Ella Emhoff Stays Motivated by Making Small Changes

 Few people understand this like Ella Emhoff, daughter of former US Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and stepdaughter of former Vice President Kamala Harris.

 Going offline is a good first step.

“I think what has kept me the most invigorated around politics and just social change is seeing everyone else empowered by it, coming to things like ZCON and being able to talk about it,” Emhoff recently told

Make It at the Gen Z-focused conference put on by United Talent Agency. “When we’re online, it can feel so insular and feel like everything’s happening to us, whether it be with immigration, with wars, with genocide, with the climate.” 

With so much happening, Emhoff says she finds power in focusing on small changes within her control, and actions she can take toward them.

“Small changes impact big changes,” she says. “Even going and volunteering at a shelter or with dogs or feeding the homeless, anything like that is going to create positive impact. The more you engage with that in your day-to-day, bigger things will feel more achievable.”

These small and ongoing projects of purpose are more achievable and enjoyable no matter the result, versus large and intangible goals, Dr. Jordan Grumet, a hospice medical director and author writing about purpose, previously told Make It.

On the other hand, scrolling and consuming every bad headline won't do much for your emotions or your feelings of being able to enact small changes. “Get off your phone, engage in your community,” Emhoff says. "It's going to make you feel better. I promise."