America Is Running Out of Friends

America Is Running Out of Friends

Author: iHeartPodcasts July 24, 2026 Duration: 15:38

The number of Americans with no close friends has increased fivefold since 1990. But this isn't just a loneliness crisis. It's a community crisis. And the data suggests we may be further from fixing it than we think.

In this Shop Talk, Bill dives into a striking report on the collapse of American friendship and reflects on what it reveals about the way we live today. Fewer close friends, shrinking social circles, and young men who are more likely to call their parents than a friend when life gets hard. The numbers are sobering, but the solution might be closer than you think.

This one isn't just about what's broken. It's a reminder that community doesn't build itself. But, the good news is that we have the power to start building community today, right where we are.

ARMY ACTIONS

Subscribe to the podcast and rate & review us!

Signup to join the Army, visit NormalFolks.org

Follow us on social media @ArmyofNormalFolks

Join or start an ANF local service club at https://normalfolks.org/service-clubs/

Take The 10 Level Challenge, "the hero's journey for service" at 10LevelChallenge.org

Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


You won't find the solutions to our biggest challenges in the green rooms of cable news, but in the everyday decisions of regular people who see a need and step up. That's the heart of An Army of Normal Folks. Hosted by Bill Courtney, the coach featured in the Oscar-winning documentary "Undefeated," this iHeartPodcasts production is a documentary-style series dedicated to finding and honoring those individuals. Each episode introduces you to someone who looked at their community, their street, or a single person struggling and simply said, "I can help." These aren't stories of celebrities or politicians with vast resources; they're authentic accounts from the army of ordinary citizens doing extraordinary things. By listening to this podcast, you'll hear the real, unscripted conversations between Courtney and his guests, exploring their motivations, the obstacles they faced, and the tangible impact of their actions. It’s a weekly reminder that change is often built person by person, and it’s released every Tuesday to spotlight the powerful force of normal folks getting things done.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Army of Normal Folks
Podcast Episodes
The Hero’s Journey (and Why Ours Starts With Normal Folks) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:34
The Hero's Journey isn't just the formula behind Star Wars, Rocky, Pixar classics, and countless Hollywood blockbusters. It's the oldest pattern found in real-life heroic action—and true across cultures, centuries, and c…
The Secret Coffee Club That Can Heal Your Community (Pt 1) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:54
What if one of the biggest solutions to loneliness, toxic division, and disconnection isn't another app or social media platform—but a simple cup of coffee? Ron Sparks and his friend Adam Foster started inviting small gr…
The Secret Coffee Club That Can Heal Your Community (Pt 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:45
What if one of the biggest solutions to loneliness, toxic division, and disconnection isn't another app or social media platform—but a simple cup of coffee? Ron Sparks and his friend Adam Foster started inviting small gr…
He Worked for Free—Then Changed My Life (From The Vault) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:48
We're bringing back Shop Talk #3. Because it's been years and it's beautiful! What would make someone work an entire weekend without pay? When Coach Bill Courtney's lumber company was on the brink of collapse after 9/11,…
What Your Brain Does With Trauma—And How to Finally Heal It (Pt 1) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:22
Dan Jarvis came home from Afghanistan carrying wounds that didn't show up on any medical chart. In this episode, he breaks down what trauma actually does to the brain - why it hijacks your responses, why willpower alone…
What Your Brain Does With Trauma—And How to Finally Heal It (Pt 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:21:34
Dan Jarvis came home from Afghanistan carrying wounds that didn't show up on any medical chart. In this episode, he breaks down what trauma actually does to the brain - why it hijacks your responses, why willpower alone…
The Paradox of Quitting—So That Your Work Can Live [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:38
In this Shop Talk, we reflect on a simple question that can haunt all of this: What do we need to quit so our best work can truly live? Featuring Erik Løkkesmoe's powerful essay "I Quit," Coach Bill explores the things t…
The One Thing You Need Before Grit, Resilience, or Confidence (Pt 1) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:51
Contrary to popular belief, hope isn't a feeling. It's a formula that Dr. Ashley Cross is about to teach you about. And according to research, it's the single best predictor of wellbeing. More than grit, resilience, conf…