Jess: Navigating Loneliness and making Connections
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Jess: Navigating Loneliness and making Connections
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About this listen
On this episode, host Iris interviews Jess, a listener who responded to a social media call for people who struggle with loneliness. Jess describes how ending a 14-year friendship left her spiraling, lonely, and without her “person,” though loneliness has been intermittent throughout her life. She says she is generally liked and can easily socialize, but connections rarely deepen beyond acquaintances, and she feels forgettable despite strong values, directness, and political passion. They discuss the difference between meeting people and maintaining friendships, the role of matching values, intentional effort, and vulnerability, including not turning down invitations and directly asking to pursue friendship. Jess recounts the lack of closure when her former best friend unfriended her and avoided conflict, and she reflects on choosing peace while still craving more human connection.