On any given Saturday in Murfreesboro, you can see it happening. Families fill the Square. Students from MTSU linger over coffee. Church and civic volunteers unload supplies for a community drive. A business owner unlocks their door to serve customers. Parks are filled with teams united to play, people walking or reading a book.

These are the moments to pay close attention to when you want to become part of a community, body of people, or to simply feel like you belong. Life can seem like it’s moving so fast as you work to grow or become what you envision. How do you keep things steady as you grow, and what choices do you make that support “becoming” who you want to be?

It can be hard to know who to connect with, or to get to the point where you feel like you fit in. If there is one obstacle to deeper community, it’s not politics or growth, it’s hesitation: reluctance to attend the event alone, speak up in a meeting, or introduce yourself to a neighbor. Most of the people around you feel the same insecurity and are unsure of how to fit in without embarrassing themselves in the process. The first step to gaining a deeper connection can feel uncomfortable. When you move past that initial fear, however, the connections we all long for are on the other side.

“Faith communities here are showing that belonging isn’t automatic, it’s built.” — Pastor Rachel Thompson

That quote is true of any community that is growing, even your family. Relationships are not automatic, they are built. Time is invested. Showing up is essential. Being a part of what is happening builds your confidence and gives you the faith that you belong. So the real barrier is the fear of showing up.

After much reflection, my personal word mantra for 2026 was “showing up.” After a several-year hiatus from community and personal events due to a family member’s ill health, I felt disconnected from the life I had prior to that. As his health got better my habits had already developed into not attending events and being more isolated from community. In those months and years the life pace slowed down and it was easier to see who I was during that time. I still ran my business and did the things that needed to be done, but I also became a caregiver and was happy to know I was able to make someone else’s life better by showing up and being available.

“We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men.” — Herman Melville

As life shifted again I had to identify why I felt disconnected from my community and friendships. I realized that I wasn’t able to show up during those years, and that showing up is a vital and necessary part of building and maintaining that sense of belonging. I wasn’t suffering, but I wanted to reconnect in more meaningful ways with those I cared about. All of this happens internally while life continues to grow fast all around. Showing up for what is important to you and others is the key ingredient to answer the question “who are you becoming?”

“Do not wait; the time will never be ‘just right.’ Start where you stand.” — Napoleon Hill

So it doesn’t matter if you’re just starting to spread your wings or you are restarting. It’s still the same process. Small, consistent steps that will connect with the next small step. Building blocks. The skyscraper started with one brick connected to another brick and so on. It took time to become the finished building with all the comfort, space, and security provided for the people who inhabit it.

Another comparison is Murfreesboro, which stands at an uncommon moment: large enough to matter, small enough to connect, growing enough to shape the future, rooted enough to protect what matters. Growth will happen whether we act or not. But community? Community is built by people who show up. On the other side of that first brave step—past the fear of putting yourself out there—are connections deeper than most of us realize we’re longing for. The future of Murfreesboro, or of your own life, will not be decided by how fast the growth happens. It will be decided by how deeply we connect. And that is something every one of us can help build.

“I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard and valued.” — Brené Brown

A final thought to share. I started family dinner night. Once a week. Same day, same time. I got no resistance from any member of the family. We all showed up to the first one. Then the next one. Homemade meals, sitting around the kitchen table. No cellphones or outside distractions. No restaurant noises. Just intentional time with each other. We have always been close, but without intentional connection I could feel our deeper bonds drifting.

I had previously experienced a family dinner night as a guest of my brother and his wife. She initiated the family dinner experience and I loved how I felt as a guest at their table. I thought, “I am going to do this with my family, too.” It has made all the difference in how we show up for each other.

So, while life continues to grow fast all around, decide who you are becoming in the process and remember to lean into it with intention. Don’t hesitate to show up! You just might get more than you imagined possible.

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Photo, top, courtesy Cindy Gustafson / Pexels