Wow! Wow! Wow! We are here folks! You made it to day 21 and I could not be more proud of you! Let’s waste no time focusing in our last day which is on building or being part of a community.
We were never meant to do life alone. But in this digital age where ‘connections’ are made across the screens of our devices 24 hours a day, people are now increasingly disconnected from each other, more than ever befor. Neighbors, coworkers, those in the community, and even friends and family now all feel very distant – we forget them and now connect with people we have never met and may never meet – through the digital space.
Platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and other social media platforms have built these connections over the digital space, making it almost impossible to even share a meal with those supposedly closest to us – it does not feel like fun anymore. What is the way forward? What are the benefits of maintaining a close relationships with our immediate community? How can we connect with our community? Are there values the community can add that would normally evade us in the digital space? As humans, we need to feel connected to feel fulfilled spiritually and relationships come with so many other benefits.
Connecting with your community helps to bring people of like minds together and positive relationships are formed. By setting aside just a few hours of your time in a week, you could establish friendships and bonds that could last a lifetime. Building relationships with members of your community allows people to learn new skills or try their hands out on new activities. When an accountant forms a good bond with a good cook, new cooking skills are learnt in the process.
There is nothing more satisfying especially in the community than realizing how much of an impact you have made in the life of someone. When ideas are exchanged and skills are learnt, both parties go home filling fulfilled, satisfied and of course, enriched.
So how can you connect with your community?
Tip 1 – Adjust your Work Routine
Most times, people feel isolated from their communities after spending eight hours a day sitting down in a confined environment, just to drive home and sit in front of their friend, their favorite anesthetic – watching the TV. While this routine is not terrible in itself, it does not promote a flexible lifestyle or much community involvement. Could you reduce your work hours? If not, could you spend some time out after work or on weekends to connect with people? If you have children, you could even do your best to host play dates with your kids and other kids in the neighborhood, so they too can build relationships with others.
Tip 2 – Engage in Outdoor Exercise
Engaging in outdoor exercise is a great way to create upbuilding connections with your community and spend time with friends. Instead of engaging in indoor exercise at home, you could join a gym and if you cannot afford a gym membership, you could do more walking for errands nearby.
Tip 3 – Organize Small Events, Attend Meetings or Join a Church
If it’s possible, you could host a BBQ with friends, join a simple book club, have an afternoon coffee get-together, attend potluck or a block party. If meetings are called for from your local city council or the school board of your kids, you will gain a sense of community and connectedness by attending or supporting them in any way. Or you could join a church and volunteer, or join a small group.
It is always interesting to do things in groups, as we were never meant to live life alone. It might take a little while to find the right group but when you do it will be worth it. Building relationships holds us accountable not only to ourselves, but to others around us and these relationships provide needed support, especially when we feel like we are at a breaking point. You could also join a Facebook group (even ours), find a church to attend or meet up with groups involved in activities such as meditation, hiking, and dieting. Build positive relationships with people that you know, as those closest to you are those who are better positioned to assist you in your life.
Your last day gives you an assignment to find your tribe, and I hope you do.
I sincerely hope that following the steps in this program for at least 21 days has enriched your life beyond what you thought it would.
