Written by: Ryan Light , 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 often asked on my social media posts why I keep pointing out truths but don't supply solutions. There is an excellent reason behind that: Because social media is NOT therapy and should NEVER be a replacement for one-on-one individualized treatment, coaching , or counseling ‒ PERIOD! People are looking for that "magic pill," "quick fix," or "diagnosis" to explain away their behaviors. And that's not something you will find on Instagram, Tik Tok or Twitter. Many fail to understand that you're not going to find that in traditional therapy or coaching. Receiving a diagnosis takes time when done correctly. Getting to the root causes of one's behaviors, actions, thinking, and coping mechanisms takes time. Just because you may experience one or two symptoms of a disorder, or believe you have tendencies towards a few, does NOT automatically mean that is what you are struggling with. A quick video or a 144-character response is never going to be able to get you out from under your struggles , especially since many are stuck in survival mode and continue to cope unhealthily due to unresolved trauma from their childhood. Do you think a 90-second Reel on Instagram will unravel all that? Healing is an Investment I get negative comments almost every day about not offering solutions to such problems as emotional neglect, abandonment, codependency, etc. Again, there is no way a few sentences will be able to magically heal years or even decades of unresolved trauma and unhealthy coping. I have also seen individuals tend to take this process more seriously once they realize healing is an investment in several different ways: Choosing to heal is an investment financially for 1:1 coaching, therapy, counseling, etc. Healing is an investment in one's self-worth by finding the resources to seek proper treatm ent . Healing is an investment in one's time. There's a big difference between having time and making time – and if you genuinely want to heal, you WILL make sacrifices to MAKE the time you need every day to do the hard, consistent work it takes. Unfortunately, too many still choose the path of blaming others for the way they cope. Or they look for a diagnosis to justify their reactions and feelings. They continue searching for any way to "survive" but fail yet to see that surviving is only coping – and coping has nothing to do with healing . The Dangers of "Social Media Therapy" It's ironic so many turns to social media platforms such as Instagram for therapeutic help when in fact, it was stated by Psychology Toda y that "Instagram… was deemed the worst social media for your mental health in 2017. It reportedly leads to negative body image, increased depression and anxiety, and an increase in bullying." Not only can social media lead to worsening mental health, but it also lends to an increasing probability of turning towards harmful methods in which to cope. What is known as "Social Media Therapy" can also be dangerous due to the following: Self-Diagnosis – Many people (especially the younger generation) are leaning into what they see and hear as the absolute "truth" and consequently fall into self-diagnosing. It's hard for some professionals to differentiate between one diagnosis and another. And now we have 13, 14, and 15-year-olds looking at videos on Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), Bipolar, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and lumping themselves into a category all on their own ‒ and that's a recipe for disaster. Non-Professional Advocates – Another danger is the uptake of advocates on all social media platforms, claiming to be professional when they have no accreditation or certification. Social media can be a great resource to use as a community for support in not feeling so alone or aid in education/understanding when the correct information is conveyed. However, when you search for that quick fix or expect to find a "cure" on Instagram or Tik Tok, you are just setting yourself up for failure. Misinterpretation – Part of the problem is that information on social media is easily misinterpreted because we often tend to twist what we read into what we want to hear. Though a post may be meant to deliver a particular message , not everyone is going to read it/see it in the same way. That is why therapy is meant to be individualized. Within such a 1:1 setting, those possible misconceptions can be sorted out into fact vs. fiction. For example, just because you receive a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder does not mean you will struggle with every DSM symptom or manifest it the same way as another individual with the same diagnosis . Crisis Intervention – Though many people want to offer help or a place to turn to when suicidal thoughts or an unexpected crisis may arise, it can be dangerous for your survival to turn to the likes of social media over someone who is adequately trained in how to handle crisis intervention. Unhealthy Coping Mechanism – In and of itself, social media has become an unhealthy coping mechanism for many struggling. Memes regarding mental illness, disorders, etc., can be seen everywhere you turn nowadays. The problem with that is memes can frequently be used as a defense mechanism to "blow off" (so to speak) unwanted feelings of guilt, regret, and shame . It's an avoidance tactic meant to make light of a subject matter that should not be written off in any way, shape, or form as a joke. Where "Social Media Therapy" Needs to End Social media has been an excellent platform to finally get talk of mental health issues out in the open. The problems lie in that though such issues are being spoken about more freely nowadays, there is still way too much misinformation flooding the internet alongside the fact that certain disorders such as Bipolar, OCD, and BPD are being used in a general and misleading context. They are being trivialized when there is nothing trivial about the seriousness of our mental health struggles in this day and age. Yes, social media can be a great entry point for individuals to realize they are not alone and that what they may be struggling with needs to be looked into further. And that's the point where "social media therapy" needs to end, and an individualized program with a certified or accredited professional such as a coach , counselor, or therapist should begin. Follow Ryan on his Facebook , Instagram and website for more info! Read more from Ryan ! Ryan Light, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Ryan Light is a mental health coach, author, thought leader, and influencer in the mental health space. Having spent 20 years of his life attempting to run, avoid and hide from the pain of his childhood and adolescence. He struggled with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), depression, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and panic disorder. After contemplating suicide, Ryan decided to finally confront his traumas through what he now coins “Feeling Work” and heal the real issues plaguing him with various mental health disorders. Today, his passion lies in guiding others through their struggles with anxiety, depression, and/or trauma through such avenues as social media, public speaking, self-paced courses, e-books, live workshops, and 1:1 coaching.

Written by: Casimiro da Silva Santos, 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. Money is often a motivator as a way to attract talent. At least it used to be for Generation X or Gen X or MTV generation, to which I proudly belong. We saw the end of the cold war, the rise of personal computing, and feeling lost between the two massive generations — Baby Boomers and Millennials. For Gen Xs was, and I dare to say still is, common to work for money as we have the highest debt load of any generation. We've heard the saying "money can't buy happiness" quite often. And it turns out there's some truth in it—but only some. Even those who highlight the motivational effects of money accept that pay alone is insufficient. Money can buy almost everything and satisfy every wish we might have, but does it buy happiness? Research says that the more money you have, you are less satisfied. So let's look at what money can buy you and why this is more important than we often realize. The Effect of Money on Happiness Does Depend on How Much You Have. When it comes to money and happiness, the effect of money on happiness does depend on how much you have. Studies show that the more you have, the less satisfied you feel—a phenomenon is known as hedonic adaptation (or hedonic treadmill). "There are sufficient resources in the world for the needs of everybody, but not enough for the greed of even a significant minority." ― Millard Fuller In one study published in Psychological Science, researchers asked people about their income, material possessions and overall life satisfaction. The participants were then followed over time to see if higher payments were associated with greater happiness or not. Researchers found that those who reported being financially well-off initially were happier than their poorer counterparts in the short run. However, they did not remain so over time. Those who grew accustomed to wealthier lifestyles eventually felt just as satisfied or dissatisfied with their lives as those who never achieved great wealth. Money Can Buy Happiness as Long as It's Spent on Other People, Including Your Loved Ones. So money can buy you happiness, as long as you spend it on other people, including your family, friends and loved ones. But be careful. There are limits to how much happiness this strategy can create. If you're spending all your money buying expensive gifts for your friends and family, then suddenly lose all of it, they might not be that happy to see that their new car or jewellery is now gone. If you want to make sure that your loved ones will still be happy with the gift after a sudden loss of wealth, consider getting them something more personal by creating something together or buying them something from their favourite store (or website). Family is one of the essential things in life, and it can be hard to see them as often as you would like. Money means you have more flexibility regarding time away from work, so if your friends have a free weekend, you can visit them! If someone wants to plan a trip for their birthday but doesn't have enough money for it themselves, money can help them with a budget to afford the journey. Money allows families who don't live near each other to feel still connected. With modern technology such as FaceTime, Zoom, and WhatsApp, people feel closer than ever without necessarily having each other physically present - although technically, they're still not together! Alternatively, you can buy a plane ticket, a bus ticket or put yourself in a car to meet your family and loved ones. Money Buys You Freedom From Stress. In today's busy, super connected, always online World, work-life balance has become a priority in our lives. People are taking "me-time" more than ever. So, money buys you freedom from stress. If today you're feeling stressed, money can buy you the time or resources to do the things that relax and calm you. Whether it's taking up yoga, learning how to garden, or a hobby that you long forgot, money can buy to help reduce stress levels and thus make you feel happier. It's Hard to Feel Happy Without Basic Needs Met First. You can't be happy if you're hungry or homeless. You can't feel happy if you're in pain, lonely, or sick. If your basics aren't met—food and shelter—then it's hard to feel happy in any other area of life. As you might expect, the effect of money on happiness depends on many things, including these three: How much money do you have? Studies have shown that people who earn $75,000 per year are generally happier than those who make less than $25,000. But if you make $150,000 or more each year (assuming you don't have to pay a ton in taxes), your level of happiness won't increase much further. How do you spend it? Spending money on experiences—like travelling or going out with friends—has been shown to make us happier than spending it on material possessions like clothes and cars. So if your income allows for some big-ticket items but not others, focus on those experiences. They could improve your life long term. How much does it cost? The price tag is essential when determining whether something will bring joy and happiness into our lives—and unfortunately, we're often unrealistic about what something costs relative to our budget before purchasing it! This is why so many people go into debt shopping (or worse yet). If this sounds familiar, try only making purchases that fit within what's available in your current budget; this way, there's no guesswork involved in deciding whether or not buying something will be worth its price tag later down the road. ON A FINAL NOTE So, does money buy happiness? Well, not always. It does affect your level of happiness and satisfaction in life, but that effect depends on a lot of factors. If you have enough to cover your basic needs, it's easy to see how more money can help you. However, studies show that once you reach that point—the magic number is about $75,000 a year—more money has little to no effect on your happiness (and may even decrease it). So while additional income may increase the amount of stuff you own or allow you to enjoy luxury items like vacations and designer clothes, it won't make you any happier than someone who earns slightly less. The key takeaway is that money isn't everything. It isn’t an obstacle. It's just a vehicle for helping us achieve what we want out of life. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Casimiro! Casimiro da Silva Santos, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Casimiro da Silva Santos, better known as Cas, uses pronouns he/his. He is a dad, a business and climate action leader, a coach, and a speaker. His mission is to create a perspective of abundance, alleviating scarcity so that we can live a brighter future. After a transformational coaching experience with Simon Sinek Inc., Cas decided to create Bring the Best®, a coaching and consulting firm for personal development and business growth. Through individual, career, and executive coaching, Bring the Best transforms lives so that each person can live the life they want and dream about. His coaching style is authentic and empathetic, with a special focus on the LGBTQIA+ community.

Written by: Joanna Stokes, 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. In October 2019 I quit my permanent full-time job in Further Education and became self-employed. It was the best decision I have ever made. This article is for you if you want to change your career and are wondering what it’s like to be self-employed. It links to my previous article self-employed. According to ONS data, there are 4.2 million people self-employed in the UK in 2022. That’s a lot of people! I don’t know how they all feel about working for themselves but read on to find out why I love it. Since leaving my permanent job, I have qualified as a professional coach with Diplomas in Personal & Corporate Coaching under my belt. I have learned how to have an online presence and not to worry about it, I have become a Firework licensed career coach and I have started my own business in the middle of a pandemic and have never been short of work since colleges re-opened in October 2020. People often ask me if I would ever go back to working for someone else – my answer is always the same – NEVER! Why is that I hear you ask? Well let me tell you about what I love about being self-employed and you can read for yourself. What I relish about working for myself: I choose who I work with. In the early days, I said yes to everything, which allowed me to decide the type of work I enjoy doing. I decided that I wanted to focus on the FE sector providing coaching to individuals and training people to be coaches. This is now the bulk of what I do and I love it. I choose when I work. This has taken me 3 years, but I now only work 3-4 days a week and never on Fridays. I have at least 6 weeks off over the summer (who wants to work when it’s sunny??) and I always take 2 weeks of complete downtime at Christmas. Flexibility of working hours. I never start before 8.30 am and I usually finish around 3.30 pm. Although I have the flexibility to work until I want to finish. Being able to be flexible on your working day is one of the best things about working for yourself. I do as much self-development as I want (as long as I have the money to pay for it). I don’t have to ask anyone if I can do anything I control my diary I can diversify my business if I choose to I can work from home as much as I want. This is a big plus for me and has given me more freedom. I enjoy going out to work when I get the opportunity. It’s such a novelty going into an organisation and putting work clothes on. I take breaks during the day when I want to. I make all the decisions about purchasing and have control of my budget! What I miss about being employed Errr. Nothing When I came to write this article I thought I would have a small list of negatives about working for myself but when I thought about it I couldn’t think of any. Some people ask if I miss the regular salary each month. My answer is no because I do have a regular salary each month. It may differ slightly in the amount each month, but I always budget to have sufficient money to cover months when I am off over the summer and I have a contingency fund if I hit a lean period. My top tips for you to consider when becoming self-employed (these are all things I didn’t know when I started but have discovered over the past 3 years) Make sure you keep sufficient money in your account to give yourself a salary even in lean periods. This removes the worry about regular income. If you are a sole trader rather than an LTD company then you don’t need to pay an accountant, sign up for accountancy software. I use Quickbooks self-employed and it’s so easy to do your self-assessment return using this. It takes very little admin and is easy to use. Take time to work ON your business as well as IN your business. Don’t forget you are the marketing department, finance officer, and CEO. You need to allocate time each week/month to work on how you run your business, plan your business, and make sure it’s generating business. Give yourself permission to take time off. One of the big perks of working for yourself is you can have as many holidays as you like, why restrict yourself to 4 weeks a year? If you don’t want to work on a Monday or a Friday then put your out of the office for those days so nothing gets booked in. Join a membership or community. It can be lonely working for yourself and I do miss working alongside others and being able to bounce ideas around or have a chat about my work. I am a member of a paid membership group called The School of Facilitation whose members are all coaches, trainers, or facilitators. We meet up online and face to face and have a social media channel. “If you do a job you love you will never do a days work” I am 52 years old and there is more and more talk amongst my friends about retirement. So many of them can’t wait to retire and are counting down the days. I don’t think about retirement, it’s not in my vocabulary. I am doing a job that I love and I work on my terms – it doesn’t feel like work. I will continue to coach people until I can no longer do so or no longer want to. I can honestly say I have never looked back. It may be a bit scary at times working for yourself, but all the positives outweigh any negatives. I hope this has inspired you to take the leap into self-employment. If you need help making the career change then contact me and we can have a chat Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Joanna! Joanna Stokes, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Joanna Stokes is transformational leadership and career coach and a trainer and mentor to further education leaders. She has 18 years of experience in Further Education, and the last 8 years as a senior leader in a variety of organizations including the CEO of an adult education charity. She was an Ofsted Inspector for five years. After experiencing the powerful impact coaching had on her career, her mission is to spread the power of coaching across the sector. She coaches education professionals and trains workplace coaches and mentors. She qualified as a personal performance coach in 2020 and is now on a mission to help education professionals create the freedom to live the life they want.

Written by: Dr. Kapil and Rupali Apshankar, 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 have strengths and weaknesses, just like every other person in the world. But few people intentionally take advantage of their strengths. Imagine the impact you could have on your life and the lives of others by leveraging your strengths. There are many advantages to building, utilizing and playing to your strengths: You can earn more money. Your strengths are valuable. The more value you can provide to the world each day, the higher your earnings will be. You can enhance your self-esteem by spending your time doing things at which you excel. When you’re good at something, it feels good to do it. When you do things poorly, the opposite tends to occur. You can boost your career. Provide more value to your employer and you’ll be viewed as more valuable. You make a bigger impact on the world when you utilize your strengths more often. The entire world benefits when you put your strengths to work on a regular basis. These are just a few of the benefits of making the most of your talents, abilities, and skills. What other benefits come to your mind? Play to your strengths and have more influence on your world with these strategies: 1. Identify your strengths. You can’t leverage what you can’t identify. What are you better at than the average person? Keep in mind that programming the DVR probably isn’t a marketable skill. Here are a few ideas: Influencing others Networking Public speaking Writing Computer programming Website design Education Athleticism Photography Be sure to ask your friends, family, and colleagues for their opinions. You may have strengths you never considered. The people around you may have noticed things you’ve failed to notice about yourself. 2. Believe in yourself that these really are personal strengths that you possess. What proof do you have that you’re a great writer, listener, or public speaker? Pretend you’re in a job interview. What evidence would you give that you have writing skills? I have written for three very popular blogs for over a year. I have completed several college courses in creative writing. I’m currently writing a book. I have written four articles for various magazines. Do this for all of your identified strengths. 3. Discover how you can put these strengths to work for you. Consider your current job, social situation, finances, and every other aspect of your life. How can you leverage your skills to boost your life? Are you in the correct job to take full advantage of your skills? Do your hobbies utilize your skills? Could your strengths be used to build a stronger social network? 4. Make a plan. Develop a plan to make the most of your strengths. It’s okay to start small, but avoid selling yourself short. Maximizing your strengths is your way to the top. Make a plan to apply your strengths to at least three key areas of your life. Be proactive – and assertive in your long-term outlook. 5. Continue to build your skills to a higher level. Never stop developing your strengths. And remember to reevaluate your strengths each year. You’ll develop new strengths over time. Ensure you’re continuously building and evaluating yourself. Create a second plan to develop your greatest strengths even further. What resources do you have available to you? Are there books or seminars that are applicable? Could you find a mentor? Your strengths are unique to you, and the way you apply them can be just as unique. When you make the most of your natural and acquired talents, you maximize your life. The entire world benefits when you’re playing to your strengths each day. Seize the moment. Carpe diem. Now, go play to your strengths! Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, and visit our website for more info! Read more from Dr. Kapil and Rupali! Dr. Kapil and Rupali Apshankar, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Kapil and Rupali are Amazon 1 bestselling authors, and globally respected business and life strategists. They are founders of Blissvana, a boutique personal development, self-growth and success studio. Their coaching methods have been proven at the highest levels of success in every dimension of human life. Kapil and Rupali's lives revolve around love, happiness, abundance and bliss ‒ at home and work. Kapil and Rupali's purpose is to create the highest possible quality of life they can, for themselves and the people they love, while helping others around them do the same.

Sandrine is an international serial womentrepreneur. For almost 25 years, she has been developing consulting, training, coaching ventures on 4 continents and 8 different countries, both as a corporate consultant, a management and communication focused trainer and a professional coach, across a range of different industries including IT, Pharmaceuticals, Cosmetics, Education, Security, Media. Her coaching credentials include ICF Associate Certified Coach, Success MindsetMaps & Cultural Orientations Framework Certified Coach, NLP & CLEEN Practitioner. She holds a Master’s degree in political science and an Advanced Master degree in international business. She is a member of the ICF Swiss chapter and the International Association for Generative Change (IAGC). As a management and communication focused published author, Sandrine wrote numerous books dedicated to professional efficiency. She is also a contributing writer to various digital media. Her work has been awarded with different distinctions among which the Finance Monthly Global Award and the Gamechangers™ Global Award as "Career Coach of the Year" Turkey 2021/2022. She is unlisted in the Global Advisory Expert Guide as a Business Coach. Founder of G&L Shift®, leveraging 3.0 e-coaching online tools in service of her global service approach, she helps entrepreneurial leaders, managers, teams and expatriates in their transition, evolution, innovation journeys. Sandrine Gelin-Lamrani, Professional Coach What is your big vision, your big purpose? Getting to one’s “big vision” or “WHY” or “purpose” is probably one of the most important and deepest reflections that we help our clients undertake as coaches. So, I naturally went through this exercise when I added a string to my bow by deciding to dedicate my professional time to the coaching profession back in 2019. Supported by Robert Dilts’ tools in that exercise (https://en.glshift.com/success-mindsetmap), I unleashed my distinctive thrive to see individuals and organizations move and work together, in a world whose complexity and perpetual change are sources of multidimensional learning and self-expression in harmony with the overall environment. And as I was contemplating this vision of mine, I realized that I had been doing exactly that ever since I started my career. Throughout my life-work journey, my purpose has been to contribute to the growth of others and my own, to connect with extraordinary human beings and organizations, leveraging those intercultural complementarities that I have been in contact with. What made you chose the coaching profession specifically? In addition to my consulting and training activities, I have developed further into the role of an international professional coach for the last 5 years. This has followed a deep new connection with my “altruistic value” : a genuine drive to dedicate energy and resources to help and benefit others in a humanizing sense. The coaching profession also echoes my need for constant learning. I like what Albert Einstein says about this : “Once you stop learning, you start dying”. Very relevant for me. How did you adapt to a new business reality post pandemic? When the COVID-19 pandemic started, I was based in Morocco, in transition to a new country, Turkey. Even though I was coaching and consulting for several clients in Morocco, I saw my new mobility as an opportunity to boost my practice’s internationalization. So, this is what I did: I leveraged digital tools, like-minded transnational partnerships and a globalized agile venture to the benefit of my customers throughout Europe and Africa, that I serve in both languages, French and English. I am currently in another relocation process to Spain and I can see how much easier it has become to continue operating while in the move. In what type of situation do your clients solicit you? I specialize in Business, Team, Executive, Career, Expat & Intercultural Coaching. My scope of work is focused on the professional arena and it is very diverse at the same time. I have 3 main categories of clients that solicit me for various reasons. Business owners/company founders, when : they have business strategical goals to achieve/issues to address, they lack clarity in specific situations, they have urgent business matters to deal with. Managers and their teams within large international corporations, when : they want to optimize their professional performance/cohesion, they experience difficult managerial or inter-personal communication issues, they feel stuck in their professional development goals. Individuals, particularly expatriates, when : they want to expand their career opportunities, they want to improve their work/life balance, they want to get the best of their intercultural professional/personal journey. Can you share more about what you do for your clients? Let me give you a few examples of my work with some of my most recent clients: Helping entrepreneurial leaders navigate strategical projects and goals (commercial and organizational growth, managerial challenges, company’s ownership transfer, key investment decisions) Helping Teams navigate deep organizational and culture change (to adapt to value system, market, legal, innovation … shifts) Helping individuals navigate their career path (re-inventing themselves by choosing an activity that makes sense to them, getting in/out of a position) What are you the proudest of? Without any hesitation, my international life-work path. Today, I am grateful to have built a family, together with my husband and daughter, that is international and intercultural. I am grateful to be able to define myself as a multilingual professional, operating in many different cultural environments. This gives me the ability to understand the unique cultural dimensions, instinctive drives and motivational values of my clients, thus allowing me to connect cross-culturally. What do you see for yourself in 10 years from now? I have been asking myself that exact same question every 10 years for the past 2 decades! I actually wrote an article on that exact subject. So, in 10 years’ time, I will be contributing to a larger whole in my unique way, reinventing myself in a different way again. But hush … this is a work in progress as we speak. Do you have anything exciting coming up? Yes! I am currently putting the second cohort of the “Women Shifting Program”, an international targeted online coaching program that I created with 3 others like minded agile coaches to support our fellow womentrepreneurs in their heroes’ journey. We are thrilled to contribute in this very distinctive way to women’s leadership throughout French-speaking countries in Europe and Africa. To conclude and as you are French, I’d like to propose you a variation of the well-known “Marcel Proust’s questionnaire” What inspires you creatively, spiritually, emotionally? Pioneering humanizing courage What discourages you creatively, spiritually, emotionally? Abuse of power Which talent would you most like to have? Composing music What historical figure do you most admire? Maria Montessori What living person do you most admire? Greta Thunberg What do you appreciate the most in your friends? Their frankness What is your favorite book? Schachnovelle (A chess story) by Stefan Zweig Who is your favorite contemporary author? Fouad Laroui Who is your favorite painter? Antoni Tapies What is your motto? Get gRowing What is your greatest fear? To lose my overall balance How do you wish to die? Fast What is your present state of mind? At ease Follow me on LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Sandrine!

Written by: Lotta Spjut, 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. Have you ever thought about your social capital and what it means? Maybe not, though if I put it like this; Do You agree that having a good social relationship with other people, private and in your business or work, is an integral part of our personal ‒ and business lives and can follow with productive benefits? After reading this article, You have learned more about: What is Social Capital? Different types of social capital Social media and other social networks Pros and Cons How can You grow Your social capital? What is Social Capital? According to The Institute of Social Capital, the most common definitions of social capital focus on social relations that have productive benefits. However, there are a variety of definitions identified in the literature and no consensus on measuring social capital because it can be subjective. The idea of social capital is that social interactions bring positive (often economic) outcomes, and the term refers to a positive product of human interaction. These positive outcomes can be tangible or intangible and may include innovative ideas, helpful information, favors, and future opportunities. An individual does not hold social capital but instead appears in the potential between social network connections between individuals. Social capital involves the possibility of individuals securing benefits and inventing solutions to problems through interacting in social networks. An organization's success can be related to the social capital of personal relationships and networks, both within and outside an organization or network. Also, it can describe the personal connections within a company or community that help build respect and trust among employees, leading to enhanced company goals. Social capital also allows a group to work together effectively to achieve a common purpose or goal. It will enable a society or organization, such as a corporation or a community, to function together through trust, shared identity, norms, values, and mutual relationships. Lately, we often hear the term, even if the concept itself, our social relationships can have productive outcomes for an individual or a group, is nothing “new.” Earlier social capital was commonly used to describe civic and social responsibility. Today social capital is often used to describe the relationships that help contribute to the success of businesses. It is considered as valuable as financial or human capital. Networking and using the internet are great examples of how social capital works in a business sense—allowing professionals to form social and often global connections in many variations. We can see that many jobs are filled through informal networking rather than through job agencies. That is social capital in action! Without social capital, there are no connections. The sharing of ideas is not there, and neither is communication. When a team, organization, or community is ‘in sync’ and working towards a shared purpose, everyone within knows their part to do. Trust is important, and without some level of social capital, trust is not there. Different types of Social Capital According to Robert D. Putnam, an American political scientist, social capital revolves around three dimensions. Interconnected networks of relationships between individuals and groups (social ties or social participation), levels of trust that characterize these ties, and resources or benefits that are both gained and transferred by social relations and social involvement. Investopedia refers to researchers identifying three primary forms of social capital. 1. Bonding Bonding is social capital created within a group with shared interests and goals. A neighborhood association is an excellent example of how bonding works—also used among family and close friends to reinforce existing, intimate relationships. 2. Bridging Bridging on the other hand, creates social capital across networks and groups. When bridging is successful, individuals in the two groups discover shared goals and interests and work together to achieve them. A school that links up with a local police department is an example of how bridging works—also used among acquaintances to become closer to people. Facebook leverages bridging capital. 3. Linking Linking, like bridging, creates ties across groups, though those that span different socioeconomic groups. Linking has been associated with increasing people's chances of upward social mobility and is also used among members of voluntary organizations, including employees of the same company. Within business, My people group is categorized into two groups: external and internal social capital. External social capital refers to an individual’s relationships outside of the organization. What connections does this person have that might bring value to the team? For example, this potential team member has come personally recommended by someone trusted. Will it be more likely to employ them? What external relationships do they have which might benefit the business? Internal social capital is the connections within the organization or network. Here the social capital is a bit like glue. It is the stuff that holds the team together. It is the shared values and team behaviors, the things that bring the team together. It can be the calls made to each other to ensure all are doing okay and on track, and those small conversations made every day that, over time, build relationships, trust, and levels of reciprocity. What have social media and online social networks to do with Social Capital? Social capital is connected to connections. The internet has effectively created an infinite number of social relations, revolutionizing our social capital. Investopedia gives some examples: Airbnb, Uber, and eBay users can use social capital to select based on the reviews of past users. The same people contribute to social capital by leaving their reviews later. The companies that own those sites use reviews as an essential component of their quality control programs. Social networking sites such as Meta (formerly Facebook) strengthen bonds based on personal interests, such as hobbies, past experiences, a shared hometown, or a previous employer. Social media is also a primary source of social capital for small business owners who can showcase their products and services online more effectively, if more cheaply, than giant corporations. Immersive gaming environments have allowed people from different socioeconomic groups and demographics to convene and collaborate in virtual online worlds. Often, these individuals will develop friendships and relationships that extend beyond the bounds of the game and into the real world. Web3 communities connect many people with the same interests that build connections for close collaboration and often develop deeper relationships that lead to IRL (In Real Life) meetings. Within Web3, You can also secure your social capital online. (More about that in my next article). Pros and Cons with Social Capital The unique benefits of social capital are often the easiest to observe and understand. Social Capital Research means that social capital increases the flow of information across social connections. It also opens doors and spreads ideas and can give us access to tangible and intangible resources, benefits, productivity and savings, and any form of capital (physical, human, social, etc.). At the individual level, social capital is embedded in social relationships. According to Investopedia, there are documented positives that social capital can bring. For example, it has been found that many people have found their jobs through word of mouth as opposed to more formal avenues. Individuals with access to higher levels of social capital also report being happier, in better health, and have increased levels of trust in a community as a result of their positive relationships. Social capital can also provide access to human capital through skills, expertise, knowledge, or information, and it also gives us access to social resources through a “friend of a friend.” That gives us access to resources far beyond our direct contacts. The examples are numerous. Within organizations, such as businesses, high social capital also fosters trust, mutual respect, and collaboration .. which, in turn, can lead to increased productivity and profitability. The individual-level examples of social capital are also relevant at the group level since individuals interact within a group and form relationships. The group also develops norms that govern acceptable and appropriate behavior for group members. It can be social capital, where those norms are positive and have productive benefits for group members. At the group level, the most concrete example of social capital is the creation of rules or guidelines that provide the basis for behavior and give members the confidence to act in prosocial or collaborative ways. It can also be a common language and shared understanding. That creates a sense of shared purpose that also encourages collective action. Where social capital is positive, there is an inclination to be cooperative and collaborative. That could result in problem-solving, creativity, and innovation for organizations that would not be possible if people did not work together. Social capital also relates to social norms and belonging that can positively relate to motivation, with significant consequences for productivity and efficiency. Social capital has always been linked to positive change. However, it is not always like that. On the contrary, there are distinct advantages to social capital. Still, people can use it for manipulative or destructive purposes. For example, groups such as different gangs and drug cartels often use social capital to strengthen bonds within the group and to recruit new members. Similarly, a group of corporate executives could collude to manipulate market prices to drive out the competition. Those in minority groups and marginalized people may not have the same social capital resources as others, which can put them at a disadvantage. People can be shut out of opportunities because they lack the social capital and network connections to be introduced to influential people or learn about suitable options. How can You Develop Your Social Capital? Social capital is a byproduct of your social networks and interpersonal relationships. Growing and strengthening these bonds among family, friends, and your network will help increase your social capital. Socializing, keeping in touch, attending networking events, and reaching out to old acquaintances are helpful strategies. With the internet, being active in diverse online social networks can also help you reach new and different types of people who may have new and other kinds of information. Your social capital will increase by being prosocial: being helpful and giving, getting to know people, strengthening your existing relationships, and trusting and trustworthy. Raising your social capital is, in other words, about generating goodwill. That goes for both personal and business growth. Here are seven ways to build social capital shared by Forbes: Network proactively Be Strategic Create a diverse network Pay it forward and leverage relationships Set aside dedicated time each week to network Keep in touch with former colleagues and alums Focus your social media networking efforts Summary I started the article with “Your network is Your Networth,” and I believe You understand what I mean now. Relations and connections will always have more significant value than any money. Social capital is a process where like-minded individuals, groups, and organizations form a collaborative social network to increase prospects for beneficial gain, benefits, and resources. As a result, information, opportunities, and resources flow through your social networks. For example, in the business world, studies show that companies with a high degree of social capital enjoy happier and more productive employees. With all internet connections, growing your social capital and ensuring it stays yours is more important than ever. In my next article, I will go into how You can secure that your Social Capital stays Yours and how Social-Fi combines the principles of social media and decentralized finance (DeFi). With your Social Capital, SocialFi platforms offer You to create, manage, and own social media platforms and the content generated by you and its other participants. Instead of the platforms earning on Your participation, You will. To learn more from Lotta, you can visit her website and connect with her social media accounts; Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Linkedin. Read more from Lotta! Lotta Spjut, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Lotta Spjut is a dynamic Entrepreneur, Pro Executive Business Coach, and Health, Fitness, and Nutrition Developer ‒ all rolled into one! She has the passion and drive to inspire and empower people and businesses around the globe. To use the skills and knowledge they have, learn new skills, and get more knowledge to grow and become successful individuals and entrepreneurs. With her passion for education, Lotta has graced the TEDx stage and other public forums with her expertise on various subjects. Lotta is a seasoned entrepreneur. Her main business over the last decades has been as a full-time Pro Executive Business Coach, Educator, Advisor, Developer, and Public Speaker. She has thousands of people worldwide whom she advised, mentored, and educated in leadership, personal and business development, and entrepreneurship. Lotta has extensive experience in these areas, using her business acumen to create successful ventures and leveraging her diverse skillset to offer valuable coaching and advisory services to executives looking to take their businesses to the next level. Lotta has a long experience in the health, fitness & nutrition industries and worked with several companies in this area. She is committed to promoting a healthy lifestyle through her health, fitness, and nutrition work. With her wide-ranging knowledge and experience in these fields, Lotta is well-equipped to educate and inspire others to live healthier and happier lives. She believes in a holistic approach to health and wellness that incorporates both the mind and the body and promotes physical health and mental well-being as essential for achieving success in all areas of life. Since Jan-2022, Lotta also advises (no financial advice) Web3 companies and is active in several Web3 communities. As a Web5 Entrepreneur, she advises ”traditional” companies to leap into the exciting world of Web3. Lotta is a true renaissance woman, a multi-talented individual who excels in multiple domains, making her a valuable asset in any professional or personal setting. Her favorite quotes are, "Start where You are, use what You have, and Do what You can,” "You don’t need to be great to start, but You need to start to be great,” and on her arm, she has the tattoo ”The pain of Discipline is easier than the pain of Regret”

Written by: Rita Briffa , Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. How did you start your day? Did you plan your day? Do your plans motivate you or stress you? Do you have enough time for yourself during the day? Are you managing your day or are you allowing others to manage it for you? Do you follow their needs and wants? Who takes care of your needs? Daily Stress We all know that we are creatures of habit. We all repeat our daily habits without even thinking about it. Life is as fast as we make it. It starts with simple thoughts. Then it becomes action. Action becomes a repetitive pattern. And then it forms into a habit. This habit transforms into a template and without knowing it becomes a daily ritual. Every routine starts this way. We get hooked on it even if it feels uncomfortable. We get stressed but do not know how to break the cycle. Happiness is an attitude Are you happy with your cycle? If not, do you know how to break this stressful pattern and create something excitedly new? Do you stop and appreciate what you have or do you always get hooked on the one thing that is missing in your life? It is easy to stare at the missing things and get anxious. The more you focus on the missing things, the more you get into the lacking syndrome. And what we focus on expands and multiplies. The same happens if you look at the tiny thing that makes you happy in your life. It will not remain tiny as it will enlarge, expand and surprise you with the manifestation of more happiness and abundance. Do you need help to get out of stress? You are aware that your lifestyle is making you stressed, sad and taking away all your energy. Even if it is stressful, you may feel afraid to reach out. The first step is the hardest. But it is worth every ounce of energy. I have been helping women for more than 11 years now. Generally, these 30, 40 and 50 years’ women feel that life is running away with them. I have helped numerous women like you. They have worked hard and achieved a successful position in their companies, business or profession. They feel financially stable but something is missing in their lives. Often it is the emotional side. They feel they lack love, companionship, understanding, empathy, security. Loneliness looms on them and it gets them depressed. Others feel sad for no reason. They admit they have it all but feel down. In this case it could be their environment, their relationships or their work that is making them depressed. My coaching is aimed at you relax to relax! My coaching is directed at these women to assist them to find happiness and fulfilment again. I coach them and teach them ways to eliminate stress and find their inner peace and happiness. I teach meditation techniques, how to relax and align with themselves again and also how to talk to themselves positively. Happiness is a reachable target I feel so happy when I see them blossoming and smiling again. Most of them find their joie de vivre again. They feel happier, more confident and assertive. They realize that they can achieve what they want in life. I can help you break the cycles that are getting you sad and unhealthy. All your physical conditions stem from your mental and emotional states. Apart from coaching, I offer Reiki, Reflexology, Art therapy, Bach flower remedies and aromatherapy. Do you want to be my next success story? Then rise and get in touch. It will be your best decision so far. I coach individuals and groups both online or physically in my therapy room. I am excited to talk to you soon. Get in touch on ritabriffa@gmail.com and we jump on a quick chat. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Rita! Rita Briffa, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Rita Briffa has more than 20 years of experience in energy healing, herbal remedies, aromatherapy and Encaustic art therapy. In her mid-30s she met Reiki and her life has changed completely. Her encounter with Reiki changed her life from a perspective of a sick child to a wise assertive woman full of health and vitality. She published her book ''My way to Success through healing self-love.'' She gives programmes in Success Self Love coaching both at her Wellbeing Consultancy Centre and online. She gives physical and distances healing with Reiki, Reflexology, Bach flower remedies and Encaustic art therapy. Her passion is helping people to love themselves and sharing this abundant love with others.

Written by: Kristina Todorova, 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. Building a profitable business is not a straightforward journey. Statistically, only half of small businesses survive beyond the five-year mark. I wish someone had said that to me when I launched my coaching company in 2017. After a lot of trial and error, shutting the business down in 2020 and re-building it from scratch a year later, I knew I had to do things differently the second time around. One of the tools I began to use to increase visibility and build an audience, a tool that has been a game changer for my business, was blogging. 3 ways blogging can help grow your business If you have been thinking of starting a blog and wondering: “how can blogging help businesses?”, here is how a blog can grow your business. 1. Increased visibility Simply said ‒ blogging helps you drive traffic to your site for free. I re-launched the business in September 2021 as a digital coaching and conscious living platform and, within two months of publishing the new site, we were hitting 2000 monthly site views, which we have been able to sustain and gradually increase ever since. The blog has been the biggest source of organic traffic and has helped our site rank higher on Google, enabling us to reach more people and build a community of potential clients and customers. A key challenge that many small businesses face is getting visible and attracting customers. Running a blog can boost your visibility and improve your site’s ranking (SEO). 2. Brand differentiation Blog articles are a great way to share your story, your journey and “behind the scenes” of running your business, helping you create a unique brand that people relate to. Depending on your content marketing strategy, using articles to not only promote your products and services but to convey your business’ mission and values allows you to stand out in your market and “humanise” your brand. Our purchasing decisions, especially when it comes to buying services, are largely driven by our emotional needs; creating an emotional bond with your audience, through engaging blog articles, allows you to build and nurture a relationship with them which can lead to more sales and enhanced loyalty. 3. Additional revenue streams Your blog can become a revenue stream. I still remember how I felt when a stranger (also, a coach) reached out to me to propose a sponsored blog collaboration. Up until that point, I had not considered monetising the blog and was using it mainly to drive traffic and grow our community by sharing educational and inspirational content. My initial thoughts (as I was reading the pitch email) were: “someone wants to pay to be on my blog, really?” So, this is how the blog turned into a revenue stream. There are different ways in which you can monetise a blog once you reach a certain number of views and build a base of readers. So, is blogging good for business? Writing blog articles can be an incredibly effective way to differentiate your brand and grow your business but it can also be time-consuming, and it requires consistency and a strategic approach. If you do not have the time to launch and run a blog, my team and I can help. Having seen how the blog has supported our growth, I decided to create a blog writing package for other founders and experts who may not have the time or skills to write but understand the benefits of having a blog. We not only write the articles for you but we support you with creating a blog content strategy that helps you build an audience and promote your services and products. You can book a 30-min call to learn more about the package here. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Kristina! Kristina Todorova, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine "Kristina is a certified Transformational Life Coach and Founder of Coaching for Transformers – a coaching & training company dedicated to helping people learn how to utilise the creative power of their mind and energy to build a life around their passions, talents, and heart’s desires. Following working as a trainer and corporate coach and helping hundreds of professionals reach a heightened level of performance, she decided to leave the corporate world and embark on the path of entrepreneurship. She founded Coaching for Transformers in 2017 and has, since then, been working with aspiring and new entrepreneurs, helping them create businesses and lives around what lights them up. Kristina believes that each person is born with a unique set of gifts, talents, passions, and interests, and, through exploring and following them, one can consciously create a life full of fulfilment, joy, and abundance. Her purpose is to help people step onto a path that feels aligned and teach them how to use their mind as a tool to help them realise their definition of success."

Written by: Lana Walsh , 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 I was, in the biggest meeting of my life, just four seats from the Premier of Alberta, a part of a delegation of student association presidents bringing the student perspective on government cuts to post-secondary education. About 30 people were sitting around the table, mostly other student representatives, the Premier, Education Minister, and some other government aids. I was struggling to pay attention and get involved in the conversation because I started nodding off. NODDING OFF! Each time my eyes popped open; someone was staring at me. OMG! How embarrassing! How do you recover from nodding off in a meeting with the Premier at 21 years old? Obviously, I needed to get more sleep! I spent more than 30 years half asleep. When I was in high school, my parents thought I was a typical teenager, staying up too late with a bad attitude. But at night, I tossed and turned and woke several times to what felt like a boa constrictor wrapped around my body. I would get out of bed and rearrange my nightgown so I could breathe again. Finally, one night, I just tore it off and threw it on the floor in the hopes that I would finally be able to sleep through the night. But the months of insomnia didn’t end. The alarm would ring in the morning, and when I couldn’t drag myself out of bed, I would tell my mom I was too sick to go to school. When I read an article about restless leg syndrome (RLS) , I knew right away that was my problem, although it would take another decade to have it formally diagnosed and treated. RLS is an uncontrollable urge to move your legs that gets worse with fatigue. When you try to stop the motion, you get a pain sensation that can only be relieved by more movement. People describe the pain differently – some call it a tingling or crawling sensation. My great-grandmother called it her “creepy legs.” For me, it’s a painful burning in the thighs. In the middle of the night, this movement will keep me awake, tossing, turning, and praying for an end so I can sleep. Instead, I need to get up and do some squats, high knees, and kickbacks, all in the hopes that the energy will be “worked out” so I can relax long enough to go to sleep. RLS kept me from getting good restful sleep, making it seem impossible for me to get out of bed when I needed. What I didn’t know was that the tossing and turning from RLS caused me to develop insomnia which is a learned behaviour . Over time, the subconscious brain learns that the bed is not for sleeping but for being active, stressed, anxious, creative, and all the other things you think or do during the night. My insomnia would keep me awake for hours in the middle of the night and I found it hard to drag myself out of bed. I’d hit snooze at least half a dozen times before I could muster the energy to get up. Always calculating in my head, “If I snooze one more time, I won’t shave my legs.” “If I snooze one more time, I won’t wash my hair.” “If I snooze one more time, I can skip breakfast.” And on and on it went – sacrificing one more part of my morning routine. I was late to work nearly every single day – so often that co-workers would comment when I arrived on time. I nodded off in the afternoons sitting at my desk, in meetings… anytime I sat still for more than 15 minutes. I spent many days reading through all the subscription emails and blogs that I set aside “to read” at another time because I didn’t have the energy to think about work or try to figure out what needed to be done. I called in sick more often than I should’ve because I was just too exhausted to get out of bed. Every job I had always started great. I am intelligent, work quickly, and I’m not afraid to make decisions or admit to mistakes. New bosses loved me. But soon, my lateness, sick days, and unproductivity would have my employers questioning my abilities. I would start to feel tension every time I got into the office, late as usual. Maybe it wasn’t them, but my guilty feelings – like my exhaustion wasn’t a good enough reason to not be at work, or productive. If you have a new baby, you get all kinds of sympathy for your exhaustion. But when you say, “I just can’t sleep,” you get crickets. I would tell my boss I had insomnia, and they would nod as if they understood. “I’ve had bad nights, too,” they’d say. But they didn’t understand. They couldn’t... If you’ve never had trouble sleeping 4, 5, or 6 days a week – for years or decades – you cannot understand the utter exhaustion a person with insomnia feels. Even when you’re lucky enough to get a decent night’s rest, you still feel drained. I would start to worry about every little word that my boss uttered and evaluate it for hidden meaning. “Did that mean she was upset with me?” “Is she questioning my abilities?” These words swirled and ran rampant in my mind in the middle of the night, keeping me awake, and making my insomnia worse. Soon, I would be looking for a new job, to get away from the fear that was overpowering me. And I kept going, new job to new job, except once, I never stayed anywhere for more than 2 years. Throughout the years I was prescribed different sleeping pills – the first at 23 that made me groggy for 2 days. Around 35 I tried Zopiclone, then a few months later switched to Trazodone. They didn’t work – I still had trouble sleeping 5 days a week. But I believed so strongly that without them, I wouldn’t get the 2 nights of sleep I was getting. I read everything I could find about “how to sleep better.” Blackout blinds – check. Remove distractions – check. Right bed, cool temperature, melatonin, no caffeine – check, check, check, check. I tried every sleep hygiene hack I ever heard about including banana peel tea. Yep, I was that desperate. Then 2020 and COVID put us into lockdown, and soon my job was no more. I put my stuff in storage, moved into my mom’s basement, and worried about finding another job – one that would pay as well, and be tolerant of my “poor working habits.” I was open to trying anything, so when I received an invite to an online summit, I said yes and that completely changed my life. One speaker shared his inspiring story of using EFT (emotional freedom techniques, aka tapping), to overcome his fear of public speaking. After a short 5-minute demonstration, I noticed a significant shift in my anxiety, and I became obsessed with learning more about it. A few weeks into using tapping on my worries and stresses, I started to notice a change – I wasn’t clenching my teeth or waking up with tension headaches and I was sleeping better . I thought, maybe I should try sleeping without using my sleeping pills – I mean, they didn’t even work every night anyway. And still, I slept. I remember the first morning waking up in awe that I had slept through the night and right away I knew I needed to tell people about it. To help people sleep better with tapping. This early success led me to research sleep in earnest and that’s where I learned about CBTi (cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia), the gold standard in treating insomnia. Once I started learning about sleep and using the techniques, and strategies, I went from sleeping “better” to curing my insomnia! How come, after decades of seeing doctors, who continued to prescribe pills every 6-12 months, no one ever told me about this? It turns out, that this is a relatively new process. Developed in the 1990s at Harvard University, it took more than a decade with additional clinical trials for it to be recommended by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the Canadian Sleep Society, and many more medical and mental health associations. It is recommended because it has had an astonishingly high success rate in clinical trials, about 75% of people cure their insomnia in just a couple of months. Because it is quite new, most doctors, medical practitioners, and health professionals have not heard of it, and they fall back on their standard of practice. Prescribing drugs. If you can relate to my story and are ready to kick insomnia to the curb, I would love to help. I know exactly what you are going through, and I know how great life can be on the other side. Book a complimentary sleep assessment with me to find out if your subconscious is sabotaging your ability to sleep through the night. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Lana! Lana Walsh, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Lana Walsh is a Sleep Coach who helps people overcome insomnia so that they wake up feeling rested and refreshed. After a decade of dealing with undiagnosed restless leg syndrome (RLS), Lana developed chronic insomnia. For 30 years, she struggled to find the answer to her sleep, trying “literally everything” without relief. When Lana was introduced to the stress-busting process of emotional freedom techniques (EFT, AKA tapping), she started sleeping better. Determined to continue this path, she began researching sleep where she finally found the answer to fixing her insomnia. She is passionate about sharing the secrets to overcoming insomnia and helping people get the same results that have transformed her life. Lana is a co-author of the Amazon Bestseller, "Creating Impact, The Ultimate Guide for Purpose-Driven Entrepreneurs," Founder of "Upgrade Your Sleep: A Powerful Method to Overcoming Sleeplessness," registered CBT-i coach, and Conscious EFT Level 1-2 practitioner.

Written by: Dr. Jackie Lau, 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. Life Coaching — Is it about people’s need to be coached, or a coach’s need to be coaching? The life coaching and counselling industry has been exploding in the last decade. Through my engagement in this field as a strategic interventionist, I am often called to contemplate and observe my relationship with the nature of coaching itself. Self-awareness is imperative for cultivating a space for virtuous co-creation with integrity and growth at a deeper level. “The art of Self-awareness for coaches” is a 5-part series dedicated to kindred spirits who are drawn to exploring our relationship with life, with a special attention for those of you in the coaching world by any means. The journey of Self-realization is ultimately dedicated to strengthening our vertical dimension via inner attention that others may deem arcane, especially in an environment that favors critical and skeptical methods. Confronting our barriers and illusions necessitates courage in ourselves and our surroundings, and evaluating and exploring our interactions with reality may feel unsettling, confusing, and isolated. This source of valuable suffering serves as a great teacher that reminds us to return to a state of flexibility, humility and keenness to life again and again. Recognition of the totality of life, acknowledging that seemingly unpleasant life situations are all part of a non-dualistic cosmic dance, part of who we are, is the foundation of all forms of true growth. Is my story of becoming a coach current? “Why/How did you become a coach?” is probably the most frequently asked question for coaches. “I don’t know, somehow it just happened.” Never have we ever heard that answer, unlike other paths or life events that we can “end up” with and be “passive” about, like a job in hairdressing or telemarketing, or even a new role in a family such as a parent. Much like the case for an astronaut, chances we hear “One day I woke up and found myself in this space suit!” are slim. Why is that being identified as a coach seems to require more of a backstory, often one with a certain level of grandiosity and conviction, leaving little room for serendipity or the natural randomness of “unfolding”? Even when the stochastic process is tolerated, it might have to be packaged as some form of “divine unfolding” or “higher calling”? More common than otherwise, to that question, we then come up with the same version of a story every time, as would other coaches. We eventually become identified with the same story, one that we think would be approved and endorsed by the classic plot of what is considered inspirational and impressive by the society – one emblazoned with “transformational”; one that is well-fitted for the space suit. Let’s stop for a moment and consider… Do you give the same reasons every single time when somebody asks about why you married your spouse, or chose the country you’re living in, or picked the job you have, or decided on chocolate as your favorite flavor of ice cream? Are we constantly identified with the same previously available explanation for a current situation? “Life is routine and routine is resistance to wonder.” ― Abraham Joshua Heschel Since when has our conscious awareness and unconscious conditioning orchestrated, concluded and agreed upon the “cause” for everything? What if…the causes for all life phenomena are actually retrospectively decided based on what we perceive as reasonable and probable afterwards? Do they then just get shoved into our procedural memory, never questioned or updated? What if...our subconscious knows best what to attract into our experience for our spirit to evolve, while our ego is just taking credit for it retrospectively, thinking our persona intentionally made a choice? Change is a natural process, as when our perceptions and consciousness evolve, the meaning we assign to the same memory transforms, based on the shift in our human and spiritual needs – all a subtle ongoing micro-process… unless we are attached to the same story, or fixated on a persona we think the same story would offer, to favor a constant self-image we tend to identify with, based on the same unevolved need – then it’s time to question our familiarity… “Is our self-identification on autopilot? Are we still sensitive to the present moment?” Start asking yourself “Why am I becoming a coach today?” We all have a natural tendency to memorize and rehearse certain information our mind deems constant, especially in the process of socialization and building a healthy ego; this is how our brain reserves energy from having to make sense of and respond to every perception that comes into our awareness anew. Perhaps this is why we often attribute our current circumstances to past events or predetermined reasons ‒ “I’m xyz today because I/it was xyz yesterday” – a process decided predominantly by our intellect on reflection, no matter how swiftly. What we consider our calling is thus ultimately retrospectively realized and defined. How about now? What do we observe and realize about ourselves in the present moment? Have our stories changed? Or are the new stories actually consistent? What deeper need are we fulfilling through being identified as a coach or engaging with coaching? Stay tuned for the next 4 articles in this 5-part series… Visit my website, and follow me on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram for more info! Read more from Jackie! Dr. Jackie Lau, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Dr. Jackie Lau is a neuroscientist and an experienced international life coach who is fascinated with human behaviors and the mechanisms underlying our mental and emotional states. With a deep appreciation for the integrative approach of modern psychology, neuroscience, and spirituality, Jackie is a top life coach in Australia and has co-created with people all over the world to radically transform into more self-awareness, sense of purpose, and inner freedom. Jackie is trained as a strategic interventionist and breakthrough specialist with Robbins-Madanes Training, directed by Tony Robbins, which combines effective techniques evolved from neurolinguistic, psychological, and therapeutic inter-disciplines. As a curious researcher, Jackie completed her Ph.D. in neuroscience at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, Australia, studying the neural circuits governing motivation and reward. She is currently researching neurodegenerative diseases, with a focus on Alzheimer’s disease, investigating the molecular basis relating neuroplasticity to cognition. Leveraging her diverse cultural background, Jackie is profoundly devoted to studying Eastern and Western philosophy and literature, learning transformative wisdom from influential life strategists and spiritual teachers. In the fervency of her gratitude, for over a decade, she earnestly empowers people from all walks of life to live our authentic virtuous Self and commit to becoming love. Through ingenious modalities including mindset transformation and meditation, Jackie is inspired to cultivate our connection to a deeper world, one that nourishes our spiritual heart rather than feeds our time-bound predicament of patterns, one that channels our fear of pain into lasting pull to joy, appreciation, and peaceful presence. Jackie loves the art of music and dance. She trained as a classical violinist from a young age, later on, discovered her passion for classical guitar, and has also been a dedicated hip-hop dancer and instructor since her college years. Her creative journey has never ceased to open doors for the extraordinary in the ordinariness of life. Jackie’s vision is to co-create with the human family as part of nature, to tune in consciously and align with our thoughts, emotions, and actions, and to live passionately and playfully with full presence.

Poor writing can sabotage your success in business; hence the need to master it in all its forms. Most people have great ideas but cannot communicate effectively because they have not updated their writing skills to keep up with the changing needs of a modern business environment. The purpose of improving your business writing is to present information in a way that accurately reflects your brand and professionalism. Your writing must remain sharp whether you are composing emails, presentations, blogs, or letters. In the following post, we describe the value of improving your business writing and provide tips for tightening up your writing. Why Do You Need to Improve Business Writing Skills? Reduce Writing Time Good writing skills can help with overcoming writer’s block. Untrained and unaided business writers waste time when writing because they don’t know where to start when tasked with composing an important email or difficult message. However, when you improve business writing skills, you reduce frustrating and unproductive revisions that often extend the time spent in completing the piece. Managers will also cut the time spent on deep reviews or rewrites of important documents. Written Text Reflects Your Professionalism and Expertise Business audiences want to feel like the writer respects their intelligence and time. Sufficient knowledge of business writing empowers the writer with critical business etiquette that demonstrates professionalism. For example, business writing must acknowledge the audience and the writer, be free of sloppy grammatical errors, maintain a professional tone, and contain good word choice. Alignment and Inspiration We all have a unique vocabulary and perspective when it comes to writing and communicating. Improving business writing skills at an individual level is a way of empowering everyone to embrace their independent voice and expertise to communicate clearly and confidently. Additionally, good writing can inspire your employees and guide them in executing your vision. You can be sure the goals of the team are aligned because the professionally written instructions are clear and easily understood. Communication Has a Lasting Impact Good writing invites admiration from the audience. Whether writing a speech or a business memo, the quality of your writing influences your professional image. Thus, ensure that you focus on using the correct tone and clarify ideas to meet the reader’s expectations. Remember that what you write will always be associated with your brand. Deliver your intended message without using meandering, vague, or long-winded writing. That way, there is no chance of the reader misinterpreting what you have written. Future-Proof Your Skillset Where, how, and when we work has evolved, but good business writing skills never lose importance or go out of style. Even with advancements in technology, it’s impossible to replace good writers who can help others understand complex information. This is because human understanding supported by technology will always be unrivaled. Therefore, learning how to improve your business writing skills is even more important now because we expect technology to replace most jobs. Your career is future-proof if you can use technology to demonstrate top-level business communication. Demonstrate Leadership Skills Good business writing is a good way of demonstrating your initiative and value in the workplace. Top-level writing will elevate you as a leader, whether you are pitching a clever idea, seeking support for a project, or explaining important details to colleagues. On the other hand, bad writing can turn such opportunities into obstacles. For example, a protracted explanation or an unclear proposal can give your colleagues the impression that you are not qualified or knowledgeable enough to lead them. 10 Tips on How to Improve Business Writing Skills 1. Understand the Purpose and Audience Always plan your message before you start writing. The style of writing will differ based on the purpose and target audience. For example, a business writing addressed to a colleague will differ from an email campaign or SEO blog post. Make sure your writing meets the needs of the audience. 2. Work with Experts Sometimes, you may have challenges in writing an important communication. Rather than submitting low-value writing, you can consult an expert that can assist with writing it. Online writing services such as CustomWritings can review your draft, help you out with writing it yourself, or write an entire piece from scratch within the deadline you set. You can contact an expert for free to order the best personalized services at a cheap rate. 3. Be Concise In business writing, keeping your main points concise can keep your reader engaged due to their busy schedules. Your choice of structure and language should relay your message clearly and in a few words. It is not the time to flaunt your vocabulary in order to impress. Eliminate unnecessary adjectives or unnecessary information. 4. Consider Your Audience Consider the type of audience and the relationship you have with them. Be keen on the ways you can structure your writing to capture the interest of the audience. The tone of the message will also depend on the relationship you have with the reader. Some will require you to use a conversational tone, while others will prefer a formal tone. 5. Avoid Jargon While unique terminologies can pass within an organization, they can confuse people who are outside the business. The goal of business writing is to make sure that everyone understands what you are communicating. Therefore, be mindful of words that may not be familiar to external recipients and avoid them. If you must use jargon, ensure you explain the concept in simple terms. 6. Use Active Voice Using active voice instead of passive voicee in business writing is preferred because it is clearer and creates an engaging narrative. Active voice also strengthens your message and reduces wordiness. 7. Be Accurate Accuracy is critical in good business writing. Make sure you focus on facts rather than giving opinions unless you are asked. Statistics make writing more persuasive and reliable. When the audience knows they can rely on you to provide accurate details, it persuades them to listen and trust what you say. 8. Practice Business writing is a skill that improves with practice. To improve your skills, try writing different forms of communication, such as letters and emails. Also, read well-written materials and pay attention to word choice, flow, and sentence structure to improve your English vocabulary. 9. Utilize Online Writing Tools You can use online writing resources to establish good writing habits and improve your grammar. The tools also make your writing easier. Examples of resources include readability checker, Grammarly, thesaurus, and online dictionaries. The resources can assist with identifying technical errors and areas that require improvement. 10. Proofread and Edit Never send out a business communication without proofreading it. Review the message for any grammatical or spelling errors. Consider reading the materials aloud or seeking feedback to confirm that the document has good flow, makes sense, and engages the reader.

Written by: Lana Walsh , Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Do you lie awake at night several nights a week, tossing and turning, praying, and hoping to fall asleep? Does your lack of sleep make you irritable, unproductive, unmotivated, or stressed? Have you been struggling to get consistent sleep for months, years, or decades? These are all signs and symptoms of clinical, chronic insomnia. You’ve probably spent time researching “how to sleep better,” “how to go to sleep faster,” or “why can’t I sleep.” That’s exactly what I did… for 30 years. Unfortunately, most of the advice out there is not the answer to your problem because they only treat the symptoms of your inability to sleep. Today I’m going to tell you the truth about the root cause of your insomnia. What is Insomnia Insomnia is simply taking an hour or more to go to sleep (sleep-onset insomnia) or back to sleep after waking during the night (sleep-maintenance insomnia). It becomes chronic if it occurs three or more times per week and has been going on for more than a few months. A clinical diagnosis occurs if you perceive a detrimental consequence during the day. For example, if you feel stressed, anxious, irritable, or unmotivated because you had a bad night’s sleep, that falls into the clinical diagnosis. According to WebMD , symptoms of insomnia include sleepiness during the day, fatigue, grumpiness, or problems with concentration or memory. Other symptoms include not feeling well-rested after a night’s sleep, increased errors or accidents, and of course, difficulty going to sleep or staying asleep. Do you have insomnia? Take my “What’s Your Sleep Archetype?” quiz to find out. The Biggest Myth About Insomnia All the sleep advice is related to the physical aspect of insomnia, like this article from Healthline . They want you to change your environment – cool, dark room, remove distractions, get the right bed and pillows, and spray lavender oil on your bedding. Or they suggest you change your lifestyle – get more exercise and sunlight, turn off your devices at least an hour before bed, eat right, don’t eat too close to bedtime, and drink less alcohol and caffeine. Or they tell you to take a supplement because you must be lacking some mineral or hormone – melatonin, magnesium, valerian root, or tryptophan. Don’t get me wrong, many of these are good things to do, and I often suggest them myself. The problem is that they don’t address the true cause of your insomnia, which is that it’s a learned behavior . The truth is, to treat insomnia, you need to deal with the psychological reasons why you can’t sleep. How Insomnia Begins Insomnia usually begins with a major stressful event – a death, divorce or separation, or a financial or health crisis. During these events, it’s completely normal to have difficulty sleeping, but for many people, this turns into frustration and anxiety about their sleep. This frustration turns into anticipation. You ask yourself, “Is tonight the night I’m finally going to sleep?” Or you think, “I’m so exhausted, I have to be able to sleep tonight.” Because you’re so exhausted, you start to engage in behaviors just to survive. You drink more caffeine or energy drinks to get through the afternoon. You fall asleep in front of the TV at 6 or 7 at night. You sleep in on the weekends to “catch up.” All these things make you feel better and help you get through the days. The bad news is that these things disrupt your ability to sleep and contribute to your development of chronic insomnia. Over time, this inability to sleep teaches the subconscious brain, just like Pavlov’s dog, that the bed and nighttime are not for sleeping. It’s a time to think, worry, make the to-do list, replay conversations, and all the other things your brain does when you’re tossing and turning at night. How Do You Treat Insomnia? The good news is that most people can cure their insomnia, given the right process and information. And it starts by understanding this psychological aspect. Curing your insomnia begins by changing the belief patterns, behaviors, and habits that have been sabotaging your ability to sleep. This is done with a process called cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia and is considered the gold standard in treating it. This process includes sleep education, relaxation and stress reduction techniques, and specific behavior and sleep strategies to help reset your subconscious patterns so you can remember how to sleep through the night. This treatment is so effective that in clinical trials at Harvard University, 100% of people improved their sleep, with 75% of them curing their insomnia and 90% continuing to improve or maintain their sleep at one-year check-ins. Is this treatment right for you? I invite you to book a sleep assessment with me to discover how your lack of sleep is holding you back from what you truly want to achieve and learn one strategy specific to your sleep that can help you boost your energy and get better rest. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Lana! Lana Walsh, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Lana Walsh is a Sleep Coach who helps people overcome insomnia so that they wake up feeling rested and refreshed. After a decade of dealing with undiagnosed restless leg syndrome (RLS), Lana developed chronic insomnia. For 30 years, she struggled to find the answer to her sleep, trying “literally everything” without relief. When Lana was introduced to the stress-busting process of emotional freedom techniques (EFT, AKA tapping), she started sleeping better. Determined to continue this path, she began researching sleep where she finally found the answer to fixing her insomnia. She is passionate about sharing the secrets to overcoming insomnia and helping people get the same results that have transformed her life. Lana is a co-author of the Amazon Bestseller, "Creating Impact, The Ultimate Guide for Purpose-Driven Entrepreneurs," Founder of "Upgrade Your Sleep: A Powerful Method to Overcoming Sleeplessness," registered CBT-i coach, and Conscious EFT Level 1-2 practitioner.