Nurturing Female Friendships: Words of Wisdom from Influential Women
In our ever-changing, fast-paced lives, our female friendships are the threads that bind our stories together.
For women, friendships and connections aren’t just social constructs but empowering platforms that mold our identities and support our ambitions.
In this post, we’ll explore some profound insights on the value of female friendships from some of the most influential women of our time.
Oprah Winfrey: Authentic Connections Inspire and Uplift
“Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher.” – Oprah Winfrey
Winfrey emphasizes a fundamental belief that female friendships are a source of empowerment and mutual uplift. Through her content, she encourages women to actively seek and cultivate enriching and nurturing relationships, wherein each person becomes a pillar of support, celebrating successes and providing comfort through adversities.
Her quote calls us to pay attention to the energy of the people we are surrounded by.
The more I learn about this, the more I realize that I need to pay attention to the energy I surround myself with.
It impacts me – whether I like it or not!
Even though we know all of this, it’s sometimes hard to let go of relationships that aren’t cutting it.
Choosing to be around others who genuinely care for us and want the best for us is critical. Also, those who ride on a high vibration can inspire us to reach higher in all areas of our lives.
Malala Yousafzai: Mentorship Moves Us All Forward
“We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back. We call upon our sisters worldwide to be brave – to embrace the strength within themselves and realize their full potential.” – Malala Yousafzai.
Malala Yousafzai, an ardent advocate for women’s education and equality, illuminates the necessity of mutual support among women.
By standing in solidarity, women have the power to break the chains of limitation and collectively pave the way for progress and success.
Her call to action implores women to recognize and harness their internal might, galvanizing a global movement of empowerment and mentorship.
My experience with mentors:
Through Yousafzai’s words, I realize that mentors come in many forms. I’m reminded of a time when I needed more guidance. It was around six years ago. I’d recently moved to LA and was going through many personal changes.
And, serendipitously, three mentors appeared in my life in the first six months.
One was Arianna Huffington. I met her through my husband. Although I haven’t kept in touch with her over the years, meeting her informed and inspired me in countless ways.
First, she told me to write about my experiences. She’ll never know how much her wisdom and kindness set me on a new path. Then, she demonstrated unbelievable generosity by introducing me to her close friends in LA.
Next, I connected with Kimberly Brooks. Kimberly mentored me by sharing the colors and vibrancy of the city, showing me a new perspective and turning LA into a magical city filled with opportunity.
She told me how she made her way in LA when she moved there many years before. She laid a foundation for me that gave me a vision. I knew I could do the same thing.
Lastly, my neighbor Martha was an intimate, very important mentor. Having survived the war, immigrated to the US, and raised a family here, I found her perspective on almost everything grounding. She continues to inspire and mentor me to this day.
Who are mentors in your life?
How are you a mentor?
Read more about mentorship here.
Michelle Obama: Female Friendships and Sharing Our Stories
“There’s power in allowing yourself to be known and heard, in owning your unique story, in using your authentic voice.” – Michelle Obama.
Michelle Obama speaks to the heart of the power inherent in female friendships—the ability to be seen and understood.
Reflecting on her own life, Mrs. Obama champions the concept that women draw strength from openness and vulnerability within their friendships. Her words inspire us to embrace our narratives and those of our friends, creating bonds that are not only supportive but also transformative.
Through her autobiographical novel Becoming, she says, “Your story is what you have, what you will always have. It is something to own.”
I enjoy recalling some chapters and others I still need to own more fully. She’s touching on profound and meaningful messages we can all benefit from.
It’s risky to open up and share our stories, but in doing so, we open the door to genuine connection and growth.
Reese Witherspoon: Building Our Female Tribe
“I think we achieve greatness in our lives when we support each other; when we uplift each other when we’re rooted for by our tribe of women.” – Reese Witherspoon.
Reese puts her money where her mouth is. Her production company, Hello Sunshine, is dedicated solely to sharing stories about women written by women.
The projects she’s personally worked on explore the complexity of different women and their lives, as seen in Big Little Lies and Little Fires Everywhere.
She surrounds herself with powerful and creative women devoted to creating community.
Through our collective community or tribe, we can feel less alone in this world. We have a resource in our back pocket, no matter what!
Martha Beck: Self-Care, Connection, and Female Friendships
“When women support each other, incredible things happen. Solidarity brings healing and turns our individual sparks into a wildfire of change.” – Martha Beck.
Beck, to some, is considered the world’s leading life coach. Her work is dedicated to exploring how interconnected our inner well-being is to the relationships we have all around us.
Through our dedication to supporting others, not only can we create movements and effect change, but we can heal ourselves.
Esther Perel: Understanding Important Relationship Dynamics
“The quality of your life ultimately depends on the quality of your relationships . . . which are a reflection of your sense of decency, your ability to think of others, your generosity.”
Although Perel’s work is focused on marriage and romantic love, she teaches us about all relationships in our lives.
She’s making a massive statement in the quote above, and I agree with her.
Our relationships are our most important and precious resource. Through them, we can soar to the highest highs and feel supported during our lowest lows.
In all respects, our ability to think of others and act upon it and our generosity make our relationships stronger and our lives happier.
Anna Wintour: Female Relationships in A High-Powered World
“In the tapestry of life, it’s the threads of female friendships that help hold us together. These relationships shape our stories, give us strength, and add a richness to our professional and personal lives that is irreplaceable.” – Anna Wintour.
I just finished reading Anna, the biography of Anna Wintour.
Besides being a page-turner, which is most definitely IS, I learned so much from this book. Wintour is a complicated person with a mysterious persona. But throughout the pages, her relationships with key people in her life make her more human and relatable.
She teaches us that no matter who you are, female friendships that are intermixed into your professional life make everything richer and more fulfilling.
Sheryl Sandberg: Female Friendships are Lifelines
“For women, the importance of our female friendships cannot be overstated. Our sisters — both biological and chosen — offer us a sanctuary of understanding, collaboration, and support that is critical not just for our success but also for our sanity. They are our sounding boards, our cheerleaders, and sometimes, our lifelines. Investing in these bonds is one of the most valuable career — and life — moves we can make.” — Sheryl Sandberg.
Sandberg credits her network of female friends for helping her through many of life’s ups and downs.
Can you think of times when your friends were sounding boards? Cheerleaders? And lifelines?
Our female friends can be all three of these things. What would we do without them?
Brene Brown: Offering a Sense of Belonging
“A deep sense of love and belonging is an irreducible need of all women, men, and children. Female friendships uniquely challenge and empower us in growth; they bring comfort and fill in the gaps left by other relationships. To cultivate a circle of women who truly understand and uplift us is to elevate our own sense of connection and well-being.” — Brené Brown
We know that one person can’t fulfill all our needs – including our need to feel like we belong. I love how Brene Brown validates the role of female friendships in the grander scheme.
We need our friendships to offer the comfort and support that only they can.
Wrapping it up: My Experiences with Female Friendships
Looking back over my 51 years on this planet, I can weep thinking about the role female friendships, mentors, and role models have played in my life.
As I think about work, I remember the women who worked alongside me and the happiness I felt sharing day-to-day life with them. When I was going through lonely times, moving to a new city, these women’ filled in the gaps.’ Even the silly, fun daily banter made my job much more enjoyable.
I think about role models who’ve paved the way for me. Some I don’t know personally, but their words have mattered and created paths for me to see opportunities I may have never noticed.
Also, I think of the friends who supported me in tough times, like staying by my side when I was going through a nasty divorce or offering to travel alongside me while I was working through a tricky international custody arrangement. When I think of these women, I picture a web. Each kind action added to the web supported me to get from point A to point B.
And the mentors I’ve had! There are too many to count. My mom, my aunt, my grandmothers, my friends, and too many others to even name. Each one has made an indelible mark on my life.
So, what do you think? Which quote resonates the most with you? Share any thoughts you have in the comments below.
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