Welcome back to Connections with Eric! In this fourth episode, I share how a $15 book about hosting parties became the unlikely solution to pulling me out of post-separation isolation.
If you caught episode 3 where I talked about wasting free time on dating apps and deciding to build something meaningful instead, this episode is about what I built and why it worked better than I ever expected.
This episode is all about turning loneliness into connection, using cocktail parties as therapy (yes, really), and why sometimes the best way to heal is to invite a bunch of strangers into your tiny apartment with some peanuts and good music.
Keep reading below for how I went from depressed and isolated to hosting parties that changed my social life and why this might be exactly what you need too.
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Rock Bottom with a Twist
Imagine this: your marriage falls apart, you move into a tiny apartment, you’re broke, lonely, and depressed. What do you do? Most people would hide under the covers, binge Netflix, maybe start therapy.
Me? I read a book about throwing cocktail parties, and it changed my life.
The Long Goodbye
My marriage hit rock bottom in January 2023. For about two years I prayed, I begged, I did everything I could to save it. Some nights I didn’t sleep at all. I even started talking to myself, always a great sign you’re doing well, right?
Finally, after two years, I had to accept it: things weren’t going back to the way they were.
Because of money, I couldn’t move out right away. So for six more months, I stayed put. But mentally, I had been going through the stages: denial, depression, anger, and finally landed at acceptance. By the time I got my own place, I was ready to start fresh.
Four Years of Social Isolation
Here’s the thing: for four years in Bucharest, my social life basically sucked. I was working remotely, barely had in-person contact, and was mostly playing the part of “Mr. Mom.” Once I had my own apartment and free time, and after being distracted on Bumble for six weeks, I decided I was going to build a social circle from scratch.
One day, while listening to a podcast, I heard about a book called The 2-Hour Cocktail Party by Nick Gray. It’s basically a step-by-step playbook for hosting simple, low-effort gatherings that help you meet people and build connections. No expensive catering, no giant venue, just a framework that works.
So I thought, why not? I can do this. I can throw a cocktail party in my little apartment.
I mean, what’s the worst that can happen? Nobody shows up, and it’s just me standing there with a bowl of chips and a playlist on repeat? My marriage fell apart. My ego can handle it.
The First Party
So I hosted my first party in June. I invited 12 people, 9 showed up, and it was a hit.
One guest even told me:
“Eric, this isn’t the kind of party you expect. It’s not networking, it’s not small talk. It’s a group of carefully chosen people in one room: diverse, inspiring, and somehow all connected. Thank you. It was unforgettable.”
That’s when I realized, this wasn’t just about socializing. This was therapy for me but disguised as fun.
The Second Party
In July, I hosted another one. Invited 14 people, 10 showed up. The party lasted over four hours when it was only supposed to last two. We talked about skydiving, psychedelics, AI life coaches, addiction, sleep hacks, dancing, marketing, yoga, even moments in our lives when we felt fully alive.
This wasn’t the boring “So, what do you do?” kind of night. This was real connection.
And the best part? These parties pulled me out of isolation. They gave me energy. They were self-care.
I mean, who knew the cure for post-divorce depression was basically peanuts, cocktails, and strangers in your living room?
What I Learned
Here’s what I figured out: when you’re going through something hard, like separation or divorce, you can either withdraw or you can deliberately create opportunities for connection.
I chose connection. And not the swipe-right-on-Bumble kind. The real kind. The sit-in-my-living-room-and-actually-talk kind.
These parties weren’t just fun nights. They were proof that I could still build something meaningful. That I wasn’t just surviving, I was creating a life I actually wanted to live.
What’s Next
Now, I’m planning more. And not just more parties. I want to take it further. I want to turn some of these guests into actual friends.
The question is: how do you go from “fun night together” to “real friendship”?
That’s what I’m working on next.
PS: Want to read more on the Bucharest Cocktail Parties? Click here to read the full article!
Conclusion
When life falls apart, you have two choices: retreat into isolation or intentionally build something new. For me, that something new was a series of cocktail parties in my tiny apartment.
What started as a simple idea from a book became my unexpected therapy. It pulled me out of loneliness, gave me energy, and proved that even in your worst moments, you can create connection and community from scratch.
The lesson? Sometimes healing doesn’t look like what you expect. Sometimes it looks like a bowl of peanuts, a curated playlist, and a room full of strangers who become something more.
But here’s what I realized: everyone obsesses over the wrong things when hosting. The fancy food, the expensive drinks, the perfect venue. In episode 5, I break down the real secret to throwing parties people actually remember (hint: it has nothing to do with your budget or your apartment size). New episodes drop every Wednesday.
For more episodes and stories like this, check out my complete episode guide. And fyi, if you didn’t know, I’m rebuilding my social life after separation through cocktail parties, game nights, and even Timeleft. Want the playbook? Get it by clicking here.