Thoughts on Tribe

“Surround yourself with the dreamers and the doers, the believers and thinkers, but most of all, surround yourself with those who see greatness within you, even when you don’t see it yourself.” — Edmund Lee

I’ve been thinking a lot on connection and community lately and how important it is to surround ourselves with people, places and experiences that add value to our lives, that bring out the best in us.

I crave connection. Deep, meaningful, intentional, purposeful connection.

I want to surround myself with people who breathe life into who I am and who I am becoming. People who challenge and inspire me; who encourage and empower me; who see the good, the beauty in me and my dreams even when, especially when, I fail to see it myself.

I want to surround myself in positivity, with positive influences — and leave the negativity behind. I want to cast aside the thoughts, people, places and experiences that don’t serve me or my dreams. Life it too short to entertain them, to keep them around.

I want to surround myself with people who show up, listen carefully, ask intentionally, contribute thoughtfully, wear their hearts and their passion on their sleeves — and ask the same of me. People who are open and honest, who are willing to trust, willing to share their hopes, their dreams, their fears, their scars.

When we’re open, honest and real with one another, sparks fly; magic happens; and the world unravels around us in ways we cannot imagine. I live for this type of connection and community.

It is not lost on me that this type of connection and community grows over time. It doesn’t happen overnight. It takes commitment. It takes communication. It takes patience, trust and honesty. It goes both ways; it takes participation from both sides.

It takes a lot, but it is so worth it — and for the people, places and experiences that add value to our lives, that we value in our lives, it doesn’t feel like work. For me, it is a joy. It is humbling and gratifying to connect and be in community with people who enrich my life. It is immensely satisfying and beautiful to share my life with my people, my tribe.

Finding people who are like-minded and want to embrace those types of relationships and that type of community alongside you is not easy. It is painfully hard at times. But the high that comes from finding and connecting with your tribe, little by little, is one of the best, most indescribable feelings. It is liberating.