The Mattering Movement answers the question: What can we do to combat the pandemic of loneliness and despair that are harming our youth? How can we combat today’s widespread mattering deficit?
Mattering is feeling valued for who you are at your core and adding value to the world around you.
It is a deep, human, universal need.
Mattering Is A Concept As Simple As It Is Profound.
A deep sense of mattering offers a protective shield of psychological resources, like self-worth and a sense of belonging, that act as a critical buffer from life’s adversities.
For over four decades, a large body of research has found that people with high levels of mattering—those who feel valued and that they are adding value to others—are more likely to thrive in adolescence and adulthood.
Leading scholars identify these core components of mattering: Attention, Importance, and Reliance. Scientists have found that the absence of these factors; in other words, feeling insignificant, lacking importance, and not feeling relied upon, yield a fear response that is inextricably linked to anxiety and depression.
Research shows that how well a person balances feeling valued with adding value to those around them yields positive mental health outcomes, separating healthy high achievers from less healthy ones.
The concept of mattering might seem obvious, but we are facing a mattering deficit within individual households, schools, workplaces, even entire communities. With rising rates of anxiety, depression and suicide, understanding how mattering can protect people is more critical than ever. The good news is that mattering is easy to understand and simple to put into practice.
Mattering is a Deep, Human Universal Need.
A strong sense of mattering is a protective shield against life’s ups and downs. Research shows that mattering buffers against anxiety, depression, and loneliness.
The Mattering Movement Program is an actionable pathway to address our growing mental health crisis.
Mattering is a vital construct in understanding psychological well-being. Research shows that feeling that one matters to others is not only essential for self-esteem and purpose but also plays an important role in buffering against mental health challenges such as depression, loneliness, and social anxiety.
The good news is that mattering is a skill — and like any skill, it can be taught. Research consistently shows that mattering is highly actionable. The behaviors that make students feel valued, seen, and connected are learnable — and they work.
Learn how to bring The Mattering Movement to your school or campus and create a community where everyone feels valued, connected, and empowered to thrive.
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