3 Things I Learned From the GenWell "Talk To A Stranger" Launch Event

#1 Of those I personally invited to Good Earth Coffeehouse at 7:00am on a Monday morning - five friends and valued connections showed up - not just for a coffee, but for the whole 3-hour event! I would never usually invite friends to gather at this hour, and yet with the hook of something happening, it totally worked and three of us even car-pooled.

Learning – when life is busy, sometimes it feels like there's no time to be social. Why not think outside the box. If evenings are tied up, when else could you squeeze a social with friends into your diary to help you feel connected and supported?

#2 Though I had plenty of energy there, I crashed when I got home! Perhaps mixing friends, connections, and talking to strangers required more energy than one or the other.

Learning – when could you make time for intentionally connecting with friends OR strangers? E.g., would you consider going to a coffee shop, sporting event or hiking trail alone, when you would typically invite a friend - to push you out of your comfort zone, and see what unfolds? Or vice-versa.

#3 Outside of the GenWell crew, and people I invited, I was particularly drawn to speaking to people who were introduced to me by mutual connections. This is not uncommon. It takes approximately 200 hours to turn a complete stranger into a good friend, over a 3 month period, however this can be fast-tracked if you were introduced by a mutual friend. This is known as Network Cohesion or Dyadic Closure - which emphasizes the effect that common contacts have, to help you build trust and cooperate more easily.

Learning – next time you're going to a public event, consider who else within your network of friends or valued connections might enjoy being there. Suggest a meeting spot, or if complicating logistics fills you with dread, let them know that it would be fun to casually bump into them there. With a little encouragement, you may even create opportunities for new friendships to blossom. ???

Special shout out Pete Bombaci for spearheading this initiative. Tony Esteves for leading the Victoria event, Ame-Lia Tamburrini Claire Skillen Sue Maitland PCC Rob Trick and Kay Judas for your presence and energy. Wonderful to meet Barb Collombin and Carrie from the https://www.meetastranger.ca project, plus many other beautiful souls. Until next time! ??

To learn more about Talk To A Stranger week visit https://www.talktoastrangerweek.org/

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