We all need a little help, support, and encouragement in life, and this is why it is essential to have a fantastic community around you. A great community can improve your health and well-being and make life more enjoyable for everyone involved. In this blog post, we will talk about the benefits of having a fantastic community around you.

Being part of a community in our personal and professional life

Being part of a community is an essential aspect of our lives. It makes us feel human and valued as a person. Communities exist in our immediate area of residence and in professional organizations that we work with, in leisure groups, and even online. There's that saying, "No man is an island," and true enough, we can only do so much by ourselves. No matter how good you think you are in terms of skills and knowledge, there will come a time when you will need help, and your talents alone might not be enough. Surrounding yourself with good and trusted people makes for a solid support system. There are many benefits to having a fantastic community around you, and we will detail those below.

1. A sense of belongingness

Human beings are social creatures, and we need to belong to a group for cooperation and survival. Communities provide this necessary need in families, friends, neighbors, and groups that we belong to in the workplace or our leisure areas. In addition, being part of a community makes us feel better about ourselves because we think that we have value in other people's lives. We think that we are part of something greater, and it makes us want to do more volunteer work for the benefit of everyone.

2. Better mental and physical health

Solitary confinement or isolation can be torture for people as studies have shown that physically isolated people who don't interact with others show various physical and mental health effects. These effects include stress, anxiety, depression, hallucinations, paranoia, suicide, headaches, sleeping problems, appetite loss, heart disease, etc. Being part of a community helps eliminate feelings of isolation as we have people around us with who we can have social interactions and do fulfilling activities. For example, older adults living in retirement communities benefit significantly from the support network they get from people who work in such communities, thus leading to better overall health.

3. More opportunities

Having a good community gives you the chance to have more options in life. The people around you can help you learn new skills for your personal development. Not only do you gain social skills by interacting with people around you, but they might be able to teach you essential skills that will open up more possibilities that you might not find alone. An excellent example of a situation where a community can help you are trying to find work. Your community of friends and peers can help refer you to companies and organizations where they know somebody, and they might help you get into the company they are working with as an employee. If you have your own business, your community might become your first, loyal customers and serve as the foundation of your business's growth.

4. Empowerment

You may engage in community service when you belong to a community, which involves doing volunteer work. When the people around you are doing something that helps bring positive change, you feel empowered and want to make a difference. Being a volunteer helps us feel good about ourselves and gives us purpose in what we want to do in life. It's also good for our health, and we become more open to new ideas and motivation to do our best, so we feel more fulfilled. Engaging in positive attitudes and practices will also be more welcome to you.

5. Emotional support

Having a solid community around you provides not only physical support but also emotional support. Belonging to a community helps stave off loneliness. We become less prone to depression if we have somebody to connect with and share our feelings during times of distress. The value of communities is even more critical nowadays, where many people get isolated due to the pandemic. Fortunately, today's digital age allows people to maintain social contact through the presence of technologies like smartphones, computers, the Internet, and various messaging and communication apps.

6. Safety and security

Knowing that there are people you can truly trust in the community you have around you, you would feel more safe and secure in your day-to-day routine. There will be no fear of backstabbing, and fake relationships are absent. Every person will still have their faults, but if, in general, you know they are there to support you and care for your well-being, you will have peace of mind. This feeling of safety rings more true in a neighborhood where people care for each other's sake and have a strong sense of unity.

Be part of a community.

Having a fantastic community around you is a blessing. However, some people walk alone in their life journey and, due to circumstances, can't find themselves belonging to any form of community. Even if they reach out, some people will shun them. It's easy to say to reach out to others, but some will find it challenging, especially if they suffer mentally. Our world should focus on being more inclusive instead of separating and putting people into classifications due to our judgments.

If you find yourself not belonging to any form of community, try your best to find one, no matter how hard it may seem. There's someone out there who shares the same experience as you and can understand your plight and reach out a helping hand. Even an online community can work. Being part of a community helps people gain new friends and raises awareness of other things we might not know if we aren't interacting with others. If you already have a community around you, do your best to strengthen existing relationships and keep these trustworthy people close to you. The strength of each individual can help pull up everyone together during the most challenging times.