Last week, I wrote about the trend toward analog and tactile, old school and non-digital that we are seeing in everything from saunas to film cameras. This observation was stimulated by what I heard a couple of weeks ago at The Global Wellness Institute‘s yearly trend presentation at the Global Wellness Summit. If you are curious about the trend report, you can purchase one here. I have been part of the Global Wellness world for several years and find it to be an immensely stimulating center of all things related to mental and physical wellness. You may have other topics that no doubt interest you, and I would encourage you to seek out gatherings, conferences, symposiums, or talks around your favorite topic. There is something about meeting people in person with whom you share an interest that is irreplaceable. The then strangers I have met through Global Wellness are now among my best friends. The power of commonality.
To attend an event, you need to leave your house. Sorry to say, Zoom is a facsimile of the real thing and lacks the serendipity of physically meeting new people. Part of my world is speaking at events, which admittedly is a big advantage when it comes to meeting other people in the room. Everyone at least knows who you are. It took me a while to understand that the point of a conference was beyond just gaining information; it was about adding to our human connections. Pro tip courtesy of Anna Wintour: When not sure what to do in a large group setting, walk the room from corner to corner, stopping to chat briefly with as many people as you can. This way pretty much everyone will have seen you.
When I look at my calendar and I see half a dozen events there in the next year, it no longer makes me dread the air travel, hotels, and non-home-cooked food; rather, it has me feeling curious about who I’ll meet and what they may get me thinking about. I’ll almost always leave with several new acquaintances, many notebook pages of ideas, and an appreciation of a life I have created, that makes these moments a regular part of my world. Back when AGEIST was born, I had no idea that one of the huge benefits would be an immense and expanding social group. If you are worried about boredom, shrinking networks, and a shriveling mind, start a media property. Trust me, you will have a thousand new problems, but those three will not be on the list. This coming November, I’ll be at the next Global Wellness Summit, which is taking place in Abu Dhabi. I am hyped. Maybe see you there?
Onward and upward,
David
