10
May

iConsumerism

Some people have really put a lot of thought into each of us… well not us as ***individuals*, per say, but our purchases… what we consume.**

**It’s because, no matter how frugal or extravagant, no matter what our politics, religion, opinions, or tastes, we’re all consumers living in a consumer society.**

Merriam-Webster’s Online dictionary defines ‘Consumerism‘ as

The promotion of the consumer’s interests
The theory that an increasing consumption of goods is economically desirable; also, a preoccupation with and an inclination toward the buying of consumer goods.

Entire industries are built on various corporation’s ability to profit from people’s consumption.

Billionaires have been made by leveraging the small, repetitive consumption of millions of us as we continue to spend money on products they offer. Products we’ve come to know, love, and need… but not profit from ourselves.

What if WE focused as closely on our OWN consumption as other people do?

What if WE could profit from our OWN consumption as much as others do?

What would that be called? Here’s what I’d call it:

i-Consumerism

Why care about consumerism at all?

Toilet Paper

Who profits from all this consumer paperwork?

Well, let’s follow the money in just one toilet tissue example. Imagine millions of people, spending just pennies per day on their bottom line. Let’s see how this can add up to significant, and perpetual, income.

What kind of toilet paper do you prefer? When did this even become a serious question? One word: Consumerism. Most Americans consider this a NEED. We are presented with dozens of varieties and brands to choose from, NONE of which we make ourselves. As consumers, we get to choose. Recent years have seen a rise in the sale of “luxury toilet paper” (quilted, lotioned, perfumed and ultra-soft versions) to the tune of $1.4 Billion.

We know the bidet exists, and works really well. Yet people all over the world splurge (at the expense of 27,000 trees per day) on increasingly more ‘sophisticated’ ways to flush money down the drain. I’m not being critical, for I myself have been known to choose such simple pleated comforts. Yet there are times, especially when life is not going our way, we begin to re-assess our true needs and wants. We re-evaluate our lifestyle, question our lifestyle choices, and may even question who should benefit from those lifestyle choices.

As Consumers, are we Aware of who profits from our purchases? Do we care? Well, if we want more control over our own lives, shouldn’t we?

Let’s START by looking more closely at our REAL POWER…

what we Purchase and Consume.

What if we channel our consumption towards products that profit us? What would you spend that extra money on?

That’s the empowerment of iConsumerism…

A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G you want!

What can I, as an individual consumer, do to empower myself?

Research the consumer products/services you love and use every day. Look beyond the label, beyond the manufacturer’s website, beyond the commercial advertising and product placement, to see who’s benefitting from your purchases. If you don’t like the answer, make a different choice. No one will be more committed to your life than you.
Redirect some of your daily household consumer spending towards products, and companies, that support your life, your values, and will actually PAY YOU to purchase them. I wouldn’t recommend 1st world consumers necessarily go ‘cold turkey’ (e.g. sell everything and move to a mountaintop). Rather, start small, change one or more products, services, behaviors each month.
Repeat – Over time, these small choices, made consistently month after month, will add up to big changes.

When we know better, we do better.

Network Marketing

“Social Entrepreneurship and Corporate Social Responsibility are twin drivers of positive social change” – Direct Selling Education Foundation

We’ve all heard of ‘Word of Mouth’ marketing. That’s another way to describe “Network Marketing”.

We are ALL already marketing other people’s products and services to those within our network of family and friends.

Ever watched a movie and told your friends they have to see it? Did the film company, the theatre, the actors, or anyone send you a commission when those friends actually went and spent money to see it?
Ever worn an item of clothing with a corporation’s logo on it? Did they send you a rebate?
Ever had a great experience with anything and told everyone about it?

Congratulations, you are a network marketer! BUT, you may say, I didn’t do it for money! BUT, I would say, what if you COULD get paid for the recommendations you make every day of the products you already love and use? Why wouldn’t you?

Wouldn’t it be nice to actually receive a royalty check from the company who benefits financially from your recommendations? What could you do with that extra money?

With the power of the internet at our fingertips today, Leveraging social media has amplified our ability to do just that. Our online attention, combined with selective consumer purchases, can promote socially conscious action, innovation, and education that can change the world. In fact, it already is.

We all have a story to tell, a gift to share, and purpose for our time here on Earth. The question becomes: Do we want our voices to be heard in a society owned by a very few? If so, we’ll need to recognize how much of a commodity we already are to others, and begin to retake control over our choices.

The truth is, some companies are built by Extracting value from you

Some companies are built by Rewarding you for doing what you’re already doing.

Who does that? Well, We Do!

We help others to see how small changes in simple everyday choices can add up to a huge difference in one’s Health, Wellness, and Wealth. We speak from experience. We ‘Walk our Talk’.