BROADCASTS.com

Thomas C Knox is a connector like no other. The founder of multiple organizations all focused on fostering relationships and space for vulnerability between people, this guy is the real deal. On this episode of The Sidewalk Talk podcast, Traci sits down with Thomas, her good friend and part of the Sidewalk Talk team, to discuss how to stay connected during quarantine and relating to others even when it seems like you have nothing in common.\xa0\nThomas is the face behind Date While you Wait\u2014a company he started in response to the stories of friends and family who told him their commute was one of the worst parts of their day. In response, Thomas stepped in with a card table and a Connect Four set, inviting commuters on the New York City subway to sit down for a chat or just a game. With a personality that made space for vulnerability and connection look easy, Date While you Wait gained national attention, and is now being turned into a TV show.\xa0\nTraci and Thomas talk about how connection has changed during the COVID-19 quarantine, the willingness to step out of our comfort zones to still be there for people even if we can\u2019t be close physically, and why finding something you can relate to with another person is the first step to realizing maybe we\u2019re not so different after all. Don\u2019t miss this important episode on how connecting with others matters now more than ever.\xa0\n\xa0\nEpisode Milestones\n[00:07] Intro\xa0\n[02:37] Meet Thomas\xa0\n[11:40] Thomas\u2019 relationship with his mom and how it shaped him\xa0\n[14:21] Thomas\u2019 Mother\u2019s Day surprise\xa0\n[19:30] How Thomas takes care of himself\xa0\n[22:57] Honoring Thomas\u2019 friend, Lloyd, who passed away\xa0\n[27:27] Relating with others and being vulnerable\xa0\n[33:46] Thomas\u2019 organizations and what he\u2019s working on right now\xa0\n[36:50] How to connect during quarantine\xa0\n[40:29] Sidewalk Talk phone-banking\xa0\n[45:13] Mental Health Awareness month at Sidewalk Talk\xa0\n[47:14] Thomas\u2019 word for you\xa0\xa0\n[50:16] Outro\xa0\n\xa0\nResources Mentioned\nDate While you Wait\xa0\nBeGreat Bow Ties\nThe Connection Collective\xa0\n\xa0\nStandout Quotes from the Episode\n\u201cI just wanted to do something kind for moms. We\u2019re lucky to have them, and we wouldn\u2019t be here without our moms.\u201d\u2014Thomas C Knox\xa0\n\u201cThe best way to give back is to pay it forward\u2014do it for somebody else. Put a smile on somebody else\u2019s face. That\u2019s something that really matters to me.\u201d \u2014Thomas C Knox\xa0\n\u201cEveryone has something in them that someone else has, but we fight it. Once we identify what we have in common, it\u2019s easier for us to relate.\u201d \u2014Thomas C Knox\xa0\n\u201cFor us to be able to find ways to adapt and still listen to our community is something that is not easy, it can be a challenge. And I\u2019m really proud to be a part of an organization that realizes that there are people that still need our support and still need to be listened to.\u201d\u2014Thomas C Knox\xa0\n\u201cShow love, because we need it now more than ever.\u201d\u2014Thomas C Knox\xa0\n\xa0\nConnect:\nFind | Sidewalk Talk Podcast\nAt sidewalk-talk.org\nOn Instagram: @sidewalktalkorg\nOn Twitter: @sidewalktalkorg\n\xa0\nFind | Traci Ruble\nAt Traciruble.com\nOn Instagram: @TraciRubleMFT\nOn Twitter: @TraciRubleMFT\nOn Facebook: @TraciRubleMFT