{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Dating in Your 20s","title":"The “Village” We Romanticize vs. the Village We Actually Build","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/4ff1bc7d\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1410,"description":"Your 20s are basically one ongoing identity crisis — dating feels confusing, friendships feel different than they used to, and everyone seems to be overwhelmed, healing, or “protecting their peace.” In this episode, Amelia and Lilly talk about one of the most underrated parts of dating in your 20s: the people around you matter just as much as the person you’re dating.\nThis is a conversation about friendship, emotional labor, reciprocity, and what it actually means to build a village — not just want one. Because the truth is, friendships in your 20s don’t happen by accident. They take intention, vulnerability, and a willingness to show up even on the days you’d rather hide under a blanket.\nIf dating is about who you’re becoming, then friendship is the support system that gets you there.\nTakeaways\nWhy friendships feel harder to maintain in your 20s\nThe pressure to “protect your peace” and how it impacts connection\nEmotional labor as an investment, not a burden\nReciprocity vs. scorekeeping\nWhy crisis moments don’t build friendship — consistency does\nLosing friends, outgrowing friends, and navigating changing dynamics\nBeing a “villager”: how to actually show up for your people\nThe small, mundane moments that make friendships feel safe\nUnderstanding when someone can’t show up (and when it’s a pattern)\nRelated Episodes:\nIs Having a Boyfriend Embarrassing?\nLooking Back, Moving Forward: How Our Podcast Changed Our Relationships With Oren Matteson\nDating In Your 20s Anonymous Corner\nWe’d love to hear from you! Check out the anonymous DIY20s Form. It’s a safe, judgment-free space to share what’s going on in your love life.\n\nConnect:\nLilly Wehman: Millennium | LinkedIn\nAmelia Abernathy: Millennium | LinkedIn\n\nThis podcast is powered by Millennium Counseling Center in Chicago, IL. To learn more visit: millenniumhope.com","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/H44aNgaEKxUG9bCQVkc0fhihSodlCy8psV4mIlCPonE/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8yY2Yw/ZGU5MDQ0ZWExOWU0/N2VjZDJlZTFlMmJm/MGM1My5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}