Sabrina Brier, known for her vibrant personality and engaging anecdotes on TikTok, has released a new audiobook that explores the dynamics of friendships and how various personalities interact.

Although the story is fictional, Brier, 30, uses her own feelings and experiences to create an engaging narrative. It’s clear she has a wealth of experience in the realm of friendships. “I have a diverse group of friends,” she shares. “Having gone to camp, I’ve built that community. I also have friends from college, home, and of course, moving to New York has expanded my circle significantly.”

Maintaining connections with all these friends can prove to be more challenging than anticipated. “Like any relationship, friendships require effort from both sides,” Carla Marie Manly, host of the podcast “Imperfect Love” and author of “The Joy of Imperfect Love,” previously noted in an interview with YSL News. “If neither party is committed to nurturing the friendship over time, it will eventually decline.”

‘You might go a year or two without seeing them’

In her early 20s, Brier dedicated her focus entirely to her friends. As she has matured, her perspective has shifted.

“One thing that is essential to me is the desire not to become the person who, when older, has lost touch with friends,” she mentions. “I aspire to maintain lifelong friendships. But sometimes, it means recognizing that with a great friend, you may not see each other for a year or two, and you need to find ways to connect through FaceTime and eventually plan visits.”

Some individuals may stagnate in their lives but expect their friendships to remain constant. Others will evolve and likely desire a deeper connection.

You may feel a strong attachment to someone yet not be able to invest the time they need, or perhaps you simply lack the availability. That’s completely understandable. “If you’re finding your interest waning but still care about this person, and the updates seem irrelevant to your current life, it could be a sign of shifting engagement,” said Danielle Bayard Jackson, a friendship educator and author of “Fighting for our Friendships,” in a previous conversation with YSL News.

‘The golden rule’ of friendship

Evaluating friendships based on duration or the expectation of them lasting indefinitely may not be the most effective measure. Is a successful friendship defined by its permanence, or by the genuine love you shared during that time?

Experts suggest that our friendships naturally evolve over time. One study revealed that we tend to replace around half of our friends approximately every seven years.

So, how can you determine if a friendship is likely to endure? Adhere to “the golden rule.”

“If someone genuinely supports you and wishes to see you succeed in all aspects of your life—career, relationships, happiness—that’s a true indicator of a good friend,” Brier explains. “While we all make mistakes, at the end of the day, if you can feel that sentiment of ‘I appreciate you and want the best for you’, those are the friendships I strive to hold close.”