What I Learned Hosting 12 Events in 2025 (One Per Month)

At the start of 2025, I made myself a challenge: host one gathering per month for the entire year. Anything counted—dinner parties, picnics, game nights, whatever.

Here's what I took away from it.

January: The Rust Is Real

My first event was awkward. I'd become so used to not hosting that I forgot how to do it. The timing was off, I bought too much food, and I was visibly stressed.

By June: Systems Save Sanity

I started using templates for everything. Same basic setup, different themes. Event pages went out two weeks in advance. Reminders went out three days before. It became a rhythm.

The Unexpected Benefits

My friendships got stronger. Seriously. When you see people regularly, you skip the "catch up" phase and just... hang out. Conversations got deeper.

I also met new people. Friends started bringing friends, and now my circle is bigger than when I started.

The Hard Truth

Some months were exhausting. There were events I didn't want to host. But I showed up anyway, and I was always glad I did.

Would I Do It Again?

I'm doing it again in 2026. This time, I'm aiming for two events some months. The momentum is addictive.