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  • Does Your Life Make You Happy?

    Written by: Tau Rebecca Mikkelsen, 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 many people, the corona time is a negative and challenging time full of isolation, anxiety and abandoned plans. But for me, it's also an exciting time—a time of opportunity. When doors close somewhere, it awakens a curiosity in me. What new doors can I open? I need to find new ways to be with people. I have to find new ways in my business. It is not to trivialize the corona. Many people are deeply affected and people are dying. I have great respect for their grief and frustration. At the same time, I would also like to invite you to look at the possibilities of this different time. Because it has given many of us a temporary respite, a free space with room for reflection. An opportunity to note: Am I living the life I want? Does the life I live make me happy? Is there room for what I want in my life? Do I have the freedom I want? The health, the relationships, the job and the economy? If you had a magic wand ... I work professionally to help people look at these issues. Many people can not answer the question, "What does your dream life look like? What kind of life would you love to live?" Our way of life doesn't give us the opportunity and space to notice and ask ourselves that question. We are so used to life being something that lives us rather than the opposite and pulls us in whatever direction that allows us to get through the day. I always ask my clients: If you thought anything was possible. If you had a magic wand, all the money in the world and knew that you would succeed with everything you do. What kind of life would you love to live? What does your dream life look like? And the answer is ALWAYS that their lives would look different than it does now. You can do what you want But why don't we live the life we would love to live? How hard can it be? It's actually really hard. Because we don't believe that it is possible. We have learned that it is our external circumstances that determine our possibilities. I can't work with what I really love, because I don't have the education. I can't travel the world with my family, because I don't have the money. I can't find a girlfriend, because I live in a small town. We are stuck in our beliefs about ourselves and the world, and we are guided by some learned patterns that tell us what we can and cannot do. And as Henry Ford said, "Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right." And if you notice, there is a huge energy and drive in that statement. It makes a difference whether I think I can, or I think I can't. Think like an elite athlete This is well known in elite sports. Here you work very consciously with the mental power that lies in an authentic belief that I CAN. All athletes are in sublime shape, so where the real competition is really going on is in the mindset. The vision about the victory. She who has visualized herself running across the finishing line as number one, she who has received the audience's storming applause in her imagination and has felt the victory in her body before the start. She is the one winning. And she knows that if she has the slightest doubt, the slightest "if only I can", then she has lost. Get out of your comfortzone Pippi Longstocking says: "I have not done this before, I should definitely be able to do this." And Pippi has probably failed a couple of times with that attitude. But it is also the reason why she has succeeded in doing a lot of things that she didn't have any guarantees would succeed before doing them. Still, most of us want a guarantee that things will turn out well before we do them. We want to know in advance that we will succeed. That we can. We would prefer that there is a fire in the fireplace before we feed it with wood. We want the success, the money-flow before we start the business. But it doesn't really work that way. If we want a guarantee that what we do works, we can only do what we have already done before. The things that we know. And then we have to stay in our comfort zone and repeat what we usually do. But this is not where the new things are created. A wise person once said: "Some people live 90 years. Others live one year 90 times". And to be honest, many of us do the last thing. We stay in our comfort zone and repeat the life we know. Even though that zone is not necessarily the most comfortable. But at least we know it. And our brain tells us it's important to stay in that safety Goodbye to the fear, brain "That is why we must begin to explore and discover ourselves." After all, our brain continues to operate like our primordial brain. It is still encoded in the same way as when we used to live in caves thousands of years ago, and its purpose was to keep us alive. Literally: Will I be eaten by a tiger, or am I safe. And everything we haven't done before our brain reacts to as a potential "tiger". If we become aware that this is actually what is happening, then we can begin to take control, instead of letting our fear brain dominate. As we live in our modern world, it is rarely a matter of life or death when we want to move outside of our comfort zone. Once we begin to open up to the new, we will also face other obstacles within ourselves. Because as human beings, we tend to sabotage ourselves all the time. We are our own worst enemies when it comes to growing and move ourselves from where we are to where we want to be. That is why we must begin to explore and discover ourselves. It's not just us who are going to make our lives and dreams grow. Creating our dream life also requires us to be ready to grow as human beings. And it is an inner process that requires curiosity, love, courage and determination. Welcome to your dream life When I work with my clients, I introduce them to a mindset and tools that give them insight and the power to achieve the life they dream of. They learn to focus on WHAT they want. And WHY they want it. They learn how to discover where they are sabotaging themselves. How their learned patterns and believes prevent them from going in the direction of their dreams. And instead of damaging themselves, they learn how to become their own best support on the journey towards their dream life. With self-insight and the right tools, we can all accelerate our dreams. It feels like a catapult that creates flow and opportunities and leads us to where we feel most alive So what do you dream about? Howard Thurman, who was Martin Luther King's mentor, once said these wise and inspiring words: "Don't ask what the world needs, ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs are people who have come alive." So try this: Close your eyes for a moment. Take a deep breath and imagine what your life looks like when you do what makes you feel most happy, energetic and alive. What makes you feel free, abundant and in love with your life. Mmm, can you feel it? It's a great place to be. Welcome to your dream life. Go do it! For more information visit my website and join my Facebook community! Tau Rebecca Mikkelsen, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Tau Rebecca Mikkelsen is a certified holistic life and business coach. With her vision driven approach to life and business, she helps entrepreneurs grow their full potential business. This is what she says about herself and her work: "I am an expert in following my heart. I love my coaching business and I practice what I preach. In order to grow a successful business, you have to be willing to grow yourself. Exploring and expanding every single day. This creates flow, coherence, happiness and abundance in all areas of your life. This is my own personal experience and this is what I see happening in all of my clients' lives."

  • It’s No Longer “Business as Usual”: How to Transform Your Mindset from Fear to Freedom

    Written by: Olenka Cullinan, 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. Let’s face it, we all woke up in a world where our lives and businesses have been uprooted overnight. Most of us were not prepared to go into a virtual existence for months on end (physically or financially), to start homeschooling, to lose the social connections, or employment. None of it was predictable, and this new reality has stirred a whole slew of emotions – sadness, anger, loss, frustration, disbelief and the biggest one of all – fear. Fear is a basic primitive human emotion, which arises from the threat of physical or psychological harm, whether it’s real or imagined. Traditionally, it’s considered to be a negative emotion. But what if everything we knew about fear is wrong? Consider this – fear is not a “bad” emotion – it’s designed in your body to alert you against unpleasant situations. It’s an alarm mechanism that reminds you to make a move at the first sign of danger. I know you can argue with me here, “But why do we freeze when we are scared?” You only stop when the scare is perceived from certain beliefs! That’s when you get stuck. Think of two very distinctly different scenarios: if you see a dog charging at you out of nowhere, you might freeze for a few seconds but then you will move, likely run or jump to the side. But if you are scared of making a sales call (something of a perceived danger), you will often sit in this paralyzed state for hours, days, and weeks, avoiding it all together. That is why I’m inviting you to consider that fear is a great brain response that is actually alerting you that you need to take action! Our current situation can trigger fears on a daily or sometimes hourly basis: the news you are watching, being bombarded on social media, your work or school situation - all of these are the alerting to pay attention. Moreover, one of the most powerful qualities of fear: it’s contagious. I’m sure you have noticed that on some days you wake up in a great mood, and then you open up the Internet and before you know it, you just bought into everyone else’s worries and concerns. That is the reality of today’s situation. Unless you carefully curate the intake of your information, you are guaranteed to be sucked into everyone else’s emotions. "But a better question is: what do we do to transform during this “new normal” as the “old normal” may never come back." Now that the epidemic is declining in some areas of the world while still expanding in the others, these fears are causing a divide among us. No one is exactly sure what the right or wrong ways to behave are, but as humans, we do one thing well – we know how to judge. I see people projecting their emotions and their fears on others. It’s causing breaks in relationships, disconnect in companies, and havoc in our societies. And all of us are waiting on the “normal” to come back. But a better question is: what do we do to transform during this “new normal” as the “old normal” may never come back. Our transformation starts and ends with our mindset. The mind carries the limitations, the beliefs, and the realities of our lives. There’s no other way around it. So while the world may be in financial and psychological darkness, your responsibility lies in changing how you are reacting and processing these circumstances. We are all dealing with our own version of “scary” right now, but some people are choosing to be the light, while others are choosing to hide behind the darkness. You can choose to transform your angst into liberation. And no, I’m not saying that it is easy, as it requires work. But it is possible, and it is going to create a level of growth for you that will elevate your lifestyle. You see, the most successful people take action when others are scared to. Times of change are times for opportunity. Training your brain to react differently to the difficult situation is no different than training your muscles in the gym to get a six-pack. Consistency and monitoring progress move you forward through challenges of life. You need to get consistent on your positive habits. When clients tell me that they want to reach a certain goal, I ask them to show me their rituals. These are non-negotiable routines that you implement in your day whether the world stops or moves. In my case, it’s journaling, visualization and mediation every morning, then reading and mediation every night. What positive rituals keep you moving forward in these circumstances? If you don’t have any, start with one. Taking charge of your thoughts is the next important step to controlling your reality. Most of your thoughts are rooted in your beliefs, as your beliefs are just thoughts that have been repeated by you or others to you over and over. Bringing awareness to your thinking is where you can change your whole outlook on life. You decide how alive you get to be daily. Only your thoughts or buying into someone else’s is what stops you. In this uncertain world, it is your responsibility to start turning your thoughts into statements of growth and hope. You may stumble at first, and you will certainly catch yourself reverting to the negatives, but it’s ok – just keep practicing and re-stating every negative thought into positive out loud, and you will see the change. I use this “game of opposites” exercise with my clients for 30 days, and the results they notice are remarkable. This world might be in limbo for a while still, but you get to decide if you are going to add light or darkness to it and to your life. Your goal is to come out of this situation by freeing yourself from fear dictated by external circumstances. It’s going to require you to be brave and to take bold actions. Your thoughts don’t have power. You have power. And I promise you already have what it takes inside of you to transform that fear into freedom. Join Olenkas Facebook Community , follow her on Instagram and visit her website for more info! Olenka Cullinan, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Olenka Cullinan is a CEO of iStartFirst, Speaker, & Business Coach. She empowers women to up-Level their business and mindset via on-line Bootcamp, iStartFirst Women's Summit, and delivering keynotes and workshops for companies nationwide & globally. Olenka has developed a “Backbone of Success”™ method that helps female leaders to take action, get paid their worth and show up like a BOSS. Olenka’s work globally, combined with humor and personal experiences led to her recent appearances at TEDx (twice) and made her into one of the premier corporate consultants. She has worked with startups, corporate leaders and some of the top organizations across the world.

  • How to Redefine Love Post-Divorce, For The Kids’ Sake

    Written by: Jamie Dooley, Life and Business Coach Repurposing—a trendy new phrase taking the interior design world by storm—turning something old and forgotten, into something new, and even better than the original. It’s easy to visualize a piece of furniture being dusted off and treasured again, but what about a relationship? Conscious uncoupling is trending, but how do you love someone before the hurt has healed? I have learned that only Repurposed Love can heal that hurt. Like an old beat up buffet sitting in your basement with a mouse nest in the drawer, your relationship took a lot of abuse. You wouldn’t be divorced if it was a walk in the park, right Maybe that buffet has seen 4 different coats of paint. Each time you and your spouse were at your wits end, you agreed to try again by covering the old with a fresh new coat, but you were never able to fully strip it down to its base to see where the problem was. That is your connection with your ex. It’s just sitting there, in a corner of your heart and soul, wishing it was still important. Wishing it had a purpose. Whether it got there due to lack of use, purchase of a “newer model” or some other catastrophe you’d rather not discuss, you cannot seem to throw it away because it is a part of you. Your daughter helped you set the table with that real silver. Your child’s first visit to the ER was due to jumping off it to try out the new cape you made him. It held every birthday, anniversary, and holiday cake you ever made. And it was the one piece you could not decide on when you split. It meant a lot to both of you. It’s a reminder of the lost love, so neither of you could bear to get rid of it or use it in your new abode. It is homeless, sad, and forgotten, but still yearning to carry out the mission it was created for. Bring that old love out of the basement. Dust it off, and sand it down. Get to the base of what you are really upset about. Feel the disappointment instead of hiding it. Once you have it fully stripped down, you should be able to see a glimpse of its original beauty. You no longer need to hide how you once felt, or how you may still feel. You are part of each other, and are reminded of your unique bond each and every time you look at one of your remarkable children. I love my ex-husband like a brother. I am not in love with him, but I still care about him, his health and safety, and want to see him happy. For many years, he was the most important person in the world to me. I think about his safety, well-being and happiness now as often as I did then. I hope he has the life, and the woman, of his dreams because I was unable to give that to him. Why is that so weird? His happiness and success in life benefits my children greatly! So, I love my ex-husband. Do I wish I was still married to him? No. We grew apart, not together, but what we have is irrevocable, because we created a life together. Our children will always be only ours. No one will understand them, their idiosyncrasies, or the past events which made them who they are, like we will. No one will care as deeply or advocate their brilliance as frantically like the two of us. That bond is unbreakable. No one will know the road of hope, pain, and then loss we traveled on but us. I am not uncomfortable with him, because I am not trying to hide any buried emotion. I have no bitterness, resentment, or jealously left because I have a process for letting go of the past. I teach my clients to write what they are ready to let go of (relationships, fat, debt, guilt, shame, etc) and burn it. There is great power in ceremony! It’s like telling the Universe you are ready to move forward again. All of that thinking and analyzing is stealing joy from your future. People don’t have their peace taken from them, they give it away with their thoughts about a person. It doesn’t matter who did what when, it’s in the past. Let it freaking go. Whether you like it or not, when you have children together, your ex is still your partner. The definition of the relationship has changed, but you are still the parental unit, and therefore your children are looking to you to see how to act. They are watching you and your interactions with each other so much closer than you realize! How you treat each other is important, if not more important, than when you were married. Kids of any age sense tension. They also absorb it. If you cannot repurpose that love for you, can you do it for your kids? Love and bitterness cannot occupy the same space. The more we forgive, the more we are able to receive forgiveness. The more we love, the more we are able to receive love. Loving your ex is the quickest way to loving yourself again. Soften your heart and open yourself up to the possibility. Ask God to help you. You don’t have to wait for them to agree to this. Just start sending them love from afar. You will be amazed at the difference in energy next time you interact. Join Jamie's Facebook community and visit her website for more information! Jamie Dooley Jamie Dooley is a highly intuitive, heart-based life and business coach, who teaches the art of expansion through energy healing and writing. She is the CEO of The Expansion Group, a collaborative for female dreamers, doers, bosses, and entrepreneurs. Jamie is also the author of Self-Coaching Mastery , and a manifesto expert who teaches women how to embody their sexiest, healthiest, wealthiest selves and have fun in the process.

  • 4 Reasons Growing Your Side-Hustle Might Feel Harder Than You Expected

    Written by: Brenda Johnston, 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. So you have a “side-hustle” and you want to build it into a sustainable business so you can leave your corporate day job. I’ve been there and done that! I can tell you that growing your side-hustle into a successful business that allows you to say good-bye to your corporate job is an awesome feeling. I get a lot of questions from people with this same intention, but they find themselves struggling to make it happen. The truth is, a lot of side-hustles never turn into anything more because many people don’t have the mindset or the strategies to make it happen. Here are four reasons why growing your side-hustle may feel like a struggle: You’re in it for the wrong reasons These days it’s fairly easy to start a business with little to no money, especially in the Coaching or the MLM world. This makes the idea of the entrepreneur lifestyle even more appealing for many people who want to escape their corporate day job. The challenge is , if you want your business to grow and be successful, it needs to solve a problem, it needs to be scalable and you need to actually like what you are doing. That last point might seem logical but I’ve spoken to a LOT of people with the mindset that the single most important goal is to make enough money to leave their corporate job. They tell me that they started their side-hustle because they thought it would make them happy, it would be fun, and wouldn’t it be great to be able to work from anywhere and still make money? Not truly enjoying what you are doing or believing in what you are selling will cause your subconscious mind to create reasons for it not to work. You’ll find yourself self-sabotaging more often than not because your mind is telling you that you’re not in alignment with what you are trying to do. You don’t have a strategy If you really want to build a business that is a replacement for a corporate job, you need to have a strategy. How long will it take to replace your corporate income? How many clients do you need to have, how many can you actually take on while you still have your fulltime job? I highly recommend hiring a good business consultant/coach to help you navigate this. There are many coaches out there who make it seem like there is an easy, one-size-fits-all template or solution to taking your side-hustle and turning it into a thriving six or seven-figure business “just like that”. I recommend you do your research and invest in a business coach that understands your business as well as YOU as a person. And trust me , I know that investing in yourself and your business can seem overwhelming, especially if it’s not actually making much money. Hiring the right coach can sustainably accelerate your growth so you can create a business that takes you where you want to do something you love. You’re not nourishing your mindset "As important as strategies and systems are, your mindset should be an integral part of your business growth strategy." Building your side-hustle means you are going to be working after hours and finding pockets of time to get things done. In some cases it can feel like you are actually working two fulltime jobs instead of one. Being serious about success means you need also to be serious about taking care of your mindset as well as your physical health. Getting a good night’s sleep and moving your body is great, but having a healthy mindset is key. This starts by creating a business mindset, it means setting designated hours for when you are working and when you are not. It also includes setting boundaries for when clients can reach you and when they can expect a reply. Not doing this can leave you feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, and burnt out and maybe hating your side-hustle. You don’t have gratitude for your fulltime job No matter how much you might despise your day job, you need to have gratitude for that job. I’m telling you, even though it’s a lot of work to have two jobs, it’s a lot less stressful to build a side-hustle when you are not worried about how you are going to pay your bills. You also need to change your perspective, look at that job as a stepping stone to being able to do something you’re passionate about. It will make going in every day a lot less painful and you never know, you may realize there are some skills you can transfer into your own business. If growing your side-hustle is something you are passionate about, I highly encourage you to go for it. Take some time to think about why you are doing it, what impact you want to make in the lives of others, and start taking steps towards your goal. This doesn’t have to be a race, it took me 10 years to get serious about building my side-hustle. But when I got serious, changed my mindset, and created a strategy, it only took a year to make my great escape and I have never looked back! Let’s get social, connect with me on Instagram , visit my website or check out The Limitless Life Podcast . Read more from Brenda Johnston: 3 Tips to Help You Shift From Worry to Wealth Brenda Johnston, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine After being chained to the same corporate job for close to 14 years and living with debt for most of her adult life, Brenda decided it was time to stop playing small. She changed her relationship with money and success (and more importantly herself) to turn her passion into profit. Within 7 months of leaving her corporate job, she had built a successful 6-figure business. As a High-Performance Mindset Coach, and the host of The Limitless Life podcast Brenda helps other driven Women tap into the power of their subconscious minds so they can access their full manifesting potential. She does this by helping transform limiting beliefs and fears that are creating patterns of self-sabotage so they can create an abundance mindset and go from worry to wealth.

  • Colours - And How it Supports Our Life

    Written by: Katrina Valente, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertis Within all my treatments/sessions I use the Altarah Bio colour therapy products (which I am an Ambassador for) to let me know how my client is feeling and how I can truly hone in on the exact thing they need to work on in that moment...Let me explain. Colour is everywhere, in our homes, the clothes we choose to wear, the car we drive, the paint that we choose to put on our walls in our homes, the flowers that we plant in our gardens...literally everywhere we look. It is something we take so much for granted. But there is actually an underlying reason as to why you choose certain colours. Colour actually balances us, yes, the subconscious mind chooses colour according to our mood. Let's look at that for a moment. The chakras of our body are the energy centers that run down the middle of our body on our spinal column and are invisible. They are connected to the various organs within the body and also correlate to certain emotions and thought patterns. The chakras are responsible for disturbing the life energy, also known as Qi or Prana. They are also specific colours for specific charkas, so let's go through what exactly they are and their meaning. The 7 Chakras The Crown center; Top of head. This is the center of Spirituality, our connection to God, and all that is our connection to our Ancestors and it brings balance to our lives. Third Eye Chakra; Center of the forehead. This taps into your intuition, it helps get clarity of mind, and is a colour that helps you focus when meditating. Throat Chakra; The center of expression, speaking up for what you believe and the center of peace and calm. Heart Chakra; there are two centers here the masculine and the feminine energy. The masculine is about standing in your power, recovering your sacred space, oxygenating your body and setting your boundaries, the center of giving love. The feminine is about receiving, loving and nurturing yourself and being kind to you, giving back to yourself. Solar plexus; Middle of the rib cage and center of the body. This is the center of emotions, good and bad, and it is about happiness and joy. Naval Chakra; Just below the belly button. Tap into your Gut instinct, creativity and feminine energy center. It's about letting go and giving birth to life. Holding on here is also something that needs to be brought into balance. Base chakra; Bottom of spine. This is abundance, prosperity, energy. It is your connection to your home life, career and how you make money. It gets you up in the morning. Sexual power colour. Now, these are the 7 basic chakras that most people know. Altearah Bio took it further and went into the in-between chakras. So here they are; Turquoise is between the throat and the heart chakra; It is about tranquility, speaking your truth from the heart center and being your true authentic self. Saying how you feel. Green is between the heart and solar plexus chakra; it is the center of letting go, crossing the bridge from the old to the new and finding the freshness in life, Spring time, rebirth. Gold is between the solar plexus and naval chakra; Spleen. It is the inner wisdom, self confidence, being your true authentic self and great for major change in your life such as divorce or menopause. Royal Purple Chakra; Feet. Grounding, being in the present moment, not thinking about the past not worrying about the future but being fully present NOW. White has all the colours within it and is great when you want to feel pure and clean, gives you purity and clarity of mind. It deflects the dark. Silver; regeneration, detoxification and rejuvenation. It is a calming colour, a reset. Used when you have had a shock. So now you know why you choose the colours you do, it is such a subconscious decision, but it really helps to balance your energy field to assist you in all areas of your life. Altearah Bio Products These are Organic perfumes, oils and serums that work to balance the emotions. Each colour is a combination of essential oils that makes up the vibration of the chakra itself, and there are 14 colours. Inhalation of the perfume makes you feel instantly at ease as the subconscious chooses what colour you need. I do a test where you pick 4 colours. The first is your connection to what you need right now. The second is your block, what you lack in. The third is the support to open the block, and the fourth is where you want to be in the not so distant future. IE. Pink, blue, green and yellow - Pink - what you need right now is love, love for yourself, you need to love and nurture you right now. You may be feeling lonely in love. Blue - You are blocked in expressing yourself to the world, you probably are also not finding peace and calm. Green - what will help you unblock blue is if you let go, cross that bridge from the old to the new and find the freshness in life. Yellow - where you want to be in the not so distant future is in happiness and joy for life. It is an amazing modality and allows me to be more specific in treating my client as I get to know exactly how they are feeling the that moment. So the next time you choose a colour you will be more informed as to why. It's a fascinating topic. I work online with my coaching and healing work if you do not reside in Dubai. 40 min free discovery call for all my readers. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram or visit my website and join my newsletter for the latest updates and offers. Enjoy living in colour. Blessings Katrina Read more from Katrina: Inner Peace Outer Beauty - Meet Katrina Valente 11 Tips on How to Stay Healthy During The Covid-19 Crisis Katrina Valente, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Katrina Valente has been in the Beauty Industry for the past 25 years as a Holistic Anti-aging Expert as well as a Celebrity Facialist.  She has traveled the world treating the rich and famous as a Visiting Practitioner with resorts like Six Senses, Anantara and Aman worldwide She is now more interested in educating people with her wealth of knowledge in Beauty and Wellness on how to look good from the inside out...Inner Peace Outer Beauty is her motto. She has now evolved to be a Trusted Holistic Transformational & Wellness Expert.

  • Is Federal Trademark Registration Really Worth The Money?

    Written by: Nicole Gaither, Partner at Parlatore Law Group As a small business owner, you know that it is important to protect your business’s assets. That’s why you took the time to form the LLC, C Corp, or other formal business entity. One of the most valuable assets in your business is its intellectual property. Many business owners spend hours selecting the perfect name and logo for their business. And for many businesses, it would be a serious backstep if another company started doing business under the same name or logo. It would be especially devastating if you had no way to stop another company from doing so. You’ve read and heard that you should trademark (or the more correct, “register your trademark”). But you probably have not been told why you should register your trademark. Here are the primary benefits of registering your trademark with the USPTO. Automatic Rights: Common Law Trademarks Most people aren’t aware that trademark rights start the minute you use a trademark “in commerce” – that is, the first time you put your business name, logo, slogan, product name, podcast name, course name, etc. in front of the public. These automatic rights are known as common law trademark rights, which means that your trademark rights are established through your use of the mark and not by any specific rule or statute. Common law trademark rights have been developed by case law (court decisions) and are governed by state law. The best thing about common law trademark rights is that the rights are automatic. You do not need to register your trademark to establish these rights. As soon as you use your mark in commerce, you own the trademark and the common law rights associated with it, including the right to stop others from using your trademark… subject to the limits that I’m about to point out. Now for the bad news. There are certain limits to your common law trademark rights. Your common law trademark rights are limited to the specific area where you use your trademark. So if you are a small business in Texas, then you cannot restrict the use of your trademark in California (or any other state other than Texas). But if a California company with the same name and logo (with similar products or services) tried to sell to customers in Texas, then you could sue to enforce your common law trademark rights in Texas. However, that same California business has the right to use the same name and logo to sell its products or services in California and you. can’t. stop. them. It becomes an even bigger problem for small businesses that market their goods or services online, since they are pretty much broadcasting their trademark to the global market. There is no bright-line rule on whether your common law trademark rights go beyond the state where your business is located. Generally (and this is with a caveat), your common law trademark rights are only in those locations where you actually do business – for example, the locations where you can prove use of your mark by showing actual sales to customers or clients. If you were to sue the California business for using your trademark, you must prove that you have sales in California; otherwise, the California business might have more rights than you to the trademark. It’s because of these limitations (and not to mention the uncertainty) that it is recommended that you register your trademarks at the federal level. Registering your trademark with the USPTO Filing a federal trademark registration application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) gives you a lot of benefits at an affordable price. One of the most important advantages to federal trademark registration is the amount of protection you have for your mark. Once your trademark is registered with the USPTO, you have the exclusive right to use your trademark all over the country. It’s like the federal government building a fence and a nice moat around your business so that you can stop other businesses in the US from getting close. You get this exclusive right to exclude others from using your trademarks anywhere in the US regardless of where you advertise and promote your business and where you actually use your trademark – as long as you market your products and services across state lines (interstate commerce). Other benefits include: (1) the right to sue for trademark infringement in federal court; (2) the ability to recover monetary damages, lost profits, attorney fees, and costs that result from the infringement; and (3) the right to use the ® symbol, which puts the world on notice that your trademark is federally registered and may deter others from using your trademark. And having a federally registered trademark provides evidence of trademark ownership and use, which will help your claim against another company trying to use your mark. Many small business owners say that they are not going to bother with registering their trademarks because they are concerned with the costs. It’s definitely a valid concern, but the good thing about registration is that it is affordable. The fee to file a trademark application online with the USPTO ranges between $225 - $275/per class. Registering your trademark upfront can save you thousands of dollars in re-branding expenses, damages, lost profits, legal fees, and court costs if you are required to defend your trademark rights or sue a competitor for using your trademarks in the future. The long and short of it? Registering your trademarks with the USPTO will cost you a few hundred dollars (and just a few more if you use an attorney) but may save you thousands and thousands of dollars down the road. It’s a very simple step that you can take to protect your company’s valuable assets. Nicole Gaither Nicole Gaither is a Partner with Parlatore Law Group and practices in the fields of copyright and trademark prosecution, in addition to tax law. She has demonstrated experience in prosecuting domestic trademark and copyright applications, providing brand protection through trademark monitoring, reviews of refusals, responses to refusals and assessing potential marks for use and availability. Ms. Gaither has a wealth of experience representing the interests of her clients as they work to build and financially protect their businesses. She can assist in creating a unique trademark that meets the requirements to be registrable, advise on how to establish its use in commerce, and facilitate the registration process.

  • Business intelligence – work smarter, not harder

    Business Intelligence – or simply BI – help businesses make data-driven decisions based on a well informed and reliable source of information. Removing the gutfeel and replacing it with facts, so to speak. In broad terms BI consist of: Mining the data – extracting the original data from its source. Analysis – identifying and grouping data. Reporting – accessing and formatting data, often turning it in to meaningful visual reports. The goal: Leaving you with the perspective required to make the decision at hand By combining accurate data mining and strict validation of data combined from multiple sources, the company can use their favorite tools and get visualized data, thus helping them make better and more qualified decisions. BI can combine both historical data and near real time data, and even put information in different automated reports. This feature allows user to subscribe for relevant reports and only see the information they are looking for. Example a store manager who wants to see how his business is performing and not have to deal with numbers from other divisions of the same company. The very same end user could however easily choose to compare his store with not only previous quarters, but other stores on the parameters he finds interesting. In general, the reporting services can be set up by request and adjusted internally in the organization due to easy tools for extracting data. When investigating the opportunities of Business Intelligence, it is normal practice to involve a BI consultant who can help you find a scalable and high performing solution. Especially when your company is looking for a solution that allows self-service, the right setup is crucial. Nowadays, more organizations are looking for self-service opportunities that makes it possible to extract helpful data in matters of seconds. This requires a fast and accurate analytics platform that empowers end users by visualizing data and allowing the users to easily share results with colleagues. One thing is for sure! In the future, the norm will be that businesses are using data in a smarter way then at the moments. Working smarter is the goal, not working harder.

  • 4 Tips to Make Your Personal Finances Crisis-Proof

    Written by: Anastasia Schmalz and Tomer Arwas Did you see this coming? It is almost impossible to predict when exactly a financial crisis will hit. Yet, there is one thing for sure, there will always be a next crisis. Just as summer is followed by autumn, and winter is followed by spring, the economy goes through cycles. Sometimes those cycles are mild and other times, they are quite significant. Every crisis is different from the previous one in its causes and effects. The Dot-com bubble in the late 90’s led to a crisis at the beginning of this century - caused by the rise of the internet. The Subprime mortgage crisis in 2007 triggered to the last financial crisis - which was the result of a new way to give out loans. I bet, you didn't expect the outbreak of a pandemic when making your plans for 2020? The point is that every crisis is caused by something new. This makes all crises have something in common: they are unpredictable. You will probably agree with me on this. As you cannot predict when the next financial crisis will hit and how it will play out, you should always be ready. Do you want to know how to improve your money matters during this pandemic? Here are 4 tips to make your personal finances crisis proof. Stash up 3 months worth of salary We cannot anticipate which industries will be hit the most in the next financial crisis. In the current crisis, some industries are flourishing while others are barely keeping their heads above water. This means that you cannot be sure if you will keep your job in the next financial crisis or if your business will survive. I advice my clients to keep 3 months worth of their salary saved up and accessible. That is keeping it in a savings account that is liquid and where it is not invested on your behalf. This is your emergency fund, and it should only be used if absolutely necessary. The goal is that this money will be readily available for you if disaster hits. Your savings will allow you to always have a financial cushion to get through a crisis with the least possible impact on your lifestyle. If saving doesn’t come easily to you, here are some ideas on how to increase your savings. You can set an automated transfer to your savings account right after you receive your salary. Use a service that rounds up your payments, and sends the difference that is rounded up to your savings account. Know where to cut costs Nobody likes to downgrade, sure. However, when a financial crisis hits, you need to be prepared to eliminate expenses where you feel the least impact on your lifestyle. To evaluate which expenses you can cut without major impact on your quality of life, take a look at your monthly recurring expenses. Note down expenses you could do without. For instance, these may include certain subscriptions or expensive coffees. You could also prioritize items on the list so you know which costs you will cut first. Have this list of cost cutting ideas ready for when a financial crisis hits. This is your Plan B expense plan. Being mentally prepared to reduce costs during a crisis will allow you to take action quicker and will soften the blow. Keep in mind that this is a temporary measure that you will take to get through the crisis until things will brighten up again. Create multiple sources of income Most people are dependent on one single source of income - their job. While this might seem logic, there is one major problem of having only one income stream. In the current crisis, we see that unemployment is rising tremendously, meaning that you might not be able to rely on your job alone to support you. Instead, aim to create multiple sources of income. Having money making side-hustles that generate income allow you to get through a financial crisis with less impact. Side income streams can be returns from investments in real estate or the stock market, but also from other sources such as a blog or a course. When choosing the best side-hustles for you, the first thing I work on with my clients is to look at their superpowers (skills, knowledge, experiences, and interests) as well as their resources (time and money). The key is to focus on automating your income from those side-hustles. Essentially, you want to be earning your income passively with the least amount of work. Once you have a couple of sources of income that generate you money passively, you are recession proof. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket You probably heard this phrase a million times before. The reason is because it’s true. To make your personal finances crisis proof, you need to diversify your portfolio. Whether it is investments in the stock market or a side-hustle, it is always better to spread your bets widely across industries. There are losers and winners in every crisis. By diversifying you make an attempt to increase your chances of balancing your losses. In simple worlds, you want to be invested in industries that will be flourishing to avoid any major losses during a financial crisis. As we cannot tell in advance which ones these will be, the best you can do is to spread your time and money investments across multiple industries. Use the ups to prepare for the lows Things don’t always go as planned. We have seen that now with Covid-19 more than ever before. To make your personal finances crisis proof, you need to always be prepared for the next crisis. The key is to optimise your savings and spending habits, and diversify your income over multiple sources and industries. Every crisis is preceded by a period of economic growth and overall prosperity. That’s why it often seems unimaginable that a next crisis can be on its way. Following the 4 tips in this article, you can leverage the economical ups to prepare for the next downs. Being prepared is the key to bouncing back up much faster. Discover how to do what you love while feeling financially safe through Anastasia and Tomer’s 6- step Freedom Framework. Follow them on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and visit their blog for more info. Anastasia Schmalz and Tomer Arwas Anastasia Schmalz and Tomer Arwas are life design and personal finance strategists, and the creators of the blog GenerationNomads.com. After becoming financially free under 30, they left their cushy jobs to travel the world for 18 months without working or touching their savings. Their 6-Step Freedom Framework is used to teach millennials how to design and reach their dream lifestyle through financial freedom. Sign up for instant access to the FREE 9-5 Escape Plan training.

  • 6 Must-Try Sports for Adventure Seekers at Canton DeVaud Lake Geneva Region, Switzerland

    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. There are silver linings to these overcast times. The natural world is being given a breather. Tangible examples can be seen across the universe of how nature has rejuvenated itself over the past few months. Agreed, we will take a bit of time to restart our travel ventures. Till then, it won't harm to plan our future escapes and discover places that have received a natural makeover, thanks to the pandemic times. Canton de Vaud, The Lake Geneva region, Switzerland, is one such picturesque location famed for its pristine valleys and snow-covered Alps. Amidst this vast beauty lies some extreme sports for those seeking the ultimate adrenaline rush. Here are the 6 must-try activities. Rafting Are you seeking a thrill? Time to face the turbulent waters of the rapids of the Rhone River. Get ready to paddle and defy the most intense waves while marveling at the beautiful scenery. Rafting is a thrilling way to get friends together and enjoy a day outside. It also makes for a perfect experience for families with children who enjoy being active. Paragliding Experience the unforgettable and fly like a bird over glorious landscape and terrain with a breathtaking paragliding experience. Enjoy tandem paragliding over Lake Geneva and the Vaud Riviera between Montreaux and Villeneuve and be dazzled by the beautiful and varied landscape including the castle of Chillon, it was here that the first world championships of aerobatic paragliding Red Bull vertigo took place. Skiing Experience your first skiing experience at Montreux Riviera Ski School Carte Blanche offers the most personalized skiing experience that exists in Switzerland. The entire experience is arranged, from transport to equipment, to restaurant bookings. The ski instructor is the mountain concierge who takes care of all the details of the skiing holiday. With the exceptional concept of the Carte Blanche service, one has to only choose the resort for the stay and clarify his or her skiing objectives, while all other logistics are taken care of by the professional instructors. Sailing Lake Geneva (Lac Leman) is the largest body of water in both Switzerland and France and is the ideal place for sailing enthusiasts. Not only does it have dramatically pleasing sceneries, but it has some of the cleanest waters in the world. The B’Ol D’Or Mirabeaud is an annual yachting event that takes place in June. Charter a yacht and visit one of the lakes many ports; Port des Eaux-Vives, Porte de Bouveret, Port des Mouettes, Port de Rives and Port de Vidy. Hiking For experienced hikers or beginners, the Vaudois Alps are a walker’s paradise. Grab your backpack and a bottle of water and off you go! With mountain peaks, glaciers, mountain lakes, rivers, and waterfalls providing stunning scenery and charming places to stop for refreshment, fondue or raclette, hiking is an adventure for people of all ages. Some of the best hiking trails are Les Diablerets-Creux de Champ, Le Tour des Muverains, les Chaux-La Verneyre, and the more challenging, Col du Marchairuz. Hot Air Balloon Up, up, and away! The Swiss hot air balloon capital- Chateau-d’Oex in the Vaudois Alps plays host to hundreds of hot air balloons each January, and it was from here in 1999 that the Breitling Orbiter set off for the first tour of the world in a hot air balloon. Many different take-off locations are available with a variety of choices such as Adventure flights, Discovery flights and Gourmet flights. 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 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.

  • How To Feel Good Livestreaming For Client Attraction

    Written by: Juliette Stapleton, 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 shy away from doing live video for your marketing, because you absolutely hate looking back on your videos? Perhaps you hate the way your voice sounds? The way you look? Your inner critic picks on every imperfection, a hair strand sticking out, the face looks too swollen, the eyes look too tired, your accent is too annoying... It is important to understand that everyone feels that way, to an extend. Even the pros. Why We Hate How We Look & Sound On Video At the start, seeing and hearing yourself is a fresh experience for you. And like with anything new, unusual or unfamiliar, our brain's first reaction is to reject it. You experience really negative emotions; you want it to stop, it almost physically hurts you... This is natural, your comfort zone is being pushed. But it does not mean that you truly look or sound so dreadful. Every person in your world is exposed to your looks and the sound of your voice. So if that reaction was actually reflecting a general fact, don't you think people around you would stick fingers in their ears when you try to speak, or would always avoid looking at you - so they do not have to hurt their eyes? I mean, this is an exaggeration, but this is exactly how badly you are exaggerating the issue with your looks and voice in your own mind. Understanding why you feel like this is the first and the most important step to creating a transformation. It is not actually the look or the sound. What makes you freak out is just being unfamiliar with watching yourself and hearing yourself from a third person's perspective! So start getting to know yourself, getting familiar and extending our comfort zone to include being OK with yourself. "Now it is the time for you to practice that unconditional love." The only way we can get comfortable with anything is by repetition. Do more videos and watch back every one of them - without criticizing. Instead exercise conscious self-acceptance and self-love. Every time a critical thought surfaces, just acknowledge it -your brain is getting uncomfortable. Then gently set it aside and let it pass through you. Focus on falling in love with who you are and how everyone in the world sees you. And loves you! This is how your mother sees you. This is how your children see you. And they love you unconditionally. Now it is the time for you to practice that unconditional love. At the same time you are improving your chances to attract amazing clients into your business since video is the fastest way to connect and convert. It happens at the real simple but magical level - as they experience your beautiful human energy. Finding Your Style When you are a little more comfortable with the idea of doing video, the next step is choosing how to show up. Here is where so many people get stuck. They are not sure what way they "should" be showing up to attract their ideal clients, often resulting in doing nothing at all. I truly believe that we should always show up at our best! Make the effort. But you also need to make sure you are not putting yourself in an uncomfortable environment, just because you may think it looks more "professional". Do their looks matter to us? Or is it what they "feel like" to follow; what they say; how we connect to their stories, opinions, experiences? There has to be a balance between how our audience expects us to show up. For example, if you target corporate clients the way you dress and look will be different from if you are targeting moms who work from home. Try to find the way YOU feel at your most comfortable and confident - the effort you would make to FEEL great about yourself! It will also energize you as well as help you feel more "protected" because you are not trying to achieve a look that is "polished" if you are normally much more casual, or a look that is too "laid back" and "natural" if you like putting makeup on to let your dog out. You must stay true to who you are! It may also determine who you target. Consider this - if you feel uncomfortable about the way you are presenting yourself, but this is how other experts in this niche are expected to present themselves - maybe this audience is not really aligned with who you are? This was the thought that helped me stop pushing myself to target corporate clients. That environment always makes me feel uncomfortable. It is simple “incorrect” for who I am, and going against this fact only makes me resent what I do, no matter what the fees are. It just does not feel right for me. Talking about finding your own style for video, personally, I love looking well. Makeup, hair, nice cute clothes, statement earrings. But I am in no way one of those super polished women, who spend hours and thousands on how they look. For my livestreams, I need to look chic, but not too rigid, not too "perfect" because it is just not who I am. Neither I am someone who would livestream from their bedroom or having a coffee in their PJ's. Because if I had a visitor in my home, I would go and change before having a coffee with them, and they are not welcome to my bedroom either. Stay true to who you are when you are feeling good about yourself and you just found the way you should be showing up. Live Video Is Not A TV Program Stay away from trying to "present" on your live videos. This is not a teleseminar OR a TV-channel. Since we were little kids, we are used to seeing super polished and professional-looking presenters on the telly. They usually educate, inform or entertain. Most of them have had professional media training behind them too. There is a team of makeup and hair stylists on each program, making them look stunning and ready to touch them up between the takes. This creates a kind of pressure to think this is the way we too should be on our live videos. It is a subconscious assumption. It is based on what we are so used seeing. But it is also a limiting belief. The younger generation does not suffer from this issue. They grew up watching vloggers on YouTube and if it comes to TV, a lot of reality shows, like Kardashians and Big Brother. We call it "user to user" content -created by ordinary (not professional) people for other ordinary people (viewers and followers). This kind of content has a different purpose. From their camera to the screen on your personal device, live video is a much more “one-to-one”, intimate experience, focused on creating a connection. Not impressing, not meeting expectations. You set your own tone and then those who love your "vibe" will stay and those who don't are free to go. Just look at some bigger influencers that you follow on Social Media, they may have really great photos, even some that look like selfies (there are so many apps for our phones that can achieve almost professional feel) but look at the live videos they do on their phones. Do they always look like they do on photos? A lot of them are shockingly different from their photo/branding content. Especially when we follow someone who is no longer in their twenties or thirties. "Their looks are the last thing that matters to me, it is their unique personal energy that I am attracted so much more." Do their looks matter to us? Or is it what they "feel like" to follow; what they say; how we connect to their stories, opinions, experiences? What I've noticed, in my own experiences that the bigger influencers that I follow on social media are often very casual looking on their live videos. But I never really think to myself that they look dreadful and stop watching. Their looks are the last thing that matters to me, it is their unique personal energy that I am attracted so much more. Looking perfect is really irrelevant in how we connect to each other even based on visuals. It is about imperfections, quirks, accents, non-verbal communication elements, and most of all their personality that does the trick! They show up and share, without holding back, their call to action doesn't stop, they don't look awkward. They do not get hooked up on how they look, even when they do not think they look 100%. They just get it done! And so should you! Because the more you get fixated on how you hate the way you look or sound, the more you deny those who need you to help them transform their lives or businesses with your help or your products from seeing you, getting to know, like and trust you, and the biggest of all - from WORKING with you! So when it comes to live video, those demons are truly are just 'in your head' and with small steps every day, you can overcome your inner self-critic and start focusing on serving the world with your superpowers and creating a difference in the lives of many around you. While completely elevating the quality of your own. Is that a good enough reason to persevere? To me, it is what has been helping me move through all insecurities and resistances and created what several years ago, I would dismiss as an unrealistic dream. And if you need help with embracing live video for your marketing, reach out and let me guide you through this powerful and self-empowering journey. Find out more about Juliette's VISIBILITY THAT SELLS coaching at her website! Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter Read more from Juliette: Why Now is The Best Time to Focus on Your Personal Brand Juliette Stapleton, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Juliette Stapleton is a Visibility That Sells strategist, host of the Show Up! Stand Out! podcast, and a thought-leader on a mission to help experts, coaches, and service providers build an online presence that positions them as the authority in their niche. Juliette has helped thousands of students and clients from more than 30 countries reach millions and make millions with EASE. She is known for her V.A.L.U.E. visibility system, a simple, but powerful strategy based on showing up with integrity and creating a ripple effect of influence through personal connection and thought-leadership. Juliette has been featured in Forbes and several major business and marketing podcasts, like 365Driven, Rising Tide, iHeart Radio, and Confident Live. She is an active contributor to world-leading online publications, such as Influencive and Addicted2Success, Thrive Global, and many more. Find out more about the VISIBILITY THAT SELLS at: https://juliettestapleton.com/

  • 3 Steps to Becoming a Wildly Successful Entrepreneur, and What Your Soul has to do With it

    Written by: Amber Dietz, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. You know that little voice that keeps calling to you? You know the one, it gets loud when you get that 5 minutes of alone time in the shower, before bed, or on a morning walk that is telling you to pursue something over and over again? It’s that gut feeling, and that notion to do something like move to a new city, leave the job, start writing again. That is the fire in our soul that gives us direction on what we should do, yet we so often push that voice deep down because we are so busy in our day to day lives that we don’t even give it a chance to speak up. Maybe that voice is telling you to write that book, start that blog, live your life as a painter, travel the world for a living. Whatever direction it is giving you, we tend to ignore it, but its telling you the exact steps becoming successful with your soul on fire. I remember being in my cubicle, day after day, & year after year always looking out the window knowing there had to be more to life then simply dreading the weeks, being on survival mode and it always feeling like Groundhog Day. My soul kept calling to me that I was meant for more, but I kept pushing it away because of all the limiting beliefs that I could actually do something else in the world than the 9-5 I dreaded. There was always the opposing voice that said, “I don’t have the time,’’ ‘‘I don’t have the education’’, ‘’I need to wait until the kids are older to follow my passion’’ and on and on. That voice became louder and I finally chose to listen to it. I took the leap even though I didn’t know how I do what it was telling me to. Following that voice led me to travel the world, and then becoming an entrepreneur and helping others do the same. I figured out my soul always wanted me to chase my dreams and then show others that it is possible for them too.Once I aligned with that fire in my soul and kept following its guidance, the success happened effortlessly. “Forget about the fast lane. If you really want to fly, just harness your power to your passion” -Oprah Winfrey In our digital age, it is easy to get consumed with what seems to be working for everyone else that is bringing them success and copy that. But, you will quickly realize that it is not going to bring you the same success if it is not your passion. You must listen to that voice, find your zone of genius and let the success come your way easily. Here are 3 steps to being a wildly successful entrepreneur: Figure out what your genius zone is – This can be the hardest step because we are so close to our genius zone, we don’t even realize what comes naturally to us yet is exactly what someone else needs. Not to mention, since we tend to ignore that voice that is guiding us, our passions get lost from around age 10. Find out what your genius zone is by grabbing a pen and paper and brain dump all the things you love to do. This includes the things you did when you were young that you have not done for 20 years. Then, write down all the things that family, friends, & coworkers ask you about all time. Think about if you had to speak on stage about one topic you love, what would that be? What hobbies and activities light you up when you are doing them? Make this page messy as needed, just get it all out of your head and soul. Next, circle what stands out and overlaps. The things that you love the most by what you get asked about the most. Riches are in the Niches – Whether this is the first-time hearing this or the millionth, it has never been so true. When you know what you like to do and then narrow this down, this is where the magic happens. If you found your zone of genius to be about helping others with health, you will want to get more specific. Will it be on low carb diets? Keto? For Moms only? The more narrowed down you can get, the better. Don’t think that narrowing down will narrow your audience, it will do quite the opposite. Once you have it narrowed down such as, a Heath Coach teaching the Keto Diet to busy 9-5’ers, you are going to see your tribe of people show up. The sweet spot - This will come easy when you are aligned with what your soul is telling you to do, plus what others need. Once you have figured out what you would love to do most on this earth, and then have narrowed it down to be specific, the last is to understand those you will serve. Although your soul is light up with excitement to pursue your passion, you cannot simply decide that it’s exactly what everyone else wants. Get to really know the person you want to serve and what they need from your expertise. Get to know their lingo, their desires, pains and pleasures. Write all of this down and know your ideal client very specifically. You can then road map with exactly what they are asking for, with your expertise and that is exactly the sweet spot to success. Once you have your genius zone, your narrowed down niche, and know how to serve your audience, the universe aligns, and this is where success flows easily as an entrepreneur. Whether you are just starting out by following your passion, are currently down the road of entrepreneurship, or have been doing it for 10 years, ask yourself if what you are doing is setting your soul on fire and if it’s anything less, start back at step one. Now that you are listening to that voice, that burning desire on your soul, you can live beautifully untamed and build a business doing it. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram and visit my website Amber Dietz, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Amber is a business & marketing strategist that helps the soul-preneur build a business, a brand, and their Instagram to become their own digital CEO. She has built a trusted business with authenticity sharing her insights, growth, and scalable business tactics with her followers and teaches her clients to do the same. Living beautifully untamed and building a business doing it is the name of the game for Amber. From a single mom to what seemed only to be a dream, to now helping others around the world take their passion from their soul and build a scalable business doing it, is what lights her up. She is an iced coffee enthusiast, she sees the world in bright colors, and will build you a road map of success so that your soul is set on fire.

  • Meet Hoda Elsobky - The Happiness-Guru Gives Tips on How to Become Happy

    Hoda Elsobky is a happiness mentor and an author who has written the book " Dare to be happy ". Can you train to be happy? Is Hoda always happy? Brainz Magazine interviewed the queen of happiness. First of all, introduce yourself. Who is Hoda? - I was born in Cairo, Egypt, and graduated from the American University in Cairo in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. I majored in economics with a minor in business administration. Later, I received an MBA in marketing. My greatest interest lies in the fields of philosophy and positive- psychology, with a focus on self-help and wellness. Above all, I am passionate about happiness as a way of living! - I have worked in multinational IT companies in Egypt, like IBM and Oracle, in sales, marketing, and business development capacity, from 1994-2005. At that point, I flew with my husband to live in Vienna for three years and then to Dubai. There I discovered my passion for writing. Tell us a little bit about your book Dare To Be Happy? - My first book, " Dare To Be Happy ", was released in December 2018 in print format in the USA, UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and the Middle East; and the e-book now has distribution from more than 70 online partners serving readers across the globe. - In my book, I provided complete guidance and tested tips to take the reader from a stage of puzzlement and confusion to a superior level of Eternal Happiness. It takes the reader on a journey from the various definitions of happiness across history to the most contemporary descriptions of it in our world today. It guides us on a journey through what I call " The Royal Phase of Happiness". - "Dare to be Happy is a profound resource. It helps us in a multi-dimensional way to formulate, understand and develop our human skills and reach a stage of complete contentment in life". Azza Elashmawy, Seceretary-General , National Council for Childhood and Motherhood, Egypt. - I believe that people may vary in their dreams and aspirations, but they all share one thing: They all want to be happy! I revealed my success strategies, which will help you to discover where true happiness lies and how it can last forever. Through the book, one will find the tools, steps, and actions you need to take to get all happiness and success that you deserve. It will help you go the extra mile, not only to be happy, but to stay happy! - Since the release of my book, my life has completely changed and wonders happened to me. I was featured in many well-known newspapers and magazines, 5 widely known TV channels interviewed me. "We are born happy, and then our happiness slops down" Do you consider yourself happy, and can you train to be happy? - Wherever I go, people keep on asking me this question. The truth is that I am a normal person at the end of the day, and my happiness meter is usually between 7-8/10. In my twenties, my happiness was definitely below that, and it was kind of unstable and inconsistent, especially by the age of 23. This goes well along with the concept of the "U-shaped" curve for happiness, discussed by Jonathan Rauch in his book " The Happiness Curve", where he explained why life gets better after 50, and how the U-shape concept works for us, as age versus happiness. - We are born happy, and then our happiness slops down as a U shape till age 44, which is the bottom of the U, then it starts getting up again through 50-60s and so on. Now, I just passed this bottom line of 44, and after I have written my book and got certified in The Science of Happiness, I can claim with full confidence that my happiness is now stable and more consistent. In addition, whenever I am faced with some sad events in life- as this is always the case, no one can be happy all the time, and no one can be sad all the time- I can now revert easily to my standard threshold of happiness. - This lead us to the question, can we train ourselves to be happy? Definitely yes. Our brains are wired to be optimistic , and we tend to think of ourselves as happier than other people. To overcome periods of depression and  low energy, I would like to build a strong foundation in your character, rather than short term fixes. Following are three of my best tips to help you build a base to becoming resilient in the face of devastating events or recurring depressions. If I feel depressed or low and quickly need to get positive energy. As an expert, what are your top 3 tips? The mindset: - It all starts in the mindset, and it comes with a decision if not a promise to yourself, to be happy. If you take this decision to be happy, you adjust your mindset to it, and you will notice a great shift in your perspectives toward life and toward life's events. You will start to see challenges as opportunities, and you will begin to see positives in the negatives. This whole process happens from within, and it has nothing to do with the world outside. Be Proactive: - Simply nothing happens until you do, I believe that life does not happen to you; you happen to life. Your goals and dreams will not be realized by just wishing for them, but by acting on them. Same for happiness, it should be well-deserved, and you should be worthy of it. Learn to Forgive and to let go: - Study after study of Forgiveness shows that forgiving others, which have caused you harm, systematically reduces personal distress and fosters Happiness. Forgiveness does not mean forgetting, nor it means reconciling. Instead, it means changing your attitude toward the original hurt, so it does not continue to hurt you. As a matter of fact, there is a physiological impact to not forgiving like elevated heart rates and blood pressure. What does the future look like for you? What is your next goal? Are you writing a new book? - About my future plans and goals this year and specifically during the quarantine period, I found it to be an excellent opportunity to upgrade my technical skills and to make complete digital transformation of my work. Thereby, I executed my first training and workshop online (through Webinar). I launched my happiness club:"Hoda Elsobky's Happiness Club" to be an online platform for international Authors, whereby I discuss with them a chosen book of theirs, and discuss with them their secret formula to Happiness. - I also launched the #Monday Live, where I give audiences a glimpse of a specific topic that I consider important to self-development and growth. These, among many others. My plan now is to launch more online products and services by the end of this year. We look forward to reading your articles in the Magazine and give you the possibility to share your knowledge. What kind of content can our readers expect from you? - I am so happy to be joining the online Magazine Brainz, as an Executive Contributor and to be part of their exclusive articles about Business, Mindset, Innovation, Leadership and lifestyle. I will focus on Personal-Growth, as growth on all levels has always been one of my key values in life- and that is since I was 18 years old, and as I am a strong advocate of happiness as a way of living, I will contribute with all new studies, researches done on that perspective, I will provide readers with all my successful tips, strategies and tools to reach not only happiness, but true and eternal happiness. To learn more about Hoda and Happiness follow her on Facebook , Instagram and visit her website . You can buy "Dare to happy" here and stay tuned for her upcoming articles! 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.

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