How We Can Unlearn Prejudice

You fear what you don’t know and you don’t understand what you don‘t know. This is a base truth and is the framework for so much of our prejudice.

The problem, of course, becomes our exposure to other worlds. By nature we tend to stick to the familiar and this means we have very little chance to change our perception or preconceived notions.

If we are aiming to make a better world by 2030 I think we really need to take a good look at the inherent biases built into our systems and what we can do to unlearn them.

Let’s look at 3 ways we can change the system to reduce prejudice and finally achieve equity.

Education

We’ve been studying in formal settings for thousands of years. We use the system to teach others information and the tricks needed to interpret that information. Math, spelling, history, a large percentage of our knowledge comes from what we’re taught in the education system.

At points we have also used the school concept to teach other things like poise and etiquette.

Surely we can teach equity in our schools.

This is something we need to start right at the beginning. Exposure to difference—be it race, gender, class, ability, etc.—and qualifying this as not a negative thing is imperative for a kinder and more equal society.

The market is rife with products to help teach this concept, making it easier for the education system to embrace the notion and teach it from early to later years.

If diversity becomes second nature to the next generation all the –isms will have less power and presence. This is the future we need.

Representation

There is a real strength in having diverse voices in any situation as this allows you to see more angles and uncover better solutions. This is why our work world needs to show more variety and explore greater representation.

Proper steps need to be put in place to ensure we all have equal opportunity in employment. Today and tomorrow’s workforce should represent the diversity of humankind. Regardless of how we go about it—diversity policies, active recruitment, affirmative action, etc.—we can create workforces that include everyone. This will do great things for businesses and society as a whole.

Intervention

Think you’re too old to learn a new way to think? No one is a lost cause and it is possible to remove the implicit bias you may be carrying.

This is the quest of the Prejudice and Intergroup Relations Lab. Started by Patricia Devine and operating out of the University of Wisconsin this initiative looks at the potential in unconscious bias training.

The importance of this research is huge. Prejudice and bias hold us back from creating a truly equal society.

I look forward to the day when unconscious bias training is part of our routine.

Humans have the potential for good. I believe this and I think most people do too. At the same time, we can find ourselves developing beliefs that create inequality in society and this is not good.

We can do better. Let’s put the steps in to ensure we never learn to judge.

How COVID-19 Changed Business

It’s been a while since we had a crisis that affected the entire world like COVID-19 did. The impact varied in terms of degree and timing but regardless just about every area of the globe had to deal with the effects of the pandemic.

You would probably be hard pressed to find a business that was not affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Regardless of size and continent all businesses felt the effects that came with the changing world and environment.

It would be terrible if we went through this whole crisis and learned nothing from it. What can we learn from the COVID-19 crisis and its effects on the business world?

One of the things the COVID-19 crisis did was make us more aware of how interconnected our world is and how we need to choose our actions based on the effects on the world at large.

This, of course, was an issue that was faced by major governments. Our society was facing a massive crisis because of the bomb COVID-19 had set on the economy. With millions unable to maintain the status quo of work and school the financial base supporting everything was in danger.

Smart governments stepped up and offered assistance. Canada, for example, offered loans through the Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) and other programs designed to keep businesses running.

Countries across the globe ran similar programs, with Brazil suspending payment programs and simplifying credit processes, Japan expanding loans and other financial programs and Sweden offering a mix of loans and allowances.

Humankind and our current society is heavily tied to an economic base. Smart governments did what they had to do to ensure the economy kept moving despite the hurdles COVID-19 brought with it.

Obviously one of the things successful businesses learned was the need to be adaptable. How you reach your customers and how your customers are going to reach you can be impacted in a heartbeat and you won’t survive if you can’t figure out a way to connect.

This should be obvious looking at today’s marketplace where business confidence continues to hit new lows and small businesses are failing en masse.

The reason, as we know, is the abrupt separation from buyers and sellers. Once social distancing became the norm our spending habits veered away from entertainment and social options—and away from stores in general.

The successful businesses saw the potential in humanity’s forced hibernation and tweaked their wares to attract consumers.

Take grocery delivery. It’s been around for eons but has burst to the forefront in this time of confinement.

Smart innovators are working with modern technology to make the distance shopping process more pleasant. Now, thanks to modern thinking and apps like Instacart and Instabuggy, you can oversee and converse with your shopper as they pick up your groceries. This obviously minimizes the chance for error and allows for changes to be knowingly made when the situation requires it.

Distance grocery shopping is probably one of those things we didn’t know we needed but will quickly forget how we survived without it.

Of course if we were to highlight a success story or a business that thrived in the new chaos the most likely winner would be Zoom.

Telecommunication has been important for a long time in our business and regular world but recent events have increased their need. Suddenly unable to hold typical in-person meetings communications technology has suddenly become imperative for the business world.

Zoom saw the coming crisis and set itself up as the ideal system to use for business (or social) calls. Offering both a basic (free) and corporate (subscription-based) platform the software is easy to run and allows groups to run group meetings from various spots across the globe.

This process was not seamless and the platform did have to radically improve its security system to better serve its customers but its continued growth and prominence shows how important the system became to the business and everyday world.

COVID-19 showed that today and tomorrow’s business world needs the ability to conduct meetings online. If you haven’t explored the available platforms you’re already behind.

There are times when disasters come into play and force us into new situations and new levels of problem-solving. Although it sounds terrible, properly managed this is the best way to put a silver lining on a nightmare.

COVID-19 tried to shut the world down. Yet throughout the crisis mankind has continued to show ingenuity and perseverance. The world will be different when the coronavirus cloud has lifted but this is not 100% a bad thing because of the improvements we have been making as the disaster unfolds.

A new day is coming. Let’s hope it’s a good one.

How We Are Switching Vices

 

Sometimes things happen and these moments make us realize that we need to make changes. I would like to believe that COVID-19 can serve as one of these moments and we can use it to step back and re-examine how we live.

We all have vices. There are things we know aren’t great for us but we continue to patronize because they fill a certain hole in our spirits.

But what if these vices are also bad for the planet? The right logic would see this as an added incentive to completely kick the habit and rid of the world of its very presence. Human logic, on the other hand, takes a slightly different approach and sets out to discover new ways to access our needed kicks.

Human initiative is really quite something and we should be championing the innovators saving us from ourselves.

This week let’s look at the ways we’re uncovering to keep ourselves addicted and sated.

Although you probably wouldn’t immediately considering driving one of your vices, its damaging effects on the environment clearly show it to be something we’d be better off without.

Our culture, however, is built around a car-heavy transportation system and a sizeable percentage of the population are perfectly happy with this system.

So what do you do to balance these scales?

Cars produce large amounts of CO2 and this is where its greatest damage is made. Across the globe nations are setting up emission targets aimed at reducing the amount of CO2 released by cars. This, however, cannot be the only solution.

Enter carbon capture and storage (CCS). This innovation captures the CO fumes and these captured fumes can then be used for other purposes like purifying metals and creating inks (Graviky Labs and their fantastic product Air Ink).

Transportation can even have a hand in this process and many of the big names like Tesla are exploring ways to get cars to capture the carbon they create. Aramco is a name to follow, as this company is exploring carbon capture mechanisms for trucks and cars and already has prototypes that are successfully pulling carbon out of the air.

If we are going to stay on this car-centric road we need these technologies to minimize our damage. Let’s give these innovators the support they need to perfect the process so we can all breathe easier.

The modern diet is full of products that probably aren’t ideal for our bodies but happen to produce an appealing taste. Some of these elements also carry a high environmental cost.

Palm oil is something you may not think about that often, but it is used in a surprisingly high number of products in our kitchen cupboard.

Collecting palm oil, however, is a very damaging process. The deforestation process to access the oil is one of the things seriously affecting the rainforest and the lives of the animals living in the rainforest. As well, the forest loss is releasing extra CO2 into our air.

As an added hurdle, production is being impacted by the coronavirus and this could see operations decrease in the next market period.

A definite example of human vices the chances of getting everyone to stop using palm oil and palm oil products are, sadly, very low. The good news is there are other solutions.

Sustainable palm oil is one obvious option.

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil was created to help the major parties come together and devise ways to make the industry more sustainable, in turn creating the guidelines for Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO).

C16 Biosciences, meanwhile, are creating a lab-based palm oil. If successful it will taste the same with none of the rainforest destruction. You can see why this startup is getting attention from major players like Bill Gates.

These are initiatives we want to be successful, as our current diets depend on them.

One of the issues we face as a species is this overwhelming sense that, as individuals, we are too little and insignificant to make a difference. It’s easy to be overtaken by a sense of despair and complacency, choosing to take the coward’s way out and not working towards a better world but if you instead choose to tap into the power and drive humanity has been shown to have there’s so much we can do.

Finding solutions that allow us to limit the damage we do to the Earth is the ultimate in purposeful work. It’s great to see these companies take the initiative.

How We Reach Racial Equity

 

One of my goals with Leadervest is to help create a more purposeful and sustainable world. A big part of reaching the Sustainable Development Goals and creating a truly purposeful world is finally solving and ending racism–reaching equity. It’s been 57 years since Martin Luther King Jr. stood strong and told us all his dream and sadly we have yet to see it become true.

There is still so much hate and anger in our world that we need to address. There are reasons why Black Lives Matter and why this movement needs more than a passing glance and a patronizing pat on the back.

The question then becomes what can we do to move on from here?

The first thing to do is acknowledge and recognize your privilege. Whether or not you realize it you were born with a certain power and privilege and this has impacted your life.

Too often we stay rooted in our bubbles, focused only on our problems and fully oblivious of the advantages we’ve been given. Your life may not be perfect and you may have to deal with your own share of lemons but chances are you were born with definite advantages not given to everyone.

This is one of the reasons we aren’t playing a fair game. But we can choose to do what we can to level the playing field and create equity.

This moves on to the second thing to do, which is investigate how you can help.

You may not be facing injustice, but you can assist the fight to end inequality.

When joining in it is very important to remember that this is not about you. You are offering assistance to help keep the machine running but you are not meant to be the face. Stand back and let the oppressed take the stage.

There are guides online (for example Guide to Allyship and How To Be An Ally) and these can help you figure out the best steps you can take to join the fight.

We are not going to end the hate if we don’t show our support and do our part to limit injustice. We all come from the same root (one giant human family tree) and we need to work together to make sure all voices are heard and all limbs have the same chance for survival.

Another major step we need to take is to address systemic racism.

Our society was built by able-bodied white men and, as such, the system is designed to fit their needs. Systemic racism is making it harder for the minority population to access opportunity and escape poverty and this should not be an example of what humanity is.

Every step needs to be taken to ensure there is equal access to everyone. Whether it be addressing unequal incarceration rates, income inequality or discrimination in healthcare we have a long way to go before we’ve evened the playing field and achieved equity.

Solving systemic racism is not going to be easy and it is going to require us to take a good, long look at many of the social structures we use every day and recognize how these systems are unfairly stacking the deck.

It will be hard and there will likely be blowback from parties currently benefiting from the current system but this is a definite way to make the world a better place.

Goal 10 of the Sustainable Development Goals is reduced inequalities. I know we are able to recognize that our current world and system is flawed and I would like to believe that this means we have the knowledge, strength and conviction to find and implement a solution.

Why Collaboration Is Key During COVID

 

Some of the first things we are taught as children are the concepts of cooperation and sharing. There are solid reasons for this and these lessons really need to carry on throughout our lives if we want a functioning and successful society.

Nowhere does this become more evident than in crises.

We are currently facing an epidemic few people living can say they’ve experienced, a (so-called) plague that hasn’t been seen since the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918. Millions are suffering and our healthcare systems are suddenly expected to move mountains and work miracles.

This is when cooperation becomes imperative. Our brightest minds and greatest supporters need to work together to ensure the right breakthroughs are made and are made on time.

Let’s look at the partnerships being made in our COVID world.

Top on so many minds right now is the vital need for treatment or a vaccine. This is the weapon and asset we need to take control of the crisis and return our world to a secure state.

According to data from the World Health Organization as of the end of May over 124 potential treatments are being explored.

Not surprisingly these methods cover a wide range of concepts, running the gamut from repurposing to the creation and harnessing of new technologies.

This search for treatment is resulting in amazing partnerships and collaborations and the most important partnerships are likely the ones being made between various governments and major corporations. The biggest one may be the partnership(s) between the U.S. Government and major pharmaceutical companies. Dubbed Operation Warp Speed the initiative aims to speed up the process in order to get treatment to Americans faster.

Canada also has a strong presence in the race, partnering up with Coronavirus Global Response in order to best develop treatment.  As well the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow’s Health (CanPath) is working with interested parties to help amass vital information on the virus and its effects.

These collaborations should be of great interest to any citizens of these countries as our access to eventual treatment will depend on how we work together.

Of course it’s not just countries and governments seeking answers. HealthTech and pharmaceutical companies have all geared up and are now exploring partnerships that will provide them with the knowledge, influence and power they need to develop and launch successful treatments and therapies for COVID-19.

Look at the partnerships Merck has been making in order to best hunt out the COVID-19 solution. The company is serving as the posterchild of the different routes you can take.

First it acquired Themis Bioscience, using this takeover to catapult itself into the COVID race by way of Themis’ vector platform. With this technological advantage the company will be able to better run its trials.

Merck also partnered up with IAVI, a non-profit seeking out solutions to global health crises. This partnership will help increase Merck’s knowledge and extend its reach as it continues to explore treatments.

It shouldn’t be too surprising to learn that major players in the business world are also aiming to find solutions and are reaching out to develop partnerships.

Apple and Google teamed up to develop a plan, using Bluetooth technology to launch a contract tracing platform.

Given the infectious nature of COVID-19, the radically different ranges of reactions people have and the incredible importance but difficulty of social distancing we need the ability to see where COVID is going and who is in danger.

Recently launched in Switzerland the SwissCovid app is being used by a high-risk control group (army, hospital workers and civil servants) before wide release is issued. The app uses key codes to register contacts make in everyday life and then sends out an alert to the key codes if the owner contracts COVID-19.

Although this may raise concerns regarding anonymity the system is set up to protect the identification of those using the app.

I am interested to see what solutions other powerhouse teams bring forth.

When fighting a pandemic there is a real strength in numbers. Yes, social distancing currently limits the direct contact groups can have but this doesn’t take collaboration out of the equation.

Team efforts are what are going to get us through this. Humanity has shown the amazing things we can do when we combine our ingenuity and energy and we will need all of this to overtake this modern plague.

 

 

 

How Technology Is Helping Better Manage Healthcare & Covid-19

 

As it currently stands the words of the year are going to be ‘pandemic’ and ‘coronavirus.’ The worldwide threat of this new illness obviously caused mass hysteria and panic and led to the world trying to find a way to shut down and self-isolate.

Healthcare during a pandemic is obviously vital, both to limit the spread and reduce the suffering. It also has the highest level of risk when you are dealing with something contagious and not fully understood.

As unnerving as these past few weeks have been they have also made us aware of where our medical health system is lacking. Fortunately great minds have been quick to offer solutions. I think it’s important to bring them into the spotlight. This week we’ll be bringing attention to some worthy healthcare warriors.

Let’s start off by looking at HealthTech or Telehealth. This is where healthcare has been moving and there is a good reason why.

We all know how addicted we are to our phones. These devices have become almost like another arm and we use them for so many parts of our lives. We probably also know how busy and over-scheduled today’s workers are. Not everyone has the time to go the doctor when health concerns arise.

This is one of the major reasons for the rise of HealthTech. It expands healthcare and medical services and makes them easier to use and access.

Being able to connect with medical services in situations where self-containment and quarantine are being heavily pushed and hospital areas are high-risk areas of infection is obviously very important. HealthTech is how we allow the sick or not-yet-sick to access the right information.

Look at what Ontario did in our current crisis. Toronto set up a hotline for coronavirus test results, giving people a way to learn their results without leaving their house. For everyone else, services like Dial-a-Doc and Virtual Clinics give people new access to their family doctors, reducing the need and danger for people who need prescription refills or answers to medical concerns.

HealthTech is vital for our future.

For one thing, it is a fantastic tool when it comes to tracking the movement of viruses.

This will prove to be more and more important as climate change affects our environment and turns it into a breeding ground for pathogens.

Look at what we’re facing in 2020 with Coronavirus COVID-19. I think we all know the worldwide reaction to this outbreak was not ideal and the disease spread and damage inflicted could have been reduced if more people had clearly understood the dangers from the get-go.

Johns Hopkins University has a great—and accessible—tracker that lets you really see the damage done by COVID19.

These trackers are essential. We need them so researchers can understand what is going on, medical staff are ready to meet demands and the people at large know what we are facing.

Humans are very adaptive and we come up with great solutions to our problems. By now the dangers of the ER section are well known and this becomes even more obvious during a pandemic. So how do we safely test people when it’s not safe to be close?

Drive-thrus were one of our stranger inventions but it’s hard to imagine life without them now. From grabbing food to taking out cash we’ve worked hard to ensure we can do more from the comfort of our car.

Enter drive-thru healthcare. It may seem like an odd addition to the drive-through lineup but it also serves as the obvious next step in our panicked and busy culture. You’ve likely read about the COVID-19 drive-through testing stations being set up in major areas. First launched in South Korea and now being used worldwide (including the Michael Garron Hospital in Toronto) this system allows for testing that includes a large degree of social separation and client isolation.

In times of pandemic these testing centres are a new way to ensure more people get the answers they need (and fear) in a way that limits physical contact.

We need new ideas like this if we want to survive. Fortunately great minds are constantly coming forward with life-changing concepts that better our world. What innovations are they going to come up with next?

Humans are smart and adaptive and we understand health unlike any other species.

At the same time we occasionally face pandemics and these crises tend to bring out both the best and the worst in us.

It’s interesting to see how technology has changed how we deal with pandemics. We have yet to reach a point where we can fully prevent them but at least we are now more capable of managing them.

 

 

 

 

Why We Need Conscious Capitalism

 

Let’s face it: The world is always a scary place but right now it’s a really scary place. Rather than hide this means we should heed the warnings and take a long look at how we can make things better. Last week we touched on how purposeful work and capitalism intersect and I think now we need to take a better look at conscious capitalism.

Conscious capitalism may prove to be the most important revamp of our time. It stands to be our best bet when it comes to keeping the benefits of the past while protecting the lives of everything on the planet now and in the future.

Here are three reasons why conscious capitalism is something to get behind.

By now we all know the negative image most people have of corporations and their job at said corporation. We wake up bleary-eyed, put on monkey suits and fight our way through the morning commute to sit at our desks and do our part to make the 1% richer. We do the bare minimum then wander home and hope to find some joy or fun before we go to sleep and the cycle begins again.

This is not a society we should be fighting to maintain.

Imagine instead that you believed in what you were doing at work. Imagine knowing your team and your workplace were doing amazing things—while also paying your bills.

It’s easy to see why company morale is higher at businesses following conscious capitalism.

These companies have happier workers and experience lower turnover. This is exactly the employee base you need to keep your company surviving and thriving.

The company with a strong heart will keep beating even when adversity strikes. Remember that.

Another reason to embrace conscious capitalism: the financial benefits.

Yes, this may at first seem hypocritical or paradoxical but you can both care about the planet and equality and the financial prospects of your business.

Multiple studies have shown that businesses following conscious capitalism radically outperform their competitors. Most notably, Harvard Business Review found that conscious capitalism businesses perform 10 times better than their competitors.

This makes sense when you look at the negative impression big business tends to hold. Conscious capitalism allows companies to shed the heartless and cutthroat persona that comes with the title and category of corporation. We’re not in it for ourselves: we’re working to make the world a better place. Join us and do your part.

Giving entrepreneurs the change to do good for the planet and for their wallet. This is what conscious capitalism brings us.

Conscious capitalism also has a big hand in helping us achieve the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) as a business world operating in a conscious fashion is also operating sustainably.

This is much needed as, as it currently stands, most of the business world is not actively operating within the SDG’s template.

The truth is we all need to do our part to ensure our footprint isn’t so overpowering it damages the planet and all the creatures living on it. This includes businesses.

It should seem natural that all humans would embrace the efforts that are necessary for the survival of the planet and our species. Conscious capitalism is how we can put big business and the marketplace on the right path.

Interested in joining the conscious capitalism cause? There are multiple routes you could take.

You can hire a consultant or take classes to become a conscious capitalism consultant and use this info to better reform businesses (including your own).

There are conferences like the Conscious Capitalism World-Changing Women’s Summit or the CEO Conference.

Lead With Love offers programs and retreats designed to help cultivate conscious capitalist leaders.

Whichever route you take you will be helping to take us to the next stage of our evolution. It’s the right thing to do.

How to Make Purposeful Connections

The good thing about living in our modern society is we have access to technology that has radically improved our ability to provide aid and make positive change.

This, of course, makes it much easier for us to embrace purposeful work.

Enter the purpose economy. The result of increasing global awareness and social innovation the marketplace now has a real awareness of the good that can be done and the financial benefits that come with successful purposeful ventures.

Of course for those who are looking to enter the purpose economy there remains the eternal truth that it’s not what you know but who you know.

The vital question then becomes how do you make purposeful connections.

Let’s look at three ways.

Your physical presence in the business world is a huge part of your company identity and your success.  Obviously making purposeful connections when you can’t fully master the logistics of putting yourself out there can be incredibly daunting.

This is where the company platform is so vital. This is what you use to put your name on the map and make your presence known.

Unsure of how to do this? The good news is there are initiatives that can give you the link you need.

Take Purposeful Networks. Once a group aimed at promoting sustainability it now serves as a great way for purposeful companies to successfully develop platforms that promote their brand.

Once your platform is properly set up you can use it to reach out to the people and businesses that will further your cause.

Once you’ve pinpointed who your best connections are the next step to take is to set up purposeful meetings.

These meetings will be your chance to determine how you will work together and what you can do to truly make the greatest impact.

True purposeful meetings cover 5 areas: behavioral science, CSR and legacy, health and well-being, meeting and event design, and technology.

The right purposeful connections will lead you to new developments and avenues to take back to better develop your purpose.

And of course one of the most vital elements of making and maintaining purposeful connections is the follow-up. As they say, “The fortune is in the follow-up” and you can’t afford to neglect this vital aspect of the conversation.

What does this mean? You want to keep in contact with these connections as you continue to grow your platform and company.

These connections you are making to further your purpose will continue to be of use as you continue towards your ultimate goal.

Don’t leave them out of the loop. You may find they can help you further and they may find they need your help too as they aim to reach their purpose.

Technology makes it easier than ever to follow up. Whether via phone, email, teleconference or in person keep in contact with your purposeful connections. These continued relationships will prove invaluable as you continue along the path to your purpose.

No man is an island and it’s much harder to achieve your goals if you’re working without any help.

Luckily the world is full of innovators and entrepreneurs that share your aspirations and goals. Reach out to your circles and discover businesses and entrepreneurs that will help your cause.

Purposeful connections will prove to be a major asset in your quest to meet your purpose. Use them well.

The Purpose of Health Care Reform

It’s now 2020. Noting the 10-year distance between now and the deadline for the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals the United Nations (UN) has declared that this decade needs to be the “Decade of Action.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released its list of this decade’s urgent health priorities. Many of these directly link into the SDGs.

We have 10 years to save our health and our planet.

This is an area in which purposeful work will prove to be invaluable. We need our best and brightest uncovering the routes to take to save the health of the planet and the people.

One of the most obvious examples of something affecting both our and the planet’s health is air and water pollution.

Across the globe more and more people are suffering from conditions brought on by contaminated air and lack of clean water. Millions are dying because of this exposure and that number will only rise as our pollution levels get worse.

So how do we fix our air?

Finding the best way to do this is proving to be an international endeavor as innovators from across the globe are coming forth with potential solutions.

This year will see the culmination of the NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE (carbon.xprize.org), a global competition that was set up to bring forth new breakthroughs and technologies that will reduce the planet’s CO2 levels.

Meanwhile, there are carbon capture facilities being run across the world (including four in Canada), pulling in more than 30 megatonnes of CO2 a year. Sadly, this is hardly a drop in the bucket.

This work is so very important and purposeful. Breathing is obviously a fundamental need and clean air should not be something we blow off as a problem for future generations to solve.

Let’s hope we uncover a solution.

Another vital area to look at is how do we reach the unreachable?

Billions are suffering in conflict zones, dealing with terrors no one should face for reasons beyond their control.

What can we do to ensure they still have access to health care, a vital service we so quickly take for granted?

Groups like Doctors Without Borders and CARE International are good examples of what we need to be doing and the impact purposeful work can have.

We need to find ways to ensure everyone has access to health care. It’s the best way to ensure we have a fair and just world.

Of course this inequality is seen in other areas as well. Poverty and income inequality are both leading to health problems across the globe, as people can’t afford medical access for reasons like social status and race.

One solution to this is the Health in all Policies (HiaP) approach. This is a method that has been used with great success before.

HiaP requires all areas of government to consider the health implications of their policies. Introducing this requirement reduces inequality levels because representatives start looking at the long-term effects of their policies and actions and seek out solutions that level out the playing field.

This is without a doubt purposeful work.

Access to medication is another area of health care that falls under the umbrella of purposeful work.

If you live in Canada and have a quality drug plan (and stable health) you may not be aware of how uneven drug access is. The truth, however, is that access to medication is erratic and unequal even though international law deems it part of our right to health.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) approximately 30% of the world’s population do not have access to the treatment they need.

Brilliant and caring minds are looking for solutions.

The Access to Medicine Foundation, for example, is working with pharmaceutical companies to increase access in low- and middle-income countries. The National Pharmaceutical Council (npcnow.org) is exploring how to increase access in the U.S.

In Canada, of course, you have the ongoing move towards a Pharmacare system. The work being done to create a system that increase and equalize drug access is vital for the health of Canadians. As it stands, though, the regulation changes will lead to far fewer drugs being allowed into our health system. Groups like the Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders are working to ensure this problem is seen and amended before it’s too late.

Helping people access the meds they need to survive and thrive is obviously purposeful and important. Let’s hope these groups make an impact.

Health care is wonderful and needed. It is not, however, perfected as of yet.

So many areas across the globe need highlighting and fine-tuning in order to ensure everyone’s needs are met and good health is shared by all.

The people putting in the legwork and the mind work to uncover solutions deserve all our praise and gratitude.

How to Find Your Purpose

You were put on this planet for a reason. You overcame adversities you can’t remember or comprehend to be born on this planet and in this time. You’re here for a reason and you have a calling.

But what is that calling?

Finding your purpose is vital in order to start living the life you were meant to lead.

Let’s take a good look at how you find your purpose.

The first place to look when seeking out your purpose is the Good Book. Scripture is rife with passages that can start you on your journey, whether it be Ecclesiastes 3 (“For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven”), Jeremiah 32:19 (“Great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds”), Proverbs 20:5 (“The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out”), or Ephesians 2:10 (“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do) or Romans 8:28 (“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”)

My choice proverb is Jeremiah 29:11 (“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope”). This passage spoke to me and my desire to help make a better world. This is why I want to help achieve the SDGs and help others find their purpose.

A second place to look when seeking out your purpose is your community. Just within that community there are causes and opportunities you can explore to uncover what your purpose truly is.

Look for where you can help. Volunteering has been shown to increase sense of self-worth and purpose. See where you can help and how you can use your skills to make the world a better place.

By helping others you will come to learn a lot about yourself and you can use this knowledge to better understand why you’re here and what your true purpose is.

Finally, of course, you should look inside yourself to find your purpose. Close your eyes and ask yourself what the perfect world looks like. Once you’ve done that, look at the steps you can take to help make that concept reality.

Everyone is different which means everyone will use different tools and methods when routing their path. I tell you this so you don’t get discouraged if others are using methods that are strange to you.

If you’re unsure you can try the Passion Test. This online platform is a way for people to route out where they should be going in order to live their best lives.

Finding your purpose will make your life happier and more fulfilled. It will also help make the world a much better place.

There are different ways to find your purpose. We are all so unique and need to find the right information in the right ways to best absorb it all.

Don’t wait. Start today on your journey to find your purpose. Your life will be better for it.