Chris and Jen in the Morning: Self-Care Conversations on Personal Growth, Happiness, and How Our Brains Work
Two friends with a podcast about gratitude, self-care, personal growth, and finding happiness - all with a side of levity and laughter.
Long-distance friends, we shorten the miles between DFW and NYC in our weekly podcast where we focus on self care, seeking happiness, and trying to live our best life. We add in a splash of neuroscience and talk about what happens in our brains, why we feel and react the way we do, and how to live better, more authentic, more fulfilling, happier lives.
In our middle-life years, we decided to share our conversations about adulting, chasing joy, being part of the LGBTQ+ community, parenting, personal growth, awkwardness, anxiety, mental health, and so much more to help others who can relate find kinship and a sense of community.
Ready to live your best life (and laugh along the way)? Subscribe and join us on our journey through life together.
#growth #wittywisdom #storytelling #podcast #friends #selfcare #motivation #inspiration #happiness
Chris and Jen in the Morning: Self-Care Conversations on Personal Growth, Happiness, and How Our Brains Work
Making Friends as an Adult: How to Build Lasting Connections
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
In this episode, Chris and Jen explore the evolving nature of friendship as we age. They contrast the effortless, proximity-based social circles of childhood with the intentionality required to maintain bonds in adulthood. The hosts share personal stories about moving to new cities, finding community through work and hobbies, and the internal hurdles like social anxiety and guilt that can make reaching out feel overwhelming. Ultimately, they encourage listeners to be proactive in their social connections and to recognize the value of emotional safety in friendships.
Three Pivotal Points:
Proximity vs. Courage: While childhood friendships often form naturally through school or activities, adult friendships are built on "courage" and the intentional choice to follow up and make space for others in a busy life.
The Struggle of Social Anxiety: Jen shares the "hamster wheel" of anxiety and guilt that can accompany making and maintaining friends, highlighting that many people simultaneously crave social connection while being stressed by the effort it requires.
The Neuroscience of Connection: Chris explains that humans are "social creatures" hardwired for tribe mentality; while social connections can lower stress-inducing cortisol levels, loneliness is so impactful that it actually activates the pain centers of the brain.
Website - www.chrisandjenitm.com
Email - connect@chrisandjenitm.com
Voicemail and Text available at 940-278-8129
Merch - https://chris-and-jen-itm.printify.me/
Store - https://www.fabulousfavoritefinds.com/
Chapters
00:00 The Challenge of Adult Friendships
16:20 Navigating Social Connections Post-COVID
30:59 Intentionality in Building Friendships
43:49 Understanding Emotional Proximity in Friendships
55:41 Red Flags in Friendships
01:07:19 The Nature of Friendships: Chapters vs. Lifelong Connections
Podcasts we love
Check out these other fine podcasts recommended by us, not an algorithm.
