commUNITY
Unity; noun. being together or at one with someone or something, the opposite of being divided. This is a word for togetherness. Oneness.
A sense of physical belonging or closeness with others has more power on our physical and mental health than one realizes. Too often we have a false sense of togetherness joining online groups, chats, or social media. I feel that this has taken a toll on our overall health, as well as the ability to connect and communicate. During our recent worldly shutdown, the separation of humans exacerbated the issue of false connection.
I believe in the romance of humans being innately good. Some of us get lost or misguided in the promise of something greater or greed of sorts takes control. The idea of a “me first” attitude tends to prevail. Don’t get me wrong, there is a time and place for personal boundaries and prioritizing oneself, but what we need is to make a united effort to claw our way back to community. When thinking about where communities began to fade, it leads me to the rise of conveniences. With conveniences we stopped needing to lean on eachother or trade expertise with one another. We can each now do it all, at a cost. Watching a popular series this week there was a quote stating “conveniences supposedly give you time for other things. You work more to pay for these things. You are now working for these conveniences.” That’s not to say I don’t enjoy not having to hand wash my clothes, but my thought is that maybe we should be choosy about our conveniences.
This all might beg the question- how does this affect our physical and mental health? We tend to lack a sense of purpose when we don’t have connection or feelings of being wanted and needed. Without a strong sense of these feelings our bodies function differently. For our overall wellbeing and happiness we need the release of dopamine and serotonin. When we aren’t stimulating this release from connection, relationships, and selfcare we withdraw and look elsewhere. Unfortunately for us, society has created many dangerous ways to get those hits for a temporary false sense of pleasure or belonging. Things like alcohol, nicotine, pornography, and endless scrolling are detrimental to our overall health. Please know that this is not to cast judgment. As it is around us at all times and appears much easier than going out and creating relationships, this false sense of belonging and loneliness end in further withdrawal and lack of motivation to step out.
True positive personal connection is crucial for health and wellness. With the give and take that is required in a relationship the results can be trust, empathy, higher self-esteem, and lower rates of anxiety and depression. The development of character through connection results in a healthier mind and therefore body. Studies show an emotionally balanced person is more likely to make lifestyle choices that support wellness and in turn their physical health benefits. In some instances, joy within a person has been shown to create a healthier physical body without any other changes.
Creating or joining a community can be intimidating. You will always have some declines; not taking it personally is the toughest challenge. Look for activities around things you enjoy. Great places to start are outdoor markets or festivals. Although health and wellness are some of my passions, I have found that my greatest true love is good food. Growing it, creating it and feeding people. When we moved to a new state, I knew that if I found good food- I could find my community. I encourage you to go out on a limb and create some connections. Start at your local farmers market and even further, chat it up with vendors that catch your interest. I personally love talking to our customers almost as much as I love growing for them.
