Episode 8: Friendships

In this episode, we’re talking about friendship, and all the ways it can be both lovely and surprisingly complicated.Friendships are some of the most important relationships in our lives, but unlike romantic relationships, they rarely come with a script. There’s no clear beginning, no clear ending, and very little conversation about what happens when things shift, drift, deepen, or quietly fall apart.We explore what actually makes a friendship feel solid, how expectations shape our relationships, and why mismatched ideas about closeness, effort, honesty, and availability can create so much tension. We talk about the friendships that last, the ones that don’t, and the strange grey area between acquaintance, friend, close friend, and ride-or-die body-in-the-boot friend.Liz reflects on how moving countries changed some of her friendships in unexpected ways, why generosity and shared values matter so much to her now, and how she’s become less willing to ignore things that don’t feel right. Bernie talks about having lower expectations around the practical side of friendship, the importance of matched standards, and why different friends can play different roles in our lives.Together, we get into vulnerability, self-awareness, boundaries, drifting apart, ghosting, easy friendships, friendship admin, and the role of tech and voice notes in keeping connection alive when life is full and people live far away.This one is honest, warm, funny in places, and full of the kind of conversation people don’t often have directly, even with their closest mates.If friendship has ever felt comforting, confusing, painful, sustaining, or hard to define, this episode is for you.Stay in touch:Email: [email protected]: @liz.good.child and @bernadettedancy_stresscoachWork with us:Liz’s 1:1 coaching is currently full, with new spaces opening in June 2026. You can find out more about her coaching approach here: https://www.lizgoodchild.co.ukBernie has limited availability for stress assessments, and early bird registration is open for her next CPD cohort on stress and burnout: www.stress-ed.co.uk