Have you heard of the principle that “we are all connected?” It’s one I’ve often learned about from some of my favorite spiritual gurus, and I’ll admit– at times this concept has been hard for me to grasp. If you look around, you’ll see that we all have our unique personalities, lives, and agendas. Our individuality is exactly what makes us special. If each of us are all independent beings who march to our own rhythms, then how can we simultaneously all “be one?”

It’s also hard to imagine how I can “be one” with a complete stranger driving in the car next to mine or with that internet troll harassing me from behind the safety of their computer screen? So many of us seem so separate and disconnected.

Just as I’ve not always seen how we are all connected, I’ve also had many moments of deep connection with people I care about and even small connections with friendly strangers. Those exchanges always feel energizing and make each moment better.

So which is it? Are we all separate, or are we all connected?

Maybe we can be both. Take a band, for example. Each musician plays an instrument with its own individual role, but they all work together to create the song that we hear as one entity. We can indeed be both!

Recently, my safari in Kenya helped me reaffirm how we are all connected.

If we break it down into a very basic context, we are all part of one ecosystem. We all have our particular role in it, and every role is important. This interpretation is factual and logical, and it makes sense. Even South Park addressed this in a favorite episode. Whoever said that you can’t learn valuable life lessons from South Park probably missed The Circle of Poo.

When you witness firsthand the splendor of nature and see how it all works together, you can feel what it really means to all be connected. You are not just a spectator viewing the animals– you become part of it too.

It’s one thing to see the individual animals in their natural habitat and to feel like you are part of something bigger.

But seeing different species coexist side-by-side solidifies the innate belief that we really are all connected.

Even if our connection is a fight for survival, we all intricately weave together to form our purpose.

How can this principle help us in life?

We live in a time when there is a lot of division. While tech has created some amazing innovations and connections, it has also hindered our ability as humans to create meaningful connections with each other. This division highlights the existence of this idea called “The Other.”

The Other describes a person who is not like me or a group of people who are not like us. They are different in some way, and that difference and separation can create a lack of understanding and empathy. This can lead to more conflict and less harmony in our daily interactions and life.

I don’t know about you, but I’d rather feel more peace in my life.

When I feel connected in even the tiniest way with another person, I understand them better and judge them less. I can be more authentically me without feeling like I have to protect myself. This allows me to put my guard down on life, and not feel like I always have to operate defensively.

Reminding yourself that we are all connected matters.

Knowing you are part of something bigger is a natural human experience. It can be comforting, and it can get you out of your self-obsessed thoughts, aka your “monkey brain.”

Feeling you are part of something bigger can create a stronger sense of well-being and confidence, a reassurance that you are supported as part of a team.

Trusting that you are part of something bigger creates a letting go. It fosters a faith that all will be okay in the world, and you don’t have to do it all alone.

If we know this oneness helps us, how can we have more connection in a world that seems to separate us?

Be intentional with the connections you form.

There are a lot of communities out there. Some of them can support us and others can silence us. The key is to find the people who will cheer you on and support you with an open mind.

For years, I felt silenced in my dental community– not because the community was bad– but mostly because the hive mind of dentistry simply saw things differently. I thought I was the only one who wasn’t madly in love with the work we do, and that made me feel insignificant and severely flawed. This isolation kept me stuck in the wrong life because I didn’t believe I had options. I just thought something was wrong with me.

Over time, I’ve been lucky to create my own community, my own table where I can even sit at the head. It’s one where you get to be you; one that says, “I don’t care if you choose to stay in dentistry or quit dentistry. I just want you to do what YOU want.”

Community and connection is everything!

The Safari N Side Gigs event itself was the culmination of everything that I value in community. This gathering of awesome people in a spectacular setting exemplified just how connected we all are.

Mixing leisure and learning makes the fun more fun and the learning more meaningful. It creates that balance in life to cultivate gratitude for our experiences. Getting to witness the power of harmony in the natural world, while also integrating those principles within our own community of learners and dreamers, impacts all of us on a deeper level. Connecting with positive, supportive people and dreaming big together builds that support that we all need.

There is a magic that comes with being part of something bigger than yourself. It has the power to change your entire life experience. When you can see yourself through the lens of your community, that will give you the confidence to choose yourself and live your life and career on your terms.