SHARING OR INFLUENCING?

The topic of wellness is a tricky one. A really, really tricky one, and I’ll get into the reasons why in a moment. Right now, I am going through a long list of personal health issues. While my symptoms and quality of life have definitely not been so good, and bordering on miserable at times, at this point it’s not serious. However, the potential for big time problems down the road if left untreated can be very serious. When I go through anything no matter what the topic is, I absolutely love to share it. Whether it be beauty, skincare, health, wellness, faith, travel or just day to day life, I love to share. I am comfortable sharing. I’ve always been an open book personality type, and when I am put in a position where I can’t freely share, I AM TORMENTED! The issue with sharing on the topic of health or wellness is one, I am not a medical professional, and two, there is no one else in the world who has my specific problems, in combination with my unique genetic makeup. What works for me, may not work for you the same way. So I found myself at times in the past (I am way more careful now) unintentionally influencing people to do something that may or may not be good for their particular physical ailments.

AM I SHARING OR INFLUENCING?

I use the word “share” because to be totally honest I am not comfortable with the word “influence.” My goal isn’t to influence you to do something, buy something, or be something. My goal is to share my own personal experience with very real things in life that we all go through in our own way, but maybe are afraid to share because we feel alone in the situation. I spent a good 15 years of my life feeling very alone in my eating disorder. I had no clue other people went through the shame, sadness and pain I did when It came to my body, weight, and food. The day I discovered It was okay to talk about it, was the most significant day of my healing. When I discuss anything to do with wellness, and health, I immediately put myself in a place of responsibility, as well as potentially being held accountable. I am not comfortable being held accountable for your healing. Nor should I be. And to be blunt, I am weary of people without degrees , or training giving out health and wellness advice with so much confidence and authority.

This is why Arbonne makes me uncomfortable. And for all the women affiliated with Arbonne this is not an attack at all on you or your decision to join and promote it. In fact, I really do understand why women have joined and love the community Arbonne has built. So this is not anything against the products, or the company. This is about all health or wellness MLM companies. I am using Arbonne as an example because everyone knows someone who sells it or uses the products, so hear me out before mis reading what I am saying. First of all, doctors don’t become doctors to make money. If money was their motive they would have chosen a career or business that didn’t take a minimum of 8 years of schooling and hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loans. They become doctors because they are passionate about medicine, and want to help people heal. And the reason it takes so long to become a doctor is because diagnosing, and the overall medical aspect of life is a very complex one that should be taken seriously. Medical professionals have a big responsibility when people chose to place their health in their hands. Any business with financial incentive attached to health and zero formal training makes me incredibly uncomfortable and untrusting of the source it’s coming from. I am not putting my health in someone’s hands who is not properly educated (on the topic) and who ultimately has a goal of reaching the level in an MLM business to get their white Mercedes (or whatever the incentive is for reaching that level is). I am not hating on MLMs, and I am not even hating on Arbonne’s products. Honestly, I can’t say whether I believe in their products or not, because I have never tried them, nor have I done enough research to know if it’s all its cracked up to be. In order to make the decision to invest my health and money in Arbonne, I would want to read all the labels, ingredients, and articles proving they are who they say they are, and if you are considering something like this, you should do your research too. I’m sorry, but just because everyone is saying it does this or heals that, doesn’t sell me on it. I want to see the science, and do my own research on the products. No matter what they are. My body deserves that, and so does yours. Regardless of the quality of Arbonne’s products, the integrity of the brand is immediately broken down when attached to it is this massive influence on quick financial gain. Again, this is nothing against anyone who sells Arbonne, or is a part of any other MLM company. Its my personal opinion about people diagnosing and making claims they really don’t know much about. It’s about my discomfort with influencing, and then being held accountable when its something outside of their lane.

WHEN TO HOLD ME ACCOUNTABLE

When it comes to skincare, and superficial facial treatments (treating the outer layers of skin) you can hold me to a certain level of accountability. I am a licensed esthetician with 13 years of experience and an additional 5 years in the industry. I have spent years in the plastic surgery and medspa world, and with that comes extensive training. In addition to all of that, I am a sponge that absolutely LOVES to learn more and more, all the time. Even though I have stepped away from the medical side of this industry, I am constantly researching the newest information on all things skincare and facials. I am not interested in “sales pitching” you a product regimen or facial service for financial gain. What I want is to help you achieve the goals you have for your skin.

HAVE I EVER GONE OUTSIDE MY LANE?

Yes, I absolutely have. I have fully been sucked into the world of MLM’s, and making claims I didn’t really know much about. This was before social media influencing was over saturated and controlled by algorithms and paid campaigns. My heart was originally with intent to help, but I recognized quickly that when the “get rich quick” goal took over “the heart to help” I was no longer serving others, but in fact out to serve myself. Guess what I did next after this realization? I shut it all down. I have grown up with instagram and social media and with that comes maturity and the understanding of just how much power our influence does in fact have on people. We better take it seriously. I’ve been able to learn who I want to be and who I don’t. And one thing I don’t want to be is a “expert” at something motivated by financial gain. Little life lesson: the quicker you make the money the quicker it goes away. Fun fact, I’ve been blogging, and growing this instagram account for about 4 years (with many long breaks & revamps), and haven’t made one dime off of it. I truly do it because I love it. Writing and sharing are what I am passionate about, and I believe it’s so important to do things in life you love with absolutely zero intent on making money. If one day you begin making money because of it, then awesome. But the second the motivation for money takes over the passion to serve, you lose the integrity of what it is you’re doing.

INFLUENCER BOSS BABES READING THIS

Go be a boss babe. Go find your tribe of women with common interests and form a community of support for something positive. I love that. I have that, and I truly value it. I think its all amazing and motivating and positive. Just make sure when you are out there trying to help someone that you really are helping them and not leading astray while you take their money. However you are doing it, do it with integrity.

TO THE CONSUMERS/CLIENTS/CUSTOMERS

DO YOUR RESEARCH! Don’t just take my word for it, or the next person with the gift of sales. Do your own research. I can’t stress that enough. Especially when it comes to your health. Its ok to second guess or hesitate. If you do, take a step back, pause, and do MORE research before jumping in on something you are getting influenced to do. Often times, when it doesn’t feel right, it isn’t.

I love the world of Instagram, and blogging. I love that we all have this platform with zero boundaries to chase after what we are passionate about. I just think its gotten a little “icky” over the years. And by icky I mean disingenuine. I think its oversaturated and really hard to do anything with integrity anymore when connected to social networking. This is the way it is now, and it can be a massive blessing or a major curse. Whatever your influence number is, whether it be 100 or a million, those are people trusting you, looking to you, and investing in you.

If you have read this far, thanks for taking the time to know my heart and where I am at with all of this. There has been so many moments where I had zero desire to continue writing and sharing because I felt lost in giant ocean of influencing and didn’t like it. I learned I just needed to really figure out where I stood with it all without outside influence or opinion and I needed to set boundaries based on that. I do feel I can share from a healthy platform moving forward and appreciate every single one of you who follows along.

LOVE YOU ALL!

KC