Sitting Down and Having Coffee Together is Much More Powerful Than you May Think.

By Kathie FitzPatrick

We know we love drinking coffee . . . and we know a lot of other people like to drink coffee.
So enjoying coffee is something we can potentially have in common with people, both current friends and soon to be friends, and business associates.

Whether your meeting is between you and one another friend at home in a cozy setting, or a larger gathering at your home or elsewhere in which you are the host, drinking coffee together helps build a warm friendly bond.  Coffee often opens up the mind and stimulates conversation. In some countries like Ethiopia it is still a common tradition to make an event out of having coffee together in the home with  guests a special celebration.

http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2011/05/coffee-traditions-the-ethiopian-coffee-ceremony.html

Do you use your favorite coffee shop as the “Other Office”?

Meeting for coffee to discuss business is often more than a thoughtful gesture.  Offering to buy your business associate their favorite drink not only makes a good impression, but helps you and them to stay especially alert while doing essential creating and planning.

The caffeine in coffee helps our mental focus to improve and heighten  and opens avenues for potentially  greater creativity and more brilliant work.  We chat more freely . . . ideas seem to flow abundantly.  There is something about drinking coffee that bids those deep philosophical thoughts we have to come forth so we can write them down or express them more clearly in meetings.

Our modern coffee shops are often the social hub of the meeting of friends and business associates.

In London in the 1652, the first coffee house was born in Oxford.  It was no different then.  People would meet to discuss business, art philosophy and poetry. It was so much so that the coffee houses of London came to be known  as “Penny Universities.”  For the price of a penny people could come in and have coffee and hear the writers, authors, poets  and philosophers of the day discussing their lofty ideas.

http://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/English-Coffeehouses-Penny-Universities/

Sit down together with coffee when you need to sort things out.

Every marriage could use a good coffee  machine somewhere  close hand for those moments when it seems that it’s  just time to sit down and talk things over.  Warm soothing coffee drinks are usually best for these types of conversations.  The coffee should not be too strong.

Just coming together, expressing your mind thoughtfully and with clarity can help resolve even the toughest situation.  The mental alertness coffee brings to our minds is a plus in these kinds of moments when it’s time to sort out sensitive issues. Coffee also brings the production of dopamine to the brain which gives a feeling of well being.

The habit to sit down and talk regularly whether it’s at home  or a favorite coffee shop, can bring healing and caring to your relationship that can last far after the coffee time is over.

Give Coffee as a Gift

If you have a friend, spouse or business associate who loves coffee, giving coffee as a gift will be sure to delight them, and build you up in their mind and heart.

Find out what their favorite brand, blend or flavor is . . . then surprise them with something new to go along with it you think they would like to try.  You might try putting it in a creatively designed box or basket. This never fails to please a coffee lover!

Create Coffee Klatches with Friends

Friends who enjoy meeting anyway sometimes create “Coffee Klatches.”   These casual groups meet and drink coffee together usually centered around a certain purpose. Women seem particularly interested in Coffee Klatches but they are not gender specific.

A group of friends may intend to meet anyway at a home or coffee shop to deepen their interest or mission for a particular thing, such as a book club or volunteer group. Often this is a time to build new friendships and deepen old ones. Once again enjoying coffee together can deepen bonds of friendship between people and make gatherings even more memorable.