Community. We use this word often without much discussion about what it means. The assumption is that the word itself sparks a sense of belonging and simply using it opens an invitation for you to join our community.
Much like how you can choose your friends, even more deliberately, you can choose your community. Aside from home and work and even separate from your closest friends. The gathering place, the 3rd place, the Great Good Place …
A place you want to go that can pull you away from all of life’s other demands. Where you feel safe, cared for, and inspired. Where there’s laughter and conversation and trust. A home away from home that truly feels yours.
With so many people working from home now, the work environment which doubled as a place to socialize, is much less relevant. Melding home and work now lends to some seriously blurry lines between chores and career, and play has taken somewhat of a back seat.
The experiences we have in our ‘3rd place’ help build us up as humans. It allows us to surround ourselves with people who differ but are similar enough to find common ground and appreciate that in each other. It’s your extra curricular, your place of worship, where you want to return time and time again.
For years I have been committed to rowing and running… These activities make up my 3rd place because it’s not just the act of rowing and running, but the community I share it all with. There’s a group I run with every week, and even though the people may vary, our Tues/Thurs runs from the studio are our staple. It’s my church.
Rowing takes place from May-October with the Azorean Maritime Heritage Society. Spending time on the Azorean Whaleboats is everything. It pulls all kinds of people together – not just Azorean or Portuguese. We work as a team to row and sail these incredible boats, and we work together to take care of them throughout the year.
The people I have met through Boutique Fitness, running, and through AMHS I may never have had the opportunity to cross paths with if it weren’t for this concept. When you meet someone in your 3rd place, it’s different from just meeting a stranger. You automatically have a common interest and all the other details of who you are are expressed in time through conversations and story telling.
Boutique Fitness has become this for so many and we couldn’t be more happy about this. It’s a place for people to meet, work on themselves with the support of their coaches and fellow clients, and especially, a place for them to feel good about themselves. It also helps that the ‘work’ we do at the studios releases endorphins 😉
Whether it’s your fitness, card night, volunteering, or whatever it may mean to you, identify your 3rd place and cherish it. It will help bring more depth and joy to your life. xo
