I am, by nature, shyer and more reserved than people might assume. While I may be an “extroverted thinker,” better known as someone who “thinks out loud,” I am chronically introverted when it comes to group gatherings. I trace this back to feelings of being “alone in a crowd” when I walked into a sea of new faces on the first day of school as a child.
Yet there’s another type of group setting where we’re less likely to feel like outsiders – that’s being part of a crowd experiencing an activity together. When we’re in the stands watching a sporting event, sitting on the edge of our seats during a thriller in the movie theater, reciting a familiar prayer or singing a hymn in church, watching a fireworks display, or bursting into applause at a concert, feelings of wellbeing and a sense of communal connection result. We become part of something bigger than ourselves – and that gives us a feeling of belonging that warms the heart and soothes our souls.
With loneliness now considered an epidemic, finding places and spaces where we feel seen, heard, and connected has grown in its importance. Summer is a great time to engage in guided nature hikes; attend free outdoor concerts; take in a baseball game; or catch an outdoor movie night in your community.
While it may seem counterintuitive at first that crowded spaces foster a sense of belonging, research shows that when we identify with those around us, our self-esteem rises and our personal sense of identity is strengthened. In other words, it just feels good to belong.
I’m Suzanne Degges-White and that’s my perspective.
