What does it mean to belong? 

Would you tell me about your family, or your job, or your softball team? Would you describe your relationships with your friends, your colleagues, or your God?

Would it ever occur to you that before you can belong to something external, that you need to have the courage to belong to something internal, like yourself? That your value and worth are not something to be negotiated with another person but are defined by you. That in order to truly belong to yourself, sometimes in life, your values, morals, and beliefs, will cause you to stand apart from society.

According to an article written for Making Work Absolutely Human (Hancock - 3/28/2019), belonging means a place where you fit in, and a feeling of attraction for a particular place. "Belonging is the space where you can be yourself, thrive, and feel good."

But why is belonging important? According to Hancock, being part of something gives us:

 - A connection to how we are designed as humans.

 - The ability to become our best selves.

 - Protection for our well-being.    

There are many reasons to belong to groups and organizations that we believe make us better. But we need to continually evaluate those alliances and relationships to ensure they are congruent with what we value so we aren't blindly following an association because we always have.  

Check out the video below from social scientist, Brene Brown about what it means to have an intimate sense of belonging to yourself.

Also, please leave me a comment about your thoughts on what it means to belong.

   

​Please check out my latest YouTube recording from the Miles To Million Podcast with Karan Marwah. You can watch the podcast by clicking on the PODCAST & SPEAKING VIDEOS button at the top of this page and scroll down and click on the Miles To Million Podcast tab.

When was the last time you did something you didn't want to do, something uncomfortable?

Our brains are hard-wired to avoid pain and discomfort and to seek pleasure. To the brain, the status quo, the way things are is comfortable and familiar and should be left alone.

But the only way we are going to grow, the only way we are going to improve, the only way we are going to get better is to step outside our comfort zones and do things that make us uncomfortable.

According to an article in Psychology Today (Campbell - 6/21/2022),  we can derive positive benefits from doing things that make us uncomfortable, such as:

1. Embracing feelings of discomfort can lead to more growth, motivation, and well-being.

2. Embracing discomfort makes a person more likely to be motivated to learn about opposing views.

3. Those who embrace discomfort are more likely to take creative risks in problem-solving and find meaning in difficulty.

4. If we embrace discomfort rather than thinking of it as a problem, we perform better. 

According to Campbell, "Often we approach the uncertainty of new experiences or challenges with doubt, fear, and anxiety. But if we view that stress and discomfort as part of our learning process and a growth opportunity, then we will experience more positive emotions..."

Please watch the video below to learn more about the importance of moving outside our comfort zones so we can attempt something we are passionate about.

Also please leave me a comment about a time when you stepped outside your comfort zones and what benefit you obtained from that action.