I wanted to share this story about what I've been working on lately and how it's really filling my cup. And while it is different from promoting toxin-free living, I'm still able to use that experience to help others choose healthier products and support companies that are doing the right thing. It's been so fulfilling!
Using Your Influence to Help Others go Toxin-Free and Green While Helping Others Embrace Health
I was chatting with a friend who is an interior designer. We have talked for a very long time about how we can work together, how I could share toxin-free living products and my message about going toxin-free, within her business model as an interior designer.
She knows that I have a huge love for interior design! I love being creative, just like I love helping others feel beautiful with Crunchi makeup and skincare, I also love helping people find beauty in their space and where they spend most of their time.
Interior design really helps people create a space they love to live in. What I do here with Detox By Design, and this podcast, is I help people feel confident that their home is healthy, and that they can live in their home and feel confident that they are not doing anything damaging to their bodies while they are in their home - they really do align well.
We've been trying to figure out how we can work together for a while. And finally, she just said, “Megan, come on, I'm going to take you in, and you're going to help me.” Not only am I having a blast doing it, it's also really powerful to help people figure out what they like, and make decisions and feel confident in those decisions. As designers, we take people’s dreams and make them become reality. If they like a certain design with a certain aesthetic, we can help them find the tile that they love, or the faucets that they love, or the art that they love and really take this dream environment that they want to live in and really put it into place for them. Because, as designers, we have the expertise, connections, and tools to get it done.
At times I wondered if I was switching away from my passion for toxin-free living, but the truth is, I'm able to influence those who I never would have been in contact with.
For example, when we choose wallpaper, I can now look into what kind of wallpapers are the most eco-friendly and we can start influencing clients in that direction. I have that lens that I can share with a client and also share with my associates at the design firm. It has been just another example of how our influence can impact others.
I'm not just talking about me, I'm talking about you! You have the opportunity to influence others as well. You might think, “oh, Megan, I don't know how I would do that”. But you can really do in simple and small little ways.
For example, if you are helping a friend with her child's birthday party, and maybe your friend is asking you for your opinion of party favors or food. Give examples of why you might choose one over the other. I have never been a big fan of the junk that comes home from a kid's birthday party. First of all, it is just usually very wasteful. It's a lot of plastic, it's stuff that's made in China so it's shipped all the way here and isn't meant to last long. Stuff like that, just doesn't do great things for the environment, and likely is not any good for our children either. So that's a perfect opportunity to say, “Hey, why don't you get them something that they can eat that's healthier, and give them a consumable or something useful,like a toxin free lip balm or another great product you love.
Take every chance, you have to remind people that every time we buy something or give something away, we are either supporting the earth or doing something bad for the earth.
If you keep (gently) reminding people of this, you will open up their eyes, and really make them more aware of how they can make choices that can help them, the earth, their families and their health.
If you don't know how to start, I would definitely encourage you to go back to Episode 107 because doing it in the right way is really important. I shared in that episode that I didn't do it correctly in the beginning, so you have an opportunity to learn from my mistakes. As always, I'd love to hear from you. Please tell me how you’ve tried to influence others towards more green and toxin-free living. You can email me at megan@detox.design and you can also join my Facebook group where you can hear how others are sharing about toxin-free living as well.
