Stress Management | Community living

Developing a real sense of community can really build your self esteem whilst sustaining and creating a supportive community life. Smart community is all about asking yourself how you engage in your local community. It's about looking at the small achievable steps you can take to generate a sense of community in your life.

Our team will help you align your values and create a success driven action plan to support you in this particular aspect of your life. This may involve supporting you to develop courage to go beyond what you previously thought you could not do.

If you have always wanted to be involved in community work but have been to shy to take part, we will help you develop confidence and release limiting beliefs so you know you can do it.

The following ideas are some of the things we will support you in doing, to help you generate a sense of community in your life. Why not give one or two you don't already do a try.

• Introduce yourself to neighbours you see regularly
• Take the opportunity to welcome new neighbours into the area
• Support local endeavor e.g. fates, petitions or community gatherings
• Find out the name of your post person, refuse/recycling collectors or milk deliverer and greet them where possible
• Find a local church or charity you can support the work of within your area
• Get to know what is going on in local government affecting your area
• Be aware of elderly or ill neighbours who may need your support at any given time
• Take the time to be courteous with assistants when shopping

How you treat people - whether it be an old friend or a teller at the bank - is indicative of how you can expect people to treat you. Deepak Chopra, M.D.

Top tips for sustaining community life

• Turn off unnecessary lighting and buy energy saving bulbs
• Walk, cycle or take public transport wherever possible
• Recycle your old mobile phones see www.fonebak.org for more info
• Decline plastic bags whenever possible. Plastic bag can take up 500 years to decay in landfill!
• Seems obvious - plant a tree…
• Have a bath with someone you love for that extra energy save and boost!
• Turn your thermostat down by one degree. You can save on average £25 a year
• Give loose change to charity - 1p per person, per week adds up to £30 million per year!
• Put gum in the bin - The UK spends £150 million every year cleaning chewing gum of the streets
• Recycle your old spectacles. 200 million people around the world need glasses every year
• Recycle old computers see www.computeraid.org can help distribute to developing countries
• Buy local produce www.farmersmarkets.net. Maybe start your own vegetable patch

The information above is taken from a wonderful little book I found called 'change the world for a fiver.' It inspires people to use their everyday actions to change the world! It is only five pounds and full of great insights.