Written by: Nida Batool Syed, Senior Level 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 and there will always be days and moments where you will feel down, empty, sad and feeling as if you're drowning in your own thoughts. It might even feel like it's you against the world and you know what? It's okay, accept what you feel, don't confront it but accept it. Welcome it because it's trying to tell you something. This feeling is coming from somewhere. Often in our day-to-day life we get so caught up in what needs to be done, we start doing things on autopilot mode, especially when we work full-time or do full-time study. We hardly have time to connect with ourselves and to reflect on what we are feeling, how we are doing, and whether we even like what we're feeling about certain things happening in our lives, around us or maybe to us. So when you're experiencing that moment again, the moment of discomfort, the moment you feel sad, lonely and feel the urge to cry, the first step of healing is acceptance. Sometimes all you need is a good cry or taking a step back from your circle, surroundings and family members just to be able to connect with yourself. Listen, we often forget that we are human beings and that we have emotions and our own needs. We are not robots. The more you try to ignore that and try to adjust, the more your own identity will start fading away. Gradually and at some point, you will not recognise yourself anymore. All that remains are some memories and you will ask yourself where did it go wrong? How did I end up here? How did I become the person I am now? I never used to be like this... Trust me you don't want to get to that point in your life. We only live once, life is and always will be a roller coaster ride but hey! that's where the joy comes from, the ups and downs keep us alive. So what can you do or what should you do when you feel overwhelmed, in the moments you feel down, sad, lonely or maybe anxious, try this out: 1. Start with acceptance and tell yourself it's okay to feel this way and do what you feel needs to be done to process it. Do you need a thirty minutes walk in solitude? A day by yourself, or maybe journalling would be a good idea too. For some, it's going for a swim or relaxing at a spa. You have to find what works for you. Another thing you can do and what I would definitely suggest is to either listen to a guided meditation or if you can't meditate or you don't like meditation try this out: Put on some music, your favourite song, the song that you feel deeply in your soul. Listen to it, sing along or maybe even dance to it. You will start to feel in control again. 2. Now, when you feel the same emotion coming up again, at some point and it's completely up to you when, but at some point I want you to talk to your emotion. So for example, let's say it's sadness, accept it, welcome it and ask it to sit in front of you. It's up to you if you want to do this with open or closed eyes, but just see the sadness sitting in front of you, give it a colour, a shape, whatever you like. And now talk to sadness and say: I know you are here for a reason and I know you are trying to tell me something. Can you tell me why you are here? What do you want me to see, feel or understand? ( Remember there is no right or wrong, just accept it and listen) When you are done with the conversation, tell your sadness: Thank you for coming, I understood the message, you can leave now. I will be fine. and you will notice a shift. Remember we are all unique. Of the many techniques, we use this as mental health professionals. So if it works for you, great! If it doesn't work out as expected, don't worry there is definitely a different approach that will work for you. But it is worth trying this out first! At my practice, I offer tailor-made sessions based on my client's needs, and Even though I charge everybody the same price, it's important to me that we don't waste time on trying several things out but use the techniques that I know as a professional would work and avoid what wouldn't. Also, during the 30-minute free virtual consultation, you can tell me what your expectations are so that we can work on it together. Hope you find this article helpful don't forget to send me an email at info@luminoustransformationalcoaching.com and tell me how you felt about the aforementioned technique to cope with your emotions. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Nida! Nida Batool Syed, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Nida Syed is the founder and CEO of Luminous Transformational Coaching practice and a senior member of the Accredited Counsellors, Coaches, Psychotherapists and Hypnotherapists Register (ACCPH), a member of The British Association of Therapeutic Hypnotists & NLP Practitioners (BAThH), and complies with their strict code of ethics. Nida Syed is also a registered member of the Complementary Medical Association (CMA), which is internationally recognized as the elite force in professional, ethical complementary medicine by professional practitioners, doctors, and increasingly, by the general public. She is evaluated and approved by the International Practitioner of Holistic Medicine (IPHM) as an Executive member as well. This accreditation is a guarantee of quality and expertise. She currently lives and is based in Manchester since 2019 and does virtual sessions with clients from all over the world. A face-to-face session is possible if that is something a client really wants. She works together with Brighter Space and has a therapy room located in Wilmslow, Greater Manchester. Before moving to the UK, Nida used to live in the Netherlands where she chose to do a BA in Applied Psychology because she has always been interested in the workings of the mind and human behaviour. She has worked for years in the HR department for health care institutions while studying, and she also has medical knowledge from completing the medical assistant course in Amsterdam. After settling in the UK Nida wanted to do things differently and stop working in the regular health care system where she felt limited. Believing that each person is unique and that someone cannot be truly helped and healed by following a specific protocol or putting a label on them, she opted for a guiding role and completed a practitioner's course to become a coach. During this course, she felt like a whole new world opened up to her and decided to further expand her skills and knowledge with mastery in NLP and Hypnotherapy. The reason for Nida to choose this path is because she believes that psychology goes hand in hand with a holistic approach. That's why in her practice, she makes sure that she is not only listening to the client but also adapts to their needs during each session, to build an authentic relationship with each client. She uses her background in the medical field, mental health, and spirituality to help clients master their mindset, grow in confidence, overcome their fears, unlock their fullest potential and discover a better version of themselves. Nida feels most fulfilled when she helps people find their inner light after going through a transformation. She feels honored to contribute to other people's growth, supporting them in their mental health and guiding them into accepting themselves. Nida was also born with spiritual gifts such as energy healing, which she utilizes as a Reiki Master and is a qualified Reiki teacher as well. Through Reiki healing, she helps clients release energy blockages that cause delays and obstacles in their life.

Written by: Sharleen Beaumont, 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. An essential aspect of emotional intelligence is self-awareness. When we are aware, we observe what we are experiencing, but it does not affect the experience itself. An interchangeable word is conscious. Conscious living is a practice. "It would be humbling to the mind's vanity to admit that the only thing it's doing is experiencing, and, in fact, only experiencing the experiencing." "Even brilliant thoughts and deepest feelings are only experiences; ultimately, we have but one function to experience." ‒Dr. David Hawkins. The average person walks around unconsciously 95% of the time. Are you aware that you automatically put the same leg first when getting dressed? How often have you driven to a familiar destination and been on autopilot? What about when you make your coffee? The majority of the time, these daily acts are all done unconsciously. Additionally, we want to become conscious of the thoughts and stories attached to our thoughts. Then there are our thoughts about our thoughts. The chatter going on in our heads can often feel incessant. Being conscious of what we do and why we do it is fundamental to self-leadership and growth. Without awareness, we wouldn't recognize a change that needs to occur, leading to repeat behaviours that result in a hustle to nowhere. Living in awareness, we can learn to understand our emotions and why they rise. We tend to label them as positive or negative, but they are neither. The length of time we spend feeling depends on the story we attach to it. Some examples of emotions we associate with being negative are guilt, shame, and anger. We then further judge ourselves and feel inferior for having them. Alternately we revel in our joy and excitement, not wanting them to end. If we take the time to remove the judgement and observe the emotion and what we are feeling, we can investigate what is behind it, where it originated, and what it is trying to tell us. We can better manage ourselves and our relationships when we understand our emotions. Emotions rise because they want to get our attention. They will pile up over time if we bury or stuff them down. Only to show up stronger when triggered. What we resist will persist! Only when we become honest with ourselves can we create positive, sustainable changes. Self-awareness is a continual journey of chipping away and pulling back the layers to feel good about ourselves. Layers we have built up over time with fears and social masks. Not being taught to identify and move through emotions has proven detrimental to many. At the same time, we can be grateful for these masks as they served their purpose repeatedly, trying to protect us. When we are brave enough, we begin the journey of clearing out what is below the surface for our best selves to shine! A powerful true story. In 1957, a group of monks in Thailand had to relocate a large clay Buddha from their temple to a different location to make room for a new highway to Bangkok. It began to rain, and the head monk decided to cover the sacred Buddha with a large canvas to protect it. Later that evening, he checked on it, shining his torch under the canvas to see if the Buddha was still dry. He noticed a gleam catch the light and wondered whether something might be under the clay. Using a chisel and hammer, the monk started to chip it away. As he knocked off shards of clay, the gleam grew brighter and brighter. Hours later, the monk stood face to face with an extraordinary solid-gold Buddha measuring 10 feet tall and weighing over 2.5 tonnes. Many historians believe the Buddha had been covered with clay by the Thai monks several hundred years before the Burmese army attacked. They covered the Buddha to keep it from being stolen. The problem was during the attack, all the monks were killed! It wasn't until 1957 that they discovered the great treasure when the monks moved the giant statue. Like the Buddha, we spend many years adding layer upon layer of unconscious protective clay. We believe these layers will keep us from getting hurt. When we feel safe enough, our layers become the road map to our personal growth in which we uncover our gold. Living in conscious awareness is a practice that can improve our quality of life. Here's how: Good decision making There is no question that when we are aware of our emotions, we can better manage our behaviour and habits. Awareness makes us pause and recognize the reason for the feeling. With further self-reflection, we can change the old automatic response that isn't working. We can then create new paths allowing us to make better decisions. Reduced stress Emotions that we are aware of and move through reduce stress. Stuffing down emotions keeps us stuck and prolongs them. We can compare buried emotions to holding an inflated ball under the water. It takes work to hold the ball down, and it keeps wanting to pop up! Instead, try greeting them and asking questions. We bounce back faster when practicing moving through emotions. In addition, when we take positive action, it reduces negative self-talk and stress. Improved performance When we move through rather than store emotions, we are conserving energy, which we can utilize to focus on strengths and complete other tasks. Emotional awareness lets you self-manage your mind and energy and increases life's satisfaction. Higher emotional/conscious states result in improved performance. Confidence When we make good decisions, address our emotions as they show up, have positive self-talk, and show up in a higher emotional state, our confidence also grows. When we show up for ourselves, we trust ourselves and feel confident. We don't have to wait for a crisis to hit to live consciously and up-level our lives. Start today with whatever comes up for you! The quality of life comes down to self-awareness and how well we communicate with ourselves. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Sharleen! Sharleen Beaumont, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Sharleen Beaumont is an EQ Master Empowerment Coach and Founder of Brave New Ending. She helps clients get unstuck from their stories and manage their emotions. Her clients re-imagine their life, connect with their highest self utilizing the foundation of all change; emotions! After graduating from University, Sharleen's career began in Victim Services. She then became a Certified Mediator, and Mediated for her Community and Courts. Her career moved to Corporate Communications and Consulting, working globally. Next, she stepped into an Entrepreneurial life, helping take a new company to the multi-million dollar level. Deciding to live life on purpose, she received her Master Empowerment Coach certification and started Brave New Ending. Brave- a strength of character, courageous, faces fear, determined, passionate, on purpose. New Ending-keeps the end goal in mind to write their next chapter and life story.

Written by: Christelle Soto-Suarez, 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. Who hasn’t heard the expression “Be the CEO of your own life”? As professional women, whether we learned on the job, followed a trade training, or went to college/university, whether we work full time, part-time, or took a few years "off" to look after dependents, we’re all entitled to “be the CEO of our own life”… And CEOs have a Board of Directors to support them in managing the activities of the business and in leading the business forward. Boards are composed of Directors with different expertise (leadership, management, finances, relevant technical know-how, marketing, HR, etc.), providing different advice based on their different perspective to the CEO. Of course, there is much more to a Board of Directors, but that’s not the purpose of this article! Now, if you’re to be the “CEO of your life,” should you not also have your very own Personal Board of Directors? Who do you need on your board? It’s so tempting to directly get to the answer to this question, isn’t it? But I'd suggest going back to the starting point I use in my coaching practice: Discover “who you really are”! Because “who you really are" is the foundation of your whole life, and therefore of your career – especially with regard to how happy, fulfilled, and satisfied you feel! But make sure to look at the “real you,” not the “you” shaped by society, norms, professional environment, etc. Yes, this may take some time, but: Good foundations are required to ensure that the building (your life) won’t collapse; At the same time, you don’t need to “over” design your foundations because this would be unnecessary costs and lost time – this means that you only need to know enough about “who you really are” to move forward, not absolutely everything! And remember that, as a human being, you’ll evolve with time! Assess “where you are” Hopefully, this step should be relatively easy if you've kept your bio up-to-date: industries, employers, positions, skills, achievements and failures, lessons learned, etc. But do go deeper than you would for your bio – this is a personal reflection on your path to date, including what you wouldn’t mention to anyone in your professional circle… Identify where you want to be This is another step in my coaching practice: identifying the most important facets of your life/career and imagining what you would like them to be like in the future (however close or far away you want!). And to do that, you need to know "who you really are" now, and have a good understanding of "who you want to be" in the future so that you have solid foundations for the building you want your life/career to be! You may want to look for inspiration, do a bit of exploration, and expand your view of the possibilities “out there” to allow you to build a happier, more fulfilling, and satisfying life/career for yourself! Who do you need to close the gap between “where you are” now and “where you want to be”? Now that you know: “Where you are” right now; and “Where you want to be”; It’s time to look at what you need to do to close that gap; This means identifying who you'll need to help you, support you, and empower you along the way! Be prepared for this exercise to take some time, and to get back to it several times! But before going into the details of identifying who exactly you would like to have access to during your journey to “where you want to be,” let’s look at the different “elements” of a Personal Board of Directors! The different “elements” of a Personal Board of Directors For your Personal Board of Directors to be efficient, you need diversity amongst the members. Below are the 3 main elements where you need diversity – but feel free to add others! Expertise: Within your own field of expertise, related to, completely different; Technical and non-technical (such as communication, leadership, management); and Related to your career, your personal life, but also to other activities you may have, such as volunteering with professional associations or networking organizations. Type of support: People who challenge you or who are your cheerleaders; Coaches, mentors, sponsors; Peers, people a few levels above/below you, friends. Level of access: People you know so well that you can contact them easily at any time and they’ll make themselves available; People who are more acquaintances, who you can occasionally meet over a "working" breakfast, lunch, or coffee; and People you’re inspired by even if you don’t personally know, or don’t even have access to (your role models, people who represent part of who you are). Who do you already know? Hopefully, you already have a list of the people you’ve met since the beginning of your career, maybe even since the beginning of your education. If not, now is a good time to create this list! Look at each name, and reflect on whether you want them on your Personal Board of Directors and, if yes, in which “element” they would fit in. Yes, this exercise will likely take some time, but it’s worth doing it! Once you've completed the exercise, go back to the list of the existing contacts you want on your Personal Board of Directors and identify: Who you’re already regularly in touch with; and Who you need to get closer to. Who do you need to add? Now it’s time to compare: The list you came up with when looking at “Who do you need to close the gap between “where you are” now and “where you want to be”?”; with The list of your existing contacts you want on your Personal Board of Directors; then Identify who you need to add to your contact list; as well as Identify how you could add these people (yes, think networking!). Final words Here are a few other comments about Personal Board of Directors: The people on your Personal Board of Directors don’t have to know you’ve given them the “position”; Stay in touch with each of them, don’t wait for them to contact you! Be supportive of what they do: comments on LinkedIn, congratulations on achievements, etc. Your Personal Board of Directors should evolve based on your needs: some Directors will stay a long time, and others will come and go… I hope you're now motivated to set up your very own Personal Board of Directors, are ready to get through the process, and finally feel confident and empowered to connect with potential new "Directors"! Interested in knowing more about how I can “Empower Yourself to Create the Life and Career You Want”? Book a free 45-minute Empower Yourself Discovery Call! Simply curious? Then check out Pistachio-Cassis Coaching website! Subscribe to my Pistachio-Cassis Newsletter for monthly insights on Empowering Yourself to Create the Life and Career You Want. Follow me on LinkedIn for inspiration, motivation, and education about how to empower yourself. And please, reach out to me via LinkedIn or email to let me know you’ve read my article. I’d love to hear from you if you have any feedback, suggestions, or anything else you want to tell me! Visit my website for more info! Read more from Christelle! Christelle Soto-Suarez, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Christelle Soto-Suarez is a Personal Leadership & Development Coach who empowers Women in STEM / Construction to create the Life and Career they want, and is the founder of Pistachio-Cassis Coaching. She’s a certified professional coach and a member of the International Coaching Federation. However, coaching is her 2nd career. Previously, she spent 25 years as a construction professional, working on a wide range of construction and engineering projects and in different roles. She worked and lived in several countries, experienced working in multicultural teams, and speaks 3 languages. But however fulfilling and challenging these experiences were, the time came when she realized that she actually felt unhappy, unfulfilled, unsatisfied with where she was in her life… Through her own exploration journey to discover how to create the life and career she wanted for herself, Christelle realized she was actually following a life coaching process… That fascinated her so much that she trained as a professional life coach and she set up her own coaching practice to empower others to also create the life and career they want. Outside of coaching, Christelle loves expanding her horizons through reading, conversing with people with different backgrounds and experiences, and relaxing in nature.

Written by: Manelle Connelly, 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 never really understood what being self-empowered meant and what I was missing out on until I was given a serious reality check. It was the year 2006, I was 23 years of age, and I was driving home from university at 2 am. I felt fine getting into my car. After all, I had become accustomed to doing “all-nighters” in the computer labs and having to drive home in the late hours of the morning. That night, however, was different. One moment I was driving, and the next I heard a woman’s voice in my left ear calling out my name. The voice was soft yet assertive. I immediately realised that I had fallen asleep at the wheel and my car had drifted to the other side of the road. Luckily, there were no on-coming cars though had I not been awoken, the situation could have been a lot more tragic. My life was saved by someone I didn’t know, but sitting there parked on the side of the road in the silence of the night, I realised that something spiritually significant had just happened. I felt like a part of me had actually died that night and I was literally and metaphorically been steered back onto the right path. The definition of empowerment, according to the Oxford Dictionary, is described as “the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one's life and claiming one's rights.” You’re probably thinking, how does escaping death help you become self-empowered? Allow me to explain. Up until that point in time I wasn’t particularly a happy person. I successfully managed to get accepted into a difficult Degree, and as much as that felt like an achievement, it never truly felt right for me. But I continued to push my way through it because it was just assumed that when you finished high school you go to university. It didn’t matter that I didn’t enjoy my Degree, it didn’t matter that I was living under the expectation that if I wasn’t working 80 hours a week I wasn’t working hard enough (according to my Lecturer at the time). What mattered to me the most, was that I needed to prove myself. I had to prove myself to my family, my lecturers, and to society that I can do what was expected of me. I was living by everyone else’s expectations of who I thought they wanted me to be, but it was that mystical miracle that literally gave me the wake-up call I needed to set that thinking straight! What I learnt shortly after I experienced that Divine intervention, was that no one should have more authority over your own life but you, and that the journey to self-empowerment starts with deciding, once and for all, to become the true leader of your own life. Step One: Use Discernment The playwright and novelist Edward Bulwer-Lytton made famous the quote “the pen is mightier than the sword.” We all know how hurtful or how inspiring words can feel. The words you say are either keeping you stuck in suffering and disappointment, or helping you achieve all that you want for yourself. As a young adult, I took on the words of many authority figures and decided that their opinions were more important than my own, so they became the filter from which I would see the world. I would exercise my power of choice, but underlying those choices was the truth that I valued what they said over how I felt. Therefore, the first step to becoming self-empowered is to use what I call the Discernment Filter. Discernment is the ability to use your own judgement. Having good discernment is an essential empowerment practice because everyone has their own opinion on what is right, wrong, possible, or impossible. What may seem impossible for one person is entirely possible for someone else. The point here is to never take what someone says to you as your truth. It is just their opinion. In every conversation and with everything you watch or listen to, use your own judgement, and run it through your discernment filter. Determine whether what you’re being told is the highest truth or is only that person’s perspective or opinion. We are living in a world of infinite possibility, so the likelihood is that there is always more than one solution to every problem, and more than one approach to achieving something. It’s okay to seek advice or counsel, but still make sure that you’re making decisions that are contributing to your empowerment. This is especially the case with our family, friends, and people in positions of authority. They may mean well, like in the case of my lecturer who was trying (in his own way) to test my commitment and motivation to the Degree, but his opinion was simply that; His. It’s up to you, as an individual in your own right, to ensure that your decisions and choices are actually your own and for your betterment. Step Two: Take Your Power Back The second step I took was to sit down with myself and think back to all of the major decisions I had made in my life up until that point. It was an exercise I like to call the Power Inventory. I needed to become aware of who were the major influencers in my life that determined my decisions, and whose opinions I valued over my own. Instead of allowing the beliefs of one university lecturer dictate how hard I should work, I should have given myself that authority and that power. I should have decided to finish my university degree in my own time, on my terms and to a rhythm of work and rest that felt right for me. I should have decided to work smarter, not harder. But I didn’t do that. I gave his beliefs more power over my own, and my physical and mental health suffered tremendously as a result. This step is an opportunity to become conscious of the people you are allowing to influence your beliefs that may be disempowering you. For instance, is the way you feel about your body image truly your own perspective or has it been influenced by the media, family, or others? What about your money beliefs? Is money the root of all evil or just a piece of paper/plastic we use to exchange for products and services? Taking this inventory across every area of your life will enable you to consciously change the beliefs that have been keeping you disempowered. It will help you develop a whole new paradigm of self-worth so you can start taking charge of your own reality from a place of truth, conviction, and authenticity. Step Three: Create Consciously One of the biggest Universal Truths that I have been given and practice every day is the truth that we are the co-creators of our reality and what we put our mind, emotions, and words to, we create. This was another message that I received the night I was given my miracle wake-up call. Up until that point, I had been living under the spell that our lives are mere happenstance; that everything that happens to us is purely a coincidence. This is just not true. We are incredibly powerful, and one of the greatest super-powers that we have been given is our imagination. Albert Einstein once said that “imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.” What I have tested time and time again in my own life, is that the quality of my imagination mirrors the quality of my life. Whenever I imagine a negative outcome to a situation, I end up creating that outcome. For example, if I keep imagining running late and missing the train, then by the power of these imaginings, something always comes up that forces me to run late and miss my train! And by nature of this law, the reverse is also true, if I imagine a wonderful outcome to a situation, I end up creating that outcome. Science is only just now catching up to the truth that our Mind is a powerful Creator, and what we consistently put our mind to, we can make happen. This third step is a slice of a new paradigm that I would like to offer you to ponder on, invite into your discernment filter and get curious about to practice in your own life. If you think back to a positive situation that you have experienced in your life. What were the quality of your thoughts at the time, the words you were saying, and the way you were feeling about it? Thinking back, you were probably feeling very hopeful, using encouraging language to describe what you wanted to achieve, and you were likely thinking very positively about it. But you didn’t just stop there. You also took the necessary action to help the outcome physically manifest in your life. All of these combined; your thoughts, beliefs, words, feelings, and actions, created your desired outcome. And it all started because you imagined it, sending the signal to your Mind that it was possible! And this is exactly how you can start consciously creating the life that you want. It is a lot more empowering knowing and believing that you are the one in charge of your life, because it ultimately means that however hopeless a situation seems to you, you can always decide to change how you think and feel about it, and you can use the power of your imagination to begin this process. Are you ready to unveil the extraordinary leader and creator within, so you can consciously create your dream life in alignment with your highest worth and potential? Start your Conscious Worth Journey today. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn visit my website for more info! Manelle Connelly, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Manelle Connelly is a leader in conscious manifestation and spirituality. After experiencing physical and emotional health challenges in early adulthood, Manelle discovered how to embody her personal and spiritual power to become the true leader and creator of her own reality. As the Founder of Make Manifestation, Manelle facilitates Journeys and Workshops that teach her students how to embody their divine worth, discover their soul-calling, and love themselves unconditionally. Her mission is to awaken others to the power and truth of who they are, so they can manifest their divine destiny fearlessly, consciously and faithfully.

Mrs. Haseena Shaheed-Jackson is a Certified Coach, Speaker and Trainer under the Maxwell Leadership Team. She is the author of Created to Soar, Messages from the Spirit and Reflections from Within. Ms. Jackson’s mission is to help others see with new eyes using the power of thinking. You can make the invisible visible and possible. Have faith to believe in the power of your thinking that will identify the actions that you must take to keep moving forward. Ms. Jackson is the Owner of Faith, Hope and Spirit, LLC which offers training, coaching and speaking in the areas of growth, development, leadership and influence. For over 30 years, she has held positions in leadership and management for a variety of companies and organizations where her responsibilities included mentoring, coaching, development and training. Ms. Jackson actively seeks to form partnerships with others to make a difference and be impactful. See not with your physical eyes but see using hope, faith and spirit to press you forward being bold, confident and impactful. Visit her website at www.hsjackson.com. Haseena Shaheed-Jackson, Chief Executive Officer Introduce yourself! Please tell us about you and your life, so we can get to know you better. I am an author, speaker, coach and trainer. Certified under the Maxwell Leadership Academy. I am passionate about valuing others and helping others to keep moving forward by believing and seeing more. I inspire and empower individuals to believe in their vision, purpose and cause. I challenge individuals to see beyond their physical sight, seeing the opportunities and possibilities resulting in taking the required actions for progression. My hobbies include golfing, reading and working out. I begin each day by taking a walk so that I can get centered and focused. I am blessed to have a beautiful family. I have an awesome and supportive partner, my husband, David Jackson. I have two furry babies – a husky, Lexus and Labrador Retriever, Mercedes. They have helped me to see the world through different eyes. What is your business name and how do you help your clients? Faith Hope Spirit LLC I partner with small and medium businesses to unclog their thinking overcoming their frustrations by removing the barriers that are hindering them in realizing and achieving their vision. I help them to take a fresh look by developing a new perspective through my training and coaching services. What kind of audience do you target your business towards? Small and medium size leaders and executives What are your current goals for your business? I have four couple of goals. Launching and executing a series of growth workshops for leaders, business owners and executives. The workshops are designed to aid individuals in developing and cultivating new perspectives. Taking a fresh look to identify and implement strategies to press forward in their business, career or personal life. Releasing my fourth book in 2023. Increasing my staff by 1-2 team members Hosting an annual growth conference in 2023 Who inspires you to be the best that you can be? The Creator. He believed in me before I was formed. He has plans for me. I have hope and a future. I would be letting him down by not doing what He needs me to do in this world, serving and helping others. What is your work inspired by? As a child, I thought that there was only one way. Graduate from high school, learn a trade, get a job and have a family. Through a mentor, my high school gym teacher taught me the Power of More. Seeing beyond your physical sight which will place limitations on your potential, success and achievements. Because of my personal experiences, I can relate and understand the challenges that cause my clients to get stumped and frustrated. Tell us about your greatest career achievement so far. Taking the leap to write my first book, then two additional books. I am now working on my third book to be released in 2023. Tell us about a pivotal moment in your life that brought you to where you are today. Throughout my professional career, I was restless. I did not fit in. Not fitting in caused me to be frustrated and complacent. I was looking at only what was visible. My frustrations clouded my judgement causing me to make decisions that were not in alignment with my vision and purpose. I had to overcome my frustrations to move forward in my growth and development. Conquering my frustrations has resulted in my seeing the opportunities and possibilities. Resulting in my identifying and taking the actions to capitalize on those opportunities and possibilities, moving forward to achieving and realizing my vision. Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Haseena!

Written by: Virin Gomber, 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. Manifestation is essentially the process of creating something or turning something from an idea or a dream into a reality. In the context of success, manifestation refers to a goal-achieving strategy. The problem arises when these dreams aren't turning into reality after putting in huge efforts. There may be varying reasons, including the quality of techniques used and the quantity of effort. At the same time, several other significant reasons may result in a lack of results, such as having a negative mindset about success or exuding fear while putting in the work to manifest what you desire. Manifestation starts from within the mind, which is why psychologists believe that the disposition of the mind to success is a strong determinant of how successful you will be. Manifestation Needs you to Raise your Vibration Manifestation is the process of making your dreams a reality by 'living' your goals. It approaches goal setting holistically by changing your mindset and behaviors. This process is all about believing in something and seeing it come true. It is the ability to use your mind's power to change and create the reality you want to experience. Manifesting can benefit every aspect of your life because it empowers you to become the best version of yourself that exists, embody the person you most want to become, and assist you in unlocking the infinite potential that you have in order to create the life of your dreams. It is considered an ‘energetic’ activity because it requires the power of the mind to turn your imagination into reality. So it requires you to raise the energy of your vibration to manifest all that you want to be! If you want to manifest your dreams successfully, you should be ready to raise the vibration of your energy using your mind, time, and action. What Makes Manifestation a Scientific Action Manifestation is dependent on the inclination of your belief system, actions, feelings, and intentions. It is not a religious practice but can be compared to the rules of praying or visualization. Our brain creates new neural pathways through visual or verbal repetition, which increases your ability to succeed with your intentions. The more you repeat the process in your mind, the more you manifest. This is the science of ‘neuroplasticity.’ According to research, we develop neural pathways not only through physical practices but also through visualization. The practice of boosting your focus is key in this process. With consistent practice comes proficiency. Whether or not you are aware of it, you are constantly manifesting through your nervous system. Our nervous system is wired to connect our external environment to our inner state of being. You see the world as you want, based on your internal beliefs, thoughts, feelings, and actions. How Meditation helps with Manifestation Remember that every action starts in mind. Some daily intentions are simple to carry out, while others require massive efforts manifest. When we have too many thoughts, especially conflicting ones, we fall into the latter category of intentions. Meditation is a practice that cultivates the mind in such a way that intentions can manifest. The following qualities that meditation instills in your mind facilitate the manifestation process. Meditation helps you get relaxed and boost your creativity and intuition to go about your goals every day. It also helps remove self-doubt and train your mind to be focused and present. It also has a profound impact on helping you infuse positivity in your thoughts. It also enables you to stay positive even if things aren't going to plan while keeping you focused on the goal. 5 Easy ways to use Meditation to Manifest Positive Outcomes 1. Visualization Visualization is frequently used as the foundation for any manifestation meditation because it allows you to see in your mind's eye exactly what you want to manifest. With meditation, you'll be able to visualize every detail of your ideal life, including where you live, who you're with, and what you do during the day. The key to any successful visualization is to feel all of the high-vibe emotions associated with having your desires right now, not just see them play out in your mind. When you do this, you directly connect yourself to the experience of having the thing(s) you want, becoming a magnet for your dreams to come true. 2. Letting Go To let go means that after you've set an intention and requested what you want, you let go of concerns about when and how it will happen and trust the Universe to bring your desires to fruition. You can visualize ‘letting go’ in meditation by picturing your desires as a ball of light or a balloon. Once you let go, sit back and trust that everything you desire is already on its way to you. 3. Affirmations A positive affirmation is a statement in the present tense that is intended to uplift and encourage you while also increasing your self-belief and supporting your overall well-being. Here are some examples of manifestation affirmations: I have the ability to design any future I want. What I become is something I choose. I can create anything I can imagine. My life is overflowing with abundance. I am the abundant, loving energy that I seek. Everything I want is on its way to me right now. Everything I'm looking for is within me. 4. Reflect on your goals You can start with one or two goals but work up to as many as ten goals! Your objectives could be to raise more funds for your startup, pursue the career you've always wanted, fall in love with someone, achieve peak performance , or get along better with your team – whatever you want! Let's start with your first objective. Imagine, with your eyes closed and still in Meditation, what your life would be like if You had already achieved this goal. See as much as possible about your life after you've manifested this dream through your own eyes. 5. Maintain a positive attitude What is your frame of mind during this time? What are the most prevalent thoughts and beliefs that run through your mind? What emotions have arisen as a result of what has occurred? How did your internal reality attract a similar amount of energy to your outer reality? Having a growth mindset would help you answer these questions daily. You should maintain a positive attitude toward your goals and stay confident that you will achieve them. These five steps are an extraordinary way to get you in a successful mindset and truly help make your dreams a reality. When you practice these meditation steps consistently, your manifestation ability will grow in leaps and bounds. As Maya Angelou said, “Ask for what you want and be prepared to get it.” Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , and LinkedIn , or visit my website for more info! Read more from Virin! Virin Gomber, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Virin Gomber is a leading Mindfulness Success Coach, Speaker, and Author. Following a successful corporate career that left him with stress and burnout, he learned, created, and mastered highly effective Mindfulness strategies to boost his balance and personal performance. Since then, he has integrated Quantum Physics, Neuroscience, and Positive Psychology principles to craft a unique blend for his Mindfulness success system. Dedicated to helping people become top achievers, the core of his work is with entrepreneurs, CEOs, professionals, and driven individuals to support them to achieve peak performance, balance and happiness. He offers more than a decade of Success Coaching, corporate training, and 25+ years of Mindfulness experience. Virin has co-authored an Amazon bestseller, “The Missing Piece in Self Love,” appeared on TV shows, and contributed to numerous global online magazines. His ‘WHY’: To empower people to create accomplished personal skills to achieve next-level success and happiness. References: The truth about Manifestation and the law of attraction https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/cgi/ viewcontent.cgi%3Ffilename%3D0%26article%3D1304%26context%3Dhonors-research-and- exhibition%26type%3Dadditional&ved=2ahUKEwiEu9b8ta35AhUO7qQKHSBnBNoQFnoEC AMQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0eTAkj ub4wyuQ8mTFThH The Science behind Manifestation https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://malpaper.com/blogs/news/the -science-behind-manifestation-why-journaling-for-manifestation- works&ved=2ahUKEwiEu9b8ta35AhUO7qQKHSBnBNoQFnoECBgQBQ&usg=AOvVaw2Wb BxD3CzNZ4llj6fhQqZF

Brainz Magazine Exclusive Interview Kasia Dabrow-Kielan, worked as a Social Worker for almost 15 years and completed her Bachelor of Psychology and Social Work. Kasia's passion is to work with others and she is equipped with skills to enhance the wellbeing of her clients. She worked in various fields of Social Work in Australia and the United Kingdom. Kasia's personal experiences and life challenges made Kasia change her lifestyle and now has dedicated her life to helping others do the same, outside Social Work. Kasia has passionately created her own brand Consciously Healthy, which the name speaks for itself. Kasia has become a Health Coach and studied Iridology in Bali. She offers Iridology, Sclerology, health consulting, 1 on 1 Health Coaching and detox online programs. Kasia's hunger for knowledge does not rest and is keen in pursue further with studies. You’re a consciously healthy, health and fasting coach. Can you tell us more about your work and how you ended up where you are today? My work focuses on working with an individual helping them become the best version of themselves. I am all about helping others to be healthy and feel good in their own body. I am a big believer that real health should never feel out of reach or to be filled with misleading information. Misleading information can really harm you instead of helping you. I have seen this on my mum, who passed away at 56 years of age chasing around from doctor to doctor, to specialists and a hospital to be told that there is not much left but medication. Years later, my youngest one developed some serious eczema, which got out of hand by the time she was two years old. I was told to apply steroid cream by her GP and specialist. I refused this lifestyle with my daughter and refused to go down the path and this is what led me to be where I am today. Through tears and through hard times I have dedicated my career to assisting others to move away from common, but not normal symptoms and live a better life. Seeing people alter their health, their relationship with food and their bodies, which is so crucial for our health, by giving the nonsense out there the middle finger and embracing real health is what keeps me going. What are the 8 principles of health? Many years ago, I mean thousands of years ago, humans followed 8 basic principles which support us to live a healthy lifestyle. These principles are Air, Water, Sunshine, Exercise, Wholefoods, Relationships, Passion and Sleep. So often and so many people, when thinking about health or a healthy lifestyle, they think it is only related to food. Yes, food is very important but, to live a truly healthy lifestyle we need to follow these 8 principles of health which I write about throughout my Brainz Magazine articles. Have you encountered any significant challenges during your journey and how have these affected you? My significant challenge is to work through misleading information and try to re-teach clients to think different. To unlearn what they were taught and break that pattern of thought. I signed up for a course focusing on nutrition, however, didn’t finish it. I’m not usually a quitter but I just couldn’t continue as I realized that it didn’t line up with my values. It was all about calorie counting, and BMI which was just too frustrating. In my Wholefoods article which was published recently by Brainz Magazine, I discussed briefly about the food pyramid and calorie counting which is way outdated in my opinion and so is the BMI calculation. The body mass index (BMI) was created by a statistician, not a medical body nearly 200 years ago. This equation of height/weight is to calculate population health trends and not the health status of an individual. But this is a topic for another time. How does fasting work and why is it so important to consider it? Fasting is a gift to an overburdened body. A body can get overburdened by dietary excess in general, excess of animal fat, tobacco use, alcohol, caffeine and refined food products. Fasting is a process that may smooth the progress of the body’s own healing mechanisms. It can be exceptionally effective at creating an in-house environment where the body can do what it does best, and that is to clean and heal itself. I encourage you all to read the article on Wholefoods where I touch base in a bit more detail on fasting and its benefits. You work a lot with Iridology, can you elaborate on how it works and what it tells us about our health and our DNA? Iridology and Screlorogy are the studies of the iris, the sclera and the pupil. These areas relate to and indicate an individual’s health dispositions. Iridologists assess the colour and the variations of colour, and the fibre structure around the iris to determine the constitutional strength of the physical body. In addition, it can also indicate aspects of the person’s personality which can influence conscious and unconscious emotional patterns. The assessment looks at both the physical and emotional sides of things as they all relate together. It’s very important to factor these in when making an assessment of one’s health and determine why symptoms are occurring in the first place. There are no two irises the same; each iris is as individual as a fingerprint. The right iris tells us about individuals’ genetic predispositions from the father’s side while the left iris is from the mother’s side for up to three generations, so it is a fascinating way of putting puzzle pieces together for an individual. What kind of audience do you target your business towards? My audience can vary and I am not sure if I target a specific audience. Currently, I am working extremely hard at creating the support with the correct resources to those who are interested in improving their lifestyles and habits, no matter where you are with your health journey. Health is different for everyone and different abilities so I will always take into consideration you as a whole person rather then measuring height and weight and sends you off on your merry way. In saying that I do get a lot of parents, especially mothers, who seek advice on how to heal eczema naturally and how to boost their kid's immunity system as it seems that as of late there has been a bit of sick kids, meaning sick days and it seems no one has the time for these. Tell us about your most outstanding career achievement so far. Something that you are really proud of! The achievements that I am proud of are the results I see and the reactions I get from individuals that cross my path. It’s the awareness that makes people shift towards small or big changes in their lives who wish to improve their own health is what makes it really satisfying. The feedback I get back from my followers, especially after my articles in Brainz Magazine is just phenomenal and so many say “this is common sense but we lost that along the way”. That is 100% correct; there is so much confusion when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle that as a society we got lost as it’s just too baffling. It is all about coming back to common sense and keeping things simple and real and this is exactly what I strive for when working with clients. In addition, I am very proud that I have been handpicked and invited by Brainz to contribute. This is something I have never even dreamed of or imagined that I will be writing and publishing my own articles and as a bonus, feature on a cover of a magazine. Super pumped about this opportunity and I agreed to be part of the Brainz Magazine family with no hesitation. This led me to another opportunity to be part of the Brainz podcast, which was my very first ever (yes I was a bit nervous) but hoping to be part of many more in the future! In addition, I have been lucky enough to receive an invitation by Outlook Magazine. Outlook Magazine is very well known around USA, UK, Dubai and India. Plus, I will be a featuring on few panels locally here in Australia, again invited to feature as a guest, so all of, I must say, is very exciting. So, what’s the next big goal or project for Kasia and how can someone get in contact with you? I am juggling a few projects at the moment actually, taking baby steps and focusing on an exciting future. I am currently finishing my Integrated Iridology course to qualify as an Advanced Physical Iridologist. Once this is complete, I have two more courses in mind. I have a team currently working on developing my website further so I can reach more people online and currently am designing a few programs. One of them is targeting individuals, both kids and adults as to how to treat eczema naturally packed with recourses. A similar program will be available on fasting too where I can lead individuals through that online, again full of resources so everyone can have a one-stop-shop if you like. In addition, I have a public speaking presentation coming up in November as there is a need and confusion about the immunity boosting so I have been asked to present at my local area. Hopefully, this will become a regular service covering topics all health. My ultimate goal is to incorporate all my services into a healthy hub, attached to a space where kids and adults can come together and enjoy a healthy snack or meal and have a laugh or two in a space where all aspects of health and wellness are catered for. I am seriously tired and devastated when looking at poor kids' menus when dining out (which we don’t do often) and constantly being disappointed. I believe that kids deserve better! For more info, follow Kasia on Instagram and visit her website!

Owners of a Tesla car in the US will be receiving a letter in November over a safety issue with the vehicles’ windows. The recall has been prompted by a problem with the automatic windows, which may mean that they do not react correctly when an obstruction is detected. The call has been made by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which says that the fault is a safety-standards violation. It covers all Tesla models but specifically the 2017-22 Model 3 sedans; some 2020-21 Model Y SUVs, Model S sedans and Model X SUVs. Tesla’s founder Elon Musk has reacted furiously to the way that the news has been reported, but specifically the NHTSA’s use of the term “recall”. He took to Twitter to declare: "The terminology is outdated and inaccurate. This is a tiny over-the-air software update. To the best of our knowledge, there have been no injuries.”

An American federal court in the US has ruled that McDonalds must defend itself against a $10 billion lawsuit. Brought by media mogul Byron Allen, the lawsuit alleges that the fast food company doesn’t advertise with Black-owned media. In a press release, Allen accused McDonalds of “...intentionally discriminat[ing] against AMG divisions Entertainment Studios and Weather Group through a pattern of racial stereotyping and refusals to contract.” He states that of an approx $1.6 billion annual advertising budget, “...McDonald's spends less than approximately $5 million each year on African American-owned media”. He adds: “Per the lawsuit, the McDonald's President and CEO Chris Kempczinski makes approximately $11 million per year, which is more than double what McDonald's spends per year on ALL of Black-owned media combined.” In response to the release, McDonald’s lawyer Loretta Lynch told the press that the accusations are meritless. “Their complaint is about revenue, not race, and [the] plaintiffs’ groundless allegations ignore both McDonald’s legitimate business reasons for not investing more on their channels and the company’s long-standing business relationships with many other diverse-owned partners,” she said. Allen, however, argues that his company’s alleged treatment reflects wider societal prejudices: “McDonald’s takes billions from African American consumers and gives almost nothing back. The biggest trade deficit in America is the trade deficit between White corporate America and Black America, and McDonald’s is guilty of perpetuating this disparity.” Allen's legal counsel, David Schecter and Skip Miller, told BusinessInsider: "As alleged in our complaint, McDonald's has engaged in pernicious racial discrimination in violation of federal and state law. We are confident the jury will recognize the injustice that has occurred here and will award significant damages. We are looking forward to our day in court." The case is due to be heard in May 2023.

Written by: Tara Sutorius, 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. To help someone, change a behaviour, we need to understand what drives it. In other words, we need to be deeply self-aware. A successful coaching method I have taught leaders is called the iceberg model; a powerful metaphor to represent our life experiences, behaviours, beliefs assumptions and more. Picture an iceberg. What is visible to the world above the water represents our behaviours and competencies, which are just a small part of us. Think of it like the stuff that’s traditionally on your resume. But what it’s missing is everything hidden under the water. Things like a person’s thoughts and feelings; their core beliefs; unnamed underlying beliefs; fears that keep them stuck; well-rooted patterns and assumptions. These below-the-surface elements of our human experience are like a unique fingerprint. They are different for each one of us. Being aware of what is under the water, especially our patterns or blind spots, is one of the most important components of developing strong emotional intelligence. Also, being self-aware is the cornerstone of empathy, which is the ability to share and understand the feelings of others because we focus on being human and not perfect. So, what does being an empathetic leader look like? Well, it could mean putting yourself in your employees’ shoes before jumping to conclusions about why they are late again with their report. It’s about giving someone the benefit of the doubt, and not assuming bad intentions. What if that employee was struggling at home over the last month and their focus was way off? Instead of feeling frustrated about the delays, you could get curious, ask questions, give space, offer empathy, and listen deeply to their story instead of judging and just looking above the water line. By doing this, you go below the surface as an empathetic leader to understand what your employee’s motivations are (those unseen, submerged parts of the iceberg). Once leaders truly understand the root cause of a team member’s behaviours or patterns, they can influence meaningful and sustainable change. The best way to dive below the water line and help your employee gain greater self-awareness is to ask powerful open-ended questions such as: What are your thoughts on x? Would you tell me more about x? Can you help me understand x a little better? How do you see x happening? Just suppose you were feeling x, what would that look like? Just suppose you were experiencing x, what might that feel like? What might it take to achieve x? Walk me through the steps. By helping your employee uncover the root cause, you help them create new insights so they can excavate the underlying belief, assumption, and fear that drives that behaviour. Using the iceberg model not only helps leaders and employees alike to form stronger connections, but it’s a model that directly contributes to evolving an organization’s culture. Just imagine if every leader in a company embraced the iceberg model. All employees and leaders would feel more linked, and the company would not only have a more engaged workforce coming into work every day, but a healthier environment would be fostered; one that promotes transparency and psychological safety. Ultimately, when leaders prioritize emotional intelligence and leverage powerful questions and models, like the iceberg, to connect to their employees, they create the conditions to unleash the full potential of their people. Now that’s a powerful mission. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Tara! Tara Sutorius, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine As a certified professional coach trained with Erickson International Coaching, Barrett Values Centre and Career Joy, as well as an accredited PCC-level coach with the International Coach Federation (ICF), Tara Sutorius specializes in helping individuals better understand their personal core values so they may live a more purpose-driven life in alignment with what is most important to them in their personal and professional lives. Tara is also the Director of Corporate Communications at Export Development Canada (EDC) and the founder of “Tara Sutorius Coaching and Wellness” – a coaching company offering compassionate, transformational and values-based personal leadership, career and wellness coaching. Working alongside senior leaders in both the private and public sector for over 20 years, Tara has a keen sense of what is required to be able to connect with one’s personal and professional leadership mission in order to effect meaningful change over the long-term and build greater resiliency both at home and at work. What Tara loves most about coaching is helping guide individuals through powerful questioning and transformational conversations. Her coaching style is compassionate, action-oriented, motivational, connected and intuitive. She can help guide you to better align your values with your dream job, clarify your passions, set clear goals and take greater ownership of your career and overall wellness.

Written by: Omu Obilor, 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. One of the keys to running a successful business is to communicate with your team and employees in a way that they understand your company’s visions and meet its goals and objectives. You need to motivate them and make sure they pay attention and listen by creating a clear and genuine connection in team meetings. It’s hard to keep your employees checking on their phones constantly when you’ve toiled day and night for your presentation. Keeping that in mind, here are the three ways how you can grab attention and make it stay in team meetings. 1. Talk to them Ask your team why they should join the meeting and listen to you. How do they think the meeting would benefit them with new skills and information? You can ask them about what they want to learn or discuss before the meeting via a mail survey. Some of your team members won’t reply to these surveys and would be reluctant to attend them. And it’s good because these are your target audience. You can get personal with them and tell them a story as to how you got ahead in your career and how your story can help them solve their problem. Narrate them how they can learn from your failures and connect with the audience with your personal touch. 2. Make their mind boggle A too easy or too difficult topic for the meeting is too boring. Know your audience and their level of expertise. The meetings should be such that it makes your audience triggered with curiosity and knowledge. The topic must trigger their thinking skills. A too-easy topic doesn’t require any thinking. And a too difficult topic can turn off people. It is boring if you’re the only one speaking about something. So make sure you ask your audience’s insights and ask them questions. 3. Include breaks Include breaks in your lengthy meetings. Let your team refresh themselves with a cup of coffee or walk around for a bit. Coffee increases attention and keeps everyone warm. Make sure you include a 5-10 min break after every 45 minutes of a meeting session. Breaks help everyone to focus better for the next session. Visit Omu's website to learn more! Read more from Omu! Omu Obilor, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Omu is an International Coach, Speaker, Trainer, and Thought Leader. Her mantra is “Living my best life," this she achieves by living Intentionally. Her mission in life is to empower others to live their best life, curating the life they want for themselves. As a founding member of the John Maxwell Team, she has mastered intentional living in personal and professional life. She performs the role of Executive Director and National Trainer in Business Network International (BNI), which empowered her to master training networking. Omu has, over the years, poured out her all into the lives of her clients. Walking them through the various transitions in life and mentoring them through the transformation. She is driven by her passion for helping individuals realize that it is possible to live the life they dream of. Extremely passionate about Transformation in people, she works tirelessly to see this through. Her approach is designed to increase awareness and accountability to increase morale and determine values. She runs a mentor mind group for women looking to grow in their personal and professional lives. She also runs masterminds monthly, amongst others.

Written by: Mari Vasan, 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. Research data says midlife is our most stressful time, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are seven ways to make middle age your best age. A recent study from the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) suggests that middle age (mid-forties to early fifties) may be the worst stage of life. The report, titled “The Midlife Crisis,” ¹ details some disturbing facts. According to the authors, people in midlife are disproportionately likely to: Take their own life Have trouble sleeping Feel life is not worth living Have depression Feel overwhelmed at work Find it difficult to concentrate Become dependent on alcohol Depression in midlife is shockingly high. According to the study, people in midlife are twice as likely to be depressed as people in the 65-74 age group or the under-25 bracket. In addition, according to a 2015 Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience study, women are 1.7x as likely to be diagnosed with depression as men. ² The long-term NBER study followed 500,000 people in multiple wealthy countries. Typically, income is peaking in midlife, and health is still good; therefore, we expect mental health to be robust, right? Unfortunately, no; the study findings are accurate. And they don’t surprise me. As a women’s midlife transformation expert, I hear stories of midlife depressions, slumps, and frustrations daily. And often from women whose social media portrays a happy, sometimes seemingly ideal life. Their conversations with me frequently reflect the inner suffering beneath the surface. Let’s look at some of the reasons why middle age is so challenging. Some reasons stem from a negative mindset or disempowering beliefs, while others are tied to real-world problems. A disempowering mindset or belief can lead to depression in middle age. While failing at something at any age is never fun, at least if someone has a career or relationship disappointment in their twenties or thirties, they typically believe they have time for another chance at success. In midlife, there’s often a belief that this may be their last chance to get it right. It’s essential to become aware of one’s disempowering beliefs and to challenge them. One of the things I focus on with my clients is helping them identify and annihilate disempowering beliefs. These programs are often wired into the brain in early childhood, and hypnosis is an effective way to de-program and install more empowering patterns or ideas. Another mindset component that can lead to depression is expectations. If someone thought they would have achieved a specific outcome or goal by a certain age, and their real-world experience doesn’t match that expectation, disappointment can arise. In these situations, I work with my clients to change their language and mindset and the meaning they are attaching to the context. Real-world issues also contribute to depression or overwhelm in middle age. Increased responsibilities are a significant contributor to stress in middle age. There are many potential sources of stress and overwhelm ‒ from relationship issues, financial strain (often as kids go to college), problems with grown children, career issues, aging parents, and retirement concerns. These can often be daunting, resulting in severe energy drains if the person is not equipped with the right tools and is not in a resourceful state. Mortality often becomes a greater focus in middle age, as one or both parents become ill or pass on. There can be a sense of, “Wow, I’m not going to live forever!” or “Is this all there is?” And let’s not forget ageism, which can lead to feelings of insecurity such as, “Will a younger person replace me?” This is especially true for women, who often have this concern in their relationships and careers. Female hormonal shifts can also wreak havoc on well-being. Night sweats can prevent a good night’s sleep, and lack of deep sleep can lead to anxiety, exhaustion, and depression. There are also physical realities related to an aging body. Aging has aesthetic effects (“Do I really look like this?”). This can be particularly challenging for those who relied on their looks in their younger years. There’s also often increased difficulty in doing things we used to take for granted (What? I can’t do a half-marathon anymore?”), and a host of other issues can arise, including hearing loss, weight gain, etc. Suddenly, there can be a confluence of stress factors. Lastly, let’s not forget the impact of divorce on mental health. While divorce rates are higher in younger age groups, it can often be easier to adjust to divorce when younger. Being new on the dating scene is not typically easy for a 50-plus-year-old. What’s more, adjusting to being single can be more difficult, because the habit of being coupled has become even more firmly established. All of a sudden, after many years of relying on a partner in certain areas or having habits of doing certain things together, being solo can be quite challenging. Financial pressures related to divorce can also be a stressor. Is middle age the worst age? It doesn’t have to be. Follow these rules to make midlife your best stage of life yet. While there certainly are a significant number of external stressors in middle age, if we can navigate through them with acceptance and use them as opportunities to grow, while remaining connected to our inner resources, armed with mindset tools, it can be the best stage. After all, in middle age, we typically still have good health and all the wisdom and resources we’ve gathered through life up to now. And there’s often greater discernment for what matters. There’s insight that’s been garnered from experience. 7 ways to make your middle years your best years Accept your age and make it the best it can be. Do everything you can to make your life as fulfilling as possible. Set goals that will ensure you’re growing. If you’re not growing, you’re withering. Let go of heavy emotional burdens. Forgive and move on. Release anger, resentments, and disappointments because these are significant energy drains. Surround yourself with positive people who elevate and inspire you. Do you want to hang out with people who complain about their age, or those who are thriving despite their age? The people you surround yourself with greatly influence who you become. Pay attention to your disempowering beliefs; challenge them and change them. Exercise daily. It improves physical and mental health and helps prevent diseases, including dementia and Alzheimers. Focus on what’s good, and be grateful. If we look for evidence of what’s negative, we’ll find it. If we focus on the good, we’ll also find plenty. Choose where you want to focus. And cultivate gratitude, which puts you in a higher frequency and can result in greater happiness, abundance, and success. If you’re a woman in midlife who would like to reignite your life force, let go of emotional burdens, and supercharge your confidence so that you can make the second half of your life the best half, check out my website and watch my free 30-minute webinar. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Mari Vasan, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Mari Vasan is the founder of MV Coaching, a dynamic women's midlife personal development company, which specializes in a research-based transformation program that helps women worldwide live their best lives. Combining the "magic" of hypnosis with coaching, Mari also blends her research skills as a top-rated Wall Street analyst, with 30 years of intensively studying psychology and human behavior, with the wants and desires of the women she serves. The result is her 8-week course ‒ Supercharge Your Midlife Transformation. Mari is also the founder of MindGift.org, a nonprofit platform offering free mental health tools to anyone, anywhere. References: National Bureau of Economic Research: “The Midlife Crisis,” by Osea Giuntella, Sally McManus, Redzo Mujcic, Andrew J. Oswald, Nattavudh Powdthavee, Ahmed Tohamy https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w30442/w30442.pdf Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience: “Why is Depression More Prevalent in Women?” Paul R. Albert July 2015 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4478054/