“Community made…”

 

Shared by Breanne Smedley

The other day, I wrote about how making and maintaining friendships as an adult is hard.

Turns out, there are others who feel the same way.

Struggling to find the time and energy it takes to form new friendships.

Watching other friendships in their lives change as time and distance increase.

Later that day, I was challenged within StoryAthlete GRIT to write to the prompt,

“My associations matter.”

Specifically, the principle that “You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”

I tried to take it literally and list these people out.

Brett.
Charlee.
Kristina.
My mom.

Who’s the fifth?

I felt like any number of my family members, friends, or colleagues could fill that role.

Do I rank it by the amount of time spent, or depth of relationship?

I see my colleagues every day.

But, I have some friendships that are deeper, even though I don’t see these people on the daily.

Also, does it have to be someone I see in person?

I went into a spiral of overthinking.

Until I zoomed out.

Part of what I was challenged to think about was this:

Are those that you surround yourself with bringing you closer to your goals, or further away?

Are you surrounding yourself with people that you desire to become like?

My associations, then, are more than just five people.

My associations are my communities.

The communities that I’ve chosen to be a part of that challenge me.

Hold me accountable.

Give me a Pace Car to follow.

People that count on me.

I’m community-made.

It’s who I’m becoming within the community of StoryAthlete GRIT.

Surrounded by people who are defeating their Lesser Selves daily.

Inspiring me to do the same.

It’s the community that Kristina and I are creating within Mindfluent® Leadership.

A community of women who desire to walk alongside each other as we develop deep, lasting confidence.

We can’t do it alone.

Being “self-made” is a myth.

Remove a burning coal from a fire, and eventually, it will fizzle out.

We need community.

Community that pushes, challenges, and is full of people walking a similar path.

So, while I might not have my exact “five people” nailed down.

I know I’ve got one thing figured out.

Community.

It’s what makes me.

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#IntegrallyRelational

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