How to make (and keep) friends | from A Slight Change of Plans

How to make (and keep) friends | from A Slight Change of Plans

Author: TED February 16, 2026 Duration: 37:18

Many of us tend to prioritize our romantic and familial relationships over friendships — and that could be harming our wellbeing and health. In this special episode from our friends at A Slight Change of Plans, cognitive behavioral scientist and bestselling author Dr. Maya Shankar looks at how friendships expand our sense of self. Maya is joined by psychologist Dr. Marisa Franco, who offers research-based strategies to make new friends and deepen our existing friendships, including helpful concepts like mutuality and the mere-exposure effect. Marisa and Maya also discuss how to stay friends through big life changes, why fighting could make your friendship stronger, and how to break up with a friend with clarity and kindness.


On A Slight Change of Plans, Maya explores how we experience change and provides strategies we can use to better navigate moments of upheaval. Find A Slight Change of Plans wherever you get podcasts.

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts


Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


You might find yourself wondering how small shifts in thinking or action could ripple out into your daily life, and that's precisely the space this How to Be a Better Human podcast occupies. Hosted by Chris Duffy, each episode is built from conversations with a range of insightful guests, including past speakers, who share practical wisdom that goes beyond typical advice. The discussions are grounded in real-world application, focusing on how we can all improve in tangible ways-not through grand gestures, but in the nuances of our interactions at work, within our families, and in our own internal dialogues. This isn't about abstract theory; it's about hearing specific stories and strategies that offer clear takeaways you can actually use. The How to Be a Better Human podcast, from TED, digs into those unexpected corners of life where genuine growth happens, exploring how we show up for others and ourselves with more intention. Listeners will find a thoughtful mix of humor, vulnerability, and sharp insights that challenge conventional self-improvement tropes, making the journey toward being better feel accessible and deeply human.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

How to Be a Better Human
Podcast Episodes
How to love parts of yourself you may not like (w/ Heather Havrilesky) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:51
Heather Havrilesky is the author of the book Foreverland: On the Divine Tedium of Marriage. She’s also the writer behind the advice columns “Ask Polly,” and “Ask Molly,” which is written by Polly’s mischievous alterego.…
How to learn from your failures (w/ Dawn Burrell) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:42
Dawn Burrell is a celebrated long jumper, an Olympic athlete, and a chef’s whose cooking made her a semifinalist for a James Beard Award — and these are just a sampling of her many accolades. In this episode, Dawn talks…
Re-release: How peace can persevere (w/ Aziz Abu Sarah) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:25
It’s extremely difficult to move past anger and hurt driving you towards revenge. War, violence, and suffering are driven by that cycle of emotions. Palestinian author, peacemaker, and entrepreneur Aziz Abu Sarah knows t…
How to be a better friend (w/ Rhaina Cohen) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:12
What would it look like if we took friendship as seriously as we take romance? Rhaina Cohen, author of the book The Other Significant Others: Reimagine Life with Friendship at the Center, talks to Chris about the value o…
How you can be more creative by taking a long walk (w/ Craig Mod) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:38
What do we gain from a long walk? Craig Mod is a photographer and writer who has done treks and pilgrimages around the world. From the Camino de Santiago to the Old Tōkaidō Road, Craig Mod transforms the simple act of wa…
How you can move forward and learn from the past (w/ Clint Smith) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:20
How do you grapple with national history, legacy, and the stories you tell yourself? Clint Smith is the author of the narrative nonfiction, How the Word is Passed, and the poetry collection, Above Ground. Clint joins Chr…