SUNSHINE AURA – self-esteem. self-love. self-actualization. 

I have never been one to follow the crowd, join groups, or do any extra-curricular activities. I’ve always made a point to do my own thing, move to the beat of my own drum. However, this year I made a simple goal for myself to get more involved. Little did I know, my soul was starved for community. Now that I am actively getting more involved, I’m realizing that maybe I’m not the only one who’s been missing out on this crucial part of the human experience.

Let me start this post by saying, I am not an anthropologist. I do not have a psychology or sociology degree. I am no authority on empirical data related to the human experience. I’m just a woman who is in her early 30’s, still figuring out life just like so many of us are.

At the very beginning of this year, I experienced a deep, tragic loss. After that, I noticed myself stuck in a melancholic laziness and an unfulfilling routine of work, eat, sleep, repeat. Several months into 2025, I recognized that despite my emotional healing being on the rise, I wasn’t using my inherent talents or functioning to the best of my ability in every other area of my life. I wasn’t feeling challenged. I was bored and, despite having incredible close friends and family, I felt like something was missing. Not a whirlwind romance or a trip or a specific person or thing. Something else was missing – something deeper.

I’m a big believer in journaling, and I took some time to work on a few prompts and do a deep dive into what the heck was going on. And then it hit me: I wasn’t living up to my full potential. I was bored with routine, mundane life, because I wasn’t adding anything extra or enriching to give me that zest, that pop of passion. I wasn’t contributing anything at all to the world around me. I was just existing.

Meaning, fulfillment, community – these were the things I was missing.

Once that realization hit, I thought about how best I could contribute and find some more meaning in my life. Sometimes when we experience loss or sadness, we find healing in helping others. I’ve always loved public speaking, meeting new people, and teaching others. I’ve been a part of a professional association for a few years now related to my day job, and I decided I would reach out and volunteer. So far, it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve made. My offer was accepted almost immediately, and I’ve now been teaching and sharing ideas with the group monthly, and we’re even starting to have in-person meet ups! Watching this community blossom and facilitating its growth has injected enthusiasm and pride into my heart, well beyond what I imagined possible.

One thing I never expected was how this one decision to get more involved in building a community has translated into other areas of my life. I started volunteering as an individual to work with high school kids searching for careers, I’ve begun planning events for my colleagues at work to get us out of our desks and into the world, and I’ve taken it upon myself to learn new things and share them with the groups I am a part of.

This one, simple choice to get out of my comfort zone and contribute the very best of myself has totally reinvigorated my drive and passion for life. I’ve met new people, learned that I am capable of so much more than I knew, and have gained fulfillment in giving more of myself to others than I take.

The old adage, “Build it, and they will come,” is so true. I think more people are searching for community than we realize, whether consciously or unconsciously, and I believe this desire to be a part of something bigger than ourselves will continue to grow. Cheesy as it sounds, it just feels good to be around other people with shared experiences and to exchange ideas and laugh together. We certainly do gain so much love and support from our personal relationships and families, but there is something to be said for being a part of a community outside of those immediate ties. It makes me feel like the world is a better, more welcoming place than the news would have us believe. It makes me hopeful for the future and believe that anything is possible. And it’s grown my confidence and belief in myself as an individual far more than I ever expected.

Community is important because it makes us feel like we’re not alone. It makes us feel respected and cherished for who we are as people. Community reminds us we are not alone in this world, and there are other people to lean on outside of our immediate connections.

I encourage you to go out there and find a community to be a part of. And if you don’t find what you’re looking for, then I challenge you to build that community yourself.

Get out of your comfort zone, and you’ll be amazed at how life will reward you!