5 reasons to cherish female friendships and strengthen relationships with girlfriends
Miscellaneous / / June 09, 2023
You will not only become happier, but also be able to improve your health.
1. It's easier to try new things with friends.
They will support in a situation where the unknown deprives confidence and it is scary to take the first steps. And it's not just about skydiving or kayaking on a mountain river. Fear can inspire any new business that you have never done. For example, it is difficult for one to come to a dance studio for the first time. And the other is to declare that she has become an illustrator and accepts orders for stickers for messengers.
Many of us were convinced: it is always easier together. This is so because at a difficult moment you can directly say “I'm scared” and get support. girlfriends. And calm down, because together or three it is easier to find a solution in a situation that alone can drive into a stupor.
It can be argued that for support it is worth turning to other close people - a partner or relatives. It's right. But in friendship there is another important point: not only you can rely on a friend. It is possible that she also needs support. And you, trying to help, can discover in yourself such forces and resources that you didn’t even know about.
2. Friends help build healthy habits
This paragraph is about those undertakings that seem simple. You just need to give them time and energy every day - and here it is, an important new habit. But after a while, difficulties arise. Desire appears postpone a new case for tomorrow, for Monday, for next month.
Together with a friend, it is easier to start running in the morning or doing yoga, learning foreign words or mastering guitar chords.
Therefore, if you can’t manage to make a good habit, it’s worth finding a like-minded person with whom you will start the changes together.
There is an important detail here. For some, at first, a sense of responsibility helps not to break. They think like this: if you promised your friend to come to the morning jog It means it would be embarrassing to refuse. This technique works, but only for a short time. It is impossible to hold on to a sense of duty all the time.
If a new habit doesn’t start to please, it’s worth sharing your feelings with a friend. And discuss what moments you like, and which ones make you look for excuses to skip a workout or lesson. Perhaps together you will find a way. Or decide to do something else.
3. It's easier to get through trouble with friends.
It is important for each of us that there are people nearby, in front of whom you do not always need to keep your posture and seem impeccable. If it is difficult, in their presence it is not terrible to look weak.
Can suddenly burst into tears, smear makeup and sniff a red nose, wiping it with paper handkerchiefs. And do not worry that those who are nearby will begin to critically evaluate your appearance and behavior. Or condemn for not being able to always smile.
It's great if family or other close people can provide such support. But a friend will easily put herself in your place - literally "fit into your shoes." And the beloved man, most likely, will have to explain things for a long time that the woman will understand perfectly.
This situation is not accidental. Scientists figured outthat stress in women increases not only the production of hormones that make you run or get into a fight to save yourself. This happens in men, and this mechanism helps humanity to survive and develop.
In women, the production of oxytocin, a hormone that, according to scientists, encourages “care and friendship,” increases.
Once upon a time, such behavior was necessary in order to flood or forest fire together to save the kids of the tribe. Today, this response to stress allows us to feel better in a circle of like-minded people.
4. Good relationships with friends improve health
Australian scientists from the University of Queensland for 20 years studiedhow social interactions affect women's health. They were interested in different age groups, starting from 18–23 years old. At the start of the study, more than half of the young women did not have chronic diseases.
Several times during the experiment, the researchers asked the participants to rate how happy they were in relationships with others. Romantic connections, interaction with relatives and colleagues were separately assessed. An important category was friendship.
After 20 years, those who were satisfied with social relationships had half as many chronic diseases as those who felt lonely. Similar results were found in each individual category, including the “friendship” section.
Women who were completely satisfied with their relationship with their girlfriends accumulated half as many chronic diagnoses as those who had the lowest level of satisfaction. Scientists have concluded that this aspect affects health in the same way as smoking, low physical activity and alcohol.
Interestingly, this is a universal biological mechanism. He helps feel good and live longer not only for people, but also, for example, for monkeys.
5. Friends help you get better
If you strive to maintain relationships with interesting, intelligent, understanding people, then you want to become the same. After all, the main friend for a girl is herself. Therefore, it is worth asking yourself the question: would I like to be friends with the lady that I see every day in the mirror? And if you are such a friendship for some reason not inspiringTry to understand what you would like to change.
Community building expert Rada Agrawal in her book "Together” writes about how to find people with whom you are on the same wavelength. She suggests taking a piece of paper and writing down what qualities you see in yourself today. And add another list - how your friends see you. The ones you really trust. Maybe their observations will help you look at yourself from a side that you did not even think about.
Rada Agrawal
Author of the book "Together".
You need to be extremely honest about who you are. Do you like to wash the bones of others? Can't listen? Lose your temper instantly? Are you lazy, selfish, like to command? If yes, then that's fine! Nobody is perfect. For example, I didn’t realize what a terrible reinsurer I was until I was awarded the title of “the one who always sets three alarms” at the annual party.
This approach will help you see which traits in yourself are worth appreciating, and which ones make sense to change.
Another step is to add a list of those qualities that you would like to develop and strengthen. Not only to attract those with whom it will be pleasant to communicate, but also to become the best friend for yourself.
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