Dear First name / friendly ones,

Did you know that one splendiferous way to make new friends is to invite people into a conversation about friendship?

Six years ago, I was new in the Bay Area and wanted to make new friends and closer friendships. I realized that when I told people I was doing friendship-related research, friendship-related events, and digging into friendship-related content, they were usually eager to talk about their experiences, too. 

If you feel anxious bringing the topic up, just know that the invitation to talk about friendship is the waterslide that a lot of people are waiting for. And it's hard to change the situation if you keep your goal a secret — so grab one of these segues below and start a conversation this week!

Need some segues?

Here's a curated collection of thought-provoking, conversation-starting friendship content to spark juicy conversations with the friends, acquaintances, and colleagues in your life.

Short Film

Uneasy
A funny and #tooreal 8-part Oakland-based web series about two friends navigating racial and class tension, gentrification, adulthood, and friendship.

Instagram Live / IGTV Series

Social Wellness Series
(If you open this on desktop, the link will take you right there; if you're on mobile go to @kasleykillam and tap on her IGTV)  This is an 18-part interview series by my colleague Kasley Killam MPH, held with an impressive collection of researchers, authors, entrepreneurs, architects, artists, nonprofit leaders, and community builders, all sharing their expertise and perspectives on social wellness and connection.

Podcast
The Cut: You might actually be in love with your best friend

What if you think your best friend is your soul mate? This beautiful, multi-faceted podcast episode explores the experience of deep, romantic love in a non-sexual friendship.

Books
Friendship Bookshop

Ten books that will help you create and maintain durable friendships that stand the test of time. If you liked my book We Should Get Together, you'll probably also dig my buddy Smiley's book Friendship in the Age of Loneliness, which you can preorder now in advance of its release this May. (If you're in the mood for additional non-friendship books, I've also added a bunch of other books to my affiliate shelf at Bookshop that will help you become a better communicator, community member, artist/maker, and human being.)

New Podcast

photo by jamie nease

Masters of Community

I recently sat down (virtually of course) with David Spinks, the Founder of CMX (cmxhub.com), a network of over 20,000 community professionals that CMX supports with training, research, events, and community. In this podcast we talk about the key steps that any individual or community leader can take to foster meaningful relationships in a spirit of community. 

Listen now online or in your favorite podcast app.

Connection Club

If you've been thinking of joining Connection Club, now is a perfect time. Snail mail is a low-stress, high-delight way to nurture your friendships from a distance. 

As a club member, you get the gentle accountability of a group committed to the same goal at the same time, plus you get to meet other wonderful people if you're in the mood to make new acquaintances and friends that you get to see on a regular basis. 

May your week be filled with warmth, great conversations, and tacos, while simultaneously being devoid of mind-numbing small talk. ;)

xo,

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