There are opportunities to build community all around you. My latest was last weekend when I was out kayaking on the Shenandoah River with a Meet Up group of 50 strangers.

When you are on the path to Organized Zen to joyously get to your best work, having a community around you is a delicious support system. And getting connected can start with a smile and a simple question: Where are you from?

Then maybe follow that with: What brought you here today? Where did you grow up? What do you do for work?

You start to build community from the moment you introduce yourself, ask a question, and listen to the answers without jumping in with your own story. You build on that community when you connect one person to another where you find commonalities. And the circle is complete when even the outliers within a group who struggle to start a conversation, are welcomed in and feel seen and heard.

I love this quote from Ross Gay in his new book The Book of Delights: “The more stuff you love the happier you will be.”

Loving the people around you and finding a connection to them is a great step to finding that happiness. I hope this is helpful and that you take a daring step this week to reach out and bring someone new to your community.

Here are my thoughts from a wonderful kayak day on the Shenandoah River.