Frientimacy: Finding Our Way to More Fulfilling Friendships
Ever feel like friendships are too complicated, superficial, or disappointing? And yet you don’t want to swear them off completely because you also crave the feeling of having close, comfortable, and meaningful relationships? You’re not alone! In the first season of Frientimacy, social relationships expert Shasta Nelson goes behind the scenes of her own real-life friendships to unpack the challenges they’ve faced and how they overcame them to forge an even stronger bond. Because let’s face it—even the healthiest relationships encounter conflict! By shedding light on two sides of the story, Frientimacy can inspire and teach us how to navigate similar issues in our own friendships.
Shasta is the author of 3 books on adult friendships and social relationships, a popular resource for media such as the New York Times and the Today Show, and an in-demand keynote speaker. Now she’s getting vulnerable to reveal how even a social relationships expert can experience adversity in her friendships . . . and emerge with more meaningful connections. It may not always be easy navigating jealousy, busyness, hurt feelings, or different life stages, but sometimes it’s worth it, so listen in if you’re ready for more fulfilling friendships! To connect with Shasta on her other platforms, follow her on Instagram at @shastamnelson, or subscribe to her YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/c/shastanelson.
Frientimacy: Finding Our Way to More Fulfilling Friendships
The Friendship That Weathered My Personal Life Crisis (Kim)
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Shasta and Kim were colleagues and couple friends . . . then Shasta called her crying out of the blue. She’d had an affair, a divorce, and had been fired from her job. But while other friends and colleagues pulled away, judged, and disappeared, Kim and Shasta only grew closer. In today’s episode, the two unpack how Shasta’s personal crisis affected her friend and how their friendship survived when many of Shasta’s relationships did not. Kim divulges the confusion she felt at Shasta not telling her sooner, and how others questioned her decision to stay friends with someone who’d had an affair. They talk about shifting from couple friends to developing a one-on-one friendship after Shasta’s divorce. They also reveal how the experience helped them build their friendship now—one in which they can tell each other everything and endure any and every season of life together.
In this episode, Shasta and Kim answer the questions:
- What did it feel like watching a friend go through a crisis?
- What happens when your “couple friends” divorce? Can you stay friends, and how will the friendship change?
- How do you support friends who are going through hard times?
- How do you support friends who’ve made bad decisions?
- How can you create a “safe space” within a friendship, in which you can share anything without judgment?
- How can you keep your friendships intact and thriving when you’re personally struggling?
Resource Links:
- Take the Frientimacy quizzes: Positivity Quiz, Consistency Quiz, Vulnerability Quiz
- Shasta’s books on belongingness and human connection:
Join Shasta’s mailing list to be the first to know about upcoming episodes, friendship coaching, trips, and more: https://www.shastanelson.com/mailing-list.
Connect with Shasta on her other platforms: