A few things to think about before you start connecting

try to remember, you are getting to know your community members and they are getting to know you. It’s ok to take things at your own pace and figure out how you want to engage.

It often takes 3+ months of consistent interaction to establish patterns and start to understand what you can expect from each other. Everyone comes from their own lived experiences. Some might be similar, some might be very different.

It may sound obvious to say but it can be easy to forget, people only know what they have learned and experienced. Getting to know people takes time and if you are open to learning about others, chances are it will teach you a few things about yourself as well.