Why is Community Important?

How well do you know your neighbors? How often do your coworkers offer a drink after a tough day? Who helps you with the kids from time to time? Anyone....yes. We need each other.

Yes, one guy often shows up at work, and you think to yourself, "Why? I don't want to hear about your pencil-shaving business AGAIN today. " So why does your friend think you like to hear more about this?

• Human beings need a network to rely on.

• Relationships take time and are not always perfect.

• Challenging the norm creates a more significant impact on change and growth.

Community Connection

We, as humans, need social stimulation to thrive. What that looks like is unique to each of us. Take a moment to reflect on your network and determine what that looks like. One way you can do this is to draw out a diagram that includes the specific networks you are connected to (i.e., Family members, other parents, colleagues at work, fitness network, any friends outside of these areas, book club, neighbors, etc. ) Draw a circle for each group. Once you have established 5-8 groups, list each individual that comes to your mind when associating with that group. Don't filter just brain-dump who comes to mind. Once you can no longer list people for that group, go to another group and repeat. After you have established a list for each group, take a step back and look at your diagram. Count how many people are listed in total. What is something unexpected in your evaluation? How does this perspective change your thoughts about your network? Is it more vast or smaller than you thought? Would you be more likely to embrace your network and reach out for support or engage with them?

This is one way to show how our networks impact our everyday lives. How many times do you come into contact with the individuals listed? Why and how should those interactions change?

Developing Relationships

Upon realizing the number of relationships you have, how do you develop them? One place to start is to determine the origin of those relationships. Were they created organically? Were they situational, such as colleagues or a fitness network?

Developing relationships is like running a marathon; there are ups and downs. Ultimately, the goal is to maintain progress and make improvements as you go. So, how do you train or develop these relationships? Intentional practice. The same you would prepare to run a marathon. You would start with one mile and build over time. You would also develop an understanding of your role within your training. Where do you fit, and what do you hope to gain from your progress? The more intentional we are with our relationships, the more we can see improvement over time. We wish to share connection opportunities to prompt you with tools to practice developing your relationships intentionally.

Greater Impact

The ripple effect of our relationships. What does that look like? To most, that ripple effect is unclear and may never be known; however, the intention of developing a ripple effect creates precisely that. Have you ever interacted positively with someone unexpectedly and made you feel good? We have an initial rush of serotonin, which puts a skip in your step for the day. Then, we find ourselves a little bit lighter and cheerier as we go about our day. This is our more significant impact. The who pay it forward concept is that ripple effect. The same applies to anger or negative emotion; it, too, affects those we interact with. Creating an awareness of that impact is crucial to igniting behavior change. Awareness brings focus and, thus, behavior change.

Take that next step; you never know what you might find for yourself. Check out our website for additional resources or tools to connect with yourself or those you love.