Change is possible in community

Feeling StuckConnectedCommunityIsolation

25 Sept

Every week, I am invited into other people’s stories. I suspect this will always feel like the most privileged kind of work imaginable. As I lean in and listen, I am constantly in awe of our human capacity to endure and to do hard things.

I will never tire of holding space for the courageous individuals who share with me, not their highlight reels, but their most challenging and vulnerable experiences.

From countless conversations, two universal truths have emerged:

⚡Transformation is always possible.

Even when we feel like we’ve reached the end and are tempted to believe the lies that we are irredeemable or our circumstances are unresolvable, change is always within reach. There is always a way to move forward, to take a small step, or to begin again.

⚡Connection is key.

Not a single person I have spoken with took steps towards transformation alone. Every one of them made changes in community—with a friend, a counsellor, a support group, a mentor, or a neighbour. Connection was the catalyst for their transformation. We are always stronger together.

I love the theme for Mental Health Awareness Week this year in Aotearoa: ‘Community is… what we create together.’

Reflecting on my own challenging seasons, I can see that the steps I took to find my way again were made possible by the trusted individuals who walked with me. The times I chose to go it alone were long and, unsurprisingly, lonely. It was in community that I was held, that I could share my story, and that I ultimately found my way.

Community looks different for each of us. For some, it’s a few trusted friends, for others, it’s a broader network. But it always serves the same purpose: to provide support and to remind us that, while our experiences may differ, we have more in common than we might think.

If you’re in a tough season and are struggling to see a way forward, remember these two truths:

Change is always possible and change is made possible when we are connected to and supported by community.