Conscious Action founders Kayla Greenville and Brian Berneman started a community to raise awareness around meaningful action.
When something not so great happens, you’ve got some decisions to make. Some can impact your life in a negative way, other times you can make the outcome a positive. Navigating this experience is how Kayla Greenville and Brian Berneman were brought together to form Conscious Action.
“Brian and I met as employees of a start-up wellness centre. We were so excited about what we could create but when the investor pulled out we were both made redundant,” Greenville explains.
After they were made redundant they spent time regrouping individually and then got together to see a screening of Plastic Oceans alongside 40 other people who were also passionate about the topic.
“At the end of the screening, there were a few quick giveaways and then everyone dispersed. We thought this was a real missed opportunity to engage with people who really cared. The next day we got together to talk more about that missed opportunity and ended up coming up with Conscious Action,” Greenville says.
With the goal to raise awareness and inspire meaningful action, Conscious Action was founded on four key values: connection, collaboration, celebration and compassion. Compassion is at the heart of the community.
“Our events are designed to explore big topics in a positive way that focuses on what is and can be done, rather than what isn’t being done. Our aim is to empower individuals in knowing that their actions can and do make a difference, and to create a community of humans who are actively taking responsibility in their own lives to live consciously,” says Greenville.
If that wasn’t enough, the team also have a wonderful initiative that for every ticket that’s sold to any of their events, they plant a tree. The initiative they’re supporting by doing this is called Trees for the Future.
“The mission for Trees for the Future [is] to end hunger and poverty for small holder farmers by revitalizing degraded lands. We love this project because it has positive impact from humanitarian, social and environmental standpoints. We think it’s incredible and we’re thrilled to support it on behalf of our community.”
The next event on the cards for Conscious Action is called Making Conscious Choices. Those who attend this event will be able to learn and discuss how to align their values with their decisions.
“We’ll learn about the opportunities we have to make conscious choices on a daily basis, how to make choices we can stand behind and be proud of, and how to generate more compassion for others making choices we don’t necessarily agree with,” says Kayla.
Conscious Action, alongside Flick Electric, BurgerFuel and Good magazine is hosting Making Conscious Choices on Tuesday, 14 May at 6.30pm. It’s being held at The Workshop, Auckland and tickets are on sale now from Eventbrite. You can learn more about Conscious Action on their website consciousaction.co.nz, or on Facebook or Instagram @consciousactionnz.
