The importance of female friends

I was always the girl who said she got on better with boys than girls. And back then, it was true. My friendship with girls was always very fickle- I had a new best friend almost every six months or so! But my friendships with boys always lasted years, I was always friends with the same boys throughout my entire school life pretty much. There’s even some boys from primary school I’m friends with now! I can’t say the same for girls.

When I went to an all girls secondary school, I decided now, more than ever, that I got on better with boys. I just didn’t fit in with girls the way I did with boys. I didn’t know how to do my hair or makeup, I didn’t wear the right clothes, I wasn’t pretty or skinny, rich or popular- all things that girls seem to care about in a friend and boys don’t. While I did have female friends, all of my closest friends, including my very best friend, were boys from the all boys school across the road.

Now that I’m older, things have changed slightly. I don’t know if it’s because I changed, or just because I met ‘better’ girls, but I started to get on better with girls than boys. While I was still drawn to having male best friends (Ben and Alec I’m looking at you!), I was drawn to having female ones too, and now have a nice mix.

Since making more close female friends, I’ve come to realise just how important female friendships are. When I was younger, more insecure in myself, other girls were always competition. Now that I’m older, wiser and a ‘woman’, I see this simply isn’t the case. The women in my life help to make me who I am. They lift me up and help me to rise, they encourage my growth and support me in all that I do- and, of course, I do the same for them.

I was encouraged to write this post after I stumbled across a post by The Indie Byline about female friendships. One quote in particular stood out to me; “...female friendships are so important. I don’t believe you can really tap into your womanhood without other women in your hood, around you to vibe with, flow through or grow with”. And it’s true! You do need other women to help you tap into your womanhood, to help you to grow. I don’t think enough girls remember this- I certainly didn’t.

Appreciate the women in your life, both friends and members of your family. Real women want to support other women, not tear them down and compete with them. Make sure you have the right women in your life to create your own tribe and watch how they help you transform.

Tap into your womanhood with other women, like The Indie Byline suggests. Then sit back and watch the magic happen. Girl Power is very real and it’s something we all need. Don’t hide from it; embrace it and learn to love the women around you.

Love from,

Florence Grace