How to Reclaim Your Social Life After Friend Inheritance

If you’ve moved into your partner’s existing social circle and feel like your friendships are borrowed rather than owned, you’re not alone. Research shows that couples who maintain independent friendships report higher marital satisfaction and lower relationship boredom. But rebuilding the muscle of making friends as an adult — especially when you’ve been passively receiving friends through your partner — requires intentionality. This episode unpacks the dynamics of “network migration,” the science of adult friendship formation, and practical steps to build a social life that’s truly yours, even when you’re short on time and already embedded in a couple’s social ecosystem.