If you’ve been part of a great creative community before, you know what it’s worth.

I love this quote from Jeanette Leblanc about a circles of womxn being the most powerful force known to humanity. I agree, and I think it can also be said about a strong and mindful creative community.

Here’s my top ten reasons to dive in with a creative community like my Conscious Choice in the New Year group program, or any creative community that speaks to you:

1. You are not alone 
   Right now, Covid and contemporary life make it really easy to feel isolated. But we are never alone. I encourage you to build regular, scheduled connection into your routine. Did you know that loneliness is proven to be bad for our health? According to the book Bowling Aloneby Robert D. Putnam, joining a group can cut your risk of dying in the next year in half! 
   
2. Get inspired
   Being exposed to other people’s ideas, images, sounds, energy, and habits can refresh your own.
   
3. Amplify your energy
   One of the reasons I love a mindful creative community is that you get a double shot—the inspiration plus the energy. Have you heard of the maharishi effect? In Meyerside, England, 1% of the population meditated together daily from 1988 to 1981 and the city’s crime rate dropped from the third highest to the lowest in the country! Collective mindfulness is powerful.
   
4. Accountability
   According to The American Society of Training and Development, you have a 65% greater chance of completing your goals when you commit them to somebody else, and making a specific “accountability appointment” can increase your success by up to 95%!
   
5. Love and be loved
   With strong group facilitation, when it’s safe to be authentic and vulnerable, strangers fall in love with each other. It’s gorgeous to see and feels amazing to be a part of.

6. Get feedback and gain perspective 
   The exchange of feedback and outside perspectives is not only an important part of personal growth and a balanced worldview, it’s also the spice of life.
   
7. Shake it up, aka stop straining your go-to relationships!
   Seriously. Your spouse, your roommate, your best friend, your cat… should not be the only source of exchange in your life! We all fall into our cozy habits, but they do get stale. Shake it up.
   
8. Common humanity
   When we sit and listen to one another, we learn that our deepest pains and insecurities are shared, and that makes them easier. Recognizing our common humanity evokes compassion and grows self-compassion.
   
9. Network and collaborate
   It’s fun and productive and it gets you what you need!
   
10. Celebrate in good company
    One of my favorite sticky notes reminds me “if you want to be successful, notice your successes.” To take this one step farther, if you want to be really successful, celebrate your successes in good company! A grounded and humble celebration, when recognized by others, produces real growth.

Here’s to mindful creative community!