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The only thing that matters in our lives is our relationship to other people. WOAH dude, that’s profound.

Eric Barker joins me to talk about relationships, the subject of his book, Plays Well With Others, where together we learn, bust myths, and see how they shape everything from happiness to health.

Want to predict survival a year after a heart attack? Check your friendships. Seriously. Relationships matter more than anything. Spouses are great, but friendships? They’re the real game-changer, backed by Nobel Prize-winning research.

Friends are 100% choice, and they bring joy. Want to be more ambitious, fit, or positive? Spend time with people like that. But beware—habits are contagious. Secondhand smoke is bad, but having smoking friends? Worse, because you might start, too.

It’s not just about having friends; it’s about community. Five friends who know each other? That’s a support system. Instant happiness boost.

Social media—connection tool or time-sucking black hole? Use it to strengthen real-life relationships, not just scroll away your "buddy budget."

And hey, our spouses are important relationships too. Want to spark ethical change? Encourage them to be who they want to be. Less nagging, more nudging. Want a fairytale marriage? Go slay a dragon together—aka do exciting things to create shared joy.

Deep relationships boil down to time and vulnerability. Eric even shares how he applied this himself. Want organic ways to make more time for friends? Stick around to end it may involve the organic vegetable aisle.

What’s Inside:

• Are friendships life or death!?
• Leveraging social media for real-life connection and not endless doom scrolling. 
• Changing your spouse—ethically, of course!
• Maximizing your buddy budget and deepening relationships.

Wow, this episode might have been pulled from the archives, but boy does the message ring true. Friendship rituals are so important; my Sunday hike with my girls is the ultimate cup filler. How are you gonna use your buddy budget!? Let me know on Insta!

Mentioned In This Episode:
Barking Up The Wrong Tree
Barking Up the Wrong Tree - Plays Well With Others
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