An inspirational guide to the 6 core components of healthy communities, for anyone looking to build community as a source of connection and a vehicle for social changeWe're living in a crisis of connection. Many of us feel lonely, isolated, and like we don't belong. We feel like something is missing in our communities--or that we aren't part of a community at all. How do we turn this around?After spending two years with different communities across the US, psychologist Lisa Kentgen identified 6 key traits of vibrant, healthy communities that we can all apply to our own lives and networks:
- Commitment to care
- Authenticity
- Acceptance
- Diversity
- Skillful conflict resolution
- Bonding rituals
Each chapter focuses on one of these traits, using a particular community as a case study of how it can be put into practice. Readers will learn about a wide range of successful community models, including a tiny home village supporting a chronically houseless population in Austin, Texas; a study circle to build connection between Native and non-Native people in a small town in South Dakota; a community choir in Columbus, Ohio; and a radically inclusive Buddhist center in Oakland, California.Throughout the book, readers are asked to reflect: How can I cultivate these traits of vibrant community in my own life? What would it look like to prioritize caring and acceptance in my interactions with others? How can we create a climate of true inclusivity, one where our differences both challenge and strengthen us? How can we learn to feel more comfortable with tension and acquire the skills to move through conflict toward creative solutions? What would happen if we incorporated meaningful rituals into our communities and made a point of celebrating each other? With intention and practice, we can transform our social relationships and build communities that appreciate difference, encourage authentic expression, and foster an environment of belonging and mutual care. This book will inspire you to make the transformative leap from "me" to "we," creating communal, loving spaces in which to connect--and thrive--together.
