Feeling a little overwhelmed, perhaps? Experiencing repetitive bouts of news-whiplash? Or, how about feeling hopeless around how you can actually break through all of the noise and make a difference in the direction of positivity?
First, give yourself a break. Accept the situation that we are all being flooded with unreasonable amounts of new and unsettling information, nearly at all times. This a strategic tactic in order to catch us off-guard, disable us from actually doing something.
An overwhelmed person is much less impactful than a focused one. There is nothing scarier than a fed-up collective acting out their power for good.
Take a breath. Allow yourself the time it takes to regain focus and recenter. Next, if you do want to do something, start small.
Ask yourself the following questions: “Where do I have power right now?” and “How much can I actually afford to give?”
Where Do I Have Power Right Now?
Start by prioritizing the “Where”. Your economic power lies in where you spend your money.
What do you want to encourage? What do you want to cut ties from? Simply disconnecting from certain services you no longer want or feel you can justly support can be an act of taking your power back.
Are you spending in line with your values? If you were to look at your last couple months of spending, how much intentionality would you find? What would you want to do differently?
Get specific: which businesses in your community would you be sad, if they weren’t there anymore? Can you divert any of your spending from Big Box to your local economy? What categories of spending can you identify that you can get somewhere else? Somewhere you actually want to support!
How Much Can I Actually Afford to Give and Still Support Myself Sustainably?
Just like your own oxygen mask, your own financial stability comes first. Fulfill your own essential needs and then have enough overflow that you can divert towards your wants and goals. You get to decide what you “want” and what you “want to give.”
This looks like:
–Having an Emergency Fund of at least 3 months worth of necessary expenses. More than 3 if you have skills and/or work in an industry that would be hard to do elsewhere!
–Having an affordable plan in place to pay down high interest debt, including credit card debt.
–Having a Spending Plan that identifies your ability to meet your needs & wants, sustainably. The “goals section” of the Spending Plan is where you decide your ability to fund your favorite organizations at the amount that works for you.
How Else Might I Be Able to Make an Impact, Right Now?
If you’re still filling your own financial cup, good on you! This does not mean you cannot make an impact that aligns with your values.
Can you give back with time or skills? Where might you find others with similar interests? Can you get together and raise money in community for your community? Who might you know that works in the fundraising space?
Some other options could be helping at your kid’s school, or where you go to church, or where you adopted your pet. If you have your own business, can you do any services pro-bono?
Don’t forget to check out where you work! Your employer might have a charitable giving match option so when you do give, the money goes further!
Speaking of your employer, how about being more intentional in investments you already have? What is your retirement fund invested in, and are you ok with that? Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) Investing focuses funding companies with high marks in environment and social impacts, and ones that are governed diversely. Join an ESG club!
Most importantly, we need to remember that we are all in this together and that what each of us does individually really does count towards the collective success where we live. Living in a society, where we shop, what we fund, where we donate, it’s all intertwined and shapes our everyday experiences and outcomes.
And, financial inequality and Wealth Gaps persist. It is all challenging. You are only expected to give what you can, whether time or money. Be realistic, know your limits. Avoid burn-out.
And, know that you are not alone in wanting to make an impact!
Unlocking Abundance 