As we approach the season of holidays, the concept of gathering is at the forefront of my brain. We all have closely held beliefs about what gathering represents in our lives.
As the years progress, I find myself examining some of the traditions and activities that "just happen" the way we’ve always done them. Instead of operating on cruise control, I am taking ownership and asking myself what is most important to me, my family, and my friends so we can create gathering moments that are loved, appreciated, and aligned to our values.
How we choose to spend our time with family and friends that we care about matters. It can be easy to get caught up in the “shoulds” and “have to’s” straying far away from our true purpose of gathering. When we allow obligations to drive our gathering decisions, we aren’t taking ownership or being intentional about the precious time we are spending in these moments and, most likely, aren’t showing up authentically. How does this impact the gathering? We may be physically present, but emotionally divested. We aren’t connecting meaningfully, which prevents us and those around us from experiencing the full power of true joy and fulfillment.
Be intentional about your gatherings, what’s important to you about the connections, and how you want to show up and contribute. Once you are clear about what this looks like, own it and communicate it with friends and family. This frees you up to create meaningful gatherings connected to your values and generate purposeful experiences and memories for all gathered with you.
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