Welcome to a new week!
I finally sat down this week to file my taxes and vote. I don’t know why I always dread both tasks, but I do. They never take as much time or energy as I think. Truth be told, I spend more time dreading those tasks than I do doing them.
But, wow, it always feels good to cross them off the list. Not just because it puts an end to the dread and procrastination, but because there’s something that makes me feel good about fulfilling my civic duties.
Have you ever noticed that?
Welcome to The LIFT
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CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
If you’ve ever had that proud moment standing in line at your local polling place or dropping your ballot in the mailbox - you know what I’m talking about.
What is it about that little “I Voted” sticker that makes you stand a little bit taller?
Even these days when everything connected to politics and government seems so incredibly hopeless and negative, there is still something about knowing you showed up and did your part.
You can feel it in your body. That feeling that you matter. That you contributed.
It’s very interesting to look at the connections between civic engagement and our health.
Did you know that increases in civic engagement are linked to better health?
Studies show that higher civic engagement correlates to lower rates of cancer, heart disease and depression. They also show better psychological well-being, positive emotional health, lower risk of cognitive impairment and even reduction in mortality in our senior years. Pretty impressive!
I have noticed that volunteers at the polls and different political and community organizations are often senior citizens. I always figured it is because they have more time, but now as I get older, I realize it’s a lot more than that.
Community engagement is incredibly good for your physical and mental health. There are so many benefits to building and exchanging social capital. Knowing you are making a difference for the things you care about gives you energy and purpose.
It fuels not only your health, but the health of your community at large.
ADVOCACY
For the last 8 years, I have been volunteering as an advocate in the beauty industry. It was a cause I didn’t even know I cared about until I stumbled into it.
I have never been a ‘beauty’ gal. Makeup and fashion are just not my thing. But, after raising my girls and no longer having to pay for their acne treatments and tinctures (I was committed to keeping them off traditional medications), I decided to redirect that part of my budget to my own skin. I wanted an effective, safe skincare line to support my skin as I age.
That’s when I discovered Beautycounter and it opened a whole new world to me - advocacy. The company was rallying women to help shine a light on the need for more health-protective laws in the personal care industry.
It was something I knew very little about and was shocked to learn. I had no idea how little regulation governs this industry. That our laws hadn’t been updated since 1938. That harmful ingredients and carcinogens are allowed in the products we use on our bodies every day.
Like most Americans, I assumed there was some sort of safety standard or process behind the products we find on the shelves. I didn’t realize that the FDA didn’t have the authority to recall one of these products when found harmful. That the E.U. had already banned or restricted over 1400 potentially harmful ingredients and here in the U.S., our list was only 30.
Here I was, a certified health coach, eating organic food, reading my food labels, exercising regularly and even making my own cleaning products to protect my health - only to find out the ingredients in my ‘all natural’ soap, shampoo, body lotion, toothpaste, deodorant - were not what I thought they were at all.
I had never stopped to read the actual ingredient list and look up what those ingredients were. When I did, I was riled up! Ready to roll up my sleeves and do something about it.
Even though my college degree included a minor in political science and required several classes in American politics, public law and policy - no one taught me on a practical level how to be an advocate.
But, I learned.
I started showing up. I sent emails and made calls to my local representatives. I shared information with my community. I went to district meetings with local legislators here in San Diego. I flew to Sacramento for advocacy days with NGOs. I joined 200 women in Washington D.C. in 2022 for an advocacy day where we held dozens of meetings on Capitol Hill.
And together - we made history with the passing of MoCRA (the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act) last year. Along the way, we helped pass 14 other state laws. It’s been remarkable to say the least. (And we still have a long way to go.)
As a result, I have learned SO much. How laws get passed. How organizations work together. How vital the voices of individuals and their stories are to the whole process.
I used to think there wasn’t much we could do as individuals. Today, I know differently.
OUTCOMES
I can’t even begin to express all of the things I have learned by actively participating as an advocate with this organization. It has changed not only how I see this one specific issue, but how I see other issues I care about.
It makes me hopeful. It’s energizing and empowering.
And, I know it has helped my physical and mental health. I can feel it.
It feels good to know you are making a difference. It feels good to know your voice matters. It feels good to link arms with others. It feels good to help those who are marginalized. It feels good to roll up your sleeves and do the work.
It also feels good to know I have had a positive impact on the health of those around me by sharing information and getting their involvement. So they can feel good, too!
I share this because community engagement is an area of health that is often overlooked. It is the source of friendships, connections to resources, increased physical activity, lower stress levels, improved self-esteem and a sense of purpose.
We all have issues we care about. We can worry and fret about them. We can lament with each other or yell into the social media void. Or we can find a place to roll up our sleeves and do the real work.
Not only will we affect change for our communities - we will improve our health in the process. We will increase our social capital and our sense of community. We will find like-minded friendships and connections. We will find meaning and purpose.
And hope.
Paying taxes and voting are civic responsibilities that are vitally important, but they aren’t the end-all-be-all. There’s so much that goes on between those activities that you can engage with and take an active role in. That’s where the magic really happens.
If you’ve never tried your hand at advocacy, I highly recommend you give it a whirl. It doesn’t have to take a bunch of time. You can start small and see where it takes you. And there are SO many areas where we need advocates - especially when it comes to women’s health.
Improving your health isn’t just about what you eat or how much you exercise, it’s about how you engage in your world and what gives you meaning and purpose. I hope this gives you a little something to think about if you’re like I was last week - dreading the task of voting and preparing my taxes.
It’s a fantastic way to give yourself a LIFT - in all the good ways.
SOME WAYS TO INCREASE YOUR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
Help others register to vote.
Help increase voter turnout by volunteering for Get Out the Vote efforts.
Support speakers of other languages by volunteering to translate and interpret.
Become a poll worker.
If you own a business, give employees time to vote or give discounts to customers who provide proof of voting on election days.
Stay informed. Learn how to fact-check and how to recognize fake news.
Get to know your representatives.
Contact your elected officials to express your concerns and hold them accountable.
Attend local meetings and events.
Join a local group.
Volunteer with your local government or even run for office.
YOUR MISSION:
This week, I challenge you to show up for something you care about. Go to the meeting. Make the call. Give the donation. Volunteer the time. Cast your vote. Pay your taxes. Pick one thing. Do the thing. And notice how it makes you feel.
Need something more practical? Not sure where to start? Take this one small action: Text “GIVEEMLIP” to 52886 and follow the prompts to join our efforts to call on Congress to ban PFAS chemicals from personal care products. It only takes a minute and I promise it will give you a LIFT for the rest of the day. Try it!
RESOURCES:
READ: The Connection Between Civic Engagement and Public Health | RAND Corporation
READ: Factors related to health civic engagement | PubMed
READ: The Psychology of Citizenship and Civic Engagement | Granicus
READ: How to be an Everyday Activist | Everyday Activism Network
WATCH: “We Matter” | Beautycounter + MoCRA
IN SUMMARY:
For the last three months, I have been actively working to earn a spot in our clean beauty advocacy group for 2024. If you’d like to support my efforts, you can learn more about that here. I would love to have your support. It always feels good to come together and effect positive change.
See you next week?
Meanwhile, reach out to me anytime!
Karen Friend Smith
Certified Health Coach & Environmental Health Specialist
Specializing in Perimenopause & Menopause
karen@itmaybemenopause.com
www.itMayBeMenopause.com
Instagram: @itmaybemenopause
This article is beautiful. It points to things we can do that will actually change the world we live in. I’ve been using a line from another article you wrote that suggested we change our language from “I need to….” and instead say “I get to….” I tried it right away to get myself back on the walking trail. Now when I wake up I GET to walk & stretch and enjoy fresh air. I think it works for engagement as well. I get to make a difference. I get to be involved. I get to change the world…