To Reach, to Try, to See – The Work of Real Connection

Insights and activities from October’s Joyful Connection Masterclass

October’s Joyful Connection Masterclass reminded us that belonging is practiced. It shows up in reflection, in how we describe ourselves and others, and in the simple ways we turn awareness into action.

This month’s panelists, JGo Gordon, Stephen Jaye, and Asha Sarode brought distinct perspectives but one shared truth: joy, presence, and curiosity are daily practices that deepen how we relate to others, to our environments, and to our own inner worlds.

Each activity was simple to start, easy to repeat, and powerful enough to linger long after the masterclass concluded.

Within Arm’s Reach – JGo Gordon

Founder, JGO Speaks

An educator, storyteller, and performer with roots in school leadership and stages like the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall, JGo helps people use story to foster belonging. This month, their lens turned inward, toward the spaces and objects that mirror our emotional landscapes.

Within Arm’s Reach invited participants to use the objects nearby as metaphors for what’s happening inside. JGo began with a frayed charger, “always giving energy, wearing thin” then paired participants to share their own objects and exchange reflections.

In minutes, laughter turned to resonance. Everyday items became mirrors for emotion, revealing how our environments quietly echo our needs.

How to try it yourself:

1. Scan your space and pick one nearby object.
2. Complete this sentence: “Sometimes I feel like this [object] because…”
3. Share it with someone or write it down, then notice what patterns emerge.

What Can I Try? – Stephen Jaye

Founder, Reclaim Your Time

A weather enthusiast turned time-reclamation guide, Stephen helps people form intentional relationships with technology and attention. His mission: to show how reclaimed hours can rebuild a meaningful life.

“What Can I Try?” turned reflection into movement. Stephen modeled his personal goal of breaking endless video binges with moments of music or meditation, then demonstrated with Asha how to define a goal, shrink it to one concrete action, and set a check-in.

It was practical magic: awareness turned into action.

How to try it yourself:

1. State one goal that matters to you.
2. Pick one 15-minute action to take this week.
3. Choose an accountability buddy and agree on a quick check-in.

Glimpses of Us – Asha Sarode

Founder, Uniquity Consulting

An attorney-turned-product leader, Asha helps managers see people in full. Strengths, quirks, and motivations alike. Her work blends precision with empathy, helping leaders hold complexity with care.

Glimpses of Us explored identity through perspective. Asha asked participants to describe her in three words, then revealed her own: curious, bold, over-analytical. The space between self-perception and others’ impressions became a lesson in compassion.

Pairs exchanged their “three words,” discovering both alignment and surprise. What surfaced wasn’t judgment but understanding, the kind that bridges how we see and how we’re seen.

How to try it yourself:

1. Ask someone new for three words that describe you.
2. Write your own three. Don’t overthink it.
3. Compare and reflect on what aligns, what doesn’t, and what it teaches you.

A Masterclass That Practiced Belonging

JGo reminded us that our surroundings speak for us. Stephen turned awareness into action. Asha showed how identity is shared in fragments, not wholes.

Each activity was concise, human, and repeatable, a reflection of what the Connection Crew stands for: practicing belonging in everyday moments.

Thank you to everyone who joined the October Joyful Connection Masterclass. We’re excited to see you in November for another shared space of joy and discovery.