Belonging is often described as a feeling. According to Baumeister and Leary (1995), it’s a feeling that is fundamental to attachments, motivation, and well-being. Cohen (2022) defined it as “the feeling that we’re part of a larger group that values, respects, and cares for us—and to which we feel we have something to contribute.”

This feeling of belonging probably arose early on in our human development because it would have given us a feeling of physical safety. We could look out for each other, and there was safety in numbers. It would have ranked high, right up there with food and shelter, as a means of survival. One can imagine that being part of a tribe could greatly reduce the anxiety of trying to survive alone.

Belonging has been cited in the literature as something that is connected to health. Individuals who report having a sense of belonging to a group or community have fewer chronic diseases, live longer, and are more active.

A prime example of this can be found in the Blue Zones, first reported by Dan Buettner in his book by that name (2008). At the time, there were five Blue Zones in the world where he discovered many individuals living past 100 (since then, several other areas have been added). After extensive research, he went on to describe commonalities in these zones that seemed to contribute to the overall health found in each community.

Among factors Buettner found contributing to longevity are several that are related: social connectedness,........

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