Can Curiosity and Clear Expectations Save Your Friendships?

On this episode of Friendless, I sit down with my close friend Natalie Walker—a biblical counselor with a gift for gentle truth-telling—to unpack why adult friendship feels so hard. We get honest about unspoken expectations, the fear of being “too much,” the temptation to stay “low maintenance,” and the insecurity of feeling replaceable—and we make the case that curiosity is love in action: when you truly want to know how a friend is doing (not just checking a box), you ask better questions, listen longer, and build the kind of safety that creates the friendships we want. We talk about why friendships actually get stronger when we name the awkward stuff and follow it with genuine, curious care—and why so many connections fade right at that repair step. If you’ve ever wished for friends you can be real with (and real again after conflict), this episode offers simple skills—initiate, ask better questions, be curious on purpose—to make closeness possible. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, leave a review, or share it with a friend who gets it.Stay tuned for my upcoming book Friendless: Why Adult Friendships Keep Failing, coming to a bookstore near you in Spring of 2027.  Learn more at www.thebetterrelationship.com and connect with me on Instagram @the.better.relationship and Pinterest @thebetterrelationshipcompanyHave your own friend story to share? Want to be on the show? Email us at [email protected].