What I Learned About Friendship When I Needed My Friends Most

How many friends do you have?

I don't even know how to count them anymore.

Was I Just Flirted With at Lidl? The Lost Art of Flirting

What do you think: was it just my imagination, or was it real?

A Very Diplomatic Rejection

What Do You Think I Should Have Said?

Yesterday, my friend Sandra finally called me.

A WhatsApp Message From My Father After Many Years of No Contact

Well, whaddaya know?!

I had written this blog post (you really should check it out!) — I hadn’t even published it yet, and then…

I get a WhatsApp message from my father!

Have I Ever Properly Introduced You to Yuki?

Recently, I was at one of Yuki’s parties again. One of the guests took a photo of the two of us together. Later, I thought: maybe it would be nice to share that photo here. Maybe you’d enjoy getting to see a little bit of Yuki! Especially since I write about her here quite often.

Why We Say Things We Don’t Really Mean — and Still Act Like We Do

When someone says, "We should get together sometime soon," what do you actually hear? A genuine intention? A courtesy phrase? Or something in between?

Is Online Communication Changing the Way We Talk Offline?

Have you noticed that conversations seem different lately? More fragmented. More superficial. Or is it just me?

7 Conversation Patterns That Explain Why You Often Feel Unheard

Have you ever walked away from a conversation feeling like your words didn’t quite land? 

After a personal experience that changed how I look at conversations, I started noticing patterns in how people talk and listen. 

When Someone Keeps Interrupting You and Finishing Your Sentences

You know my friend Mina, the one who kept finishing my sentences in ways I never would myself? Say I started a sentence with:

When Did Sharing Grief Become a Paid Service? — On Friends, Therapy, and Emotional Distance

You know, a while ago I went through something traumatic. Shortly afterwards, I discovered not only that I was completely on my own, but also that I had apparently crossed some kind of boundary: 

My Friend Keeps Finishing My Sentences — And It’s Changing Our Conversations

Have you ever had someone finish your sentences? It’s more unsettling than you think...

When Support Makes You Feel More Alone: Anxiety and Feeling Misunderstood

Do you know that feeling—when you’re already not doing well, you call someone for support, and instead of feeling better, you end the conversation feeling even more alone and misunderstood?

What to Say When Someone Is Rude to You in Public

A while ago, I got into a bit of an argument with a cashier at the supermarket I visit almost every day.

Lots of Contact, Little Connection: When No One Is Truly There for You

After a traumatic experience, I reached out to people I thought would be there. 

What happened next changed how I see connection and support.

How to Build a Neighborhood Friend Network? A Surprising Trick

In my neighborhood, there’s a woman who seems to know everyone.
People stop for her, talk to her, gravitate toward her.
I know exactly how she does it—and it’s surprisingly simple.

What do you say to someone who’s grieving? ChatGPT gave me the answer — almost.

You know, recently the mother of my friend Yuki passed away. I wanted to send her my best wishes for Easter, but it’s tricky to wish someone a “Happy Easter” when they’re in mourning.

The Power of a Simple Phone Call: Friendship, Loss, and Human Connection

“I’ve been thinking about you”, I said when she picked up.

There was a pause.

Then she told me her mother had died.