By: Kristina Närman Self-leadership, a necessity to stay relevant in today’s and tomorrow’s fast and ever-changing professional life. But self-leadership 1.0 is no longer enough, it’s time to upgrade to self-leadership 2.0. Self-leadership is something that more and more organizations talk about and start implementing. And no surprise, as self-leadership is a key to keeping up with today’s and tomorrow’s fast and ever-changing professional life. Studies at Harvard University has found that the most important reasons to increase self-leadership is faster decision-making and to unleash the employees’ full potential. Fast decision-making is crucial to stay relevant in a changing market; the person who sees the need has to be able to implement the solution. If not, the organization will be too slow. Unleashing the employees’ full potential is closely connected to engagement. And we’re facing sort of an engagement crisis, with less than 20% engaged employees according to Gallup. Self-leadership is one way to increase engagement as it includes important aspects of human motivation. Autonomy, Belonging and Competence is the ABC of highly motivated and engaged employees according to one of the most well-recognized theories on human motivation, the Self-determination Theory. Autonomy means you do something because you want to, not because you have to, and is the basis of self-leadership. Belonging, or relatedness, means to feel that you’re being cared for, respected and connected to people around you. In my opinion this occurs when you’re true to your values and work with people with similar values, one key ingredient in successful self-leadership. Competence is about your talents and contribution being recognized and appreciated by the organization. Developing self-leadership includes gaining awareness of your unique strengths and how you want to use them, which strengthens the sense of competence. I would argue self-leadership as a win-win-win for individuals, organizations and society. Why? Increased self-leadership can make us happier, healthier and help us unleash our full potential. A win for us as individuals (no further explanation needed). A win for our organizations both in terms of increased relevance, benefit and profit but also declining sick-listing frequency etc., and for the same reason also a win for society. Self-leadership So, what is self-leadership? Well, there seems to be as many answers to that as there are people and organizations working with self-leadership out there. For some, self-leadership means planning your own work and no more. For some, self-leadership also includes goal-setting, making budgets, deciding whom to recruit (or fire) etc. Consequently, self-leadership has no firm and common definition but each person and organization need to identify their common understanding of the term. "It’s about self-awareness – to understand what’s important to you and what you want to achieve in life". Developing self-leadership is in my opinion no different from developing leadership. Might be even clearer in the case of self-leadership that leadership starts with yourself. It’s about self-awareness – to understand what’s important to you and what you want to achieve in life. It’s about knowing your unique strengths and talents and what you need to develop these. It’s about growing our self-belief, realizing we can do so much more than we think, so that we dare to use our creativity and full potential. But with the speed of change and the complex challenges we’re facing today, self-leadership 1.0 is no longer enough. It’s time to upgrade to self-leadership 2.0! Self-leadership 2.0 If self-leadership 1.0 means taking responsibility for your own growth, self-leadership 2.0 means taking responsibility also for our common growth. For developing the organization, the business, how we work, what we do, where we’re heading… This is important because we need all our brains and our collective power to find solutions to the complex challenges we’re facing. Everyone’s talents and skills have to be utilized in the very best way. We then need self-leaders 2.0 that are aware of their unique strengths but also have the ability to see how they complement each-other and contribute to the organization’s evolvement in the very best way. Another aspect is idea generation. Research has found that the relation between the total number of ideas and the number of good ideas is constant. Thus, to get a good idea the best we can do is to generate many ideas. Ideas also tend to get better when we add different perspectives, competences, experiences, backgrounds etc. In an organization with self-leaders 2.0 everyone is involved in idea generation and innovation. Because making sure the organization stays relevant is everyone’s responsibility. The recipe: Time, love and action How can we level up the self-leadership to 2.0? I’ve found three key ingredients, just as relevant for you as an individual as for a whole team or organization: Time, Love and Action. Time We have to prioritize developing and growing our self-leadership, and I’m sorry to say it’s no quick fix. Rather a never-ending story… We have to continuously clear spots in our calendars when we give ourselves the opportunity to gain self-awareness, grow our self-knowledge and expand our self-belief. We also have to remember nothing is constant so our self-leadership will change over time. Love Development and growth per se mean entering the unknown. Unfortunately, our brains are hardwired to equal the unknown and danger. Great back then at the savanna, not so helpful in today’s professional life… Furthermore, we’re often trained to be super critical. Critical thinking is great, but sometimes we would benefit from pausing it for a while. For example, when trying out new things and generating ideas. New ideas need love and warmth to grow. So instead of immediately focusing on the problems (what will not work, what we haven’t figured out yet) my recommendation is to start with actively seeking for the good; What’s great with this idea, why is this good, how can we build on that? And remember, this goes for your own ideas as well as your colleagues’. An attitude of love creates a culture that allows experimenting and not least important, failure. Which brings us to the third key – action. Action If you should remember one thing from reading this article it’s this: Action Changes Things. We can have the most brilliant ideas and make the smartest strategies but you know what? Nothing will happen before we act. As Walt Disney said: “The way to get started is to quit talking and start doing”. But again, our brains can cause some problems. It turns out our brains are really good at overrating risks. And acting mean taking a certain amount of risk. Again, I recommend to add some love to the equation. Instead of spending loads of time creating the worst-case scenario, use some time to create the best-case scenario. Help your brain get the risk analysis right. It’s also very easy to become a bit overambitious when it comes to action and try to do everything at once. But the hardest thing is to start. So, by making the start as easy as possible by identifying one tiny little action you could easily take, you’re giving yourself great conditions for continuous success. Time to level up! After all, leveling up the self-leadership comes down to this: courage. Courage to believe in ourselves, our ideas and our vision for the future. Courage to unleash our creativity and good craziness. Courage to let go of control and the illusion of safety that hierarchy brings. And last but not least, courage to act. It’s not easy but if we get it right, we’ll have a future proof, sustainable organization with happy, engaged employees that together make sure the organization evolves. Kristina Närman, self-leadership and change consultant, runs a company that helps organizations grow and develop self-leadership, including innovation and “interpreneurship”.

By: Pontus F. Christoffersen Pretty much anyone you ask could share a couple of pointers regarding presentation techniques. Thing is, most of the advice you’d get are not only things you probably already knew but are more often than not also fundamentally incorrect. So, to kill some of the myths and correct some common misconceptions, here are three prevalent mistakes we tend to do before or during a presentation - and what you should do instead to get better results. Misconception No1. You need to prepare and memorize your body language. This is amongst the dumbest advice out there. You never prepare or rehearse any gestures before a regular conversation yet they come to you naturally, but for some reason we’ve started to think that we need to do so before a presentation. Weird. Result - you will appear 50% insecure and 50% fake. "Anxiousness is your body’s response to not knowing how to deal with a specific situation." Instead, what I want you to do is spend some time managing your nervousness. That's the main reason your body language freezes during presentations. We easily get uncomfortable and think more about how we are perceived than what we want to say. Here is something most people don’t know about nervousness, it’s actually quite easy to overcome. Anxiousness is your body’s response to not knowing how to deal with a specific situation. It’s not standing in front of a crowd per se that gets you uncomfortable, it’s the nightmare scenario you picture in you mind: ”What if I forget what to say and look like a fool?” The best way to overcome your nervousness is to answer three simple questions that’ll solve the following problem: if anything happens - what do I do then? Ask yourself this: What could go wrong during the presentation? How can I prepare to make sure that doesn’t happen? If it does happen anyway, what do I say or do in order to deal with the situation? When you know what to do when something goes wrong you’ll kill your own insecurity - and with no insecurity, nervousness cannot exist. Misconception No 2. You have to use all the time you’ve been assigned. You've got 10 minutes to present, so you absolutely need to give a 10 minute presentation, right? Wrong. You only need to say what you need to say to get your message across. If you can do it in 6 minutes instead of 10, then do it. I promise you the audience will thank your it. Misconception No 3. Your goal is to appear as professional as possible when talking to your managers or clients. It doesn't matter who the person is or what position they hold, we tend to much rather listen to someone who is being themself and who’ll use simple words or explanations, than a professional robot who does everything in their power to appear professional. Presenting a topic as yourself is powerful not only because of the relatability but because you’ll believe in what you’re saying - giving your presentation a more grounded feel. Pontus F. Christoffersen is a rhetoric consultant, lecturer and communication trainer at the bureau Snacka Snyggt. Find out more at www.snackasnyggt.se

Carolin Solskär is a former sailor who after nine years at sea - and crossing the Atlantic nine times - changed direction by entering the world of technology. In 2017 Carolin initiated and co-organised me too Sweden - a demonstration against sexual violence and harassment - as a response to the global me too movement. The rally was organised in 14 different cities with thousands of people attending and millions watching live on TV. Today, Carolin is a sought after lecturer and podcaster who talks about equality, sustainability, empowerment, the power of dreaming big and how to permanently position yourself outside your comfort zone. Due to her engagement and proactivity in encouraging more women to work in the tech industry - and her overall fight for an equal society - Carolin was awarded the title "IT Woman of the Year 2019". In addition to this she has been named "Super Communicator of the Year 2018", "The Great Communication Honor Award 2018", "Challenger of the Year 2017" and finalist for "Future Leader of the Year 2017". Carolin has a double major in Computer Science and Business, and during her studies she founded a nationwide organisation for entrepreneurship at all universities in Sweden - Unipreneurs Network - as well as initiated Sweden’s biggest entrepreneur hackathon for students, Create Squared.  We caught up with Carolin for an interview. Tell us a little bit about you goals, what would you like to accomplish? My goal is to save the world. That might sound silly, but that's what I'm aiming for. I don't know how yet, but everything I do is a step in that direction. "Saving the world" is a big mission, and looking at the world and our society, there is a lot of things that needs to be saved. Environmental issues, poverty, animal cruelty, inequality and the list goes on. I want to be part in solving at least one of these issues. I know that won't happen today or next week, but by always having that mission in the back of my head, I know that all my decisions will lead me in that direction. If you wouldn’t have chosen this job and business, what do you think you would work with? I've always wanted to become an actress or an author. I like to think, and hope, that if I hadn't been working in the tech industry, I would have followed one or both of those passions. What would say are the biggest obstacles you’ve faced in your journey? I'm suffering from depression and that is something I've been struggling with all my life. Sometimes I'm the happiest woman alive, and then there are episodes of my life where I can't see the meaning with anything. When I have that "down time" I find it very hard to motivate myself to keep doing everything that I'm doing, and most of my energy goes to coping with myself and my feelings. I think this is why it is so important for me to work with something with a true purpose, and that's why my goal is to save the world. Because I know that even when I'm depressed and not feeling great, my motivation for making the world a better place will never disappear. What are the top three factors you would attribute to your success? Firstly, surprisingly maybe, my depression. Because of it, I always seek happiness. Whatever I do in life is a result of me trying to find something that makes me happy. I see so many people trying to be successful by all the wrong reasons, some of them succeed, some of them fail. But in the end, they're not happy. Not all the money or acknowledgment in the world can buy you happiness. Due to that, I feel that I can't fail, because as long as I do things that makes me happy, I'm doing the right thing. Secondly, as a result of being driven by happiness, I've always been quite daring. I've done a lot of stuff that has had a high risk of failing (and many have). You can't win big if you not take high risks. I think that if you're to focused on your career and "making the right strategic choice", you'll most likely be less risk averse. If you want to be successful, you have to find a way to stand out from the crowd, and that means doing things that no one else has done before. Thirdly, I've never been afraid of getting my hands dirty. I got my first job when I was 12 years old, and have been working hard ever since. Working as a sailor for 9 years taught me a lot about that. When you're on a boat you have to do your job no matter what the circumstances. Even if the weather is horrible and your caught in a storm for weeks, or if you're having a bad day or feeling sick, there is no one else there to do your work for you. When I want something done, or see something I want to change, I'm not waiting around for someone else to fix it, I take matters into my own hands and make stuff happen. What do you do to get ”in the zone” if you feel out of focus? I take a break and go for a walk, on a run or goes to the gym. To be outside getting some fresh air and some sunlight is the best way for me to find my focus again. What is your best memory? When I was 22 I lived in a Maya village in the jungle of Belize. There I met a woman named Fredrika. She was 27 at the time and a mother of 3. She invited me to her home and asked me all types of questions about my life. "How does it feel to ride a train?" "How does it feel like flying an airplane?". She told me of her dream of building a second floor on the hut she was living in, which felt like such an innovative thought to have while sitting there in the middle of the jungle. She took out a big piece of paper on which she had painted her business plan, which she told me about. In the village where she lives, the Indians made a living by the cacao field they owned. Fredrika had realised that the cacao beans they sold, was then made into chocolate. So she thought; why not make the chocolate myself? She had started making her own chocolate bars and told me that she had a friend living 2 hours away that had a computer and internet. She was gonna make a website and distribute her chocolate all over the world. Is there something you would like to get better at? Taking time to celebrate and enjoy the present. I always run very fast, and sometimes I find myself not even taking the time to enjoy everything great that is happening around me, because I'm so focused on what will be happening next. But I'm working hard on being better at that. I actually resigned from my work this week - as Head of Innovation at Nordic Tech House - and will now take some time to just figure out my next steps and focus on my well-being. As mentioned, my main focus is to be happy, and I feel that I need some time for reflection and to understand what makes me happy right now. Humans are not permanent, we're always changing and developing. What made me happy a year ago is necessarily the same as what makes me happy now. Do you have any fears? I'm afraid of being involuntary alone. I'm a true individualist and enjoy my own company as much as I enjoy being with a small group of friends or in a big crowd of people. I have no problem spending a Friday night by myself just reading a book, but that is something I chose. Everytime I hear a story of an old person who died in their home and they didn't find the body until the smell went into the neighbor's apartment, I get so sad. I feel sad for that human and I feel very scared that I will end up like that. That no one will love me or miss me. How are you as a leader? I believe a lot in ownership and taking responsibility. I'm not the type of leader who tells you what to do. I tell you what I need from you, and the rest is up to you to figure out. Whenever we start up a new project at work, we start of with a meeting where I ask everyone with the specific domain expertise how much time they need to solve their specific task and what they need from me and the rest of the team in order to make that happen. By doing so, I give everyone the freedom to work in the way they as the expert finds most effective, but I also put the responsibility on them to keep their word. Everyone own their part of the process. I'm of course always there supporting and helping out when anyone need me. I always make sure to hire the brightest and most talented people I can find, and see myself as the person who just need to make sure we're all moving in the same direction. 10 Quick with Carolin: Work alone or with a partner?  - With a partner Movies or Series? - Series Sour or salty?  - Salty Pizza or hamburger?  - Pizza Morning or evening?  - Morning MacBook or PC? - MacBook Cat or dog? - Dog Beach life or City life? - City life Apartment or House?  - Apartment Winter or Summer? - Summer

By: Josefine Sandahl Many organizations offer miscellaneous health benefits without having any specific plan for what they wish to achieve. Hence, they may get limited returns for their expenses. Addressing well-being in a proactive and strategic manner will result in improved working environment, enhanced efficiency and consequently significant positive financial impact and competitiveness. 3 steps to develop a strategic plan for well-being 1. Work fact based First and foremost, one should start by assessing the actual well-being status of all employees. A fact-based approach will improve understanding of the current situation, and identify challenging areas that needs to be addressed, both on individual and organizational level. Better knowledge of the status will encourage the will for transformation. It will also contribute to identify which activities should be focused on and enable measurement of results through the process. 2. Create flexibility A strategic plan for well-being shall always include common agreed and measurable short- and long-term goals. A frequent mistake we often see is that organizations prepare plans with too detailed solutions, this may cause demotivation and reduced willingness to change. It is therefore recommended that the employees are offered flexibility with regards to means and methods, as we humans often are more prone to changes if we are allowed some influence. However, continuity and endurance are essential to succeed. A few anti-stress lectures will hardly result in any long-term results. Hence, building and maintaining well-being requires continuous attention, just as maintaining one’s physical health requires regular activity. 3. Use a proactive approach To create a sustainable working environment requires long term efforts to promote well-being. Our last advice to reach a stage where the organization can work strategic to create well-being is to focus on proactive measures. To create a sustainable working environment requires long term efforts to promote wellbeing. Reactive actions can be both costly and negative for efficiency and engagement. Preventive and constructive work with well-being requires knowledge and insight of both the individual and the organization, this to make the healthy and correct choices, both instantly and for the long term. Research shows that strategic well-being is a profitable investment! Dear Change was founded by Josefine Sandahl as an initiative to work with employee physical and mental well-being in a strategic manner.

By: Carina Grönholm Why is it that we tend to be so hard on ourselves? And the main question: Does it have to be that way? I say NO, it does not! It’s all up to you to make your own changes. You have that power. How did it all start? After many exciting, fast-paced and fun years in the hospitality business I started noticing that many of my peers were not using the same words as I did to describe our work. I was hearing descriptions like “stressful”, “heavy”, “ungrateful”, “tough”, “bad”, “lack of leadership”, etc. This experience made me realize that although we were all correct in our opinions, each of us had different perspectives. When I brought up the topic in discussions, my co-workers said they loved the job but seemed to have forgotten their “why”—why they did the work in the first place and what their underlying motivation was. This made me a bit sad. I had never held a job where I did not want to be. With this new insight, I realized that many people around me—not just those in the hospitality industry were feeling stuck, trapped and unhappy where they were. This realization was also what sparked my interest in coaching, personal development, leadership, teamwork and the dynamics of interpersonal interaction. It’s all about your mindset Have you noticed that we, as human beings, tend to blame others for things that happen to us? “It was not me, it was her…” or “The lack of leadership makes this job so hard…” or “What is the point of saying anything? Nobody ever listens anyway…” Do any of those sentences sound familiar? I bet they do! You might even have used them yourself. It‘s ok—it’s simply a sign that you are human. My mindset has always led me to look for “the golden nugget” in every person and situation. I think that, without even knowing it, this is what has kept me from going insane many times. Today I see it both as a gift and sometimes as a curse. I had no idea about things like mindset before I got into coaching. While educating myself I discovered so many exciting, new and even scary things about myself. They all made everything clearer in my understanding of myself, personally and professionally. Things started to make sense to me. During my years as a coach I have realized that, regardless of position, we are often drawn toward the same type of uncertainty and feelings. We often place such high demands on our own performance and put ourselves under so much pressure that it ends badly. But it doesn't have to be that way. We can choose to handle situations and experiences differently, depending on our background and mindset. Be your own leader On my path to a deeper understanding, I have found myself drawn towards softer values. The core of my work and life, is based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy training (ACT) and Emotional Intelligence. I have always been able to find joy, but today I know how to truly appreciate it. Inner leadership and kindness is what it’s all about for me. Be kind to yourself and it gets so much easier to be kind to the rest of the world. Take control of that voice in your head, give yourself time to reflect over how and why you react in the ways you do. Once you are in charge of your thoughts and emotions, you automatically will find it easier to be your own “best friend”. “We have to learn to be our own best friends, because we fall too easily into the trap of being our own worst enemies.” – Roderick Thorpe This is why I want to help people find their way of becoming their own best friend: to be the leader of their own life and to see their true value while remaining kind to themselves and others. These are probably two of the most important tasks in everyone’s life, and I am dedicated to coaching people and teams so that they discover for themselves that it does not have to be difficult to make a difference in everyday life. We often think that huge lifestyle changes are required. On the contrary. What it takes is action—that we start doing something. Baby steps can—and will—make a huge difference. 6 KEYS TO BECOME YOUR OWN BEST FRIEND Be kind! – Who is the one person you communicate with most in a day? Is it your significant other, your child, your colleagues or maybe your mother? … Think again. … The answer is: You! You constantly have conversations going on in your head with yourself. Try to remember what you say and how you say it. Is it all positive and cheerful? I hope so (you can stop reading this). Think about what tone you use when talking to yourself. Always aim for treating yourself as you would treat your best friend. If you did, I think your voice would sound different, don’t you? Remember your “why” – Everything starts with your WHY. Have you figured out why you do what you do? Once in a while, take some time and ask yourself: Is this what I want? Am I on the right path? Am I living according to my values or do I need to make a change? Own it! – Never ever forget that you are the one responsible for your well being and your actions. You are the only one who can decide what to say and how to act in your life. Or what not to say or act upon in your life. You always have a choice, and it is you who is always responsible for that choice! Stop and smell the flowers! – Make it a habit to stop and reflect over the day, the week and the month that has passed. Do not forget to feel grateful for the little things around you. Write your thoughts down, in a beautiful journal or notebook, to help you remember the great days when you face the rainy ones. Ask for help! – If you feel that you are failing in your progress, don’t hesitate to ask for help and advice. Depending on the nature of the topic, ask a friend or colleague. If necessary, find an appropriate professional to talk to. It’s ok to make mistakes! – If a situation doesn’t work out the exact way you planned, start by remembering #1 on this list, and try something else. Setbacks are good—we learn from them and they offer new opportunities. Give yourself the respect you deserve! ”The most important relationship in your life is the relationship you have with yourself. Because no matter what happens, you will always be with yourself.” – Diane Von Furstenberg Carina Grönholm, is a ICF Associate Certified Coach with a focus on leadership and teamwork.

Do you have big business goals for 2020? As we enter a new decade with new possibilities, these 10 motivational New Years quotes will inspire you to ring in the new business year. 1. “Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.” – Oprah Winfrey 2. “Tomorrow, is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one.” – Brad Paisley 3. “Think big and don’t listen to people who tell you it can’t be done. Life’s too short to think small.” – Tim Ferriss 4. “The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it.” – Chinese Proverb 5. “Success is getting what you want, happiness is wanting what you get.” – W. P. Kinsella 6. “Optimism is the one quality more associated with success and happiness than any other.” – Brian Tracy 7. “There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth…not going all the way, and not starting.” – Buddha 8. “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.” – Vidal Sassoon 9. “Develop an attitude of gratitude this year, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.” – Brian Tracy 10. “Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach.” – Tony Robbins We wish you a Happy New Successful Year!

Written by: Camilla Gyllensvan, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. The Benefits of Writing a Book for Entrepreneurs in the Personal Development Business Entrepreneurs in the personal development business are increasingly turning to writing books as a way to boost their brand, gain more clients, and turn their books into multi-million dollar revenues. Writing books is a powerful medium for entrepreneurs to share their expertise, engage with their audience, and open new doors of opportunity. From increasing their visibility to giving them a platform to share their knowledge and expertise, writing a book can be a powerful tool for entrepreneurs looking to expand their reach and develop their business. Writing a book is a great way for entrepreneurs to establish their credibility and expertise in the personal development field. It is an opportunity to showcase their knowledge, demonstrate their expertise, and share their insights with the world. Writing a book allows entrepreneurs to present their ideas in a more organized and comprehensive way, allowing them to reach a broader audience and be seen as an authority on their subject. A well-written book can also be used to attract new clients, as well as to create partnerships and collaborations with other entrepreneurs in the personal development space. Writing a book also gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to monetize their expertise. By leveraging the book as a platform to advertise their services, entrepreneurs can use it to draw in more clients. They can also use the book to create and promote online courses that they can offer to their readers. Another way to generate revenue from a book is to create a brand around it and license it to other entrepreneurs. This can create a passive income stream that will help sustain the entrepreneur’s business. Finally, writing a book can be a powerful way to build a personal brand. A book provides entrepreneurs with a platform to share their story and to connect with their audience on a deeper level. It can be a powerful tool for building relationships and trust with audiences, which can lead to more referrals and more business opportunities. Writing a book is an invaluable tool for entrepreneurs looking to boost their brand, gain more clients, and turn their books into multi-million dollar revenues. By leveraging the power of the written word, entrepreneurs can build their credibility, expand their reach, and monetize their expertise. Ready to Turn Your Expertise into a Multi-Million Dollar Revenue Stream? Get Started Today! Writing a book is a powerful way for entrepreneurs in the personal development space to boost their brand, gain more clients, and turn their books into multi-million dollar revenues. If you’re ready to take your business to the next level and turn your expertise into a successful book that can generate substantial returns, contact us today. We’ll work with you to help you write, publish, and promote your book so that you can make the most of this powerful tool. Visit my website for more info! Read more from Camilla! Camilla Gyllensvan, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Camilla Gyllensvan Is an International coach, author and educator. As a Trainer of NLP and hypnosis, she has transformed the lives of her clients all over the globe. She has dedicated her life to teach the most advanced techniques for Therapy, NLP, hypnosis, Time Line Therapy. CBT and neuroscience. With almost 20 years of studying her unit approach to work with clients has lead to her concept the 4 LIFE experience to help clients conquer their own personal limitations and live a happier and more Joyous life. She is also the founder of Mindboozt Agency a platform for Entrepreneurial authors that want to write, publish and market their books about their expertise

Katrin Zytomierska, an inspiring Swedish entrepreneur with a number of projects under her belt. Along with being the CEO of Clean Eating AB – a company which specializes in clean and healthy food – she also runs one of Sweden’s most visited instagram accounts with a very engaged audience. We caught up with her for a chat about the upcoming expansion of her business, and what’s behind her succesful mindset. Clean Eating stands for clean and healthy foods, free of unnecessary additives. The company was founded in early 2012 as “LCHFklubben.se” - from the beginning a digital portal for people who followed the diet. Almost four years later, Clean Eating consists of a product line of forty unique products, available in well-stocked grocery stores around the country. Tell us a little about the up-and-coming expansion? - Due to our limited production capacity, we have been forced to employ a sales stop for quite some time now, with the unfortunate effect that we have not been able to supply new vendors or markets. We have even been forced to outsource some of our production to external factories to keep up with the demand from our contracted vendors – but I’m hoping to bring back that production once the new factory we’re building is ready. The new factory will also enable us to further expand our product range. You’re looking to expand globally. Have you run into any obstacles during this process? - I’ve never had to worry since my co-workers - who run the day-to-day business – are extremely competent and meticulous. I’m sure they’ve had some snags and bumps along the road, though! What do you think is the reason behind your sucess? - I don’t do anything for the sole purpose of making a profit: I manufacture amazing products that people appreciate, and I put my heart and soul into my work. What do you do to get ”into the zone” if you feel unfocused? - I intensify my work-out routine, try to catch more sleep and say NO to things. A proper, drunk night out to clear my head works wonders, too! A lot of people look up to you because of your honesty and open-mindedness. How have you developed that kind of mindset? - I don’t employ a particular strategy, so it’s nothing but the result of genetics and my upbringing. Simply put, I am entirely myself. Do you feel that people around you are a little intimidated by you? Should they be? - Yes, I do feel that haha, but I’d say that intimidation comes from peoples’ own insecurities. People should really not feel intimitaded by me, but I do however expect to be treated with respect, which I’d say is a pretty normal mindset. If you could give one advice to those who wish they were more open but are afraid of people’s reactions, what would that advice be? - I’d tell them to write or say something that they know will bring out reactions, and avoid deleting negative comments: Just respond ”yes, this is my opinion and I stand for it”. Is there something you’d like to get better at? - Paddle tennis! What would you say is your number one skill? - Keeping calm, and negotiating. Do you have any fears that keeps you from doing things? - No, none, for better or for worse. What are you like as a boss? - I consider myself to be hard, but fair. I give my employees freedom under responsibility and I care a lot about their wellbeing. I might also come across as a bit of a scatterbrain, but my colleagues know that I always work it out in the end. 10 Quick Questions with Katrin Working alone or with a partner? - Alone Fish or chicken? - Fish Night out or night in? - Night out Sour or salty? - Salty Pizza or hamburgers? - Stop it Dressed up or Comfortable? - Dressed up Macbook or PC? - Macbook Cats or dogs? - Dogs Beach or city? - Beach Apartment or house? - Apartment

Written by: Elana Cohen, 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. Keiko Beatie is a remarkable individual with a diverse range of achievements and a passion for the cannabis industry. With an impressive career beginning in the music industry, she had the privilege of working with renowned artists such as Eddie Van Halen, Cheap Trick, and Eddie Money. Despite the prevalent experimentation in that industry, Keiko maintained a unique approach, abstaining from alcohol and cigarettes while embracing cannabis. Growing up with a background in herbology and naturopathic practices, Keiko found that her knowledge of Bach's flower remedies and homeopathic products intertwined seamlessly with her growing understanding of cannabis. In 2013, seizing an opportunity to collaborate with a former colleague, she co-founded the groundbreaking U.S. Weed Channel, the world's first cannabis television network. The network encompassed a wide array of programming, ranging from educational content and 420 news to cooking shows, film festivals, and music events. Keiko aimed to present a comprehensive view of cannabis, recognizing that it represents not just a smoking habit but an entire lifestyle and culture. Since then, Keiko has dedicated herself to empowering women in the cannabis industry, serving as the membership director for Women Grow, a prominent nationwide organization. She also holds a position on the board of the Orange County chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (OC NORML). In addition, she hosted a talk show on Hemp Radio alongside Kandice Hawes-Lopez, the esteemed founder and director of the chapter. Keiko's commitment to her values and her desire to foster the success of women in the cannabis industry make her an influential collaborator. She firmly believes that, as women, the inherent qualities of nurturing and caregiving extend to our connection with the female cannabis plant. In the cannabis industry, she sees a realm where there are no barriers or limitations for women, allowing them to thrive and break free from the confines of a traditional glass ceiling. Furthermore, Keiko is currently involved in organizing the Taste of 4/20 Casino Celebration, hosted by Edibles Magazine. This licensed event, taking place on April 20 at Casa Vertigo in Downtown Los Angeles, offers participants the unique opportunity to consume cannabis on-site. Alongside this, attendees can enjoy an adult bounce house and savor low-dose edibles crafted by esteemed canna-chefs. Keiko Beatie is a true force to be reckoned with, driven by her unwavering ethics and her unwavering commitment to seeing women flourish in the cannabis industry. Through her various roles, collaborations, and endeavors, she continues to pave the way for a more inclusive and empowering future where women can fully embrace their connection with the world of cannabis. Keiko Beatie has made remarkable strides in the fields of Ayurveda, Chinese medicine, and holistic healing throughout her extensive career that dates back to the 1970s. Building upon her expertise in Bach Flower and Homeopathic remedies, she has seamlessly integrated the world of whole-plant cannabis medicine into her practice. Keiko is deeply committed to community education and improving patient care within this realm. Her journey into the realm of psychedelics began during her student years when she had the transformative opportunity to learn from the renowned teacher Ram Dass at UCI after his departure from Harvard. This experience left an indelible mark on her consciousness and remained a cherished memory. Currently serving as the Director of Education at Coral Cove Wellness Resort, an idyllic retreat nestled along the picturesque Jamaican coastline, Keiko has also become an owner of this all-inclusive destination dedicated to cannabis and psychedelic education. Surrounded by the serene beauty of the ocean, the resort provides a unique environment for individuals to deepen their understanding of these transformative medicines. Keiko's expertise and passion have led her to be a highly sought-after speaker at numerous mainstream and cannabis conferences across the country. She shares her knowledge on a wide range of topics, including Senior Education, Edibles, Pain Management, Canna Travel Tourism, and Patient Care. In recognition of her outstanding contributions, Keiko was honored with the prestigious Female Leadership of the Year Award at the 2022 Women's Canna Cup. Beyond her speaking engagements, Keiko actively participates as a board member in several esteemed organizations. These include OC NORML, The Cannabis Chamber of Commerce, the Asian Cannabis Roundtable, the Cannabis World Congress & Business Expo (as an Advisory Board Member), The EmeraldCup (as an Edibles Judge), and Cashom. Keiko's educational journey led her to pursue studies at UCLA, where she earned her BA in Business. She further developed her skills at renowned institutions such as the Esolen Institute, Twin Lakes Holistic College, Alive Polarity Institute, CIIS (California Institute of Intralegal Studies), and LA College of Massage and Physical Therapy. Prior to dedicating herself to education and patient care through natural medicines, she made significant contributions to the music, film, and surf industries. Keiko played an instrumental role in founding Women Grow OC and has shared her writing talents with notable platforms such as Weedmaps, Marijunia.com, Sensi Magazine, and Canna TravelLife Magazine. With an unwavering mission rooted in education and outreach for patient care, Keiko Beatie continues to be a driving force in advocating for the acceptance and legalization of cannabis and psychedelic medicines. Her invaluable contributions have shaped the landscape of holistic healing, inspiring individuals to explore the profound potential of these natural remedies. For more information, please visit Keiko Beatie's website at www.coralcovewellness.com. Follow Elana on LinkedIn, and visit her website for more info! Read more from Elana! Elana Cohen, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Elana Cohen is a freelance writer based in Chicago. She covers cannabis topics from product reviews, thought leaders in the industry, brands, features on cannabis players in the market and her own experience with cannabis and mental health. Elana is on a mission to end the negative stigmas on cannabis, mental health & tattoos. All topics considered to be fighting the taboos and negative stigmas they have. Elana also covers entertainment, specifically electronic dance music concerts and festivals. I also cover FOOD and the hospitality industry. Send restaurant news and upcoming launches this way!

By: Linnea Molander Dating Coach and founder of Happy Dating Can you imagine if we gave people career advice in the same way that we give single people love advice? Single people get well intended, yet often completely delusional, words of encouragement all the time: “Just wait it out and you’ll find someone too someday.” “Don’t think so much about it, just let love come to you.” “You don’t need therapy/coaching/matchmaking, just be yourself and someone will love you for you.” It all sounds great, doesn’t it? But let’s take a closer look at these comments. What they all have in common is that they tell you to do nothing to improve your love life. Absolutely nothing at all! Just be yourself (whatever that means…) and wait it out. I don’t know about you, but I would call that a pretty crappy success strategy for any area of your life. Comments like these keep people stuck and struggling because they actually encourage you to be completely passive, but I don’t think that’s how you handle challenges in other areas of your life. Let’s put the same words of ‘encouragement’ into a career context and see how absolutely insane they sound: “Just wait it out and you’ll have your own business too someday.” “Don’t think so much about your finances, just let the money come to you.” “You don’t need to practice any skills, just be yourself and someone will hire you for you.” It makes absolutely no sense, right? So why do we think it will lead to a fulfilling love life when we literally don’t think like this in regards to anything else? When it comes to health, education, money, travel, life goals and all other parts of life we are well aware that success requires knowledge, skill and practice. Somehow love, dating and intimate relationships has become the only exclusion from this obvious fact. Why? It’s certainly not because intimate relationships are easier than everything else. Relationships are hard, require a lot of skill, compassion, self awareness and practice. Nor are they less important. Who you spend your life with is one of the biggest decisions you’ll ever make, and the quality of your relationships has a huge impact on your happiness levels and life satisfaction. If relationships skills were at least taught in school and we didn’t get emotionally messed up by our hopefully loving, but most likely also emotionally clueless, parents, we might have had a chance to make it work with ease. But for most of us that’s not the case. Instead, we have to do some inner work just to make up for all the misunderstandings, heartbreaks and disappointments we’ve already acquired from birth until now. That inner work can’t be delegated to someone else, still many try by thinking that the right person is suddenly going to appear and solve everything just by existing. They won’t. And it’s not their job. It also puts all the power over your love life in the hands of a stranger you haven’t even met! Again, I don’t think this is how you run the rest of you life; hoping that some stranger will show up and solve your problems. Instead, you do what you got to do to get the results you want, right? Results require skills If you think about it: how much time, energy, effort and money have you put into exploring your inner emotional landscape, learning authentic communication skills and understanding intimate relationship dynamics? If there is a difference in success level there is most likely also a difference in knowledge and skill level. How much time, energy, effort and money have you put into succeeding in other areas of your life, like your career, fitness and lifestyle? If there is a difference in success level there is most likely also a difference in knowledge and skill level. Simple as that. I believe that everything in life is a learnable skill, which means that you can improve your love and relationships skills, just like every other skill you have (or don’t have). But there’s a catch here as well! If you want to learn you need to listen to someone who knows what they’re talking about — and when it comes to love everyone has an opinion and offers advice, but very few have actual knowledge. If you wouldn’t take financial, career or health advice from just anyone with an opinion, then don’t use that strategy for your love life either! If you’re struggling with your dating of love life, get help from someone who is an expert in their field and can teach you the skills you need! Read a book, follow a blog on dating psychology, educate yourself on the latest research on what makes relationships work and most importantly make an effort to understand yourself and your relationships patterns. Then you will, in fact, have a great chance to just find someone, let love come to you and have a partner who will love you for you. But not because you waited long enough or were lucky, but because you applied the exact same success strategies to your love life that you already use in every other successful area of your life. Linnea Molander is a dating coach, author and the founder of Happy Dating — Positive Psychology For Your Love Life. Find out more at www.linneamolander.com

You might have heard that all you need is a great idea? But how do you become a problem solver - and how do you come up with a business idea? We listed 4 important things to think about when creating your business idea and also what might be a good idea to try before you register your company. There are tons of great ideas that are being pushed out to the market every year. Unfortunately, not even a third of them reach success. Why? Most people and companies have these things in common; They all have challenges/problems and desires. How great you succeed is all dependent on how well you can fill those needs or what helpful solutions you can provide - and maybe most importantly, how passionated you are to be the provider. There is a lot of different aspects that can affect if a business succeed or not. The first thing you should focus on is to have a clear and defined target market, a clear and defined problem or desire - and a clear and defined solution. Then, you should ask yourself - will I enjoy working with this? When you're truly passionated about what your building, the odds will be in your favor. Being solution-oriented is a Habit - Look for possibilities everywhere and become a problem solver! Most people think that you have to be born a problem solver. You don't. "Problem solving" is something you can practice and you can practice it daily, you just need to change your habits and the way you typically see things. Most people bump into problems or challenges every day - big and small. What most people don't do is stop and think; "How can I solve this problem?" or "What possibilities do we have in front of us?". To become a problem solver, try think like that for at least 30 days to make it a habit. Acknowledge every time something bugs you. Every time you find yourself complaining about something or seeing the down-side of something - ask yourself those two questions and see how your brain respond to it. You will be surprised how many new ideas you will get and how many new possibilities you will see. That is how inventions and businesses are born. 4 things to help you form a Business Idea: What are you passionated about? Many people don't know what they are passionated about and a lot of us don't even know what we are good at. "What are you good at?" - is a hard question. Most of us are pretty shy when we get asked this question. Instead, try to ask yourself; What things do I love to learn? What do I typically google? What do I typically spend money on? What do people ask my advice on? All these questions can help you figure out what you actually like to do, learn and talk about. Most of the time, the answer to what you are good at is right underneath your nose - you just don't know how good you are at it. Most of the time we don't know how good we are at certain things because we don't acknowledge everything we learn. Think about it this way; If you spend most of your time learning about mindset (you go to seminars, you read blogs, you follow research, you google, you listen to podcasts) - and your friend spend most time learning the same way about cars. Who would be the go-to-person when your other friend have a question about mindset? Who would you go to if you had a question about cars? Many of us know things that we assume everyone else already know - and most of us have no clue how good we are at something. Who would be your target market? To figure this one out you should think about what kind of people you would want to work with. Is it; women, men, adults, children, parents, a business group, dentists, entrepreneurs, car owners, etc..? What group of people do you feel most connected to? What problems or desires do they have? Do they have problem finding clients? Do they have problem losing weight? Do they desire better technology knowledge? Is their car always dirty and they don’t have time to take it to the car wash? Solution to their problem. Is your target market dentists who are struggling to find new clients? The customer will most likely be more receptive to their service when marketing through social media such as; creating facebook-ads to attract potential clients. Another target market can be car owners who don't have time to take their cars to a car wash. The solution might be to find a mobile car wash service that would accommodate to their needs. Look for solutions. Exercise - Fill in Blanks I help _______ To________ By________ I help (people or groups you like to work with): Example: Dentists, Parents, Teenagers, Men, Elderly, People with Weight Problems, People with Smoking Addiction, Entrepreneurs, etc. To (what is their problem/desire?): Example: get clients, get their kids to sleep all night, better dating life, quit smoking, loose weight, become confident on stage, learn more about technology, get better time management etc. By (solution to their problem): Example: Building a marketing funnel, offering them coaching, working with acting techniques, implementing better routines, setting up their IT software correctly etc. Last but not least.. Sell before you build Most people think that you can't start working until you have legally registered your company. That's a common misconception. It's not necessary to focus on the paperwork and registration process before you even know how your market will respond to your idea. Try selling it - iterate and improve. Establish and recruit clients to your company. When you get your first client and have proof of concept - send in the paperwork and send your first invoice! This way you can test your business idea and the markets need for it before even starting it. It may seem too simple but its a very smart way to start - plus it saves you tons of time!

By: Caroline Winkvist First of all, what is an Affirmation? Affirmations are short, powerful statements used to state that something is true - to help make it true. But how is thinking my way to success going to work? To begin with, it's not magic. Just because you think about a new car, it won’t just magically appear in front of you, unfortunately. You might also feel uncomfortable lying to yourself, since you're stating things that aren't true (yet) - but hopefully this article will help you clarify how it works. Affirmations actually work due to the power of positive thinking. First of all, affirmations make people receptive to change - and then they help making the change reality. According to different studies it is easier to make a positive change when you use daily affirmations because it remind us of what we want and why. Affirmations to help you stay on track Everyone can have a ”day off" with a habit change. Unfortunately many people use this as an excuse to say, "I can't do it" and they quit - or they say they're going to do it later. Daily affirmations give you the motivation to keep going through these tough times by reminding you of what you want, to help you stay motivated and determined to work towards the change you want to make. However, positive affirmations is not only about helping you to succeed with your missions. Affirmations can also be used as reminders of things that are already good in your life, including your strengths or things you're grateful for. Positive affirmations can also help release you from anxiety, negativity, guilt, fear and pain. Messages to your Brain These three sentences on the left side of this picture are all positive affirmations. For example: When these simple messages are repeated over-and-over, they begin to re-program your mind and slowly change your thought patterns. Eventually they will change the way you think and feel about things - which will increase the chances of you taking the actions required to succeed with it. These positive statements can help you focus on goals, get rid of self-defeating negative beliefs and program your subconscious mind - and eventually create a new reality. Areas you can include in your affirmations: When you write your affirmations we recommend using a mix of these areas because they will help keep you on track, make you stay positive and motivated, empower your strengths, fight your limiting beliefs and remind you of what’s important and WHY, and maybe most importantly - what you're grateful for. GRATEFULNESS - WHAT ARE YOU GRATEFUL FOR AND WHY? This is an amazing way to remind yourself of things in your life that are important and meaningful to you. We tend to forget all the great things we have in our lives and these affirmations will act as beautiful reminders. Example Affirmation: "I am grateful for my health. I am grateful for every part of my body that is healthy." Another example (if you have children): "I am grateful for being a parent. I am grateful for being given the opportunity to raise children and for the love I get to give them and receive from them every single day for the rest of my life." MISSION & PURPOSE - WHAT DO YOU WANT AND WHY? These positive affirmations might begin as wishful thinking - but when you fuel your mind with these affirmations as a part of your daily habits, they end up becoming the reality of your life. When writing affirmations about what you want and why, write them as it already happened and try to include the feeling you have when you’re succeeding. Example Affirmation: "I want to stop having a stressful morning - is not an affirmation. Your affirmation would instead be: "I choose to have a great morning routine because it makes me feel stress free and energized and I start every day with a win!" That’s a strong affirmation. MY STRENGTHS Making an affirmation about your strengths is a great way to remind yourself of your greatness and to empower yourself. Example Affirmation: "I am kind and I always care deeply for others. I work hard to be able to take care of the people I love and care for. I have positive energy and people enjoy my company. I feel humble." NEGATIVE THOUGHTS & LIMITING BELIEFS Negative thoughts can also include limiting beliefs and weaknesses. It can also be things that scares you. For example, a limiting belief can be ”I'm always going to be overweight and depressed" Example Affirmation: "I choose to be healthy, eat healthy and exercise because that makes me feel better, look better and be happier." Or you might have a weakness you want to work on.. Making an affirmation about your weaknesses is good to remind yourself of why you want to change. Weakness: "I’m always late because I’m a time optimist" Example Affirmation: "I’m committed to always be on time. I prioritize planning my time because it makes me feel in control and free from any stress." Fears If you have any fears, a fear can be: "I fear rejection" Example Affirmation: "I am free of the fear of rejection. Rejection is a necessary thing to achieve success. I act without fear of rejection and I feel proud and confident." Cheating your subconscious mind If you feel like it’s too hard to convince your mind of some of the affirmations you’re writing, then try to avoid making the ”lie” too obvious. Affirmations is about cheating your subconscious mind and in some cases when you make the lie too obvious, you might make it too easy for your mind to catch the lie. You might get stuck focusing on not believing your affirmation - especially if you’re a person who’s often skeptical. Therefore, we want you to focus on your WHY for the things you feel is the hardest to commit to. For example: Don’t write ”I love eating vegetables” if you truly hate vegetables. That way you make the step to reality too big. Try to make it more like: ”I choose/commit myself to find new healthy alternatives everyday because it makes me feel healthy, strong and proud of myself.” When you focus on your why, your reasons and motivation to commit to it will increase. Guidelines for writing your affirmations Use the present tense - I am, I have, I always, I love, I commit, I can, I choose.. etc. State it in the positive - Try to not state what you’re doing wrong, focus on what you can do right instead. Don’t write: ”I’m going to stop being negative!” Instead write: ”I choose to be positive because it makes me feel energized and happy and I attract opportunity.” Keep it brief - You don’t need to write a full story. Try to keep it short with only a couple of sentences. Include feelings - Try to include how succeeding with the statement would make you feel. E.g. "I feel honored and gifted” Do not use words like: I wish, I want, I should, I don’t.. When writing about negative thoughts: When you make affirmations based on bad habits, negative thoughts or limiting beliefs try to use sentences like: I choose to____because____ Or: I commit to____because____ Think about how you want to feel instead of how you feel right now, and choose or commit to make actions based on how you want to feel. When using these kind of affirmations repeatedly, "I choose to", will eventually become ”I am”. Read or listen to your affirmations daily or whenever you feel like you need to empower yourself. We recommend recording your affirmations and keep them on your phone. That way you can listen to them on your way to work or school - or whenever you want to. Listening to your affirmations is like meditation or mindfulness, it's beautiful. Most phones have recording applications pre-installed which is the easiest way to record your affirmations. Read your affirmations slow and with confidence and really focus on imagining the situation when it's happening. If you want to, you can use mindfulness music in the background to make it extra powerful. Really try to feel the positive emotions from it as you read. For many people this sounds silly but you'll be surprised how much your own voice and your own statements can motivate you and help you take necessary steps forward to success.