The Importance of Friendship for Women
Did you know that having strong female friendships may help you live longer? Take a second to
think about how many strong female connections you have in your life. Don’t have that many? It
may be time to go on a friend hunt!
In modern society, adult female friendship has lost its value when our bonds should be stronger
than ever! Gone are the days of heading down to the river with your gal pals to wash clothes
and discuss your day.
A great shift happened after the Women’s Rights Movement. This was, of course, a good thing!
Women were able to vote and had more independence than ever. The problem is that this
pinned many women against each other instead of sticking together.
Women became judgmental of others for their choices. Stay at home moms were mocked by
career-focused women and vice versa. It’s unfortunate, because imagine the type of
powerhouse every woman could be with a strong support system behind her!
Society has been trying to pigeonhole women into certain molds since the beginning of time.
The invention of social media made matters worse, and it’s so easy to spend hours comparing
yourself to other women and bring yourself down.
In this competitive world, we need to keep lifting each other up. You should want to watch your
sisters succeed! The good news is that within the last few years, it seems like sistership and
strong friend groups for women are making a comeback. Let’s look at the benefits of female
friendship and how to make more friends as an adult.
The Benefits of Having a Female Support System
Not only is having a support system a good feeling, there’s scientific research to back up why
it’s so valuable. Now more than ever it’s crucial for women to stick together. There are several
benefits of sistership and other female friendship circles.
Lower Stress Levels
There’s no doubt that life can be chaotic and stressful. Think about a time when you’ve been
totally overwhelmed and wished someone was there to help you. Most of us go right to our
girlfriends in times of stress for relief. Social support is scientifically proven to lower stress levels
and increase resilience.
You’ll Build Strong Emotional Connections
Humans are social creatures, but women especially need emotional connection. Think back to
how we mentioned that women used to gather together to wash clothes in the river and talk
about their day. This type of emotional connection and support is extremely important. It shows
you that you’re being understood and heard.
Gain a Different Perspective
Having a group of gal pals to bounce ideas off of will give you a fresh perspective. Sometimes
all it takes is a second set of eyes on something for you to see it in a beneficial way. Advice
from other women is coming from a place of understanding that you won’t get when you talk to
men.
Tips for Building a Sistership as an Adult
If you don’t have a solid network of female friendship, don’t worry! It’s never too late to build life-
long connections with other women. Here are some tips to get started.
Seek Out Old Friends
Do you have girlfriends from your past that you’ve lost touch with? Reach out! As adults, we get
so busy that sometimes friendships can fall through the cracks. The good news is that social
media exists and we can use it to rebuild our sistership!
Focus on Quality, Not Quantity
The idea of a big female friend circle is lovely, but not essential. When you’re working on your
friendships, be sure to focus on quality. Take a step back to analyze your relationships. One-
sided friendships shouldn’t be maintained and you should know your worth!
Know that Rejection is Possible
It’s important to understand that creating and maintaining female friendships isn’t always easy.
Sometimes, you may be rejected or it won’t work out. Think of it like dating, there will be some
trial and error!
Attend a Women’s Retreat
Try heading out to a women’s retreat for a weekend of relaxation and potential new friends! Our
3-day Reset & Renew Women's Retreat in Galveston allows women to have a safe space to be
themselves and find support. Come join us in sistership for the weekend!
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