Celebrate Your Myriad Friendships

Tribe. Soul-Sisters. Your Bestie. These are the women that make our lives better. This month is all about celebrating them–and the FUN they bring to your life.

A woman without women around her is a shade of who she can be."

– Krystal Brandt

A celebration is gratitude with her party clothes on. We know that stopping to slow down and being grateful for what we have is a huge factor in increasing our happiness. When you are gratefulfor something, you actually send love to that thing orperson, which raises your vibration and theirs!

A celebration of girlfriends is a chance to raise thatvibration to the speed of “I’ll be There for You” fromthe Proclaimers. If a 5-minute dance break can makeyour whole day better, imagine what a dance partycelebrating the women you love could do?

Although I’m always up for belting out Queen’s “You’reMy Best Friend” at the top of my lungs with my 14closest lady-pals, there are lots of ways to celebrate thewomen with whom you’ve shared your life’s adventures.Catering your time spent together to the type ofrelationship will allow you to focus on having fun in themoment–no matter the time and place.

Your tribe is the ladies who have become yourentourage. They are there for just about any event thatinvolves your favorite coffee or cocktail. These are thegirls you call to go get pedicures, hit the Vintage Flea Market, enjoy a quick happy hour, or try out a new yoga class.

Fundraisers, direct sales parties, community theater, zumba-thon...One of the ways my tribe celebrates each other is by showing up–usually with champagne in tow. If any one of us throws a party or hosts an event, the rest of us will be there.

Soul Sisters are the ladies you know who are on a similar life path to you–you are sharing your heart, soul, dreams, and struggles with them. We all know from the super-stardom of Brené Brown that vulnerability is a life-changing path. Many of us are used to only being truly intimate with our closest friends–or lifers. However, creating a sister circle opens up a different environment in which you can feel safe being yourself.

I once spent a night in a tree-house in South Georgia with three amazing women. Although we realized raw oysters and the resort at Jekyll Island were more our style than composting and bunk beds, we did experience a powerful sacred circle where we celebrated the beauty of our friendship.

The Rhoda to your Mary, Will to your Grace, or Six to your Blossom—your Bestie has been your buffer, your shoulder, your getaway driver, and your stay up all-nighter. Although this role can change over time as you pass through various life stages, the friend who holds it is someone who has been around long enough to have seen your ugly cry face (and you theirs!).

Since I live 1,000 miles away from my best friend,we make it a point to have coffee and drinkstogether every week. She sits on her porch, and Isit on mine. We talk, laugh, cry and give advice justas though we were sitting in our favorite wine baracross from each other.

We are happier, healthier women when we havemeaningful friendships in our lives. From friendsyou share geography with to friends you sharevalues with to the friend you’ve shared your historywith, make celebrating their monumental role inyour life a priority.

Start Today

It’s time to put on your dancing shoes and grab a friend or ten to show them how much they mean to you!

Tribal Friendfare.

To celebrate a possibly large and/or unconnected group of acquaintances, host a Wine Night. Ask everyone to bring a bottle of wine and a snack to share. To promote a friendly atmosphere, ask each woman to introduce someone else to the group. While many of us struggle to toast to ourselves, we love raising our glass to the amazingness of someone we admire. For more ideas on celebrating your tribe, read this month's Adventure article.

Sisterhood Social.

The setting can vary from Friday night dinners around the dining room table to book club or a monthly New Moon Gathering. Have each woman share three things: an achievement, a struggle, and an intention. Celebrating these elements in a sacred circle locks the divine energy into each heart present so you can recall those positive emotions when you need them most. For tips & tricks on planning a social lunch, read this month's Food article.

Bestie Love.

To celebrate your closest confidante, plan a special night for just the two of you–a besties-only #CocktailWednesday or a weekend to get away for some fun–and find a moment to tell this gal-pal what she means to you. If your bestie lives too far away for a happy hour, send her flowers or a “just because” gift! For more ideas on hanging with your bestie, read this month's Beauty article.

LaKay Cornell, a (semi) location-independent entrepreneur, is passionate about everything small batch. She drinks champagne once a week, loves craft beer & goddess cards, will barter for almost anything, and lives on soulful music. Above all, she loves the fall in New England and her superpowered daughter.

Celebrate Epic Friendships

MWF Seeking BFF

by Rachel Bertsche, Pub. 2011

Lighthearted yet meaningful, this memoir explores one woman’s quest for a new best friend. After moving away from her home, Rachel realizes that making new friends as an adult can be tricky. Through her 52 “friend dates” with total strangers, there are hiccups, laughable moments, adorable connections, and awkward encounters aplenty—all of which reminds us reminds us of the marvelous fun that comes when we stretch our friendship muscles.

Saving Gracie

by Jill Teitelman, Pub. 2012

A writer who has always lived her life with vigor and ambition, Ruth Kooperman’s priorities are career-focused. With middle age comes a shift in her thinking and she seeks out a more “traditional” path, with some amazing girlfriends by her side. She learns how to climb with a new set of parental ropes, and reminds us what belonging really means. Common side effects of this read include: laughter, tears, and a strong desire to hug your girlfriends.

Summer Sisters

by Judy Blume, Pub. 1998

This delicate, rich novel devoted to the pursuit of summer fun, close bonds, and all the little moments that matter so much takes us deep into a friendship spanning several years and many breezy August afternoons. While following the summer sisters’ journey towards reconnection, you can’t help but celebrate your own most memorable summers, and cling a little tighter to that special friend who’s been there through it all.

Radically committed to magical mornings – Micayla is a wordsmith, entrepreneur, and mindset enthusiast living out a decidedly different post-secondary path while eating wholesome plants, drinking black coffee, hyper-organizing her days, and staying up too late working on poems. Lots more online and tweeting cheer from @Micayla_Vranic.