Friendship IRL: Real Talk About Friendship, Community, and What It Actually Takes

Friendship Time Capsule: What I Wish I Could Tell My Younger Self


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One of you asked me an amazing question the other day: 

If you could tell your younger self one thing about friendship, what would you tell her?

I spend so much time thinking about community and connection – probably much more than the average person – and I have learned a lot since my youth. Some realizations I’m having at 35 are realizations a lot of people might not have until they’re middle aged.

No matter your age, there are likely things you wish you could go back and tell younger you. We are always growing and changing as friends. We are always learning.

In today's episode, I’ll cover what I've learned about choosing friends, being a friend, and friendship transitions – plus some final advice I would give younger me.

Now that I’ve shared my thoughts, tell me: what would you tell your younger self? Send me a message on Instagram!


In this episode you’ll hear about:

  • What I did a good job with in my younger friendships, including building community, choosing friends well, and not letting status quo drive friendships
  • The constant need I had to be worthy of friendships and how this affected my behavior and relationships
  • The inevitable heartbreak in friendships (especially one-sided friendships) and the importance of feeling that heartbreak and moving past it
  • The value of working on communication skills to improve friendships and learning from every interaction
  • How what a “good friend” is changes through every life transition, from middle school to college and beyond


Resources & Links

Like what you hear? Visit my website, leave me a voicemail, and follow me on Instagram and TikTok!

Want to take this conversation a step further? Send this episode to a friend. Tell them you found it interesting and use what we just talked about as a conversation starter the next time you and your friend hang out!

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Friendship IRL: Real Talk About Friendship, Community, and What It Actually TakesBy Alex Alexander

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