CINEMA
The Power of Belonging
A Quick Read...
As human beings we are designed to be part of
groups, part of a collective. We are not designed to exist in isolation. Although there are some who really enjoy their own company,
ultimately we are all naturally attached to whanau, communities and societies. Regardless
of how far we go back into history, social structures have always been there.
It is not surprising then that psychologists are now uncovering that 'happiness’ comes from a united sense of belonging, of being part of a collective.
We are understanding now that 'wellness cure' derives from an external focus, rather than an internal focus. Community wellbeing is then very much tied to building unity and belonging for everyone.
It is not surprising then that psychologists are now uncovering that 'happiness’ comes from a united sense of belonging, of being part of a collective.
We are understanding now that 'wellness cure' derives from an external focus, rather than an internal focus. Community wellbeing is then very much tied to building unity and belonging for everyone.
The problem lies with the modern 'human condition' we have created in mainstream society which favours self focus, negative
thinking, stress etc, this lead to 'starving ourselves emotionally.'
What this highlights is the power of being present in
our social environment, becoming part of something.
Impactful change requires us to turn away from the
things that frustrated us, give it no attention and focus on those things that are meaningful to our priorities.
Remember that performance under pressure stuff we covered yesterday? Recognising the 'controllable' and the 'uncontrollable', goes a long way in pointing us in the right direction.
With attention and dedication we can influence change large or small and at times this will involve being courageous, embracing the unknown and being ok with conflict - how important is it to the outcomes for the group? Does it reflect our core priorities? What is in our control
Negative mental state is a core driver of diminished wellbeing and so it all starts and finished with us.
Whilst the journey is not necessarily as
simple, because we have all these learned ways of being and habits to overcome,
we actually just need to be aware of it, rather than try and delve in deeply
and work on it. By being aware of it, we can let go of that chatter, bring ourselves
back into our present environment. Focusing on what fulfils us, recognising
those negative patterns and coming back to pursuing a united focus. Whether it is
home life or work, the
clearer united goals are and the more conversations had about those goals, setting standards, the more you and others are going to be able to let go of those little
niggles that don't serve.
Exploring Unity
Unity is not about uniformity, it is driven by united meaning and underpinning by belonging.
Effective culture design is guided by the principal of belonging.
It requires recognition and celebration of diversity of groups and embracing this. Locating higher purpose and uniting the broader system, through building universal culture pillars across the system, but also recognising where differences in culture lie and embracing these.
