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October 12, 2024 • 1hr 45min
#850 - 2.75M Q&A - Women’s Value, Loneliness & Bernie Sanders
Modern Wisdom
This episode is a Q&A to celebrate reaching 2.75 million YouTube subscribers. Chris Williamson answers questions submitted by listeners on a wide range of topics, including his personal life, the podcast, mental health, relationships, and more. He also opens up about health challenges he's been facing over the past year.
#850 - 2.75M Q&A - Women’s Value, Loneliness & Bernie Sanders
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Key Takeaways
- Chris has been dealing with significant health issues over the past year, including gut dysbiosis, autoimmune problems, mold exposure, and brain fog. He plans to discuss this more in future episodes.
- The "lonely chapter" of personal growth and pursuing ambitious goals is a common challenge many listeners resonate with. It involves feeling isolated as you outgrow old social circles.
- Chris emphasizes expanding your time horizon when feeling stuck, as progress is often only visible over months and years rather than days and weeks.
- Therapy provided Chris with more self-knowledge in 9 months than 5 years of meditation. He describes it as inviting someone into your mental "house" to point out rooms you didn't know existed.
- Chris advises being less hard on yourself and trusting that with consistent effort, you'll likely end up getting the outcomes you deserve over time.
- When dating, Chris recommends not getting distracted by physical attraction if you're seeking someone with similar interests and depth. Have the courage to maintain your standards.
- The underlying theme of most Modern Wisdom interviews is understanding yourself better. A common mindset is learning to let go of control and fear while still working hard.
Introduction
This episode is a Q&A to celebrate reaching 2.75 million YouTube subscribers. Chris Williamson answers questions submitted by listeners on a wide range of topics, including his personal life, the podcast, mental health, relationships, and more. He also opens up about health challenges he's been facing over the past year.
Topics Discussed
Chris's Recent Health Struggles (8:02)
Chris reveals he has been dealing with significant health issues over the past year, which he has mostly kept private until now:
- Gut dysbiosis
- Autoimmune problems
- Environmental mold exposure
- Brain fog and cognitive issues
- Lower resilience and increased anxiety
He plans to do dedicated episodes on these health topics in the future to share what he's learned. Chris notes these issues are apparently not uncommon for immigrants first moving to America due to environmental and dietary changes.
The "Lonely Chapter" of Personal Growth (20:03)
Chris discusses the common challenge of feeling isolated while pursuing ambitious goals and personal growth:
- As you grow and change rapidly, you may outpace old social circles
- It can feel like you're leaving people behind as your interests and challenges evolve
- This "lonely chapter" is a necessary part of progressing to new levels
- Chris reassures listeners this is a common experience, not a personal failing
"It's a price of doing business, cost of entry to growing quickly," Chris says about this phase of isolation.
Dealing with Uncertainty While Pursuing Goals (34:04)
Chris addresses the challenge of persevering towards goals without certainty of success:
- Expand your time horizon - Progress is often only visible over months/years, not days/weeks
- Everyone pursuing big goals faces this uncertainty - it's not a unique personal challenge
- The alternative of giving up guarantees you won't achieve your goals
- Pay attention to small signs of progress over time
"There are very few problems in life that a little bit more attention won't help with," Chris advises.
Chris's Experience with Therapy (56:11)
Chris shares insights from his recent experience doing therapy twice a week for about 9 months:
- Learned more about himself in 9 months of therapy than 5 years of meditation
- Describes it as inviting someone into your mental "house" to point out rooms you didn't know existed
- Provides new perspectives on yourself and connects disparate parts of your psyche
- Can be rough as you confront things you've been avoiding or unaware of
"Analysis is not justification," Chris notes about discussing difficult topics.
Advice for Dealing with Loneliness (1:12:15)
Chris offers advice to listeners struggling with loneliness:
- Remember you're not alone in feeling this way - many others are going through similar challenges
- The podcast community can provide some solace and connection
- Being lonely doesn't mean there's something wrong with you
- Trust that you'll find your "tribe" of like-minded people over time
"I promise that there are people out there that are interested in the stuff that you're interested in and you're worthy of finding them," Chris reassures listeners.
Dating Advice (1:30:18)
Chris gives dating advice for those seeking partners with similar interests and depth:
- Don't get distracted by physical attraction if it's not aligned with what you truly want
- Have the courage to maintain your standards for intellectual/emotional connection
- Avoid setting unrealistically high bars for superficial traits
- Optimize for finding someone with similar interests and depth of consciousness
"Don't get distracted by pretty girls and pretty guys when you're looking for people with similar interests and deep consciousnesses," Chris advises.
Underlying Themes of Modern Wisdom Interviews (1:38:22)
Chris reflects on common threads across his podcast interviews:
- The underlying theme is understanding yourself better
- Many guests emphasize letting go of control and reducing fear
- There's often a paradoxical blend of working hard while accepting outcomes
- Revisiting similar topics provides new perspectives on managing this tension
"It's this beautiful 'You can do it, you can work harder' and also 'The outcomes that you're going to get are to come along, no matter how much you fear or vacillate about them,'" Chris says about the common mindset.
Chris's Experience with Sobriety (1:42:22)
Chris discusses his experience maintaining sobriety:
- He no longer thinks about drinking or feels tempted
- Multiple 6-month periods of sobriety helped, but 1000 days "annihilated" the desire
- Acknowledges it can be very challenging, especially in British culture
- Advises sticking with it, as eventually the link between alcohol and fun gets severed
"I promise you, if you work at it...something snaps inside of that link that you have between having a beer and having fun," Chris encourages those pursuing sobriety.
Conclusion
Chris expresses appreciation for listeners' patience as he begins opening up about his recent health struggles. He hopes to use his experiences to help educate others who may be dealing with similar issues. Chris acknowledges he is still learning and figuring things out in real-time.
The episode showcases Chris's vulnerability in discussing personal challenges while also providing thoughtful advice on common issues like loneliness, uncertainty, and personal growth. His reflections on the podcast's journey and underlying themes demonstrate how the show continues to evolve along with Chris's own development.