#19 Improve Your Social Fitness with Chris Miller

In this episode, Talk to People Podcast host Chris Miller and I chat about the importance of social fitness and community connections. I also share personal stories about connecting with others after a move to a new city and the lingering challenges of building relationships after the pandemic. The Talk to People Podcast unpacks how to build better relationships. Listeners learn how to have better conversations, tell better stories, ask thoughtful questions, and build a community of people around them. The thesis of the show is that life is better when you talk to people. In addition to hosting the Talk to People Podcast, Chris is the founder of the Social Fitness Lab newsletter.Episode highlights:1:46 Chris explains why he created the Talk to People Podcast and his experience so far3:52 The impact of the Harvard Longitudinal Study on happiness in our lives 6:04 Face-to-face interaction and the relative value of using video calls7:23 Why going 'back to the office' (back to how things used to be) isn't the answer12:52 Social fatigue and awkwardness16:25 Saying goodbye to friendships and friendship breakups19:49 Relational intensification25:12 Comparing physical fitness to social fitness31:16 Connecting vs friendship37:00 Trends in social fitness and mental health38:40 What it's like to move to a new city and try to forge new connections42:08 One surprising tip for breaking the ice with strangers46:58 Making friends and building community if we're not religious or sporty52:27 Advice for those feeling lonely and making small stepsProductionAudio production by The Podcast Distillery.coMusic: Kid Kodi by Skittle and These Times by The Pine Barrens from sessions.blue<br/>Rate and ReviewRate and review us on Podchaser<br/>