Friendship IRL: Real Talk About Friendship, Community, and What It Actually Takes
Alex Alexander
Podcast
Episodes
Listen, download, subscribe
[REPLAY] How to Stop Dreading Parties and Take Charge of Your Guest Experience
If you’re somebody who dreads going to a party, then this episode is for you. Sometimes the couch feels more appealing than going out into the world and socializing, and I get it. Attending a gathering takes energy. Sometimes it feels awkward. But gatherings can also make us feel inspired and supported and invigorated. Today I offer an approach that will help you take charge of your guest experience with three simple questions. You can ask yourself these questions before you leave, while you’re driving, or even on your way inside. It’s that easy. My hope is that this episode helps more gatherings feel like time well-spent – and that, consequently, you’ll want to say yes to more invitations in the future, too. In this episode you’ll hear about: Why do we like being invited? What feeling do we think a gathering will offer? And why do we sometimes feel dread on the day of?What the very best gatherings can provide: a shift in momentum, a feeling of relief, a connection made, something learnedHow to take charge of our guest experiences and create moments of meaning by asking three simple questionsRemembering that we don’t always know what will happen – and that sometimes the most unexpected gatherings can actually be the most impactfulReflection Question: Are you a person who dreads gatherings? What is it about them that you fear? What tools from this episode will you take with you for your next gathering? Notable Quotes: “The best gatherings – I think, if we look back on them, there's something about that gathering that caused an internal state change, an emotional shift, or some sort of momentum in our lives. We're all out here spending so much time in our own heads – which is great, by the way. I'm not saying don't spend time in your thoughts meditating and being present with yourself. I'm just saying, for a lot of us, that's how we spend the majority of our time, and sometimes, it is nice to be with other people who might inspire you, or offer a fresh perspective or a boost of information or a new way to see the world – an opportunity to feel invigorated or nourished or supported.” “We can't just keep walking into these gatherings pretending like we have no real power here. We do and we can create meaning for ourselves. So how do you do that? Well, I have a very simple strategy. All I do is ask myself three questions before I walk in the door. You could do this while you are driving there. You could sit in your car for a moment before you go inside. You could do this honestly, even between the time it takes you to park your car and walk in the door. It really is that easy.” Resources & Links Read The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker. It’s amazing! Like what you hear? Visit my website, leave me a voicemail, and follow me on Instagram and TikTok! Want to take this conversation a step further? Send this episode to a friend. Tell them you found it interesting and use what we just talked about as a conversation starter the next time you and your friend hang out!
Friendship IRL: Real Talk About Friendship, Community, and What It Actually Takes RSS Feed
