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/

Written by: Dr. Shahram Maralani, 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. Generalists succeed as stronger entrepreneurs. Generalists are jacks-of-all-trades. They learn both hard and soft skills and have high confidence and persuasiveness. They follow a generalist career path, change roles, and stay open to new opportunities. Generalists lead groups of specialists like a conductor leading the orchestra. And that is what entrepreneurship is all about. Who is a "Generalist" A generalist is a person with a wide array of knowledge on a variety of subjects, useful or not (wikipedia). This is an interesting definition to start from. Despite the association of generalists by the public to being jack-of-all-trades, and hence considering them as "not expert in anything," the very fact that they have this wide range of knowledge in so many different domains and about so many topics, makes them an expert in "the big picture." Generalists are like oceans of one-centimeter depth for the majority of their territory, while being much deeper in few key domains. This vast territory of knowledge enables them to see the relations and similarities between various domains and phenomena, while not being bugged down into the nitty gritty of how each of those works. Society can not function by depending only on either generalists or specialists. A pilot or a brain surgeon are two examples of how specialists can save people's lives in high-risk situations. A successful president or a prime minister in a democratic society is on the other hand an example of how generalists can retain order and bring prosperity to a whole nation or even the wider world. A well-functioning society, industry or company needs to have both generalists as well as specialist to thrive. Generalist Career Path People have different preferences. Some get professional satisfaction by digging into details. They can sit for hours, days and months digging into a single problem, trying to find an explanation and a solution for it. They enjoy to learn about their domains and spend their entire career to become more skilled in what they are already good at by practicing what they do and studying the new frontiers in their domain. These are the specialist. Others on the other hand, have an interest to see the relation between different things and their interactions. They focus on understanding how a totality of an entity works. Their focus is on simplification and modeling of the problems, and application of proven methods as solutions or just mitigation. These are the generalists. No-one is a pure generalist or specialist. Every professional has a combination of generalist as well as specialist traits. But given the explanations above, you can categorize people and their professions into these two categories. There is a fundamental difference between generalists and specialists, their preferences and motivations, and their contributions to the society. The Benefits of Being a Generalist You may wonder why generalists succeed in a specialized world. According to Paul Genberg, a Forbes councils member, there are a lot of benefits to being a generalist. Broad experience of generalists enables them to draw from their diverse collection of knowledge to figure out connections and correlations that specialists might miss. Having a higher emotional intelligence (EQ), generalists tend to interact with many different kinds of people in their day-to-day life. This gives them not only a bigger picture by tapping into the wisdom of the crowd, but the ability to act as a leader. In fact, modern leadership is less about aiming, commanding and controlling, but understanding, connecting and facilitating, and that is what generalists are much better at. There are counter arguments and examples of successful companies with their leaders being specialists. But these companies are in the minority. Majority of the companies benefit from generalists in their business leadership and entrepreneurial roles. Generalists Succeed as Entrepreneurs According to Edward Lazear from Stanford, generalists succeed as successful entrepreneurs. Edward has been studying data from a survey of about 5,000 Stanford MBA graduates. They have been asked questions later in their careers. What was apparent is that Entrepreneurs are jacks-of-all-trades. They took various courses and more general curriculum. Their career involved a wider range of experiences and skills. From the survey it was clear that the chance of starting a new business rose, as an individual had multiple different types of positions during their career. Successful entrepreneurs need to have a broad and deep experience. They need to understand how all the pieces fit together and identify opportunities for improvement and development. They need to be great communicators and explain their vision to the people around them. They must be great at networking and building relations and passionate about what they do to bring these networks and relations along and motivate them towards a common goal. These are all ingredients of a successful business person. That is why the successful entrepreneurs are great generalist. They see a greater totality and are able to create what they have in their vision tapping into the resources they employ. How to Become a Generalist Entrepreneur There are five key reasons why generalists become successful entrepreneurs. Understanding those and following steps to identify, explore and develop in those areas can be of great help for those who identify themselves as generalists and have the desire to become entrepreneurs. Keep learning new skills Jumping from one branch to the other is a killer of focus. Staying for too long on the same branch on the other hand, limits the access to new scenes and resources. Successful entrepreneurs are good in understanding where and for how long to stay, and when and where to move onto. As a generalist, you want to learn about your own domain relatively well, but study the adjacent and then further away areas to get new insights and ideas. Moving too frequently makes your ocean of knowledge very shallow. Moving too slow, makes you a deep lake, and hence a great specialist, but not a potential generalist entrepreneur. Stay open to new opportunities Focus can bring results, but it may not increase the overall potential in a particular domain. It is more difficult for new entrants to capture their own shares in a market which is stagnating or shrinking. Staying open to opportunities both in your own domain, but also the adjacent or completely new areas may be the way to go. Do not fall in love with your current ideas and scope, as entrepreneurship is both about persistence in a chosen domain till you succeed, but also about identifying the right time and approach to leave a space and move on. Continuously compete with yourself Growth mindset is the key to success, not only for entrepreneurs but for everyone. According to Carol Dweck, people with growth mindset see failure as an opportunity to grow. They can learn to do anything they want and use their challenges as an enabler to grow. Their abilities are defined by their efforts and attitude, and they use constructive feedback as a mean to improve. They are inspired by success of others and they like to try new things. This type of mindset makes these people to enjoy competing not only with others, but also with themselves. Competing with themselves enables them to aim at their better self every single day. As a result, they explore new areas, learn about them, fail, and take action until they succeed. Continual improvement is the nature of business growth and development and a hobby for generalist entrepreneurs. Learn to Pivot, Pivot to Learn Pivoting in business means to change some aspect of the core product or service. Entrepreneurs might pivot to better meet the demands of their customers, or to shift their focus to a new category of audience. This all is to boost results or improve other metrics in the business. Pivoting can also help them learn by doing as nothing is greater than real customer feedback on a modified product or a modified business. You want to learn as a generalist aiming to become an entrepreneur on how to pivot from one idea to another one, and more importantly how to pivot within the same territory to adjust and improve your targeted value proposition and offering. You also need to use this pivoting as a way to learn by getting feedback from others. This helps you simulate a real businesses value proposition to meet customer demand, well before you establish your business, and find your path. Become a Specialist! Being a generalist does not mean being shallow. Knowledgeable generalists are the "Google of their domain." They know stuff and can retrieve those using the triggers around them such as a topic, a discussion, a piece of news, or a movement in the market. That is why, you should become a specialist in being a generalist. Tapping into such a vast knowledge can become challenging over time. It is important to learn and build methodologies to structure your knowledge in an accessible way to yourself, when that becomes necessary. Tip! Build your own personal knowledge portal where you store all your generalist knowledge. If you want to learn how, send me a message on LinkedIn. Conclusion Human history includes thousands of years of specialism. Our ancestors distributed the work between them with some making hunting tools, while others went hunting. The fabric of our modern societies today, does almost use the very same logic. Specialists create technologies, by turning science into consumable products and services. Entrepreneurs use those technologies together with proven or innovative methods to create businesses which create those products and services in high volumes making them accessible to a large number of consumers. Entrepreneurs needs to understand the technologies they use, the market in which they want to operate, and the business models enabling them to build and operate a sustainable business. They need to know their customers and their needs, their competitors and their products, and the alternative choices their potential customers have. Entrepreneurs should know how to procure resources and competence, how to create the products and services using those, and how to market and sell the outcomes. They should understand finance, people management, compliance and more as their businesses grow. To know all this, they can not remain a specialist. Sooner or later, successful entrepreneurs need to become specialists in being a great generalist. Being a generalist gives entrepreneurs a broader perspective. They know a little bit about a lot of things, and see opportunities that others might miss. They create more time as they don't spend their time learning skills for what can be done by others. Generalists have higher levels of creativity. They think outside the box and use various perspectives to shape creative solutions. Generalists have more confidence as they can tap into their wider perspective and vast ocean of skills, and they do not shy away from new challenges. Generalists can create more value for the business as they find ways to contribute to the business results. They can come up with ways to produce and sell more which can translate into better results. Generalists are opportunists. They have the ability to spot or create opportunities connecting the realities around them together aiming to serve their future customers. Generalists can have more control over what they do which shapes their destiny and of their business. They are flexible and not religiously attached to any particular industry, technology, or market should the new realities prove the need to pivot or move on. They spend their time when it matters and delegate or divest as necessary. As a result, real entrepreneurs not only create new products and services and new businesses, but they also create skilled people (by delegating more to them) and shape the future entrepreneurs (by divesting and moving on). In summary, generalists are able to experience a broad range of career opportunities, especially in leadership positions, preparing them to become future entrepreneurs. Not losing their sharpness in their core domains as long as necessary, staying curious about new areas, and continuously learning about the new business models and technologies can put them in the path to become great specialists in being a generalist, which is the recipe for success in entrepreneurship. Building an Online Business is a wonderful way to create a side hustle, which may eventually become your primary occupation. The side hustle has traditionally been used to create additional income. Today, side hustle has evolved to serve more purposes such as mitigation of risk, diversification of your skills and, higher intellectual satisfaction by creating a greater impact. This book aims to inspire and provide you with a roadmap on how to build an online business from scratch or bring your existing business online, in a short period of time. This process for solopreneurs and very small businesses can be as short as a few days. The recommended blueprints and available off-the-shelf solutions can enable you to create and bring your business online sometimes in literally 24 hours. Building online businesses have become even more important since the current crisis when the first and second editions of this book are being published. More and more individuals and businesses are in need for quick but robust ways to ensure the survival of their careers or businesses. Book: https://amazon.com/author/shahrammaralani Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more From Dr. Shahram! Dr. Shahram Maralani, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Shahram G. Maralani is a Corporate Leader with more than twenty-five years of experience in a wide range of disciplines and across multiple industries and geographies. He is also an Author, a Business Mentor, and a Professional Speaker. Shahram is currently senior vice president and chief digital officer in Nemko Group A/S. In addition, he helps entrepreneurs to establish and develop Online Businesses. He is author of the book “Build an online business in 24 hours”.

Written by: Victor Mosconi, 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. You’re not that bad. Your struggle isn’t bad enough. You don’t deserve help. Don’t you have all the tools already? If you need help, then you’re not good enough anyway and you really are the problem. Thoughts and questions your mind will go through when experiencing impostor syndrome and questioning if you should seek out support. What is Imposter syndrome? Imposter syndrome, also known as the impostor phenomenon, generally is the inability to recognize internalized successes and achievements. It’s the constant fear of being a fraud for not being good enough and needing to seek out acceptance from external sources that will never fulfill that need. When you’re experiencing this negative self-belief, you don’t trust yourself. You are in a state of fear of not being good enough. You worry others will discover or confirm you are a fraud. Your fear keeps you from seeing what is real and true. You stay stuck where you are. Stressed and anxious, and not being able to create change. Only staying in the same path cycle of anxiety, fear, and negative self-belief. The Impostor Cycle Imposter syndrome is known to follow what is called the impostor cycle, first identified by Dr. Clance through her research. The basic premise of the impostor cycle refers to your thoughts and feelings, along with the negative effects associated with completing a task while experiencing imposter syndrome. When you experience high levels of imposter thoughts, you follow this path in hopes of being seen as worthy, yet all the while believing you are never good enough. The cycle begins at the achievement-related task stage, which can relate to any academic or professional setting. The cycle then moves to the next phase of anxiety, self-doubt, and worry, which is all of your stress and uncertainty of being unable to accomplish the specified task. You will choose one of two avoidance coping strategies: either overwork or procrastination. Either choice will eventually get you to completion of the task and relief, but it’s filled with anxiety and denial. If you follow the overwork path, you believe your accomplishment was due to extreme effort, lots of after-hours work, stress, and pushing yourself to your limits to bring about success. But you don’t see your accomplishment due to your own knowledge, skills, and ability. If you follow the path of procrastination, you push off starting till the last minute for fear of failure. You believe any success was due to luck and chance, but not due to your skill or ability. Once that task is complete, you are relieved it’s over but don’t feel any better about what you’ve accomplished. You carry that stress and anxiety with you into the next task, where this cycle begins again. You never are able to break away from the stress, anxiety, denial, and self-doubt, which only increases with each round of the imposter cycle. Your imposter syndrome thoughts will continue to increase and your self-doubt and fear will continue to grow. The Self-Stigma Cycle The imposter cycle keeps you in a state of believing you’re not good enough in what you do. The self-stigma cycle perpetuates the intensity of your imposter thoughts and feelings of not being good enough for who you are. When experiencing imposter syndrome, you feel you aren’t good enough, and you feel you’re a fraud in who you are and what you deserve. You may have thoughts of wanting to break free of your imposter thoughts. But you fear seeking out help from a therapist or coach will only confirm the thought you are a fraud. To seek out the support of friends or colleagues may also result in that confirmation, or you’ll dismiss any words of support because “They’re my friends/colleagues, of course, they’ll be nice and supportive, but I know it’s not true.” You decide it’s better not to mention your thoughts and struggles to anyone. Plus, you think you’re not bad enough for help anyway. And if you are, it’s your own fault and nothing will change. You see yourself as the problem and feel you deserve the struggles and negativity in your life. So, you cycle within your own thoughts of never being good enough for help or being fearful of sharing and being confirmed fraud. And you never step out to seek the help you truly desire. Two Cycles in One Your daily process is your work at the task, which you become anxious over, so you procrastinate or overwork, and when you have finished, you dismiss any appreciation for your work, and you feel terrible about the job you completed. You feel terrible about who you are as well, but you won’t share this with anyone fearing confirmation you are a fraud or dismissing any support. You stay in this cycle of negative and false thoughts that won’t allow you to seek help for fear of confirmation, fear of being the problem, and fear that nothing will ever change. And because of this…Nothing. Will. Change. This is a cycle that you will never break out of until you literally take steps to create the change you so desperately want, but fear won’t happen. 5 Steps to Help You Seek Support in Overcoming Imposter Syndrome To create this change you seek, you need to move out from your fear and do the things you have not allowed yourself previously. Acknowledge you are experiencing imposter syndrome Even if you don’t recognize you’re experiencing this complex construct for what it is, acknowledge the characteristics you’re experiencing. Ask yourself if you have a general negative self-belief or high self-judgment, or when working on a task do you generally procrastinate or overwork? Do you have a lot of self-doubts? Can you appreciate your own qualities, or is your focus on the expectations or approval of others? Think back to your most recent tasks or accomplishments, do you think your success was due to luck or chance? Reflect on how this has made you feel This is important because you may acknowledge you are experiencing these thoughts, but it’s easy to dismiss they have any effect on you and your life. Write down daily how you’re feeling throughout different situations and how this is affecting your behavior. It’s important to understand the impact it is having on your life. Make the decision to create change Once you understand how these negative thoughts are affecting your emotions and behavior, you can then decide to make a change. Ask yourself, “Is this how I want to stay?”, “If I don’t make a change, where will my life be in a year? 2 years?”, “If I make a change, where could my life be in a year? 2 years?” Take the step to reach out for help Now is the time to start sharing. It won’t be easy. Start with where your thoughts have been and how you’ve been feeling. These are tangible in the sense you can describe them. The person listening, a trusted friend, therapist, or coach, will ask questions to better understand your experiences and guide you through the process of growing in your self-belief. Be open to creating change in your life This may sound easy, but when you’re coming from a place of fear, worry and do not feel you are worthy of good, you could have your walls up to new developments and opportunities for change. Listen to what your friend, therapist, or coach shares with you. Ask questions to gain more clarity, but be willing and wanting to create the change you seek. It won’t be easy at first, and it won’t be quick. But you will create the change you desire if you are open to it. Moving Forward It may feel as if your life in the imposter cycle is where you’ll always be. And it may be fearful of breaking out of the self-stigma cycle because sharing your fears is scary. But remember, imposter syndrome feeds off your fear and negative self-belief and will keep you trapped in these cycles. To break free and create the life you truly want takes you reaching out for help. You can develop strategies and techniques to connect with what is real and true about your situation and yourself and to build up your self-belief. You don’t have to spin through life stuck in these cycles. You can take the steps out toward appreciating the real you and living the life you desire. Follow me on Instagram, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Victor! Victor Mosconi, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Victor Mosconi, is a Ph.D. Candidate in Psychology, with a Master’s in Psychology of Leadership Development and Coaching, a Master’s in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, and the founder of Imposter Solution Coach. Through his life-long experience with imposter syndrome, his psychology background, and coaching skills, Victor specializes in supporting up-and-coming women leaders and entrepreneurs in overcoming their self-doubt and imposter thoughts to develop a mindset of self-appreciation and strong self-belief. Take his quiz on his website and discover what level of impostor syndrome you experience.

Written by: Sarah Alysse Rosner, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Did you know that it’s national self-improvement month? There are so many different areas we can focus on, from eating healthier to learning a new skill. Today I wanted to focus on one area that doesn’t get enough coverage and that’s communication. Whether you own your business or work for a company, there are simple adjustments we all can make to communicate more effectively. When we were younger, we learned how to share our feelings and develop our listening skills because we interacted with people every day. As adults, we have fallen off the wagon due to distractions with technology and the reduction of in person interaction. Although you may have a remote team that doesn’t mean that it’s useless to improve your communication. In fact, it’s imperative that you create more opportunities for interaction. In this post-pandemic world, let’s be clear most employees and contractors don’t want virtual events after work; however, a quarterly check-in with your team and a communication masterclass could be great ways to bring everyone together. Here are some ideas that you can implement into your meetings: 1. Break the ice Simple shares or icebreaker questions are a great way to learn more about each employee: a. What did you do this weekend? b. Where do you want to travel to and what would you do? c. Who is your favorite superhero or villain and why? 2. Emotional intelligence Build your emotional intelligence: a. Ask how you can support them. b. Be patient, listening intently about the issues they are having with a project or teammates. c. Only interrupt the employee if they are hopping from one subject to the next and need to refocus their thoughts on the task at hand. d. Make sure everything is a group discussion to establish collaboration. e. Read leadership books to become a better manager or business owner. 3. Set boundaries Set boundaries with your team so that you can cultivate a low stress environment. a. Decisions on what time everyone should shut down their computer and take breaks are wonderful ways to promote self-care and balance. b. Make sure the delegation of tasks are clear and concise every week. c. Set daily open office hours for your team so that you can still accomplish all your tasks. Communication masterclass If you decide to create a masterclass on communication for your staff, I recommend adding these essential components: 1. I-statements Work on I – Statements: a. I feel like I need more support on this project specifically with __________. b. It’s been challenging for me to finish ___­­_____­_ because I am waiting to receive the following: _________. 2. Body language Challenge your team to notice their nonverbal communication and teach open body language vs closed body language: a. Closed body language looks like someone who has crossed arms, their eyes are looking down, has a frown on their face, and body hunched over in a chair. b. Open body language would look like someone who is relaxed with their hands on the table or thighs, making eye contact, has a smile on their face, and has good posture to show they are listening and present. 3. "Yes, and" Practice “Yes, and”. If you have ever been to an improvisation show, then you may have noticed that every member on stage will respond “yes, and” no matter how ridiculous the content of the skit. In a corporate setting, you can create your own sketches/scenarios with topics that are relevant to your company. Here’s an example of how you can use “yes, and” with 3 different approaches to 1 scenario: a. The school just called; I must pick up my kid early he’s sick. Any chance you could finish working on _____? Answer: Yes, and I hope your kid has a speedy recovery! b. The school just called; I must pick up my kid early he’s sick. Any chance you could finish working on _____? Answer: Yes, and I can work on it right after I wrap up this other project. c. The school just called; I must pick up my kid early he’s sick. Any chance you could finish working on _____? Answer: Yes, and if I am unable to finish it, I will make sure to email __­­__ so that he knows we need to work on this tomorrow too. What’s one area from the communication skills above you want to improve on today? Share with me at sarah@livewellenhanceyou.com. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Sarah Alysse! Sarah Alysse Rosner, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Sarah Alysse is a corporate stress management coach that helps companies cultivate a low stress environment so that their employees can be happier and more productive. She’s the creator and CEO of Live Well Enhance You which formed out of a need for her Pilates clients to find balance in their lives. She branched into the corporate market to assist employees in creating out of the box wellness solutions. She utilizes her BFA Musical Theater Performance background to coach others how to be confident and understand the connection between the brain and body. Spanning over a decade, Sarah has collected an abundance of certifications from Integrative Institute of Nutrition, STOTT Pilates, to National Academy of Sports Medicine. She’s been featured on WGN's Living Healthy and WGN Around Town’s segment as a Stress Management Expert. Also, she has been promoted on Business Insider, Yahoo Finance, Authority, Kivo Daily, LA Wire, The Chicago Journal, NY Wire, NY Weekly, IdeaMensch, and US Reporter. In addition, she’s the host of the Stress Free SOULutions podcast.

Written by: Gloria Grace, 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 Collective... huh! How much we tend to magnify the importance of it and furnish all, or at least most areas of our lives so to fit collective societal expectations. Moreover, we don't even notice how much wanting to suit collective or societal patterns and expectations steal our life force and power in the background. Just imagine for a second if you were completely, fully, unquestionably unhooked from the pressure of what the outside, the collective, society, your family, your circle of friends, etc., expect from you, how different you would feel. Imagine that all that mattered was what makes YOU feel magical, what makes YOU feel so alive. Imagine what makes YOU feel creative and what makes YOU feel like life force is rushing in your veins. If you opened this article, then you must be someone who deep down desires to come off of or unhook from collective identifications and begin to individualize - to enjoy your unique individuality. Let me tell you, the era of individualization has indeed arrived. Power is no more in collective patterns and in "we are all one" cliches. The power lies in your own unique, monstrous Genius. The blueprint of your divine Genius lies within you, but many times we aren't able to access it if we hold a lot of shadows in our bodies. Shadows - aka fears, limiting (low-frequency) belief systems, self-sabotage, etc. It is important, though, to highlight that which we call "shadow" still holds the seeds of power within it. It just couldn't survive in the dense energies of the collective. Any shadow you still hold within your body can be alchemized into full power. (I'll write more about the practice of shadow alchemy in an upcoming article, but feel free to reach out to me if you would like to learn more about it and experience the mind-blowing, miraculous effects of this practice for yourself.) I bet you had moments when you felt like, "if only you wouldn't feel like you have to suit the (maybe) silent expectations of your parents/partner/colleagues/friends," and you could just not give a shit about what others think or expect from you and just do whatever the f٭٭٭ you want… while some of those expectations are just assumptions and not even actual, current expectations, they are just so deeply programmed in your subconscious that they run on auto-pilot. If you researched enough, you might have found some good practices about clearing or releasing old subconscious belief systems and had some breakthroughs, but maybe you have no idea how to liberate from those and finally be completely free. Free from trying to satisfy the expectations of the outside, free from other people or outside things defining your desires, actions, and creations, free from trying to pursue things that aren't even to your unique tastes, free from everything that is not fully designed by you for you. Let me tell you the good news: it is already possible. But not within the realm of the collective "grid" but within your own sovereign territory. If one is so deeply programmed to operate on collectively agreed-on laws and does it on auto-pilot without even noticing how the areas of their lives operate, then they don't have free access to that divine blueprint of theirs which could be animated as an infinite creative artist. We are meant to be creative artists. We are meant to enjoy our OWN artwork. We are meant to create our own unique artwork by literally playing and enjoying it. The first step to that is to be willing to leave behind the collective "grid," the collective identifications and agreements, and be willing to define your own laws, learning to be sovereign over your own life and creations. My "Grid Change" service is now available to help you shift onto your sovereign grid and start to craft your own magic and be sovereign over all areas of your life. By doing so, you will literally become a Creator, you will disrupt collective limiting systems and beliefs like your own jaw will drop, and you will impact the ones who come in contact with you. The era of individualization indeed arrived. The era of you defining your own laws and realizing that you yourself ARE "divine timing" for yourself is finally here. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Gloria! Gloria Grace, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Gloria Grace is a transformational coach, a healer and soul therapist. Her passion is to help her clients and students heal from their core and transmute their deepest traumas so that they could enjoy their most fulfilled selves. Gloria has worked with hundreds of clients – gently and lovingly guiding them on their spiritual awakening and inner healing and transformational journey. Many report that their lives have completely transformed through their collaboration with Gloria. Many of her clients state that all other healing methods or ways they have tried were just scratching the surface compared to the deep healing work they experience with Gloria's guidance. One of Gloria's special offerings is twin flame coaching. She has already guided several twin flame couples into reunion. Gloria was born in Hungary and lives in the fascinating capital, Budapest, mainly offering her video content on her Hungarian YouTube channel, but she also loves working with English-speaking (international) clients

Written by: Janifer Wheeler, 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. You know you’re an introvert when… Let’s face it, introverts aren’t exactly known for being the most outgoing bunch. In fact, we’re quite the opposite. We’re often misunderstood, seen as standoffish, or even considered unfriendly. But that couldn’t be further from the truth! We’re more comfortable in our own company (or close friends and family) and tend to recharge by spending time alone. So, how do you know if you’re an introvert? Read on to find out… 1. You get overwhelmed easily by too much stimulation A loud room, a party full of people, or even too many emails in your inbox. It can be sensory overload! And when that happens, you need to find a quiet place to retreat to so you can recharge. 2. You love your alone time In fact, you often crave it. This is when you can finally relax and be yourself without putting on a “social face.” Alone time is when you can focus on what YOU want to do without distractions. 3. You find small talk incredibly difficult (or even painful) This one definitely rings true for me! I’d much rather have a deep conversation about something that matters than make small talk about the weather or the latest celebrity gossip. I do not keep up with the Kardashians. 4. You’re a great listener Introverts are often great listeners because they’re naturally attuned to others’ feelings and emotions. We’re also patient and non-judgmental, making people comfortable opening up to us. 5. You get energized by spending time alone This is the opposite of extroverts, who get their energy from being around others. If you find yourself feeling drained after socializing, it’s probably because you’re an introvert who needs some time alone to recharge. 6. You prefer one-on-one conversations over group settings This is another one that definitely applies to me. I find large groups overwhelming and tend to feel like I can’t really connect with anyone in a meaningful way when there are too many people around. 7. You’re thoughtful and reflective Introverts are often very inward-thinking people who like to take their time before making decisions or speaking up. We like to mull things over in our minds before taking action or sharing our thoughts with others. 8. You’re an “old soul” This one definitely applies to me! I’ve always felt like an old soul trapped in a young body. People often tell me that I seem wise beyond my years (though I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not!). 9. You don’t feel the need to be the center of attention While extroverts may seek out the limelight, introverts are usually content sitting back and letting others take center stage. 10. You have a rich inner life Since we spend so much time in our heads, introverts often have vivid imaginations and extremely active inner lives. We daydream often and sometimes even feel like we live in our own little world! Do any (or all!) of these sound familiar? If so, there’s a good chance you might be an introvert! And that’s OK! Being an introvert doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you – it just means you need your alone time to recharge after being around people for too long. Embrace your introverted side and appreciate all the wonderful qualities that come with it! If you want to learn more about Systems and Solutions for joyful productivity designed especially for introverts, ensure you are on our newsletter list! The JOYFull BadApp launches soon, and it will be a dream come true! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Janifer! Janifer Wheeler, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Janifer Wheeler is a former teacher turned entrepreneur. She’s spent over 25 years helping schools & small businesses get their shift together through process design, internal structure, education, and workplace culture.

Written by: Reka Toth, 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 is the relation between Walt Disney and language learning? Let me start the article with a quote from him, one of the most successful and inspiring persons of all time. "The best way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." That could be a general principle for success. However, when it comes to language learning, by our nature, we tend to procrastinate. It is especially valid when we wish to implement something we haven't done before or are unaware of how to take the plunge. In addition, due to an old mindset, we think that the first step is to find a language teacher. She/he will tell us how to learn the language and supply us with all the materials we will need for our learning journey. However, the more you take ownership of the learning process, the more effectively you learn. That could be a perfect topic for another article; for now, I aim to point out how you can become an independent, successful, and happy learner. I will share with you ten decisive steps on how you can start learning a language efficiently on your own without losing motivation and going off-track. I believe that one of the most challenging parts of mastering a foreign language is the beginning. We must consider plenty of questions before we embark on our language journey. How to start, when to start, where to start, with whom, and which resources do I need? Where can I find them? Considering all these inquiries, fears, and doubts, our initial motivation starts to fade, and shortly, we will discontinue the process we began so enthusiastically. As a language teacher and Neurolanguage Coach®, I also experience language learning concerns. Therefore, I needed to develop a consistent plan that came in handy for starting to learn a language. 1. Create time Once you have determined to take the plunge and start learning a language, the first step is to make time for it, namely, build a strong language learning habit and stick with it. How? We always have time for shopping, napping, hanging on social media, and watching Netflix. So why not combine work with pleasure? Let me give you some instances of what you can put into practice straightaway: change the language on your phone to the TL (target language) set the language to the TL while shopping online enjoy your coffee break while you are reading your favourite book or an article in the TL listen to a podcast/the radio in the TL while you are driving, cooking, walking your dog, running, or cleaning watch your favourite movies/series in the TL join groups on social media you are interested in read every day a post and write a comment in the TL Does it sound doable? Start in small steps. Don't overload yourself at the very beginning. The ultimate goal is to turn language learning into a daily habit. 2. Highlight the start date Sticking out a post-it with the start date to a visible place is a highly effective way to make the second step in your language journey. Then, you commit to the learning process by reminding yourself of the big day. Until then, you will have a couple of days to prepare everything. 3. Create a language learner corner It might sound unfamiliar but having a cosy and well-equipped place can keep us on track in the long term. Organizing your learning materials and having all your stuff handy can positively influence your learning habit. You can avoid losing time searching for pens, highlighters, books, or notebooks. If you wish to read before bed, keep the book on your nightstand or pillow as a perfect reminder. Make it as easy as possible so that you are more likely to stick to your plan. 4. Describe your goals As language learning is a long-term project full of ups and downs, setting SMART goals is essential. It will keep you focused on what is important to you, and you will be more committed to your learning habit. Moreover, you will know what you are working on throughout the learning process. What are the SMART goals composed? Specific: You need to determine what you want to accomplish (e.g., focus on past tense) Measurable: You can measure whether you achieved your goal (e.g., through a test focusing on past tense) Attainable: You need to make sure your plan is achievable for you (e.g., you have the necessary language level to understand and learn the past tense) Relevant: Your goal should be relevant and personal to you (e.g., using the past tense, you can talk about your holiday or weekend to your exchange partner) Time-based: Finally, set a realistic deadline for when you would like to accomplish your goal (e.g., by the end of the month) To sum up, before you set your goals, ensure they are SMART. 5. Find the proper resources A bored brain doesn't want to learn. There is no effective learning without enjoyable material. Following this mindset will bring a positive impact on your motivation and improvement. Conversely, poor selection can demotivate you, and you may end up with zero progress. The more interesting, relevant, and personal the learning material is, and the fewer resources you work with (of course, you can vary them from time to time), the more effective your learning process will be. Widen your horizon and make your target language come alive in the form of enjoyable and individual learning material. Let me share with you some best practices to enrich your repertoire: Reading skill: read your favourite book, an appealing article, or a blog Writing skill: write a journal every day, compose a comment in a social media group Listening skill: listen to a Ted Talk, a podcast on a topic you are passionate about Speaking skill: find an exchange partner or a language coach you are happy to talk After selecting the material you will work with, it's time to create your ultimate language learning system. 6. Build a system and turn it into a habit Whether you learn from a book, an app, or with a teacher/coach, you need a system that you must follow step by step every single day. However, what is a language learning system? A good system is convenient, and focuses on improving all four skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking). The system is a collection of habits you create before starting the learning process. Try to find a timeslot in your daily routine when you learn. For instance, a daily 15-minute podcast, two pages of a book, a once-a-week conversation, or writing a social media post would be more than enough to get started (You remember the words of Walt Disney? "Quit talking and begin doing."). Having the system will keep you going each day and doesn't allow you to stop. You can also use "me time" for learning, e.g., watch your favourite movie in the target language or do yoga with instructions in the target language so that you don't even have the impression of learning. Eventually, please don't care about the results. Instead, follow your system and do it daily without thinking. 7. Start tracking It might sound time-consuming to track your language progress each day. On the contrary, it can save you plenty of time knowing how much you invest in each skill and will increase your motivation enormously. You will see your goals and results more clearly and keep learning consistently. Before starting to track your learning habit, you need to decide on which tracking method is the most adequate for your expectations (notebook, habit tracker app, bullet journal, calendar) and determine what aspect of the learning process you want to track (vocabulary, reading, writing skills, or a combination of all these aspects). Review your actions each week or month to see your achievements. By starting the tracking process, you also establish a new lifestyle, as you will follow several daily habits. And good habits tend to feel so good. 8. Have contact with the language every single day Let me share with you my favourite quote from James Clear for language learning. "If you want to learn a new language, you should focus on becoming the type of person who studies every day." Can you resonate with this statement? Mastering a foreign language requires much time, no doubt. There is no secret recipe, no shortcut. It requires discipline, consciousness, motivation, and commitment to the target language. Beyond setting goals, choosing the right resources, having a system, and having a solid learning habit, it is necessary to emphasize regularity. What happens if you stay on track every day? Regular contact with the language will trigger a chain reaction: Your learning progress will be more tangible and faster, leading to constant improvement. It will consistently increase and affirm your motivation. And if you are motivated? Then, the sky is the limit. You will achieve the desired results and goals and become a happy and effective learner—that is the goal. Keep in mind that the more you incorporate language learning into your daily life, the faster you progress. 9. Find a tandem partner you are happy to talk to No matter where you are on the learning spectrum, having a language exchange partner has plenty of benefits. You are not alone in getting through the ups and downs, as your tandem partner will be there for you and entirely grasp your concerns, fears, and difficulties. You will constantly have a topic to discuss, the beauty, the challenges of language learning, and the different ways and techniques of learning your target language. You can help each other out regularly once you get stuck. You will likely stay motivated and positive as you meet up regularly (online or in person). Having a native tandem partner also contributes to the cognition of the colloquial language. You are exposed to the everyday language right away since you don't use language books but your partner's mother tongue. You can also share intercultural similarities and differences and compare your countries from different perspectives (habits, slang, similar idioms, and various aspects of politeness). It is not negligible that thanks to your exchange partner, you will be able to improve the most critical language skill, your speaking skill. Before you take the plunge, don't forget about setting essential rules to have a successful conversation with your partner (duration of the meeting, regularity, correction, topics, "homework," platform). Discuss your expectations, goals, and interests, make notes, prepare for the session, and divide the time equally. After all, do not be afraid to choose the right exchange partner who matches your commitment and enthusiasm. Of course, you might need a few trial lessons to find them, but it is worth the time invested. Some tips on where you can meet your future tandem partner: Languages apps and websites: HelloTalk, Tandem, Bilingual, Speaky Facebook groups for language exchange 10. Be patient and enjoy what you do Finally, be patient and enjoy what you do. Seek the company of like-minded people, talk to them, and get to know them. Sing, dance, listen to music, read, travel, discover, watch movies, do yoga, relax, and do what feels good and resonates with you. Focus on evolving into the best version of yourself through the potential of the target language. After all, "we all smile in the same language." These steps above constitute my perception of language learning. I strive to convey these keystones to my students and support them in how they can become autonomous and successful in their learning process. Since every learner is unique, I tailor the steps to match their needs. I aim to highlight the importance and effectiveness of self-study and let the language become part of them. If you are open to a new and brain-friendly language learning approach (Hungarian or German), would like to experience continuous "aha" moments, and develop your language habits, it would be a pleasure to guide you in your language journey. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Reka Toth, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Reka Toth is a dedicated German and Hungarian language teacher and NeuroLanguage Coach®. After many years of searching for balance in life, she found her own path in motivating and helping people to discover the spark in language learning. By creating her passion project, Languages with Reka, she endeavors to debunk some misconceptions about the difficulty of language learning. Quitting the traditional way of teaching, she encourages her students to enjoy the learning process. Through her mission, she believes everyone can become a successful, and happy learner, they just need to find the spark in their language journey and turn it into an essential part of them. After all, we all smile in the same language.

Written by: Jennifer McClendon , 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 word wellness is everywhere and in everything these days. But what does it mean? Is it just about our mental health? The Global Wellness Institute defines wellness as the active pursuit of activities, choices, and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health. Wellness is what we can achieve in all areas of our life to be our best selves. Margaret Swarbrick’s 8 Dimensions of Wellness is a framework we can use to concentrate our efforts: Emotional Spiritual Intellectual Physical Environmental Financial Occupational Social Life gets busy sometimes and our wellness efforts can suffer. When this happens, shifts in our performance, mood, and sleep alert us that something is different and requires our attention. This isn’t a sign of failure but an opportunity to acknowledge our humanity and get back on track. Positive benefits of regular wellness practices vary from positive self-image to better quality of life. Consider the following tips for managing your wellness practices: Examine each area regularly Identify areas needing improvement Decide the result you want to achieve Set specific, measurable, attainable, and realistic outcomes Take action to achieve the desired result Enlist the help of supportive others for accountability Assess if your connections and employer value wellness over high-performance Approach your wellness practices in a mindful manner to reduce self-criticism and avoidance Optimizing wellness may be challenging for people experiencing mental health conditions (i.e., depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress). Wellness-centered counseling and other forms of support provide a safe space for people to actualize their needs and develop their wellness plans. Patience is a requirement. Remember you are a human being and not a piece of technology. Be sure to manage influences to accomplish everything right now. Our best selves are not built in one day! Follow me on Instagram for more info! Read more from Jennifer! Jennifer McClendon, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jennifer McClendon is a licensed professional counselor and licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor with over twenty years of experience in the mental health field. Early childhood and young adult experiences led her to counseling for personal growth and created an opportunity for her to become a counselor helping others recover from similar challenges. She specializes in care for substance use, trauma, anxiety, stress, depression, and co-occurring conditions.

Written by: Jen Barnes , 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 am a therapist and you’re likely a nurse, but if you’re reading this, we have at least one thing in common: We feel the weight of the past two years and don't know how to get out from under it without quitting our jobs or leaving a career we worked so hard to achieve. Worse yet, it feels like the system we're in — the U.S. healthcare system — doesn't care or isn’t doing enough. We can only change ourselves and how we show up in the world, so I'm here to share some ways you can help yourself feel good again — and maybe even regain your love of nursing. Maybe you… Collapse on the couch after shifts with no energy for anything except bringing on Netflix and scrolling through social media Know you need to exercise, sleep and eat well, but you just can't get yourself to doit A retired of people telling me to "just do more yoga" Forgot what it feels like to have fun Have stopped caring about patients like you did before Feel stuck in a job that you used to love In other words, you’re burned out. And maybe you've tried… Increasing your self-care Sleeping more Venting to other nurses, your partner, and/or friends Complaining about the messed-up system Leaving your job but found nothing really changed Here’s the thing… (This is, perhaps, a tough truth, but it’s a necessary one.) The problem isn't that you're exhausted, losing compassion and empathy, or hate your job. It’s not even the broken healthcare system, which is a problem but is out of your control and not likely to be fixed any time soon. The problem is a belief . It’s a deep-seated belief you likely hold that as a nurse, as a true caretaker, you need to put everyone else first before you and your own needs — and the system you work in is taking advantage of that belief. The truth is… You are not responsible for everyone and everything. The more you work extra shifts and the more you accept too many responsibilities, the longer it will take your organization to see the need for change. Your organization — not you —is responsible for appropriate staffing, treating nurses well, and optimizing patient outcomes as a whole. Hospital administrations consider documented metrics when making decisions. For example, if their data shows that all nursing shifts are covered, they will likely assume staffing is fine. So, when you take on too many extra shifts thinking it will help patients in the short term, it can actually exacerbate the problem in the long term for both you and your patients. You can only do what you can do in the system you're in. The situation you are in is not your fault. It is this unhealthy belief about putting yourself last that isn't working. For things to change — for you to feel better and perhaps even for hospitals to make changes — you need to try something different. It’s time to release false beliefs and get unstuck, free your heart, mind, and body, and build resilience. Before you can do that, you need to do the first crucial step in burnout recovery (AKA recovering from chronic stress) You need to release the stress that is stuck in your body. That’s the piece I can help you with today. I’m about to share with you the most crucial first step in recovering from chronic stress. Here’s what most people do Most people numb out on the couch, binge Netflix, scroll social media, and perhaps drink wine, OR they get like one massage a month and take the occasional bubble bath and expect to feel better. Here’s what happens when you do that. First of all, while not “bad,” those things often only help you feel better for a few hours or days -maybe only while you’re doing them. And then you’ll likely feel frustrated or even shame that nothing you do helps deal with the stress you face ‒ that nothing will help you feel better. That’s because there are actually four essential steps to recovering from chronic stress and building resilience so you can keep feeling better. Today I’m going to give you that first crucial step to help you get started. Without doing this first step, nothing else you do will work. So let’s dig in! As I said, I’m about to give you the crucial first step for recovering from chronic stress and burnout right now. I’m going to give you the first step and this alone will help you release stuck stress from the body so you can feel better. The biggest mistake people make is choosing recovery activities that are either one-time, short-term fixes ‒ like that one massage ‒ or things that don’t actually replenish your energy, like numbing out on the couch. So then you never really get to feeling better, at least not for more than a few hours or a couple of days. There are four essential steps to helping you feel better, but this first step is crucial and must be done first for anything else you do to work. So let’s dive into this first step, all about how to release stuck stress from your body. What does it mean to release stuck stress from the body? As a brief A&P review, when our fight or flight response is triggered (sympathetic nervous system), adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol flood our system to give us what we need to protect ourselves — to fight or flee. The thing is, often, we aren't actually fighting or fleeing, so the stress response is incomplete; that excess energy gets stuck in the body. This is part of why you feel so awful right now. The good news is that there are simple ways to complete the stress response and release that energy, so you feel good again. The most effective way to complete stress response is … MOVEMENT! Since the purpose of the flood of adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol is to fight or flee — to move — movement is the most effective way to resolve the incomplete stress response and release stuck energy. It is essential to get in at least30 minutes of movement per day to prevent the build-up of stress in the body. These 30 minutes are over and above movement done at work. Movement could mean going for a walk or run, dancing in your kitchen, taking a Zumba or barre class, doing strength training, riding a bike, or even catching up on yard work. There are Six Activities to ReleaseThe Stress Response It is essential to move your body or do at least one of the following six activities each day to support the completion of the stress response and release of stuck stress from your body. Breathe with intention We’ve all heard this one before, but the reason we have is that breathing works. Try taking a slow breath in and a long breathe the way out until your abdominal muscles contract. Repeat this two more times and notice how you feel. Another breathing practice involves movement with the breath, called Volcano Breathing. You can access a video of this practice here. Note: If you have a history of complex trauma, one alternative option for working with the breath is to simply invite the breath in and notice it. No need to try to change or control the breath; just invite yourself to notice it. Positive Social Interaction As humans, we are wired to connect. When we are around other humans, particularly those with whom we feel safe — especially when they are relatively calm — we can co-regulate with them. That is, if they are calm, we can feel calm just by being around them. Whether it’s your kids, your pet, your partner, your parents, coworkers, or a local barista, strive to have daily positive social interaction —in person, not just online or texting — to complete the stress response and calm your body. Laughter Uncontrollable, ridiculous, full-bellied laughter (no fake laughter here) is one of the best stress relievers. Even reminiscing with someone about a time you laughed like that has a positive physical and psychological impact. Laughter is a great, fun way to complete the stress response and regulate your body. A Warm hug in a safe and trusting relationship Hugs are the best! This is what I call a decent hug: A 20-second-plus, no-holds-barred hug where you are both leaning into each other and breathing together. The oxytocin released will help calm your body while completing the stress response. A big cry Ever notice how much better you feel after a big cry? Especially if you pay attention to the crying itself versus thinking about things or focusing on the stress. It seriously works. If you’re not sure how to get started, consider free-association writing about whatever comes up. Your feelings will emerge and you will find yourself shedding healing tears. Creative expression Do something, anything, to express yourself creatively. This could be writing, drawing, singing, playing an instrument, painting, crafting, dancing, acting, woodworking, and more. When we give our creativity an outlet, it helps complete the stress response and allows positive emotions and energy to flow The Bottom Line … Releasing stuck stress by completing the stress response is very powerful when it is done correctly and daily. You’re actually rebooting your body through your nervous system every day. And this will help you feel better as you keep doing it over time. Okay, so now you know the first step in building resilience so you can feel better. But the problem is, there are still three more steps. Without them, you will still feel better each day, but your stress will continue to build up day after day, requiring you to work harder and hard to keep releasing the stress, so it doesn’t get stuck. Over time, it will be harder and harder to do that. This is why I created a free 20-minute video training for you to watch right now. Click the link here and watch this training to learn the next three steps. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Jen! Jen Barnes, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jen Barnes is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in private practice in Minneapolis, MN. She specializes in complex trauma, PTSD, stress, and grief. The daughter and sister of nurses, she has a passion for empowering nurses to build resilience. She has worked with nurses 1:1 hoping to expand her reaching to a broader audience. In 2021 she completed the Dare to Lead certificate program in order to more effectively address organizational challenges in healthcare. Most recently, she spoke at the American Association of Critical Care Nurses’s 2022 NTI conference on Building Resilience in Nursing.