Do you commune with people that “get it”…?

Whatever “it” is to you, do you regularly spend time with people that get “it”?  Do you connect with people that just understand what you mean without having to go through and explain yourself and your position?

I was once engaged in an online discussion about how being around people who are unlike you and of differing mindsets than yourself is an opportunity to expand your thoughts and logic by engaging in exchanges with people that challenged your thoughts and forced you to think in ways you probably wouldn’t if you were constantly surrounded by people who were in agreement with you.

No disagreement.  It’s a worthwhile thing.

But I think what is lost in that concept is the need that we, as humans, have to feel accepted and understood.  I have no problem being challenged.  At the same time, the feeling I get when I am amongst others who understand, accept, support and even pursue the things that are special (or sometimes, even sacred) to me is a feeling that simply doesn’t compare.  Instead of being challenging, mind-expanding and exciting, connecting with people that simply “get it” is a more restful, restorative and inspiring feeling.  It is a feeling that feeds the soul.  As a culture, Americans are not particularly good with feeding the soul and restoring the person.  We value challenging and learning more than resting and restoring.

At the same time, we live under a constant level of stress that many of us no longer even recognize as stress: it’s the norm.  But our bodies feel it and make the chemicals that go with stress–which are causing weight gain and other internal damage to our body.  We accept and engage in a speed of life that is not particularly conducive to connecting with other people in a sustained and meaningful way.  Our lives have become a series of snippets.  This applies to our relationships, how we take in information, how we eat… it applies to everything.  When is the last time you took a bath instead of a shower?  How often do you “not have enough time”?

Think about the ideas you hold sacred.  The beliefs and dreams you have in your heart.  Things that other people don’t quite understand your interest or passion for.  Now, I want you to find your tribe.  Use meetup.com to find gatherings of people with those interests by simply plugging in your zip code and various keywords to describe those interests.  Google to find national organizations with local chapters that meet on occasion.  No matter what your heart holds dear, there are others out there just like you who “get it” without you having to make the case for why you feel the way you do.  Take the time to connect and commune with them–as a means of self-care.

As always, I’m here if you need help finding your way.  If you’re having trouble finding a group, don’t hesitate to contact me.  I’m really happy to help you with this however I can.  I’m pretty good with internet research.  And as always, if what you hold sacred is changing the way you live to support better health and more joy, I can help with that, too.