There are places in the world where you can feel connection the moment you walk in. Spaces that hold a quiet kind of magic. Places where people talk a little slower, breathe a little deeper, and open up a little more. Earlier this month, our team found one of those spaces.
We stepped through the doors of The Shed in Atlanta, Georgia, and immediately exchanged a look that said, this is something special. The air carried a warm and gentle energy. Sunlight poured in through industrial-style windows. It felt like the kind of place where meaningful conversations were possible. The kind of place that holds stories waiting to be told.
We met the owner, who spoke with care about the vision behind the space. We also met a member of his team who helped walk us through the rooms that made up The Shed. As we explored, we could feel the intention behind every choice. The atmosphere was welcoming and open. It reminded us of the spirit behind Inclusivv. It felt familiar in the best way.
Spaces like The Shed remind us that we are not meant to move through life alone. Human beings gather for a reason. We gather to remember who we are. We gather to connect. And with the holiday season approaching, especially Thanksgiving, this truth feels even more important.
Human beings are biologically wired for connection. Research from the US Surgeon General shows that loneliness increases the risk of premature death by nearly 30 percent and affects health as strongly as smoking or obesity (Surgeon General, 2023). The Harvard Study of Adult Development, the longest-running study on wellbeing, found that close relationships are the strongest predictor of long-term happiness and health (Harvard Gazette, 2023).
Even short moments of meaningful connection release oxytocin, a hormone linked to trust and bonding, and can reduce stress (Wong, 2014). Studies also show that supportive relationships strengthen resilience and improve emotional wellbeing (Kogan et al., 2013).
And yet our world pushes us toward distraction and isolation. We scroll instead of seeing each other. We rush instead of slowing down. We fill our minds with content instead of conversation.
This is why intentional gathering matters. Dr. Vivek Murthy describes this as social fitness. Just like physical health requires regular exercise, social health requires consistent human connection (Murthy, 2020). When we sit in the same room, breathe the same air, share stories, and listen with presence, our nervous systems settle. We remember that we belong.
Spaces like The Shed make this possible. They help us show up, not as performers but as people.
Holidays bring joy, laughter, tradition, food and warmth. They can also bring tension and discomfort when people with different perspectives and experiences sit around the same table.
One meal can include generations with different values, relatives with different political views, or family members who carry old wounds. But what if we looked at holiday gatherings not as moments to avoid difficult conversations, but as opportunities to practice civil ones?
We do not need to debate. We do not need to convince. We only need to listen with curiosity. Civil conversation means respect. It means compassion. It means choosing understanding over winning.
The space where these conversations happen matters. A rushed kitchen or a crowded corner can create tension. A calm, warm and welcoming space can ease it.
This is something we felt instantly at The Shed.
Priya Parker writes that the first mistake we make when we gather is forgetting to consider why we are gathering in the first place (Parker, 2018). I also believe that where we gather influences how we gather.
Inside The Shed, every detail felt designed to support connection. Sunlight gently filled the space. Natural textures created a sense of grounding. The layout encouraged people to face each other rather than turn away. Instead of distractions, the environment offered calm.
Environmental psychology studies show that warm lighting increases trust, circular seating increases empathy, and natural elements make people more willing to share personal stories (University of British Columbia, 2020). Comfortable settings help people feel open to new ideas.
The Shed blends these elements beautifully. It feels alive, supportive, and intentional. It reminded me that the environment is not a neutral backdrop. It is part of the conversation. It affects our comfort and our courage.
We could picture Inclusivv Culture Conversations inside this space. We could imagine people leaning in, nodding, sharing stories. The Shed seemed to say you are welcome here. You are safe here. Take your time.
Meaningful gathering takes work. It takes intention. It takes a willingness to show up and be seen. That is not easy for anyone, especially during emotionally charged moments like the holidays.
For civil conversations to happen, people need two things.
People must feel safe to speak without fear of being judged or dismissed. Safety allows people to be honest.
Everyone must agree that the goal is understanding, not winning.
At Inclusivv, we often remind people that the real heart of bridging divides is not agreement. It is listening. The simple act of sitting with someone else's truth can create connection where none existed before.
This is hard work. Gratitude can help us do it.
Gratitude is more than a feeling. It is a practice that shapes how we see each other. Studies show that gratitude increases empathy and reduces aggression while strengthening relationships and lowering stress (Kogan et al., 2013). Gratitude also helps people communicate with more compassion and patience (Greater Good Science Center, n.d.).
Thanksgiving offers a perfect moment to practice this. A moment to pause. A moment to soften. A moment to remember that even in our differences, we are connected.
When a gathering begins with gratitude, the conversation becomes more open. People breathe easier. Listening becomes more generous.
Gratitude prepares the ground so that connection can take root.
As Lindsay and I left The Shed, I kept thinking about how many moments in our lives are shaped by the spaces we choose to show up in.
Some rooms help us feel more confident and open. Others make us shrink or hold back. And then there are rooms like The Shed that feel like an invitation to be fully present.
Walking through that space gave me several reminders.
A warm space invites people in.
A good space holds us. It supports the tone we want to create.
We need places where we can put down our phones and be fully with one another.
Every corner of The Shed felt like it was whispering. Slow down. Sit. Share. Connect.
And that is what so many people are craving today.
As the holiday season approaches, here are a few gentle ideas that can make gatherings feel more civil, warm and connected.
Invite each person to share one thing they are thankful for. Gratitude sets the tone.
Ideas like listen to understand, speak from personal experience, and assume good intent can transform the energy in a room.
If someone shares a perspective you disagree with, ask gentle questions. Tell me more. What shaped that experience for you. How has this issue affected you personally.
Curiosity is one of the most powerful forms of respect.
A small pause can help people gather their thoughts or reconnect to the moment.
Even small things like lighting a candle or playing soft music can create a warm atmosphere.
Stories bring people together in a way facts cannot.
Thank people for their honesty and for showing up. Appreciation holds people together.
We are living in a time where it is easy to feel divided and overwhelmed. Yet at the same time, people are longing for meaning, belonging and real conversation.
Spaces like The Shed help meet that longing. They remind us that community grows when people come together with intention. They show us that courage and empathy can grow when the environment supports them.
Connection never begins with perfection. It begins with presence. It begins with ordinary people gathering in the same room with open hearts.
Communities change one conversation at a time. Conversations change when the space encourages them. And the space becomes powerful when people bring their own warmth and humanity to it.
As we move into Thanksgiving, I am reminded that this holiday is not only about food or tradition. It is about remembering.
We remember that we belong to each other.
We remember that the world softens when we sit together.
We remember that listening is an act of love.
We remember that every person carries a story worth hearing.
Wherever you gather this season, whether it is around a family table or inside a beautiful community space like The Shed, I hope you feel the fullness of what it means to be human.
I hope you feel gratitude for the people around you.
I hope you feel the courage to listen with an open heart.
I hope you feel the power of gathering with intention.
Here is to more spaces that support us.
Here is to more conversations that inspire us.
Here is to more gratitude that helps us stay grounded.
And here is to the gatherings that remind us that we are never alone.
Harvard Gazette. (2023). What the world’s longest happiness study found. Harvard University. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2023/01/what-the-worlds-longest-happiness-study-found/
Kogan, A., Gruber, J., Shallcross, A. J., Ford, B. Q., & Mauss, I. B. (2013). Too much of a good thing? Positive emotion variability in a real-world setting predicts worse psychosocial functioning. Psychological Science, 24(7), 1210–1215. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0956797615593178
Murthy, V. H. (2020). Together: The healing power of human connection in a sometimes lonely world. Harper Wave. https://www.vivekmurthy.com/together-book
Parker, P. (2018). The art of gathering: How we meet and why it matters. Riverhead Books. https://www.priyaparker.com/the-art-of-gathering
Surgeon General of the United States. (2023). Our epidemic of loneliness and isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory on the healing effects of social connection and community. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf
University of British Columbia. (2020). How nature helps us open up. UBC News. https://news.ubc.ca/2020/02/27/how-nature-helps-us-open-up/
Wong, A. (2014). Oxytocin, trust, and social bonding. Frontiers in Psychology. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01529/full
Greater Good Science Center. (n.d.). Gratitude. UC Berkeley. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/gratitude