2020 was an extraordinarily tough year for mankind. With the rise of the Covid 19 virus, we experienced social struggles that many of us have never seen before, and hopefully will never see again. We experienced a rise in calls to mental health hotlines relating to fear and anxiety. We experienced an increased suicide rate, and overdose related deaths. Many of our lives were changed forever. We personally are so grateful to be on the other side of our lockdown journey and have been enjoying the opportunity to go out and be social again. However, many of us are struggling to get back out there and make new friends. Making friends as an adult is a daunting challenge in itself. Adding the pressures of the anxiety brought on by the lockdown, and we’re dealing we are on a much tougher journey to get out there. In this episode, Aziz sits down with producer Taylor Tote for an honest conversation about what it really takes to make friends as an adult. Together, they reflect on how the pandemic reshaped connection, why meaningful friendship often requires more intention later in life, and how authenticity, patience, and shared spaces help real relationships grow. The episode explores everything from social media friendships and moving to new cities to loneliness, toxic relationships, emotional standards, and learning when to let people go. Thoughtful, relatable, and encouraging, this conversation offers a grounded look at building genuine community in adulthood.
2020 was an extraordinarily tough year for mankind. With the rise of the Covid 19 virus, we experienced social struggles that many of us have never seen before, and hopefully will never see again. We experienced a rise in calls to mental health hotlines relating to fear and anxiety. We experienced an increased suicide rate, and overdose related deaths. Many of our lives were changed forever. We personally are so grateful to be on the other side of our lockdown journey and have been enjoying the opportunity to go out and be social again. However, many of us are struggling to get back out there and make new friends. Making friends as an adult is a daunting challenge in itself. Adding the pressures of the anxiety brought on by the lockdown, and we’re dealing we are on a much tougher journey to get out there. In this episode, Aziz sits down with producer Taylor Tote for an honest conversation about what it really takes to make friends as an adult. Together, they reflect on how the pandemic reshaped connection, why meaningful friendship often requires more intention later in life, and how authenticity, patience, and shared spaces help real relationships grow. The episode explores everything from social media friendships and moving to new cities to loneliness, toxic relationships, emotional standards, and learning when to let people go. Thoughtful, relatable, and encouraging, this conversation offers a grounded look at building genuine community in adulthood.
01:00 Friendship after lockdown and the rise of online connection
03:00 What makes a friendship meaningful
07:00 Authenticity, judgment, and being fully yourself
11:00 Moving to new places and putting yourself out there
13:00 Shared interests, routines, and finding your people
17:30 Loneliness, high school memories, and outgrowing old dynamics
24:50 Making time for friendship, patience, and the bigger picture
Taylor Tote is a singer, songwriter, producer, and creative director originally from the NJ/NYC area now based in San Diego, CA. Recognized by the Asbury Park Press for her “big voice, old soul” style, Taylor has spent the last 10 years touring nationally as both a solo artist and alongside acclaimed soul performer Remember Jones. With a background in music, media, business, and entrepreneurship, Taylor served has lead Content Creation and Production at Indigo Soul NYC, where she produced and co-hosted the podcast Thoughts on the Path. Passionate about honest conversation, creativity, and community, Taylor helped curate a thoughtful and artist-driven perspective to each episode, exploring the realities of music, mental health, identity, and navigating life on your own terms.
Aziz Finney is an artist and musician, driven by curiosity, connection, and the search for deeper meaning. In the wake of the disconnection left by COVID, he began a personal journey of self-discovery that pushed him to ask bigger questions about identity, healing, purpose, and what it means to be human. That journey evolved into conversations with strangers on deeply reflective topics, creating space for honesty, vulnerability, and perspective in a world that often moves too fast to look inward. Through his work, Aziz invites others to join him in exploring the questions that shape us, hoping to make people feel a little more seen, a little less alone, and a little more connected to themselves and each other.
Indigo Soul NYC nurtures artists of all levels, mediums, and backgrounds by providing accessible space, community, and education with the goal of shaping society through the means of culture.
Thoughts on the Path is Hosted by Aziz Finney and Taylor Tote
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To learn more about how you can support Thoughts on the Path and other Indigo Soul NYC media projects visit www.indigosoulnyc.com/media