Creating community isn’t just about finding people and moving into a house or a neighborhood. This is an important relationship that will influence everything in your future so you need to make sure that you’re right for it as well.
We know you’re here at Women for Living in Community because you are interested in alternatives to our culture’s traditional views of housing as we age. But community is not a magic bullet and it isn’t going to be right for everyone. So, how do you know if this is truly right for you?
When I speak on the subject of creating community as we age I am often asked very similar questions:
- How do find a community?
- Who would I live with?
- Where can I do this?
- Is there a community in [insert city name here]?
I always advise people that they have to start from another direction.
This journey should start on the path to self-discovery. It starts with you.
Before you can ask others questions about living in community you need to explore these things yourself. You need to ask yourself hard questions even if you’re afraid of the answers.
Why?
- The “living” aspects are just as, if not more, important as the physical aspects of living in community. Living in community is first about personalities and interpersonal skills – those of people around you and yourself. If you think only of the physical aspects of community you may find yourself living in an unhappy and uncomfortable situation… for a long time.
- It’s a personal investment, not just a financial investment. This kind of decision means not only an investment of money but also time and personal resources and more importantly, emotional resources you invest.
In my guidebook, Your Quest for Home, I encourage readers to take an active approach in this process. Each chapter leads you on a journey that can help you better understand what you want, why you want it, and how to go about making it happen. You can’t build a house without a solid foundation so it doesn’t help to start somewhere in the middle.
Throughout the chapters I take you on a quest to ask yourself all of the most important questions starting with “Why?” I know I’ve written about this guidebook on other posts but believe it or not, there is not a practical step-by-step guide of this kind. This guidebook was created out of my experience and the experience of others.
If you are wondering whether or not community living is right for you as you age I encourage you to complete the exercises in my book. Do it with a friend and learn more about your needs for the future.
I’d love to hear your experience! Have you completed the exercises in the book? How did it make you feel? What have you taken as your next steps? Share your thoughts in our comments or join the discussion on our Facebook page!
