This past week, I had the opportunity to hear a friend speak about the power of COMMUNITY.
My friend Jeff talked about the correlation between burnout and and our need for community. He talked about the fact that the best way to address common forms of burnout is by addressing areas of sleep, nutrition and exercise. He went on to share however that by addressing these things, you can't fully address the issues of burnout. A study conducted in 2017 found that the missing ingredient was relationships. Jeff went on to say, "Not just any kind of relationships, but engagement in meaningful work with those in meaningful relationships with others. They described this as being in Community."
While I'm not dealing with burnout today, in my past I see how a caring community has the power to provide a structure of support and encouragement for people walking through a difficult time. We see this so evidently when people deal with grief and loss. When people gather around them and walk with them through this time, they are encouraged and don't feel so alone.
This conversation caused me to think about my community. If I was dealing with burnout or some of the symptoms that accompany that, are there people close enough that would notice? Are there people I would share this issue with? Am I putting myself in a place where I'm not just relying on myself and my own abilities?
One of the things I've discovered is that much of my "community" comes from relationships that are not where I'm currently living. I have to drive either 30 or 60 minutes to see these friends, or I have to fly hours on a plane, in some cases around the world.
I need Community here, where I live, where I walk, where I spend a chunk of my time. I need people that are close, that would notice my state of being and who are willing to ask the difficult questions, and then be willing to walk with me as I get myself back into alignment. I need to work on this.
What about you? Where is your Community?
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