In this episode, we explore how to build community and address why so many of us feel isolated and disconnected today. We dive into the concept of the atomization of society—how the traditional webs of connection have been broken—and discuss the so-called loneliness epidemic. Is it caused by increasing social isolation, or are we just more open about our feelings now?

Key topics we cover include:  

• The loss of the third place and its impact on community
• How consumerism, capitalism, and individualistic cultures contribute to disconnection, featuring insights from sociologist and philosopher Zygmunt Bauman, writer Oliver Burkeman,  and many other thinkers - both linked below and discussed in the episode 
• The crucial link between community and mental/physical health
• And many practical strategies to create and foster connection in your life

Join us for an in-depth conversation about rebuilding meaningful community  and finding belonging in today’s fragmented world.

YouTube version of the episode: https://youtu.be/p1PEbVt6R04

Show notes links, citations, and attributions: : 

• I want to give credit to the YouTube channel AfterImage linked here: https://www.youtube.com/@After_Image/videos  for their work from this linked video that I shared a quote from - thank you for your breakdown of the atomization of society through this story -   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx2C1rmjXpo
• Article about collective action being needed vs individual actions: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/aug/23/big-oil-coined-carbon-footprints-to-blame-us-for-their-greed-keep-them-on-the-hook
• Braver angels - brings people together across the political divide: https://braverangels.org/
• Oliver Burkeman’s book Four Thousand Weeks:  https://www.oliverburkeman.com/fourthousandweeks
• Are we more lonely these days or simply discussing it more? https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/lonely-not-alone/202305/are-we-really-lonelier-than-ever
• Thread on liquid modernity - a bit different than what I discussed here but what I discussed was inspired by this: https://www.reddit.com/r/sociology/comments/kfz38b/liquid_modernity_discussion_in_first_comment/
• Short on social isolation cycle and fear: https://youtube.com/shorts/5VocqKKTyyY?si=nFAYv09Ud-aSHFbt
• This is not the original video I watched on people living together in community but it is just as good so here it is! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYog8xN0cJQ and they linked this resource on finding an intentional community https://www.ic.org/

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In this episode we discuss some additional topics that will be discussed on the podcast now from economics to sociology, from technology to the environment and more.  This is somewhat of an update / housekeeping episode but it also has the first episode of a new YouTube channel I launched baked into it.

New YouTube channel on these broader topics: https://www.youtube.com/@ContemplationsOnTheInternet

YouTube channel on psychology related topics: https://www.youtube.com/@PamelaCarey

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Youtube - on macro topics - Econ, policy, environment, tech etc.
YouTube - channel on psychology and philosophy
Instagram - I don't post much here!
Website

Here we will discuss how to actually finish work and "SHIP IT" - in the words of Seth Godin. So many of us hide behind revision after revision. Or we start a project and completely abandon it because it does not meet the standards we had in our minds. Or we do finish it and polish it but then it sits in a desk drawer. In this podcast we will discuss how to actually put your art or business ideas into the world - even if you feel nervous to take that step.

Also! Announcement - I will be posting here on the podcast every Thursday now. See you in a week!

New YouTube Channel on external / macro ideas (most of these will also be posted on the podcast in audio format but in case you ever like to see the visual components as well) 
https://www.youtube.com/@ContemplationsOnTheInternet

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Podcast with Adam Grant and David Duchovny referenced in this episode 
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/worklife-with-adam-grant/id1346314086?i=1000654720827

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I wrote this free verse poem because when I was 22 I feared getting older. Society makes us feel as women, that we will lose our value, or have less to offer as we age. But the older I get the more I see the opposite is true. I hope this helps some women lean into the idea of getting better over the years. Would love to hear your thoughts on this idea in the comments where you are listening if the app allows or on the YouTube channel here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pf1CrsE5lo 

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How do we know if we set the right goal? This podcast has a question you can ask yourself to know. And mindset shifts if you are not sure.  

I won't bury the lead - it is about leaning into the hard part and not trying to "escape parts of life." But how do we do that? Let's explore that together here. 

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This episode is about breaking the cycle of quitting and joining the cycle of mastery. We discuss the book Mastery by George Leonard - and how to climb to the next level, we have to learn to love the plateau. We will often be on a plateau for a while before taking a small jump, and this process will repeat many times throughout skill acquisition. We can learn to love the process though. I am still working on this, and this podcast includes some thoughts on the subject. I would love to hear your thoughts as well in the comments below. 

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This podcast episode is for anyone who feels creatively blocked or like they have something inside of them but are afraid, too busy, or for other reasons they have held back for months or years. Additionally, the episode is for people who are simply curious about The Artist's Way, even if they do not identify as artists, or those who have finished it and want to connect through how it impacted them as well.

I completed Julia Cameron's 12-week course on Creativity, called The Artist's Way, just last week. I'm sharing here:

• What I learned and how the course benefited me
• A review (the things I liked about the course and a few things I tweaked along the way to make it more workable for me)
• And a few tangible pieces of advice if you are about to embark on this course.

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In this episode we discuss: 

• If we have lost track of what we really want and are chasing a SYMBOL of success, instead of the real thing. 
• We also explore if we have gotten stuck in certain patterns or stories of how success is supposed to look. But who says it has to look one way? 
• We can re-align with our True North and find our way back to what we want in our core. 

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In this podcast, we will explore the following: 
• What race are we running? Are we even running the same race as the person we are comparing ourselves against?
• Upward and downward social comparisons – what are they, and are they beneficial or detrimental? 
• How to gain some perspective when we feel nervous or over-invested in certain outcomes. 

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If you feel like something is missing in your life, that just may be the case. Humans crave adventure, meaning, and to be a part of something bigger than themselves - unfortunately this is not how many of our lives in the modern world are constructed. So how do we go about finding this meaning, fulfillment, and adventure if it is not necessarily inherent to our daily lives anymore? This is where we dive into finding that.

We discuss: 
• Examples of areas to find meaning, adventure, or connection
• How this relates to Maslow's hierarchy of needs
• Some questions to ask yourself if you are uncertain of the next steps to take

Here is part 2: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2318937/episodes/16757920

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