How to Build Relational Resilience When You Want to Quit with Heather Thompson Day | EP 347

My guest today is Dr. Heather Thompson Day, an interdenominational speaker, an ECPA bestseller and contributor for Christianity Today and Newsweek. She is also the host of Viral Jesus, a new podcast with Christianity Today, which charts in the top 200 of all Christian podcasts in the U.S.

Heather is an Associate Professor of Communication at Andrews University. She is passionate about supporting women, and runs an online community called I’m That Wife, which has more than 270,000 followers.

Heather’s writing has been featured on outlets like the Today Show, and the National Communication Association. She has been interviewed by BBC Radio Live and The Wall Street Journal. 

She believes her calling is to stand in the gaps of our churches for young people. She is the author of 8 books; including I'll See You Tomorrow, and It’s Not Your Turn.

She resides in Michigan, with her husband, Seth Day, and their three children, London, Hudson, and Sawyer Day. 

3:41 – Heather 101

• Heather always says, when trying to describe herself, that she is forever a teacher and forever a student.
• She works in the communications space in pop culture and always wanted to be a writer.

10:31 – Relational resilience

• Heather credits the people she surrounds herself with for helping her succeed.
• She believes self-reliance is a myth. We are created to exist in relationship with other people.

16:51 – Toxic relationships

• A friend hurt her, and she was forced to determine: Is this an incident or a pattern?
• Heather has been a bitter, jealous friend, and he tries to extend the same grace to her friends.

29:20 – The strength of weak ties

• The strength of weak ties theory says make an effort in relationships, even if it’s not deep.
• Stop looking for the best friend or the soul mate and just start saying, “How do I prioritize the relationships that I do have, wherever those are and whatever those look like?”

35:17 – The definition of friendship

• The definition of friendship is one that is mutually productive and characterized by mutual positive regard.
• Love is the blending of trust and joy.

50:25 – Get to know you

• Last thing that made her laugh? Talking with her students.
• Last thing that made her cry? Taylor Swift’s breakup.

FEATURED QUOTES

I always say, when I’m trying to describe myself, that I am forever a teacher and forever a student.

Self-reliance is a myth. You were created to exist in relationship to other people.

In my world, words mean things.

Stop looking for the best friend or the soul mate and just start saying, “How do I prioritize the relationships that I do have, wherever those are and whatever those look like?”

https://www.heatherthompsonday.com/

About Heather Thompson Day:

Dr. Heather Thompson Day is an interdenomi