29 Oct 2024 09:00
Ep. 6 - "Friendship Matters" with Paige Nolan
This is episode (6) of our special nine-part series entitled Friendship Matters. Our hosts Julie Flakstad & Dr. Taz Bhatia, welcome Paige Nolan - life coach, writer and podcast host of I’ll Meet You There. This episode explores the importance of meaningful connection as we age, as well as the sometimes painful reality of needing to take inventory of our friendships and the mutual work that’s required. We’ll also delve into what happens when things get bumpy in a friendship, how to have uncomfortable conversations, and the idea of opening yourself up to new friendships in this new season of our lives.
Here are some of the themes we discuss …
- How friendship evolves as we age. How our lives shift raising children, changing jobs, or with a move, or divorce, leaving some suddenly feeling more disconnected or lonely.
- Midlife as an opportunity to become more intentional about who + how we spend our time. The power of taking inventory of our relationships, nurturing those that are more meaningful to us while allowing more space for those less fulfilling.
- Friendship is like a garden: There are oak trees (deeply rooted friends), flowers (beautiful, meaningful connections with sometimes shorter seasons), and weeds (yes, weeds, those relationships that no longer serve us + need pruning).
- The importance of vulnerability + time: True intimacy in friendship requires showing up, being present and vulnerable as well as daring to have "hard conversations" that cultivate even stronger bonds. Ultimately, we have to take responsibility for the relationships and experiences we want.
- Lead with love: In difficult situations, remind yourself, it’s not you against them, it’s the two of you against the distance you both feel.
- It’s never too late to forge new relationships or deepen existing ones. Lean into common hobbies or community groups, be curious and interested (and don’t underestimate the power of Pickleball!)
Added bonus - Paige shares her thoughts about life coaching vs therapy, her approach, what to look for, and who may benefit from this work.
About Our Guest, Paige Nolan
Paige Nolan is a life coach, podcaster, speaker, and writer who guides people to discover and focus on what matters most – so they can experience deeply fulfilling lives.
As a former guidance counselor and teacher, Paige’s coaching programs began as an offering to busy mothers who needed to pause and get more intentional about their lives. After sitting with thousands of women with her “Live What Matters Workshop,” Paige landed on the guiding principle of her work today: living what matters doesn’t take more time, it takes more courage.
Paige supports individuals, couples and organizational teams to make the brave, and sometimes hard, conscious choices they need to make to change. Her podcast “I’ll Meet You There” celebrates the joys, challenges and extraordinary journey of building an everyday life aligned to one’s truest values. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, three teenage-children and two beloved rescue dogs. Visit www.paigenolan.com to learn more.
Connect with Our Hosts and Conversation Partner!
Paige Nolan
