>>Alive<< A Few Thoughts On Living Intentionally

Hello, my name is Jessica and my friends make fun of me for enjoying depressing movies, articles and pictures. Let me just defend myself. Scroll through your newsfeed and you’ll be sure to find something saddening. It’s true, there are some things that happen in life that should just make us cry. I can’t believe that avoiding hard things is what makes you love and live deeper. I know that it is within those moments of discovering a new level of pain for another human’s condition, that you become more human. But don’t you just find it stunting and well, defeating to stay there? I have discovered a few things on my journey of living an intentional life that I’d like to share.

Simple things done with great love are great things – In the midst of a great big world, we all have the day we’ve been given to do something great. In my life it has been the day to day somewhat menial tasks done with great love that have changed my life. I used to just think about myself when the mail came, “is it my book from Amazon?” but now when I see the mail coming, I think “I wonder what our mail carriers name is,” I think to myself “Is she having a good day today?”. So that simple change leads me to ask! I ask her name, greet her with a smile and oh yea, my book is here!

Don’t wait until you’re old to leave a legacy– What’s “old” anyway, I mean the whole world is trying to stay younger. So, if all these skincare companies are who they say they are then we won’t be able to tell who is “old” anyway! Oh I love the entrepreneur, zealous spirits in people, but come on, we are all going to get old and die one day, any day. You just never know when the day is coming. I started mentoring women a few years ago and it has changed my life. What starts as a “mentor” relationship just leads to being friends and I hope that I can play a part in their story of being who they want to become and encourage them to do the same. And etc. etc…eventually impacting hundreds!

If you’re going to shop, shop with purpose– Okay, here it is, my ELEVATE plug. Everyday you purchase something, you have the choice to use your purchasing power to be a part of something bigger than yourself. Wether it is choosing to buy your veggies at the local farmer’s market rather than other means, or buying your newest closet additions from companies that are a part of the movement to make the world a sweeter place to be. We all want that, so why don’t we all shop like we want that? Does changing the lives of people in desperate situations have to be that hard? (For the organization or company, yes. Absolutely, yes. It is hard and trying work.) But for you as a consumer, no. Just do it. Just be about companies that empower the lives of people all around the world. You’ll find that your new product will remind you of something bigger than YOU and plant a seed of gratefulness in your soul. Then like any good seed, it will grow if you water it and will go far beyond what you ever thought when you just went for it and made that first ethical purchase that seemed so small.

Companies we love: 

http://www.elevate-people.com  <– Obviously!

http://www.pachasoap.com  <– These Hippies are cool, buy Pacha Soap, Empower Entrepreneurs Globally

http://www.krochetkids.org <– Okay, this stuff isn’t made BY kids, it is FOR them. Also empowering women in Uganda & Peru

Okay, this get’s you started. Be sure to ask us here at Elevate if you want to know of more companies that can enhance your intentional living plan!

 Always,

Jessica, co-founder & CEO