Community: The Missing Link

Every successful individual knows that 

Man, I can’t even begin to tell you how many people have encouraged, helped, and prayed for me throughout my journey. Life was never meant to be lived independently of others and you were never meant to pursue goals on your own. Trust me! I know sometimes it feels like the world is against you and no one will or wants to help you, but the truth is we all want the same thing (love and connection) and we’re here on earth to build community with others.

Something I love about being a part of a community is the freedom to be my raw, unfiltered self without the fear of being judged. I have several people in my life who know me inside out. They know my strengths, weaknesses, struggles, insecurities, and EVERYTHING else! I let them in when I make mistakes as well as when I’m on top of the mountain. I use to be afraid of this kind of intimacy because it made me feel vulnerable and weak (which I hate to be honest), BUT what I’ve learned is that exposing myself to trusted people that I know will keep everything confidential, helps me sort through my thoughts a little better and allows me to let my guard down and just be myself without any consequences.


If you don’t connect with at least one person on this level, fam jam! You’re missing out!

– Tee Forever

Allow me to pause right here and say that the kind of community I’m referring to includes more than just your girlfriend/boyfriend, husband/wife, or the 3 people you still talk to from your hometown. No, they’re apart of it, but it expands to people like the money smart person that lives down the street. You’ve talked to them a few times and you know that their good with money, but you’ve never opened up and asked for tips on how to manage your money better. Why not? What if it turns out that they’re actually a millionaire and would love to give you some feedback on what you could be doing better. They might even refer you to a really good accountant that could help you save some mula during tax season! Ever thought about that?


Instead, since you thought it would be awkward to initiate a relationship with them you’ll never reap the benefits that connection would’ve brought. To all of my stressed out parents, have you ever considered talking to that other parent you always see at the park with the 4 kids? They seem to have a good grip on things. Their kids are happy and well taken care of. You could “sniff them out”, see if their trust worthy and if so, you could begin to talk to them about the stress or pressure you feel from parenting and find out what strategies they use to keep everything together while taking care of themselves. All of these small connections play a big role in enhancing the quality of your overall life.


Now, when you start building your community don’t just chose Sally or Bob because they seem nice. Choose people that are wiser than you and have strengths or success in areas you want to develop. People that don’t talk about others and have a reputation or history of keeping things confidential. Lol, the last thing I want you to do is start building your squad with people that aren’t mature enough to handle your realness! Not everyone is meant to be in your inner-circle so don’t give everyone access.

Another thing I’m quite fond of in community is the fact that I’m able to have authentic transparent and honest communication. This is BIG for me because our society is full of small talk and typical responses. Here’s an example: When someone ask, “How are you today?” or “How’s your day going?” you respond with … (I’ll give you a second to think about it) …”I’m doing well, how are you?” or something along those lines, right? BUT THAT’S NOT ALWAYS TRUE! What about those days when you just want to hide in a corner and cry because you’re so stressed out or overwhelmed!? Or what about when you’re so mad that you want to cuss every and anybody that looks at you the wrong way. We don’t always share that with people. Most of us bottle it up inside and then explode on the wrong person OR overtime become angry, withdrawn, emotionless, etc. Having a community or inner-circle of down to earth, trusted, regular people will help you work through your emotions and process life in a healthy way.


With a handful of people, I’m able to share exactly what’s on my heart whether it aligns with my faith or not, whether it’s good news or bad news, no matter what I’m going through, no matter how much I’m struggling these people provide a safe place for me to share my heart in an open and defenseless way.

Connection and community is not only good for your soul, it benefits everyone that gets to experience it. Find and create your inner-circle. Sharpen and inspire each other and love them until the wheels fall off!


PS: Guess who caught a cold! Stuffy nose and everything! If any of you want to start adapting this principle here’s your perfect opportunity! Feel free to bring some spicy Jamaican chicken noodle soup to my house 🙂 ha-ha I’m kidding! I love you guys!