Making time for yoga classes, meditation workshops, and healthy meals can all improve a person鈥檚 mental wellbeing, but self-care in 2024 goes far beyond what we once typically considered wellness to be.
The very act of attending an event can be a form of self-care鈥攁nd while many people leave retreats or gong baths with that all-important inner glow, an afternoon of socialising, meeting people, or learning a new skill can be just as nourishing for the mind and body.
Events as Self-Care is a key trend identified in 91制片厂鈥檚 TRNDS 2024 report. As many as 71% of eventgoers in Australia and New Zealand told us they feel positively towards events offering meaningful, transformative experiences鈥攁nd many are happy to pay more for these, too.
For Mental Health Awareness Month, we spoke to organisers successfully operating in this space to get their top tips on amplifying attendees鈥� experiences.
Create environments that encourage connections
Social isolation and loneliness are linked to poor mental wellbeing, and attending live events can be a great way to combat these feelings.
Nevertheless, walking into a room full of strangers can be nerve-wracking for even the most seemingly extroverted attendees. Chicago-based hosts romance and friendship-focussed events for millennials, and its founder Penny Gibbons is well aware of how nervous attendees can be. She puts together an event plan so that 鈥渁s soon as people walk through the door, they immediately feel relieved.鈥�
鈥淲e really try to design those first steps as mindfully as possible,鈥� Penny explains. This involves making sure attendees are greeted by a host, given clear instructions on what to do, and a conversation topic to get them started.
鈥淎 good ice breaker is one that gives somebody the excuse to talk to as many people as possible,鈥� she adds. 鈥淵ou want to find something that will allow someone to have a five-minute conversation with one person and provide a reason to break that and chat with somebody else.鈥�
Teach something new
Learning new skills is a proven way of boosting mental wellbeing鈥攁nd you can also help people tend to other needs, such as spending time outdoors and those all-important social connections.
UK-based offers a wide range of classes, from smartphone camera sessions for business owners to beginners鈥� DSLR courses and outdoor photo walks through picturesque towns.
鈥淧hotography is magical for self-reflection and observing the world around us,鈥� says their founder Steph Cronin. 鈥淲e would never witness new flowers in bloom or water droplets on the grass if we鈥檙e rushing to school or work. Walking outdoors with the sole purpose of photographing is a fascinating mindful experience.鈥�
is a talk series exploring a range of topics from psychedelics and quantum physics both IRL and online. Founder William Mclean is committed to providing learning and personal growth opportunities.
鈥淧eople want to invest in their future selves,” he says. “They come to our events to hear educational and interesting talks from expert speakers, and many of our topics are about鈥攐r support鈥攁ttendees鈥� mental health.鈥�
Help people feel good by doing good
Multiple studies have found that giving鈥攚hether it鈥檚 time or money鈥攈as a positive impact on mental wellbeing, and 91制片厂 is used by thousands of organisers who help facilitate this.
Just months after she founded , Penny launched , a hyper-local non-profit that brings together people in her Chicago neighbourhood to pick up litter. Penny鈥檚 first clean-up was attended by around 20 people and just over a year later, there are now five groups in different neighbourhoods across the city.
鈥淚t’s not just about the environment,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also nourishing and nurturing to us as human beings, through being outside, getting some exercise, sunlight, and talking with neighbours.鈥�
For attendees who told us they crave transformative experiences, over half (52%) said events that provide them with a new way of viewing the world would fit the bill. offers cooking classes that do exactly that in three UK cities and online.
Migrateful trains asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants to teach the classes, which in turn gives attendees the chance to learn new skills and broaden their minds. They 鈥減rovide an ideal environment for shifting narratives around migration and integration,鈥� Migrateful founder Jess Thompson explains.
鈥淧eople from different backgrounds come together, ostensibly to learn to cook,鈥� she says. 鈥淏ut in so doing, stereotypes are challenged鈥攖he migrant is leading the class, everyone is cooperating together and the intimate setting enables personal stories to emerge.鈥�
The income from the classes goes towards funding Migrateful鈥檚 work and they鈥檝e so far supported 92 chefs from around the world. 鈥淲e give them a platform to share their culture, culinary brilliance, and pursue happier, fulfilling lives,鈥� Jess says. 鈥淓very person who has attended a Migrateful class is part of this.鈥�
brings together events around the globe that help attendees drive positive change and make an impact on their communities. From supporting community cafes, such as , to helping out a local business, such as , there鈥檚 plenty of inspiration for how to help others give back.
Help build communities
Community is at the heart of what so many 91制片厂 organisers do and feeling part of one can give people鈥檚 mental health a huge boost. Many of the volunteer events featured in the welcome returning attendees, with many boasting around 25% repeat customers. This shows attendees are not only keen to give back, but build long-lasting relationships with other eventgoers through 91制片厂.
鈥淯ltimately, as humans, we’re social creatures who live in a society and community,鈥� says meet irl鈥檚 Penny. 鈥淚 think the absence of that community has left a lot of people feeling they鈥檙e missing something. Attending any events that are centred on a community versus random, one-off things can be really beneficial to wellbeing.鈥�
As well as doing their bit for the environment, Trash People champions local businesses that host pre- or post-clean-up coffees or drinks where like-minded attendees can get to know each other a little more. 鈥淓ven if we don’t organise something, we encourage people to grab a coffee with somebody,鈥� Penny says. 鈥淚t’s really wonderful to see deep friendships form because people have been able to meet people who live locally, and share their care for the community and the environment.鈥�
Seed Talks founder William says people form deep connections at their events. 鈥淥ne of my favorite things to see is the sense of community and camaraderie between the guests,鈥� says William. 鈥淔or some, it鈥檚 the first time they鈥檝e been in a room of people with the same lived experience and it can be moving. I know lots of people have formed support groups off the back of coming together at a Seed Talk, which is amazing to see!鈥�
Steph makes sure her photography classes encourage attendees to feel part of a community too. Her Cameras & Cappuccinos Photography Club includes time to review the group鈥檚 snaps鈥攊ncluding Steph鈥檚鈥攁nd talk about what went well and what didn鈥檛.
“The difference in people from joining at 7pm to finishing at 9pm is transformational,鈥� she says. 鈥淭he rushed, stressed person comes in after the dinner time rush or finishing work, but melts into their chairs and enjoys conversations by the end. It鈥檚 a great way to wind down.鈥�
Whether through connection, community, altruism, or self-improvement, there are many ways events are boosting attendees鈥� wellbeing.
