As business owners and mothers, it’s so easy to fall into the trap or belief that we’re all against one another. We start to compare our homes and our parenting styles and little by little, without really noticing it, we feel like we’re competing to do it better. But I have to tell you just one simple truth. Community is always better than comparison and I want to help you cultivate it by learning how to host community in your home. 

There is room at the table for everyone. There is, as my friend Lindsay always says, enough pie to go around. 

I’m sure you’ve heard the quote, “When you have more than you need, build a bigger table, not a higher fence,” it is truly one of my favorite quotes to live by. I am encouraged daily to change the narrative that we are all against one another and instead celebrate other moms, entrepreneurs, and families and join in community with them.

And I have to believe you’d love to see more of that as well. So how do we do it? How do you build a community that links arms with one another and builds everyone up?

It’s honestly so simple. 

Open up your home. 

As an introvert, it’s really easy for me to shy away from this. I have the most life-giving friendships and the most beautiful people in my life but my need to be alone to recharge makes it easy for me to stay to myself and forget to open my home for in-person connection. If you’re like me, you have to be intentional about scheduling time for this into your week and that’s okay. Everyone’s life is so busy and it’s really easy to forget that we need to make time for connection and community. 

So I challenge you to start adding it to your to-do list. 

We started hosting a small group in our home every Sunday evening and it has become one of my favorite days of the week! I love the connections we’ve made, the friendships we’ve cultivated, and the sense of belonging we have created. 

At the start of every month, I encourage you to plan at least one opportunity to open up your home for a play date, invite friends over for dinner, or host a book club in your living room. It doesn’t have to be fancy or planned with party favors and five-course meals. Have the neighbors over for pizza, invite your kid’s friends over to play in the backyard, or have a friend over to sit on your couch and chat about life. Make it simple, but make it a priority. 

HOW TO HOST COMMUNITY IN YOUR HOME

1. Simply invite people. I think we make inviting people into our homes more complicated than it needs to be. But in order to start building a community in your home, all you have to do is ask people to come. 

2. Grab some snacks. Don’t make it complicated, but don’t forget the snacks. LOL. I always keep chips and salsa or fruit and cheese on hand so I can throw a little snack board together when we host community in our home. When there are snacks, it’s an immediate good time. It’s just science. 

3. Identify the purpose. Why are you hosting people? Are you having a book club, a mom’s meet-up, or a date night? Whatever it is that you’re hosting, have a clear reason for why people are coming in order to let everyone know what to expect. 

4. Games are always a good idea. If you aren’t sure how to entertain your guests, having a game is always a crowd-pleaser. And you don’t have to turn to Pinterest for DIY game ideas. Any board game will do. It isn’t often that we get to just relax and play, so everyone is always down for some game time. 

That’s it. It doesn’t take a lot to host community in your home. All you have to do is be willing to invite people in, have some snacks, and provide a good time. 

And spoiler alert: Having a good time can totally just be sitting around a table and enjoying a good conversation. It doesn’t have to be complicated. 

It’s so important to invest in the community in our lives and open up our homes to say, you are welcome here and worth my time and energy. It’s incredible how the power of community can improve your mental wellness and give you something to look forward to week after week! 

And I totally get it, maybe opening up your home stresses you out. Maybe your home isn’t as clean as you’d like it to be or as orderly as you try to keep it. Or any other reason you’d rather not host people in your home. If the idea of opening your home stresses you out, take your playdates or coffee meet-ups somewhere else. Head to the park or the local cafe. Just be sure to make time and space for getting together with friends and joining in community! 

My heart is rooted in rooting for my friends and family and I love to see them win!

Getting to be in person with our “people” as often as possible is such a great way to stay invested in their lives and excited about the things they’re doing. And the awesome thing is that when you are invested in others, it automatically creates an atmosphere for people to become invested in you as well! 

And even though we can’t join in community in one another’s homes, I would love to work with you and get to know you more! If you are looking for a community to cheer you on in your business and help you identify your next moves, I would love to be that person for you! Let’s connect one-on-one and become business besties! 

I hope this encourages you to take a look at your heart and intentions and helps you focus on finding your people and building a community rather than letting comparison take hold. Take some time today to chat with a friend, invite someone over, start an online group, or simply be a cheerleader! And then create your game plan for how to host a community in your home and invest in making connections to last a lifetime.