This is why female friendships are so important
Here’s an interesting little piece of information for you- did you know that female friendships can actually increase your longevity?!
It’s easy to sometimes take friendships for granted, or on the other end of the spectrum, even dismiss the importance of having female friends at all. However science says otherwise.
There are actually huge benefits to spending time with like minded women- physical, emotional and mental benefits- that makes prioritising friendships entirely worthwhile.
(And who needs an extra excuse for a girlie catch up anyways?)
While there is such a huge emphasis placed on romantic relationships in the era we currently live in, female friendships still remain the nets we fall into when we need help or support.
Recent research actually tells us that the average female friendship lasts 16 years, which is 6 years longer than the average romantic relationship. Once we turn 55, our friendships on average last 23 years!
Why Male and Female friendships are different
You’ve likely heard the term or read the book- ‘Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus’- meaning as females we are inherently different from men. We think differently, act differently, solve problems differently and are more emotion-driven than logic-driven.
Although men and women do support each other, as women, we thrive on strong relationships with our girlfriends. Such friendships give women an outlet to share problems, thoughts, feelings, and triumphs with those they share a close bond with. Women are each other’s emotional support system- from giving advice, offering a shoulder to cry on, keeping secrets, lending a listening ear and boosting one another’s confidence and self-esteem.
Spending time with girlfriends, virtually or in person, helps us to maintain our emotional equilibrium (and sanity!) especially as we age and especially in times of stress.
With all this said, it’s no surprise then that female friendships are good for your mental and physical health. Some experts even recommend that you spend time with your girlfriends at list twice a week to enjoy these benefits
Why female friendships are so important and beneficial
Female friends offer honesty and feedback
One of the pillars of good friendship is trust. As women, we can trust our close female friends to always offer their own advice and be honest when we seek out their option or advice. Even at times when it may not be easy to hear, this truthful reflection is so helpful to help us gain clarity and see the bigger picture. Female friends act as our personal sounding boards who listen to your thoughts and ideas before offering feedback. Whether you’re wondering about whether a romantic relationship is working, you have a new business idea, or you simply don’t know what to wear on your next date, a female friend can be invaluable in helping you talk through issues and offer a wider perspective and opinion. After walking away from a conversation with a good female friend you should feel confident and supported.
Female friends help fight stress and boost mood
As women, when we are stressed, we respond differently than men. While men go into ‘flight or fight,’ new studies show that women who are stressed respond with a reaction called ‘tend and befriend.’ This means as women we tend to nurture those around us and reach out to other women for support. According to the research, engaging with female friends reduces cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and increases serotonin which is a neurotransmitter that helps fight depression, lowers stress and creates a general feeling of wellbeing.
Female friends can extend your life expectancy
Who would have thought that spending time with friends is one of the best ways to extend your life expectancy?! We hear a LOT about nutrition, exercise, sleep and hydration, but it seems that having close female friends could be just as important for our wellbeing.
According to UCLA research, women more reliably turn to their social circle when experiencing stress or trauma, which has been noted to protect their health and longevity.
Research has even shown that women have higher survival rates from breast cancer when they have strong friendships compared to those in social isolation.
Female friends are reliable
Female friendships allow you to have a safe space you can always go to whenever you need to vent, cry, or simply talk something out. Your girlfriends will listen, share your feelings, reason with you, and likely leave you with solutions and a much brighter demeanour. As women we are also naturally empathic, meaning we can resonate and relate when other women are sharing something important or emotional. In this way, when we share with our close friends, we feel seen, heard and understood. A lot of the time, this alone helps us to feel better and ease the load.
Female friends allow you to access your feminine energy
In a world where we often prioritise masculine traits (productivity, success, growth, strength etc) female friendships help you to remember to drop back into your feminine qualities also. When we are around other women, you can relax, unwind and tune in to your own emotions and intuition.Feminine energy is strong, resilient, kind, motherly, honest and uplifting. Being around other women is a chance to ‘let our guard down’ and have fun, dance, be creative, talk openly and be nurturing. So much of modern day life is spent in the masculine energy of ‘doing’ but being with close girlfriends allows us to surrender to that beautiful place of simply ‘being.’
Female friends make us stronger
One of the most beautiful things about female friendships is its strength. Female friendship is an astounding source of confidence, reassurance, comfort, joy and candour that can truly guide you through life. Our female friends help to build us up and remind us that we have what it takes to follow our dreams and seize the day. Female friends become your best cheerleaders.They are there to encourage you when you have doubts, to pick you up when you feel flat and to ultimately remind you of all of your own inner strength and confidence. This support system helps you to feel strong enough to get through anything life throws your way. As we age, female friends also challenge us to try new things, act as mentors in our personal and professional lives and push us to excel in all areas of life (in a loving way!)
Female friends reduce loneliness and isolation
Research shows that close female friendships are more important for women than they are for men. Spending time with girlfriends releases serotonin and oxytocin- the bonding hormones- and these connections are important to us as women to thrive in wellness. With the added stress, pressure and hectic nature of modern day life, spending time with those close to us allows us to simply be ourselves, minus the outside pressure. Furthermore, in a world of texting and virtual communication, spending time with girlfriends helps to ease the feelings of isolation that the modern world can evoke. Studies have shown this ‘hyper connectedness’ via the virtual world can actually leave women feeling emotionally alienated. Proving that real life, face to face friendships, are more important than ever before.
Female friendships on a Bali Women’s Retreat
Every week on retreat we witness the beautiful friendships that organically form throughout the week. Whilst every woman that joins us is unique and has her own set of life experiences, there are always commonalities, shared stories and united bonds as women that draw us together.
With many of our women joining us on a solo retreat, this opens up space for guests to share and connect on a deep level, without any preconceived notions, no labels, no titles and no judgement.
The ‘anonymity’ of being on retreat on your own also inspires many women to feel a huge sense of personal freedom to simply be themselves, and from this place of openness, they have the ability to share very deeply and personally, which inspires very close bonds to form.
Lifelong friendships form every week on retreat. It really is a beautiful space to meet like-minded women who can support you throughout the retreat and far, far beyond throughout your ongoing journey.
Hear from Our Guests on Female Friendships at Escape Haven
In this video some of our guests share the importance of social connection and how this impacts their well-being, what it means to connect with other women, how joining the retreat helped deepen their connection with other women, the transformations that they had, and their highlights of the retreat.
We’re so pleased to witness our beautiful guests from all around the world on retreat heal, grow, and transform from this magical one-week wellness retreat.
Are you ready to prioritise your female friendships?!
As women, we understand each other, we share our deepest secrets, our hopes and dreams, our intimate details, we share clothes, beauty products and tell one another when we have food in our teeth or when our yoga pants are on backwards.
It isn’t always easy maintaining these close friendships, and friendships do morph and change over time, as we morph and change ourselves. However, no matter where you are in your lifespan, being proactive about female friends is important and hugely beneficial. It’s never ‘too late’ to make new friends or to find your ‘tribe.’
You may have work friends that you really enjoy being around – all you need to do is ask them out to coffee or lunch one day. There may be school mums you only see at drop off or pick up that you could invite around for a cuppa or glass of wine. Try taking new classes in something that interests you. Go to local events or join a yoga studio. Put yourself in situations to meet new like-minded people when you can.
So much of our emotional and mental strength comes from the deep bonds we develop with the strong, inspiring and nurturing females in our lives. So make sure to treasure these relationships.
Join us for a Luxury Women’s Retreat in Bali!
If you’d like a blissful and indulgent week to really unwind, restore and tap back into your feminine energy around a group of like-minded women, join us on a yoga or Bali meditation retreat!
