✦ Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is a vibrant and joyous celebration observed by millions around the world. While it is deeply rooted in Indian culture, symbolising the victory of light over darkness and good over evil, its universal themes of joy, togetherness, and hope resonate with people of all backgrounds. We interview Shuba Bala about what Diwali means to her, and how she is bringing beautiful traditions to light through her dancing. Shuba Bala - Merging Tradition with Modern Creativity Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is a time when the vibrancy of Indian dance truly shines, intertwining cultural heritage with spiritual celebration. As an IT technologist, classical dancer, and singer, I treasure how these art forms enrich my understanding of Diwali's deeper meanings, merging tradition with modern creativity. Hailing from the vibrant, multicultural landscape of Malaysia, my deep commitment to Bharatanatyam profoundly enriches my life. This classical dance form serves as a vital link to my cultural roots, embedding itself as an intrinsic part of my identity. My journey through Bharatanatyam exemplifies the transformative power of dance, where self-expression and cultural storytelling weave together seamlessly. Each movement and gesture crafts a vivid tapestry that celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, illustrating the profound emotional and cultural significance of this art form in my life. Bharatanatyam occupies a special and cherished place in my heart. My journey with this classical dance form began with foundational training at the Temple of Fine Arts Malaysia. Now, I am further refining my skills under the esteemed guidance of Guru Dr. Anu Sudha Sutarsahn at Saraswati Mahavidhyalaya, (previously operating as The Temple of Fine Arts). I had the honour of being named the winner of the SAFAL South Asian Film, Arts & Literature Festival as a solo dance performer for my outstanding classical performance at the SAFAL Awards in Sydney. Through my dance, I aim to captivate audiences by conveying profound emotions, transforming each performance into a divine journey that vividly brings to life the stories of gods and goddesses. This deep connection echoes the essence of Diwali, celebrating the victory of light over darkness. Through my dance school, Saraswati Mahavidhyalaya , we strive to make the arts accessible to everyone. Offering classes in diverse dance forms—Bharata Natyam, Odissi, Kathak, and Bollywood—alongside music, linguistics, yoga, and visual arts, our school embodies a vision where healing and artistry flourish. This commitment is especially palpable during Diwali, as our performances enhance the festive spirit and celebrate cultural diversity. Let's immerse ourselves in the rhythms and tales of Diwali, igniting lamps not only in our homes but within our hearts, nurturing unity and joy through the timeless art of dance. Through the harmonious blend of technology and tradition, and within the supportive embrace of Saraswati Mahavidhyalaya, the celebration of Diwali's dance becomes an experience that is both unforgettable and profoundly meaningful. Light up the Celebrations! This year, why not join in the festivities and bring some Diwali sparkle into your home? Here are some fun and inclusive ways to celebrate, especially with children! 1. Light Up Your Home Diwali is all about brightness and light. Decorate your home with colourful fairy lights, candles, and diyas  (small oil lamps). You can easily make DIY diyas  with clay and let the kids paint and decorate them with glitter and sequins. It's a delightful way to add warmth and a festive glow to your space! 2. Get Crafty with Rangoli Rangoli is a traditional art form where colourful patterns are created on the floor using coloured rice, flower petals, or powders. Get the children involved in making their own rangoli designs at the entrance of your home. You can even use chalk on the pavement or create paper rangolis indoors. It’s a great way to spark their creativity and make beautiful art together. 3. Sweet Treats and Snacks No celebration is complete without delicious food! Prepare or buy some traditional Diwali sweets like laddoos , barfis , or gulab jamun . If you’re feeling adventurous, try making some at home with the kids – it’s a fun and tasty activity that they’ll love. Don’t forget to share these treats with friends and neighbours; after all, Diwali is about sharing joy and sweetness! 4. Storytelling and Books Introduce children to the stories and legends behind Diwali, such as the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya or the tale of Goddess Lakshmi. There are many beautifully illustrated children’s books that tell these stories in an engaging way. Reading together can be a wonderful way to learn about the cultural significance of the festival while spending quality time as a family. 5. Dress Up in Bright Colours Diwali is a time to wear new clothes and dress in bright, festive colours. Let the kids pick out their most colourful outfits, and add some sparkle with accessories like bangles, scarves, or bindis. Dressing up can make the celebration feel even more special and is a great opportunity for some family photos! 6. Music and Dance Create a playlist of upbeat Bollywood songs or traditional Indian music and have a dance party at home. Dancing is a huge part of Diwali celebrations, and it’s a joyful way to express happiness. You can even try learning a few dance moves together from online tutorials! 7. Fireworks and Sparklers (Safely!) If it’s allowed in your area, enjoy some sparklers or small fireworks to light up the night sky. Always remember to follow safety guidelines and supervise children closely. If fireworks aren’t an option, glow sticks can be a safe and fun alternative that still brings the magic of light to your celebration. 8. Acts of Kindness Diwali is also a time for giving and helping others. Encourage children to perform small acts of kindness, like donating toys or clothes they no longer need or making cards for friends and family. These gestures help spread the spirit of generosity and compassion that is at the heart of the festival. Whether you’re celebrating Diwali for the first time or are looking for new ways to enjoy this beautiful festival, these activities can help make it a memorable and joyful occasion for everyone. Happy Diwali! ❋ Discover the Magic of Digital PR with Brilliant-Online Welcome to Brilliant-Online, where your stories take centre stage and your brand shines in the spotlight! We’ve transformed into a cutting-edge digital PR powerhouse, designed to help businesses like yours amplify your message and captivate audiences across the globe. 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✦ The Hindu festival of lights is a celebration of "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance". For our readers in Australia, with more light coming into our days, it is befitting that the festival of lights is coming soon to join in the bright sunny days! Those who reside on the other side of the planet and are preparing to snuggle up under warm blankets, Diwali takes on a romantic hue, like a beacon of hope in the darkness. Photo: Prashant Gupta, Unsplash Diwali, or Deepavali is celebrated between mid-September and mid-November, and this year it falls on October 20th. The celebrations typically last five or six days. Celebrants welcome this festival by lighting up their homes with oil lamps called diyas, as well as candles and lanterns, and if you look up in the sky, you may even see some fireworks. Some of you may recognise this festival by the beautiful and elaborate rangoli patiently created on the floors. These are colourful patterns created with powdered lime stone, coloured sand, dry rice flour, flower petals and small coloured rocks. It is a sign of welcome to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and good luck into the house. As with so many festivals, food is quite a protagonist during Diwali and with it, the reunion of family members and getting together with friends and communities. Whenever a festival comes around, we often take it as license to eat and do whatever we wish. After all, it's a celebration! Then comes the aftermath of each celebration where we feel the excess and promise ourselves that next year we will do everything in moderation! With increasing consciousness about health, wellbeing and sustainability, perhaps we can also bring this awareness into our festivals and perhaps in doing so, give it greater meaning by focusing on what is really important i.e. being with loved ones. So, what are some little things we can do this Diwali to fully embrace the festival of lights? Happy Diwali! Moderation is key... and it works! We all love our beautiful Diwali treats such as burfi, besan, laddoo, halwa etc. And we also know when we get over excited and start consuming too much, inevitably the next day we start to feel the effects over having too much heavy food and it can really spoil the day. With World Diabetes Day on November 14, we want to be more conscious of what we are consuming so our blood sugar levels do not start going ballistic. Moderation is key to help us appreciate fully what we are actually eating, and it is a way to be mindful. Setting a realistic limit on what we eat and even eating slowly can make a difference. We can fully enjoy what we are eating right now, show our gratitude for mother's beautiful halwa, eat it guilt-free because we are eating within our set limits, and know that we won't feel sick the next day and can continue to enjoy the festivities. Fizzy drinks and soda tend to be high in sugar, so instead of offering your guests these drinks, you can offer healthier alternatives. In fact, for those of us who are celebrating Diwali in a hot climate or season, drinking lots of water is a great way to be healthy, to hydrate and stave off the sugar cravings. A different sort of gift It's traditional for families and friends to buy mithai as a Diwali greeting. Mithai is a kind of sweet confectionary made from flour, milk, sugar, nuts and ghee. If every family received a box of mithai from every single visitor, that's a lot to consume. Why not try other gifts such as nuts, or a fruit basket? Also, if your family usually make your own mithai, you can also opt for alternative and healthier ingredients such as low fat milk, use natural sweeteners or use unsaturated fats. In fact, vegan mithai exists and that could be an interesting option as well! Gift homemade sweets where the ingredients have been consciously chosen, as opposed to buying boxes of sweets. Look around your community and you'd be surprised to find some healthy, artisan sweets that make great gifts. We love this artisan ice cream from Miah Armstrong. Just perfect for the hot weather now! Why not try your hand at making your own sweet treats? After all, the best gift is health! You can get creative with some innovative health gift ideas especially for the elderly, such as a massage, or an eye check up! It may just give them the motivation they need to get a long overdue health check! Don't forget to exercise! When festivities come around, it is not licence to therefore skip the gym or the weekly run or morning yoga routine. If anything, try to stick to your exercise regime even through the festivities. You may have to adapt a little when you do them, and your body will thank you for taking care of them while also letting them have fun! Why not have an early start to your day with a yoga sequence to wake the cells up and get ready for a fun day? Quiet time for yourself While we enjoy being with friends and family, the intensity of the celebrations can be quite a lot for some people. If you feel your social battery starting to wane, it's kind to allow yourself to take a gentle break from the crowd. Find a quiet place to be with yourself, and a short meditation can do wonders to relax the mind and bring you back to balance. You can also give yourself a quiet five minutes just to be with your breath at the end of the day, so you can prepare your body for a state of rest after the flurry of activities in the day. Try this 5 minute reset meditation from Bernie Ginnane. A gadget-free celebration It is tempting to have our phones with us so we can take lots of photos of our family and friends and the food etc. so we can put them up on Instagram. While we can enjoy capturing beautiful moments, it is also important we don't forget we are all here together at Diwali to be with one another in person. Try setting a time that is gadget-free, so you can all fully connect and enjoy time together. Let there be light! Instead of buying diyas, why not make your own and turn it into a fun family activity in the period leading up to the festival? Check out this video to make your own diya from waste wooden pieces! Repurpose any waste bits you can collect from your garden, and you can get creative with your own environmentally-friendly diya! There you have it, some simple ways to enjoy your Diwali (or any other celebrations, in fact!) and still take care of your health, so we can have many more beautiful celebrations for a long time to come! Brilliant-Online wishes our readers a Brilliant Diwali full of light to illuminate your life with health, joy and success! References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rangoli https://www.indushealthplus.com/tips-for-safe-and-healthy-wali-diwali.html https://www.heartuk.org.uk/news/latest/post/114-healthy-diwali Discover the Magic of Digital PR with Brilliant-Online Welcome to Brilliant-Online, where your stories take centre stage and your brand shines in the spotlight! We’ve transformed into a cutting-edge digital PR powerhouse, designed to help businesses like yours amplify your message and captivate audiences across the globe. Here’s what makes Brilliant-Online extraordinary: ✨ Storytelling that Sells: Share your business journey with the world through authentic, creative narratives that inspire trust and build connections. ✨ Tailored Digital PR Strategies: We craft campaigns that resonate with your audience and generate buzz where it matters most. ✨ Maximum Exposure: Tap into a network of blogs, social media, email campaigns, and online search features to boost your brand visibility. ✨ Engaging Content Creation: From videos to articles, we produce content that informs, entertains, and converts. ✨ Trackable Success: With detailed performance analytics, you’ll see the impact of your campaign every step of the way. We’re here for progressive individuals and forward-thinking businesses ready to embrace the digital era and make a lasting impact. 💡 Let’s create something brilliant together. Visit Brilliant-Online to learn more about how we can elevate your brand! ✦ For all enquiries about advertising with Brilliant-Online, please email us .

✦ When was the last time you felt good, ate well and did something that made you glow from the inside out? At the very core of each human is a very basic desire to simply be happy. When we are happy, it flows over naturally to others. Here's a simple question: "How are you?" While this is obviously not a rocket science question, you'd be surprised how easily we parrot off the answer and simply reply "Good" without really honestly thinking how we really are. Now here's another question (no, it's not a trick question): "Are you happy?" What do you mean am I happy? Of course I am! Or am I? Food for thought perhaps. How are you really feeling? Depending on the generation you were born in and where, we have all experienced some challenging periods. Our grandparents may have lived through a war, others have been pummelled with one natural disaster after another, and in present times many are still feeling the after effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. And then there's climate change giving some hard knocks on our doors. When The Great Resignation swept through various industries and employee wellbeing suddenly became top priority, trends emerged where people began consciously to make a choice to live life differently. It has been a big shake up, and people continue to question how they have been doing things all this time and whether it's really what they want and beneficial to their lives. Wellbeing is now a priority Suddenly, wellbeing and mental health are on the top of the list of concerns, as if it takes a pandemic for humans to realise the importance of our emotional hygiene. Wellbeing has always been vital to our health. Perhaps we took it for granted, or maybe we were all so busy on the hamster wheel of work and life that we did not give it the attention it needed. Until we got the rug pulled from under our feet. It's clear there is a trend now across companies everywhere to prioritise employee wellbeing, mental health and find ways to prevent burnout. We have seen how frontline workers and healthcare workers especially were pushed to the edge. And many health services are still saturated from the aftermath of COVID. Inside the immaculate walls of a hospital, healthcare workers continue to be overworked and overwhelmed. We don't have to wait till we're adults struggling in the corporate world before we start doing something for our wellbeing and mental health. There's a good reason why TG's Child Care is so well-known and trusted by families as the stewardship of their children's future. Children at TG's learn about wellbeing and how to make safe, healthy choices from a friendly giraffe called Healthy Harold. They gain life-coping mechanisms to create a wellbeing toolkit that they can keep using through their lives. This is a big boost for children's mental health outcomes. TG's is truly embodying Wellbeing for Life. Burnout is real. Burnout is real "Burnout is often ignored and suppressed because of fears related to job security and concerns that showing vulnerability might lead to the perception of being unemployable. And walking away from a job to prioritise mental health is simply economically unfeasible ­– even unimaginable – for most people."- BBC Jacinda Ardern 's announcement to stand down from office as New Zealand's Prime Minister was interpreted as burnout causing her to quit politics. And one can hardly be surprised. She led the country through its worst ever mass shooting, a natural disaster in the form of a volcanic eruption and the pandemic of course. It's enough to drive anyone to burnout. Even a country's leader can recognise their very human limits and call it a day before they implode. Prioritising our mental health should not be seen as a 'luxury' that is available only to those who are financially able to step away when things get too much. World leaders, organisations, companies need to take wellbeing and mental health more seriously, and recognise the potential losses that could result for any entity if the human elements in this group were to start falling like flies because they cannot cope. Investing in workforce health A new study from Avalere Health commissioned by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce determined that "employer-sponsored health insurance and programs will yield a 47% average return on investment (ROI) to employers this year. In layman’s terms: For every dollar an employer spends on workforce health, they get back $1.47 in financial benefits." - Cigna * *American multinational managed healthcare and insurance company Another study by Cigna showed that "employees with high levels of vitality are healthier, more confident in their jobs, feel supported at work, and are more motivated and productive than those with lower vitality levels. Crucially, those with higher vitality are more likely to stay with their current employer – an important asset for employers navigating the Great Resignation." Companies are stepping up on looking after employees' health in all possible ways, and it's going to take some time for the teething period to ease out as companies figure out how to best support their workers. What is increasingly common now among insurers in a bid to modernise health care is to provide new digital tools and services to support wellbeing and diagnostics. An example is telehealth services where you can have a video chat with your physician. However, many insurers still either exclude mental healthcare or provide just the minimal coverage. "In 2021, mental health conditions were one of the top five causes of claim costs in Europe." - MMB* Health Trends 2023 *Mercer Marsh Benefits ™ (MMB) a global leader in the health and benefits marketplace. Even the most optimistic of insurers only cover around 20% of the treatments that would be needed in a year. This is hardly enough for a claimant to have adequate recovery. Companies need to consider other ways to fill this mental healthcare gap. Everyone is still on the path to recovery from COVID-19. Because we were locked down, we suddenly appreciated having the freedom to simply take a walk outdoors. Having been confined to a screen to have connections with people around us, we realised how good a real, warm, human hug feels. Perhaps true happiness is in the simple, 'free' things around us and not the latest modern gadget or a fancy holiday. Happiness is...being able to touch and hug our loved ones. During our present times more than ever, it's really important to take a good look at how we are, and if we are actually happy. Everyone has their own take on this, and happiness can be relative. Whether you are a glass-half-full or glass-half-empty person, the important thing to remember is you have a glass. Now what are you going to do with it? There is something we can all do as individuals for our own wellbeing. While governments, organisations and companies are figuring out how to best support our wellbeing, what can we do right here, right now to start to Feel Good, Eat Good and Do Good? Feel Good 1. Get enough sleep. Anyone with a toddler can tell you how important sleep is. A sleep-deprived tot is an absolute nightmare. At their best they are cranky and at their worst not even Bruce Lee can defend himself from a volley of sharp Lego bricks ricocheting around. And all because a little person did not get enough sleep. Adults are no different. We need proper sleep too. Long term effects of sleep deprivation include weight gain, diabetes, increased blood pressure and a weak immune system. Some people unfortunately suffer from sleep disorders, in which case special treatment is required. For many others however, it requires a determined change in lifestyle i.e. stop binge-watching Netflix and go to bed. Try it tonight, and see if you feel better tomorrow morning. 2. Go outside. Yes, take yourself out on a doggy walk even if you haven't got a dog. You need fresh air and sunshine too. A change of scenery i.e. anything that is not an electronic screen can give your eyes and mind a much needed break to reset and recalibrate. Going out for a walk can lower stress, heart rate and blood pressure. And many will say that they have often come up with a solution or a new idea simply by walking. And it's free. Plus you get to meet friendly dogs on their walks too and get a bit of dog therapy! Unless you have a phobia of dogs, otherwise they are said to help raise our oxytocin levels and lower our blood pressure. Go take a stroll and make some canine friends! Our botanical friends can give a dose of happiness too! Click for advice on Indoor Plants. 3. Get a houseplant. If you're lucky to live in a house with a garden, you'll understand why your garden is like an oasis of peace. Studies have shown that just being in the presence of houseplants can improve one's mental and physical health. Plus, they help improve air quality! It's like having a 100% ecological, organic and natural air purifier in your room! Plants also make for a good hobby and their colours somehow brighten up a living space. Plants do respond to love and care, and when they grow well, you feel a sense of fulfilment! As a self-confessed plant lover and plant murderer, it does take a bit of practice and the sacrifice of a few unfortunate plants to get the hang of it. Learn more here from the World Economic Forum how plants can improve your mental health and wellbeing. Eat Good First rule of thumb for happiness - don't starve yourself. Having a sorry sandwich for lunch because you're stuck to the computer trying to meet a deadline is permissible perhaps....two or three times a year. Not every day. Hungry people are often angry people. Believe it or not, there's a new word being born that is a mix of that. hangry adjective informal becoming angry because you are feeling hungry : People often get hangry when their blood sugar level is low . Our grandmothers were experts at eating healthy and well. Drink enough water, eat your greens, get enough fibre, have a homecooked meal instead of a fast food place, eat less sugar, bake or steam instead of frying etc. In our modern times, eating well and healthy goes a step further. It may take a bit of getting used to but there's certainly no harm trying. You may even like it and feel the benefits and effects of changing your diet. We're talking about going vegan, giving raw food a chance, and being conscious about where your food comes from and how it is produced. Vegan Power! (Photo: Ella Olssen, Unsplash) 1. Go vegan. It is said that plant-based foods and their high nutritional content can contribute to an increase in energy and decrease stress. Vegan diets often contain complex carbohydrates that increase our levels of serotonin (the feel good hormone). When you go vegan, you do have to be more careful and selective of what you put into your body. It's a way to practise mindfulness, of choosing what feels good and healthy for your body. It's self-care and respect for your body. Find a vegan buddy to guide you if you feel lost as to where to begin. There is a growing community of vegans and they'll be more than happy to share some yummy recipes with you! 2. Go raw. No no, we're not asking you to sink your fangs into an unfortunate chicken crossing the road. It's about eating unprocessed whole, plant-based food. Cooking destroys the vitamins in foods and damages the proteins. Raw food is said to have the best balance of water, nutrients and fibre for your body's needs. A big benefit of the raw food diet is they take little preparation since there is no messing about with all the cooking. Which means cleaning up after is also quick as there's no mess generated in a typical meal that involves lots of frying and grilling. Read about Raw Chef Yin's journey in her passion for raw food and you may just find yourself feeling hungry with her recipes! 3. Go organic. If you were lucky to have grandparents with a good old-fashioned garden, you'll remember how sweet their strawberries tasted and how you could pick cherry tomatoes off and just eat them as they were. What they grew simply could not be compared with the so-called fruits and vegetables we got at the modern run-of-the-mill supermarket. We are what we eat and if what we eat isn't 'clean', is it any wonder our bodies fall prey to diseases and illnesses? David King is a Comboyne Pharmer and he knows how important it is to consume food that is clean, natural and chemical-free. Basically, see it as you're eating plants that have grown up rather happily in a natural environment where they've not been pumped with chemicals to force them to grow a certain way. More reasons to go organic here . Do Good We know it feels good to do volunteer work and pay it forward by giving to our communities. Remember that you cannot give from an empty cup. There's a reason why on flights we are told to put the oxygen mask on ourselves first before we assist the person next to us. We cannot do very much if we are passed out. Once you start to take care of your physical and mental health, you naturally become a strong, healthy and whole presence that can support others around you. And there are so many ways we can do good! Volunteering Feels Good because we're Doing Good! 1. Volunteer Choose a cause that most motivates you or which you resonate with. Whether it's for people with a disability, giving your time to a pet shelter, cheering up the elderly, there are lots in your community where you can get involved in. BlazeAid is one example of a volunteer-based organisation working with rural families to help them rebuild their lives that have been affected by natural disasters. These volunteers are vital to help rebuild our local communities. Beyond helping people in need, volunteers also feel good knowing they are putting their time and energy towards a worthy cause, and every single act of theirs makes a huge difference. It's a case of Doing Good and Feeling Good. There is also a sense of community that is generated when you become a volunteer and it's a great boost for one's mental health. We all want to feel we belong, we matter and we can make a difference. 2. Upcycle, recycle, repurpose, reuse Eco-anxiety is real. And many people actually are affected by this. The American Psychology Association (APA) describes eco-anxiety as “the chronic fear of environmental cataclysm that comes from observing the seemingly irrevocable impact of climate change and the associated concern for one's future and that of next generations”. Spiralling into fear and worry isn't going to do much to help the environment. But there are things we can start to do right now. Whether it's separating your trash and contributing to recycling efforts or working on spending less and getting creative with upcycling, repurposing and reusing, every drop still adds to the ocean of change. Even fallen trees can be repurposed with a bit of creativity! Check these cool ideas from Accomplished Tree Management ! Getting creative with these ideas also helps to boost our mental health and keeps our brains nice and juicy firing away new neuronal pathways! Create something new instead of buying and generating more waste! 3. Care for nature And make new friends while you're at it! That's what you get when you sign up for an activity at Hastings Landcare. There are different Landcare groups in your community. You can learn about native plants and animals and help improve their habitat as well. This is one of our favourite Feel Good and Do Good combos! You get to Feel Good outdoors in nature and Do Good by caring for it, and meet like-minded people and build healthy connections to boost your mental health! If these are not enough, check out these 50 ideas to do good! So let's try the questions again. How are you? Are you happy? We certainly hope you can take on board some of these ideas to Feel Good, Eat Good and Do Good! Get that brilliant inner glow going, and share it with others. Tell us some of your favourite tried-and-tested ways to Feel Good, Eat Good and Do Good! Reference: https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20230123-is-burnout-finally-high-profile-enough-for-leaders-to-act https://www.mercer.com/our-thinking/health/top-health-trends-headlines-for-2023.html https://newsroom.cigna.com/vitality-four-healthcare-trends-for-2023 https://www.aon.com/insights/reports/2022/global-medical-trend-rates-report https://www.wtwco.com/en-JO/Insights/2022/10/2023-global-medical-trends-survey-report https://integrisok.com/resources/on-your-health/2022/september/11-ways-to-feel-better-every-day https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/healthy-eating-tips https://www.lifebistroatl.com/lifestyle/how-veganism-can-improve-your-mental-health/ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/7381 https://www.vegkitchen.com/10-benefits-eating-raw-food/ https://www.onlyorganic.org/15-reasons-to-eat-organic/ https://benevity.com/resources/50-ideas-to-do-good https://www.iberdrola.com/social-commitment/what-is-ecoanxiety Advertise with Brilliant-Online ✦ Brilliant-Online is the only publication that offers a single interactive multichannel advertising package. ✦ The purpose of Brilliant-Online is to push for a better world in the digital era. ✦ Brilliant-Online is an empowering read for progressive individuals and dynamic businesses. ✦ For all enquiries about advertising with Brilliant-Online, please contact us here . 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✦ Tyson Fury is one of the most recognised sports personalities on the planet. The undefeated two-time heavyweight boxing champion of the world, Fury is truly in a class of his own, regarded as one of the finest pound-for-pound fighters of all time. His professional record of 33 wins and 1 draw from 34 fights (24 of which were by knockout) speaks for itself. The 34-year-old Englishman is as colourful a character outside the ring as in it, with his habit of donning outrageous costumes and impromptu singing after fights and during press conferences leaving observers in hysterics. He was even a guest vocalist on Robbie Williams’ 2019 album ‘The Christmas Present’ and released his own version of the popular Neil Diamond song ‘Sweet Caroline’ last November, with all proceeds going to charity. However, fighting is Fury’s true game, something the self-styled “Gypsy King” is wholeheartedly serious about. Fighting is in his genes, coming from a family of Irish travellers where the sport has always played a prominent role. Indeed, it is fair to say Fury has been fighting since the day he was born; arriving three months prematurely and weighing just one pound, doctors gave him a slim chance of survival, prompting his father to name him after the then current heavyweight champion of the world, Mike Tyson. Brilliant Editor Ben Tirebuck (left) meets Tyson Fury in Phuket, Thailand. Photo: High Life Management. It is not only in the ring that Fury has been fighting battles though. Having suffered serious depression and subsequent mental health problems over the years, Fury today is one of the most passionate advocates of men’s mental health and one of its most powerful ambassadors. One might stop and ask how on earth one of the most successful athletes of all time, with all the subsequent trappings of fame, glory, wealth and financial security could be so impacted by mental health issues, but therein lies the exact point of how the disease can hit anyone at any level at any time. It all started, or at least came to the fore, not long after Fury defeated Ukrainian fighter Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015 in Germany to win the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and The Ring heavyweight titles, in what is considered one of the finest boxing performances at any weight in recent years and certainly one of the greatest performances from a British fighter on foreign soil. Afterwards, Fury fell into a dark, prolonged depression, later admitting that he felt no worth in his achievements or with his life, despite having a loving family with a devoted wife and three children. He had suicidal thoughts, later admitting to almost driving his car off a bridge at 190mph before seeing sense at the last minute. He turned to heavy drinking and drug abuse, his weight ballooned to over 400 pounds and he turned his back on all forms of exercise, effectively retiring from his beloved boxing. It was one of the most spectatcular falls from grace of recent times. Fury's mental health challenges started, or at least came to light, not long after he defeated Ukrainian fighter Wladimir Klitschko (left) in November 2015. Photo: Gettyimages “I'm going through a lot of personal demons,” he told Rolling Stone in an interview in October 2016. “I’ve not been in a gym for months. I’ve been going through depression. I just don’t want to live anymore... All the money in the world, fame and glory, means nothing if you’re not happy. I’m seeing psychiatrists. They say I’ve got a version of bipolar. I’m a manic depressive.” After a panic attack resulting in him being hospitalised, Fury did seek help from a psychologist to treat his bipolar disorder that made him prone to extreme mood swings, saying it was a decision that helped change, and save, his life. “One of the best things I ever did was come out and speak about it, because with communication you can get over any hurdle,” he told The Guardian in 2021. “But keeping it all to yourself and not communicating with others, you’re a bottle of champagne being shaken and shaken, waiting for the top to explode. And you’ll have a mental breakdown and won’t recover - or you seek help and try and get better. “The best advice I could give anybody... is get the right help straight away. I never seeked help for my mental struggle until 2016. I didn’t know what was going on. I wasn’t experienced. Nobody knew around me what was going on. Very uneducated on the matter. And as soon as I got help, the sooner I could go back to get recovered.” After a panic attack resulting in him being hospitalised, Fury did seek help from a psychologist to treat his bipolar disorder. Photo: Gettyimages Fury now regularly speaks out about his own struggles in a bid to help others and stresses that communication is the key. His story has helped considerably in raising awareness of mental health challenges with young men, something that traditionally wasn’t spoken about. “It’s like, say 10 years ago, it wasn’t as accessible as it is today,” Fury told the RAW: The Fight Within podcast last December. “There wasn’t mental health at work stuff, and it wasn’t identified as an illness, as a problem. It was a bit of an embarrassing subject. But now it’s at the forefront. There are mental health days, awareness days, months, years, whatever. It’s very out there now but I think the more we talk about it, the more lives will be saved. “There are a lot of people out there who struggle in silence and they don’t need to do that. Even if you don’t want to speak to a doctor or a professional, speak to someone you know. Speak to your pal, your wife, your girlfriend, your girlfriend’s dog, anyone. “Communication and speaking about something are the answer to everything, whether it’s mental health, relationship issues, buying something, a business deal. Whatever it is you’re doing in your life, communication is the key, no matter what.” Fury now regularly speaks out about his own struggles in a bid to help others and stresses that communication is the key. Photo: Gettyimages Fury gladly admits that his battle with mental health is a daily one, greater than any challenge he has faced within the ring. But in doing so he has an impact arguably more profound and positive than most – after all, if the heavyweight champion of the world, one of the toughest guys on the planet, is vulnerable and thus affected but has the bravery to seek the correct professional help to tame it, if not fully overcome it, then many, many others in a similar predicament should feel no shame or embarassment in doing exactly the same. He has done much to help break the stigma attached to mental health challenges within men. This is a view shared by Dr Benji Waterstones, an NHS psychiatrist working in London, who told The Guardian in 2020: “Fury’s frankness is redefining outdated ideas of masculinity and what it means to be a ‘strong’ man. He shows you can compete to be the heavyweight champion of the world and be vocal about your mental health struggles, which is especially powerful in a testosterone-fuelled sport like boxing.” Boxing provides Fury with an apt coping mechanism; he has literally pulled himself off the canvas and continues to push forward each day, training hard and punching away his challenges. “Fury’s frankness is redefining outdated ideas of masculinity and what it means to be a ‘strong man'." - Dr Benji Waterstones. Photo: Gettyimages “I’m in a constant battle, rollercoaster [going] up and down all the time, and I have to try and keep it off with a long stiff jab,” he told the RAW: The Fight Within podcast. “Sometimes I find it really difficult and sometimes I can box the face right off it, like my opponents in the ring. It’s very difficult. The mental struggle that I continue to go through day in, day out, year in, year out, is harsh, and it will bring the toughest, baddest men on the planet to their knees and make them cry like little girls.” For a fighter of the magnitude of Tyson Fury to openly admit that is invaluable. He is living proof of someone who has battled hard with mental demons but managed to bounce back, a larger-than-life personality that continues to help shine a light on such an important topic. Discover the Magic of Digital PR with Brilliant-Online Welcome to Brilliant-Online, where your stories take centre stage and your brand shines in the spotlight! We’ve transformed into a cutting-edge digital PR powerhouse, designed to help businesses like yours amplify your message and captivate audiences across the globe. Here’s what makes Brilliant-Online extraordinary: ✨ Storytelling that Sells: Share your business journey with the world through authentic, creative narratives that inspire trust and build connections. ✨ Tailored Digital PR Strategies: We craft campaigns that resonate with your audience and generate buzz where it matters most. ✨ Maximum Exposure: Tap into a network of blogs, social media, and online search features to boost your brand visibility. ✨ Engaging Content Creation: From videos to articles, we produce content that informs, entertains, and converts. ✨ Trackable Success: With detailed performance analytics, you’ll see the impact of your campaign every step of the way. We’re here for progressive individuals and forward-thinking businesses ready to embrace the digital era and make a lasting impact. 💡 Let’s create something brilliant together. Visit Brilliant-Online to learn more about how we can elevate your brand! ✦ For all enquiries about advertising with Brilliant-Online, please email us .

✦ Elizabeth Regin returns with more Modern Parenting adventures. This month, she shares her personal journey on baby led weaning with little Victoria and Henri in celebration of National Parents Day on July 28. Read other Modern Parenting articles by Elizabeth: 👶🏼 Traditional vs Modern Parenting 👶🏼 Elizabeth Regin on Traditional vs Modern Parenting - Potty Training 👶🏼 What does it take to be a Modern Mum? Before my first baby was born, my knowledge of introducing solids to babies was limited. I only knew about ready-made meals in pots that you can buy at the supermarket and puree machines at the baby shops. As I delved into more research, I found a method of feeding that has taken on a trend called Baby-Led Weaning (BLW). BLW is a gentle approach to starting solids, where babies feed themselves from the beginning rather than being spoon-fed purées. From around six months, they’re offered soft, manageable pieces of food - like tender vegetables or ripe fruit - to explore at their own pace, encouraging independence and a love for mealtimes. This method has revolutionised the way we approach feeding our babies, and I believe it’s a reflection of how modern parenting is evolving. Etienne and little Henri enjoying meal times together! The Modern Parent's advantage Thanks to the generous maternity and parental leave policies in the EU,  we modern parents can truly immerse ourselves in the early stages of our children’s lives. This support allows us to explore methods like BLW, where babies self-feed with real food instead of purees. This a unique advantage that many of us cherish and utilise to its fullest. Victoria and Henri’s solid foods journey Traditionally, we believed that babies should start with purees or soft foods like porridge but soon discovered the benefits of BLW. It was a transformative experience for both Victoria and Henri. Watch Henri's delicious BLW experience! Signs of readiness and the BLW method For those new to BLW, it’s essential to recognise the signs of readiness in your baby: they should be able to hold their head up and sit in a high chair. Introducing a variety of fresh foods helps them become open-minded eaters, rather than picky ones. Parents now document their BLW journeys on Instagram, sharing recipes and tips, and creating a supportive and informative community. I found databases incredibly helpful for understanding how to serve different foods at various stages - large pieces at six months, smaller pieces at nine months, and normal serving sizes from twelve months onwards. Victoria exploring healthy, delicious foods! Safety First Education on choking hazards and first aid is crucial. Always being present during meal times is non-negotiable. BLW teaches babies to chew correctly, which many of us might not realise is a learned skill. Flavour exploration Don’t shy away from herbs and spices. Constant exposure to different flavours can help develop a baby’s palate. For Victoria, this meant her childcare providers were always amazed at her meals. By twelve months, she was using utensils and eating neatly. Henri, on the other hand, preferred to be fed until he was around eight or nine months before starting to self-feed and use utensils. Watch how well little Victoria feeds herself! Commercialisation of baby foods The rise of purees and ready-made meals stems from the commercialising of baby products, designed to save parents time. However, BLW encourages us to cook meals ourselves, knowing exactly what our children are eating. While this method is more time-consuming and messy, the benefits far outweigh these minor inconveniences. Benefits and practical tips BLW allows babies to eat fresh, healthy food and develop their preferences, making them independent and open-minded eaters. Many BLW recipes are suitable for the whole family - just remember to exclude salt and sugar for the babies. My go-to resource for food information is Solidstarts.com , where I can find detailed instructions on how to serve different foods at various ages. Convenience and balance In France, ready-made meals for babies, known as "small pots", have evolved to include organic and bio options, with companies even offering portioned meats for quick meals. I sometimes use these for convenience, especially during appointments with Henri. Modern parenting is about finding the healthiest choices and balancing them with convenience. Every parent does their best, and that’s what matters most. What's cooking, mum? A memorable experience For me, BLW has been one of the most fun and memorable aspects of raising Victoria and Henri. Watching their progress and seeing the benefits firsthand has been incredibly rewarding. Happy Parents Day to all the wonderful parents out there, striving to give their best every day. Here’s to embracing the joys and challenges of modern parenting and making the most of the support and resources available to us. Follow Elizabeth Regin for more Modern Parenting adventures! ❋ For inspiration and recipes, you can check out some of my favourite Instagram accounts: @angolo_milano @wooedbythefood @irissukamakan Solid Starts Happy feeding, and enjoy the journey! 🍎🍌🍓🥭🥦🥒🌽🧀🍗🧇 Discover the Magic of Digital PR with Brilliant-Online Welcome to Brilliant-Online, where your stories take centre stage and your brand shines in the spotlight! We’ve transformed into a cutting-edge digital PR powerhouse, designed to help businesses like yours amplify your message and captivate audiences across the globe. Here’s what makes Brilliant-Online extraordinary: ✨ Storytelling that Sells: Share your business journey with the world through authentic, creative narratives that inspire trust and build connections. ✨ Tailored Digital PR Strategies: We craft campaigns that resonate with your audience and generate buzz where it matters most. ✨ Maximum Exposure: Tap into a network of blogs, social media, email campaigns, and online search features to boost your brand visibility. ✨ Engaging Content Creation: From videos to articles, we produce content that informs, entertains, and converts. ✨ Trackable Success: With detailed performance analytics, you’ll see the impact of your campaign every step of the way. We’re here for progressive individuals and forward-thinking businesses ready to embrace the digital era and make a lasting impact. 💡 Let’s create something brilliant together. Visit Brilliant-Online to learn more about how we can elevate your brand! ✦ For all enquiries about advertising with Brilliant-Online, please email us .

✦ The day that celebrates all things scary is fast approaching so we thought we would throw forward five suggestions that are guaranteed to scare you out of your wits on Halloween! They are not all thematically-linked to the famous October 31st date but we are pretty confident each one in its own right will induce that combination of uneasy nausea, wobbly legs and hairs standing on the back of your neck! Visit a haunted house or take a ghost tour Let’s be honest, there’s not much scarier than the concept of a haunted house! The staple of spooky stories and horror movies since the genre began, haunted houses are literally the bricks and mortar that are guaranteed to chill you to the bone, be it the comedic variety at a fun fair or the more serious and sinister types that carry far more credibility. McKamey Manor in Summertown, Tennessee, USA claims to be the world’s scariest haunted house demanding an exhaustive list of prerequisite requirements prior to entry and even offering a US$20,000 reward to people who manage to survive over 10 hours within its confines. Their website states that “Each guest will be mentally and physically challenged until you reach your personal breaking point” so maybe actually managing to claim the dosh will be harder than initially anticipated! There’s not much scarier than the concept of a haunted house! Wanderlust lists 10 different haunted sites throughout the world, including in France, England, India, South Africa, Monte Cristo Homestead in New South Wales and The Separate Prison at Port Arthur in Tasmania. Similarly, there are a variety of chilling ghost tours accessible throughout the world such as an after-dark walking tour of New Orleans, widely regarded as the most haunted city in the USA, a bus tour of the sinister streets of London including visits to Sweeney Todd’s and Jack the Ripper’s old haunts, a walking tour of old town Prague’s spooky spots, a tour of the Catacombs of Paris and the Rose Hall night-tour in Montego Bay, Jamaica where the White Witch is said to linger. Viator and Afar both provide a great list of options that are guaranteed to offer something that will scare, whether you actually believe in ghosts or not! Go for a walk in the woods Forests are a perplexing phenomena in that they can be devastatingly beautiful demonstrations of nature while also appearing like the creepiest places on earth! There are a couple of extra creepy infamous forests that you could visit if you felt brave enough, especially on Halloween. The first is the Aokigahara Forest northwest of Mount Fuji in Japan, almost 14 square miles of forest so thick it is known as the “sea of trees.” Unfortunately, after the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, USA, the location sees the second-highest rate of suicides in the world and as such has taken on a sinister reputation as being haunted. Add to the mix that the forest is also believed to contain centuries-old mythological Japanese ghosts filled with anger and vengefulness known as yūrei, it is a brave person that takes a hike in these woods. The forest with the highest suicide cases in Japan is Aokigahara Forest However, our next destination even out-spooks the renowned Aokigahara Forest. The Hoia Baciu Forest in Romania is considered the most haunted forest in the world. The fact it sits in Transylvania, the mythical home of Dracula merely adds to the terror! Named after a shepherd and his 200 sheep that went missing in the forest and were never seen again, Hoia Baciu Forest has a reputation for intense paranormal activity and unexplained events. These include ghost sightings, images appearing in photographs that were not visible to the naked eye, the failure of electronic devices, reported sightings of UFOs and a five-year-old girl who disappeared there only to reappear exactly five years later wearing the same clothes but who had not aged a single day and could not recall where she had been! Creepy!! Visitors tell of strange feelings and symptoms being induced such as severe anxiety, nausea, high fever, rashes, headaches and the feeling of being watched. The large, looming trees, twisted at the trunk into images that are enough to scare on their own, set a landscape that is truly bizarre and often inexplicable, in fitting with its tag of one of the most paranormal sites in the world. Visit if you dare and at your own peril! The Hoia Baciu Forest in Romania is considered the most haunted forest in the world Take a leap of faith For those suffering from acrophobia, why not use Halloween as a positive to conquer your fear of heights by taking a bungee jump or even a skydive? Jumping from a high structure such as a bridge while attached to an elastic rope is all but certain to eliminate those jitters and there are options to do exactly this in many places all over the world although if you want to jump from what is currently officially the highest commercial bungee jump site in the world at 260 metres above sea level then you will have to head to the Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge in Hunan Province. For those suffering from acrophobia, why not use Halloween as a positive to conquer your fear If that doesn’t do the trick then why not take things even higher and opt for a parachute jump from an aircraft. Tandem parachute jumps are available the world over and are extremely safe. It is a thrilling experience and will guarantee to end your fear of heights once and for all! Cage dive with sharks – or even crocs! Sharks have installed deep routed fear into countless people over the generations, mainly due to Steven Spielberg’s 1975 blockbuster ‘Jaws’. There’s no doubt these awe-inspiring creatures generate a primeval fear so the chance to get up close and personal with one seems too good to miss. There are numerous options to do so with places like South Africa and Mexico popular destinations although Bluewater Travel cites the Neptune Islands just off Port Lincoln in South Australia as the world’s best option. Alternatively, you could opt to dive with a crocodile. Yep, that’s right, the chance to take to the waters and come face to face with the terrifying scaly reptiles is out there, with the best option reported to be Crocosaurus Cove in Darwin. “Experience the ultimate face-to-face encounter as you are carefully lowered in to the water with a large saltwater crocodile for 15 minutes,” their website says. “Take in his intimidating gaze, feel the sheer power of his 3 tonne bite force, and learn to appreciate his true strength and resilience as a modern-day dinosaur.” Ummm, personally I think I will pass although, it must be said, it is somewhat refreshing to see humans rather than animals in cages! Watch a scary movie A scary movie is exactly that at the best of times but there is something extra spooky about taking in such a movie on Halloween night. Dim or better still turn off the lights, light a candle or two or maybe a jack o’ lantern for added effect and settle down with your loved ones for a night of frights in front of the TV! Of course, the choice of flick is subjective and there are many, many films in the scary or horror genre that would fit the bill. How about revisiting Freddy Kreuger in ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ or Jason Voorhees in ‘Friday the Thirteenth’? ‘The Exorcist’ is guaranteed to shock, as is the chilling ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’, likewise ‘The Hills Have Eyes’. More recent offerings include ‘The Blair Witch Project’, ‘The Ring’, ‘Saw’, ‘Paranormal Activity’ and Aussie outback shocker ‘Wolf Creek’. A scary movie is exactly that at the best of times but there is something extra spooky about taking in such a movie on Halloween night Personally, however, nothing beats John Carpenter’s 1978 original Halloween, a film that defined the slasher genre and spawned countless poor imitations over generations. Expertly crafted without excess gore, it is the perfect exercise in spooky film making and guaranteed to send chills down your spine! Whichever movie you decide to select, make sure you have a cushion or a decent sized sofa to hide behind when the shocks get too much! And if you’re feeling ultra brave, why not make it a horror movie marathon!? Failing all that, if none of these suggestions stimulate sufficient levels of fear into you then you could always just book up on a holiday or roadtrip with the in-laws - something generally guaranteed to scare even the most hardened of souls!!! Read about the history of Halloween and how it is celebrated around the world here . Discover the Magic of Digital PR with Brilliant-Online Welcome to Brilliant-Online, where your stories take centre stage and your brand shines in the spotlight! We’ve transformed into a cutting-edge digital PR powerhouse, designed to help businesses like yours amplify your message and captivate audiences across the globe. Here’s what makes Brilliant-Online extraordinary: ✨ Storytelling that Sells: Share your business journey with the world through authentic, creative narratives that inspire trust and build connections. ✨ Tailored Digital PR Strategies: We craft campaigns that resonate with your audience and generate buzz where it matters most. ✨ Maximum Exposure: Tap into a network of blogs, social media, email campaigns, and online search features to boost your brand visibility. ✨ Engaging Content Creation: From videos to articles, we produce content that informs, entertains, and converts. ✨ Trackable Success: With detailed performance analytics, you’ll see the impact of your campaign every step of the way. We’re here for progressive individuals and forward-thinking businesses ready to embrace the digital era and make a lasting impact. 💡 Let’s create something brilliant together. Visit Brilliant-Online to learn more about how we can elevate your brand! ✦ For all enquiries about advertising with Brilliant-Online, please email us .

✦ This Halloween, head off to one of the most haunted places in Australia - Norfolk Island! It may come as a surprise to some of you to know that this little island measuring only 34.6 sq km in the South Pacific is actually considered to be one of the most, if not THE most haunted place in Australia. In fact, there are more documented ghosts per square kilometre than any other place in Australia! The Canadian website The Paranormal even ranks Norfolk Island as the world's fourth most haunted islands! About half of the present day population even claim to have had an encounter with a ghostly presence. While this may sound creepy to some, the island itself has embraced this as part of its identity. The high rate of paranormal activity attracts ghost hunting visitors or simply those who are curious about ghosts to the island every year. There are even knowledgeable local tour guides who can tell you all you want to know about the island and its ghostly sightings and histories. When you learn that the island was home to some tough, violent criminals who lived through torturous conditions (some were even brutally murdered) in the 1800s, you would not be surprised that Norfolk Island has become such a haunted site today. Veronica went on a ghost tour! Tour guide Rachel shares terrifying tales of spirits Our CEO of Brilliant-Online, Veronica Lind , went to Norfolk Island and was brave enough to actually go on a ghost tour! The Lantern Lit Ghost Tour is one of the tours available and it is led by guide Rachel who takes visitors on a journey with terrifying tales of spirits and hauntings, unexplainable phenomena and strange happenings. Rachel even keeps a journal of all these unusual events! And what was Veronica's experience on this tour? "We went into the superintendent's house which was said to be the most haunted house on Norfolk Island. I had ringing in my ears, and my head felt hot and nauseous for maybe 30 seconds. I felt fine after I left the building." - Veronica Lind The superintendent's house - the scariest place on Norfolk Island (Photo: Our intrepid Veronica Lind!) In spite of this, Veronica is one brave soul to continue with the tour and at one point they even walked through the cemetery carrying lanterns. From left to right: Ray Lind with friends Russell and Fran Delforce, Ray feeling the air for ghostly chills, the room where Veronica felt the strange sensations. So if you are looking for a special way to celebrate Halloween, perhaps a flight over to Norfolk Island would make this a Halloween to remember. Whatever these restless spirits are after, it's certainly not Trick or Treat! Norfolk Island has its dark, shadowy past, and the islanders do have wild and gruesome stories to share with visitors. The island's tradition and superstition go together, and if anything, it showcases the human condition that can be seen through so many histories. A beautiful, pristine island Apart from the paranormal attraction, Norfolk Island has a lot more to offer , and those who are not really into ghosts can enjoy the pristine nature of the island. Much of the island is designated as a national park or nature reserve. It is the place to go for wildlife watching, for walking under the tallest ferns on earth, seeing 200-year-old fig trees and exploring rock pools. Did you know that many of the 116 bird species living on Norfolk Island cannot be found elsewhere on earth? Halloween is coming! If you want to amp up the scare factor, check out our Brilliant editor Ben Tirebuck's article on ways to scare yourself witless on Halloween! And if you do want to do a bit of smudging or burn some special incense after a ghostly tour or encounter, check out The Witchy Nook for some healing and balancing magick! References: https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/sunshine-coast/what-makes-norfolk-one-of-the-worlds-most-haunted-spots/news-story/b2845450ec26a69b9bcd33bd0762eaa4 https://www.norfolkisland.com.au/stories/ghostly-encounters https://www.norfolkisland.com.au/experiences Discover the Magic of Digital PR with Brilliant-Online Welcome to Brilliant-Online, where your stories take centre stage and your brand shines in the spotlight! We’ve transformed into a cutting-edge digital PR powerhouse, designed to help businesses like yours amplify your message and captivate audiences across the globe. Here’s what makes Brilliant-Online extraordinary: ✨ Storytelling that Sells: Share your business journey with the world through authentic, creative narratives that inspire trust and build connections. ✨ Tailored Digital PR Strategies: We craft campaigns that resonate with your audience and generate buzz where it matters most. ✨ Maximum Exposure: Tap into a network of blogs, social media, email campaigns, and online search features to boost your brand visibility. ✨ Engaging Content Creation: From videos to articles, we produce content that informs, entertains, and converts. ✨ Trackable Success: With detailed performance analytics, you’ll see the impact of your campaign every step of the way. We’re here for progressive individuals and forward-thinking businesses ready to embrace the digital era and make a lasting impact. 💡 Let’s create something brilliant together. Visit Brilliant-Online to learn more about how we can elevate your brand! ✦ For all enquiries about advertising with Brilliant-Online, please email us .

✦ The combination of refreshing lime & the scent of coconut stimulates the senses & sings summertime! This recipe is from Gaye White. Being a surfer riding the waves on a Malibu longboard, Gaye enjoys the refreshing mocktail option after a day in the sun and sea. Ingredients: Makes 2 Malibu Mojito’s 12 mint leaves 1 lime, cut into 8 wedges 2 tbsp “Tahitian Lime + Coconut Sugar” plus some for rimming the glass 6 tbsp Malibu / Or Coconut water ( for a mocktail ) a few drops of coconut essence is amazing too! 1 cup sparkling water Ice, to serve 2-4 “Sun Soaked Citrus” Lime wheels for infusion and garnish Method: Gather 2 sexy cocktail glasses, a jug and a plate. Sprinkle the “Tahitian Lime + Coconut Sugar” in a circle as wide as your glass. Wet the rim of the glass with water, coconut water or malibu! Roll the rim of glass in the sugar to decorate the glass and let your lips get lush. In another jug place the mint & lime. Use the end of a wooden spoon to muddle them together, add the “Tahitian Lime + Coconut Sugar” until mix till sugar dissolves. ¾ fill your glasses with ice cubes or crushed ice is nice ! Divide the lime and sugar mix between glasses. Add to the jug the Malibu or Coconut water and coconut essence then top up with sparkling water. Stir to combine & pour into glasses. Decorate your drinks with “Sun Soaked Citrus” Lime wheels and sip in style! Take a twist with this drink and swap the sparkling water for pineapple or ginger beer….. ‘Infinite possibilities to let your senses grow wild’… Recipe from: Gaye @ Infinity Co. Evolve Discover the Magic of Digital PR with Brilliant-Online Welcome to Brilliant-Online, where your stories take centre stage and your brand shines in the spotlight! We’ve transformed into a cutting-edge digital PR powerhouse, designed to help businesses like yours amplify your message and captivate audiences across the globe. Here’s what makes Brilliant-Online extraordinary: ✨ Storytelling that Sells: Share your business journey with the world through authentic, creative narratives that inspire trust and build connections. ✨ Tailored Digital PR Strategies: We craft campaigns that resonate with your audience and generate buzz where it matters most. ✨ Maximum Exposure: Tap into a network of blogs, social media, and online search features to boost your brand visibility. ✨ Engaging Content Creation: From videos to articles, we produce content that informs, entertains, and converts. ✨ Trackable Success: With detailed performance analytics, you’ll see the impact of your campaign every step of the way. We’re here for progressive individuals and forward-thinking businesses ready to embrace the digital era and make a lasting impact. 💡 Let’s create something brilliant together. Visit Brilliant-Online to learn more about how we can elevate your brand! ✦ For all enquiries about advertising with Brilliant-Online, please email us .

✦ Over the years October 31 has developed globally into one of the calendar’s most popular dates - the day, or more so night, of Halloween. Despite its obvious spooky undertones, it is a time when the community unites, children dress in costume to indulge in the pastime of trick-or-treating, fancy dress parties are hosted, jack-o’-lanterns are creatively carved from pumpkins, bonfires lit and endless re-runs of classic scary movies such as the aptly titled Halloween are aired on TV and in cinemas. All Hallows’ Eve or “hallowed evening”, as it is otherwise known, has very much become a juggernaut of a commercial entity, extremely profitable for certain businesses with an estimated consumer spending on Halloween-related items expected to reach an all-time high of USD10.14 billion this year, up from $8.05 billion in 2020, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics. It has certainly come a long way to the multi-billion dollar industry it is today but where, how and why did it start? Samhain festival Halloween originated thousands of years ago in Europe when the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter or the ‘darker half’ of the year. According to Britannica , “At Samhain, held on November 1, the world of the gods was believed to be made visible to humankind, and the gods played many tricks on their mortal worshippers; it was a time fraught with danger, charged with fear, and full of supernatural episodes. Sacrifices and propitiations of every kind were thought to be vital, for without them the Celts believed they could not prevail over the perils of the season or counteract the activities of the deities.” The Samhain festival Many believed the boundary between this world and the next became especially fragile at this time, enabling them to connect with the dead, hence why the occasion adopted its darker, haunted moniker. Priests, or druids, believed they could see into and thus predict the future during this time and, to appease their gods, they built bonfires and sacrificed crops and animals. Villagers would attend the bonfires adorned in animal skins as costumes to ward off ghosts and protect themselves from unwanted spirits from the other world. Trick-or-treat Trick-or-treating can also be traced back to this period when it became customary for people to leave out food and treats to appease wandering spirits. In time, people adorned costumes and disguises themselves and ventured from house-to-house within the neighbourhood as part of a process known as “mummimg”, reciting verses or songs in exchange for food and especially “soul cakes”, a treat similar to biscuits. All dressed up in Halloween costumes for a night of trick-or-treating! Costumes evolved from simple tributes to saints made from animal hides to more creative outfits. It is widely believed pranksters in Irish and Scottish communities, drawing inspiration from the darker elements of the occasion, decided to adopt more sinister looking outfits in an attempt to spook unsuspecting neighbours, which gave way to the creative and scary costumes we widely associate with Halloween today. With intervention from the Romans and then Christianity, the occasion spread elsewhere throughout Europe and subsequently to the United States, courtesy of mass transatlantic immigration in the 19th century. Large public parties were thrown to commemorate the upcoming harvest, tell ghost stories, sing, and dance. It continued to increase in popularity and served as a means to unite all manner of people from varying social, racial, and religious backgrounds – today it is one of the most popular and eagerly anticipated dates on the American calendar. Growing celebration It also, of course, developed commercially over the years, cementing itself as an iconic date in pop culture and spreading its reach to countries as far afield as in South America, most of continental Europe, Japan, parts of East Asia, New Zealand and, of course, Australia. Whereas it may be still somewhat divisive and not yet totally embedded into the fabric of Aussie culture in the way it is Stateside, Halloween certainly holds its own in the calendar and is an occasion that is gaining in popularity. According to research conducted by Mars Wrigley Australia in 2019, the last Halloween before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, “43% of Australians plan to celebrate with nearly 60% claiming Halloween is growing as a celebration in their area. Three quarters of celebrators believe Australians should celebrate Halloween to build a sense of community.” The report also noted Aussies were estimated to spend $159 million on chocolate and other confectionery products as Halloween grows in popularity. Spooky Halloween Candy! After such a torrid 18-months or so dealing with COVID-19, any excuse to celebrate and have fun sounds like a welcome respite to us, even factoring in the rather spooky undertones! Besides, any occasion that provides an excuse to indulge in chocolate and similar goodies while building a healthy community spirit sounds like a good one to us so we will be celebrating come October 31! And as an added bonus, we are delighted to share a delicious mocktail recipe from Gaye White – a perfect accompaniment to your Halloween eve! Discover the Magic of Digital PR with Brilliant-Online Welcome to Brilliant-Online, where your stories take centre stage and your brand shines in the spotlight! We’ve transformed into a cutting-edge digital PR powerhouse, designed to help businesses like yours amplify your message and captivate audiences across the globe. Here’s what makes Brilliant-Online extraordinary: ✨ Storytelling that Sells: Share your business journey with the world through authentic, creative narratives that inspire trust and build connections. ✨ Tailored Digital PR Strategies: We craft campaigns that resonate with your audience and generate buzz where it matters most. ✨ Maximum Exposure: Tap into a network of blogs, social media, and online search features to boost your brand visibility. ✨ Engaging Content Creation: From videos to articles, we produce content that informs, entertains, and converts. ✨ Trackable Success: With detailed performance analytics, you’ll see the impact of your campaign every step of the way. We’re here for progressive individuals and forward-thinking businesses ready to embrace the digital era and make a lasting impact. 💡 Let’s create something brilliant together. 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✦ This is not some gastronomical delicacy straight from a science fiction novel. It's a delicious little pastry eaten during the Mid Autumn Festival which is celebrated on October 6th this year! You may have seen these pretty little round cakes in some bakeries or stores during this time of the year. They are about 2 to 4 inches in diameter and have a thickness of about 2 inches. It is covered on the outside with pastry skin and it has a dense, sweet filling. These are called mooncakes and they are a typical sweet treat eaten during the Mid Autumn Festival which falls on October 6th this year. To learn more about the origins of this festival, go to our Brilliant blog: Mooncakes with delicious filling and salted egg yolk Families and friends gather together in the evenings to admire the beautiful harvest moon in all its fullness while partaking of dainty slices of mooncakes served with Chinese tea to wash down the heaviness of the pastry and filling. For chefs with artistic tendencies, take note that mooncakes are typically round. You may find some squarish ones here and there, but when you know the reason behind the roundness you'll understand why. The circle is a symbol of wholeness and togetherness in Chinese culture. Just like the full moon, these circular symbols represent prosperity and reunion for the whole family. It is also a popular gift to share with friends and family as a way of spreading the good wishes and prosperity. How will you celebrate this Mid Autumn Festival? Share your ideas with us by emailing editor@brilliant-online.com! Discover the Magic of Digital PR with Brilliant-Online Welcome to Brilliant-Online, where your stories take centre stage and your brand shines in the spotlight! We’ve transformed into a cutting-edge digital PR powerhouse, designed to help businesses like yours amplify your message and captivate audiences across the globe. Here’s what makes Brilliant-Online extraordinary: ✨ Storytelling that Sells: Share your business journey with the world through authentic, creative narratives that inspire trust and build connections. ✨ Tailored Digital PR Strategies: We craft campaigns that resonate with your audience and generate buzz where it matters most. ✨ Maximum Exposure: Tap into a network of blogs, social media, email campaigns, and online search features to boost your brand visibility. ✨ Engaging Content Creation: From videos to articles, we produce content that informs, entertains, and converts. ✨ Trackable Success: With detailed performance analytics, you’ll see the impact of your campaign every step of the way. We’re here for progressive individuals and forward-thinking businesses ready to embrace the digital era and make a lasting impact. 💡 Let’s create something brilliant together. Visit Brilliant-Online to learn more about how we can elevate your brand! ✦ For all enquiries about advertising with Brilliant-Online, please email us .

✦ Reunite with loved ones while moon gazing and partaking of delicious pastries and fragrant tea! When was the last time you looked up at the moon and really saw how beautiful and fascinating this luscious orb really is? The Mid Autumn Festival is a good time to do this. October 6th is when the Chinese celebrate this festival. It's also known as the Mooncake Festival or Zhong Qiu Jie 中秋节 (in Mandarin). It falls on the 15th day of the eight lunar month. It is common practice during this time to make or buy mooncakes, which are little round pastries with a sweet filling often eaten with tea. These are offered as gifts and people eat them at moon gazing nights, often with lanterns lit around them. Traditional mooncakes with lotus paste and egg yolk filling The Perfect Circle The circle is an auspicious symbol - just as is the full moon. It is a symbol of reunion and perfection, of coming together as one. During this time of the year, the moon is at its brightest. And there is something sublime and awe-inspiring to look up and see so much light pour from this little round circle in the sky. Thankfully, it does not hurt our eyes to stare at the moon! (As children we often had our hands smacked by adults if we were caught pointing at the moon. It was an old superstition that we would get our finger or ear cut off by the Lady on the Moon if we pointed at her place of abode as it was disrespectful!) Festivals are more than just a time to eat, drink and be merry. They were all perfectly calculated to be celebrated at this precise time of the year, and the Mid Autumn Festival marks the end of the harvest as well as the end of the Hungry Ghost Festival. For the lovebirds out there, the day of the Mid Autumn Festival is said to be an auspicious date for weddings . It's when the Moon Goddess bestows bliss on couples! How it started The festival goes back more than 2000 years. It started off as a post-autumn harvest celebration, primarily devoted to thanking the gods for giving the people abundance and a good life. It was during the Northern Song dynasty (reign of Emperor Tai) that this particular day was officially set as Mid Autumn Festival. As children, we were told several versions about the Mid Autumn Festival. Typically we would be told the story with the historical slant and another one that is more romantic. You decide for yourself which one resonates more with you on this special day as you feast on the beautiful mooncakes. The historical take... First, let's time travel back to the 14th century. During the liberation of Yuan China from the Mongols, mooncakes played an important role. And no, we do not mean in terms of sustenance and being a good source of energy for the body. It's actually a lot more creative than that. At that time, the country was run by cruel Mongol rulers. People wanted to rebel and liberate the country from the tyrants. Rebel leader Zhu Yuan Zhang needed to instigate a rebellion, but in those days, there was a ban on large gatherings (and they did not have Facebook or Twitter to spread the news) so it was impossible to round people up. His military counsellor, Liu Bowen came up with the ingenious idea of hiding slips of paper containing the details of the revolt in little round cakes. This was how the word spread. The little round cakes were passed around innocently and people got to know about the rebellion. Finally, the rebellion took place during the Mid Autumn Festival. The rebels successfully took over the palace and that was how the Ming Dynasty started with Zhu Yun Zhang as the first emperor. So one could say that this dynasty came into existence, thanks to these little round pastries. So the next time you cut up a piece of mooncake, you may even wonder if you'd find a hidden message embedded in the sweet filling. And something for the romantics... Meet Hou Yi and Chang-Er. Yes, now we move on to the love story version. Legend has it that there used to be not one but ten suns in the sky. The heat made life unbearable. A hero named Hou Yi wanted to stop the suffering of the people. He was an excellent archer and he climbed up to the top of Mount Kunlun where he shot down nine of the suns. Hou Yi became a well-loved figure. He then married a beautiful girl named Chang-E. They loved each other very much. Hou Yi was given a special gift from the Queen of Heaven - an elixir of life. It was a promise of immortality...but only for one person. There was the catch. Hou Yi was so in love with his wife he had no desire for such elixirs and he gave it to Chang-Er for safekeeping. Unfortunately, among their acquaintances was an evil man named Peng Meng. He took the opportunity to break into Hou Yi's house when he was not around to steal the elixir. Chang-Er was home then and she was unable to stop his treacherous act. She swallowed the elixir instead. She started to float away from the ground and flew into the sky. It was said she became an immortal and lived on the moon. Of course, when Hou Yi returned, he was devastated. He noticed however that the moon was exceptionally bright and clear that night and thought he saw a figure like that of his wife's on the moon. He ordered a ceremony to be put together then to honour his wife, and thereafter, the local people also did the same. Worshipping and appreciating the moon has become popular since then. How to celebrate It is typical to light lanterns on this night. You'd see families out on evening walks with children holding lanterns, and houses would be decorated with lanterns as well. Some families like to have osmanthus flowers around as well as they symbolise purity and innocence. This is a time for family gatherings. People sit around together outside, moon gazing and enjoying eating delicious mooncakes and drinking tea. And if you're feeling particularly poetic on the evening of the Mid Autumn Festival, you may be inspired to recite some poems. Here are two of the most famous and beloved Chinese poems that many Chinese children learnt to recite by heart, and it´s often only when we are much older that we begin to appreciate what the words mean. Check out this website for the poems - you can even hear it being read and read the translations in English! Thoughts in the Silent Night - Li Bai The Moon Festival - Su Shi Mooncake recipe Now where do I get my hands on some delicious mooncakes you say? During this time of the year, many confectionery shops and bakeries would already be preparing lots in advance. Some hotels even have their own brands of mooncakes! Many come in stylish boxes and elegant wrapping. Over the years, chefs have gotten creative with mooncakes and many have come up with new recipes, new tastes and flavours. They make great gifts for friends and family. Many are often too pretty to be eaten! Mooncake molds And if you want to be adventurous this year, why not try making your own mooncake ? We'll be ready with our favourite flavour of mooncakes come October 6th to admire the brilliant moon. How will you be celebrating? Source: https://www.chinahighlights.com/festivals/mid-autumn-festival-poems.htm https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_804_2005-01-13.html https://redhousespice.com/cantonese-mooncake/ Discover the Magic of Digital PR with Brilliant-Online Welcome to Brilliant-Online, where your stories take centre stage and your brand shines in the spotlight! We’ve transformed into a cutting-edge digital PR powerhouse, designed to help businesses like yours amplify your message and captivate audiences across the globe. Here’s what makes Brilliant-Online extraordinary: ✨ Storytelling that Sells: Share your business journey with the world through authentic, creative narratives that inspire trust and build connections. ✨ Tailored Digital PR Strategies: We craft campaigns that resonate with your audience and generate buzz where it matters most. ✨ Maximum Exposure: Tap into a network of blogs, social media, email campaigns, and online search features to boost your brand visibility. ✨ Engaging Content Creation: From videos to articles, we produce content that informs, entertains, and converts. ✨ Trackable Success: With detailed performance analytics, you’ll see the impact of your campaign every step of the way. We’re here for progressive individuals and forward-thinking businesses ready to embrace the digital era and make a lasting impact. 💡 Let’s create something brilliant together. Visit Brilliant-Online to learn more about how we can elevate your brand! ✦ For all enquiries about advertising with Brilliant-Online, please email us .

✦ Brilliant-Online brings you the latest news on how Osome is setting a new standard for founders and SMEs embracing the digital future. As Singapore and Hong Kong’s founders continue to digitalise, they’re looking for more than just service providers. They want intelligent, tech-enabled partners who understand their growth journey. A recent survey comparing clients of traditional incorporation and accounting firms with Osome users revealed a clear winner: Osome achieved higher customer satisfaction and stronger Net Promoter Scores (NPS) than its traditional rivals. This result underscores a broader shift in the market. Entrepreneurs no longer want to spend time buried in paperwork or navigating slow, manual processes. They are seeking streamlined solutions that blend smart technology with human guidance. “In today’s digital landscape, innovation and customer-centric solutions are critical to success. Founders want intelligent digital tools and human expertise to guide their business journeys,”said Helena Flores, Chief Operations Officer of Osome. Helena’s recent promotion to COO reflects Osome’s commitment to keeping customer experience at the centre of its strategy. Having been with the company since its startup days, she has been instrumental in building the systems and processes that allow Osome to deliver consistently high-quality, scalable service across multiple markets. Putting Founders First At the heart of Osome’s success is its ability to free up valuable time for founders, letting them focus on growing their businesses instead of drowning in admin. “Osome has given us back valuable time and, more importantly, the peace of mind to focus on high-impact initiatives that drive Zugo’s growth. I couldn’t recommend it enough.” - Yeo Eng Heng, CEO and Co-Founder of Zugo With more than 30,000 companies supported and over US$5.6 billion worth of bookkeeping transactions processed , Osome’s blend of AI-enabled automation and expert human support is proving to be the winning formula. By making incorporation, accounting, payroll, and tax compliance seamless, Osome is allowing founders to work smarter, not harder. Why This Matters for SMEs For founders, business leaders, and entrepreneurs, this is a sign that digitalisation is not just a trend but a game-changer. Companies like Osome are demonstrating that when technology and human expertise work hand-in-hand, the result is greater trust, better service, and more time for businesses to focus on what really matters: growth and innovation. 💡 Brilliant Takeaway:  Osome isn’t just providing accounting or incorporation services. It’s creating a founder-first ecosystem that scales with you. Their commitment to innovation and customer experience means SMEs can spend less time on admin and more time building what matters most: their business. ❋ Download Osome's latest press release here: About Osome Osome empowers entrepreneurs by reducing administrative burdens with AI-enabled digital solutions and expert guidance in incorporation, secretarial support, accounting, payroll, and tax compliance. It has helped over 30,000 companies process over 1 million transactions worth over US$5.6 billion. Website Facebook Instagram   LinkedIn 89 Neil Road, #02-04, Singapore 088849 e/ hi@osome.com t/ +65 6232 6932 Discover the Magic of Digital PR with Brilliant-Online Welcome to Brilliant-Online, where your stories take centre stage and your brand shines in the spotlight! We’ve transformed into a cutting-edge digital PR powerhouse, designed to help businesses like yours amplify your message and captivate audiences across the globe. Here’s what makes Brilliant-Online extraordinary: ✨ Storytelling that Sells: Share your business journey with the world through authentic, creative narratives that inspire trust and build connections. ✨ Tailored Digital PR Strategies: We craft campaigns that resonate with your audience and generate buzz where it matters most. ✨ Maximum Exposure: Tap into a network of blogs, social media, and online search features to boost your brand visibility. ✨ Engaging Content Creation: From videos to articles, we produce content that informs, entertains, and converts. ✨ Trackable Success: With detailed performance analytics, you’ll see the impact of your campaign every step of the way. We’re here for progressive individuals and forward-thinking businesses ready to embrace the digital era and make a lasting impact. 💡 Let’s create something brilliant together. Visit Brilliant-Online to learn more about how we can elevate your brand! ✦ For all enquiries about advertising with Brilliant-Online, please email us .