Community Wellbeing

What Mr. Rogers Knew

Most of us have neighbors, someone who lives near or next door to us. Traditionally, this term refers to someone living at an address different than our own, be it the other half of a duplex, an apartment building or a single-family resident. However, the ways to apply the advice below is just as transferrable to a situation in which you are living with your “neighbors”—perhaps because you’ve moved home after a recent college graduation?

Whatever your living situation may be, setting a good first impression on those with whom you are in close proximity is extremely important. There’s a reason why people live in communities; it’s so that we have others to lean on, engage with and create a network. You want to be seen as an asset, or at the very least blend in and not be the troublesome one on the block.

The Challenge

Maybe it’s move-in-day or maybe it’s been a few months since you found the perfect spot for your first-ever house plant, but you see someone parking in their drive way or opening the door next to yours. What do you do? Well, it’s easy. You walk over, make eye contact, offer your hand and say hello. Keep your introduction brief but informative: your name, that you’ve just moved in, and that you’re excited to be a part of the community/neighborhood, etc. Customize this to suit your personality, but let’s be clear about one thing—making eye contact or ignoring another person isn’t advised.

Communicate

So, you’re planning to host a gathering. Great! Sounds like so much fun. You know what doesn’t sound like fun? Finding out about the gathering via the loud music that’s bumping at 10 PM. Instead, be the first to tell your neighbors that you’re having a party and that there may be more cars parked on the street than normal and you wanted to let them know.

If you’re up for it—think about extending them an invitation (no pressure). Assure them that you plan to be respectful of the evening hours and their property. This is a great opportunity to provide them with your cell phone number should they have any concerns. Nobody likes to be the last to know; so avoid that and communicate with those nearby.

Lend A Hand

We live in communities for a reason. We can accomplish more together

than we ever could on our own. Did you see the family down the street just walk in the house with a tiny baby? I bet they’d love some muffins (even if you buy them at the grocery store). Do you know that the man living next to you is out of town for a few days (after all, you haven’t seen his car) and you just had an overnight snow? Shovel his sidewalk. Is the lady in your parking garage trying to finagle 10 grocery bags at once (we’ve all been there)? Offer a hand. It’s not the big or the small things—it’s the gesture and the effort that can make all the difference. ​

Pick It Up

• If you have a dog…pick it up.

• If you have leaves/snow/garbage/[insert other thing here] on your property…pick it up.

• If you have remnants of fun weekend…pick it up.

You get the drift. A well maintained appearance impacts more than just your property. It also impacts all the homes around you. Be considerate and do outside chores in a timely fashion. Back to the dog—if you take that little furbaby for a walk, make sure you take bags to ensure proper disposal of its waste. Gross? Yes. Necessary? Also, yes.

Basically...when all else fails, use your manners. Greet others when you see them. Say please and thank you. Show kindness when you can. Be respectful of others.

The Challenge

It’s simple. What’s the best advice you’ve received about assimilating into a new community? Or, maybe you had someone do something extra kind for you when you recently made a move. What advice or tidbit would you give to someone else who is moving to a new place?

Tools Needed

No tools are needed to complete this challenge.

Get Together!

Sometimes it just feels better to do something with friends than by ourselves. Perhaps you feel the same about Wellbeing Challenges? If that’s the case, here are a couple ideas on how you can bring Sisters together to increase your personal Community Wellbeing:

1. You likely know lots of women who are transitioning to new living environments. Chat with each other about what has gone well with the moves and what could be improved. You having a seamless transition can help those around you view you as something who has #adulting covered.

2. Back to the muffins, maybe someone else is moving in next to you. Grab a few friends and have a baking marathon. Deliver to the new folks as a welcome gift. Consider doing something similar around the winter holidays. Remember, not everyone celebrates the same holidays, so keep your deliveries non-secular, but still filled with lots of genuine joy.

Report Participation

Document your participation in A Clear Vision of Life: The Wellbeing Program and be entered to win a challenge incentive! Click here to let us know you participated in this challenge.