Friendships are Complex: A Guest Post from Amy Weatherly and Jess Johnston

By Amy Weatherly, Jess Johnston / February 2, 2024 at 1:22 am

Paperback $19.99

Here for It (the Good, the Bad, and the Queso): The How-to Guide for Deepening Your Friendships and Doing Life Together (B&N Exclusive Edition)

In Stock Online

Paperback $19.99

For anyone who wants to feel a deeper friendship, this is as much a how-to primer as a first-hand account of how it worked. Covering every aspect of friendship and the different forms it can take, you won’t find a better launching point for developing meaningful connections.

Friends make us laugh until we cry, show us our blind spots, and change us forever. We met through the online world and instantly clicked. It was almost like magic, except better. A shared love of queso and a zeal for the Enneagram sealed our bond. Now, we pour our hearts into encouraging women across the globe to engage in authentic connection with each other. Friendships are complex and sometimes a difficult aspect of our lives, but we believe it is important to have conversations about all aspects of it – the good, the bad, and everything in between. We recently answered some questions about our new book, Here for It: The Good, The Bad, and the Queso, along with other important friendship matters and even fun Galentine’s Day ideas!

How have your own friendships influenced the creation of Here For It?

Jess: We’ve both been through difficult friendship stuff since we wrote I’ll Be There (9781400226757), and we wanted to address those experiences—dive even further into the nitty-gritty. We worked hard to find new tools for our personal growth, and now we want to share them. Friendship is wonderful, but it can also be hard. We need to talk about all of it, hence the book’s subtitle “the good, the bad, and the queso.”

Amy: Friendship matters deeply to me, but it hasn’t all been sunshine. My friends have been the source of some of my highest highs and my lowest lows as an adult. I’ve had to learn—and maybe just as important unlearn—so much. It’s been healing to write and connect with other women. To learn I’m not the only one who struggles and the only one who cares. I love that we could capture all this in a book—with words and stories others could pick up, read, and physically hold close to them.

What advice do you have for readers looking to make new friends?

Jess: I picture friendship as playing a game but you’re not sure whose turn it is. You’re just waiting for someone to make the first move. The reality is, it’s always your turn to pursue friendship. Don’t wait for someone to invite you to do something or introduce themselves. We need to own our friendship journeys. Amy, you like to say that almost every friendship starts with an act of bravery, and that’s the truth.

What are some practical ways readers can prioritize friendship this Galantines Day?

Amy: Like Jess just mentioned, almost every friendship begins with an act of bravery. Every holiday, but especially Galentine’s Day, gives us an opportunity to put ourselves out there. I love getting my friends little personalized gifts: small bags monogramed with their initial, a cute baseball cap with a heart patch, a notepad and pen, a pair of fuzzy socks and a good book. A Galentine’s brunch or even a trip is always fun, too, and the holiday is a great excuse to plan something together that says, “Listen, I think you’re great. It would be cool to know you more.” Galentine’s Day is an open door to stretch out your hand and see who is ready to build a friendship with you.

Doing life with others requires effort and can be messy. Why is it important to prioritize close relationships?

Amy: During the pandemic we learned that life gets real, and the only way we can get through it is with friendships that are real as well. When things are hard, we need someone to listen. We need someone to lean on. We just can’t go through life alone—it’s bad for us mentally and physically. But those relationships take time and intentionality to build. You can’t start the day you need protection from the storms, so start building now. Life is demanding; setting aside time to text, call, grab coffee with, and connect with your friends—even if it’s only in small increments—matters.