Right now there are isolating lockdowns rippling around the world due to the Coronavirus. Because the new term social distancing is more accurately physical distancing it’s creating the feeling of being socially isolated. We overcome this by tapping into the power of community and enjoying its benefits.
But how do you have community if you’re isolated?
To tap into the power of community during these isolating times takes vulnerability. This may sound scary with a virus on the loose but we can do this without touching each other physically.
Speaking up and allowing ourselves to be seen is how we reach for community.
Speaking up and allowing ourselves to be seen is how we reach for community. Click To Tweet
WHAT IS COMMUNITY
It’s easy to think that a community is many people. It can be, but it doesn’t have to. It only takes two for a together to exist.
Community comes from the word common, which is a sharing, a together.
A community in operation can be many or just two, who make themselves vulnerable, share, connect, to attain a sense of fellowship. This is also referred to as social connection.
The connection is key.
Community is the social connection that provides many benefits.
Community is the social connection that provides many benefits. Click To Tweet
BENEFITS OF COMMUNITY
Health benefits
This benefit tops the list due to the reason for our isolation—the Coronavirus. Studies show that people with strong social connections recover quicker from being sick and have a greater life expectancy. The connection makes the immune system stronger to fight off disease. People who feel connected have lower rates of anxiety. This is so important at this time of isolation.
The opposite is also true. When there is a lack of connection loneliness brings a negative impact on our bodies and minds. Tapping into community is important for your health.
A sense of belonging
We live in a world where the individual is championed, independence is celebrated. And there is a place for that, but, not when you’re dealing with isolation. We were created to be interdependent. Being connected to others is one of our most basic human needs. But that takes courageous sharing to make the connection.
When you take the risk, make yourself vulnerable to share, and are accepted, you feel connected. You feel safe. Your sense of belonging begins to grow. When the connection continues, your sense of belonging deepens and you don’t feel alone even when you physically are.
Emotional support
Whether if it’s one on one or in a group, having someone to laugh with, to cry with, or to vent to, supports you emotionally. You will be inwardly aware that you are not alone and it makes you stronger. As they share your joy, your sorrow and listen to your frustration it increases the joy and lessens the pain. You may even engage in problem-solving of the frustration together because of their support.
Emotional support doesn’t have to be in person. We have the gift of technology and can connect on many different platforms. Even during an isolating lockdown we can get emotional support through social media, zoom calls, telephone calls, FaceTime and more. We could even resort to old fashion snail mail and send something fun or encouraging to someone.
Encouragement
Having a shared interest brings understanding. The people who understand the challenges you are facing will encourage you. They will build confidence in you and genuinely want you to succeed because they understand. I have found this in my writing communities.
I would like to encourage you to connect with your friends or make some new ones using technology. Find and join a group if you’re not in one. If you are in a group but haven’t participated in a while, jump back in. There are many new opportunities cropping up daily to explore or you can start a group of some sort yourself and encourage others.
Practical help
Through community we have access to each other’s varying skills. When you have a need, you can ask for help. Likewise, if you have what someone else needs, you can help them. The larger the group, the larger the pool of skills to partake from.
The help can be as simple as providing instructions on how to do something, telling someone where they can find the answer to a question, writing a review for a book you read, or connecting them to another connection. There is so much we can do to help each other.
Innovation
We NEED this at this time in history. In community there are differences of opinion and differing views. This causes opportunity. Bouncing the ideas off one another fosters creativity bringing new inventions, products and ways of doing things.
I saw this in action on an old television show Pure Genius. In it a billionaire genius runs a hospital where they take the harder cases, hire the best in medicine and technology. The staff brainstorms new innovative ways to save the patients’ lives. They do a variation of this on another show called New Amsterdam. Innovation does amazing things.
Motivation
When you have people you’re connected to, you’ll want to preserve that connection, make them happy, not let them down, etc. This positive peer pressure motivates you to do and be more than you would alone. When coupled with the encouragement mentioned above, the motivation increases.
Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy and creativity. Brené Brown – Daring Greatly
PRESERVING COMMUNITY
In community conflict is inevitable. Instead of shrinking back, which would harm the community, it needs to be dealt with.
We do this by valuing the connection above the disagreement, listening and seeking to resolve the issue.
When you resolve a conflict it deepens the connection. My daughter has a saying about making friends. You’re not really friends until you’ve had your first fight.
If we listen in the disagreement we may discover a perception gap. When we actively listen we can get to understanding. There are beneficial ways to respond, and harmful ways to respond. Listening makes all the difference. It can build a bridge of understanding and understanding is more important in a relationship than determining a winner of the argument.
Heart to heart connections, built through vulnerable sharing and accepting, are sources of life in our lives.
A deep sense of love and belonging is an irresistible need of all people. We are biologically, cognitively, physically, and spiritually wired to love, to be loved, and to belong. When those needs are not met, we don’t function as we were meant to. We break. We fall apart. We numb. We ache. We hurt others. We get sick. Brené Brown
WHAT NEXT
- How are you dealing with this isolation?
- What ideas did you find helpful?
- For an example of how listening built a bridge in my life Read here
- Looking for new interesting people to connect with? Go here.
- Do you know how much you’re loved? Get this.
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Hi. Danielle. Thank you for sharing this. It encouraged me
and gave me an idea of joining an online group. I guess I
didn’t think about that or maybe forgot they had online groups.
I do need to be connected and feel like I belong. So thank you again!
Kim
You’re welcome, Kim.
I’m happy to hear it helped you so much. Thank you for telling me!
Yes, we need connection. It’s so important, but even more important during all this isolation / shelter in place / social distancing.
Thank you again for sharing.