CONNECTING TO COMMUNITY
Whether you live in an urban or rural setting, it is essential to create a healthy community for yourself. Whether you are young or old, you have the ability to create a positive environment for yourself. You may not be able to single-handedly change your entire community for the better, but you can set the path of change in motion by taking small steps toward changing yourself. You will be surprised with the results of this change as you begin to sense that other people are inspired by your action. When change occurs with groups of people, the spirit of the community is stirred. Change widens and extends to other communities.
A universal principle that our ancestors believed is the knowledge that “change comes from within.” We cannot expect othersto improve if we don’t first strive to improve ourselves. The playwright Henrik Ibsen once said, “A community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm.” As Indigenous Peoples, our challenge is to burst loose from the shackles of oppression, embrace the kind of education that is strength based, and actualize our potentialities in all domains of human learning so that any one of us can effectively lead our communities out
of despair and onward toward a progressive civilization. Our ancestors prophesized this magnificent and bold vision for their descendants, and clearly it is our responsibility to honour this vision.When you’re faced with a challenge, take hold of the moment as a learning and a healing opportunity. Indigenous Peoples come from cultures that value vision quests; therefore, visualization ought not be a foreign concept to you or me. Rather, treat it as a great tool to clarify your pathway toward success.
When you visualize yourself being successful, you trigger sensors in your brain that make it easier for you to achieve success. By thinking positively, you set an example for your community as a positive role model. The more positive members in the community, the more positive the whole community can be. The following phrase is powerful in that it can improve human lives and turn anyone into the beautiful human being they are:
Watch your thoughts, they become words. Watch your words, they become actions.Watch your actions, they become habits.Watch your habits, they become your character. Watch your character, it becomes your destiny. –Anonymous
By being kind to others and performing simple acts of kindness, we feel better about ourselves and we help someone else in the process. There are many things you could do to assist groups and individuals of all ages in your community. When you reach out to your neighbours, you can begin to be the change you want to see—in your community and your world.
five ways to create a Healthy community
1. Start a community garden, even if it’s a small plot.
2. Join a community club or organization that provides learning opportunities to develop and enhance your interests or talents.
3. Say “hi” in your Indigenous language to your neighbour and teach your neighbour this greeting so that you can both use it in the future.
4. Organize a community gathering such as a potluck or community cleanup.
5. Start a community website to keep track of upcoming community events.