We all have those friendships that mean the world to us. For some, it’s a whole group of people with different personalities bouncing around to make the perfect bunch. For others, it’s that one person who you connect with on every level and couldn’t imagine a day without them. Whatever the case may be, friendships play a vital role in our lives. In every single one, no matter how big or small, you can learn something from it. I feel like this is especially true in female friendships and there have been so many incredible women who have taught me great things. This list may only cover a fraction of what female friendships have taught me, but they are the best lessons I have ever received.
1. Laugh!
Laughter and having fun is something my friendships are full of, and something they taught me that I need to do more of. Whatever we are doing, we are going to make some fun out of it. Even sitting on the couch in baggy pajamas can be so fun. I have always been the type to drown herself in tasks and work and my girlfriends notice this. They will make it their goal to separate me from my computer just for a bit, so I will go out and live a life that has some fun in it. They make the boring interesting, the mundane exciting, and bring true joy to the world simply by us all sitting together and making each other laugh.
2. Struggle together
Even though there are plenty of good times, every once in a while bad times roll through too. Negativity and stress are feelings that come and go, but when they are here you feel consumed by them. It is hard to separate yourself from a temporary feeling and you stumble down the rabbit hole of never ending worry or dread. That is where good friends come in to save the day.
Often, they remind me that these stressful times are a moment in time but life goes on. They also remind me that everyone can struggle or have an off day, because we are human. We may struggle, but we can do that together too. Hard times do not have to be faced alone and there is always a community in friendships. Everyone is living life for the first time. It can be tricky to navigate or even overwhelming. So by navigating through the good and the bad times together, it eases the confusion and builds real connection.
3. their loss
It cannot go unsaid that the minute a man breaks up with you or wrongs you in any way, friends will swoop in and take action. They’ll bring in the tissues, ice cream, or even act as your representative for any breakup affairs. They are always there. In a bitter situation like this, that is when real friends come to help you pick up the pieces. When something like this happens, you see how strong of a relationship there is between you and your friends. For me, I saw how reliable they were and how much they truly cared about me. Even though I already knew that, it hit me again and I was left in awe of these incredible women.
They would call me just to see how I was. They would text me kind words to give my day a boost. They even compiled a basket of goodies to show how proud they were of me for letting him go and a cake when I successfully didn’t speak to him for a month. They also brought back my confidence and showed me I was okay alone. I didn’t need a guy because I had strong bonds with great people. The relationships were so strong that I saw how I was gonna be okay without one mediocre one. To put it simply, I learned life would be okay so long as I had my girls.
4. Everything is Beautiful
They have taught me that there is beauty in everything. They will take photos of the simplest things that I see nothing special about, but will go on to explain why it is so special. In each of their own ways, they enjoy the little things in life. They notice the small details and what they add. While I am rushing through things to get to the next, they take a beat and make me take one with them. I stop and see what they see, and I see the beauty in everything. On top of that, they teach me to see the beauty in myself. They see each little aspect that makes me who I am and to appreciate them.
5. Kindness
It seems like such a simple idea to be kind to one another. However, I’ve learned that there is a difference between simple, mannerly kindness and true, unwavering kindness. When I need a laugh, they are there to help. In the hard times, they were there just as much as they were in the good times. No matter what there’s always going to be a helping hand. Even when they have tons of things going on, they will drop it to be there. Their kindness is so beautiful and an action that I reciprocate every time I have the chance.