The Seven Pillars of Wholistic Wellbeing Part 6: Community Wellbeing

For me, Community Wellbeing is a step beyond Social Wellbeing, and refers to your wellbeing within a larger group than your close social circle. The community is — as its name indicates — a larger communal system articulated around shared ideals and allegiances (often religious, spiritual or cultural), as well as geographical location. With the advent of modern technology, however, the idea of community has begun to transcend the notion of place.

Owing to large migratory trends over the past decades, cohesive and homogeneous communities have been fragmented and disrupted, provoking all kinds of new challenges and issues in community wellbeing. Mass immigration on an unprecedented scale has produced an unprecedented pace of change in the (geo)political, social, environmental and technological spheres. Analysts and commentators have even referred to this historical phenomenon as ‘the age of acceleration’, ‘the fourth industrial revolution’, and the ‘age of change’.

The pace of change is accelerating beyond all expectations and predictions, and with it the multiplication of unexpected and undesirable effects, such as community fragmentation, isolation and fear (source: United Nations).

Though something of a counterpoint to mass immigration, another unfortunate development of modern times is isolation and extreme sendentarity, which worsens social fragmentation and triggers other physical and mental health issues as well. In a study conducted by Manchester University in 2019, individual renters living alone were more likely to feel isolated and develop mental health linked to social fragmentation.

Mass immigration and heightened isolation are just two of many causes challenging the cohesion of our modern communities. What solutions can we find to these growing problems?

Social responsibility

I believe that championing one or more social causes can help develop a sense of wellbeing through societal contribution and involvement; giving to others builds a generous and more abundant outlook on life which helps to improve one’s personal wellbeing.

Volunteering

Speaking from personal experience, volunteering in the community or joining a social group engaged in a social or communitarian cause can often be an effective and rewarding way to develop those social bonds that are so vital for increased wellbeing.

According to a growing body of research, there is a great number of benefits that come from volunteering — some of which, in fact, are physical. Studies show that volunteering for charities triggers the mesolimbic system — the portion of the brain responsible for feelings of reward. The brain releases endorphins (feel-good chemicals), spurring people to perform more kind acts; psychologists call it “helper’s high.”

My belief is that working towards a common cause also enables one to build stronger friendships. It’s an excellent way to find belonging. Helping other enables one to gain perspective on their life situation. In turn, this may make them more appreciative of what they have (source: Berkeley).

My own initiative

Within RoundGlass, I have launched several philanthropic initiatives: the RoundGlass Foundation, RoundGlass Sports and RoundGlass Sustain. These have allowed me to put my Wholistic Wellbeing philosophy into action.

RoundGlass Foundation is driving initiatives to bring improvements across all aspects of life in my native state of Punjab. The villages of Punjab, once bustling community epicentres for culture, sports, art and livelihoods in India, are facing an existential crisis because of brain-drain, social alienation and youths led astray. I am committed to creating a healthier, happier and more vibrant Punjab by focusing on inspiring individuals and communities to build better lives through self-reliance, co-existence and eco-sustainability.

The RoundGlass initiatives include:

• Learning and sports-based initiatives for children and young people
• Health programs for better awareness about essential health and hygiene practices
• Skills and jobs to make the villages financially sustainable
• Initiatives in sustainability focused on clean water, soil and air, through tree plantation and waste management

In summary, Community Wellbeing is achieved by giving back, thereby fostering an altruistic and benevolent outlook on human life: our own and that of others. We often hear the phrase ‘be kind to yourself’ tossed around and are quick to equate it with self-centeredness, when in fact, it is inextricably linked with holistic ideals of community wellbeing.