“Off-Topic Townhall: Nourish” Recap
At the end of September, in honor of this season’s theme of ~Nourish~, our community gathered together for an Off-Topic Townhall, virtually kicking off our last season of the year. We had a chill night in with our incredible global community, where we jammed out to Mark Evich’s live music and heard from our very own members on how they found ways to nourish this past year.
Missed the Townhall and want to be inspired? Or maybe you were there but forgot to write down that one zinger from a speaker? We got you. Read on for highlights from our Off-Topic Townhall.
The Music
Musician Mark Evich kicked off the night with some extremely vibey music — both covers and of his own — and shared how he found solace in woodworking during the past year. The pandemic-driven lack of music gigs led him to explore this new hobby, and he loves how working with wood “lets you focus on the one thing in your hands that you have control over, rather than all the craziness that’s happening in the world.”
The Talks
Nourish Your Senses and Feed Your Soul — Austin Sellers, Business Development Strategist. Austin found nourishment through his five senses, such as learning to cook with a dutch oven (smell) and creating a platform about juicing (taste).
- Best Bite: “[These things] taught me about the whole person — how am I showing up for myself? My reflection informed how I move in these spaces, and my major takeaway is to take time to slow down. I want to cultivate wholeness. I want to build discernment, and move with purpose.”
Down the Rabbit Hole — Nat Smith, Junior Strategist at Mischief USA. Nat considers nourishment to be nourishment for her brain and wanted to explore her curiosity outside of work.
- Best Bites: “I decided to make a conscious effort to get curious and fall down these rabbit holes myself. I wanted to reclaim a part of myself that was usually dominated by work.”
Don’t Hate the Tomate — Ally Hiponia, Communications Consultant. Ally, previous hater of tomatoes, had a “Ratatouille moment” after a hot summer day and learned to love tomatoes (via a beautiful plate of caprese salad).
- Best Bites: “Nourishment is a challenge, but you can teach yourself new things and find that you can change your mind on things. You find out you’ve changed for the better if you continue to grow and push your limits! In terms of being a strategist, we’re always trying to expand our horizons. Where can you push your limits a little bit? And where can you grow? Anytime I’m able to change my mind on something, it’s really rewarding.”
What I Learned about Breathing — Dana Luong, Product Designer. Dana has found nourishment by learning about breath, the impact it can have on our physical and mental health, and through teaching others how to improve their breathing habits.
- Best Bites: “There’s so much anxiety and fear around breathing through our noses during COVID, but don’t let the pandemic take away something that is so integral to our emotional wellbeing. Remember to carve out time for breathing, even if it’s just 2 minutes a day. Laughter is also a great way to get stale air out of your body.”
Growing By Any Means Necessary — Isis Arias, Brand Marketer & Executive Producer. Isis relayed her journey of self-discovery and realization that by living her authentic life she’s able to help others grow and stretch.
- Best Bites: ”For those of you in transitions and weird spaces and trying to find out your story/value, just sit and breathe. Ask yourself the hard questions and see what stretches you. We’re often taught to actively listen to others but we don’t actively listen to ourselves. Ask yourself the hard questions, ask what you’re afraid of. Be curious. Find your tribe. Understand that as you share, you are opening up that space for others to share. That reflection back will allow you to find the space you need to be in.”
We hope you were inspired by these ways of nourishment and can discover your own. Stay tuned for more gatherings as we collectively look inwards during our last season of the year.
Peace.
