Hello, Sam here. Welcome to Radio Headspace and to Thursday. Today we're diving into

one of my favorite topics, community, and we're devoting two episodes to it because

there's so much to talk about. This is part one and it's all about the benefits of community

and some ways to find it. So let's dive in. For as long as I could remember, I have loved being

part of groups. I, like many others, truly enjoy the feeling of belonging and it's essential to

our mental health. Whenever a group forms, there's a common goal, interest, and collective momentum

that's really hard to achieve solo. This is because we behave differently in groups, with some

improvements and some downfalls. So for example, there's a group thing, like the tendency to ignore

potential dangers if other group members are ignoring them, or surrendering our capacity for

critical thinking and individual analysis. But I believe that when we become aware of some of these

downfalls of group behavior, we remove their power over us, leaving space for truly enjoyable

and creative group experiences to happen. Maybe the reason I love community so much is because

loneliness has always been one of the most difficult emotions for me. I remind myself that being

alone is uncomfortable because being in a community has so many mental and physical health

benefits, and we're social creatures. Whereas loneliness can take quite a toll on us,

leading to an increased risk for dementia and strokes, not to mention depression, anxiety,

and premature death. On the flip side, when we feel a sense of belonging in a community,

our creativity is stimulated, we feel safer, more secure in who we are, and our lives are

infused with two vital components, meaning and purpose.

There have been many studies done on what are known as blue zones, or places in the world that

people tend to live significantly longer than average. And one of the components that all of these

places have in common is the presence of strong social ties. As I was reading about these places,

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