New Paths to Community: Finding Your Way
So, you are looking for community, but you are not sure where to find it. From reading earlier posts, you know that the search is a journey and that you want the path to take you to groups with a shared interest, shared values, or shared goal. You will be making a commitment and an investment so it should reflect and encompass a purpose that is important to you and where you willingly take on an obligation to participate.
You might be part of a community that offers the option of greater engagement which provides a path for you. Or you might want to find a new affiliation. There is a group — or more than one — for you! It is a big world out there with lots of possibilities. If you are looking for something new and different, the challenge becomes on of narrowing down the options.
If you are looking for a new direction, take this fork in the road to think expansively about options and be open to ideas from all directions.
This path begins with questions to identify areas of interest where you might want new or more community. Here are the kinds of question to consider to help you focus your ideas:
Whatever your age, is there a subject that you studied in school that you might want to pursue?
- Is there an era of history that intrigues you and that you want to better understand? Join a Greek history seminar or a Civil War discussion group
- Do you like a kind of literature? Find a Book Club
- Do you like science or animals? Get involved with the National Geographic Society or a local aquarium
- If you like academics or learning, what topic is of most interest to you? Learn a language, pursue an art, join a study group
Think about your “heroes” and find a group shares their interests and goals?
- Ruth Bader Ginsburg
- Tom Brady -
- Bill Gates
- A family member
- My hero is _____________
What do you like to do in your spare time and is there a community to do it with?
- Sport — join a team, league, or spectator group
- Help children — volunteer in a school, join a school board, identify a charity
- Movies — join a movie club
- Music — find a concertgoing group, chorus, orchestra, or band
- Something else…
Do you support a specific cause or have a personal mission? Volunteering is a powerful way to connect and become part of a community.
- Are you interested in a group for alleviating poverty?
- Do you work to provide education or improve education?
- What is your “cause”?
Look at your answers to the questions and any other potential pursuits to find an area of interest that you want to develop. If you are looking for a group specifically for finding connection and interaction rather than the group purpose, consider singing/music or a gym class because music and movement are great bonding mechanisms that releases endorphins according to research by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy and others.
The next step is to confirm that there is a group to join or decide that you want to start one.
To find a group, begin with asking your friends if they know of or are in a group that would be of interest. Then expand your efforts — perhaps even using your network to identify an entity. A local university or community center, NGOs, fitness centers, MeetUp, and even stores might host the type of community you seek. Virtually, there might be an existing online entity, a Facebook group, or a Twitter feed on the topic. An online presence might not be a community that cultivates connection and participation, but it might be a good place to start. Similarly, you can do a Google search on a topic and add “near me” to see if anything comes up. If you find a few people or a small group with the shared interest, you can form the “community” yourself. Once you have identified a potential entity or decided that you might start one, you are ready for action.
Asking yourself questions and being honest with your answers will keep you on the path to connection through community.
Millions of years of evolution have designed us to live and think as community members. Within a mere two centuries we have become alienated individuals. Nothing testifies better to the awesome power of culture.
Yuval Noah Harari, Sapiens
This is the 7th post in a series about finding and building community to address the challenges of living in a hyper-connected world with virtually instantaneous communication with anyone anywhere, yet often feeling lonely or isolated. Future posts will look at assessing your options and the steps to growing a strong community.
