Belonging

One of our basic human needs is the need to belong. How often do we hear, “I just don’t seem to fit in” or “I always feel like an outsider.” We see ourselves as the proverbial square peg in the round hole. The solution to this predicament is to search for the square hole. The more you understand and accept who you are, the clearer you will be in identifying that square hole. You may be an individual who is comfortable spending significant time alone. You look around you and observe that most of those people are surrounding themselves with four or more people. They are enjoying the experience and seem to draw their energy from those around them. That is their square hole and that is fine for them. It just doesn’t work for you. Unless you can make a significant shift in behavior, it will always feel unnatural. The same can be said for conversations on topics that hold little interest for you. Unless you use these conversations to learn about the topic, they hold little meaning. Be willing to seek out experiences that resonate with who you are and find joy in them. What have your struggles been with belonging and what can you do to find your square hole?