While most of us are now familiar with the concept of coworking and understand its perks, the idea of sharing the place you call home with strangers is still a bit odd for many people. It's not hard to see why. Most of our experiences sharing accommodations are often filled with memories of dirty kitchen sinks, loud student corridors or crowded hostel rooms. It's hard to get passed that once we have experienced the comfort of "our own home". But what if we told you there was another way of living together?
"It's not about living cheap, it's about living well"
said seasoned coliver Lana Brandorne as she was interviewed about her shared living experience. Yes, of course, it's more flexible, often cheaper (for the quality of the space and services) and in better locations than what you could afford on your own, but coliving goes beyond a purely logistical choice.
Miles away from the "crowded hostel"
Coliving can positively impact more than your wallet. In the past years we have met and spoken with hundreds of residents from all around the world who have experienced all kinds of shared living, and what comes out of it is that:
When done well, Coliving can be a catalyst for wellbeing, personal & professional growth.
If the years of COVID have taught us anything, it is probably that life is made of moments, and more often than not, those moments are better shared. There is an effortlessness that comes with sharing someone's daily routine that is far from the scheduled "get together" planned weeks ahead, trying to get the best out of those 3 or 4 hours together. When you see people at the breakfast table, day after day, you quickly drop the small talk.
Research shows meaningful and genuine friendships are born from repeated and unplanned encounters in a setting that encourage people to confine in each other - What better setting than a place you all call Home?
Yes, living with others will challenge you. It will raise questions you never thought to ask, it will invite you to contemplate what you thought to be the norm, to explore new ways and open your mind to new ideas. It will inspire you and it will teach you. To set your own boundaries, to better define your values, to show more of yourself and open up about your dreams and thoughts. You will meet people that will pass through your life, some that will become mentors and partners and other that will turn into lifelong friends.
These are the type of experiences that cannot be packaged because they are priceless, and they happen at your kitchen table.