ it can reinforce stories such as, “I’m not worthy of someone having my back”, or “Nobody wants to hear what I have to say.” While I’m the first to agree that as a leader it is not your responsibility to provide counseling for your employees’ deeply held personal issues, let’s flip this on its head. IF you are a leader who embraces healthy conflict, your employees will absolutely feel like you have their back and that you absolutely want to hear what they have to say. It is literally that simple. If you want to learn more about the hard costs of conflict-averse leadership, look within your team or organization and start to identify the metrics that can help you apply a monetary value to the impacts: The cost of inefficiencies as a result of lost time trying to find people who can be trusted to deliver. The cost of lost time expecting someone to deliver who consistently does not meet their commitments. This can have huge financial implications, particularly in projects, as one non-deliverable can impact or delay an entire project and have hard cost impacts. The cost of inefficiencies due to workarounds. The potential risk of exposure or loss of reputation due to a security breach as a result of not following established protocols. The cost of re-work or even break-fix when someone does a task that is not their ‘job’ or area of expertise (i.e., not staying in their lane). The cost of turnover when high-performing staff decides they’ve had enough and move on from your organization. Finally, there is an emotional cost for the conflict-averse leader themselves. They know they are avoiding conflict as it is a choice. It is also rare that they are not at some level (read: intuitively) aware that their approach is causing issues, though they may not be clear on the breadth and depth of the chaos it is creating. Being aware of these issues and consciously choosing not to address them doesn’t make them go away. They sit in the back of the mind creating stress and angst, which is not healthy. There is a reason they call it healthy conflict - not only because it can be done in a healthy way, but because dealing with these issues and moving on from them is healthy for all involved. Where to start if you're a conflict-averse leader looking for tools to help you step into healthy conflict? I highly recommend reading "Dare to Lead" by Brene Brown and "Start with Why" by Simon Sinek to get you started. “Daring leaders are never silent about hard things.” — Brene Brown Please choose to be a daring leader, not only will your employees will thank you, but you will also see an overall shift in morale, engagement, and performance! For more info, follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn and visit my we bsite ! Read more from Trish! Trish Bishop, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine After launching and taking public, one of the first Internet Service Providers in Canada, Trish quickly found her niche as a ‘translator’ with an exceptional ability to translate business needs into solutions. She also discovered early in her career that she is highly intuitive and then honed that gift into her corporate superpower! She blatantly integrates both the corporate and woo-woo aspects of who she is and attributes this to the amazing success she has had in her career, including developing 6 high-performance teams. As an Energy Integration Coach, Trish teaches leaders how to create massive transformations for themselves, their teams, and their organizations by learning how to read and interpret energetic information (aka intuition!) In addition to being a highly successful IT Project Manager, Trish is also the author of 'The Question Journey,' a Shaman, Empath, and Certified Angel Guide. Her mission: to heal corporate workplaces one leader at a time.

Cathy Dimarchos is an award-winning business advisor, mentoring and coaching leaders internationally, and is an indefatigable philanthropist who believes we can all contribute to lifting the baseline of people across the world one person at a time. She founded Solutions2you with a purpose for impact so that she can serve others and leave a lasting imprint. As a professional advisor and motivational voice, Cathy dedicates her time to perfecting a combination of people, business, and situational skills. Her values take center stage and business becomes honest and expressive. She believes that knowledge exchange leads to self-reliance with effective and sustainable outcomes. Her Advisory services extend to new and established Entrepreneurs, teams, and large corporates and supports people to become antifragile in a world that is forever changing, stretching their boundaries. “When we rise, it is important to also lift those around us” — Cathy Dimarchos Cathy Dimarchos, CEO of Solutions2you Pty Ltd I advise businesses and leaders across the world and across industries and, no matter what I am engaged for, I always start with defining “Purpose” and “Values”. It is important to know your purpose just as much as that of your client or the people that you are engaging with. I share my approach to enable you to form the framework that will deliver impact with success. I like to do things once and do them well and this is why I dig deep at the onset so I create a strategy and process that fulfills the needs of others. Let me preface by saying that these tips are what works for me and for those that I have shared them with. My intent is to deliver valuable and relevant tools and skills so that you can embrace what works for you and achieve your desired outcome. So, let’s start with how purpose justifies our meaning, and whilst I will look at this in the context of work it of course works in our personal life too. What do you do? I advise leaders and businesses across the world and across industries. Why do you do what you do? Because I love to share knowledge so others can learn and become self-reliant, effective, and self-sufficient. In this example, my “ Why ” is the meaning behind why I do what I do – it fulfills my purpose . My purpose is to Advise leaders and businesses but if I did not take the time to truly reflect on the reason that sits behind what I do, I would merely turn up do my job – contribute, share knowledge and move on. My purposeful action is to ensure that leaders and business owners can become self-reliant and self-sufficient through my sharing of knowledge. This adds another layer of complexity to what I do because I no longer simply pass on the information but invest in ensuring that they know why I make decisions and why I elected one path over another. I introduce them to look beyond “ first other thinking ” so that they develop critical thinking – otherwise known as “ second-order thinking”. By encouraging them to consider what the future steps may be and to ask themselves “what next?” and “what else might happen”. In doing so, I also speed up the knowledge-sharing pathway. I also show them that I now have their best interest in mind and my focus is now on serving their purpose to develop and learn and become self-reliant and self-sufficient . Integrating your values with your purpose crystallizes the meaning of why you do what you do and it enables you to outline what you do so you stay on course. It sets standards as well as instills principles and ethics that enable you to clearly define boundaries in pursuit of achieving your objectives. It shifts your natural disposition from reacting to responding, especially in times of crisis or when under stress. This is a significant difference in behavior and pattern. When we have not prepared and invested the time to genuinely know exactly what our purpose is, we will react based on what the situation is and who is around us. Our decisions will be based on a clouded mind that is driven by an emotional situation. Being intrinsically equipped in advance means that choices are made with clarity and a pre-determined well thought decision, one that has come from a position of strength with a growth mindset. Emotions such as fear hold no position when we need to make quick decisions under pressure, therefore anxiety and doubt lay dormant. History enables us to learn from our experiences and if we are to evolve and strengthen from them, as opposed to coping with them , we must learn to be more than resilient. We need to embrace the opportunity to reflect, self-regulate and make a decision to do things differently. After all, we all want to learn from our experiences not just live through them. Understanding our greater purpose and the reasons why we do what we do gives us the focus to keep surging forward despite challenging times. It gives us the ability to build solid foundations and avoid catastrophic situations. When we strategically plan ahead, it means that we build with the intention to create small steps for success. These measured steps enable us to trial and implement before we go too far and this also incorporates us to develop our second-order think ing further as we continuously ask “what else and “what if”. We need to ensure that we have the capacity and willingness to strengthen from each experience; this brings me to antifragility. Nassim Taleb coined this term, and it is something that I continue to work on. This is not a new concept but is it something that we seldom practice because, as humans, we want to simply keep surging forward and to gravitate towards quick and easy solutions. Nature displays antifragility in almost everything that is created. We see trees and forests regenerate and strengthen after bushfires; species have strengthened through evolution. Humans’ evolution has been to control things so, but to achieve the most effective outcomes for ourselves, we need to acknowledge that change and challenges are inevitable. If we can plan for the unpredictable and take the opportunity to learn from the past, ask questions rather than just accept a generated response, and react with what comes to mind as the short-term fix, we will be better equipped to respond to situational challenges and potentially avoid a larger challenge or perhaps even a catastrophe? Look at what you can avoid rather than what you can control. Early on in this article, I referenced “first-order thinking”, focused on quick, short-term decisions. This does not leave room to consider what else may occur, on the contrary, it forces you to jump to a “quick fix” to resolve the immediate need without thinking about the long-term implications or outcomes. “ Simple systems are easily broken while complex systems often have built-in ways to absorb shocks. When complex systems are able to strengthen themselves in response to the damage, they’re antifragile.” —Nassim Taleb Avoiding potential losses or damage at times requires a delayed response to consider the long-term requirements and implications and whilst the perception may be that you are slow or ill-equipped , it will enable you to gain a better insight and plan for the future minimizing risks. The key is to create processes and steps where no one point failure can lead to a catastrophic outcome. Create options and potential solutions for any given situation and always consider “what else?” and then ask “what then?”. With more than 20 years in leading teams, building and scaling businesses, and understanding people, there are some patterns and behaviors that I stick with as they have served me best. If I can leave you with one overarching tip , it is to always plan ahead. Invest more time upfront to better understand what you want to achieve, how you will mitigate risk, and how you can strengthen from what you have learned to avoid having to go back and start again. Your purpose and values define your journey and determine your success. Invest in yourself from the onset to succeed, lift others as you rise, and live a life that you deserve. Want to learn more from Cathy? Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin and visit her w ebsite .

Lori Clark is a leader in the life coaching industry, dedicated to helping individuals overcome life's challenges. She also aims to help people reach their highest potential while eliminating mental barriers. Lori had a rough childhood that led to an adulthood of trying to fill different voids. She eventually made up her mind; she would live a life worth living and changed her world. During this time her health failed and she was diagnosed with a chronic illness. Doctors told her she would never be the same. Instead of playing small, Lori took her circumstances and excelled. She finished college, went back to work, and is now certified to help others. Who is Lori? I am what you call a unique person, haha. I love to hang out with friends, but I also take life, education, work, and helping others very seriously. I was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where a good bit of my family still lives. I currently reside in South Carolina. I have faced some incredibly low moments and some incredibly high moments in my life. Those exact moments helped shape me into the driven, ambitious, lovable, happy-go-lucky person I am today. Did you go to college? Yes! I have a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration. How did you get into life coaching? Well, I was following a well-known relationship coach on social media, and he introduced the opportunity to me. Once I began doing research and looking more into the opportunity; I realized life coaching is something I’ve ALWAYS done naturally. From there, I took courses, learned, created my coaching business, and the rest is history! What is it that you do for your clients? AHH, this is a good question. I help my clients with three topics: personal power, mindset, and life. I chose personal power because so many people hold themselves back for various reasons (fear, previous failures, self-doubt, uncertainty, etc.) I help people achieve past those things. Personal power can also be described as standing up after life has knocked you down. I show people that when things feel like the end of the world, often it’s just a new route beginning. Mindset is good because a lot of people really don’t understand their thoughts are their reality. I show people that sometimes it’s not actually the situation, it could be your perception or approach. I chose life because I feel like that’s a good “shuffle” topic. For example, if personal power or mindset coaching isn’t for a client, in a life session, we can discuss things like time management, decluttering, tips to get more organized, etc. So, to sum it up, I help my clients realize what they can do for themselves. I help my clients have a chance to “unpack” everything they’re going through and take things to a new level or give it a new approach. I help my clients gain confidence in themselves. I help them see things in a different light. I help them come up with new strategies. When clients work with me, we literally work TOGETHER. Who should hire/work with you? I would say honestly, anybody that is ready. I want people to know although we live in a time where finding your audience and niche is important, the door is always open to anyone that feels my particular service can help them. What is your big goal? Where do you see yourself in 10 years from now? My big goal is to eventually have coaching as something I offer, along with other things aimed at helping people better their mental health. I’m looking forward to writing books, developing courses, and so much more. Ten years from now, I see myself having at least 3-5 books written, at least 3-5 courses available, and a long list of happy clients. I have a motto that states “I’m interested in seeing you be great.” I stand firm on that and anything I do stems from that. So if in 10 years I help one thousand people or one million people, I will strive to continue to see people “be great.” Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn and visit my webs ite ! Read more from Lori!

Written by: Dianne McKim, 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. Several years ago, working in a major corporation, I found myself in a position where my management truly did not understand my job responsibilities or my abilities. The sad reality at that time was that I didn't fully understand them either. My self-esteem was incredibly low, my confidence was lacking, and I definitely did not know my strengths, and even if I had, I did not know how to express them. Reflecting back to that time, I remember my manager at that time telling me, "Let's face it, anyone could do your job." Wow, that comment is so revealing! After some time, I applied for and got a job in a different division of that organization. A few months later, I saw that same manager in the hall, and we stopped to chat. His comment to me at that time was, "We really miss you." He now had three people doing the job I had done before! With all that, I still didn't understand my strengths and abilities. I know I worked hard, and my productivity and efficiency were high, but that wasn't enough for me to successfully express my strengths. Maybe you can relate, or you feel like you are not smart enough or good enough. Perhaps you struggle with moving ahead in the company you work for because you don't know your strengths or cannot express yourself clearly for upper management to hear you. Fast forward to today, and I tell a very different story. I know my strengths, I know my abilities, and I know how to express them. I am confident in who I am. So what changed for me, and how can you experience this same kind of shift in your professional and personal life? Several impactful events in my life helped me understand my strengths and successfully talk about them with anyone. The first was my faith. At that time, I had none; however, as I was going through a difficult divorce, and found myself looking for and seeking something. I didn't know that I would discover what I was looking for at church, but I did. My faith grew over time, and so did my understanding of who I was. The next thing that helped me was being a part of a community of like-minded people and friendships that developed. These helped me to know that I had value, and the building of my self-esteem grew. Changing companies also helped. I left that company I mentioned earlier and took a job in another organization. Over time, I became a "go-to" person for many in upper management, including the CEO. I had many opportunities there to shine and even led teams and projects. Let me pause here to say, I still did not have a full grasp of my strengths yet, but my confidence was continually growing, and I had a much greater awareness of my abilities. Another change in companies gave me even more confidence and strengthened my abilities. As time continued, a turn of events beyond my control put me in the job market. It was during this time that I discovered and stepped into coaching. One of the certifications that I achieved is a Strengths Champion Certified Coach®. Through this training, I took the Gallup CliftonStrengths Assessment and learned what my strengths are. Combining this understanding with all that I had already learned about my skills, talents, and abilities, I was able to see the impact they had on me, helped me in my career, and even became part of my whole life. When I look back to that first company, if I had this ability to talk about my strengths, perhaps I would have been able to tell that manager what I brought to that job and why he needed to promote me, give me a raise, anything but devalue me. Your take-aways from this article that will help you move toward knowing your strengths and abilities are: Do some soul searching. Take a look at where you are drawing your beliefs from and see if they are building you up, filling your heart with joy, and helping you grow in confidence. Find a community of like-minded people and join in. Make friends and find a couple of them that are trustworthy and deepen those connections. Be brave and change jobs or companies if you find you are not recognized and acknowledged for what you bring to the table. Get coached and fully dig in to understand your strengths and your abilities. Move forward, maximize your strengths and let them shine. The truth is EVERY person has strengths, abilities, talents, and skills that are valuable and that this world needs. My top 5 strengths: Individualization, Relator, Communication, Connectedness, Responsibility Want to learn more from Dianne? Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin and visit her website. Dianne McKim, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Dianne McKim is a leader in personal, professional, and spiritual coaching. She has the depth of experience, training, and certifications to provide her clients the transformation they need to excel. Whether your team needs to maximize productivity and cohesiveness, your underperforming employee needs help to improve, you need help in life to overcome obstacles, or you desire to move forward from whatever is holding you back, Dianne is the coach who can make it happen. Her clients say it best... "If you are looking for someone who will help you grow as an individual, work better with a team, or simply get “unstuck” and discover your purpose for being, Dianne will certainly challenge you and work with the unique individual/organization you are."

Written by: Lea Gerlock, 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. How are we leading major or minor transitions in our life? And what could be influencing our stress? Exploring the missing links that influence our energy, causing us to be at the effect of life circumstances, provides us with the first steps of awareness leading to more conscious choices. Some transitions are welcomed and some, not so much. In any case, a transition in one area of our life affects other areas and our energy has everything to do with how we show up and lead through any change in our life. 1. Not feeling inspired or motivated, feeling a lack of connection to ourselves and others, questioning our values and purpose in whatever we are doing, will give us a clue on a spiritual level where our stress is being influenced. 2. Juggling several tasks at the same time and burning the candles at both ends will most definitely influence our stress level. Focusing on the challenge at hand will be hellish and exhausting, leading to a lack of clarity of what we are doing. 3. Emotions truly have a wonderful purpose; however, most often, we avoid our emotions to stay in our comfort zone. When we have a vision that is not being fulfilled along with our needs and expectations, our emotional energy drops, being fuelled with fear, anger, guilt and sadness. How we perceive our emotions will have an influence on how we manage ourselves and others. Our emotions are a roadmap to what’s going on with us in that moment and by understanding our emotions, we can choose which ones work for us and which one’s against us, therefore, not living in the effect of our emotions. 4. With sleep deprivation and lack of proper nutrition and exercise, we don’t’ need to dig very deep to understand why we don’t have the energy for our body to co-operate with the tasks at hand. Being aware and, of course, listening to what our body is telling us is key to creating the physical energy needed for any task. 5. Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Awareness of our social needs and aligning ourselves with our values, will supply us with the type of energy that will work for us. Think “like-minded” therefore, decreasing our stress. 6. Our environment can add to our stress. Although some situations we can alter some things like the weather cannot be controlled. Our attitudes toward what we can’t change, will play a big part in how we are using our energy. Taking a proactive approach to preparing according to our environment will guide us to where we want to be with far less stress. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Lea! Lea Gerlock, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Lea Gerlock, Founder of Personal Chapter and Host of Awakened with Lea: The Next Chapter. Lea is also a Transitions and Visibility Coach. As a Certified COR.E Transitions Dynamics Specialist™ and Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, Lea supports her clients through a transformational path of discovery. Uncovering the truth of who they really are, owning their truth, and free to be seen with confidence. Lea identifies with the struggle of feeling invisible and believes everyone deserves to be seen for who they are, worthy and valuable. Lea partners with extraordinary people with incredible stories to uncover their hidden gifts and break the destructive cycle of masking so they can feel the freedom from their past, be visible in their vulnerability and step into their personal chapter in an empowering way. Awakened with Lea: The Next Chapter is a powerful and moving series featuring diverse guests who have experienced adversity and found their strengths through a major transition who were empowered to use their story as fuel.

Written by: Mariela De La Mora, 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. Does the idea of confronting something that’s bothering you make you anxious? Do you find yourself dancing around your words, only to leave unsure whether you really got your point across? This feeling is why, for the first 10 years of my career, I avoided leading teams. My people-pleasing tendencies kept me from it because I never wanted to rock the boat. I associated being assertive with confrontation. It’s because assertiveness was not taken well in my Latino household. And it’s similar for a lot of people of color and immigrant descendants - especially if, as a child, you felt responsible for a parent’s emotions, or you took on the role of the family mediator. First, let’s discuss assertiveness is and what it isn’t: Assertiveness lies between passive and aggressive Assertiveness is both clear AND compassionate Being assertive is about expressing yourself clearly, rather than something you do ‘against’ another person It can be a constructive way to move difficult situations forward without compromising your boundaries It is often the kindest course of action, rather than letting tensions and resentment bubble under the surface. Key things to remember about assertiveness: Having direct conversations is where real growth happens Focus on facts, not feelings. For example: “I’ve noticed that (A). What I really need is (B). Can you talk to me about what’s happening? How can we get there?” Don’t do it over text, email, or any other messaging service. Facetime is important but especially in these instances. No one is asking for you to know it all. Successful leaders never assume they know it all. But they DO take the time, care and attention to flag something up when it feels off. Maybe something isn’t working and needs to be addressed. Or perhaps someone is going through a hard time personally, which is affecting their work. These conversations may feel uncomfortable, but they are necessary. And assertiveness isn’t just helpful when leading teams. Being assertive is a core communication skill, and one we need to apply in all areas in our life - in work, relationships, and our families. Various studies conducted by the Mayo Clinic also prove that assertiveness can help boost your self-esteem and help with stress management. So, it really is in your best interest to practice healthy and respectful assertiveness in your day-to-day life. Just remember that being assertive is based on mutual respect, and should feel like an act of kindness to both sides. Not because you are giving in, but because you are being direct and clear with compassion. Follow me on LinkedIn, Instagram, or visit my website for more info! Read more from Mariela! Mariela De La Mora, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Mariela is a Life Coach and certified EQ Leadership Coach who helps women of color become powerhouse leaders of purpose-driven brands. Her mission is to help women of color break glass ceilings by healing the generational trauma and cultural conditioning holding them back from becoming the leader they can be. She was named one of the top 10 leadership coaches by Yahoo Finance and has coached 6 and 7-figure CEOs and even leaders in the United Nations. She previously spent 15 years in marketing while leading teams across the globe. As a 1st generation Mexican American, she was often the only woman of color in senior leadership and had to break past systemic and mindset barriers to do it. She now helps women bridge that gap through trauma-informed life coaching and emotional intelligence development, so they can fully step into their power and lead with intention.

Written by: Trish Whetstone, 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 we eat is only part of the picture. How we eat is equally as important! Whether you’re struggling with bloat, gas, or abnormal bowel patterns, you likely recognize how important optimal digestion is. However, diet changes can be stressful and aren’t always sustainable. Supplementation can get expensive, and often isn’t necessary! In comes mindful eating . It is the totally free, totally accessible 100%-of-the-time tool you can start using today, to improve your digestion. Here are 3 No-Cost Mindful Eating Strategies you can use with your very next meal: Tip 1: Eat Sensually You heard that right. Eat with your senses! Notice all the colors and shapes of the food on your plate. Smell the aromas, listen to the sizzle of your freshly grilled chicken or the crunch of your veggie salad. When you take your very first bite, notice each and every flavor, temperature, and texture! How it works: When you utilize your senses while eating, you’re tapping into the Cephalic Phase of Digestion. Cephalic means head. Up to 20% of stomach acid is secreted while simply noticing (within your mind) all the sensations of eating! Tip 2: Chew Your Food Hate to break it to you. Your mother was right. You should chew your food. Aim for 20 to 30 chews for each bite of food. Take a bite, count your chews, swallow, repeat. How it works: You now know digestion starts in your head. The next phase of digestion happens in your mouth. The mechanics of chewing break down food so your gut doesn’t have to do all the work! Digestive enzymes housed in your saliva also facilitate the digestive process. Tip 3: Breathe Deeply Breathing is one of the most effective mindfulness tools, and you can even practice it during your meal. As you chew your food, put your utensil down, then breathe deeply in and out of your nose. How it works: Oxygen flow stimulates the movement of intestinal villi within the colon. Yup, you’re actually stimulating your intestinal lining to better absorb nutrients from your food, while breathing deeply. There you have it! The number one way to improve digestion without diet changes or supplementation is mindful eating. How will you practice mindful eating today? Want to learn more from Trish? Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin and visit her website. Read more from Trish ! Trish Whetstone, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Trish Whetstone is The Feel Good Gut Coach, a holistic health specialist, stress expert, and intuitive eating advocate. Trish received degrees in Psychology & Public Health from The State University of New York at Fredonia and worked within the non-profit world as an Educator, Coordinator & Director. After waking up too many times in her early twenties feeling like she "got hit by a bus", Trish said enough was enough. She healed her gut after years of struggling with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and became a Certified Health, Life, and Nutrition Coach to help others do the same. Through her personal coaching business, Health Coaching by Trish, she helps busy professionals with nutrition, stress management, and lifestyle change, so they can feel good in their gut!