Friendship

Articles on all types of friendship and friendship issues.

This Grit and Grace Life Podcast

When Is a Friendship Unhealthy and What Do You Do? – 081

By / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Email | TuneIn | RSS | MoreHealthy friendships can bring joy to your life. Unhealthy ones, well, they can make it complicated and bring a list of questions with them. What does it take to create a friendship that flourishes? How do you know when a friendship should end because the harm outweighs the good, bringing hurt instead of joy? Can women have long-term friendships? Can they be “just friends” with men? These are just a few of the issues that co-hosts Darlene Brock and Julie Graham consider while unpacking how to deepen relationships with friends who are safe, those you can trust. Also, they’ll discuss how to cut off a […]

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Ask Dr. Zoe - How Do I Set Boundaries with My Invasive Mother-in-Law? feature image

Ask Dr. Zoe – How to Avoid Gossip Among Friends

By / Ask Dr. Zoe

‘Minny Mama’ Asked: I have two friends in my mom group that are bickering/gossiping about each other to another friend in our group. I don’t like to get involved in gossip or other women’s drama. However, I feel that these women will each say I am not being a loyal friend. What do I do? I thought that high school had ended. Thanks! Dr. Zoe Answered: And sometimes high school continues…We have all gossiped at some time in our lives. I know I have! Some people make whole careers of it. But I’m just going to say it: Gossiping is a sign of immaturity and it should be a habit that a woman of grit and grace matures out of. Time alone does

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A Therapist's Advice on How to Handle Conflict

A Therapist’s Advice on How to Handle Conflict

By / Relationships

Have you ever felt like you were treated unfairly? Perhaps you’ve worked hard on a project, but someone else on your team got the credit. Or, maybe you know you have the gifts and talents to excel in a certain role, but you’ve been overlooked and undervalued. Is there someone you’re close to who continually does something (or doesn’t do something) that makes you so irritated you tell them off in your head every time you think about the situation? Been there. Haven’t we all? Regardless of the circumstances, we all find ourselves interacting with other human beings—and human beings are flawed (including you). So, we’ll rub each other the wrong way, say or do hurtful things, and frustrate the heck out

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What I Learned About Hospitality From My Cows

What I Learned About Hospitality From My Cows

By / Faith

God has given each of us individual gifts that are a part of who we are. These gifts come naturally to us. One of mine is hospitality, and 1 Peter 4:9 says, “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace…” Now, as a young Christian, I thought that meant always having people over for dinner, tea, BBQs, and hosting Bible studies, and I put a lot of pressure on myself. The first women’s Bible study I hosted turned into a circus. I thought I had it all figured out, by the way, that’s how you make God laugh. My house was spotless, and I

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10 Ways to Make the Most of Girls’ Night Out

10 Ways to Make the Most of Girls’ Night Out

By / Life & Culture

It is cliché, but we are all busy. In our pursuits, passions, dreams, relationships, and all the craziness that comes with life, we are busier than we were a few years ago. But in the midst of the crazy, we crave our girlfriends. We all need time to kick back and be with our closest ladies to not only catch up but to have fun with each other. From trying something new to gathering around the table and enjoying real conversations to getting creative together, there are plenty of things we can do. Here are my top 10 ideas for your next girls’ night out: 1. Try a new restaurant. If you and your friends are like my circle, you can get

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This Grit and Grace Life Podcast

Why Cross-Generational Friendships Make You Better – 060

By / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Email | TuneIn | RSS | MoreCan you learn something from those who are younger than you? Should you listen to those “older and wiser?” Yes and yes! We began this show because co-hosts, Darlene and Julie, come from two generations and we believed their different life seasons could intersect and bring a unique perspective for your #gritandgracelife! In this episode, we consider how having cross-generational friendships with women and men can make you better in all arenas: home life, work life, parenting, and passion-pursuing. We explore the strengths of millennials to boomers and everything in-between. We will glean so much grit and grace when we put our pre-existing attitudes aside

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This Grit and Grace Life Podcast

Women and Judgment: Why We Do It and How to Stop – 057

By / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Email | TuneIn | RSS | MoreHave you ever been unfairly judged? Were some things said or believed about you that wasn’t true? Or perhaps you’re hesitant to admit that you could be the one doing the judging. The struggle is real, and every one of us has experienced both sides of this coin, probably not very long ago. Whether we like it or not, women are quick to judge, and we have a hard time not letting the opinions of others determine our self-worth. On this episode, Darlene and Julie discuss the common areas we tend to over-analyze others: appearance, work and finances, motherhood, how they make their decisions and

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take it easy on your friends

Take It Easy—On Your Friends

By / Relationships

Do you ever butt heads with some of your favorite people in the world? Those friends who hold a special place in your heart—who’ve cried with you when you cried, laughed alongside you at the craziness of life, and even chided you when you needed that extra kick… Let’s talk about keeping a great friendship alive. It doesn’t take a lot, even though sometimes it may seem like it does. Here are 5 things to remember for every friendship you want to hold onto: 1. You’re not a perfect friend. When you feel like you’ve been let down or disappointed by someone who you thought would never fail you, remember that friendship is a relationship between two imperfect people—and you are one of them. You

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Stuck-In-a-Rut-Here’s-How-to-Get-Some-Perspective

Every Woman Is Unique, but This Is What We All Struggle With

By / Purpose

I have spent the last four years of my career mentoring women through online health groups and business coaching. I spend every day talking to women who have fears, doubts, insecurities, but more importantly who have dreams and aspirations of growing both for themselves and their families. I love it. One of the biggest discoveries I have made through my experience is how women as a whole are all very unique but also very similar. I find comfort and sometimes heartache in that. Here are five basic truths I have learned on my journey while working one on one with so many wonderfully different women. We Are Resilient I love a good comeback story. What I have found time and time again,

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17 Things to Do to Make the Most of 15 Minutes

Love the Life You Have Today: Here’s How

By / Purpose

Yesterday, I felt like a hatchling building strength and in a state of preparation. Today, I feel like a soaring eagle, ready to take a risk. One thing our mind does subconsciously is give us second thoughts. We immediately respond to positive things in our life with excitement. In as little as one minute after good news, doubt and fear creep into our souls. It could be paralyzing. It could take away your happiness. I’m here to tell you that you should only focus on today. Your present moment could be your last moment, and we know, every new day is a gift. We are taught from a young age that it is important to build, but there must be balance. If

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When Life Gives You Lemons, Reach Out to Your Friends

When Life Gives You Lemons, Reach Out to Your Friends

By / Relationships

In this life, the terrain is continually changing; we will climb mountains, skip through lush fields of wildflowers, traverse into deep valleys, and try to navigate our way through dry desert sand. Each with its own beauty and hardship. As difficult as these paths can be at times, we need to make sure we aren’t trying to go it alone. We should take our own advice. You know, what you tell your kids when they head out the door on an adventure, “Don’t go anywhere alone. Remember to use the buddy system.” Now don’t get me wrong, sometimes we need a little time out, some solitude, to do a little self-reflection and see where we should be showing ourselves some grace. Most of

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This Grit and Grace Life Podcast

How to Have Healthy Relationships with All the Men in Your Life – 036

By / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Email | TuneIn | RSS | MoreMen—we work with them, date them, marry them but do we know how to get along with them? Part of being a strong woman is appreciating the prospect of having healthy relationships with the men in our life. But in today’s climate, it seems like that’s a challenge! When did men get such a bad rep’ anyway? Whether we’re talking friends, coworkers, neighbors, family or every other dude you do life with; we want to learn to have good connections with them. We respect and appreciate guys for who they are, and we love that our genders are different! In this episode, Darlene and Julie

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How to Become a Better Listener in 5 Simple Steps

How to Become a Better Listener in 5 Simple Steps

By / Relationships

I am a mom of three children under the age of 10, so I’ve seen pretty much every animated movie created. Ever. My very favorite is The Lego Movie, though, and not solely because it’s got great animation, witty dialogue, and touching moments. Those are all great components, but it’s actually my favorite because of one tiny little line tucked into one tiny little scene that you’ll miss if you blink. This line is dreadfully funny, but it also hurts just a bit because, at least for me, it’s so true. It speaks directly to a problem we all have, every single one of us. And it’s poignant because in just a few sentences it tells the story of our modern day

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This Grit and Grace Life Podcast

Great Friends: 9 Qualities to Be One and Find One – 031

By / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Email | TuneIn | RSS | MoreLooking for a friend, or even better, a really good one? We need people who will love us throughout the highs and lows of our lives, encouraging us when we’re strong, carrying us when we’re weak. What kind of friend do you want to be? What kind of qualities make a friendship meaningful and strong? Darlene and Julie, girlfriends who cross generational lines, talk about relationships they cherish and why, and practical ways you can be this kind of friend. Viewing in an app? Full show notes here. Once you’re done with this episode, you’ll want to go back and listen to Grit, Grace & Girlfriends: How

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How to Channel Both Mary and Martha When Hosting People

By / Faith

Haven’t we all had that moment of feeling unprepared and frustrated when having people over? Is my home clean enough? Do my guests have a nice place to sit? Where did I put that corkscrew? Now imagine the pressure of the ultimate guest coming to your home: Jesus. When I plan my own parties and events, I find myself coming back time and time again to the story of Martha and Mary hosting Jesus at their home. Luke 10:38-42 Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all

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In Need of Mom Friends? 7 Ways to Reach Out

By / Motherhood

Like a deer caught in headlights, I was blindsided when I became a mom. I found myself in the throes of mommyhood right after my husband and I moved from Honolulu to the heart of Dallas. It took months to build any sort of friendship and there was no one to bounce things off. I would often question every little thing I was doing pertaining to my daughter. I was almost positive I was messing up this new little life that had just been handed to me. Our family has grown, and we’ve made three more geographical moves since my oldest entered the world. With each new location, my deep need for a support system has remained the same even as seasons

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What Makes a Sister the Best Kind of Friend

By / Relationships

I love my sisters; we’re ridiculously close. In fact, they’re my best friends. However, I’m not naive enough to think that all sisters are best friends, so I do count myself fortunate (as are they). But if you too share a special bond with your sister, I think you’ll agree that this is what makes a sister the best kind of friend… You can always be yourself. Being best friends with your sister means you don’t have to worry about being judged. You don’t have to get yourself together when you’re with your sister. She’s happy to meet you exactly where you are. Her closet. What is it about a sister’s closet that makes it so much better than your own? I stand in

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