Danielle Bayard Jackson on How to Make, Maintain, and Prioritize Friendships — and Why Friendship Is a Wellness Essential

Earlier this week we spoke about romantic relationships, and today we’re turning the focus to friendships — which are equally as important to a life. I have been so, so fortunate throughout my life to have the best of the best when it comes to friendships, both female and male, and I personally know — as I’m sure so many of you do — what friendship can add to a life. Our surgeon general Dr. Vivek Murthy, whose work I really appreciate and admire, has spoken at length in the past few years about the epidemic of loneliness, and we’re learning more than ever how important human connection is. When I read our guest today Danielle Bayard Jackson’s book Fighting for Our Friendships: The Science and Art of Conflict and Connection in Women’s Relationships, which came out last year on May 7, I knew I had to have her on the show. Danielle is doing really fantastic work in this space, and today on the show she tells us how she became a friendship coach and expert; how, in her words, “Female friendship is a wellness essential” (and I agree); that friendship is the great equalizer and that, just like with romantic relationships, we’re all figuring it out when it comes to friendship; how to prioritize friendship when marriage, children, and work are so demanding of our attention; how to not just maintain friendships but even make new friendships as an adult; three principles that bind us together as friends; friendship breakups and how to grieve that loss; the best piece of “friendship wisdom” she’s ever heard; and so much more. Danielle has become a go-to expert on the subject of women’s friendship, and has shared her insight everywhere from The New York Times to Good Morning America, NBC News, Essence, NPR, Psychology Today, and The Harvard Business Review. As you’ll hear her talk about as she shares more about her journey, Danielle was a former high school teacher who is now leveraging her education background to study the latest research on women’s cooperation, communication, and conflict, and delivers practical, research-based strategies for women who are looking to create and maintain better platonic relationships (and I think this work will speak to men, too). Danielle speaks to major companies like the NFL, the NBA, TikTok, Etsy, and more about this subject, and she is the founder of Friend Forward and hosts and produces a podcast of the same name. She is a fellow Floridian and has worked closely with Bumble as its resident friendship expert. She more than knows what she’s talking about. Let’s learn from her.

Fighting for Our Friendships: The Science and Art of Conflict and Connection in Women’s Relationships by Danielle Bayard Jackson