So often we prioritize romantic relationships above all others - whether it’s searching for a ‘soul mate’, choosing who we spend our time with or who takes priority in our lives…But according to Rhaina Cohen, the idea that a romantic partner is the only kind of relationship that can fulfill our emotional needs and bring meaning to our life is an incorrect one.
Rhaina is an award winning producer and editor for NPR and she’s the Author of The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center.
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BOOKS The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center
TIMESTAMPS
00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:00 - The relationship that made Rhaina re-think friendship
00:02:28 - The similarities between falling in love
00:03:46 - The hierarchy of relationships
00:07:00 - Why the phrase ‘just friends’ is BS
00:09:23 - What defines a relationship when sex doesn’t
00:10:10 - What we’re missing out on by not prioritising friendship
00:12:50 - The lessons romantic relationships & friendships can take from each other
00:14:54 - The scripts of relationships
00:17:17 - How to make deep friendships
00:20:10 - Other people’s reactions to close friendships
00:22:00 - Friendship break-ups
00:24:42 - How to nurture friendships to deepen them
00:27:00 - Reimaging friendship can help reinvent your life
00:29:57 - Dealing jealousy over close friendships
00:32:49 - Marriage is not a monopoly on closeness