Olympia Discussion: Calling In Connection: Intimacy Without Self-Abandonment

Welcome to this week’s women’s circle! Tonight, we’ll focus on connection and self-discovery. We’ll begin with a fun icebreaker to set the tone and get to know one another better. From there, we’ll explore the evening’s topic, 'Calling In Connection: Intimacy Without Self-Abandonment,' through open discussion, sharing our thoughts, and reflecting on personal experiences. This gathering is a space to connect, grow, and be inspired by one another’s journeys. We’ll close with a moment to set intentions, leaving with fresh perspectives and a sense of support. Let’s dive in and make this time meaningful together!

Below is the "Mindful Musing" for the week which includes our Main Topic and some questions for us to explore together!

Intimacy isn’t just about closeness—it’s about truthful closeness. The kind that doesn’t require you to shrink, bend, or twist yourself into something more palatable just to be loved.

Because let’s be real: many of us have mistaken intimacy for enmeshment. We’ve confused connection with merging. We thought vulnerability meant losing ourselves in someone else—or that love had to come with a side of self-betrayal.

But what if real intimacy is when you can be fully you… and still be met?
This session is about cultivating connection that’s clean, clear, and mutual. Not a performance. Not a projection. But the kind where your truth can breathe and your boundaries still stand. You don’t have to disappear to be loved. You don’t have to perform to be kept. You are allowed to show up as your full self and stay rooted there.

Connection doesn’t have to cost you yourself. In fact, the right connection makes you more you.

### Discussion Questions

1. What does self-abandonment look like for you in relationships?
2. When have you confused intimacy with being overly available, accommodating, or agreeable?
3. What does clean connection feel like in your body?
4. How do you typically respond when someone starts to get emotionally close?
5. What fears do you carry about being fully seen in a relationship?
6. What would it look like to share your truth without over-explaining or over-giving?
7. Where are you still trying to earn closeness instead of allowing it?
8. What parts of you feel safest to share—and which parts do you still hide?
9. What boundaries help you stay you while being deeply connected to others?
10. What’s one small, brave way you can practice rooted vulnerability this week?