Belonging

The need to feel like we belong is one of our strongest psychological needs. “Belonging” makes us feel accepted, appreciated, welcomed, valued, secure, and safe. We often center our identities around being members of communities where we feel the strongest sense of belonging, whether those communities revolve around family groups, geography, interests, goals, or shared experiences. Feeling like we don’t belong has deep emotional repercussions that can lead to feelings of isolation, disconnection, anxiety, depression, and insecurity, and even lead to physiological stress. However, we also have the ability to give others a sense of belonging. When we practice compassion, acceptance, and nonjudgment, we have the power to create communities for ourselves.