A Sense of Belonging
On my way back from a social event at the urban garden project where I volunteer, I was recently reflecting on my personal sense of community. As someone who has moved from country to country on a regular basis throughout life, forming new relationships and seeking out new communities have always been a constant. And in the context of my gardening community, this particular thought came to mind:
Just as it takes time for plants to grow roots strong enough to prevent them from tumbling in the wind and deep enough to secure water and nutrients from the soil, taking root as a person doesn’t happen overnight.
When being cut off from our roots, we feel vulnerable and sometimes even lost and alone. Personally, I have felt this at times when I have been away from friends and family too long. Or when I have felt caught up in circumstances going against my personal values.
Human beings are social creatures. We are born with an inherent need to belong and be part of a social unit.
To feel safe, resourceful and whole, we need to be accepted for who we are, and our sense of belonging is important to our sense of purpose. Our happiness and mental or physical health, depend on it.
Research shows that stress-related illnesses and poor physical health are often associated with a loss of belonging. According to studies from Harvard Medical School, people who feel lonely, depressed or isolated are more likely to get sick and die prematurely than those who feel a presence of love, connection and community in their lives. Studies also show how the ability to build close relationships and friendships are among the best ways to stimulate our personal sense of balance. Because when we make positive contributions to other people's lives, this makes us happy, tied to neurochemicals signals of reward sent from our brains and into our body.
Until recently, most people have felt a natural belonging to the family and neighborhood they grew up in, the political conviction of their social class, and the culture they were born into. But modern society has brought along changes causing disruption of our traditional sense of community, and what used to bring us together is no longer the same.
In today’s world, powered by technology, we are offered multiple social arenas causing the things we identify with to become less distinct. In some cases, this leads to new affiliations and social groupings governed by a shared world and value perspective.
However, on the other hand, the consequence of technological development is that many of us are increasingly beginning to lead virtual lives. The lack of contact and physical interaction with other people can lead to a feeling of social disconnect. During the pandemic, most of us felt quite isolated (despite being digitally connected), and many of us are still dealing with the psychological consequences of the past 18 months.
As we are re-entering in-person events and social activities, I’m beginning to notice how many of us have changed our social patterns and perhaps even redefined our sense of belonging. So I ask myself, “Is this is a temporary shift to reactivate old patterns? Or did we fundamentally change towards an entirely different approach to life and the company of others?”
When feeling disconnected from my personal sense of purpose, one of the fastest ways for me to reconnect is by offering my service to others. Either by proactively reaching out to offer my help to someone I know, or by volunteering my help in a more systematized way like my commitment to the urban farm.
Being involved is not only helping others, but also allowing myself to improve. It opens my spiritual awareness to experience how alike I am with other people outside my immediate circles. And by reaching out to other people, it redirects my attention and helps prevent the negative thought spiral that can otherwise occupy my mind and manifest as distress in my body.
According to The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, studies have shown that even one act of kindness a day can have a significant impact. If you were to pick and perform one random act of kindness today, I wonder what it would be?
So, as we continue to explore the impact of community and how a sense of belonging can impact our day-to-day lives, I’m excited to announce that From Balance is kicking off a six-week Discovery journey, called Discovery Sessions, from November 2nd - November 30th.
Discovery Sessions is a program where we can all connect as a community to transform our mindsets and support one another through a step-by-step process towards clarity and balance creation.
To learn more, click the button below.
Love,
Sille