“The Power of Community”
Me: “Do we really need to be out here so early?”
It was 5 am and 10 men meet in a dark parking lot for a morning workout.
The reality that I was uncomfortable was settling in.
In that moment, I realized it was time to fight, not fear, the unknown.
Not knowing what comes next can sometimes be a great blessing in disguise.
A workout directed by an army service man was difficult.
Collectively, we pushed thru.
That’s the power of community.
Community deals with something greater than self, greater than just your needs.
Community forces you to come clean, open up among others who have similar struggles and victories.
For me, community is important in this season of my life as husband and father.
Here's 3 reason why community is important for men to grow.
#1. “Gives men an opportunity to open up”
We can live our lives as men, closed, none communicative, and acting like everything is OK.
However, the reality is we are struggling to just get by.
Community helps with 3 things:
Encouraging the process of being open and honest
Providing a safe space to discuss issues
Providing a place for open dialog
Community allows you to see, hear, and interact with men just like you.
#2. “Sharing experiences”
There’s something about sharing experiences - downfalls and victories - that help us deal with the same issues in our family unit.
Seeing and hearing the battles of other dads and how they overcame can give you a road map to obtaining freedom in those areas. These experiences can also give you the dangers before they begin.
#3. “Accountability is essential”
Accountability is challenging because it exposes you. It requires you to be open and honest.
Men are typically slower communicators.
However, in community, accountability is less difficult because of the environment. Men will find value in being accountable because the environment supports it.
Joining a community of men is a great opportunity to become the best version of yourself as well as help other men to do so.
Seek it out, make it a priority and grow even if it hurts.