Humans are social beings. Dating back to tribes, humans have always found comfort in numbers, and we’re naturally drawn to people who look like us, act like us, or who have similar interests.
In our formative years, we group in cliques to help navigate the difficulties of puberty. We join clubs and organized sports to foster a sense of inclusion as we evolve into adults. In college, some of us choose to join sororities or fraternities to join an instant home away from home. Once we reach adulthood, some of us might be part of a church or spiritual community that brings us comfort and happiness. At the very least, we usually feel a sense of security being on a first-name basis with the neighbors on our block.
Being a part of a community gives us an intuitive sense of safety. Not just as a way to protect ourselves from potential danger with numbers, but also because those interpersonal connections act as a buffer from loneliness, which can cause incredible stress and can even result in health problems.
When you’re part of a community, you play a particular role allowing you to feel needed. All of us, intuitively, want to have a purpose and share it with the world, because only then, do we think that our life is of value.
If nothing else, communities are helpful to join or create because they provide support as we move through the daily stress, struggles, and chaos of modern life.
Create Your Own Community
If you’ve been feeling particularly lonely or isolated, perhaps it’s time to do something about it. Although it can seem difficult to meet new friends in adulthood, it’s certainly not impossible. Thanks to the Internet there are loads of ways to connect with people both on and offline. As you join a new community, go in with clear intentions about what your goal is, how often you want to engage with your new community, as well as what you have to offer versus what you want to receive. This way, you’ll be able to evaluate straight off the bat whether this new community of folks is right for you.
Here are just a few ways to meet new people:
Meetup.com allows you to partake in activities like hikes, classes, concerts, or meet-ups that bring together people with common interests. And it’s free!
Start volunteering. Check out VolunteerMatch.org to see what opportunities are in your area. You’re bound to find some friendly faces somewhere where people are working together to give back to the community.
Bring your friends and acquaintances together by hosting a potluck dinner party. Tell your friends to invite their friends, and your network will grow before your eyes!
Hop onto your Facebook page, and use the search bar to look up some of your interests. Food, politics, or any subculture you’re passionate about (Star Wars, anime, Real Housewives of New Jersey) is a good start. Tons of private pages can act as a digital sanctuary for you, and you might even meet a few people in person, too!
Download an app! You might know of Bumble as a dating service, but it also has a “Bumble BFF” feature, which allows you to use the same algorithm to sort through potential friends.
Which one will you try?
Sources:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/harper-spero/the-importance-of-community_b_6978186.html
http://www.innerbonding.com/show-article/2926/the-vital-importance-of-community.html
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/emotional-fitness/201805/having-purpose-is-paramount-beating-depression