Creating Your Ripple Effect: Myths and Truths about Social Promise

: By Meriflor Toneatto

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What lasting impact or legacy do you want to create through your life’s work?

Since for women money is about relationships, meaning, connections, and sharing, once their needs and their families’ needs are met, most women use their money to help others and contribute to making the world a better place. In fact, on average women reinvest 90 cents of every dollar they earn to family education, health, and nutrition. This is why aligning social promise and impact is a natural fit for women. This is especially the case for business owners and leaders, who have the power to leverage their business and income to fuel a broader social mission.

What Is Social Promise?

Social promise is your soul’s desire to give back by doing good while doing well in life. It includes a dual goal of combining wealth and profits with a mission to better society. Fulfilling your social promise can be expressed in many ways, such as supporting worthy local or global causes and issues you most care about.

The phenomenon of organizations creating positive social change is not new. In fact, the concept of corporate social responsibility has existed since at least the 1960s. However, bringing change to communities and the world has become more mainstream in the past decade, as large corporations and nonprofit organizations have become involved in the movement. A great example of this is the “conscious capitalism” movement created by John Mackey, cofounder and CEO of Whole Foods Market. Conscious capitalism is basically about balancing business profits with social impact.

Your social promise can motivate you to align your purpose and passion with service and contribution. Likewise, your contributions to others as a result of your professional endeavors will allow you to change lives while also deeply enriching your own life — and your bottom line — beyond your fondest dreams. And this is what being in full alignment can look like for you, living your purpose through your life’s work and achieving financial prosperity while making a meaningful difference in the world.

Myths and Truths about Social Promise

When many people think about making a social impact, they do not think that this change can extend to themselves and their life’s work. On the one hand, it feels exciting and worthwhile to take on a worthy cause, and on the other, it can feel too time consuming and overwhelming. Below I debunk many of the myths that exist about expressing one’s social promise through one’s life’s work, and reaping the financial rewards of doing so.

Social Promise Myth 1. Making a social impact is only for big corporations.

Truth: Actually, creating a change and making a social impact is suitable for all businesses, including small ones. In fact, creating social change has real business and economic value. Many consumers support businesses that have strong principles and stand for something such as improving the environment and going “green,” as well as only buying organic products, and so forth. This approach can put your business on the map and generate loyal clients and customers.

Social Promise Myth 2. Having a social promise is only for businesses and companies that are already generating big profits.

Truth: This is not strictly the case. You can incorporate your social promise into your company’s mission statement right from the start. You can also earmark certain projects to fund your social promise. This is a fun and creative way to start making an impact right away.

Using my business as an example, a portion of the proceeds of the sale of this book will go to organizations that support women’s economic empowerment. Just think, your purchasing this book is helping another woman create a better life for herself and her family.

When you are involved in these types of activities through your work, you are also activating the Universal Law of Giving and Receiving.

Social Promise Myth 3. I will develop my social promise when I’m ready to create my legacy.

Truth: This is a common mind-set among many women, who feel they are “not successful enough” or “not ready yet.”

You can start creating your legacy right now in your business or career. Your legacy is not just what you do; it is who you are and the significant gifts you want to bestow on the world. You do not have to wait until all the conditions are perfect. Granted, creating a legacy is a longer-term goal; however, you have the power now to share your message of how you want to make the world a better place. Every step you take builds on your legacy.

Social Promise Myth 4. This is not for me. My business does not have a social focus. Or, this is not for me because I do not own a business.

Truth: This is another common mind-set. However, even if you are not conscious of it, as an ambitious and heart- centered woman, you cannot help but make an impact with your work. This is because your life’s work is in full alignment with who you are, what matters most to you, your purpose, and the difference you want to make.

Additionally, even if you are not a business owner, you can apply the concept of tithing — giving and donating 10 percent of your income — as a way of making a difference in the world. (While 10 percent is recommended, the exact percentage is a personal decision based on your situation.) The act of tithing is a powerful spiritual practice and part of the Universal and Spiritual Laws of Giving and Receiving.

Many of my clients who did not initially believe they had a social promise were surprised to find that they did. They discovered that through their life’s work, they were actually starting a movement or taking a stand on something they were passionate about.

Kate’s Story

Kate has a PhD in social work and is a former researcher and college professor. She is now an author and consultant focusing on helping women executives and leaders take on CEO and presidential roles in large corporations.

Kate was amazed to find that a lack of self-confidence was still very much a contributing factor in preventing women from advancing in their fields. When we began working together to broaden her revenue streams, Kate also reconnected with her values, purpose, and passion. She did not realize it at first, but what she really wanted to do was to create a movement to boost the self-esteem of young girls, starting at the age of ten, of teenagers in high schools, and of young women in college and grad school so that they could take on leadership roles with greater confidence and ease.

I helped Kate take it a step further and articulate her social promise, which is to nurture the next generation of empowered, confident, and well-prepared female leaders. As a result of her social promise, Kate’s business model has broadened, with a bigger reach to other sectors of society. She is feeling fulfilled and aligned with her purpose, passion, and her greater “why.”

Kate is making more money now than ever before, and is on her way to making a meaningful social impact and creating her personal legacy, one day at a time.

Summary

Social promise is about doing good while doing well in life. It includes a dual goal of combining wealth and profits with a mission to better society.
Since for women money is about relationships, connections, and sharing, social promise and impact are a natural fit.
If you are a business owner, you have the power to leverage your business to fuel your broader social promise and mission.

Fulfilling your social promise can be expressed in many ways, such as giving back locally or globally to worthy causes and issues you care about most. There are many methods for doing so.
Keep in mind that you do not have to wait to activate your social promise. And you do not have to own a business to express your social promise. You have the power now to shape how you want to make the world a better place.
The act of tithing — giving and donating 10 percent, for example, of your income — is a spiritual practice that will bring more blessings and abundance into your life than you ever thought possible.
Your social promise allows you to change lives and enrich your own life beyond your fondest dreams.

Copyright ©2018 by Meriflor Toneatto.
Reprinted with permission from New World Library
www.newworldlibrary.com.

Article Source

Money, Manifestation & Miracles: A Guide to Transforming Women’s Relationships with Money
by Meriflor Toneatto

Author Meriflor Toneatto, an award-winning leadership and coaching executive, shows you how to extend your limits and create the life of your dreams, one that is rich and fulfilling in every way — financially, spiritually, and emotionally. This powerful book explains how money is “emotional currency” and prescribes eight Holistic Principles that help you overcome deep-seated blocks, “pay forward” your own successes, and live the life of your dreams.

Click here for more info and/or to order this paperback book or purchase the Kindle edition.

About the Author

Meriflor Toneatto is a professional coach, speaker, and entrepreneur. She is the CEO and founder of Power With Soul and creator of the Millionaire Difference Makers™ Path, specializing in helping ambitious women entrepreneurs, professionals, and leaders reach financial prosperity and success while fulfilling their social promise in the world. Visit her website at https://meriflor.co/