Best Zya Podcasts (2024)

1
How to Stop Saying ‘Someday’ and Plan That Trip With Your Friends! 28:48

2h ago28:48

28:48

I just got back from this wild, adventurous, 11-day road trip with my friend to see two Taylor Swift concerts on opposite sides of the country. How did we make it happen? Partly, the stars aligned; partly, we’re privileged in that we’re self-employed, childless, and could afford it; but also, we just went for it. It was so fun and actually inspired…

1
Welcome to the Toastmasters: Formal Communities with Brendan Smith 43:40

3h ago43:40

43:40

In this episode, I pull back the curtain on one of my own formal communities: the Toastmasters. Today’s guest is Brendan Smith, a member of the Toastmasters chapter I was part of. Toastmasters is an international speaking club and educational organization, and for four years, Brendan and I met with the group every Thursday: sometimes online, someti…

1
Navigating Friendship Through Chronic Illness 59:58

12d ago59:58

59:58

This episode, about navigating friendship through chronic illness, is deeply personal to me. In last week’s episode, I shared about my own recent health issues, but I think this information is good to have no matter your situation. Chances are, chronic illness will impact somebody in your life in your lifetime. Today’s guest is Catherine, a busines…

1
Celebrating 100 Episodes – Plus, an Extensive Look at the Wheel of Connection 1:03:31

13d ago1:03:31

1:03:31

This whole podcast was only a dream a couple years ago, and here we are now with 100 episodes. Thank you for being here, for listening, and for sharing these conversations with your friends. In this episode, I share some life updates and talk intensely about the Wheel of Connection (view this visual diagram!), which is a foundational concept to my …

1
Is Individualism Costing Us More Than We Realize? 1:02:29

20d ago1:02:29

1:02:29

Individualism is woven so deeply into the fabric of American culture that sometimes we don’t even notice it. But what if this cornerstone of our culture is costing us more than we realize? Today’s guest is James F. Richardson, a cultural anthropologist who spent two decades studying American society – which included living a more communal life in S…

1
Part 15 31:43

23d ago31:43

31:43

Harav Yussie Zakutinsky ShlitaBy KMH - K'hal Mevakshei Hashem

1
Part 14 29:17

25d ago29:17

29:17

Harav Yussie Zakutinsky ShlitaBy KMH - K'hal Mevakshei Hashem

1
Breaking Through One-Sided Connections With Chrissy Marie 1:00:39

27d ago1:00:39

1:00:39

Have you ever felt like you’re ALWAYS the one giving a shoulder to cry on – but don’t have one to cry on yourself? I think it’s a common issue among friends. Personally, I used to brag about how I’d drop everything to help a friend in need – but I eventually discovered it wasn’t sustainable, and my friends didn’t reciprocate in quite the same way. …

1
How to Set Bridges Instead of Boundaries with Zya Be 55:18

1M ago55:18

55:18

Have you ever hesitated to set a boundary with a friend for fear of pushing them away? Or, maybe you found yourself on the receiving end of unspoken expectations and left guessing what your friend truly needed. Our friendships are some of the only relationships we have by choice – but sometimes that freedom can make us hesitate to trust. We’re subc…

1
Part 13 29:36

2M ago29:36

29:36

Harav Yussie Zakutinsky ShlitaBy KMH - K'hal Mevakshei Hashem

1
Part 12 20:27

2M ago20:27

20:27

Harav Yussie Zakutinsky ShlitaBy KMH - K'hal Mevakshei Hashem

1
Part 11 22:59

2M ago22:59

22:59

Harav Yussie Zakutinsky ShlitaBy KMH - K'hal Mevakshei Hashem

1
Part 10 15:29

2M ago15:29

15:29

Harav Yussie Zakutinsky ShlitaBy KMH - K'hal Mevakshei Hashem

1
Part 9 24:29

2M ago24:29

24:29

Harav Yussie Zakutinsky ShlitaBy KMH - K'hal Mevakshei Hashem

1
10 Friendship Hot Takes 37:32

1M ago37:32

37:32

Today I’m going to share my personal hot takes about friendship. If you’ve been listening to Friendship IRL for a while, you’ll recognize some of these ideas, but some thoughts are new, and some I haven’t presented as directly as I do today. I was inspired by Danielle Bayard Jackson’s recent episode on the Friend Forward podcast, “6 Hot Takes on Fe…

1
Part 8 23:01

2M ago23:01

23:01

Harav Yussie Zakutinsky ShlitaBy KMH - K'hal Mevakshei Hashem

1
Part 7 27:22

2M ago27:22

27:22

Harav Yussie Zakutinsky ShlitaBy KMH - K'hal Mevakshei Hashem

1
Part 6 26:07

2M ago26:07

26:07

Harav Yussie Zakutinsky ShlitaBy KMH - K'hal Mevakshei Hashem

1
Part 5 23:12

2M ago23:12

23:12

Harav Yussie Zakutinsky ShlitaBy KMH - K'hal Mevakshei Hashem

1
Part 4 16:11

2M ago16:11

16:11

Harav Yussie Zakutinsky ShlitaBy KMH - K'hal Mevakshei Hashem

1
Reconnecting With Old Friends When You’ve Become a Different Version of Yourself with Linda Mueller 59:53

2M ago59:53

59:53

Imagine you’ve made the move you’ve always dreamed of. You live on the other side of the world and experience a new culture. It changes how you see your life – and almost imperceptibly, it changes you, too. When you return home, things are different among your friends. You don’t fit in the way you used to. Today’s guest, Linda Mueller, has lived th…

1
Part 3 27:54

2M ago27:54

27:54

Harav Yussie Zakutinsky ShlitaBy KMH - K'hal Mevakshei Hashem

1
Part 2 23:51

2M ago23:51

23:51

Harav Yussie Zakutinsky ShlitaBy KMH - K'hal Mevakshei Hashem

1
Part 1 23:52

2M ago23:52

23:52

Harav Yussie Zakutinsky ShlitaBy KMH - K'hal Mevakshei Hashem

1
Easing Burnout With Social Connections with Lesley Waldron 49:59

2M ago49:59

49:59

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed and exhausted by everything you have to do (while still worrying you aren’t doing enough!) then this episode is for you. Today I’m talking about burnout with Lesley Waldron, is a burnout coach who is also a sandwich caregiver (a parent and caregiver to a parent). Much of our conversation tackles this conundrum: frien…

1
Who We Are Right Now: The Benefits of Making New Friends and Starting Over with Leannda Shearer 59:02

2M ago59:02

59:02

There’s no better way to test your friendship skills than to move to a new city, and today’s guest, Leannda Shearer, has moved to a new city not once or twice but eight different times! So, at this point, you could say she’s an expert at building a support system. With each new move, she’s learned that it takes not just the right skillset but also …

1
How to Not Live Vicariously Anymore with Christine Hetzel 48:53

3M ago48:53

48:53

Sometimes, when our social lives feel lacking, we find ourselves living vicariously through others and wondering: how come they’re all living their lives and I’m not? This is the experience today’s guest, Christine Hetzel, found herself in during a kind of quarter-life crisis. To turn her friendship situation around, she took the initiative and beg…

1
How to Stop Dreading Parties and Take Charge of Your Guest Experience 27:48

3M ago27:48

27:48

If you’re somebody who dreads going to a party, then this episode is for you. Sometimes the couch feels more appealing than going out into the world and socializing, and I get it. Attending a gathering takes energy. Sometimes it feels awkward. But gatherings can also make us feel inspired and supported and invigorated. Today I offer an approach tha…

1
Dear Men: Stop Living on Autopilot and Strengthen Your Social Circle with Antonio Neves 56:25

3M ago56:25

56:25

Do you know men who don’t have close friends? It’s a common problem (one that I cover in Episode 31 and Episode 32 of this podcast) with major implications. Poor social and mental health in men is connected with all kinds of other issues ranging from suicide and depression to gun violence. Joining me to talk about this issue is Antonio Neves, a lea…

1
Want a Couch Friend? You Need to Be a Couch Friend 42:13

3M ago42:13

42:13

Today I talk about two friendship terms I’ve been hearing more about lately: the “couch friend” and the “errand friend.” Lots of people want these kinds of friendships because they’re supposed to be easy. You do life’s responsibilities together or you do absolutely nothing together – no planning or panic cleaning required. But how do you find these…

1
Realizing It’s Just Not the Same Anymore With Sarah Marie Paige 39:31

4M ago39:31

39:31

Have you ever gone back to an old friend, only to realize it’s not the same as it was? This is the experience of today’s guest, Sarah Marie Paige, who in this episode shares about her amazing high school friend group – a group she assumed she’d be able to re-enter without a hitch post law school. Instead, she learned they couldn’t actually pick up …

1
Spring Cleaning Friendships Through Life’s Transitions with Emily Rogers 48:56

4M ago48:56

48:56

There are some friendships we just need to let go of. In some instances, this means letting go of an aspect of a friendship. In others, this actually means letting go of an entire friendship. Today’s guest is Emily Rogers, a transition and leadership coach and the host of the Leap to Lead podcast (which I was recently a guest on; link in the show n…

1
How to Embody Main Character Energy in Friendship 30:00

4M ago30:00

30:00

Have you ever met someone truly magnetic? They walk into the room, and suddenly, the energy shifts. People are drawn to them. Some might argue that this is just the way some people were born. They inherited some gene that the rest of us didn’t. But I believe magnetic individuals are just people who are doing the thing, putting themselves out there …

1
Shifting People Pleasing Friendship Patterns with Deb Blum 1:06:12

4M ago1:06:12

1:06:12

A few years ago, I realized that one of my friendship patterns was actually kind of a problem. I’d show up for my friends as Superwoman, bragging that I could (and would) drop everything and do anything for my friends – even if it meant betraying myself and my own needs. Then, when I really needed help, I’d never ask for it. I think we all have fri…

1
Don’t Let Your Brain Run Loose: Creating Solid Friendship Beliefs with Sarah Siegert 1:01:05

5M ago1:01:05

1:01:05

What are your friendship beliefs? What stories do you tell yourself about your friendships? Today’s episode might be one of the most important I’ve ever recorded because it gets at the heart of so many people’s struggles: core beliefs about friendship. Here, I’m joined by Sarah Siegert, founder of Friendships Abroad. Inspired by her own experience …

1
The Case For Making Friends Who Are In Different Life Stages Than You 36:21

5M ago36:21

36:21

I just want to make friends who are in the same stage of life as me. In this business, I hear some of the same phrases over and over, and this is one of them. I love that goal, and it’s a big part of what I talk about on the podcast. But recently, I’ve also noticed a trend in which people are seeking friends who are in DIFFERENT life stages. So tha…

1
How Creating a Community is the Ultimate Self-Care with Fresh Starts Registry Co-Founder Jenny Dreizen 1:08:05

5M ago1:08:05

1:08:05

One thing I always say is creating a community is the ultimate self-care. In today’s episode, we dive deep into this idea with my good friend Jenny Dreizen, who is the co-founder of the Fresh Starts Registry, which I’m a huge supporter of. The Fresh Starts Registry is a registry for all of life’s new beginnings, from divorces to graduations, big mo…

1
Flexible Expectations and Modern Friendships with Author Anna Goldfarb 1:03:57

5M ago1:03:57

1:03:57

If you’re having a bad day, try bragging about a friend. Talk about that thing they did and why they’re so great – it will turn your whole day around. Today I’m bragging about my new friend Anna Goldfarb, author of Modern Friendships, which is about the nuances of adult friendships. Anna is a journalist whose reporting has appeared in The New York …

1
Finding Balance Between Community and Individualism With Donna Fields 58:39

5M ago58:39

58:39

How do we balance community and independence? This question is posed by today’s guest, Donna Fields, who, twenty years ago, moved to Spain, and experienced culture shock, going from the United States – an individualistic society – to one that was collectivist and communal. Donna is an author, professor, teacher, trainer, and host of the podcast Doo…

1
Letting Our Historic Friendships Breathe in Their New Forms with Joseph Suttner 50:55

6M ago50:55

50:55

Think about your closest friends. Have you ever felt yourself saying, maybe I just don’t know them anymore? Or, why is it so hard for us to get together? Here’s a question I’m posing for today’s episode: instead of trying to maintain friendships at their “peaks,” what if we allowed these friendships to breathe in their new forms? Today’s guest is J…

1
Checking-In: How’s Your Friendship Self Talk? 30:56

6M ago30:56

30:56

I’ve been paying more attention to my self talk lately, particularly my negative self talk. It’s so easy to berate ourselves and give ourselves labels about our interactions. I’m a bad friend. I’m awkward. I’m terrible at small talk. I’m not good at showing up. But what if instead of saying, I’m awkward, we say, that interaction was awkward, and lo…

1
Navigating Female Friendships and All Their Complexities with Danielle Bayard Jackson 59:03

6M ago59:03

59:03

Today’s topic is female friendship, and to be honest, I’m a little overwhelmed by the responsibility. I hear your stories about the intensity, cattiness, and drama of female friendships, but to tell you the truth, it’s been a long time since my friendships involved those extreme experiences. Due to my life’s circumstances, I had to approach friends…

1
Losing a Best Friend and Navigating Grief with Michelle Cecil 51:20

6M ago51:20

51:20

Today’s episode is all about holding space – and it’s a poignant reminder of the importance of friendship and how it can profoundly affect our lives, even after a friend has passed away. Michelle Cecil is here to vulnerably share her story about her friendship with Erica. Michelle and Erica’s friendship blossomed in their youth and grew stronger as…

1
The Physiological Impacts of Connection (Which is Actually More Important Than Exercise) with Dr. Zarya Rubin 48:44

7M ago48:44

48:44

How much Vitamin J are you getting in your life? In today’s episode, we’re talking with Dr. Zarya Rubin, a Harvard educated functional medicine physician, and one of the questions she often asks patients is about whether they’re experiencing enough joy and connection. Though there’s a societal push for more exercise and more kale, connection is act…

1
The Power of Vulnerability in Small Doses: Embracing Small Intimacies 31:32

7M ago31:32

31:32

Sometimes to feel closer to our friends there’s this pressure to share our most vulnerable feelings or unearth some deep, dark secret. But what if I told you there are more ways to feel connected to our friends that are actually simpler, easier, and more common? That in fact, there are DOZENS of ways we’re trying to open up to each other, but becau…

1
Carving Out More Time For Connection With Our People with Career Break Coach and Author Katrina McGhee 1:03:53

7M ago1:03:53

1:03:53

How much time do you spend with the people who matter to you most? This could be your partner, your kids, your family, your friends, your community. The answer will probably vary depending on your season of life. This episode features Katrina McGhee, a career break coach and author of Taking a Career Break for Dummies. Katrina was inspired by her o…

1
Crafting Connections in Small Towns and Virtual Worlds with Wesley Stroupe 50:33

7M ago50:33

50:33

In this episode, we cover something I’ve been DYING to talk about: friendship in virtual reality. When you put on the headset and enter the VR world, what’s it like? Today’s guest, Wesley Stroupe, is a Friendship IRL podcast listener who recently moved to a small town. Wesley is a self-described anxious person, but especially after the pandemic, he…

1
The Magical Combination of Intention and Small, Simple Actions With Zahara Williams 39:40

8M ago39:40

39:40

Never underestimate the power of the simple things, especially when it comes to friendship. I love that we tackle the big topics on this podcast, but there’s a special place in my heart for episodes like this one. Today’s guest is Dr. Zahara Williams, who is a therapist, speaker and author of the After Betrayal workbook. Here, we talk about an amaz…

1
Separating Our Own Friendship Beliefs From Our Children’s With Pam Howard 48:06

8M ago48:06

48:06

Do you want to teach your kids how to make and maintain friendships? I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: modeling is so important, but as today’s guest Pam Howard points out, what’s also crucial is checking in with your own friendship beliefs, particularly any fears or insecurities you have about friendship. That way, you can separate your …

1
Unpacking Learned Loneliness – and How We Can Impact Change 36:32

8M ago36:32

36:32

When the term “learned loneliness” came across my desk, it made my ears perk up. The idea of learned loneliness – that loneliness is now our new normal – resonates with me; I often find myself wanting to see people, but instead, I’m scrolling or turning on the TV. I used to think this was laziness, but now I think I’ve gotten comfortable being unco…

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