April 28, 2025 • 12 mins
In this 12-minute episode, I dive into the power and importance of creating safe communities in today’s world.
We explore what the longest study on happiness (the Harvard Study of Adult Development) reveals about the connection between the quality of our relationships and the quality of our lives.I also share powerful research from Japan highlighting how loneliness isn't just emotional, it's physiological, and why having supportive, intentional relationships is essential for our mental and emotional health.
You'll hear reflections on my time in, conversations with new parents, and how modern life has shifted us away from the "village" we all need, and how we can start intentionally rebuilding it.
Plus, I share practical ways to be a better friend in adulthood and why surrounding yourself with supportive people is a key part of nervous system regulation, healing, and growth.
If you're craving deeper, more meaningful connections, this episode is for you.
And if you're interested in joining a safe, nurturing space for sisterhood and self-growth, click here to check out the Tuscany Retreat details.
♾ In a fast-paced world like the one we live in, time is one of our most important assets. For a few minutes every episode, I, Tannaz Hosseinpour, will be discussing topics that aim to enhance the quality of your life, by helping you feel empowered to take inspired action on your personal growth journey.
Connect with me for daily insights on:
Facebook
Instagram
TikTok
More resources available on : www.minutesongrowth.com
This podcast is for educational purposes only. The host claims no responsibility to any person or entity for any liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly as a result of the use, application, or interpretation of the information presented herein.
We explore what the longest study on happiness (the Harvard Study of Adult Development) reveals about the connection between the quality of our relationships and the quality of our lives.I also share powerful research from Japan highlighting how loneliness isn't just emotional, it's physiological, and why having supportive, intentional relationships is essential for our mental and emotional health.
You'll hear reflections on my time in, conversations with new parents, and how modern life has shifted us away from the "village" we all need, and how we can start intentionally rebuilding it.
Plus, I share practical ways to be a better friend in adulthood and why surrounding yourself with supportive people is a key part of nervous system regulation, healing, and growth.
If you're craving deeper, more meaningful connections, this episode is for you.
And if you're interested in joining a safe, nurturing space for sisterhood and self-growth, click here to check out the Tuscany Retreat details.
♾ In a fast-paced world like the one we live in, time is one of our most important assets. For a few minutes every episode, I, Tannaz Hosseinpour, will be discussing topics that aim to enhance the quality of your life, by helping you feel empowered to take inspired action on your personal growth journey.
Connect with me for daily insights on:
TikTok
More resources available on : www.minutesongrowth.com
This podcast is for educational purposes only. The host claims no responsibility to any person or entity for any liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly as a result of the use, application, or interpretation of the information presented herein.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
You're listening to them Minutes on Growth Podcast, the show
that brings you mindfully curated insights into relationships, spirituality, personal
development and everything in between with your hosts tenas.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
The same poor Hi so friends, it's an aso, same
point and welcome back to another solo episode of the
Minute Tech Growth Podcast. Before we dive in, I have
a really excited announcement to share with you. This one's
for the ladies. The Self Worth, Self Care and Sisterhood
Retreat in Tuscany has officially launched and early bird pricing
(00:40):
is active until May fifth. You can check out all
the details in the show notes below. We've already had
quite a few inquiries coming in, so if this is
something you'd like to experience this summer, don't wait to
lock This retreat is going to be such a beautiful
opportunity to tap into your divine feminine, to deepen your
(01:01):
sense of self esteem, to remember your true self worth,
and for nervous system regulation because it really is the
foundation of everything else. We're going to dive deep into
the powerful work around trauma processing, so letting go and
processing and understanding and integrating. We're going to be looking
(01:23):
into balancing the Yin and the yang energies and embodying
our most authentic, grounded and regulate itself, all in a safe, supportive,
sacred space. So if this is resonating and then I
highly recommend checking it out because ours and I would love,
(01:43):
absolutely love to have you there with us. Okay, So
now let's get into today's topic, the importance of safe communities.
So let's start with the research. Did you know that
the longest running study and happiness, the Harvard Study of
Adult Development, which has been going on for over eighty
(02:05):
years now, found that the quality of our relationships is
the strongest predictor of our happiness and health. So it's
not our income, it's not our career success, it's not
our achievements, it's our relationships. So strong, safe, supportive relationships
(02:26):
are what nourish us. They protect our nervous systems, they
expand our resilience. And this makes so much sense because
we are tribal people by nature, we are wired for connection.
We thrive when we feel seen, supported and valued within
(02:46):
a community. And it's not just Harvard's findings. There's so
much literature out there. For example, research published by William
Chappik in his article Associations of long relational values support
health and well being across the adult lifespan found that
friendships become even more important to well being as we age,
(03:10):
even sometimes more than family relationships, because friendships are the
relationships we choose, they're based on share trust values and
emotional reciprocity. Another study, this one by Julian Holt Lunstad
and a twenty ten meta analysis of social relationships and
(03:31):
mortality risk, showed that having strong social connections boost longevity
and even strengthens immune function. Meanwhile, a lot, and this
is really important, a lack of strong relationships can have
a health impact equivalent to smoking fifteen cigarettes a day.
(03:57):
Fifteen So if you've been feeling the poll to seek
how deeper connections or to nurture your existing friendships, you're
not imagining it. Your soul and your nervous system are
craving it because it's so important to it. And in fact,
(04:18):
loneliness today has become such a widespread issue that some
are calling it an epidemic. When I was in Japan
last year for a couple of months, I witnessed firsthand
how culturally many people were experiencing loneliness very differently than
(04:39):
we might in the West. It was often quite more internalized,
and during the pandemic, this loneliness skyrocketed across the country.
There's a study I want to mention. It was a
conducted among over twenty seven thousand Japanese workers during COVID
nineteen by yusouqu Kono and colleagues. I'm sorry if I'm
(05:04):
betraying these names, and they found a powerful link between
loneliness and psychological distress. So, even after adjusting for factors
like family time, friendships, and social media interaction, people who
reported feeling lonely had a twenty nine to thirty six
(05:26):
times greater risk of experiencing psychological distress. Now think about
that for a moment. Twenty nine to thirty six times
higher risk, and the researchers they emphasized that intervention was
urgently needed because loneliness wasn't just a feeling. It was
(05:46):
now impacting mental health, stress levels, and overall functioning. So
even simple factors like having no friends to call, no
one to ask for help, eating meals alone, they were
all linked to higher love of distress. Loneliness is heavy
on the nervous system. It is not just an emotional experience,
(06:07):
it becomes a physiological one. And recently, I've also had
so many conversations, especially with new parents who are feeling isolated,
and they tell me, you know, where's the village, Where's
the village we were promised? Where is the support system
we were supposed to have? And it's heartbreaking because it's
(06:28):
also a reflection of the way our modern world has evolved.
Where once we naturally had these built in communities, today
we have to be intentional about creating them. We have
to be deliberate about building the villages we need because
we need them. We need them. So now the question becomes,
(06:50):
how can we intentionally create the village we need and
how can we become that village for each other? So
this is where we move from wishing for it to
becoming it, because when we embody that which we want
to receive, we energetically create more space to attract it
(07:15):
and entertain it in our own lives. A while back,
I shared a post about this that went viral on Instagram,
Simple but powerful ways to put effort into adult friendships,
and I just wanted to bring it into the podcast
as a reminder, So in it, I wrote like let's
send check in messages of like hey, I was thinking
(07:36):
about you, how have you been? To schedule catch up
calls like I miss our chats? When can we catch up?
To plan intentional meetups you know, it could be for
coffee or a walk, a quick dinner. It doesn't have
to be complicated, so we can like look at our
lifesylves and be like, what do I have the time
(07:58):
and capacity for now? To send thoughtful article notes or
even memes when something reminds you of that person you know. Ultimately,
everyone wants to feel seen, heard, valued, understood, appreciate it,
So these simple steps can really really go a long way.
(08:23):
And of course to celebrate our friends milestones big or small,
to be present during conversations, not just physically but also emotionally.
To really practice and master the art of active listening.
To share our own updates too, because vulnerability it builds connection.
Of course, it's important for that relationship, that friendship to
(08:48):
feel safe, like relational safety is the foundation for vulnerability
to show up, So practicing disturbment is really important too.
And of course to support you know, their passions, to
show interest in what lights them up, even if it's
different from us, even if we don't understand it, but
(09:08):
to be curious. Tell me more about that. I'd love
to know more. When we do these small things, we
are creating an energy of reciprocity and trust, and we
build safe communities, one interaction at a time. And if
your current circle doesn't reflect the depth that you are craving,
(09:33):
that's okay. It just means that it's time to tap
into your inner courage and to look outside your usual
spaces so that you know you can meet people who
are aligned with this current version of you and the values, visions,
(09:53):
and energies that you want to cultivate. I remember I've
mentioned the story before, but in COVID, I was really
craving a community that I could discuss Persian poetry, specifically
Roomy's poetry with, and I had asked my partner at
the time. He wasn't interested, My friends weren't interested. So
(10:13):
I just went on meetup dot com and I created
that group, and week by week, more and more people
started to join us from around the world, and you know,
we build these real connections that I'm still nurturing to
this day. So I had to look outside of my
(10:34):
usual space and if it doesn't exist, create it. And
that's exactly why we also like host group programs and
retreats like the Tuscany One, because sometimes the connections that
our soul is seeking, we can't find it in our hometown,
our usual circles, but we can find them in sacred
(10:55):
spaces with people who are already saying yes to that.
So this case saying yes their growth through their expansion
to their higher selves. So today my invitation for you
is this, where can you start being the kind of
friend you wish you had? Where can you start building
(11:16):
your village? And where can you show up more fully,
more intentionally, and more lovingly for yourself and for others.
Because safe communities and something we stumble into, it's something
we create with every small, loving, intentional action. Thank you
(11:38):
so much for joining me today. If this episode resonated
with you, please share it with someone who might be
longing for deeper connection too. Don't forget to subscribe, say
you don't miss next week's episode, and check out the
show notes for all the details and the Tuscany Retreat.
Until next time, keep nurturing your growth and keep building
your village. Goodbye.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Thank you for joining us this week on minutes on growth.
If you enjoyed today's episode, then make sure you never
miss a show by clicking the subscribe button now
You're listening to them Minutes on Growth Podcast, the show
that brings you mindfully curated insights into relationships, spirituality, personal
development and everything in between with your hosts tenas.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
The same poor Hi so friends, it's an aso, same
point and welcome back to another solo episode of the
Minute Tech Growth Podcast. Before we dive in, I have
a really excited announcement to share with you. This one's
for the ladies. The Self Worth, Self Care and Sisterhood
Retreat in Tuscany has officially launched and early bird pricing
(00:40):
is active until May fifth. You can check out all
the details in the show notes below. We've already had
quite a few inquiries coming in, so if this is
something you'd like to experience this summer, don't wait to
lock This retreat is going to be such a beautiful
opportunity to tap into your divine feminine, to deepen your
(01:01):
sense of self esteem, to remember your true self worth,
and for nervous system regulation because it really is the
foundation of everything else. We're going to dive deep into
the powerful work around trauma processing, so letting go and
processing and understanding and integrating. We're going to be looking
(01:23):
into balancing the Yin and the yang energies and embodying
our most authentic, grounded and regulate itself, all in a safe, supportive,
sacred space. So if this is resonating and then I
highly recommend checking it out because ours and I would love,
(01:43):
absolutely love to have you there with us. Okay, So
now let's get into today's topic, the importance of safe communities.
So let's start with the research. Did you know that
the longest running study and happiness, the Harvard Study of
Adult Development, which has been going on for over eighty
(02:05):
years now, found that the quality of our relationships is
the strongest predictor of our happiness and health. So it's
not our income, it's not our career success, it's not
our achievements, it's our relationships. So strong, safe, supportive relationships
(02:26):
are what nourish us. They protect our nervous systems, they
expand our resilience. And this makes so much sense because
we are tribal people by nature, we are wired for connection.
We thrive when we feel seen, supported and valued within
(02:46):
a community. And it's not just Harvard's findings. There's so
much literature out there. For example, research published by William
Chappik in his article Associations of long relational values support
health and well being across the adult lifespan found that
friendships become even more important to well being as we age,
(03:10):
even sometimes more than family relationships, because friendships are the
relationships we choose, they're based on share trust values and
emotional reciprocity. Another study, this one by Julian Holt Lunstad
and a twenty ten meta analysis of social relationships and
(03:31):
mortality risk, showed that having strong social connections boost longevity
and even strengthens immune function. Meanwhile, a lot, and this
is really important, a lack of strong relationships can have
a health impact equivalent to smoking fifteen cigarettes a day.
(03:57):
Fifteen So if you've been feeling the poll to seek
how deeper connections or to nurture your existing friendships, you're
not imagining it. Your soul and your nervous system are
craving it because it's so important to it. And in fact,
(04:18):
loneliness today has become such a widespread issue that some
are calling it an epidemic. When I was in Japan
last year for a couple of months, I witnessed firsthand
how culturally many people were experiencing loneliness very differently than
(04:39):
we might in the West. It was often quite more internalized,
and during the pandemic, this loneliness skyrocketed across the country.
There's a study I want to mention. It was a
conducted among over twenty seven thousand Japanese workers during COVID
nineteen by yusouqu Kono and colleagues. I'm sorry if I'm
(05:04):
betraying these names, and they found a powerful link between
loneliness and psychological distress. So, even after adjusting for factors
like family time, friendships, and social media interaction, people who
reported feeling lonely had a twenty nine to thirty six
(05:26):
times greater risk of experiencing psychological distress. Now think about
that for a moment. Twenty nine to thirty six times
higher risk, and the researchers they emphasized that intervention was
urgently needed because loneliness wasn't just a feeling. It was
(05:46):
now impacting mental health, stress levels, and overall functioning. So
even simple factors like having no friends to call, no
one to ask for help, eating meals alone, they were
all linked to higher love of distress. Loneliness is heavy
on the nervous system. It is not just an emotional experience,
(06:07):
it becomes a physiological one. And recently, I've also had
so many conversations, especially with new parents who are feeling isolated,
and they tell me, you know, where's the village, Where's
the village we were promised? Where is the support system
we were supposed to have? And it's heartbreaking because it's
(06:28):
also a reflection of the way our modern world has evolved.
Where once we naturally had these built in communities, today
we have to be intentional about creating them. We have
to be deliberate about building the villages we need because
we need them. We need them. So now the question becomes,
(06:50):
how can we intentionally create the village we need and
how can we become that village for each other? So
this is where we move from wishing for it to
becoming it, because when we embody that which we want
to receive, we energetically create more space to attract it
(07:15):
and entertain it in our own lives. A while back,
I shared a post about this that went viral on Instagram,
Simple but powerful ways to put effort into adult friendships,
and I just wanted to bring it into the podcast
as a reminder, So in it, I wrote like let's
send check in messages of like hey, I was thinking
(07:36):
about you, how have you been? To schedule catch up
calls like I miss our chats? When can we catch up?
To plan intentional meetups you know, it could be for
coffee or a walk, a quick dinner. It doesn't have
to be complicated, so we can like look at our
lifesylves and be like, what do I have the time
(07:58):
and capacity for now? To send thoughtful article notes or
even memes when something reminds you of that person you know. Ultimately,
everyone wants to feel seen, heard, valued, understood, appreciate it,
So these simple steps can really really go a long way.
(08:23):
And of course to celebrate our friends milestones big or small,
to be present during conversations, not just physically but also emotionally.
To really practice and master the art of active listening.
To share our own updates too, because vulnerability it builds connection.
Of course, it's important for that relationship, that friendship to
(08:48):
feel safe, like relational safety is the foundation for vulnerability
to show up, So practicing disturbment is really important too.
And of course to support you know, their passions, to
show interest in what lights them up, even if it's
different from us, even if we don't understand it, but
(09:08):
to be curious. Tell me more about that. I'd love
to know more. When we do these small things, we
are creating an energy of reciprocity and trust, and we
build safe communities, one interaction at a time. And if
your current circle doesn't reflect the depth that you are craving,
(09:33):
that's okay. It just means that it's time to tap
into your inner courage and to look outside your usual
spaces so that you know you can meet people who
are aligned with this current version of you and the values, visions,
(09:53):
and energies that you want to cultivate. I remember I've
mentioned the story before, but in COVID, I was really
craving a community that I could discuss Persian poetry, specifically
Roomy's poetry with, and I had asked my partner at
the time. He wasn't interested, My friends weren't interested. So
(10:13):
I just went on meetup dot com and I created
that group, and week by week, more and more people
started to join us from around the world, and you know,
we build these real connections that I'm still nurturing to
this day. So I had to look outside of my
(10:34):
usual space and if it doesn't exist, create it. And
that's exactly why we also like host group programs and
retreats like the Tuscany One, because sometimes the connections that
our soul is seeking, we can't find it in our hometown,
our usual circles, but we can find them in sacred
(10:55):
spaces with people who are already saying yes to that.
So this case saying yes their growth through their expansion
to their higher selves. So today my invitation for you
is this, where can you start being the kind of
friend you wish you had? Where can you start building
(11:16):
your village? And where can you show up more fully,
more intentionally, and more lovingly for yourself and for others.
Because safe communities and something we stumble into, it's something
we create with every small, loving, intentional action. Thank you
(11:38):
so much for joining me today. If this episode resonated
with you, please share it with someone who might be
longing for deeper connection too. Don't forget to subscribe, say
you don't miss next week's episode, and check out the
show notes for all the details and the Tuscany Retreat.
Until next time, keep nurturing your growth and keep building
your village. Goodbye.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Thank you for joining us this week on minutes on growth.
If you enjoyed today's episode, then make sure you never
miss a show by clicking the subscribe button now
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