What does community mean to you?
Is it your neighbour you’re friends with, work colleagues, attendees at your weekly running session or your LGBTQ+ community?
Community can mean different things to everyone, and after recent events some communities and knowing your role with these groups has been lost.
Community is defined as a group of individuals living in the same place or sharing common interests and attitudes. A social unit with common norms, values or identify.
For me, it is my fitness buddies and new mums. They are my tribe.
They are who I enjoy attending activities with, but I can also share the hard times.
It is known community and the support a community group offers plays a big role in everyone’s mental wellbeing, for all ages. Everyone needs a community.
You need people who you can relate to and have some contact with (not only over facetime and zoom). They are individual’s you have something in common with and they have your back at times of need.
Having a strong community around you will provide you with many health benefits and is prescribed as a method to build someone’s mental strength.
Let’s take a moment to appreciate your community. Can you identify who they are and how much they mean to you?
For some over the pandemic, these support systems have been impacted a lot and possibly lost.
Maybe it is time to pull together and consider others around you who don’t fit into the mould. Do you have someone at work who seems quite distant. Is there a friend who you haven’t spoken to in a long time who would benefit from some time with you? Can you extend your kindness and try support those around you who aren’t your first thought when you consider who you spend your time with?
We need to rebuild our communities.
As the world is accepting COVID is something we have to live with and the restrictions are being eliminated in March, some may feel overwhelmed and need extra time to adapt or require support from others to help them get back into society.
Have patience and be kind to all. Look outside of your bubble...
What does community mean to you? Here are some words which help define community.
Communication - They are individuals you go to for support or for a distraction
Openness and honesty – You can be true to yourself as you share the same values
Meaningful conversation and advice from individuals you respect
Memories - You make memories with them, doing the things you enjoy
Unity - You work as a team and look out for one another
Natural - They accept you being you in all forms. That is what brings you together
Instant connection - You have things in common and share the same space
Trust - You make time for your community and trust how they approach things
You - You can be true to yourself with this group and find your individuality and role
At Ad-Lib training, we try to encourage positive change within different communities and with our focus being health and well-being, we look at lifestyle changes and positive steps to engage communities and togetherness. Could your community benefit from this? If so, we would love to hear from you. Let’s work together to get communities taking care of themselves and each other. #communityhealth
