Missoula Supper Club
Recent Events
Every group we host is unique, thanks to the variety of perspectives and personalities present. Without fail, a central theme or lesson seems to emerge from each gathering, which we record here (omitting personal details) so that others can benefit from the collective wisdom shared.
MSC 1: The Pain Pocket
Theme: "Your most transformative event or experience of 2023"
Our inaugural Supper Club featured a group of familiar faces, and we couldn't have asked for a better vibe. Among the stand-out concepts from the evening was this idea of challenging yourself intentionally (even painfully) to push your own boundaries, along with learning how to truly enjoy the steady rhythms of a quieter phase of life without wasting energy waiting for the other shoe to drop.
MSC 2: Limitless
Theme: "Your most transformative event or experience of 2023"
Our second group dove into themes related to living beyond the limits we (or others) set for us.
Quite a few of our guests had accomplished mighty feats of courage over the past year, in part as a result of embracing new ways of seeing themselves.
MSC 3: Redefining
Theme: "Your most transformative event or experience of 2023"
As the last in our "transformative" series, this dinner did not disappoint. We shared stories of redefining success beyond mere dollar signs, rebuilding life on our own terms after a setback, making meaning out of the events that "derail" us from progress, and returning - to ourselves, to a place we can comfortably call "home."
MSC 4: Master Class
Theme: "What are some ways that labels limit or liberate us?"
The first in our "labels" series, we dove into the many different work titles, social categories, and health diagnoses that shape our thoughts and actions. An exploration of higher education-based "mastery" vs. hard-earned life experience unearthed concepts related to imposter syndrome and the labels we use to boost ourselves up - or hold others down.
MSC 5: In the Middle
Theme: "Describe a personal experience of identity shift - a moment when you saw or defined yourself differently"
Nearly everyone in our circle had some recent experience with awakening (or reawakening) pieces of their persona. We discussed the joy of returning to previous childhood passions, learning to say "no" to the roles and responsibilities that don't suit us, and getting comfortable with the uncertainty that exists in the middle of a big shift - aiming for a balance between exploring, but not rushing into, future possibilities.
MSC 6: Good Grief
Theme: "Share a moment of identity shift"
This group explored concepts of finding ourselves in extreme isolation and engaging in work that feels meaningful even when it doesn't earn a paycheck. We discussed embodying an identity projected onto us by our families and the hard labor of breaking out of that box to figure out who we really are. The weighty topic of death and loss led us to a conversation about grieving well and being shaped by a process outside of our control.
