Let's Really Welcome Each Other and Ourselves into 2024 and our Lives
What does it take to be welcoming and can we do that with authenticity and kindness?
Howdy, Welcome, Come In. I'm so glad you are here.
Isn't that how we want to be welcomed into our workspaces, meetings, friends' homes, events, family gatherings, homes, and our lives? To be wanted and enjoyed, and that feeling of warmth when we walk over a threshold, and someone greets us with kindness and acceptance.
Is that how you welcomed in the new year? Did you usher it in with a warm smile and happiness when it arrived? Or did you fret about your plans, wonder if you were in the right place, and feel a little off about the whole thing? Maybe you were so tired you went to bed at 8:30, had a quiet evening, or went out to an early celebration with friends.
The question is, did you welcome it with kindness, and did you extend that welcome to yourself and others?
I've been thinking a lot about how we welcome people into our spaces and how we welcome ourselves. It's about honoring each other's presence and our own, and sometimes, I think we rush around so fast and furious that we forget to stop and help others feel welcome and for ourselves to step into our moments with care and consideration.
I have, admittedly, done this poorly over the years - rushing, irritated, focused on my own stuff, tired, hungry (or really hangry), and this is the year I want to consider a different way.
My parents were gracious hosts at parties they held before I was born. At least, I think they were. I only have old yellowing photos to show what they did, and they seemed to understand how to welcome others into their homes and lives. They stopped entertaining after I was born because life got a little out of control with three kids running around, mental health issues with my mom, and the stresses of keeping it all going. I'm a little sad about that, as I would have loved to see them in action, but I gleaned a little from stories they told and glimpses of their skill at welcoming others at smaller family events and in our daily lives. My dad could talk to anyone and find something interesting (a skill I learned from him), and my mom was creative and captivating (something I learned from her in my own way).
At some time, though, I forgot most of it and rushed through life, not paying much attention to how I welcomed others into my world or met myself there. It took a worldwide pandemic, massive surgery, making significant changes to the organization I work for, and slowing down to make me stop and consider what it means to welcome people.
Here's what I know and what I'm experimenting with:
Everyone wants to be welcomed into a space and feel like they are in the right place. This is small-stakes stuff, but it has changed how I set up for meetings and events that I'm hosting. Rather than finding my space and getting down to work, I greet people with genuine joy that they are there.
Before I enter a space, I ensure I have what I need physically and mentally. Ensure I'm not thirsty, hungry, tired, grumpy, etc. And if I am, I try to take care of those needs first. If I can't, I'm either not attending or shutting up. Honestly, it's my mouth that gets me in trouble more often than anything else, and if I"'m tired and feeling like a jerk, I will make it miserable for everyone. I don't want to, but it happens, and I know that.
I am giving people the opportunity to center themselves. People need a moment to get their shit together. And after I say hello, I leave them alone to find where they want to be and what they need. When leading meetings, I also create an opportunity to turn to a neighbor and talk about where they are. In a recent meeting, I used the Feelings Wheel as a guide to give them a starting place to share where they are with one another person. That, in itself, is grounding and allows the people gathering to be cared for just as they are in that moment.
I'm slowing down. Just that. Not multitasking. Building in gaps between meetings and events to process them. Enjoying the process of being together and then integrating that with being alone.
This isn't about being happy all the time or stuffing your feelings; this is about genuine welcoming. We want people in our lives to feel as comfortable as possible and for us to accept ourselves, too. It's to welcome others and our lives fully. I'm here for this in 2024, and I'll take you along as I succeed and fail - because it's all just learning.
So tell me. How did you welcome in the new year? How are you at welcoming people into your life? How are you at welcoming yourself? I really want to know because we all learn from one another.
And, welcome to 2024. I'm so glad you are here.
Just a note: I'm still booking speaking engagements for 2024. I'm excited to be in Louisiana this month and would love to see you wherever you are. I help individuals and organizations step into authentic leadership and community building. Let's talk if you have a corporate event, conference, or meeting for which you're looking for a speaker or facilitator.