Hi Frames of Space listeners,
We’re back with a fresh episode where I sat down with journalist and relationships expert Allie Volpe for a wide-ranging conversation on loneliness, social trust, and embracing more meaningful connections.
Spotify Link:
Apple Podcasts Link:
Here’s why you’ll want to tune in:
Highlights from the Episode
One-to-One with Andrew! I just launched a listener survey to collect your thoughts on Frames of Space. As a thank you, everyone who fills it out gets the chance to book a free one-on-one video chat with yours truly! Here’s the survey link.
Getting Under the Skin of Belonging Allie opens up about her personal experiences with sensitivity, loneliness, and learning directly from social science researchers. She shares a moment from her early 20s, feeling isolated after roommates moved out, and how that down period shaped her lifelong journalistic curiosity about relationships and human connection.
Why We Find It Hard to Talk to Strangers Are we more closed off than previous generations? Allie thinks so, and not just because of our endless screen time and love of headphones. She discusses how media narratives and a decrease in social trust have left many of us cautious—or even anxious—about interacting with strangers, even in everyday spaces like coffee shops and parks.
Tips for Building Trust—and Friendships Allie brings actionable advice:
Trust is a muscle: Try your best to interact with strangers respectfully. But remember, even if you think you did poorly, most people aren’t thinking about us nearly as much as we worry they are.
Put in the hours: It takes up to 200 hours spent together to feel truly close to someone. Starting small—like chatting at work or taking group fitness classes—can add up to lifelong friendships.
Don’t fear missteps: Not every interaction will go perfectly, but most of the time, if someone brushes you off, it isn’t about you.
Challenging Our Internal Narratives Whether it’s questioning media-induced fear or our own biases about who is “safe” to approach, Allie emphasizes the importance of checking your assumptions. Hyper-vigilance can drain our joy and keep us from forming connections that make life richer.
A Call to Action Feeling lonely? Allie encourages you to start small: strike up a conversation about a book, band, or baseball cap. Don’t let awkwardness or fear of embarrassment keep you from building the social muscles that make community possible.
Listen to the Full Conversation! Allie and I cover so much more—from game theory lessons in trust to surprising upsides of chatting with neighbors and strangers. If you’ve struggled with loneliness, crave greater connection, or wonder how to make adulthood friendships “stick,” this episode is for you.
Share Your Thoughts! How do you manage social trust in your daily life? Feel free to reply to this post or join the discussion on our socials.
Until next time,
Andrew
