Introduction- Part 1 What is a Small Group?

Hello Friend!

Are you bored or lonely? Looking for something new and DIFFERENT to break up the monotony? You are in luck! What if I said you can get excited about trying something new, with as little stress as possible, make some friends and have FUN?  We are, of course, talking about hosting your own GLADS group. What is a GLADS group, you ask? Keep reading my friend, because you may have just found your place.

 Why we need to socialize IRL

There are all kinds of studies and science-y things coming out now about how lonely everyone is after the pandemic. I agree having to stay in our homes for so long made us all a bit rusty on how to meet people face to face and maybe even fearful of trying new places or activities. However, I know this loneliness has always been a real factor in people’s lives, as this was a driving force in my starting my weekly GLADS group all those years ago. Humans crave togetherness, social interactions and real conversations, even us introverts! Simply put, women need support from other women.

Why do we hold back?

Social Media, magazines and shows lead us to believe we need to have a perfect life, matching dinner plates and 3 course meals in order to entertain or meet up with friends. “Influencers” promote spacious, perfectly decorated and impeccably organized homes. Media implies if you have what they have, you will be happy. These people promote the fancy restaurants and clubs that we are “supposed” to be frequenting.

Guess what? It actually has the opposite effect on MOST PEOPLE! Instead of entertaining us, it causes us to judge ourselves on what we own or how many LIKES we have.

This is hurting our self worth, ladies! We’ve become too intimidated to reach out to people, based on others “highlight reel” posts of the fabulous life they lead.  Sometimes we feel like we just don’t measure up.

Most importantly, sometimes these “influential” people make the gift of real friendship sound like a chore or even unwanted, like we need to have our act fully together to socialize.  I have news for you, noone is fully together. Especially me!

And I have been successfully planning and hosting womans groups and events for over 20 years!

Add to that feeling is a lack of time, energy or money (or all 3!), and we quit before we even begin to have any fun.  Well, all that can change!

What exactly is a GLADS Group?

By definition, whether business or personal, groups or gatherings are planned to either meet new people, get people together to learn something, or to take a positive action towards a common goal, like fundraising or teambuilding.

In my life, a small group gathering or GLADS event is planned with one main goal- to make connections between people and build relationships through a shared experience. 

GLADS Night

Giving someone a gladiola tells them you believe they are strong enough to overcome and that you will always be there when they need you.

GLADS stands for Girls Laughing And Doing Stuff together. Gladiola are one of my favorite flowers. Fluffy flower heads, tall in the garden, sword-like foliage. Glads are a symbolic flower for friendship. They have several meanings, strength of character, faithfulness, sincerity and integrity, never giving up.

Giving someone a gladiola tells them you believe they are strong enough to overcome and that you will always be there when they need you. Isn’t that just perfect for a group of friends?

Next time we will discuss possibilities of what you can do to alleviate that lonelyness we all feel and start getting back out there to meet new people and try new things. You are not alone! Maybe you would even like to start a GLADS group?

Remember, any reason is a great one to host a simple, successful and memorable gathering, and our goal is to help you meet that goal!

I will go over this in more detail in the next post, but for now, I want you to start thinking about what you want to get out of it, and what steps you can start TODAY to get yourself to that goal.

HOMEWORK: For now, I’d like you to contact ONE PERSON and invite them to meet you at a cafe or a park. ASAP. Baby Steps.

Til next time!

-Tanya Fee

Introduction- Part 1

What is a small group, and why do you need one?