The Importance of Community

It’s been a minute since my last newsletter installment. Thanks for your patience. 

Lately, I’ve been thinking about community. 

Growing up, we first find belonging in our family, with neighbors. Then we’re off to make new friends at school. After graduating, our coworkers offer yet another source of friendship. For me, my religious upbringing had its own enclave, as well as extracurriculars like sports and music. 

The culmination of all these different groups makes up a large part of what we call “community.”

Today loneliness and isolation are creeping in like a silent virus, destroying our sense of self. Here are a few sobering realities:

-Loneliness is likely to increase your risk of death by 26%

-Loneliness, living alone and poor social connections are as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day

-Loneliness and social isolation put individuals at greater risk of cognitive decline and dementia

-Half a million older people go at least five or six days a week without seeing or speaking to anyone at all

When was the last time you felt lonely? 

We all feel it sometimes. Like no one understands or cares. It’s easy to feel this way now due to strained relationships with family, avoiding neighbors, going to school online, and remote work. Moreover, we’re less apt to have time for extracurricular activities as an adult. 

The virtual world has exaggerated that isolation. Pretty soon, it feels like all you are is a worker or consumer.

The reality of this pervasive loneliness is why I value true friends like my buddy, Mike Kim. Mike and I regularly check in with one another, travel together, and text each other stupid things. 

He challenges and encourages me and listens to my problems…and vice-versa. I was grateful to talk to him last year in Nashville with a microphone in the room. He turned that conversation into a podcast. You can listen to that on his site or on Spotify now. 

Lastly, I encourage you to reach out to someone right now. Email, text, or…better yet…call a friend or family member. Give them a buzz and ask them how they’re doing with no agenda attached. 

The next time you think of someone, call them up. The virtual world isn’t enough. Talk to someone on the phone, meet them in person, and give them a hug. 

We need each other more than ever before. 

Best,

Nate