Why do so many of us feel lonely even when our calendars are full?

Dating host Lulu Johnson sits down with loneliness and community expert Monica Jiang to explore modern loneliness, dating, friendship, and how to build meaningful connections that last.

Monica explains why loneliness isn't simply about being single or physically alone — and why community is something we practise, not something we find by endlessly adding more plans to our calendars.

From Berlin's hyper-independent culture to the pressure to handle everything yourself, this conversation explores why genuine connection can feel so difficult and what it takes to create a deeper sense of belonging.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why you can feel lonely even when your life is full

• The difference between loneliness and being alone

• How to build real community and deeper friendships

• Dating when you're feeling lonely or emotionally burnt out

• How self-reliance can turn into emotional isolation

• Why dating apps and AI companions can't replace human connection

• Simple ways to make connection part of everyday life, from shared dinners to regular phone calls

If you've ever felt alone in a crowded city, struggled with modern dating, or wondered how to create a more connected life, this conversation offers a thoughtful place to start.

💬 What helps you feel genuinely connected to other people? We'd love to hear your thoughts.

🎧 Subscribe to Dating, Laughter & Disasters for honest conversations about dating, relationships, modern love, and the messy business of finding connection.

CONNECT WITH MONICA
🌐 Website: https://www.monikajiang.org/

CONNECT WITH LULU & DATING IN BERLIN
💘 Website: https://datinginberlin.com/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/datinginberlin_/
📖 Book: Dating in Berlin: Tales of Modern Love & Relationships
https://www.amazon.de/dp/3000732977
✍️ Substack: https://substack.com/@stilldatinginberlin

Hosted by Lulu Johnson, founder of Dating in Berlin.

#ModernLoneliness #DatingInBerlin #DatingPodcast #ModernDating #Friendship

Do women actually like nice guys? Is there something to be said for friend-zoning women? And are we missing out on daily opportunities to meet people?

This is part 2 of Lulu's chat with Dating Coach James Slate.

They talk about why boring questions can kill attraction, how to flirt without cheesy pickup lines, the difference between day game and night game, and why James believes you should always aim for “better than boring.

James also shares how facing his own fears around approaching people led to his dating meetups, coaching and Vibing — and why rejection doesn't necessarily mean failure.

Follow James: 📸 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jamieslate.coach/?hl=en⚡️LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-slate?originalSubdomain=de

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https://datinginberlin.com/

📖 Dating in Berlin: Tales of Modern Love & Relationships:
https://www.amazon.de/dp/3000732977

Fed up with being single?Awkward small talk making you want to disappear? Dating coach Jamie Slate says the secret to better connections might be learning how to be “better than boring.” In this episode of Dating, Laughter & Disasters, James shares with Lulu his playful conversation starters, tips for handling rejection without taking it personally, and the amazing story of how he met his wife at Burgermeister. Expect honest advice, hilarious dating stories, and a fresh take on finding confidence in real life.

Follow James https://www.instagram.com/jamieslate.coach/

Keep up with Lulu's dating banter:

Website https://www.datinginberlin.com/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/datinginberlin_/

Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/2UxzWQsuvozSx3lVAZLKpD?si=c870bb0129894ddb&nd=1&dlsi=831b0778e12b4cd1

Have you got a dating disaster, awkward first-date story, or Berlin romance story to share?

Send it in, and you could be featured in a future episode. mailto:hello@datinginberlin.com

Subscribe, leave a comment, and tell us: what is the biggest dating red flag you ignored?

#DatingInBerlin #DatingStories #DatingAfter30 #DatingDisasters #BerlinDating #ModernDating #SingleLife #Podcast

Berlin’s sex and dating scene is a LOT. And if you’ve ever wondered what actually goes on behind the private parties, dark rooms, apps, and afterparties… this episode gets into it.

I’m joined by Joss, aka Book Daddy, who has been living in Berlin since 2016 and has experienced plenty of the city’s more hedonistic corners. He now writes about queer dating, sex and nightlife from the inside — including his ongoing project The Broken Boys Club.

We chat about why sex in Berlin can feel incredibly easy to find, while actual connection can feel weirdly difficult. We get into private parties, “DL” spaces, chemsex, afterparties, dating apps, sobriety, emotional availability, and the difference between having endless options and actually finding someone you want to build something with.

And yes, there are some VERY Berlin stories along the way.

In this episode, we talk about:

• ​Why Berlin is the easiest place in the world to find a hookup — but not necessarily a relationship
• ​What actually goes on at private parties and how the unspoken rules work
• ​“DL” spaces, chemsex and afterparties in Berlin’s queer nightlife
• ​How sobriety can completely change the way you date and connect
• ​The line between sex, intimacy and emotional availability
• ​How Joss became known as Book Daddy
• ​His writing and The Broken Boys Club
• ​What years of dating in Berlin have taught him about people, sex and relationships it’s funny, honest, occasionally chaotic and definitely not your average conversation about dating.

Because maybe the problem with dating in Berlin isn’t that there aren’t enough people to meet. Maybe it’s that there are too many ways to connect without actually connecting.

Follow Joss:

Substack: https://bookdaddy.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/book.daddy.presents/

Broken boys Club: https://www.dancelawyer.com/publication/zixmt8mbuki2onrq1yrukobi11pmp6-nz3af

Follow Lulu on:

Substack ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@stilldatinginberlin⁠⁠

Website ⁠https://datinginberlin.com/⁠

TikTok ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@datinginberlin⁠

Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/datinginberlin_/⁠

Linkedin⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lulu-johnson-245a3b317/⁠

If you’ve ever wondered why dating feels so exhausting, why everyone seems either unavailable or complicated, or how comics turn disaster into material, this one is for you.

Perfect for anyone living in Berlin, dating in Berlin, or just fascinated by the beautiful mess of it all.

After her first appearance on the show in 2024 and racking up 53 first dates, The Dating Orange is back to prove that love still exists, having met her fiancée in the most unconventional way!

Lulu and Orange discuss dating-app burnout, the green flags to help you find love, and the difficulty of getting men to go to dating events,

Follow Orange:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2rJ44yMH6rQaGDXHKmVzPb?si=6cZZurtETsqAhfQ4TG1aiw

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedatingorange/

Podcast:https://open.spotify.com/show/7gUHgemE5MeumXucOdBXb3

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thedatingorange

Follow Lulu on:

Substack ⁠https://substack.com/@stilldatinginberlin⁠

Website https://datinginberlin.com/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@datinginberlin

Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/datinginberlin_/

Linkedinhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lulu-johnson-245a3b317/

If you’ve ever wondered why dating feels so exhausting, why everyone seems either unavailable or complicated, or how comics turn disaster into material, this one is for you.

Perfect for anyone living in Berlin, dating in Berlin, or just fascinated by the beautiful mess of it all.

German-born, Cork-based comedian Daniel Lucas — better known online as **The Only Funny German** — joins Lulu Johnson for a very Irish conversation about comedy, dating, culture and building a life abroad.Daniel talks about moving from Germany to Cork, why he ended up staying, and how random thoughts turned into viral comedy videos.We get into the differences between **German and Irish humour**, Cork accents, dating in a small city, Irish culture, and what it’s actually like trying to build a creative career somewhere new.If you like **dating disasters, Irish banter, cultural differences, comedy and stories about starting over in another country**, this one's for you.🎙️ **Follow Daniel / The Only Funny German:**[The Only Funny German]

https://www.instagram.com/theonlyfunnygerman/🎧 **Listen to Dating, Laughter & Disasters:**[Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/[Dating in Berlin](https://datinginberlin.com/📩 **Share your own dating story:**[hello@datinginberlin.com](mailto:hello@datinginberlin.com)📱 **Follow Dating in Berlin:**[Instagram – @datinginberlin_ https://www.instagram.com/datinginberlin_/[TikTok – Dating in Berlin](https://www.tiktok.com/@datinginberlin_

From pu$$y eating competitions at Kikat club to men having to work harder to please women sexually, the raw honesty in this ep will have you laughing out loud with Berlin's sharpest and wittiest comedian, Tyrone Stallone.

Follow Tyrone:https://www.tyronestallone.com/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAcGRvZgJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA85MzY2MTk3NDMzOTI0NTkAAae8RCH_yQkimFhP-AlxkbcqOjfnfrvr3-SrYYX-HE5LzJCDGxk8cYSmhvw9Gw_aem_ZmFrZWR1bW15MTZieXRlcw

Subscribe for more dating disasters, listener stories, comedy, and honest conversations from Berlin and beyond.

Follow Lulu:

Substack: ⁠https://substack.com/@stilldatinginberlin⁠

Apple: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dating-laughter-disasters/id1711177256⁠

Website: ⁠https://datinginberlin.com/⁠

TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@datinginberlin⁠

Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/datinginberlin_/

Email: mailto:hello@datinginberlin.com

Join the conversation. Have a dating disaster, awkward first-date story, or Berlin romance story to share?

Send it in, and you could be featured in a future episode.

Subscribe, leave a comment, and tell us: what is the biggest dating red flag you ignored?

Lulu Johnson and Ivy-Jo are back on the couch, and as usual, nothing is off-limits.

Lulu opens up about going viral, laughing at troll comments about her nose rings, looks, age, and sex stories, and why the trolls are part of her success.

This episode is for anyone who loves dating horror stories, Berlin chaos, brutally honest friendship banter, and laugh-out-loud oversharing that somehow still leaves you feeling seen.

Subscribe for more dating disasters, listener stories, comedy, and honest conversations from Berlin and beyond.

Follow Lulu:

Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/2UxzWQsuvozSx3lVAZLKpD

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dating-laughter-disasters/id1711177256

Website: https://datinginberlin.com/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luludatinginberlin

Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/datinginberlin_/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lulu-johnson-245a3b317/

Substack: https://substack.com/@stilldatinginberlin

Have a dating disaster, awkward first-date story, or Berlin romance story to share? Send it in, and you could be featured in a future episode. mailto:hello@datinginberlin.com

Subscribe, leave a comment, and tell us: what is the biggest dating red flag you ignored?