Love this Ezra Klein podcast on building friendship.
Prioritize Friendships: Cohen's work suggests that treating friendships with the same level of importance as romantic relationships can lead to deeper, more meaningful connections. This means actively making time for friends, being intentional about maintaining these relationships, and recognizing their value in your life.
Live with or Near Friends: Inspired by the idea that proximity can enhance friendship quality, one way to make and strengthen friendships is by living closer to friends or even with them. This setup can facilitate more spontaneous interactions and shared experiences, akin to the effortless intimacy that children have with their friends.
Embrace Vulnerability and Intentionality: Cohen's discussions imply that friendships require effort and vulnerability, similar to romantic relationships. This could involve having regular check-ins with friends, openly communicating needs and expectations, and being willing to discuss the nature and direction of the friendship. Such practices can help build a foundation of trust and mutual understanding.
Want to read some wonderful words on friendship? Read poet David Whyte's thoughts from a post I shared last year.
And get in touch if you want to set up some time to talk about making friends with people.
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