Three years ago we moved to a village and for the first time
in my adult life, I joined a community. I joined a mother and toddler’s group
and over time have forged great friends, supporters and laugh-out-loud moments.

On Sunday, I held a birthday party for my four year old son
in the village community hall. I dressed as superwoman and my hubby as a power
ranger. We terrorised and entertained a group of 4 year olds for a period of 2
hours. It was probably the longest two hours of my life! But I also had moments
of utter happiness.

Happiness to see my little lad running about with his mates
but also that our family was part of a community. These women, mothers of the
village were now my friends and helped me set up the hall and blew up balloons
and washed the dishes afterwards.

I felt supported and felt that ‘group witnessing’ thing
where we watched in despair/pride as our little ones alternatively had tantrums
and did star turns. We were revelling in/surviving parenthood because we had
each other to lean on and to share with. This support makes me very, very
happy.

When I lived in London,
I had no real local community to be part of. When I had my son Charlie, I
didn’t join any mother’s group because the plan was always to move from our
flat to a house in the country. It took us 18 months to find somewhere. I was
on my own with my new baby (well, my husband flitted in and out) and it was one
of the loneliest periods of my life.

So what am I learning? Being part of a community and being
supported by that community makes me happy. The other mummys are like me -
slummy/dummy mummies with nothing to prove and everything to give/learn.

They are kind and down to earth and make me laugh. So it’s
important who your community is….ie if they’re your ‘tribe’. Finding my tribe
to hang out with makes me very happy.

I have always naturally done that at work….I have created
my Big Leap community in my coaching company but never done that where I live.

And I love it.