“
The key to the happy life, it seems, is the good life: a life with sustained relationships, challenging work, and connections to community.
Paul Bloom
Connection, human interaction, and belonging is important to us as individuals. Social scientists, biologists, and many bloggers research and write about belonging, community, and social structure because it is crucial for social well-being and a strong civil society. Yet very few help us find or create the mutually supportive structures that make life fulfilling and enjoyable.
We need strong bonds and robust communities to satisfy the demand for belonging and connection. Impactrics wants to help you find thoughtful engagement with others to develop your connections, to make you happier and more fulfilled.
If you are over-committed or under-committed, in a career transition or looking for something more, have a new interest or want to help others, are on your own or are about to retire, or otherwise interested in doing things with other people in a mutually supportive environment, keep reading!
The Path to Community
While each person is already a part of many communities, the true sense of belonging that you seek means being part of an entity that reflects you and what you want to be.
First you need to consider your interests and then find a community or communities that can be supportive and productive in helping you succeed.
What kind of community is important to you?
Community is based on sharing a pursuit or purpose and mutual support.
Consider the type of community that is most important to you for achieving your personal goals.
Interests
What’s your passion? Whether seeking information, pursuing a hobby, or cultivating an interest such as playing music, improving at a sport, collecting stamps, or lifelong learning, shared interest is a strong foundation for community.
Values
Shared values and perpetuating those values or conveying them to the next generation can be the purpose of a community. Shared values based on education, religion, upbringing, or culture foster a strong sense of belonging.
Goals
If you have a personal goal, finding others who share it can help you succeed by providing teammates and encouragement. Your goal could be anything from improving your language skills to being on a team trying to win a sports competition.
Cause (Mission)
Mission-driven communities provide the structure for collaboration to solve a problem or support a cause such as beautifying a neighborhood, supporting an arts organization, or addressing a global health issue that requires teamwork.