Yes, You Should Ask a Friend For a FavorEvery month on Dear Nina (the podcast) I offer one small, doable challenge to deepen or revive the friendships already in our lives OR to make new friends. I say “our” lives because I do the challenges too. June’s challenge is about the friends already in our lives, and it’s harder than it sounds for many people. Ask for help—even a tiny favor. Why does asking a friend for a favor strengthen the friendship?Asking a friend for a favor demonstrates trust and intimacy. It helps your friend feel closer to you merely because you asked. Have you ever felt a little hurt or confused when you heard a friend asked someone else for help and not you? If so, then you know exactly what I mean when I say that you feel close to the friend who asks for help. And perhaps you feel distant from the ones who never come to you. Unfortunately, some people really struggle asking for help, even for the smallest of favors. This month I want you to practice this important skill! Even if you have no trouble asking, maybe you haven’t done so in awhile. June is the time! I also want you to consider if you struggle asking friends for help because you’re afraid people will then ask you for help. That’s how friendship works! We have to be inconvenienced sometimes for friends and community, which is good for relationships AND for society. I discuss this more in the 12-minute episode. I hope you’ll join me in the June Dear Nina Friendship Challenge. FIND EPISODE #149 on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and anywhere you listen to podcasts!
Let me know how it goes!REMINDER: You can start the 2025 challenge any time. Each month is meant to stand alone and you don’t need an entire month to accomplish any of them. Find all the challenges listed here. Come back and let me know how it went no matter when you try that month’s “assignment.”
Two anonymous friendship advice questions you might have missed
Let’s connect outside of this newsletter: You can find me most often in the Facebook group, Dear Nina: The Group. All the social media links are below. I know I need to get rid of some them! Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | LinkedIn | Threads | Twitter | Bluesky | My Website You’re a free subscriber to Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship. Frustrated with some of your friends? You’re not alone! The anonymous letters are a perk for paying subscribers. You probably have a similar question. Upgrade any time for the full archive AND for (optional!) quarterly Zoom hangouts with Nina and other paying subscribers.
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