Written by: Dr. Adam Arnold, 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 If you’re a business owner and you’ve been in business for a while, you might be thinking there is absolutely nothing better than getting a referral. And I would agree with you. Yes, referrals are nice. But let’s face it. Even referrals can be a bit “hit and miss”. Because even though you come highly regarded, the truth is, you don’t know them, and they don’t know you (yet). And chances are, they don’t know how good your product or service is (yet). And the person that referred them into your business might be the easiest customer to work with, and the person referred might be the toughest customer you’ve ever had. So even though referrals are generally great, they can be variable. Referrals are probably the 2nd best client you want to work with. There’s one more customer type that’s even better than receiving referrals from your existing clients. The very best client you can work with is an inactive client. That is, someone who has used your product or service before, but for some reason stopped using it. You see, the reason inactive clients are better than referrals is because they already know you and your company. And you already know them. Sure, there could be exceptions. Maybe it’s an inactive client you do not want back again as a customer. Maybe your company has had a major change in the way you deliver your service or product and maybe a complete change of staff. But even with all of the exceptions, inactive clients are still better and today I want to share with you some steps you can take to get them using your product or service again! One of the great things about inactive clients is that you already know them. So you know which inactive clients you loved working with and those that well you didn’t quite enjoy working with. Your first step is to go through your inactive client database and segment them into clients you would prefer to work with. A simple way to do this is to determine what you feel makes a good client and what makes for not such a good client and rank them accordingly. Here’s an example: A Clients - you loved working with, paid on time, and referred others. B Clients - you loved working with, were easy and paid on time, but didn’t refer as often. C Clients - that were OK to work with, paid on time, but didn’t refer and required a bit more attention. D Clients - that you really didn’t enjoy working with and wouldn’t really want to work with ever again. So, you have your clients segmented. Now on to step 2—creating a system to get the clients back into your business again. The key to reactivating past clients is to keep in touch with them. If you have a business that’s already busy, then you’ll definitely want to use some automation. I suggest using a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system that incorporates the ability to have “smart” contacts. That is, it will change the automation based on how the customer interacts with emails, SMS, and other ways you are contacting them. There is nothing worse than someone receiving an email asking them to take some kind of action when they have already done so. Here are 4 keys to making sure your automation doesn’t become annoying. 1. Build value in your communication. When you’re sending out a communication to your inactive clients, don’t make every SMS, email, and call self-promotion. Make it about them and give them something they will truly value and help them. 2. Run an email and Facebook Ad focus group. Most people are probably familiar with in-person focus groups where you gather a bunch of clients or potential clients into a room and ask them questions. In our company, we run client focus groups online. We do this with Facebook ads targeting people who would be their ideal customers. We also do this with emails to their current and past clients. We generally ask them 5 simple questions related to the product or service we are marketing. 3. Update them on any changes in your business and even include some personal information from time to time to keep “connected”. Your company updates could be your upcoming events, training you and your company are undergoing, new equipment, or a fundraiser. There are hundreds of ideas you can come up with to share information with current and past clients. 4. Of course, you should also let past customers know about special offers and even a “welcome back” offer that’s just for them. The key with the offer is it needs to be relevant to them. You also want to mix up offers with the other examples above. As you can see, keeping in contact with your past clients is important and remember, keeping your clients is always the best option, it costs a lot less to keep clients than it does to get new clients. Create your reactivation system if you do not have one. If you do, try running a customer focus email and see if there is anything you can do to preserve customer loyalty or restore past clients. I would like to leave you with this quote: "Good customer service costs less than bad customer service." - Sally Gronow Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit our website for more info! Dr. Adam Arnold, Executive Contributor Brainz Magzine Adam Arnold is the head digital marketing strategist at Web Profit Maxmiser and he helps companies and businesses solve the customer acquisition, conversion and retention problems. After spending 20 years running businesses, studying human buying psychology and finding out what it takes to really make a business exponentially grow. Dr. Arnold knows how to deeply connect with your customers so you create raving fans for life. Along the way, Dr. Arnold has the good fortune of being a best selling author, speaker, mentor and had opportunities to work with some of the worlds top elite business owners, marketers and coaches. When he’s not focused on marketing strategy, you’ll probably find him in the garden cursing at the weeds.

Written by: Stephanie Pye, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise We want our business to grow, our brand to grow, and ultimately to monetize social media. That’s why we use it, isn’t it? To grow our brand, our business and make sales? If this is you, read on to have thriving socials that work with your brand, not against it. Number 1 - Using Social Media as a User /Consumer, Not a Creator This means the time you spend on social media, you’re spending with no purpose, no structure, and you’re taking in more than you are creating. You find yourself 20 minutes in, with no new leads and no one to talk to, if you do have people to talk to, they’re probably friends and have no hope of becoming clients. It’s time to flip the switch, when you’re on Social Media for your business, treat it like that, and focus on the activities that move the needle. Number 2 - Engaging with The Wrong Accounts The accounts you have been engaging with are your friends, you watch your friend’s stories, high-end celebrity stories and other accounts that will never be your clients. You like their pictures, answer the polls on their stories and send them some emojis. This is great for maintaining relationships, but is it really moving the needle in your business? If you want to grow, set aside 20-30 minutes per day to find and engage with new accounts and prospects. Comment on their content, real, genuine comments, as if you were having a conversation in real life. Number 3 - Not Sending Connection Messages When you connect with someone online, whether it is Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, it is important to acknowledge the connection and start building the relationship. This is a missed opportunity to show the algorithm and the social platform that you and this person have a connection, (then when you add content, they’ll see it on their homepage)and it is a missed opportunity to get to know the person and start building your network. Number 4 - Using Connection Messages to Sell This immediately gets the other person feeling slightly uncomfortable and used. This is not the way to build a relationship and can turn a deal sour before it even begins. Connection messages are for exactly that, connecting with the other person. Not to sell or talk about yourself. Number 5 – Content Based Around What You Can Do, Not What You Can Do for Your Customer Flip the switch, the sooner I realized that no one actually cared about me; they only cared about what I can do for them, my business grew. When my audience view any of my content on Instagram, it is all based around adding value and what I can do for them. People do not by products or services anymore, they buy on emotions, and they buy the transformation. They buy the dream of what your service can do for them and their life. Number 6 – Not Having Optimized And Well Aligned Profiles If you want others to connect with you, follow your pages and engage with your content, your profiles need to be clear, concise, and aligned throughout all the social platforms. A clear message, vision, with the same branding and colours. This helps your ideal clients see and recognize your content everywhere they go. At an absolute minimum, a clear, front on picture of you, your message, your company, and your website. Take the time to make sure all your profiles are set up to put yourself and your company in the best light. As a business, these are your resume. Number 7 – Trying to Sell in Every Post You Do on Social Media Our audience does not want to be sold to in every post, and if the only content you put out is about sales, you’re probably going to lose connections, get unfollowed, and seen as spam. This is not what we want. There is a time and a place to sell, however, not all the time. As a general rule, add value first, then have a Call to Action (CTA) at the end, but not every post! Give more than you take. As Zig Ziglar says, “ If you help enough people get what they want, you’ll eventually get what you want. ” Number 8 – Not Having Your Ideal Client in Mind When Creating Content There are 3 content pillars I like to follow and suggest to all my clients to follow when it comes to creating content and these are to Educate, Entertain and Inspire. Firstly, think about why you follow and connect with certain people, then think about how you feel after you read their content. We want to ensure our audience feels the same. 70% of all content I put out on social media consists of me educating my audience on my expertise and adding massive value. Then there is 10% Entertaining content (in line with what my avatar finds entertaining) and the same with Inspiring. That leaves 10% of content about who I am, my values and a little about my life. I have my Avatar (Sally) in mind every time I create a piece on content. When I am creating I think to myself, will this educate Sally, with this entertain her, or will this Inspire her. You want to take your audience through the know, like and trust process and build your network. Remember, not everyone is ready to buy right now, but you want to be the person they think of when they are. Follow me on Instagram and visit my website ! Stephanie Pye, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Stephanie Pye is an Internationally sought after Time Management and Instagram Coach, with a passion for helping women in business, particularly mums become more productive, more profitable and monetise Social Media. She teaches them, they too, can have it all. As a mum of young children herself, she knows the importance of adaptive planning, a strong why, a strong vision and to focus her daily activities on getting her closer to the vision. She has helped women all over the world gain clarity, balance and become more productive in their business.

Written by: Kelly Berger, 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 While these have been, and continue to be, trying times for our businesses and our personal lives, we are seeing a change now, and there is still more to come. We have and continue to face adversity and strive to push ourselves and our businesses to continue to operate. Unfortunately, many businesses will not survive this period, others will thrive, and new industries will be born. I have often spoken to my clients about cashflows, budgets, crisis plans, financial buffers and so much more. My clients and many other business owners are starting to realize how important these things are to do regularly, and that is because of this major disruptive event. They now need these reports for a variety of reasons from bank loan requirements but also to see where they are in their business financially and can they survive this or do they need assistance to do so. Crisis plans will now be put in place to deal with these events, so we have some continuity in our business. Financial buffers to be created – we now understand the reason why we need to have savings built up in the bank instead of living sale to sale within our business. Or living paycheck to paycheck from our employment. Flexible working from home options will now be made readily available when they were not available before. Because now we have the infrastructure in place to operate like this. This could mean less of a need for physical premises for our staff. People will begin to shop for local manufacturers as we have been somewhat cut off from the rest of the world. Some businesses will now have to rely on local suppliers to keep their products in supply. New manufacturing begins as people are now in demand for local products they cannot get from overseas. They are finding they either have to create it themselves or find someone who can – this creates new business opportunities. Budgeting will be taken seriously by both business and personal as we have now managed to live without going out for food (mostly takeaway) or entertainment so we can see how much money we have saved. The other side is jobs have been lost, and we are now counting every penny making us aware we now need to budget and only buy what we need and not necessarily what we want. IT-systems will be improved – as we have seen many IT-systems have not been able to cope with the change in circumstances such as working from home and having appropriate secure access to all information required to work effectively. Internet connectivity will become a top priority – governments are now spending money to increase NBN capability so that we have a stable internet platform to work securely and continuously from. Our need for human interaction, especially with friends and family, will increase due to the isolation that we have had to endure to stop the spread of the virus. We will hopefully find more compassion, forgiveness and love out of all of this. We will find a great appreciation of our emergency services and essential workers who have put themselves at risk for the greater community. We now have a sense of community helping our neighbors, going for a walk acknowledging your neighbors. We will celebrate our freedom. With so many rules and regulations thrust upon us in such a short time we can only hope when they are lifted that we celebrate our freedoms. Of course be it a slow progression back to a regular society but enjoy the fact we can leave our homes when we like to go see those that matter to us, to go and enjoy the outdoors and what nature has given us, to support our local businesses to get back on their feet, to work within our community more to help those most affected. Our environment also says thank you! Using our cars less has had a significant impact on our pollution levels. The lack of factories working has also given our environment a break from toxins usually put out in the air. Our roads will last a little longer due to the lack of heavy traffic on them and so many other wonderful things. We are stronger than we believe and can survive more then we thought. Now is the time to get our marketing done, to get business flowing again and to get back on top in our business. Visit my website for more info! Kelly Berger, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Kelly is the Principal Director of Business Simplicity which began in 2011.  Kelly is a Management Accountant and Registered BAS Agent, with over 10 years bookkeeping and business management experience.  She also trains others in the use of MYOB Accountright, Essentials, Xero and Quickbooks Online. She loves working with new clients to repair accounting software files and also working with our clients on all things business management from cashflow, budgeting to software implementation to  improving efficiencies. Kelly just does not stop! She loves a coffee and is passionate about helping people, in any way she can.  She runs 4 businesses of her own, 2 of which with her husband Glen, a trucking business with two tandem tippers and also a car restoration business from her factory office in Epping.  Her other business is called Bookkeepers Support Group, she helps other Bookkeepers across Australia, NZ and USA, running training sessions and group retreats.  Her vision knows no bounds.  She has 2 children that she is very proud of.  She enjoys a good car trip out of town and anything health, wellness related. MYOB Bookkeeping Partner.  Cert 3 and 4 and Diploma in Bookkeeping.  Graduate Certificate 3 and Diploma in Business Administration.

Written by: Nicola Blackstock, 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 a world that staple in my daily routine, but especially before meetings, interviews and speaking engagements, it will help calm the mind and slow the breathing. You will come across much more relaxed and approachable. Now for those of you who are meditation nay-sayers listening to some spa music, taking some deep breaths, and clearing your mind also counts! Try it and thank me later! As superficial as it may sound, you’re image is everything in the world of entrepreneurship. No matter what you are trying to sell, your consumer will look up to you as an expert, and your appearance will help you to stand out against competitors and represent your brand in the best light. Taking the time to look after your skin and present yourself as a business expert in your niche will be rewarded in so many ways and help you stand out against the masses. It has so many benefits to your business and wellbeing as if you look good, you will feel greater and be in the finest state of mind to excel in your interviews or meetings. Not to mention looking younger for longer and preventing any blemishes or redness, plus, plus, treble plus! Preparation is key ; think about what market you are in and what you would like to attract from your meetings, podcasts, interviews. Write down your goals, this could be anything from bagging that big business investment to the promotion you have always dreamed of. Writing it down will keep you focused and help you to believe that taking action towards your goal will help you to manifest it. Using notes throughout the virtual event will also help you to get in your key points and figures, but remember to glance at these and don’t let them derail you from keeping eye contact. Research any companies or individuals you are speaking to. This is especially so if this is a new venture: folks really love hearing about how great their businesses are doing and that you are up to date on the latest news and events . Set a reminder on your phone the day before and a few hours before your meeting to remind you to prepare for it. Start to think about outfit choices and hair and makeup; if you look thrown together, the business prospects/colleagues will pick up on that and lose confidence in you and your business. If you’re a male, don’t worry so much about the makeup part but also be aware that a little concealer goes a long way especially on virtual events, oh and might I add everyone is using it! Lighting is a biggie here, especially for our virtual events. I would strongly recommend finding the best lighting in your home by taking your phone on selfie mode and walk around until you find the best light. This will almost certainly be in front of a window and never face your back to a window as you will come across dark, have shadows in the filming and could even show up fine lines, pores and can appear to make under eyes look darker (and who needs this, right?). Also, check that the laptop/phone is positioned slightly above your eye-level and remember to look straight into the camera and not at your own picture. Duh ! Meditation is a staple in my daily routine, but especially before meetings, interviews and speaking-engagements, it will help calm the mind and slow the breathing. You will come across much more relaxed and approachable. Now for those of you who are meditation nay-sayers listening to some spa music, taking some deep breaths, and clearing your mind also counts! Try it and thank me later! Quick Hair and Makeup tips to Show up and Stand Out! Ready Steady Go in 15 minutes or less! I am fully aware the longer our stylists are on lockdown, the more disheveled we become, so here is a quick guide to looking and feeling polished. No time to wash your hair? No problem: simply spray some dry shampoo onto your roots or alternatively dust it. If you are really running low, a little bit of talc can help soak up root-oils, but be careful not to use too much as you don’t want to look like lockdown has given you grey hairs. Backcomb the roots and use a clean/new rolled up sock to create a hair doughnut if you don’t have one. Roll the hair around it and pin with Kirby’s. Finish with hair spray and shine spray. This will give you a professional-looking volumized bun in less than 5 minutes. For the males out there, that haven’t shaved all their hair off - spritz some water in your hair and use your favorite styling product to add some texture. Keep your skin moisturized, brush through your groomed brows and add a few dots of concealer if you need some undereye coverage. So, we can skip the hair-wash part and have gained so much extra time to prepare for our meeting, but taking time to cleanse, tone, and moisturize your face will be beneficial today but in the years to come. I strongly recommend a good facial routine for your skin type. Now your face is prepped for makeup. The first step is to prime. We at Nik Makeup Artist always say ‘it’s a crime not to prime’, and the reason for this is that it puts a barrier between your face and makeup, giving the foundation a base to adhere evenly too. It will help the longevity of your makeup and give you less chance of your foundation oxidizing, so no embarrassing colour changes in front of your peers. Now, if your not a huge makeup wearer, you can skip the next few steps as If in the office you don’t wear makeup at all showing up on a video conference with full-on makeup might be out of everyone’s comfort zone. The primer alone with help to shrink pores, reduce fine lines and even complexion . Groom, pencil or fill in your eyebrows with your go-to product start at the arch on the outside and gradually fill in the rest working back to front. Brush out when finished for a really natural defined look . Either use eyeshadow, concealer or eye primer (eye primer will work the same way as the face primer does) whatever you are most comfortable with. Finish with a light line as close to your eye socket and blend out with a thin brush for a lightly defined, not overdramatic eye look. Always finish with mascara even if you’re the non-makeup type. You could try clear or brown mascara to help enhance your eyes. Time to go to grab your favorite foundation for your skin type and use a brush to apply in a downwards motion starting at the center of the face and buffing out. Powder all over to help reduce shine and use a three motion with bronzer or contour shade to define your cheekbones, then add your favorite blush or dot some lippy on your cheeks and blend in for a dewy look. Highlight above your cheekbones with powder or liquid highlighter and dot some into the tear duct of your eye to open the eyes even more. No one will ever know you had a late night now! Line the lips with a lip pencil the same shade or shade darker than your chosen lipstick colour (try to make sure its similar to your blush choice), then pop on your lippy and finish with a spritz of setting spray. Now you’re ready to Show up and Stand Out without taking a full day to pull yourself together! For product recommendations and an in-depth step by step guide to a natural makeup look check out my blog Follow me on Facebook , Instagram and visit my website for more information! Nicola Blackstock, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Nicola Blackstock, CEO of Nik Makeup Artist, is an Author, lecturer, multi-award-winning makeup-artist, beauty expert, stylist and creative director. Her work has been featured in numerous magazine publications worldwide and she has a passion for teaching and passing on her skills to others. In 2020 she is launching her new Pro brush line, book, and accredited makeup courses to help women and men worldwide understand how to use the correct tools for makeup applications. Whether you're a complete novice or a makeup maestro, Nik Makeup Artist has a course and mentorship membership program suited to anyone looking to succeed and excel in the beauty industry. Nik Makeup Artist has created an offer for our readers and can offer an online coaching consultation worth £55. Simply email to redeem.

Maria-Paz is a digital marketing strategist. She has a heart that beats a little extra for moms trying to become entrepreneurs, or as Maria-Paz calls them - mompreneurs. Read the full interview with the passionated founder of The Digital Madl! Hi Maria-Paz! Could you introduce yourself a little bit to our readers? - I am originally from Santiago de Chile but living since 2014 in Munich, Germany, after living in Paris and Berlin. Following 12 years of corporate experience, in early 2020, I founded an online marketing agency called "The Digital Madl", where I help mompreneurs with branding and digital marketing strategies to have a rock-solid online presence and skyrocket their sales. You can find me having some walks or bike rides along the Isar, enjoying long walks with my Bavarian husband and my 1 1/2-year-old son in the Bavarian alps, or enjoying some lunch or happy hours in Munich's city center with friends. You've said that the idea of starting your own business came during your maternity leave. Did you finally have the time to reflect on what you wanted to do in life? - Yes, the idea of starting my own business came during my maternity leave, but it was kind of an unplanned decision. I had a stable job, but during maternity leave, the company went bankrupt, so I had to work on a plan B. I started looking for jobs, but nothing was filling my expectations. Then, it finally came to me that I needed to stop looking for a job and start creating my own business. A business where I could do the things I loved, have 100% time flexibility, and be able to pick up my son from daycare without feeling guilty that I wasn't present at the office. This was actually a dream of mine since I was very young, as I wanted to spend more time with my children when becoming a mom. You have worked in many different countries. For example, Chile, France, and Germany. Have you picked up different knowledge from each country? - Oh, definitely! From Chile, I highlight fellowship and solidarity. Whenever someone is in a hard situation, everyone automatically is there to help. As a country, we've been through many painful experiences —earthquakes, tsunamis, economic and political issues, poverty, among others— and it never ceases to amaze me how people are always there to give a hand. - From France, I admired the art of looking your best at every time and every occasion. Even in the simple act of going out to buy a baguette, Parisians look amazing, wear cool attires, women are always wearing high heels and lipstick, and everyone seems so refined. I loved it! - From Germany, I've learned how good bureaucracy can be. After a rather bad experience with the topic in France, I feel that Germany has mastered the art of paperwork and efficiency. Every application for any document, working visa, wedding application, etc. has been done with the most refined procedure and accuracy, with excellent service and results. You say "I help ambitious Mompreneurs" - What is a Mompreneur, and is the reason you focus on moms that you can relate to your own life? - A mompreneur is a mother who's also an entrepreneur. A mompreneur is a woman who has children and, at the same time, is working on creating and developing her independent business. She's juggling being a mom, maybe also trying to be a good partner, trying to financially support her family, picking up her kids from daycare or school, homeschooling them, and trying to succeed with her business by working much more than a 9-5… It's such a challenging task, and since I've been there myself, I know the struggles they face. - I want to support these ladies by giving them all the tools they need to avoid the stress, the loss of precious energy and time figuring it out all by themselves, as I did at the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey. I don't want them to go through that. In my early days as a mompreneur, I wished so bad to have someone by my side with the expertise on founding an online business. Someone who could advise me on which tools to use, which strategy to take, and how to organize everything so I could be more productive, and that's exactly what I want to be for them. Why should anyone hire/work with you? - Entrepreneurship is hard, and adding the fact of being a mom, it can be overwhelming. People should work with me because I fully understand the needs of entrepreneurs and have all the tools to help to build up their businesses online. I've got a lot of expertise after working for many years in e-commerce and online marketing. I've also studied a lot to be in the position I am today and invested thousands of Euros in Coaches, so I have all the knowledge to help mompreneurs build their dreamed digital business. If they need branding or a website for their business, to develop a social media strategy or grow using email marketing, or even analyze their customer base and target them in the best way possible, I'll be there for them. What's your big goal with your business? Where is The Digital Madl in 10 years from now?   - My big goal with my business is to work smarter, not harder. In 10 years, I see myself with a consolidated company, and why not, with other ones as well. I see myself working less as I automate more, providing online courses, having employees, impacting more and more in the entrepreneurial world, and having many success stories.  What kind of content can our readers expect from you? - Brainz readers can expect reading about mompreneurship, learn about branding, web design, e-commerce, social media, email marketing, and customer analysis. These are things that I do for my clients daily, and often there have been questions about topics they want to understand more about or beliefs they had about something, and I've been able to clarify. Now, I want to bring these topics and share them in my articles so more people can understand a bit more about digital marketing and the impact it can make in their businesses and daily life. Are you interested in working with Maria-Paz and see what she can do for your business? Take a look at her services on her  website . Follow me on Facebook ,  Instagram ,  LinkedIn  or visit my website . Read more from Maria-Paz: Why Having a Social Media Marketing Strategy is so Important? Maria-Paz Hornisch, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Maria-Paz Hornisch is the Digital Marketing Strategist behind The Digital Madl, dedicated to helping ambitious mompreneurs with branding and digital marketing strategies to create a rock-solid presence online and skyrocket sales. Maria-Paz is a bachelor in Business Administration and holds an MBA in Luxury Business from ISC Paris École de Commerce. For twelve years, she developed her career in Chile, France, and Germany, working for a Spanish multinational commercial bank and two German luxury and fashion e-commerce companies. Originally from Santiago de Chile, she now lives in Munich, Germany.

Written by: Bandana Jain, 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. While it might be tempting to try to shelter your child from any discussion about coronavirus or COVID-19, you could be doing them a disservice. On the contrary, parents should sit down with their children and explain the global pandemic in a way they will understand. Parents cannot simply ignore the situation as children and adolescents are aware that the world around them is changing. In addition to the fact that their daycare, nursery or schools have closed, they have heard their peers or adults discussing it, or have been exposed to it on social media and television. It is vital to talk to your child to ensure they have understood the message about protective hygiene protocols and to ease their anxiety and correct misinformation. Children are extremely perceptive, and if adults are not talking about something, it can make them worry more. They could also be distressed by hearing messages they do not fully understand or that are taken out of context, particularly if it comes from sources such as social media rather than experts. The conversation does not have to be an in-depth discussion, it should rather be focused on finding out what they already know, and providing reassurance. Ensure that even while practicing social distancing, you still do fun things and don’t focus on the virus. Even though your child is at home, keep days structured, with regular mealtimes and bedtimes. It is also an ideal time to focus on indoor activities such as crafts, board games, or video-chatting to their grandparents. Here’s some friendly advice on How to Give Comforting, Yet Clear Messages to our Younger Generation: 1. Take cues from your child; find out how they are feeling and encourage them to talk to you if they have any questions or hear something that worries them. You can do this by asking open-ended questions to find out what they already know and dispel any fears they might have. Above all, watch their reactions and body language and be sensitive to their level of anxiety. 2. Answer your child’s questions honestly and in a simple way. Remember, it’s all right if you can’t answer everything; the main idea is to let your child know they can ask you anything. If you don’t know the answer, don’t guess, just explain that this is a new virus and that not everything about it is known, but as soon as it is, you will let them know. 3. While you don’t want to create alarm, also don’t minimize or dismiss their concerns. Acknowledge their feelings, and let them know that it is natural to feel nervous, but that there is no need for panic. 4. Your child will pick up on how you are feeling, so remain calm. Reassure them that doctors, scientists and governments all over the world are working together to make everything better, and to keep everyone safe. 5. It can help children to make them realize they are not powerless, and that they can play their part by practicing good hygiene habits such as handwashing, not touching their faces, and sneezing or coughing into their armpits. Explain that by following these rules, they are helping to keep other people safe as well by not spreading disease. 6. Help to put things into context by reassuring your children that they themselves are not likely to get sick from the disease, but that they should still be careful to make sure they don’t spread it as it can make adults sick. Make sure that they know schools and leisure activities are being curtailed not out of immediate danger, but rather as a special precaution to protect people and make sure people stay healthy. 7. The virus is such a media focus at the moment, and more worryingly, alarming and incorrect messages can be spread easily through social media. Explain to your child that some information isn’t true and that it is best to rely only on experts. 8. Adapt your message for their age group, and emphasize how germs can make us sick, but not in an overly alarming way that could encourage an obsessive fear of germs. If your child is very young, you can simply explain that germs can make people sick, and that washing your hands can help you stay healthy. Supplement this with fun activities such as singing a song together for 20 seconds (for example, two rounds of ‘Happy Birthday’) while handwashing to demonstrate how long this activity should take. 9. It is important that while you should speak to your children about the virus, you should also limit the time spent talking and thinking about it, and try to keep life as normal as possible. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram and visit my website ! Read more from Bandana Jain Singing for well-being! 3 Things Fast-Growing Businesses do Right 6 Must-Try Sports for Adventure Seekers at Canton DeVaud Lake Geneva Region, Switzerland Bandana Jain, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Bandana Jain is a Dubai based lifestyle and travel journalist for the past two decades. She’s also a passionate lifestyle blogger, photographer and loves pursuing modelling as a hobby. One of the aspects of her journalistic life that she thoroughly enjoys is rubbing shoulders with Bollywood celebrities. Having said this, her community journalist status ensures that she loves interacting with people from different strata of the society. She loves the limelight on stage sometimes as an anchor, whilst on other occasions as a public speaker. When she is not pursuing any of the above, you can find her shopping in Dubai’s famous malls or chilling by the beach with her favorite cup of tea. Travel is her passion, creativity her morale booster and enriching conversations are enough to give her the necessary thrust in life.

Written by: Stephanie Parris, 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. Many of you are entrepreneurs. You have your own business and you work, day in and day out, to make your business a success. We start with an idea because we either saw a need or had a passion for something. How many of you thought through all the moving parts it takes to run a successful business before you got started? What about the staff and specialty consultants? What about the budgets and forecasts? Most of us have been right where you are or were. This is the part of every story that is not new. It is the common theme. We underestimate how much time we would spend on administrative tasks and bookkeeping. We may have underestimated the time it would take to do the marketing and promotional side of business. What about the networking? Did any of you think about how many hours would be involved in building connections with your ideal client? Many of us , just balance it all and try to “keep the plates spinning” all at once. When we are not focusing on our business, we can lose sight of our intent and our goals. We may feel overwhelmed or worse yet, we may put some of the key components of a successful business to the side and deal with it when we must, rather than creating a routine with it. Without a strong foundation, just like a building, businesses will collapse. How many of you dread the pieces of business, like marketing or bookkeeping? When I started Guardian Accounting Services, LLC, I dreaded sales and marketing. I would make myself sick over the thought of networking to generate leads. I would spend substantial amounts of money to attend networking events only to tuck myself into the corner. I knew I needed these opportunities to grow my business, but I hated them because I did not have any training in that area, and I did not know how to do it successfully. I relied on my reputation, small events, and referrals to gain business. My business growth was flat. I knew I provided a great service package but just didn’t grow and I didn’t know how to promote it. From this challenge, I created one of my favorite offerings at my firm. I knew enough to know that I needed help in sales and marketing but didn’t know what that looked like. I found someone who inspired me daily with her online presence and she taught me what I needed to know to go into events and own them. I now network, market, and promote my business and offerings with ease. In three months, I increased my monthly revenue by more than forty-five percent. I had the proper training to do these things without the anxiety and dread I had before. They are now part of my routine. I share this because, this lesson and growth were what prompted me to create my training course. Accounting for Real Life is a course I created to teach people how to do their bookkeeping with ease. I kept seeing a common theme that people had a great dislike for doing their bookkeeping. The more I researched and interviewed people, the more I found that their accounting was working against them. I have created content in manageable chunks without “accountant speak”. I teach how to utilize the software that you already pay for. I teach how to manage the processes and set up the system to work for your business. When you use your software in the manner that accountants and bookkeepers use it, you will find it less intimidating and be more likely to use it. Why would you invest money into something you won’t use or that you hate using? Would you keep a car that you hated to drive or didn’t know how to drive? Probably not. Your accounting should not be any different. With the COVID-19 pandemic, many business owners have scaled back outsourcing their bookkeeping. They have taken it in the house, whether they are doing it themselves as the business owner or adding it to another staff member’s workload. With the proper training, businesses can have transparent and accurate financials to allow them to leverage opportunities. In times like these, it is now more important than ever to position yourself to take advantage of opportunities for your business. For organizations that want more than the initial course, I also created a completely customized and recorded training for their accounting system. This has proven to be beneficial, and the most popular, for the business owner who wants a deeper dive in training for their specific company. These systems have been created to help business owners, just like you, overcome the challenges of not knowing. It enables and empowers entrepreneurs to work on their business rather than in it. When we work on our businesses, we can plan and grow. We achieve and exceed the goals we set just by using the resources we already have available. To learn more about Accounting for Real Life, and to take the dread out of your bookkeeping visit Guardian Accounting Services. We are all in this together. The world was built on small business because someone had an idea and a dream. Feel free to follow me on Facebook , LinkedIn or Instagram , and visit my website ! Read more from Stephanie Parris: Keep Your Business Alive Amid COVID-2019 Is it Time to Rethink Your Business Due to COVID-19? Stephanie Parris,Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Stephanie Parris has a Masters’ Degree, in Accounting and Financial Management. She writes about accounting and business for today’s world. She has extensive knowledge of the non-profit, construction, real estate and service industries which she serves. Stephanie has become a leading expert in QuickBooks as well as outsourced accounting services. Stephanie lives in Missouri and volunteers and cooks for her local rescue mission, serves with Made to Serve as well as Race for Rett, mentors local female high school students, has a passion for wine and cooking, and loves spending time with her family and close friends.

Written by: Jessie Wallaker, 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. For anyone feeling alone, pressured and like they're spiraling. I noticed a lot of people online are struggling with the right thing to do. In your mind is where things spiral, where the what-ifs, the fears and the inadequacies flourish. So in order to stop this cycle, you need to get away from them. No Pressure Or Expectations You are going to see many ways to go about this the right way. But if none of them feel good and doable for you, then don’t feel the pressure to go about things that way. There’s always more than one way to do things. To do life, to do health, to do relationships, to do love and to share what you feel. Of course some hard conversations are going to happen, of course things might get a little uncomfortable, but you still need to be in a good place to have those conversations. And in this article, that’s my hope to convey to you. Get Offline First thing’s first, get offline. You are in information overload. And if every time you log on, you are flooded with guilt, weight, frustration and feeling worse than when you went on - GET OFF. And this goes for any time that things are happening in the world. You aren’t ill-informed. You aren’t turning a blind eye. You are just taking care of your own soul, your own energy, so that when the time comes to show your support and voice your mind, you are doing so from a solid and secure place. Not one that is wavering and trying to prove you aren’t like “them”. Change happens from a solid and healthy heart. And you can’t do that if all that’s happening is you being bogged down with negativity and seeing how you are in the wrong. My guess is you already have some struggles with your own self-worth. I was the same way. And any time someone played down my own struggles and hardships, I would make my life worse to “prove” that I knew what pain was. We want to avoid that. Move My coach Genevieve Rackham and Dani Driusso both put into words what I always did but never realized. “You need to get out of your head and into your body”. In your mind is where things spiral, where the what ifs, the fears and the inadequacies flourish. So in order to stop this cycle, you need to get away from them. This can be with exercise that isn’t pressured, forced or used to punish yourself. Yes, this can be a negative thing used to “prove” you feel pain too. So I always encourage movement in different ways than you may exercise regularity, if forced punishment can be attached to your fitness. This can look like getting out in nature, walks have really helped me to work through my fears and inadequacies. Music is always important to me as well when doing this, but make sure you stay offline and put your phone on “do not disturb”. You need to be alone for this. Another way to get out of your head is by journaling and writing down what’s spiraling in your head. Because once it can’t move, once it’s set on paper, it no longer has as much power and say over you. You’re able to just look at it, really digest and work through what the problem is, and then come to terms with it is that is sending you into a spiral. But moving your body and/or writing down what’s going on will help immensely. Eat The next step is to eat. And this may seem odd, but I’m looking at you overly healthy and precise people. I know you use food as punishment, too, and have a negative attachment to it. You can use it to punish yourself, to make you feel pain, whether that’s over eating or skipping meals completely. Hunger pains and feelings of a gorged stomach will not help you. So just eat. Eat normally, eat what sounds good, and stop once you’ve had your fill. This also reconnects you to your body and how it’s feeling. It forces you to listen to what it really needs, craves and wants as far as nutrition goes. A lot of times, our bodies use hunger and cravings to cry out for something else it needs. But it knows that we are so hyper-focused on food, that it will get your attention that way. So by eating a good meal and fueling yourself up in a positive way, this will help bring to light what’s really going on under the surface. Center Yourself Now that you’ve logged off, moved your body, written down what you’re thinking and feeling, and has had something to eat to feel satiated, it’s time to dive a little deeper. If you’re feeling some sort of negative way, then there’s some self-worth issues that need to be addressed. Because you ARE a good person. You are just letting other people’s views and opinions get in the way of who you truly are. Because if you truly are here to live the life you want, create the difference you feel called to in your own way, everyone else’s opinions are just white noise; something you can take or leave. But you ultimately have the final say for what you want your life to look like. Here is where you set solid standards for what you do and don’t stand for in life. What narrative and voice are you going to spread, and are you truly ready to share that. Because sharing how you really feel should not be that hard. It really isn’t. But you’re too afraid of the unknown, the what-ifs, the scenarios that may or may not play out. You are smart. You are flexible. You are adaptive. And you do care about others feelings. You won’t always be perfect, but you are only human. You address it, understand yourself more, and move forward with more understanding. But knowing who you are at a core, allows you to feel a strength and peace you only dream of. But you have to let go of the weight you’ve been carrying around first. Listen Let’s be honest; that’s why everything is coming to a head right now. It is because people aren’t willing to listen and actually hear what people are saying and feeling. I noticed this today when I was writing this article and decided to share a quick perspective on this online. But if you’re feeling pressured and pushed into listening to what people of color have to say about things, I want to remind you of something. You do like listening and hearing what people have to say. You love learning and hearing from the source, from a real teacher that has lived and experienced what it is you’re looking into. Not just someone that has read a lot about it. That’s literally all that you’re doing. Right now, it’s just focused on people of color and their perspective and point of view. It’s nothing more complicated than that. And even with that, you choose and decide who you want to hear from, who you resonate with, what it is you really need to hear, and you find someone who is speaking that topic, that subject in a way you understand and feel good about. That’s all this is. Focusing on those who need and want to speak, and listening. Because you DO love listening to people. Grow From here, you open your heart and mind to the change that needs to happen in order for you to move forward in the way you feel best about. Life is ALL about growing and learning. I heard this from my dad, and who knows where he heard it from, but the moment you stop learning, you die. You are learning and growing as a soul every single day in big and small ways. And there’s nothing wrong with that, where you started, or how far you still have yet to go. Because we’re all in the same boat, we all have changes to make, even those we look up to for guidance and motivation. No one is perfect. So it’s time to take yourself off of that pedestal that you already tear yourself down from every single day, and accept your perfectly imperfect soul. Whatever higher power you believe in, remember that they brought you to this earth for a reason. Knowing the good and bad, struggles and triumphs that you would have, and still seeing good and worth in you. So if something bigger than all of us saw you as valuable in all your humanness, it’s time for you to see it too. Take Action And HERE is where you can take action. In the way you feel best about. Whether that’s out in the streets, around the kitchen table, with your dollars and/or your vote. Here, from this solid, healthy and knowing stance is where you take action. I don’t want you to stress and force this step just because people say that if you are silent you are adding to the hurt. YOU ARE NOT! "That’s all this is. Helping our fellow man." You are helping it more. Because this isn’t something that stops once it’s no longer the number one problem in the world. This is a change that will take time. That needs support over time. And if taking a few days, weeks, months or even years to unpack this is what it takes, then do it. Because yes. You have been hurt. You have been looked down. You do know what struggle and pain is like. But it’s also time to help those that are in the same boat, are feeling the same way, and are just crying out for help now. That’s all this is. Helping our fellow man. Proving that love and acceptance conquers all. And that we as a collective can do more than any one person can. Remember, you are a good person. Your silence, voice, struggles and fears don’t change that. But it’s time to address it so you stop making this pain about you, and start using it to fuel your support and help for others. You have bigger things to do in this world than your constant spiraling and lack of worth will allow. Do it messy. Do it in the growing pains. And do it for yourself and others. Because we all want a world that is better than it is now. And that starts with you. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and visit my podcast and website! Jessie Wallaker, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jessie Wallaker is an Athletic Mindset Coach helping groundbreaking leaders make big leaps toward their goals, by healing their emotional attachments to food and fitness, to start and continue to make massive change truly. Because feeling safe and confident in your knowledge and choices is what will propel you forward. Creating solid standards and a healthy foundation is what will keep you going. This is what I help my clients achieve. Because they have more important things to create than their limitations, and extreme views of health are allowing them to.

Written by: Kamil Shah, 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. Challenging situations can be notoriously difficult for anyone going through it, especially for the first time. The current COVID-19 pandemic is definitely one of the ‘firsts’ seen in recent history, affecting almost all facets of the lives of the global population. As more and more people are affected, the after-effects are yet to be seen. As such, the current situation at the time of writing can be seen as a big ‘blur’. We are in the thick of it, yet unable to be certain of what lies ahead. This period of confusion can have many implications, more so on one’s mental health. It can easily lead to the feeling of being overwhelmed by it all. The inability to control the situation can make one anxious, which in turn can lead to frustration, anger and inevitably feeling victimized by the situation. The question then is: ‘How can one navigate through the current situation and thrive?’ . One of the key answers is to develop Mental Resilience. So, what is Mental Resilience, and why is it important? In order to answer these questions, we’ll need to understand what ‘Resilience’ means in the first instance. It is defined as the ‘ the ability of people or things to recover quickly after something unpleasant, such as shock, injury, etc.’ (Oxford Dictionary). In the wider context of cultures and civilizations, Resilience refers to the ability of that culture or civilization to survive, adapt & grow when faced with adversity or crisis. Essentially it means the ability to ‘bounce back’ quickly from challenging situations and to thrive. Thus, having ‘Mental Resilience’ refers to the capacity to mentally cope with crisis & quickly recover oneself to the ‘pre-crisis’ status. It is also the ability to protect oneself from the negative effects of stressors. Examples of situations where Mental Resilience is useful include dealing with personal crises such as financial challenges, job loss, or even personal loss or grievances. The benefits of having Mental Resilience include the ability to: Shift one’s perspective from focusing on the negatives of the situation to a more positive outlook Develop and strengthen one’s self-esteem Promote personal development and growth Provide strategies in dealing with similar challenging situations Help manage risks and open the opportunity to try new things Provide a pathway to a happier life As we know , life will throw us ‘curveballs’ from time to time. The question is, are we prepared and ready to hit them? The good news is that the ability to develop Mental Resilience can be learned, nurtured and strengthened by everyone. However, it requires an awareness, understanding and application of certain components in order to become mentally strong and unstoppable! Read on to find out the 5 ways to develop Mental Resilience. Step 1: Give Gratitude As the saying goes, ‘Gratitude is the Best Attitude’ . Being grateful sits at the very foundation of Mental Resilience and can be seen as a ‘cure-all’ for emotional and even physical well being. Saying ‘Thank you’ to whatever life has thrown at you elevates your mindset and sets you on a path of recovery. As mentioned previously, if left unchecked, challenging situations can easily lead a person towards being a victim of a situation. Shifting our thinking from the negative to the positive allows the beginnings of the development of Mental Resilience. Having Gratitude as a base or ‘Ground Zero’ allows us to be open to new possibilities that can help with being ‘stuck’ in a situation. Practicing gratitude also helps improve our self-esteem and build confidence; again, a trait which begins the journey out of being a ‘victim’ towards a ‘victor’. Feeling good about oneself and the prospect of a brighter future also has ripple effects on our physical well-being , which then ultimately strengthens our mental well-being . ‘Gratitude was a major contributor to resilience following the terrorist attacks on September 11’ - Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (2003) Practices such as meditation, practicing mindfulness, daily journaling, simple acts of kindness as well as expressing yourself all contribute towards developing self-care and sets us up for the following components to developing Mental Resilience. 'Gratitude meditation can reliably increase feelings of gratitude’ - Online Training in Specific Meditation Practices Improves Gratitude, Well-Being, Self-Compassion, and Confidence in Providing Compassionate Care Among Health Professionals (2016) Step 2: Develop Your Belief Complementing Gratitude as a foundation for Mental Resilience is Belief. Finding out the ‘WHY’ is important. Asking the tough questions like ‘Why do I need to get back on my feet?’ , ‘Who am I doing it for?’ or ‘Why is it important?’ gives you your own set of fundamental answers which later will provide you the drive to move forward with. At the same time, looking at thoughts that may be holding you back can help you uncover your ‘Dis-Beliefs’. Understanding what they are in turn will help you begin to build your self-confidence, by assessing what you’re good at, what you think you might not be good at, and ways you think you can improve on different aspects of your life. This then can help reinforce your own self-belief . As the saying goes, ‘ It’s hard for others to believe in you if you don’t believe in yourself’ . Having self-belief gives you back the ownership and control over how you react to situations. Believing that everything will be better, that you know you can make it through the ‘sticky patch’ and that you have it in you to make it work begins the process of strengthening your mind. Spiritual belief can also help reinforce self-belief through practices such as prayers, meditations, affirmations, ceremonies or even rituals. This provides an outward connection from the internal to the external. Together all the above contribute to consolidating a positive outlook on things. As mentioned, changing our mindset by seeing challenges as opportunities for learning, sharing experiences and removing negative elements in our lives can help us focus our positive thinking process further. ‘Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t, you’re right.’ - Henry Ford Step 3: Start To Strategize Observe the situation objectively and begin to re-orientate our perspective towards solutions rather than dwelling on the problems. Finding solutions or ‘ways forward’ requires us to strategize. Fundamental to developing strategies is to be resourceful . That is to use any available resources we have to hand, rather than focus on the lack of resources. Starting off with leveraging the skills that you already have to hand helps you build momentum. At the same time, it may require us to be humble enough to accept that we may need to ‘re-tool’ . For example, it may require us to learn new skills that are more adaptable to the current economic climate. At the same time, seeking help when needed is not a sign of weakness but one of strength. So, recognize that family, friends and even professionals can provide some assistance. Another major component of strategizing your way is to plan ahead . Start working up your next move to get back on track and on your feet again. Setting goals has many benefits in acting as a guidance mechanism for our lives and can be a major contributor to its success. Another simple yet effective way of strategizing is to observe how other people have done it. Yes! Learn from others . Someone else has likely gone through a similar situation. Observing how they’ve managed to overcome the challenges could give clues to overcoming your own ones. Finally, it will likely be some of the strategies you adopt may not work. Nothing wrong there. It’s part of the process. You haven’t failed, you’ve only figured out another way in which it didn’t work. That’s part of the process. The key thing is to keep trying until you find one that works for you. ‘Research has established a strong connection between goal-setting and success’ - Matthews, 2015 Step 4: Nurture Your Attitude Developing the right attitude will significantly increase your Mental Resilience. It’s time to develop new habits , and by this I mean positive ones. Removing unproductive and even negative ones will help you sustain only habits which are aligned and beneficial in reaching your goals. At the same time, energizing yourself will provide the strength to get through the challenges. This can be split between physical energy (exercise and healthy eating) and mental energy (learning, surrounding yourself with positivity and avoiding negative situations and people). We also need to understand the value of resting in order to recharge the body and mind. Maintaining our focus is sometimes challenging as we can get distracted with many things. Having a laser-sharp focus on the important and significant things allows us to identify and eliminate those which may hamper our progress. Another key element is to develop a ‘never-say-die’ attitude in becoming tenacious . Use setbacks you encounter as your incentive to move further forward and understand that you will get through the challenges. At the same time, enhance and nurture your curiosity . Developing a thirst for curiosity by being open to ideas, new ways of working and connecting with like-minded people gives you the opportunity to collaborate and share experiences. Finally, one element which can propel you forward is to guard your self-talk. What we say to yourself matters more than what others say. Remind yourself daily of your innate ability to achieve your goals and that you can achieve them by ‘sticking to the plan’. When setbacks occur, say ‘This is a minor setback and I will get myself back on track.’ Also strengthen your thoughts by simple, yet profound thoughts like ‘I can do it’. At the same time, also look at the flip side of not taking positive action. The possibility of being in the same situation a week, month or year from now should be a good enough reason to take action to change your Life! ‘I haven’t failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work’ - Thomas Edison Step 5: Action You’ve come this far in being aware of your situation, developed a strong belief, strategizing your path and developed a great attitude to strengthen your resolve. All that’s left is to take action ! ‘Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.’ - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Taking immediate action gives you the power to start the ball rolling towards your goals. The time of thinking and strategizing is done and it’s the time to start executing and ‘walk the walk’. It may be daunting as you might still be questioning yourself if it’s the right thing to do. Everyone is different. Tackle small items first to get quick wins that can build momentum, or do the more challenging ones if you’re more confident. Whatever it is, start now! Once you’re up and running, take the time to check your progress at intervals. Getting feedback is an excellent way to track your growth. What went well and what can be improved? Are the strategies making progress? Make a note and assess. Also, don't forget to celebrate your wins, however small they may be! The final stage is to re-calibrate your approach if fine-tuning is required. Revisit your strategies and start to finetune them if needed. Remember, a 1-degree shift in a ship's course may not show much improvement in the short term, but it will get you to a different destination in the long run! Once you're done, repeat the process again through execution. ‘Don't wait. The time will never be just right.’ - Napoleon Hill Bringing it all together In essence, developing Mental Resilience can help improve our Life by making us more resilient as individuals to challenges and changes that may happen. The 5 Key Steps to creating a Mentally Resilient mind and are: Developing a sense of Gratitude as a foundation Strengthen your Self-Belief because if you don’t believe in yourself, it’s difficult for others to believe in you Create an action plan through concise Strategies Develop a set of Attitudes to brave through challenging situations Take immediate Action of your plan! For more details follow me on Facebook , Instagram , YouTube and visit my website and Podcast . You can download my free E-book here! Read more from Kamil: 6 Reasons Why Now is THE Best Time to Set Your Goals 6 Ways to Peaceful Parenting in Challenging Times Kamil Shah, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Coming from a professional background in design, Kamil previously practiced in both the Education & Corporate Sectors. One life-changing event in his 20s saw Kamil's life plummet from having a progressing career in design, to living on $2 a day virtually overnight. This painful experience has taught him valuable lessons in Life, which he has used advantageously in regaining his feet and ultimately achieving Personal and Professional Success. He now shares his experience and knowledge in helping others achieve their own success through bringing on their own Personal Genius.

Written by: Hoda Elsobky, 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. A reflection pop up into my mind since the very first day of the Lockdown. The COVID-19 and me: Everybody should ruminate with that. How was I before and after the hit of the Coronavirus? Am I the same person, or in other words, will I ever be the same person again. We have been sitting at home significant time, and never in our age will we have this chance again, yes a chance! Moreover, never will we be given this opportunity again. People have been four times more active at home than ever. They have been studying, earning Certificates, working from home, exercising, trying new recipes. They have been meditating, contemplating, reading books, watching documentaries, watching movies. Most importantly, People have sat with their families more than any other time, people have called their parents, who are distanced from them more than any other time. We have been messaging friends, interacting with them, we have used all available technology just to be there and to connect with one another. Above all, most elderly were enthusiastic to catch up with the new technology and means of communication, in order to stay connected with their children and grandchildren through zoom meetings, and other virtual platforms. Same exactly we all did to be up to date with remote work requirements, from digital transformation and online Market to presence in the new virtual world, simply we all updated our technical skills; and yes, the Virus proved to be a tough teacher, and we learnt the hard way! Who said Social Distancing? Who said “Social Distancing”, was wrong. It is only physical distance, we connected with each other like no other time. I would say, it was a social approach, a social closeness and an overall sense of Connection , Compassion and Empathy . We are wired to be social, and it is Scientifically proven that our connections with other people are instrumental to our happiness. Research links social connections to Happiness, and social isolation to Pain. Very happy people tend to have rich and satisfying relationships and they spend little time alone, versus the average level of Happy people. This also has to do with the level and quality of connections with other people. Brene-Brown once stated that: ”Connection is why we are here, it is what gives us meaning and Purpose in life” . A milestone study at Harvard University followed 268 men for their entire lives, to assess why some of them turned to be happier than others. It uncovered evidence that success in relationships was strongly tied to Mental, Physical and Economic well-being. The bottom line is that we are social human being, and our tendency towards connections and friendships activates the Oxytocin level ( The Happiness Hormone) in our bodies and counterattacks stress. To sum it up, the virus has defined a more humane world, we learnt that to be safe, other people should be safe. It has given us the vigorous Alert of how to take care of our mental, physical and emotional health, and to consider that as our number one priority and furthermore to take it seriously! We learnt how to stay hydrated, how to eat well, how to have efficient night sleep, how to exercise, how to work hard on eliminating stress and leading a healthy lifestyle, to enhance and increase our immunity system; and all this was done from the comfort of our home. To learn more about Hoda and Happiness follow her on Facebook , Instagram and visit her website . You can buy her book "Dare to happy" here ! Read more about Hoda: Meet Hoda Elsobky - The Happiness-Guru Gives Tips on How to Become Happy Hoda Elsobky, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Hoda was born in Cairo, Egypt. Graduated from the American University in Cairo in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, majored in Economics and minor in Business Administration. Later, She received her MBA in Marketing. Her greatest interest lies in the fields of philosophy and positive psychology, with a focus on self help and wellness. Above all, she is passionated about happiness as a way of living! She have worked in multinational IT companies in Egypt, like IBM and Oracle, in sales, marketing and business development capacity, from 1994 till 2005. At that point she flew with her husband to live in Vienna for three years and then to Dubai. There she discovered her passion for writing.

Written by: Laura Lee Harrison, 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. This is a once in a life-time situation. It is unprecedented and the world is changing fast. As humans we have been taught to live a life where we rely on our money to come from sources like a job. A person tells us what we are worth and how much of our time every day we will trade for that money. With the age of Millennials, the shift of working online started to pick up popularity. The paradigm of working on trading time for money has changed drastically. As an entrepreneur you trade your knowledge and skill for money. You save time and in turn potentially work more, however you have more control over your time and how you space out your day. That’s usually the goal anyways. So, I ask this question: Whether you are already an entrepreneur, or you are just looking to see if it’s the right decision for you, are you currently Waiting or Creating? Creation is a beautiful thing to experience. Alignment and flow happen, and your projects take off. You don’t even have to be creating for the sole purpose of earning money. Maybe you are indulging in passions and hobbies. Waiting, on the other hand, is stagnant energy. It just sits there, nothing happens. You are waiting for someone else in the world to say you can work again. Or, maybe you are an essential worker and you are waiting for the pandemic to end so you can take a break from stress. But if you are an entrepreneur and you are waiting, you are literally killing your business. What are you waiting for? For someone else to say you can? Well, here it is - You can! "Your journey isn’t about you." The fact is, you may not be able to charge $10 000 a month per coaching client right now, though some do. That is okay. That doesn’t mean you stop and wait until you can. That means you get innovative. You choose to grow. Maybe you learn new skills that you can then apply to your fees after these uncertain times. You can create recurring revenue in so many ways and all this information is at your fingertips. Hello Google! You can give value to the world and create an online presence, so people know you, see you and trust you. Once you have trust, then you can ask for the clients to work with you. Your journey isn’t about you. It is about what you provide to your potential clients - What do they need? And frankly if you aren’t sharing your light, voice, knowledge and journey with the world, you are robbing everyone of your great value. The more you give, the more you get back, and that is not selfish. So, add the value and show up for your audience. Show them, that even though hard times are upon us you can still grow. Show them there is another way to live life, beyond waiting. Go inspire and empower people to get off the couch and stop binge-watching Netflix. No judgment, the best of us do it. But what do you do if you aren’t surrounded by people that are creators? You join groups of people that think like you or that you want to think like. Find groups of people that inspire you! We are the sum of the five people we surround ourselves with, so look around and see who you are surrounded by and change it if you don’t like it. Then learn and grow from the ones you do want to be around. You can get a job anytime, anywhere. If you want one, you will find one. You can also start a new business anytime: Turnkey businesses like Network Marketing or a business that evolved right from your own mind, from a hobby you love to do or a random idea. It isn’t easy, but it is doable, and you have the power to create instead of wait. So, have you been taking advantage of this unprecedented time? Or have you been waiting for someone to tell you that you can resume life, a life you were probably unhappy with anyways? I personally chose to create! I hope you have too. Join my Facebook community , follow me on Instagram and visit my Linktree and website for more information! Laura Lee Harrison, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Laura Lee Harrison is a Confidence & Beauty Strategist who works with professional women to help them deliver their message on stage or on camera effortlessly, by assisting them with their beauty regimens, so they feel beautiful as they are with their unique features. She also guides business owners to their first 6 figures in business with her business partner and their Social Media Agency, Media Exclusive. The agency and scheduling platform help entrepreneurs to show up and scale business with ease and consistency. As a sole parent, multi-business owner and International Best-Selling Co-Author, Laura Lee has had to overcome many obstacles in her life and within her own mindset to get where she is today. Daily she uses her story to inspire and empower entrepreneurs globally, showing them no matter their circumstance in life they can achieve their goals, if they choose to never give up on themselves.

Written by: Georgie Maroudas, 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 love really? Is it that warm fuzzy feeling we feel inside when we are around the people we love? Is it joy and happiness being expressed? Or is it present in all of those amazing experiences we’ve had in life that we will never forget? Love is energy. And this energy of love can be felt and expressed in an endless amount of ways. We can feel that energy exchange of love through our relationships (with others and with ourselves), we can find it in an inanimate object that has been cherished and adored by its owner. Love is present in trees, healings, notebooks, animals, children, crystals, our loved ones and the list goes on! It really can be found in anything and anyone. So if this energy of love is present in all people and in all things, why don’t we experience it in every moment of every single day? Most of the time when we look at something like a tree, we just look at it and place a label on it and move on. We think that’s a tree and that’s the end of it. We don’t think about the fact that tree is very much alive and full of love, knowledge and wisdom. So our perception of that tree then creates our feelings and experience of it. And if our perception is limited, then our experience of it will also be very limited. Not only do we do we create this type of thinking with things such as trees but we also do it with people! We might meet someone for the first time and label them as mean, and that’s all we see and experience from them. We can even label ourselves and continue to think things like: “everyone is smarter than me”, “I’m unlovable”, “I don’t know how to do this”, “I can’t manifest” and as you continue to think these thoughts you continue to manifest and experience these perceptions in your day to day life. So what has this got to do with love? Everything that we have observed and learned through our childhood, combined with our own life experiences have created our current belief systems about love and how we experience it. It is our beliefs about love and what it means to us that can create that resistance to love, especially if love has a negative meaning to us. The meaning we have given love has skewed our experience and perception of love. So when love is skewed so are our receptors and the energy we emit to the universe. The energy we emit, has a direct impact on what we then call into our life; including people, experiences, the type of success, the type of opportunities that come your way, how much love we allow ourselves to receive and they ways in which we receive it. And as I mentioned earlier love can be found in anything and anyone, so when we block love we not only block ourselves from receiving love from one person but we also block ourselves from receiving love from everything within the universe. How do we change our resistance to love? Awareness is the key to change. You can’t change what you don’t know! So the first step to take is identifying what love means to you! Here are some questions you can ask yourself that will help you to identify what love means to you. When you were little how did the prominent people in your life express love? - How did they express love to you? - How did they express love to their partner? - How did they express love to their parents? What does love mean to you? And who taught you this meaning of love? - The person who taught you this meaning of love, what was their childhood like? - How did their parents express love to them? - What did they observe as a child that made them create this meaning? In which ways do you resist/block love in your life? Why? - How has blocking love, affected your life and your relationships? - How would your life be different if you allowed all love into your life? - What are your fears about love? My resistance to love is teaching me? What have I learned from blocking love? - E.g. maybe blocking love has taught you to feel safe. And so you push away love to continue to feel safe. So it’s about learning and understanding that you can feel safe even with love. Then list all the times you have felt safe and loved at the same time! You have the ability to create change Now that you have a deeper understanding of what meaning you had given love in the past and how it was created, as well as how you have blocked love in the past you can begin to make adjustments in your life to allow for more love. Be kind to yourself during this process of change. These past programs have been running for many many years, so allow yourself the time you need to make the proper adjustments. This new level of awareness you have gained by simply answering the questions above will allow you to notice when you begin to block or resist love in your life. Each time you notice this resistance this new level of awareness you have gained by simply answering the questions above will allow you to notice when you begin to block or resist love in your life. Each time you notice this resistance it is an opportunity for you to choose to respond differently in the present moment! The more you act and think in these news ways, the more automatic it will become, and soon love will be your new habit! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and visit my website for more info! Georgie Maroudas, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Georgie Maroudas, founder of www.georgiemaroudas.com is a certified ThetaHealer Practitioner and Instructor. Using the Theta Brainwave, Georgie helps men and women release any fears, limiting beliefs, self-sabotaging behaviors and/or trauma that are limiting and no longer serving them. She is a big believer that our inner world of thoughts, beliefs and emotions create every aspect of our outer world and is passionate about helping and empowering every human being. Her mission is to empower individuals by teaching them the skills and abilities they need to be able to release what is no longer serving them, so that they can create a life they love!