Why Adult Friendship Is Hard

Making friends as an adult is hard.

Not because you’re awkward.

Not because you’re “bad at people.”

But because adult friendship runs on rules no one taught you.

In this episode of the Happy Healthy Hustle Podcast, I sit down with my student, Sammy, to break down what’s actually happening psychologically when you’re starting over - moving cities, studying abroad, rebuilding community, or watching everyone else look “settled” while you feel behind.

This isn’t a “go join a club” pep talk. I don’t believe in those.

It’s the truth:

Discomfort doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re early.

You’ll learn why waiting to “feel settled” keeps you stuck, why friendship doesn’t magically appear, and how momentum is built through repeated exposure, shared environments, and small consistent steps—before it feels good.

In this episode, we explore:

➡️ Why adult friendship feels harder than childhood friendship

➡️ The psychology of starting over and why the beginning feels so uncomfortable

➡️ Why your environment matters more than your personality

➡️ How “awkward” is a phase, not a verdict

➡️ Why proximity + repetition beats motivation

➡️ How to stop turning obstacles into self-criticism—and turn them into strategy

➡️ The mindset shift: You don’t arrive at home—you build it

This Week’s Petite Practice®

Pick one “repeatable room” you can show up to this week:

• the same class
• the same café
• the same community space
• the same walk routeThen go twice. No pressure to perform. Just show up.

Because friendship doesn’t come from intensity.

It comes from consistency.