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what exactly does it mean, 'belonging'? ...perhaps it is, or has to entail something more than similarities in beliefs, or goals, or ideologies, or even interests or similarities (eg having ptsd/the forum)? Rather, along with any of those being a starting point, I would guess it would have to include (at the very least) 'belonging' to a group or with others that one senses has each other's back, genuinely cares for or likes and respects/ values/ welcomes one another, and chooses that of their free will (not because of obligation or requirement
@Junebug, I think this is spot on, really.
And I guess 'understanding' one another to a degree, or afinity, or at least acceptance
Yep, this too.
As per a sense of belonging to 'a' workplace, (versus a 'specific' workplace), as you mentioned , perhaps that sense of belonging equates also to validation of your own self-esteem, self-worth, or +/ or contribution and accomplishment?
Yes, that's definitely part of it. And I think belonging to anything probably validates those things, actually.
PS, congratulations on the new job! )
Thank you!
I think you've given an extremely good definition. At the same time there's something about using so many words to describe a feeling, that perhaps results in the feeling itself getting a bit lost. A kind of distance between understanding it intellectually (ie analysing) and understanding it as an experience (knowing, sensing, feeling).
And that made me think that for me belonging includes a feeling that there isn't a distance... in this case, between me and other people.
I feel other things about belonging too:
That I'm part of something and it's part of me/my life.
That it matters to me and I matter to it (the people/situation/organisation).
That there's a place for me there even when I'm not there. I see this as different from people being willing to move and make room for me when I arrive - where I belong there's always a Hashi-shaped space.
This doesn't have to be in a big way, it can all be quite small. Like if I can't make a book group meeting and next time people remember that and tell me something that was discussed that they think I would have been interested in.
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