How a simple act of shopping can change lives
“If you find meaning in giving and helping people in need, then make a choice to do it as a lifestyle,” says Zeke Soh of Hapsocial
If you’re like me and you want to think before you buy, you probably ask yourself these questions most of the time:
• Do I really need it?
• Why do I feel the urge to buy it?
• Does it fit in my monthly budget?
• Is the product worth the price? Will it last long?
• Is it ethically sourced and produced? Is the brand something I’m keen to support?
• Wouldn’t my money be better spent on something else, like a worthy cause?
And how about:
• Where will my money go? Who will benefit?
These are just some of the things Zeke Soh, the founder of Hapsocial in Singapore, would love for us to consider before we click on “add to cart”, “checkout” or “buy”.
He describes Hapsocial as “a social brand that’s changing lives with every item you purchase”. That’s because a portion of each sale goes to a good cause, such as Clear Cambodia – an NGO that provides communities in Cambodia with access to clean water and sanitation facilities.
Hapsocial also partners, supports and invests in sustainable humanitarian projects by local non-profit groups.
“We are selling lifestyle products and are now moving into doing ethical clothing made of organic and recycled materials,” he explains.
(Side note: For lifestyle products, you’ll love their lightweight and cool-looking Frosted Bottle – see below.)
“We’re also shifting our social mission to focus primarily on social causes in the areas of poverty and education, so that it’s clearer and simpler for our customers to relate to.”
Constant practice
Being able to help others by making better and well-informed choices gives us a sense of purpose – and a different perspective. And thanks to Hapsocial, it’s become easier to do.
“I’ve always liked this quote by Ronald Reagan: ‘We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone’,” Zeke muses.
“I believe you don’t have to be the most talented or charismatic person to make a difference. Everyone can do it. It only takes a small initiative on our part to bring a smile to someone’s face.
“So what’s the key to being socially aware? It’s a habit. That’s it,” he stresses. “A deliberate effort to always think about how you can help someone worse off than you.”
“Giving is a lifestyle”
That quote comes from Zeke himself.
Want to incorporate a social mission into your purchases, routine and activities? Here’s how Zeke suggests we do it:
#1 Make a decision to give
“It can only start with a decision, but it can’t be fickle or fleeting. It has to be a decision that you’ll stay committed to in the long run,” Zeke states.
“The hardest step in achieving anything often happens in the early stages – which is making a true decision.
“If you find meaning in giving and helping people in need, then make a choice to do it as a lifestyle. It’ll be worth it.”
#2 Engage in a community and be around people who give
Zeke also mentions a quote by entrepreneur and motivational speaker Jim Rohn: “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”
“When you’re around people who are selfless in giving, you’ll be inspired to be selfless too,” Zeke adds.
“The environment we’re in can influence our actions, so find a community where you can be influenced in a positive way.”
#3 Be aware of social causes
“It’s not that people aren’t selfless, it’s just that they’re not aware of how they can help,” he says.
“Recently, we got students to do a survey on how many people would contribute to a social cause every month. Guess what we found? Out of 100 people, around 33% of them never contribute at all,” he continues.
“The reason is not that they’re selfish, but they’re careful of who they want to support. They want to have peace of mind before they give. Still, that only comes when they can spend time and effort to know the social cause.
“So if you truly want to give, you have to be familiar with a social cause first.”
#4 Plan in your monthly schedule to contribute in some way
“Things fail without a plan. We can talk all we want about the good we want to do, but if we don’t plan and take action, we can’t do the good we thought we could do.
“Don’t hesitate but take action now, so that it pushes you to contribute to a social cause in some way. It doesn’t have to be big or even a daily habit. It can be something small, like signing up for volunteer work with a non-profit.”
#5 Set a goal that you want to achieve
“People gain motivation from setting goals. It’s the same when it comes to doing good. When you have a clear end in mind, you’ll know what to work on to progress onwards.”
Need ideas? Join and shop at Hapsocial to begin.
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