Each one of us is unique and has been shaped by our own culture, personality, gender, religion and other influences. This diversity creates a wealth of opinions and perspectives that are different from your own. As humans, our natural inclination is to avoid friction. However, learning to understand others helps create a comfortable space for those differences to exist.

There are several things you can do to be more inclusive:

• Reach Out to New People. Get out of your comfort zone and intentionally interact with others at work, at school and in your community. Invite someone you don’t know to join you during lunch or sit together in class. Make a concerted effort to really get to know the people you meet - who they are, where they’re from and what their family is like.

• Make Pronouns Matter. Ask for other someone’s pronouns during initial interactions and then use them. If you slip up and make an incorrect reference, simply say, "I'm sorry, I meant to say (she/he/them)" and move on with the conversation.

• Refuse to Participate. When you see that someone is uncomfortable due to how others are treating them, don’t ignore it. You can say, "This conversation isn’t kind and respectful. Please stop and let's move on."

When people experience a sense of belonging, have valued roles and are comfortable actively participating, the entire community - be it your work team, fellow students or neighbors - are likely to be healthier and happier.