About - Questions and Answers

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What are ”neutras"?

A “neutra” is a new term for a social role for community members; it is someone who gives neutral advice to you and/or spends neutral time together with you. Neutras may or may not be conventionally qualified.

This role has taken shape already, as examples include peer support staff for mental health, mindfulness leaders for mindful pursuits and mindsets, life coaches and the like for making personal progress and providing all types of care, and the group of physical like sensory stimulations providing a temporary respite such as reiki videos and autonomic sensory meridian response (asmr) content. 

What is "neutraTime"?

NeutraTime is the pleasant experience of time together with a neutra. "NeutraTime" together reflects that warm, fuzzy feeling one gets from an ebb and flow of successful back and forth of beneficial conversation or just time together. It is time to have access to someone as neutral as can be - to just be with, to entertain/ be entertained by, and/or to give/receive advice to/from. Time together is valuable and can go a long way, and there are people out there that need it. The power and warmth of just being there for someone associated with the compassion aspect of mindfulness has been widely accepted, and Neutras will carry the torch of this global phenomenon. In this form, a neutra is not exactly a caretaker, but similar to a caretaker, who interacts with you, rather than preaches to you and/or the like. This experience of presence during healthy time together can "get us going," it can fuel us... we have all felt this and there is nothing like it. Appealing to the soul, it is "Zen." 

Why neutras?

Neutras have never been taken to an extreme of pure neutral time together, however. It is quite rare to find someone to spend time with who isn't interested in something from you or with you.

NeutraTime serves in recognizing the unrecognized, underappreciated, underrepresented, and unconventionally qualified. It combats loneliness, isolation, and boredom; and eases diminished quality of life, shortened lifespan, and overall lack of well-being. It can be intriguing, helpful, just, and a pick-me-up.

Lastly, there are many implications in training and practice of many individuals and collectives. The benefits last long after a period of neutraTime takes place, and I believe that benefit is for all.

Who are neutras for? Who is neutraTime for? 

Everyone can use this service. Neutras/neutraTime can help anyone, especially those removed from what is considered to be typical social structure, including those who crave time together with someone neutral and/or want to successfully and innocently take on health facilitation. To start, mental health communities, mindfulness communities, coaching communities, our elders, and the like may lead in using this service. And, if a potential user decides not to use this neutrality service, being faced with that choice can serve as something to grow and/or pivot from. 

I want everyone, especially my elders, to have access to neutras for health and "checking in" sakes, and also to have the opportunity to be a neutra and share/enjoy/participate in neutraTime. I desire this to be a cumulative resource, some of humanity’s collective wealth. Also worth noting, “social flow,” or feeling our best and doing our best, is known to be evoked by a lot of positive talking to people, and neutraTime provides an avenue for this endeavor.

Why be a neutra?

To be seen, to be available, to complement current activity, to advise/ aid…and to get bookings from then on! Financially gain from others benefitting from your time!

I view this as a social experiment that can allow me and others to better gauge societal needs and/or norms. I encourage participation in this social movement. Community building is also a benefit, adding to the mentioned benefits above. Research shows that about half of people that need help don’t get it, and I hope this resource changes that. Believe! 

What are the health implications?

 Associated research shows that spending time with other people in a social manner can extend our lives, and I do not want myself or others to miss out on this. The benefits of being sociaI are clear, as emotions are reported as better as shown in “Effects of social participation patterns and living arrangement on mental health of… older adults: A latent class analysis" (Chen, et. al. 2022), and a reduced risk of developing cognitive impairment and dementia was described in “Get back your social life to boost thinking, memory, and health” by Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, Harvard Health Letter, 2023. A quick “longevity social interaction” internet search yields many results on how social interaction supports longevity. 

https://longevity.stanford.edu/lifestyle/2023/12/18/how-social-connection-supports-longevity/ 

Is this the final platform for neutras?
This is the current satisfactory platform for neutras. BUT, I want complete freedom for neutras, conventionally qualified or not, to be able to sign up, give their details/ claim-to-fame-like-description and schedule and GO FROM THERE, in other words be seen, be available, and get bookings from then on. The goal is to make this ubiquitous, a resource for all.

Why now?

Current job openings shed light on the necessity for something like this. Recently, I saw a job for a peer worker helping farmers cope with ups and downs of their life in Massachusetts, as well as a job for mindfulness associate aiding in adherence to a mindfulness recovery program in California. These jobs signify it’s time for Neutras! Those roles are neutras! In addition, this progressive idea can accompany the recent social prescribing, or art and culture being suggested to participate in (in Massachusetts), in contributing to cutting edge development. 

About me

I’m a striving social entrepreneur who is enthralled by a challenge. With a focus on academics, I achieved intellectual curiosity and freedom, and with a focus on the social, I have become a connection seeker. I received my Bachelor of Science degree from Worcester State University in mindfulness thought and social sciences in 2021, and have had jobs in both behavioral neuroscience and sales. It’s worth noting that I feel I have been a neutra since I can remember. It has satisfied a primal need of mine to have this type of interaction, and I also desire to be this in the future as well. Meeting the challenge of being neutral to the extent of being aid to someone is exceptionally fulfilling. I am using my unique life situation to leverage this business as a means of social activity, resource generation, and constructive interaction - something I firmly believe there is nothing like. In addition, I have interacted with the mental health system for years now, and my best is: we need this right now!