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

The Power of Vulnerability in Small Doses: Embracing Small Intimacies


Listen Later

Sometimes to feel closer to our friends there’s this pressure to share our most vulnerable feelings or unearth some deep, dark secret. 

But what if I told you there are more ways to feel connected to our friends that are actually simpler, easier, and more common? That in fact, there are DOZENS of ways we’re trying to open up to each other, but because they’re not “big” shares, they’re often overlooked?

I believe we are all missing out on small moments of connection with our friends, and in this episode, I’ll describe this concept that I’ve mentioned many times but never dug into: small intimacies. 

My hope with this episode is to offer ways to shift the friendship culture and pay more attention to those small bids of connection, because as I’ve said before, friendship doesn’t have to be “all or nothing.” Sometimes those small intimacies are more than enough.

In this episode you’ll hear about:

  • Definitions of vulnerability and rejection and the roles they play in whether or not we allow small intimacies
  • Examples of small intimacies that are overlooked in friendship, from inviting somebody into your house to telling the truth when somebody asks how you are
  • Topics that are vulnerable or considered big shares for some people but not for others, which can be both “positive” and “negative” shares
  • The cycle of overthinking what we share to our friends and how we can open ourselves up to small intacies
  • The Roots of Connection framework which I talk about more in Episode 12


Resources & Links:

Learn more about my roots framework! And be sure to listen to Episode 12 if you haven’t already.

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!


...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

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

  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9

4.9

55 ratings


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

View all
The One You Feed by Eric Zimmer

The One You Feed

2,511 Listeners

Happier with Gretchen Rubin by Gretchen Rubin / The Onward Project

Happier with Gretchen Rubin

12,910 Listeners

10% Happier with Dan Harris by 10% Happier

10% Happier with Dan Harris

12,642 Listeners

Clutterbug - Real-Life Hacks and Tips to Declutter, Organize and Clean your Home Fast by Clutterbug

Clutterbug - Real-Life Hacks and Tips to Declutter, Organize and Clean your Home Fast

2,010 Listeners

The Lazy Genius Podcast by Kendra, The Lazy Genius

The Lazy Genius Podcast

6,518 Listeners

Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel by Esther Perel Global Media

Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel

14,934 Listeners

Oprah's Super Soul by Oprah

Oprah's Super Soul

31,919 Listeners

Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee by Dr Rangan Chatterjee: GP & Author

Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

3,746 Listeners

On Purpose with Jay Shetty by iHeartPodcasts

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

26,953 Listeners

Let's Get Dressed by Liv Perez

Let's Get Dressed

279 Listeners

Friend Forward by Danielle Bayard Jackson -- Female Friendship Expert

Friend Forward

265 Listeners

IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson by Higher Ground

IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson

12,954 Listeners

We Can Do Hard Things by Glennon Doyle and Audacy

We Can Do Hard Things

41,400 Listeners

The Mel Robbins Podcast by Mel Robbins

The Mel Robbins Podcast

19,532 Listeners

Let's Be Honest with Kristin Cavallari by Dear Media

Let's Be Honest with Kristin Cavallari

3,422 Listeners