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Create Belonging

Create Belonging

By: Mateo Bornico
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Summary

 Welcome

The goal of this podcast is for us to learn. It aims to create the space to discuss and explore belonging in our lives. These wide-ranging conversations are designed to generate insights into how we can create belonging for ourselves and for others.

Belonging is like water. It’s essential to life. It also takes on many shapes and forms, seeping through every part of our lives.

Still with me? Good.


Why Listen

This podcast is intended for those that are seeking to help themselves and others find a sense of belonging.

If you ever asked yourself; Where do I belong? Why do I belong? Then this podcast will be useful.

If you are asking; How can I help others belong? How can I build a more inclusive workplace culture, community, or team, then this podcast will be useful.

This podcast is an exploration founded on curiosity, humility, and generosity. I hope you can join us.

Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mateo Bornico Personal Development Personal Success Social Sciences
Episodes
  • 14 - Peter Block – Community: The Structure of Belonging (Part 1)

    14 - Peter Block – Community: The Structure of Belonging (Part 1)
    Apr 14 2026
    CB15 - Shownotes: Peter Block – Community: The Structure of Belonging (Part 1)Welcome to Create Belonging, the podcast where we explore the world through the lens of belonging.I sat down with Peter Block, one of the most original thinkers on community and civic life working today, and what came out was a conversation so rich I had to split it into two parts. In part one, Peter shares how he went from being a self-described wanderer to becoming a rooted citizen of Cincinnati, and why he believes that belonging isn't something we find inside ourselves alone. It emerges through how we gather, the questions we ask, and the structures we create together.Who Is Peter Block?Peter Block is an author, a citizen of Cincinnati, Ohio, and co-founder of Designed Learning, a training company that offers workshops and learning experiences built around the ideas in his books. He's part of the Common Good Alliance of Greater Cincinnati and was a member of his local neighborhood council. You can find his full bio and headshot at peterblock.com/media-kit.His books include Flawless Consulting, Stewardship, The Answer to How Is Yes, The Abundant Community, Activating the Common Good, and the book that brought him to this podcast: Community: The Structure of Belonging, now in its third edition.Main Topics CoveredPeter's personal journey from wandering to choosing rootedness and citizenshipWhy inner work alone isn't enough, and why community is where belonging actually emergesHow the form of a gathering shapes whether connection happens or notThe critique of inherited structures like Robert's Rules of Order and forward-facing roomsDesigning gatherings where people become agents of their own experienceWhy questions unite us and answers divide usPeter's surprising claim: the opposite of love isn't hate - it's certaintyKey InsightsCommunity is where belonging emerges - not through prescription, but through the conversations and structures we chooseInner work and community work aren't either/or - Peter argues we need a group to do our inner work, and anyone who claims victory on self-work "isn't paying attention"All transformation is linguistic - the conversations we design change us and change the worldThe small group is the unit of transformation - breaking people into groups of two or three shifts them from passive audience to active agents"If you argue with me, I'm taking your side" - Peter's approach to resistance: instead of convincing skeptics, agree with them and let them reckon with themselvesQuestions bring us together, answers keep us apart - when someone gives an answer, the room splits into agree and disagree; a shared question draws people closerThe opposite of love isn't hate, it's certainty - one of Peter's most provocative reframes, and a thread worth sitting withResources & LinksCommunity: The Structure of Belonging (Third Edition) by Peter BlockThe Abundant Community: Awakening the Power of Families and Neighborhoods by Peter Block & John McKnightFlawless Consulting by Peter BlockActivating the Common Good by Peter BlockPeter Block's Substack - Peter's latest thinking and writingDesigned Learning - learning experiences designed around Peter's workPeter Block on LinkedInDesigned Learning on LinkedInConnectInstagram: instagram.com/createbelongingLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/create-belongingEmail: createbelonging@gmail.comStay tuned for Part Two, where Peter and I go deeper into the practical side - how these ideas about structure, questions, and agency show up in everyday community life. If this episode sparked something for you, please share it with someone who's also wondering about belonging in this world. And as always - go create belonging for yourself and for others.Acknowledgments: Music "Playing with Color" by Nullhertz, obtained royalty-free from Pixabay. Thank you to the lovely people at Purple Space for your support. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    38 mins
  • 13 - The 3 Dimension of Belonging

    13 - The 3 Dimension of Belonging
    Sep 10 2025
    The 3 Dimensions of Belonging: A Framework for Understanding How We Connect

    Belonging is one of those catch-all terms that everyone talks about, but we're often describing completely different experiences. On this episode, Mateo explores a framework that breaks belonging into three distinct dimensions - not as a prescription to follow, but as a compass for understanding the different ways we can experience connection.

    What Mateo Covers:
    • The three dimensions of belonging: Self, Others, and Universal
    • Why most conversations about belonging get stuck focusing on just one dimension
    • How belonging with yourself creates space for more authentic relationships
    • The science behind our innate connection to nature and something larger than ourselves
    • Why exclusion registers in our brains the same way physical pain does
    • How to use these dimensions as pathways when you're feeling disconnected
    • The Venn diagram approach: mapping the seven different states of belonging
    Key Ideas Explored:
    • Brené Brown's True Belonging and what it means to stand alone in the wilderness
    • The biophilia hypothesis and why we're wired for nature connection
    • Ubuntu philosophy: "I am because we are"
    • How authenticity and social connection can sometimes work against each other
    • Why these dimensions aren't hierarchical - just different landscapes to explore

    Resources: Mateo has created a free Venn Diagram PDF mapping out all seven belonging states, complete with research notes and book recommendations. Reach out at createbelonging@gmail.com or connect on LinkedIn to get your copy.

    This isn't about optimizing your belonging or checking boxes. It's about recognizing the different pathways that are always available and learning to trust your own internal compass.

    Enjoying these conversations? Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you're listening - it helps more people discover these explorations of belonging and connection. Thank you for being part of this community and for doing the work of creating belonging for yourself and others.


    Acknowledgments:

    Music “Playing with Color” by Nullhertz obtained royalty-free from Pixabay

    Thank you to the lovely people at Purple Space for your support

    ——————————-

    Thank you for listening!

    I would love your Feedback: Please send me an email at createbelonging@gmail.com and let me know what you thought of the episode.

    You can also follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/createbelonging/ or on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/create-belonging


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    32 mins
  • Short Update - We're Back!

    Short Update - We're Back!
    Aug 14 2025

    After nearly two years away, I'm back!

    This is a short update on where I've been. I stepped away to work on my mental health, handle professional commitments, and wrestle with procrastination and imposter syndrome.

    During this time, I've learned that sometimes stepping back is necessary, and that belonging to yourself comes first. I've also been thinking about what Create Belonging can offer in a world where anyone can start a podcast and AI generates content instantly.

    I'm returning not with a polished plan, but with curiosity and the same commitment to exploring what it means to truly belong. The format might evolve, but the core mission remains: creating space for authentic conversations about belonging.


    Ready to continue this conversation about belonging? Subscribe to Create Belonging wherever you listen to podcasts, and join a community committed to exploring what it truly means to belong in this world.



    Acknowledgments:

    Music “Playing with Color” by Nullhertz obtained royalty-free from Pixabay

    Thank you to the lovely people at Purple Space for your support

    ——————————-

    Thank you for listening!

    I would love your Feedback: Please send me an email at createbelonging@gmail.com and let me know what you thought of the episode.

    You can also follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/createbelonging/ or on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/create-belonging


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    5 mins
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