There’s no warmer feeling that being accepted for being who you are in a community you love. So why not build more of those? At home, at work, in your volunteer work, with organizations you belong to… What can you do to make sure everyone feels included and appreciated?

• Be joyous.
• Be warm.
• Be kind.
• Be helpful.
• Be active – get things going.
• Don’t be afraid to be yourself, to say what’s on your mind
• Find or create ways for everyone to eat together.
• Start conversations; ask questions and listen to the answers.
• Introduce people to each other. A great way is to find things people have in common and make a connection between members of the group. “Where did you grow up?” “What brought you to this group?”
• Be generous in spirit.
• Watch for people who hover on the edges and invite them in. Be aware and then take action.
• Don’t be afraid of people – expect that they are kind and want to be included even if they bristle at first!
• Be accepting of everyone – no judgments.
• Smile with your eyes, from the inside out.

If you aren’t part of any groups, why not join one and see what energy and joy you can bring in? Or start talking to strangers. Strangers are just friends you haven’t met yet. Be bold and trust that.

When you are joyous you bring joy to all of your encounters. Joy to the world – this time of year and always 🙂

Happy winter!!

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