Jul/Aug 2019
Is the Franchise Model Right for Your Business? July 6th & 7th - London, UK
Entrepreneurs are Leaders: A 2 days Free Experiential Business Event
What Does it
Mean to Belong?
Communication:
Complex, Challenging and Beautiful.
Arnon Barnes Focus on your strengths and get someone else to deal with your weaknesses 1
In recent times, the world has shifted. There is a rise in new paradigms, based on values. Values which many people believed had disappeared or been discarded. Well, I am celebrating with you today, because those values are returning. It may take time and effort, but slowly we are claiming them back. Now is the time when women are taking charge of creating, changing, educating, nurturing, contributing and campaigning for a better world. A world where we embrace co-creation to build on the magic of love, appreciating what we do and what we have. Creating a better life and world for our children to grow and enjoy harmony. I feel incredibly humbled and blessed to be a part of this wonderful change of paradigms. I am so grateful that I am a contributor to this change and that I have been given the honour of writing about it in different books. One of them is Todays Inspired Latina which is a series of books gathering together remarkable stories of Latinas from around the world, who have not only encountered adversity, but have conquered it and achieved their goals. It is a great pleasure to introduce these entrepreneurs, mothers, sisters and daughters whose words will inspire and give courage to others wanting to realize their hopes and dreams.
Challenges and hardships can serve to help us find our path. We may not have a choice in the circumstances we find ourselves, but we can choose how we react to any given situation. Finding self-respect is the first step towards self-development and finding your true potential. Find your inspiration by reading about other people who have made similar journeys. Never be afraid to ask for help. Surround yourself with people who love you and want you to succeed. Take care of yourself and the people around you. It’s a balance which can be quite difficult, so you need to take control of your time and make it happen. It’s like dancing. Take action to clear your mind and become a better person. You are a light in this work.Never forget that.
Together is Better. Together we are stronger. Love Veronica
I am extremely fortunate to be involved with these opportunities of co creation. How do we get these amazing opportunities? We create them ...
VerĂłnica Sosa Publisher www.businessfitmagazine.com
3
Spice it Up - p52 Eating to Save Our Planet Claire Morley EVENTS -------------------------Today’s Inspired Latina - p34 iCAAD - p38
FIT FEATURES
Pashion Fashion - p16 Trending in Fashion Sandra Bauknecht
Valerie Prasetyo p6 Alex Kei p44 Arnon Barnes p60 The Extraordinary Power of Being You Lynda Bunnell p22
4
Belong or Be Long Regina Reinhardt p10 Love and Intimacy in the Conscious Relationship Viola Edward p24 Self-imposed Loneliness Ismael Cala p50 Stay Healthy, Wealthy and Wise Working From Home Leslie Truex p56
Franchising: an Old, But Always Fashionable, Business Model Patrizia Sangalli p12 It’s Not What You Say, It’s How You Say It Tulia Lopes p28 Personal Finance Habits You Need to Know Valerie Prasetyo p66
Publisher & Founder Verónica Sosa Business Fit International Advisory Board Viola Edward Vikki Thomas
REACH OUT For information on advertising or placing an article in Business Fit Contact us: Email: hello@businessfitmagazine. com editor@businessfitmagazine.com Phone: +32 468 218 887
How to Live an Even More Sustainable Life Kieran Pollitt p22 Using Ancient Wisdom to Find Your Balance Adrian Cox p40
Green Business Is Good Business Sam Mills p68
Contributors Sandra Bauknecht Lynda Bunnell Ismael Cala Jacqueline Camacho-Ruiz Adrian Cox Cinzia De Santis Viola Edward iCAAD Tulia Lopes Sam Mills Claire Morley Kieran Pollitt Valerie Prasetyo Regina Reinhardt Patrizia Sangalli Leslie Truex General Editorial Coordinator Claire Morley Art and Design Director Leo Collier Bett Graphic Designer Adverts Javier Sanchez Business Fit Marketing Director Luis Teràn (Ninweb) Social Media Team Cristina Aguayo Rub Diaz
Copyright © 2019 by Verónica Sosa. All rights reserved. This Magazine or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher.
M-20318-2017
5
Interview
Valerie
Prasetyo “My mission is to help educate women about finances and freedom� 6
Valerie Prasetyo is a serial entrepreneur, investor, speaker and author. She is the Founder of Independent Women Summit which annually opens its doors to hundreds of people helping them to gain knowledge about business, investment, passive income and wealth as well as mindset and success. This year IWS is being held in a city which nowadays provides enormous opportunities to entrepreneurs, influencers and lives changers, Dubai. Valerie tells Business Fit readers about the summit and why it is so important for women.
How did the Independent Women Summit come to life?
I have worked with lots of investors helping them to diversify their portfolios, manage risk and understand the nature of investments. Unsurprisingly, most of them were men. Women on the other hand, are quite resistant when it comes to investing money especially in something , which in their opinion, is risky. Interestingly, it is generally women who are financially dependent on their employer, the government, their spouse, etc., especially when it comes to maternity leave and some health issues. So it became some sort of mission for me to help educate women about finances and freedom, which is how the idea of the Independent Women Summit came into life.
What is the aim of the summit?
With the development and growth of the platform, it has become clear that independence has so many facets and the financial aspect is just one small fraction. The summit aims to go much deeper and now involves speakers and coaches who can bring insight, tools and knowledge to help set people free on so many levels, including mentally and psychologically (release limiting believes, child traumas, learn self-love and acceptance), emotionally (stop being dependent on somebody’s else opinion and ‘social acceptance’), physically (self, body, health - care) and of course spiritually (reminding women who they really are, their true nature and grace) and so much more.
can brilliantly build healthy and fruitful relationships, in business and in her private life. While she respects her man for his strengths and qualities, it is not necessary for her to be dependent on him. The best formula of success in any relationships (whether it’s sport, entrepreneurship, friendship or marriage, etc.) is not 50%+50% (as some say ‘I am searching for my better half’), it’s 100%+100% (when both are fulfilled and independent). Our grandmothers and mothers coped holding down a secure job and raising children and they were pretty comfortable with that. But everything in this world moves, it changes and progresses. The next generation will not be able to live with the mindset of their grandparents. I believe we must take the best of the qualities from that generation, like unshakable discipline, strong will, loyalty and move up to the next level. As children we are dependent on someone to care for us, on someone else’s thoughts, decisions and opinions (unfortunately, some stay at this level), then we move to the next stage, a kind of ‘base-level’ independence self-awareness, an understanding of your skills, talents and abilities; having the ability to make your own decisions and take action. It is only after gaining this level of consciousness, that we are able to grow further and are ready to create something greater - this level is all about collaboration, partnership and support.
Independence has so many facets and the financial aspect is just one small fraction
Why is independence so important for women?
Well actually, it is nothing to do with feminism. In fact, I believe an independent woman
7
Interview What is the process of independence?
It is not possible to suddenly break from being dependent and become a great A-player in a team. The process of gaining your own independence is about knowing who you are, what your mission is, which abilities and skills you want to develop. It is about the quality of your decision- making, your actions and as a result, your quality of life. The tools I mentioned before, like financial education, coaching, entrepreneurship, networking, etc. can only make this quality better. And that’s what the Independent Women community and Summit as an event is all about. It is open to people from all over the world, and travels from country to country to raise the awareness of women, despite cultural, traditional and mental differences. And yes, this year we are in the Middle East.
It’s a Women summit, but what about men?
These days there are lots of men who support the women-empowerment industry and we have some men as speakers and participants. Of course it is also important for men to grow and learn as well, it’s all about collaboration and mutual support. However, wouldn’t you agree that women are more vulnerable and face more challenges, especially in the modern world? We are born full of knowledge, wisdom, intuition and understanding of our role on this planet. But somewhere between childhood and adulthood, we lose that. We become empty, stressed, self-critical, and, as a result hate other women, constantly comparing ourselves, becoming greedy and lose our way. People call it ‘a play of hormones’. But in reality, it is the result of years of suppression, misunderstanding, discrimination and playing a secondary role in society. If we come from the same Source and are really universally connected to each other, all the hardships our ancestors went through, all the unfair attitudes our great, great grandmothers endured, imprints on our consciousness, behaviour and life, usually without us even being aware of it.
8
What do you see as the difficulties for women to achieve independence?
I was born into an Asian family, and my parents were the most loving and caring, but still as a woman I had a specific life-model to live by and that contained limitations. As a result, I was not always allowed to selfactualise and discover all my talents. I had to get a profession and build a career which sounded good to others. not for myself; have my own family, based on specific assumptions and expectations. There was always an element of suppression and unrealised dreams. A more extreme example, which is still relevant today, in many Asian families, women are forced to have an abortion if they find out they are expecting a girl. We, as women, not yet born, are already ‘unwelcome’ in this world, unwanted and not even allowed to live. Yet who gives life in this world? Who has such strong inner power they can heal, nurture and ease pain? Who is the source of beauty and grace? Who turns a collection of stones into a warm and cosy place called home? Who, without saying a word, can inspire, motivate, but also destroy? And this is only a short list. This phenomenon is called WOMAN. In order to point all her abilities, gifts and creativity in a positive direction; to shift the collective consciousness and mindset of the future generations into greatness and in general make this world a better place to be, we need to allow ourselves to discover our independence as a woman. We need to constantly grow through knowledge, acceptance and forgiveness, and learn how to genuinely support each other, respect each other and build a healthy environment around us.
What will women learn from the summit?
Our amazing speakers will help attendees learn about new business opportunities, how to add additional income streams or increase their current income; find new strategies to build their way to financial freedom. We will teach them how to get the mindset of a champion to succeed in any area of life, as well as show them ways to unleash their inner power and
We need to constantly grow through knowledge, acceptance and forgiveness
take control of emotions to achieve greatness, a way to achieve more happiness, wealth and health in life and achieve more awareness of their mission and purpose, by tuning into their true self. It is also an opportunity to spend a great day networking with like-minded people
How can people join the summit?
If people want to become part of more than just a community, and be involved in a movement of independent, fulfilled and supportive women who lead, work and build relationships with grace, they are very welcome to join us the Independent Women Summit, which takes place on 9 November, 2019 at the Hilton Dubai Jumeirah, tickets are available from http:// independentwomensummit.com/#tickets
www.valerieprasetyo.com www.independentwomensummit.com Facebook: @IWSWorldwide IG: Independent Women
9
Mindset & Emotion
Belong or Be Long
An Adult Third Culture Kid and specialist in intercultural consultancy, Regina Reinhardt reflects on the challenge of whether ‘being long’ in one place means we actually belong there. I’m an Adult Third Culture Kid (TCK). Born in my passport country, at the age of eight my family and I relocated to a country I only had visited twice on vacation. There, I attended international school until graduation. I was then sent back to my passport country, which my parents considered our ‘home’. I was planning to stay for a couple of years, just until completing my higher education. Now, after nearly 32 years – three cities, three careers, one marriage and one wonderful son later – I’m leaving again.
10
As I make my way to the airport today, I feel truly excited to relocate at last to the country of my heart. At the same time, I’m reflecting on what the word ‘belong’ really means. I realise that it is made up of two words: ‘be’ and ‘long’. In that sense, yes, I was ‘long’ in my country of birth and passport. Reflecting on the deeper meaning of ‘belonging,’ though, one point is very obvious: I have felt little ‘belonging’ in this country. Not during the first eight years of my life here, nor after 32 years of repatriation. While I looked like the locals, I didn’t speak or act like them, I wasn’t familiar with their manners, and I didn’t have much in common with their education culture. Nevertheless, I married a monocultural local, the father of my gorgeous son. Plus, I engaged in three careers, the last of which saw me founding an agency for intercultural coaching. I admit that career-wise, it looked as if I had found my way. As long as I performed consistently, I was in. In particular, working with international organisations across the globe made it possible for me to ‘belong’ – and ‘be long.’ My experience in Greece was, in a way, the opposite. Its relationship-oriented culture matched my own values nicely. Still, I only lived there during my childhood, and part-time during my self-employed years. And I barely worked with the locals – despite my attempts. As a natural initiator and creator of new business ideas, I was positive that I could succeed there as I had done many times before. Guess what? It didn’t work out as I expected, leaving me with endless sleepless nights. So, I found myself going from one extreme to another. Where I was happy living, I wasn’t happy working, and vice versa. What I learned: to focus exclusively on multinational organisations and clients. That works well for my business and allows me to feel at home. Do I ‘belong’ to this country where I’ve lived during the summer months for the last five years? No! The locals recognise me as
a ‘foreigner’ and are very reluctant to trust anyone outside their own family. In addition, most of my family – including my son whom I love dearly – lives a two-and-a half hour flight away in another country. So why am I SO happy to relocate? Trying to understand the theory behind the practice, I have talked to numerous adult TKCs, read several books, and yet I still cannot put a finger on it. • • •
• •
Is it – as a client suggests – that with age, one goes back to where they spent most of their formative years? Is it that, in the country I’m heading to, my relationship-oriented personality fits the locals’ personality so much better? Is it that I’ll wake up one day and regret what I’ve done, because I’m simply having delusions? And yet, I feel so very excited in every single cell of my body! Is it simply a coincidence that my passport country doesn’t match my personality, and the one of my latest residence does? Is it that the feeling of ‘belonging’ simply changes as life goes on?
In the end, I believe we must uncover what is important to us, rather than why. We want the feeling of ‘belonging’, but to ‘be long’ is a challenge for most adult TCKs, at least at some point in our lives. The truth is, the longer I travel this journey, the more I detach from countries, cities and places, and the more I ‘belong’ to the very moment, simply being. Have you experienced similar feelings? I would love to hear your ‘belong’ and ‘be long’ story!
I believe we must uncover what is important to us
Regina Reinhardt was born in Switzerland and grew up in Greece.
Today, as an adult Third Culture Kid (TCK), she runs her own cross-cultural consultancy, coaching global executives and adult TCKs to mindfully use their unique talents and realise their bold dreams. Regina is currently in the process of co-writing a book on adult TCKs. www.ReginaReinhardt.com - www.linkedin.com/in/reginareinhardt
11
Business
Franchising:
An Old, But Always Fashionable,
Business Model 12
It is commonly accepted that franchising was officially born around 1929, in France and the US.
Multilingual lawyers Patrizia Sangalli and Dario Rizzi from the boutique international law firm SDG & Partners explain how to avoid the pitfalls of franchising and the questions to contemplate when expanding overseas. If you wish to establish an attractive business model to distribute goods and services globally, or your company has a brand image in the market and hopes to expand, or you have a unique trend and wish to generate profits, then franchising could be your best option to earn worldwide popularity with a handful of resources and a large number of profits.
A few forms of the proto-franchising model can be recognised in distribution agreements during the European middle age, in particular, the trade of spirits. However, it is commonly accepted that franchising was officially born at the same time, around 1929, on both coasts of the Atlantic Ocean, in France and in the United States. In France the purpose of the Roubaix’s woollen mill was to assure a rapid and complete distribution for the yarn produced by the newly built factory. In the US, General Motors tried to bypass the antitrust regulation, forbidding the vertical integration between producer and distributor in the automotive market. With such a difference in the final objectives of them both, it is not surprising there is disparity between the regulations imposed by the corresponding legislators. And that difference is even more pronounced today, as franchises are introduced into new markets. With a booming international economy and changes in cross-border corporate transactions, entrepreneurs around the world are looking to establish their brands in foreign countries. Franchise organisations are often approached by people from other countries asking if they can become the operator or master franchisee for that brand in their particular country.
Everybody knows franchising is an arrangement by which the franchisor gives the franchisee the right to distribute and sell the franchisor’s goods or services and use its business name and model for a specified period, and possibly covering a geographical area.
In this respect, franchisors will need to consider their true motivation for international expansion, the costs involved (both human and financial resources), local competition, the laws in a specific country and the long-term intention and investment. While franchising is a good vehicle for entering a foreign market - the local franchisee often provides capital investment, entrepreneurial commitment, and on-site management to deal with local issues, as labour and employment - there are many legal requirements to face, such as agreements to license, protection of the franchisor’s patents, trademarks, copyrights, or business knowhow etc. A standard approach to be used in all countries is to be avoided.
Conversely, not many understand that the relationships potentially attributed to the general model of the franchise can vary considerably. Such complexities stems directly from the same origin of the phenomenon itself.
Usually the parties are understandably more familiar and, therefore, more comfortable with the legal regime in their respective home jurisdictions. To avoid another obstacle to getting the deal done, the franchisor
In order to avoid the risk of clashing management difficulties preventing you from achieving concrete goals, it is imperative to correctly approach this many-sided business model.
13
Business should consider having the governing law of the agreement be the most appropriate law depending upon the issue, with some matters being determined by the law of a third jurisdiction, acceptable to all. While the governing law provision of the agreement will be more complex than usual, the extra comfort level of the parties will make it easier to finalise the agreement. Of course, it is not always possible to choose the preferred applicable law. For example, under the Chinese jurisdiction we note a strong protection of the franchisee instead of a safeguard of the foreign investment. In this case the only way to arrange a good deal is to charge an experienced local professional with the assignment.
Franchisors need to consider their true motivation for international expansion
Under a more specific perspective, arguably a franchisor’s most important asset is its brand, particularly its trade name and trademarks. Franchisors considering franchising overseas should contemplate certain questions: •
• • •
Will the brand translate to another country, or might it need to be tweaked or translated to make it more appropriate for a new market? Is there another business in the target country already trading with the same or similar name? Are appropriate domain names and social media handles available in other countries? What intellectual property will need to be formally registered and what (if any) may achieve automatic protection?
14
The laws governing intellectual property in different jurisdictions can vary widely. Those considering international expansion should ideally consult both their own brand protection specialist and one in the target market, in order to determine what protection will be required, gain an understanding of the process, costs and timescales to achieve it and whether there are likely to be any issues. In the initial stages, it is a good starting point to carry out searches of relevant trademark registers, local trade press and wider internet resources. A well-established franchisor is likely to have a robust, well-drafted franchise agreement for its home territory. Although it may work well, the agreement will need to be reviewed by a local lawyer in the relevant territory into which the franchisor is expanding and tailored accordingly. A few provisions may need to be altered and thought should be given to any payment mechanisms, particularly when exchange rates are involved. This point should be considered as currency fluctuations can make a substantial difference to monies paid overseas over a long period . Furthermore, it is also important to take advice on the enforceability of obligations, restrictions, non-compete clauses and guarantees within other countries. Local lawyers should be able
to provide guidance on this and on jurisdiction clauses. Certain countries have clear laws relating to franchising, for example, the US, Australia, Canada and several countries in Europe have a strict approach to laws relating to business generally, such as competition rules, foreign trade and investment. In terms of the operation of the business itself, it is sensible to check whether there are any particular laws relating to the provision of the services or products which form the core business. Many of the legal considerations also involve practical, commercial elements. Distance, time, language and culture can vary substantially. In conclusion, the expansion of business by means of the franchising model is not easy for the entrepreneur, who must adapt his/ her standard approach to the necessities of the specific foreign market. There may be many matters to consider depending on the circumstances and there is a lot to think about, but with the right approach and appropriate advice, international expansion can be exciting and successful.
with the right approach and appropriate advice, international expansion can be exciting and successful
Patrizia Sangalli assists both Italian and international companies in commercial and corporate matters, specifically mergers and acquisitions (M&A), drafting international agreements, international commercial litigation, arbitration ad hoc, ICC, UNCITRAL, CAM and LCIA transactions. Patrizia Sangalli’s practice includes advising on international commercial arbitration and litigation in several continental and common law jurisdictions. psangalli@sdglex.com - www.sdglex.com/eng/
Dario Rizzi has a degree in economics from the University of Bergamom where he later completed a degree in law. He worked as a company director in the construction and services industry. He also cooperated for many years with international law firms, focusing his activity on corporate, bankruptcy and commercial law. drizzi@sdglex.com - www.sdglex.com/eng/
15
Pashion Fashion
Fashion Trending in
16
possible. One obvious change is that designers have been turning away from the casualness of athleisure and trading it in for the opportunity to get dressed up. The 80s still play an important factor and Lady Diana’s iconic fashion moments serve as a source of inspiration. Bows have been spotted everywhere, on blouses, as belts or scarfs. Animal prints are a wardrobe staple and this fall is the season of the zebra. When it comes to outerwear, the cape is the hero piece alongside 70s inspired vintage shearling jackets. As designers are turning more and more towards more ethical and sustainable fashion, fur has almost disappeared off the runways.
Among the most influential people in the German and Swiss fashion industry, Sandra Bauknecht, gives us the low-down on what we should be wearing in 2019, the punk look and capes are definitely in! The wheel of fashion is turning fast and sometimes it might seem difficult to follow the trends. Fashion can be so powerful. Within the first seven seconds of meeting, people will have a solid impression of who you are. What you wear plays an important part in it. Every day you can invent yourself anew. So, let’s get started and have a look at the F/W 2019 trends that reigned supreme – the ones most important to know right now. Memorize some of them to impress your friends when they ask you what you’re looking forward to wearing this season, and not so humbly reply: ‘Definitely a hint of lilac, everything punk from a transparent lace dress with combat boots to a tartan skirt with a chain choker, not to forget a cape and everything layered. You know, the essentials.’
But what about our shoes, bags and accessories? The fashionable additions to the season’s best outfits have an equally polished attitude. With barely a sneaker in sight, the runways were dominated by clasp bags, fancy kitten heels, and vibrant platform boots that complemented the looks. On the grunge side of things there were lots of cool offerings such as, punk chokers, but most of all, there were chains just about everywhere. If you belong to the not-so-shy fraction, opt for some colourful hosiery. In general, we are looking forward to a season full of unbridled fun. Enjoy!
Lady Diana’s iconic fashion moments serve as a source of inspiration
The runways this season were loud and clear on the fact that you can pick and choose what trend you would like to try. Everything is
Sandra Bauknecht is a digital entrepreneur, luxury specialist, editor, and founder of the high-end fashion & lifestyle blog Sandra’s Closet. Launching her online magazine back in 2009, made her an early adopter and true pioneer in the fashion industry. Sandra’s Closet covers all aspects of luxury with a focus on fashion, including beauty, art and travel. www.sandrascloset.com @sandrascloset
17
feminine and empowering womenswear luxury London-based couture fashion
www.olgaanderson.co.uk @ olgaandersonofficial @ olgaandersonofficial
Cinzia De Santis, Founder Healing Venezuela
Who we are?
Venezuela has suffered a precipitous decline in recent years. There are drastic shortages of food and medicines, and diseases such as diphtheria and malaria are re-emerging. According to The Economist, 5,000 Venezuelans are leaving the country every day, creating Latin America’s worst ever refugee crisis. Healing Venezuela is a UK registered run only by volunteers. We started collecting medical supplies discarded by surgeries and hospitals in England (and later Spain), allowing us to run a low-cost operation as well as reducing medical wastage. Healing Venezuela has managed to get all its shipments to their final destinations. We work with local NGOs and we have a doctor on the ground who audits and verifies that our projects are run accordingly to our standards.
What we do?
In the past years, Healing Venezuela we shipped more than 10 tons of medical supplies including: - saws and sutures for an orthopaedic hospital for children - diabetic strips for children with type1 Diabetes - coils to prevent pregnancy We also: - paid for High-spec HIV and cancer tests for 103 patients - funded an HIV resistance research project for 45 patients - installed a water treatment plant in the JM de los Rios (children’s hospital) - delivered stress management programmes to more than 1,000 patients, nurses, doctors and children - are giving a monthly grant to 100 students on the condition that they will stay in the country for 2 years. - are sponsoring a training programme for nurses in a rural area of Venezuela. - we are feeding 50 nursery school children at risk of malnutrition
How can you help?
- With €10 you can give breakfast and lunch to a child for one month - With €20 you can send 1kg of medical supplies - With €50 you can sponsor 3 medical students for one month - With €100 you can deliver two stress management workshops to help children in distress Our website is: www.healingvenezuela.org and you can keep up to date on our social media.
21
Environment
How to Live an Even More
Sustainable
Life
On his own journey to lead a more sustainable lifestyle, Kieran Pollitt, provides us with some tips on how we too, can help our environment - by trying to reduce what we buy new, reuse what we have, repair, borrow, rent and be more conscious of the impacts of our choices and actions. We live at a point in human existence where we have access to the largest amount of information and data we have ever had. This means we are best able to understand the impacts and importance of our actions. We know many of the drivers of environmental degradation and destruction and we also have a better understanding of social issues. Now, more than ever we must take responsibility, moving towards conscious and intentional actions which maximise our positive impacts, whilst minimising our negative ones. Starting a journey towards living a lower impact lifestyle doesn’t need to be hard or daunting. There are easy ways to get started. The tips in this article apply to sustainable living but you most likely have applied some of them in other areas of your life or in business.
Finding your why
This is where your journey starts. The most important aspect of any change is identifying your why. What will motivate and drive you to make these more sustainable changes in your life? For me, reducing my plastic usage (particularly single use plastic) was my first step. Plastic is something that is ever present in day to day life and the impacts of it are well documented and discussed frequently. I had also seen the impacts of plastic first-hand on beaches and waterways and decided I didn’t want to contribute to that anymore. Other people start by looking at fast fashion, transportation, food and diet, energy use. Ultimately, there needs to be a reason for us to change our consumption habits.
Introducing Change
Once you know why you are doing something, it is important to understand how you will incorporate it into your daily life. Start by reflecting on the areas of your lifestyle you are looking to change. Using the example of plastic usage, you can begin by looking at what you consume on a day to day basis and the
22
packaging which comes with it, this can help identify different choices you could make to reduce it. Then introduce the changes you need, such as taking a reusable water bottle, a tote bag or buying package free. Being prepared and organised is key to making these changes part of your everyday life.
Small steps towards long term change
You don’t go from walking to running a marathon. What I mean to say is that you won’t be able to change everything all once. If you try to do this, it can be overwhelming, and may feel less achievable. You can start with something like bringing a reusable bottle instead of buying a plastic one, reduce the number of times a week you eat meat, buy clothing second hand. These small changes have a measurable impact and are achievable, making you feel positive about what you are doing. You can acknowledge these positive changes and use them to motivate you to the next step on your journey.
Find people who inspire you
The internet is a powerful resource and social media (particularly Instagram) is one tool I have found extremely beneficial to help me live a more sustainable lifestyle. Use these platforms to find people who inspire you and give advice on how to implement change in your life. It is important to make sure you don’t compare yourself to the level these people are at in their journey, as this can leave you feeling as if you are not doing enough. Everyone is on their own sustainability journey and it takes time, just apply whichever changes will be beneficial to your life to help you live more sustainably.
Nobody is perfect
Don’t try to be perfect, don’t expect to be. Sustainability is such a vast topic, which can make it hard to navigate, but you pick more up the longer you embrace it. Making mistakes or slipping up is inevitable so don’t beat yourself up about it. Use every mistake as an opportunity to learn and grow.
Here are some practical tips you can take away from this article: •
•
•
•
•
Spend a week collecting everything you produce which would go to landfill (so which isn’t recyclable). This will give you a physical representation of your waste and you will see exactly what you produce. This will help you know what you can work on reducing. Eat more plants and less meat – Try reducing your meat consumption. It is one of the biggest drivers of environmental degradation and it’s one of the best ways we can reduce our negative environmental impact. Buy less stuff – we know we are overconsuming resources, and this is largely driven by marketing and as a result consumption. We need to stop buying so many new things based on wants, instead buy only what you need. We must reuse, refill, repair, buy second hand, borrow, and if we do buy, buy from a sustainable source wherever possible. Buy local, seasonal and where possible organic. Reduce food waste and compost as well, when food goes to landfill it can produce methane due to the anaerobic conditions and this contributes to climate change. Try to fly and drive less and use public transport or more sustainable transport such as cycling or walking more often.
You can start your journey to being even more sustainable today! Pick an area in your life you are interested in changing and start looking at what you can alter. Remember that your actions matter, and every action has a consequence, only you can decide whether this will be positive or negative. Good luck!
The most important aspect of any change is identifying your why
Kieran Pollitt studied sustainability but realised he wasn’t living it. Now he
shares his journey to living a lower impact lifestyle and helps others on their journey to do the same. @semisustainableman www.theramblingsofasemi-sustainableman.co.uk
23
Mindset & Emotion
Love & Intimacy in a Conscious Relationship
24
We all seek a long-term loving relationship. Transcultural Psychotherapist, Viola Edward, shares her insights on building a successful partnership through learning to love and cherish ourselves and appreciating our partner. We have many types of relationships in our lives and here we are choosing to look at what is perhaps the most challenging of them all, the long term, loving, sexual relationship. Building a successful, loving relationship out of the chaos of the instinctive, hectic, passions of falling in love will not happen overnight. Beyond the myth of the arrow strike of Eros, the evolution of a loving relationship is a steady demanding task, which will depend on commitment to love, effective communication and the intimacy of healthy sexuality. The relationship will grow more easily if we hold a number of core values in common, share some interests and hobbies and are able to agree on a fair distribution of the duties of living together. By engaging in continuous learning and healing, we can connect with our personal meaning and inspire others. The paradox is that some of the ways we choose to live our love can also produce quite painful experiences.
Focus on the journey
Wherever we are in our life story, whether we are looking for a new relationship or already involved in a good or not so good one, working together to create that conscious loving connection will be a voyage of discovery. The journey itself is the focus rather than the arrival at the destination. Living a loving relationship, through the day-to-day happenings and surprises life produces, can be likened to continuous participation in a workshop of personal development. The results we are hoping for will steadily materialise as we develop awareness and become conscious of what nourishes a strong relationship.
Love springs eternal, the favourite surround of Intimacy
True love flows effortlessly from a being who appreciates and is at peace with their inner self. Your capacity to love another is based upon your ability to love and cherish the person you are. Love comes from that home store. That
capability will be the basis of the structure for all your relationships and the foundation of intimacy. Loving yourself, appreciating who you are, will help develop the inner selfconfidence that is the core to being yourself. It takes courage to be true to yourself rather than hoping to deserve love by conforming to a stereotype of goodness taken on from exterior conditioning. Appreciating and being true to yourself, without the need to camouflage your personality, will attract others who really appreciate who you are deep down inside and that natural compatibility will provide the depth that nourishes a lasting conscious relationship. When both partners are confidently being themselves, from their first meeting, there will be fewer surprises waiting in the wings.
Confidence building.
To develop this self-appreciation, we need to create for ourselves a truthful picture of our personal strengths and weaknesses. We can then grow into and develop those confidencebuilding strengths and, by forgiving ourselves the weaknesses, break with the underlying limiting beliefs that have created them. This is a challenging journey, made easier with the help of a professional therapist or relationship coach.
Learn of love from experience
Many of us carry a fear of being alone, stemming from our group-based origins. This can lead to hanging on to miserable, energy draining relationships rather than setting off solo, into the unknown. Experiment with being by yourself; dare to learn the language of love from personal experience; discover your needs and abilities and develop the capability to give and take. Witness the growth of loving relationship with yourself and the self-confidence that makes it easier to relate to others. It is almost impossible to experience deep intimacy with a partner if we have not already created it with ourselves.
Choosing to make love with intimacy
We love because we are attracted by what we perceive and here we are not only talking about love in terms of passion and physical
25
Mindset & Emotion desire. The caring action of giving love fills us with pleasure. These are moments when we place our partner’s joy and contentment high on our list of priorities, though this must not be at a cost of neglecting ourselves. We choose to love the other to help them grow strong and balanced, to build the self-confidence required to be true to themselves. There is no underlying motive to change the way they are. Love is unconditional. Love is not given in exchange for some expected return, but simply because it creates within us a wonderful sensation of fulfillment. For the receiver, the feelings of being loved simply for who you are, brings deep nourishment to the psyche. The unconditional care received amplifies the emotions of joy and happiness. Intimacy appears and grows into the space left by the departure of mental camouflage. It develops when defenses are taken down and discarded. It flourishes when there is nothing left to hide.
The caring action of giving love fills us with pleasure
develop transformed, more positive, behaviour. By assuming responsibility for their own behaviour, and its contribution to the conflicts and disagreements, each of the partners can contribute to the growth of intimate harmony in their conscious relationship.
Passion and desire, the fundamental elements of sexual intercourse, are the product of two loving, giving spirits, engaged in pleasuring the other. This is the true ‘making’ of love. Love grows strongly in the intimacy of moments when we are focused on its giving, as flowers will grow to great beauty when they receive water and appreciation every day.
Ask for help
It is important to realise that the converse is also true. The moment we begin to focus on what we feel is wrong or disappointing about our partner is the moment those characteristics will begin to grow disproportionately important in our minds.
In all these cases, it is possible to include consciousness, hope and meaning. You can also consult a relationship mentor or specialised psychotherapist and work on the process together, helping you to be more centred, fair and efficient. Often this will create a shorter, simpler and more joyful experience.
Assume responsibility
The will to change comes strongest from within. You cannot hope to change your partner’s negative behaviour patterns by complaining and scolding them, though, in our humanity, sometimes those actions are inevitable. Rather be concerned with developing loving presence toward yourself and becoming aware of your needs and your negative patterns. Work to understand where such attitudes have come from and let them go. Assume responsibility for transforming your own behaviour patterns. If you can be modeling the behaviour, walking the talk, you can help your partner to become conscious of their habits and help both of you
26
In a way, all of us are involved in the subject of relationships. Some are looking for a new love, some are working to improve an existing relationship, and some are deciding if they will stay or leave. Some are trying to get out of their relationship and others are working to get over the last one, or to be open to the next one.
“In an age of ceaseless and often chaotic and unforeseen change, a book on treasuring the closest relationship two human beings can ever have to each other. A book to keep by the side of a jointly made bed: to live by, to love by and to share” Appreciation of Viola Edward’s book “Who Makes the Bed” by Prof. Ervin Laszlo Philosopher and systems scientist, Author and Co-Author of 75 books, nominated twice for Nobel Peace Prize.
Viola Edward is a Transcultural Psychotherapist and breathwork pioneer with over 25 years’ experience. A leader with individual and corporate clients. A specialist giving professional trainings in Relationship, Breathwork Mentoring, Stress Mastery, Feminine Energy and Breathwork for Recovery. She is the co-owner of Kayana International and author of two books: “Breathing the Rhythm of Success” and “Who Makes the Bed?” - www.violaedward.com
27
Business
It’s Not What You Say,
It’s How You Say It Europe’s Leading Communication, Public Speaking & Leadership Expert for Women, Tulia Lopes, offers us insight on the difference and importance between intention and impact when communicating with others. Our ability to communicate verbally is what ranks us higher than other animal species. We human beings, have developed a complex system we call language - which varies from country to country, from community to community - composed of different words which put together create sentences expressing our ideas, feelings and emotions. It is complex. It is challenging. It is beautiful. However, throughout human history, those who have mastered communication skills have, consequently, always been the ones who truly influenced the course of history and its facts. They were the ones who made a difference, who made an impact. The others…? Well, not so much. And here is why.
28
Intention versus Impact
Our communication with others is not linear. In the real world, communicating is more like navigating an unfamiliar zig-zagging backroad. Under these conditions, it’s much harder to get where we want to go, and to achieve the impact we intend. When we interact with others, whether interpersonal communication or formal presentations, intent is what we hope they’ll think, feel, and do, and impact is what they actually think, feel, and do. We can have the
29
Business Private Purpose versus Public Objective
When we interact with others, intent is what we hope they’ll think, feel, and do
best intention and still have low impact. Meaning we didn’t get our message across as we had intended. One of the reasons for such failure is because we put our focus on the presentation itself, on what we want to say, on our message, from our own perspective. And we don’t put enough effort into learning about our audience’s needs, expectations, views, interests and experiences, to define the best ways of communicating with them. We tend to judge and prepare ourselves through our intent, but others judge us by our impact. For effectively communicating in any situation, with any counterpart or audience, we must remember that good intent doesn’t guarantee positive impact. And between our intent and the impact we want to create, there is a bridge and dozens of off-roads which can lead to misinterpretations, misunderstandings, and mistaken assumptions. Everyone has biases and preconceptions, so we must make sure we are clear about the following:
1.
Who is our audience and what are their expectations?
2. What is our purpose with our message? 3.
How will we craft it to bridge between our intention and the impact we want to create?
30
When we want to communicate something to someone, it is because we believe we have reason to do so. However, to do it effectively, such reason should have two different intentions behind it: one is our own purpose, what we want to achieve with this communication, and that is something private which our audience doesn’t necessarily need to know. And the other reason is what we will share openly with them. We call these - private purpose and public objective. To communicate effectively it is important to have both and it’s crucial to know the difference. Our private purpose prioritises the impact we really want to have with our listeners. It is our personal answers to how we want our audience to think, feel, do, after our conversation, talk or presentation. We don’t necessarily share any of those answers with our listeners. It’s part of our preparation and planning. It’s like getting ahead of the game by managing our own expectations. However, we do need to let our listeners know why meeting with us will be worth their time. This is the public objective we’ll share openly with them so they don’t get confused, frustrated, or distracted about why they’re meeting with us, and why they should listen to us in the first place.
Less is more
I’m sure you have all heard this expression and up to a certain extent it has been overused. However, it is not a cliché, it is still a good reminder. When people don’t master their communication skills, they tend to overload their presentations, their explanations, their talks, with excessive information which doesn’t add to the content of their message. Instead, their excess of information and content, makes the interlocutor, the audience, confused and overwhelmed. Take my word on this, a confused mind always says no! Our job when communicating is to create a connection, a bond, to build trust. At the professional level that means to raise our
profile and authority as experts, bring visibility to our brand, acquire new clients, and work more effectively with our teams. At the personal level, it means stronger bonds, better quality of relationships at different levels and better communities. Nowadays, there are many opportunities to be on stage sharing our messages, our ideas, products and services. However, this is also generating too much noise! What I mean is, many professionals still take for granted the preparation that precedes any presentation and the work involved to make sure their message is aligned with their intention and will therefore achieve the impact they want to create. As Lee Laccoca said, “You can have brilliant ideas, but if you don’t get them across, your ideas will take you nowhere.” Therefore, before preparing a conversation for a meeting, a talk or presentation to a specific audience, make sure you take time to prepare yourself well by:
We need more voices and role models out there, especially for women. However, above all, we need professionals who can deliver presentations, talks, and lead meetings with a clear message which can inspire and move people into action. Your ability to communicate verbally is what ranks you higher than other animal species. And, to honour that, you need to learn how to master it. “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail”, Benjamin Franklin once said. Therefore, make sure you are clear on what you want to say and how you will say it.
Our job when communicating is to create a connection, a bond, to build trust
1. First, and foremost, know your audience - You might be surprised to know that many (too many, I would say) professionals get into a meeting, a presentation, talk, without knowing to whom they will be addressing their topic. 2. Define your private purpose and your public objective - Ask yourself “What do I want to get from this meeting, presentation, talk; and what do I want them to think, feel and do?” 3. Keep it simple - Use simple and clear language. Simple doesn’t mean simplistic. Complex sentences and expressions will only create distraction and disconnection from your audience. And disconnection means, no bond, no bond means no trust, no trust means no business.
Tulia Lopes is Europe’s Leading Communication, Public Speaking &
Leadership Expert for Women. She believes communication is the key to develop and excel. She founded the AWE Summit, to Give Voice to Women and the Speak Up & Lead Academy. She authored Leading in High Heels; is a certified international and award-winning speaker on communication, leadership, women’s impact, and empowerment. www.tulialopes.com
31
Body
The Extraordinary Power of
Being You
Director of the International Human Design School, Lynda Bunnell, explains how we can find our way back to the beautiful expression of who we are uniquely designed to be and achieve our fullest potential We are born to differentiate and to be a unique expression of the whole. And, we are born with all the tools we need to live our lives uniquely as ourselves. There is an exhilarating freedom in loving your life and loving who you are. If so, then why are there so many unhappy and frustrated people in the world today? How many people do you know don’t feel they’re living the life that’s right for them? Do you have everything you thought you needed to be happy, but somehow you still aren’t? Parents only want the best for their children, to help them live happy and successful lives. Unknowingly our parents, siblings, peers, teachers, religion and culture teach us to behave in a homogenised fashion. Slowly, but surely, we are taught to conform, to be more like the others and follow a pattern of behaviour which fits nicely into the idea of ‘the norm.’ After a lifetime of trying to become more like this one or that one, how do you find your way back to the beautiful expression of who you are uniquely designed to be?
32
It’s about unlearning and letting go of all the things you were taught to be, or what you think you should be, that are not YOU. You can learn to be aware of how your own inner authority, your body’s innate intelligence, can help you discover the life you’re meant to live. You have a deep inner wisdom waiting to be uncovered which can help you course-correct your life and reveal the path to your highest potential. It may sound simple; however, it does take some time and awareness to undo years of conditioning. What if you had a personalised user-manual for life, your life? What if there was a system based on your unique DNA that contained a profound knowledge allowing you to self-discover the truth of who you really are? Would that be worth experimenting with? Discovering the truth of who you really are can transform your life at any age. I was a successful businesswoman in my early forties. As a successful and well-established businesswoman in Southern California in the 1990’s, I thought I had achieved everything anyone was supposed to need to be happy. Yet, I wasn’t. There was a huge disconnect between what my mind thought and my own inner truth. And, no amount of exploration through a multitude of self-discovery systems had succeeded in making that connection or filled the void deep inside of me.
And then a new chapter began in 1998 while vacationing in southern Spain. My travelling companion, a spiritual seeker like myself, had brought some cassette tapes with her, describing a whole new system for personal transformation. We listened as we roamed the hillsides in our car. Little did I know that this man’s amazing encounter while on a tiny island in the Mediterranean – only a few miles from where we were at the time – would turn my life upside down and inside out. The man’s name was Ra Uru Hu and he was speaking about The Human Design System. Since then, as I’ve surrendered to my inner wisdom, life has taken me in unexpected directions to satisfying destinations I couldn’t have dreamed of for myself. Human Design has not only shown me why my early successes in life had left me feeling empty, it set me on a unique path that has brought me to a fulfilling, challenging and satisfying life; and to the writing of The Definitive Book of Human Design, The Science of Differentiation. Human Design reveals many things, including important innate personal guidance tools we possess. Here are four of them: Type and Strategy is your mode of operating in the world, which is how best to interact on a day-to-day basis, putting you in your natural flow of life and with others around you. Your Personal Authority is how best to make decisions. The importance of making decisions that are correctly aligned with your body’s innate intelligence cannot be underestimated. Who you Are and Are Not is about what you can rely upon. Once we know ourselves, and how we are uniquely designed, the self-doubt, shame, and comparison to others ends. Your Profile is how you present yourself to the world. We are beautifully unique and knowing our profile and the profile of those we love, helps to deepen our personal self-acceptance, self-love and the love and appreciation of others. Like me, thousands have found their own truth by stepping onto the path of this journey. Once you too, begin to grasp your uniqueness,
and to understand you aren’t designed to be like anyone else, you will experience the exhilarating freedom of living the person you were born to be. It’s never too late for you to start living the fullest expression of who you are – personally and professionally. Through Human Design I was given a renewed sense of who I am, and how to align my life with my passion and motivation to help others make the same changes in their lives. During all those years of working a ‘job’ I never had a clue how satisfying life could be when who we are is aligned with what we do. My dream is for people to reach their fullest potential by aligning themselves with their true self and lifework; by understanding their strengths, talents and gifts; and by having practical tools that will bring all that they are forward into the world. My goal is that individuals and businesses discover how to work in a way that is harmonious and successful, so that we can each have a real opportunity to live a balanced life on all levels. The value of the ripple effect this has on our children, family, friends and the world is incalculable. How can you discover the truth of how truly extraordinary and powerful you are? You can start by becoming aware of how you make decisions in your life. • • • • •
Are you constantly thinking about what you should do or what others think you should do? Do you frequently compare yourself to others? Do you have a feeling that you aren’t worthy? Are frustration, bitterness, anger or disappointment showing up as a result of your decision-making? Or, do you make your decisions from a place deep inside of you that simply ‘knows’ what to do – your own inner authority?
To start you on your path to self-discovery order a free Personalised Human Design Report here: www.ihdschool.com
Lynda Bunnell is the Director of the International Human Design School, and the BG5 Business Institute. Working closely with the founder since 1999, she was one of the first to begin teaching the public about Human Design. “Each time I teach Human Design I am in awe of the magic and transformation it brings to the lives it touches.” www.ihdschool.com and www.bg5businessinstitute.com - www.amzn.to/2VGuDeJ
33
Today’s
Inspired
Latina
When we take leaps of faith, they sometimes lead us somewhere so special and unimaginable that all we can do is surrender to the magical energy being bestowed upon us. That is how I feel these days. Five years after the modest launch of the first volume of Today’s Inspired Latina, I stand in wonder in the shadow of a true global movement of Latina empowerment. The series has now given voice to more than 132 authors
34
across the globe and is attracting the attention of politicians and Fortune 500 brands. This past year, Today’s Inspired Latina caught the attention of Estee Lauder, and a partner event in Chicago and New York resulted in an evening of magic, with participants taking home an engraved lipstick with our hashtag #ELxTIL on them. Even as we prepare Volume VI featuring European authors and set to launch in Belgium this fall, I am receiving calls
from aspiring authors throughout the world who want to participate in Volume VII in 2020. Hundreds of people turned out for our first ever, live LatinaTalks in 2019, featuring presentations by our contributors. With 43 of our authors based in New York, The New York Times, who has hosted book launches for us the past two years, has asked to hold an east coast LatinaTalks at their office! Making Today’s Inspired Latina one of the premier events for Hispanic Heritage month in NYC! There is also a proclamation in the works for “Today’s Inspired Latina Day” in Chicago, planned national television spots, the magic goes on and on! Most amazing of all, though, is the appreciation I have received from the authors who have thanked me for providing them with a family, a like-minded sisterhood which works towards Latina empowerment. We are united in our support for one another. In short, I breathe deeply in gratitude, for this was not the plan, but all a gift from the universe that I must humbly accept. I don’t know what else is in store for me, but I stand here with open arms, waiting to embrace it all! Jacqueline Camacho-Ruiz
going through. And most importantly, a voice to share how God has been with me through every mountain that I’ve had to face. Sharing my story has opened doors that I never dreamed of walking through.” Maria Castro “Spreading your wings & taking flight to new dimensions” Macarena Tamayo-Calabrese “That women can begin to take their rightful place in history by having a more accurate account of our own story because it is told by us. It is our voice. And as a way to pay it forward by ensuring that current and future generations of strong Latina women know they stand on the shoulders of tenacious, gritminded individuals who fought to ensure that Latina women have rightful place in history. That their story be told and used as tools to aspire to more.” Thania Keppel “TIL means possibilities, expansion, opportunity, inspiration and sisterhood. It brings a gift that I never experienced before with an energy of magic and positive AMAZING Jackieness!” Chella Diaz “Today’s Inspired Latina means to me a sense of community and belonging. A place where women come together to help each other and make an impact on their communities.” Marcela Avila “Today’s Inspired Latina is our opportunity to inspire and create hope in our community and in the world.
A word from some of the authors: Keila Gonzalez “It is a wonderful opportunity to inspire others to action and the materialization of an extraordinary life.” Chanabelle Arriaga “Today’s Inspired Latina has given me a voice. A voice to heal when sharing my story. A voice to help others heal and be inspired knowing someone has gone through what they are
It’s an opportunity to help through my life experience, and at the same time to be helped through an empowered sisterhood.” Nancy Razon “Today’s Inspired Latina means an open window to the world! The opportunity to speak some truths and deliver the message that so many are afraid or perhaps ashamed to unveil. It’s the opportunity to shed some light and inspire women and men to love themselves and love each other.”
35
Monica Lopez “The light of empowered women united to enlighten Latinas all over the world“ Maribel Guerrero “Today’s inspired Latina has been an opportunity for Latina women to share their vision, aspirations and success. Women who experienced hardship, accepted a challenge and fought for something bigger. For me, the most appealing thing about Today’s Inspired Latina is their “ordinariness” and the presence of reality. Most often, these women go unnoticed and that is why Today’s Inspired Latina has made an impact in the lives of many including myself.“ Veronica Antunez “As Latinas we have to be clear that no matter where we come from, we all have a voice and the important thing is to know how to use that voice to inspire women to discover how important and great we are” Blanca Sepulveda “No matter what the circumstances, keep moving forward with resilience and courage Knowing that your faith is bigger than your fears.” Ivonne Hanks “Inspiring others to ignite their zest for life in living a purpose driven existence by letting their Spirit soar!” Leonor Gil “It is a platform that allows me to impact others by sharing my story to motivate and propel them into action to overcome life challenges. It is a means to channel energy, positive thinking, blessings, love, warmth, core values, confidence and a sense of belonging to a higher power! Rosy D’Amico “For me is to raise your inner voice and inspire others with your energy” Laura Muller “An opportunity to inspire future generations to come out of adversity through honest work, creativity and the desire to excel.”
36
Denisse Robeldo “Today’s Inspired Latina is an opportunity for women to come together and share our stories, both the good and the bad, in the spirit of uplifting one another. I’m grateful to have a platform that allows me to control my own narrative and I hope that what I share resonates with other women and inspires them to elevate their own voices.”
I am receiving calls from aspiring authors throughout the world who want to participate in Volume VII in 2020
Today’s Inspired Latina is a book series of inspiration and hope, a poignant collection of 27 personal stories that will activate your passion in each book. It’s a positive, empowering read for anyone sitting on a dream and thinking it can’t come true. Today’s Inspired Latina shows that it can! Learn more at www.todayslatina.com
acqueline Camacho-Ruiz is an award-winning entrepreneur, international speaker, philanthropist and author of ten books. She is founder of The Fig Factor Foundation and the creator of the Today's Inspired Latina book series and international movement.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT:
www.todayslatina.com / www.facebook.com/todayslatina
iCAAD London 2019 - A story of hope This year iCAAD 2019 was about the realisation of challenging times both at a collective and an individual level. It was also about the hope and the faith that we, Human Beings, the one species with consciousness and adaptability, with creativity and curiosity, can and are facing the challenges. And the resounding theme this year was, in the words of Dr Claudia Black, “I hang onto hope because I see it.” No matter what the methodology, treatment, model, programme, belief or clinical approach - all who gathered together at iCAAD London 2019 were that hope. Hope for the future of the prevention and treatment of behavioural, mental and emotional health issues; the continuum of recovery; quality of life, and the healing of individuals and families - because the people who were there see it and experience it daily, and together they are all collectively shaping the future. iCAAD London 2019 was a shared moment of humanity - beyond the bio-psycho-social – it weaved together an even more eclectic combination of topics than ever, provoking dialogue, discussion, debate, conversation, exchange of information, mutual learning and progression. iCAAD London told the story of opposing perspectives seen through a multidimensional and universal lens, from global fear and pain to the most intimate human detail. It was a story of cutting-edge neuroscience and new therapeutic models, where the biochemical, psychological, spiritual and cultural meet the destructive forces of loneliness, the private hell on earth of isolation and lack of connection, the reverberations of trauma across the world and across generations. The conference united the mind with the body, the theory with the experience, the medical science-based mythology, with its causal simplification into pathology, disease, or illness, with experience and emotion, seeking how to become, and better understand, our best selves. Could it be that depression, burn out, addiction, PTSD, border line disorders, bi-polar, sexual
compulsion, and many more, are true facets of a complex polygon, the polygon of the mind, hiding something much more profound? The iCAAD experience gave a narrative voice to the future generation: Our world is increasingly operating with a millennial’s value system, they now make up more than 35% of the workforce. It is time for psychology to adapt to the next generation. It is not about just integrating them, it is about handing what we do not know over to them, and walking with them into our future. We looked at fear and pain from a global and societal perspective, to enrich the clinical pathologised vision of them: at any given moment not only are there over 200 human conflicts in the world, but they knock at our mind’s door through billions of web pages and dramatic images, opinionated subjective commentaries infusing the experience with depressing and dramatised fears. And that’s before we even consider how the developing adolescent brain deals with such information. In all areas we can look to the rich knowledge and history of those who have been before, to shape what is yet to come. “We are all afraid – for our confidence, for the future, for the world. That is the nature of the human imagination. Yet every man, every civilisation, has gone forward because of its engagement with what it has set itself to do. The personal commitment and the emotional commitment working together as one, has made the Ascent of Man.” Prof. Jacob Bronowsky At iCAAD in London they invited you to walk with their presenters rather than to just listen to them, they invited you to join the dots, to look at things not only for what they are but for how they interact, to open your minds with the consciousness, imagination, hope, pain, fear and courage, which is our unique humanity. In the words of Dr Tian Dayton, “everyone has a story and everyone needs a stage.” iCAAD London was a stage where everybody was welcome, and everyone became part of the story of humanity. www.icaad.com
39
Spirituality
Using Ancient Wisdom to Find
Your Balance
40
Vinyasa Yoga and Breathing expert, Adrian Cox, tells Business Fit readers how using ancient practices can help you become happier and more effective. In one way or another, we are all looking for happiness and pleasure. Whether you are chasing after something, someone, or an achievement - perhaps a certain amount of money or a certain status of relationship. Maybe a better car or house. A business, job title, thing, or experience. When you look into what is really driving you, it comes down to achieving a state you desire. While it is great to explore, learn, interact and have meaningful achievements, it’s also important to know that none of those things will be the complete answer to your happiness. It all comes down to the experiencer, the ÝOU in the deepest possible sense: your soul and the extent to which you can connect with it. When you know who you are, when you know your soul, you can have peace and bliss regardless of whether you win or lose. You will even enjoy what you do have much, much more. That’s why, when you’re in a great space, anything can be a route to an experience of bliss. The sight of a stunning vista, the sound of beautiful music, the feeling of a pleasant breeze or the taste of good chocolate. We all know what it’s like to be surrounded by the best of everything, but still have a terrible time. That whatever “is” at that moment, is not enough to fill the hole of loneliness, dissatisfaction and meaninglessness. When we forget or have yet to discover ourselves at a deeper level, we tend to think that happiness is going to come from the outside. But it’s never about the thing, it’s about the consciousness of the person experiencing the thing. The “you”. Work on who you are,
and your perception needs little evidence to construe the things in your life for the positive or optimistic. And it’s better to feel good for nearly every possible reason, unless say, you are doing accounting! Left unattended however, our consciousness looks outwards more than is ideal. Happiness appears to our perception as being about getting someone, or something or some condition that fixes it all, makes us feel loved, important and never ever lonely again. Living in our modern world, it is easy to get seduced to look outside. We swim in a sea of messages which tell us: “Buy this, otherwise nobody will want you!” “Get that large house and then you’ll be happy!” “Get a sexy car then you will feel good about yourself!” The message is that you always need a certain thing that someone is selling you in order to be complete. That you’ll be happy when you have a certain thing or degree or person or status. The ‘things’ we fantasize about can never really deliver the long-term happiness we hope for, because the answer isn’t there, precisely. But if we knew more about who we are, this dissatisfaction would not happen. If we could regularly experience our true Self, the YOU in the deepest possible sense, there is little that can happen that will throw us off for very long. This knowledge and experience of our intrinsic, eternal “Self” is the true aim of yoga and can be experienced when you have a good teacher and right knowledge. The many tools of yoga can truly bring us to richer satisfaction in life, but they are not often taught in most yoga classes that you would know of.
The Ancient Perspective
While knowledge alone will not change your consciousness, it can help to serve as a map and tell you which tools to use. One particularly useful map comes from a yoga text from the
41
Spirituality 6th century BC called the Taittiriya Upanishad. In it, the concept is that we have five aspects to our full self: body, energy, mind, wisdom and spirit. These aspects are called “koshas” which can be translated from Sanskrit as either a ‘pocket’ or a ‘sheath’. The implication is that we are like Russian dolls - the innermost aspect is the True Self covered over, or in the pocket of the next, denser layer. The goal, by understanding and working with each layer is to get to a realisation that who you are is the True Self, your soul, so to speak, and not just your body or mind. These five aspects and the practice tools you would use for them, in their ‘Russian Doll’ order are:
1. Spirit: The true YOU, which is spirit. What
makes up spirit are the feeling-principles of truth, bliss and love. By knowing and being identified as this, you can experience these qualities as part of your personality and perception of how your life is. There is not much you need to do with this layer other than to be in it. This becomes natural when you have attended to the following four layers.
2. Emotions and Wisdom: An aspect
of our Higher Self as intuition, the wiser choice and our gut feelings. The yoga tool here is expression and the allowing in of love, devotion and gratitude. Practice: contemplate at least five things of which you are grateful for and do it at least twice a day. Science shows that gratitude literally changes the human heart and molecular structure of the brain. Read more about this here: https://bit.ly/2Gr3Ik2
3. Mind:
Your conscious, rational mind and subconscious. The cognition and ego. Your monkey mind. The key is to learn how to use the mind and direct it as is best for the outcomes you want in life. For this, the tools are mantra and meditation. Practice: If you have not yet learned to meditate, make a point to find a retreat or course somewhere near you. It is an essential life skill. It is worth learning properly and even taking a retreat to immerse yourself in the practice.
42
Work on who you are, and your perception needs little evidence to construe the things in your life for the positive or optimistic
4. Energy: It moves, has different qualities
and states and extends around your physical body as your aura. To work with your energy, we use breath exercises such as yogic pranayamas as well as visualisation. Reiki and other energy modalities fit here. Practice: Find a teacher of “Connected Breathwork” - a powerful breathing technique which has incredible healing potential. It is a rising health trend and well worth looking into. Read more about Connected Breathwork here: https://www.adriancox.com/connectedbreathwork
You will become more effective in how you apply yourself
5. Body: What you can see and feel. What mostly people identify as themselves. We must provide it adequate sleep, clean and nutritious food and the yoga postures that you may already be familiar with. Practice: in addition to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, invest in yourself with a great yoga class at least three times per week. If you don’t like the first class or style or teacher, try another. There’s a style and approach for everyone. Home Practice
Once you have enough knowledge to practice on your own, for a total body-mind and heart maintenance program, we can simplify all of this as: 1. Exercise 2. Breathing practices 3. Meditation or focusing the mind on a mantra 4. Gratitude or love practices. A commitment to a well-balanced practice that considers who you are in total and doing it several times per week will begin to change your life. Not only will you be happier with your life as it is, you will also become more effective in how you apply yourself in the world around you. In future articles I will go into more detail on the techniques and theory on how to work more with each level. Stay tuned!
Adrian Cox has been teaching Vinyasa Yoga and Breathing for the past 20 years, around the world. He founded Yoga Elements, a highly regarded school of yoga in Thailand since 2001. Now based in Japan, he continues to teach around the world and via Skype. www.adriancox.com - www.fb.com/adriancox108
43
Interview
Alex
Kei
“I aspire to grand accomplishments, and I am willing to pay the price” Spanish business owner, marketing strategist and international speaker, Alex Kei, is also the Founder of Digital Marketing Agency, Dentimarka and Online Marketing Academy, Keiwebco. He also co-founded the Women’s Fashion Brand Mauna Barcelona. In his interview with Business Fit Magazine, he shares with us some of his success secrets and how being a charismatic and persuasive person opens a lot more doors. Alex is fluent in three languages (English, Spanish and Portuguese) and has given lectures in countries such as: Portugal, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Brazil, USA, Colombia and Spain, on subjects related to digital marketing, branding and online businesses.
44
Who are YOU?
Although I am not what I do, most people know me for what I do and not for who I am. In my professional life, I am a strategist. As a strategist, I envision the end result my clients or I want to achieve and then I visualise many different possible ways to reach that outcome and proceed to gather the resources and put the pieces together. Sometimes I work as a Marketing Strategist; other times as a Brand
or Public Image Strategist. A very important and fulfilling part of my job is to help authors, consultants and coaches to launch their careers in a big way. In my personal life I am an ultra-curious person who always wants to learn new things; try new things (sometimes a new musical instrument, other times it’s a slight-of-hand magic move) and spend time cultivating my passions: writing, music, beach walks and animals (I am a proud dad of three cats and one dog! And I volunteer my time and my home as a foster/shelter home for abandoned cats waiting for adoption).
What is the biggest mistake you have ever made in business and what you did you learn from it?
I have made many “big” mistakes and I know for sure I will make more, but probably the biggest one so far has been to believe that what got me here, would take me anywhere I want. I learned the hard way that success is not a finish line and that one or two big accomplishments won’t guarantee any other triumph. We must work as hard for the first big achievement as for any other, and nothing should be taken for granted.
45
Interview
I promised myself that I will never believe any success, big or small, entitles me to anything
In 2015, I was in what I thought was one of the highest peaks of my professional career. I felt like the king of the universe and then, I “took it easy”. I relaxed, stopped working hard because (I thought) “I deserve it” and just as in The Tortoise and the Hare fable (I was the hare), I started to lose and lose and lose again. One bad decision after another took me from the highest peak in my career, to a very low one. It was not rock bottom, but it was a very hard hit. It took me two years to recover. I promised myself that I will never believe any success, big or small, entitles me to anything.
Does “Balance” in life exist for you? If so, how do you achieve it?
That’s a great question for the wrong person (laughs). I don’t really believe in a balanced life as many people would aspire it to be. I’ve chosen to focus on one or two key areas I need to develop at certain points in my life and ignoring others. For example, if I want to achieve a very important professional goal, I don’t take days off for weeks or months and I work 12 to 14 hours per day; I do it because I choose to and not because I have to. In my opinion, a “balanced”
46
life, in the traditional sense, can sometimes be an obstacle for achievers. I respect other people’s opinion regarding this subject, but in my case, I don’t aspire to ‘balance’, I aspire to grand accomplishments, and I am willing to pay the price. It is like when an Olympic athlete abdicates time with family, friends, nights-out, love life, etc. for years, because the Gold Medal is the Nº1 priority in their life. I just try to keep the minimums checked-out, so I don’t fall sick. I commit to: sleep a minimum of 6 hours per day, drink a minimum of 1lt of water per day, eat at least one healthy meal per day, take my vitamins every day and never forget to answer my mum’s messages… that would be very bad for my health (I’m joking!).
How can burnout be prevented or overcome when working so intensively on different businesses?
I have found what burns me out the most is to jump from task to task; project to project; business to business, all on the same part of the day. I try to focus the whole morning or the whole afternoon on one project or business only. I try to avoid working on anything else, unless it is an emergency. If I can dedicate a whole day to one thing, then I am a lot more productive and I don’t get burned out. Obviously, this is not always possible and there are days where I need to dedicate my attention to several different projects and I find myself sometimes working on my fashion brand from 9am to 10am, then working on my academy from 10am to 11am and consulting a client from 11am to 12pm. Those are my least productive days and where I definitely get more stressed out. It also helps me to meditate for about 3-5 minutes between each task; I just close my eyes and become very aware of my breathing, the sounds of the environment, temperature, feeling of clothes on my skin… and don’t force myself to make my mind blank. I just don’t let any business-related thoughts inhabit my brain during those 3-5 minutes. It is like a mind reboot, very similar to when our computer is responding slow and after rebooting, it starts working fine again.
What inspired you to start your business?
I am the first entrepreneur in my family. I grew
up in a very traditional, working-middle class environment. My parents wanted me to have a ‘normal’ working life, but since I was 15, I knew I wasn’t cut out for that. I felt, thought and behaved differently from my parents and other members of my family and always had big dreams which required me to create opportunities instead of waiting for them to just ‘show up’ one day. Being a business owner requires a lot of stamina, resilience and the ability to ignore what other people ‘think’ is ‘better’ for us. At the same time, inspiration is very important and one of the best sources of inspiration is the accomplishments of others. We all need role models; people we look up to; people who already are what we would like to become. This is especially useful when we are feeling down and about to throw in the towel. Paying attention to the success of other people (without comparing - just benchmarking) and learning about their struggles and defeats is a huge inspiration for me. That’s what keeps me in love with the business world!
You have specialised in HighTicket selling techniques. Tell us about it. I help consultants, coaches and authors to make more money (charging more) via better brand positioning and better value propositions to their clients. Many consultants and coaches charge a lot less than they should, either because they don’t feel worthy of more, or they don’t have the image and attitude in front of their clients which will allow them to be perceived as a high-value brand, or they don’t create a strong enough offer that enables them to positively transform the lives of their clients. In order to charge higher prices as a coach or consultant, the public can’t see the professional as a generic drug or a commodity and that’s exactly what most professionals get when promoting themselves. I don’t want my potential clients to think ‘I need to hire a brand strategist’ when needing my services, I want them to think ‘I need to hire Alex Kei to help me launch big my consulting/coaching career’. Selling high-ticket services or products requires the professional to perceive himself or herself as a ‘Celebrity’ and think, look, act and deliver as one. It is important to ‘package’ the offer in a way that potential clients immediately notice they are in front of a strong, exclusive brand name and not ‘one more in the bunch’.
47
Interview What are the most effective ways to promote a product or service through Digital Marketing?
We live in a very, very noisy world and nowadays it’s easier than ever to ‘throw’ a few dollars or euros at some Facebook ad campaign or YouTube Video ad campaign. This is awesome and awful on the same level. All our competitors have access to the same channels, and all are fighting for our potential clients’ attention. This causes ‘ad fatigue’ and ‘promotion blindness’, and the best way to avoid that is to stand out… to take the risk… to be the ‘weirdo’ of the group and to use very unconventional and (sometimes) politically incorrect approaches. One example is to be the one who says, out loud, what everybody thinks, but doesn’t have the courage to say themselves. Obviously, the approach taken must be congruent with the image, the brand or professional wants to project, but we always must find the best way to be different and to grab people’s attention. By doing this, we are breaking the pattern of desensitisation created by what they are already used to seeing or hearing. This is extremely important in Digital Marketing or any other medium.
How important is Persuasion, Charisma and Influence to succeed in business?
Ab-so-lu-te-ly important in every sense of the word. I have been studying and applying influence and authority for more than 15 years and a charismatic and persuasive person will open a lot more doors than the best professional in the field. Being excellent at what we do is highly important, but personality and communication will win over quality. You can be the best, but if you don’t attract and captivate your ideal clients with your personality (or ‘professional persona’) and if you don’t communicate your value proposition flawlessly, then you will be unable to create new and better opportunities for yourself. Some people believe that persuasion is manipulation. That’s a mistake and we must understand that a persuasive person provides the right arguments to transform the opinion or behaviour of people for the benefit of both parts, while a manipulator deceives and attacks emotionally other people for his/her own benefit. On the other hand, charisma is not what many people describe as friendliness and ‘all smiles’. Charisma is not necessarily about
I always had big dreams which required me to create opportunities instead of waiting for them
48
being friendly but being likeable and admirable and confident. A confident person who can show traits which are attractive to other people, communicates very well and at the same time, presents valid and solid arguments to the public, then that is a person with plenty of influence.
49
Mindset & Emotion
Self-induced Loneliness
50
Life and business strategist, Ismael Cala, explains why the younger generations suffer from a greater measure of loneliness than the elderly and the importance of creating social networks.
offers valid proposals for our elders - like the ‘companion robots’ in China, Japan, Spain and Portugal - but this does not replace the experiential relationship we need to build throughout our lives, so we do not feel alone.
Nowadays, who feels loneliest? The elderly or the young? The fact is, that the latter are the most affected by the social phenomenon of loneliness. According to a survey called the BBC Loneliness Experiment, in which 55,000 people from around the world participated, 40% of young people aged from 16 to 24 years, ‘feel alone often or very often.’ The figure contrasts with the 27% of loneliness among those over 75 years.
In our emotional path, using mindfulness, we must create social networks (real, and not only virtual) which allow us to enjoy an exchange with others, even if we do not create a family. But also learn how to manage loneliness as a moment of reflection and self-discovery. As the French writer Guy de Maupassant said, ‘our great torment in this existence comes from the fact that we are eternally alone - all our efforts and all our actions are directed toward escaping this solitude.’
What are the main explanations?
The experiment, created by academics from three British universities, points to ‘a moment of new freedom to have fun, get out of school and have more control over our lives,’ but also ‘of transition: moving from home, starting college, starting a new job, a stable relationship.’ Undoubtedly, all these factors count, but two extremely important ones are missing: the technological impact and the lack of emotional education in the first years of life. How much of the day do we allow our children to immerse themselves in video games, tablets, computers or televisions? What impact does this have on the feeling of loneliness they later manifest? The fact that digital natives show a perfect mastery of new technologies is a blessing, but historically the ‘social factor’ has been decisive in the development of human beings. If interaction with the environment is irreflexively substituted, we become solitary wolves, unable to express feelings and to live together in society. In this case, the technological factor leads to self-induced loneliness.
We become solitary wolves, unable to express feelings
If the young people of today are the most affected, the data does not predict anything good about the future, because the world enjoys greater life expectancy. Technology
Ismael Cala is a life and business strategist, best-selling author, and international speaker specialising in personal development and mindful exponential leadership. The New York Times identified him as “the Latino Larry King”. He is a member of the National Speakers Association (NSA), USA. Founder and president of CALA Enterprises Corporation - focusing on leadership, mindfulness, happiness, productivity, and excellence. www.IsmaelCala.com
51
Spice it Up
Eating to Save
Our Planet
52
An environmentalist at heart, Business Fit Magazine’s Editor, Claire Morley, wants to encourage more people to make a move to eating vegetarian meals at least once a week. I was listening to a radio programme a few weeks ago, they were discussing a primary school in England which had developed a mini farmyard, including pigs, vegetable patches and hens, a scheme designed to teach the children about food provenance and animal welfare. The radio discussion was about whether the school should send the pigs to slaughter (which had always been the plan) and a petition organised by parents to try and stop it. One of the people to voice an opinion on the matter was a vegan, who was very vociferous in her attempt to convert everyone to veganism, immediately. Her reasons included the environmental effect of the mass production of meat and meat related products. Personally, I am not a vegan, not even a vegetarian, but I am an environmentalist, so I do appreciate her concerns. We do make a habit of not eating meat or fish every day and red meat has been removed from our diet for several years. However, I did get to thinking about the impact of converting everyone suddenly to a nonmeat diet. Economically and environmentally it would be disastrous. At the present time meat and associated products is a massive industry. It supports jobs, pays wages and taxes and delivers food. On the other side, the availability of pulses, enough vegetables and legumes to support an immediate switch to non-meat products would not provide enough to feed everyone. A gradual change would be required. I don’t know that I would become a complete vegetarian or vegan, but I fully encourage a movement to get people to eat meat-free a few times a week. Vegetarianism had such bad press in the past, jokes about nut roasts, hippies and pale skin or it being just a phase. Recipe books weren’t so readily available, restaurants even less so, there was the ubiquitous mushroom risotto as a token gesture. However. in recent years, it has become far more supported with most restaurants catering for different types of diets.
For those who are not prepared to fully give up meat, a move to one night a week off, will make a significant impact to the consumption and therefore production of meat products, if everyone did it. My partner was brought up as a “meat and two veg” man, so I wondered how he would cope with the introduction of meatless meals when I started to cook them a few years ago. He is pretty ambivalent towards most lentil dishes, but when it comes to chickpeas, he has totally embraced them. Having substituted them for chicken in an alltime favourite, curry, he now prefers the nonmeat version. In my effort to try and introduce people to non-meat dishes, albeit on an occasionally basis, I am sharing with you here, my chickpea and cauliflower curry with saag aloo and rice. If we could all accept that vegetarian meals can be delicious, wholesome and healthy, perhaps more of us could make the effort to go meatfree once or twice a week. This will have a positive impact on our environment, without it causing an economical problem.
One night a week off will make a significant impact to the consumption and production of meat products
53
Spice it Up
Chickpea and Cauliflower curry (serves 2)
I use dried chickpeas, for this recipe you will need 125gm dried chickpeas soaked overnight in water, then simmered for 30 minutes with a clove of garlic, slice of ginger and bay leaf, alternatively you can use tinned chickpeas.
Ingredients
Method:
1 x 400gm tin Chickpeas/125gm dried chickpeas 200 gm cauliflower 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp Tandoori Masala powder (my recipe opposite) ½ onion chopped 1 garlic clove finely chopped 5cm fresh ginger finely grated ½ stick cinnamon 4 cardamom pods ½ tsp cumin ½ tsp coriander ¼ tsp turmeric ¼ tsp chilli powder (more if you like your curry hot) ½ 400gm tin chopped tomatoes 2 tbsp natural yogurt (optional)
1.Heat the olive oil in a saucepan. 2. Stir in the Tandoori Masala powder. 3. Add cinnamon stick and cardamom pods. Fry for a minute.
4.
Add chopped onion and fry until it
starts turning translucent.
5. Add chopped garlic and grated ginger fry for a minute.
6.
Add cumin, coriander, turmeric and
chilli, stir to mix everything together and the mixture is fragrant.
7. Add half tin of tomatoes and chickpeas, stir and cook for 10 minutes.
8.
Add cauliflower and cook to desired
texture (I prefer mine still with a crunch), stirring occasionally.
9. Add yogurt and stir through until warm.
54
Saag Aloo
I use fresh spinach, steamed and using a potato masher to squeeze out excess liquid or you can use frozen spinach
Ingredients
Method:
Bunch of fresh spinach/200gm frozen spinach cooked as packet instructions 1 tbsp olive oil ½ onion sliced thinly 1 garlic clove finely chopped 1 tsp mustard seeds 200gm potatoes peeled and cut into 2cm squares ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1.Heat oil in a saucepan over a medium heat.
2. When hot add the mustard seeds. 3. Once they start to pop add the sliced onion and chopped garlic, stir and fry for 2 minutes.
4.
Add the potatoes and cayenne
pepper, stir and fry for a minute,
5.
Add cooked spinach, salt and 2
tablespoons of water.
6.
Cover, turn the heat down to low
and cook gently for 40 minutes, adding
Tandoori Masala This makes sufficient for approximately 10 curries
water if it starts to stick to the pan.
7. Serve the Chickpea and Cauliflower Curry and Saag Aloo with rice.
1 tbsp cumin seeds 1 tbsp coriander seeds 5 cloves Stick of cinnamon 1 tsp ginger powder 1 tsp chilli powder 1 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp salt Put all ingredients in a coffee or spice grinder and whiz until it becomes a powder. Store in an airtight jar in a dry place.
Claire Morley is an eco-warrior in her adopted country of Cyprus. She is the Editorial Coordinator for Business Fit and has worked as a journalist and editor in Cyprus and has written a fictional book inspired by her experience as a volunteer in the Philippines. She also runs a business helping authors to self-publish and promote their books www.myepublishbook.com
55
Mindset & Emotion
Stay Healthy, Wealthy & Wise Working from Home
56
Work from home expert, Leslie Truex, gives Business Fit readers seven top tips to ensure a healthy and successful work-at-home environment. Working at home can reduce stress and bring improved balance to a busy life, both of which offer health benefits. However, there are aspects to working at home that can also create health issues if not addressed. Easy access to snacks, decreased activity, and low social interaction can lead to a variety of problems related to weight, energy, and mood.
Here are 7 tips to ensure your work-at-home environment doesn’t sabotage your health:
1. Set Physical and Time Boundaries:
Working at home allows flexibility in your life, but if you don’t have boundaries, your work will bleed into your life and your life will bleed into your work. Creating boundaries is particularly challenging to work-at-home parents, but necessary to avoid feeling guilty about working or about taking the kids to the park when you think you should be working. The physical boundary is a separate office with a door that allows you to close out the rest of the world to focus on work. When you’re done working, closing the door when you leave keeps your work away from your home life. Along with an office, you need to have a set schedule and routine that creates time boundaries. It’s not uncommon for homebased workers to work more hours than they would at a traditional office because the work is accessible 24/7. Off-time is crucial to success at work, so it’s important to set a schedule and stick to it.
2. Work in a Safe Environment:
A common image often depicted of home-base workers is a person sitting on the couch or in bed with their laptop. While working in comfort is a perk, poor posture can lead to all sorts of problems including back pain, headaches, stomach issues, and more. Certainly, the occasional work session on a chaise chair or in bed won’t harm you, but most of the time you want to have ergonomic office furniture that
offers good support and is set at a height that doesn’t cause neck or eye strain when looking at your computer. Your office should be well lit, with natural light included, if possible. Consider having office plants that offer a host of benefits including keeping your office air clean.
3. Stand Up Regularly
Research indicates that too much sitting is bad for your health. It can contribute to a host of problems including increase in belly fat and blood pressure, and greater risk of heart disease, cancer and other ailments related to low activity and weight gain. Add the fact that working at home already has less activity because you don’t have to get out of the house, commute to work, walk across the parking lot, and other activities that go with a traditional job. To counteract the health risk of a sedentary work life, consider getting a standing desk, or at the very least, taking standing breaks every thirty minutes to an hour. Set a time to exercise every day. With a flexible schedule and no commute, comes more time to take care of yourself. Take a walk or bike ride, stretch or do yoga, play outside with the kids, go to the gym, or sign up for an activity through your recreation centre such as dance or adult soccer.
Have a set schedule and routine that creates time boundaries
57
Mindset & Emotion
Humans are social creatures
58
4. Eat, Sleep to Be Merry
You’d have to be living under a rock to not know how important proper eating and sleep is to overall health and success. Quality of food and sleep will affect your health, mood, energy, productivity, and creativity. Want to be successful? Eat cleaner, whole foods and less processed food and sugar. Reduce screen time (TV, phone, ereader) thirty minutes before bed to fall asleep and stay asleep, and get seven to eight hours of sleep a night.
Humans are social creatures, even introverts. That doesn’t mean you have to go large events or parties. You can get the benefits of interacting with others by having lunch or coffee with a friend, or attending local events such as through your Chamber of Commerce.
5. Practice Self-Care
Working at home is awesome, but for some, it can be more stressful, especially if you’re a freelancer or business owner without a regular salary. To reduce stress as well as maintain motivation and creativity, take time each day to nurture yourself. Exercise is one way to take care of yourself. Other ideas include indulging in a hobby, spending time with friends or family, taking a bath, and even taking a nap. Don’t underestimate the power of fun and play either. Doing something fun that you love can go a long way to boosting morale, energy, creativity, and productivity.
6. Get Out of the House
Taking a daily walk is a great way to get out of the house and breathe in the fresh air. But also consider a day away. Spending too much time in your home office can lead to boredom, low energy, and burnout.
Take time each day to nurture yourself
Many work-at-home options offer some level of portability. Take advantage of that by going to work at your library, local java joint, or even the park.
7. Be Social
Working at home can lead to feelings of isolation. On the other hand, being with others can not only improve your mood, but also you can get feedback, ideas, commiserate (if they work at home too), or simply have fun.
Leslie Truex has been helping people work from home since 1998 through her website WorkAtHomeSuccess.com. She is an author and speaker on topics related to telecommuting, home business, blogging, writing, and publishing, and has been featured as a work from home expert in Redbook, Working Mother Magazine, CNN.com and more.
59
Interview
Arnon
Barnes
“Success and financial freedom was my duty� Starting his first business aged eleven, Arnon Barnes reached financial independence by the age of 28. Now he is a seasoned trainer, coach and mentor in the field of entrepreneurship and success mindset. His ability to build strong partnerships, motivate and inspire people, and raise millions of Euros for investments has enabled him to be successful in other business arenas such as retail, tourism, the hospitality industry and real estate.
60
Always look for ways to innovate, improve, do it faster, better, with more effectiveness and efficiency.
Who are YOU?
A proud father, business owner, international speaker and peak performance trainer who was born in South Africa and is now living in The Netherlands. My name is Arnon Barnes and my passion is to speak and inspire people about business and success. Over the last five years, I’ve been blessed to have successfully trained and mentored over 80,000 people in many different areas of business from over 65 different countries around the world. In addition, my personally designed business programs have helped business leaders increase their productivity, personal and business incomes as much as 40% in just a matter of weeks.
Who inspired you to take this route and why?
From a young age I knew there was more to life than I was seeing. I started doing business in school, selling toys to other kids, modelling the first people who inspired me; my father and uncles, the first business owners I knew. Later in life I discovered the power of personal development and started reading books by Anthony Robbins, Napoleon Hill and Jim Rohn for example. Each book I read gave me new insights and inspiration to take more action towards my goals and especially my dreams. Then in 2011, I came across a gentleman named T. Harv Eker and I joined him, together with 2000 other people (!), to follow a threeday program he was training in Amsterdam. For the first time I felt like all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place and I signed up for his extended curriculum. Through this program I learned how to become a professional trainer and speaker. Today, I coach, teach and train business owners and empower them on subjects like entrepreneurship, business development, growth strategies, wealth creation, investing and achieving financial freedom. And as a special bonus, I also became one of only five designated Lead Trainers around the globe to teach T. Harv Eker’s exclusive three-day program.
What is the single best piece of business advice which helped shape who you are now and Why? Great question and a rather difficult one to answer, as over the years I have been blessed to receive lots of life-changing business advice. If I had to choose one, it would probably be; ‘You can’t do a good deal with a bad person’. The reason this advice has been so valuable for me is; Just like most entrepreneurs, I have experienced going into partnerships or deals
61
Interview
with people because they had a good talk, made lots of promises and in the end they would not back that up with the necessary actions, responsibility or respect towards their partners and the deal would fall through. Even when it actually was the right product/ service, at the right time but because I tried to develop it with the wrong person, we all ended up getting hurt.
family. That played an incredibly powerful and important role in me achieving the success I have today. Seeing my mum juggle multiple jobs so my younger siblings and I had just enough food on the table, barely a roof over our head and clothes on our backs made me subconsciously decide that “I will never live like this�. Success and financial freedom was my duty.
What was your motivation to achieve what you have?
How do you take care of your body, mind and soul?
Growing up as a kid, from about the age of 14, our father had left us, and I watched my mum struggle financially to keep us together as a
62
From a body perspective, I enjoy kickboxing and playing football with my son. Mind and soul, well I am blessed that every year, in
December, I take a select group of business leaders and business owners to South Africa where I host my life changing Safari Leadership Experience. This safari is not a ‘normal’ safari that most people think of or are used to. This is a true wilderness experience in an unfenced area where we walk and become part of nature. Walking in the bush always does something special to me and the people and it’s where I go to disconnect from ‘everyday life’ and reconnect to myself, my spirit and soul. This is where I get back into my power.
What is your favourite quote and why?
So many come to mind. So, I’m going to choose; Just do it! And the reason I like this quote is because of its simplicity. Most people overcomplicate life and live in a space of doubt, uncertainty or even in the feeling of “I’m not good enough”. Which I feel is such a shame and a total energy drain. I always remind my coaching clients that “in life and business if you want more happiness, more success, more wealth”, than it all boils down to one word and that is - Action! I talk about this more in depth in my book. It’s simple. “The name of the game is action”. So just (freakin’) do it!
How does relevant?
a
business
stay
In today’s competitive markets, I believe there are many important things a business leader must strive for in order to stay relevant. Firstly; Innovation, always look for ways to innovate, improve, do it faster, better, with more effectiveness and efficiency. Include client and market research to find out what innovative ideas will keep your business in the forefront of your client’s needs and minds. Fortunately, or unfortunately we live in a world where technology and AI is becoming an integral part of our everyday lives and so we are living in exciting times. However, in business due to all this technology shift we are experiencing it really is a time of ‘innovate or die’. Like the classic story of Blockbuster who wouldn’t evolve and Netflix who eventually took them out of the game. Secondly; Caring. Genuinely care about your customer, understand their needs and wants but most importantly their pain. And how you can, as a business, as a product or service
provider reduce or even eliminate that pain for your clients. And my third piece of advice is to fire quickly. Get rid of people who are either not pulling their weight, in other words not contributing to the company’s vision and mission. Or choosing to let go of a person who might be doing his or her job well but simply doesn’t bring a positive attitude with them to the game. Having a healthy and fun company culture today is so important. So even if you have people, although good at their jobs, but with a bad attitude then you’ll find they normally drain the energy out of the team. Remember, you can teach people a skill or a talent, but it’s difficult to teach someone a positive ‘can do’ attitude. Fire quickly!
How are additional streams created?
income
I always look at the end-user clients. What additional services would they benefit from. And what is the client buying anyways, maybe from another supplier. When I coach business leaders, I ask them to break out of their mould, break out of old thinking. Instead of looking at verticals rather see what other ‘bolt-on’ services can be provided to their clients. For example, I am currently in the process of buying up accountancy firms. Some of the additional revenue streams that we offer to the accountant’s clients are; business coaching, CFO consulting services, business trainings, insurance policies, wealth management services and many more. Think out of the box
Having a healthy and fun company culture today is so important
63
Interview and understand that your client is purchasing other services. And btw, you don’t need to create a new department to provide these services, you can simply Joint Venture with another entrepreneur who can do the work and you get a commission for the introduction.
Once the business is successful, how can I remove myself? By not being afraid of hiring great people. This is a challenge I see with so many entrepreneurs and business owners. They think that ‘only they can do the job or the task in a good and proper way’. The key to creating wealth is leverage. And now that the business is successful it is time to realise that the more, great people you hire and have around you and, on your team, the more leverage you will have. However, hire strategically. Because what you don’t want to do is to become a ‘back end’ heavy organisation. On the flip side you don’t want to be hiring only ‘offensive players’ on your team. Because then a lot of sales will be made but nobody to deliver the actual service. I believe a healthy balance of hiring is what’s needed. And the more you delegate your tasks the easier it will be to remove yourself. Always remember growth can kill a business. Removing yourself too early can kill a business. On the other hand, not removing yourself from the business will make you feel like a slave and imprisoned. There are critical things to understand and more importantly how to do them. This is exactly what I teach in my business trainings and coaching programs.
What is the best way to optimise work/life balance?
Focus on what you’re really great at. Putting your effort and energies behind what your strengths are. That way you can do what you’re naturally good at, hire other people to do the jobs you hate doing and that cause you pain doing them. This way you will be able to optimise your strengths, avoid your weaknesses and by doing so giving you more inner peace. I see so many people trying to push a boulder up the hill, struggling with tasks that they simple dislike doing. And this mental strain causes them to upset a work/ life balance. To summarise, focus on your strengths and get someone else to deal with your weaknesses, that way everything will get managed and you will sleep well at night.
64
65
Business
Personal Finance Habits
You Need to Adopt Serial entrepreneur, international speaker, success strategist, Valerie Prasetyo, shares with Business Fit readers some of the financial habits she’s adopted to achieve her goals. Having a beautiful home in lovely surroundings; travelling with friends and family wherever and whenever you want; being able to work from any part of this planet; enjoying shopping in your favourite places; spending quality time with your nearest and dearest without thinking about costs and prices; having multiple passive income streams from the investments you made: the wish list or dream list can be very long. But what is the reality? How close are you to the specific lifestyle you want to have or financial goals you are targeting?
66
If the reality is about making ends meet each month and spending most of your earnings on liabilities... it’s time to make some shifts. What if I tell you that with a gradual change in your financial habits as well as mindset you can finally get what you want in terms of purchasing and investing power? How do I know? Well, even as a middle school student I was able to save for a ticket to South Korea, about $700, using some of the habits I am about to mention. And later on, in adulthood to finance several investment assets and create multiple income streams. If it is something for you, then be ready to shake your financial statements (if there are any) and move in the direction of wealth.
Before we talk about the habits, make sure you know your financial goals precisely! If it’s passive income, how much do you need per month to cover all your necessities. If it’s an active income which comes from your job salary or business income, define the exact number you target. The same with your Net Worth and/or Company’s Worth. The first habit is obvious but so often neglected by the majority of people - stop spending more than you earn. It equates to both and private and business cases. Revenue is not the same as your net income (there are bunch of expenses in between) and your credit limit is not your pay check. Don’t put yourself in a trap of endless financial liabilities just for shortterm satisfaction of your needs. Stop spending tons of money on ‘dream items’. How often have you, all of a sudden, decided to try a new hobby or come back to an old one and in order to start, have bought things you potentially need? For example, you decided to study photography and even signed up for an online course. But to be ‘professional’ you need a good camera, lighting, other equipment and accessories, in some cases even special clothing and shoes, etc. These are the ‘dream items’, because often, after you’ve bought everything, what happens - you’ve probably never even taken a picture, or you gave up the course or you stopped training after 2-3 visits, etc. So, a bunch of money is just ‘sitting’ in storage instead of working for you. If you need to raise funds to launch a business project or invest in any asset or simply pay off your debts, you need to be creative in terms of finding ways to earn the extra money. It can be a side job, it can be part-time entrepreneurship, it can be finding solutions for other businesses and being a connector, and so much more. Make it a habit to see opportunities to earn (of course legally and ethically) everywhere. Don’t settle down in your ‘financial comfort zone’.
in order to be able to pay yourself first. And paying yourself first does not mean 100% spend on entertainment and fun. It consists of several categories, and for each category, consider opening a separate bank account or sub account (there are lots of banks that can open additional accounts with zero charge or even give you some incentives for it). The first account is dedicated to your investments and assets, in other words something that will bring you money (other businesses, property, financial instruments, precious metals, etc). The Second - education. The best investment you can make is in education which will open so many doors and opportunities. It has an infinite ROI. Another account should be dedicated to savings for big purchases (house, car, trips, holidays) as well as an account for personal treats - money you can spend on whatever you want. And of course, don’t forget about giving back and putting aside money for charity. The percentage of income you allocate to these accounts obviously depends on your earnings. But it should be around 30% of your net income that you spread between them. Try to raise this number through generating more income and cutting your necessities (monthly bills, liabilities). Another important habit is to regularly track your incomings and expenditures. There are plenty of apps where you can track your accounts including cash on a daily basis. And the most important part is growing your mindset. Shift it from ‘I can’t afford it‘ to ‘how can I?’ in order to focus on creative finances and income stream generations which change not only your personal but also business finances.
Develop a habit to manage your money on a weekly/monthly (every time you earn) basis
Valerie Prasetyo is a serial entrepreneur, international speaker, an
influencer in the women empowerment industry. She provides people with the essential knowledge and tools to become independent leaders, to build up their successful business and passive income streams to create life based on their own terms and conditions. Learn more about personal finances and how to reach your financial goals at: www.valerieprasetyo.com/programs
67
Environment
Green Business is Good Business
68
Changeworks is Scotland’s leading environmental charity delivering solutions for low carbon living. Head of Projects, Sam Mills, shares with us ways to improve energy efficiency and make your business greener. After years of discussion and debate, the climate emergency is now rising up the public and political agendas. While the problem is not new, disillusionment and frustration has led to an increase in activism and we have seen significant media coverage in recent months of people, young and old, voicing their anger. Youth protests have taken place across Europe, led by the brave and inspiring actions of Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, and wider demonstrations in the UK by Extinction Rebellion brought parts of Edinburgh and London to a standstill. This increase in action has not gone unnoticed. Ireland’s parliament, the UK parliament, Scotland’s First Minister and Welsh Government have declared a climate emergency. Other countries, such as Australia, are discussing whether to follow suit. While the climate crisis can be seen a complex issue relevant only to large industry, the reality is that it is everyone’s responsibility and smallscale collective action can achieve significant results. Making small changes will not only reduce the environmental impact of a business but can also reduce costs, improve reputation and potentially increase sales. Below are suggestions of some of the ways you can make your business greener:
1. Embrace the circular economy
Recycling is often the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of environmentally friendly behaviours. While it is important, reducing the amount of waste generated in the first place and finding opportunities for your business, or another, to reuse materials or products can make a bigger impact. The concept of the circular economy is not new - essentially all materials and products, through design, remain in use for as long as possible to obtain maximum value. By reshaping business and economic systems, waste can be ‘designed out’ of how we live and work. Examples of circular economy business models include:
• • • •
Hiring or leasing products instead of purchasing. Offering an incentive – financial or other – for the return of used products so they can be refurbished and re-sold. Renting or sharing products between businesses – setting up peer-to-peer networks can facilitate sharing clubs. Refurbishing existing items such as office furniture can be cheaper than buying new – according to the UK Waste Resource Action Programme (WRAP) only 14% of office desks are reused each year.
2. Recycling
Separating your waste to enable recycling is simple and can reduce waste uplift costs. If you have decided to purchase electronic equipment instead of leasing, research how they can be recycled when being replaced. Items might be able to be used by schools and charities or recycled by a manufacturer (companies like Dell and HP have asset recycling programmes). Last year global electronic and electrical waste reached 50 million tonnes, more than the weight of all commercial airlines ever made and only a fraction was recycled.
3. Energy consumption
Simple energy efficiency actions such as switching off lights, appliances and monitors can reduce overall energy consumption as well as reducing fuel bills. Leaving a computer monitor on overnight can cost £50 over a year. Most new electronic items have an energy star rating to assist in choosing the most efficient model. Comparing products will enable you to make a balanced choice about your needs and environmental impacts. Fuel suppliers are now offering green tariffs, guaranteeing the percentage generated through renewable means. Alternatively, sourcing your energy through renewables directly, such as solar
Maintaining momentum in addressing the climate crisis is critical
69
Environment
70
or wind power, will significantly reduce your greenhouse gas emissions as well as saving money on your energy bills. Turning off taps fully and fixing leaky taps can save gallons of water from being wasted and reduce water rate bills – a leaking tap wastes about 5,500 litres of water per year and a leaking hot tap wastes energy and money on your fuel bill. Installing displacement toilet dams, or water hippos in toilet cisterns, can also reduce water usage over the course of a year.
or tax reductions, overall transport costs can be significantly reduced while also decreasing your environmental footprint. Using alternative methods of commuting to work such as walking or cycling can also provide additional physical and mental health benefits. Ensuring your business is ‘cycle-friendly’ by offering safe storage and showering facilities and creating ‘leave the car at home’ days can encourage staff to pursue healthier and more environmentally friendly forms of transport. Using video conferencing, online meeting, chat and collaboration tools can also reduce business meeting transport costs.
5. Sustainable suppliers
8. Plant shrubs and trees
4. Conserve water
Green procurement is another easy way to transform your carbon footprint as a business. This not only makes your company greener but can help foster collaboration with local suppliers. The further your suppliers or service providers have to travel, the more energy and carbon is emitted in getting these to you. Green procurement could include securing goods that are non-toxic, recyclable, made from renewable materials or are from suppliers that take back packaging for refilling or recycling. Consider creating your own procurement policy that commits to some of your company’s ideals, which might include reducing waste and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Explore if you can create a business community based on these goals.
6. Communications
We have firmly entered the digital era which has reduced our reliance on printing and postage, yet for some businesses use of paper and mail is inevitable. Simple switches to 100% or high recycled content paper and envelopes, double-sided printing, and reusable envelopes can cut on operating costs and reduce waste. Use of digital communications tools to reach your audiences can also improve internal communications and operational efficiencies.
7. Transport
Does your business incur high transport costs? If so consider hiring or purchasing an electric vehicle. With some countries offering incentives such as grants to assist with purchase costs
Trees and shrubs are a vital part of the ecosystem and help to act as filters for pollution. Plants produce oxygen, so as well as improving the visual appearance of your business they can improve air quality for you and your employees. Providing shade can reduce the need for air conditioning through lowering of surface and air temperatures. Trees and tall shrubs also decrease the ‘urban heat island effect’, where heat is stored in construction materials such as tarmac, cement and stone, causing urban areas to be a few degrees hotter than surrounding spaces that are less built up. Meeting our environmental responsibilities, at a domestic or business level, is more urgent than ever. Many of the suggestions above may seem insignificant but incremental changes can go a long way to achieving significant change. Several are simple to implement and can make big cost savings – and also make a big impression on your customers too. Maintaining momentum in addressing the climate crisis is critical, it is vital businesses take responsibility and promote a positive and sustainable future. Changeworks helps people and organisations across Scotland take meaningful, urgent action to tackle climate change. This is achieved by sharing ways to improve energy efficiency, reduce fuel poverty, prevent waste and scale up low carbon behaviours. Follow them on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.
Sam Mills has over 20 years’ experience working in the environmental
and sustainable development sector. She is currently Head of Projects at Changeworks, Scotland’s leading environmental charity delivering solutions for low carbon living. Sam leads a multi-disciplinary team delivering innovative energy and waste reduction related projects engaging with householders, communities and businesses. www.changeworks.org.uk - sammills@changeworks.org.uk
71
Healing Venezuela Healing HELPING THE MOST HELPING VULNERABLE VULNERABLE
Benefited 50 50 health health centers centers sending sending 10 10 tons tons of of medical medical supplies, supplies, including ----Benefited including 1,000 coils for teenage pregnancy prevention and 12,000 1,000 coils for teenage pregnancy prevention and 12,000 strips strips to to meameasure diabetes diabetes in in children. children. sure Paid for for 150 150 high-spec high-spec cancer cancer tests tests for for lowlow- income income patients patients - - Paid -- Installed Installed aa water water treatment treatment plant plant at at a a childrenĘźs childrenĘźs hospital. hospital. Purchased/ repaired repaired equipment equipment in in various various health health institutions. institutions. - - Purchased/ Trained 1,300 1,300 people people in in stress stress management management techniques. techniques. - - Trained -- Sponsoring Sponsoring 120 120 medical medical students. students. Supporting the the development development of of an an online online nurses nurses training training programm. - - Supporting programm. -- Sponsoring Sponsoring medical medical campaigns campaigns in in remote remote areas areas of of the the country. country.
HEALING HEALING
VENEZUELA VENEZUELA info@healingvenezuela.co.uk info@healingvenezuela.co.uk www.healingvenezuela.org www.healingvenezuela.org