Better Friendships

EPISODE SUMMARYThis week we discuss how you can improve and foster better friendships with both new and existing friends in your life.EPISODE NOTESShow Notes1:18 - Insights from a study about loneliness across generations 3:20 - How friendships affect your mental and physical health positively7:40 - Could there be a relationship between microbiome and friend groups?9:05 - Surprising scientific facts about friendships12:52 - Insights of a LinkedIn study weighing friendships vs promotions13:52 - What does "friend" mean anyway? 16:04 - Best countries to make friends for expats, as ranked by a survey18: 39 - How Irish friendliness impacted March's marriage19:23 - Worst countries to make friends for expats from the same survey 21:33  - March & Darren cook up an idea for a study or a reality show 22:30 - Darren shares his experience with close friendships that withstand relocation and time23:55 - March shares how proximity has played a role in his friendships26:00 - March describes his super-friend and what he can teach us29:30 - Darren & March discuss ways they've made time for keeping in touch32:40 - A lightweight way to insert thoughtful energy into a friendship33:33 - A great tip to counteract "We should get together sometime" syndrome35:29 - Darren's tip to go beyond surface-level friendship37:23 - Reflections on vulnerability's role in building friendships38:23 - What differentiates being open and being vulnerable40:49 - March explains what awkward experiences can signal about a friendship41:43 - Avoiding problem-solving and why can be a struggle44:45 - How being present can be helpful during tough times 48:12 - A guide to being a friend when you don't see eye to eye50:40 - Tips for maintaining trust in a friendship52:15 - How to find and choose new friends54:36 - Darren and March commit to some practices to nurturing their friendships57:52 - Another tip for friends who live far apart1:00:10 - The "better next step" for listenersMentions📰 Study: The millennial friendship crisis