Why I created these games
I'm Erin Hickok, aka The Connectress. I live in the wonderful and weird city of Austin, Texas. As a young adult, I experienced anxiety, stress, and loneliness. Panic attacks and depression left me feeling desperate and sent me on a journey to find ways to heal myself. I devoted myself to all kinds of programs and systems that might bring me relief.
A decade of self-discovery led me to a profound realization - The more I prioritized meaningful connection, the easier it was to move forward in my life!
It turns out that connection to ourselves, our friends, and to a bigger purpose in our lives is an incredibly effective antidote to stress and anxiety. So I set out to spend the next decade helping other people move past their fears and bring their desires for meaningful connection into reality. And, we had huge success because we made it fun!
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The first game was born
In 2014, I wanted to bring my friends closer to each other at my birthday party, so I used my love of play & words to create the first deck, Connection Games, (available as one of the perks on this page), on slips of colored paper in a jar. It took two years to put this first deck into print. Now, two years later, there are four! different cards for connection decks, published and printed on beautiful, bright, sturdy card-stock, ready to create connection and transformation in your life!
After seeing a huge demand and hearing all the amazing, life-changing results from people playing with the Cards for Connection, I left my job and have spent the past year bringing the games all over the country! I have seen just how well these games help people open up, and I'm on a mission to spread this joy and play around the planet to truly help people unleash their inner awesomeness!
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Meet the Cards for Connection
There are four different game decks in print now:
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All of these games can be played solo or with as many people as you want!
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Connection Games: Get to know your friends
- Pick a card and read out loud. Fill in the blank or do the activity. Continue pulling cards until you have a full rainbow. (Variations for play are included in the instructions.)
- There are 7 rainbows in each deck, so you can play up to 7 rounds. (People get pretty squishy with that many rounds, so be prepared for lots of hugging, giggling, and probably cuddling, too.)
- Cards for Connection can also be used as icebreakers in large groups, to network in a fun and unique way, as journaling prompts, on first dates, for team building, and with kids.
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Let's Talk About Sex: A Communication game for intimacy, relationship, and sexuality
- Pick a card and read out loud. Fill in the blank. Pass each card around to all players. Continue pulling cards until you have a full rainbow.
- There are 7 rainbows in each deck, so you can play up to 7 rounds. (Usually, one is plenty to keep the conversation going for quite a while!)
- It can be nice to warm up with the Connection Games deck first.
- This deck is excellent to play and open up with your partner or a group of close friends.
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Positive Programming: Upgrade negative thoughts
- Select your favorite card from each color. Read each card out loud to yourself, moving up the rainbow from red to violet. (Raise your vibe, anywhere, anytime.)
- This deck can also be used for daily affirmations.
- This deck also includes digital tools and a free month of training for emotional awareness and processing.
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Infinite Blessings: Daily affirmations for Humanity
- Pick a card and read it aloud or have a friend read it to you. If with a friend, have them pick a card and read it to them.
- Use along with other Oracle style cards for a crystal clear statement of intention.
- These cards are great for journal prompts, healing sessions, as a gift, and on altars.
*"Getting a rainbow" means that you've played one card of each color.
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What sets Cards for Connection apart:
- The results are profound, yet it's so simple to play! Even kids and crusty curmudgeons who never talk about their feelings, love playing... just read each card out loud and watch the magic unfold.
- There are infinite answers to each question, so you can play again and again.
- Playing Cards for Connection gives players a positive mindset, encouraging us to listen to and support our friends.
- [Nerd Alert] Each deck is designed using systems that strengthen beneficial neural pathways in our brain; positive psychology, conscious language, mindfulness, non-violent communication, and neurolinguistic programming.
- The games can be played in multiple ways and are easy to integrate into workshops, events, and your own personal practice.
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What We Need & What You Get
Help us hit our base goal simply by picking out the Cards for Connection game deck of your choice!
International shipping options are available on all perks.
Check out all the Perks available to you now, and get in on the special pricing!
- Download Your Favorite Deck (no shipping required!)
- Connection Games Deck
- Positive Programming Deck
- Let's Talk About Sex Deck
- Infinite Blessings Deck
- The First Four Decks - one of each deck!
- Double Decks - Connection Games & Let's Talk About Sex or Two Connection Games Decks
- 10 Decks + Business Strategy Session
- 20 Decks for Community Building
We're so excited about the potential to unlock the new games, but we know that we've gotta take care of our base goal first!
Please read on to see our big vision (under “The Impact” below), share this campaign with your friends, and claim your perk to receive your very own Cards for Connection deck(s) to experience the power of these games first-hand!
When we hit our base goal of $15,000:
- You'll get discounts on the four original decks
- Connection Games, Positive Programming, Infinite Blessings, and Let's Talk About Sex.
- Your deck will have a beautiful upgraded design with even brighter colors, stronger card-stock, and a brand new tuck box to protect your decks.
- Plus all the extra add-ons when we unlock the stretch goals, (even when you order at the Earlybird price).
- We'll have the funds to print 200 copies of all four of the original Cards for Connection decks.
- We'll get an intern to help post to social media, recruit volunteer ambassadors, and organize the more cards parties to keep the momentum going.
- We'll hire a designer and business advisor to help us create our retail packages and build our wholesale systems, so we can get Cards for Connection into stores before the holiday season.
We have campaign-wide upgrades:
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Major games deck upgrades!
- Custom carry pouches for every deck with the Card for Connection logo
- Double the cards (from 24 to 48) in all Positive Programming decks
- Luxurious, thick and smooth paper and gold edges for the Infinite Blessings Decks
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Support team to help Cards for Connection grow!
- Business Manager to help us scale up for the holidays.
- Videographer to capture inspiring stories of connection from people all over the world.
- Editor to create how-to videos for each game.
- Support for running a campaign for holiday gift giving.
- Training support for our global team of ambassadors.
- Imagine Cards for Connection in hospitals, schools, nursing homes, college campuses, addiction recovery centers, disaster relief centers, hospice care, corporate training, team building programs... connection is a basic human need, and I'm on a mission to get us into the places that need it the most!
Dreaming BIG
The funds from this campaign will allow me to print more decks, grow the team, get Cards for Connection into the hands of thousands of people around the world! And when we hit our stretch goals, we'll be printing FOUR NEW GAMES!
Hitting our goals means that we'll create meaningful moments with hundreds of thousands and perhaps millions of people!!
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The Impact
Playing Cards for Connection actually makes the world a better place for all of us AND makes YOUR world better too! Not only are we relieving anxiety and loneliness, we're creating more positivity and passion in the world, one game at a time.
I want to help people build their own connections all over the world and combat the loneliness that many of us feel on a daily basis. But I can only do it with support! People are already hosting card parties where they can invite friends, family, or acquaintances to play Cards for Connection.
We have a goal of 100 Cards for Connection parties around the world and already have 52 hosts signed up in 5 different countries!
This is truly a global movement to heal and create more connection through the power of play.
Will you join us?
You can be part of this movement by simply backing the campaign and getting your own deck(s)!
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Risks & Challenges
The greatest challenge thus far has been that I have done most of the work (creating, marketing, facilitating, printing and shipping) myself, and frankly I can't do that anymore! In order to grow this company, and fulfill my vision of having Cards for Connection in everyone’s hands around the world, I need a team.
Therefore, I've included funds to hire more hours of support as we reach each stretch goal and print each new deck. I have 20 years of leadership development, training & management experience, so working with new folks comes naturally to me. I’m thrilled to grow a team to facilitate even more connection!.
The process for publishing a deck can be surprisingly tedious. Thankfully, I've already been through 11 separate printing runs, and I know what it takes to design, play-test, and move through the print process with confidence. I already have an editing team on standby, as well as a designer and great support from my printer. We are ready for this growth like never before!
Other Ways You Can Help
No matter your donation, your participation in the Cards for Connection mission makes a huge difference!
- Apply to host one of our 100 cards parties (even if you don't buy a deck)
- We already have 54 parties being hosted in 5 countries around the world!
- Share this page on your social media with a message about why Cards for Connection is important to you.
- Like, comment, and tag friends on our updates throughout the campaign. Remember, this is all about creating and nurturing our connections!
Join us by picking your favorite perks and backing the Cards for Connection mission!