PodcastsCultura y sociedadDear Nina: Conversations About Friendship

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship

Nina Badzin
Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship
Último episodio

201 episodios

  • Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship

    #192 - Why Plans with Friends Don’t Happen—and How to Fix It

    20/04/2026 | 13 min
    Navigating friendship when your planning styles don’t match
    Why is it so hard to actually make plans with friends as adults? In this solo episode, I’m digging into one of the most common (and frustrating) dynamics in friendship: when one person likes to plan ahead and the other prefers to keep things spontaneous.
    I talk through why this mismatch can stall even strong friendships and what to do about it. From turning vague “we should get together” texts into real plans, to figuring out when it’s your turn to suggest dates, this is a practical, honest look at how to actually see your friends more often.
    Here’s the part I’ll say plainly: if a plan doesn’t get on the calendar, it usually doesn’t happen. That’s just the reality of adult life. But that doesn’t mean there’s only one “right” way to make plans or that being spontaneous "never" works. But having good intentions to "get together" aren't enough to sustain a friendship.

    Inside this episode, I discuss:
    Why spontaneous plans feel great—but don’t happen as often as we wish
    What to do when your friend doesn’t like booking things in advance
    How to meet in the middle without overcomplicating it
    The small shift that turns “we should get together” into an actual plan
    When it’s your turn to suggest the dates (It can't always fall on the other person. You have to open up your calendar, too!)

    I also share a couple of real-life examples—one where spontaneity worked, and one where clear scheduling made everything easy—to show how both approaches can work when you’re intentional about it.
    This isn’t about forcing your style onto someone else. It’s about acknowledging the mismatch and actually talking about it because the “problem” here is a good one: you and your friend theoretically want to spend time together. And if that’s the case, there’s always a way to figure it out.
    If you’ve ever felt like you’re always the one making the plans, or you’re waiting around for plans that never happen, or you just can’t seem to sync up with a friend you really like—this episode will give you a realistic way forward.

    LINK MENTIONED: 
    "This is How to Make Plans With Friends" on Substack, Dec 2024
    Episode 121: "Rules For Making Plans with Friends" 
     

    ALL THE DEAR NINA LINKS + CONTACT INFO

    !! Catch up on all Dear Nina episodes on Apple and Spotify
    📢 How to promote your service, business, or book on Dear Nina
    🎈 Celebrate your friend on the show by dedicating a week of episodes!
    📱 Subscribe to my newsletter “Conversations About Friendship” on Substack
    ❤️  Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, & the Dear Nina Facebook group
    📪  Ask an anonymous friendship question
    📪 email: [email protected]
    🔎 Want to work with me on your podcast, your friendships, or need another link? That’s probably here.

    Our sponsor this week is Esther Goldenberg, author of THE SONG OF THE BLUE BIRD, sold everywhere you love to buy books.

    Special thank you, as always, to my assistant producer, Rebekah Jacobs!
  • Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship

    #191 - The Case for Work Friends and Where to Find Them When You Work Alone (Lindsay Pinchuk)

    13/04/2026 | 32 min
    The Unexpected Friendships You Find Through Networking When You Work Alone

    If you're ever feel lonely at work, lonely working from home, or you realize your regular friends just don't get what you do, this episode is for you.
    I spoke with Lindsay Pinchuk, award-winning entrepreneur and founder of the Dear Founder Forum, a networking community for women business owners over 40. Lindsay's group is a big reason the "Dear Nina" world has grown so much this past year, and this conversation is all about how networking communities (not just Lindsay's) can become an unexpected and essential source of real, lasting friendship. It's really something you might want to consider if you work alone or with a very small team.
    But just like in friendship, feeling seen and heard in a networking communities takes an element of giving of your time and attention, NOT JUST TAKING. In this episode we discuss the true friendships that can be made in a networking group and how those connections can help your business and your life.

    WE DISCUSSED:

    Why networking groups can foster real friendships
    The “you get out what you put in” truth (for both networking and friendship)
    Why being in the same business doesn’t have to mean competition
    The surprising benefits of becoming friendly with your “competition”
    Why conversations—not social media—are what actually grow your work and your relationships
    The difference between being friendly and being friends (and why both matter)
    Why expecting your friends to support your work as if they're customers, followers, or "fans," can backfire
     

    LINKS MENTIONED: 

    "Do you make yourself smaller around certain friends?" The January Substack post about realizing your regular friends aren't the right outlet for some of your work conversations
    Dear FoundHer the podcast and the forum
    Sunny and Jenn on Dear Nina
    My turn as a guest on Lindsay's amazing podcast, Dear FoundHer. We talked about how I built Dear Nina!

    Meet Lindsay Pinchuk

    Lindsay Pinchuk is an award-winning entrepreneur, consultant, and small business mentor who’s among the less than 1% of female founders to successfully lead her company through an acquisition. She built her first company, Bump Club and Beyond, from just $500 into a 7-figure brand with partnerships that included Target, Nordstrom, Huggies, and Unilever, reaching over 3 million people every month before selling the business to a large agency holding company.
    Today, Lindsay is the founder of Dear FoundHer, a top 0.5% podcast and community supporting women business owners over 40. Through her podcast, newsletter, mentorship program, and her signature SWEEP framework, she helps entrepreneurs simplify their marketing, grow their businesses, and build long-term success.
    Follow Dear FoundHer on Instagram @dearfoundher!

    ALL THE DEAR NINA LINKS + CONTACT INFO

    !! Catch up on all Dear Nina episodes on Apple and Spotify
    📢 How to promote your service, business, or book on Dear Nina
    🎈 Celebrate your friend on the show by dedicating a week of episodes!
    📱 Subscribe to my newsletter “Conversations About Friendship” on Substack
    ❤️  Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, & the Dear Nina Facebook group
    📪  Ask an anonymous friendship question
    📪 email: [email protected]
    🔎 Want to work with me on your podcast, your friendships, or need another link? That’s probably here.

    Our sponsor this week is Esther Goldenberg, author of THE SONG OF THE BLUE BIRD, sold everywhere you love to buy books.

    Special thank you, as always, to my assistant producer, Rebekah Jacobs!
  • Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship

    Bonus Episode: Socially Confident Kids in a Screen-Filled World (Nina on "Your Child is Normal" with Dr. Jessica Hochman)

    06/04/2026 | 40 min
    I’m excited to share a fantastic episode from when I was the guest on Your Child Is Normal with pediatrician Dr. Jessica Hochman. (@askdrjessica on Instagram)
    Dr. Jessica and I spoke about how to help kids become socially confident in a world where so much interaction happens on screens. From teaching kids to initiate plans instead of waiting to be invited (adults need to master this too!), to why proximity and real-life time together matter more than ever, this is a practical conversation about what helps kids make and keep friends.
    We also got into what it looks like for parents to support friendships—hosting, encouraging, and sometimes stepping in—without over-managing. It's not easy! This discussion includes plenty of nuance. If you’re raising kids in today’s tech-heavy world, this one will give you a lot to think about.

    We talk about:
    Why kids (and adults) need to learn to initiate—not wait to be invited
    The importance of proximity and “hyper-local” friendships for kids when possible
    How parents can encourage friendships without forcing them (Accept that kids' friendships WILL change, even when the parents are close.)
    Rethinking reciprocity (it’s not tit-for-tat)
    How to help kids navigate friendship conflict and give each other grace
    The reality of drifting friendships and why it’s not always a failure
    How screens and over-scheduling are changing kids’ social lives
    Simple, practical ways to help kids feel more confident and socially capable
    Thoughts on being "the hosting house"

    Meet Dr. Jessica Hochman
    Your Child is Normal is the trusted podcast for parents, pediatricians, and child health experts who want smart, nuanced conversations about raising healthy, resilient kids. Hosted by Dr. Jessica Hochman — a board-certified practicing pediatrician — the show combines evidence-based medicine, expert interviews, and real-world parenting advice to help listeners navigate everything from sleep struggles to mental health, nutrition, screen time, and more.
    Follow Dr Jessica Hochman:
    Instagram: @AskDrJessica and Tiktok @askdrjessica, YouTube channel: Ask Dr Jessica

    ALL THE DEAR NINA LINKS + CONTACT INFO

    !! Catch up on all Dear Nina episodes on Apple and Spotify
    📢 How to promote your service, business, or book on Dear Nina
    🎈 Celebrate your friend on the show by dedicating a week of episodes!
    📱 Subscribe to my newsletter “Conversations About Friendship” on Substack
    ❤️  Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, & the Dear Nina Facebook group
    📪  Ask an anonymous friendship question
    📪 email: [email protected]
    🔎 Want to work with me on your podcast, your friendships, or need another link? That’s probably here.

    Our sponsor this week is Esther Goldenberg, author of THE SONG OF THE BLUE BIRD, sold everywhere you love to buy books.

    Special thank you, as always, to my assistant producer, Rebekah Jacobs!
  • Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship

    #190 - What Birthdays Reveal About Your Friendships and Your Mindset (Debra Arbit)

    30/03/2026 | 39 min
    Reframing Your Birthday and Your Friendships
    Birthdays can be emotionally loaded and full of expectations, mixed signals, and quiet disappointment about what we’re “supposed to do” and who is “supposed to do” it for us. If birthdays have left you feeling overlooked or unsure of your friendships, this episode offers a practical—and freeing—way to think about them differently.
    And I know some of you are saying, "I don't care about my birthday anyway." That's okay! I'm still making the case that your birthday is an opportunity to be inviting and generous. Stick with me.
    In this conversation with my close friend Debra Arbit (who I didn’t meet until my early 40s!), we talk about reframing our approach to birthdays to one that makes them more joyful and reflective of the friendships we want.
    Debra shares how she planned her 45th birthday in a way that felt intentional, flexible, and genuinely fun.
    Please note, this conversation goes way beyond birthdays. It’s about expectations in friendships, as well as effort, vulnerability, and what it really looks like to build the kind of relationships you want.
     
    HIGHLIGHTS:

    Why birthdays often become a “test” of friendship and why that can backfire
    The case for planning your own birthday (and why it’s not as sad as it sounds)
    Debra’s “Signup Genius” 45th birthday events
    Letting go of rigid ideas about reciprocity
    What “showing up” actually looks like (it’s more than just attending)
    Why mixing different groups of friends can be a good thing
    Scarcity vs. abundance mindsets in friendship
    How to set the tone for your birthday—whether it’s a party or a simple one-on-one plan

    Again, if birthdays have ever left you feeling resentful or anxious, this episode offers a way forward—one that’s intentional, generous, and meaningful.

    LINKS MENTIONED: 
    Debra's amazing Instagram account: @fortheloveofcookbooks
    Episode #84 with Debra: How to Turn an Acquaintance Into a Friend AND How to Make Hosting Easier
    Episode #131: Start a Ritual/Tradition with Friends
    Episode #140: Celebrating Friends’ Birthdays and Your Own Birthday
    All the friendship challenges on Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship

    MEET DEBRA ARBIT:
    In addition to being one of my real life actual close friends, Debra is a serial entrepreneur who is passionate about lifting up other women business owners. When she isn’t thinking of new business ideas or consulting with women business owners, she is likely cooking her way through a cookbook completing every single recipe within it. She recently finished her 20th complete cookbook and is steadily working through her never-ending stack. She posts all about her cookbook adventures on her Instagram account, @fortheloveofcookbooks, where she rates the recipes and shares which of her three kids and husband were willing to try whatever she made. Oh. And she happens to be moderately obsessed with birthdays and celebrating all of life’s milestones big and small.

    ALL THE DEAR NINA LINKS + CONTACT INFO

    !! Catch up on all Dear Nina episodes on Apple and Spotify
    📢 How to promote your service, business, or book on Dear Nina
    🎈 Celebrate your friend on the show by dedicating a week of episodes!
    📱 Subscribe to my newsletter “Conversations About Friendship” on Substack
    ❤️  Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, & the Dear Nina Facebook group
    📪  Ask an anonymous friendship question
    📪 email: [email protected]
    🔎 Want to work with me on your podcast, your friendships, or need another link? That’s probably here.

    Our sponsor this week is Esther Goldenberg, author of THE SONG OF THE BLUE BIRD, sold everywhere you love to buy books.

    Special thank you, as always, to my assistant producer, Rebekah Jacobs!
  • Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship

    #189 - Andrew McCarthy on Male Friendship, Reconnecting, and the Power of Showing Up

    23/03/2026 | 33 min
    “You don’t really have any friends, do you, Dad?”
    That’s the question that stopped Andrew McCarthy—yes, the Pretty in Pink / Mannequin/St. Elmo's Fire/"Brat Pack" Andrew McCarthy—in his tracks and led to a 10,000-mile journey to reconnect with the people he considered his closest friends. Andrew's book, Who Needs Friends: An Unscientific Examination of Male Friendship Across America, is available now! 
    In this episode, Andrew and I talk about what happens when friendships quietly drift into the background, why that happens so often for men, and what it actually takes to rebuild connections with people you know would be there for you in theory, but it's been too long since you've spent time together in person.
    This is a conversation about male friendship, but also about something much more universal: showing up, loneliness, and the kind of safety only real friendship can provide.

    WE DISCUSSED: 
    Why “having friends” isn’t the same as actually seeing them
    The idea of safety in friendship and why it matters just as much as trust
    Why many men drift away from friendships over time (and don’t always notice it happening)
    The pressure men feel to provide and how that shapes their identity and relationships
    The difference between foundational friendships and newer friendships and why both matter
    What women can learn from how men often allow for imperfection in friendships
    The underrated role of asking for help in building and strengthening connection
    How loneliness can be a signal—not a failure—and what it’s trying to tell us
    Why scheduling (or built-in rituals like games or activities) makes friendships more likely to last
    What kids notice about their parents' friendships and why modeling connection matters
    Andrew’s insight that for many men, action can be a form of love

    LINKS MENTIONED: 
    Andrew's newest book: Who Needs Friends: An Unscientific Examination of Male Friendship Across America
    Episode 184 of Dear Nina with Dr. Jeffrey Hall
    My episode on NPR's LifeKit about old friends

    Meet Andrew McCarthy
    Andrew McCarthy gained fame as an actor in the 1980’s appearing in such iconic films as Pretty in Pink, St. Elmo’s Fire, and Less Than Zero, as well as cult favorites Weekend At Bernie’s and Mannequin. He has starred on Broadway and made numerous television appearances, most recently seen as a regular on Fox’s The Resident.
    Andrew most recently directed Brats, an intimate and provocative new feature documentary, which premiered on Hulu in June 2024. The documentary explores the iconic films of the 80s as well as their stars, branded with the name the “Brat Pack.”
    Beyond his work in front of and behind the camera, Andrew has become an accomplished author, and he is one of today’s leading travel writers. Andrew lives in New York with his wife and three kids.
     

    ALL THE DEAR NINA LINKS + CONTACT INFO

    !! Catch up on all Dear Nina episodes on Apple and Spotify
    📢 How to promote your service, business, or book on Dear Nina
    🎈 Celebrate your friend on the show by dedicating a week of episodes!
    📱 Subscribe to my newsletter “Conversations About Friendship” on Substack
    ❤️  Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, & the Dear Nina Facebook group
    📪  Ask an anonymous friendship question
    📪 email: [email protected]
    🔎 Want to work with me on your podcast, your friendships, or need another link? That’s probably here.

    Our sponsor this week is Esther Goldenberg, author of THE SONG OF THE BLUE BIRD, sold everywhere you love to buy books.

    Special thank you, as always, to my assistant producer, Rebekah Jacobs!

Más podcasts de Cultura y sociedad

Acerca de Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship

Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship is a top 1% podcast that dives into the complicated feelings behind adult friendship—why it’s harder than we expect and how to navigate it with clarity, honesty, and intention.Whether you've agonized over a text, wondered why you're always the one reaching out, or found yourself drifting away from an old friend—this show gets it and we're here to discuss it all. Note--these are conversations, not classic interviews. We're serious, but we laugh a lot too!"Dear Nina" is hosted by longtime friendship advice columnist Nina Badzin, and every episode digs into the messy, meaningful, and sometimes maddening questions adults don't always want to ask out loud. How do you make real friends as an adult? How do you handle a one-sided friendship? Should you salvage a friendship that's fading or let it be? How do you kindly turn down an acquaintance who wants to be closer, but you're just not feeling the same chemistry? Why don't your friends like your social media posts, but they definitely support other friends there?We talk about being the single friend in a coupled-up world, navigating friendship after divorce, the grief of losing a friend to illness or a falling out, and what it means to be included in a friend group but not quite feel like you belong—whether that's happening to you or to your kid. And yes, we talk about what happens when your kids used to be good friends and now can't stand each other. (It's a whole thing.)Nina has been writing about adult friendship for over a decade, and her advice has been featured in NPR, Real Simple Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, The Guardian, Time Magazine, The Skimm, and more. Each episode draws from real listener letters (hence "Dear Nina"), relatable dilemmas, and thoughtful guests.Every episode leaves room for the fact that there are no perfect answers. There's only real talk here, a lot of warmth, and the reminder that if you're overthinking your friendships, you're probably just someone who cares deeply about the people in your life.That's a good thing. Social connections MATTER! Let's talk about it.ALL THE DEAR NINA LINKS + CONTACT INFO!! Catch up on all Dear Nina episodes on Apple and Spotify📢 How to promote your service, business, or book on Dear Nina🎈 Celebrate your friend on the show by dedicating a week of episodes!📱 Subscribe to my newsletter “Conversations About Friendship” on Substack❤️  Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, & the Dear Nina Facebook group📪  Ask an anonymous friendship question📪 email: [email protected]🔎 Want to work with me on your podcast, your friendships, or need another link? That’s probably here.
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