Everything’s Perfect… Except Making Friends

Making friends as an adult and maintaining adult friendships can feel awkward, overwhelming, and even isolating—but you're not alone. In this heartfelt and hilariously relatable episode of Everything is Perfect, hosts Autumn Calabrese and Donald Stamper dive deep into the messy, joyful, and sometimes painful world of adult friendships.

Through candid stories and laugh-out-loud moments, they open up about their personal experiences making friends in new cities, managing old friendships across time zones, and navigating the complicated feelings that come with loneliness and connection.

Autumn shares the challenges of keeping friendships alive while raising her son, adjusting to a changing work life, and overcoming the fear of small talk. Donald reflects on the joys and anxieties of building a social circle in a big city, including the vulnerability of asking for friendship and the importance of showing up for others—even when life gets busy.

This episode also features a heartfelt listener email from Misty, who opens up about her struggle to make new friends after relocating and losing her son. Her story becomes a powerful entry point into the broader conversation on loneliness, community, and the very human need to belong.

Whether you're struggling to meet new people, feeling disconnected from longtime friends, or just trying to understand how friendship evolves as you grow, this episode offers practical insights and emotional validation. Autumn and Donald dish out advice on how to put yourself out there, deal with rejection, and stay generous with your assumptions when friends don’t always show up the way you expect. From awkward dog-walking encounters to rekindling old bonds with a simple text, they cover it all.

You’ll walk away from this episode feeling seen, understood, and maybe even inspired to reach out to someone in your life. Because as Autumn and Donald remind us: friends aren’t just a nice-to-have—they’re essential.
So grab a coffee, hit play, and join two real-life besties as they unpack what it means to build and keep meaningful relationships in adulthood. Because even when it’s messy… everything is perfect.

Episode Chapters:
00:00 Intro & Episode Overview
04:16 Defining the Core Problem
08:43 Personal Stories That Sparked Change
13:20 Breaking Cycles: The Role of Awareness
18:05 Coping Mechanisms vs. Healing Tools
22:51 Inner Child Work & Self-Compassion
27:16 Toxic Positivity & Spiritual Bypassing
31:58 What Growth Actually Looks Like
36:34 Therapy, Coaching, and Support Systems
41:03 Making Peace With Your Past
46:25 Redefining Success & Self-Worth
51:18 Final Takeaways & Closing Thoughts

Autumn and Donald recently announce a new three-month challenge centered around the 21 Day Fix program. With community workouts, playlists, live Zooms, and giveaways, this challenge is designed for those who want consistency and fun—not perfection—this summer. It will be $50/month and you can sign up here: https://everythings-perfect.mn.co/pla...