With everyone talking about community right now, we wanted to ask the question… why does it feel harder than ever to actually find it?

We grew up in environments where connection felt easy — school, university, even early careers — but as we’ve got older, building meaningful friendships and feeling part of something has become a lot less straightforward.

At the same time, we’re more “connected” than ever online… yet somehow more disconnected in real life.

So why is that? And what can we actually do about it?

In this mini episode, we unpack:
🏡 Why community used to feel easier (and what’s changed)
📱 How social media creates the illusion of connection
🤝 The difference between having friends vs feeling like you belong
🌍 Why everyone wants a “village” — but no one wants to build one
😬 Why putting yourself out there feels uncomfortable (but is necessary)
☕ How small, everyday moments can lead to real connection
✨ Why we decided to start building our own community for “5–9ers”

KEY MOMENTS:
00:00 Everyone wants a village — but no one builds one
01:00 Why community feels more important than ever
02:00 From built-in communities to building your own
03:00 The impact of remote work & post-COVID life
04:00 Why it’s harder to make friends as an adult
05:00 Social media vs real connection
07:00 Why “catch-up culture” isn’t real connection
09:00 Building community in small, simple ways
11:00 Why you have to put yourself out there
13:00 Finding your people (and trusting your intuition)

If you’ve ever felt like you’re missing “your people” — this episode is for you.

Follow us on socials @whatiwishiknewsoonerpod and send this to someone who might need the reminder 💛