It’s human nature to want to belong, be liked, and be a part of something greater than ourselves. We used to live in tight-knit villages not only for social reasons but also for our survival. By nature, we are not lone wolves. Even lone wolves are not alone all the time. I’m not a doctor or expert in human behavior, but I imagine that the isolation of modern life must influence the rate of anxiety and depression that experts keep saying are rising. The shutdown during 2020 certainly didn’t help.

What can help is having a community. We all need a place, a space, a group, or an event we can attend, whether in person or online. Something where we feel we fit in, where we belong. What’s peculiar about that is we also want to stand out. We don’t want to just be a face in the crowd. We want to be perceived as unique, different, and special. It’s why, even within a group of like-minded individuals, you still have those who need to differentiate themselves by being outrageous, like dying their hair or dressing in loud, garish clothing or strange actions or saying bizarre things.

There is nothing wrong with self-expression. Lack mentality exists when the things done are for the sake of attention. Even in the metaphysical community where people are supposed to be more enlightened than most, lack mentality can still exist. Everyone is on their journey, and it has many aspects to it. In my own way, I’m “ahead” of others. In other ways, I’m so far “behind” that if others were to look in their rearview mirror at me, I would be nothing more than a speck of dust.

The point is that we all need to belong somewhere. We need to be where we are accepted for who we are, regardless of anything else. If you are a part of something that brings you joy, makes you feel good, makes you strive to be a better person, and helps settle your soul, good for you. If someone wants to have those things as well, embrace them and see how they do. It becomes apparent if someone doesn’t fit in, and eventually, people move on. If you are in a place that used to feel good, but for whatever reason, it doesn’t anymore, you have a few options. The first is to be flexible and change with the group’s energy. Most people find this works out well, but if it doesn’t, there’s option two. You can acknowledge that you have outgrown the group, or they have outgrown you, and move on to something else that resonates with you.

If your desire is to keep growing, it might be painful. Often, changes come so swiftly that we barely have time to catch our breath before the next thing comes along. Do your best with that, as always. I’ve noticed that things are most painful for me when I realize that things have run their course and it’s time to move on. It could mean leaving behind the people and places we’re used to being a part of. Things change, and we have to decide if we will change with them or stubbornly try in vain to keep things the same.

In the tarot, there is the wheel of fortune. Generally, it means change. The wheel is turning again. Sometimes, it’s a pleasant change. Other times, not so much, but throughout that change, we still need a point of stability. As the wheel turns, we still need the hub. What or where is your hub? If you don’t know, now is the time to figure that out. It is the thing that will help you maintain your balance every time the wheel turns. Positive is the key. Run the other way if you run across groups or people who engage in negative thoughts or actions. That, again, is lack mentality. No one with a balanced and healthy sense of reality fosters the need to put others down to feel better or encourages that in others. That way lies madness and bad decisions. Be selective about who you spend your time with. The people you surround yourself with are a direct reflection of you. If you surround yourself with jerks, that makes you one as well.

It’s especially important on the spiritual path to pay attention to who is walking with you. Resonating with someone engaging in a lack mentality puts you in the same energy category as them and sets you up to attract lack in your life. The objective is always to raise your vibration to attract the best of everything to you. That includes the groups/events/clubs where you spend your time. It’s definitely to your benefit to think about where you belong.