We were created to not be alone, but with others. John Donne coins this need No Man is an Island. If such is true then how do with engage in community? How do we find the time. In the midst of diapers, careers, family, it's essential that we find time to engage in community. These are some tips on how to accomplish such.
1. Talk to your neighbors. Let's be honest it's easier to quickly open your garage door and zoom in and close it behind you. It's easier to check your mail later on when you are less likely to have that run in and stare off with your neighbors. But communities are built around neighborhoods. It's a far stretch from the Wonder Years, but it's important to talk to you neighbors and invest time with them. If you can sacrifice 5 minutes of your time to be that light in your neighborhood, you'll find that you'll feel more connected and less alone. Who knows, then on those days when you DO need someone to talk to, they might just be the one to listen.
2. Disconnect with plastic communities. There is nothing worse than artificial ingredients and cheap imitations. Expectations are high and realities are low. Plastic communities are virtual social media based communities that exist only virtually. One might have 1,000 friends on social media, but ZERO present when they need to move. I always say, if you want to know who your true friends are, wait until you have to move, who would you call? These true relationships are embedded in community. If you spend less time on social media and more time being social, you will have invested in a more plausible sustainable source. real community.
3. Be kind. If you want to discover community, it starts with being kind, and being kind starts with asking yourself, "Why am I NOT kind?" at times. Take a serious inward journey to ask yourselves why unkindness lingers and you can start to unlock the secret to kindness. Listen, we all need kindness, it doesn't matter if you are the busiest person in the world, kindness can not only help one discover community, but it breaks barriers. My mother used to always say, "If you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all."
4. Take a step of Faith. Spirituality is huge! It gives us hope! In all those headlines of articles that no one actually reads, is a subplot of disparity. The sky seems to be falling! Where does hope come from? It can can from spiritual communities. Spiritual vs. religious let's make the distinction. Spiritual communities cut to the chase and is about connection to a source. Religious is well: religion. If you haven't been able to find community, can you start with spirituality first?
5. Stop being so picky. We all have preferences and choices. With a plethora of options everywhere we look: venti, small, 2-days shipping..etc it's easy to be picky with community to. Community can happen anywhere, sometimes it's right in front of you and you don't even realize it. So if you are looking for community, what's that community that is most accessible? Sure we would like rub elbows with the rich and famous, and some of us might? BUT more so which communities lie right under are noses that be apart of continually and today?
Let's challenge ourselves to be people of community. Because when we spend time with one another, eat together, share our stories we realize that we're more alike than we are different!
Have any more tips? Please feel free to add them in the comments below.