Hi Reader Today’s Connection Win I’m excited to share a brilliant idea from Cathy, who just moved back to Bucharest. She messaged me about something she’s trying called “Friendship Office Hours” and I literally couldn’t wait to share it with you all. Here’s what Cathy wrote: She’s planning to sit at a local coffee shop every Saturday morning from 10 to 2, bringing just her book, journal, and favorite fountain pen. Friends and acquaintances can drop by whenever they want during those hours -...
5 days ago • 3 min read
Today’s Connection Win I’m absolutely beaming to share this win from Sheena, because it shows how small shifts in how we talk about friendship can create ripple effects across generations. Here’s what happened: Sheena used the Wheel of Connection which shows the spectrum of friendship (you know, that wheel I’m always talking about) to help her tween daughter navigate her social world at school. Instead of getting caught up in the usual “best friend” labels and what she might be missing, they...
5 days ago • 2 min read
Today’s Connection Ugh Today’s story comes from B, and it hit me right in the heart because it touches on something so many of us have experienced but rarely talk about. You know those friendship endings that leave you with more questions than answers? Yeah, those. Here’s what B wrote: After a friendship breakup with her college bestie, she found herself struggling to make sense of it all. No real explanation, no chance for a face-to-face conversation - just… silence. Then she happened to...
5 days ago • 2 min read
Reader The conversations that make you feel less alone in this friendship thing Every Friday, I ask one real-world friendship question, and you bring the wisdom. Because here’s what I’ve learned: there’s no universal “right” way to do friendship — just the ways that work for you and your people. These conversations always surprise me. Someone will share an approach I’ve never considered, or put words to something I’ve felt but couldn’t explain. That’s the magic of crowdsourcing connection...
5 days ago • 1 min read
The conversations that make you feel less alone in this friendship thing Today’s Question Are you pro- friend group or against friend group… or somewhere in between? What’s your ideal - a tight group of friends who all know each other, or separate friendships that don’t overlap?Have you had good or bad experiences with friend group dynamics in the past? Here’s What I’ve Noticed I get a lot of people who tell me they want a friend group, but don’t want the drama. I have people who tell me...
5 days ago • 1 min read
Today’s Connection Ugh Today’s story from S touches on something that can feel like a punch to the gut - when a friendship naturally built on proximity has to shift, and not everyone wants to put in the work to bridge that new distance. Here’s what happened: S and their roommate had this great dynamic while living together. You know the kind - where conversation flows naturally because you’re sharing the same space, same daily rhythms. But when the roommate moved out, everything changed. S...
5 days ago • 3 min read
The Less Lonely Club The conversations that make you feel less alone in this friendship thing Every Friday, I ask one real-world friendship question, and you bring the wisdom. Because here’s what I’ve learned: there’s no universal “right” way to do friendship — just the ways that work for you and your people. These conversations always surprise me. Someone will share an approach I’ve never considered, or put words to something I’ve felt but couldn’t explain. That’s the magic of crowdsourcing...
7 days ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, One of the joys of having a community is having people who can help in little ways when life feels overwhelming. And, for some of us, one of the easiest ways to show up for someone is to bring them a meal. My friends will tell you I am the “cooking friend.” I’m the one who happily drops by with dinner, cooks for a friend of a friend, or hosts everyone at my place.I’m also the friend everyone texts with food-related questions. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten a message...
7 days ago • 6 min read
A lot of being a good friend is getting your mind right (AKA, stopping your mind from playing tricks on you). When your mind is running unchecked, it can create all sorts of chaos in your friendships and lead to unnecessary problems.Tune into these Friendship IRL episodes, and by the end, you’ll be feeling more grounded in all your friendships, sure of yourself, and prepared to handle problems when they arise. And when you are the calm, cool, and collected friend… SPOILER: Your friends want...
7 days ago • 5 min read
Hey Reader Before we dive into the 135+ episodes of Friendship IRL, let’s start with the foundation. These are all episodes you’ll hear me reference in other episodes over and over again, so you might as well start with them, because they are the foundation I’ve built my work on. (Also, they’re all in my upcoming book, so if you want to dive even deeper, keep your eye out for the book announcements coming soon!) 1. What is a Friend? And the 4 Types of Friends We All Have [Episode 3] So many...
7 days ago • 3 min read