These relationships offer support, understanding, empowerment, and a sense of community that is unique and desperately needed in today’s world.

I have been very fortunate as I’ve got older to have some really great girlfriends.

As a matter of fact, this week, I am going on a girls’ trip with some of my closest friends who live in Sarasota.

We’ve been doing this trip for close to fifteen years now.

There have been some years when some of us couldn’t make it. But in general, we all make it a priority to get this weekend away once a year.

I have loved having this group of female friends by my side through all the good and bad that life has thrown my way. And I have loved being there for them in their own journey.

Female friendships are unique.

When you have a deep connection with true female friends, it’s different than having your work friends or acquaintances.

When you have these deep female friendships, they are really there for you when you need them the most.

They build you up and give you the strength to move through whatever trials you face.

When you’re struggling with something challenging, having women you can turn to who can encourage and strengthen you through those challenges is vital.

These women are women who I feel completely comfortable spending time with as my true self. I don’t have to pretend to be anyone else but me.

I know that with them, I can express my honest opinions and my deepest struggles.

These valuable relationships are important threads in our tapestry of life and an important part of every journey.

Good female friendships improve our health and well-being.

Interestingly enough, when you look at the research behind friendships, studies show that you can actually live longer with a good set of female friends.

Studies also show that the average female relationship lasts 16 years, which is six years longer than the average romantic relationship.

And once we turn 55, our female friendships, on average, last 23 years. That’s a long time.

Having these good female friendships positively affects our physical and mental health.

Research confirms that socializing improves happiness and positivity.

It also helps manage stress and calms anxieties.

Female friendships provide a safe space for women to share their thoughts, feelings, and experiences without judgment.

This is important because, as women, we often face unique challenges and societal pressures that our male counterparts might not fully understand.  And as such, we can offer empathy, validation, and genuine understanding to one another.

This safe space allows all women to express themselves freely and find comfort in knowing we’re not alone in our struggles.

Make time for female friendship.

As moms, life is a series of busy days strung into busy years and busy lifetimes.

Because life gets busy, there’s not always time to spend with friends each week.

It may be a struggle to find extra time to make those deep connections or to strengthen the connections we already have.

This is why it’s so important to make the time, whether it’s leaving on a girls’ weekend, going out to lunch, or just picking up the phone and calling.

Whatever you are able to do, schedule time and just do it.

Do it because it’s something that really does make you feel better. And it’s something that really lifts you up.

When you spend time with a group of friends who are there for you and who love you no matter what, it gives you this incredible sense of confidence.

It can also be empowering to share what you’re struggling with or what you’ve accomplished and have your own cheerleaders cheering you on from the sidelines.

It’s also a gift to cheer them on as well.

These friendships are all about connection.

I find that some of my closest friends are women that I don’t have to talk to every week.

It’s the friendships where we pick up right where we left off that are the most meaningful to me—because that’s exactly how my life works.

I know that most people are busy, but it definitely seems that as I get older, I am getting even busier than I used to be.

I don’t have the same experiences I had with my friends when we were younger and having playdates with our kids.

Back then, we had a set time to see one another because we were doing things with our kids.

Now that our kids are much older, we’re obviously not doing playdates. So, we really try to take that time to stay connected with one another.

It’s less about how much time we spend together and more about just making the time to do it.

It’s about connection and friendship and community and love.

Find your own group of supportive women.

I firmly believe that every woman should have a group of other women who strive to build them up, who support them, and who help them feel good about themselves.

There is a study from Brigham Young University that explains that we have 50% increased odds of survival if we have a solid social network.

I honestly believe this is true.

When I was younger, especially during my first year of college, the majority of my friends were guys.

It wasn’t until I started at the University of Florida that I realized the importance of having girlfriends.

It was there that I met my best friend, who I’m still friends with to this day. We even travel together every summer.

Because of her, I discovered that there is a real benefit to having female friends.

Female friends are good listeners and incredibly supportive of one another.

It’s so important for every woman to find that group of friends.

We all need friends who aren’t judgmental, who aren’t dramatic, and who aren’t shallow.

We need friends who have strong opinions and strong values—friends who are there when you need them the most.

When women come together, they can amplify each other’s strengths, celebrate one another’s accomplishments, and encourage one another to fearlessly pursue their goals and dreams.

Female friendships often stand the test of time.

These relationships can span decades and even lifetimes, providing women with a steadfast support system through every stage of life.

Whether it’s celebrating joys, navigating challenges, or seeking advice, my female friends are there for each other, offering wisdom gained from our own journeys.

For me, the importance of female friendships cannot be overstated.

They are a cornerstone of a fulfilling and well-rounded life.

The post The Indispensable Value of Female Friendships appeared first on Simone Knego.

Recently, I had the opportunity to travel to a conference and meet up with some of my closest friends in the world.

Most of these women I haven’t seen since before the pandemic.

For me, it was such a wonderful reminder of the power of true friendship.

Life gets busy sometimes, and we may go weeks or even months without talking to one another. But when we get together, it’s like no time has passed at all.

We could talk for hours—and we did. This is what I loved about our latest adventure. We caught up, and we stayed up way too late.

We also had the most amazing and powerful conversations. The kind of conversations that are meaningful and inspiring.

Friendship means you are there for each other when times get tough.

Life is hard. And I think that sometimes, we forget that when we are struggling, there are people out there who want to strengthen and support us.

They are ready and willing to help us through those really challenging times when we feel overwhelmed and all alone.

Friendship is about sharing and caring for one another. Because of this, it’s important to remember that we don’t need to stay silent when we’re struggling.

Reach out to your friends and let them help and comfort you. After all, that’s what true friends are for.

Friendship means we are never too busy for one another.

So many people say to me, “Oh, Simone, you’re so busy. I don’t want to bother you.”

But I will make time for my friends because I want to be there to support them. And I really value the time I have with them.

My friends lift me just as much as I lift them. That’s why their friendship is so important to me.

It’s about where I put my priorities. And if one of my friends needs something, I want to be there for them.

I don’t ever want my friends to think that I’m too busy for them.

Our latest adventure was a reminder to all of us that no matter how busy we are, we want to be there for each other.

And if someone is struggling, they shouldn’t wait until we’re together to talk about their struggles.

Friendship is about reaching out in the good times and bad.

We all struggle, but we also each have the ability to lift and strengthen one another.

Recognizing this made me realize that we all need to make more of an effort to reach out and support one another.

If we’re struggling, we can reach out to find strength and support to help us through our struggles. And if life is okay for us at the moment, we can reach out, see how our friends are doing, and offer support when they need it.

There are plenty of times when I’ve struggled in silence because I didn’t want to bother other people.

But the truth is, in those times when I struggled alone, it took me much longer to move through the struggle.

On the contrary, when I reach out and call a friend and share what I’m struggling with, I can cry, be angry, or express any other emotion with no judgment.

Then my friend talks me through the struggle and helps me realize that I’m going to be okay and I’m not alone.

This kind of support is even better than affirmations because it comes from someone outside yourself who loves you for who you are.

It’s powerful, and it’s healing to the soul.

Friendship is about supporting the ones you love.

I’m lucky that I have an amazing friend that I get to spend time with every single day.

My husband is not only an incredible friend but my greatest strength.

When I ask him for something, he is always there to make it happen for me.

When I told him I was going to go away for three nights with my friends, he didn’t even have to think about it. He just said, “Absolutely! I support you and hope you have an amazing time.”

I consider myself very lucky to have this kind of relationship with my husband. And it goes both ways.

If he comes to me and wants to do something, I don’t question it. Sometimes I may question the price tag (wink, wink), but I don’t question what he wants to do.

I want to make sure that he always feels supported as well. It’s taken us a long time to get to that point where we can truly support each other, but that’s what best friends do.

Friendship is about give and take.

While I was away with my friends, my husband stepped up and took all my responsibilities. He took the kids where they needed to go, cooked the meals, helped with homework, did all the driving—and did it all after a full-days work as a surgeon.

This is because we discovered over time that friendship is a give-and-take kind of relationship.

That doesn’t mean it’s an “I take, you give” kind of thing—we both take, and we both give because that’s what it means to support each other.

This is the same kind of relationship I have with the friends I recently got to spend time with.

It doesn’t matter how far away from each other we are. It doesn’t matter what else we have going on in our lives. We want to be there for each other, and we want to support one another.

I am thankful and I am fortunate for the friends in my life.

As I move through life’s challenges, I will continue to remind myself that I am not alone.

I have friends, and they are my biggest supporters.

The post The Remarkable Power of Friendship appeared first on Simone Knego.