😬 Change doesn't have to be so scary

🌎 The Conscious Marketing Movement

🤝 Feeling supported as you make an impact

When you look up “nostalgia” in the dictionary, you might as well see my face. I am as nostalgic as it gets, holding onto memories (both in my mind as well as physical mementos) and yearning for yesteryear. Maybe it's simpler times. Maybe it's grasping onto what is known and stable and understood. Or perhaps, I don't do well with change. 🤔

 

So, when my husband and I decided we were going to move from New York City, a place I called home for well over a decade, to Los Angeles, you could say my antennas were up. You see, I've always found transitions to be big, monumental, and somewhat earth-shattering. Before any transition, I get incredibly nostalgic for the good old days. I try to relive the life of Erin in the past and hold onto any semblance of safety and security and routine.

 

BUT, I also love adventure. Having lived abroad numerous times now, and taken some pretty big leaps of faith in my career, including quitting my job and launching Elevate Social Impact, you could say that I have a love/hate relationship with change. And so, by nature of doing hard things or simply by nature of survival, I've come to accept and embrace change. 

 

And you know what I've realized?! Changes doesn't have to be so scary! 

 

In the past year, I've gone through a lot of personal changes (positive, luckily), including the move to LA just two weeks ago. And I've learned a lot about myself and life's transitions in the process.

 

1️⃣ We don't need to be so hard on ourselves. Whether we're in the midst of a big move or a career transition or a new opportunity at work, let's take some pressure off the gas. The more we can ease into changes, take our time, not overthink what's ahead, and trust in ourselves, the better off, more calm, and more levelheaded we'll be.

2️⃣ Build and rely on your community. I've said it once and I'll say it again--community is everything! When in a period of change, take time to build and strengthen relationships and surround yourself with compassionate and supportive people. They will carry you through.

3️⃣ With change comes so much opportunity. Sometimes change can seem to have a negative connotation. But it's actually all about possibility. Stay open to new opportunities and you might be surprised how beneficial and rewarding change actually might be. 

4️⃣ With change comes growth. Change is hard! There's no denying that. But with change we grow. We expand our mind, our knowledge, our wisdom, and our experience.

5️⃣ We should trust in ourselves more. We've got this! Change and transitions and moments of in-between or uncertainty can be challenging, but we also know ourselves better than anyone else. We've faced hard times before and we can do it again. 

6️⃣ It's okay to walk, not run. Most importantly, change can take time. We live in such a fast-paced go go go society where we're expected to jump with ease and speed from one thing to the next. We often don't have a second to breathe! We must remember that it's okay to walk, not run. It's okay to take our time, to ease into change, to go at our own pace and to know that that's the best pace.

So, what I want to leave you with is the reminder that change is all about perspective. How we perceive change is how we will experience it. Let's flip change on its head and make it something that is positive and sought after.

 

What big changes do you have coming up? Is there anything I can do to support you during these big life moments? Hit reply and share what’s upcoming for you! 

If you’re new here, welcome! 👋

 

One of my favorite parts about my recent transition is the access to nature from Los Angeles! As a lifelong outdoors enthusiast, I gain so much inspiration from simply being outside and enjoying the natural world around me. I feel there are so many metaphors and life lessons to gain from time spent outside--so much inspiration, perspective, peace of mind, and tranquility that can inspire our lives and our life’s work.

 

So that is why I have created  ‘Trail Guide by Elevate Social Impact’! In this monthly-ish newsletter, I share various social impact insights, trends, and resources (aka TRAILS 🥾), interviews from social impact leaders (aka GUIDES 🧭), and different ways you can make an impact through your work and blaze your own trail (aka BLAZES 📍). We'll probably have some community campfire 🏕️🔥 chats along the way too!

 

✔️ Doing good

✔️ Making a positive impact on people and the planet

✔️ Leading with empathy and kindness  

✔️ The importance of values-aligned work

 

✔️ Develop or strengthen your company's CSR program

✔️ Find a job in social impact

✔️ Learn about and better navigate the vast social impact landscape

✔️ Discover the many ways you can give back and make a difference

 

🥾 Volunteerism improves employee well-being 

A recent study in the Industrial Relations Journal (see the full New York Times article here) found that of 90 different workplace wellness programs, the only one to actually improve well-being was where employees were given the opportunity to do charity or volunteer work. Not only do these opportunities help to attract and retain talent, they also teach us how to use our skillset for good, do for others without expecting anything in return, lean into new challenges, work as a team to get a project done, effect change, be more compassionate and empathetic, and understand the community and complex needs around us.
 

🥾 Listening to the communities you serve is good for business

🧭 Claudia Guerreiro

Claudia Guerreiro is Founder of the Conscious Marketing Movement. 

 

She is a compassionate, innovative, and brilliant leader who is so talented at supporting purpose-driven entrepreneurs, transforming the way we do marketing, and building community. She is also an incredible supporter and cheerleader of mine who I'm honored to call a friend. Claudia and I first connected about a year ago via LinkedIn and it's been such an honor to follow her impressive journey since!

 

It might sound a bit funny, but I've always been drawn to marketing and communication, even before I knew it. When I was a kid, I used to make flyers using Microsoft Publisher to help raise awareness about abandoned pets, especially dogs. I'd then head to the local shopping center and hand them out to people. I even went a step further and wrote a letter to the mayor about it, and guess what? He actually replied to me!

 

I had been working in marketing for several years, and at one point, I experienced burnout and almost gave up my career. The reason for this was the traditional approach to marketing – the "growth at all costs" mentality, which didn't align with my values.

 

I realised that I didn't like the idea of using traditional, aggressive tactics or hurting people's feelings to make a sale.

 

Instead of quitting, I made a choice to change the industry from within. It's been 2 years now since I started this journey, and I'm incredibly happy with the impact I've been able to make.

 

But I didn't want to change things by myself. I believe it's something we all need to work on together, which is why I created the Conscious Marketing Movement.

 

The Conscious Marketing Movement is a global online community shaping the future of marketing for a better tomorrow. We are on a mission to create a new way of doing marketing — one that puts people and the planet first. It's all about being responsible, ethical and conscious to make a better future.

 

As humans, we crave genuine connections. It's a fundamental part of our nature. But strangely, we forgot this when it comes to marketing. We're taught that shameless self-promotion, tapping into our fears, and creating fake scarcity are the only ways to go.

 

But what if this approach doesn't sit right with you? …The truth is, we're all fed up with these old-school marketing tactics.

 

Marketing is about building and nurturing relationships. It's about planting seeds, not rushing to pick the fruits. We are all about growth, but not at any cost.

 

In my field, I'm really happy to see more and more people talking about changing how we do marketing. It's so cool to see groups like Clean Creatives, Humane Marketing, Marketing For Hippies, Creatives For Climate, Alt Marketing School and Regenerative Marketing Committee doing excellent work alongside the Conscious Marketing Movement!

 

📍 Podcasting for good

I recently launched a podcast! Together with my incredible co-host, Trevor Loke, we started Social Situation, a podcast where we dive into the game-changing world of social impact with industry leaders. We talk about the current and future state of social impact, bridging the gap between for-profits and nonprofits, and why taking values-informed risks is key to making a real difference. Check it out and join us here! 

 

📍 My lessons learned for social impact job seekers

This is one of my most-engaged-with posts so far this year, and I think I know why. I lay it all out there! 😅 I applied to over 300 jobs in 2020 and I learned a lot as a result. Check it out and I hope my experience and takeaways help you in your search.