Finding a community is an important stage in becoming, and later maintaining, your groovy new health’n'fitness-lovin identity. It’s rewarding and renewing to share knowledge and rub shoulders while practicing the activities you love.

Case in point: Last night I breathed some fresh life into my yoga practice by going to a “yoga potluck.” Twenty-odd people gathered, tossed some cash into a purple plastic jacko’lantern for Instructor Ted, and did about 90 minutes of asanas in an amazing pre-fab green home designed by the owner and gracious host. Afterwards we chowed down, drank some wine, and dished on our favorite instructors, studios, poses, etc. The talk wasn’t all yoga, but I admit I enjoyed that part of it most of all.

I don’t usually make “yoga friends.” Something about the rarefied studio atmosphere shuts me down; I start to feel everybody’s trying to out-spiritual each other. Plus many people (usually me included) go to yoga to get quiet, not for some chatty mat talk.

This wasn’t at all the case at the potluck. We were all there specifically for the purpose of creating and enjoying community. I left feeling more like a “yogi” than when I came — and more inspired to develop my practice.

Now, I know you all are going, “That’s so L.A.” True, this is Kookytown I’m writing to you from, where people do things like throw on the spandex en masse and get down with their yoga selves in their eco-homes. Guilty!

But wherever you are, you can find or create a community around your favorite activities, whether that means scheduling an evening walk with girlfriend, or joining a running club, a hiking club, a healthy cooking club, or a weekly pickup soccer game. You name it, and I bet you can find someone to do it with you. You can even let the web help you, using sites like Craig’s List and MeetUp.

One caveat: Be honest about your abilities. Several years ago a friend of mine used Craig’s List to start a mountainbiking club. Being overly macho, he described himself as “experienced” but had only gone on a couple of rides. He didn’t even have a proper mountainbike. The three guys who showed up to join his group really were experienced and took him on The Ride from Hell in the Santa Monica Mountains. He nearly died several times and could barely move the next day. Lesson learned.

So if you start a running club, don’t pretend you’re Mary Marathoner if you’ve just cracked the one-mile mark. As in all cases, be exactly who you are — friends new and old will appreciate that, and if they don’t, find ones who do!