Evaluate Your Communities

1 min

Assess the impact of your new and existing communities.

Developing a sense of self and a sense of community is a continuous journey. Some research—such as this review published in the Journal of Research in Personality—suggests that our personality traits can develop throughout our lives, rather than being genetically predetermined as previously thought. This can help explain why our needs tend to differ as we pass through different stages of life.Just as we grow and change individually over time, our community needs can transform, too. It’s okay to outgrow a community or decide it is not working for you (after you’ve given it a proper shot).Learn how to evaluate your communities and, if necessary, make a change.Reflect on Your CirclesWhen determining if a community is serving your needs, reflect on the following questions. Feel free to journal through this exercise if it speaks to you.

Is this community positively impacting my mental health? Why or why not?
Do I feel better after engaging with this group? How?
Is there a balance between giving and receiving support?

If you answered yes to all of the above, chances are this is a good community to be a part of. If you find the impact of a certain group to be negative, it may be time to reevaluate your involvement and redirect your energy somewhere that better serves you.Remember Your GoalsThe ultimate goal of community is to find fulfillment, connection, and support that aligns with your personal goals. There is nothing wrong with seeking a change when something isn’t working. Be sure you’ve given each community a proper try, but remember that you ultimately need to protect your energy so you can continue circulating positive energy.