Adult friendship is one of those things that sounds simple — until you’re living it. Between building a career, raising kids, and trying to take care of yourself, friendship can easily slip to the back burner.

But this week’s The Found Podcast guest, Nina Badzin, says it doesn’t have to.

As the host of Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship, Nina has spent more than a decade studying what makes friendships thrive (and what makes them fall apart). Her podcast and writing have been featured in publications like TIME, NPR, and The Wall Street Journal, and she’s known for her honest, refreshing take on how women connect with one another.

In our conversation, Nina and I explored the realities of friendship for ambitious women: the messiness, the beauty, and the intentionality it takes to make it last.

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Softening Your Reaction to Rejection

Rejection is part of life — in business, in relationships, and yes, in friendship. Nina reminds us that the more we can soften our reaction to rejection, the easier it becomes to try new things and meet new people. Everyone experiences it, and often, we’re doing a bit of rejecting too.

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“Freshman Energy” and Showing Up in Person

When you move to a new town or start a new season of life, Nina encourages cultivating what she calls freshman energy — the openness and curiosity we had when we were younger and making new friends felt exciting, not intimidating.

“You have to physically show up. Find the places where anyone is welcome, and keep showing up there.”

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It’s Always Your Turn

Nina’s most powerful reminder? The people with the happiest social lives are the ones who accept that it’s always their turn. Stop waiting to be invited. Text first. Plan the coffee date. Extend the invitation.

“If you make plans, you have plans.”

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The Friendship Equation for Ambitious Women

For those of us chasing goals and managing full lives, friendship doesn’t happen by accident — it happens by choice. Whether that means joining a local group, reviving a weekly walk, or simply reaching out to say “I’m thinking of you,” the reward is worth the effort.

So as we head deeper into fall, let this episode remind you that friendship isn’t another task on your to-do list — it’s a lifeline.

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Listen to the full interview in episode 222 with Nina Badzin on The Found Podcast, available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.