“Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.” ― Anaïs Nin

Female friendship is a powerhouse of support and camaraderie. As Nin suggests, a whole new world is opened up when a friendship forms - there is intrigue and joy and comfort in knowing your people are right alongside you for this ride called “life.” 

Our female friendships are critical to our emotional well being. From an early age, our “best friends” provide a sense of belonging, emotional connection, and the ability to learn to rely on someone. 

Female friendships are, quite simply, a catalyst for sense of purpose. 

So what is the secret ingredient to female friendships? Why are they so powerful, bonding, unrivaled? The truth is, a woman’s dedication to her female friends is rooted in freedom. Our friendships are free of rules or regulations. They ebb and flow as we grow together and, as life twists and turns, our “constant” is the friendships we’ve put energy and time into. We dedicate ourselves to nurturing these relationships because they are comforting, reliable, and unrestricted. 

So, it’s no surprise that we (as females) are inherently committed to our “tribe.” We thrive on that support system - not only because we understand each other better than our male friends (we’re women, after all) - because no one needs to tell us howto be friends. It’s innate and comfortable. Women know that friendships really matter and they put the necessary effort in to make those relationships flourish.

When was the last time you called your best friends just to say, “Hey, you know what? I appreciate you.” Right now, more than ever, we deserve our female friendships. We deserve the late-night Facetime calls, the hourly emoji-filled text messages. Because even in a pandemic, female friendships are the glue to our sense of purpose and overall sanity. 

As Gloria Steinem said, “Women understand. We may share experiences, make jokes, paint pictures, and describe humiliations that mean nothing to men, but women understand.”