Finding Your Community and Discovering Where You Truly Belong with Emilia van Hauen

04/13/21 • 33 min

The event of the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the way in which many of us interact with each other, including finding a sense of belonging in our communities. Many people are feeling isolated, lonely, and depressed.

Today’s guest is Emilia van Hauen, a Cultural Sociologist, Author, Marketing Expert, and International Keynote Speaker on modern ways of life and social trends.

During our conversation, Emilia sheds light on how communities have changed in modern times, and people now have the freedom to create their own identities and find specific communities where they belong. She also explains how, paradoxically, this freedom creates a sense of pressure for people to succeed, which can have negative consequences. She goes on to explain how COVID-19 has affected our ability to engage in healthy relationships, and how things may be different in the post-pandemic world.

This episode provides fascinating sociological insight for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider (which is apparently 99.5% of people), so don’t miss it!

Here’s a peek at what else we discuss:

The prevalence of people feeling disconnected from their communities in today’s world.
How being an outsider can be a positive thing.
How society is moving away from the ‘bound communities’ that we are born into.
How COVID-19 and living life online has affected one’s sense of community.
The importance of good relationships in living a happy and healthy life.
How relationships have been affected by the physical distance created by COVID-19.
How relationships and communities may be different after the pandemic.
Thoughts on whether or not the trend of digital nomadism will affect one’s sense of community going forward.
How a sense of belonging, or being ‘owned’, is often more important than a glamorized sense of freedom.
Being in a relationship and being independent doesn’t have to be contradictory.

Resources:

Emilia van Hauen
Emilia van Hauen on LinkedIn
Emilia van Hauen on Twitter
Emilia van Hauen on Instagram
The Harvard Study of Adult Development, a Ted Talk
Jeni Barcelos on LinkedIn
Sandy Connery on LinkedIn
Namastream
Namastream on Instagram

This week’s Joy:

Emilia’s joy is a symbolic dragon sculpture which she bought not only because of “Game of Thrones” but also because of a conversation she had with a friend of hers about dragons — that they are free, creative, and strong. She shares that the normal story we hear about dragons is that they have to be killed by a prince in order to save the princess from the tower. But what we need to understand is that instead of killing the dragon, we have to tame it and then we take flight with it. Every time she meets a problem, she thinks about it as a dragon that she needs to tame and it can take her on a flight.

This week’s Hustle:

Emilia’s hustle is watching a lot of TV series because they tell a lot of stories about different people — about how we live and how we live together. By watching a lot of stories, she is able to understand all kinds and ways of living together, and it’s fun, too!

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Today’s guest is Emilia van Hauen, a Cultural Sociologist, Author, Marketing Expert, and International Keynote Speaker on modern ways of life and social trends.

This episode provides fascinating sociological insight for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider (which is apparently 99.5% of people), so don’t miss it!

Here’s a peek at what else we discuss:

The prevalence of people feeling disconnected from their communities in today’s world.
How being an outsider can be a positive thing.
How society is moving away from the ‘bound communities’ that we are born into.
How COVID-19 and living life online has affected one’s sense of community.
The importance of good relationships in living a happy and healthy life.
How relationships have been affected by the physical distance created by COVID-19.
How relationships and communities may be different after the pandemic.
Thoughts on whether or not the trend of digital nomadism will affect one’s sense of community going forward.
How a sense of belonging, or being ‘owned’, is often more important than a glamorized sense of freedom.
Being in a relationship and being independent doesn’t have to be contradictory.

Resources:

Emilia van Hauen
Emilia van Hauen on LinkedIn
Emilia van Hauen on Twitter
Emilia van Hauen on Instagram
The Harvard Study of Adult Development, a Ted Talk
Jeni Barcelos on LinkedIn
Sandy Connery on LinkedIn
Namastream
Namastream on Instagram

This week’s Joy:

This week’s Hustle:

Know Your Numbers

Use this link to save 20% off your Bench Accounting plan for the first six months!

This podcast is brought to you by the Namastream online teaching platform.

Namastream is an easy-to-use platform that helps you build an...

Previous Episode

When Women Are the Storytellers, the Human Story Changes with Elizabeth Lesser

Speaking up is a superpower, and more women need to be heard. At least that is what today’s

guest, Elizabeth Lesser believes.

Elizabeth is a bestselling author and the CoFounder of Omega Institute, the renowned conference and retreat center located in Rhinebeck, New York.

Her latest book, “Cassandra Speaks: When Women Are the Storytellers, the Human Story Changes,” reveals how humanity has outgrown its origin tales and hero myths, and empowers women to trust their instincts, find their voice, and tell new guiding stories.

Elizabeth’s work with the Omega Institute is recognized internationally for their workshops and conferences in wellness, business, spirituality, creativity, and social change. She has given two popular TED Talks and is one of Oprah’s Super Soul 100, a collection of 100 leaders who are using their voices and talent to elevate humanity.

In this episode, Elizabeth digs into women, voices, stories, and power. She also shares some personal stories, so make sure to stick around until the end to hear her hustle, where she shares a new technique for meditation. Tune in today!

Here’s a peek at what else we discuss:

Elizabeth provides an introduction to who she is and what she does.
Learn more about her book, Cassandra Speaks, the ancient Greek story of Cassandra.
How money and power are stacked against women, especially advocates.
While the most emotionally wrought stories wake you up, sometimes they make you feel as if your own story isn’t so bad.
The different superpower that Elizabeth wants women to uncover; to be heard.
The value of a cofounder relationship that both balances you and acts like a launchpad.
Why history told through the lens of men frames women as scapegoats for evil and tragedy.
What it would look like for humanity if women had contributed to our theories and stories.
Elizabeth’s opinion on the progress being made in electing diverse representation; how history looks forward, not backward.
The importance of finding your voice, using it, and knowing when to push and when to love.
Whether or not Elizabeth considers herself ambitious, and the shadow side of ambition.
Why women often don’t claim the words ‘ambition’ and ‘power’; it’s about redefining them!
Elizabeth shares a few words about imposter syndrome and how to work through it.
Hear how Elizabeth believes women are infiltrating the way the world does business.
The importance of staying open, soft, and kind, and having your own back.

Resources:

Elizabeth Lesser on Twitter
Elizabeth Lesser on Instagram
Elizabeth Lesser
Omega Institute
Cassandra Speaks by Elizabeth Lesser
Women & Power Conference 2021
The Tending Instinct
Jennifer Barcelos on LinkedIn
Sandy Connery on LinkedIn
And She Spoke Podcast
Namastream
Namastream on Instagram

This week’s Joy:

Elizabeth's joy is spending time with her grandchildren and says to make your joy free, simple, and available.

This week’s Hustle:
Elizabeth's Hustle is her new meditation that she came up with, it's called the 'Do No Harm, But Take No Shit' meditation and she explains the name behind it and how to do it.

Next Episode

Stepping Into Her Power with Jamia Wilson

Known to many as the "next-generation feminist leader,” today we had the privilege of speaking to Jamia Wilson.

When Jamia was a child and she felt defeated, her mother would ask her what she could do to “step into her power.” By heeding this advice and sharing her mother’s passion for civil rights, Jamia has become renowned as an activist, feminist, storyteller, media maker, and natural-born thought leader.

Over the years she has been the Executive Director and Publisher of Feminist Press at the City University of New York, the Executive Director of Women, Action, and the Media, and the Vice President of Programs at the Women’s Media Centre.

As a storyteller and activist, she talks about how books shaped her views in her youth and the importance of being able to tell one’s story without persecution. As the author of several books for young readers, she speaks about her responsibility to write stories for the next generation, about her work in activism, and her friendship with fellow feminist and activist, Gloria Steinum.

We also discuss the global COVID-19 pandemic and how, in a way, we are all united in this shared experience of suffering, as well as some inspiring thoughts on hope, empathy, and the future. Tune in today!

Here’s a peek at what else we discuss:

Jamia talks about what led her to become an author.
The role of books in shaping the minds of the youth and the importance of representing the underrepresented.
Jamia speaks about the influence of her mother on her life and her passion for social justice.
The difference between a response and a reaction, both in activism and in life.
The lessons Jamia learned from investing in a law qualification that she never completed.
How she was influenced by feminist journalist, political activist, and friend, Gloria Steinem
Reflections on the global experience of suffering through COVID-19 and empathy.
She shares her plans for the future; to enjoy some of the simple pleasures she has missed.
Her new role as Vice President and Executive Director at Penguin Random House.
Jamia’s passion for the french language and culture; how this is helping her expand in the business world.

Resources:

This week’s Joy: Jamia’s joy is learning languages, but she stopped when she became busy with work. During the pandemic she started using the extra weekend time she had to start diving back into language and learning French. Shortly after that, she was asked to do a speaking engagement with a French feminist organization and she now has a couple of books that are in French and are getting translated into French.

This week’s Hustle: Jamia’s hustle is the same as her joy. Learning languages is helping her hustle because it's expanding how she’s thinking about her business in the world and allows her to work with people directly in French.

Know Your Numbers