Friendship is not about “luck.” It’s effort, scheduling, repairing conflict, cheering for each other, & adjusting expectations. I sat down w/ Jenn Sherman (of Peloton) & Pam Sunshine to examine their 40 yr friendship and their viral moment leading to a new business. ninabadzin.com/2025/11/17/1...
Want to meet up with new-to-you or old friends in a way that’s VERY different from book clubs, mahjong, pickleball, etc? TRY A SALON! (aka, a discussion group)
ninabadzin.com/2025/10/20/1...
Thank you!
Apologies given with intention are acts of love. Apologies accepted well are acts of grace. Asking for an apology when you feel one is owed is an act of trust. (And maybe the hardest of all.) thank you, @marjorieingall.bsky.social @sorrywatch.bsky.social
dearnina.substack.com/p/good-apolo...
I got to interview the wise and wonderful @marjorieingall.bsky.social who knows everything there is to know about saying “I’m sorry,” accepting apologies, and soliciting one when necessary. This was such a good (and useful!) conversation.
ninabadzin.com/2025/09/29/1...
Inspired by the groundbreaking work of political scientist Robert Putnam (Bowling Alone), Join or Die, the film, explores the powerful link between social connection, the health of our democracy, and our mental and physical health on an individual level. ninabadzin.com/2025/06/10/j...
I’ve heard from lots of listeners of my May 19th, 2025 guest spot on @NPR’s Life Kit podcast. I’m pleased it hit nerve. And no, I do not think *every* old friendship is worth keeping.
www.npr.org/2025/05/23/n...
What a thrill to be a guest on @npr.org’s NPR Life Kit to discuss maintaining longstanding friendships.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/l...
Meghan Keane, author of PARTY OF ONE, is this week’s guest on Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship. ninabadzin.com/2025/05/06/s...
Dear Nina,
What can I do if my spouse dislikes the time I spend away from the family? Time I spend investing in hobbies with old or new friends is generally resented, especially because my spouse has no friends in the area. I’m not sure what to do.
dearnina.substack.com/p/my-spouse-...
I had the pleasure of speaking to a writer I’ve long admired—Harlan Cohen, NYT bestselling author and expert on navigating life’s most vulnerable transitions. We focused on the Law of Rejection. dearnina.substack.com/p/this-frien...
Not all friendship triangles are “bad.” I discussed the friendship lessons from season 3 of The White Lotus on Substack and in episode 141 of Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship. dearnina.substack.com/p/white-lotu...
How do you break into a tight friendship circle? Short answer: You don’t. My longer answer is this month’s anonymous friendship question. dearnina.substack.com/p/how-do-i-b...
Your neighborhood community might be the most overlooked place for social connection. However, it’s essential to understand the difference between community relationships and friendships. They are not the same! ninabadzin.com/2025/03/24/c...
There are local friends (perhaps 20-45 min away) and there are “HYPERLOCAL” friends. Think—your block, your building, around the corner. This month on Dear Nina we’re focusing on hyperlocal friendships—developing new ones and maintaining the ones you have. dearnina.substack.com/p/march-chal...
graphic announcing the 21st-birthday issue of The Practicing Writer newsletter
Hot off the e-press, packed with no-fee *and* paying/funded #opportunities that are now or will soon be open for submissions, and already in subscribers' inboxes. You can also find this newsletter issue online at bit.ly/4aN9EiE. Please share with *your* #WritingCommunity!
Shared books as the conduit to talking to friends about sex. Did you have this experience with books? dearnina.substack.com/p/do-you-tal...
Friendship advice for the writers out there. We all need this reminder from time to time.
open.substack.com/pub/dearnina...
Welcome to the 2025 Friendship Challenge, a monthly series here—and in the Dear Nina podcast—where I issue a “social wellness” challenge. Each challenge stands alone and every one of them WILL improve your friendships. Whenever you’re reading this, start today!
dearnina.substack.com/p/february-f...
Sober curiosity and the impact on your friendships—Grateful to @halliesawyer.bsky.social for the honest conversation about why she’s sticking with the sober curious lifestyle after several years. ninabadzin.com/2025/01/27/s...
Divorce + an empty nest and the desire for new friends. Some thoughts… dearnina.substack.com/p/divorce-em...
Perhaps you like a glass half-full reaction but your friend doesn’t. Learning how our friends like to be comforted is an important part of friendship. dearnina.substack.com/p/how-to-com...
Recorded a “quick friendship tip” episode for this week in which I tell the story of the friend who told me she didn’t like how I comforted her. And I’m glad she did. (Though it did take some thick skin on my part.) podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/d...
Let’s do it when the book comes out. Can’t wait!
Congrats! I expect you to visit me on Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship. 😁
Dove into my Substack stats for Conversations About Friendship and saw that the only social media in the top 5 traffic sources was Facebook. Interesting. dearnina.substack.com/p/our-friend...
TV 2024-- “The Best,” “The Very Good,” “The Good,” and “The Just Okay.” dearnina.substack.com/p/tv-reviews...
The fabulous @annagoldfarb.com on 24 ways to supercharge your friendships. open.substack.com/pub/annagold...
The most downloaded Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship ep in 2024 was “the 14-day friendship (mindset) cleanse,” brainchild of @annagoldfarb.com whose book, Modern Friendship, is a must read for anyone looking to improve their friendships. ninabadzin.com/2024/12/26/t...
The 35 books I read in 2024! What do I NEED to add for 2025?
open.substack.com/pub/dearnina...
