Photo: Stock Exchange/Argument

The idea of sharing a home strikes fear in many hearts. Privacy concerns, and the painful residue of having lived with others, eliminates it as an option for many people. There are hundreds of reasons for this, but it boils down to one: fear.

As the economic collapse grinds on, people will move in with roommates and family members they would not have chosen in fatter years. For some, it will be a great experience. Hellish for others. Rather than having living in hell, or eliminating a potentially rich and rewarding experience, an alternative is to figure out how to do it right.

Instead of retreating physically or emotionally, staying engaged and growing from the experience will serve you much better in life and for life. If you pluck out the people and situations that annoy you, your orbit becomes more limited and your life becomes smaller. It is axiomatic that, if your life is shrinking, you are headed toward a dead end and, sooner or later, you end up talking to yourself.

Learning to effectively communicate is the bedrock of successful living, whether alone or with others. Among the many tools, The Better Communication Technique, is one method to clarify communication and reduce misunderstanding. Other tools include listening circles in which you speak without interruption or judgment. In such an environment, you are able to hear yourself in a way that you couldn’t before. It changes your perspective.

We are in the midst of a economic crisis that affects our entire society, with the brunt of the burden borne by the poor and working class. The political divisiveness that is the new normal has rendered our local, state and federal government’s responses impotent. Even if your job and home are intact, watching anyone go down the chute of  unemployment, bankruptcy and homelessness takes a toll on each of us, whether we realize it or not.

This unprecedented jolt to our way of life requires a new strategy, which may contain the possibility of a more satisfying and sustainable way of living, as described in 11 Reasons Why House Sharing Works. Although living with others is challenging, the rewards can be enormous. An intangible reward is the opportunity to grow by interacting with others every day. It also keeps your neurons firing and your social skills well lubricated.

New Community Vision is committed to community building. In collaboration with organizations such as Transition Rogers Park, Sound ConneXions and Mindful Metropolis, and the Tutor/Mentor Connection we are all working diligently to support the shift to connected, sustainable lifestyles with inherent connection, support and neighborliness. Join with us in this worthy and exciting undertaking.