You’re at a dinner and everyone’s having a lovely time, but you can’t help but notice that for the last 35 minutes the conversation has centred around everyone’s kids, and maybe that’d be okay if you had children too, but you don’t, and you don’t plan to anytime soon.  Here on the Friend Forward Podcast, we’ve discussed infertility and how to support friends who are on challenging journeys toward trying to have children, but we haven’t spoken too much about friends who have actively chosen not to have kids, and the silent judgements that we might make about those friends.  Today on the Podcast, our resident friendship expert Danielle Bayard Jackson is joined by Ruby Warrington, author of the book ‘Women Without Kids: The Revolutionary Rise of an Unsung Sisterhood’ to discuss the issue. They explore the reasons why some women choose to be childfree, some of the assumptions we might make about friends who make that choice, and how to foster understanding and support within friendships where one has chosen to have children, and the other has definitively chosen not to.  And as always, stay tuned to the end for this week's homework. There is even more to this conversation between Danielle and Ruby, so to access the full discussion, as well as study guides, questions and activities, you can join the Friend Forward Private Group Chat at www.betterfemalefriendships.com Click the ‘Follow’ button now to not miss an episode.  To connect with Ruby Warrington, you can reach her at her Instagram. To explore more of Danielle’s friendship expertise, connect with her at www.instagram.com/daniellebayardjackson Stay updated with the latest episodes and podcast updates at https://www.instagram.com/friendforward To explore coaching with Danielle visit www.betterfemalefriendships.com/coaching Join our private group chat for extra resources, at https://www.patreon.com/friendforward Book Danielle to speak at your upcoming conference or event, by emailing info@tellpublicrelations.com

Extroverts thrive on having lots of people in their social network, and there’s research that points to the benefits of having a large, expansive network, such as being happier, healthier and even getting better sleep.   However, there are also some surprising downsides to being an extrovert too, and in this episode of the Friend Forward Podcast, our resident friendship expert Danielle Bayard Jackson explores both the upsides of having this kind of outgoing spirit and the three surprising downsides that come with operating in this way too.    Whether you’re the extrovert of your friendship group, or whether you’ve always been curious about the sides of your extroverted friend that you don’t know, tune in this episode to hear Danielle’s expert insights on the matter.   And as always, stay tuned for this week’s homework.   If you’re enjoying the Friend Forward Podcast, click the ‘Follow’ button now to not miss an episode.   To continue the conversation, dive even deeper and access extra resources, come and join the Friend Forward private group chat, at https://www.patreon.com/friendforward   And remember, you can send us your comments and questions, and join the Friend Forward Group Chat at www.betterfemalefriendships.com   To explore more of Danielle’s friendship expertise, connect with her at www.instagram.com/daniellebayardjackson   Stay updated with the latest episodes and podcast updates at https://www.instagram.com/friendforward   To explore coaching with Danielle visit www.betterfemalefriendships.com/coaching Book Danielle to speak at your upcoming conference or event, by emailing info@tellpublicrelations.com

Welcome to "Girl Problems" a bi-weekly segment from the Friend Forward podcast, coming to you every other Tuesday. Today's episode addresses a listener’s question about what is a reasonable expectation of a friend when it comes to the issue of time and how, when time is limited, can friendships be maintained. Tune in as our resident friendship expert Danielle Bayard Jackson offers her helpful insights on the matter. If you want to submit a question of your own, visit us at ⁠Betterfemalefriendships.com ⁠or drop us a DM or a voicenote at Instagram at⁠ @friendforward.⁠ Click the ‘Follow’ button now to not miss an episode! To explore more of Danielle’s friendship expertise, connect with her at www.instagram.com/daniellebayardjackson Stay updated with the latest episodes and podcast updates at https://www.instagram.com/friendforward Explore coaching with Danielle at www.betterfemalefriendships.com/coaching To join our private group chat, access extra resources and take the conversation further, visit https://www.patreon.com/friendforward

When a tragedy strikes in a way that hits really close to home, it can be physically, emotionally and psychologically devastating, and sometimes this pain is exacerbated by a lack of care and understanding from the people we love the most. For many minorities, we know the feeling well when we have a certain identity that’s not shared with the majority, which means that we can sometimes find ourselves feeling isolated by the continuous stressors in our world that others might not even recognise.   Today we are sharing a bonus episode of the Friend Forward podcast, where our resident friendship expert Danielle Bayard Jackson speaks with Dr. Dani Rosenkrantz about minority stress – what it looks like, the toll it takes on your body and mind, and ways to support friends who are going through these kinds of situations.    This interview was recorded one month ago, before the major humanitarian crisis that is unfolding in certain parts of our world occurred, but unfortunately, it will always be timely. Right now, you likely have friends or social connections with people who are connected in a personal way to these events, who might be terrified that their families are among those being innocently persecuted, or who are frustrated that their people have been oppressed for years and haven’t received the media coverage they feel they are due. As friends, we want to be there for these people in these times of minority stress in a way that makes them feel seen and heard and supported, even though their experience might be well beyond our range of understanding and relatability. Tune in for Danielle and Dr. Dani Rosenkrantz’s advice regarding ways you can do this and as always, stay tuned to the end for this week's homework.   Click the ‘Follow’ button now to not miss an episode.   And remember, you can send us your comments and questions, and join the Friend Forward Group Chat at www.betterfemalefriendships.com   To get in touch with Dr. Dani Rosenkratz, you can reach out to them at Instagram or at https://www.bravespacepsych.com/   To explore more of Danielle’s friendship expertise, connect with her at www.instagram.com/daniellebayardjackson   Stay updated with the latest episodes and podcast updates at https://www.instagram.com/friendforward   To explore coaching with Danielle visit www.betterfemalefriendships.com/coaching   Join our private group chat for extra resources, at https://www.patreon.com/friendforward Book Danielle to speak at your upcoming conference or event, by emailing info@tellpublicrelations.com

There’s the engagement party, the bachelorette party, the wedding shower and then the big day itself - so many celebrations to mark a women’s transition into partnership, and when someone makes this change, they often struggle to keep their friendships intact during the process.    Last week, on the Friend Forward Podcast, we explored some of the causes of tension that can arise between friends when those life changes create a sense of separation, and our resident friendship expert Danielle Bayard Jackson provided the married and partnered amongst you with seven things that your single friend wants you to know.   This week is for you single women, as Danielle shares the seven things that your non-single friend wants you to know. Ultimately, the goal of the Friend Forward Podcast is to bring understanding between us and to ultimately bring us closer, and so the objective of both today’s episode and last week’s is to broaden your perspectives and hopefully develop compassion within you for your friend’s experience, so that we can maintain harmony in face of these life changes. And as always, stay tuned to the end for this week's homework.   Click the ‘Follow’ button now to not miss an episode.   To join the Group Chat, and access the research study referenced in this episode, and to send Danielle your questions, head to www.betterfemalefriendships.com  To explore more of Danielle’s friendship expertise, connect with her at www.instagram.com/daniellebayardjackson   Stay updated with the latest episodes and podcast updates at https://www.instagram.com/friendforward   To explore coaching with Danielle visit www.betterfemalefriendships.com/coaching   Join our private group chat for extra resources, at https://www.patreon.com/friendforward Book Danielle to speak at your upcoming conference or event, by emailing info@tellpublicrelations.com

We know that friendship is vital to everyone’s health and wellbeing but for the single woman, female friendship especially feels like a lifeline. Single women tend to exclusively turn to their friends for emotional support and companionship, and as the number of single women has increased nearly 20% in the past 10 years, more women are buying houses and raising children together under these platonic bonds. So what is female friendship to the single woman? And how does she stay connected to her friends who are partnered?   In today’s episode of Friend Forward, our resident friendship expert Danielle Bayard Jackson shares with you the seven things your single friends wish that you knew, so that as a partnered woman, you can develop more understanding, perspective and compassion for friends who are walking in their single session. And as always, stay tuned to the end for this week's homework.   This episode also features an excerpt from Danielle’s interview with Meagan Ayana, the founder of Single Girl Club, who shares her own thoughts on friendship as a single woman.    And married and partnered women, in next week’s episode, it’s your turn. Danielle will be exploring the things that you wish your single friends knew. If you want to join the conversation and share your thoughts, hit us up anytime on Instagram or reach us at www.betterfemalefriendships.com   Click the ‘Follow’ button now to not miss an episode. And remember, you can send us your questions on Instagram or at www.betterfemalefriendships.com  To get in touch with  Meagan Ayana, you can connect with her at Instagram and explore her Single Girl Club here   To explore more of Danielle’s friendship expertise, connect with her at www.instagram.com/daniellebayardjackson   Stay updated with the latest episodes and podcast updates at https://www.instagram.com/friendforward   To explore coaching with Danielle visit www.betterfemalefriendships.com/coaching  Join our private group chat for extra resources, at https://www.patreon.com/friendforward  Book Danielle to speak at your upcoming conference or event, by emailing info@tellpublicrelations.com

Welcome to "Girl Problems" a bi-weekly segment from the Friend Forward podcast, coming to you every other Tuesday. Today's episode addresses a listener’s question about how to deal with unwanted connections when it comes to friendships. Tune in as our resident friendship expert Danielle Bayard Jackson offers a few helpful insights. If you want to submit a problem of your own, visit us at ⁠Betterfemalefriendships.com ⁠or drop us a DM or a voicenote at Instagram at⁠ @friendforward.⁠ Click the ‘Follow’ button now to not miss an episode! To explore more of Danielle’s friendship expertise, connect with her at www.instagram.com/daniellebayardjackson Stay updated with the latest episodes and podcast updates at https://www.instagram.com/friendforward Explore coaching with Danielle at www.betterfemalefriendships.com/coaching Join our private group chat for extra resources, at https://www.patreon.com/friendforward Book Danielle to speak at your upcoming conference or event, by emailing info@tellpublicrelations.com

This podcast explores the concept of friendship failures and provides strategies for coping with the disappointment and self-doubt that can arise. It emphasizes the importance of not internalizing the end of a friendship and avoiding toxic relationships. The upcoming Friendship Elevated coaching program helps navigate friendship challenges and maintains friendships after a breakup. It discusses redefining success in friendships, analyzing past breakups for patterns and lessons, and the need for conflict resolution skills.

Three weeks ago you and a friend exchanged heated words at a group dinner and you’ve been left feeling a mix of regret, anger and embarrassment. Since then, you’ve been reliving every detail of what happened over and over again, replaying what you both said, what her words might have meant, and whether or not this indicates that she’s been getting increasingly frustrated with you over the past year.   This negative and unproductive overthinking is called rumination, and in today’s episode, our resident friendship expert Danielle Bayard Jackson talks about the consequences of rumination, and particularly the impact it can have on our relationships, due to the ways in which it can hamper our ability to reconcile with friends. Danielle shares her acronym ‘IDEA’ to cover the four key reasons why rumination can be so dangerous and damaging when it comes to our relationships.   Tune in to find out more, and as always, stay tuned to the end for this week's homework.  REFERENCES: STUDY - "Socialized to Ruminate? Gender Role Mediates the Sex Difference in Rumination for Interpersonal Events" -   https://spu.edu/depts/SPFC/clinicalpsych/training-research/faculty-research-teams/ace-lab/documents/2011-26235-002.pdf   Click the ‘Follow’ button now to not miss an episode. And remember, you can send us your questions on Instagram or at www.betterfemalefriendships.com To explore more of Danielle’s friendship expertise, connect with her at www.instagram.com/daniellebayardjackson   Stay updated with the latest episodes and podcast updates at https://www.instagram.com/friendforward   **OFFER ENDS ON OCTOBER 1st** Sign up for Danielle’s Friendship Elevated, a 12-week program for modern women who want to experience a real transformation in their female friendship landscape: https://www.betterfemalefriendships.com/membership   Book a private coaching session with Danielle at www.betterfemalefriendships.com/coaching   Join our private group chat for extra resources, at https://www.patreon.com/friendforward Book Danielle to speak at your upcoming conference or event, by emailing info@tellpublicrelations.com

Maybe it’s nothing, but you’ve noticed that lately your friends are calling you out for your lateness, forgetfulness and your daydreaming, and after a quick Google search, you find out these are symptoms of ADHD. Whilst this may bring a sense of validation, it may also cause you to get curious on how these symptoms might be affecting your friendships.    In today’s episode, our resident friendship expert Danielle Bayard Jackson is joined by Dr Tracy Alloway, an award-winning Psychologist, TV expert, and Author of 15 books, to dive deep on the topic of ADHD and how it might be affecting your friendships. Together they discuss what ADHD is, how it presents itself in women, ways it can impact our relationships and what we can do as friends to understand and help support those with the diagnosis. And as always, stay tuned to the end for this week's homework, where Danielle offers tangible and practical advice for both sides - women who are affected by ADHD themselves, and those who are friends with someone with ADHD, and are looking for ways to better support and understand them.    Click the ‘Follow’ button now to not miss an episode. And remember, you can send us your questions on Instagram or at www.betterfemalefriendships.com To get in touch with Dr Tracy Alloway, you can reach out to her at www.instagram.com/drtracypackiam and www.tracypackiam.com  To explore more of Danielle’s friendship expertise, connect with her at www.instagram.com/daniellebayardjackson Stay updated with the latest episodes and podcast updates at https://www.instagram.com/friendforward **OFFER ENDS ON OCTOBER 1st** Sign up for Danielle’s Friendship Elevated, a 12-week program for modern women who want to experience a real transformation in their female friendship landscape: https://www.betterfemalefriendships.com/membership Book a private coaching session with Danielle at www.betterfemalefriendships.com/coaching Join our private group chat for extra resources, at https://www.patreon.com/friendforward Book Danielle to speak at your upcoming conference or event, by emailing info@tellpublicrelations.com