If you feel rooted in your home and family, if you’re active in your community, there’s nothing more empowering.~Julia Louis-Dreyfus

What is rootedness?

It is the social, environmental, and economic anchoring that sees us through tough times. That feeling of belonging…that deep understanding of security. It is what helps us move forward.

I have been feeling especially vulnerable these days with so much change happening in my life. Many people in communities all over the world feel just as fragile as I do. Honestly, it gets tiring.

It is why community is so important to our mental and physical health.

We all need that sense of purpose and place.

I am not sure even I understood how much not having it would affect me until  it was gone…. even if it was for only a few weeks.

This feeling of disconnection was not one I enjoyed.

Community is powerful. My online community has been my savior in the last few weeks.

Building Community Online

Cultivating a community online takes time and effort.  I mean a real community not a fan base or a group of followers. It requires the sharing of self . The creation  of content beyond the sales pitch. It requires   conversation and connection beyond 140 characters. What common values do you share? How can you support one another and hold each other accountable. You’ll be amazed at how fast your online community  will evolve  with just a little care and feeding.

The time to build a community  is before you need them.

I have a great group of online support to help me think through work issues, hold me accountable for my business growth and development. They make me smile, they inspire me and they even hold me up in prayer when requested.

They care about my well being and I love them all.

Building Community Offline

We are all Neighbors.  Many of us work hard  and face many challenges.In the face of these obstacles, community residents look for connections to vital resources that will  improve our odds of succeeding. Local schools, businesses,raising our children and caring for our elders.  Succeeding together. This exchange of energy and resources. We are able to do things together that institutions may not..and in many instances can not.

There is a huge difference between service and care.

Cultivating community takes time and effort. To work with others and create a vision of compassion, capacity and care takes a huge investment and constant work.

The time to build a community  is before you need them.

I have needed my community over the past few weeks- they have stepped up and supported me in ways that have changed me- and it has made all the difference.