Hello Hayes

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Today’s letter asks: How do you break up with a friend when they’re going through something hard? This episode explores the guilt, the timing, and the emotional confusion of stepping back from a friendship that no longer feels healthy.

We talk about:

⭐why leaving can feel morally wrong

⭐the difference between compassion and self‑abandonment

⭐when a slow fade helps… and when it doesn’t

⭐how to be honest without being cruel

⭐what it means to let go of a friendship that once mattered

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In the first episode of 2026, a listener writes in after her boyfriend (while blacked out at the bar) called her a name she can’t unhear. Now she’s stuck between the relationship she knows and the truth she’s afraid to look at. We talk about the role alcohol plays in conflict, what it means when someone insists they “didn’t mean it,” and the difference between not lying and not having the language yet. We explore the shame of telling friends the worst thing someone did, the fear of what their reactions might force you to confront, and how to decide whether a rupture is a one‑time mistake or a sign of something deeper. If you’ve ever tried to hold on to the best version of someone while wrestling with the worst thing they’ve said, this episode will meet you right where you are.

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A holiday rerun answering your most-asked Six Besties Theory questions. Can your partner be your best friend? Can you have more than one North Star? How do you know what kind of bestie you are to other people? This episode explores how friendship shifts over time, how to grieve those changes, and how to build a friendship ecosystem that actually supports you. I'll be back with new episodes on Tuesday, Jan 6!

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A holiday rerun from a listener who feels like none of her friendships are truly reciprocal — and wonders what that pattern might be trying to tell her. I'll be back with new episodes on Tuesday, Jan 6!

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Revisiting a listener favorite while we take a break for the holidays <3

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The letter writer wasn't invited on her best friend's birthday trip. Then she got the last-minute invite. Will going on the trip save the friendship?

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"Am I missing something special?"

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Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices