Previously, I shared about my experience of feeling lost on the internet. I didn't know where to go to find my place or people. I shared that Belong had emerged from my own need for a handbook for creatives and entrepreneurs to navigate the internet, especially in relation to finding community.

create your world - make it yourself - belong magazine blog

I feel like there was a piece missing. I want to share a sneak peak into my head as well. This quote captures it so well.

"You don't have to live anywhere other than the place you are to start connecting with the world you want to be in. If you feel stuck somewhere, if you're too young or too old or too broke, or if you're somehow tied down to a place, take heart. There's a community out there you can connect with...If you're not into the world you live in...create your own." - Austin Kleon, Steal Like An Artist

I couldn't find what I was looking for and there didn't appear to be a map or handbook for how I was supposed to get there either.

So I made it myself.

I had no idea what I was doing. My graphic design and photography skills were antiquated. I felt too old to be starting something new. I was afraid it would be too costly. I felt unequipped and not enough. But I felt this crazy thrill about creating a magazine. And not just any magazine--a magazine full of the kinds of information that I was seeking. So I did. In a sense...

I created my own world.

Much to my surprise, in the process of making and creating of a magazine, I made new friends and felt part of a larger community. Funny how that works, isn't it?!

What is it that you are looking for? Fellow creatives that write? Start a writing group (online or off!). Other bloggers in your area? Find a meet-up or schedule your own. Local female entrepreneurs? Start talking to people about your interest or throw something out on social media.