As we navigate midlife – career shifts, evolving family roles, and personal growth – one thing remains essential: strong female friendships. These bonds provide emotional support, laughter, and a sense of belonging that becomes even more valuable as we get older. While romantic relationships and family dynamics may shift over time, true friendships can be lifeline, offering stability, encouragement, and joy. These friendships, often unconditional, provide us with a ‘safe’ place to be vulnerable and truly be our selves.
Female Friendships Can Feed Our Souls
Do you come away from that coffee or cocktail with your bestie, and feel like the world feels a better place? It’s true as research shows that friendships can :
- Reduce stress by lowering cortisol levels
- Boost Happiness through oxytocin, the ‘’bonding hormone’’
- Improve our emotional resilience & reduce feelings of isolation when times are tough
Unlike other relationships, female friendships thrive on empathy, trust, and shared experiences, making them uniquely powerful. We can find sisters in the place that we least expect and times when we most need.
Why Friendships Matter More Than Ever
Life brings us many challenges and often we are left feeling we are ‘holding up the sky’ with all the people who we are supporting, career that we are juggling and relationships that we are trying to cherish. During these times more than ever it is when strong friendship are a lifeline and sometimes that escape we need to laugh out loud or cry those tears we hide.
Good friends bring so much to our lives:
- They offer Emotional Support – A good friend validates your feelings and reminds you that you’re not alone.
- They Encourage Growth – They can encourage you to pursue your dreams, take those risks and feel strong enough to embrace change
- They Provide Stability – sometimes just knowing someone is on your side and there for you is all that you need to face tough challenges or decisions
- They bring Joy – Sharing laughter over that coffee or cocktail, dancing in the kitchen, or just laughing at that thing that no one else gets ! It’s precious.
Keeping Friendships Strong
Friendships need nurturing and making time is important to show that you are connected and care.
Let Go of Toxicity – If a friendship drains you, it might be time to step back. Recognise that some friendships are not meant to be for life and it may be they they’re only meant to be in your life for part of the journey.
Prioritize Quality Time – even a quick check in can remind your friend you care and you are there.
Be Authentic – no one needs fake friends, be yourself and have honest and open conversations. If you can’t do this then take a look at what is happening with you in this friendship and maybe this is not the friendship for you.
Celebrate Each Other’s Wins – Be a cheerleader for your friend. If you feel a bit of jealousy creeping in recognise it and remind yourself that there is enough in this world for us all and you are good enough also.
Celebrating Female Friendships on International Women’s Day
With International Women’s Day on March 8, now is the perfect time to honour, and appreciate the women who lift us up. This global celebration recognises the strength, achievements , and resilience of women around the world – many of whom value their friendships for support, empowerment, and inspiration.
This year, take a moment to reach out to the women in your life – tell them you value them and love them. Never be shy to tell your friends what they mean to you and simply just saying thank you for being there with me on this journey. Remember that we are stronger together and happier in sharing a bond that makes us humans being rather than ones just doing.
The Lifelong Power of Sisterhood
In a world that often pulls us in different directions, our friendships provide a safe space – a place where we are understood, supported, and truly seen. Female friendships are more than just about companionship: they’re about lifting each other up, growing together, and making life’s journey richer and more meaningful.
So, this International Women’s Day, celebrate the women in your life. Because life is always brighter when shared with true friends.
Sending you all hugs and happiness, let’s celebrate each other every day.
